॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
6 May 2023, Saturday - Srimad Bhagavatam X.a35 - The blessed Gopis spend their days thinking of Sri Krishna and singing his glories.
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This chapter is called Yugala Geeta. It is a song of prayer extolling Sri Krishna, sung by Gopis. You can listen to it here.
श्रीशुक उवाच
गोप्यः कृष्णे वनं याते तमनुद्रुतचेतसः ।
कृष्णलीलाः प्रगायन्त्यो निन्युर्दुःखेन वासरान् ॥
T: Sgae Shuka narrated: When Sri Krishna used to go every day to the forest to graze the cows, the Gopis couldn’t follow him physically. But their minds were totally immersed in him and they spent their days singing of his glories and sports to overcome the pangs of separation.
गोप्य ऊचुः
वामबाहुकृतवामकपोलो वल्गितभ्रुरधरार्पितवेणुम् ।
कोमलाङ्गुलिभिराश्रितमार्गं गोप्य ईरयति यत्र मुकुन्दः ॥
व्योमयानवनिताः सहसिद्धैर्विस्मितास्तदुपधार्य सलज्जाः ।
काममार्गणसमर्पितचित्ताः कश्मलं ययुरपस्मृतनीव्यः ॥
T: “Listen, oh, Gopi! When our beloved Mukunda rests his left cheek on his palm, pressing the flute to his lips, his eyebrows dancing, with delicate fingers playing to produce such lovely strains of music, the celestial women with their adept husbands travelling in aerial vehicles listen in wonder and yield to the mood of passion and even forget if their clothes or waistbelts are displaced!”
हन्त चित्रमबलाः शृणुतेदं हारहास उरसि स्थिरविद्युत् ।
नन्दसूनुरयमार्तजनानां नर्मदो यर्हि कूजितवेणुः ॥
वृन्दशो व्रजवृषा मृगगावो वेणुवाद्यहृतचेतस आरात् ।
दन्तदष्टकवला धृतकर्णा निद्रिता लिखितचित्रमिवासन् ॥
T: “Oh girls, his smile is brilliant like a necklace, his Srivatsa mark on the chest is like lightning. Nanda’s son saves the distressed, and delights all with his flute music! The cattle and deer stop chewing the grass, transfixed in joy, cocking their ears to the strains of the flute!”
बर्हिणस्तबकधातुपलाशैर्बद्धमल्लपरिबर्हविडम्बः ।
कर्हिचित्सबल आलि सगोपैर्गाः समाह्वयति यत्र मुकुन्दः ॥
तर्हि भग्नगतयः सरितो वै तत्पदाम्बुजरजोऽनिलनीतम् ।
स्पृहयतीर्वयमिवाबहुपुण्याः प्रेमवेपितभुजाः स्तिमितापः ॥
T: “Our Mukunda, wearing the peacock feather, Palasha leaves, and precious stones, sometimes looks like a wrestler! And then, he plays the flute such that even the Yamuna freezes in her flow, unable to reach him (like us) and so waiting for the wind to bring her the dust of his feet!”
अनुचरैः समनुवर्णितवीर्य आदिपूरुष इवाचलभूतिः ।
वनचरो गिरितटेषु चरन्तीर्वेणुनाऽऽह्वयति गाः स यदा हि ॥
वनलतास्तरव आत्मनि विष्णुं व्यञ्जयन्त्य इव पुष्पफलाढ्याः ।
प्रणतभारविटपा मधुधाराः प्रेमहृष्टतनवः ससृजुः स्म ॥
दर्शनीयतिलको वनमालादिव्यगन्धतुलसीमधुमत्तैः ।
अलिकुलैरलघुगीतमभीष्टमाद्रियन् यर्हि सन्धितवेणुः ॥
सरसि सारसहंसविहङ्गाश्चारुगीतहृतचेतस एत्य ।
हरिमुपासत ते यतचित्ता हन्त मीलितदृशो धृतमौनाः ॥
T: “As our Krishna roams the forest surrounded by his friends extolling him, he is verily Bhagavan, Adi Purusha! As he plays the flute to call out to the cattle on the hillsides, the trees and creepers bloom with such lovely, fragrant flowers, oozing nectar, perhaps after realising Bhagavan Vishnu in their hearts! The bees swarm abuzz around his divine-smelling Tulasi garland, and Krishna welcomes them with sweeter melodies from his flute! All the cranes, swans and other waterfowl approach him, mesmerised, appearing to be in deep meditation!”
सहबलः स्रगवतंसविलासः सानुषु क्षितिभृतो व्रजदेव्यः ।
हर्षयन् यर्हि वेणुरवेण जातहर्ष उपरम्भति विश्वम् ॥
महदतिक्रमणशङ्कितचेता मन्दमन्दमनुगर्जति मेघः ।
सुहृदमभ्यवर्षत्सुमनोभिश्छायया च विदधत्प्रतपत्रम् ॥
T:”Dear princesses of Vraja, did you notice how Sri Krishna’s music fills the mountainsides and makes even the clouds ecstatic, taking care to rumble softly lest they interfere in his music?”
विविधगोपचरणेषु विदग्धो वेणुवाद्य उरुधा निजशिक्षाः ।
तव सुतः सति यदाधरबिम्बे दत्तवेणुरनयत्स्वरजातीः ॥
सवनशस्तदुपधार्य सुरेशाः शक्रशर्वपरमेष्ठिपुरोगाः ।
कवय आनतकन्धरचित्ताः कश्मलं ययुरनिश्चिततत्त्वाः ॥
T:” Dear Yashoda, your son Krishna’s music is such that he plays a wide variety of tunes in different musical styles (Raagas!?) . The music is enthralling and yet beyond the understanding of even great minds full of Jnana like Brahma, Shiva, and Indra! They listen bewildered as well as enchanted!”
निजपदाब्जदलैर्ध्वजवज्रनीरजाङ्कुशविचित्रललामैः ।
व्रजभुवः शमयन् खुरतोदं वर्ष्मधुर्यगतिरीडितवेणुः ॥
व्रजति तेन वयं सविलास वीक्षणार्पितमनोभववेगाः ।
कुजगतिं गमिता न विदामः कश्मलेन कबरं वसनं वा ॥
T: “As Krishna moves like a royal elephant, his lotus feet, with divine insignia of Shankha, Chakra and Padma, heal the earth of her pain felt by the grinding of hooves of the cattle. And his gait and look at us drive us to great passion, and we are unmindful of our bodies and clothes!”
मणिधरः क्वचिदागणयन् गा मालया दयित गन्धतुलस्याः ।
प्रणयिनोऽनुचरस्य कदांसे प्रक्षिपन् भुजमगायत यत्र ॥
क्वणितवेणुरववञ्चितचित्ताः कृष्णमन्वसत कृष्णगृहिण्यः ।
गुणगणार्णमनुगत्य हरिण्यो गोपिका इव विमुक्तगृहाशाः ॥
T: “Beloved Krishna is keeping count of the cattle on his string of gems, as he wears his Tulasi garland. He rests his hand on his Gopa friend. See! The black female deer come and sit around him, looking just like us Gopis who have completely forgotten our own lives!”
कुन्ददामकृतकौतुकवेषो गोपगोधनवृतो यमुनायाम् ।
नन्दसूनुरनघे तव वत्सो नर्मदः प्रणयिणां विजहार ॥
मन्दवायुरुपवात्यनकूलं मानयन् मलयजस्पर्शेन ।
वन्दिनस्तमुपदेवगणा ये वाद्यगीतबलिभिः परिवव्रुः ॥
T: Oh, Yashoda, you’re sinless. So you begot this darling child Krishna, scion of Nanda. Wearing a jasmine garland, the beautiful Krishna is on the side of Yamuna, sporting with the cows and cowherds. The sandal-smelling breeze is honouring him. The gods stand around, singing his praises!”
वत्सलो व्रजगवां यदगध्रो वन्द्यमानचरणः पथि वृद्धैः ।
कृत्स्नगोधनमुपोह्य दिनान्ते गीतवेणुरनुगेडितकीर्तिः ॥
उत्सवं श्रमरुचापि दृशीनामुन्नयन् खुररजश्छुरितस्रक् ।
दित्सयैति सुहृदाशिष एष देवकीजठरभूरुडुराजः ॥
T: “Krishna, out of his love of everyone in Vraja, lifted the Govardhana and saved all the cows and cowherds. Witness his beauty as he stands surrounded by divine minstrels and Gopas singing his praises. His garland bears the dust raised by the cows!”
मदविघूर्णितलोचन ईषन्मानदः स्वसुहृदां वनमाली ।
बदरपाण्डुवदनो मृदुगण्डं मण्डयन् कनककुण्डललक्ष्म्या ॥
यदुपतिर्द्विरदराजविहारो यामिनीपतिरिवैष दिनान्ते ।
मुदितवक्त्र उपयाति दुरन्तं मोचयन् व्रजगवां दिनतापम् ॥
T: “Dear Krishna acknowledges the affection of his friends. He smiles, his soft cheeks reflecting lustrous ear-rings. His face resembles the lord of the night, Chandra! Krishna, the lord of Yadus, moves like a regal elephant, taking the cows back home from a hot day in the evening.”
श्रीशुक उवाच
एवं व्रजस्त्रियो राजन् कृष्णलीला नु गायतीः ।
रेमिरेऽहःसु तच्चित्तास्तन्मनस्का महोदयाः ॥
T: Sage Shuka said: ‘Thus, the women of Vraja, blessed to be so totally absorbed in Sri Krishna, spent their days singing of the pastimes and descriptions of Sri Krishna.”
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
