Chapter 21: The Gopīs Glorify the Song of Kṛṣṇa's Flute

 

10.21.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

itthaḿ śarat-svaccha-jalaḿ

padmākara-sugandhinā

nyaviśad vāyunā vātaḿ

sa -go-gopālako 'cyutaḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; ittham — in this way; śarat — of the fall season; svaccha — clear; jalam — having water; padma-ākara — from the lake filled with lotus flowers; su-gandhinā — with the sweet fragrance; nyaviśat — He entered; vāyunā — by the breeze; vātam — ventilated; sa — with; go — the cows; gopālakaḥ — and the cowherd boys; acyutaḥ — the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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

 

10.21.2

kusumita-vanarāji-śuṣmi-bhṛńga

dvija-kula-ghuṣṭa-saraḥ-sarin-mahīdhram

madhupatir avagāhya cārayan gāḥ

saha-paśu-pāla-balaś cukūja veṇum

 

kusumita — flowering; vana-rāji — among the groups of trees; śuṣmi — maddened; bhṛńga — with bees; dvija — of birds; kula — and flocks; ghuṣṭa — resounding; saraḥ — its lakes; sarit — rivers; mahīdhram — and hills; madhu-patiḥ — the Lord of Madhu (Kṛṣṇa); avagāhya — entering; cārayan — while tending; gāḥ — the cows; saha-paśu-pāla-balaḥ — in the company of the cowherd boys and Lord Balarāma; cukūja — vibrated; veṇum — His flute.

 

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, Madhupati [Śrī Kṛṣṇa] entered that forest, and while herding the cows He began to vibrate His flute.

 

10.21.3

tad vraja-striya āśrutya

veṇu-gītaḿ smarodayam

kāścit parokṣaḿ kṛṣṇasya

sva-sakhībhyo 'nvavarṇayan

 

tat — that; vraja-striyaḥ — the ladies in the cowherd village; āśrutya — hearing; veṇu-gītam — the song of the flute; smara-udayam — which gives rise to the influence of Cupid; kāścit — some of them; parokṣam — privately; kṛṣṇasya — about Kṛṣṇa; sva-sakhībhyaḥ — to their intimate companions; anvavarṇayan — described.

 

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.

 

10.21.4

tad varṇayitum ārabdhāḥ

smarantyaḥ kṛṣṇa-ceṣṭitam

nāśakan smara-vegena

vikṣipta-manaso nṛpa

 

tat — that; varṇayitum — to describe; ārabdhāḥ — beginning; smarantyaḥ — remembering; kṛṣṇa-ceṣṭitam — the activities of Kṛṣṇa; na aśakan — they were incapable; smara-vegena — by the force of Cupid; vikṣipta — agitated; manasaḥ — whose minds; nṛpa — O King Parīkṣit.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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

 

10.21.5

barhāpīḍaḿ naṭa-vara-vapuḥ karṇayoḥ karṇikāraḿ

bibhrad vāsaḥ kanaka-kapiśaḿ vaijayantīḿ ca mālām

randhrān veṇor adhara-sudhayāpūrayan gopa-vṛndair

vṛndāraṇyaḿ sva-pada-ramaṇaḿ prāviśad gīta-kīrtiḥ

 

barha — a peacock feather; āpīḍam — as the decoration of His head; naṭa-vara — of the best of dancers; vapuḥ — the transcendental body; karṇayoḥ — on the ears; karṇikāram — a particular kind of blue lotuslike flower; bibhrat — wearing; vāsaḥ — garments; kanaka — like gold; kapiśam — yellowish; vaijayantīm — named Vaijayantī; ca — and; mālām — the garland; randhrān — the holes; veṇoḥ — of His flute; adhara — of His lips; sudhayā — with the nectar; āpūrayan — filling up; gopa-vṛndaiḥ — by the cowherd boys; vṛndā-araṇyam — the forest of Vṛndāvana; sva-pada — because of the marks of His lotus feet; ramaṇam — enchanting; prāviśat — He entered; gīta — being sung; kīrtiḥ — His glories.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Wearing a peacock-feather ornament upon His head, blue karṇikāra flowers on His ears, a yellow garment as brilliant as gold, and the Vaijayantī garland, Lord Kṛṣṇa exhibited His transcendental 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.

 

10.21.6

iti veṇu-ravaḿ rājan

sarva-bhūta-manoharam

śrutvā vraja-striyaḥ sarvā

varṇayantyo 'bhirebhire

 

iti — thus; veṇu-ravam — the vibration of the flute; rājan — 0 King Parīkṣit; sarva-bhūta — of all living beings; manaḥ-haram — stealing the minds; śrutvā — hearing; vraja-striyaḥ — the ladies standing in the village of Vraja; sarvāḥ — all of them; varṇayantyaḥ — engaged in describing; abhirebhire — embraced one another.

 

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.

 

10.21.7

śrī-gopya ūcuḥ

akṣaṇvatāḿ phalam idaḿ na paraḿ vidāmaḥ

sakhyaḥ paśūn anaviveśayator vayasyaiḥ

vaktraḿ vrajeśa-sutayor anaveṇu-juṣṭaḿ

yair vā nipītam anurakta-kaṭākṣa-mokṣam

 

śrī-gopyaḥ ūcuḥ — the gopīs said; akṣaṇvatām — of those who have eyes; phalam — the fruit; idam — this; na — not; param — other; vidāmaḥ — we know; sakhyaḥ — O friends; paśūn — the cows; anuviveśayatoḥ — causing to enter one forest after another; vayasyaiḥ — with Their friends of the same age; vaktram — the faces; vraja-īśa — of Mahārāja Nanda; sutayoḥ — of the two sons; anu-veṇu-juṣṭam — possessed of flutes; yaiḥ — by which; vā — or; nipītam — imbibed; anurakta — loving; kaṭa-akṣa — glances; mokṣam — giving off.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The cowherd girls said: O friends, those eyes that see the beautiful faces of the sons of Mahārāja Nanda are certainly fortunate. As these two sons enter the forest, surrounded by Their friends, driving the cows before Them, They hold Their flutes to Their mouths and glance lovingly upon the residents of Vṛndāvana. For those who have eyes, we think there is no greater object of vision.

 

10.21.8

cūta-pravāla-barha-stabakotpalābja

mālānupṛkta-paridhāna-vicitra-veśau

madhye virejatur alaḿ paśu-pāla-goṣṭhyāḿ

rańge yathā naṭa-varau kvaca gāyamānau

 

cūta — of a mango tree; pravāla — with young sprouts; barha — peacock feathers; stabaka — bunches of flowers; utpala — lotuses; abja — and lilies; mālā — with garlands; anupṛkta — touched; paridhāna — Their garments; vicitra — with great variety; veśau — being dressed; madhye — in the midst; virejatuḥ — the two of Them shone forth; alam — magnificently; paśu-pāla — of the cowherd boys; goṣṭhyām — within the assembly; rańge — upon a stage; yathā — just as; naṭa-varau — two most excellent dancers; kvaca — sometimes; gāyamānau — Themselves singing.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Dressed in a charming variety of garments, upon which Their garlands rest, and decorating Themselves with peacock feathers, lotuses, lilies, newly grown mango sprouts and clusters of flower buds, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma shine forth magnificently among the assembly of cowherd boys. They look just like the best of dancers appearing on a dramatic stage, and sometimes They sing.

 

10.21.9

gopyaḥ kim ācarad ayaḿ kuśalaḿ sma veṇur

dāmodarādhara-sudhām api gopikānām

bhuńkte svayaḿ yad avaśiṣṭa-rasaḿ hradinyo

hṛṣyat-tvaco 'śru mumucus taravo yathāryaḥ

 

gopyaḥ — O gopīs; kim — what; ācarat — performed; ayam — this; kuśalam — auspicious activities; sma — certainly; veṇuḥ — the flute; dāmodara — of Kṛṣṇa; adhara-sudhām — the nectar of the lips; api — even; gopikānām — which is owed to the gopīs; bhuńkte — enjoys; svayam — independently; yat — from which; avaśiṣṭa — remaining; rasam — the taste only; hradinyaḥ — the rivers; hṛṣyat — feeling jubilant; tvacaḥ — whose bodies; aśru — tears; mumucuḥ — shed; taravaḥ — the trees; yathā — exactly like; āryāḥ — old forefathers.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear gopīs, what auspicious activities must the flute have performed to enjoy the nectar of Kṛṣṇa's lips independently and leave only a taste for us gopīs, for whom that nectar is actually meant! The forefathers of the flute, the bamboo trees, shed tears of pleasure. His mother, the river on whose bank the bamboo was born, feels jubilation, and therefore her blooming lotus flowers are standing like hair on her body.

 

10.21.10

vṛndāvanaḿ sakhi bhuvo vitanoti kīṛtiḿ

yad devakī-suta-padāmbuja-labdha-lakṣmi

govinda-veṇum anu matta-mayūra-nṛtyaḿ prekṣyādri-sānv-avaratānya-samasta-sattvam

 

vṛndāvanam — Vṛndāvana; sakhi — O friend; bhuvaḥ — of the earth; vitanoti — spreads; kīrtim — the glories; yat — because; devakī-suta — of the son of Devakī; pada-ambuja — from the lotus feet; labdha — received; lakṣmi — the treasure; govinda-veṇum — the flute of Govinda; anu — upon hearing; matta — maddened; mayūra — of the peacocks; nṛtyam — in which there is the dancing; prekṣya — seeing; adri-sānu — upon the peaks of the hills; avarata — stunned; anya — other; samasta — all; sattvam — creatures.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O friend, Vṛndāvana is spreading the glory of the earth, having obtained the treasure of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī. The peacocks dance madly when they hear Govinda's flute, and when other creatures see them from the hilltops, they all become stunned.

 

10.21.11

dhanyāḥ sma mūḍha-gatayo 'pi hariṇya etā

yā nanda-nandanam upātta-vicitra-veśam

ākarṇya veṇu-raṇitaḿ saha-kṛṣṇa-sārāḥ

pūjāḿ dadhur viracitāḿ praṇayāvalokaiḥ

 

dhanyāḥ — fortunate, blessed; sma — certainly; mūḍha-gatayaḥ — having taken birth in an ignorant animal species; api — although; hariṇyaḥ — she-deer; etāḥ — these; yāḥ — who; nanda-nandanam — the son of Mahārāja Nanda; upātta-vicitra-veśam — dressed very attractively; ākarṇya — hearing; veṇu-raṇitam — the sound of His flute; saha-kṛṣṇa-sārāḥ — accompanied by the black deer (their husbands); pūjām dadhuḥ — they worshiped; viracitām — performed; praṇaya-avalokaiḥ — by their affectionate glances.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Blessed are all these foolish deer because they have approached Mahārāja Nanda's son, who is gorgeously dressed and is playing on His flute. Indeed, both the doe and the bucks worship the Lord with looks of love and affection.

 

10.21.12

kṛṣṇaḿ nirīkṣya vanitotsava-rūpa-śīlaḿ

śrutvā ca tat-kvaṇita-veṇu-vivikta-gītam

devyo vimāna-gatayaḥ smara-nunna-sārā

bhraśyat-prasūna-kabarā mumuhur vinīvyaḥ

 

kṛṣṇam — Lord Kṛṣṇa; nirīkṣya — observing; vanitā — for all women; utsava — a festival; rūpa — whose beauty; śīlam — and character; śrutvā — hearing; ca — and; tat — by Him; kvaṇita — vibrated; veṇu — of the flute; vivikta — clear; gītam — song; devyaḥ — the wives of the demigods; vimāna-gatayaḥ — traveling in their airplanes; smara — by Cupid; nunna — agitated; sārāḥ — their hearts; bhraśyat — slipping; prasūna-kabarāḥ — the flowers tied in their hair; mumuhuḥ — they became bewildered; vinīvyaḥ — their belts loosening.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kṛṣṇa's beauty and character create a festival for all women. Indeed, when the demigods' wives flying in airplanes with their husbands catch sight of Him and hear His resonant flute-song, their hearts are shaken by Cupid, and they become so bewildered that the flowers fall out of their hair and their belts loosen.

 

10.21.13

gāvaś ca kṛṣṇa-mukha-nirgata-veṇu-gīta

pīyūṣam uttabhita-karṇa-puṭaiḥ pibantyaḥ

śāvāḥ snuta-stana-payaḥ-kavalāḥ sma tasthur

govindam ātmani dṛśāśru-kalāḥ spṛśantyaḥ

 

gāvaḥ — the cows; ca — and; kṛṣṇa-mukha — from the mouth of Lord Kṛṣṇa; nirgata — emitted; veṇu — of the flute; gīta — of the song; pīyūṣam — the nectar; uttabhita — raised high; karṇa — with their ears; puṭaiḥ — which were acting as vessels; pibantyaḥ — drinking; śāvāḥ — the calves; snuta — exuding; stana — from their udders; payaḥ — the milk; kavalāḥ — whose mouthfuls; sma — indeed; tasthuḥ — stood still; govindam — Lord Kṛṣṇa; ātmani — within their minds; dṛśā — with their vision; aśru-kalāḥ — their eyes full of tears; spṛśantyaḥ — touching.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Using their upraised ears as vessels, the cows are drinking the nectar of the flute-song flowing out of Kṛṣṇa's mouth. The calves, their mouths full of milk from their mothers' moist nipples, stand still as they take Govinda within themselves through their tear-filled eyes and embrace Him within their hearts.

 

10.21.14

prāyo batāmba vihagā munayo vane 'smin

kṛṣṇekṣitaḿ tad-uditaḿ kala-veṇu-gītam

āruhya ye druma-bhujān rucira-pravālān

śṛṇvanti mīlita-dṛśo vigatānya-vācaḥ

 

prāyaḥ — almost; bata — certainly; amba — O mother; vihagāḥ — the birds; munayaḥ — great sages; vane — in the forest; asmin — this; kṛṣṇa-īkṣitam — in order to see Kṛṣṇa; tat-uditam — created by Him; kala-veṇu-gītam — sweet vibrations made by playing the flute; āruhya — rising; ye — who; druma-bhujān — to the branches of the trees; rucira-pravālān — having beautiful creepers and twigs; śṛṇvanti — they hear; mīlita-dṛśaḥ — closing their eyes; vigata-anya-vācaḥ — stopping all other sounds.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O mother, in this forest all the birds have risen onto the beautiful branches of the trees to see Kṛṣṇa. With closed eyes they are simply listening in silence to the sweet vibrations of His flute, and they are not attracted by any other sound. Surely these birds are on the same level as great sages.

 

10.21.15

nadyas tadā tad upadhārya mukunda-gītam

āvarta-lakṣita-manobhava-bhagna-vegāḥ

ālińgana-sthagitam ūrmi-bhujair murārer

gṛhṇanti pāda-yugalaḿ kamalopahārāḥ

 

nadyaḥ — the rivers; tadā — then; tat — that; upadhārya — perceiving; mukunda — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; gītam — the song of His flute; āvarta — by their whirlpools; lakṣita — manifest; manaḥ-bhava — by their conjugal desire; bhagna — broken; vegāḥ — their currents; ālińgana — by their embrace; sthagitam — held stationary; ūrmi-bhujaiḥ — by the arms of their waves; murāreḥ — of Lord Murāri; gṛhṇanti — they seize; pāda-yugalam — the two lotus feet; kamala-upahārāḥ — carrying offerings of lotus flowers.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the rivers hear the flute-song of Kṛṣṇa, their minds begin to desire Him, and thus the flow of their currents is broken and their waters are agitated, moving around in whirlpools. Then with the arms of their waves the rivers embrace Murāri's lotus feet and, holding on to them, present offerings of lotus flowers.

 

10.21.16

dṛṣṭvātape vraja-paśūn saha rāma-gopaiḥ

sañcārayantam anu veṇum udīrayantam

prema-pravṛddha uditaḥ kusumāvalībhiḥ

sakhyur vyadhāt sva-vapuṣāmbuda ātapatram

 

dṛṣṭvā — seeing; ātape — in the full heat of the sun; vraja-paśūn — the domestic animals of Vraja; saha — together with; rāma-gopaiḥ — Lord Balarāma and the cowherd boys; sañcārayantam — herding together; anu — repeatedly; veṇum — His flute; udīrayantam — loudly playing; prema — out of love; pravṛddhaḥ — expanded; uditaḥ — rising high; kusuma-āvalībhiḥ — (with droplets of water vapor, which are like) groups of flowers; sakhyuḥ — for his friend; vyadhāt — he constructed; sva-vapuṣā — out of his own body; ambudaḥ — the cloud; ātapatram — an umbrella.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the company of Balarāma and the cowherd boys, Lord Kṛṣṇa is continually vibrating His flute 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. He is rising high and constructing out of his own body, with its multitude of flower-like droplets of water, an umbrella for the sake of his friend.

 

10.21.17

pūrṇāḥ pulindya urugāya-padābja-rāga

śrī-kuńkumena dayitā-stana-maṇḍitena

tad-darśana-smara-rujas tṛṇa-rūṣitena

limpantya ānana-kuceṣu jahus tad-ādhim

 

pūrṇāḥ — fully satisfied; pulindyaḥ — the wives of the Śabara tribe; urugāya — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; pada-abja — from the lotus feet; rāga — of reddish color; śrī-kuńkumena — by the transcendental kuńkuma powder; dayitā — of His girlfriends; stana — the breasts; maṇḍitena — which had decorated; tat — of that; darśana — by the sight; smara — of Cupid; rujaḥ — feeling the torment; tṛṇa — upon the blades of grass; rūṣitena — attached; limpantyaḥ — smearing; ānana — upon their faces; kuceṣu — and breasts; jahuḥ — they gave up; tat — that; ādhim — mental pain.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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

 

10.21.18

hantāyam adrir abalā hari-dāsa-varyo

yad rāma-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa-sparaśa-pramodaḥ

mānaḿ tanoti saha-go-gaṇayos tayor yat

pānīya-sūyavasa-kandara-kandamūlaiḥ

 

hanta — oh; ayam — this; adriḥ — hill; abalāḥ — O friends; hari-dāsa-varyaḥ — the best among the servants of the Lord; yat — because; rāma-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa — of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; sparaśa — by the touch; pramodaḥ — jubilant; mānam — respect; tanoti — offers; saha — with; go-gaṇayoḥ — the cows, calves and cowherd boys; tayoḥ — to Them (Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma); yat — because; pānīya — with drinking water; sūyavasa — very soft grass; kandara — caves; kanda-mūlaiḥ — and edible roots.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this hill supplies Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, along with Their calves, cows and cowherd friends, with all kinds of necessities — water for drinking, very soft grass, caves, fruits, flowers and vegetables. In this way the hill offers respects to the Lord. Being touched by the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, Govardhana Hill appears very jubilant.

 

10.21.19

gā gopakair anu-vanaḿ nayator udāra

veṇu-svanaiḥ kala-padais tanu-bhṛtsu sakhyaḥ

aspandanaḿ gati-matāḿ pulakas taruṇāḿ

niryoga-pāśa-kṛta-lakṣaṇayor vicitram

 

gāḥ — the cows; gopakaiḥ — with the cowherd boys; anu-vanam — to each forest; nayatoḥ — leading; udāra — very liberal; veṇu-svanaiḥ — by the vibrations of the Lord's flute; kala-padaiḥ — having sweet tones; tanubhṛtsu — among the living entities; sakhyaḥ — O friends; aspandanam — the lack of movement; gati-matām — of those living entities that can move; pulakaḥ — the ecstatic jubilation; taruṇam — of the otherwise nonmoving trees; niryoga-pāśa — the ropes for binding the rear legs of the cows; kṛta-lakṣaṇayoḥ — of those two (Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma), who are characterized by; vicitram — wonderful.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear friends, as Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma pass through the forest with Their cowherd friends, leading Their cows, They carry ropes to bind the cows' rear legs at the time of milking. When Lord Kṛṣṇa plays on His flute, the sweet music causes the moving living entities to become stunned and the nonmoving trees to tremble with ecstasy. These things are certainly very wonderful.

 

10.21.20

evaḿ-vidhā bhagavato

yā vṛndāvana-cāriṇaḥ

varṇayantyo mitho gopyaḥ

krīḍās tan-mayatāḿ yayuḥ

 

evam-vidhāḥ — such; bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yāḥ — which; vṛndāvana-cāriṇaḥ — who was wandering in the Vṛndāvana forest; varṇayantyaḥ — engaged in describing; mithaḥ — among one another; gopyaḥ — the gopīs; krīḍaḥ — the pastimes; tat-mayatām — fullness in ecstatic meditation upon Him; yayuḥ — they attained.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus narrating to one another the playful pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He wandered about in the Vṛndāvana forest, the gopīs became fully absorbed in thoughts of Him.