mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam

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Commentary

They express their sentiments for the Lord. Though do not have a material body (aśarīriṇaḥ), your avatāras can be inferred in various bodies like Matsya. Or though the avatāras have bodies, those bodies do not have the qualities of material bodies (aśarīriṇaḥ). Another version has śarīriṣu, with the same meaning. They are inferred by their indescribable powers or astonishing activities (atulyātiśayaiḥ vīryaiḥ), which are not found in material bodies. Since the avatāras can be identified by their qualities, what to speak of identifying the avatarī? Or, the two speak after saying “You make your appearance, covering yourself by your variegated pastimes in order to increase others’ prema for you.”

 

They then speak of their good fortune. You have appeared to give good fortune to all people in this world and the next (bhavāya vibhavāya). You have just now appeared because you are the nourisher of all the devotees desiring you (āśiṣām) in your present state (sampratām), when you are performing pastimes in Gokula.

 

Text 36

namaḥ parama-kalyāṇa namaḥ parama-maṅgala

vāsudevāya śāntāya yadūnāṁ pataye namaḥ

Translation

O supremely auspicious! O auspicious lord for Śiva and Brahmā! We offer our respectful obeisances unto you, the son of Vasudeva, the lord of the Yadu kṣatriyas and cowherds, the embodiment of joy.

 

Having indicates the purpose of the avatāra, they summarize, singing sweet names of unlimited power, while offering respects with devotion. . O most auspicious form by your very nature (parama-kalyāṇa)! Or O person endowed with the highest prema! O form which gives auspiciousness or happiness in this and next life to the universe (viśva-maṅgala)! These two phrases indicate devotion with no desires and with desires.

 

How is he auspicious? He appeared through Vasudeva to give benefit to all. He is without fault or with a form of joy (śāntāya). He acts continually as the leader of the Yadu kṣatriyas and the cowherds (yadūdām pataye). Skanda Purāṇa describes the cowherds as Yadus: rakṣītā yādavāḥ sarve indravṛsṭi-nivāraṇāt: he protected all the cowherds (who were Yādavas) from Indra’s rain. Yatrābhiṣikto bhagavān maghonā yadu-vairiṇā: at that place the Lord was bathed by Indra, enemy of the cowherds (Yadus).

 

Or vāsudevāya indicates his birth pastime, śāntāya indicates his lack of anger even in battle and is peaceful, showing dharma when the wives of the brāhmaṇas requested his love. Yadūnām pataye indicates that after going to Mathurā he would perform pastimes in Dvārakā by protecting the Yadus. Thus the goal of all avatāras, expressed by parama-kalyana and viśva-maṅgala, is explained in this summary of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.

 

Text 37

anujānīhi nau bhūmaṁs tavānucara-kiṅkarau

darśanaṁ nau bhagavata ṛṣer āsīd anugrahāt

Translation

O supreme Lord! Please allow us to be servants of your servants, for though that is rare, we have attained your association by the mercy of the most compassionate Nārada Muni.

Commentary

Having praised the Lord, thinking it unsuitable to remain there as devatās at an improper time, lamenting their position as trees, they speak. Please permit us to go, O Lord (bhūman)! Or, please give us some instruction, lord perfect in all respects (bhūman). Though you do not need anything, still give us an order to fulfill. Out of affection for the devotees they speak. We are servants of Śiva, your devotee. This was previously stated. Or, we are servants of Nārada, since he by mercy gave us this result. This is reasonable, since it was suitable that they would think of following him. Or, allow us to be servants of your followers at all times. Or, allow us to be servants of your cowherds. Please make us their servants and keep us in that position. “Oh, that is very rare.” We have seen you by the mercy of Nārada, who is most merciful (bhagavataḥ), and has inconceivable prema. We aspire for that since we have attained what is unobtainable, though we were the greatest offenders.

 

Text 38

vāṇī guṇānukathane śravaṇau kathāyāṁ

hastau ca karmasu manas tava pādayor naḥ

smṛtyāṁ śiras tava nivāsa-jagat-praṇāme

dṛṣṭiḥ satāṁ darśane ’stu bhavat-tanūnām

Translation

May all our words describe your qualities, may our ears engage in hearing your glories, may our hands, legs and other senses engage in deity service and may our minds always think of your lotus feet. May our heads offer our obeisances to the Vaiṣṇavas, your dwelling place, and may our eyes see the forms of Vaiṣṇavas and your deity forms

 

“Since Nārada made you devotees, go to him.” Then give us all the methods of bhakti. They pray in this way, which is the nature of bhakti. Or having attained closeness to Vāsudeva, we ask you for another mercy. Let us be devotees and supply other things as well.

 

May our words or voice speak continuously of the qualities of your feet, of your affection for your devotees and of your beauty — not about yoga or sacrifices. Mention of the feet indicates desire for service. Dry jñāna is discarded. May our two ears be engaged in hearing topics about you with full attention (with two ears). They speak in the plural (naḥ), thinking of blessings for their relatives as well. The ears should hear your topics and not act independently. Because of qualification for describing the Lord’s glories, they mention guṇānu-kathana.

 

The hands and other organs (ca) should be engaged in actions like deity worship and related services. The head should offer respects to you, O dweller in the universe! Śiras is mentioned last since this is the main limb of the body and is used in offering respects with eight limbs. Other limbs should also be included when mention is made of the head.

 

Or it is not possible to offer respects with just the head, and one engages the hands and other limbs when serving the Lord, even when doing kīrtana once.

 

O lord who lives within the universe (nivāsa-jagat). The word tava is repeated to indicate that by offering respects to the Lord respects are offered to the world, since the Lord is everything, and thus perfection in offering respects is achieved.

 

Our eyes should be engaged in seeking devotees, in which you always manifest yourself or our eyes should see the devotees within whom forms of the Lord like śālagrāmas are worshipped. Or our eyes should see the devotees and the forms of the Lord. They do not pray that the Lord directly appear in their homes out of fear.

 

In this way six types of bhakti are mentioned: kīrtana, śvaraṇa, pūjā, paricaryā, smaraṇa and vandana.

 

Sakhya and ātma-nivedana are generally included in the goal (sādhya) and are thus not mentioned in a prayer about sādhana. Or these two are naturally the result of the other six. Or the two are included in smaraṇa, being particular bhāvas. Karmārpaṇa and dāsya is included in kīrtana and other processes.

 

Normally speaking words agitate all the senses. They pray for kīrtana because by doing that the other senses become happily engaged in their respective actions. Or kīrtana is the main process because the Lord prefers it. Nāhaṁ vasāmi vaikuṇṭhe: I do not reside in Vaikuṇṭha. Or kīrtana produces a special rasa.

 

Seeing the devotees and deities is the same as seeing the Lord directly. Since seeing the Lord directly is the end result of all processes of bhakti, this is mentioned last. The other processes mentioned in the middle one can do according to one’s taste.

 

Text 39

śrī-śuka uvāca

itthaṁ saṅkīrtitas tābhyāṁ bhagavān gokuleśvaraḥ

dāmnā colūkhale baddhaḥ prahasann āha guhyakau

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Having been glorified by the two sons of Kuvera, the master of Gokula, the cause of good fortune, bound to the wooden mortar by ropes, laughed and spoke to the sons of Kuvera.

 

Though he was lord of Gokula, and was bound to the mortar, because he was affectionate to the devotees, he spoke to the two. Or though he was absorbed in playing in Gokula (ca), he spoke to them. Or though giving mercy solely to the people of Gokula, and though bound by the mortar, he spoke to them, because he appeared to give benefit to all people (bhagavān). Or as lord of Gokula, taking birth there, it was proper to speak even to the two, because he was controlled by the people of Gokula, even (ca) being tied up by them. He did not even free himself, because he was having fun playing in Gokula (gokuleśvaraḥ). He was moreover the essence of all unlimited powers.

 

By the mercy of Nārada the two were most fortunate. His laugh was natural. Or he laughed because of the mercy of Nārada on their previous condition. Or he laughed in joy on hearing their praises. Or

 

he laughed in amusement, on showing himself bound up. He was not being deceptive in laughing. Another meaning is he is lord of all the senses (gokuleśvaraḥ). By his power, he can give bhakti to all the senses. Thus the prayer of the two would be fulfilled.

 

Text 40

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

jñātaṁ mama puraivaitad ṛṣiṇā karuṇātmanā

yac chrī-madāndhayor vāgbhir vibhraṁśo ’nugrahaḥ kṛtaḥ

Translation

The Lord said: I have known already that merciful Nārada made you two drunkards, blinded by pride in your wealth, fall into hellish existence by his words.

 

I have known about this incident (Nārada’s arrangement). Otherwise it would not be suitable for me to show mercy to great offenders. Or pleased that they recognized that their condition was Nārada’s mercy, to confirm their conclusion, he agreed with them in order to give the two joy. For this reason he makes the statement. Nārada was most merciful (karuṇātmanā), and thus he gave mercy to the two even though they were drunkards. Or, Nārada showed mercy by his words of benediction (vāgbhiḥ). Nārada had said “I will take away your wealth so that you will not act in this way again.” By these words, they fell into darkness (vigata-bhramśaḥ), into hellish existence because of great offense. Or by his words they became sober, devoid of illusion (vigata-bhraṁśaḥ) by attaining closeness to the Lord’s pastimes in Gokula and attaining the highest bhakti.

 

Text 41

sādhūnāṁ sama-cittānāṁ sutarāṁ mat-kṛtātmanām

darśanān no bhaved bandhaḥ puṁso ’kṣṇoḥ savitur yathā

Translation

When one is face to face with the sun, there is no longer darkness for one’s eyes. Similarly, when one is face to face with a merciful devotee, who is fully peaceful and surrendered to the Supreme Lord, one will no longer be subject to material bondage.

 

Just by seeing devotees, any person becomes free of material bondage. So what is the need of you two asking for mercy by uttering so many words? Any human (puṁsaḥ) is qualified to see the devotee.

 

Though before seeing the sun, darkness is destroyed and the eyes can see to some degree, by seeing devotees, saṁsāra is completely destroyed.

 

Text 42

tad gacchataṁ mat-paramau nalakūvara sādanam

sañjāto mayi bhāvo vām īpsitaḥ paramo ’bhavaḥ

Translation

O Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva! Fully surrendered to me, now you may both return home. Because you had a desire for pure bhakti, you have developed prema for me.

Commentary

You are fully surrendered to me because you have developed love for me. You have developed prema (paramaḥ). There is no material existence (abhavaḥ) for you. This is Śrīdhara Svāmī’s explanation. Or by Nārada’ mercy you have strongly (sam) developed prema for me because you desired the highest manifestation (paramaḥ bhavaḥ), pure bhakti described in verse 36. Because Nārada was completely satisfied, since Nārada’s mercy had been involved, the Lord would be satisfied as well. Because the Lord is the ocean of natural, sweet qualities such as humility, he does not speak of having given them direct association.

 

Text 43

śrī-śuka uvāca

ity uktau tau parikramya praṇamya ca punaḥ punaḥ

baddholūkhalam āmantrya jagmatur diśam uttarām

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: after the Lord spoke, the two brothers circumambulated the Lord, who was bound to the wooden mortar, and offered obeisances to him. After taking permission they went to the north.

 

The two circumambulated Kṛṣṇa because by seeing his attractive form and pastimes as he stood there bound by the mortar, they could not give him up because of their great devotion. Or by circumambulating him bound to the mortar, they also circumambulated the mortar. They took permission and left. They went north because that is the direction served by the devotees generally. Their houses were also in that direction, but they did not go there just because of their houses.

 

Chapter Eleven

Text 1

śrī-śuka uvāca

gopā nandādayaḥ śrutvā drumayoḥ patato ravam

tatrājagmuḥ kuru-śreṣṭha nirghāta-bhaya-śaṅkitāḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, all the cowherd men in the neighborhood an Nanda, hearing the fierce sound of the falling trees and fearing thunderbolts though the sky was cloudless, went to the spot.

 

They heard from far off the sound of the two trees falling or the sound of falling of the trees, loud like thunder. They came outside of their houses to this place where the trees were growing. Yaśodā and other elder gopīs could not come quickly. Or because the men were more important they are mentioned first. The women came later. Thunder without clouds indicates something inauspicious.

 

O best of the Kurus! You are the protector of the Kuru dynasty and a great devotee. Your grandfather was similarly always anxious for your safety, worried with great affection.

 

Text 2-3

bhūmyāṁ nipatitau tatra dadṛśur yamalārjunau

babhramus tad avijñāya lakṣyaṁ patana-kāraṇam

ulūkhalaṁ vikarṣantaṁ dāmnā baddhaṁ ca bālakam

kasyedaṁ kuta āścaryam utpāta iti kātarāḥ

Translation

There they saw the fallen pair of arjuna trees on the ground, but they were bewildered so that they could not trace out the cause of their falling, though they saw the cause, Kṛṣṇa, bound by the rope to the mortar, which he was dragging. “Who had done it? This is astonishing. Why? What a disaster.” The cowherd men became frightened.

 

They saw the two trees completely uprooted (ni), lying on the ground. Though it was possible to understand (lakṣyam) the cause of the trees falling there, they were bewildered and could not understand. Hari-vaṁśa describes the incident.

 

kenemau pātitau vṛkṣau ghoṣasyāyatanopamau

 

vinā vātaṁ vinā varṣa vidyut-prapatanaṁ vinā

 

vinā hastikṛtaṁ doṣam kenemau pātitau drumau

 

How did these two trees, big as a cowherd’s house fall, without wind or rain, without being struck by lightning, without being attacked by elephants?

 

What they understood is described. They saw the child there also, pulling the mortar vigorously (vikarṣaṇam). He was tied by a rope to the mortar. This description hides his power, with the understanding that he was not strong. The word ca indicates that they saw the marks of pulling the mortar between the two trees. They could not understand what happened because he was just a small boy (balakam). A small baby could not do this act. This will become clear later. This was astonishing. Who or what made the trees fall and why? If the devatās or demons did it, why did they do it? They concluded it was a disaster. They became disturbed, worrying about the safety of the child.

 

Text 4

bālā ūcur aneneti tiryag-gatam ulūkhalam

vikarṣatā madhya-gena puruṣāv apy acakṣmahi

Translation

Then all the cowherd boys said: He did it. He pulled the mortar crosswise between the trees. We saw two men.

 

They said, “It was done by him.”

 

Text 5

na te tad-uktaṁ jagṛhur na ghaṭeteti tasya tat

bālasyotpāṭanaṁ tarvoḥ kecit sandigdha-cetasaḥ

Translation

The cowherd men, headed by Nanda, could not believe the children’s words. A child could not uproot the two trees. Others were also doubtful of the children’s words.

 

Nanda and others could not believe the children’s words because their hearts were overcome with great affection. The priests and others were doubtful. Though sometimes he displayed his powers to them, their love did not decrease, but rather by the event it increased. When fire in the Khāṇdava forest increased, rain could not extinguish it. Rather the shower increased the flames, like adding ghee.

 

They never asked him directly to relieve their doubts because they considered him a small child, out of their affection. Or they could not ask because they were bewildered by their affection. Or they could not believe his words since he was a child.

 

Text 6

ulūkhalaṁ vikarṣantaṁ dāmnā baddhaṁ svam ātmajam

vilokya nandaḥ prahasad- vadano vimumoca ha

Translation

When Nanda Mahārāja saw his own son bound with ropes to the wooden mortar and dragging it, he smiled and released Kṛṣṇa from his bonds.

Commentary

This verse shows Nanda’s strong vātsalya. The description of Kṛṣṇa with the mortar is repeated in this verse to indicate that Nanda saw the sweetness of the pastime. It awaked his prema when he considered that his child was young but healthy, in spite of pulling the mortar. He examined his son in all his limbs (vilokya). He smiled in order to make the frightened, bound up child happy. He had a smile on his face, because internally he was angry at Yaśodā on seeing his son tied up and feared the fall of the two trees. Another version has prahasad- vadanam. He saw the smiling face of his son. Viṣṇu Purāṇa says navodgatālpa-dantāṁśu-sita-hāsaṁ ca balākam: he saw the child who smiled, showing his tiny, new, white teeth. Kṛṣṇa was afraid of his father, but on seeing Nanda smile, the child also smiled in order to have his father understand that he was not fearful and thus satisfy him. His father freed him from the rope tied to the mortar. He first of all untied the rope binding him to the mortar. The word ha expresses joy. Just as Yaśodā was able to tie up Kṛṣṇa, Nanda was able to untie him. Thus Nanda had similar prema. Nanda did not notice the huge quantity of rope used for tying up Kṛṣṇa.

 

Text 7

gopībhiḥ stobhito ’nṛtyad bhagavān bālavat kvacit

udgāyati kvacin mugdhas tad-vaśo dāru-yantravat

Translation

Praised by the elderly gopīs, the Lord, like a puppet on strings, sometimes danced like other boys. Sometimes he sang and sometimes acted ignorantly.

Commentary

Not only was he controlled by the prema of his mother and father, having the highest affection for him. Other gopīs also controlled him. Previous events are described in two verses. These gopīs were generally elderly. Though Bhagavān was full of all powers, he was like other boys. He forgot his own powers by being absorbed in his childhood pastimes, controlled by the rasa of its prema. Instead of bālavat sometimes bālakaḥ is seen. Then it means that he acted according to his childhood pastimes. Sometimes he sang, sometimes he danced, and sometimes appeared ignorant. As a small child he knew dancing a little, sometimes showing himself to be ignorant (mugdhaḥ). Or in dancing he was charming (mugdhaḥ). He danced because he was controlled by them like a puppet on strings.

 

Text 8

bibharti kvacid ājñaptaḥ pīṭhakonmāna-pādukam

bāhu-kṣepaṁ ca kurute svānāṁ ca prītim āvahan

Translation

Sometimes, being ordered, he would carry shoes pressed against his belly. He would raise his arms bravely, giving pleasure to all the cowherds.

 

The goal is explained. The gopīs (svānām) or his devotees derived bliss or prema (prītim) from his actions by making him dance as a child. The word ca indicates some were elder and some were very young girls.

 

Text 9

darśayaṁs tad-vidāṁ loke ātmano bhṛtya-vaśyatām

vrajasyovāha vai harṣaṁ bhagavān bāla-ceṣṭitaiḥ

Translation

By his childhood pastimes the Lord brought joy to the people of Vraja, and showed those who knew about his powers that he was controlled by his devotees.

 

Another goal is mentioned. He showed directly to those who know the Lord (tad-vidām) that he was controlled by his devotees and no one else. This should be seen as the special cause of his producing prīti in others. His actions showed the greatness of bhakti. By other similar pastimes he produced bliss in all the people of Vraja always. Vai means it is well known. The pastimes should be told everywhere. And there are many other pastimes from his childhood. The conclusion concerning these all pastimes was discussed previously.

 

Text 10

krīṇīhi bhoḥ phalānīti śrutvā satvaram acyutaḥ

phalārthī dhānyam ādāya yayau sarva-phala-pradaḥ

Translation

Once a woman selling fruit called, “O inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi, please buy this fruit.” Upon hearing this, Kṛṣṇa, desiring fruit, though he is the bestower of all fruits, immediately took some grains and went to her.

 

With great enthusiasm, Śukadeva speaks of other pastimes for ten and half verses. Śrīdhara Svāmī does not comment on these verses. But because they are found in many editions, because Citsukha and Madhva’s followers have commented upon them, and because they are full of rasa, they will be explained here.

 

He who gives excellently all results desired pīlu fruits.

 

Text 11

phala-vikrayiṇī tasya cyuta-dhānya-kara-dvayam

phalair apūrayad ratnaiḥ phala-bhāṇḍam apūri ca

Translation

While Kṛṣṇa was going to the fruit vendor very hastily, most of the grains he was holding fell. Nonetheless, the fruit vendor filled Kṛṣṇa’s hands with fruits, and her fruit basket was immediately filled with jewels and gold.

 

Because he went fast, the grains fell from his hands. She put pīlu fruit in his hands. The following should be understood. The vendor made her livelihood from selling only fruits. She obtained many valuable gems. In fear she hid them and returned home. Or, thinking the gems were pīlu fruits of various colors, satisfied with seeing the Lord, without selling them, she went home. Recognizing them as gems later she kept them hidden. This incident was not well known in Vraja and was not discussed by anyone. People from other places, related to Vraja, became joyful because of this exchange.

 

Text 12

sarit-tīra-gataṁ kṛṣṇaṁ bhagnārjunam athāhvayat

rāmaṁ ca rohiṇī devī krīḍantaṁ bālakair bhṛśam

Translation

Once, after the uprooting of the yamala-arjuna trees, Rohiṇī went to call Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa, who had both gone to the riverside and were playing with the other boys with deep attention.

 

The activities after being tied up are described with the intention of showing the daily attention Yaśodā paid to Kṛṣṇa, with the greatest affection. This is described until verse 20. There are various versions and orders of the verses. It will be explained according to the Gauḍiya sampradāya editions.

 

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma had gone to the bank of the Yamunā (sarit-tira). Why? He had broken the two trees which were situated on the bank. O it describes an event right after breaking the trees. He went there afterwards.

 

Rohiṇī called Kṛṣṇa, whose heart was attracted to playing, thinking he was hungry because of fatigue from playing, or she was worried that he may perform another similar activity. Rohiṇī was sent by Yaśoḍā because Yaśodā was busy preparing his meal. Calling Kṛṣṇa implies she called Balarāma also since out of affection for both, she considered them one.

 

Text 13

nopeyātāṁ yadāhūtau krīḍā-saṅgena putrakau

yaśodāṁ preṣayām āsa rohiṇī putra-vatsalām

Translation

Because of being attached to playing with the other boys, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma did not return upon being called by Rohiṇī. Therefore Rohiṇī sent mother Yaśodā to call them back, because mother Yaśodā was more affectionate to Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.

 

When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma did not come to her because they were attached to playing with their friends, she sent Yaśodā, since with her great affection she was capable of grabbing them by their hands and bringing them back. Why did she to this? She was affectionate to the two boys. She wanted to bathe and feed them.

 

Text 14

krīḍantaṁ sā sutaṁ bālair ativelaṁ sahāgrajam

yaśodājohavīt kṛṣṇaṁ putra-sneha-snuta-stanī