Source
Texts:
The
Song of the Bee
Text
1-2:
S'rî
S'uka said: 'When the women of Vraja saw him, the servant of
Krishna, with his long arms, being so young, with his
lotuseyes, wearing a yellow garment and a lotusgarland and with
his effulgent lotuslike countenance and polished earrings,
wondered they quite astonished from where this handsome man had
come and to whom he, wearing Krishna's clothes and ornaments,
belonged. With all of them talking like this crowded they
eagerly around him who was sheltered by the lotus feet of
Uttamas'loka [the Lord Praised in the
Scriptures].
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: The young women of Vraja became
astonished upon seeing Lord Krishna's servant, who had long
arms, whose eyes resembled a newly grown lotus, who wore a
yellow garment and a lotus garland, and whose lotuslike face
glowed with brightly polished earrings. "Who is this
handsome man?" the gopîs asked. "Where has he come
from, and whom does he serve? He's wearing Krishna's clothes
and ornaments!" Saying this, the gopîs eagerly crowded
around Uddhava, whose shelter was the lotus feet of Lord
Uttamahs'loka, S'rî Krishna.
Text
3
In
proper respect bowing down to him in humility and shyly smiling
to their glances, sweet words and all, inquired they with him,
having taken him separate and seated on a pillow, as they
understood that he was an envoy of the Master of the Goddess of
Fortune.
Bowing
their heads in humility, the gopîs duly honored
Uddhava with their shy, smiling glances and pleasing words.
They took him to a quiet place, seated him comfortably and
began to question him, for they recognized him to be a
messenger from Krishna, the master of the goddess of
fortune.
Text
4
'We
know that you arrived here as the personal associate of the
chief of the Yadus who as your Master has sent you here to
satisfy by your mediation His parents.
[The
gopîs said:] We know that you are the personal
servant of Krishna, the chief of the Yadus, and that you
have come here on the order of your good master, who desires
to give pleasure to His parents.
Text
5
We wouldn't
know what there would be else for Him worth to remember in
these cow-pastures; the bonds of affection with one's relatives
are even for a sage difficult to relinquish.
We
see nothing else He might consider worth remembering in
these cow pastures of Vraja. Indeed, the bonds of affection
for one's family members are difficult to break, even for a
sage.
Text
6
The
interest in others manifests itself as friendship for as long
as it takes; it is a pretense as good as the interest that bees
show for flowers or that men show for women.
The
friendship shown toward others - those who are not family
members - is motivated by personal interest, and thus it is
a pretense that lasts only until one's purpose is fulfilled.
Such friendship is just like the interest men take in women,
or bees in flowers.
Text
7
Prostitutes
abandon a penniless man, citizens an incompetent king,
graduates abandon their teacher and priests one abandons after
compensating them.
Prostitutes
abandon a penniless man, subjects an incompetent king,
students their teacher once they have finished their
education, and priests a man who has remunerated them for a
sacrifice.
Text
8
Birds
do so with a tree rid of the fruits and guests with the house
where they ate; animals abandon the forest that burned down and
likewise does a lover so once he has enjoyed an enamored
woman.'
Birds
abandon a tree when its fruits are gone, guests a house
after they have eaten, animals a forest that has burnt down,
and a lover the woman he has enjoyed, even though she
remains attached to him.
Text
9-10:
The gopîs
with Uddhava, the messenger of Krishna, having arrived in their
midst, thus indeed with their speech, bodies and minds aiming
at Krishna, put aside their worldly concerns, singing and
crying without restraint in the intense memory of the youth and
childhood activities of their Sweetheart.
Thus
speaking, the gopîs, whose words, bodies and minds
were fully dedicated to Lord Govinda, put aside all their
regular work now that Krishna's messenger, S'rî
Uddhava, had arrived among them. Constantly remembering the
activities their beloved Krishna had performed in His
childhood and youth, they sang about them and cried without
shame.
Text
11
One [noted
as Râdhâ, see also
*] seeing
a honeybee while meditating the association with Krishna
imagined it a messenger sent by her Beloved and spoke the
following:
One
of the gopîs, while meditating on Her previous
association with Krishna, saw a honeybee before Her and
imagined it to be a messenger sent by Her beloved. Thus She
spoke as follows.
Text
12
The gopî
said: 'O honeybee, you friend of a cheater, don't touch my feet
with your whiskers carrying the kunkum from His garland that
rubbed off from the breasts of our rival; He who has sent a
messenger such as you is derided in the assembly of the Yadus -
let the Lord of Madhu [Himself instead] be of mercy
with the women! [prajalpa **]
The
gopî said: O honeybee, O friend of a cheater, don't
touch My feet with your whiskers, which are smeared with the
kunkuma that rubbed onto Krishna's garland when it was
crushed by the breasts of a rival lover! Let Krishna satisfy
the women of Mathurâ. One who sends a messenger like
you will certainly be ridiculed in the Yadus'
assembly.
Text
13
Once He made us
drink the nectar from His own bewildering lips, has He suddenly
abandoned us like we were some flowers; I wonder why, like you
[o bee], the goddess of fortune [Padmâ]
serves His lotus feet - that must be so because, alas, by the
chitchat of Krishna her mind for sure has been stolen
[parijalpa ***].
After
making us drink the enchanting nectar of His lips only once,
Krishna suddenly abandoned us, just as you might quickly
abandon some flowers. How is it, then, that Goddess
Padmâ willingly serves His lotus feet? Alas! The
answer must certainly be that her mind has been stolen away
by His deceitful words.
Text
14
O
mister sixlegs, why are you singing here so much about the
Master of the Yadus in front of us, old friends of the Friend
of Vijaya [Arjuna], who abandoned their homes; you
better sing of His topics before the [present]
girlfriends of whom He [now has] relieved of the pain
of their breasts - His sweethearts will provide you the charity
you seek [vijalpa
*4].
O
bee, why do you sing here so much about the Lord of the
Yadus, in front of us homeless people? These topics are old
news to us. Better you sing about that friend of Arjuna in
front of His new girlfriends, the burning desire in whose
breasts He has now relieved. Those ladies will surely give
you the charity you are begging.
Text
15
What women in
heaven, on earth and below would not be available to Him so
deceptive with His charming smiles and arching eyebrows; what
is, when the wife of the Fortunate One is of worship with the
dust of the feet, the value of us, we for whom being so
wretched indeed He at least is there by the sound of
'Uttamas'loka' [ujjalpa *5]?
In
heaven, on earth or in the subterranean sphere, what women
are unavailable to Him? He simply arches His eyebrows and
smiles with deceptive charm, and they all become His. The
supreme goddess herself worships the dust of His feet, so
what is our position in comparison? But at least those who
are wretched can chant His name, Uttamahs'loka.
Text
16
Keep
your head off My foot! I know you, you expert who as a
messenger from Mukunda learned the diplomacy of flatter! Why
should I reconcile with Him who so ungrateful abandoned us, who
for His sake in this life have abandoned their children,
husbands and everything else [sañjalpa
*6]?
Keep
your head off My feet! I know what you're doing. You
expertly learned diplomacy from Mukunda, and now you come as
His messenger with flattering words. But He abandoned those
who for His sake alone gave up their children, husbands and
all other relations. He's simply ungrateful. Why should I
make up with Him now?
Text
17
Against
the rules shot He [as Râma, see 9.10
& 11]
as cruel as a hunter the king of the monkeys
[Vâlî], was he won by a woman
[Sîtâ], did He disfigure a woman driven by
lust [S'ûrpanakhâ, the sister of
Râvana] and did He, after consuming his tribute
[as Vâmana], bind Bali up like a crow [see
8.21];
so therefore enough of that Black Boy whom of all friendships
is so hard to give up when we lose ourselves in the topics
about Him
[avajalpa *7].
Like
a hunter, He cruelly shot the king of the monkeys with
arrows. Because He was conquered by a woman, He disfigured
another woman who came to Him with lusty desires. And even
after consuming the gifts of Bali Mahârâja, He
bound him up with ropes as if he were a crow. So let us give
up all friendship with this dark-complexioned boy, even if
we can't give up talking about Him.
Text
18
The ears, just
once partaking of a drop of the nectar of the pastimes He
constantly performed, do remove one entirely from the duality
and ruin the personal duties right away, because of which,
rejecting their miserable homes and families, many people out
here like birds pursue the livelihood of begging [abhijalpa
*8].
To
hear about the pastimes that Krishna regularly performs is
nectar for the ears. For those who relish just a single drop
of that nectar, even once, their dedication to material
duality is ruined. Many such persons have suddenly given up
their wretched homes and families and, themselves becoming
wretched, traveled here to Vrindâvana to wander about
like birds, begging for their living.
.
Text
19
We, taking His
deceptive speech for true, as foolish doe wives of the black
deer trusting the hunters song, repeatedly experienced this
sharp pain of lust caused by the touch of His fingernails; o
messenger, I beg, speak of another subject [ajalpa
*
9]!
Faithfully
taking His deceitful words as true, we became just like the
black deer's foolish wives, who trust the cruel hunter's
song. Thus we repeatedly felt the sharp pain of lust caused
by the touch of His nails. O messenger, please talk about
something besides Krishna.
Text
20
O sweet friend,
have you by my Beloved once again been sent here - please
choose whatever you wish, you are to be honored by me my
dearest - why are you bringing us here that twofold with Him
that is so impossible to give up; o gentle one, isn't there
always present at His side His consort, the goddess of fortune
S'rî, to His chest [pratijalpa *
10]?
O
friend of My dear one, has My beloved sent you here again? I
should honor you, friend, so please choose whatever boon you
wish. But why have you come back here to take us to Him,
whose conjugal love is so difficult to give up? After all,
gentle bee, His consort is the goddess S'rî, and she
is always with Him, staying upon His chest.
Text
21
It certainly is
regrettable that the son of Nanda now resides in Mathurâ;
does He remember the household affairs of His father, His
friends and the cowherd boys so now and then, o great soul,
or..., does He still in talks relate to us, the maidservants?
When do we have a chance that He will lay His aguru-scented
hand on our heads [sujalpa *
11]?'
O
Uddhava! It is indeed regrettable that Krishna resides in
Mathurâ. Does He remember His father's household
affairs and His friends, the cowherd boys? O great soul!
Does He ever talk about us, His maidservants? When will He
lay on our heads His aguru-scented hand?
Text
22
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Uddhava, having heard how the cowherdgirls were
hankering after the sight of Krishna, then to pacify them spoke
of the messages of their Sweetheart.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Having heard this, Uddhava then
tried to pacify the gopîs, who were most eager to see
Lord Krishna. He thus began relating to them the message of
their beloved.
Text
23
S'rî
Uddhava said: 'You who in this manner dedicated your minds unto
the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva, are for sure to be worshiped
by all people as you indeed fulfilled the purpose of your good
selves [of modeling our emotions of relating to
Him].
S'rî
Uddhava said: Certainly you gopîs are all-successful
and are universally worshiped because you have dedicated
your minds in this way to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Vâsudeva.
Text
24
By
donating, vows [of poverty, celibacy and fasting],
sacrifices, the rosary [japa], by study, and by turning
inward concentrating and meditating, and by all kinds of other
auspicious practices [see also yama,
niyama,
vidhi
and bhâgavata
dharma]
is indeed unto Krishna the bhakti, the devotional service,
realized.
Devotional
service unto Lord Krishna is attained by charity, strict
vows, austerities and fire sacrifices, by japa, study of
Vedic texts, observance of regulative principles and,
indeed, by the performance of many other auspicious
practices.
Text
25
By
your good selves unto the Supreme Lord, who is glorified in
sublime poetry, have you - my congratulations - established an
unexcelled devotion hard to attain even for the
sages.
By
your great fortune you have established an unexcelled
standard of pure devotion for the Lord, Uttamahs'loka - a
standard even the sages can hardly attain.
Text
26
To your good
fortune you chose to leave your sons, husbands, physical
comforts, relatives and homes to associate with that superior
male personality named Krishna.
By
your great fortune you have left your sons, husbands, bodily
comforts, relatives and homes in favor of the supreme male,
who is known as Krishna.
Text
27
By your
rightfully claiming your wholehearted love in separation from
Adhokshaya,
o glorious ones, have you done me [the Lord and
everyone] a great favor.
You
have rightfully claimed the privilege of unalloyed love for
the transcendental Lord, O most glorious gopîs.
Indeed, by exhibiting your love for Krishna in separation
from Him, you have shown me great mercy.
Text
28
Please, good
ladies, hear what the message from your Beloved for you is for
which I as a faithful follower of my master's orders have
come.
My
good ladies, now please hear your beloved's message, which
I, the confidential servant of my master, have come here to
bring you.
Text
29
The Supreme
Lord has said: 'You women are actually never separated from Me,
there ever as the Soul of All; just as all the elements, the
ether, the fire, the air, the water and the earth are part of
all beings, am I likewise, to the elements of the mind, the
life air, the senses, and their natural modes [guna, rasa
and jalpa] there as their harbor.
The
Supreme Lord said: You are never actually separated from Me,
for I am the Soul of all creation. Just as the elements of
nature - ether, air, fire, water and earth - are present in
every created thing, so I am present within everyone's mind,
life air and senses, and also within the physical elements
and the modes of material nature.
Text
30
Within Me do I
Myself indeed by Myself create, destroy and sustain through the
power of my deluding potency made up by the elements, the
senses and the modes.
By
Myself I create, sustain and withdraw Myself within Myself
by the power of My personal energy, which comprises the
material elements, the senses and the modes of
nature.
Text
31
The soul full
of pure spiritual knowledge is to the effect of the modes
uninvolved in what is perceived by the functions of deep sleep,
dream sleep and waking consciousness.
Being
composed of pure consciousness, or knowledge, the soul is
distinct from everything material and is uninvolved in the
entanglements of the modes of nature. We can perceive the
soul through the three functions of material nature known as
wakefulness, sleep and deep sleep.
Text
32
What
one meditates by the senses running after the objects is false,
like a dream is upon awakening; staying alert should one bring
under control that what [in the mind] gathers by the
senses
[compare B.G. 2:
68 and
6:
35-36].
As
a person just arisen from sleep may continue to meditate on
a dream even though it is illusory, so by the agency of the
mind one meditates on the sense objects, which the senses
can then obtain. Therefore one should become fully alert and
bring the mind under control.
Text
33
This, like all
rivers ending in the ocean, is of the intelligent the end
conclusion to all vedic studies, yoga, analysis, renunciation,
penance, sense-control and truthfulness [compare B.G.
2:
70].
According
to intelligent authorities, this is the ultimate conclusion
of all the Vedas, as well as all practice of yoga,
Sânkhya, renunciation, austerity, sense control and
truthfulness, just as the sea is the ultimate destination of
all rivers.
Text
34
The
fact then that I, so dear to your eyes, indeed am situated so
far away from yours, is of My desire that you, in your
solicitude towards Me, are attracted in the
mind.
But
the actual reason why I, the beloved object of your sight,
have stayed far away from you is that I wanted to intensify
your meditation upon Me and thus draw your minds closer to
Me.
Text
35
For the minds
of women remain absorbed when the one dearest to them is far
away and not so the minds of them who have him present before
their eyes.
When
her lover is far away, a woman thinks of him more than when
he is present before her.
Text
36
Your minds
totally absorbed in Me, having given up on all the restlessness
because of constantly remembering Me, will soon obtain
Me.
Because
your minds are totally absorbed in Me and free from all
other engagement, you remember Me always, and so you will
very soon have Me again in your presence.
Text
37
Those
remaining here in Vraja, while I was sporting at night in the
forest [see
10.29.9],
and thus not experienced the râsadance, were fortunate as
they achieved Me by concentrating on my heroic
acts.'
Although
some gopîs had to remain in the cowherd village and so
could not join the râsa dance to sport with Me at
night in the forest, they were nonetheless fortunate.
Indeed, they attained Me by thinking of My potent
pastimes.
Text
38
S'rî
S'uka said: 'The women of Vraja hearing the instructions of
their Beloved given in this fashion, did, pleased by the
message to again remember, speak to Uddhava.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: The women of Vraja were pleased to
hear this message from their dearmost Krishna. His words
having revived their memory, they addressed Uddhava as
follows.
Text
39
The
gopîs said: 'Fortunately has the cause of the suffering,
the enemy of the Yadus Kamsa, together with his followers been
killed. How good that Acyuta at present happily lives with His
well-wishers who have attained all they desired.
The
gopîs said: It is very good that Kamsa, the enemy and
persecutor of the Yadus, has now been killed, along with his
followers. And it is also very good that Lord Acyuta is
living happily in the company of His well-wishing friends
and relatives, whose every desire is now fulfilled.
Text
40
O gentle one,
perhaps is the elder brother of Gada [Krishna, see
9.24:
46] giving
the women of the city, revering Him affectionate and bashful
with inviting smiles and glances, the love that belongs to
us.
Gentle
Uddhava, is the elder brother of Gada now bestowing on the
city women the pleasure that actually belongs to us? We
suppose those ladies worship Him with generous glances full
of affectionate, shy smiles.
Text
41
How
will our Darling, so versed in all the things of love, not
become bound by the bewildering gestures and words of the city
women, who are also [just as we] constantly of
worship?
S'rî
Krishna is expert in all kinds of conjugal affairs and is
the darling of the city women. How can He not become
entangled, now that He's constantly adored by their
enchanting words and gestures?
Text
42
And...
does Krishna, o pious one, remember us; does He ever mention
us, village girls, when He freely talks within the society of
the city women?
O
saintly one, does Govinda ever remember us during His
conversations with the city women? Does He ever mention us
village girls as He freely talks with them?
Text
43
Does
He recall those nights in which He enjoyed in Vrindâvana,
so enchanting of lotus, jasmine and the moon, together with us
His beloved girlfriends, who ever glorify Him by His charming
stories, dancing with jingling ankle bells?
Does
He recall those nights in the Vrindâvana forest,
lovely with lotus, jasmine and the bright moon? As we
glorified His charming pastimes, He enjoyed with us, His
beloved girlfriends, in the circle of the râsa dance,
which resounded with the music of ankle bells.
Text
44
Will
that descendant of Das'ârha come here to bring, perhaps
with His touch, back to life us tormented with the sorrow He
Himself gave rise to, like Indra would to [replenish] a
forest with his clouds?
Will
that descendant of Das'ârha return here and by the
touch of His limbs bring back to life those who are now
burning with the grief He Himself has caused? Will He save
us in that way, just as Lord Indra brings a forest back to
life with his water-bearing clouds?
Text
45
But
why would Krishna come over here now that He, surrounded by all
His well-wishers, is happy having attained a kingdom, killed
His enemies and married the daughters of kings?
But
why should Krishna come here after winning a kingdom,
killing His enemies and marrying the daughters of kings?
He's satisfied there, surrounded by all His friends and
well-wishers.
Text
46
What
unto Him, the great Soul and husband of the goddess of fortune
whose every desire is already fulfilled, would there be to
fulfill as a purpose for us, forest-dwellers, or for other
women; He's complete in Himself!
The
great soul Krishna is the Lord of the goddess of fortune,
and He automatically achieves whatever He desires. How can
we forest-dwellers or any other women fulfill His purposes
when He is already fulfilled within Himself?
Text
47
The
highest happiness indeed is found in not hoping for anything,
so even stated Pingalâ [a courtesan, see
11.8],
yet for us aware of that being focused on Krishna is it
difficult not to hope.
Indeed,
the greatest happiness is to renounce all desires, as even
the prostitute Pingalâ has declared. Yet even though
we know this, we cannot give up our hopes of attaining
Krishna.
Text
48
Who
can bear to give it up to entertain a preconceived notion with
Uttamas'loka, from whose body the goddess, even though He's not
desiring, never moves away.
Who
can bear to give up intimate talks with Lord Uttamahs'loka?
Although He shows no interest in her, Goddess S'rî
never moves from her place on His chest.
Text
49
With
Sankarshana for His companion lived Krishna, o prabhu, by the
rivers, the hills and places in the forest, the cows and the
sounds of the flute.
Dear
Uddhava Prabhu, when Krishna was here in the company of
Sankarshana, He enjoyed all these rivers, hills, forests,
cows and flute sounds.
Text
50
Ah!,
over and over do they with the divine markings of His feet
remind us of the son of Nanda we can never forget
indeed.
All
these remind us constantly of Nanda's son. Indeed, because
we see Krishna's footprints, which are marked with divine
symbols, we can never forget Him.
Text
51
O,
how can we, whose hearts were stolen by His gait, His playful
glances, His generous charming smiles and nectarean words,
forget Him?
O
Uddhava, how can we forget Him when our hearts have been
stolen away by the charming way He walks, His generous smile
and playful glances, and His honeylike words?
Text
52
O
Master, Master of the Goddess, Master of Vraja, o Destroyer of
the Suffering, o Govinda lift Gokula up from the ocean of
misery it is submerged in!'
O
master, O master of the goddess of fortune, O master of
Vraja ! O destroyer of all suffering, Govinda, please lift
Your Gokula out of the ocean of distress in which it is
drowning!
Text
53
S'rî
S'uka said: 'They, with their fever of separation removed by
Krishna's messages, then worshiped him recognizing him as
Adhokshaja
Himself.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî continued: Lord Krishna's messages
having relieved their fever of separation, the gopîs
then worshiped Uddhava, recognizing him as nondifferent from
their Lord, Krishna.
Text
54
Remaining
there for some months singing the topics of Krishna's pastimes,
gave he joy to Gokula dispelling the sorrow of the
gopîs.
Uddhava
remained there for several months, dispelling the
gopîs' sorrow by chanting the topics of Lord Krishna's
pastimes. Thus he brought joy to all the people of
Gokula.
Text
55
All
the days that Uddhava dwelled in Nanda's cowherd village passed
for the residents of Vraja in a single moment, because they
were all filled with discussions about Krishna.
All
the days that Uddhava dwelled in Nanda's cowherd village
seemed like a single moment to the residents of Vraja, for
Uddhava was always discussing Krishna.
Text
56
Seeing
the rivers, forests, mountains, valleys and flowering trees,
took the servant of the Lord pleasure in inspiring the people
of Vraja about Krishna.
That
servant of Lord Hari, seeing the rivers, forests, mountains,
valleys and flowering trees of Vraja, enjoyed inspiring the
inhabitants of Vrindâvana by reminding them of Lord
Krishna.
Text
57
Noticing
all this and more of the gopîs' total absorption in
Krishna and their agitation with it, was Uddhava extremely
pleased and sang he, offering them all respect, the following:
Thus
seeing how the gopîs were always disturbed because of
their total absorption in Krishna, Uddhava was supremely
pleased. Desiring to offer them all respect, he sang as
follows.
Text
58
'These
women, with success maintaining their bodies on this earth as
cowherdwomen exclusively for Govinda, the Soul of All, on
themselves achieved perfection in their loving ecstasy - a love
that is desired as well as by us as by the sages who fear a
material existence; what use is it to be blessed with the
[three] births of a brahmin [from his mother, his
guru and his sacrifices] if one has the taste for the
topics of the Unlimited Lord?
[Uddhava
sang:] Among all persons on earth, these cowherd women
alone have actually perfected their embodied lives, for they
have achieved the perfection of unalloyed love for Lord
Govinda. Their pure love is hankered after by those who fear
material existence, by great sages, and by ourselves as
well. For one who has tasted the narrations of the infinite
Lord, what is the use of taking birth as a high-class
brâhmana, or even as Lord Brahmâ himself?
Text
59
Where
is one compared to these women who, impure in their conduct
towards Krishna, wander in the forests; where is one compared
to this stage of perfect love for the Supreme Soul? - certainly
is the Controller to the one who is of constant worship, even
though not being learned, directly bestowing the highest good,
that imbibed works like the very best of all medicines
[that is: irrespective of the person].
How
amazing it is that these simple women who wander about the
forest, seemingly spoiled by improper behavior, have
achieved the perfection of unalloyed love for Krishna, the
Supreme Soul! Still, it is true that the Supreme Lord
Himself awards His blessings even to an ignorant worshiper,
just as the best medicine works even when taken by a person
ignorant of its ingredients.
Text
60
This
was, o pity, not to the goddess on His chest so intimately
related, this was not the favor for the women of heaven with
the aroma and luster of a lotus flower, and much less was it
for others to have the blessing of the arms of Lord Krishna
around their necks, as the beauties of Vraja happened to
achieve in the râsa-dance [10.33].
When
Lord S'rî Krishna was dancing with the gopîs in
the râsa-lîlâ, the gopîs were
embraced by the arms of the Lord. This transcendental favor
was never bestowed upon the goddess of fortune or other
consorts in the spiritual world. Indeed, never was such a
thing even imagined by the most beautiful girls in the
heavenly planets, whose bodily luster and aroma resemble the
lotus flower. And what to speak of worldly women who are
very beautiful according to material estimation?
Text
61
Oh,
let me be devoted to the dust of the lotus feet of the
gopîs in Vrindâvana, let me be any of the bushes,
creepers or herbs [there in relation] to them who, in
worship of the feet of Mukunda for whom one searches with the
help of the Vedas, gave up the family members so difficult to
leave behind and the path of civil correctitude.
The
gopîs of Vrindâvana have given up the
association of their husbands, sons and other family
members, who are very difficult to give up, and they have
forsaken the path of chastity to take shelter of the lotus
feet of Mukunda, Krishna, which one should search for by
Vedic knowledge. Oh, let me be fortunate enough to be one of
the bushes, creepers or herbs in Vrindâvana, because
the gopîs trample them and bless them with the dust of
their lotus feet.
Text
62
The
feet of the Supreme Lord of which the goddess, the unborn one,
and the other gods, even being accomplished as masters of yoga,
can only think of, were by them indeed in the gathering of the
râsa-dance placed on their breasts, so that by that
embrace their anguish was vanquished.
The
goddess of fortune herself, along with Lord Brahmâ and
all the other demigods, who are masters of yogic perfection,
can worship the lotus feet of Krishna only within her mind.
But during the râsa dance Lord Krishna placed His feet
upon these gopîs' breasts, and by embracing those feet
the gopîs gave up all distress.
Text
63
To
the dust of the feet of the cowherdwomen of Vraja, of whose
loud chanting the stories of Krishna the three worlds are
purified, my respects again and again.'
I
repeatedly offer my respects to the dust from the feet of
the women of Nanda Mahârâja's cowherd village.
When these gopîs loudly chant the glories of
S'rî Krishna, the vibration purifies the three
worlds.
Text
64
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Then taking permission to leave of the
gopîs, of Yas'odâ and Nanda as also of the gopas,
mounted the descendant of Das'ârha, ready to take off,
his chariot.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Uddhava, the descendant of
Das'ârha, then took permission to leave from the
gopîs and from mother Yas'odâ and Nanda
Mahârâja. He bade farewell to all the cowherd
men and, about to depart, mounted his chariot.
Text
65
Approaching
him, as he was riding out, with various items of worship in
their hands, spoke Nanda and the others affectionately with
tears in their eyes.
As
Uddhava was about to leave, Nanda and the others approached
him bearing various items of worship. With tears in their
eyes they addressed him as follows.
Text
66
'May
our mental faculties always take to the shelter of the lotus
feet of Krishna, may our words express His names, and may our
bodies bowing and all that, so act for His sake.
[Nanda
and the other cowherds said:] May our mental functions
always take shelter of Krishna's lotus feet, may our words
always chant His names, and may our bodies always bow down
to Him and serve Him.
Text
67
Wherever
we for our work to the will of the Controller are being made to
wander, may there, from what we do and give away in charity, be
the auspicious in our attachment to Krishna our
Lord.'
Wherever
we are made to wander about this world by the Supreme Lord's
will, in accordance with the reactions to our fruitive work,
may our good works and charity always grant Us love for Lord
Krishna.
Text
68
After
the gopas thus had honored him with Krishna-bhakti, o first
among men, turned Uddhava back to Mathurâ that was now
under the care of Krishna.
[S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî continued:] O ruler of men, thus
honored by the cowherd men with expressions of devotion for
Lord Krishna, Uddhava went back to the city of
Mathurâ, which was under Krishna's protection.
Text
69
Before
Krishna falling down to pay his respects, told he Him of the
intense devotion of the residents of Vraja and gave he the
gifts of tribute to Vasudeva, Balarâma and the king
[Ugrasena].
After
falling down to pay his homage, Uddhava described to Lord
Krishna the immense devotion of the residents of Vraja.
Uddhava also described it to Vasudeva, Lord Balarâma
and King Ugrasena and presented to them the gifts of tribute
he had brought with him.
*:
To substantiate the claim that this concerns Râdhâ,
quotes S'rîla Jîva Gosvâmî the
following verses from the Agni Purâna:
"At
dawn the gopîs inquired from Krishna's servant, Uddhava,
about the Lord's pastimes and recreation. Only
S'rîmatî Râdhârânî,
immersed in thought of Krishna, withdrew Her interest in the
talks. Then Râdhâ, who is worshiped by the
residents of Her Vrindâvana village, spoke up in the
midst of Her girlfriends. Her words were full of pure
transcendental knowledge and expressed the ultimate portion of
the Vedas."
**:
S'rîla Vis'vanâtha Cakravartî points out that
this and the following nine verses exemplify ten kinds of
impulsive speech [citra-jalpa or strange chatter]
spoken by a lover as expressions of godconscious folly or
divine madness [divyonmâda]. S'rîla
Rûpa Gosvâmî in the Ujjvala-nîlamani
(14.182) says to this
expression:
"Prajalpa
is speech that denigrates the tactlessness of one's lover with
expressions of disrespect. It is spoken in a mood of envy,
jealousy and pride."
***
Ujjvala-nîlamani (14.184): 'Parijalpa is that speech
which, through various devices, shows one's own cleverness by
exposing the mercilessness, duplicity, unreliability and so on
of one's Lord.'
*4 Ujjvala-nîlamani (14.186): "According to learned
authorities, vijalpa is sarcastic speech that is addressed to
the killer of Agha and that openly expresses jealousy while at
the same time hinting at one's angry pride."
*5 Ujjvala-nîlamani (14.188): "The declaration of Lord
Hari's duplicitous nature in a mood of spite born of pride,
together with jealously spoken insults directed against Him,
has been termed ujjalpa by the wise."
*6 Ujjvala-nîlamani (14.190): "The learned describe
sañjalpa as that speech which decries with deep irony
and insulting gestures the beloved's ungratefulness and so
on."
*7 Ujjvala-nîlamani (14.192): "Saintly persons have
concluded that when a lover, impelled by jealousy and fear,
declares that Lord Hari is unworthy of her attachment because
of His harshness, lustiness and dishonesty, such speech is
called avajalpa."
*8 Ujjvala-nîlamani (14.194): "When a lover indirectly
states with remorse that her beloved is fit to be given up,
such speech, uttered like the plaintive crying of a bird, is
called abhijalpa."
*9 Ujjvala-nîlamani (14.196): "A statement spoken in
disgust, describing how the male lover is deceitful and brings
one misery, and also implying that He gives happiness to
others, is known as âjalpa."
*10 Ujjvala-nîlamani (14.198): "When the lover humbly
states that although she is unworthy of attaining her beloved
she cannot give up hoping for a conjugal relationship with Him,
such words, spoken with respect for her beloved's message, are
called pratijalpa."
S'rîla
Vis'vanâtha Cakravartî explains that the goddess of
fortune, S'rî, has the power to assume many different
forms. Thus when Krishna enjoys other women, she stays on His
chest in the form of a golden line. When He is not consorting
with other women, she puts aside this form and gives Him
pleasure in Her naturally beautiful form of a young
woman.
*11 Ujjvala-nîlamani (14.200): "When, out of honest
sincerity, a lover questions S'rî Hari with gravity,
humility, unsteadiness and eagerness, such speech is known as
sujalpa."
