Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Krishna goes to the Yamuna (Updated 3-17)

gatA zrAvayituM rAdhAM sambodhya sA sakhI tadA |
varNayAmAsa kRSNasya lIlA-vRndaM manoharam ||

Then the sakhi sent by Vrnda to bring news of Krishna roused Sri Radha and began describing more of his charming pastimes.

vizramya kSaNam utthitaH sa paritaH paryanta-zaSpAdinIH
zraddhAvAn avadhAya dhenu-paTalIH pAnIya-pAnArthinIH |
bAlais tat-paripAlakair muralikA-nAdopadiSTair yutAH
kRSNo bhAskara-nandinI-parisarAn AsAdayAmAsa tAH ||

“After resting for a while, Krishna rose from his bed, surrounded in all directions by the grazing cows. Being very attentive to their needs, he knew that they were thirsty, so he informed the cowherd boys with the sound of his flute and together they herded them to an area near the Yamuna.” (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.68)

bAlAH kecana kecana prasRmarA go-maNDalIm anvaguH
kecit kRSNa-samIpa eva militAs tat-tad-guNAn AjaguH |
dUra-sthA nikaTa-sthitAz ca sakalA gAvaz ca gopAz ca te
tulyAM prItim avApya kRSNam abhitas tulyAM ratiM tanvate ||

“Some of the boys walked ahead of the cows while others walked behind. Some who were near to Krishna sang of his many good qualities. Whether close by or far away, all the cows and boys directed their love and affection toward Krishna.” (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.36)

dUre santu sacetanA maNibhuvo’py undanti yat-sparzataH
kiM brUmo vrajarAja-putra-padayos tAM mAdhurIM tanvatoH ||
yA saMvyaktatama-dhvajAmbuja-yavAdy-aGkAvalI-zAlitA
sA kenApi kadApi kApi katham apy AsIn na saMlopitA ||

“Never mind sentient creatures; even a jeweled floor is melted by the touch of Vrajendranandana’s sweetness-spreading lotus feet. What more can we say? No one, at any time, by any means can destroy that sweetness, which is clearly marked with a flag, lotus, barleycorn and so on.” (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.40)

vaktuM ko’rhati goparAja-yuvarAjasyAGghri-paGkejayoH
saugandhyaM kSiti-vakSasi praNayato lIlA-gati-nyastayoH |
aGkeSv eSv avizaGkayA bata dhiyA saugandhya-bandhAndhayA
puJjIbhUya vidhUya kuJja-kusumaM guJjanti puSpandhayAH ||

“Ah! Who can describe the fragrance of the lotus feet of the young cowherd prince, lovingly placed on Mother Earth’s bosom in the course of his pastimes? Blinded by their sweet aroma, buzzing bees abandon forest flowers and gather without hesitation around his footprints.” (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.41)

tUSNIkAn mukharIkaroti mukharAMs tUSNIkayaty ambhasAM
stambhaM stambhavatAM dravaM drutam atisnigdhatvam ugraujasAm |
karNAbhyarNam upetya tUrNam asakRd yemaM vidhatte kramaM
tAM vaMzIm adhare nidhAya madhuraM kRSNo jagau paJcamam ||

“Sri Krishna held his flute to his lips and began to play a song in the sweet fifth note. When this charming sound enters the ears, it immediately causes the silent creatures to speak and the talkative ones to hush. The waters stop flowing, the solids become liquid and the fierce become gentle.” (KRSNAhnika-KaumudI 3.37)

sattva-dharma-viparyAsair veNu-nAdAmRtotthitaiH |
sva-sAttvika-vikAraiz ca tadAbhUd vyAkulATavI ||

“Then, because of the reverse in the creatures’ natures and the ecstatic changes in her own body that arose with the nectarous sound of the flute, the forest herself became confused.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 6.14)

prodyad-vepathur uccalat sthira-cayaiH stabdhA jaDair jaGgamaiH
prasvinnA sravad-azru-jAla-salilaiH zvetA prasUnotkaraiH |
sAzruH puSpa-madhu-dravaiH svara-bhidA yuktA khagAlI-ravai
romAJcAli-yutA latAGkura-cayair vRndATavI sA babhau ||

“The forest exhibited the ecstatic symptom of trembling by her immobile beings beginning to move, paralysis by her moving creatures becoming motionless, perspiration by the tear-like dewdrops upon her leaves, paleness by the color of her flowers, tearfulness by the flowing of her flower nectar, stammering by the cries of her birds, and horripilation by the sprouting of her creepers.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 6.15)

kUjad-bhRGga-vihaGga-paJcama-kalAlApollasantI harez
cyotat-paktrima-sat-phalotkara-rasollAsATavI sAbhavat |
samphullan-nalinI-vilAsi-vihasad-vallI-matallI-naTI-
lAsyAcArya-marud-gaNAtimuditA sarvendriyAhlAdinI ||

“By the sweet cooing and humming of her birds and bees, her delicious, juicy fruits, and by the pleasant, gentle winds that moved her blossomed lotuses to and fro and taught her beautiful, smiling creepers to dance, the forest gave great joy to all of Sri Hari’s senses.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 6.17)

puSpair hAsyaM bhramarair gAnaM parNair lAsyaM madhubhiH pAnam |
dadhatas taravaH svaphalaiH khAnaM kurvanty abhyAgata-hari-mAnam ||

“The trees honored their guest Krishna with the smiling of their flowers, the singing of their bees, the dancing of their leaves, with their honey to drink and their fruits to eat.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 6.18)

ali-gAyaka-cumbita-kusumAsyaM pallava-paTa-vRta-vivRta-suhAsyam |
dadhatI rahasi vidadhatI lAsyaM vyatanuta vallItatir api dAsyam ||

“The creepers, dancing in secret places, served Krishna by opening their veils of leaves to reveal smiling flower faces kissed by singing bees.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 6.19)

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Krishna sports in the forest (Updated 2-24)

evaM vRndAvanaM zrImat kRSNaH prIti-manAH pazUn |
reme saJcArayann adreH sarid-rodhaHsu sAnugaH ||

Thus, Sri Krishna enjoyed beautiful Vrindavan, happily tending the cows with his friends along the river banks near Govardhana Hill. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.15.9)

kvacid gAyati gAyatsu madAndhAliSv anuvrataiH |
upagIyamAna-caritaH sragvI saGkarSaNAnvitaH ||

Garlanded and accompanied by Balarama, Krishna sometimes sang among a group of buzzing bees who were blinded by intoxication, while his devoted friends praised him with songs of his adventures. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.15.10)

kvacic ca kalahaMsAnAm anukUjati kUjitam |
abhinRtyati nRtyantaM barhiNaM hAsayan kvacit ||

Sometimes he imitated the trumpeting of the swans, and at others he mimicked the dancing of a peacock, causing his friends to laugh. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.15.11)

anujalpati jalpantaM kala-vAkyaiH zukaM kvacit |
kvacit savalgu-kUjantam anukUjati kokilam ||

Sometimes he imitated the murmuring of a parrot with sweet, indistinct words, and sometimes he cooed melodiously like a cuckoo. (This verse, not present in all editions of the Bhagavatam, is sometimes combined with 10.15.11.)

megha-gambhIrayA vAcA nAmabhir dUragAn pazUn |
kvacid Ahvayati prItyA go-gopAla-manojJayA ||

Sometimes, with a voice as deep as a rumbling cloud and captivating to all, he affectionately called by name the cows who had wandered away. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.15.12)

cakora-krauJca-cakrAhva-bhAradvAjAMz ca barhiNaH |
anurauti sma sattvAnAM bhItavad vyAghra-siMhayoH ||

Sometimes he would mimic the cries of the cakoras, curlews, cakravakas, skylarks and peacocks, or pretend to be afraid of the tigers and lions like the other creatures. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.15.13)

pravAla-barha-stabaka-srag-dhAtu-kRta-bhUSaNAH |
rAma-kRSNAdayo gopA nanRtur yuyudhur jaguH ||

Decorated with young leaves, peacock feathers, clusters of blossoms, flower garlands and minerals, the cowherd boys, led by Balarama and Krishna, danced, wrestled and sang. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.18.9)

kRSNasya nRtyataH kecij jaguH kecid avAdayan |
veNu-pANitalaiH zRGgaiH prazazaMsur athApare ||

While Krishna danced, some of the boys sang, some made music with flutes, their palms or animal horns, and others urged them on. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.18.10)

kvacid bilvaiH kvacit kumbhaiH kva cAmalaka-muSTibhiH |
aspRzya-netra-bandhAdyaiH kvacin mRga-khagehayA ||

Sometimes they played with wood-apple fruits or kumbha fruits, and sometimes with handfuls of gooseberries. Sometimes they played tag or blindman’s bluff, and sometimes they pretended to be birds or animals. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.18.14)

kvacic ca dardura-plAvair vividhair upahAsakaiH |
kadAcit syandolikayA karhicin nRpa-ceSTayA ||

Sometimes they played leapfrog or teased each other in various ways; sometimes they swung on the trees or pretended to be kings. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.18.15)

evaM tau loka-siddhAbhiH krIDAbhiz ceratur vane |
nady-adri-droNi-kuJjeSu kAnaneSu saraHsu ca ||

Thus Balarama and Krishna enjoyed playing popular games as they wandered through the forest, rivers, mountains and valleys, bowers, groves and lakes. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.18.16)

tatropAhUya gopAlAn kRSNaH prAha vihAra-vit |
he gopA vihariSyAmo dvandvI-bhUya yathAyatham ||

Then Krishna, who knows lots of games, called the cowherd boys together and said, “Hey guys, let’s divide into two equal groups and compete against each other!” (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.18.19)

tatra cakruH parivRDhau gopA rAma-janArdanau |
kRSNa-saGghaTTinaH kecid Asan rAmasya cApare ||

The cowherd boys then chose Balarama and Krishna as their leaders. Some took Krishna’s side while others joined with Balarama. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.18.20)

Acerur vividhAH krIDA vAhya-vAhaka-lakSaNAH |
yatrArohanti jetAro vahanti ca parAjitAH ||

They played various types of games wherein each boy carried another on his shoulders, the winners being the riders and the losers the mounts. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.18.21)

vahanto vAhyamAnAz ca cArayantaz ca godhanam |
bhANDIrakaM nAma vaTaM jagmuH kRSNa-purogamAH ||

Continuing to also tend the cows, the riders and their mounts, led by Sri Krishna, reached a banyan tree known as Bhandiraka. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.18.22)

uvAha kRSNo bhagavAn zrIdAmAnaM parAjitaH |
vRSabhaM bhadrasenas tu pralambo rohiNI-sutam ||

Having been defeated, Bhagavan Sri Krishna carried Sridama, Bhadrasena carried Vrsabha and Pralamba carried Balarama. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.18.24)

kvacit krIDA-parizrAntaM gopotsaGgopabarhaNam |
svayaM vizramayaty AryaM pAda-saMvAhanAdibhiH ||

Sometimes, when Balarama tires from playing, he lies down using the lap of a cowherd boy as a pillow while Krishna personally massages his feet and so on to relieve his fatigue. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.15.14)

kvacit pallava-talpeSu niyuddha-zrama-karSitaH |
vRkSa-mUlAzrayaH zete gopotsaGgopabarhaNaH ||

Sometimes, when Krishna is exhausted from fighting, he lies on a bed of flower blossoms at the base of a tree with his head on the lap of a cowherd boy. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.15.16)

pAda-saMvAhanaM cakruH kecit tasya mahAtmanaH |
apare hata-pApmAno vyajanaiH samavIjayan ||

Some of those sinless boys massaged the great soul’s feet while others cooled him with a fan. (ZrImad-BhAgavatam 10.15.17)

iti svakAnta-keliM sA zRNvantI vara-varNinI |
moha-jADyAdi-sampannA premNAnya-cchrotum unmanAH ||

Thus hearing of her lover’s pastimes, beautiful Sri Radha, filled with love and longing to hear more, fell into a swoon and became motionless.