mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam

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Text 15

nadyas tadā tad upadhārya mukunda-gītam

āvarta-lakṣita-manobhava-bhagna-vegāḥ

āliṅgana-sthagitam ūrmi-bhujair murārer

gṛhṇanti pāda-yugalaṁ kamalopahārāḥ

Translation

When the rivers hear the flute-song of Kṛṣṇa, the flow of their currents is broken and their waters are agitated out of desire, moving around in whirlpools. Presenting offerings of lotus flowers with the arms of their waves, the rivers grasp Murāri’s lotus feet, covering them in their embrace.

 

Enough of speaking about conscious beings. One should describe the fortune of the rivers which are unconscious entities. The rivers like Yamunā and Mānasa-gaṅgā come close and listen with attention (upadhārya) to the attractive sound at that moment. At that moment (tadā), on hearing the sound of his flute, the rivers’ currents stopped and went in whirlpools.

 

Mura was a powerful demon. By a boon from Śiva, he was able to kill anyone by placing his hand on their chest. This is related in Vāmana Purāṇa. He was an enemy of Nārāyaṇa. tasmān nandātmajo ’yaṁ te nārāyaṇa-samo guṇaiḥ: this child of yours is as good as Nārāyaṇa. SB 10.8.19) Because of this information from Garga the people in Vraja called Kṛṣṇa by these names of Nārāyaṇa and because of being similar in qualities. As you previously killed Mura, you prevent death from attacking us. Grasping his two lotus feet in great pain, they take lotuses, his favorite flower, and offer them to him as a gift. As we cannot do that, we are unfortunate. The rest is according to Śrīdhara Svāmī.

 

Or, the song of Murārī gives the greatest happiness (mukunda) or is enchanting. It is filled with nectar. The waves break their course because of transformations (āvarta) of desire.

 

Or mukundagīta-māvarta: the waves stop their course by their manifestation of desire indicated by turning around in circles or move to and fro because of the wealth (mā) of Kṛṣṇa’s song. The waves move erratically in one place because of deep emotion for Kṛṣṇa, and cannot proceed elsewhere. The word tat is used, not mentioning the flute sound directly, for fear of becoming bewildered. By the embrace of the waves, Kṛṣṇa becomes stunned.

 

Or though he moves about in a variegated way, he becomes situated beautifully in one place to respond to the embrace. They make offerings of Lakṣmī (kamala), though she is to be worshipped as well. They have such fortune, but we are miserable.

 

There is another meaning. Hearing the enchanting song of the flute, the rivers give up their natural, swift course to the sea and taking on forms with ornaments. Ornamented with the necklaces (upahāra) of the girls of Vraja (kamala), they stop the lotus feet of Murāri from moving and embrace them by their many long arms resembling waves. They are fortune and we are not, because the result of hearing the flute cannot be fulfilled by us. We cannot give up our household chores and service to our husbands. We cannot publicly wearing ornaments to please Kṛṣṇa. We cannot bring his feet to stop moving with our arms and embrace him on our chests.

 

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Text 16

dṛṣṭvātape vraja-paśūn saha rāma-gopaiḥ

sañcārayantam anu veṇum udīrayantam

prema-pravṛddha uditaḥ kusumāvalībhiḥ

sakhyur vyadhāt sva-vapuṣāmbuda ātapatram

Translation

In the company of Balarāma and the cowherd boys, Kṛṣṇa plays his flute loudly as he herds all the animals of Vraja, even under the full heat of the summer sun. Seeing this, the cloud in the sky has expanded himself out of love, rises high and constructs out of his own body, with its multitude of flower-like droplets of water, an umbrella for the sake of his friend.

 

Other river which purify the universe at other times, friends of Yamunā and Mānasa-gaṅgā situated in Vṛndāvana, which attained the variegated pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, are also fortunate. How can we describe the fortune of the cloud situated in the unconscious sky, arising from vapors?

 

Kṛṣṇa loudly played his flute again and again (anu) and herded the unlimited cows and buffalos in joy, bringing them together over many areas (sam — cārayantam), by his desire with the cowherd boys in the autumn season which was sometimes hot (ātape). This indicates that Kṛṣṇa became tired. Anu venum can also mean “after playing the flute.” Or he aroused the cloud by the flute (udīrayantam anu venum).

 

Filled with prema, a cloud rises and increases in size, by means of water drops (kusumāvalībhiḥ). The cloud is a friend to Kṛṣṇa because he has the same color. The cloud makes an umbrella out of his body. That umbrella is made of water droplets. Out of friendship, the cloud offers his own body or treasure.

 

Or in the extreme heat (pravṛddhe ātape) the cloud makes an umbrella from his body for our dear friend (sakhyuḥ) and expresses prema by drops of water (tears). Thus the cloud does not shed tears of sorrow by rain, but in bliss. The cloud is most fortunate and we are unfortunate since we cannot even see him sufficiently.

 

Text 17

pūrṇāḥ pulindya urugāya-padābja-rāga

śrī-kuṅkumena dayitā-stana-maṇḍitena

tad-darśana-smara-rujas tṛṇa-rūṣitena

limpantya ānana-kuceṣu jahus tad-ādhim

Translation

The aborigine women of the Vṛndāvana area become disturbed when they see the grass marked with reddish kuṅkuma powder. Endowed with the color of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, this powder originally decorated the breasts of his beloved, and when the aborigine women smear it on their faces and breasts, they feel fully satisfied and give up all their anxiety.

 

Another group of gopīs speaks three verses. Or as previously explained, all the verses can be considered as one speech. What to speak of his friend the cloud having good fortune of serving Kṛṣṇa with excellent ingredients, what can we say about the outcaste women who were rejected as untouchable? Pulinda refers to the women of bhilla tribe who wandered in the forest. They are representative of others also in the same category who assist them. Ugugāya means “he who is glorified by the gopīs” or “he who sings using his flute.”

 

The kumkuma, which had decorated the breasts of some women lovers, stained the grass, stones and other items. They do not say specially which gopīs, out of shyness. Śrīdhara Svāmī explains this. By smearing the kumkuma on their faces and breasts they relieve themselves of the pain of desire (tad-ādhim). Or they relieve themselves of love pains at that moment (tat). Or they rid themselves of the indescribable (tat) pain of not attaining Kṛṣṇa.

 

Śrī-kuṁkumena indicates kumkuma which had ornamented Kṛṣṇa’s lovers’ (śṛi) breasts, having great beauty and which attained even greater beauty by contact with Kṛṣṇa’s feet. The Pulinda women took that kuṅkuma and rubbed it on their bodies. Wandering without ornaments in the forest for gathering firewood, they attained the highest ornamentation and removed all suffering.

 

Or Ah! In Vṛndāvana only we are unfortunate. They explain this in the verse. The Pulindas rub their limbs with kuṅkuma of a woman who has anurāga for Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. This was special kuṅkuma which could produce Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction, since it was imbued with the gopī’s prema for Kṛṣṇa. It was first applied on the breasts of dear lovers like you to satisfy Kṛṣṇa.

 

Or it was kuṅkuma of Śrī, red (rāga) like Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. Because its color was similar, the gopīs smeared it on their breasts. Later by the amazing sound of his flute, singing loudly, they were pulled to the forest and wandered around here and there. They fell down in the forest on not attaining him. The kuṅkuma then fell from their breasts onto the grass.

 

Or they decorated or Kṛṣṇa decorated their breasts with grass. In this way the grass became tinged with kūmkuma. By seeing the kuṅkuma on the grass and considering their similar nature, or by their very nature, the women developed desire. By the kumkuma taken from the grass or along with the grass they applied it to their faces for its fragrance, and then applied it to their breasts out of desire. But then they gave up the kumkuma, because it was the cause of their pain (ādhim jahuḥ). They gave it up to rid themselves of suffering caused by intense prema. Ah! How misfortunate! Like them we are unfortunate, drowning in an ocean of great pain. “By a relationship with such persons, one will also develop such pain.” Thinking in this way the Pulinda women give up articles associated with our limbs out of fear.

 

When they became absorbed in Mahā lakṣmī through association of the kuṅkuma, they gave up pain, by special mercy of the Lord. Thus the Pulindas are successful (pūrṇāḥ). This is Vallabha’s explanation.

 

Or abja-rāga-śrī-kuṁkumena can mean “by kumkuma having the beauty of a ruby.” Or “by kumkuma having the color of the lotus.” It had decorated the breast of a lover and allows one to attain Urugāya (urugāya-padā).

 

There is another meaning. By seeing the kuṅkuma and remembering the Lord, on not attaining him they developed pain. When intense internal pain arises by the touch of the kuṅkuma happiness arises. By the manifestation of unlimited bliss and sweetness internally unlimited pain is destroyed. Thus the Pulindas became successful (pūrṇāḥ) by relationship with the gopīs and their related articles, related to the Lord. They got relief from pain but our pain increases. We are less fortunate than all living beings, being lower than the Pulindas.

 

Text 18

hantāyam adrir abalā hari-dāsa-varyo

yad rāma-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa-sparśa-pramodaḥ

mānaṁ tanoti saha-go-gaṇayos tayor yat

pānīya-sūyavasa-kandara-kandamūlaiḥ

Translation

Of all the servants, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends! This hill, blissful with the touch of the feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, along with their calves, cows and cowherd friends, gives respect with all kinds of necessities — water for drinking, honey, very soft grass, caves, bulbs and roots.

Commentary

In talking about other subjects in Vraja, they hide their emotions by other rasas in two verses. They point out Govardhana (ayam) with their fingers, since they live near Govardhana. Hari indicates that Kṛṣṇa steals away all the sins, suffering and hearts of everyone in the universe. That he is the presiding deity is famous in scriptures and local lore. Govardhana is the best servant among all is natural servants. His superiority is shown by the fruits he yields. He feels great joy at the touch of their feet, with hairs standing on end, perspiration, and tears by sprouting shoots and flowing with water drops. He gives respect elaborately (vi — tanoti) in the form of all items. Pānīya refers to water and honey. The long vowel in sūyavasa is poetic license for metrical reasons. This refers to soft items or nourishing items that produce milk etc. Pānīyasuva (another version) can also mean waterfalls. Pānīya-bhuva is another version, meaning water and pleasant places for sitting. Kandara refers to caves, equipped with jeweled beds, chairs, lamps and mirrors. With these items Govardhana serves Kṛṣṇa and the others. O young women (with no strength — abalāḥ)! Because you do not have strength you do not have the good fortune to serve. This is our great misfortune.

 

As in their first verse, the gopīs hide their feelings but another meaning becomes evident. Amarakoṣa says that rāma means blue, beautiful and white. Thus the mountain becomes joyful with the touch of the feet of Kṛṣṇa, who is most beautiful (rāma). Tayoh later in the verse can refer to his two feet. Or, Govardhana gives joy to Kṛṣṇa’s two feet by makes the stones appropriately warm or cool according to the season. Or Govardhana takes pleasure in supplying (sparśa) opportunities for playful (rāma) Kṛṣṇa’s activities (caraṇa). Amara-kośa says sparśana can mean giving. Govardhana is always anxious to encourage Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. Or, Govardhana gives bliss to Kṛṣṇa, us and the world by supplying opportunities for Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. Or, the touch of Govardhana is pleasurable like the touch of Kṛṣṇa’s feet. By touching Govardhana, one accomplishes the bliss of touching Kṛṣṇa’s feet, since he holds a treasure of the touch of Kṛṣṇa’s feet as he constantly performs various pastimes filled with prema at that place. Kṛṣṇa should be addressed with tasya in the verse but instead tayoḥ (dual form) is used out of respect to his two lotus feet.

 

Text 19

gā gopakair anu-vanaṁ nayator udāra

veṇu-svanaiḥ kala-padais tanu-bhṛtsu sakhyaḥ

aspandanaṁ gati-matāṁ pulakas taruṇāṁ

niryoga-pāśa-kṛta-lakṣaṇayor vicitram

Translation

My dear friends! When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma pass from forest to the forest with their cowherd friends, with their cows, carrying ropes to bind the cows’ rear legs at the time of milking, with the generous sound of his flute, moving among all living being. Those which move things become inert and trees which cannot move sprout shoots in ecstasy. This is most amazing.

 

What can be said about the glory of Govardhana, aptly named his best servant. But most fortunate are all the moving and non-moving beings there. The suffix ka on gopakaiḥ indicates affection. Gopaka also means one who protects or one who becomes happy as a cowherd. They go to all the forests (anuvanam) in the Mathurā area with loud sound of the flute, or the sound which gives bliss to all (udāra), having sweet phrases (kala-padaiḥ). Or they go with soft, sweet sounding steps of their lotus feet (kala-padaiḥ) because of their ankle bells. Moving creatures become stunned like plants. All the non-moving entities like trees horripulate, and shiver like moving creatures. They show opposite qualities. This is amazing. Or the moving creatures becoming stunned and the trees horripulating is amazing. All living beings have developed special prema. Carrying the ropes is part of the astonishing dress, a cause of being stunned. It is said that even trees can see a little. This is mentioned in Mahābhārata with tasmāt paśyanti pādapāḥ: therefore the trees see.

 

Or not only do they become stunned. Others show transformations of prema such as horripulating. Among the living beings (tanu-bhṛtsu) the two boys have symptoms (lakṣaṇayoḥ) — such as tears and fainting — produced by the bonds (paśa) of prema from which there arises constant meeting, or from which impersonal yoga has been excluded (niryoga). When the living beings exchange their qualities they show many symptoms of prema.

 

Or the two boys on seeing the animals being stunned stop and proceed on the path because of manifesting prema because of bonds arising from constant meeting with those moving creatures.

 

The two are mentioned because the gopīs are shy to directly indicate Kṛṣṇa. Oh! The moving and nonmoving entities are fortunate. They see him with his sweet cowherd dress and ropes. We rarely see him. How unfortunate we are!

 

Text 20

evaṁ-vidhā bhagavato yā vṛndāvana-cāriṇaḥ

varṇayantyo mitho gopyaḥ krīḍās tan-mayatāṁ yayuḥ

Translation

Thus narrating to one another the playful pastimes of the Lord who wandered in the Vṛndāvana forest, the gopīs became fully absorbed in those pastimes.

 

They described many other pastimes also. I can describe only a few. Now Śukadeva concludes.

 

The gopīs described the pastimes which bewilder the world (evaṁ-vidhāḥ), since they belong to Bhagavān, who displays his powers excellently, by playing at his will in Vṛndāvana. Or they described the pastimes as he wandered in Vṛndavan especially, not in Vraja — for the gopīs would have been fortunate, seeing him in Vraja often. Instead of cāriṇaḥ sometimes vihariṇaḥ is seen. Describing all those pastimes, the gopīs became absorbed in Bhagavān (tan-mayatām), constantly glorifying him and hearing about him. Or they became absorbed in pastimes with him (tan-mayatām). They use the word tat because they cannot pronounce his name. They are overcome with intense sorrow in the fire of prema. Use of the word gopyaḥ indicates that as cowherd women, this absorption in Kṛṣṇa was their very nature. Their greatest fortune of having the highest prema is indicated.

 

Chapter Twenty-two

Text 1

śrī-śuka uvāca

hemante prathame māsi nanda-vraja-kumārikāḥ

cerur haviṣyaṁ bhuñjānāḥ kātyāyany-arcana-vratam

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: During the first month of the winter season, the young unmarried girls of Gokula observed the vow of worshiping goddess Kātyāyanī. For the entire month they ate only unspiced khichrī.

 

Having described the pastimes in the monsoon and autumn seasons, Śukadeva now describes, following the order of time, the pastimes in hemānta season till the end of the chapter. The young unmarried girls dwelling in Vraja ruled by Nanda had no direct family relationship with Kṛṣṇa. They were suitable to have Kṛṣṇa as a husband since they were not related as cousins to Kṛṣṇa. They were very young (indicated by the suffix ka). Or they were young girls belong to him (ka). They should marry Kṛṣṇa and no one else. They performed this vow because they could not mention anything to Nanda directly out of shyness. Some did it out of boldness. By their beauty they derided (ku) Cupid (māra). Thus they were qualified for Kṛṣṇa.

 

Haviṣyanna consists of milk, yogurt etc. along with grains (sita) of the Hemānta season. Kātyāyanī is Parvatī, dear to Śiva. They made vow to worship her, or performed a vow in the form of worship. Some say the vow must last for the full month.

Texts 2–3

āplutyāmbhasi kālindyā jalānte codite ‘ruṇe

kṛtvā pratikṛtiṁ devīm ānarcur nṛpa saikatīm

gandhair mālyaiḥ surabhibhir balibhir dhūpa-dīpakaiḥ

uccāvacaiś copahāraiḥ pravāla-phala-taṇḍulaiḥ

Translation

My dear King, after they had bathed in the water of the Yamunā just as the sun was rising, the gopīs on the riverbank worshiped an earthen deity of goddess Durgā with aromatic substances such as sandalwood pulp, garlands, other ingredients, lamps, incense, and great variety of offerings including fruits, newly grown leaves and rice.

 

The method of worship is shown in three and half verses. They bathed without clothing in the cold water which was most purifying. The description of the worship shows the austerity involved. They worshipped on the bank of the Yamunā. This could be the western or eastern bank. They did this when the sun rose or when dawn manifested according to the vow. There was a small forest nearby. They made a deity out of sand in order to quickly fulfill their desire.

 

O king! Though they should be worshipped by the world they worshipped this sand form to attain Kṛṣṇa. See the intensity of their longing!

 

The word “fragrant” should be attached to all suitable items in the list. The plural is used to show the great profusion of ingredients they brought. Balibhiḥ indicates cloth, ornaments, and food. Ucchāvacaiḥ means various. The items are mentioned — leaves, rice and fruit. The order of the items is not normal, since they forgot, because their minds were stolen by Kṛṣṇa, or Śukadeva became bewildered in telling their story. Or the first members of the list simply indicates that those items were properly purified for worship (balibhiḥ). Then upahāra indicates naivedyam and leaves, fruits, and rice at the end indicates aroti. Uccavācaiḥ (many varieties) modifies all words.

 

Text 4

kātyāyani mahā-māye mahā-yoginy adhīśvari

nanda-gopa-sutaṁ devi patiṁ me kuru te namaḥ

iti mantraṁ japantyas tāḥ pūjāṁ cakruḥ kumārikāḥ

Translation

Each of the young unmarried girls performed her worship while chanting the following mantra. “O goddess Kātyāyanī, O great potency of the Lord, O possessor of great mystic power and mighty controller of all, please make the son of Nanda Mahārāja my husband. I offer my obeisances unto you.”

 

O śakti of eternity, knowledge and bliss belonging to the Lord (mahāmaye)! You can give all śakti to us who are qualified to attain Kṛṣṇa. “But he does not depend on a wife.” O great yoginī! You can do what is difficult to do. “I am afraid of Mahālakṣmī.” O great controller (adhīśvari)! As the controller you have no fear since you are endowed with unlimited powers. “Then worship him.” O goddess (devi)! You shine (divyati — devi) with pure bhakti! Worship of his devotee is superior to worshipping him. You can fulfill our desire completely.
 

 

 

He is the young son of the cowherd Nanda (nanda-gopa-sutam). We young cowherd girls are suitable as his wives. Or he is the son of our king (gopa) Nanda. Thus he is hard to attain. But make him our husband or master –with power over us like the king. Or dressed as a young cowherd and performing cowherd pastimes, he is most attractive. Thus we pray that he be our husband. He should manifest in that form always.

 

Each girl prayed in her heart for Kṛṣṇa as her husband (me patim). This avoided fear of co-wives.

 

Or the mantra was revealed by great sages like Nārada in ancient times, and in that form it was uttered without change. According to Padma Purāṇa in a previous birth these girls had been sages during the time of Rāma. In Vraja, desiring Kṛṣṇa, they worshipped using this mantra. Not using any other mantra, they showed their devotion to Kṛṣṇa.

 

Text 5

evaṁ māsaṁ vrataṁ ceruḥ kumāryaḥ kṛṣṇa-cetasaḥ

bhadrakālīṁ samānarcur bhūyān nanda-sutaḥ patiḥ

Translation

Thus for an entire month the girls carried out their vow and properly worshiped the goddess Bhadrakālī, fully absorbing their minds in Kṛṣṇa and meditating upon the following thought: “May the son of King Nanda become my husband.”

 

In a short period of a month their desire was fulfilled (evam). This was Margaśīṣa month, which is Kṛṣṇa’s month (BG 10.35). Since it is Kṛṣṇa’s vibhūti, it was a good time for the vrata. Bhadrakālī is the same as Maṅglacaṇḍī or Kātyāyanī. The name also shows her good qualities: she was auspicious (bhadra) and a collection (ali) of happiness (ka).

 

They worshipped her daily, observing all the rules (sam). They thought of Kṛṣṇa who was the directly lord of all beings. In worshipping her, it is understood they worshipped Kṛṣṇa. Later it is explained the Kṛṣṇa came to fulfill their request.

 

Or in a short time their desire would be fulfilled because their minds were purified by thinking of Kṛṣṇa, or by nature they thought of him. And as well they performed the vrata in an excellent way. This is indicated by the phrases “they worshipped her daily” and “May Kṛṣṇa be our husband.” (Thus they worshipped Kṛṣṇa.)

 

Or someone may object, “The intelligent person should not aspire for what is difficult to obtain.” Their intelligence was concentrated on Kṛṣṇa, who attracts all minds. By doing so, they developed the highest intelligence. They were fixed in him because the pain of prema. That fixation made them fixed in their vow.

 

Text 6

ūṣasy utthāya gotraiḥ svair anyonyābaddha-bāhavaḥ

kṛṣṇam uccair jagur yāntyaḥ kālindyāṁ snātum anvaham

Translation

Each day they rose at dawn. Calling out to one another by name, they all held hands and loudly sang the glories of Kṛṣṇa while going to the Kālindī to take their bath.

 

Not only did they think of Kṛṣṇa but they were absorbed in kīrtana, the best feature of worship.

 

Or having described the ingredients of worship, some of them performed this vow. By his mercy, Śukadeva describes to Parīkṣit the major part of the vow. They rose before sunrise, at dawn, since the Yamunā was far away, calling each other by their names (gotraiḥ). They held each other’s arms firmly (ābaddhāḥ) since they could stumble on the path in the dark or for fear of falling down from fainting in prema from doing kīrtana or because they had affection for each other. Because of affection they could perform the vow with conviction. They sang loudly to bring everyone together or because they became absorbed in singing. The daily bath is again described to show its excellence.

 

Text 7

nadyāḥ kadācid āgatya tīre nikṣipya pūrva-vat

vāsāṁsi kṛṣṇaṁ gāyantyo vijahruḥ salile mudā

Translation

One day they came to the riverbank and, putting aside their clothing as they had done before, happily played in the water while singing the glories of Kṛṣṇa.

Commentary

One day, on the full moon day at the end of the month, this event took place. They always went into the water since they were children. Thus, as previously, they entered. They played in bliss because they sang about Kṛṣṇa: by the bliss of their singing they did not become cold even though they were in the winter water. Or they were blissful because the vow was now complete. They played in the water singing about Kṛṣṇa. This shows their absorption in Kṛṣṇa, without thinking of their bodies. This shows oneness of their minds, voices and bodies.