Source
Texts:
Krishna
and Balarâma Meet the Inhabitants of
Vrindâvana
Text
1
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Then, as Râma and Krishna were living in
Dvârakâ, was there one day
[*]
an eclipse of the sun as impressive as the end of the day of
Brahmâ .
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Once, while Balarâma and
Krishna were living in Dvârakâ, there occurred a
great eclipse of the sun, just as if the end of Lord
Brahmâ's day had come.
Text
2
The
people knowing that beforehand, o King, came from everywhere to
the field of Samanta-pañcaka ['the five lakes' at
Kurukshetra] in the hope to benefit
therefrom.
Knowing
of this eclipse in advance, O King, many people went to the
holy place known as Samanta-pañcaka in order to earn
pious credit.
Text
3-6:
It
is the place where Lord Paras'urâma, the greatest wielder
of weapons, having rid the earth of its rulers, with the
streams of blood of the kings, created the great lakes [see
9.16:
18-19].
Bhagavân Paras'urâma to that, even though untouched
by karmic reactions, was as the Controller to instruct the
world in general of worship there like he was another [a
common] person wishing to dispel the sin. So came, o son of
Bharata, for the occasion a great number of people of
Bhârata there on a holy pilgrimage. The Vrishnis,
including Akrûra, Vasudeva, Âhuka
[Ugrasena] and others wishing to eradicate their sins,
went all to that holy place while Gada, Pradyumna and others
with Sucandra, S'uka and Sârana and the army commander
Kritavarmâ, remained for guarding at home.
After
ridding the earth of kings, Lord Paras'urâma, the
foremost of warriors, created huge lakes from the kings'
blood at Samantaka-pañcaka. Although he is never
tainted by karmic reactions, Lord Paras'urâma
performed sacrifices there to instruct people in general;
thus he acted like an ordinary person trying to free himself
of sins. From all parts of Bhârata- varsha a great
number of people now came to that Samanta-pañcaka on
pilgrimage. O descendant of Bharata, among those arriving at
the holy place were many Vrishnis, such as Gada, Pradyumna
and Sâmba, hoping to be relieved of their sins;
Akrûra, Vasudeva, Âhuka and other kings also
went there. Aniruddha remained in Dvârakâ with
Sucandra, S'uka and Sârana to guard the city, together
with Kritavarmâ, the commander of their armed
forces.
Text
7-8:
Like
effulgent vidyâdharas came they in chariots resembling
the seats of the gods, moving in waves with horses and
bellowing elephants and masses of foot soldiers. Resplendent
with their wives, with golden necklaces, flower garlands,
attire and armor, appeared they as supremely divine and
majestic on the road as the travelers of the
sky.
The
mighty Yâdavas passed with great majesty along the
road. They were attended by their soldiers, who rode on
chariots rivaling the airplanes of heaven, on horses moving
with a rhythmic gait, and on bellowing elephants as huge as
clouds. Also with them were many infantrymen as effulgent as
celestial Vidyâdharas. The Yâdavas were so
divinely dressed - being adorned with gold necklaces and
flower garlands and wearing fine armor - that as they
proceeded along the road with their wives they seemed to be
demigods flying through the sky.
Text
9
The
greatly pious Yâdavas bathing and fasting there, with
careful attention for the brahmins donated cows, garments,
garlands, gold and necklaces.
At
Samanta-pañcaka, the saintly Yâdavas bathed and
then observed a fast with careful attention. Afterward they
presented brâhmanas with cows bedecked with garments,
flower garlands and gold necklaces.
Text
10
In
the lakes of Paras'urâma as prescribed once more taking a
bath [the next day to conclude their fast], prayed the
Vrishnis, feeding the twiceborn sumptuously with the finest
food: 'Let there be our devotion unto Krishna.'
In
accordance with scriptural injunctions, the descendants of
Vrishni then bathed once more in Lord Paras'urâma's
lakes and fed first-class brâhmanas with sumptuous
food. All the while they prayed, "May we be granted devotion
to Lord Krishna."
Text
11
Then
did the Vrishnis, with Krishna as their exclusive deity, with
His permission eat, to their comfort sitting down in the cool
shade of the trees.
Then,
with the permission of Lord Krishna, their sole object of
worship, the Vrishnis ate breakfast and sat down at their
leisure beneath trees that gave cooling shade.
Text
12-13
They,
having arrived there, saw their friends and relatives, the
kings of the Matsyas, Us'înaras, Kaus'alyas, Vidarbhas,
Kurus, Sriñjayas, Kâmbojas, Kaikayas, Madras,
Kuntîs, Ânartas, Keralas and others as also
hundreds of allies and adversaries, o King, as well as their
friends, the gopas and gopîs headed by Nanda for so long
anxious [to see them].
The
Yâdavas saw that many of the kings who had arrived
were old friends and relatives - the Matsyas,
Us'înaras, Kaus'alyas, Vidarbhas, Kurus,
Sriñjayas, Kâmbojas, Kaikayas, Madras,
Kuntîs and the kings of Ânarta and Kerala. They
also saw many hundreds of other kings, both allies and
adversaries. In addition, my dear King Parîkchit, they
saw their dear friends Nanda Mahârâja and the
cowherd men and women, who had been suffering in anxiety for
so long.
Text
14
Seeing
one another embraced they, from the emotions with their hearts
and faces blooming as beautiful as lotuses, them tightly with
streams of tears, goose-pimpels and a choked-up voice
experiencing the greatest delight.
As
the great joy of seeing one another made the lotuses of
their hearts and faces bloom with fresh beauty, the men
embraced one another enthusiastically. With tears pouring
from their eyes, the hair on their bodies standing on end
and their voices choked up, they all felt intense
bliss.
Text
15
The women
seeing one another, with great eyes of purity filled with tears
of love, smiled with the greatest friendship and closed each
other in their arms pressing breast to breasts smeared with
kunkum paste.
The
women glanced at one another with pure smiles of loving
friendship. And when they embraced, their breasts, smeared
with saffron paste, pressed against one another as their
eyes filled with tears of affection.
Text
16
Next proving
their respects to their elders and receiving obeisances from
younger relatives, inquired they after their well-being and the
comfort of their journey and started they amongst each other to
talk about Krishna.
They
all then offered obeisances to their elders and received
respect in turn from their younger relatives. After
inquiring from one another about the comfort of their trip
and their well-being, they proceeded to talk about
Krishna.
Text
17
Kuntî
seeing her brothers and sisters and their children, as well as
her parents, her sisters-in-law and Mukunda, gave up her sorrow
as she talked to them.
Queen
Kuntî met with her brothers and sisters and their
children, and also with her parents, her brothers' wives and
Lord Mukunda. While talking with them she forgot her
sorrow.
Text
18
Kuntî
said: 'O respectable one, o brother, I feel myself frustrated
in my desires as indeed you all most saintly, didn't think of
what happened to me being so unfortunate [see also
1.8:
24]!
Queen
Kuntî said: My dear, respectable brother, I feel that
my desires have been frustrated, because although all of you
are most saintly, you forgot me during my calamities.
Text
19
Friends,
relatives - sons, brothers and parents even - do not remember
those belonging to them whom Providence is
unfavorable.
Friends
and family members - even children, brothers and parents -
forget a dear one whom Providence no longer favors.
Text
20
S'rî
Vasudeva said: 'Dearest, don't be cross with us, men are the
playthings of fate, for a person, acting on his own or directed
by others, is under the control of the Lord.
S'rî
Vasudeva said: Dear sister, please do not be angry with us.
We are only ordinary men, playthings of fate. Indeed,
whether a person acts on his own or is forced by others, he
is always under the Supreme Lord's control.
Text
21
Severely
troubled by Kamsa we all went away in various directions
[see 10.2.7
and 10.4];
only now are we by Divine ordinance brought back to our proper
positions, o sister.'
Harassed
by Kamsa, we all fled in various directions, but by the
grace of Providence we have now finally been able to return
to our homes, my dear sister.
Text
22
S'rî
S'uka said: 'All the kings there honored by Vasudeva, Ugrasena
and the other Yâdavas, found peace in the supreme ecstasy
of seeing Acyuta.'
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Vasudeva, Ugrasena and the other
Yadus honored the various kings, who became supremely
blissful and content upon seeing Lord Acyuta.
Text
23-26
Bhîshma,
Drona, the son of Ambikâ [Dhritarâshthra],
Gândhârî with her sons as also the
Pândavas and their wives, Kuntî, Sañjaya,
Vidura and Kripa; Kuntîbhoja and Virâtha,
Bhîshmaka, the great Nagnajit, Purujit, Drupada, S'alya,
Dhrishthaketu, and he, the king of Kâsi; Damaghosha,
Vis'âlâksha, the kings of Maithila, Madra and
Kekaya, Yudhâmanyu and Sus'armâ and Bâhlika
and others with their sons, and, o best of kings, many other
kings resorting under Yudhishthhira, were all amazed to see the
abode of S'rî, the personal form of S'âuri,
along with His wives.
All
the royalty present, including Bhîshma, Drona,
Dhritarâshthra, Gândhârî and her
sons, the Pândavas and their wives, Kuntî,
Sañjaya, Vidura, Kripâcârya,
Kuntîbhoja, Virâtha, Bhîshmaka, the great
Nagnajit, Purujit, Drupada, S'alya, Dhrishthaketu,
Kâs'irâja, Damaghosha, Vis'âlâksha,
Maithila, Madra, Kekaya, Yudhâmanyu, Sus'armâ,
Bâhlika with his associates and their sons, and the
many other kings subservient to Mahârâja
Yudhishthhira - all of them, O best of kings, were simply
amazed to see the transcendental form of Lord Krishna, the
abode of all opulence and beauty, standing before them with
His consorts.
Text
27
They then, duly
from Râma and Krishna having received proof of respect,
filled with joy, enthusiastically praised the Vrishnis, the
personal associates of Krishna:
After
Lord Balarâma and Lord Krishna had liberally honored
them, with great joy and enthusiasm these kings began to
praise the members of the Vrishni clan, S'rî Krishna's
personal associates.
Text
28
'O
master of the Bhoja's [Ugrasena], you've taken a birth
worthwhile among men in this world, because you repeatedly see
Krishna, who even by the yogîs is rarely
seen.
[The
kings said:] O King of the Bhoja's, you alone among men
have achieved a truly exalted birth, for you continually
behold Lord Krishna, who is rarely visible even to great
yogîs.
Text
29-30
His
fame as vibrated by the Vedas, the water washing from His feet
and the words of the revealed scriptures [the
s'âstric] thoroughly purifies this universe [see
also B.G.
15: 15];
by the touch of His lotuslike feet has, even though her good
fortune was ravaged by Time, the vitality of the earth awakened
and does she abundantly rain upon us all that we desire. With
your seeing Him in person, touching Him and walking,
conversing, lying down, sitting, eating, being married to and
connected as a blood-relative with Him, have you traveling the
[normally] hellish path of family life now found
Vishnu, the cessation [of the quest for], heaven and
liberation [see also 5.14
and 7.14].
His
fame, as broadcast by the Vedas, the water that has washed
His feet, and the words He speaks in the form of the
revealed scriptures - these thoroughly purify this universe.
Although the earth's good fortune was ravaged by time, the
touch of His lotus feet has revitalized her, and thus she is
raining down on us the fulfillment of all our desires. The
same Lord Vishnu who makes one forget the goals of heaven
and liberation has now entered into marital and blood
relationships with you, who otherwise travel on the hellish
path of family life. Indeed, in these relationships you see
and touch Him directly, walk beside Him, converse with Him,
and together with Him lie down to rest, sit at ease and take
your meals.
Text
31
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Nanda finding out that the Yadus with Krishna
going first had arrived there, went to see Him, accompanied by
the gopas with their belongings on their wagons.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: When Nanda Mahârâja
learned that the Yadus had arrived, led by Krishna, he
immediately went to see them. The cowherds accompanied him,
their various possessions loaded on their wagons.
Text
32
Delighted
to see him sprung the Vrishnis to life as if awakened from
death and embraced they him firmly, all exited with the
presence after so long a time.
Seeing
Nanda, the Vrishnis were delighted and stood up like dead
bodies coming back to life. Having felt much distress at not
seeing him for so long, they held him in a tight
embrace.
Text
33
Vasudeva,
beside himself of love overjoyed embracing, remembered the
troubles created by Kamsa because of which he had to leave his
sons in Gokula [see 10.3
& 10.5].
Vasudeva
embraced Nanda Mahârâja with great joy. Beside
himself with ecstatic love, Vasudeva remembered the troubles
Kamsa had caused him, forcing him to leave his sons in
Gokula for Their safety.
Text
34
Krishna
and Râma embracing their [foster] parents offered
Their respects and said, with throats filled with tears of
love, nothing, o greatest hero of the Kurus.
O
hero of the Kurus, Krishna and Balarâma embraced Their
foster parents and bowed down to them, but Their throats
were so choked up with tears of love that the two Lords
could say nothing.
Text
35
Raising
their sons on their laps holding Them in their arms gave the so
very fortunate two, he and Yas'odâ, up their sorrow
[of being separated].
Raising
their two sons onto their laps and holding Them in their
arms, Nanda and saintly mother Yas'odâ forgot their
sorrow.
Text
36
Rohinî
and Devakî next embracing the queen of Vraja with in mind
what she had done [for them] in friendship, addressed
her with throats full of tears:
Then
Rohinî and Devakî both embraced the Queen of
Vraja, remembering the faithful friendship she had shown
them. Their throats choking with tears, they addressed her
as follows.
Text
37
'What
woman can forget the unceasing friendship of the two of you, o
queen of Vraja; not even obtaining the wealth of Indra would do
to repay you in this world.
[Rohinî
and Devakî said:] What woman could forget the
unceasing friendship you and Nanda have shown us, dear Queen
of Vraja? There is no way to repay you in this world, even
with the wealth of Indra.
Text
38
Before
these Two could see their parents received They, residing with
the two of you as their parents, the education and affection,
nourishment and protection, my good lady; in the custody of you
saints, strange to no one and as good as eyelids to the eyes,
had They nothing to fear.'
Before
these two boys had ever seen Their real parents, you acted
as Their parents and gave Them all affectionate care,
training, nourishment and protection. They were never
afraid, good lady, because you protected Them just as
eyelids protect the eyes. Indeed, saintly persons like you
never discriminate between outsiders and their own
kin.
Text
39
S'î
S'uka said: 'The gopîs after so long a time seeing
Krishna, their object of desire - for seeing whom they'd curse
the maker of their eyelids [see 10.31:
15]
- all took with their eyes Him into their hearts to embrace Him
to their satisfaction and attained the ecstatic absorption that
even for the ones constantly engaged in meditation is difficult
to attain.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: While gazing at their beloved
Krishna, the young gopîs used to condemn the creator
of their eyelids, [which would momentarily block their
vision of Him]. Now, seeing Krishna again after such a
long separation, with their eyes they took Him into their
hearts, and there they embraced Him to their full
satisfaction. In this way they became totally absorbed in
ecstatic meditation on Him, although those who constantly
practice mystic yoga find such absorption difficult to
achieve.
Text
40
The
Supreme Lord approaching them more privately informed,
embracing them, after their health and said, laughing, this:
The
Supreme Lord approached the gopîs in a secluded place
as they stood in their ecstatic trance. After embracing each
of them and inquiring about their well-being, He laughed and
spoke as follows.
Text
41
'Dear
girlfriends, do you still remember Us, who intent on destroying
the party of Our enemies, for that duty stayed away so
long?
[Lord
Krishna said:] My dear girîfriends, do you still
remember Me? It was for My relatives' sake that I stayed
away so long, intent on destroying My enemies.
Text
42
Maybe
you hold Us in contempt suspecting that We'd put you out of Our
mind - but in fact is it the Supreme Lord who brings together
and separates the living beings.
Do
you perhaps think I'm ungrateful and thus hold Me in
contempt? After all, it is the Supreme Lord who brings
living beings together and then separates them.
Text
43
As
the wind bringing together masses of clouds, grass, cotton and
dust, again throws them apart, is likewise the Creator of the
living dealing with His beings [compare
10.5:
24-25].
Just
as the wind brings together masses of clouds, blades of
grass, wisps of cotton and particles of dust, only to
scatter them all again, so the creator deals with His
created beings in the same way.
Text
44
By
the love for Me that in good fortune developed on the part of
your good selves, have You obtained Me; and indeed is it the
devotional service to Me what leads the living to immortality
[compare B.G. 9.33].
Rendering
devotional service to Me qualifies any living being for
eternal life. But by your good fortune you have developed a
special loving attitude toward Me, by which you have
obtained Me.
Text
45
Like
the ether, the water, the earth, the air and the fire of
material things, o ladies, am I indeed inside and outside, the
beginning and end of all created beings
[see also e.g.
10.9:
13-14].
Dear
ladies, I am the beginning and end of all created beings and
exist both within and without them, just as the elements
ether, water, earth, air and fire are the beginning and end
of all material objects and exist both within and without
them.
Text
46
These
material entities, this manner indeed existing within the
elements of creation and [as well] as the
âtmâ [the Soul, self and person] in its own
true identity being pervase [to them], you should see
as both manifested within Me, that is, the Imperishable,
Supreme Truth [see also e.g. 1.3:
1,
3.26:
51,
10.59:
29,
B.G.
9.15
and siddhânta].'
In
this way all created things reside within the basic elements
of creation, while the spirit souls pervade the creation,
remaining in their own true identity. You should see both of
these - the material creation and the self - as manifest
within Me, the imperishable Supreme Truth.
Text
47
S'rî
S'uka said: 'The gopîs, thus with instruction about the
âtmâ being taught by Krishna, eradicated by
constant meditation on Him the subtle covering of the soul
[see linga, 7.2:
47
and 4.29]
and came to understand Him.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Having thus been instructed by
Krishna in spiritual matters, the gopîs were freed of
all tinges of false ego because of their incessant
meditation upon Him. And with their deepening absorption in
Him, they came to understand Him fully.
Text
48
They
said: 'With that what You said o Lord with the lotusnavel, we
wish that the minds of us, however engaged in household
affairs, are ever wakeful to Your lotus feet which, by the
great yogîs and highly learned philosophers kept within
their heart to meditate upon, are the only shelter to cross
over for those who fell in the dark well of a material
existence.' [see
also 7.5:
5, 10.51:
46,
7.9:
28,
7.15:
46]
The
gopîs spoke thus: Dear Lord, whose navel is just like
a lotus flower, Your lotus feet are the only shelter for
those who have fallen into the deep well of material
existence. Your feet are worshiped and meditated upon by
great mystic yogîs and highly learned philosophers. We
wish that these lotus feet may also be awakened within our
hearts, although we are only ordinary persons engaged in
household affairs.
*
According S'rîla Sanâtana Gosvâmî in
his Vaishnava-toshanî commentary would this event,
described in retrospect, have occurred after Balarâma's
visit to Vraja (10.65)
and before Mahârâja Yudhishthhira's
Râjasûya sacrifice (in 10.74)
as directly after the sacrifice the enmity within the Kuru
family, the exile of the Pândavas and the ensuing war at
Kurukshetra arose.
