mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam 18 страница

 

Because they knew the signs of his feet, it is hinted that they would find him soon. He was dear (dayitam), since he was Kṛṣṇa. Thus they searched.

 

Text 18

te tatra tatrābja-yavāṅkuśāśani-

dhvajopapannāni padāni viś-pateḥ

mārge gavām anya-padāntarāntare

nirīkṣamāṇā yayur aṅga satvarāḥ

Translation

My dear King Parīkṣit! Seeing on the path, mixed with the footprints of cows, the footprints of the master of the entire cowherd community, marked with the lotus flower, barleycorn, elephant goad, thunderbolt and flag, the residents of Vṛndāvana rushed along in great haste.

 

They saw his footprints everywhere (tatra tatra) where he had stepped. “Why were footprints not erased, since he, surrounded by friends, had tread there long before? Why had the animals and birds not erased the prints?” He was the master (pati) of all living beings (viś). The earth thus preserved those prints as her ornaments. The inhabitants of Vraja accepted those prints as the greatest treasure. No one would step on those prints.

 

Text 19

antar hrade bhujaga-bhoga-parītam ārāt

kṛṣṇaṁ nirīham upalabhya jalāśayānte

gopāṁś ca mūḍha-dhiṣaṇān paritaḥ paśūṁś ca

saṅkrandataḥ parama-kaśmalam āpur ārtāḥ

Translation

They saw from a distance that Kṛṣṇa was in the lake, motionless within the coils of the serpent. They further saw that unconscious cowherd boys scattered on the bank and animals crying out for Kṛṣṇa. Seeing all this, the residents of Vṛndāvana were overwhelmed with anguish and confusion.

 

They saw the cowherds unconscious (mūḍha-dhiṣaṇān), scattered all over (paritaḥ) the bank. The lake was a little over a yojana in breadth. The boys were scattered on the east, south and west shores. They saw that the animals were crying intensely (sankrandataḥ) all around the lake. Unlimited animals had gathered to see Kṛṣṇa play. Now the animals remained there crying. The cowherds saw both the unconscious boys and the crying animals (ca ca). Or the first ca indicates all the boys and the second ca indicates that there were birds crying as well.

 

Text 20

gopyo ’nurakta-manaso bhagavaty anante

tat-sauhṛda-smita-viloka-giraḥ smarantyaḥ

graste ’hinā priyatame bhṛśa-duḥkha-taptāḥ

śūnyaṁ priya-vyatihṛtaṁ dadṛśus tri-lokam

Translation

The young gopīs, whose minds were constantly attached to Kṛṣṇa, the unlimited Supreme Lord, who was held in the snake’s coils, became filled with intense grief for their dear most and remembered his loving friendship, his smiling glances and his talks with them. They saw that the entire universe, having lost its senses because of the condition of their beloved, had become completely empty.

CommentaryThe general description of everyone’s condition has been described. Now the gopīs’ condition is specifically is described. Kṛṣṇa was full of all powers (bhagavate), and without destruction (anante), or was inseparable from devotees. Thus it was impossible that he could be held by the snake. But by his will he, was trapped in the snake’s coils. The gopīs were extremely afflicted with grief at this because by their nature they were constantly filled with prema for him. He alone was most dear by his nature. Ātma is dear, Paramātmā is dearer, and Kṛṣṇa is dearest because of his particular qualities. Thus, because of their great prema for him, they did not recognize his great powers. That is the significance of using the word priyatama. Or Kṛṣṇa was most beautiful (bhagavān) with unlimited qualities. He was very dear to some, but most dear to the gopīs, because their minds were constantly attracted to him (anurakta-manasaḥ). Now, when he appeared to be caught, completely surrounded by the snake’s coils, they remembered his words, glances and smiles arising from his prema (sauhrḍa) and became overcome with intense grief. They saw that the universe was completely taken away by him (priya-vyati-hrṭam). That means the universe lost its memory, becoming deaf and blind. Another version has priya-vyatikrṭam: the universe was devastated because of the condition of their dear one. Śrīdhara Svāmī says the meaning is “the universe was separated from their dear one.” Thus the gopīs saw the world to be vacant. Because of the intensity of grief, they considered the world to be like themselves. Thus everything took on the form of grief for their beloved.

 

Text 21

tāḥ kṛṣṇa-mātaram apatyam anupraviṣṭāṁ

tulya-vyathāḥ samanugṛhya śucaḥ sravantyaḥ

tās tā vraja-priya-kathāḥ kathayantya āsan

kṛṣṇānane ’rpita-dṛśo mṛtaka-pratīkāḥ

Translation

Although the elder gopīs were feeling just as much distress and were pouring forth a flood of sorrowful tears, they had to forcibly hold back Kṛṣṇa’s mother, who wanted to enter the lake on seeing him there. These gopīs each took turns recounting the pastimes of the darling of Vraja. Fixing their eyes on his face, they then stood like corpses.

 

What happened to his mother? Overcome with grief, Śukadeva describes her a little, and gives a detailed description of all of the women. Tāḥ refers to those gopīs previously mentioned who were friends of Yaśodā. The word apatyam means he who does not cause the family to fall into any sort of suffering: a son who is the object of the highest affection. Because of (anu) her son (apatyam) she was suffering extremely (prataptam). Another version has anupraviṣṭām: she started to enter the water. Though the other women were equally afflicted, they held on (gṛhya) to her firmly (sam) and constantly (anu). They released tears of grief in streams (śucaḥ sravantyaḥ).

 

Tās tāḥ means these previously mentioned cowherd women or the women who were in an indescribable condition. They began speaking topics about Kṛṣṇa, dear to Vraja (vraja-priya) or who had affection for Vraja. Or they spoke topics in Vraja about dear Kṛṣṇa. Or they spoke dear topics of Vraja such as his childhood pastimes. Or they talked about his joking speech (kathāḥ), while sweetly smiling and glancing. But they were in complete lamentation. Or they talked about the powerful demons like Baka and Vatsa killed by Kṛṣṇa. So what is this snake? He will kill it now. They said this to console the mothers.

 

Viṣṇu Purāṇa describes their grief in detail.

 

sarvā yaśodayā sārdhaṁ viśāmo ‘tra mahā-hrade

 

nāga-rājasya no gantum asmākaṁ yujyate vraje

 

divasaḥ ko vinā sūryaḥ vinā candreṇa kā niśā

 

vinā vṛṣeṇa kā gāvo vinā kṛsṇena ko vrajaḥ

 

vinākrtā na yāsyāmaḥ kṛṣṇenanena gokulam

 

araṇyaṁ nātisevyaṁ ca vārihīnaṁ yathā saraḥ

 

yatra nendīvara-dala-prakhyakāntir ayaṁ hariḥ

 

tenāpi mātarvāsena ratir astīti viṣmayaḥ

 

utphulla-paṅkaja-dala spāṣṭakānti-vilocanam

 

apaśyanto hariṁ dīnāḥ kathaṁ goṣṭhe bhaviṣyatah

 

atyartha-madhurālāpa-hṛtāśeṣa-manodhanāḥ

 

na vinā puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ yāsyāmo nandagokulam

 

bhogenāveṣṭitasyāpi sarpa-rājasya paśyataḥ

 

smita-śobhimukhaṁ gopyaḥ kṛṣṇsyāsmad vilokane

 

We will all enter the huge lake of the snake king with Yaśodā. It is not proper for us to return to Vraja. What is the day without the sun, the night without the moon, what is the cow without the bull, and what is Vraja without Kṛṣṇa? Without Kṛṣṇa we cannot return to Gokula. We are incomplete. Where Kṛṣṇa with the complexion of a blue lotus is absent it is like a forest having a lake without water. It is surprising that living there would be pleasant. O Yaśodā! Not seeing Kṛṣṇa with lotus eyes, how could the wretched people continue living in the village? Since the unlimited treasures of our minds have been captured by his sweet speech, without lotus eyed Kṛṣṇa, we will not go to Nandagokula. O cowherd women! Look at his smiling face when he looks at us, even though he is held by the coils of the king of snakes.

 

They remained standing (āsan) with eyes fixed on his face in order to see him. Or they were sitting (āsan) on the ground overcome with grief. Then they appeared like clay dolls, motionless. Or speaking about Kṛṣṇa and fixing their eyes on him, they were like clay dolls, because they had fainted. These women were all the same age as Yāśodā. The gopīs mentioned in the previous verse were young, beloved of Kṛṣṇa.

 

Text 22

kṛṣṇa-prāṇān nirviśato nandādīn vīkṣya taṁ hradam

pratyaṣedhat sa bhagavān rāmaḥ kṛṣṇānubhāva-vit

Translation

Seeing that Nanda Mahārāja and the other cowherd men, who had dedicated their very lives to Kṛṣṇa, were beginning to enter the serpent’s lake, Balarāma, giver of joy and full of power, knowing Kṛṣṇa’s actual power, restrained them.

 

He (saḥ), who was made to leave his house by Kṛṣṇa in order to protect the people, or he who is famous for his affection for his friends, saw the cowherds headed by Nanda attempting to enter the lake together, after having recovered their senses after some time. “How was it possible for him to prevent everyone from entering?” He was endowed with all powers (bhagavān). He gave pleasure (rāmaḥ) to all by his good advice, by his show of strength and by showing that Kṛṣṇa was safe by his smiling face.

 

“Why did he remain undisturbed in this situation?” He knew the powers (anubhāva) of the form of the Supreme Brahman, Kṛṣṇa. It is understood that, overcome with intense affection they fell to the ground and fainted because they felt great pain on seeing Kṛṣṇa in that situation and experienced great sorrow because they could not enter the lake to help him. Later it is mentioned that they rose from the ground. (SB 10.17.14)

 

Text 23

ittham sva-gokulam ananya-gatiṁ nirīkṣya

sa-strī-kumāram ati-duḥkhitam ātma-hetoḥ

ājñāya martya-padavīm anuvartamānaḥ

sthitvā muhūrtam udatiṣṭhad uraṅga-bandhāt

Translation

Seeing the people of Gokula in that condition, having no other protector, understanding completely the extreme suffering of everyone including women and children because of him, after remaining in the coils for a moment, to follow the path proper conduct, Kṛṣṇa then released himself from the snake’s coils.

 

He saw all the people of Gokula in that condition of bewilderment (ittham). They had no other shelter than him, having accepted him as their protector. He then rose up (udatiṣṭhad) from the coils of the snake. Instead of gatim the word patim is sometimes seen, with a similar meaning. Or being grieved by their lamentable condition (ittham), seeing himself as the lord of dedicated souls (ananya-patim), he thought he must immediately protect them.

 

He accepted that he was the cause of their suffering. Understanding that Gokula should be protected, he could not tolerate the suffering of others by his nature. Therefore he quickly rose, because he felt he was the cause of misery for his devotees. He was particularly disturbed by the suffering of women like Yaśodā (śtrī) and young boys like Śrīdāmā (kumaram).

 

Or seeing Gokula (sva-gokulam) in this state (ittham), suffering and wanting to die, understanding (ājñāta) Nanda who had nothing in life except Kṛṣṇa (ananya-patim), or understanding Nanda, the lord of the surrendered devotes (ananya-patim), along with women and boys, was suffering because of him, Kṛṣṇa released himself from the snake’s coils.

 

Or ananya can be an address to Parīkṣit. O surrendered soul! As with you, Kṛṣṇa necessarily gave these surrendered souls unlimited auspiciousness while protecting their lives. Patim still refers to the lord of Gokula. The rest of the meaning is the same.

 

Showing human pastimes (martya-padam anuvartamānaḥ), or showing to the people Kāliya’s fault by punishing him, remaining for another moment in the snake’s coils, he quickly freed himself. The real meaning is that he remained for a moment in the snake’s coils because he followed the world’s custom of being unable to free himself from a loving embrace.

 

Text 24

tat-prathyamāna-vapuṣā vyathitātma-bhogas

tyaktvonnamayya kupitaḥ sva-phaṇān bhujaṅgaḥ

tasthau śvasañ chvasana-randhra-viṣāmbarīṣa-

stabdhekṣaṇolmuka-mukho harim īkṣamāṇaḥ

Translation

His coils tormented by the expanding body of the Lord, Kāliya released him. In great anger the serpent then raised his hoods high and stood still, breathing heavily. His nostrils appeared like vessels for cooking poison, and the staring eyes in his face like firebrands. Thus the serpent looked at the Lord.

 

This verse describes how he released himself. Kāliya became fatigued. By Kṛṣṇa slightly expanding his body, the snake’s coils began to ache as if being torn. The word ātmā indicates that Kāliya identified with his body and thus felt extreme pain. Kṛṣṇa’s body was bound tightly by the coils. When Kṛṣṇa expanded his body the snake began breathing loudly because of anger arising from pain inflicted on his coils. His nostrils were filled with poison and thus, by breathing heavily, he released more poison. His nostrils were like pots of poison. His glances were red, filled with poison. He released flames of poison from his mouth (ulmuka-mukhaḥ). The descriptions become more and more fearsome. The descriptions portray more poisonous aspects of the snake then previous ones. The snake glared at Kṛṣṇa who was eager to take away Kāliya’s residence (harim) or remove his bad qualities.

 

The real meaning is that the snake did not feel pain (avyathita). He was angry out of affection because Kṛṣṇa quickly separated from his embrace. He looked at Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa was most attractive. His heavy breathing was a sāttvika-bhāva. His nostrils holding pots of poison and his mouth emitting flames are natural qualities of the snake.

 

Text 25

taṁ jihvayā dvi-śikhayā parilelihānaṁ

dve sṛkvaṇī hy ati-karāla-viṣāgni-dṛṣṭim

krīḍann amuṁ parisasāra yathā khagendro

babhrāma so ’py avasaraṁ prasamīkṣamāṇaḥ

Translation

Playing with Kāliya who licked his lips with his bifurcated tongues and whose eyes were like terrible poisonous fires, Kṛṣṇa circled him like Garuḍa. Kāliya watched intently at every step for an opportunity to bite him.

 

He played with Kāliya who was constantly licking his two lips (pari) simultaneously with his forked tongue. Though it is the nature of snakes to do so, out of extreme anger he now did this. This indicates his ferocious nature. His glance was full of terrible fire. This description is repeated from the previous verse to indicate his nature.

 

Jihvayā is in the singular, but indicates all the tongues of his many mouths. His two nostrils stands for the many nostrils of his many heads. Each head had one tongue and two nostrils.

 

Hi is used for emphasis. Kṛṣṇa circled him. The example of Garuḍa is used to show his strength while playing or to show his quickness. Kāliya at every step (pra) watched intently (sam) for an opportunity to bite him. This showed Kṛṣṇa’s fun in playing with the snake.

 

Text 26

evaṁ paribhrama-hataujasam unnatāṁsam

ānamya tat-pṛthu-śiraḥsv adhirūḍha ādyaḥ

tan-mūrdha-ratna-nikara-sparśāti-tāmra-

pādāmbujo ’khila-kalādi-gurur nanarta

Translation

Having severely depleted the serpent’s strength with his relentless circling, Kṛṣṇa, the first being, pushed down Kāliya’s raised shoulders and mounted his broad serpentine heads. Thus Kṛṣṇa, the original master of all fine arts, began to dance, his lotus feet deeply reddened by the touch of the numerous jewels upon the serpent’s heads.

 

Though Kāliya was fatigued from Kṛṣṇa circling him, his shoulders were still raised. Therefore Kṛṣṇa lowered them. Kāliya’s head was broad, making it suitable as a dancing arena. Dancing on his head revealed Kṛṣṇa’s beauty, his absorption in dancing and his skill. He was the best teacher of all arts, or the first promoter of arts. Or because he was supreme (ādi) he mounted his hoods. This hints at great auspiciousness for Kāliya (having a guru). Later more will be explained. The word kalā will also be explained.

 

Text 27

taṁ nartum udyatam avekṣya tadā tadīya-

gandharva-siddha-muni-cāraṇa-deva-vadhvaḥ

prītyā mṛdaṅga-paṇavānaka-vādya-gīta-

puṣpopahāra-nutibhiḥ sahasopaseduḥ

Translation

Seeing the Lord anxious to dance, his associates like Garuḍa, the Gandharvas, Siddhas, sages, Cāraṇas and wives of the demigods — immediately served by playing drums such as mṛdaṅgas, paṇavas and ānakas, singing, showering flowers and reciting prayers.

 

To give him happiness in dancing many instruments were used. These are described. Tadīya refers to the Lord’s associates like Garuḍa. The others in the list are from Svarga. Or the Gandharvas and others in the list can be those residing in Vaikuṇṭha. Cāraṇas served by playing instruments, Gandharvas served by singing. The devatās and their wives served by showering flowers. Apsarās also showered flowers since they did not dance while Kṛṣṇa was dancing. In fact it is not stated that any heavenly female danced. The Siddhas served by offering various fragrances and perfumed powders. The sages served by offering prayers. The order of the offerings mentioned in the verse is not the standard order in worship because this was performed out of affection as a sudden worship, in a crowded situation. Or the order is not correct because Śukadeva was blissful. Or, out of love, everyone performed all other’s services.

 

Text 28

yad yac chiro na namate ’ṅga śataika-śīrṣṇas

tat tan mamarda khara-daṇḍa-dharo ’ṅghri-pātaiḥ

kṣīṇāyuṣo bhramata ulbaṇam āsyato ’sṛṅ

nasto vaman parama-kaśmalam āpa nāgaḥ

Translation

O king! When one of Kāliya’s hundred prominent heads would not bow down, Kṛṣṇa, who inflicts punishment on cruel wrong-doers, would crush that head by striking it with his feet. Almost dead, wandering in confusion, the serpent experienced extreme pain, vomiting profuse blood from his mouths and nostrils.

 

Kāliya had a hundred chief (eka) heads among many more, since in verse 30 it is said that he had thousands of hoods. He was almost dead (kṣīnāyuṣaḥ). Ulbaṇam means profuse. He experienced pain because blood flowed from his nostrils and mouths, blocking the openings so he could not breathe.

 

Text 29

tasyākṣibhir garalam udvamataḥ śiraḥsu

yad yat samunnamati niḥśvasato ruṣoccaiḥ

nṛtyan padānunamayan damayāṁ babhūva

puṣpaiḥ prapūjita iveha pumān purāṇaḥ

Translation

Exuding poisonous waste from his eyes, breathing heavily with anger, Kāliya would occasionally dare to raise up one of his heads. Forcing it to bow down with his foot, the Lord, satisfied as if worshipped with flowers, would dance on it and subdue it.

 

Now, poison came gushing only from his eyes. This indicates the snake’s cruel glance. There are two meanings here. Pounding with his feet on his head while dancing, Kṛṣṇa removed the natural faults of the snake. But the snake also received great fortune from the touch of the feet. He used his head as the main prop, and removed his evil nature, his strength and pride. He punished the snake in places holding the poison.

 

By that, the snake fainted with the bliss of prema. Vomiting poison was the expulsion of his unlimited internal faults. He had anger (ruṣā) arising from love. Or the word can be taken as aruṣā, no anger. Thus he breathed without anger, with devotion. Kṛṣṇa made the snake give up his faults due to his nature (damayāṁ). By that he gave benefit to the snake. That is also explained by Śrīdhara Svāmī. Another version has dayayām babhūva. What did he do to get such mercy? Kṛṣṇa himself asked the cause. It was as if Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana (iha) was worshipped with flowers at the lake as the greatest person (purāṇaḥ pumān). Or he was ever fresh, though existing eternally (purā naḥ). Or he is the person who gives life to the city of Mathurā (purāṇaḥ).

 

Text 30

tac-citra-tāṇḍava-virugna-phaṇā-sahasro

raktaṁ mukhair uru vaman nṛpa bhagna-gātraḥ

smṛtvā carācara-guruṁ puruṣaṁ purāṇaṁ

nārāyaṇaṁ tam araṇaṁ manasā jagāma

Translation

O king! His thousand hoods broken by Kṛṣṇa’s wonderful, powerful dancing, with broken limbs, the serpent, profusely vomiting blood from his mouths, finally recognized Kṛṣṇa to be the supreme guru of all moving and nonmoving beings, the first person, Nārāyaṇa. Thus within his mind Kāliya took shelter of the Lord.

 

The dancing was amazing because it included various moves such as bhrānti and recaka described by Bharata Muni. Or it was amazing because by dancing Kṛṣṇa struck Kāliya on his head. Or though he danced to punish the snake he ultimately gave him mercy. By the dancing the snake’s thousand hoods were severely (vi) wounded (rugnam) or broken. Or king! Though kings like punish the wicked, they actually give the wicked mercy.

 

The actual meaning is that by dancing on his hoods, the snake received the highest mercy. Getting wounded indicates that the dancing was the greatest mercy, like the explanation of being trampled earlier. The snake became humbled with the removal of his pride when his hoods were damaged. Actually by destroying a thousand faults, he became pure. Thus he remembered the Lord.

 

His surrender is described. Kṛṣṇa is the producer (gurum) of moving and non-moving beings because he is the first among all persons (purāṇam puruṣam), because his lotus navel holds the worlds (nārāyaṇam) or because he is the shelter of all jīvas (nārāyaṇam). These are causes of completely surrendering. Kāliya fixed his mind (smṛtvā) on Kṛsṇa, or contemplated him and surrendered to him alone. He took shelter of the Lord in his mind (manasi) since he could not physically act because of great pain.

 

Or he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa always (purāṇam) exits in the city of the heart (puruṣam). The rest is the same explanation.

 

The real meaning is this. Knowing (smṛtvā) Kṛṣṇa (tam) as Nārāyaṇa, because he is heavier (guru) than the whole universe made of moving and non-moving beings, since he supports everything, and because, though he was a child he was not a child, being the oldest person (purāṇam puruṣam) — since he danced in this way, he surrendered to him.

 

Text 31

kṛṣṇasya garbha-jagato ’ti-bharāvasannaṁ

pārṣṇi-prahāra-parirugna-phaṇātapatram

dṛṣṭvāhim ādyam upasedur amuṣya patnya

ārtāḥ ślathad-vasana-bhūṣaṇa-keśa-bandhāḥ

Translation

When Kāliya’s wives saw how the serpent had become so fatigued from the excessive weight of Kṛṣṇa, who carries the entire universe in his abdomen, and how Kāliya’s umbrella-like hoods had been shattered by the striking of Kṛṣṇa’s heels, they felt great distress. With their clothing, ornaments and hair scattered in disarray, they then approached the Lord.

 

Though the Lord was pleased with his surrender, in order to show the greatness of his wives, in order to give special mercy to the wives of Kāliya, Kṛṣṇa did not give up his position on Kāliya. The wives showed complete surrender, more than their surrender to their husband, because they knew the true position of the Lord. That is expressed in two verse.

 

Since his hoods which were like umbrellas were broken, Kāliya’s external beauty was destroyed. They came to the side of the Lord. In great distress, their clothing and hair were disarrayed. This indicates their pitiful condition.

 

Text 32

tās taṁ su-vigna-manaso ’tha puraskṛtārbhāḥ