mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam

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bhraṣṭānām iva cetāṁsi punar yoga-niṣevayā

Translation

The autumn season, when the lotus flowers blossomed, also restored the various bodies of water to their original purity, just as the minds of those who fall from spiritual practice become pure by again practicing yoga.

 

The minds of those who have fallen from yoga because of obstacles and are impure become pure again by practice of yoga. The lotus helps the water become pure.

 

Text 34

vyomno ‘bhraṁ bhūta-śābalyaṁ bhuvaḥ paṅkam apāṁ malam

śaraj jahārāśramiṇāṁ kṛṣṇe bhaktir yathāśubham

Translation

Autumn cleared the sky of clouds, let the animals get out of their crowded living conditions, cleaned the earth of its covering of mud, and purified the water of contamination, in the same way that loving service rendered to Kṛṣṇa frees the members of the four spiritual orders from their respective troubles.

 

Bhakti to Kṛṣṇa who removes all sorrows, who is Bhagavān, frees everyone from suffering. Or bhakti to Kṛṣṇa alone removes the inauspiciousness of the āśramas consisting of the performance of some duties which are very difficult.

tāvat karmāṇi kurvīta na nirvidyeta yāvatā

mat-kathā-śravaṇādau vā śraddhā yāvan na jāyate

 

As long as one does not become detached from daily and periodic duties or has not awakened his faith in hearing topics about me, one must perform one’s prescribed duties of varṇāśrama. SB 11.20.9

 

Excessive effort disappears by giving up those duties. There is an explanation of the qualities of pure devotion in Bhagavad-bhakti-vilāsa. The autumn season by itself performs four types of purification.

 

Text 35

sarva-svaṁ jaladā hitvā virejuḥ śubhra-varcasaḥ

yathā tyaktaiṣaṇāḥ śāntā munayo mukta-kilbiṣāḥ

Translation

The clouds, having given up all they possessed, shone forth with purified effulgence, just like sages who, free of all sinful propensities and thus giving up all material desires, become peaceful.

 

Because they give up all desires, they are free of attachment (śāntāḥ). They are free of dry jñāna which is like a sin since it creates an obstacle to bhakti. Another version has kalmaṣāḥ with the same meaning. The clouds shine more than before (vi-rejuḥ) as if they were pure light.

 

Text 36

girayo mumucus toyaṁ kvacin na mumucuḥ śivam

yathā jñānāmṛtaṁ kāle jñānino dadate na vā

Translation

During this season the mountains sometimes released their pure water and sometimes did not, just as jñānis sometimes give the nectar of knowledge and sometimes do not.

 

The mountains sometimes release pure water (śivam) and sometimes they do not release pure water, but release contaminated water. Since there is no rain, the mountains keep the remaining small quantity. Similarly the knower of truth gives pure knowledge in the form of bhakti at the time (kale) the devotee has strong prema. At other times he gives insignificant jñāna concerning ātmā.

 

Text 37

naivāvidan kṣīyamāṇaṁ jalaṁ gādha-jale-carāḥ

yathāyur anv-ahaṁ kṣayyaṁ narā mūḍhāḥ kuṭumbinaḥ

Translation

The fish swimming in the increasingly shallow water did not at all understand that the water was diminishing, just as foolish family men cannot see how the time they have left to live is diminishing with every passing day.

 

The fish, being small, since he is used to swimming in deep water, does not understand that the water, which is like his life, is diminishing. The man of no discrimination, attached to wife and sons, is like the small fish in the water. He does not see death though he can infer it from the death of his father. Unlike the fish, he is called a fool. Or, the fish should understand the water is diminishing since it usually swims in deep water. Thus the fish is a fool, without intelligence. The phrase anv-aham day by day) applies to both sentences. The man also by seeing death of his family members should understand that his life is diminishing.

 

Text 38

gādha-vāri-carās tāpam avindañ charad-arka-jam

yathā daridraḥ kṛpaṇaḥ uṭumby avijitendriyaḥ

Translation

Just as a poverty-stricken person overly absorbed in family life and trying to earn money suffers because he cannot control his senses, the fish swimming in the shallow water has to suffer the heat of the autumn sun.

Commentary

Though they do not know the water is evaporating and have no fear, they still are happy. But they also suffer greatly. The heat from the autumn sun is intense. A man without money is troubled to earn money (kṛpaṇaḥ) because he must support his wife and sons with plenty of money. He is also afflicted with greed, or uncontrolled senses. Just as a fish suffers from heat, the man suffers the three fold miseries.

 

Text 39

śanaiḥ śanair jahuḥ paṅkaṁ sthalāny āmaṁ ca vīrudhaḥ

yathāhaṁ-mamatāṁ dhīrāḥ śarīrādiṣv anātmasu

Translation

Gradually the different areas of land gave up their muddy condition and the plants grew past their unripe stage, in the same way that sober sages give up possessiveness and egotism concerning the body which is different from the self.

 

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Gradually land and the plants give up their immature condition. Similarly the wise give up possessiveness of body, sons etc. which are different from the ātmā. This is because they are wise, having discrimination. Possessiveness is compared to the mud because it is external and identity of aham is compared to the immature plant because it is internal.

 

Text 40

niścalāmbur abhūt tūṣṇīṁ samudraḥ śarad-āgame

ātmany uparate samyaṅ munir vyuparatāgamaḥ

Translation

With the arrival of autumn, the lakes became silent, their water still, just like a sage who has desisted from all material activities and given up his recitation of Vedic mantras.

Commentary

The ocean mentioned means “like the ocean” as previously explained. When the sage gives up action completely, being situated in the self, he gives up reciting the Vedas. Or, when his heart becomes detached from enjoyment, since he is an ātmārāma, the sage becomes silent (vyuparatāgamaḥ).

 

Text 41

kedārebhyas tv apo ‘gṛhṇan karṣakā dṛḍha-setubhiḥ

yathā prāṇaiḥ sravaj jñānam tan-nirodhena yoginaḥ

Translation

In the same way that the practitioners of yoga maintain knowledge from flowing out through the agitated senses by withdrawing the senses, the farmers erected strong mud banks to keep the water within their rice fields from draining out.

Commentary

The farmers keep the water from flowing from the fields by making strong dykes, which had broken during the monsoon. The yogīs protect their knowledge which flows out through the gates of the agitated senses by withdrawing the senses.

 

Text 42

śarad-arkāṁśu-jāṁs tāpān bhūtānām uḍupo ‘harat

dehābhimāna-jaṁ bodho mukundo vraja-yoṣitām

Translation

The autumn moon relieved all creatures of the suffering caused by the sun’s rays, just as wisdom relieves a person of the misery caused by his identifying with his material body and as Mukunda relieves Vṛndāvana’s ladies of the distress caused by their separation from him.

 

Mukunda, giving realization of the truth (bodhaḥ) to the gopīs by persons like Uddhava, relieved the gopīs suffering arising from bodily identification. I offer repeated respects to the explanations of the gopīs’ bhāva made by persons who understand the glories of the gopīs. It is the subject of much deliberation by many great souls. Pain arising from bodily identification is always removed by proper understanding, just as Mukunda relieves the gopīs’ pain of separation felt in the day at night.

 

Or bodhaḥ can refer to Kṛṣṇa who by his flute informs the gopīs of the meeting place in the bower or the special rasa he is experiencing. This person, Mukunda, who gives special happiness as Bhagavān, took away the gopīs’ pain of not attaining Kṛṣṇa, arising from identifying themselves as bodies as belonging to others, by the sound of his enchanting flute.

 

Text 43

kham aśobhata nirmeghaṁ śarad-vimala-tārakam

sattva-yuktaṁ yathā cittaṁ śabda-brahmārtha-darśanam

Translation

Free of clouds and filled with clearly visible stars and the moon, the autumn sky shone brilliantly, just as the heart endowed with sattva-guṇa shines with realization of Kṛṣṇa through the Vedas.

 

Clouds stand for coverings of rajas and tamas. Without the covering, sattva manifests. Tārakam can mean “that which delivers the people from darkness.” Thus the autumn night moon in the sky delivered the gopīs from pain of separation or from saṁsāra by manifesting brightness to initiate the rāsa dance. In the autumn the moon by nature is bright (vimala), since the clouds representing rajas and tamas have disappeared. It is filled with sattva-guṇa by the brightness. The heart endowed with sattva shines with a direct manifestation (darśanam) of Kṛṣṇa, the bright moon, who is the meaning of the Vedas (śabda-brahmārtham) by direct or indirect indications.

 

Text 44

akhaṇḍa-maṇḍalo vyomni rarājoḍu-gaṇaiḥ śaśī

yathā yadu-patiḥ kṛṣṇo vṛṣṇi-cakrāvṛto bhuvi

Translation

The full moon shone in the sky, surrounded by stars, just as Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the Yadu dynasty, shone brilliantly on the earth, surrounded by all the Vṛṣṇis.

 

The moon shone with its full disk (akhada-maṇdalaḥ), without a covering of clouds, or at the full moon. It suggests that in Vṛndāvana the full moon shines every night. The moon is compared to the lord of the Yadus. In Dvārakā Kṛṣṇa manifests his full powers, or manifests powers directly by riding on Garuḍa etc. Though that happened in the future, during Śukadeva’s conversation with Parīkṣit it was in the past. Or the term Yadu also refers to the cowherds according to Skanda Purānā. This was explained previously.

 

Text 45

āśliṣya sama-śītoṣṇaṁ prasūna-vana-mārutam

janās tāpaṁ jahur gopyo na kṛṣṇa-hṛta-cetasaḥ

Translation

Except for the gopīs, whose hearts had been stolen by Kṛṣṇa, the people could forget their suffering by embracing the wind coming from the flower-filled forest, which was neither hot nor cold.

 

People deeply experienced (āślisya) the breeze which was gentle (sama) between hot and cold. It was not hot like the summer wind nor cold like the wind at the end of autumn. The breeze was cool and fragrant with jasmine blossoms. This is like the spring season. People gave up the natural suffering arising from the autumn sun during the day as well.

 

But the gopīs did not give up suffering arising from separation or from the very nature of prema. Since they were absorbed in Kṛṣṇa the breeze was a stimulus (uddipana) by which they remembered him more. This gave them more pain. Because this condition was extraordinary, a scriptural example is not given as in previous verses. However one can add the example that by drinking excellent pānaka everyone increases their happiness or their suffering.

 

Text 46

gāvo mṛgāḥ khagā nāryaḥ puṣpiṇyaḥ śaradābhavan

anvīyamānāḥ sva-vṛṣaiḥ phalair īśa-kriyā iva

Translation

By the influence of the autumn season, all the cows, doe, women and female birds became fertile and were followed by their respective mates in search of sexual enjoyment, just as activities performed for the service of the Supreme Lord are automatically followed by all beneficial results.

 

Use of masculine forms (mṛgāḥ khagāḥ) instead of feminine is poetic license. The animals, being fertile, were followed by their mates just as worship of the Lord (īśa-kriyā) produce internal flowers of knowledge and then fruits of prema.

 

Text 47

udahṛṣyan vārijāni sūryotthāne kumud vinā

rājñā tu nirbhayā lokāḥ yathā dasyūn vinā nṛpa

Translation

O King Parīkṣit, when the autumn sun rose, all the lotus flowers blossomed happily, except the night-blooming kumuda, just as in the presence of a strong ruler everyone becomes fearless, except the thieves.

 

There is enmity between the lotuses which blossom by the sun’s rays and their enemy, the kumudas which blossom during the night. Without the enemy there is beauty by the blossoming of lotuses. Thus the lotuses experience great joy in blossoming during the day. Because of the king there is enmity between the people and the thieves. Without the thieves, the people are fearless and joyful. The rising of the sun creates the joy but (tu) the existence of the king gives fearlessness. Or the word tu can mean “and.” And when the king appears, the people have no fear. When there is no king the thieves are rampant, as after the killing of King Vena. When Pṛthu appeared, the thieves were restrained.

 

Or when the sun rises the lotuses rejoice and the kumudas do not. Similarly when there is a king the citizens are fearless but the thieves have fear. Or Parīkṣit, you are such a king (nṛpa)! Or because you are also a king you can understand this.

 

Text 48

pura-grāmeṣv āgrayaṇair indriyaiś ca mahotsavaiḥ

babhau bhūḥ pakva-śaṣyāḍhyā kalābhyāṁ nitarāṁ hareḥ

Translation

Abundant with ripe grains, the earth, a śakti of the Lord, was glorious with festivals for Indra and the new rice ceremony in the towns and villages, in the constant presence of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.

 

In cities like Mathurā or Nandīśvara and in villages around Vṛndāvana controlled by Nanda, the earth was glorious because of the most beautiful forms of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, manifesting their qualities as Bhagavān, who were also Nārāyaṇa. Or the earth was glorious because of two portions of Bhagavān or two beautiful forms of Bhagavān. Or the earth was glorious because of Nanda and Yaśodā, the two protectors, since they were prominent in inviting everyone to the festival. Kala stands for kalayati: one who protects with affection. Or kalābhyam can refer to two festivals held at this time: waking up the Lord and rathayātra. The earth was especially (nitaram) glorious by these two festivals.

 

Text 49

vaṇiṅ-muni-nṛpa-snātā nirgamyārthān prapedire

varṣa-ruddhā yathā siddhāḥ sva-piṇḍān kāla āgate

Translation

The merchants, sages, kings and householders, kept indoors by the rain, were at last free to go out and attain their desired objects, just as those who achieve perfection in this life can, when the proper time comes, leave the material body and attain their respective forms.

 

The jīvanmuktas (siddhāḥ), obstructed by advaita-jñāna which is like rain covering the sun of bhakti (varṣa-ruddhāḥ), achieve their spiritual bodies. Or controlled by the bliss of continuous devotee association which is like a shower of rain, the devotees attain spiritual bodies of eternity knowledge and bliss at the appropriate time — by the Lord’s mercy or on attaining Vaikuṇṭha.

 

Chapter Twenty-one

Text 1

śrī-śuka uvāca

itthaṁ śarat-svaccha-jalaṁ padmākara-sugandhinā

nyaviśad vāyunā vātaṁ sa -go-gopālako ‘cyutaḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The infallible Lord, accompanied by his cows and cowherd boyfriends, entered that Vṛndāvana forest filled with transparent autumnal waters and cooled by breezes perfumed with the fragrance of lotus flowers.

 

After describing autumn, the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in autumn are described just as his pastimes in the monsoon season were described. This description continues until the end of the chapter. The forest is described as attractive by its nature, with attractive water and breezes, as an ingredient of his pastimes in one and half verses. The natural quality of water — clarity and attractiveness — manifested because it was pure. The wind was cool, blowing gently and fragrant because of the lakes filled with blossoming lotuses in the forest.

 

Text 2

kusumita-vanarāji-śuṣmi-bhṛṅga

dvija-kula-ghuṣṭa-saraḥ-sarin-mahīdhram

madhupatir avagāhya cārayan gāḥ

saha-paśu-pāla-balaś cukūja veṇum

Translation

The lakes, rivers and hills of Vṛndāvana resounded with the sounds of maddened bees and flocks of birds moving about the flowering trees. In the company of the cowherd boys and Balarāma, the master of spring entered that forest, and while herding the cows with them, he began to vibrate his flute.

 

The setting is a stimulus for love. The previous verse mentioned that he entered the forest and remained there. This indicates daily pastimes there. He played his flute and the gopīṣ’ response is mentioned in the next verse. Sagogopālakaḥ of the previous verse refers to madhupatī (lord of the cowherds) in this verse. Or overcome by bhāva because of describing the pastimes, Śukadeva could not utter directly Kṛṣṇa’s name. In verse 5 also his name is not mentioned for the same reason. Citsukha accepts the version with acyutaḥ. As lord of the Yādavas (madhupatiḥ), herding cows is not possible. Herding cows suggests a special rasa filled with affection for the devotees. Thus madhupati can also mean “lord of a special intoxicating rasa.” The word suggests that Kṛṣṇa was intoxicated and caused intoxication. Kṛṣṇa entered into the forest completely (avagāhya), into its very nature. With the cowherds and Balarāṁa he played he flute. They all played. Or together with the boys and Balarāma he herded the cows, and played the flute alone.

 

Text 3

tad vraja-striya āśrutya veṇu-gītaṁ smarodayam

kāścit parokṣaṁ kṛṣṇasya sva-sakhībhyo ‘nvavarṇayan

Translation

When the young ladies in the cowherd village of Vraja heard the song of Kṛṣṇa’s flute, which arouses the influence of Cupid, some of them privately began describing Kṛṣṇa’s qualities to their intimate friends.

 

At that place (tat), the gopīs began to describe him constantly or began describing the flute after hearing his flute (anv — avarṇayan). The cause is mentioned. The song of the flute manifested his love or remembrance of the gopī (smarodayam), on seeing the water etc. Or the song caused an appearance of desire in the gopīs. Though Kṛṣṇa’s nature is always like this, now because of manifesting a special bhāva, with special playing of the flute, this occurred. Therefore at this time the gopīs began to speak.

 

Hearing the flute song which was filled with Kṛṣṇa’s special love for them or which was most enchanting (tat), they began describing him, because the sound manifested love.

 

The women of Vraja or living Vraja heard from far off, or heard distinctly (āśrutya) the song, since it was filled with Kṛṣṇa’s special desire or strong love for them. Or they slightly heard (āśrutya) the song of flute or heard the song by the flute. The sound of the flute manifested as a song because it seemed to sing with a special grace on its own by the touch of Kṛṣṇa’s lips.

 

Some of them, endowed with special bhāva, such as Rādhā, began describing Kṛṣṇa. Though all the women of Vraja heard the flute, some felt parental affection, not conjugal love. Thus those women are not included in the gopīs who began describing Kṛṣṇa in this chapter. They described him in private (parokṣam) to their friends such as Lalitā. Or they described Kṛṣṇa to give happiness to their friends. By making their friends happy they would become happy.

 

Text 4

tad varṇayitum ārabdhāḥ smarantyaḥ kṛṣṇa-ceṣṭitam

nāśakan smara-vegena vikṣipta-manaso nṛpa

Translation

The cowherd girls began to speak about the flute, but when they remembered his activities, O King, the power of Cupid disturbed their minds, and thus they could not speak.

 

They were just beginning to describe his actions, but could not, because of the impulse of love with remembrance of Kṛṣṇa. They pondered the actions, consisting of playing the flute or what will be described later, of Kṛṣṇa, who attracts all hearts. Or some described his activities (from the previous verse) while others could not begin. O king! Śukadeva calls out with pain on attaining a special bhāva while relating this. Or, seeing Parīkṣit entering a special bhāva, he prevents it by addressing him.

 

Text 5

barhāpīḍaṁ naṭa-vara-vapuḥ karṇayoḥ karṇikāraṁ

bibhrad vāsaḥ kanaka-kapiśaṁ vaijayantīṁ ca mālām

randhrān veṇor adhara-sudhayāpūrayan gopa-vṛndair

vṛndāraṇyaṁ sva-pada-ramaṇaṁ prāviśad gīta-kīrtiḥ

Translation

Wearing a peacock-feather ornament upon his head, yellow karṇikāra flowers on his ears, a yellow garment as brilliant as gold, and the Vaijayantī garland, Kṛṣṇa exhibited his form as the greatest of dancers as he entered the forest of Vṛndāvana, beautifying it with the marks of his footprints. He filled the holes of his flute with the nectar of his lips, and the cowherd boys sang his glories.

 

Assuming a special bhāva, Śukadeva remembers Kṛṣṇa’s dress on that occasion. After describing the gopīs he describes Kṛṣṇa. Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that the intention of the verse is to describe the form that disturbed their minds. By remembering his activities, their minds became disturbed from his forest dress. Thus they could not speak. This verse thus gives another reason why they could not speak by describing his form (rather than just his activities). Or later, with effort they were able to speak this verse since the next verse begins with iti, indicating someone just spoke.

 

He was dressed as a human and a dancer, with colorful clothing (naṭa-nara-vapuḥ). Devatās always wear colorful clothing. Among humans the dancer at certain times wears colorful clothing for dancing. Thus he wore a peacock feather etc. Or he manifested a body which causes all jīvas to dance in joy. Or he had a human body of a dancer. Instead of nara the word vara is also seen. He had a karṇikāra flower on each ear. The karṇikāra flower is yellow and shaped like a lotus. He had two pieces of yellow cloth. In the spring and autumn these flowers are plentiful and create beauty. He wore a vaijayantī garland, which is made of flowers having five colors. He filled the holes of his flute with the nectar from his lips. This means he played the flute with a special bhāva, which enchanted him as well as the gopīs.

 

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He entered the forest of Vṛndā, who was the controller of that forest. She was always eager to make arrangements for Kṛṣṇa’s special pastimes. The forest was charming (ramaṇam) or gave happiness to all because of his extraordinary footprints everywhere. Or the forest produced rati or attraction for his feet since it was soft and covered with flower pollen and petals. He was glorified, because of his beauty and skills, with songs by the cowherd boys. Or he glorifies the gopīs with songs showing his special bhāva (gīta-kīrtiḥ). He did not directly name the gopīs out of shyness.

 

His gold ornaments and pearl necklaces are not mentioned, since he has them all the time. Or on the first day of autumn he entered the forest wearing a forest dress, in order to play freely in the forest. It is not mentioned that Balarāma was with him, though this has been mentioned previously and will also be mentioned later, since having the special bhāva would be embarrassing for him in front of his elder brother. Or because Śukadeva was completely overcome by the activities to be described, mentioning Balarāma would not add to the description of Kṛṣṇa. He is however included in the phrase gopa-vṛndaiḥ.

 

Text 6

iti veṇu-ravaṁ rājan sarva-bhūta-manoharam

śrutvā vraja-striyaḥ sarvā varṇayantyo ‘bhirebhire

Translation

O King, when the young ladies in Vraja heard the sound of Kṛṣṇa’s flute, which captivates the minds of all living beings, they all embraced one another and began describing it.

 

Saying this, or in this way (iti), situated far away or close by, all of them (sarvā), with varying degrees of love, or all in a group, began to describe the sound of the flute since they had already described him. They should speak only what was not already mentioned. When later his form and dress are again described it should be understood that it is mentioned as an assistant to other statements. Or the statement describing Kṛṣṇa’s activities (kṛṣṇa-ceṣṭitam) can be correlated with the statement in verse 20, varṇayantyo mitho gopñaḥ krīḍāḥ: they narrated to one another the playful pastimes of the Lord. (The playing of his flute is one of his activities).