In this beautiful forest, with its waters made crystal clear by the Autumn, and caressed by a breeze surcharged with the fragrance of beds of lotuses, Lord Krana entered deep, along with his cows and cowherds. While grazing the cattle, Krsna, in company of cow herds and Balarama, entered deep into the forests, the lakes, rivers and mountains wherein were resonant with the warbling of flocks of enraptured birds and hummings of bees; through the glades of trees adorned with their floral wealth; and he played charmingly on his flute.
When the damsels of Vraja heard froin a distance that enchanting music of the flute exciting erotic sentiments, some of them sung unto their friends the excellences of Kṛṣṇa, in his absence. Hardly did they begin to describe when, remembering his dalliance with them, they could not proceed, as their mind was distracted by the vehement force of passion. The cowherd women depict their mental vision of Krsna as he entered Vṛndāvana.
This visualization of Kṛṇa distracted the Gopis as mentioned in the above verse.) Possessed of a charming personality like an accomplished actor, graced with a crown of peacock feathers, his ears decorated by kargikära flowers, clad in garments (brilliant) yellow like molten gold, wearing the Vaijayanti wreath made of flowers of five different colours, (consisting of tulasi, kunda, mandāra, pārijāta and lotuses) filling the holes of his flute with the nectar of his lips and accompanied by the cowherds’ sing ing his glory, Krsna entered the Vṛndāvana forest, beautified with his foot-prints.
Kṛṣṇa wore a crest of peacock’s feathers and appeared as a forest-dweller with Karnikåra flowers adorning his cars. He rested his face on his left arm (his face was turned to the left). Breathing through the flute with appropriate histrionic movements of eye-brows and fingers, he made all the hosts of cowherds sing classical music (the Gandharva Veda as compiled by Bharata), and gave delight to all the creatures in the world. Listening to the music of the flute which bewitched and transported the hearts of all beings, all the women of Vraja embraced him mentally, as they were (each) engaged. in describing it.
The cowherd women sang : “This is the highest reward of being blessed with eyes; we do not know if there can be any greater felicity than this, Oh friends. Those only have enjoyed the fruit who have drunk to their hearts’ content (ni-pitam) (the charm) of the countenance of the sons of Nanda as they played on the flute, casting around their loving side-glances at the time of tending their cattle to the forest, along with their cowherd-companions. Picturesquely clad in garments intertwined with tender mango-leaves, with tufts of peacock feathers, and bunches of flowers (decorating the head), and wearing wreaths of lilies and lotuses, and singing and dancing freely sometimes in the midst of the group of cowherds, they (Krsna and Balarama) appeared exceedingly beautiful like actors on the stage.
Oh Gopis! What infinitely great meritorious acts must have been performed by this flute, in consequence of which it can freely enjoy to its heart’s content, the nectar flowing from the lips of Damodara (Krsna)-which is the legitimate monopoly of Gopts-and leaves but little to others; the rivers (which like mothers nourished with their waters the life of the bamboo of which the flute is made) which enjoyed a part of it, expressed their ecstasy with the blooming of lotuses. (like hair standing on their ends with joy). The bamboos (the parent of the flutelike righteous elderly people shedding tears of joy to find a great devotee of the Lord born in their family, shed drops of dew.
Oh friend! Vṛndāvana which has attained the splendid beauty of bearing the imprints of the lotus-feet of Lord Krsna, has enhanced the glory of the earth (far above that of the heaven). While seeing the rapturous dance of peacocks on hearing the music of Krsna’s flute, which they felt to be deep and low rumbling of clouds, all other animals on the hills stood motionless. Blessed are the female deer which though lacking in reasoning, capacity (due to their birth in animal species) offer, along with their mates, the black-antelopes, their worship to him with their loving glances, on hearing the music of flute played by the picturesquely dressed Krsna, the son (or delight) of Nanda (while our cowherd-husbands are too petty-minded to tolerate it, if we do the same).
Beholding Krsna, whose handsome appearance and amiable disposition were enhancing the delight of women, and listening to the enchanting music played upon by him, celestial damsels moving in the aerial cars (seated on the laps of their heavenly husbands) became infatuated under the spell of the god of love, and had the chaplets of flowers drop down from the braids of their hair, and the folds of their garments slip down and unsettled. And the cows quaffed, with goblets in the form of their ears raised erect, the nectar-like melodious music of the flute flowing from the mouth (i.e. the breath) of Kṛṣṇa, and the calves stood entranced and motion-less, holding in their mouth the mouthful of milk sucked from the flowing udders (of their mothers). Through (the medium of) their eyes, they embraced Govinda (Lord Kṛṣṇa), with tears of joy trickling from their eyes.
How wonderful! Oh mother! The birds in this forest must most probably be considered as sages, for (just as sages desirous of visualising Krsna follow different branches of the Veda, and perform the duties prescribed therein, without any desire for the fruits accruing from them), the birds are perching on the branches of trees covered with charming fresh foliage (without flowers and fruit obstructing Krana’s sight) in order to have complete (unobstructed) view of Kṛṣṇa with un-wink ing eyes, and to listen to the melodious music of the flute (with full absorbing attention), remaining speechless and oblivious to the external world (like sages happily absorbed in Krsna’s music or praise).
Listening to the music of Krishna with wrapt attention, even the (inanimate) rivers exhibited their passion for him, by the whirlpools which thereby diminished the rapidity of their currents (flowing to the sea, their Lord), and (under the pretext of) offering him the present of lotuses, they, with the arms in the form of waves, clasped the pair of his feet, as if to camouflage their act of embracing. Perceiving that in the heat of the sun, Krsna pastur ing the cattle of Vraja in company of Balarama and cowherds, and himself following them playing on the flute, the rain-cloud (due to Krsna’s being similar to it in complexion and dispel ling heat-like distress of the people) arose and out of overflow ing friendliness to him, spread out his body as an umbrella over them, and showered him with flowers (i.e. flower-like showers).
Perfectly accomplished of purpose are the Pulinda (including aboriginal and backward class) women who, after being overcome and distressed with passion at the sight of the saffron (colour) sticking to the blades of grass (as well as rocks and other places)-the saffron-paste originally applied to the breast of the Divine Consort (of Krana) and rendered still more charming by its contact with the reddish, lotus-like feet of the Lord of high renown (or whose glory is sung in the Vedas)-got cured of those pangs (of having a vision of Krsna) by smearing their faces and breasts with that paste. “Alas! Oh friends! Even this mount Govardhana is the foremost among the servants (devotees) of Lord Hari, inasmuch as it derives extremely high delight from the touch of the feet of Balarama and Krsna, and it receives them with respect, catering to their needs and to those of their (cowherd) friends and cattle, by offering fresh water, good grazing ground, caverns for shelter and edible bulbs and roots.
Oh friend! Of Kṛṣṇa and Balarama who tend their cattle from one forest to another along with their young cow herd friends, and characterised by carrying ropes (for tying hind-legs of cows when milking), and string-nooses (for controlling unruly cows), it is, however, wonderful that the sublimely sweet and melodious notes of their flutes cause motionlessness in mobile corporeal beings, and induce bristling with joy (which is a form of motion) among the (immobile). Trees.” While describing to each other such (fascinating) sports of the Lord who ranged over the forest called Vṛndāvana, the cowherd-ladies became completely absorbed in them (or in him).
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Categories: Bhagwat Puran, Krishna Avataar, Lord Krishna
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