S'rî
S'uka said: 'During the first month of the winter season
[hemanta Nov./Jan.] observed the unmarried girls
of Nanda's Vraja subsisting on unspiced khichrî
[a mix of rice and lentils] a vow of worshiping the
goddess Kâtyâyanî.
S'rî
S'uka said: 'During the first month of the winter season
[hemanta: nov./jan.] observed the unmarried girls of
Nanda's Vraja subsisting on unspiced khichrî [a
mix of rice and lentils] a vow of worshiping the goddess
Kâtyâyanî. (Vedabase)
Text
2-3
Rising
at dawn bathing in the water of the Yamunâ made they of
clay a deity of the goddess to be, opulently as well as simply,
of worship, o ruler of men, with sandalwood pulp, fragrant
garlands, gifts [of food, clothes etc.], incense and
lamps and with presentations of fresh leaves, fruits and bethel
nuts.
Rising
at dawn bathing in the water of the Yamunâ made they
of clay a deity of the goddess to be, opulent as well as
simple, of worship, o ruler of men, with sandalwood pulp,
fragrant garlands, gifts [of food, clothes etc.],
incense and lamps and with presentations of fresh leaves,
fruits and bethel nuts. (Vedabase)
Text
4
The
young girls performed worship chanting a mantra with the words:
'O Kâtyâyanî, our obeisances unto you, o
great power, greatest yoginî, o supreme control,
please make the son of Nanda the gopa my husband!'
[*]
The
young girls performed worship chanting a mantra with the
words: 'O Kâtyâyanî, our obeisances unto
you, o great power, greatest yoginî, o supreme
control, please make the son of Nanda the gopa my husband!'
[*] (Vedabase)
Text
5
In
this manner executed the girls for an entire month their vow
before Bhadrakâlî being of proper worship with 'May
He, Nanda's son become my husband'.
In
this manner executed the girls for an entire month their vow
before Bhadrakâlî ['the goodness of the age
of quarrel'] being of proper worship with 'May He,
Nanda's son become my husband'.
(Vedabase)
Text
6
Every
day, at the break of dawn calling for one another, held they
each other's hands singing loudly in their honoring of Krishna
while going to the Kâlindî to bathe.
Every
day, at the break of dawn calling for one another, held they
each others hands singing loudly in honor of Krishna while
going to the Kâlindî to bathe.
(Vedabase)
Text
7
One day
arriving at the river singing about Krishna, they as usual left
their clothes on the shore and enjoyed sporting in the
water.
One
day arriving at the river singing about Krishna they as
usual dropped their clothes on the shore and enjoyed
sporting in the water. (Vedabase)
Text
8
Krishna, the
Supreme Lord, as the Master of all masters of yoga
understanding their intention, went there surrounded by
companions to assure the girls the result of their
activities.
Krishna,
the Supreme Lord, as the master of all masters of yoga
understanding their intention, went there surrounded by
companions to assure the girls the result of their
activities. (Vedabase)
Text
9
Snatching
their clothes away He climbed quickly up a Kadamba tree
laughing together with the boys making fun saying:
Snatching
their clothes away He climbed quickly up a kadamba tree
laughing together with the boys making fun saying:
(Vedabase)
Text
10
'Come
here, o girls, and please take each your own garment as you
desire, I'm seriously not joking, since you must be tired of
the vow.
'Come
here, o girls, and please take each your own garment as you
desire, I'm seriously not joking, since you must be tired of
the vow. (Vedabase)
Text
11
I've
definitely never practiced any lie, that all these boys do
know; thus, o slender girls, be sure to make your pick either
one by one or all together.'
I've
definitely never before said anything untrue, that all these
boys do know; thus, o slender girls, be sure to make your
pick either one by one or all together.'
(Vedabase)
Text
12
With
that prank of His saw He how the gopîs, steeped in
love for Him, had to laugh looking at one another but being
embarrassed they did not come out of the water.
With
that prank of His saw He how the gopîs, steeped in
love for Him, had to laugh looking at one another but being
embarrassed they did not come out.
(Vedabase)
Text
13
Govinda
speaking thus had with his joking caught the minds of them who,
up to their necks shivering in the cold water, said to
Him:
Govinda
speaking thus had with his jesting caught the minds of them
who, up to their necks shivering in the cold water, said to
Him: (Vedabase)
Text
14
'O You, don't
be unfair, act like the one You can also be, as the beloved son
of gopa Nanda we know, o dearest, as the one renown
throughout Vraja; please give us our garments, we're
cold.
'O
You, don't be unfair, act like the one You can also be, as
the beloved son of gopa Nanda we know, o dearest, as the one
renown throughout Vraja; please give us our garments, we're
cold.
(Vedabase)
Text
15
O
S'yâmasundara ['beautiful dark one'] we, Your
maidservants will do whatever You tell us to, please return our
clothes, o Knower of the Dharma, or mind, otherwise we'll tell
the king about it!'
O
S'yâmasundara ['beautiful dark one'] we, Your
maidservants will do whatever You tell us to, please return
our clothes, o knower of the dharma, or mind, otherwise
we'll tell the king about it!' (Vedabase)
Text
16
The Supreme
Lord said: 'If you're My servants mustn't you then do what I
told you and with your innocent smiles come out of the water to
pick out your garments; I won't give them if you don't, and
with the king angry, what can he do about it?'
The
Supreme Lord said: 'If you're My servants mustn't you then
do as I told you and come out here with your innocent smiles
to pick out your garments; and with Me not giving them
having the king angry, what can he do?
(Vedabase)
Text
17
Then
came all the girls shivering, pained by the cold, forward from
the water, covering their pubic area with their
hands.
Then
came all the girls shivering, pained by the cold, forward
from the water, covering their pubic area with their hands.
(Vedabase)
Text
18
The
Supreme Lord seeing them beaten put satisfied about the purity
of their love their garments over His shoulder and said with a
loving smile:
The
Supreme Lord seeing them beaten put satisfied with the pure
of their affection their garments over His shoulder and said
with a loving smile: (Vedabase)
Text
19
'Because you,
performing a vedic sacrifice, were naked bathing in the water,
have you offended Varuna and the other gods; to counteract this
sin you must pay your obeisances with your palms joined
together over your heads and then take your garments
back.'
'Because
you, performing a vedic sacrifice, were naked bathing in the
water, have you offended Varuna and the other gods; to
counteract this sin you must pay your obeisances with your
palms joined together over your heads and then take your
garments back.' (Vedabase)
Text
20
With this what
the Infallible Lord indicated considered the Vraja girls their
skinny-dipping a fall from their vow and intent on successfully
completing that vow, as well as an endless number of likewise
pious activities, offered they their obeisances unto the
directly before them visible result in the form of the Purifier
of All Sins.
With
this what the Infallible Lord indicated considered the Vraja
girls their skinny dipping a fall from their vow and intent
on successfully completing that vow, as well as an endless
number of likewise pious activities, offered they their
obeisances unto the directly before them visible result in
the form of Purifier of All Sins.
(Vedabase)
Text
21
The Supreme
Lord, the son of Devakî, satisfied to see them bowing
down then, being compassionate upon that act, gave them back
the garments.
The
Supreme Lord, the son of Devakî, seeing them bowing
down then gave them, compassionate with that act, satisfied
the garments back. (Vedabase)
Text
22
Despite of
indeed seriously being cheated, denied in their shame, laughed
at and made to act like puppets on a string with their clothes
being stolen, felt they, joyful to have the association with
their beloved, nevertheless no enmity towards
Him.
Despite
of indeed seriously being cheated, denied in their shame,
laughed at and made to act like puppets on a string with
their clothes being stolen, felt they, joyful to have the
association with their beloved, nevertheless no enmity
towards Him. (Vedabase)
Text
23
Having put on
their garments were they, smitten by the association with their
beloved, with their minds seized truly unable to move and
glanced they upon Him full of shyness.
Having
put on their garments were they, smitten by the association
with their beloved, with their minds seized truly unable to
move and glanced they upon Him full of shyness.
(Vedabase)
Text
24
Understanding
them as being decided upon the vow with the desire to touch the
Supreme Lord His own feet, spoke Dâmodara
to the girls:
Understanding
them as being decided upon the vow with the desire to touch
the Supreme Lord His own feet, spoke Dâmodara to the
girls: (Vedabase)
Text
25
'O pious ones,
understanding your motivation to worship Me do I approve of
that as being true and must it come to pass.
'O
pious ones, understanding your motivation to worship Me do I
approve of that as being true and must it come to pass.
(Vedabase)
Text
26
Of those whose
consciousness is fully absorbed in Me does the desire not lead
to material lust, the way roasted and cooked grains are not
capable of causing new growth [see also e.g.
1.6:
35,
3.15:
20,
7.7:
51-52].
Of
those whose consciousness is fully absorbed in Me does the
desire not lead to material lust, like roasted and cooked
grains are not capable of causing new growth [see also
e.g. 1.6: 35, 3.15: 20, 7.7: 51-52].
(Vedabase)
Text
27
Now go, dear
girls, to Vraja; having achieved your desire, will you together
with Me one of these nights enjoy in a way that is pure, for
you delivered the evidence of this vow by your performance of
worship for the goddess.'
Now
go, dear girls, to Vraja; having achieved your desire, will
you with Me enjoy these nights which, with the evidence of
this vow of your performing the worship for the goddess,
will be pure ' (Vedabase)
Text
28
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Thus being instructed by the Supreme Lord
meditated the young girls with their desire fulfilled, upon His
lotus feet, while they with difficulty returned to the cowherd
village.
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Thus being instructed by the Supreme Lord
meditated the young girls with their desire fulfilled, upon
His lotusfeet, as they with difficulty returned to the
cowherd village.
(Vedabase)
Text
29
Some time later
went the son of Devakî in the midst of the gopas
at a distance from Vrindâvana to herd the cows together
with His brother.
Some
time later went the son of Devakî in the midst of the
gopas at a distance from Vrindâvana to graze the cows
together with His brother. (Vedabase)
Text
30
With the sun
fiercely hot of the season looking at the trees that with their
shade served Him as parasols, said He to the
boys:
With
the sun fiercely hot of the season said He, looking at the
trees that with their shade served Him as parasols, to the
boys: (Vedabase)
Text
31-32
'O Stoka
Krishna and Ams'u; o S'rîdâma, Subala and Arjuna; o
Vis'âla, Vrishabha and Ojasvî; o Devaprastha and
Varûthapa, just see these ones so fortunate whose life is
only there for the higher purpose of warding off the rain, the
wind, the heat and the snow they bear for us.
'O
Stoka Krishna and Ams'u; o S'rîdâma, Subala and
Arjuna; o Vis'ala, Vrishabha and Ojasvî; o Devaprastha
and Varûthapa, just see these ones so fortunate whose
life is only there for the higher purpose of keeping off the
rain, the wind, the heat and the snow they bear for us.
(Vedabase)
Text
33
Oh how superior
the birth of these trees that, like great souls do, give
support to all living entities; for certain will no one in need
for them ever leave them being disappointed.
Oh
how superior the birth of these trees that, like great souls
do, give support to all living entities; for certain will no
person in need ever go away disappointed by
them.
(Vedabase)
Text
34
By their
leaves, flowers and fruits; shade and roots, bark and wood; by
their fragrance, sap ashes, pulp and shoots they grant all
things desirable.
By
their leaves, flowers and fruits; shade and roots, bark and
wood; by their fragrance, sap ashes, pulp and shoots they
award all things desirable. (Vedabase)
Text
35
It is to each
living being to live up to this perfection of birth in this
world: namely to be with one's life, wealth, intelligence and
words towards all living beings always of the highest good in
one's dutiful activities [see also the Vaishnava
Pranâma].'
It
is to each living being to live up to this perfection of
birth in this world: to be with one's life, wealth,
intelligence and words towards the embodied always of the
highest good in one's dutiful activities [see also the
vaishnava pranâma].' (Vedabase)
Text
36
From between
the trees bowing down with their abundance of leaves, clusters
of fruit, flowers and twigs, arrived He speaking this way at
the Yamunâ.
This
way speaking arrived He, from within the midst of the trees
bowing down with their abundance of leaves, clusters of
fruit, flowers and twigs, at the
Yamunâ.
(Vedabase)
Text
37
There the
gopas drenched the cows in the crystal clear, fresh and
cool, wholesome water, o ruler, and drank they also themselves
their fill of the sweet-tasting water.
There
the gopas drenched the cows in the limpid, fresh and cool,
wholesome water, o ruler, and drank they themselves their
fill of the sweet-tasting water.
(Vedabase)
Text
38
In a grove
along the Yamunâ allowing the animals to roam freely, o
ruler of the people, said they, plagued by hunger approaching
Râma and Krishna, this:'
In
a grove along the Yamunâ freely tending the animals, o
ruler of the people, said they, plagued by hunger
approaching Râma and Krishna,
this:
(Vedabase)
*
The
distinction between the internal of
yoga-mâyâ and the external, or illusory,
potency of the Lord of mahâ-mâyâ is
described in the Nârada-pañcarâtra, in the
conversation between S'ruti and Vidyâ:
jânâty
ekâparâ kântam
saivâ durgâ tad-âtmikâ
yâ parâ paramâ s'aktir
mahâ-vishnu-svarûpinî
yasyâ vijñâna-mâtrena
parânâm paramâtmanah
mahûrtâd deva-devasya
prâptir bhavati nânyathâ
ekeyam prema-sarvasva
svabhâvâ gokules'varî
anayâ su-labho jñeya
âdi-devo 'khiles'varah
asyâ âvârika-s'aktir
mahâ-mâyâkhiles'varî
yayâ mugdam jagat sarvam
sarve dehâbhimâninah
"The
Lord's inferior potency, known as Durgâ, is dedicated to
His loving service. Being the Lord's potency, this inferior
energy is nondifferent from Him. There is another, superior
potency, whose form is on the same spiritual level as that of
God Himself. Simply by scientifically understanding this
supreme potency, one can immediately achieve the Supreme Soul
of all souls, who is the Lord of all lords. There is no other
process to achieve Him. That supreme potency of the Lord is
known as Gokules'varî, the goddess of Gokula. Her nature
is to be completely absorbed in love of God, and through Her
one can easily obtain the primeval God, the Lord of all that
be. This internal potency of the Lord has a covering potency,
known as Mahâ-mâyâ, who rules the
material world. In fact she bewilders the entire universe, and
thus everyone within the universe falsely identifies himself
with the material body." See also 8.12:
40
for
Durgâ.