cowgirls--making each believe he was dancing with her and her alone--are
now being used to satisfy his wives.

In this way Krishna continues to live. Sometimes his wives caress his
body, ply him with delicacies or swathe him in perfumed garments.
Sometimes to ease their passion they make little figures of him or let
themselves be dressed by him. One night they go with him to a tank and
there make love in the water. Everything in the scene reminds them of
their love and they address first a _chakai_ bird. 'O _chakai_ bird, when
you are parted from your mate, you spend the whole night sadly calling and
never sleeping. Speak to us of your beloved. We are Krishna's
slave-girls.' They speak to the sea. 'O sea, you lie awake night and day,
heaving sighs. Do you grieve for a loved one who is far away?' Then they
see the moon. 'O moon, why do you grow thin? Are you also filled with
longing? Are you fascinated by Krishna?' In this way they address birds,
hills and rivers, seeking from each some consolation for their frenzied
love.

In due course, each of the sixteen thousand one hundred and eight bears
Krishna ten sons and one daughter and each is beautiful as himself.

[Footnote 36: Plate 18.]

[Footnote 37: Lanka--modern Ceylon.]

[Footnote 38: Note 12.]

[Footnote 39: A sight of the heavenly wishing-tree, the _kalpa_ or
_parijata_, which grew in Indra's heaven, was believed to make the old
young.]