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.’”