Chapter 35

In this chapter, when Krishna has gone to the forest, the gopis take
recourse of expressing in song their feelings of separation from
Him. In this manner they pass the daytime.

As the gopis' mood of separation becomes evermore intense, the

names, forms, qualities and pastimes of Sri Krishna begin to
spontaneously manifest in their hearts. They join together and sing
as follows: "the beauty of Krishna attracts the minds of all. When
He stands with His threefold-bending form and plays upon His
flute, the wives of the siddhas, who happen to be playing in the
sky, become attracted by Krishna, even though they are in the
company of their husbands, and they forget external reality. The
bulls, cows and other animals standing in the pasture appear
stationary like figures in a drawing, the grass remaining in their
mouths unchewed between their teeth. Even the unconscious rivers
become checked in their movement.

"Just see, when Krishna, although He is the Supreme Personality

of Godhead, dresses himself in forest array and calls the cows with
the help of His flute, calling them by their names-- syamali,
dhavali and so on-- even the trees and creepers then experience the
loving symptom of eruptions on their limbs and pour down their
sap as if it were torrents of tears. The cranes, swans and other birds
in the lakes close their eyes and stand bewildered. The range of
clouds in the sky gently rumbles in imitation of the vibration of
Krishna's flute, and even such great authorities in the science of
music as the chief demigods indra, siva and Brahma become
astonished, incapable of properly identifying this sound. And in the
same way as we gopis are anxious to offer everything we have to
Krishna, the wives of the black deer follow Krishna about in
imitation of us.
 "When Krishna is returning to Vraja, playing His flute constantly,
Brahma and all the other principal demigods come to worship His
lotus feet, while His young companions chant His glories."

Experiencing their separation from Krishna, the gopis thus sang

about His pastimes.

TEXT 1

sri-suka uvaca
gopyah krsne vanam yate
tam anudruta-cetasah
krsna-lilah pragayantyo
ninyur duhkhena vasaran

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami said: When Krishna went away during the day
to the forest, the gopis would unhappily spend the daytime singing
about His pastimes.

Sridhara Svami

In the thirty-fifth chapter, the women of Gokula, after Krishna has

gone to the forest, spend their daytime unhappily by singing the
pairs of slokas given in this chapter. Now, how those gopis who
during the night freely enjoyed themselves with Krishna, during
the daytime pass the day by singing out of separation for Him, is
described by the verse beginning gopyah. duhkhena means "with
difficulty."

Visvanatha Cakravarti
 In the thirty-fifth chapter, in twelve pairs of slokas, is described
how the gopis, having drunk the song of the Krishna's flute, pass
the day in separation from Him. The gopis' pure love, when the
moon was shining, bestowed upon them the coolness of direct
enjoyment with the Lord, and during the days gave the heat of
separation from Him. In this way their love manifested in two
different ways for the purpose of its own increase.

The gopis having thus during the night enjoyed the conjugal
association of their beloved, and having drunk the nectar of His
dancing, singing, jokes and the nectar of His lips, in this way
became immersed in the rasa of direct enjoyment. Now, during the
daytime, when they were able to associate with Him only mentally,
they could drink only the nectar of the songs of His flute, and thus
were immersed in the rasa of separation, as stated by the verse
beginning gopyah. Those whose minds were quickly moving
(drutani = vegena calitani), with Krishna, who was going to the
forest, as their aim.

TEXTS 2-3

gopya u`cuh
vama-bahu-krta-vama-kapolo
valgita-bhrur adhararpita-venum
komalangulibhir a`srita-margam
gopya I`rayati yatra mukundah

vyoma-yana-vanitah saha siddhair

vismitas tad upadharya sa-lajjah
kama-margana-samarpita-cittah
kasmalam yayur apasmrta-nivyah

TRANSLATION
 The gopis said: O cowherd girls, when mukunda rests His left
cheek on His left arm, when He contracts His eyebrows, places His
flute to His lips and causes it to vibrate, stopping its holes with His
tender fingers, at that time the demigoddesses traveling in the sky,
together with their husbands, the siddhas, become amazed. As they
listen, they are embarrassed to find their minds surrendered to the
pursuit of lusty desires, and in this distress they fail to notice that
the belts of their garments are loosening.

Sridhara Svami

The twelve pairs of verses beginning vama-bahu-krta-vama-

kapolah:

(Text 2) O gopis, He whose left cheek is placed (krta = arpita) on

His left arm, on the base of that arm. Lord mukunda, who makes
His brows dance (valgite = nartite). He whose flute is placed upon
His lips, and the seven holes of whose flute (margah = sapta-svara-
chidrani) are covered (a`sritah) by His tender fingers. When He
thus plays (I`rayati = vadayati) (that flute).

(Text 3) then the wives of the siddhas, traveling in the sky,

although in the presence of the siddhas, their own husbands, upon
hearing (upadharya = a`karnya) the vibrating of His flute, first of
all become astonished, and then give their minds up to the desires
of lust. In other words, they come under His (Lust's) sway. Being
embarrassed, they experience bewilderment (kasmalam = moham).
The symptom of this is stated, that they have forgotten
(apasmrtah= vismrtah) the belts on their dresses. Therefore how
can we (gopis) tolerate the separation of Krishna, who is like this?
this implied completion of the idea should be assumed in
connection with each of the verses of this passage.

Jiva Gosvami
 (Text 2) this chapter consists of statements collected from the
gopis as they were standing in different groups scattered here and
there. Thus we see differences in address, such as sometimes "O
goddesses of Vraja" (text 12), and sometimes "O pure lady, your
son, your darling" (text 20). This collection, however, is in definite
order according to the pastimes occurring in the morning and other
times up until the nightfall. Thus first, when on the way to the
forest He vibrates His flute, the ladies traveling in the sky
experience bewilderment, since they, being higher than everyone
else, are the first to perceive (the vibration of Krishna's flute), as
stated in the two verses beginning vama.

(Text 3) the use of the word "tender" is to express affection.

I`rayati means "impels to sing."

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Grazing the cows in the Vrndavana forest, and consoling the trees,
creepers, birds and animals of that place, who had been distressed
during the night with separation from Him, Lord Krishna plays
upon His flute in order to announce His arrival. When He does so,
the gopis experience the blazing forth of their transcendental
ecstasy as soon as they hear this, and, standing in groups, they
address their dear girlfriends, in the twelve pairs of verses
beginning vama.

O gopis, He who has placed His left cheek on His left arm, on the
base of that left arm. In that manner (of resting His cheek on His
arm) it is possible to facilitate the rising and falling of the song's
melody. And in the same way we should understand that He placed
the bottom of His right thigh upon His left thigh. thus, it is
implied, the Lord's three names as "charmingly bent in three
places," "having tilted neck" and "enchanting the three worlds"
became manifest. "Who is making His eyebrows dance," the
implication being that He did this in order to point out to subala
and the others who were standing in front of Him the fineness of
His song. The short ending (of the word bhru) is by poetic license
of the sages. When He places His flute upon His lip, or else, when
He gives it to His lip, how does He cause it to play? (With His
fingers) which are soft, much more tender than those of other
persons. According to the prescription of the samudrika (text on
palmistry), "hands which do not show the harshness of manual
labor," by His fingers, which were a little more hard than the rest
of His limbs, the seven tone-holes (sapta-svara-chidrani) of that
flute were covered.

At that time the siddha ladies, who were traveling in the sky, even
though together with their husbands, first of all, upon hearing the
vibration of the flute, became amazed: "ah, we experience such an
enchantment from this vibration of the flute, by which even though
we are chaste ladies we become bewildered." (and their husbands
thought) "Even though we are men, this flute makes us assume the
mentality of women and become bewildered." thus first of all the
(wives of the siddhas) became filled with bewilderment and then,
together with the siddhas, they became embarrassed. (the ladies
thought) "Certainly our husbands must be able to surmise our
transgression," and similarly (the men thought), "Certainly our
wives must be able to surmise our unmanliness." thus they became
embarrassed before their own husbands and before their own
wives.

And then, together with (those of) the siddhas, the minds of those
ladies became given over (samarpitani = dattani) to the pursuit of
desires of lust. Noting that Cupid's arrows, having Sri Krishna as
their object, were fixed at them, (the wives of the siddhas said),
"Our dear Sri Krishna, so many of these arrows of Cupid have
been sent toward us, aimed at our minds, so please immediately
break these arrows. We have already given up as dead our
faithfulness to our husbands." (and the men said) "We have already
abandoned our manhood and our status as demigods, having
announced 'may Krishna kindly enjoy with us,' and we have shown
how (our minds) are offered to Him by saying, 'may Krishna
immediately by His mystic power turn us into cowherd women and
enjoy with us'."

And thus, together with the siddhas, they attained kasmalam, that
is to say, by the torment of the arrows of Cupid they became
stunned (moham = murcham). While experiencing this
bewilderment they spoke as described above. They were no longer
aware (apasmrta = na smrta) of the belts of their garments, even
though they were slipping. "together with the siddhas" means that
(also their husbands') knots upon their garments were becoming
loosened, as well as the knots in their hair. The lack of the proper
ending of the compound here (in the word nivyah) is poetic license
of the sages.

The subtle implication is "if the demigoddesses and even the

demigods unprecedentedly experience such a condition, then why
are we-- who are human beings, and moreover cowherd girls, and
furthermore living in the same city as Him, and even more having
already had His intimate association-- standing here without His
company? therefore let us rise, my dear girlfriends, and even if we
see our (relatives') foreheads burning"-- by which the gopis show
their contempt for their husbands, sisters-in-law and so forth-- "on
some pretext we shall go into the Vrndavana forest and enjoy with
the beloved of our life." this implied idea should be understood as
carried over to the end of each pair of slokas.

TEXTS 4-5

hanta citram abalah srnutedam

hara-hasa urasi sthira-vidyut
nanda-sunur ayam a`rta-jananam
narma-do yarhi kujita-venuh
 vrndaso vraja-vrsa mrga-gavo
venu-vadya-hrta-cetasa a`rat
danta-dasta-kavala dhrta-karna
nidrita likhita-citram ivasan

TRANSLATION

Just hear, dear girls, this astonishing wonder. When the son of
nanda, the giver of happy relief to the troubled, the Lord whose
smile shines brilliantly like a jewelled necklace and whose chest
exhibits the goddess of fortune like a stationary bolt of lightning,
plays His flute, the bulls left back in the village and also the deer
and the cows, standing in groups at a great distance, are all stunned
by the musical performance. They keep the food in their mouths
between their teeth without swallowing and lift their ears high,
thus appearing asleep or like still figures in a painting.

Sridhara Svami

(Text 4) O (hanta = He) girls, just hear this amazing thing. He

whose smile is brilliantly clear like a jeweled necklace, or else, He
whose smile is showing on His necklaces, because while He is
smiling He is bending His head downward to play His flute. Or
else, whose smile is casting its effulgence upon His chest just like
a necklace. Or else, whose necklaces are shining brilliantly just
like a smile. The words beginning urasi: He upon whose chest the
goddess of fortune stands just like lightning. When (yarhi = yada)
His flute is vibrated (kujita-venuh = nadita-venuh).

(Text 5) at that time the bulls, deer and also the cows in Vraja
have their minds stolen away by the playing of the flute. Even
though they are far away (a`rat = durat), they are biting the morsels
of food in their mouths with their teeth (not swallowing them), and
they are holding up their extended ears. they have become as if
asleep and just like drawn characatures. indeed this is very
wonderful for such ignorant animals.

Jiva Gosvami

And then, while going toward the forest, He played His flute in
order to bring together the cows and the cowherd boys. Thus, what
to speak of others, even the animals became bewildered, as the
gopis describe in the two verses beginning hanta. They indirectly
refer to Laksmi, who is present as a line upon His chest. They refer
to her indirectly by the words "steady lightning," but because of
her being so famous, they do not (need to) openly mention her.

(Text 5) the bulls who are being kept locked up in the cow
pasture; by connection with such bulls other animals are also
implied. But even those who are asleep may exhibit some slight
movement, in reply to which another example is stated by the
words beginning likhita: the use of the word "drawn" indicates that
this is even more amazing than images which are engraved. the
use of the singular form here is with the idea that they are sharing
the same mood.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

What to speak of the wives of the demigods, who are the most
expert practitioners of social niceties, just hear how even the
foolish animals became bewildered, as other gopis state: ah, this is
wonderful, more amazing than the most amazing thing. The phrase
"O weak girls (abalah)" implies that from the beginning Krishna
has stolen away your strength of chastity toward your husbands.
On whose chest, which is compared to a cloud because upon it
shows a smile like wisps of fog (haranam = balakanam). and upon
which cloud-like chest the line representing Laksmi is present as
an unmoving bolt of lightning. And thus it is implied that by this
cloud of Krishna's chest, decorated with the wisps of fog and the
lightning, the sunlight of your faithfulness toward your husbands
has become obscured. Therefore He has created for you distressed
persons joking, meaning ridicule by everyone.

When? When His flute is vibrated. Simply by hearing the

reverberation of His flute, you gopis become the objects of ridicule
of everyone, since the knots of your belts and of the garlands in
your hair become loosened, and you become insane. But what to
speak of humans like yourselves, even the animals become stunned
by the vibration of the flute, as they state: Vrndasah means in their
particular groups. The bulls remaining in the cowherd pasture and
the deer and cows standing in the forest were biting with their teeth
the morsels of grass in their mouths; this means that while biting
the grass with their teeth, even before swallowing this the vibration
of the flute, which had just begun, forcibly entered their bodies
through the path of their ears, rather than their mouthfuls of grass
entering their bodies through the path of their mouths. Thus they
held up their ears stretched high, and in this way their minds were
stolen away by Him.

Therefore, because none of their senses were functioning, they

appeared as if asleep, and since their condition of standing still
with the morsels of grass still being chewed by their teeth did not
cease, it is implied that neither did they fall down on the ground.
And then, as the sancari ecstasy of "being stunned" became even
stronger, and they became most stunned, they stood still like
statues and even their breathing becoming almost completely
stilled. Thus they acquired the further comparison of being like
drawn images.

More specifically, the word likhita is used to express the extreme

wonderfulness of this, since pictures which are drawn inspire more
wonder than those that are etched. This is a subtle implication of
the rasa of "astonishment," with the idea that "some wonderful
artist has drawn these pictures on the canvas of the sky."
 TEXTS 6-7

barhina-stabaka-dhatu-palasair
baddha-malla-paribarha-vidambah
karhicit sa-bala a`li sa gopair
gah samahvayati yatra mukundah

tarhi bhagna-gatayah sarito vai

tat-padambuja-rajo 'nila-nitam
sprhayatir vayam ivabahu-punyah
prema-vepita-bhujah stimitapah

TRANSLATION

When mukunda, dressed in the style of a wrestler with peacock

feathers, colored minerals and leaves, and accompanied, my dear
gopi, by Balarama and the other cowherd boys, calls the cows, then
all the rivers lose their momentum. Although eagerly hankering for
the wind to bring them the dust of Krishna's lotus feet, these rivers
are, sorry to say, no more fortunate than us cowherd girls. Thus
they remain with their currents stunned and their waves merely
trembling.

Sridhara Svami

(Text 6) Furthermore, there is even a more wonderful appearance

among the rivers, who lack even consciousness, as the gopis state:
O friend (a`li = sakhi), He, mukunda, is imitating (vidambayati =
anukaroti) the dressing (paribarha = parikara) of wrestlers, His
attire arranged with peacock feathers (barhina = mayura and
stabaka = piccha), minerals such as red earth and also leaves. Thus
He appears in the company of the cowherd boys. "Playing His
flute," as stated above, should be understood to be also implied
here. When (yatra = yada) He calls the cows.
 (Text 7) then (tarhi = tada), upon hearing that vibration, the rivers'
currents become broken as if they were hankering after the dust of
His lotus feet, which is being carried to them by the wind. The
word vai indicates certainty. Just as ourselves, they (the rivers) are
insufficiently pious, because they do not attain (the dust of
Krishna's lotus feet). Rather the arms of their waves are simply
shivering out of love, and their water becomes motionless (stimita
= niscala). This indicates that also in the eyes of the gopis there
was motionless water (teardrops which were not falling).

Jiva Gosvami

And then, when He had entered the forest, decorated himself with
forest ornaments and gone to a place a distance down the river
where there were many ponds in order to give the cows their first
watering of the day, He played on His flute in a special way to call
the cows, and by this even the rivers themselves experienced a
rising of special ecstasy and became bewildered, as stated in this
pair of verses.

(Text 6) the word barhina (in the compound barhina-stabaka) is

the secondary element of the compound (being the first word),
according to the injunction "the instrumental case expresses the
idea 'together with'."

It is to be understood that in order to fortify Sri Krishna's vibrating

of His flute, sri Baladeva and the others also played on their flutes,
which further implies that the awakening of ecstasy on the part of
the rivers was focused exclusively upon Sri Krishna. At that time
the rivers, understanding their inability to attain Him in any other
manner, were seen as simply hankering for the wind to bring them
a single particle of the dust (of His lotus feet).
 (Text 7) Because they are seen to have their movements checked,
their currents being stopped; thus the rivers appearing in this way
are lacking in pious credits just like us, on account of having not
attained Him. They appear as having insufficient good karma. The
implied idea is that just like ourselves they also have but little
opportunity to associate with Krishna because of the countless
different categories of devotees, intimate and otherwise, who share
in Sri Krishna's pastimes. So rather they are seen first of all as
standing with their waves, just like outstretched hands, trembling
out of the loving desire to attain the dust of (His lotus feet). And
after that their waters become motionless; they exhibit no waves,
or in other words, their motion is checked. This is the sequence of
ideas for the purpose of the analogy, but the factual sequence is
that first they came into contact with that sound (of His flute), next
their currents became stunned, after that they exhibited movement
only by their waves, and after that even that stopped.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

What to speak of conscious beings such as the bulls and deer, just
hear how even unconscious beings become stunned by hearing the
flute, as other gopis state. The feathers (stabaka = picchani) of a
peacock (barhinasya = mayurasya). Or else, the word barhina by
itself indicates "peacock feathers," and stabaka are bunches of
flowers. With these, together with minerals such as red earth, and
also leaves, there is arranged the attire of wrestlers, which He is
imitating, or, it may be said, ridiculing with His own beauty.

Together with Lord Baladeva, that Lord mukunda was

accompanied by the cowherd boys. When (yatra = yada) He calls
the cows by their names, "hey Kalindi, Ganga, sarasvati," then the
rivers-- the Yamuna, manasa-ganga, sarasvati and other rivers
present in Vraja-- even though they are unconscious, attain
consciousness, thinking, "ah, ah, just see our great fortune, by
which He is calling us for the purpose of bathing in us and diving
into our water. So let us go from here to where He is, breaking our
shorelines with our fierce currents." although they were thus eager
to go to the place where Krishna was, their movements were
checked, meaning that because of the stunned condition of their
extreme ecstasy, they were checked even from their normal
movement, and they experienced the stoppage of their flowing.
Such is the implied completion of the statement.

The hidden implication is that their worldly progress was spoiled

(bhagna = nasta) because of failing to attain the happiness of
physical association with Krishna, and also because of the ridicule
heaped upon them by the other rivers, and in addition their
progress in the next world was spoiled because of their loss of
chastity toward their husbands. Thus the thought implied is, "Just
see their misfortune." But this is to some extent good fortune also,
as the gopis state, that they (the rivers) were hankering for the dust
of His lotus feet, which was brought by the wind, carried by a
favorable wind. This implies that even after attaining it they were
not satiated, but again and again desired it. Therefore just like
ourselves both in attaining and failing to attain the association of
Krishna, they are abahu-punya, not exactly impious, but not pious
enough (alpa-punya).

Out of love the arms of their waves were shaking, just as our arms
also tremble out of love. They whose water was becoming
solidified by their stunned condition and then again liquified. We
also experience the water in our eyes drying up just like one who is
lighting a sacrificial fire (experiences His eyes drying up from the
fire). The lack of the proper ending of the compound here (in the
word a`pah) is poetic license of the sages. In the same way we also
were checked in our movements, by being prevented by our
husbands, brothers and other relatives from going out to see
Krishna. And by our being ridiculed by the general populace and
by our losing our faithfulness to our husbands, we also became
deprived of our worldly and other-worldly destinations. Similarly
we also hanker for the aroma of His body. _ therefore just like
ourselves both in attaining and failing to attain the association of
Krishna, they are abahu-punya,

TEXTS 8-11

anucaraih samanuvarnita-virya
a`di-purusa ivacala-bhutih
vana-caro giri-tatesu carantir
venunahvayati gah sa yada hi

vana-latas tarava a`tmani visnum

vyanjayantya iva puspa-phaladhyah
pranata-bhara-vitapa madhu-dharah
prema-hrsta-tanavo vavrsuh sma

darsaniya-tilako vana-mala-
divya-gandha-tulasi-madhu-mattaih
ali-kulair alaghu gitam abhistam
a`driyan yarhi sandhita-venuh

sarasi sarasa-hamsa-vihangas
caru-gita-hrta-cetasa etya
harim upasata te yata-citta
hanta milita-drso dhrta-maunah

TRANSLATION

Krishna moves about the forest in the company of His friends,

who vividly chant the glories of His magnificent deeds. He thus
appears just like the Supreme Personality of Godhead, exhibiting
unshakable power. When the cows have wandered onto the sides
of the mountains and Krishna calls out to them, the trees and
creepers of the forest respond by seeming to manifest the supreme
Lord Visnu within their own hearts. They become so rich with
flowers and fruits that their branches are bent low by the weight.
The filaments on their trunks standing erect out of the ecstasy of
love of God, the trees and creepers pour down a rain of their sweet
sap.

When the bees, maddened by the honey-like aroma of the divinely

fragrant tulasi leaves on Krishna's flower garland, sing loudly for
Him, He, the most excellently attractive of all persons, thankfully
acknowledges their song as agreeable to himself by taking His
flute to His lips and playing it. thereupon the cranes, swans and
other birds in the lakes feel their minds being stolen away by the
charming music of Krishna's flute. Indeed they approach Him and
worship Him by meditation with fixed consciousness, holding their
eyes closed and maintaining strict silence.

Sridhara Svami

(Text 8) a most amazing condition is seen even among the non-

moving beings, as the gopis state: anucaraih means either "with the
cowherd boys" or else "with the demigods and others." these are
the words of innocent persons, such as "just like the Supreme
Personality of Godhead." acala-bhuti means whose opulence is
permanent (niscala). Calling them with the song of His flute, by
each of their several names.

(Text 9) then the creepers of the forest-- whose branches (vitapa =

sakha) were bowed down by the weight (of their flowers and
leaves)-- were as if revealing (prakasamanah = sucayantyah)
within themselves the presence of Lord Visnu, and were raining
down a flow of honey. The word sma indicates surprise. And also
the trees, their husbands, experienced the same ecstasy, it is
implied. These are the symptoms of the manifestation of Lord
Visnu (within one's heart).
 (Text 10) Furthermore, in the lakes within the forest of lotus
flowers, also the birds who were playing there became attracted
within their minds by the song of His flute. "What then to speak of
other creatures," as the gopis state by the word darsaniya- tilaka,
meaning "whose tilaka was attractive" or "who is the chief among
all attractive, beautiful persons." together with bees intoxicated by
the sweetness (madhu) of the divinely fragrant tulasi leaves upon
His flower garland. alaghu means "loudly." honoring, accepting
with great respect, that desirable (abhistam = anukulam) song.
When He places His flute upon His lips.

(Text 11) at that time the cranes, swans and other birds in the lake
had their minds stolen away by that beautiful song. Coming near
(etya = tatra a`gatya), they worshiped (upasata = abhajanta), Lord
hari, or else, they sat down near Him. The word hanta expresses
remorse.

Jiva Gosvami

And then, seeing a piece of land by the mountain where there was
nice shade from the trees, the Lord himself plays His flute to call
back the cows who had wandered off to a distance when He had
become inattentive while listening to the song of one of His
friends. In these surroundings even the immobile creatures attained
such an (ecstatic) state, as the gopis describe in the two verses
beginning anu.

(Text 9) indeed all of the creepers in the forest. "Visnu," who is

included within the purview of pure ecstatic love, is actually Sri
Krishna, because, being the universal concomitant of such prema,
He (Krishna) is present everywhere (to the devotee who is in love
with Him). By the tacit implication underlying the analogy,
(Krishna) is Visnu or sri Narayana. And the further elaboration of
the analogy with the word a`di-purusa is given in order to state this
even more obviously. Thus, viewing from the angle of the analogy,
the creepers and trees, being respectively female and male, even
though they are rich in flowers and fruits, or in other words
endowed with the results of all goals of accomplishment,
nevertheless had their branches heavily bowing down. In other
words, they were humbly bowing down just like the four Kumaras
and other great saints. "downpours of honey" means their tears.

(Text 10) and then, when the noon had arrived, the Lord took bath
in some large lake, and after dressing himself merely with tilaka
and garlands, He sat down on a stone by the root of a huge tree.
Then, after arranging for His friends to look after the cows, He
turned His attention exclusively to the singing of the bees. Thus
engaged, He enjoyed the sport of playing His flute. Describing the
situation thus, the gopis were saying "What to speak of the faithful
attention of the non-moving creatures all about, even those who are
just the opposite (in their mobility), the birds, acted similarly. Just
hear about this." this they state in the two verses beginning
darsaniya.

We should understand that the swarms of bees had to take turns in

coming close to Him, since the stronger ones drove off the weaker.
The word abhista expresses their great eagerness, or else the
transcendental nature (of their worship).

(Text 11) On the part of (these birds) the word harim touches on
the underlying idea of the same analogy as previously; thus they
were worshiping Lord hari or Visnu. The characteristic of their
worship is stated by the words beginning yata.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

(Texts 8-9) What to speak of the rivers, who although being

unconscious are eternally perfect beings in the form of demigods,
see how even the most lowly, dull entities, who have taken birth
only on the previous day or the day before that, become imbued
with transcendental mellows because of hearing the sound of
Krishna's flute. This other gopis state in the verses beginning
anucaraih. anucaraih means "with the cowherd boys."

Just like the original Personality of Godhead, Narayana, since His

opulence is permanent. Nonetheless He is moving through the
forest, because of His affection attraction for the living entities
who dwell in the forest. At that time, just as household Vaisnavas
and their wives become filled with ecstasy when they hear the
sankirtana and therefore bow themselves down, similarly the
creepers of the forest, who are women, and the trees, who are their
husbands, (bow themselves down). As if revealing sphurantam =
vyanjayantyah = jnapayantyah) Lord Visnu within themselves,
within their minds. They released (sasrjuh = mumucuh) downpours
of honey (madhu = makaranda), which represented their tears. If
we take the alternate reading vavrsuh (instead of sasrjuh), this
indicates the abundance of their tears. They were appearing
beautiful, rich with flowers and fruits, with the flowers
(representing) the sancari ecstasy of "gladness," and the fruits
(representing) the sthayi ecstasy called rati. That their branches
were bowed down with this weight is the symptom of their
anubhava ecstasy. And the statement that their trunks exhibited
hair standing on end in the jubilation of ecstatic love indicates the
ecstatic symptom of hair standing on end.

(Texts 10-11) having described the Vaisnava status of the trees

and creepers, like that of devotees who are still attached to the
pleasures of household life, now the worship of Visnu motivated
by the hearing of Krishna's flute on the part of the swans, cranes
and other birds, who are like those who are self-satisfied
(atmarama), is described by the gopis.

Darsaniya means worthy of being seen; He whose tilaka of red

minerals and other substances is such. Or else, He who is like the
tilaka of all extremely beautiful persons. The tulasi on His flower
garlands, which are composed of leaves and flowers of five
different colors, has a divine fragrance, and the bees, becoming
intoxicated from that fragrance, sing loudly, (alaghu = uccaih),
losing their inhibitions because of the intoxication.

But, it may be questioned, it is such flowers as the lotus, malati

and naga-kesari which are considered in this world to be most
fragrant. The tulasi, even though she is most extremely exalted in
all other ways, (is not considered especially fragrant). This is
replied to, that the tulasi has a certain fragrance early in the
morning, which people of this world perceive as insignificant, but
which transcendental personalities are much more attuned to. The
bees, moreover, who are privileged to be in the flower garlands of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead are even more so attuned to
this fragrance. Actually (this fragrance of the tulasi) is only fully
appreciable to the superexcellent and most perfect sense of smell
belonging to the Supreme Personality of Godhead himself. This is
because in the case of everyone else Yogamaya covers up (their
sense of appreciation of the fragrance of tulasi), as is stated in the
description of Vaikuntha (Bhag. 3.15.19),

mandara-kunda-kurabotpala-campakarna-
punnaga-naga-bakulambuja-parijatah
gandhe 'rcite tulasikabharanena tasya
yasmims tapah sumanaso bahu manayanti

("Although flowering plants like the mandara, kunda, kurabaka,

utpala, campaka, arna, punnaga, nagakesara, bakula, lily and
parijata are full of transcendental fragrant, they are still conscious
of the austerities performed by tulasi, for tulasi is given special
preference by the Lord, who garlands himself with tulasi leaves").

The word abhistam indicates that when He was about to begin

playing His flute, the Lord was considering what note He should
play. The bees who by chance happened to be assembled there
gave a buzzing sound, in reply to which the Lord honored them
(a`driyan = sammanayan), "Excellent, excellent, my dear bees, I
see this is the correct note," at that time when He firmly placed
(sandhita = samyag dhrta) the flute upon His lip. The word
sandhita means "that for which is generated a juncture (sandhanam
= sandha)," with derivation by the suffix which Panini designates
itac.

At that time (the birds), coming near Lord hari from out of the
lake, worshiped Him, performed worship by looking at Him,
hearing and meditating. The phrase "their eyes closed" expressed
their anubhava ecstasy of closing one's eyes on account of
relishing transcendental mellows.

TEXTS 12-13

saha-balah srag-avatamsa-vilasah
sanusu ksiti-bhrto vraja-devyah
harsayan yarhi venu-ravena
jata-harsa uparambhati visvam

mahad-atikramana-sankita-ceta
manda-mandam anugarjati meghah
suhrdam abhyavarsat sumanobhis
chayaya ca vidadhat pratapatram

TRANSLATION

O goddesses of Vraja, when Krishna, together with Balarama, is

playing on the slopes of a mountain, wearing a flower garland on
the top of His head, He takes pleasure in creating pleasure for
others by the resonant vibrations of His flute. Thus He delights the
entire world. At that time the nearby cloud, afraid of committing
offense against a great personality, thunders very gently in
accompaniment. He pours a rain of flowers onto His dear friend
Krishna and provides with His shade an umbrella to protect Him
from the heat of the sun.

Sridhara Svami

Even the cloud serves Lord hari, as the gopis state in the verse
beginning sa-balah. My dear goddesses of Vraja, my dear gopis,
Krishna, together with Bala, Rama, playing by decorating His ears
with garlands (avatamsa = karna-bhusana). Or else, who plays by
wearing a diadem of a pearl necklace. Standing on the sides
(sanusu = tatesu), of a mountain (ksiti-bhrtah = gireh), He himself
becomes joyful when He gladdens the entire world by filling it,
making it reverberate, with the vibration of His flute.

(Text 13) at that time the cloud is apprehensive in its mind of

committing a transgression against a great soul, Krishna. It does
not go before the Lord, nor does it thunder loudly, but rather,
remaining in the same place, it very gently (mandam mandam)
thunders in reply to the sound of the flute. Furthermore, the cloud
is a well-wishing friend because of its removing the distress of the
entire world, and thus Krishna, because of His similarity in this
way, is also a friend. The cloud showered Him with flowers. Here
the gopis are speaking with the imagined idea that the cloud is
acting, when actually it is the demigods who are showering
flowers. Or else, they are imagining that the small hailstones are
flowers. Or else, alternately, the cloud himself as a demigod is
raining flowers. the word pratapatram means umbrella, by the
derivation satapat trayate ("it shields from the sunlight"); in other
words, (giving such protection) by its shade.

Jiva Gosvami

(Text 12) and then, at the middle of the day, appearing beautiful
with garlands and head ornaments brought by His friends, while
wandering after the cows along the shadeless sides of the
mountains, out of desire for the shade of a cloud, the Lord plays
the raga known as mallara. Sri Baladeva and His other friends echo
this tune, which is further echoed by the peaks of the mountains,
and even further echoed by the entire world.

Thus called for, the cloud, who is similar to the Lord, comes by
His desire, without any great effort (on Krishna's part) of bringing
Him. With the tumultuous sound of the musical vibration
generated by His gentle thundering, the cloud itself becomes joyful
and enlivens the entire world also. Thus the demigods, who are
hidden behind the cloud, rain down flowers as the Lord plays in its
shade. In this way the idea is introduced, according to the thought
in the minds of those who have perception of this pastime, "ah,
what to speak of these separate indications, just see the ecstasy
experienced by the entire world. What need is there to specifically
mention any others? Just hear about the ecstasy even of the cloud,
who by nature is far away, unconscious and mobile." thus
describing, the gopis infer from such appearance, qualities and
behavior of the cloud that He must be a well-wisher of Sri Krishna,
as they state in the two verses beginning sa-balah. Together with
sri Balabhadra and, they imply, the other (cowherd boys).

(Text 13) Fearing in His mind a transgression against the great

soul, Sri Krishna, the offense of covering the sound of His flute,
He becomes playfully affectionate (uparambhati = kautaki
bhavati), by the definition of the root, rabha rabhasye. ("the root
rabh can carry the meaning "delight"). He, by nature a well-wisher
of Sri Krishna, thus became playfully affectionate toward His
friend, by imitating His color and so forth.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Having described the ecstasy of those on the face of the earth, now
they also describe the ecstasy due to the vibration of the flute of
the dull beings in the sky. sa-balah means together with the army
of His companions. Who plays by wearing garlands on the top of
His head and on His chest, and also by wearing such garlands as
decorations on His ears. Standing on the slopes of a mountain,
when He becomes joyful by vibrating His flute in order to make
the whole world joyful (harsayan = harsayitum), He then makes
the whole world relish (uparambhayati = upalambhayati =
a`svadayati), the sound of the flute. This is by the equivalence of
the consonants ra-kara and la-kara (in the words uparambhayati
and upalambhayati), and by the implied idea of the causative form
(designated by the suffix n`ya).

Here we can understand that Krishna is a cloud standing on the

slope of the mountain, His garlands and ear ornaments are the
nodules of that cloud, His yellow garment is the lightning and the
sound of His flute is the rain pouring down the essence of delicious
nectar. Then the cloud in the sky is fearful in His mind because of
transgression against the great soul, the cloud Sri Krishna, who is
greater than the greatest. He very gently thunders in reply to the
sound of the flute, in a favorable rather than unfavorable way. (He
rains upon) His well-wisher, upon Him who is His friend by the
sameness of acting to remove the distress of the entire world and
so forth, with flowers, the small particles of ice which are just like
tiny flowers. He rains these down in order to relieve Him from the
burning heat of the sun from all sides (abhi = paritah). (the next
sentence repeats Sridhara Svami's derivation of the word
pratapatram.)

TEXTS 14-15

vividha-gopa-caranesu vidagdho
venu-vadya urudha nija-siksah
tava sutah sati yadadhara-bimbe
datta-venur anayat svara-jatih

savanasas tad upadharya suresah

 sakra-sarva-paramesthi-purogamah
kavaya a`nata-kandhara-cittah
kasmalam yayur aniscita-tattvah

TRANSLATION

Pious mother Yasoda, your son is very expert in all cowherding

arts. He has taught many new styles of playing the flute, each of
His own devising. When He takes His flute to His bimba-red lips
and raises the tones of the harmonic scale in melodies of variously
modulated pitch, the exalted chiefs of the demigods who hear this,
headed by Lord Brahma, Lord siva and Lord indra, attentively bow
down their heads and their hearts. Even though they are the most
learned authorities, they become confused, unable to identify the
essence of this music.

Sridhara Svami

"And there is also this great cause of wonderment," as the gopis

state in the verse beginning vividha. O pure lady, Yasoda, your son
is expert (vidagdha = nipuna) in various cowherd sports. (these
melodies) are taught by himself in the subject matter of playing
upon the flute; that is to say, they are derived from His own
creation, not heard from anyone else. "the melodious sequences of
tones" means the different melodies composed of the notes known
as nisadha, r`sabha and so forth; anayat means "He produced these
(unnitavan)."

(Text 15) those (tat = tah) sequences of tones; savanasah means

according to the differences of low, middle and high pitch.
Because they had their necks and their minds bent low out of
attraction to the vibration of the flute. upadharya means
"listening carefully." although scholarly experts (kavayah =
kovidah), they did not know for sure the facts, the specific
difference (of these musical arrangements), and became
bewildered (kasmalam = moham).

Jiva Gosvami

This private assemblage of gopis having gathered in the

transcendental cowherd village, now the Queen of the cowherd
community (Yasoda) has also joined them, her presence being
included here by dint of the sequential relating of His pastimes
reaching (the point which was relevant to her, namely the Lord's
childhood pastimes).

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Then, in the afternoon, some gopis, present logical reasons why

their beloved, who is supposed to be coming, has remained absent
from their sight so long. They went to the house of the Queen of
Vraja on some pretext, and in the company of many different
persons-- elders, youths and children-- mother Yasoda was
listening to and also herself relating numerous narrations of her
own son's transcendental qualities, activities and power. In order to
pacify her, who was becoming overwhelmed with separation from
her son, and also in order to pacify their own minds, the gopis
address her and describe the qualities and the power of the song of
Krishna's flute, in the verse beginning vividha.

O pure lady, sri Yasoda, when your son, who is expert in the
various activities (caranani = a`caranani) of cowherds-- the
milking, fettering and so on of the cows at the proper times--
placed His flute upon His lips and raised (anayat = anitavan)
melodies of the musical tones known as sadja and so on, meaning
either the eighteen principal forms of melody or else thousands of
such. What were these melodies like? they comprised learning in
the subject matter of flute playing which was variegated (urudha =
bahu-prakara) and taught by himself, rather than by anyone else.
savanasah means at the proper time.

Hearing this vibrating of the musical melodies, the demigods

whose leaders (purogama = mukhya) were sakra, sarva and also
Paramesthi. Led by sakra were upendra, agni, Yamaraja and
others. Led by sarva were Katyayani, skanda, Ganesa and others.
Led by Brahma were the four Kumaras, narada and others. Even
though they are poets, creators of different kinds of song and
meter. Whose necks and minds also were bowed down, which
indicates their transcendental ecstasy of tasting that sweetness.
they who could not understand the real identity (tattvam =
svarupam) of the musical scales, the meters and the different tones.
Thus, because of their ignorance and also because of the sweetness
of the flute's song, they became bewildered. "ah, when even the
lords of the universe become bewildered, what to speak then of the
bewilderment of others, the creatures of the universe who are
controlled by them." the implied idea is "O respectable lady, your
son has become the enchanter of the entire universe."

TEXTS 16-17

nija-padabja-dalair dhvaja-vajra-
nirajankusa-vicitra-lalamaih
vraja-bhuvah samayan khura-todam
varsma-dhurya-gatir I`dita-venuh

vrajati tena vayam sa-vilasa-

viksanarpita-manobhava-vegah
kuja-gatim gamita na vidamah
kasmalena kavaram vasanam va

TRANSLATION
 Krishna's strolling relieves the ground of Vraja from the distressed
caused for it by the hooves of the cows, as He marks that ground
with the distinctive emblems of His lotus feet-- the flag,
thunderbolt, lotus and elephant goad. His body moves with the gait
of an elephant while He plays His renowned flute, and this makes
us gopis feel the urgings of Cupid, forced upon us by Krishna's
glances at us. Becoming motionless like trees, we do not even
notice the state of our hair and dress.

Sridhara Svami

(Text 16) "What then can we say about our own bewilderment?"
this they describe in the verse beginning nija-padabja-dalaih. By
those (feet) which had such variegated marks (lalama = cihna) as
the flag and so on. These feet of His were themselves just like lotus
petals, and by them He was relieving the earth's pain caused by the
passing over of the hooves (of the cows). That Krishna who with
His body (varsmana = dehena) appeared just like an elephant
(dhurya = gaja), or in other words, whose movements were like
that of an elephant. While playing His flute, He walked (vrajati).

(Text 17) For that reason we, who are experiencing the agitation
of Cupid which has been placed upon us by His playful glances,
have attained the state (gamitah = satyah) of having the movement
(gatim) of trees (kuja = vrksa). Thus out of bewilderment we do no
recognize either the garlands in our hair or our garments (which
are both becoming loosened).

Jiva Gosvami

And then once again we find the gopis assembled in privacy, as is

required by the confidential mellows of the pastimes which
occurred after those mentioned above. Thus, even though they had
passed the time in hearing so many different topics about Him, still
even after three yamas (nine hours) Sri Krishna had not come, and
so some of the gopis, feeling very anxious, went to search after
Him at the time of turning the cows back from the forest, taking
the pretext of going out to collect flowers and so forth. This was on
some other occasion that they went into the midst of the forest, and
what they saw then they are now relating on a later day. The idea
of the verse is introduced as follows: "O intimate friends, so much
for all these different descriptions of the bewilderment of others,
just hear how we are most definitely bewildered." thus, beside
themselves in ecstatic feeling, the gopis speak the two verses
beginning nija. the word nija expresses the exceptional nature (of
the markings), and the plural form expresses great respect. They
wanted to express the unprecedented beauty of each and every
mark. The word dalaih is used here as a reference to the ground
within the land of Vraja, that is to say, to the blades of grass and
other plants that were found on that ground. Pacifying the distress
caused by the hooves of the cows and other animals, because when
Sri Krishna passed by after the cows, by the natural effect of the
touch of His lotus feet, immediately the grasses and sprouts grew
up again. Thus it is implied that there must have been countless
herds of cows being grazed there.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Then, to those of their girlfriends who were standing in other

groups, they described how the sound of the flute caused their own
bewilderment. His feet are themselves lotus petals; by them, which
had the variegated marks of the flag and so forth. Counteracting
the pain caused by the passing over of the hooves of the cows who
were moving forward at the time of returning to the cowherd
village, when, in order to thus subdue the earth's distress by
placing His own lotus feet upon her, He, Krishna, whose
movement with His transcendental body is like that of an elephant,
walks.
 At that time we experience the agitation of Cupid placed upon us
by Sri Krishna with His playful glances, and we achieve the
motion (that is to say, the motionlessness) of trees. Thus out of
bewilderment we do not recognize the garlands in our hair or our
garments. That is to say, we do no notice that they are slipping.
This indicates that the Lord pacified the distress of the earth caused
by the animals' hooves by placing upon it His lotus feet, but for the
beautiful-browed ladies of Vraja, He created distress within their
minds by laying upon them His lotus eyes. This is our bad fortune,
the gopis are implied as thinking.

TEXTS 18-19

mani-dharah kvacid a`ganayan ga

malaya dayita-gandha-tulasyah
pranayino 'nucarasya kadamse
praksipan bhujam agayata yatra

kvanita-venu-rava-vancita-cittah
krsnam anvasata krsna-grhinyah
guna-ganarnam anugatya harinyo
gopika iva vimukta-grhasah

TRANSLATION

Now Krishna is standing somewhere counting His cows on a mala

of jewels. He is wearing a flower garland with tulasi leaves that
bear the fragrance of His beloved, and He has thrown His arm onto
the shoulder of an affectionate cowherd boy. When He then sings
and plays His flute, the sound produced attracts the attention of the
wives of the black deer, who come near and sit down beside
Krishna, the reservoir of all transcendental qualities. Just like
ourselves, the cowherd women, they have given up all hope for
happiness in family life.
Sridhara Svami

Moreover, He is mani-dhara, meaning that He carries jewels

strung together for counting the cows. In some place (kvacid dese)
He was counting the cows on all sides (a` = samantat) with these
(stringed jewels). And He also had a garland upon which the tulasi
had the fragrance of His beloved. Placing His arm upon the
shoulder of a dear companion (pranayinah = priyasya anucarasya).
When (yatra = yada), at some certain time, He sang.

(Text 19) at that time the wives (grhinyah = bharyah) of the deer
(krsnasya = harinasya), whose minds were stolen (vancita =
apahrta) by the sound of the flute as He played it, came up
(anugatya = prapya) to Krishna, the ocean of transcendental
qualities (guna-ganarnam = guna-gana-samudram). They sat down
by Krishna, or in other words, they stopped. Why? Because they
had given up their hopes for family life, just like the gopis. this
indicates that the gopis also sat down near Krishna in the same
manner.

Jiva Gosvami

And then, in the afternoon, dressing himself anew in different

attire, He by playing His flute gathers together the cows once more
in order to bring them home, and He also counts them. The gopis
state "alas, if even the animals are thus attracted, then what to
speak of us gopis," in the two verses beginning mani. Wearing a
garland of jewels.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Just like the bewilderment of themselves, who were remaining in

the cowherd village, the bewilderment caused by the sound of
Krishna's flute for the animals who were present in the forest is
described by the gopis. mani-dhara means carrying a garland of
jewels for counting the cows.

Of the four colors (of cows)-- white, red, black and yellow-- there
are twenty-five sub-divisions, which make a total of one hundred
colors. And similarly, by the varieties of being colored like
sandalwood-pulp tilaka (speckled), and of having heads shaped
like mrdangas and so forth, there are a further eight subdivisions.
Thus, according to these 108 different colors and forms, Krishna is
utilizing that number of jewel-beads for counting the cows. This
means that Krishna sometimes has a japa-mala especially for
counting cows; with that mala in His hands, even though the cows
are innumerable, He is counting them according to the 108
different categories. Thus while calling out, "hey dhavali (the name
of a white cow)," just as a whole group of (white) cows comes
forward, similarly when He calls "hamsi, Candani, Ganga, mukta,"
the other cows of that same group come forward, as is similarly the
case with the twenty-four other groups. Thus also (another
particular group of cows) are named aruni, Kunkuma and sarasvati
(being red cows), yet another group are called syamala, dhumala
and Yamuna (being blackish), another group is called Pita, Pingala
and haritalika (being yellow), another group is called Citrita, Citra-
tilaka, dirgha-tilaka and tiryak-tilaka (because they have marks of
tilaka on their foreheads), and yet another group are known as
mrdanga-mukhi, simha-mukhi and so on.

Thus being called by their own names, the cows are coming
forward, and with the thought that when it is time to bring them
back from the forest none of the cows should be forgotten, He is
counting the cows by turning each of the jewel beads. He is
standing with a garland upon which the tulasi has the fragrance of
His beloved. When, placing His arm upon the shoulder of His dear
friend, He sang, then the wives of the black deer (krsnasya = krsna-
sarasya) had their minds stolen by the sound of the flute as played
by Him, and they came near (anvasata = anvasata = anvavartanta)
Krishna. This (fact of the deer remaining near Krishna) is because,
having approached Him, the ocean of transcendental qualities, they
were able to relish His qualities. these deer who gave up their
hopes for family life, just like the cowherd girls, which implies that
"We also have become like that."

TEXTS 20-21

kunda-dama-krta-kautuka-veso
gopa-godhana-vrto yamunayam
nanda-sunur anaghe tava vatso
narma-dah pranayinam vijahara

manda-vayur upavaty anukulam

manayan malayaja-sparsena
vandinas tam upadeva-gana ye
vadya-gita-balibhih parivavruh

TRANSLATION

Whimsically enhancing His dress with a necklace of jasmine

flowers and accompanied by the cowherd boys and the cows, O
sinless Yasoda, your darling boy, the son of maharaja nanda, is
sporting in the Yamuna, amusing His dear companions. The gentle
breeze is bringing to Him the touch of sandalwood while the
upadevas, standing on all sides just like professional praise-givers,
offer their music, song and gifts of tribute.

Sridhara Svami

Having thus played in the various areas of the Vrndavana forest,

when the evening came He turned the cows back. The gopis thus
describe the great beauty of the Lord as He was playing on the
banks of the Yamuna, in the verse beginning kunda-dama-krta-
kautuka. In order to create a festivity for the gopis, He had made
His decoration (vesa = alankara) with garlands of jasmine flowers,
as a festivity (kautukena = utsavena). O sinless one, Yasoda, your
son (vatsa = putra), the son of nanda, Krishna. Or else, since many
different gopis were speaking simultaneously, some of them said
"your son," and others said "the son of nanda." When He, giving
pleasure (narmada = harsa-da), played (vijahara = kridati sma).

(Text 21) then (the wind) with its touch, which was fragrant and
cool like the candana from the malaya hill, was honoring that
Krishna, by blowing toward Him, fanning Him, in a favorable way.
Or else, the wind which is malaya-ja, meaning coming from the
south. Or else, honoring with its touch Krishna, who had anointed
His own limbs with sandalwood pulp (malayaja). Furthermore,
present like professional prayer-sayers, the Gandharvas and other
groups of demigods surrounded the Lord, worshiping Him on all
sides with instrumental music, song, rains of flowers and so forth.

Jiva Gosvami

And then we find, again in the court of the Queen of Vraja, the
description of the pastimes which happened after the above-
mentioned pastimes, at the time of collecting the cows and so
forth. And it is implied that this collecting of the cows was on the
occasion of bringing the cows to drink for the second time in the
day. (the gopis) thus within themselves experiencing such
pastimes, they went up to the Lord's mother, who was very
distressed by the passing of the time, and described to her (these
pastimes) in the same manner as they spoke to her before, hoping
to make her feel better by talking about His return. This the gopis
speak in the three pairs of verses beginning kunda.

Thus they try to pacify her by (demonstrating) that His pastimes

give pleasure to everyone, and that they can give everyone the
pleasure of rendering devotional service unto Him. in this way
they explain to her the reason why He is late, in the two verses
beginning kunda. "He played in the Yamuna" indicates that after
enjoying His bath in her water, He sportingly played on her shore.

(Text 21) By the words kunda and manda (referring to the wind)
we can ascertain that this is the month of Karttika. This is so
because we do not find jasmine flowers in the spring, and because
the wind is harsh in the late autumn and winter seasons.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Then, going to the house of the Queen of Vraja in the afternoon,

the cowherd girls console her, who is disturbed by her son's delay
in returning, by telling her the reason for His delay, in the verse
beginning kunda-dama. sri Vaisnava- tosani states that this is a
passage consisting of three pairs of verses together. Passing along
the Yamuna, and bathing in her to relieve himself of fatigue, and
then sitting down on her shore, when He put on garments meant
for creating wonderment, with the idea of giving pleasure to His
own relatives and friends who were waiting to meet Him with
great eagerness, He was playing (in the water) with His foot
(vijahara = pada-viharanam cakara), and at that time a gentle
breeze blew; such is the proper sequence of the words.

He both breaks (dyati = khandayati) and bestows (dadati) the

narma or mutual laughing and joking of His young companions
(pranayinam = vayasyanam). The address "O sinless one" implies,
"You have no sinful reactions, either from the distant past or
recent, by which your son would suffer evil. So why are you in
anxiety that simply because He is a little late He must have
suffered some evil at the hands of demons or others?" after all, He
is the son of nanda maharaja, who is famous as the crest-jewel of
all pious men. And He is the darling, the son who is the receiver of
greatest affection, of Yasoda, who is famous as the most pious
(maha-punya-yasasvitvena). In this material world it is because of
the bad fortune of the mother and father that a child suffers evil, so
therefore no evil can possibly befall Krishna.

"We know the cause of His being late because we have heard it
from the mouths of the young children, so please hear this from
us." this the gopis then state by the verse beginning manda. the
wind, which has acquired its fine fragrance and its coolness by
having touched the sandalwood tree which grows on the malaya
hill, and thus by both these qualities has become unable to move
quickly-- this wind is honoring Krishna by blowing in a favorable
way. Also the minor demigods, the Gandharvas and others, who
are the givers of praise (vandinah = stavakah), have surrounded
Him (parivavruh = avrnvan), exhibiting each their own expertise
with their musical performance and so forth. Therefore, in order to
acknowledge them He is delaying himself, according to the logic
that "a person who knows what is good takes pleasure in good
qualities." so it is not appropriate that you feel distress in this
regard. Actually it is your great fortune that they are honoring your
son in this manner.
_
TEXTS 22-23

vatsalo vraja-gavam yad aga-dhro

vandyamana-caranah pathi vrddhaih
krtsna-go-dhanam upohya dinante
gita-venur anugedita-kirtih

utsavam srama-rucapi drsinam

unnayan khura-rajas-churita-srak
ditsayaiti suhrd-a`sisa esa
Devaki-jathara-bhur udu-rajah

TRANSLATION
 The lifter of Govardhana hill is most affectionate to the cows of
Vraja. At the end of the day He collects them all while exalted
demigods stand along the path worshiping His lotus feet. He plays
a song on His flute as the cowherd boys accompanying Him chant
His glories. The dust raised by the cows' hooves is smeared on His
garland, and the very change in His complexion due to His fatigue
creates an ecstatic festival for all eyes. Eager to fulfill the desires
of His friends, He is like the moon, having risen from the womb of
mother Yasoda.

Sridhara Svami

Seeing Him coming and becoming joyful, the gopis speak to each
other, in the verse beginning vatsala. And of the cows of Vraja, or
else, of the gos who are situated in Vraja, namely those who are to
be pitied, ourselves. Vatsala means one who acts beneficially.
Why? Because (yat = yasmat) He is aga-dhra, meaning that He
carries the mountain, that He is the lifter of Govardhana. This is an
indirect reference to His giving protection on many occasions. His
feet being worshiped along the path by the vrddhas, Brahma and
others. The implication is that being envious, they do not let Him
come back quickly in the evening. upohya means "bringing
together in one group." He whose flute is singing.

Jiva Gosvami

(Text 22) and then the very eager gopis climb up into the
watchtowers and describe what they see in the two verses
beginning vatsala.

(Text 23) By the word Devaki in this instance sri Yasoda is being
praised with great respect, because she is the Queen of Vraja, the
idea being that sri nanda is the ruling deity (devaka), and she is His
wife (the Devaki). (they speak like this) because they are trying to
console her, and because they identify themselves in a relation
with her as their own mother. if this word were referring to some
other mother (of Krishna), we would have a contradiction, and if
this verse were supposed to be spoken in some other company
(than that of Yasoda), the parties involved would be disinterested
(they wouldn't have the attitude of Yasoda that is being addressed
here).

Visvanatha Cakravarti

But then my son, who is so eager to enjoy His playing, is still

delaying, even though the nightfall is almost completed. Since He
has still not returned, I am going to die. In reply to this the gopis
try to console her by presenting some reason that He will very
quickly arrive, in the verse beginning vatsala.

Remembering how the vraja-gavah, the bulls and the calves who
had to remain in Vraja, are suffering distress from His separation,
He will quickly come back, even at the risk of neglecting the
Gandharvas and other demigods. Here the lack of the suffix t`aj is
poetic license of the sages. And no one should say, the gopis state,
that for Him, who is a tender of cows, the curiosity of the singing
of such extremely insignificant singers as these Gandharvas and
others attracts His mind more than the natural curiosity for Him
involved in seeing the cows, touching them, scratching their limbs,
giving them grass to eat and so forth. This is because (yat =
yasmat) He is aga-dhra; for the protection of which cows He held
up the mountain Govardhana. Therefore He has a natural, great
affection for them.

The implication is that for the Gandharvas and other demigods He

has not even a trace of affection, even on the relative level of the
material modes. But if this were the case, then by this time He
would have returned home. In reply to that objection the gopis
present yet another reason for His delay. He whose two feet are
being honored in different places along the path by the vrddhas--
Brahma, rudra and others. Attracted by the song of His flute, they
came each from their own abodes, and standing nearby in the sky,
they watched Krishna throughout the whole day. thus becoming
ecstatic, now, when it is time for Krishna to return to the cowherd
village and they are preparing to return to their individual abodes,
they descend from the sky onto the surface of the earth, and each
of them-- Brahma, rudra, indra and the others-- worship the feet of
your son in order to pray for His favor. By this the gopis subtly
implied, "What can we do? His extended delay is the result of His
showing favor to them. Why don't you see your own great fortune,
that the feet of your son are being honored even by Brahma and the
other demigods." "so there," the further subtle implication is, "why
are you distressed?"

Then, my dear young girls of Vraja, you should quickly climb up

into the watchtowers and see from how far away my son is
coming. When the gopis were thus addressed by her in a tearful
choking voice, the tallest of the beautiful girls quickly climbed up
(into the watchtower) and spoke the words beginning krtsna. the
proper sequence of the words is as follows: This Krishna, wanting
to fulfill the desire (a`sisah = mano-rathasya) of His own friends
(suhrdam = sva-bandhunam), is coming. upohya means "bringing
together into one group." He whose flute has a song. By that
beautiful appearance (ruk = sobha) caused by His fatigue, He is
raising, causing abundantly (unnayan = uccaih prapayan) a festival
of ecstasy (utsavam = a`nandam) for the eyes of the entire world
(drsinam = loka-netranam), His garland being filled (churita =
vyapta) with the dust of the hooves (of the cows).

There is also stated here, in a way that will not be noticed by sri
Yasoda and others, that (He is approaching) with loving sidelong
glances addressed toward His intimate girl friends. Because it is
specifically mentioned that there is dust from the hooves of the
animals on His garland, we deduce that there is no dust elsewhere
(upon Him). And this is because His friends repeatedly wiped off
the dust with their own chadars. But because the dust had entered
deep within the garland, if they had tried to wipe it off there the
petals of the flowers would have become broken. He does not
discard this garland even though it has become dirtied, and neither
does He put on a new garland which a servant is holding ready in
the fold of His cloth; this indicates that Krishna wants very much
to exhibit this favorite garland being worn upon His own neck
because it was fashioned by His beloved with her own hands and
given to Him through one of her companions. He who exists within
the ocean of milk of the womb of mother Yasoda (Devaki = sri-
yasoda). This is established by statements of the Puranic literature
cited (by s rila rupa Gosvami) in sri sri radha-krsna-ganoddesa-
dipika. The word udu-raja means "moon."

TEXTS 24-25

mada-vighurnita-locana I`sat
mana-dah sva-suhrdam vana-mali
badara-pandu-vadano mrdu-gandam
mandayan kanaka-kundala-laksmya

yadu-patir dvirada-raja-viharo
yamani-patir ivaisa dinante
mudita-vaktra upayati durantam
mocayan vraja-gavam dina-tapam

TRANSLATION

Krishna's eyes are rolling slightly as if from intoxication, and He

is showing respect to all His well-wishing friends. He is wearing a
flower garland, and the whiteness of His face, colored like a badara
berry, together with the brilliance of His golden earrings,
accentuates the beauty of His soft cheeks. This Lord of the Yadus
is moving with the grace of a lordly elephant. appearing just like
the moon, the master of night, with His cheerful face, He is
approaching at the end of the day, delivering all the pitiable souls
of Vraja from the burning distress caused by the day's sunlight.

Sridhara Svami

(Text 24) some of the gopis very excitedly describe Him

approaching near: He whose eyes are agitated (vighurnite =
vihvale) by slight intoxication, and who is badara-pandu- vadana,
meaning that His face is whitish like a somewhat ripened badara
berry. The reason for this they state, that with the effulgence
(laksmya = kantya) of His gold earrings He is ornamenting His
face, which has tender (mrdu = komalau) cheeks. Or else, He is
beautifying His tender cheeks.

(Text 25) "master of the Yadus" and "born from the womb of
Devaki" are as told by the well-known statements of Garga muni,
or else, some of the gopis are aware of these facts and are stating
them here, as they before did in the words sakha udeyivan
satvatam kule. With the motion of an elephant and having a
cheerful face just like the moon, He is coming (upayati = a`yati),
dispelling the unlimited heat of the daytime of the gos of Vraja,
namely us.

Madhvacarya

Manava, Badara and sindhu are three names of the moon. One
who knows these names become free from material desire. Indeed,
one who knows the names (which are originally names) of Lord
Visnu becomes free from the whole cycle of material existence.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

The gopis say, "Please hear the reason why even now, as He
reaches the outskirts of the city, He is a little delayed," in this
verse. Out of intoxication, the ecstasy due to seeing His parents
and others, and also out of the intoxication of desire due to seeing
His beloved gopis, He whose eyes are agitated (vighurnite =
vihvale). The first idea is conceived of by those of His associates
present there who are in the mood of parental affection, and the
second by those who are in the mood of conjugal love; this we will
understand from what is described later on.

To His own well wishers-- such as His priests, maternal

grandparents, brothers, servants, betel-nut bearers and so forth,
who are giving Him benedictions and so forth, each fittingly
according to His position-- He is showing only slight respect, since
He is a prince, since He is only a young boy, and since He has not
yet learned the niti-sastras. He who is showing just a little respect,
in the appropriate manner by nodding His head, etc. This, the gopis
imply, is the reason why He is delayed.

As an alternate explanation, sva-suhrdam means of His beloved

girlfriends, who have climbed up into the watchtowers and are
engaged in worshiping Him with the blue lotuses of their smiling
sidelong glances. He who is showing slight honor, in a manner
invisible to others, with sidelong glances hinting at the fulfillment
of their desires. He whose face is whitish like a partially ripened
badara fruit, because of His fatigue from wandering about the
forest. Alternately this can be understood as the anubhava
symptom of His feeling of separation from His beloveds. The
whiteness of His face is ornamenting His soft cheeks with the
effulgence of His trembling golden earrings.

The term yadu-pati is used because, as it has been established

already, the cowherds are Yadavas. dvirada-raja-vihara means "He
whose motion is slow like that of a lordly elephant," mudita-vaktra
means "whose face is blossoming," and upayati means "He comes
near." Vraja-gavam means of the eyes of all persons present in
Vraja.
 TEXT 26

sri-suka uvaca
evam vraja-striyo rajan
krsna-lilanugayatih
remire 'hahsu tac-cittah
tan-manaska mahodayah

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami said: Thus chanting about the pastimes of

Lord Krishna, the women of Vraja took pleasure during the
daytime. Because there hearts and minds were fully absorbed in
Him, they were always experiencing the greatest happiness.
Sridhara Svami

In this way, namely, even with the pain of separation, just see (nu
= aho), how while singing about the pastimes of Krishna their
consciousness became absorbed in Him; that is to say, their very
lives became absorbed in Him. And their minds, which fix
themselves upon desires, became absorbed in Him. Therefore they
experienced a great festivity (udaya = utsava), and took pleasure
during the days.

Jiva Gosvami

Remire means that they became for the most part joyful, and the
reason for this is stated by the words beginning tac-cittah. This is
because their very nature is imbued with the highest ecstasy.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Nu means "my dear King," and the form gayatih is equivalent to

gayantyah. They whose minds were absorbed in Him, sri Krishna.
And He, Sri Krishna, whose mind was absorbed in them.
therefore-- since Krishna and His dear gopis share mutually both
roles of being the object and the subject of love, since their minds
are mutually engrossed, and since they enjoyed together constantly
without cessation-- the word "they enjoyed" indicates that, even
though pure love of God in separation appears to us to be an
experience of misery on the part of those who are immersed in it, if
we examine more discriminatingly we will see that they are
actually fully joyful. Thus pure love of God is the crown jewel of
all goals of human endeavor.

Jiva Gosvami

Remire means that they became for the most part joyful, and