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agre paSyaami tejo nibiDatara kaLaaya aavaLI lobhanIyam
pIyUsha aplAvita: aham tadanu tadudare divya kaiSora vesham
tARuNya Arambha ramyam parama sukha rasa AswAda romAncita angai:
AvItam nAradAdyair vilasat upanishat sundarI maNDalaiSca Nara 100.1
(Oh! kRushNa! I see a dark blue glow just in front of me. I am already sunk in the amRUtam! Look! In the middle of that I see the most beautiful form that is just entering the youth. See, he is surrounded by Narada etc whose hair stand up as they are enjoying the divine nectar. He is surrounded by those BEAUTIFUL LADIES. My kRUshNa is right in the middle! How lucky are those gopIs and how lucky are those Bhaagavataas? How blessed I am to witness all these.)
yogIndrANAm tvat angeshu adhika sumadhuram muktibhAjAm nivAso
bhaktAnAm kAmavarsha dyutaru kisalayam nAtha te pAda mUlam
nityam citta sthitam me pavana pura pate kRushNa! kAruNya sindho!
hRuttwA niSSesha tApAn pradiSatu paramAnada sandoha lakshmIm Nara 100.10
(Oh! kRushNa! Your lotus feet is the tender leaf of kalpaka vRuskham. (the beauty here is it will grant all the wish but will generate only those wishes that are perfect which the real kalpaka vRUksha is not capable of!)
YogIs consider as as the sweetest part of you kRushNa. That is the abode of realized souls. Oh! kRushNa, Guruvaayoorappa, ocean of compassion, may that lotus feet stay in my heart for ever and irradicate all the worries and nourish the 'parama Anandam' Please bless me with that Guruvaayoorappa.)
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ko vetti bhUman bhagavan parAtman yogeSvara UtI: bhavata: trilokyAm
kva vA katham vA kati vA kadeti vistArayan krIdasi yoga mAyAm 10.14.21
(O Supreme one! O paratman (the greatest atman) Your pastimes are taking place continuously in these three worlds, but who can estimate where, how and when You are employing maya shakti and performing these innumerable pastimes? No one can understand the mystery of how Your maya shakti acts.)
eka: tvam AtmA puruSha: purANa: satya: svayam jyotir ananta Adya:
nityo akSharo ajasra sukho niranjana: pUrna: advayo mukta: upAdhito amRuta: 10.14.23
(You are the unique Supreme Soul, You are the Supreme Purusha, the Absolute Truth - self-manifested, endless and beginning less. You are eternal and infallible, perfect and complete, without any rival and free from all bondage. Your happiness can never be obstructed, You are perfectly pure (i.e. not contaminated by maya) and death does not affect You. Indeed, You are the nectar of immortality.)
AtmAnam evAtmatayA vijAnatAm tenaiva jAtam nikhilam prapancitam
jnAnena bhUyo api ca tat pralIyate rajjvAm aher bhoga bhavAbhavau yathA 10.14.25
(One has to see you as the soul of the soul with knowledge. A person who mistakes a rope for a snake becomes fearful, but he then gives up his fear upon realizing that it was only a rope. Similarly, for those who fail to understand You, there exists this universe. But once they realize you; this universe disappears and one realizes that there is in fact nothing other than You. Sarvam vishNumayam jagat.)
ajnAna samjnau bhava bandha mokshau dvau nAma nAnyau sta Rutajna bhAvAt
ajasra citi Atmani kevale pare vicAryamANe taraNAu ivAhanI 10.14.26
(The concept of material bondage and the concept of liberation are both manifestations of ignorance. They cease to exist when one correctly understands that the atma (soul) is unique, free from nature (nature changes and aatma is eternal) and is perfectly pure and always fully conscious. At that time bondage and liberation no longer have any significance, just as day and night have no significance from the perspective of the sun.)
tvAm AtmAnam param matvA param AtmAnam eva ca
AtmA punar bahir mRugya aho ajna janatAjnatA 10.14.27
(Just see the foolishness of those ignorant people who consider ‘aatma’ to be the physical body and the physical body to be the self ‘aatma’. In fact you are the atma in every being. The ignorant people identify themselves with their physical body and thus differentiate between them selves and You. Such fools conclude that You are to be searched for somewhere outside, when in fact all they have to do is to look inward. What a sad state!)
athApi te deva padAmbuja dvaya prasAda leSAnu gRuhIta eva hi
jAnAti tattvam bhagavan mahimno na cAnya eko api ciram vicinvan 10.14.29
(My Lord, if one is blessed with an iota of grace of Your lotus feet, he can understand You and thus reach the truth. But without your grace; even those who strive very hard to attain you are unable to know You. O Lord! Please shower some of your mercy on us.)
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tad astu me nAtha sa bhUri bhAgo bhave atra vA anyatra tu vA tiraScAm
yenAham eko api bhavat janAnAm bhUtvA niSheve tava pAda pallavam 10.14.30
(My dear Lord, I therefore pray to be so fortunate that either in this life as Brahma or in another life, wherever I take my birth, that I may be counted as one of Your devotees. I pray that wherever I may be, even if I am born as a lowly animal; I be given the opportunity to tend to your lotus feet. May I take life in the midst of your devotees.)
aho ati dhanyA vraja go ramaNya: stanyAmRutam pItam atIva te mudA
yAsAm vibho vatsatarAtmaja AtmanA yat tRuptaye adyApi na ca alam adhvarA: 10.14.31
(O almighty Lord, how greatly fortunate are the cows and ladies of Vrindavana, for You have happily drunk the milk from their udders and their breasts (Krishna had taken the form of calves and gopaalas when Brahma has snatched them, and thus all the gopi’s and the cows had a divine opportunity to enjoy Krishna as their own sons/calves.) All the Vedic sacrifices performed from time immemorial up to the present day have not given You this much satisfaction. (The Lord is extremely pleased from this simple act because it was given with such pure unadulterated love.)
aho bhAgyam aho bhAgyam nanda gopa vrajaukasAm
yan mitram paramAnandam pUrNam brahma sanAtanam 10.14.32
(How greatly fortunate are Nanda Gopa and all the other inhabitants of Vraja! There is no limit to their good fortune, because the Absolute Truth, the source of bliss, the all perfect eternal Brahman, has become their near and dear one.)
eshAm tu bhAgya mahimA acyuta tAvad AstAm ekAdaSaiva hi vayam bata bhUri bhAgA:
etad hRushIka cashakair asakRut pibAma: SarvAdayo anghri udaja madhu amRutAsavam te 10.14.33
(The greatness and the good fortune of the inhabitants of Vraja cannot be conceived of; but even we the eleven presiding deities (headed by Shiva) over the indriya’s are constantly blessed. The senses of these Gopa’s and Gopi’s are the cups through which we enjoy the amRutam flowing from your Lotus feet. (We Indriya Devatas enjoy a part of your beauty the fragrance, taste etc; through the respective senses and organs of the inhabitants of Vraja. But, imagine how much more lucky are the inhabitants of Vraja who enjoy You through all their senses and organs at the once.)
tad bhUri bhAgyam iha janma kim api aTavyAm yad gokule api katamAnghri rajo abhiShekam
yat jIvitam tu nikhilam bhagavAn mukunda: tu adyApi yat pada raja: Sruti mRugyam eva 10.14.34
(My greatest possible good fortune would be to take birth in any form in this forest of Gokula and have my head bathed by the dust falling from the lotus feet of any of its residents. Their entire life and soul is dedicated to You, O Mukunda. Vedas and Vedic scholars search for the dust from your lotus feet and they have not found it yet. (This is from Brahma who is Veda personified.) So, he wishes to achieve it by being a grass in Brandaavan.
eshAm ghosha nivAsinAm uta bhavAn kim deva rAteti na: ceto viSva phalAt phalam tvad aparam kutrApi ayan muhyati
sad veshAdiva pUtanApi sakulA tvAm eva devApitA yad dhAmArtha suhRut priyAtma tanaya prANASayA: tvat kRute 10.14.35
(My mind becomes bewildered just trying to think of what reward other than You could be found anywhere? You are the very embodiment of all rewards, which You bestow upon Gopa’s and Gopi’s of Vrindavana. You were generous enough to give moksha to Putana and her family members (Bakasura and Aghasura) because she disguised herself as a devotee. So what can you give to these devotees of Vrindavana, whose homes, wealth, friends, dear relations, bodies, children and very lives and hearts are all dedicated only to You? Oh! kRushNa you offered yourself to them That is why they are going to cry later, ‘vismarttum naiva Saknuma:’ (Oh! Uddhava, we are not able to forget HIM!) - The peak of bhakti which makes one forget everything else other than the LORD!
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prapancam nishprapanco api vidambayasi bhUtale
prapanna janatAnanda sandoham prathitum prabho 10.14.37
(My dear master, although You have nothing to do with material existence, You come to this earth and take part in the worldly affairs only to give joy to your true devotees. What else can be the reson? DushTa nigraham can be done with your sankalpam itself, sitting in Vaikuntham. It does not ask for an incarnation.)
jAnanta eva jAnantu kim bahUkatyA na me prabho
manaso vapusho vAco vaibhavam tava gocara: 10.14.38
(There are people who claim that know all about You. Let them think that way. What is to be gained by talking about such people or their words? O my Lord, let me say this: As far as Your glories are concerned, they are all beyond the reach of my mind, body and words. If Brahma says so, where are we?)
anujAnIhi mAm kRushNa sarvam tvam vetsi sarva dRuk
tvam eva jagatAm nAtha: jagat etat tavArpitam 10.14.39
(My dear Krishna, I now humbly request permission to leave. Actually, You know everything; O omniscient one! You are the Lord of all the universes, and yet I offer this one universe unto You. So, should be our prayers. We are not doing anything. Whatever is given to us by HIM,we are offering. As Adi Sankara saysa in Soundarya lahari – twadIpai: vaagbhi: tava janani vAcAm stutiriyam)
SrI kRushNa vRushni kula puShkara joshadAyin kshmA nirjara dvija paSUdadhi vRuddhikArin
uddharma SArvara hara kShiti rAkShasa dhrug Akalpam Arkam arhan bhagavan namaste 10.14.40
(My dear SrI kRushNa, You bestow happiness (like the sun) upon the lotus like Vrishni dynasty and swell the great oceans consisting of the earth, the gods, the cows. You dispel the darkness of atheism and oppose the demons (like Kamsa) that have appeared on this earth. O You Supreme Lord, whom everyone including the sun worships, as long as this universe exists (brahma’s life span), I will offer my prayers unto You. All we have to do is keep HIM in our heart and enjoy everything that HE has made for us, offer that to HIM and that is the way to worship HIM.)
iti abhishthUya bhUmAnam tri: parikramya pAdayo:
natvA abhIshTam jagat dhAtA svadhAma pratyapadyata 10.14.41
(Having thus offered his prayers, Brahma went around Krishna three times (as a mark of respect) and then bowed down at His lotus feet. He then retuned back to his abode which is the Brahma lokam.)
After Brahma’s departure Krishna brought back all the missing cows and Gopa children who were stolen by Brahma. Even though a year had passed by on earth; the missing children did not realize this at all. This was of course due to His maya shakti. Krishna took his meal with other children and then returned to the vraj as usual. They saw the dead snake skin of aghAsura and played with it.
barha prasUna vana dhAtu vicitritAnga: proddAma veNu dala SRunga ravotsavADhya:
vatsAn gRunan anuga gIta pavitra kIrti: gopI dRug utsava dRuSi: praviveSa goShTham 10.14.47
(What a beautiful sight! The gopIs had been waiting for yugas (in fact morning till evening which is yuga for them! One who is craving will know what this means!) Lord Krishna's body was decorated with peacock feathers and flowers and painted with forest minerals; He played divine tunes with his flute and lovingly called out His calves by name. His cowherd boyfriends purified the whole world by chanting His glories. Thus Lord Krishna entered the Vraja, and the very sight of Him at once produced a great joy in the heart of all the gopi’s.)
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Adya anena mahA vyAlo yaSodA nanda sUnunA
hato avitA vayam ca asmAt iti bAlA vraje jagu: 10.14.48
(As the cowherd boys reached the village of Vraja, they sang, "Today Krishna the son of Yashoda and Nanda Gopa saved us by killing a great serpent!" Of course the snake had been killed an year before, but the boys remembered nothing about their captivity by Brahma and furthermore Krishna had showed them the corpse of the dead Aghasura and therefore they had no reason to believe other wise.)
King Parikshit asks a very pertinent question “Why did the inhabitants of Vraja love Krishna more than their own sons?” To the question Sree Sukar responds as follows:
sarveshAm api bhUtAnAm nRupa svAtmaiva vallabha:
itare apatya vittAdyA: tat vallabhatayaiva hi 10.14.50
(O King, for every creature, their own self is more valuable than anything else. In fact every other kind of love; love towards money, children etc is only because of ones selfish needs and it’s not an unconditional love.)
tat rAjendra yathA sneha: sva svakAtmani dehinAm
na tathA mamatAlambi putra vitta gRuhAdiShu 10.14.51
(For this reason, O kings, most people are self-centered; they are more attached to their own bodies and self than to their so-called possessions like children, wealth and home.)
dehAtma vAdinAm pumsAm api rAjanya sattama
yathA deha: priyatama: tathA na hi anu ye ca tam 10.14.52
(Thus for people who identify themselves with their physical body, O best of kings, their body is always more valuable than every thing else. (Sree Sukar is perhaps repeating this point just to stress the fact that we the dearest is whatever we see as aatma. Oh! Parikshit, see the kRushNa in everthing and enjoy the prema.)
tasmAt priyatama: svAtmA sarveShAm api dehinAm
tat artham eva sakalam jagat etat carAcaram 10.14.54
(Therefore it is his own self that is most dear to every living being, and it is simply for the satisfaction of this self that the whole material creation of moving and nonmoving entities exists.)
kRUshNam enam avehi tvam AtmAnam akhila AtmanAm
jagat hitAya sa: api atra dehi iva AbhAti mAyayA 10.14.55
(Oh! Parikshit, realize that kRushNa is the Atma every being. For the welfare of the universe HE has taken a physical form. He being the Atma of each being in vRaj, they love him dearer than anyone else and anything else.)
samASritA ye pada pallava plavam mahat padam puNya yaSo murAre:
bhavAmbudhi: vatsa padam param padam padam padam yad vipadAm na teShAm 10.14.58
(For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is famous as Murari, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf's hoof-print (vatsa padam). Their goal is Vaikunthha (param padam), the place where there are no material miseries and they no longer have to face obstacles at every step (padam padam). They enjoy the eternal bliss.)
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When Krishna and Balarama attained the age of pauganda [six to ten] they were allowed to take up the task of tending the cows. Engaging thus in the company of Their friends, the two boys rendered the land of Vrindavana most auspicious by imprinting upon it the marks of Their lotus feet.
tan mAdhavo veNum udIrayan vRuto gopair gRuNadbhi: sva yaSo balAnvita:
paSUn puraskRutya paSavyam AviSad vihartukAma: kusumAkaram vanam 10.15.2
(Sree Sukar describes the scene of Lord Krishna entering the forest to allow cows to graze: Lord Madhava is playing on His flute, surrounded by cowherd boys who are chanting His glories. He is accompanied by Baladeva. He kept the cows before Him and entered the Vrindavana forest, which was full of flowers and rich with nourishment for the animals. He wanted to sport with his friends in that rich forest. The forest was so divinely beautiful. Various sounds of birds and animals and humming of bees added a natural music. Smell of lotus flower was intoxicating. kRushNa started conversing his brother as if He was really surprised!)
Sree Bhagavan Krishna says to his elder brother as follows:
aho amI devavara amara arcitam pAdAmbujam te sumana: phalArhaNam
namanti upAdAya SikhAbhir Atmana: tamo apahatyai taru janma yatkRutam 10.15.5
(O greatest of Lords, just see how these trees are bowing their heads at Your lotus feet, which are worshipped even by the immortal devas.. The trees are offering You their fruits and flowers to eradicate their ignorance that has caused their birth as trees. Of course Balarama is the incarnation of AdiSesha. kRushNa is reminding him that now and sure enough, there is a master plan behind it!)
ete alina: tava yaSo akhila loka tIrtham gAyanta Adi puruSha anupadam bhajante
prAyo amI muni gaNA bhavadIya mukhyA gUDham vane api na jahati anagha Atm daivam 10.15.6
(O Adi Purusha! these all bees must be great sages and most elevated devotees of Yours, for they are worshiping You by following You along the path and chanting Your glories. Though You have disguised Yourself within this forest, O sinless one, they refuse to abandon You.)
nrityanti amI Sikhina IDya mudA hariNya: kurvanti gopya iva te priyam IkshaNena
sUktaiSca kokila gaNA gRuham AgatAya dhanyA vanaukasa iyAn hi satAm nisarga: 10.15.7
(O Lord, respectable one, these peacocks are dancing before You out of joy, these doe’s just like the Gopi’s are pleasing You with their affectionate glances. These cuckoos are honoring You with their sweet songs. All these residents of the forest are most fortunate that you have blessed them. Being great souls, they act the way they should.)
dhanya iyam adya dharaNI tRuna vIrudha: tvat pAda spRuSo druma latA: karajAbhi mRushThA:
nadyo adraya: khaga mRugA: sadaya avalokair gopyo antareNa bhujayo: api yat spRuhA SrI: 10.15.8
(This earth has now become most fortunate, because You have touched her grass and bushes with Your feet and her trees and creepers with Your fingernails, and because You have graced her rivers, mountains, birds and animals with Your merciful glances. But above all, You have embraced the young cowherd women between Your two arms - a favor hankered after by the goddess of fortune herself.)
That is kRushNa’s bRAtRu bhakti. He attributes everything to the greatness of His brother and the poor brother does not do anything other than admiring his dear little brother! Later Uddhava is going to sing glory to the dust from the gopIs and their songs–
vande nada vraja stRINAm pAdareNum abhIkshNaSa
yAsAm harikatha udgItam punAti bhuvana trayam 10.47.63
Only kRushNa knows the truth as HE IS THE TRUTH INCARNATE. Let us join the bhaagavata and sing -
dhanya dhanya vraja nAri dhanya ho
dhanya bRundAvan kunja dhanya ho
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Sree Sukar continues saying that in this fashion Sree Krishna along with Balarama and his friends continue to enjoy the beautiful forest around Vridavan while pasturing the cows on the river banks in the vicinity of the mighty Govardhana mountains.
kvacid gAyati gAyatsu madAndha Alishu anuvratai:
upagIyamAna carita: sragvI sankarShaNa anvita: 10.15.10
(The honeybees in Vrindavana become so mad with ecstasy (from the honey - both) that they hum the glories of the Lord; while the boys would sing the glories of our Lord Krishna. Sri Krishna who would be adorned by a beautiful garland, would be accompanied by his elder brother continued to enjoy and provide enjoyment to entire Vraja.)
megha gambhIrayA vAcA nAmabhi: dUragAn paSUn
kvacid Ahvayati prItyA gogopAla manojnayA 10.15.12
(Krishna would sometimes respond to this by making a voice as deep as the rumbling of clouds; He would call out with great affection the names of the cows who had wandered far from the herd, thus enchanting both the cows and the cowherd boys.)
nrityato gAyata: kvApi valgato yudhyato mitha:
gRuhIta hastau gopAlAn hasantau praSaSamsatu: 10.15.15
(Sometimes, as the cowherd boys danced, sang, moved about and playfully fought with each other, Krishna and Balarama, would laugh and applaud their activities.)
evam nigUDha Atma gati: sva mAyayA gopAtmajatvam caritai: vidambayan
reme ramA lAlita pAda pallavo grAmyai: samam grAmya vad ISa ceShTita: 10.15.19
In this way the Supreme Lord, whose soft lotus feet are personally attended by the goddess of fortune, concealed true self by maya shakti and acted like the son of a cowherd. Yet even while enjoying like a village boy in the company of other village residents, He often exhibited feats only a supreme would perform.
Once, some of the cowherd boys - Sridama, the very close friend of Balrama and Krishna, along with Subala, Stokakrishna and others - lovingly spoke the following words. “O Lords! Not far from here is a very great forest filled with rows of palm trees.”) WHEREELSE CAN ONE POUR THEIR DESIRES? TO THEIR DEAR (ATMA), RIGHT?
phalAni tatra bhUrINi patanti patitAni ca
santi kintu avaruddhAni dhenukena durAtmanA 10.15.22
(They continued: In that forest many fruits are falling from the trees, and many are already lying on the ground. But all the fruits are being guarded by the evil Dhenuka.) See, how the lord makes it so natural. Killing Dhenuka has become gopAlA’s wish now!
so ati vIryo asuro rAma he kRushNa khara rUpa dhRuk
Atma tulya balair anyai: jnAtibhi: bahubhi: vRuta: 10.15.23
(O Rama, O Krishna! Dhenuka is a most powerful demon and has assumed the form of a donkey. He is surrounded by many of his evil friends who have also assumed a similar shape and are just as powerful. For the boys, Rama and kRushNa are their dear friends. ‘Know the strength of your enemies before attacking them. We need the fruits.’)
How lucky are these boys to enjoy the lord like this!
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vidyante abhukta pUrvANi phalAni surabhINi ca
esha vai surabhir gandho viShUcIno avagRuhyate 10.15.25
(The boys continued by saying to Krishna & Balaram as follows: In the forest are sweet-smelling and delicious fruits that no one has ever tasted. In fact their sweet smell can be perceived even here. They wanted Krishna and Balarama to help them reach those wonderful tasting fruits. And of course Krishna cannot say no to his true devotees.)
evam suhRut vaca: SrutvA suhRut priya cikIrShayA
prahasya jagmatur gopair vRutau tAlavanam prabhU 10.15.27
(Hearing the words of Their dear companions, Krishna and Balarama heartily laughed and, desiring to please them, set off for the Talavana followed by Their cowherd dear friends.) Please don’t compare any human friendship with this. This is DIVINITY playing to get rid of the evil, the asura in the form of donkey.
Bala: praviSya bAhubhyAm tAlAn samparikampayan
phalAni pAtayAm Asa matangaja iva ojasA 10.15.28
(Krishna looked at Balarama. Lord Balarama entered the tAla forest first. Then with His two arms He began shook the trees with the power of a maddened elephant and caused the fruits to fall to the ground. This created such a big noise.)
phalAnAm patatAm Sabdam niSamya asura rAsabha:
abhyadhAvat kShiti talam sanagam parikampayan 10.15.29
(Hearing the sound of the falling fruits, the demon Dhenuka in the form of a donkey charged forward to attack, making the earth and trees tremble due to his might. Who dares to enter my zone? He charged on Rama and screamed like a donkey. Kicked with his hind legs.)
sa tam gRuhItvA prapador bhrAmayitva ka pANinA
cikShepa tRuna rAjAgre bhrAmaNa tyakta jIvitam 10.15.32
(But he stood no chance against the might of Lord Balarama, who carries the whole universe on his hood. He easily seized Dhenuka by his hooves, whirled him about with one hand and threw him into the top of a palm tree. The violent wheeling motion itself killed the demon! Such was the power of Lord Balarama.)
balasya lIlaya utsRuShTa khara deha hatAhatA:
tAlAS cakampire sarve mahA vAteritA iva 10.15.34
(Lord Balarama threw the demon onto the top of the tallest palm tree with such force that all the trees began shaking and striking against one another as if blown about by powerful winds.)
DhenukA’s kith and kins attacked Balarama and kRushNa. Like a child’s play, they got rid off them. Devas rejoice and showered flower. The whole land looked so colorful with palm tree tops, colorful heavenly flowers and the dead bodies of the asuras. The people vraj enjoyed the sweet tAla fruits (nongu) from that day onwards.
Oh! kRushNa, please accept our prayers too.
Offering this at the lotus feet.
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tam gorajaS churita kuntala baddha barha vanya prasUna rucirekshaNa cAru hAsam
veNum kvaNantam anugair anugIta kIrtim gopyo didRukshita dRuSo abhyagaman sametA: 10.15.42
(Lord Krishna's hair, colored with the dust raised by the cows, was decorated with a peacock feather and forest flowers. The Lord glanced charmingly and smiled beautifully, playing upon His flute while His companions chanted His glories. The Gopis were waiting to have a glance of kRushNa all day doing nothing. Suddenly they heard the sound of madana gopAl’s flute! The Gopis rushed forward to meet Him, their eyes very eager to see Him. Don’t they have to do their house chores? Well after kRushNa’s arrival, the only chore that gets done is GOSSIP about kRushNa!)
pItvA mukunda mukha sAragham akShi bhRungais tApam jahur virahajam vrajayoshita: ahni
tat sat kRutim samadhigamya viveSa goShTham savrIda hAsa vinayam yat apAnga mokSham 10.15.43
(With their beelike eyes, the women of Vrindavana drank the honey of the beautiful face of Lord Mukunda, and thus they gave up the distress they had felt during the day because of separation from Him. They cast sidelong glances at the Lord - glances filled with humilty and devotion - and Krishna completely accepted these glances as a proper offering of respect and entered the village. Each one read, “Oh! Gopi, I was just waiting for this.” In kRushNa’s smile.)
gata adhvAna Sramau tatra majjan unmarddana adibhi:
nIvIm vasitvA rucirAm divya srag gandha manditau 10.15.45
(By being bathed and massaged, the two young Lords were relieved of the weariness caused by walking to and from the forest. Then They were dressed in beautiful robes and decorated with exquisite garlands and pleasant smelling sandal-paste.)
janani upahRutam prASya svAdu annam upalAlitau
samviSya vara SayyAyAm sukham sushupatur vraje 10.15.46
(After dining sumptuously on the delicious food given to Them by Their mothers and being pampered in various ways, the two brothers lay down upon Their beds and happily went to sleep in the village of Vraja. Ha! The creator of the universe finally got to sleep peacefully.)
One day while Krishna was wandering about in near the Yamuna river without his elder brother. At that time the cows and cowherd boys were feeling acute distress from the blazing summer sun. Afflicted by thirst, they drank the water from the nearer loop of the Yamuna River. But it had been contaminated with poison from kALiya.
viShAmbha: tat upaspRuSya daivopahata cetasa:
nipetur vyasava: sarve salilAnte kurUdvaha 10.15.49
(Oh! greatest among the Kurus, as soon as they sipped the water all the cows and the gopAlA’s fell down life less by the side of the water. They were forced by the destiny/Lord. What else can I say?)
However Krishna the master of all Yoga’s felt great compassion for them (dead gopa’s & cows) for they had completely surrendered onto Him. He revived them back as before by His mere loving glance.
anvamamsata tat rAjan govinda anugraha IkShitam
pItvA viSham paretasya punar utthAnam Atmana: 10.15.52
(The boys realized that although they had died from the poison; they had come back to life only due to the loving grace of Sri Krishna. May this merciful Lord continue shower His grace on all His devotees!)
Oh! kRushNa, today we are also dead poisoned by various things, though we look alive. Please awake us.
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Sri Sukar said that kRushNa chased kALiya out when he realized that kALiya has made water in that loop unusable. (The LORD wanted to get rid of all the negativities from bRundAvan.. Sri Parikshit was not happy with this one line narration and so asked for the details and Sri Sukar continued.)
kAlindyAm kAliyasya AsIt hrada: kaScid vishAgninA
SrapyamANa payA yasmin patanti uparigA: khagA: 10.16.4
(Within the river kalindi [Yamuna] was a lake (loop) inhabited by the serpent Kaliya, whose fiery poison constantly heated and boiled its waters. The vapors thus created were so poisonous that birds flying over the contaminated lake would fall down into it.)
tam canda vega viSha vIryam avekShya tena duShTAm nadIm ca khala samyamana avatAra:
kRushNa: kadambam adhiruhya tato ati tungam AsphoTya gADha raSano nyapatad viShode 10.16.6
(Lord Krishna saw how the wicked Kaliya serpent had polluted the Yamuna River with it’s poison. Since the very purpose of Krishna avatar to rid this world of evil, the Lord immediately climbed to the top of a very high kadamba tree and prepared Himself for battle. He tightened the cloth around his waist, slapped His arms (as if preparing for the battle) and then jumped into the poisonous water from that great height.. Because of that force, the water in that loop rose so high – the one who carries all the three worlds has jumped in and so simple Archimedes princilple !)
tasya hrade viharato bhuja danDa ghUrNa vArghoSham anga vara vAraNa vikramasya
ASrutya tat sva sadanAbhibhavam nirIkShya cakshu: SravA: samasarat tat amRuShyamANa: 10.16.8
(Krishna began sporting in Kaliya's lake like an elephant - swirling His mighty arms and thus making various kinds of sounds due to the water splashing about. When Kaliya heard these sounds, he understood that someone was trespassing in his lake. The serpent could not tolerate this and immediately came forward to attack the Lord.)
tam prekShaNIya sukumAra ghanAvadAtam SrIvatsa pIta vasanam smita sundarAsyam
krIdantam apratibhayam kamala udarAnghrim sandaSya marmasu ruShA bhujayA cachAda 10.16.9
(Kaliya saw that Sree Krishna, who wore yellow silken garments, was very delicate, His attractive body was shining like a glowing dark cloud (ready to pour)..There was the mark of Srivatsa on that beautiful boy’s chest. His face smiling beautifully and His feet resembling the whorl of a lotus flower attracted and infuriated kALiya. The Lord was playing fearlessly in the water. Despite His wonderful appearance, the enraged Kaliya furiously bit Him on the chest and then completely enwrapped Him in his coils. (kALiya is expressing his devotion in his own way!)
tam nAga bhoga parivItam adRuShTa ceShTam Alokya tat priya sakhA: paSupA bhRuSArtA:
krishne arpitAtma suhRut artha kalatra kAmA duhkhAnuSoka bhaya mUdha dhiyo nipetu: 10.16.10
(When his friends the other Gopa’s, who had accepted Krishna as their everything, saw Him enveloped in the snake's coils, motionless, they were greatly disturbed. They had offered Krishna everything - their very selves, their families, their wealth, wives and all pleasures. At the sight of the Lord in the clutches of the Kaliya snake, they were overcome with grief and fear, screamed and thus they fell to the ground senseless.)
