Bhagavatapurana 10.30: atha triṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

10.30.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
antarhite bhagavati sahasaiva vrajāṅganāḥ /
atapyaṃs tam acakṣāṇāḥ kariṇya iva yūthapam //

Śrī Śuka said: / When the Lord suddenly vanished, the women of Vraja, / not seeing him, burned with sorrow like cow elephants [deprived of] their herd's leader.

1. Sri Suka said:—At the sudden disappearance of the glorious Lord, the women of Vraja, like she-elephants that miss their leader, were distressed at not finding Him.

10.30.2

gatyānurāga-smita-vibhramekṣitair mano-ramālāpa-vihāra-vibhramaiḥ /
ākṣipta-cittāḥ pramadā ramā-pates tās tā viceṣṭā jagṛhus tad-ātmikāḥ //

With their minds captivated by his gait, loving smiles, playful glances, / charming speech, and graceful pastimes, the enraptured women, absorbed in him, imitated his various actions.

2. Their hearts given to His coaxing glances and delightful conversations, His sports and frolics, the women, as if they were the Lord of Lakshmi, began to act like Him in various ways.

10.30.3

gati-smita-prekṣaṇa-bhāṣaṇādiṣu priyāḥ priyasya pratirūḍha-mūrtayaḥ /
asāv ahaṃ tv ity abalās tad-ātmikā nyavediṣuḥ kṛṣṇa-vihāra-vibhramāḥ //

With his beloved form imprinted upon their gaits, smiles, glances, speech, and movements, / those women, absorbed in him, their movements matching Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, proclaimed: “I am he!”

3. In gait, smiles, looks, speech and the like, the beloved Gopa women appeared to be possessed with their beloved Krishna

and exhibited in themselves His deportment and graceful activities, as they indentified themselves with Him, one saying to the other "I am Krishna," (am I not Krishna?)

10.30.4

gāyantya uccair amum eva saṃhatā vicikyur unmattaka-vad vanād vanam /
papracchur ākāśa-vad antaraṃ bahir bhūteṣu santaṃ puruṣaṃ vanaspatīn //

Singing loudly of him alone, gathered together, they searched from forest to forest like madwomen; / and they questioned the trees about the Person who, like space, exists inside and outside all beings:

4. Singing loudly of Krishna in companies they went about as if made, searching after Him through woods (from one to another) and inquiring of the trees about the Purusha (the Perfect Person) who like the sky is present in all creatures in and out.

10.30.5

dṛṣṭo vaḥ kaccid aśvattha plakṣa nyagrodha no manaḥ /
nanda-sūnur gato hṛtvā prema-hāsāvalokanaiḥ //

“Have you seen, O aśvattha, plakṣa, nyagrodha, Nanda’s son, / who has gone away stealing our minds with loving smiles and glances?

5. O Asvatha, O Plaksha, O Nyagrodha, have you seen Nanda's son who has stolen away our heart by means of His lovely smiles and glances?

10.30.6

kaccit kurabakāśoka- nāga-punnāga-campakāḥ /
rāmānujo māninīnām ito darpa-hara-smitaḥ //

Did Rāma’s younger brother, whose smile removes the pride of proud women, / go by this way, O kurabaka, aśoka, nāga, punnāga, and campaka?

6. O Kurabaka, O Asoka, O Naga, O Punnaga, O Champaka, did Rama's younger brother who by His smiles puts down the pride of proud women—did He go this way?

10.30.7

kaccit tulasi kalyāṇi govinda-caraṇa-priye /
saha tvāli-kulair bibhrad dṛṣṭas te 'ti-priyo 'cyutaḥ //

O auspicious tulasī, dear to Govinda’s feet, / was your most beloved Acyuta seen by you, bearing you along with swarms of bees?

7. O Tulasi, O auspicious One, so intensely attached to the feet of Govinda, did you see Achyuta, most beloved of Thee, often wearing thee with swarming bees?

10.30.8

mālaty adarśi vaḥ kaccin mallike jāti-yūthike /
prītiṃ vo janayan yātaḥ kara-sparśena mādhavaḥ //

Was Mādhava seen by you, O mālatī, mallikā, jāti, and yūthikā, / passing by and bringing you joy with the touch of his hand?

8. O Malini, O Mallike, O Jati, O Yutika, have you seen Madhava who, it appears, has gladdened you with the touch of His hand?

10.30.9

cūta-priyāla-panasāsana-kovidāra jambv-arka-bilva-bakulāmra-kadamba-nīpāḥ /
ye 'nye parārtha-bhavakā yamunopakūlāḥ śaṃsantu kṛṣṇa-padavīṃ rahitātmanāṃ naḥ //

O cūta, priyāla, panasa, āsana, kovidāra, jambū, arka, bilva, bakula, āmra, kadamba, and nīpa, / and whatever other trees live for the sake of others on the bank of the Yamunā, tell the path of Kṛṣṇa to us who are bereft of our life-breath!

9. O Chuta (Mango), Priyala, O Panasa, O Asana, O Kovidara, O Jambu, O Arka, (Aksha), O Bilva, O Bakula, O Amra, O Kadamba, O Neepa, let yourselves and those others who, like you, grow by the side of Yamuna for the benefit of others, tell us where Krishna is as we are separated from Him.

10.30.9.p1

kiṃ te kṛtaṃ kṣiti tapo bata keśavāṅghri- $ sparśotsavotpulakitāṅga-nahair vibhāsi &

What austerity have you performed, O earth, that you shine with the hair of your body bristling with the joy of touching Keśava’s feet?

10. O Earth, what great Tapas hast thou performed that thou shinest with thy hair standing on end for joy at the touch of Kesava's feet! Is it because of His setting His foot, just now, or as Trivikrama on Thy surface, or is it because of having embraced the Lord in the form of Varaha?

10.30.10

apy aṅghri-sambhava urukrama-vikramād vā % āho varāha-vapuṣaḥ parirambhaṇena //

Or is this born of the stride of the Wide-Striding One, or through the embrace of the Boar-bodied Lord?

10.30.10.p2

apy eṇa-patny upagataḥ priyayeha gātrais $ tanvan dṛśāṃ sakhi su-nirvṛtim acyuto vaḥ &

O wives of the deer, did Acyuta pass by here with his beloved, bringing great delight to your eyes with his limbs, O friends?

11. O deer, O friend, did Achyuta (the Lord) go over here with a love and giving joy to your looks with His graceful face and limbs? Here blows the fragrance of Kulapati Krishna's wreath of Kunda flowers sweeter with the Kumkuma on the bosom of His love in His embraces.

10.30.10.p3

apy eṇa-patny upagataḥ priyayeha gātrais $ tanvan dṛśāṃ sakhi su-nirvṛtim acyuto vaḥ &

Did Acyuta pass by here with his beloved, bringing great delight to your eyes with his limbs, O friends?

10.30.11

kāntāṅga-saṅga-kuca-kuṅkuma-rañjitāyāḥ % kunda-srajaḥ kula-pater iha vāti gandhaḥ //

For here wafts the scent of the kunda garland of the master of our race, tinged with the saffron from the breasts of his beloved through contact with her body.

10.30.11.p2

bāhuṃ priyāṃsa upadhāya gṛhīta-padmo $ rāmānujas tulasikāli-kulair madāndhaiḥ &

Resting his arm on his beloved’s shoulder and holding a lotus, Rāma’s younger brother, followed by swarms of bees intoxicated by tulasī,

12. O trees, did Balarama's brother go about these places, with one arm on the shoulder of His beloved one and a lotus in the other, followed by the bees attending on Tulasi, and blind in intoxication? Did He come here pleased to accept your prostrations with His loving looks?

10.30.11.p3

bāhuṃ priyāṃsa upadhāya gṛhīta-padmo $ rāmānujas tulasikāli-kulair madāndhaiḥ &

Resting his arm on his beloved’s shoulder and holding a lotus, Rāma’s younger brother, followed by swarms of bees intoxicated by tulasī,

10.30.12

anvīyamāna iha vas taravaḥ praṇāmaṃ % kiṃ vābhinandati caran praṇayāvalokaiḥ //

as he wandered here, did he, O trees, acknowledge your homage with loving glances?

10.30.13

pṛcchatemā latā bāhūn apy āśliṣṭā vanaspateḥ /
nūnaṃ tat-karaja-spṛṣṭā bibhraty utpulakāny aho //

Ask these creepers! Though embracing the arms of the lord of the forest, / surely, touched by his fingernails, they bristle with delight—ah!

13. O friends, ask these creepers (here); though they embrace the arms of their Lord Vanaspati, they are certainly touched by His fingers and hence they thrill with joy.

10.30.14

ity unmatta-vaco gopyaḥ kṛṣṇānveṣaṇa-kātarāḥ /
līlā bhagavatas tās tā hy anucakrus tad-ātmikāḥ //

Speaking such frenzied words, distressed in their search for Kṛṣṇa, / the cowherd women imitated the various pastimes of the Lord, absorbed in him.

14. Thus raving like mad men, the gopa women were bewildered in their anxious search for Krishna and, with their hearts taken up with Him, they imitated the various playful ways of the Lord.

10.30.15

kasyācit pūtanāyantyāḥ kṛṣṇāyanty apibat stanam /
tokayitvā rudaty anyā padāhan śakaṭāyatīm //

One woman, acting like Kṛṣṇa, drank from the breast of another who acted like Pūtanā; / another, acting as an infant and crying, kicked with her foot one who acted like the cart demon.

15. One of them acting the Krishna sucks the breast of another who acts the Putana; another as infant Krishna cries and some other as child Krishna kicks with the foot another who acts the Sakata.

10.30.16

daityāyitvā jahārānyām eko kṛṣṇārbha-bhāvanām /
riṅgayām āsa kāpy aṅghrī karṣantī ghoṣa-niḥsvanaiḥ //

One, acting like the demon [Tṛṇāvarta], carried off another who felt herself to be the child Kṛṣṇa; / another crawled about, dragging her feet with the jingling sound of ankle bells.

16. One as a Daitya (for the purpose) carries away another who behaves like the child Krishna; another walks on all the fours dragging the feet with jingling sounds.

10.30.17

kṛṣṇa-rāmāyite dve tu gopāyantyaś ca kāścana /
vatsāyatīṃ hanti cānyā tatraikā tu bakāyatīm //

Two acted as Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, while some acted as cowherd boys; / one slew another who acted like the calf demon, and another slew one acting like the crane demon.

17. Two Gopies are now Krishna and Rama and others Gopas; one strikes at another behaving like Vatsasura and another strikes at some one that acts as Baka.

10.30.18

āhūya dūra-gā yadvat kṛṣṇas tam anuvartatīm /
veṇuṃ kvaṇantīṃ krīḍantīm anyāḥ śaṃsanti sādhv iti //

Just as Kṛṣṇa called those [cows] who had wandered far, one woman imitated him; / sounding her flute and playing, the others praised her: 'Well done!'

18. One like Krishna shouts out for the cows at a distance and imitates Him and plays upon the flute and sports: others extol her with "Well done, well done."

10.30.19

kasyāñcit sva-bhujaṃ nyasya calanty āhāparā nanu /
kṛṣṇo 'haṃ paśyata gatiṃ lalitām iti tan-manāḥ //

Resting her arm on another's shoulder, one walked about and said: / 'Look, I am Kṛṣṇa, see my charming gait!'—her mind entirely absorbed in him.

19. A Gopi whose mind is given to Krishna places her arm on another and says "See, I am Krishna; how graceful is the gait!"

10.30.20

mā bhaiṣṭa vāta-varṣābhyāṃ tat-trāṇaṃ vihitaṃ maya /
ity uktvaikena hastena yatanty unnidadhe 'mbaram //

'Do not fear the wind and rain, protection against it has been made by me!' / Saying this, she exerted herself to lift up her upper garment with one hand.

20. “Fear not wind and rain, whence shelter is provided by Me,” so saying one tries to lift up (the mountain) with one hand but lifts up her garment.

10.30.21

āruhyaikā padākramya śirasy āhāparāṃ nṛpa /
duṣṭāhe gaccha jāto 'haṃ khalānām nanu daṇḍa-kṛt //

Climbing upon another and treading with her foot on her head, O King, one said: / 'Go away, wicked serpent! Truly, I have appeared to punish the vile!'

21. One treads on another’s head and, standing on her, O king, says, “O wicked one (serpent), get away; know I am here indeed as the punisher of the wicked.”

10.30.22

tatraikovāca he gopā dāvāgniṃ paśyatolbaṇam /
cakṣūṃṣy āśv apidadhvaṃ vo vidhāsye kṣemam añjasā //

There, one said: 'O cowherds, behold the fierce forest fire! / Quickly close your eyes; I shall easily bring about your safety.'

22. One says, ‘O Gopas, lo! the terrible wild fire. Shut your eyes at once: I shall see you all quite safe.’

10.30.23

baddhānyayā srajā kācit tanvī tatra ulūkhale /
badhnāmi bhāṇḍa-bhettāraṃ haiyaṅgava-muṣaṃ tv iti /
bhītā su-dṛk pidhāyāsyaṃ bheje bhīti-viḍambanam //

Bound to a mortar with a garland by another, a slender maiden / said: 'I am binding the breaker of pots, the thief of freshly churned butter!' / and terrified, with beautiful eyes, she covered her face, imitating fear.

23. Tied to a mortar with a wreath by another (who says, the breaker of pots and pilferer of butter do I tie down), one (as if) frightened shuts her mouth and trembles like one in fear.

10.30.24

evaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ pṛcchamānā vrṇdāvana-latās tarūn /
vyacakṣata vanoddeśe padāni paramātmanaḥ //

Thus questioning the creepers and trees of Vṛndāvana about Kṛṣṇa, / they beheld in a part of the forest the footprints of the Supreme Self.

24. Thus enquiring of the trees and creepers of Brindavana the whereabouts of Krishna, they noticed the foot-prints of Paramatman in a certain part of the woods and said:—

10.30.25

padāni vyaktam etāni nanda-sūnor mahātmanaḥ /
lakṣyante hi dhvajāmbhoja- vajrāṅkuśa-yavādibhiḥ //

'These footprints clearly belong to the noble son of Nanda, / for they are distinguished by the flag, lotus, thunderbolt, elephant-goad, barleycorn, and other marks.'

25. “Evidently these are the foot-prints of the high-souled son of Nanda, as they show the marks of Dhvaja, Lotus and Vajra, Ankusa, Yava etc.

10.30.26

tais taiḥ padais tat-padavīm anvicchantyo 'grato'balāḥ /
vadhvāḥ padaiḥ su-pṛktāni vilokyārtāḥ samabruvan //

Tracing his path by those various footprints, the distressed women, / seeing them intimately mingled ahead with the footprints of a woman, spoke together:

26. By every track of His foot-prints before them, they went on and on to find where Krishna was and, seeing those foot-prints side by side with those of a damsel, they felt sore at heart.

10.30.27

kasyāḥ padāni caitāni yātāyā nanda-sūnunā /
aṃsa-nyasta-prakoṣṭhāyāḥ kareṇoḥ kariṇā yathā //

'Whose footprints are these, walking with the son of Nanda, / her forearm resting upon his shoulder, like a female elephant with a bull elephant?'

27. And they observed to one another, ‘Whose foot-prints are these! Who is she that walked with Nanda’s son, resting His elbow on her shoulder like an elephant with his trunk on his consort?

10.30.28

anayārādhito nūnaṃ bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ /
yan no vihāya govindaḥ prīto yām anayad rahaḥ //

'Surely the Lord, Hari the Supreme Master, was fully worshiped by this woman, / since Govinda, pleased, has abandoned us and led her into secret!'

28. Certainly the Supreme Lord Hari is specially propitiated by her and so Govinda is pleased to take her apart having abandoned us.

10.30.29

dhanyā aho amī ālyo govindāṅghry-abja-reṇavaḥ /
yān brahmeśau ramā devī dadhur mūrdhny agha-nuttaye //

'Ah, blessed are these particles of dust from Govinda's lotus feet, companions! / Which Brahmā, Śiva, and the goddess Ramā place upon their heads to wash away sins.'

29. ‘O companions, highly blessed are these particles of dust under the lotus feet of Govinda, which indeed Brahma, Rudra, the Goddess Lakshmi wear on their crown for absolution from all sin.

10.30.30

tasyā amūni naḥ kṣobhaṃ kurvanty uccaiḥ padāni yat yaikāpahṛtya gopīnām raho bhunkte 'cyutādharam /
na lakṣyante padāny atra tasyā nūnaṃ tṛṇāṅkuraiḥ khidyat-sujātāṅghri-talām unninye preyasīṃ priyaḥ //

'These footprints of hers cause us great agitation, / since she alone, stealing him away from the cowherd women, savors Acyuta's lower lip in secret.' / 'Her footprints are no longer seen here; surely the beloved lifted up his darling / whose delicate soles were hurting from the sprouting grasses.'

30. ‘(But) These her foot-prints—greatly pain our heart to see, for, she, but one of us Gopis, has led Achyuta away and alone enjoys His kisses.

31. But here her foot-prints are not to be seen on the coarse grass; perhaps the beloved Lord has borne her on His shouder seeing that her tender feet were pained.

10.30.31

imāny adhika-magnāni padāni vahato vadhūm /
gopyaḥ paśyata kṛṣṇasya bhārākrāntasya kāminaḥ /
atrāvaropitā kāntā puṣpa-hetor mahātmanā //

'Look, cowherd women, at these deeper sunk footprints of passionate Kṛṣṇa, / carrying his bride, weighed down by her burden!' / 'Here the beloved woman was set down by the noble one for the sake of flowers.'

[(1) These foot-prints are deeper in impression as He bore the damsel, O Gopis; look at them how deep are the impressions, of the love-stricken Krishna under a heavy load? Here it appears He has set her down for the sake of flowers (for the purpose of putting flowers into her braid).]

10.30.32

atra prasūnāvacayaḥ priyārthe preyasā kṛtaḥ /
prapadākramaṇa ete paśyatāsakale pade //

'Here blossoms were plucked by the lover for the sake of his beloved: / look, these footprints are incomplete because he stepped on the tips of his toes!'

32. Here flowers are gathered by the Lover for His love; see how the feet are but partly imprinted where He stood on tiptoe.

10.30.33

keśa-prasādhanaṃ tv atra kāminyāḥ kāminā kṛtam /
tāni cūḍayatā kāntām upaviṣṭam iha dhruvam //

'And here the styling of the passionate maiden's hair was done by the passionate lover: / surely he sat down here while arranging flowers in his beloved's braid.'

33. Here indeed the Lover adorned the braid of His love; and certainly He must have sat here to decorate His beloved one.

10.30.34

reme tayā cātma-rata ātmārāmo 'py akhaṇḍitaḥ /
kāmināṃ darśayan dainyaṃ strīṇāṃ caiva durātmatām //

Delighting in his own self, satisfied in himself, whole and unbroken, he sported with her, / showing the subservience of lustful men and the cunning obstinacy of women.

34. Ever blessed and ever delighted in Himself (as He is), the Perfect Lord sported with her merely to illustrate to the world how wretched the love-stricken are and how wicked women's heart is.

10.30.35

ity evaṃ darśayantyas tāś cerur gopyo vicetasaḥ /
yāṃ gopīm anayat kṛṣṇo vihāyānyāḥ striyo vane //

Pointing out these signs in this way, the cowherd women wandered bewildered. / As for that cowherd woman whom Kṛṣṇa had taken into the forest, leaving the other women behind—

35. Thus illustrating the ways of women those Gopis wandered in bewilderment (with their heart centred on one object).

10.30.36

sā ca mene tadātmānaṃ variṣṭhaṃ sarva-yoṣitām /
hitvā gopīḥ kāma-yānā mām asau bhajate priyaḥ //

She then considered herself superior to all women: / 'Leaving behind the cowherd women who were pursued by desire, this beloved cherishes me!'

36. That Gopi whom Krishna had taken with Him, leaving others in the woods, now began to regard herself to be the most lovely of all the women and thought, "the beloved Lord prefers me to (all other) Gopis that love Him."

10.30.37

tato gatvā vanoddeśaṃ dṛptā keśavam abravīt /
na pāraye 'haṃ calituṃ naya māṃ yatra te manaḥ //

Going to a part of the forest, she became proud and said to Keśava: / 'I cannot walk any further; carry me wherever you wish!'

37. Touched with pride when in the woods she said, "I am not able to walk, please carry me whithersoever Thou listest."

10.30.38

evam uktaḥ priyām āha skandha āruhyatām iti /
tataś cāntardadhe kṛṣṇaḥ sā vadhūr anvatapyata //

Addressed in this manner, he said to his beloved: 'Climb onto my shoulder.' / And then Kṛṣṇa vanished; that young woman was filled with remorse.

38. Thus requested Krishna said to His love, "Mount on My shoulder," and at once vanished, and the damsel stood cast in grief.

10.30.39

hā nātha ramaṇa preṣṭha kvāsi kvāsi mahā-bhuja /
dāsyās te kṛpaṇāyā me sakhe darśaya sannidhim //

'Alas, my lord! O lover! O dearest one! Where are you, where are you, mighty-armed one? / To me, your miserable handmaid, O friend, reveal your presence!'

39. "O Lord, O Love, O most beloved, where art Thou, O Long-armed One, where art Thou gone, O friend, be pleased to bless me with Thy presence, I am Thy helpless servant.

10.30.40

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
anvicchantyo bhagavato mārgaṃ gopyo 'vidūritaḥ /
dadṛśuḥ priya-viśleṣān mohitāṃ duḥkhitāṃ sakhīm //

Śrī Śuka said: / Seeking the path of the Lord, not far away the cowherd women / saw their friend bewildered and grieving over separation from her beloved.

40. As they went on tracking the path of the Lord, the Gopis saw at no great distance their companion forsaken by the Lord, bewildered and distressed.

10.30.41

tayā kathitam ākarṇya māna-prāptiṃ ca mādhavāt /
avamānaṃ ca daurātmyād vismayaṃ paramaṃ yayuḥ //

Hearing her recount the honor she had received from Mādhava / and the humiliation [she suffered] due to her pride, they were filled with the greatest astonishment.

41. On hearing her tale how she enjoyed the regard of Madhava and how, through her own wickedness, she lost it, they were all highly astonished.

10.30.42

tato 'viśan vanaṃ candra jyotsnā yāvad vibhāvyate /
tamaḥ praviṣṭam ālakṣya tato nivavṛtuḥ striyaḥ //

Then they entered the forest as far as the moonlight was visible; / noticing that darkness had set in, the women then turned back.

42. Then again they advanced further through the woods so long as the moon was shining; seeing darkness setting in, the women retraced their steps.

10.30.43

tan-manaskās tad-alāpās tad-viceṣṭās tad-ātmikāḥ /
tad-guṇān eva gāyantyo nātmagārāṇi sasmaruḥ //

Their minds fixed on him, their talk of him, their movements imitating his, their selves absorbed in him, / singing only of his virtues, they did not remember their own homes.

43. Their hearts given to Him, they talked of Him alone; they imitated His sportful activities; they could not think of themselves as different from Him; they sang only of His excellent attributes; they did not think of their homes.

10.30.44

punaḥ pulinam āgatya kālindyāḥ kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāḥ /
samavetā jaguḥ kṛṣṇaṃ tad-āgamana-kāṅkṣitāḥ //

Coming once again to the sandy bank of the Kālindī, their thoughts wholly on Kṛṣṇa, / assembled together, they sang of Kṛṣṇa, longing for his arrival.

44. Again they went to the same sands in the bed of Yamuna, contemplated and sang of Krishna in chorus, yearning for His return.