Chapter 2: Remembrance of Lord Kṛṣṇa

 

3.2.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

iti bhāgavataḥ pṛṣṭaḥ

kṣattrā vārtāḿ priyāśrayām

prativaktuḿ na cotseha

autkaṇṭhyāt smāriteśvaraḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva said; iti — thus; bhāgavataḥ — the great devotee; pṛṣṭaḥ — being asked; kṣattrā — by Vidura; vārtām — message; priya-āśrayām — regarding the dearest; prativaktum — to reply; na — not; ca — also; utsehe — became eager; autkaṇṭhyāt — by excessive anxiety; smārita — remembrance; īśvaraḥ — the Lord.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When the great devotee Uddhava was asked by Vidura to speak on the messages of the dearest [Lord Kṛṣṇa], Uddhava was unable to answer immediately due to excessive anxiety at the remembrance of the Lord.

 

3.2.2

yaḥ pañca-hāyano mātrā

prātar-āśāya yācitaḥ

tan naicchad racayan yasya

saparyāḿ bāla-līlayā

 

yaḥ — one who; pañca — five; hāyanaḥ — years old; mātrā — by his mother; prātaḥ-āśāya — for breakfast; yācitaḥ — called for; tat — that; na — not; aicchat — liked; racayan — playing; yasya — whose; saparyām — service; bāla-līlayā — childhood.

 

TRANSLATION

 

He was one who even in his childhood, at the age of five years, was so absorbed in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa that when he was called by his mother for morning breakfast, he did not wish to have it.

 

3.2.3

sa kathaḿ sevayā tasya

kālena jarasaḿ gataḥ

pṛṣṭo vārtāḿ pratibrūyād

bhartuḥ pādāv anusmaran

 

saḥ — Uddhava; katham — how; sevayā — by such service; tasya — his; kālena — in course of time; jarasam — invalidity; gataḥ — undergone; pṛṣṭaḥ — asked for; vārtām — message; pratibrūyāt — just to reply; bhartuḥ — of the Lord; pādau — His lotus feet; anusmaran — remembering.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Uddhava thus served the Lord continually from childhood, and in his old age that attitude of service never slackened. As soon as he was asked about the message of the Lord, he at once remembered all about Him.

 

3.2.4

sa muhūrtam abhūt tūṣṇīḿ

kṛṣṇāńghri-sudhayā bhṛśam

tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena

nimagnaḥ sādhu nirvṛtaḥ

 

saḥ — Uddhava; muhūrtam — for a moment; abhūt — became; tūṣṇīm — dead silent; kṛṣṇa-ańghri — the lotus feet of the Lord; sudhayā — by the nectar; bhṛśam — well matured; tīvreṇa — by very strong; bhakti-yogena — devotional service; nimagnaḥ — absorbed in; sādhu — good; nirvṛtaḥ — fully in love.

 

TRANSLATION

 

For a moment he remained dead silent, and his body did not move. He became absorbed in the nectar of remembering the Lord's lotus feet in devotional ecstasy, and he appeared to be going increasingly deeper into that ecstasy.

 

3.2.5

pulakodbhinna-sarvāńgo

muñcan mīlad-dṛśā śucaḥ

pūrṇārtho lakṣitas tena

sneha-prasara-samplutaḥ

 

pulaka-udbhinna — bodily changes of transcendental ecstasy; sarva-ańgaḥ — every part of the body; muñcan — smearing; mīlat — opening; dṛśā — by the eyes; śucaḥ — tears of grief; pūrṇa-arthaḥ — complete achievement; lakṣitaḥ — thus observed; tena — by Vidura; sneha-prasara — extensive love; samplutaḥ — thoroughly assimilated.

 

TRANSLATION

 

It was so observed by Vidura that Uddhava had all the transcendental bodily changes due to total ecstasy, and he was trying to wipe away tears of separation from his eyes. Thus Vidura could understand that Uddhava had completely assimilated extensive love for the Lord.

 

3.2.6

śanakair bhagaval-lokān

nṛlokaḿ punar āgataḥ

vimṛjya netre viduraḿ

prītyāhoddhava utsmayan

 

śanakaiḥ — gradually; bhagavat — the Lord; lokāt — from the abode; nṛlokam — the planet of the human beings; punaḥ āgataḥ — coming again; vimṛjya — wiping; netre — eyes; viduram — unto Vidura; prītyā — in affection; āha — said; uddhavaḥ — Uddhava; utsmayan — by all those remembrances.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The great devotee Uddhava soon came back from the abode of the Lord to the human plane, and wiping his eyes, he awakened his reminiscence of the past and spoke to Vidura in a pleasing mood.

 

3.2.7

uddhava uvāca

kṛṣṇa-dyumaṇi nimloce

gīrṇeṣv ajagareṇa ha

kiḿ nu naḥ kuśalaḿ brūyāḿ

gata-śrīṣu gṛheṣv aham

 

uddhavaḥ uvāca — Śrī Uddhava said; kṛṣṇa-dyumaṇi — the Kṛṣṇa sun; nimloce — having set; gīrṇeṣu — being swallowed; ajagareṇa — by the great snake; ha — in the past; kim — what; nu — else; naḥ — our; kuśalam — welfare; brūyām — may I say; gata — gone away; śrīṣu gṛheṣu — in the house; aham — I.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Uddhava said: My dear Vidura, the sun of the world, Lord Kṛṣṇa, has set, and our house has now been swallowed by the great snake of time. What can I say to you about our welfare?

 

3.2.8

durbhago bata loko 'yaḿ

yadavo nitarām api

ye saḿvasanto na vidur

hariḿ mīnā ivoḍupam

 

durbhagaḥ — unfortunate; bata — certainly; lokaḥ — universe; ayam — this; yadavaḥ — the Yadu dynasty; nitarām — more specifically; api — also; ye — those; saḿvasantaḥ — living together; na — did not; viduḥ — understand; harim — the Personality of Godhead; mīnāḥ — the fishes; iva uḍupam — like the moon.

 

TRANSLATION

 

This universe with all its planets is most unfortunate. And even more unfortunate are the members of the Yadu dynasty because they could not identify Lord Hari as the Personality of Godhead, any more than the fish could identify the moon.

 

3.2.9

ińgita-jñāḥ puru-prauḍhā

ekārāmāś ca sātvatāḥ

sātvatām ṛṣabhaḿ sarve

bhūtāvāsam amaḿsata

 

ińgita-jñāḥ — expert in psychic study; puru-prauḍhāḥ — highly experienced; eka — one; ārāmāḥ — relaxation; ca — also; sātvatāḥ — devotees, or own men; sātvatām ṛṣabham — head of the family; sarve — all; bhūta-āvāsam — all-pervading; amaḿsata — could think.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Yadus were all experienced devotees, learned and expert in psychic study. Over and above this, they were always with the Lord in all kinds of relaxations, and still they were only able to know Him as the one Supreme who dwells everywhere.

 

3.2.10

devasya māyayā spṛṣṭā

ye cānyad asad-āśritāḥ

bhrāmyate dhīr na tad-vākyair

ātmany uptātmano harau

 

devasya — of the personality of Godhead; māyayā — by the influence of external energy; spṛṣṭāḥ — infected; ye — all those; ca — and; anyat — others; asat — illusory; āśritāḥ — being taken to; bhrāmyate — bewilder; dhīḥ — intelligence; na — not; tat — of them; vākyaiḥ — by those words; ātmani — in the Supreme Self; upta-ātmanaḥ — surrendered souls; harau — unto the Lord.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Under no circumstances can the words of persons bewildered by the illusory energy of the Lord deviate the intelligence of those who are completely surrendered souls.

 

3.2.11

pradarśyātapta-tapasām

avitṛpta-dṛśāḿ nṛṇām

ādāyāntar adhād yas tu

sva-bimbaḿ loka-locanam

 

pradarśya — by exhibiting; atapta — without undergoing; tapasām — penances; avitṛpta-dṛśām — without fulfillment of vision; nṛṇām — of persons; ādāya — taking; antaḥ — disappearance; adhāt — performed; yaḥ — He who; tu — but; sva-bimbam — His own form; loka-locanam — public vision.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who manifested His eternal form before the vision of all on the earth, performed His disappearance by removing His form from the sight of those who were unable to see Him [as He is] due to not executing required penance.

 

3.2.12

yan martya-līlaupayikaḿ sva-yoga-

māyā-balaḿ darśayatā gṛhītam

vismāpanaḿ svasya ca saubhagarddheḥ

paraḿ padaḿ bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣaṇāńgam

 

yat — His eternal form which; martya — mortal world; līlā-upayikam — just suitable for the pastimes; sva-yoga-māyā-balam — potency of the internal energy; darśayatā — for manifestation; gṛhītam — discovered; vismāpanam — wonderful; svasya — of His own; ca — and; saubhaga-ṛddheḥ — of the opulent; param — supreme; padam — ultimate stand; bhūṣaṇa — ornament; bhūṣaṇa-ańgam — of the ornaments.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Lord appeared in the mortal world by His internal potency, yoga-māyā. He came in His eternal form, which is just suitable for His pastimes. These pastimes were wonderful for everyone, even for those proud of their own opulence, including the Lord Himself in His form as the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha. Thus His [Śrī Kṛṣṇa's] transcendental body is the ornament of all ornaments.

 

3.2.13

yad dharma-sūnor bata rājasūye

nirīkṣya dṛk-svastyayanaḿ tri-lokaḥ

kārtsnyena cādyeha gataḿ vidhātur

arvāk-sṛtau kauśalam ity amanyata

 

yat — the form which; dharma-sūnoḥ — of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; bata — certainly; rājasūye — in the arena of the rājasūya sacrifice; nirīkṣya — by observing; dṛk — sight; svastyayanam — pleasing; tri-lokaḥ — the three worlds; kārtsnyena — in sum total; ca — thus; adya — today; iha — within the universe; gatam — surpassed; vidhātuḥ — of the creator (Brahmā); arvāk — recent mankind; sṛtau — in the material world; kauśalam — dexterity; iti — thus; amanyata — contemplated.

 

TRANSLATION

 

All the demigods from the upper, lower and middle universal planetary systems assembled at the altar of the rājasūya sacrifice performed by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. After seeing the beautiful bodily features of Lord Kṛṣṇa, they all contemplated that He was the ultimate dexterous creation of Brahmā, the creator of human beings.

 

3.2.14

yasyānurāga-pluta-hāsa-rāsa-

līlāvaloka-pratilabdha-mānāḥ

vraja-striyo dṛgbhir anupravṛtta-

dhiyo 'vatasthuḥ kila kṛtya-śeṣāḥ

 

yasya — whose; anurāga — attachment; pluta — enhanced by; hāsa — laughter; rāsa — humors; līlā — pastimes; avaloka — glancing; pratilabdha — obtained thereof; mānāḥ — anguished; vraja-striyaḥ — damsels of Vraja; dṛgbhiḥ — with the eyes; anupravṛtta — following; dhiyaḥ — by intelligence; avatasthuḥ — sat silently; kila — indeed; kṛtya-śeṣāḥ — without finishing household duties.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The damsels of Vraja, after pastimes of laughter, humor and exchanges of glances, were anguished when Kṛṣṇa left them. They used to follow Him with their eyes, and thus they sat down with stunned intelligence and could not finish their household duties.

 

 3.2.15

sva-śānta-rūpeṣv itaraiḥ sva-rūpair

abhyardyamāneṣv anukampitātmā

parāvareśo mahad-aḿśa-yukto

hy ajo 'pi jāto bhagavān yathāgniḥ

 

sva-śānta-rūpeṣu — unto the peaceful devotees of the Lord; itaraiḥ — others, nondevotees; sva-rūpaiḥ — according to their own modes of nature; abhyardyamāneṣu — being harassed by; anukampita-ātmā — the all-compassionate Lord; para-avara — spiritual and material; īśaḥ — controller; mahat-aḿśa-yuktaḥ — accompanied by the plenary portion of mahat-tattva; hi — certainly; ajaḥ — the unborn; api — although; jātaḥ — is born; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; yathā — as if; agniḥ — the fire.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Personality of Godhead, the all-compassionate controller of both the spiritual and material creations, is unborn, but when there is friction between His peaceful devotees and persons who are in the material modes of nature, He takes birth just like fire, accompanied by the mahat-tattva.

 

3.2.16

māḿ khedayaty etad ajasya janma-

viḍambanaḿ yad vasudeva-gehe

vraje ca vāso 'ri-bhayād iva svayaḿ

purād vyavātsīd yad-ananta-vīryaḥ

 

mām — to me; khedayati — gives me distress; etat — this; ajasya — of the unborn; janma — birth; viḍambanam — bewildering; yat — that; vasudeva-gehe — in the home of Vasudeva; vraje — in Vṛndāvana; ca — also; vāsaḥ — inhabitation; ari — enemy; bhayāt — because of fear; iva — as if; svayam — Himself; purāt — from Mathurā Purī; vyavātsīt — fled; yat — one who is; ananta-vīryaḥ — unlimitedly powerful.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When I think of Lord Kṛṣṇa — how He was born in the prison house of Vasudeva although He is unborn, how He went away from His father's protection to Vraja and lived there incognito out of fear of the enemy, and how, although unlimitedly powerful, He fled from Mathurā in fear — all these bewildering incidents give me distress.

 

3.2.17

dunoti cetaḥ smarato mamaitad

yad āha pādāv abhivandya pitroḥ

tātāmba kaḿsād uru-śańkitānāḿ

prasīdataḿ no 'kṛta-niṣkṛtīnām

 

dunoti — it gives me pain; cetaḥ — heart; smarataḥ — while thinking of; mama — my; etat — this; yat — as much as; āha — said; pādau — feet; abhivandya — worshiping; pitroḥ — of the parents; tāta — My dear father; amba — My dear mother; kaḿsāt — out of Kaḿsa's; uru — great; śańkitānām — of those who are afraid; prasīdatam — be pleased with; naḥ — Our; akṛta — not executed; niṣkṛtīnām — duties to serve you.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Kṛṣṇa begged pardon from His parents for Their [Kṛṣṇa's and Balarāma's] inability to serve their feet, due to being away from home because of great fear of Kaḿsa. He said, "O mother, O father, please excuse Us for this inability." All this behavior of the Lord gives me pain at heart.

 

3.2.18

ko vā amuṣyāńghri-saroja-reṇuḿ

vismartum īśīta pumān vijighran

yo visphurad-bhrū-viṭapena bhūmer

bhāraḿ kṛtāntena tiraścakāra

 

kaḥ — who else; vā — either; amuṣya — the Lord's; ańghri — feet; saroja-reṇum — dust of the lotus; vismartum — to forget; īśīta — may be able; pumān — person; vijighran — smelling; yaḥ — one who; visphurat — expanding; bhrū-viṭapena — by the leaves of the eyebrows; bhūmeḥ — of the earth; bhāram — burden; kṛta-antena — by death-blows; tiraścakāra — executed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Who, after smelling the dust of His lotus feet even once, could ever forget it? Simply by expanding the leaves of His eyebrows, Kṛṣṇa has given the deathblow to those who were burdening the earth.

 

3.2.19

dṛṣṭā bhavadbhir nanu rājasūye

caidyasya kṛṣṇaḿ dviṣato 'pi siddhiḥ

yāḿ yoginaḥ saḿspṛhayanti samyag

yogena kas tad-virahaḿ saheta

 

dṛṣṭā — it has been seen; bhavadbhiḥ — by your good self; nanu — of course; rājasūye — in the assembly of the rājasūya sacrifice performed by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; caidyasya — of the King of Cedi (Śiśupāla); kṛṣṇam — unto Kṛṣṇa; dviṣataḥ — envying; api — in spite of; siddhiḥ — success; yām — which; yoginaḥ — the yogīs; saḿspṛhayanti — verily desire; samyak — fully; yogena — by performance of yoga; kaḥ — who; tat — His; viraham — separation; saheta — can tolerate.

 

TRANSLATION

 

You have personally seen how the King of Cedi [Śiśupāla] achieved success in yoga practice, although he hated Lord Kṛṣṇa. Even the actual yogīs aspire after such success with great interest by performance of their various practices. Who can tolerate separation from Him?

 

3.2.20

tathaiva cānye nara-loka-vīrā

ya āhave kṛṣṇa-mukhāravindam

netraiḥ pibanto nayanābhirāmaḿ

pārthāstra-pūtaḥ padam āpur asya

 

tathā — as also; eva ca — and certainly; anye — others; nara-loka — human society; vīrāḥ — fighters; ye — those; āhave — on the battlefield (of Kurukṣetra); kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa's; mukha-aravindam — face like a lotus flower; netraiḥ — with the eyes; pibantaḥ — while seeing; nayana-abhirāmam — very pleasing to the eyes; pārtha — Arjuna; astra-pūtaḥ — purified by arrows; padam — abode; āpuḥ — achieved; asya — of Him.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Certainly others who were fighters on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra were purified by the onslaught of Arjuna's arrows, and while seeing the lotuslike face of Kṛṣṇa, so pleasing to the eyes, they achieved the abode of the Lord.

 

3.2.21

svayaḿ tv asāmyātiśayas tryadhīśaḥ

svārājya-lakṣmy-āpta-samasta-kāmaḥ

baliḿ haradbhiś cira-loka-pālaiḥ

kirīṭa-koṭy-eḍita-pāda-pīṭhaḥ

 

svayam — Himself; tu — but; asāmya — unique; atiśayaḥ — greater; tri-adhīśaḥ — Lord of the three; svārājya — independent supremacy; lakṣmī — fortune; āpta — achieved; samasta-kāmaḥ — all desires; balim — worshiping paraphernalia; haradbhiḥ — offered by; cira-loka-pālaiḥ — by the eternal maintainers of the order of creation; kirīṭa-koṭi — millions of helmets; eḍita-pāda-pīṭhaḥ — feet honored by prayers.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of all kinds of threes and is independently supreme by achievement of all kinds of fortune. He is worshiped by the eternal maintainers of the creation, who offer Him the paraphernalia of worship by touching their millions of helmets to His feet.

 

3.2.22

tat tasya kaińkaryam alaḿ bhṛtān no

viglāpayaty ańga yad ugrasenam

tiṣṭhan niṣaṇṇaḿ parameṣṭhi-dhiṣṇye

nyabodhayad deva nidhārayeti

 

tat — therefore; tasya — His; kaińkaryam — service; alam — of course; bhṛtān — the servitors; naḥ — us; viglāpayati — gives pain; ańga — O Vidura; yat — as much as; ugrasenam — unto King Ugrasena; tiṣṭhan — being seated; niṣaṇṇam — waiting upon Him; parameṣṭhi-dhiṣṇye — on the royal throne; nyabodhayat — submitted; deva — addressing my Lord; nidhāraya — please know it; iti — thus.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore, O Vidura, does it not pain us, His servitors, when we remember that He [Lord Kṛṣṇa] used to stand before King Ugrasena, who was sitting on the royal throne, and used to submit explanations before him, saying, "O My lord, please let it be known to you"?

 

3.2.23

aho bakī yaḿ stana-kāla-kūṭaḿ

jighāḿsayāpāyayad apy asādhvī

lebhe gatiḿ dhātry-ucitāḿ tato 'nyaḿ

kaḿ vā dayāluḿ śaraṇaḿ vrajema

 

aho — alas; bakī — the she-demon (Pūtanā); yam — whom; stana — of her breast; kāla — deadly; kūṭam — poison; jighāḿsayā — out of envy; apāyayat — nourished; api — although; asādhvī — unfaithful; lebhe — achieved; gatim — destination; dhātrī-ucitām — just suitable for the nurse; tataḥ — beyond whom; anyam — other; kam — who else; vā — certainly; dayālum — merciful; śaraṇam — shelter; vrajema — shall I take.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Alas, how shall I take shelter of one more merciful than He who granted the position of mother to a she-demon [Pūtanā] although she was unfaithful and she prepared deadly poison to be sucked from her breast?

 

3.2.24

manye 'surān bhāgavatāḿs tryadhīśe

saḿrambha-mārgābhiniviṣṭa-cittān

ye saḿyuge 'cakṣata tārkṣya-putram

aḿse sunābhāyudham āpatantam

 

manye — I think; asurān — the demons; bhāgavatān — great devotees; tri-adhīśe — unto the Lord of the threes; saḿrambha — enmity; mārga — by the way of; abhiniviṣṭa-cittān — absorbed in thought; ye — those; saḿyuge — in the fight; acakṣata — could see; tārkṣya-putram — Garuḍa, the carrier of the Lord; aḿse — on the shoulder; sunābha — the wheel; āyudham — one who carries the weapon; āpatantam — coming forward.

 

TRANSLATION

 

I consider the demons, who are inimical toward the Lord, to be more than the devotees because while fighting with the Lord, absorbed in thoughts of enmity, they are able to see the Lord carried on the shoulder of Garuḍa, the son of Tārkṣya [Kaśyapa], and carrying the wheel weapon in His hand.

 

3.2.25

vasudevasya devakyāḿ

jāto bhojendra-bandhane

cikīrṣur bhagavān asyāḥ

śam ajenābhiyācitaḥ

 

vasudevasya — of the wife of Vasudeva; devakyām — in the womb of Devakī; jātaḥ — born of; bhoja-indra — of the King of the Bhojas; bandhane — in the prison house; cikīrṣuḥ — for doing; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; asyāḥ — of the earth; śam — welfare; ajena — by Brahmā; abhiyācitaḥ — being prayed for.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, being prayed to by Brahmā to bring welfare to the earth, was begotten by Vasudeva in the womb of his wife Devakī in the prison of the King of Bhoja.

 

3.2.26

tato nanda-vrajam itaḥ

pitrā kaḿsād vibibhyatā

ekādaśa samās tatra

gūḍhārciḥ sa-balo 'vasat

 

tataḥ — thereafter; nanda-vrajam — cow pastures of Nanda Mahārāja; itaḥ — being brought up; pitrā — by His father; kaḿsāt — from Kaḿsa; vibibhyatā — being afraid of; ekādaśa — eleven; samāḥ — years; tatra — therein; gūḍha-arciḥ — covered fire; sa-balaḥ — with Baladeva; avasat — resided.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thereafter, His father, being afraid of Kaḿsa, brought Him to the cow pastures of Mahārāja Nanda, and there He lived for eleven years like a covered flame with His elder brother, Baladeva.

 

3.2.27

parīto vatsapair vatsāḿś

cārayan vyaharad vibhuḥ

yamunopavane kūjad-

dvija-sańkulitāńghripe

 

parītaḥ — surrounded by; vatsapaiḥ — cowherd boys; vatsān — calves; cārayan — herding, tending; vyaharat — enjoyed by traveling; vibhuḥ — the Almighty; yamunā — the Yamunā River; upavane — gardens on the shore; kūjat — vibrated by the voice; dvija — the twice-born birds; sańkulita — densely situated; ańghripe — in the trees.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In His childhood, the Almighty Lord was surrounded by cowherd boys and calves, and thus He traveled on the shore of the Yamunā River, through gardens densely covered with trees and filled with vibrations of chirping birds.

 

3.2.28

kaumārīḿ darśayaḿś ceṣṭāḿ

prekṣaṇīyāḿ vrajaukasām

rudann iva hasan mugdha-

bāla-siḿhāvalokanaḥ

 

kaumārīm — just suitable to childhood; darśayan — while showing; ceṣṭām — activities; prekṣaṇīyām — worthy to be seen; vraja-okasām — by the inhabitants of the land of Vṛndāvana; rudan — crying; iva — just like; hasan — laughing; mugdha — struck with wonder; bāla-siḿha — lion cub; avalokanaḥ — looking like that.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the Lord displayed His activities just suitable for childhood, He was visible only to the residents of Vṛndāvana. Sometimes He would cry and sometimes laugh, just like a child, and while so doing He would appear like a lion cub.

 

3.2.29

sa eva go-dhanaḿ lakṣmyā

niketaḿ sita-go-vṛṣam

cārayann anugān gopān

raṇad-veṇur arīramat

 

saḥ — He (Lord Kṛṣṇa); eva — certainly; go-dhanam — the treasure of cows; lakṣmyāḥ — by opulence; niketam — reservoir; sita-go-vṛṣam — beautiful cows and bulls; cārayan — herding; anugān — the followers; gopān — cowherd boys; raṇat — blowing; veṇuḥ — flute; arīramat — enlivened.

 

TRANSLATION

 

While herding the very beautiful bulls, the Lord, who was the reservoir of all opulence and fortune, used to blow His flute, and thus He enlivened His faithful followers, the cowherd boys.

 

3.2.30

prayuktān bhoja-rājena

māyinaḥ kāma-rūpiṇaḥ

līlayā vyanudat tāḿs tān

bālaḥ krīḍanakān iva

 

prayuktān — engaged; bhoja-rājena — by King Kaḿsa; māyinaḥ — great wizards; kāma-rūpiṇaḥ — who could assume any form they liked; līlayā — in the course of the pastimes; vyanudat — killed; tān — them; tān — as they came there; bālaḥ — the child; krīḍanakān — dolls; iva — like that.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The great wizards who were able to assume any form were engaged by the King of Bhoja, Kaḿsa, to kill Kṛṣṇa, but in the course of His pastimes the Lord killed them as easily as a child breaks dolls.

 

3.2.31

vipannān viṣa-pānena

nigṛhya bhujagādhipam

utthāpyāpāyayad gāvas

tat toyaḿ prakṛti-sthitam

 

vipannān — perplexed in great difficulties; viṣa-pānena — by drinking poison; nigṛhya — subduing; bhujaga-adhipam — the chief of the reptiles; utthāpya — after coming out; apāyayat — caused to drink; gāvaḥ — the cows; tat — that; toyam — water; prakṛti — natural; sthitam — situated.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana were perplexed by great difficulties because a certain portion of the Yamunā was poisoned by the chief of the reptiles [Kāliya]. The Lord chastised the snake-king within the water and drove him away, and after coming out of the river, He caused the cows to drink the water and proved that the water was again in its natural state.

 

3.2.32

ayājayad go-savena

gopa-rājaḿ dvijottamaiḥ

vittasya coru-bhārasya

cikīrṣan sad-vyayaḿ vibhuḥ

 

ayājayat — made to perform; go-savena — by worship of the cows; gopa-rājam — the king of the cowherds; dvija-uttamaiḥ — by the learned brāhmaṇas; vittasya — of the wealth; ca — also; uru-bhārasya — great opulence; cikīrṣan — desiring to act; sat-vyayam — proper utilization; vibhuḥ — the great.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, desired to utilize the opulent financial strength of Mahārāja Nanda for worship of the cows, and also He wanted to give a lesson to Indra, the King of heaven. Thus He advised His father to perform worship of go, or the pasturing land and the cows, with the help of learned brāhmaṇas.

 

3.2.33

varṣatīndre vrajaḥ kopād

bhagnamāne 'tivihvalaḥ

gotra-līlātapatreṇa

trāto bhadrānugṛhṇatā

 

varṣati — in pouring water; indre — by the King of heaven, Indra; vrajaḥ — the land of cows (Vṛndāvana); kopāt bhagnamāne — having been in anger on being insulted; ati — highly; vihvalaḥ — perturbed; gotra — the hill for the cows; līlā-ātapatreṇa — by the pastime umbrella; trātaḥ — were protected; bhadra — O sober one; anugṛhṇatā — by the merciful Lord.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O sober Vidura, King Indra, his honor having been insulted, poured water incessantly on Vṛndāvana, and thus the inhabitants of Vraja, the land of cows, were greatly distressed. But the compassionate Lord Kṛṣṇa saved them from danger with His pastime umbrella, the Govardhana Hill.

 

3.2.34

śarac-chaśi-karair mṛṣṭaḿ

mānayan rajanī-mukham

gāyan kala-padaḿ reme

strīṇāḿ maṇḍala-maṇḍanaḥ

 

śarat — autumn; śaśi — of the moon; karaiḥ — by the shining; mṛṣṭam — brightened; mānayan — thinking so; rajanī-mukham — the face of the night; gāyan — singing; kala-padam — pleasing songs; reme — enjoyed; strīṇām — of the women; maṇḍala-maṇḍanaḥ — as the central beauty of the assembly of women.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the third season of the year, the Lord enjoyed as the central beauty of the assembly of women by attracting them with His pleasing songs in an autumn night brightened by moonshine.