Thursday, October 30, 2008

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)

Saturday, October 18, 2008

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)

Saturday, October 4, 2008

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)