Chapter 32: The Reunion

 

10.32.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

iti gopyaḥ pragāyantyaḥ

pralapantyaś ca citradhā

ruruduḥ su-svaraḿ rājan

kṛṣṇa-darśana-lālasāḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus, as related above; gopyaḥ — the gopīs; pragāyantyaḥ — singing forth; pralapantyaḥ — speaking forth; ca — and; citradhā — in various charming ways; ruruduḥ — they cried; su-svaram — loudly; rājan — O King; kṛṣṇa-darśana — for the sight of Kṛṣṇa; lālasāḥ — hankering.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, having thus sung and spoken their hearts out in various charming ways, the gopīs began to weep loudly. They were very eager to see Lord Kṛṣṇa.

 

10.32.2

tāsām āvirabhūc chauriḥ

smayamāna-mukhāmbujaḥ

pītāmbara-dharaḥ sragvī

sākṣān manmatha-manmathaḥ

 

tāsām — before them; āvirabhūt — He appeared; śauriḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; smayamāna — smiling; mukha — His face; ambujaḥ — lotuslike; pīta — yellow; ambara — a garment; dharaḥ — wearing; srak-vī — wearing a flower garland; sākṣāt — directly; man-matha — of Cupid (who bewilders the mind); man — of the mind; mathaḥ — the bewilderer.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Then Lord Kṛṣṇa, a smile on His lotus face, appeared before the gopīs. Wearing a garland and a yellow garment, He directly appeared as one who can bewilder the mind of Cupid, who himself bewilders the minds of ordinary people.

 

10.32.3

taḿ vilokyāgataḿ preṣṭhaḿ

prīty-utphulla-dṛśo 'balāḥ

uttasthur yugapat sarvās

tanvaḥ prāṇam ivāgatam

 

tam — Him; vilokya — seeing; āgatam — returned; preṣṭham — their dearmost; prīti — out of affection; utphulla — opening wide; dṛśaḥ — their eyes; abalāḥ — the girls; uttasthuḥ — they stood up; yugapat — all at once; sarvāḥ — all of them; tanvaḥ — of the body; prāṇam — the life air; iva — as; āgatam — returned.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the gopīs saw that their dearmost Kṛṣṇa had returned to them, they all stood up at once, and out of their affection for Him their eyes bloomed wide. It was as if the air of life had reentered their bodies.

 

10.32.4

kācit karāmbujaḿ śaurer

jagṛhe 'ñjalinā mudā

kācid dadhāra tad-bāhum

aḿse candana-bhūṣitam

 

kācit — one of them; kara-ambujam — the lotus hand; śaureḥ — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; jagṛhe — seized; añjalinā — in her folded palms; mudā — with joy; kācit — another; dadhāra — put; tat-bāhum — His arm; aḿse — on her shoulder; candana — with sandalwood paste; bhūṣitam — adorned.

 

TRANSLATION

 

One gopī joyfully took Kṛṣṇa's hand between her folded palms, and another placed His arm, anointed with sandalwood paste, on her shoulder.

 

10.32.5

kācid añjalināgṛhṇāt

tanvī tāmbūla-carvitam

ekā tad-ańghri-kamalaḿ

santaptā stanayor adhāt

 

kācit — one; añjalinā — with joined hands; agṛhṇāt — took; tanvī — slender; tāmbūla — of betel nut; carvitam — His chewed remnants; ekā — one; tat — His; ańghri — foot; kamalam — lotus; santaptā — burning; stanayoḥ — on her breasts; adhāt — placed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

A slender gopī respectfully took in her joined hands the betel nut He had chewed, and another gopī, burning with desire, put His lotus feet on her breasts.

 

10.32.6

ekā bhru-kuṭim ābadhya

prema-saḿrambha-vihvalā

ghnantīvaikṣat kaṭākṣepaiḥ

sandaṣṭa-daśana-cchadā

 

ekā — one more gopī; bhru-kuṭim — her eyebrows; ābadhya — constricting; prema — of her pure love; saḿrambha — by the fury; vihvalā — beside herself; ghnantī — injuring; iva — as if; aikṣat — she looked; kaṭa — of her sidelong glances; ākṣepaiḥ — with the insults; sandaṣṭa — biting; daśana — of her teeth; chadā — the covering (her lips).

 

TRANSLATION

 

One gopī, beside herself with loving anger, bit her lips and stared at Him with frowning eyebrows as if to wound Him with her harsh glances.

 

10.32.7

aparānimiṣad-dṛgbhyāḿ

juṣāṇā tan-mukhāmbujam

āpītam api nātṛpyat

santas tac-caraṇaḿ yathā

 

aparā — yet another gopī; animiṣat — unblinking; dṛgbhyām — with eyes; juṣāṇā — relishing; tat — His; mukha-ambujam — lotus face; āpītam — fully tasted; api — although; na atṛpyat — She did not become satiated; santaḥ — mystic saints; tat-caraṇam — His feet; yathā — as.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Another gopī looked with unblinking eyes upon His lotus face, but even after deeply relishing its sweetness She did not feel satiated, just as mystic saints are never satiated when meditating upon the Lord's feet.

 

10.32.8

taḿ kācin netra-randhreṇa

hṛdi kṛtvā nimīlya ca

pulakāńgy upaguhyāste

yogīvānanda-samplutā

 

tam — Him; kācit — one of them; netra — of her eyes; randhreṇa — through the aperture; hṛdi — in her heart; kṛtvā — placing; nimīlya — closing; ca — and; pulaka-ańgī — the hair on her limbs standing on end; upaguhya — embracing; āste — she remained; yogī — a yogī; iva — like; ānanda — in ecstasy; samplutā — drowned.

 

TRANSLATION

 

One gopī took the Lord through the aperture of her eyes and placed Him within her heart. Then, with her eyes closed and her bodily hairs standing on end, she continuously embraced Him within. Thus immersed in transcendental ecstasy, she resembled a yogī meditating upon the Lord.

 

10.32.9

sarvās tāḥ keśavāloka-

paramotsava-nirvṛtāḥ

jahur viraha-jaḿ tāpaḿ

prājñaḿ prāpya yathā janāḥ

 

sarvāḥ — all; tāḥ — those gopīs; keśava — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; āloka — by the sight; parama — supreme; utsava — of festivity; nirvṛtāḥ — feeling joy; jahuḥ — they gave up; viraha-jam — born of their separation; tāpam — the distress; prājñam — a spiritually enlightened person; prāpya — achieving; yathā — as; janāḥ — people in general.

 

TRANSLATION

 

All the gopīs enjoyed the greatest festivity when they saw their beloved Keśava again. They gave up the distress of separation, just as people in general forget their misery when they gain the association of a spiritually enlightened person.

 

10.32.10

tābhir vidhūta-śokābhir

bhagavān acyuto vṛtaḥ

vyarocatādhikaḿ tāta

puruṣaḥ śaktibhir yathā

 

tābhiḥ — by these gopīs; vidhūta — fully cleansed; śokābhiḥ — of their distress; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; acyutaḥ — the infallible Lord; vṛtaḥ — surrounded; vyarocata — appeared brilliant; adhikam — exceedingly; tāta — my dear (King Parīkṣit); puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Soul; śaktibhiḥ — with His transcendental potencies; yathā — as.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Encircled by the gopīs, who were now relieved of all distress, Lord Acyuta, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, shone forth splendidly. My dear King, Kṛṣṇa thus appeared like the Supersoul encircled by His spiritual potencies.

 

10.32.11-12

tāḥ samādāya kālindyā

nirviśya pulinaḿ vibhuḥ

vikasat-kunda-mandāra

surabhy-anila-ṣaṭpadam

 

śarac-candrāḿśu-sandoha-

dhvasta-doṣā-tamaḥ śivam

kṛṣṇāyā hasta-taralā

cita-komala-vālukam

 

tāḥ — those gopīs; samādāya — taking; kālindyāḥ — of the Yamunā; nirviśya — entering upon; pulinam — the bank; vibhuḥ — the almighty Supreme Lord; vikasat — blooming; kunda-mandāra — of kunda and mandāra flowers; surabhi — fragrant; anila — with the breeze; sat-padam — with bees;

 

śarat — autumnal; candra — of the moon; aḿśu — of the rays; sandoha — by the abundance; dhvasta — dispelled; doṣā — of the night; tamaḥ — the darkness; śivam — auspicious; kṛṣṇāyāḥ — of the river Yamunā; hasta — like hands; tarala — by her waves; ācita — collected; komala — soft; vālukam — sand.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The almighty Lord then took the gopīs with Him to the bank of the Kālindī, who with the hands of her waves had scattered piles of soft sand upon the shore. In that auspicious place the breeze, bearing the fragrance of blooming kunda and mandāra flowers, attracted many bees, and the abundant rays of the autumn moon dispelled the darkness of night.

 

10.32.13

tad-darśanāhlāda-vidhūta-hṛd-rujo

manorathāntaḿ śrutayo yathā yayuḥ

svair uttarīyaiḥ kuca-kuńkumāńkitair

acīkḷpann āsanam ātma-bandhave

 

tat — Him, Kṛṣṇa; darśana — due to seeing; āhlāda — by the ecstasy; vidhūta — driven away; hṛt — in their hearts; rujaḥ — the pain; manaḥ-ratha — of their desires; antam — the ultimate fulfillment; śrutayaḥ — the revealed scriptures; yathā — as; yayuḥ — they attained; svaiḥ — with their own; uttarīyaiḥ — covering garments; kuca — of their breasts; kuńkuma — with the vermilion powder; ańkitaiḥ — smeared; acīkḷpan — they arranged; āsanam — a seat; ātma — of their souls; bandhave — for the dear friend.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Their heartache vanquished by the ecstasy of seeing Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs, like the personified Vedas before them, felt their desires completely fulfilled. For their dear friend Kṛṣṇa they arranged a seat with their shawls which were smeared with the kuńkuma powder from their breasts.

 

10.32.14

tatropaviṣṭo bhagavān sa īśvaro

yogeśvarāntar-hṛdi kalpitāsanaḥ

cakāsa gopī-pariṣad-gato 'rcitas

trailokya-lakṣmy-eka-padaḿ vapur dadhat

 

tatra — there; upaviṣṭaḥ — seated; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saḥ — He; īśvaraḥ — the ultimate controller; yoga-īśvara — of the masters of mystic meditation; antaḥ — within; hṛdi — the hearts; kalpita — arranged; āsanaḥ — His seat; cakāsa — He appeared resplendent; gopī-pariṣat — in the assembly of the gopīs; gataḥ — present; arcitaḥ — worshiped; trai-lokya — of the three worlds; lakṣmī — of the beauty and other opulences; eka — the exclusive; padam — reservoir; vapuḥ — His transcendental, personal form; dadhat — exhibiting.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for whom the great masters of mystic meditation arrange a seat within their hearts, took His seat in the assembly of gopīs. His transcendental body, the exclusive abode of beauty and opulence within the three worlds, shone brilliantly as the gopīs worshiped Him.

 

10.32.15

sabhājayitvā tam anańga-dīpanaḿ

sahāsa-līlekṣaṇa-vibhrama-bhruvā

saḿsparśanenāńka-kṛtāńghri-hastayoḥ

saḿstutya īṣat kupitā babhāṣire

 

sabhājayitvā — honoring; tam — Him; anańga — of lusty desires; dīpanam — the inciter; sa-hāsa — smiling; līlā — playful; īkṣaṇa — with glances; vibhrama — sporting; bhruvā — with their eyebrows; saḿsparśanena — with touching; ańka — upon their laps; kṛta — placed; ańghri — of His feet; hastayoḥ — and hands; saḿstutya — offering praise; īṣat — somewhat; kupitāḥ — angry; babhāṣire — they spoke.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Kṛṣṇa had awakened romantic desires within the gopīs, and they honored Him by glancing at Him with playful smiles, gesturing amorously with their eyebrows, and massaging His hands and feet as they held them in their laps. Even while worshiping Him, however, they felt somewhat angry, and thus they addressed Him as follows.

 

10.32.16

śrī-gopya ūcuḥ

bhajato 'nubhajanty eka

eka etad-viparyayam

nobhayāḿś ca bhajanty eka

etan no brūhi sādhu bhoḥ

 

śrī-gopyaḥ ūcuḥ — the gopīs said; bhajataḥ — to those who respect them; anu — reciprocally; bhajanti — show respect; eke — some; eke — some; etat — to this; viparyayam — the contrary; na ubhayān — with neither; ca — and; bhajanti — reciprocate; eke — some; etat — this; naḥ — to us; brūhi — speak; sādhu — properly; bhoḥ — O dear one.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The gopīs said: Some people reciprocate the affection only of those who are affectionate toward them, while others show affection even to those who are indifferent or inimical. And yet others will not show affection toward anyone. Dear Kṛṣṇa, please properly explain this matter to us.

 

10.32.17

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

mitho bhajanti ye sakhyaḥ

svārthaikāntodyamā hi te

na tatra sauhṛdaḿ dharmaḥ

svārthārthaḿ tad dhi nānyathā

 

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; mithaḥ — mutually; bhajanti — reciprocate; ye — who; sakhyaḥ — friends; sva-artha — for their own sake; eka-anta — exclusively; udyamāḥ — whose endeavor; hi — indeed; te — they; na — not; tatra — therein; sauhṛdam — true friendship; dharmaḥ — true religiosity; sva-artha — of their own benefit; artham — for the sake; tat — that; hi — indeed; na — not; anyathā — otherwise.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: So-culled friends who show affection for each other only to benefit themselves are actually selfish. They have no true friendship, nor are they following the true principles of religion. Indeed, if they did not expect benefit for themselves, they would not reciprocate.

 

10.32.18

bhajanty abhajato ye vai

karuṇāḥ pitarau yathā

dharmo nirapavādo 'tra

sauhṛdaḿ ca su-madhyamāḥ

 

bhajanti — they devotedly serve; abhajataḥ — with those who do not reciprocate with them; ye — those who; vai — indeed; karuṇāḥ — merciful; pitarau — parents; yathā — as; dharmaḥ — religious duty; nirapavādaḥ — faultless; atra — in this; sauhṛdam — friendship; ca — and; su-madhyamāḥ — O slender-waisted ones.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear slender-waisted gopīs, some people are genuinely merciful or, like parents, naturally affectionate. Such persons, who devotedly serve even those who fail to reciprocate with them, are following the true, faultless path of religion, and they are true well-wishers.

 

10.32.19

bhajato 'pi na vai kecid

bhajanty abhajataḥ kutaḥ

ātmārāmā hy āpta-kāmā

akṛta-jñā guru-druhaḥ

 

bhajataḥ — with those who are acting favorably; api — even; na — not; vai — certainly; kecit — some; bhajanti — reciprocate; abhajataḥ — with those who are not acting favorably; kutaḥ — what to speak of; ātma-ārāmāḥ — the self-satisfied; hi — indeed; āpta-kāmāḥ — those who have already attained their material desires; akṛta-jñāḥ — those who are ungrateful; guru-druhaḥ — those who are inimical to superiors.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Then there are those individuals who are spiritually self-satisfied, materially fulfilled or by nature ungrateful or simply envious of superiors. Such persons will not love even those who love them, what to speak of those who are inimical.

 

10.32.20

nāhaḿ tu sakhyo bhajato 'pi jantūn

bhajāmy amīṣām anuvṛtti-vṛttaye

yathādhano labdha-dhane vinaṣṭe

tac-cintayānyan nibhṛto na veda

 

na — do not; aham — I; tu — on the other hand; sakhyaḥ — O friends; bhajataḥ — worshiping; api — even; jantūn — with living beings; bhajāmi — reciprocate; amīṣām — their; anuvṛtti — propensity (for pure love); vṛttaye — in order to impel; yathā — just as; adhanaḥ — a poor man; labdha — having obtained; dhane — wealth; vinaṣṭe — and it being lost; tat — of that; cintayā — with anxious thought; anyat — anything else; nibhṛtaḥ — filled; na veda — does not know.

 

TRANSLATION

 

But the reason I do not immediately reciprocate the affection of living beings even when they worship Me, O gopīs, is that I want to intensify their loving devotion. They then become like a poor man who has gained some wealth and then lost it, and who thus becomes so anxious about it that he can think of nothing else.

 

10.32.21

evaḿ mad-arthojjhita-loka-veda

svānām hi vo mayy anuvṛttaye 'balāḥ

mayāparokṣaḿ bhajatā tirohitaḿ

māsūyituḿ mārhatha tat priyaḿ priyāḥ

 

evam — thus; mat — My; artha — for the sake; ujjhita — having rejected; loka — worldly opinion; veda — the opinion of the Vedas; svānām — and relatives; hi — indeed; vaḥ — of you; mayi — for Me; anuvṛttaye — for the loving propensity; abalāḥ — My dear girls; mayā — by Me; aparokṣam — removed from your sight; bhajatā — who is actually reciprocating; tirohitam — the disappearance; mā — with Me; asūyitum — to be inimical; ma arhatha — you should not; tat — therefore; priyam — with your beloved; priyāḥ — My dear beloveds.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear girls, understanding that simply for My sake you had rejected the authority of worldly opinion, of the Vedas and of your relatives, I acted as I did only to increase your attachment to Me. Even when I removed Myself from your sight by suddenly disappearing, I never stopped loving you. Therefore, My beloved gopīs, please do not harbor any bad feelings toward Me, your beloved.

 

10.32.22

na pāraye 'haḿ niravadya-saḿyujāḿ

sva-sādhu-kṛtyaḿ vibudhāyuṣāpi vaḥ

yā mābhajan durjara-geha-śṛńkhalāḥ

saḿvṛścya tad vaḥ pratiyātu sādhunā

 

na — not; pāraye — am able to make; aham — I; niravadya-saḿyujām — to those who are completely free from deceit; sva-sādhu-kṛtyam — proper compensation; vibudha-āyuṣā — with a lifetime as long as that of the demigods; api — although; vaḥ — to you; yāḥ — who; mā — Me; abhajan — have worshiped; durjara — difficult to overcome; geha-śṛńkhalāḥ — the chains of household life; saḿvṛścya — cutting; tat — that; vaḥ — of you; pratiyātu — let it be returned; sādhunā — by the good activity itself.

 

TRANSLATION

 

I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahmā. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation.