Jatila and Kutila: the spicy chaunce in Radha Krishna’s pastimes

Jatila and Kutila are the mother and sister respectively of Abhimanyu, the “so-called husband” of Shrimati Radharani in Krishna’s pastimes. Jatila and Kutila perform the service of facilitating the “Parakiya Rasa” or the mellow of paramour love in the loving pastimes of Shri Shri Radha and Krishna. So they were always trying to keep Krishna away from Shrimati Radharani. They would chastise Krishna and sometimes call Krishna bad names to drive Him away. One time Jatila called Krishna a black snake and Krishna said, “Yes I am a black snake and with My fangs I will bite you J” Later Krishna told Uddhava that “Actually the chastisements of these Gopis are more pleasing to My heart than the praises and glorifications of the great rishis and sages Because they have pure love, the pure desire to please Me.” Radhanath Swami during his yatra to Yavat narrated pastimes from Rupa Goswami’s “Nectar of Devotion” that how the spicy chaunce added by Jatila and Kutila would make Radha Krishna’s pastimes even more exciting and relishable.

On one occasion Abhimanyu went to the market to buy some cows. He selected nice cows and in the afternoon he came back to take some coins to purchase the cows. Meanwhile by His arrangements, Krishna spread a rumor in Yavat that “Krishna is coming in the disguise of Abhimanyu to see Shrimati Radharani.” When Jatila and Kutila heard this they stood at the gateway of the village with sticks. They were determined that Krishna was not even going to have a moments glance upon Shrimati Radharani. So Abhimanyu came not expecting anything. As soon as Abhimanyu arrived, Jatila, Kutila started screaming at him “Get out of here, we know that who you are, we know that you are Krishna in disguise. Get away from here or we will beat you with these sticks. Get out, get out, get out!” As they were saying the whole village of Javat was in an uproar, “Get out of here, Get out of here.” Abhimanyu didn’t know what in the world was happening. So he tried to explain “I just came back to get some money for the cows to buy.” They said “Get out, get out we know your tricks. We know your cunningness Krishna, get out of here now.” So he ran away.

Meanwhile from another direction Lord Shri Krishna came perfectly disguised as Abhimanyu. When Jatila and Kutila saw Him their hearts were overwhelmed with parental affection. They embraced Krishna. They said, “Oh! Abhimanyu we are so happy to see you. You know? Krishna just came and He was disguised as you, but we drove Him out of this village. Now Radharani is waiting for you.” Krishna said “It is an auspicious day for Radharani to perform the Puja to goddess Mangaldevi. She should fast today and She should go to the temple and She should worship throughout the day and throughout the night.” So mother said, “All right that is very good. Whatever pleases you my son.” So she sent Shrimati Radharani to the Mangaldevi temple to do Her prayers throughout the day and the night. When She arrived at that temple, Lalita, Vishaka the Gopis and Krishna appeared there to the delight of Shri Radhika and they performed Rasa Leela throughout the night.

On another occasion Krishna was meeting with Shrimati Radharani in the forest close to Yavat. And Kutila and Jatila told Abhimanyu, “We have heard that Krishna is in the forest with your wife Shrimati Radharani. You think that She is very chaste but this is what we have been told. You should go immediately and see for yourself.”  So he came running into the forest and Shrimati Radharani saw that he was coming and She became very much afraid. Where were they going to go? Krishna said “Do not worry I will protect You. You just stand as You are standing.” She was in the middle of offering something to Krishna. He said “You just stay just as You are.” So then Shrimati Radharani saw Abhimanyu coming, he came right in front of them, he looked at them. Then he offered his prostrated obeisances. Shrimati Radharani turned around and She saw that Krishna had assumed the form of Goddess “Kali”. So Abhimanyu was thinking that Radharani is worshipping a deity of “Kali” to help Her to better please Her husband and he was very happy. So at this place in Yavat, there is a small temple of Kali and the deity is called Kali-Krishna in rememberance of this pastime. In this way the excitement in the meetings and separation of Radha and Krishna would increase millions of times in the Parakiya Rasa. Radhanath Swami explains that Jatila and Kutila are actually very dear to Krishna for creating such a stage for orchestrating exciting pastimes for Him.