The Lord saw the joyful aborigine girls of the forest, the trees dripping sweet sap, and the mountain waterfalls, whose resounding indicated that there were caves nearby.

TRANSLATION

In the evening twilight during the rainy season, the darkness allowed the glowworms but not the stars to shine forth, just as in the age of Kali the predominance of sinful activities allows atheistic doctrines to overshadow the true knowledge of the Vedas.

 

COMMENTARY

In this verse pāṣaṇda means pāṣaṇda śāstra (atheistic doctrines). Fire flies shine forth in the evening twilight, but not the twinkling stars and planets. Similarly, in the age of Kali atheistic scriptures become prominent. This verse also uses a negative example.

 

|| 10.20.9 ||

śrutvā parjanya-ninadaṁ maṇḍukāḥ sasṛjur giraḥ

tūṣṇīṁ śayānāḥ prāg yadvad brāhmaṇā niyamātyaye

TRANSLATION

The frogs, who had all along been lying silent, suddenly began croaking when they heard the rumbling of the rain clouds, in the same way that brāhmaṇa students, who perform their morning duties in silence begin reciting their lessons when called by their teacher.

COMMENTARY

The frogs began croaking on hearing the thunder, just as brāhmaṇa students begin reciting their lessons when called by their teacher. This is a positive example.

 

|| 10.20.10 ||

āsann utpatha-gāminyaḥ kṣudra-nadyo ’nuśuṣyatīḥ

puṁso yathāsvatantrasya deha-draviṇa -sampadaḥ

TRANSLATION

With the advent of the rainy season, the insignificant streams, which had become dry, began to swell and then strayed from their proper courses, like the body, property and money of a man controlled by the urges of his senses.

COMMENTARY

As the rivers swell with water in the rainy season, they cause disturbance to others because they become difficult to cross. For one who acts independently (sva tantrasya) without following scriptural rules, his body, property and money become a cause of disturbance for others. This is a negative example.

 

|| 10.20.11 ||

haritā haribhiḥ śaṣpair indragopaiś ca lohitā

ucchilīndhra-kṛta-cchāyā nṛṇāṁ śrīr iva bhūr abhūt

TRANSLATION

The newly grown grass made the earth emerald green, the indragopa insects added a reddish hue, and white mushrooms added further color and circles of shade. Thus the earth appeared like a person who has suddenly become rich.

COMMENTARY

The earth appeared green from the fresh sprouts of green (haribhi) grass (śaṣpaiḥ). In some places it appeared reddish because of the small red insects. The white mushrooms were like umbrellas. Thus the earth appeared like a military parade displaying the wealth of a king shaded by parasols. This is a positive comparison.

 

|| 10.20.12 ||

kṣetrāṇi śaṣya-sampadbhiḥ karṣakāṇāṁ mudaṁ daduḥ

māninām anutāpaṁ vai daivādhīnam ajānatām

TRANSLATION

With their wealth of grains, the fields gave joy to the farmers. But those fields created remorse in the hearts of those who were too proud to engage in farming and who failed to understand how everything is under the control of the Supreme.

COMMENTARY

The proud man proclaims, “Farming is a lowly job which I cannot do.” But when the fields yield abundant crops he regrets, “If I had done some farming I would get wealth during the rainy season.” In this way the fields give joy to the farmer and pain to the lazy man, because such a person does not understand that his suffering is under the law of karma. Similarly, seeing the man on nivṛttī-mārga (path of renunciation) attain liberation, the man on the path of sense enjoyment (pravṛttī-mārga) laments. This example is not attractive to the devotee.

 

|| 10.20.13 ||

jala-sthalaukasaḥ sarve nava-vāri-niṣevayā

abibhran ruciraṁ rūpaṁ yathā hari-niṣevayā

TRANSLATION

As all creatures of the land and water took advantage of the newly fallen rainwater, their forms became attractive and pleasing, just as a devotee becomes beautiful by engaging in the service of the Supreme Lord.

COMMENTARY

Abibhran means to take on. Just as one becomes suddenly beautiful on performing devotional service to the Lord, since it is the supreme dharma and gives the highest results, similarly, the forms of animals and plants become attractive in the rainy season. This is a positive example.

 

|| 10.20.14 ||

saridbhiḥ saṅgataḥ sindhuś cukṣobha śvasanormimān

apakva-yoginaś cittaṁ kāmāktaṁ guṇa-yug yathā

TRANSLATION

Where the rivers joined the ocean it became agitated, its waves blown about by the wind, just as the mind of an immature yogī becomes agitated because he is still tainted by lust and attached to the objects of sense gratification.

COMMENTARY

The use of the masculine gender for sindhu instead of feminine is traditional usage. The ocean becomes agitated with waves by the merging of many smaller rivers. Similarly, the desires (kāmāktaṁ) in heart of an immature yogi rise up like waves when he contacts material objects (guṇa yuk).

 

|| 10.20.15 ||

girayo varṣa-dhārābhir hanyamānā na vivyathuḥ

abhibhūyamānā vyasanair yathādhokṣaja-cetasaḥ

TRANSLATION

Just as devotees whose minds are absorbed in the Personality of Godhead remain peaceful even when attacked by all sorts of dangers, the mountains in the rainy season were not at all disturbed by the repeated striking of the rain-bearing clouds.

COMMENTARY

Though struck by torrents of water, the mountain does not shake but rather becomes beautiful, being washed of dirt. Similarly, a devotee afflicted by the pains caused by his body, mind or other entities is not disturbed because his mind is absorbed in the Supreme Lord (adhokṣaja citta). The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam says that material pains cannot disturb the devotee absorbed in Kṛṣṇa’s loving service.

mad-āśrayāḥ kathā mṛṣṭāḥ śṛṇvanti kathayanti ca

tapanti vividhās tāpā naitān mad-gata-cetasaḥ

“Taking shelter of Me, they engage in constantly hearing and chanting about Me. The various kinds of material miseries do not affect them because they are always filled with thoughts of My pastimes and activities.”(SB 3.25.23) Thus a sincere devotee welcomes such difficulties. Because of his humility and surrendered attitude he remains free of pride, envy and other bad qualities.

 

|| 10.20.16 ||

mārgā babhūvuḥ sandigdhās tṛṇaiś channā hy asaṁskṛtāḥ

nābhyasyamānāḥ śrutayo dvijaiḥ kālena cāhatāḥ

TRANSLATION

During the rainy season the roads, not being cleansed, became covered with grass and debris and were thus difficult to make out. These roads were like religious scriptures that brāhmaṇas no longer study and that thus become corrupted and covered over with the passage of time.

COMMENTARY

Not studying the scriptures is compared to the unclean roads. The roads becoming overgrown with grass in time are like scriptures which become neglected and corrupted when no longer studied by the brāhmaṇas.

 

|| 10.20.17 ||

loka-bandhuṣu megheṣu vidyutaś cala-sauhṛdāḥ

sthairyaṁ na cakruḥ kāminyaḥ puruṣeṣu guṇiṣv iva

TRANSLATION

Though the clouds are the well-wishing friends of all living beings, the lightning, fickle in its affinities, moved from one group of clouds to another, like lusty women unfaithful even to virtuous men.

COMMENTARY

A prostitute cannot fix her attention on one man for long, even though the man may have good qualities such as intelligence. Similarly, the lightning moves from one cloud to another without lingering very long. This is a negative analogy.

 

|| 10.20.18 ||

dhanur viyati māhendraṁ nirguṇaṁ ca guṇiny abhāt

vyakte guṇa-vyatikare ’guṇavān puruṣo yathā

TRANSLATION

When the curved bow of Indra [the rainbow] appeared in the sky, which had the quality of thundering sound, it was unlike ordinary bows because it did not rest upon a string. Similarly, when the Supreme Lord appears in this world, which is the interaction of the material qualities, He is unlike ordinary persons because He remains free from all material qualities and independent of all material conditions.

COMMENTARY

Just as the Lord, though without material qualities (aguṇavān) appears in the material world to perform pastimes, so the rainbow appears in the sky, which has the quality of sound (gunini), without a string (nirguṇa). This is a play on words.

 

|| 10.20.19 ||

na rarājoḍupaś channaḥ sva-jyotsnā-rājitair ghanaiḥ

ahaṁ-matyā bhāsitayā sva-bhāsā puruṣo yathā

TRANSLATION

During the rainy season the moon was prevented from appearing directly by the covering of the clouds, which were themselves illumined by the moon’s rays. Similarly, the living being in material existence is prevented from appearing directly by the covering of the false ego, which is itself illumined by the consciousness of the pure soul.

COMMENTARY

In the rainy season, the moon does not shine, being covered by clouds which are themselves illuminated by the moon. This resembles the Lord (puruṣa) who is not visible, being hidden by His avidyā-śakti. which rises from Himself. This is a good example for the jñānīs.

 

|| 10.20.20 ||

meghāgamotsavā hṛṣṭāḥ pratyanandañ chikhaṇḍinaḥ

gṛheṣu tapta-nirviṇṇā yathācyuta-janāgame

TRANSLATION

The peacocks became festive and cried out a joyful greeting when they saw the clouds arrive, just as people distressed in household life feel pleasure when the pure devotees of the infallible Supreme Lord visit them.

COMMENTARY

The peacocks become happy and cry loudly upon seeing the approaching clouds and hearing the rumbling of thunder. This is just like gṛhasta Vaiṣṇavas who start to sing and dance in bliss after hearing Vaiṣṇava bhajans. This example is suitable for devotees.

 

|| 10.20.21 ||

pītvāpaḥ pādapāḥ padbhir āsan nānātma-mūrtayaḥ

prāk kṣāmās tapasā śrāntā yathā kāmānusevayā

TRANSLATION

The trees had grown thin and dry, but after they drank the newly fallen rainwater through their feet, their various bodily features blossomed. Similarly, one whose body has grown thin and weak from austerity again exhibits his healthy bodily features upon enjoying the material objects gained through that austerity.

COMMENTARY

As the trees become filled with sprouts, leaves and flowers during the rainy season, so the tapasvī, after becoming emaciated by penance, again fattens his body by enjoying material objects. This of course is unfavorable for those practicing detachment.

 

|| 10.20.22 ||

saraḥsv aśānta-rodhaḥsu nyūṣur aṅgāpi sārasāḥ

gṛheṣv aśānta-kṛtyeṣu grāmyā iva durāśayāḥ

TRANSLATION

The cranes continued dwelling on the shores of the lakes, although the shores were agitated during the rainy season, just as materialistic persons with contaminated minds always remain at home, despite the many disturbances there.

 

COMMENTARY

The cranes dwell intently on the lake shores, though littered with mud, thorns and weeds. This is similar to the materialistic person remaining home despite so many disturbances. This example is unfavorable.

 

|| 10.20.23 ||

jalaughair nirabhidyanta  setavo varṣatīśvare

pāṣaṇḍinām asad-vādair veda-mārgāḥ kalau yathā

TRANSLATION

When Indra sent forth his rains, the floodwaters broke through the irrigation dikes in the agricultural fields, just as in the Kali-yuga the atheists’ false theories break down the boundaries of Vedic injunctions.

COMMENTARY

Indra, thinking himself the Lord, pours down excessive rains which smash the irrigation walls in the fields; just as in Kali-yuga the materialists destroy dharma. Kali is compared to Indra; the activities of the materialists to the rains; and the destruction of Vedic dharma to the destruction of dikes. This is an unfavorable example.

 

|| 10.20.24 ||

vyamuñcan vāyubhir nunnā bhūtebhyaś cāmṛtaṁ ghanāḥ

yathāśiṣo viś-patayaḥ kāle kāle dvijeritāḥ

TRANSLATION

The clouds, impelled by the winds, released their nectarean water for the benefit of all living beings, just as kings, instructed by their brāhmaṇa priests, dispense charity to the citizens.

 

COMMENTARY

Just as a king (viś-patayaḥ) inspired by his priests (dvijeritāḥ) fulfills everyone’s desires (āsiṣo), so the clouds, incited (nunnā) by the winds, release rain. The analogy of the king is positive.

 

|| 10.20.25 ||

evaṁ vanaṁ tad varṣiṣṭhaṁ pakva-kharjura-jambumat

go-gopālair vṛto rantuṁ sa-balaḥ prāviśad dhariḥ

TRANSLATION

When the Vṛndāvana forest had thus become resplendent, filled with ripe dates and jambu fruits, Lord Kṛṣṇa, surrounded by His cows and cowherd boyfriends and accompanied by Śrī Balarāma, entered that forest to enjoy.

COMMENTARY

After describing the rainy season, Śukadeva Gosvāmī relates Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes in the monsoon forests in seven verses. Kṛṣṇa entered the forest of Vṛndāvana which was flourishing (varṣiṣthaṁ) with ripe date and jambu trees.

 

|| 10.20.26 ||

dhenavo manda-gāminya ūdho-bhāreṇa bhūyasā

yayur bhagavatāhūtā drutaṁ prītyā snuta-stanāḥ

TRANSLATION

The cows had to move slowly because of their weighty milk bags, but they quickly ran to the Supreme Personality of Godhead as soon as He called them, their affection for Him causing their udders to become wet.

COMMENTARY

Milk automatically flowed from the cows’s udders due to their extreme motherly affection (prītyā) for Kṛṣṇa.

 

|| 10.20.27 ||

vanaukasaḥ pramuditā vana-rājīr madhu-cyutaḥ

jala-dhārā girer nādād āsannā dadṛśe guhāḥ

TRANSLATION