Bhagavatapurana 10.35: atha pañcatriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

10.35.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
gopyaḥ kṛṣṇe vanaṃ yāte tam anudruta-cetasaḥ /
kṛṣṇa-līlāḥ pragāyantyo ninyur duḥkhena vāsarān //

1. Sri Suka said:— When Krishna was in the woods (tending the cows), Gopis, whose heart went after Him, sang of His sportful activities and spent the day in utter cheerlessness.

10.35.2

/0 śrī-gopya ūcuḥ
vāma-bāhu-kṛta-vāma-kapolo valgita-bhrur adharārpita-veṇum /
komalāṅgulibhir āśrita-mārgaṃ gopya īrayati yatra mukundaḥ //

2. Gopis said:— Gopis! When Mukunda inclines His left cheek to His left arm with dancing brows and, with His tender fingers on its holes, applies the reed to His lips and fills it with His voice,

10.35.3

vyoma-yāna-vanitāḥ saha siddhair vismitās tad upadhārya sa-lajjāḥ /
kāma-mārgaṇa-samarpita-cittāḥ kaśmalaṃ yayur apasmṛta-nīvyaḥ //

3. Celestial women, passing with their consorts through the air in their cars, listen to it (music) cast in wonder and, blushing to find their hearts struck with the arrows of Manmatha, stand confused insensible of their garments that get loose.

10.35.4

hanta citram abalāḥ śṛṇutedaṃ hāra-hāsa urasi sthira-vidyut /
nanda-sūnur ayam ārta-janānāṃ narma-do yarhi kūjita-veṇuḥ //

4. O what joy! What wonder!! Weak women, listen to this! When with smiles (like) wreaths of pearls and with streaks of

lightning (Lakshmi) permanently settled on His chest, this son of Nanda sweetly sounds His pipe, bringing delight to the afflicted,

10.35.5

vṛndaśo vraja-vṛṣā mṛga-gāvo veṇu-vādya-hṛta-cetasa ārāt /
danta-daṣṭa-kavalā dhṛta-karṇā nidritā likhita-citram ivāsan //

5. There flock in crowds, even from a distance, the bulls of Vraja, the deer and the cows, with their hearts charmed by the music of the flute, with half chewed mouth-fuls of grass between their teeth and listening with erect ears and stand as if in deep sleep (or) as painted animals.

10.35.6

barhiṇa-stabaka-dhātu-palāśair baddha-malla-paribarha-viḍambaḥ /
karhicit sa-bala āli sa gopair gāḥ samāhvayati yatra mukundaḥ //

6. When Mukunda puts on the guise of Mallas with tufts of peacock feathers of different colours and tender leaves, and, Oh friend, sometimes in company with Bala Rama and Gopas, invites the cows (to Him) by the music of the flute,

10.35.7

tarhi bhagna-gatayaḥ sarito vai tat-padāmbuja-rajo 'nila-nītam /
spṛhayatīr vayam ivābahu-puṇyāḥ prema-vepita-bhujāḥ stimitāpaḥ //

7. There indeed rivers cease to flow as if yearning after the dust on His Lotus feet borne by the breezes, shaking their arms (waves) in affection or with their waters stilled and they are like us possessed of poor merit.

10.35.8

anucaraiḥ samanuvarṇita-vīrya ādi-pūruṣa ivācala-bhūtiḥ /
vana-caro giri-taṭeṣu carantīr veṇunāhvayati gāḥ sa yadā hi //

8. When, like the first great Person Narayana with His heroic work hymned by His attendants (the gods or the Gopas), and in His eternal and unchanging splendour, He goes about the woods and calls the cows grazing on the mountain meadows each by her special name musically uttered on the flute,

10.35.9

vana-latās tarava ātmani viṣṇuṃ vyañjayantya iva puṣpa-phalāḍhyāḥ /
praṇata-bhāra-viṭapā madhu-dhārāḥ prema-hṛṣṭa-tanavo vavṛṣuḥ sma //

9. The wild creepers and trees bear in profusion blossoms and fruits with their branches bending under their weight, as if manifesting the all-pervading Lord Vishnu abiding in them and, bristling in intense affection, shower a rain of honey.

10.35.10

darśanīya-tilako vana-mālā- divya-gandha-tulasī-madhu-mattaiḥ /
ali-kulair alaghu gītām abhīṣṭam ādriyan yarhi sandhita-veṇuḥ //

10. When, with a charming Tilaka on His fore-head (the charming grace of the graceful), Mukunda appreciates the delightful and high-pitched music of the bees that are intoxicated with the honey of the Tulasi of divine fragrance in the Vanamala and plays on His pipe (in accompaniment),

10.35.11

sarasi sārasa-haṃsa-vihaṅgāś cāru-gītā-hṛta-cetasa etya /
harim upāsata te yata-cittā hanta mīlita-dṛśo dhṛta-maunāḥ //

11. Sarasa, Hamsa, and other birds of the lake, their hearts drawn away by the charming music, attend on Hari with their mind under perfect control—what wonder it is—shutting their eyes and contemplate Him in perfect silence.

10.35.12

saha-balaḥ srag-avataṃsa-vilāsaḥ sānuṣu kṣiti-bhṛto vraja-devyaḥ /
harṣayan yarhi veṇu-raveṇa jāta-harṣa uparambhati viśvam //

12. When accompanied by Bala and gracefully adorned with wreaths and flowers on His ears, O beauties of Vraja, Himself delighted, the Lord of eternal bliss stands (calling the cows) on mountain heights and fills the Universe with the music of His flute,

10.35.13

mahad-atikramaṇa-śaṅkita-cetā manda-mandam anugarjati meghaḥ /
suhṛdam abhyavarṣat sumanobhiś chāyayā ca vidadhat pratapatram //

13. (Then) as if afraid at heart of disregarding the venerable (Krishna), the cloud very gently roars, as if keeping time to the tune played by Him and serves Him as an umbrella over Him by his shadow covering his friend (Krishna) with a shower of flowers (flower-like spray).

10.35.14

vividha-gopa-caraṇeṣu vidagdho veṇu-vādya urudhā nija-śikṣāḥ /
tava sutaḥ sati yadādhara-bimbe datta-veṇur anayat svara-jātīḥ //

14. O Yasoda, when thy son, an expert in the various games of Gopas, places the reed between His beautiful lips and distinctly evolves His own varied and original tunes,

10.35.15

savanaśas tad upadhārya sureśāḥ śakra-śarva-parameṣṭhi-purogāḥ /
kavaya ānata-kandhara-cittāḥ kaśmalaṃ yayur aniścita-tattvāḥ //

15. There attend the great and wise gods, Indra, Siva, Brahma and others with their head and heart bent in reverence and listen to the music evolved in different pitch, but stand too confused to perceive its true character.

10.35.16

nija-padābja-dalair dhvaja-vajra nīrajāṅkuśa-vicitra-lalāmaiḥ /
vraja-bhuvaḥ śamayan khura-todaṃ varṣma-dhurya-gatir īḍita-veṇuḥ //

16. When playing, on His much praised flute, Mukunda of the noble gait of the lordly elephant, alleviates the pain caused to the Vraja tract by the hoofs of His charge, by means of His delicate footprints wonderfully marked with Dwaja, Vajra, Lotus, and Ankusa,

10.35.17

vrajati tena vayaṃ sa-vilāsa vīkṣaṇārpita-manobhava-vegāḥ /
kuja-gatiṃ gamitā na vidāmaḥ kaśmalena kavaraṃ vasanaṃ vā //

17. By that progress and by His sportful glances Manmatha's activity being kindled in us, we become trees and are deprived of the sense of our braid or garment.

10.35.18

maṇi-dharaḥ kvacid āgaṇayan gā mālayā dayita-gandha-tulasyāḥ /
praṇayino 'nucarasya kadāṃse prakṣipan bhujam agāyata yatra //

18. When, in some places, wearing a wreath of beads and a wreath of Tulasi of favourite perfume and, resting His arm on

the shoulder of His beloved attendant, He sings on the Venu counting the cows in His charge,

10.35.19

kvaṇita-veṇu-rava-vañcita-cittāḥ kṛṣṇam anvasata kṛṣṇa-gṛhiṇyaḥ /
guṇa-gaṇārṇam anugatya hariṇyo gopikā iva vimukta-gṛhāśāḥ //

19. The female mates of the deer with their heart fascinated by the sounds of His flute follow the Lord of Infinite Excellence and continue to be with Him, forgetting to return home like Gopis who have renounced all attachment to their homes.

10.35.20

kunda-dāma-kṛta-kautuka-veṣo gopa-godhana-vṛto yamunāyām /
nanda-sūnur anaghe tava vatso narma-daḥ praṇayiṇāṃ vijahāra //

20. When, having decorated Himself in quaint fashion with garlands of kunda flowers, surrounded by Gopas and His wealth of cows, O virtuous Yasoda, Nanda's son, thy child, sports in the Yamuna giving delight to His friends,

10.35.21

manda-vāyur upavāty anakūlaṃ mānayan malayaja-sparśena /
vandinas tam upadeva-gaṇā ye vādya-gīta-balibhiḥ parivavruḥ //

21. (Then) Vayu (the wind) eager to pay Him homage, cool and with sandal fragrance, blows gently and most agreeably; and the Gandharvas, acting as bards with their instruments of music and musical performances and offerings, stand round Him.

10.35.22

vatsalo vraja-gavāṃ yad aga-dhro vandyamāna-caraṇaḥ pathi vṛddhaiḥ /
kṛtsna-go-dhanam upohya dinānte gīta-veṇur anugeḍita-kīrtiḥ //

22. When the bearer of the hill, affectionate to the cows at Vraja (to us that are confined to Vraja), the great Brahma and others worshipping His feet on the way, returns at the close of day, collecting all the wealth of cattle and playing on His flute, His attendants singing His glory,

10.35.23

utsavaṃ śrama-rucāpi dṛśīnām unnayan khura-rajaś-churita-srak /
ditsayaiti suhṛd-āsiṣa eṣa devakī-jaṭhara-bhūr uḍu-rājaḥ //

23. Wearing the wreaths overset with the dust raised by the hoofs of His cows, here comes in the Great Lord of the stars, born of Devaki's womb, as a grand feast to the eyes even in His weary splendour, and as one eager to fulfil the wishes of His friends (ourselves).

10.35.24

mada-vighūrṇita-locana īṣat māna-daḥ sva-suhṛdāṃ vana-mālī /
badara-pāṇḍu-vadano mṛdu-gaṇḍaṃ maṇḍayan kanaka-kuṇḍala-lakṣmyā //

24. With His eyes swimming somewhat in excessive joy showing regard to His own friends, adorned with Vanamala, with His face a little pale like the ripening badara fruit and His tender

cheeks charming with the splendour of the gold ear-rings.

10.35.25

yadu-patir dvirada-rāja-vihāro yāminī-patir ivaiṣa dinānte /
mudita-vaktra upayāti durantaṃ mocayan vraja-gavāṃ dina-tāpam //

25. The Lord of Yadus comes in sublime strides, like the king elephant with a blooming face and like the moon at evening tide, to relieve the cows (inmates) of Vraja, from the endless heat of the day.

10.35.26

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
evaṃ vraja-striyo rājan kṛṣṇa-līlānugāyatīḥ /
remire 'haḥsu tac-cittās tan-manaskā mahodayāḥ //

26. Sri Suka said:—Thus the highly blessed women of Vraja, O king, sang the sportful activities of Krishna and delightfully spent their time during the day with their mind and heart given up to them.