Jatila entrusts Radha to Lalita and Kundalata. (Updated 1-10)

atyArUDhaM dinaM vatse santi gomaya-rAzayaH |
yuvayor nyasta-bhArA syAM nizcintotpalikA-kRtau ||

"Girls! It's getting late in the day and we have plenty of cow-dung. I'm placing the burden of caring for Radha on you two so I can make patties without concern." (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.71)

tAm Ucatus te hRdi sampraharSite
nizcintam Arye kriyatAM kriyA nijA |
AvAm avAvaH satataM bhavad vadhUM
tArAm ivAkSNaH saha pakSma-locake ||

With great delight the girls replied, "O noble one, go ahead and finish your work. Don't worry about anything. We two always protect your daughter-in-law like eyelashes and collyrium protect the pupil of the eye." (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.72)

tAH pronmattA api jaTilAyAH pItvAjJA-vAG-madhu-madhurAGgyaH |
Anandotphullita-tanu-cittA dhairyaM dhRtvA gRham anujagmuH ||

Much intoxicated from drinking Jatila's honey-like words, those charming girls, delighted in body and mind, steadied themselves and proceeded home. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.73)

Agatya khaTTopari sanniviSTAM zrI-rAdhikAM kSAlita-mArjitAGghrim |
dAsyo mudA paryacaran nijezAM pAdAbja-samvAhana-vIjanAdyaiH ||

After arriving at Sri Radha's home, they sat together upon a couch, where her maidservants joyfully served her by washing, drying and massaging her lotus feet, fanning her and so on. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.74)

mallI-raGgaNa-karNikAra-bakulAmoghA-latA-saptalA-
jAtI-campaka-nAgakezara-lavaGgAbjAdi-puSpoccayam |
zrI-vRndA-prahitaM vanAd ali-kulAspRSTaM darojjRmbhitaM
svezvaryAH purato nyadhAd vana-sakhI zrI-narmadA mAlikI ||

Then, one of Srimati's forest sakhis, a garland-maker named Narmada, arrived with flowers sent from the forest by Vrinda and placed them before Sri Radha. She brought malli (jasmine), rangana, yellow karnikara, bakula, trumpet flowers, madhavi creepers, saptala and jati (other types of jasmine), campaka (magnolia), nagakesara, lavanga (clove), lotuses and so on, all touched gently by the bees and slightly bloomed. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.75)

kRSNAGga-kAmAlaya-vaijayantikAM
tair vaijayantIM viracayya sA vyadhAt |
rAdhA sva-naipuNya-guNAdi-sUcikAM
karpUra-kRSNAguru-sattva-bhAvitAm ||

After perfuming the flowers with camphor and sandalwood, Sri Radha very artistically strung them into a multicolored vaijayanti garland, the victory flag of Sri Krishna's body, the abode of Cupid. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.76)

elendu-jAtiphala-khAdirAnvitAH sva-pANi-hRt-saurabha-rAga-bhAvitAH |
kRSNAkSi-cittAnana-candra-raJjikAH sA nAgavallI-dala-vITikA vyadhAt ||

Then, with cardamom, camphor, nutmeg, catechu and betel leaves scented by the fragrance of her own hands and the love in her heart, Radha prepared tambula that would bring pleasure to Krishna's eyes and mind, and a smile to his moonlike face. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.77)

mAlAm etAM tulasi haraye vITikAz copahRtya
jJAtvA vRndA-subala-mukhataH keli-saGketa-kuJjam |
AgacchAzu tvam iti lalitA-preritAdAya tAM tAH
kastUryAli-sahita-tulasI kRSNa-pArzvaM pratasthe ||

“Tulasi! After you take this garland and tambula to Krishna, find out from Vrinda and Subala where the meeting place will be and then quickly return.” Thus dispatched by Lalita, Tulasi and her friend Kasturi proceeded with the garland and tambula to the place where Krishna was. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.78)

zrI-rAdhikApy atha sakhI-sahitAtidakSA
zrI-kRSNacandra-sakalendriya-tarpaNAni |
karpUrakely-amRtakeli-mukhAni kAmaM
kartuM samArabhata sAdbhuta-laDDukAni ||

Then, Sri Radhika and her sakhis, with great expertise and pleasure, began to make karpurakeli, amrtakeli and other wonderful sweets that would satisfy all of Sri Krishnacandra's senses. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.79)

yad api nija-sakhI sAnveSaNAyAsya yAtA
svayam api ca nimagnA kRSNa-sambandhi-kRtye |
tad api hari-mukhendor darzanotkAtha mene
truTim api yuga-lakSaM vyagra-rAdhA-cakorI ||

Even though Radha's own sakhi had gone to look for Krishna and she herself was busily engaged in actions related to him, like a cakori,* she still longed to see his moonlike face. She was so distracted that a moment seemed like millions of years. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.78)

*A kind of bird said to feed on moonbeams

Sri Radha arrives in Yavat. (Updated 12-27)

kundavally atha tAM rAdhAM svayaM vyagrApy acetanAm |
AdAyAyAd vrajaM yatnAd vicittais tat-sakhI-janaiH ||

Though unsteady herself, Kundavalli now took the lifeless Sri Radha and with great effort entered Vraja along with her helpless sakhis. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.58)

yadyapy asmin nyasta-cittA vraja-sthA A-tad-darzaM jJapti-zUnyAs tathApi |
tat-tat-karmaNy Acaranti sma yadvaj jIvanmuktA deha-saMskAratas te ||

Although the Vrajavasis, with minds fixed on Krishna, remained insensible until they could see him again, still, because their bodies were accustomed to do so, they continued to perform their respective duties like jivanmuktas, persons liberated while still incarnate. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.59)

nirmANotkAM svapathi jaTilAM go-zakRt-piNDikAnAM
vadhvA vartmany atha dhRta-dRzaM vyAkulAM kundavallI |
dRSTvAvAdIj jaDima-kalitAM rAdhikAM cetayantI
kRSNAbhyarNaM naya-nipuNa-dhIs tUrNam enAM ninISuH ||
namAmy Arye snuSeyaM te kalyANI nIyatAM puraH |
chAyApy asyA na kRSNasya dRSTi-gocaratAM gatA ||

Eager to quickly lead Radhika to Krishna, Kundavalli roused her from her stupor. Seeing Jatila anxiously watching the path for her daughter-in-law to arrive so they could make balls of cow-dung, she cleverly said to her, “O honorable one, my respects to you. I have brought your son’s virtuous wife. Krishna has not been allowed to see even her shadow!” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.60-61)

sAbdhi-dvIpA bhavati pRthivI yasya naikasya mUlyaM
tAdRg-divyAmita-maNi-mayaM pazya zacyApy alabhyam |
sarvAGgInaM vasana-sahitaM bhUSaNaM dattam asyai
goSThezvaryA mudita-manasA pAka-naipuNyato’syAH ||

“Look! Pleased by Srimati’s skill in cooking, Vrajesvari has given her clothing and ornaments bedecked with jewels more valuable than even the earth, with her islands and seas, possesses. Even Saci, the wife of Indra, is unable to obtain such divine ornaments.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.62)

dharmArtha-lAbhAn muditA snuSAyAs tayaiva kAryAntaram uccikIrSuH |
svAbhISTa-sampAdana-labdha-varNAM matvAvadat tAM jaTilA stuvantI ||

Ecstatic from having acquired religious merit and wealth because of her daughter-in-law, Jatila began to praise Kundavalli, thinking that she may be able to fulfill some other desires for her. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.63)

ehy ehi vatse! kuzalaM bhavatyAs
tvac-chIla-nirmaJcanam Azu yAmi |
snigdhAsi yat tvaM mayi sa-snuSAyAM
mad-AziSA tat suta-vaskarA syAH ||

“O child! Come, come! How are you? I respect you greatly for your good character. Because of your affection for my daughter-in-law and me, I bless you to become the mother of seven children.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.64)

svayaM sAdhvI pragalbhA tvam anyAsAM dharma-pAlane |
AtmanIva pratItir me tvayi tvAM prArthaye tataH ||

“Being a virtuous girl yourself, you are also resolute in protecting the morality of the other girls. I trust you as I do myself; therefore, I have one request to make.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.65)

dharme patnyA pAlite tat patiH syAt
gomAn putrI vittavAMz cAyur ADhyaH |
ity AhAsmAn paurNamAsI smRti-jJA
seyaM tat tvayy arpitA dharma-guptyai ||

“Paurnamasi, who knows the sacred traditions, has told us that the husband whose wife maintains dharma shall be endowed with cows, children, property and a long life. Therefore, I entrust my daughter-in-law to you for the protection of her virtue.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.66)

dharmAd arthaz ca kAmaz cety Adi satyaM satAM vacaH |
yato'syAH pAlitAd dharmAd bhUyAn artho’pi sAdhitaH ||

“The wise have declared that good fortune, enjoyment and so on arise from righteousness. This is indeed true because as the result of my daughter-in-law’s virtue being protected, we have obtained this abundant wealth.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.67)

ekaH suto me kuzalI yathAsau kule’male syAn na yathA kalaGkaH |
dharmaM tathAsyAH paripAlayantI nirvAhya sUryArcanam AnayainAm ||

"So that my only son may remain prosperous and our pure family may have no stain, please take this girl to worship the sun, guarding her virtue all the while." (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.68)

rAdhe! tvaM tAmra-kuNDIm aruNa-kapilikA-kSIra-dadhy-Ajyam ijyaM
sArpiSkAnnaM javAm aikSavam atha ghusRNaM patrakaM padma-mAlAm |
sArdhaM sakhyAnayety Ady upakaraNa-cayaM putri! gehAd gRhItvA
gArgyA vA kenacid vArcana-paTu-baTunA yAhi sUryArcanAya ||

“Radha, my daughter! Go with your friend Kundalata and bring from home some copper pots along with milk, ghee and yogurt from a reddish-brown cow, foods cooked in ghee, some roses, sugar, saffron, leaves, a lotus garland and other ingredients to be offered. Then, with a descendent of Gargamuni or some other young priest skilled in ritual, go perform worship of the sun god.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.69)

caNDAsi sAdhvI lalite tvayAsau
naikAkinI kvApi sakhI vidheyA |
gandho’pi yasyAM kila nanda-sUnos
tasyai dize vo’Jjalir eva kAryaH ||

"Lalita! You are a very strong-willed and virtuous girl. You and your friend Radha should never stay anywhere alone. You girls should offer obeisance in the direction from which even the scent of the son of Nanda comes."* (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.70)


*Meaning: “Don’t ever, under any circumstance, go there.”

Krishna sends the Vrajavasis home. (Updated 12-9)

prerayann agrato dhenUr AkarSan pRSThato vrajam |
sa mitrair AvRto’raNyaM praveSTum upacakrame ||

Sending the cows in front, Krishna set out for the forest, surrounded by his friends and followed by the Vrajavasis. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.44)

tiryag-grIvaM punaH prekSya savrajau sneha-karSitau |
anvAyAntau puras-tiSThann abravIt pitarau hariH ||
mAtar nAtaH param iha puro gantum arhyATavIM vo
vyAvartadhvaM tvaritam iha me prApaNIyA rasAlA |
tAtaiSAdya truTita-zikharA kanduka-kSepaNI me
gatvA ghoSaM jhaTiti sudRDhAH paJcaSAH kAraNIyAH ||

Turning his head again, Hari saw his parents and others following him, drawn by affection. Standing before them, he said, “O Mother! You don’t need to come any further into the forest, so please go back now and quickly send some rasala for me. Father! The end of my ball-bat is now broken. Please go back to Vraja and have five or six very strong ones made quickly for me.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.45-46 )

valita-grIvam UrdhvAsyaM kSudhitAs tRSitA api |
tastambhire puro gAvaH pazyAmba mad-apekSayA ||

“Look, Mother. The cows, hungry and thirsty, are standing there with necks turned and faces lifted as they wait for me.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.47)

preSayiSyAmi sadbhojyaM bhuktvA madhyAhna eva tat |
Agaccher aparAhNe tvaM tUrNam ity Aha taM prasUH ||

His mother replied, “I’ll send some nice food for you at midday. After eating it, you quickly come home in the afternoon.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.48)

so’py abravIt tAM kRta-bhojanau cet
zroSyAmi gehe muditau bhavantau |
bhokSyAmi bhojyaM prahitaM tadA te
gRhaM sameSyAmi na cAnyathAmba ||

Krishna said, “Mother, when I hear that you’re happily situated at home and have finished your own meal, then I’ll eat the foods you’ve sent and come home. Otherwise, I won’t.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.49)

kRtAvanaH kAya-mano-vacobhiH saMsikta-dehaH stana-dRk-payobhiH |
sa cumbitAliGgita AkulAbhyAM muhur muhur dRSTa-mukhaH pitRbhyAm ||

After invoking protection for him with their bodies, minds and words, Krishna’s anxious parents bathed him with breast milk and tears, repeatedly kissed him, embraced him and gazed at his lotus face. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.50)

udyad-viyogoSNa-ravi-pratApitaiH
siktair nija-prekSaNa-vIci-zIkaraiH |
kaTAkSa-dhArA-nala-nAlikA-cayair
nipIta-lAvaNya-rasaH priyA-gaNaiH ||

Burned by the rising heat of the sun of separation but sprinkled with the ocean spray of seeing him, Krishna’s girlfriends began to drink in his beauty through the straws of their sidelong glances. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.51)

vraja-tyAgAraNya-yAnotpannAbhyAM nandanandanaH |
vaimanasyonmanasyAbhyAM vyagro’sau prAvizad vanam ||

Sad to leave Vraja but excited to get on with his journey, Nandanandana eagerly entered the forest. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.52)

vrajasya kRSNe nihitekSaNasyAkhilendriyANAM nayanatvam AsIt |
tasmin vanenAntarite kSaNena teSAM samantAt suvilInatAbhUt ||

All of the Vrajavasis’ senses had become like eyes fixed upon Sri Krishna, but when he disappeared within the forest, those senses immediately became completely inactive. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.53)

caratvataH sthAvarataiva dhanyA vanaM prayAty eSa vihAya yan naH |
itIva khinnAH sphuTam Adadhus tAM stambhasya dambhAd vrajavAsinas te ||

“Immobility is certainly a better state than mobility because Krishna has left us, the moving, to enter the unmoving forest.” Saying this, the clearly depressed Vrajavasis became as motionless as pillars. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.54)

harez cillI-cillI-gilita-mati-mIlac-chapharikA
mukhAmbhojAn mlAnAc calita-cala-dRSTi-bhramarikAH |
viyogodyat-paGkAvali-patita-haMsA na vibabhUs
tad-AbhIrI-nadyo vana-zuci-hRte jIvana-dhane ||

When the treasure of their lives left for the forest, the gopis dried up like rivers in the summer. The bird of Krishna’s eyebrows swallowed the fish of their intelligence, the bee-like restless glances flew from their withered lotus faces, and they lost all luster like swans fallen into the mud of separation. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.55)

abhyAsato’tha vrajavAsinas te vimohitau tau vrajapau gRhItvA |
kRSNAnugAmi-svamano-vihInair dehaiH paraM geham ayur nirIhAH ||

Then, even though the Vrajavasis were practically unable to move, their minds having gone with Krishna, with their bodies they as usual took his bewildered parents and went home. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.56)

svAM svAM sakhyo’pi yUthezAM yatnAd AdAya mUrcchitAm |
ninyur gRhaM yantra-caJcat-pratimAH pratimAm iva ||

Like wooden puppets leading other wooden puppets, the sakhis laboriously brought each of their swooning group leaders home. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.57)

Messages (Updated 11-19)

yathA pitRbhyAM sa tathA balAmbayA-
py ambA-kilimbAdy-upamAtR-yuktayA |
gopaiz ca gopI-nivahaiz ca lAlito
yathA haris taiH sa balo’py abhUt tathA ||

Just as Hari was caressed by Nanda, Yasoda, Rohini, his relatives Amba, Kilimba and others, as well as by the gopas and gopis, Baladeva was also caressed by them all. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.37)

vrajAGganAnAM tRSitAkSi-cAtakAn siJcan kaTAkSAmRta-vRSTi-dhArayA |
nyavedayat kAnana-yAnam Atmanas tAbhiH svadRSTyaiva sa cAnumoditaH ||

Then, with a glance he showered the thirsty cataka bird eyes of the Vraja girls with a stream of nectar, informing them of his journey to the forest. When they replied with eye gestures of their own, Krishna was delighted. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.38)

tAsAM mano-dIna-kuraGga-saMghAn
vilokya lolAn ruci-pallavAn svAn |
ninye sphuTaM cArayituM svasaGge
sandAnya dRk-zRGkhalayA svayAsau ||

Seeing the shy deer of their minds to be restless, he bound them with the fetters of his eyes and led them to graze upon the fresh leaves of his beauty. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.39)

dvitrAH kSepyAH sumukhi ghaTikAz cakSuSI mudrayitvA
mA gAH khedaM sapadi bhavitA saGgamo nau vanAnte |
AgantavyaM mayi karuNayA chadmanAzu svakuNDaM
kRSNaz cakre sphuTam anunayaM rAdhikAyAM dRzettham ||

With a glance, Sri Krishna sent this clear request to Sri Radhika: “O Lovely One! Rest your eyes for two or three hours. Don’t grieve; we shall meet in the forest very soon. By some ruse, please come quickly to your lake.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.40)

yayAce rAdhikAm AjJAM sa dRzA dainya-pUrNayA |
kAtaryaM vamatAbhUt tat kaTAkSeNAnumoditaH ||

When Sri Krishna, with eyes full of humility, asked for Sri Radhika’s consent, she was pleased and sent a timid glance in return. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.41)

madhye nabhaH sammilane’py alUnair javAt praviSTair hRdaye mithas tau |
kaTAkSa-bANair api modam Aptau premNo vicitrA hi gatir durUhA ||

Though their arrow-like glances met in midair, they remained unbroken and quickly pierced each other’s heart, bringing them both great joy. The ways of love are wonderful and difficult to understand! (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.42)

rAdhA-mano-mInam ayaM svasaGge svakAnti-jAlena nibadhya ninye |
rurodha tac-citta-marAlam utkaM sApi svadRk-kUNana-paJjarAntaH ||

With the net of his own beauty, Sri Krishna caught the fish of Radha’s mind and took it away. Sri Radha captured the eager swan of Krishna’s mind in the cage of her contracted eyes. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.43)

Yasoda Replies (Updated 11-11)

atha sovAca--
zatazaH santi me gopA nipuNA pAlane gavAm |
pAlayAmi svayam iti vatsa! ko’yaM durAgrahaH ||

Then Vrajesvari replied, “I have hundreds of cowherds who are very skilled in caring for the cows, but you say, ‘I shall protect them myself.’ Child! Why are you so stubborn?” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.25)

bAlo’si mRdulas tatra vimukta-cchatra-pAdukaH |
dinaM bhramasi kAntAre jIvetAM pitarau katham ||

“You are a delicate young boy and, abandoning your umbrella and shoes, you roam about all day in the forest. How are your parents supposed to maintain their lives?” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.26)

kriyamANAgrahau svasya chatropAnad-vidhAraNe |
vAtsalya-vyAkulau vIkSya pitarau prAha kezavaH ||
gopAlanaM svadharmo nas tAs tu nizchatra-pAdukAH |
yathA gAvas tathA gopAs tarhi dharmaH sunirmalaH ||

Seeing his affectionate parents so insistent that he wear shoes and carry an umbrella, Kesava said, “Protection of cows is indeed our dharma, but just as the cows go without umbrellas and shoes, so should the cowherds. Then that dharma is pure.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.27-28)

dharmAd Ayur yazo vRddhir dharmo rakSati rakSitaH |
sa kathaM tyajyate mAtar bhISu dharmo’sti rakSitA ||

“From dharma comes long life and increased fame, and whoever protects dharma is also protected by it. Mother, dharma can deliver one from all fears, so how can it ever be abandoned?” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.29)

sutasya sAd-guNyam avekSya tRptau1 nanandatus tau hRdi yady apAram |
aniSTa-zaGkAkulitA tathApi gopAn samAhUya jagAda mAtA ||

Seeing the good qualities of their son, Nanda and Yasoda were most pleased and satisfied. But still feeling anxious that some harm may come to Krishna, Yasoda began to summon the gopas. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.30)

subhadra maNDalIbhadra vatsa bho balabhadraka |
samarpito’yaM yuSmAsu bAlo’timRdulaz calaH ||

“Hey boys! Subhadra! Mandalibhadra! Balabhadraka! I’m handing over this delicate and restless child to you.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.31)

yantraNIyaH zikSaNIyaH pAlanIyaz ca vaH sadA |
svairI cec calatAM yAti kathanIyaM tadA mayi ||

“You must restrain, instruct and protect him at all times. If he wanders off on his own, you must come and tell me.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.32)

dhRta-khaDga-dhanur-bANair bho vatsA vijayAdayaH |
pAlanIyo’pramattair vaH sadAyam abhitaH sthitaiH ||

“Vijaya and all you boys! Bearing your swords, bows and arrows, you must always vigilantly stay near him for his protection." (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.33)

vatsa sthAvara-kandareSu vicaran dUra-pracAre gavAM
hiMsrAn vIkSya puraH purANa-puruSaM nArAyaNaM dhyAsyasi |
ity uktasya yazodayA muraripor avyAj jaganti sphurad-
bimboSTha-dvaya-gADha-pIDana-vazAd avyakta-bhAvaM smitam ||

“O child, if you happen to see some ferocious animal before you as you roam about in the distant pasturing grounds and mountain caves, just meditate upon the primeval person, Sri Narayana.” Hearing Yasoda’s words, Krishna, the enemy of Mura, had to press his quivering reddish lips tightly together to conceal his smile. May that smile protect the fourteen worlds. (PadyAvalI 149)

aGge sutasyAtha kareNa mAtA snigdhA spRzantIzvara-nAma-mantraiH |
nRsiMha-bIjaiz ca vidhAya rakSAM babandha rakSA-maNim asya haste ||

After protecting her son by affectionately touching his limbs while saying the nrsimha-bija and mantras composed of God’s names, she tied a jeweled amulet upon his hand. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.34)

AjJA mAtaH pitar iti sutaM sampatantaM padAnte
dorbhyAM dhRtvA hRdi nidadhatau stanya-bASpAmbu-siktam |
cumbantau tad-vadana-kamalaM mArjayantau karAbhyAM
jighrantau taM zirasi pitarAv Uhatur bASpa-kaNTham ||
bhUr dyaur bhavyA bhavatu bhavato rakSitA zrI-nRsiMhaH
zastaH panthA vanam api zubhaM bhAvukA digvidik ca |
svAgamyaH svaM punar atha gRhaM maGgalAliGgitas tvaM
dattAnujJaH sa iti mumude vatsalAbhyAM pitRbhyAm ||

Krishna fell at their feet and said, “O Mother! O Father! Please give me permission.” Seeing this, his parents held him in their arms and, wetting him with tears and breast milk, they kissed his lotus face, caressed him with their hands and smelled his head. With tearful voices, they said, “May Nrsimha protect you on earth and in the sky. May he bring auspiciousness to you on the path, in the forest and in every direction. May you return home safely.” Then they affectionately embraced him and gave their consent. Krishna rejoiced! (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.35-36)

Krishna Replies (updated 10-29)

iti mAtR-vacaH sa ca zruti-prathitottaMsam ivAracayya tAm |
smita-candramaso rasokSaNair anutaptAM samadhukSayan manAk ||

Accepting his remorseful mother’s words upon his ears as though a fine ornament, Krishna then somewhat enlivened her with a sprinkling of rasa from his smiling, moonlike face. (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.61)

yamunopavanopakaNTha-gAH kalayantaH sukham eva hanta gAH |
vilasAma sugandha-zItale nibiDa-chAyA-taru-vrajAntare ||

“Look; we’ll herd the cows to a grove near the Yamuna, where we can watch them as we play happily among the fragrant, cool and shady trees.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.62)

na ca kAlana-hetukaH zramaH sa mamaiSyaty api sambhaviSNutAm |
ghaTanAdiSu yad gavAM navAM muralIm eva vizAradAm adhAm ||

“It’s also not likely that herding the cows will make me tired because I have brought my famous new murali flute to call them together and so on.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.63)

camarIcaya-lUma-mArjitA pariSiktA makaranda-bindubhiH |
taru-SaNDa-nirAtapAbhitaH pracaran nAbhi-mRgAtivAsitA ||

“There are many shade trees nearby, the ground has been swept by the yaks’ tails and showered with drops of flower nectar, and the air is fragrant with the aroma of wandering musk deer.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.64)

mRdulAmala-tUlikeva yAnupadaM sAdhu-padAnubhUyate |
na tu mAtar avekSitA tvayA prasabhaM yA saraNir vinindyate ||

“Mother! For me, walking on that path is like stepping on a soft, clean, cotton mattress. But because you’ve never seen it, you just harshly criticize it.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.65)

vividha-dyuti-puSpa-vallIbhir valitair manda-samIra-vellitaiH |
paritaH prasaraj-jharair araM ziziraiH saurabha-saubhagodayaiH ||

“Everywhere there are brightly colored floral creepers swaying in a gentle breeze cooled by the flowing waterfalls and perfumed with the fragrance of campaka flowers.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.66)

pika-gAyaka-keki-nartakair bhramad-indindira-vRnda-vandibhiH |
kSiti-bhRt-taTa-kuJja-kandarair mama ceto’nupadaM vikRSyate ||

“My mind is always pulled toward those bowers and caves on the slopes of Giriraja, where the cuckoos are singers, the peacocks are dancers and the roaming bees are panegyrists.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.67)

maNi-mandira-vRnda-zandatAmanayad yac chavir eva mandatAm |
savayazcaya-bhUSitaH zaye sukham atrApy atikhidyase kutaH ||

“Those mountain caves are more beautiful than even your jeweled palaces, and I can rest comfortably there on a bed decorated by my friends. So Mom, why are you so distressed?” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.68)

Yasoda’s Motherly Affection (updated 10-15)

vimanaskApi manasA bhAvayanty atha tac-chubham |
vihastApi svahastAbhyAM jananI tam alAlayat ||

Feeling helpless and anxious, Mother Yasoda caressed Krishna with her hands while contemplating his welfare. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.24)

sukumAra-kumAra! cArayan surabhIr yAhi vanAya yAsi cet |
anuyAma vayaM ca vaJcayan na dRzas tvaM sphuTam aJca kiMca naH ||

“O delicate boy! If you must go to the forest to graze the cows, then go. But we’re going to follow you, and you must stay within our sight.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.38)

tanaya! praNayann ayaM naya sva-samIpAt kva ca nAnyato na naH |
na sahasva suhRd-vyathAM hRdi sva-viyogAnala-heti-hetukAm ||

“O son! You go ahead and lead, but stay near to us. You could not bear causing your well-wishers to suffer in the fire of separation from you.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.39)

pura-bhUSaNa! dUSanaM tv idaM nagarI seyam ime gRhAz ca te |
tvayi nirgata eva no balAn nigilantIva vRthA sthitAyuSaH ||

“O ornament of our village! The problem is that when you’re away, it’s as though this town and these houses forcibly swallow us. Our lives are useless without you.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.40)

praharA api bhAvinas trayaH prahariSyanty apayAtum akSamAH |
na ca zIghram ihaiSyasi tvam ity ata itthaM karavAma kiM vayam ||

“If you go away for nearly nine hours it will be intolerable for us, and you won’t be in any hurry to return. What are we supposed to do?” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.41)

aruNAbja-dala-zreNI kva te sukumAre vimale pados tale |
tRNa-kaNTaka-zarkarAGkitA kva nu sA kAnana-bhUmir eSi yAm ||

“The soles of your feet are as delicate and pure as red lotus petals, yet you want to go to the forest, where the floor is strewn with straw, thorns and pebbles.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.42)

mRganAbhi-rasokSitA kva te navanIta-pratimeva hA tanuH |
kva nu sUryakarA ime pratikSaNa-vardhiSNutamA viSolbaNAH ||

“Alas, your body is like fresh butter sprinkled with musk, and the poisonous rays of the sun grow stronger at every moment.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.43)

asavo yad amI sphuTanti no janayitryAs tava saubhagojjhitAH |
atiniSThuratA-pade parAM bata sAmrAjya-dhurAm ato dadhuH ||

“Your mother’s life airs, from which all good fortune have departed, do not disperse. Unfortunately, they have rather accepted the heavy burden of sovereignty in a merciless abode.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.44)

dhavalAH paripAntu ballavAH svayam eva vrajarAja etu vA |
svahaThaM na jahAsi hA zizo! katham atra zvasitu svabandhutA ||

“O child! Let the gopas take care of the cows, or let Vrajaraja himself go. If you don’t give up your stubbornness, how will your relatives sustain their lives?” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.45)

stimitAGga sumaGgalAmRtair ajaniSThAH kim u ballavAnvaye |
tRNa-cAri-gaNAnugAmitA-paribhUtiM mRdulo yad anvabhUH ||

“O tender one! How, under such auspicious planets, were you born in a family of cowherds? Your soft body has been injured many times while you followed the grazing cows.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.46)

saraNis taraNi-prabhA-jvalat-sikatA sUnur aTATyate’dya yAm |
janake kanakeSTakAlaye vasatIty etad avekSate prasUH ||

Yasoda considers, “Our son often comes and goes on this path, its sand burning from the heat of the sun, while his father lives in a house of golden bricks.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.58)

anayApy avipadyamAnayA gRha-kRtyaM vidadhAnayA mayA |
jananIty abhidhA dhRtA gata-trapayA tAM stuvate’py amI janAH ||

“Even though this woman (me) completes her household duties without fail, she shamelessly accepts the name mother. The people even praise her for it.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.59)

kulizAyitatA tatA tato bhavato bandhutayA nijArjitA |
kusumAyita-hRt tvam AzrayaMs tad apImAM svaguNair amUmudaH ||

“Oh child! Your going to the forest has caused your relatives’ hearts to become as hard as diamonds. Nevertheless, because your heart is as soft as a flower, your qualities have still given them great joy.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.60)

Rushing to Krishna (Updated 10-3)

phullAkSi-padmAtijavA susaMbhramA prIty-ambu-vRSTyaidhita-sarvato-mukhA |
vRddhAdi-bAlAnta-janAvalI-sarid-vrajAcalAt kRSNa-samudram Ayayau ||

With lotus eyes bloomed and smiles blossomed by a shower of love, old and young alike rushed from Vraja toward Krishna as though a river flowing from a mountain to the sea. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.14)

klinnAmbarAkSi-stanajaiH payaH-sravais tathA-vidhair yAtR-mukhAGganA-gaNaiH |
ambA-kilimbAnugayA balAmbayA sahAgatAmbA suta-darzanotsukA ||

Eager to see Krishna, Yasoda arrived along with Rohini, her servants Amba and Kilimba, the wife of her husband’s brother and other women, her clothing moistened by tears and breast-milk. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.15)

anyonyAsaGga-saMstabdha-dRSTi-kallolam ulbaNam |
kRSNaM rasArNavaM bheje rAdhA-surataraGgiNI ||

Like the Sura-Tarangini Ganga flows to the sea, Surata-Rangini Radha made her way to Sri Krishna, the powerful ocean of rasa, the billowy waves of their mutual glances suspended motionless as they met. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.16)

(Sura-Tarangini: The river of the gods)
(Surata-Rangini: One who delights in making love)

maGgalA zyAmalA bhadrA pAlI candrAvalI-mukhAH |
sasvayUthA yUtha-nAthAH sarvatas tAs tam anvayuH ||

Then Mangala, Syamala, Bhadra, Pali, Candravali and the other yuthesvaris (group leaders) and their respective groups arrived from all directions to accompany Sri Krishna. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.17)

saha-jana-dhana-vRndair nirgate prANa-nAthe
jana-gati-rava-hAnyA spandanAlApa-hInA |
pazu-khuraja-rajobhir dhUsarAsau jaDAGgI
vraja-vasatir athAsIt proSita-preyasIva ||

After Krishna departed with their children and cattle, the Vrajavasis remained there like a woman whose husband is away, motionless and speechless, indifferent to the sounds and movements of others, gray with the dust from the cows’ hooves. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.18)

anvayat-pitarau vIkSya sa vrajau vana-sImani |
sthite’smin valita-grIvaM tastambhe go-kadambakaiH ||

Reaching the edge of the forest, Krishna turned around and saw that his parents were following him, so he stopped walking, and the cows and calves stopped with him. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.19)

ananta-zaGkau sva-vana-prayANe’py abhadra-bhIter anivArayantau |
asrAkulAkSAv api darzanotsukau sa duHsthito’bhUt pitarau samIkSya ||

Krishna felt very sad to see his mother and father anxiously standing there with tearful eyes, longing to see him and refusing to turn back out of fear that some danger may befall him on his way to the forest. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.20)

samIkSya rAdhA-vadanAravinde zrI-netra-nRtyan-mada-khaJjarITau |
sumaGgalAM svAM manute sma yAtrAM tadIya-sandarzana-sat-phalAM saH ||

Seeing Sri Radha’s beautiful eyes dancing like drunken wagtails upon her lotus face, Sri Krishna believed that his journey would indeed be auspicious and fruitful. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.22)

Cowherd Boys

sAhaMpUrvikam Azu dhAvitavatAM kRSNasya pazcAt puraH
pArzveSu vraja-pAla-bAla-sadasAM sammoda AsIt paraH |
yeSAM zekhara-barhi-barha-mahasA sanmaJju-guJjAvalI-
bhUSA-bhAbhir abhUn mahAjhalamalatkArA dizAM maNDalI ||

Eager to be the first to reach Krishna, the sons of the Vraja cowherds ran with great delight to him from behind, in front and from both sides. The splendor from the peacock feathers in their hair, their beautiful garlands of gunja berries and other ornaments radiated brightly in all directions. (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.26)

teSAM veNu-viSANa-patra-ninadaH prodgIrNa-karNotsavaH
prItAnAM ca gavAM marAla-madhuraH sammoda-hambA-ravaH |
teSAM ca pratiniHsvanaH samabhavat kRSNa-prayANotsava-
zrI-zaMsi jaya-DinDima-dhvanir iva vyAkIrya dhairyaM divaH ||

The delightful sounds of his friends’ flutes, animal horns and other instruments reverberated along with the soft, sweet mooing of the cows. They were, it seemed, shaking the heavens with their drums of victory, proclaiming the wealth of merriment promised by their journey with Krishna. (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.27)

vanAya gacchan vanajekSaNo harir yato yataH sannidadhe padAmbujam |
tatas tataH sA vraja-bhUH samutsukA prakAzayAmAsa hRd-ambujaM svakam ||

As the lotus-eyed Sri Hari walked through the forest, wherever he placed his lotus feet, the ground of Vraja eagerly revealed her own lotus heart. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.12)

tac chrIpada-sparza-bhara-pramodaiH sA phulla-romAJcita-sarva-gAtrI |
nananda kRttAni tRNAni bhUyaH khuraiH kSatAGgAni ca rohayantI ||

From the delightful touch of his lotus feet, all the grass that had been trampled on and broken by the hooves of the cows sprang up again, as though the hairs on Vrajabhumi’s body were standing on end in ecstasy. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.13)

Cows

gopendreNa puraiva dAsa-tanayair gAvo viniSkAsitA
dohAnantaram eva vatsa-nicayAz cAnyatra saJcAritAH |
utkarNAz cakitekSaNAH praNayitA-vyAlambi-hambA-ravAs
tasthus tA vraja-sImna eva nikaTe kRSNa-pratIkSekSaNAH ||

Previously, after milking the cows, the king of the gopas had released them and his servants’ sons had moved the calves to another place. Now the cows waited at the border of Vraja, with upraised ears and timid eyes, mooing affectionately in anticipation of Krishna’s arrival. (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.20)

babhrAje sa gavAM gaNo hara-ziraz candra-prabhA-bhAsvaraH
zvetadvIpa ivAparo vasumatI-saJcAra-lIlA-paraH |
tasmin santatam eva kintu bhagavAn vikrIDati zrIdharaH
zrImAn eSa tu saJcaraty agha-ripor avyagram agresaraH ||

As though another Svetadvipa on earth, the cows look very beautiful as they roam about, effulgent as the moon on Siva’s head. In that Svetadvipa, Bhagavan Sridhara always sports, but this charming Svetadvipa ranges about in great joy before Sri Krishna, the enemy of Agha. (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.23)

dugdhAbdhi-prasava-kSamA api rucA dugdhAbdhi-zobhA-harA
dugdhAbdheH svayam utthitA bhagavatI lakSmIr ihaiva sthirA |
sarvAH kAma-gavI-yazo-bhara-muSo yAsAM nipItaM payaH
kRSNena zruti-mUrtayaH katham amUr gAvo girAm AzrayaH? ||

These cows can produce an ocean of milk and are indeed more beautiful than an ocean of milk. From an ocean of milk Bhagavati Laksmi has risen and now resides peacefully in these cows. Each of these cows surpasses in glory even the famed kamadhenu, the mythical cow that satisfies all desires. What words can describe these cows, who are the embodiment of the Vedas and whose milk has been drunk by Sri Krishna himself? (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.24)

dRSTvA kRSNam upAgataM saha sakhI-vrAtaiH samAnanditAH
paGktIbhUya nijecchayaiva calitAH kenApi na preritAH |
kRSNAveza-mano-vikAza-pizunair Ananda-hambAravaiH
kurvANA haritAM mukhaM mukharitaM tAH kIrNa-karNotsavaiH ||

Seeing Krishna and his friends arrive nearby, in a group the cows began to happily move toward him without even being called. Joyfully absorbed in thinking only of Krishna, they all began to bellow loudly, creating a grand festival for the ears. (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.25)

Sri Krishna Leaves for the Grazing Grounds

atha tasya gamanam Aha---
vyomni vyomacaraiH sugandhi-kusumAsAraiH samArAdhitaH
prAsAdeSu kulAGganAbhir abhito netrAmbujaiH pUjitaH |
rathyAyAM zizubhir jayeti madhurAvyaktaiH kalair arcitaH
sva-sva-dvArI visAriNAM pravayasAm AzIrbhir AvardhitaH ||

“Divine beings worshipped Sri Krishna from the heavens with showers of fragrant flowers, while the young ladies of Vraja, situated in buildings all around, worshipped him with their lotus eyes. Along the path, young children adored him by saying ‘victory to you’ with soft, sweet voices. From their respective doorways, elderly people emerged to welcome him with their blessings.” (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.21)

sa mandraghoSAbhidha-zRGga-ghoSaiH santoSayan ghoSam apAsta-doSaiH |
sammohayan hRd vraja-sundarINAM sampoSayan prema bahir jagAma ||

As Sri Krishna came outside, sounding his animal horn named Mandraghosa, which drives away all misfortune, he brought contentment to the villagers and enchanted the minds and nourished the love of the young women of Vraja. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.2)

gavAM sthAnI-zreNI-sphuritam abhito’lpAvRti-cayol-
lasad vatsAvAsa-sphurita-tala-vRkSAvali-citam |
karISa-kSodasyoccaya-mRdula-bhUmItalam asau
vrajAbhyarNaM pUrNaM vraja-dhana-janair vIkSya mumude ||

Leaving the village, Krishna saw cowsheds in all directions along with small calf shelters built beneath the trees. The ground everywhere was softened by a covering of dry cow-dung powder. He felt great joy in seeing the land of Vraja, teeming with its cows and people. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 5.6)

The Different Meanings of “Mukunda is Going to the Forest”

vanam eti mukunda ity ayaM dhvanir ekaH sphuTam uccacAra yaH |
vividha-dhvani-sUr bhavann abhAt zruti-pAlIH sa puraukasAM vizan ||

When someone called out, “Mukunda is going to the forest,” the same sound entered the ears of all the women within the houses but they heard it in different ways. (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.25)

racayAli miSaM vizArade! jaratI-vaJcakam aJcakaM mudAm |
nibhRtena pathA bhaje vane priya-saGketita-kuJja-mandiram ||

When one sakhi heard that sound, she thought it meant, “O clever friend, you devise some ruse that will trick the old women and lead us to great joy. I’ll secretly go on the path to meet with my beloved in a cottage in the forest.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.29)

sakhi! kiM karavai ravair avaidhita-tarSA hari-gopuroditaiH |
valabhIm adhiroDhum apy ahaM na dadhe’spanda-vapuH samarthatAm ||

Another sakhi said, “O friend, what am I to do? Hearing that Hari is at the city gate, I thirst uncontrollably to see him, but my body has become stunned and I’m unable to climb atop a building to look!” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.30)

alakair alam atra saMskRtair mad-uro’py astu tam Am anAvRtam |
sakRd apy avalokya mAdhavaM sakhi! jIveyam ito vimuJca mAm ||

Another said, “O friend! Enough of this dressing of my hair! Let my bosom remain uncovered! By seeing Madhava even once I can sustain my life, so let me go.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.31)

ayi bhAvi yad astu tat patiH kurutAM daNDam asahyam adya me |
svaguror api pazyato vrajAmy adhunAyaM samayo na yat sthiraH ||

“Alas! Whatever my fortune is, let it be. Let my husband punish me severely and let my elders see what they will. Today, I shall go to Sri Krishna because this opportunity will not last forever.” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.32)

ayi durmukhi! rAraTISi kiM kim ihaikaiva niremi te gRhAt |
kalayAtra ruNaddhi kA vadhUr adhunA sva-sva-purAd viniryatIH ||

Another said, “O abusive one! Why are you yelling? Do you think I'm the only one leaving my house? Just look---is any other woman stopping her daughter-in-law from leaving home right now?” (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.33)

Dasas (updated 9-18)

zvetAdri-bhrama-dhArakApaghanake kastUrikA-carcikAM
barhApIDam atho dadhac ca niTile keyUra-bhUSAdikam |
bAhv Adau maNi-kAJcanair viracitaM zRGgaM ca yaSTiM sakhi-
vRndaiH svaiH pariveSTito’sitadhaTI-dhArI babhau zrI-balaH ||

Meanwhile, Sri Baladeva, dressed in deep-blue cloth, looked very beautiful as he stood surrounded by his friends. Upon his body, white like a snowcapped mountain, an ointment of musk had been smeared. Above his forehead he wore a chaplet of peacock feathers, and his limbs were adorned with bracelets and ornaments inlaid with jewels and gold. In his hands he held a blowing horn and staff. (composed by Siddha Krishna Dasa Babaji)

etan-madhye---
dadhate’pacitiM harer na cApacitiM premaNi ye’nuyAyinaH |
upasedur ime vrajezvarIM prathamaM raktaka-patrakAdayaH ||

The first to arrive before Sri Vrajesvari were Raktaka, Patraka and the other servants, who are very devoted to Sri Hari and whose love for him never diminishes. (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.11)

atha kazcid adhAt tayArpitAM tanayAmodaka-modakAvalIm |
ativatsalatA-latA-valat-phala-pAlIm iva kAJcid aJcitAm ||

When Vrajesvari gave some of Krishna’s favorite sweetmeats to one of the servants, he felt as though those wonderful confections were like fruits on the creeper of her extraordinary motherly affection. (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.12)

maNi-citrita-dAru-peTikAn-taragAm aMsa-taTe vahann asau |
zata-koTy asuto’py athAdarAd avadhAnIyatamAm amaMsta tAm ||

Placing the sweets in a bejeweled wooden box and bearing them very carefully upon his shoulders, he regarded them more valuable than even millions of breaths. (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.13)

stimitAruNa-cela-kaJcukAvRta-candropala-citra-jharjharIm |
zazi-vAsita-nIra-pUritAm aparo vibhrad adabhram Ababhau ||

Another servant glowed as he carried an elegant moonstone pot filled with camphor-scented water and covered with a soft, crimson cloth. (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.14)

sita-mAnasa-vRttim eva tAm anurAga-pihitAM dravattarAm |
bahir eSa janAn kim IkSayann atulaM saubhaga-ratnam Adade ||

Could it be that he, in an external way, was trying to show everyone his incomparable good fortune: his pure, liquified mental state covered by the sentiment of love? (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.15)

sphaTikottama-sampuTaM paro’vahad antaH-phaNi-valli-vITikam |
adhikakSam ayaM dadhAra kiM zazi-bimbaM svamano’dhidaivatam ||

Another servant carried a round crystalline box filled with tambula into the room. Could it be that, like the camphor inside, he always carefully kept his precious deity within his heart? (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.16)

vasanAbharaNAdy anekadhA dadha ekaH paridheyam IzituH |
dyumatAm api mohanAya yat sudRzAM kArmaNatAM prapatsyate ||

Another servant brought many kinds of clothing and ornaments for Krishna to wear that would hasten his enchantment of the beautiful young girls. (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.17)

mugdha-snigdha-kumAra-pArSada-sado veSAntarApAdikAM
sAmagrIM saparicchadAm atha dadhad vAso-vibhUSAdikAm |
AdAyAnuyayau kutUhala-vazAd goSThezayor AjJayA
tAmbUlasya ca sampuTaM maNimayAn bhRGgArakAMz cecchayA ||

With the permission and blessings of Nanda Baba and Yasoda Ma, some innocent, gentle young male attendants eagerly followed behind, bringing other clothing, ornaments and various necessities, as well as jeweled pitchers and a box of tambula. (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.19)

jananI-jana-nIvRtaM drutaM racayan harSa-payaH-pariplutam |
vraja-tApa-zatApanodanaH purato yan pura-toraNAd abhUt ||

In this way, Sri Krishna, who destroys the Vrajavasis’ miseries and causes his mothers to be drenched by tears of joy and oozing breast milk, quickly arrived at the village gate. (KRSNa-BhAvanAmRtam 7.23)

Krishna Wakes Up

teSAm Agamana-svanena kutukAd utthAya talpodarAc
chrI-kRSNo’pi vimRjya netra-kamalaM vyAvalgu nidrA-darAt |
taM veSaM parihAya veSam aparaM gocAraNe kAnana-
krIDA-kautuka-maGgalocitam atho jagrAha candrAnanaH ||

Hearing them arrive, the moonfaced Sri Krishna eagerly sprang from bed and rubbed His lotus eyes. He then changed into fresh clothing suitable for tending the cows and sporting happily in the forest. (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.17)

tAvat sva-sevA-kRti-labdha-varNAH snehena dAsAH pariphulla-gAtrAH |
tair gandha-mAlyAmbara-bhUSaNais te vibhUSayAmAsur adhIzvaraM svam ||

Then the joyful servant boys, who were very expert in their duties, affectionately decorated their master with sandalwood paste, garlands, garments and ornaments. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 4.73)

bhakti-cchedADhya-carcAM malayaja-ghusRNaiH dhAtu-citrANi vibhrad-
bhUyiSThaM navya-vAsaH zikhi-dala-mukuTaM mudrikAH kuNDale dve |
guJjA-hAraM suratna-srajam api taralaM kaustubhaM vaijayantIM
keyUre kaGkaNe zrI-yuta-pada-kaTakau nUpurau zRGkhalAM ca ||

They applied beautiful two-lined tilaka upon Sri Krishna’s forehead and adorned His body with a paste of sandalwood and saffron, as well as with mineral powders of different colors. They dressed Him in fresh clothing, a crown bedecked with peacock feathers, seal-rings, earrings, a necklace of red and black gunja berries, a necklace of brilliant jewels with the kaustubha gem as its centerpiece and a garland of multicolored flowers. They placed a bracelet upon each of His wrists and upper arms, and upon His lotus feet, golden anklets and chains with tiny bells. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 4.74)

Atmaika-dRzya-gAndharvA-pratibimba-karambitaiH |
dadhad vakSasy ayaM hAraM gumphitaM sthUla-mauktikaiH ||

On Sri Krishna’s chest they placed a beautiful necklace in whose large pearls He alone would be able to see Sri Radha’s reflection. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 4.75)

( I think this means that when they were, for example, in the company of their elders and couldn’t look directly at each other, Krishna could still look at Radha’s reflection in the pearls without anyone knowing.)

zRGgaM vAmodara-parisare tunda-bandhAntara-sthaM
dakSe tadvan nihita-muralIM ratna-citrAM dadhAnaH |
vAmenAsau sarala-laguDIM pANinA pIta-varNAM
lIlAmbhojaM kamala-nayanaH kampayan dakSiNena ||

On the left side of His abdomen they placed within His belt an animal horn for blowing, and on the right side, His jeweled murali flute. In His left hand He held a straight yellow staff, and with His right He playfully twirled a lotus flower. (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 4.76)

cUDA-cumbita-cAru-candraka-lasad-guJjAlataH karNayoH
punnAga-stavakI maNIndra-makara-zrI-kuNDalApUrNayoH |
zrI-vakSaH pratimukta-mauktika-latA-zrI-raJji-guJjA-saraH
krIDA-kAnana-yAna-kautuka-manA babhrAja pItAmbaraH ||

The tuft of hair upon Krishna’s head was adorned with a string of beautiful gunja berries holding a radiant peacock feather. On His ears they placed clusters of punnaga flowers and makara-shaped earrings inlaid with diamonds. His powerful chest was decorated with charming necklaces of pearl and gunja. The yellow-clad Sri Krishna beamed with eagerness to begin His walk to the pleasure groves. (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.18)

Preparing to go to the Forest

devaprastha-varUthapAMzu-subala-zrIdAmabhiH zobhanair
ojasvi-pramukhair vizAla-vRSabha-zrI-stokakRSNArjunaiH |
sArdhaM gopa-sutAH samAna-vayasaH sarve samAnAzayA
gopendrAGganam AyayuH pramuditAH zrI-kRSNa-saGgAzayAH ||

All the virtuous sons of the gopas, each similar in age and nature, and headed by the powerful Devaprastha, Varūthapa, Aṁśu, Subala, Śrīdāmā, Viśāla, Vṛṣabha, Stokakṛṣṇa and Arjuna, joyfully arrived in the courtyard of Nanda Mahārāja, eager to be with Kṛṣṇa. (Kṛṣṇāhnika-Kaumudī 3.15)

sarve barha-viSANa-veNu-lakuTI-niryoga-pAzAJcitA
guJjA-dhAtu-phala-pravAla-sumanobhUSAbhir AbhUSitAH |
prAtaH snAta-sumRSTa-bhukta-dhayita-sphItAH kvaNan-nUpurAH
kRSNottiSTha jaya prayAma vipinaM cety Ucire satvarAH ||

They had all been bathed, dressed, groomed and filled with food and drink. They were each adorned with a peacock feather, a buffalo horn bugle, a flute, a staff and a rope for tying cows. Their bodies were ornamented with gunja berries, colored mineral powders, fruit seeds, fresh leaves, flowers and jingling ankle bells. After arriving, they quickly said, “Hey Kṛṣṇa! Get up! Glory to you! Now let’s go to the forest.” (Kṛṣṇāhnika-Kaumudī 3.16)

The Sound of Krishna's Flute

dhvasta-brahma-marAla-kUjita-bharair UrjezvarI-nUpura-
kvANair Urjita-vaibhavas tava vibho vaMzI-prasUtaH kalaH |
labdhaH zasta-samasta-nAda-nagarI-sAmrAjya-lakSmIM parAm
ArAdhyaH pramadAt kadA zravaNayor dvandvena mandena me ||

“O Lord! When in great joy shall my wicked ears be blessed with the beautiful sound of your flute, which reigns like an empress over the city of all excellent sounds, and is enriched by the tinkling of Sri Radha’s ankle-bells, sweeter than the warbling of swans.” (UtkalikA-VallarI 27)

Sri Krishna’s Pastoral Pastimes

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)

Experiencing so much disturbance by demons in Brhadvana, Nanda and the other gopas abandoned their residences in Gokula and moved to Vrndavana. This blissful Sri Vrndavana is the site of Sri Krishna’s madhura-lila. For this reason, the highest joy arose in Krishna when he saw Vrndavana.

vRndAvanaM govardhanaM yamunA-pulinAni ca |
vIkSyAsId uttamA prIti rAma-mAdhavayor nRpa || (BhAg. 10.11.36)

On the same day that Nanda and the others left their homes in Gokula, they entered Sri Vrndavana. When Krishna and Baladeva saw Vrndavana, Govardhana and the banks of the Yamuna, they were filled with delight. It was in Sri Vrndavana that Gopala’s very sweet pastimes in the pasturing ground began. Seeing Gopala’s great affection for the cows, Vrajaraja Nanda and the other gopas agreed to let him and his friends go graze the cows in the pasturelands. Knowing that Gopala’s body was still young and delicate, Nanda insisted that Gopala first begin by tending the calves, and only after auspicious ceremonies had been performed for his good fortune.

Mother Yasomati is the embodiment of condensed vatsalya-rasa (parental love). When she heard Nanda’s words, she thought, “How can my precious Nilamani be sent to the pastures?” and became extremely anxious. Hearing that Sri Krishna was going to the pastures caused a fountain of unbearable sorrow to well up in her heart. Let us relish some simple but elegant and heartfelt poetry of a great scholarly devotee:

gopAla nAki yAbe dUra vane |
tabe Ami nA jIva parANe ||
dadhi manthana kAle sammukhe vasiyA khele
AGginAra bAhira nA kari |
AGginAra bAhira haJA yadi gopAla khele yAJA
tabe prANa dharite nA pAri ||
gopAla yAbe bAthAne ki zunilAma zravaNe
yAdu mora nayanera tArA ||
kole thAkite kata camaki camaki uThi
nayAna nimikhe hai hArA ||
gopAla AmAra parANa putalI |
tAhAre saMpiye rAme kichui sandeha nAi
tamu prANa karaye vyAkuli ||

“If Gopala should go far away to the forest, I could not bear to live. When I churn the butter, he sits in front of me and plays, never leaving the courtyard. If Gopala should go outside the courtyard to play, I would not be able to sustain my life. ‘Gopala shall go to the pasture!’ What am I hearing? My darling, the apple of my eye, sat in my lap for a while, and now, in a flash, he has grown up. Before I could even blink, he is gone. Gopala is the treasure of my life. No doubt, he’s very dear to Balarama; but I’ll still be anxious.”

He who is the apple of Ma Yasomati’s eyes has grown up very quickly. Though she always kept him in her lap, she was ever anxious about his welfare. Perhaps some harm may come to this Gopala. Even while he was on her lap, at every moment she thought, “I might lose him.” Now if he were sent to the forest, how could she endure? Apprehensive, the queen felt great distress. If her Gopala went outside the compound to play, the queen became very anxious. She only saw darkness in every direction. How could she send Gopala, the life of her life, to the pasturing grounds? If she sent him there, how could she go on living? Thinking like this, she became very upset.

This is called vatsalya-rasa. Rasa manifests itself in many ways. In this state, one becomes extremely anxious about that which is dearer than one’s life and feels “I may lose it! I may lose it!” With the fear that one’s dear object is in danger comes intense anxiety. This is a specific type of very condensed rasa known as vipralambhamaya vatsalya-rasa, or parental sentiments with feelings of separation. When Mother Yasomati’s heart was agitated by this mood, she would become restless with anxiety. Certainly, at the time for going to the pastures, Gopala came before her with great enthusiasm. He hugged her neck and said this:

ogo mA Aji Ami carAba bAchura |
parAiyA deha dhaDA mantra paDi bAGdha cUDA
caraNete parAha nUpura ||
alakA tilakA bhAle vanamAlA deha gale
ziGgA vetra veNu deha hAte |
zrIdAma sudAma dAma subalAdi balarAma
sabAi dANDAye rAjapathe ||
vizAla arjuna jAna kiGkiNI aMzumAna
sAjiyA sabAi goThe yAya ||
gopAlera kathA zuni sajala nayana rANI
acetana dharaNI loTAya ||
caJcala bAchura sane kemane yAibe vane
komala du’khAni rAGgA pAya |
vipradAsa ghoSa bale e vayase goThe gele
prANa ki dharite pAre mAye ||

“‘Mom! Mom! Today I’ll graze the calves! Please dress me in a loincloth, and while reciting a mantra, tie my headdress. Place ankle-bells upon my feet, tilaka on my forehead, a forest garland around my neck, and in my hands please put my blowing horn, cane staff and flute. You know Sridama, Sudama, Dama, Subala, Balarama, Visala, Arjuna and the others. Adorned with radiant ankle-bells, they’re all waiting on the main road so we can go to the pastures.’ Hearing Gopala’s words, the queen, with tearful eyes, fell to the ground in a swoon. Vipradasa Ghosa says, ‘How shall he go to the forest with those restless calves? His delicate feet will get so red! If Gopala goes to the pasture at this age, how will his mother maintain her life?’”

Seeing Gopala and hearing him talk of going to the forest, Mother Yasomati felt grief-stricken in her heart and began to weep and roll on the ground. To prevent the restless calves from running off the path, her beloved Gopala will have to walk in places strewn with small stones and thorns. She shuddered, thinking of the tenderness of Gopala’s feet. Meanwhile, Baladeva arrived there, ready to go to the pasture. The queen was startled to see him. Then, in the next moment, she understood that according to family tradition, Gopala must go to the pastures. Neglecting one’s family traditions is inauspicious and unrighteous. Therefore, arrangements shall be made to protect Gopala at all times.

The Fruit Seller

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)

gopIbhiH stobhito'nRtyad bhagavAn bAlavat kvacit |
udgAyati kvacin mugdhas tad-vazo dAru-yantravat ||
bibharti kvacid AjJaptaH pIThakonmAna-pAdukam |
bAhu-kSepaM ca kurute svAnAM ca prItim Avahan ||
darzayaMs tad-vidAM loke Atmano bhRtya-vazyatAm |
vrajasyovAha vai harSaM bhagavAn bAla-ceSTitaiH || BhAg. 10.11.7-9 ||


One day, Sri Yasodanandana was playing in Nanda's courtyard, absorbed in his wonderful childhood lila. About that time, some motherly gopis arrived there and tempted him with some sandesh (a sweetmeat). They told him that if he would dance for them, they'd give the sandesh to him. Sri Yasodanandana is Bhagavan Himself, self-pleased and fully-satisfied, far above any lust or greed. On the stage of his illusory energy countless universes endlessly dance, yet like an ordinary boy, he began to dance to get sweets from the gopis. Or sometimes, being obedient to the gopis, he would sing loudly like an innocent child, floating like a wooden puppet in the stream of their wishes. At other times, following the gopis’ instructions, with wonderful bodily gestures he would carry a wooden stool, measuring bowl, shoes and so on, endlessly expanding their joy. To demonstrate to those who are conscious of his great power that he is thoroughly submissive to his devotees, Sri Bhagavan enacts such multifarious pastimes. Because of this, the Vrajavasis are drowned in an ocean of spiritual bliss.

In these Vraja pastimes, composed of pure sweetness, Sri Bhagavan has endlessly expanded the happiness of companions like his father, mother and so on. What more needs to be said about that? But he has also blessed the women of the forest-dwelling Pulinda tribe with this lila-madhurya. One day, a forest-dwelling woman came to Gokula to sell fruit. Walking down the main road, she called out loudly, “Look here! Who wants to buy some fruit?” Hearing her call, Sri Vrajaraja-nandana, who gives everyone their fruits (results of their actions), wanted to buy some, so he grabbed a handful of rice and quickly went to the fruit-seller. As he ran to get there, all the rice in his hands fell through his fingers. The fruit-seller filled Krishna's empty hands with fruit and suddenly her own basket was filled with various kinds of jewels. A mahajana has said the following:

phala leha phala leha DAke phalAhArI | cyuta dhAnya zudhu kare AilA zrI-hari ||
pasAre pheliyA dhAnya phala deha bole | animikhe pasAriNI o mukha nehAle ||
nayane galaye dhArA dekhi mukhakhAni | kAra gharera zizu tumi yAiye nichani ||
kon puNyavatI tomA karileka kole | kAhAre baliyA mA stana-pAna kaile ||
ghanarAma dAsa bale zuna pasAriNI | phalera sahita kara jIvana nichani ||

“‘Come and get some fruits! Come and get some fruits!’ the fruit-eater* called. Sri Hari came to the market with empty hands, all his rice having fallen to the ground. He said to her, ‘I’ve dropped my rice; will you give me some fruit?’ Gazing at him, she caressed his lotus face as tears streamed from her eyes. She said, ‘Whose home has been blessed with you as a child? Who is that virtuous lady who, when she takes you on her lap, you call her Mother and drink the milk from her breasts?’ Ghanarama Dasa says, ‘O fruit-seller, please listen: along with those fruits you have offered your life.’”

o mora sonAra cAnda ki tora mAyera nAma
kAra ghare hailA utapati |
bahukAla tapa kari ke pUjila hara-gaurI
kon puNya kailA sei satI ||
tomAre kariyA kole kata zata cumba dile
nayAnera jale gela bhAsi |
pAiyA manera sukhe stana dila cAndamukhe
muJi yAi haba tAra dAsI ||
eta kahi phalAhArI phala dena kara-bhari
prema-bhare gara gara cita |
kRSNacandra phala hAte khAite khAite pathe
Asi nija gRhe upanIta ||
phala dekhi yazomatI Anande nA jAne kati
khAoyAiyA prema-sukhe bhAse |
dhanya sei phalAhArI phale pAila nandahari
kahe kichu ghanarAma dAse ||

“‘O my little moon of gold, what is your mother's name? In whose home were you born? That pious lady must have acquired great virtue by performing austerities for a long time and worshipping Hara and Gauri. Taking you upon her lap, she gives you countless kisses and her eyes overflow with tears. Filled with joy, she places her breast in your moonlike mouth. I must become her servant.’ Speaking thus and overcome with love, the fruit-eater filled Krishnacandra’s hands with fruit. Munching as he walked along the path, he eventually arrived at his home. Seeing Krishna holding the fruit, Yasomati was overwhelmed with joy. Feeding him the rest, she floated in the bliss of love. A certain Ghanarama Dasa says, ‘That fruit-seller was very fortunate. With just a little fruit, she got Hari, the son of Nanda.’”

(*The Bengali here is phalåhårî, literally ‘fruit-eater,’ though it obviously also means a fruit-seller in this case. She is probably a peddler from a mountain tribe that subsists mostly on fruit.)

Eating Clay

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)

Sripada Sukamuni has described Sri Krishna's sweet, mischievous (yet filled with inconceivable power) childhood pastime of eating clay as follows:

ekadA krIDamAnAs te rAmAdyA gopa-dArakAH |
kRSNo mRdaM bhakSitavAn iti mAtre nyavedayan ||
sA gRhItvA kare kRSNam upAlabhya hitaiSiNI |
yazodA bhaya-sambhrAnta-prekSaNAkSam abhASata ||
kasmAn mRdam adAntAtman bhavAn bhakSitavAn rahaH |
vadanti tAvakA hy ete kumArAs te'grajo'py ayam ||
nAhaM bhakSitavAn amba sarve mithyAbhizaMsinaH |
yadi satya-giras tarhi samakSaM pazya me mukham ||
yady evaM tarhi vyAdehIty uktaH sa bhagavAn hariH |
vyAdattAvyAhataizvaryaH krIDA-manuja-bAlakaH ||

“One day, while playing, Balarama and the other sons of the cowherds told Mother Yasoda, ‘Krishna has eaten clay!’ Concerned for Krishna's welfare and looking fearful that he might develop diarrhea from having eaten clay, Yasoda grabbed Krishna's hand and reprimanded him, saying, ‘O you restless boy! Why have you secretly eaten clay? Your friends and even your elder brother Balarama have said so!’ Sri Krishna replied, ‘No Mom; I haven't eaten clay. They're all lying. If you don't believe me, then just look in my mouth.’ Hearing this, Yasoda said, ‘OK, open your mouth and let me see.’ The all-enchanting Sri Yasodanandana, the abode of all power and unchallenged authority who had assumed the form of a human child for the sake of pastime, then widely opened his mouth.” (BhAg. 10.8.32-36) In his commentary on the words krIDA-manuja-bAlakaH in the above-mentioned verse, Srila Gosvamipada has written briefly that for enacting the childlike pastimes that were ideal for tasting vatsalya-rasa, Sri Krishna had assumed the form of an ordinary human child. But he was not an ordinary human child who was subject to the results of his previous actions. Or krIDA-manuja could also mean that Krishna is the child of Sri Nanda-Yasoda, who, bearing limitless parental love for him, always appear as part of his retinue in his childhood pastimes. He is not the son of some humans who are bound by their previous actions and blinded by maya. He is forever known and worshipped universally as the maintainer of the entire world. In the Agamas and other scriptures also we find him absorbed in his eternal childhood lilas. In both of the above interpretations, Sri Krishna is always absorbed in lila-rasa that is of his own choosing and is suitable for the advent of his particular nature and form. For this reason there is so much madhurya in his humanlike pastimes. When Sri Krishna opened his mouth to show Yasoda Ma whether there was clay inside or not, it appeared as though the lotus of his mouth was forced to bloom by the heat of the sun of his mother's anger. To alter his mother's mental state, Sri Krishna's powerful sakti (energy) caused the entire universe to be visible within that little mouth. In one great devotee's song, this incident is described within the crawling pastime:

bAla-gopAla raGge sama-vaya-veza saGge
hAmAguDi AGginA khelAya |
tejiyA mAkhana sare tuliyA komala kare
mRttikA manera sukhe khAya ||
balarAma tA dekhiyA yazodA nikaTe yAJA
kahilA bhAiyera ei kathA |
zuni tabe yazomatI AilA turita gati
gopAla khAiche mATI yathA ||
mAye dekhe mATI phele nA khAi nA khAi bole
Adha Adha vadana DhulAya |
mukha nirakhaye rANI dhariyA yugala pANi
mana-dukhe kare hAya hAya ||
e kSIra navanI sara kibA nAhi mora ghara
mRttikA khAicha kibA sukhe |
pitA yAGra vrajarAja tAra ki emana kAja
zunile haibe mane dukhe ||
eteka baliyA rANI kole kari nIlamaNi
chalachala bhela du'nayAna |
e uddhava dAsa gIte yazomatI haraSite
animikhe nehAre vayAna ||

“The child Gopala was having fun playing and crawling around the courtyard with his friends, who were all of a similar age and dress. Putting aside the butter he was eating, with his soft hands he dug up some clay and happily ate it. Seeing this, Balarama went to Yasoda and told her what his brother was doing. As soon as she heard the news, she quickly went there, arriving just as Gopala was eating more clay. Seeing his mother, he dropped the clay and cried out, ‘I not eat it! I not eat it!’ and shook his head from side to side. Taking hold of both his hands and looking at his mouth, she scolded him, saying, ‘O dear! O my goodness! Is there no condensed milk, butter or cream in my house? Instead, you blissfully eat clay? When your father, the king of Vraja, hears about this, he’s going to be very unhappy.’ In this song of Uddhava Dasa, Yasomati then takes Nilamani Krishna onto her lap and, with tearful eyes, gazes joyfully at his lotus face.”

badana meliyA gopAla rANI pAne cAya | mukha mAjhe aparUpa dekhibAre pAya ||
e bhUmi AkAza Adi caudda bhuvana | suraloka nAgaloka naraloka-gaNa ||
ananta brahmANDa goloka Adi yata dhAma | mukhera bhitara saba dekhe niramANa ||
zeSa maheza brahmA Adi stuti kare | nanda-yazomatI Ara mukhera bhitare ||
dekhi nanda brajezvarI bacana nA sphure | svapna-prAya ki dekhinu hena mane kare ||
nija preme paripUrNa kichui nA mAne | Apana tanaya kRSNa prANa mAtra jAne ||
DAkiyA kahaye nande Azcarya bidhAna | putrera maGgala lAgi bipre kare dAna ||
e dAsa uddhave kahe braje zuddha prema | kichu nA mizAya yena jAmbU-nada hema ||

“Gopala opened his mouth and looked at his mother. Inside his mouth, she saw something amazing. She saw the fourteen worlds including the earth and the sky; endless universes comprising the abodes of the gods, the snakes and the humans, as well as the sacred abodes like Goloka and so on. She saw the entire creation within his mouth! She saw Sesa, Mahesa, Brahma and others offering prayers. She even saw herself and Nanda within Krishna’s mouth. Looking at Nanda, she was unable to speak a word; it all seemed like a dream to her. Filled with love, she couldn't believe what she'd seen. She only knew Krishna as her beloved son. Astonished, she called out to Nanda, asking him to give charity to the brahmanas for the welfare of their son. This Uddhava Dasa says, ‘Love in Vraja is pure, like gold from the Jambu River.’”

The Butter Thief

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)

Krishna quickly grew to be a very playful young boy. When the neighborhood gopis were not at home, he, Sridama and other friends would go from house to house displaying his sweet pastime of impudently stealing milk and butter. Sripada Shukamuni, in BhAg. 10.8.29-30, has described the motherly gopis' complaints to Sri Yashoda:

vatsAn muJcan kvacid asamaye kroza-saJjAta-hAsaH
steyaM svAdv atty atha dadhi-payaH kalpitaiH steya-yogaiH |
markAn bhokSyan vibhajati sa cen nAtti bhANDaM bhinatti
dravyAlAbhe sa gRha-kupito yAty upakrozya tokAn ||
hastAgrAhye racayati vidhiM pIThakolUkhalAdyaiz
chidraM hy antar-nihita-vayunaH zikya-bhANDeSu tad-vit |
dhvAntAgAre dhRta-maNi-gaNaM svAGgam artha-pradIpaM
kAle gopyo yarhi gRha-kRtyeSu suvyagra-cittAH ||

The gopis said, “O Yashoda! Sometimes your son releases the calves from the cowshed at an unsuitable time, like before the cows have been milked. If someone gets angry at him for that, he just smiles. After creating some deception, your son steals and eats our curds and milk. He also feeds the monkeys, and if they aren't hungry, he just breaks the pots to smithereens. If in some home he doesn't find anything to eat, he becomes angry, wakes the sleeping babies and makes them cry, and then runs away.

“While the gopis are busy doing their housework, he devises some plan to climb upon a wooden stool or mortar to get the curds and milk kept in a high place beyond his reach. Your son knows what's in the pots and just how to get it. For getting at the curds and milk kept in pots in hanging rope-bags, he makes a hole in the bottom of the pot and lets the contents drip into his mouth. He also has no problem in taking food from a dark house because the house is illuminated by his bodily luster and the jewelry you put on him.”

yamunAra jale gelA yazodA-rohiNI | zUnya ghara pAJA luTe e kSIra navanI ||
piNDira upara piNDi udukhala diyA | tabu ta zikAra bhANDa lAgi nA pAiyA ||
naDite chediyA bhANDa heNTe pAte mukha | henai samaye dekhe jananI sammukha ||
mAyera zabada zuni yAdu-dhana nAce | dhaDAra aJcala diyA cAnda-mukha moche ||
emane kemane gopAla lukAibA Ara | tomAra buka bAhiyA paDe go-rasera dhAra ||
ghanarAma dAse bole zuna yazomatI | mAyA-rUpe tomAra ghare akhilera pati ||

“Once, when Yasoda and Rohini went to bathe in the Yamuna, Krishna discovered that the house was empty, so he decided he would plunder the milk and butter. He stacked one stool upon another, and then a grinding mortar upon that, but he was still unable to reach the pot hanging above in a rope-bag. Undeterred, using a stick he poked a hole in the bottom of the pot and placed his mouth underneath to catch the flow. Suddenly, he saw his mother coming, and at the sound of her voice he began to dance. Trying to conceal his mischief, Gopala wiped the evidence from his moonlike face with the border of his loincloth. Unfortunately, the stream of milk was still falling onto his chest! Ghanarama Dasa says, ‘Listen Yasomati: the lord of the entire world is living under disguise in your home.’”

aruNa adhara ure navanI lAgiyAche re
mari mari bAchani kAnAi |
heri yazomati premete pUrita AGkhi
Aya kole balihAri yAi ||
kara moche adhara mochAi |
Aya mora bAchani kAnAi ||

“Seeing that his chest and reddish lips were smeared with butter, Yasomati said lovingly, ‘Oh, my darling Kanai! What have you done? Come, sit on my lap. I don’t know what to say. Wipe your hands and mouth. Come, my darling Kanai!’”

du’bAhu pasAri Age yAya nandarANI | dharite dharite dharA nA deya nIlamaNi ||
gRhe paDi gaDi yAya dadhi navanIta | kopa-nayane rANI cAhe cAri bhIta ||
hede re navanI-corA bali pAche dhAya | e ghara o ghara kari gopAla lukAya ||
naDi hAte nandarANI yAya khedADiyA | akhila-bhuvana-pati yAya palAiyA ||
e tina bhuvane yAre bhaya dite nAre | se hari pAlAJA yAya jananIra Dare ||
rANIra kola haite gopAla gelA pAlAiyA | Akula hailA rANI gopAla nA dekhiyA ||
ghare ghare ukaTila sakala gokula | tomA nA dekhiyA prANa haila Akula ||
kAra ghare Acha gopAla bale DAka diyA | tomAra mAyera prANa yAya bidariyA ||
zrIdAma DAkiyA bale kAnAi AmAra ghare | sabAkAra prANa gopAla lukAila mAyera Dare ||
ghanarAma dAse kahe thira kara mana | premera adhIna gopAla pAbe darazana ||

“With both arms extended, Nandarani reached for Nilamani Krishna, but was unable to catch him. Seeing the pots of milk and yogurt scattered and broken, she looked angrily in all directions. Saying, ‘Hey, you butter thief,’ she chased after Gopala with a stick in her hand as he fled from house to house. The master of all worlds was running away! Hari, who fears nothing in the three worlds, was running away in fear of his mother! As Gopala ran from Yasoda's embrace, she became distressed, not being able to find him. Going from house to house in Gokula, she called out, ‘I'm very anxious to see you! In which house is Gopala? Your mother's heart is breaking!’ Then Sridama called back, ‘Krishna is in my house.’ Gopala, the life of everyone, was hiding in fear of his mother. Ghanarama Dasa says, ‘Be still my heart; you shall see Gopala, for he is obedient to love.’”

Nanda-Dulāla

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)

bhAla nAce re nAce re nanda-dulAla |
vraja-ramaNI-gaNa caudike beDhala
yazomatI dei karatAla ||
ruNura jhuNura dhvani ghAGghara kiGkiNI
gati naTa khaJjana bhAti |
heraite akhila- nayana mana bhulaye
iha navanIrada kAnti ||
kare kari mAkhana dei ramaNI-gaNa
khAoi nAcai raGge |
dhvaja-vajrAGkuza paGkaja-sulalita
caraNa cAlai kata bhaGge ||
kuJchita keza veza digambara
kaTi taTe ghuGgura sAja |
vaMzI kahai kiye jaga-jana-maGgala
zravaNe sudhA sama bAja ||

“Surrounded by the ladies of Vraja, Nanda-Dulåla dances oh so nicely, while Yasomati claps her hands. Moving about with waist-bells jingling, he looks just like a dancing wagtail. Seeing this boy with the rain-cloud complexion, all eyes and minds are enchanted. Eating butter from his hand, he dances with the ladies in great fun, moving his delicate feet, decorated with flag, thunderbolt and lotus, in every direction. His hair is curly and his only clothing the string of bells around his waist. Vamsidasa says, ‘How lucky is the person who hears the nectarous sound of those bells!’”

Sometimes, hearing the sound of milk being churned into butter, Gopala and his older brother would go there, where Mother Yasomati would then greet them with kisses, head-sniffs and caresses. Eager to see Gopala's charming dance, she would tempt him with fresh butter. When Nrtya-Gopala began to dance as he ate the butter, his mother would put down her churning stick and clap her hands in great joy, drowning, along with Rohini, in vatsalya-rasa.

dadhi-manthana-dhani zunaite nIlamaNi
Aola saGge balarAma |
yazomatI heri mukha pAola marame sukha
cumbaye cAnda vayAna ||
kahe suna yadumaNi tore diba kSIra nanI
khAiya nAcaha mora Age |
navanI-lobhita hari mAyera badana heri
kara pAti nabanIta mAge ||
rANI dila pUri kara khAite raGgimAdhara
ati suzobhita bhela tAya |
khAite khAite nAce kaTite kiGkiNI bAje
heri haraSita bhela mAya ||
nanda-dulAla nAce bhAli |
chADi manthana-daNDa uchalita mahAnanda
saghane dei karatAli ||
dekha dekha rohiNI gada gada kahe bANI
yAduyA nAciche dekha mora |
ghanarAma dAse kaya rohiNI Anandamaya
duhuG bhela preme bibhora

“Hearing the sound of butter being churned, Krishna arrived on the spot along with Balarama. When Yasomati saw him, she felt very happy at heart. Kissing his moonlike face, she said to him, ‘Listen, jewel of the Yadu family, if I give you some condensed milk and butter and you eat it, then you must dance for me.’ Seeing the look on his mother's face and eager to get the goodies, he spread out his hand and asked for the butter. The queen filled his hand, and as he ate, his reddish lips became very beautiful. Continuing to eat, he began to dance as the bells strung round his waist jingled. Seeing this, his mother became delighted. Nanda-Dulala danced so well that she dropped her churning stick, and swelling with joy, she repeatedly clapped her hands. ‘Look! Look, Rohini!’ she said with a choked voice. ‘My darling child is dancing!’ Ghanarama Dasa says, ‘Rohini was filled with joy and both were overwhelmed by love.’”

Serve Mother Yashoda

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)

atizaya zizumati manda-manda gati
kaTitaTe kiGkiNI bAje |
kambu kaNTha pari’ motima mAlavara
lambita ruru-nakha sAje ||
aneka sAdha kari kare navanIta bhari
deyaluG bhojana lAgi |
so nAhi khAota kSititale DArata
iha mora karama abhAgI ||
vaMzI kahaye zuna mAtA yazomati
tohAri caraNe karoG sevA |
e tuyA nandana bhuvana-vimohana
puNa-phale pAoi kebA ||

“‘Absorbed in his childlike state, Sri Krishna walked very slowly, his waist bells jingling. Suspended from his conch-like neck were a string of fine pearls and a tiger’s claw. With great pleasure, I filled his hands with butter to eat, but instead of eating it, he dropped it on the ground. Such is my misfortune.’ Vamsidasa says, ‘Listen: whoever serves the lotus feet of Mother Yasomati gets her son, the enchanter of all worlds.’”

Dancing Gopala

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)

Gradually Gopala became very skillful at walking. He walked everywhere around the house, and sometimes, by doing a charming little dance before his mother, father and the other affectionate gopas and gopis, he would drown them all in Ananda-rasa. For this reason, he is known as Nritya-Gopala, or “Dancing Gopala.”

nAcata mohana nanda-dulAla |
raGgima caraNe maJjIra ghana bAjata
kiGkiNI tAhiG rasAla ||
sthala-paGkaja-dala jiniyA caraNa-tala
aruNa-kiraNa kiye AbhA |
tAhAra upare nakha-cAnda suzobhita
heraite jagamana lobhA ||
maNi-AbharaNa kata aGgahi jhalakata
nAsAya mukutA kibA dole |
mA mA mA bali cAnda vadana tuli
navIna kokila yena bole ||

“On reddish feet, with anklets and waist-bells tinkling sweetly, the darling of Nanda dances to everyone's delight. The whole world longs to see those delicate feet, more beautiful than lotus petals, lustrous like the sun, and adorned with moon-like nails. Many jewels sparkle upon his limbs, and from his nose dangles a precious pearl. Like a young cuckoo, moonfaced Krishna cries ‘MA! MA! MA!’”

Sri Radha's foot-lac rasa

zrIvatsasya ca kaustubhasya ca ramAdevyAz ca garhAkaro
rAdhA-pAda-saroja-yAvaka-raso vakSaHsthalastho hareH |
bAlArka-dyuti-maNDalIva timiraiz chandena vandIkRtA
kAlindyAH payasIva pIva-vikacaM raktotpalaM pAtu vaH ||

"May Sri Radha's foot-lac rasa smeared upon Sri Hari's chest protect you. Its beauty puts the beauty of the Srivatsa, Kaustubha and Ramådevi to shame. It is as though the rays of the newly-risen sun are being offered prayers by the darkness, or as though a red lotus has blossomed within the dark waters of the Kalindi." (AlaGkAra-KaustubhaH 8.59)

From Govinda-Lilamrtam

sakhyAs te kuzalaM sakhIza! kuzalaM kutreyam AtmAlaye
kiM nAyAti vanaM kRtau sva-guruNAdiSTAtha kiM ceSTate |
mathnAty ambu-ghaTaM tataH kim abhavan nirbhartsya ruddhA gRhe
yuktyA cAnaya vRndayA na jaTilA vaJcyAha hA dhig vidhim ||

Krishna: “Hey sakhi! How is your friend Radha?’”
Tulasi: “Hey chief! She’s fine.”
Krishna: “Where is she right now?”
Tulasi: “She’s at her home.”
Krishna: “Isn’t she coming to the forest?”
Tulasi: “One of her elders made her do some housework.”
Krishna: “What is she doing?”
Tulasi: “She mistakenly churned a pot of water!”
Krishna: “What happened then?”
Tulasi: “Jatila chastised her and locked her in the house.”
Krishna: “You and Vrnda must trick Jatila somehow and bring Radha here!”
Tulasi: “Jatila’s no fool.”
Krishna: “Aw, damn the luck!” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 6.56)

Vamsidasa

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)

nanda sunanda yazomatI rohiNI
Anande suta-mukha cAya |
aruNa-dRgaJcala kAjare raJjita
hAsi hAsi dazana dekhAya ||
baMzI kahai saba vraja-ramaNI-gaNa
Ananda-sAyare bhAsa |
heraite parazite lAlana karaite
stana-kSIre bhijala bAsa ||

Vamsidasa says, “Nanda, Sunanda, Yasomati and Rohini gaze happily upon their sons’ beautiful faces: the boys’ crimson-bordered eyes have been painted with collyrium and their teeth gleam through their smiling lips. All the ladies of Vraja float in a sea of bliss, and when they see, touch and caress the boys, the women’s clothing becomes soaked with breast-milk.” (Pada-Kalpa-Taru)

Gradually, holding onto his mother’s fingers, Krishna learned to walk by taking a few steps and then falling again. Sometimes, he would get a little vessel and hold it up as he walked with wonderful gestures. Joyfully, his mother would fill it with cream and then he would fling it all about.

Vilasa

puraH kRSNAlokAt sthagita-kuTilAsyA gatir abhUt |
tirazcInaM kRSNAmbara-dara-vRtaM zrI-mukham api ||
calat-tAraM sphAraM nayana-yugam AbhUgnam iti sA |
vilAsAkhya-svAlaGkaraNa-valitAsIt priya-mude ||

“When Sri Radha suddenly saw Sri Krishna before her, at first she stopped walking and then began again, but on a zigzag course. She scrunched up her face and slightly covered it with her blue cloth. Her eyes were wide, restless and looking downward. Beautified by her ornament known as vilAsa, Sri Radha gave Sri Krishna great joy.” (Govinda-LilAmRtam 9.11)

The Sound of Krishna's Flute

dhvasta-brahma-marAla-kUjita-bharair UrjezvarI-nUpura-
kvANair Urjita-vaibhavas tava vibho vaMzI-prasUtaH kalaH |
labdhaH zasta-samasta-nAda-nagarI-sAmrAjya-lakSmIM parAm
ArAdhyaH pramadAt kadA zravaNayor dvandvena mandena me ||

“O Lord! When in great joy shall my wicked ears be blessed with the beautiful sound of your flute, which reigns like an empress over the city of all excellent sounds, and is enriched by the tinkling of Sri Radha’s ankle-bells, sweeter than the warbling of swans.” (UtkalikA-VallarI 27)

KalahAntaritA*

upadiza sakhi vRnde vallavendrasya sUnuM kim ayam iha sakhInAM mAm adhInAM dunoti |
apasaratu sazaGkaM mandirAn mAninInAM kalayati lalitAyAH kiM na zauTIrya-dhATIm ||

Though in her heart she was eager to meet with Krishna, to show her profound loyalty to her sakhis, Sri Radha spoke in the mood of a kalahAntaritA to Vrinda: “O Vrinda, my friend! You tell Vrajaraja-nandana that I’m obedient to my sakhis. Why is he giving me unnecessary pain? We are honorable girls; it isn’t proper for him to be in our homes. Tell him to flee with a fearful heart. Does he not know how powerful Lalita is?” (U.NI.RAdhA-Pra.46)


*A kalahAntaritA is a heroine separated from her lover because of a quarrel.

Radha-Kunda

tan-madhye nava-maJju-kuJja-valayaM zobhA-vibhUtyAsamA-
nordhvaM divya-vicitra-ratna-latikAdy-Ananda-puSpa-zriyA |
antas talpa-varaM varopakaraNair ADhyaM samantAd dadhad-
rAdhA-mAdhava-bhukta-bhogyam akhilAnandaika-sAmrAjya-bhUH ||

"Within the area of Sri Radha-Kunda are vibrant and charming kunjas filled with incomparable beauty. Delightful, exhilarating flowers adorn creepers and bushes like multicolored jewels. Within these kunjas stands an exquisite bed, richly endowed with the finest accessories, and placed all about are delicious foods for Sri Radha-Madhava. This is the kingdom of complete, unadulterated joy." (VRndAvana-MahimAmRtam 4.106)

The Madhurya of Sri Krishna’s Crawling and Walking Pastimes

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)


The quality of madhurya is extraordinarily displayed in Svayam Bhagavan Sri Krishna's human-like pastimes whether his boundless power is manifest or not. Having described the sweetness of nara-lila within the demon-killing pastimes, which contain manifestations of aisvarya, in Bhag.10.8.22 Sripada Shukamuni paints a beautiful picture of the unprecedented sweetness of Krishna’s crawling pastimes, beginning after Gargacarya performed the name-giving ceremony for both Krishna and Baladeva:

tAv aGghri-yugmam anukRSya sarIsRpantau
ghoSa-praghoSa-ruciraM vraja-kardameSu |
tan nAda-hRSTa-manasAv anusRtya lokaM
mugdha-prabhItavad upeyatur anti mAtroH ||

Subjugated by Sri Nanda-Yasomati’s parental love, Sri Krishna and Sri Baladeva, the abodes of all power, fulfilled their parents’ wishes by sometimes sitting in their laps or at other times lying in bed with them. Continuously crawling around inside their home, they gradually got stronger and soon began crawling around the courtyard. They crawled this way and that, dragging their lotus feet through the courtyard muddied by milk and urine from Nanda Maharaja’s cows. Overjoyed to hear the tinkling of their own anklets and waist-bells, they murmured sweet sounds and crawled even faster. Sometimes the boys would follow the affectionate ladies of Vraja as they passed by and then, as though perplexed and afraid, they would hurry back and dive into their mothers’ laps. Feeling deep motherly affection, Yasoda and Rohini would embrace their mud-smeared sons and hold them at their breasts, filling the boys’ mouths with a continuous stream of milk. Seeing a few beautiful, delicate teeth adorning the smiling mouths of their breast-feeding sons, the two mothers floated in an ocean of joy.

Trnavarta

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)


On another day, Mata Yasomati had taken Sri Nandanandana onto her lap and was nursing him, caressing him, kissing his face and so on. Suddenly, the child became as heavy as a mountain peak. Incapable of carrying him and fearful that he may be harmed, she placed him close by and sought protection at the feet of Sri Narayana. A demon named Trnavarta, sent by Kamsa, then arrived in Vraja and covered all of Gokula with dust, obstructing everyone’s vision and filling every direction with a terrible howl. Stealing Sri Nandanandana away, he flew off into the sky. If Sri Krishna had not made his body heavy, Trnavarta, in the form of a whirlwind, might have also taken Mata Yasomati with him into the sky, possibly causing her great harm. So to prevent this, by his inconceivable power, he caused the heavy weight to manifest within him. Oppressed by the thick dust and tiny pieces of stone scattered by Trnavarta, the residents of Gokula were overcome with confusion. They were completely unable to see themselves or each other or know what to do. When the blustering dust storm began, Yasoda was powerless to see or even search for her son. Overwhelmed with grief, like a cow whose newborn calf has died, she began to roll on the ground and weep in a piteous voice. After some time, when the terrible winds had subsided, the neighborhood gopikas heard the sound of crying in Yasoda’s home. They quickly arrived there, and not seeing Nandanandana, with tearful eyes they began to cry and pour forth their sorrow.

Trnavarta, shaped like a whirlwind, had taken Nandanandana very high into the sky. Just as a baby being held aloft might be frightened and grasp the neck of the person lifting him, Sri Nandanandana, playing the role of a child, held firmly to Trnavarta’s neck. Feeling Nandanandana to be like a mountain, the asura was unable to bear the weight any longer. He tried to pull the child from his throat, only to find it was an impossible feat. Sri Nandanandana clinched the demon’s throat so forcefully that he was no longer able to move his hands or feet. His eyes popped out and he was unable to even cry out in pain. His lifeless body, along with Sri Nandanandana, fell from high in the sky upon a piece of stone in the grazing ground. The gopis then discovered that Trnavarta’s monstrous body had been smashed like Tripurasura torn apart by Shiva’s arrow. They found Sri Krishna, freed from the jaws of death and in good condition, still hanging on Trnavarta’s chest where he had been placed by the demon as he carried him through the air. The gopis returned Krishna safely to Yasomati and everyone was completely astounded. Sri Nanda and the other gopas, as well as Sri Yasoda and the gopis all floated in an ocean of joy as they each got to hold Sri Krishna in their laps.

Sri Nanda and the gopas began to say to each other, “Ah! How amazing! Even though he was carried toward his death by the rAkSasa, this child has been returned to us. Cruel-natured wicked people are destroyed by their own sins, while those who are good-natured, having integrity, are freed from all kinds of troubles.” If one sees the manifestation of inconceivable power behind all these pastimes of Sri Krishna’s childhood, it may remind him of an emperor who, intoxicated by drinking fine wine, has forgotten his kingly power and lives like the poorest of the poor. In the same way, Sri Krishna, the possessor of boundless power and the lord of the universe, intoxicated by drinking the wine of vatsalya-rasa shared with Sri Nanda-Yasoda and the gopas and gopis of Vraja, forgets his own natural divinity and plays like an ordinary child. His boundless, inconceivable energies accomplish all these difficult feats of demon-killing and so on from behind his nara-lila without disturbing his absorption in the enjoyment of rasa. It is for this reason that vraja-lila has so much madhurya!

Shakatasura

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)


After hearing this pastime, Maharaja Parikshit, charmed by Sri Krishna’s extraordinary lila-madhurya, eagerly said to Sri Shukadeva (BhAg. 10.7.3),

athAnyad api kRSNasya tokAcaritam adbhutam |
mAnuSaM lokam AsAdya taj-jAtim anurundhataH ||

“Sri Krishna descended into the world of man and displayed his transcendentally sweet humanlike pastimes. Please describe more of his wonderful childhood adventures.” tad evaM svacamatkAre hetum Aha adbhutaM rUpa-guNa-vilAsa-lIlA-cAturIbhiH kvacit tad-anugata-duruhaizvarya-milanena ca vismayAvaham (VaiSNava-ToSaNI-TIkA). “When Sri Parikshit heard Sri Krishna’s childhood lila, he was astonished by the perplexing but compatible union of Sri Krishna’s aisvarya with his unparalleled humanlike beauty, qualities, charm, pastimes and cleverness.” It should be understood that it is this wonder or astonishment that produces the experience of rasa upon tasting lila-madhurya.

After hearing the words of Maharaja Parikshit, Sripada Shukamuni began to narrate Sri Krishna’s other inconceivably powerful lilas, such as the breaking of the cart and the killing of Trnavarta. An ordinary child is at first only able to lie on his back and sleep; then gradually getting stronger, he can eventually move his limbs around and turn on his side. In the same way, even though he is the reservoir of boundless power, in his nara-lila Sri Nandanandana first of all lay on his back and slept. By drinking Sri Yasomati Mata’s breast-milk, his body gradually became well-nourished and by the age of three months, he was able to move his limbs all about and turn on his side. “Sri Yasodanandana has now learned to turn on his side!” This joyful news was immediately proclaimed everywhere in Gokula and all the gopas and gopis living there gathered at Nanda’s home to get the sweet vision of Nandanandana doing so. By chance, Sri Krishna’s birth star (rohiNI-nakSatra) was also ascendant on that day, so an ocean of divine bliss swelled in the hearts of all. A great festival for Sri Nandanandana’s welfare was celebrated in Nanda’s home.

While drinking Mata Yasomati’s breast-milk, baby Krishna fell asleep, so she laid him in a rocking cradle underneath a large cart and went to participate in the festival. After the killing of Putana, Kamsa had known with certainty that Sri Nandanandana was the deadly Sri Hari. So on that day he had dispatched a powerful demon to Gokula for the purpose of killing him. Remaining unseen in the sky, the asura considered that while everyone was absorbed in enjoying the festival, the baby could easily be crushed to death if enough pressure were placed upon the large cart as the child lay in a bed underneath.

Even though the inconceivably powerful Sri Hari, immersed in his lila, slept when near the bhaktas, he was always alert to the presence of asuras. As soon as the demon pressed upon the cart, Sri Krishna awoke and began to cry for his mother’s milk, but because of the loud merrymaking of the festival, the sound of his crying failed to reach his mother’s ears. Absorbed in weeping, his mouth trembled slightly, beautiful as a half-bloomed blue lotus. Tears fell from his lotus eyes like drops of flower nectar, adorning his cheeks as though pearls upon a sapphire mirror. Continuing to cry, he threw his tender hands and feet upward and began kicking. Because of his inconceivable power, by only the slight touch of the tips of his delicate feet the heavy cart was tossed upside down a short distance away. At the place where the cart fell, there were metal pots filled with curds and milk and so on. So when the cart landed, it produced a loud, clattering sound as it hit the pots and broke to pieces. Imperceptibly, the weight-causing demon was also killed in the cart. Seeing this sudden calamity, Nanda, Yasomati and the assembled gopas and gopis became extremely anxious about Sri Nandanandana’s welfare, so they arranged for the brahmanas, well-versed in the Vedas, to protect the child with mantras that mitigate the influence of evil spirits and other malevolent beings. Yasomati then placed him in her lap and gave him her breast-milk, and when everyone saw the baby calm down as he suckled, they all felt much relieved.

The Killing of Putana

(From Madhurya-Tattva-Vijnana, by Sri Ananta Dasa Babaji Maharaja)


When Sri Krishna was only six days old, still an infant lying on his back, the demoness Putana entered Gokula, sent by Kamsa to kill all the babies living there. Wishing to move freely and easily finish her work, Putana abandoned her frightful raksasi form and assumed the form of a beautiful mother. She could have assumed any form to enter Gokula, but at the beginning of the lila, merciful Sri Hari inspired her by his divine power to assume this form because he wanted to bestow upon her the state of a mother at death. Seeing Putana’s illusory form, the men and women of Gokula became spellbound. These persons are Sri Hari’s direct companions incarnate, endowed with powers similar to his. It is not possible that they could ever be deluded by the magic of an insignificant raksasi, particularly since Svayam Bhagavan Sri Krishna is present there. kRSNa sUrya sama mAyA ghora andhakAra. yAGhA kRSNa tAGhA nAhi mAyAra adhikAra (C.C.). “Krishna is like the sun; mAyA is dreadful darkness. Wherever Krishna is, mAyA has no authority.” Therefore, it should be understood that both the delusion of the residents of Gokula and the existence of Putana’s magic are the result of Sri Hari’s divine power. Sri Krishna’s dear friends Sridama and others had also descended with him. Because Putana could have gone to harm them, Sri Krishna’s full demon-killing shakti was present and ready there in his birthing room.

Sripada Shukamuni has said, vibudhya tAM bAlaka-mArikA-grahaM carAcarAtmA sa nimIlitekSaNaH. “Upon seeing the child-killer Putana arrive, Sri Hari, the self of all, closed his eyes.” In the Sri-VaiSNava-ToSaNI commentary, five reasons have been delineated for Sri Krishna’s closing his eyes that demonstrate an unprecedented harmony between his presence as a child and his divinity: tac ca tasyAM nijAtyanta-bAlatva-bhIrutva-bodhanAya, tAdRza-duSTa-darzanAbhAvAya, svadRSTi-svAbhAvika-tad-vidha-dharSaNAbhAvAya, tad-dhitArthAvazya-kRtye ’pi vadhe sarva-sad-guNa-nidheH svasya sAkSAl-lajjAc-chAdanAya maraNe tad-vaikalya-darzanAbhAvAya ca.

The meaning is that by Sri Hari closing his eyes, his timidity and consummate childlike behavior were displayed. A tiny baby sleeps much of the time, so his eyes are often closed. Sometimes he awakes and opens his eyes and then closes them again. Even though Sri Nandanandana is Bhagavan himself, to Sri Nanda and Yasomati, who felt parental affection for him, he was only a six-day-old child. So in keeping with his childlike nature, he closed his eyes. Near his own people, a baby laughs and plays, but if he sees someone unfamiliar, he becomes afraid. So when Sri Hari, in his childlike state, saw Putana, he closed his eyes in fear. Putana has come to kill all the babies of Gokula, who happen to be Sri Hari’s dearest companions. Therefore, to avoid seeing the face of such a wicked, devotee-hating raksasi, Sri Hari closed his eyes. Having assumed her crafty disguise, Putana entered Sri Hari’s birthing room. Knowing everything, Sri Bhagavan understood that if he looked at her, her disguise would vanish, and upon seeing Putana’s dreadful raksasi form, Mother Yasoda would faint. And as Sri Hari was in the mood of a child as he killed Putana by sucking her breast-milk, he would feel a little discomfort, so he closed his eyes. By killing Putana and bestowing upon her the status of mother in Goloka, Sri Bhagavan would be giving her the highest blessing. Nevertheless, because he was going to kill Putana, Sri Bhagavan, the repository of all good qualities, felt ashamed to look at her. At the time of death, Putana would suffer terrible pain. Being soft-hearted, Sri Hari closed his eyes so he wouldn’t have to see her agony.
Imitating a mother, Putana, whose breasts were smeared with poison so strong it could kill immediately at contact, took Sri Hari in her lap and placed her nipple in his mouth. In the mood of a child, Sri Bhagavan effortlessly killed her by sucking her breast. gADhaM karAbhyAM bhagavAn prapIDya tat prANaiH samaM roSa-samanvito’pibat (BhAg.). “Angrily, Sri Hari squeezed firmly with both hands and sucked out her life along with her breast milk.” kuThAra samanvito vRkSam achinad itivat svayaM tu tad-anukaraNa-mAtraM kRtavAn ity arthaH. Just as a woodcutter moves his hands and the axe cuts down a tree, Sri Hari sucked Putana’s breast and the power of his anger killed her. When the enormous, lifeless body of Putana fell to the ground, the ladies of Vraja were overjoyed and astonished to see the baby Sri Hari playing fearlessly upon her chest. After they brought him to his mother Yasoda, she and Rohini protected Sri Krishna with a rakSA-bandhana and so on. In Srimad-BhAgavatam 10.6.19-20, it is described as such:

bAlaM ca tasyA urasi krIDantam akutobhayam |
gopyas tUrNaM samabhyetya jagRhur jAta-sambhramAH ||
yazodA-rohiNIbhyAM tAH samaM bAlasya sarvataH |
rakSAM vidadhire samyag gopuccha-bhramaNAdibhiH ||

In this way, within one of Sri Krishna’s sweet childhood pastimes, the destruction of the powerful raksasi Putana was accomplished. Such is the incomparable lila-mAdhurI of Sri Krishna. In Srimad-BhAgavatam 10.6.44, at the end of this pastime, Sri Shukamuni says,

ya etat pUtanA-mokSaM kRSNasyArbhakam adbhutam |
zRNuyAc chraddhayA martyo govinde labhate ratim ||

“Whoever hears with faith Sri Krishna’s wonderful childhood pastime of his deliverance of Putana shall obtain love for the lotus feet of Sri Govinda.” In the VaiSNava-ToSaNI commentary, we find an explanation of the word adbhuta as used in this verse: adbhutam arbhaka-bhAvAparityAge pi tAdRza mAraNa-mokSaNAdinA vismaya-kautukAvaham. “The wonder of this pastime is that without giving up his childlike mood and activities, Sri Krishna killed a powerful demoness like Putana and awarded her the status of mother. This is very amazing and curious.” At the end of his commentary on this verse, the commentator quotes another verse: ArambhAd eva lIlAyA bakI-dhAtrI-gati-pradaH. kRSNaH svaguNa-mAdhurye tRSNayAmAsa vaiSNavAn. “By blessing the raksasi Putana with the status of mother even at the beginning of the pastime, Sri Nandanandana caused the VaiSNavas to thirst for his personal qualities (such as being affectionate to the devotees) and the sweetness of his lila.”