After awakening, Radha and Krishna sat upon the bed. The sakhis were already awake. They approached with Their friends. Vrinda also came to the gathering. She brought two young pupils with her. They were the parrot Manjuvak and the sarika Kalokti. Both birds were accomplished in learning. Vrinda introduced them to the praise of the Divine Couple.
The birds humbly greeted the Lord and Lady of Vrindavan. They also greeted Their friends. Radha indicated Her wish with a glance. Vrinda understood and instructed the parrot to speak. Manjuvak introduced his poetry modestly. Although he did not consider it especially sweet, it could delight the saints because it praised Krishna. He compared it with iron turned to gold by a wondrous stone.
His words first praised Krishna's feet. Beautiful signs marked them. He mentioned the disc, crescent moon, barley grain and pot. He named the parasol, triangle and bow. There were signs of a thunderbolt, a cow's hoofprint and a conch. The fish, lotus and flag were also among them. A goad and an upward line were mentioned as well. All these marks formed part of the praise.
The parrot described the power of those feet. Hearing of them removed thirst for other things. Meditating on them dispelled misfortune. Seeing their beauty delighted the senses. Their touch removed fatigue. In the praise, they were a shelter of good fortune. Manjuvak prayed that they might be his everything. He addressed these words to Krishna before the gathering.
Then he described a wondrous transforming power. Through a fraction of their influence, ordinary stone became chintamani. A cow became a wish-fulfilling cow. A tree became a tree of wishes. These poetic images praised the Lord's generosity. The fragrance of His feet filled the world. The tongues of devotees were compared with bees. They tasted the sweetness of Krishna's lotus feet.
His nails shone like the white Ganga. The dark upper surface of His feet was compared with the Yamuna. Their red soles represented the Sarasvati. Thus the poet created an image of Triveni. With a glance Vrinda encouraged Kalokti too. She continued the praise. In her poetic image, the red color was connected with Radha's heart, filled with love for Krishna.
Later in the book, Radha again directed Vrinda toward the birds. Vrinda fondled and soothed the parrot. He and the sarika began describing Krishna's qualities. Manjuvak acknowledged his helplessness before their infinity. He was like a bird trying to pierce a ripe coconut with its beak. Although it could not open the fruit, it touched it again and again. Thus he described his own desire to speak of Krishna.
He compared his attempt with reaching for the sun. It was like trying to break Mount Sumeru with his head. It was also like trying to swim across a great ocean with his arms alone. Yet he could not give up his praise. A tongue that had tasted something of Krishna's qualities did not wish to turn to other subjects. The bird offered the comparison of the cuckoo: after the sweetness of mango, it would not choose bitter neem.
The parrot recalled Garga's words to Nanda. They praised Krishna's qualities, akin to those of Narayana. Their greatness had no end. His care and affection for devotees were also beyond counting. His care for each one of them was also beyond counting. His beauty adorned even His ornaments. His generosity extended to giving Himself. His mercy flooded the world.
Krishna's qualities captivated the hearts of the gopis. Their love, in turn, captivated Him. His flute drew them, and rasa revealed the joy of their meeting. From that joy, the verse says, the world was filled with happiness. His mother had seen the universe within His body. In His hand Govardhan seemed as light as a lotus. Yet the parrot could not measure Krishna's happiness when He beheld Radha's lotus face.