Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
Beriyā is situated near the cowshed. Within the dense kuñjas here was a ber tree. Once, Kṛṣṇa waited here all night long to meet with Śrīmatī Rādhikā.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
The name Beriya refers to a ber tree, also spelt as baer and known in English as ‘jujube’ and it produces a small sweet yellow-colored fruit commonly called ber fruit, which is very popular with children all over India. This celebrated tree was the place where a very wonderful pastime took place. Formerly located in the courtyard of Jatila’s house was a large ber tree where Krishna was once forced to hide the entire night during a failed attempt to meet Radharani. Once, Krishna came to the courtyard of Jatila’s house late at night in the hope of meeting Radharani. Sitting on a branch of the ber tree, Krishna began signaling to Radha by imitating the sound of a cuckoo. Krishna then climbed down from the ber tree and was very stealthily moving towards the door when Jatila, who was only half asleep, on hearing some slight sound, suddenly called out, “Who’s there? Who’s there?” This sent Krishna scurrying back to the ber tree to hide. Each time Krishna tried to sneak past the half asleep Jatila, she would cry out, “Who’s there?” and Krishna would have to immediately scurry back once again, and hide in the ber tree. This sequence of events went on a number of times and by dawn Krishna was forced to return home to Nandagrama without being able to meet Radharani.
The Padyavali of Shrila Rupa Goswami says, “When Krishna arrived in Radha’s courtyard for Their rendezvous, His tinkling ornaments sounded as the cooing of cuckoos and other birds. He suddenly heard the door open, and He also heard the continual jingling sounds of conch-shell bracelets. When He heard the arrogant Jatila call out, ‘Who’s there? Who’s there?’ He became pained at heart. He spent that entire night hiding in a tree in a corner of the courtyard.”
