 So this is one of my favorite stories. It is about Krishna. By now Krishna has grown up, he has become the king and he is a much loved king. He has eight wives who absolutely adore him. He is surrounded by a court full of ministers who would give up their life for him. He has a kingdom full of people who would do anything for him. One day Krishna falls seriously ill. The kingdom is in panic. There are doctors and healers and even wise men are being brought in from all parts of the kingdom just to see what they can do but nothing is working. Finally Krishna's guru, his philosopher and his guide, Krishna's guru decides to take things into his own hands. He sends for Narada. Narada is the wandering sage. Krishna's guru sends for Narada and he says to him, he says, Krishna's illness is not physical. His soul is thirsting for love. What Krishna needs, the only thing that will make him better is the dirt from the feet of eight women who love him unconditionally. Narada smiles a little bit cynically. This Krishna needs more love. This Krishna needs more love. But he has a job to do and this is going to be the easiest job he has ever done. He needs dirt from the feet of eight women who love Krishna unconditionally. He heads straight for the palace to the eight queens. The queens are absolutely furious with Narada. How dare he come and ask them for the dirt from their feet for a man for whom they would give their life. They are so angry with him, they have Narada thrown out of the palace. Narada is absolutely stunned. He can't believe what just happened. But he still has a job to do. So he goes to the next eight women of the kingdom. They also refuse him. They tell him that they loved their Krishna. They would do anything for him. But how could they be seen to be doing something that the queens have said no to? And so Narada goes to the next eight women and the next and the next eight and everywhere it's the same answer. They love their Krishna. They would do anything for him. But... And slowly Narada is beginning to understand what the Guru is saying about the soul thirsting for love, about unconditional love. Those words are taking on a whole different meaning for him. But he still has a job to do. He is still looking for eight women who are ready to give the dirt from their feet for this man who they claim to love so much. His wanderings finally take him back to the land of Krishna's youth, to the young girls, the gopis with whom Krishna grew up, whom he had loved and who had loved him back. As soon as the gopis they see Narada, they crowd around him, they bombard him with questions about Krishna. How is he? Does he still look the same? Does he still play the flute? Does he remember them? Is he ever coming back? Narada stops them. He says, Krishna needs the dirt from your feet. Without a moment's hesitation, one of them tears off the corner of her veil and the other scrapes the dirt onto it. They hand it back to Narada then they say, tell him we love him. And that, that is the thirst of the soul.