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Canto 10



Vancha Kalpa

 



Chapter 32: Krishna Returns to the Gopīs

(1) S'rī S'uka said: 'The gopīs, oh King, thus went on singing and speaking deliriously, endearingly weeping loudly and hankering for the audience of Krishna. (2) The son of Vasudeva [or S'auri, 'the Son of the Hero'], the Bewilderer of [Cupid] the bewilderer of the mind, thereupon appeared directly before them, smiling with His lotuslike face and wearing a yellow garment and a garland. (3) When they saw that He, their dearest one, had returned to them, the girls full of affection opened their eyes wide and stood all simultaneously up as if life had returned to their bodies. (4) One of them joyfully seized the hand of S'auri with her folded palms while another one put His arm, adorned with sandalwood paste, around her shoulder. (5) A slender gopī took the remnants of the bethel He had chewed in her joined hands and another one took His lotus feet and placed them on her burning breasts. (6) Another one with frowning eyebrows biting her lips threw, beside herself in her love, agitated, sidelong looks at Him as if she wanted to harm Him. (7) Another one [said to be Rādhā] staring at Him relished His lotus face but could, despite the full taste, not get enough, just like saints cannot get enough of His feet. (8) One of them placed Him, through the openings of her eyes, in her heart and kept embracing Him there with her eyes closed, like a yogi being drowned in ecstasy while her hairs stood on end [*]. (9) All of them experienced a supreme jubilation at the sight of Kes'ava and gave up the distress of their separation, just like normal people do when they meet a spiritually enlightened person. (10) In the midst of those who were relieved of their sorrow, Acyuta, the Supreme Lord, appeared even more brilliant, my dear King, as the Original Person complete with all His spiritual potencies. (11-12) The Almighty One took them with Him and arrived at the banks of the Yamunā. There the auspicious river with the hands of her waves had collected soft sands. The kunda and mandāra flowers fragrantly bloomed with bees [attracted] by the autumnal breeze, while the moon, plentifully shining, with its rays dispelled the darkness of the night. (13) The pain of the desires in their heart was dispelled by the ecstasy of seeing Him. By arranging a seat for their dear friend, with their shawls which were smeared with the kunkuma from their breasts, the gopīs attained the ultimate fulfillment of their souls as [described in] the scriptures [see also 10.87: 23]. (14) The Supreme Lord and Controller for whom the masters of yoga arrange a seat in their hearts, present in the assembly of the gopīs was seated there resplendently. Thus exhibiting His personal form He was worshiped as the exclusive reservoir of all beauty and opulence in the three worlds. (15) He who awakens Cupid, was honored with smiles, with playful glances, with sporting their eyebrows, with massaging His feet and hands upon their laps, and was thus offered praise, but still being somewhat incensed they addressed Him. (16) The fine gopīs said: 'Some are of respect for those who respect them, some show respect without being respected themselves and some have no respect for anyone. Oh dear one, can You explain that to us?'



(17) The Supreme Lord said: 'Friends respecting each other for their self-interest only, are no real friends that way because they, in just desiring their benefit, do not follow the principle. (18) They who are respectful and kind without being respected themselves, like parents e.g., are faultless in their sense of duty and of real friendship, oh slender girls. (19) As for those who have no respect for the ones who respect them, not even answering the love they receive: with them one may speak of either [spiritually] self-satisfied souls, of people whose material desires were fulfilled, of ungrateful, dissatisfied human beings, or else of persons inimical towards venerable personalities [like spiritual masters and superiors]. (20) My dear friends, I on the other hand do not [always] answer the respect I receive from other living beings, not even when I am worshiped, because I want to make that respect [that propensity for pure love] grow. It works like with a poor man who collected some wealth and, out of fear to lose it, can think of nothing else then [see also B.G. 4: 11 and 10.29: 27]. (21) Because you for My sake defied what the people, the scriptures and your relatives all say, and because of [My desire to increase] your propensity to love Me, I have answered actually out of love by disappearing from your sight, My dear girls [**]. So do not be displeased with your Beloved, oh dear ones. (22) I will, not even living as long as a god in heaven, be able to repay you for your unadulterated worship of Me. May your pious activities constitute the return [the reward] for your cutting with the so difficult to break chains of your household lives.'

 

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Third revised edition, loaded November 17, 2020. 

 

 

 

 

 

Previous Aadhar edition and Vedabase links:

Text 1

S'rī S'uka said: 'The gopīs, oh King, thus went on singing and speaking deliriously, endearingly weeping loudly and hankering for the audience of Krishna.
S'rī S'uka said: 'Thus the gopīs went on singing and speaking crying endearingly out aloud, hankering, o King, for the audience of Krishna. (Vedabase)

 

Text 2

The son of Vasudeva [or S'auri, 'the Son of the Hero'], the Bewilderer of [Cupid] the bewilderer of the mind, thereupon appeared directly before them, smiling with His lotuslike face and wearing a yellow garment and a garland.

The son of Vasudeva [or S'auri, 'the Son of the Hero'], the Bewilderer of [Cupid] the bewilderer of the mind, appeared directly before them smiling with His lotuslike face, wearing a yellow garment and a garland. (Vedabase)

 

Text 3

When they saw that He, their dearest one, had returned to them, the girls full of affection opened their eyes wide and stood all simultaneously up as if life had returned to their bodies.

To see Him, their dearmost, returned, opened the girls full of affection their eyes wide open and stood they all together up at once as if their life had returned to their bodies. (Vedabase)

 

Text 4

One of them joyfully seized the hand of S'auri with her folded palms while another one put His arm, adorned with sandalwood paste, around her shoulder.

One of them joyfully seized the hand of S'auri with her folded palms while another one put His arm, adorned with sandalwood paste, around her shoulder. (Vedabase)

 

Text 5

A slender gopī took the remnants of the bethel He had chewed in her joined hands and another one took His lotus feet and placed them on her burning breasts.

A slender one with her hands joined took the remnants of the bethel He had chewed and another one took His lotusfeet and placed them on her burning breasts. (Vedabase)

 

Text 6

Another one with frowning eyebrows biting her lips threw, beside herself in her love, agitated, sidelong looks at Him as if she wanted to harm Him.

One, with frowning eyebrows biting her lips was, beside herself in her love of God, agitated throwing sidelong looks as if she could kill Him. (Vedabase)

 

Text 7

Another one [said to be Rādhā] staring at Him relished His lotus face but could, despite the full taste, not get enough, just like saints cannot get enough of His feet.

Another one [said to be Rādhā] with eyes staring relishing His lotus face could, although having the full taste, just like saints meditating on His feet, not get enough. (Vedabase)

   

Text 8

One of them placed Him, through the openings of her eyes, in her heart and kept embracing Him there with her eyes closed, like a yogi being drowned in ecstasy while her hairs stood on end [*].

One of them, placed Him through the openings of her eyes in her heart and kept on embracing Him there eyes closed, with her hairs standing on end drowned in ecstasy like she was a yogi. [*] (Vedabase)

 

Text 9

All of them experienced a supreme jubilation at the sight of Kes'ava and gave up the distress of their separation, just like normal people do when they meet a spiritually enlightened person.

All of them feeling a joy of supreme jubilee at the sight of Kes'ava gave up the distress of their separation, just like people in general do when they meet with a spiritually enlightened person. (Vedabase)

 

Text 10

In the midst of those who were relieved of their sorrow, Acyuta, the Supreme Lord, appeared even more brilliant, my dear King, as the Original Person complete with all His spiritual potencies.

In the midst of them, who were fully relieved of their sorrow, appeared Acyuta, the Supreme Lord, even more brilliant, my dearest, alike the Original Personality with His transcendental potencies. (Vedabase)

   

 Text 11-12

The Almighty One took them with Him and arrived at the banks of the Yamunā. There the auspicious river with the hands of her waves had collected soft sands. The kunda and mandāra flowers fragrantly bloomed with bees [attracted] by the autumnal breeze, while the moon, plentifully shining, with its rays dispelled the darkness of the night.

The Almighty One taking them with Him arrived at the soft sandbanks of the Yamunā that the auspicious river had collected by the hands of her waves. There the kunda and mandara flowers with their bees bloomed fragrant in the autumnal breeze as the moon, plentifully shining, with its rays dispelled the dark of night. (Vedabase)

   

Text 13

The pain of the desires in their heart was dispelled by the ecstasy of seeing Him. By arranging a seat for their dear friend, with their shawls which were smeared with the kunkuma from their breasts, the gopīs attained the ultimate fulfillment of their souls as [described in] the scriptures [see also 10.87: 23].

By the ecstasy of seeing Him was the pain of the desires in their heart driven away; they attained the ultimate fulfillment of their souls as is revealed by the scriptures in arranging a seat for their dear friend with their shawls that were smeared by the kunkuma of their breasts [see also 10.87: 23]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 14

The Supreme Lord and Controller for whom the masters of yoga arrange a seat in their hearts, present in the assembly of the gopīs was seated there resplendently. Thus exhibiting His personal form He was worshiped as the exclusive reservoir of all beauty and opulence in the three worlds.

He, the Supreme Lord and Controller, for whom the masters of Yoga arrange a seat in their hearts, seated there resplendent was, present in the assembly of the gopīs thus exhibiting His personal form, worshiped as the exclusive reservoir of all beauty and opulence in the three worlds. (Vedabase)

 

Text 15

He who awakens Cupid, was honored with smiles, with playful glances, with sporting their eyebrows, with massaging His feet and hands upon their laps, and was thus offered praise, but still being somewhat incensed they addressed Him.

Honoring Him, the inciter of Cupid, with smiles, with playful glances, sporting their eyebrows and massaging the feet and hands upon their laps, offered they their praise, but still somewhat incensed they addressed Him. (Vedabase)

 

Text 16

The fine gopīs said: 'Some are of respect for those who respect them, some show respect without being respected themselves and some have no respect for anyone. Oh dear one, can You explain that to us?'

The fine gopīs said: 'Some reciprocate with those who respect them, some show respect to the [ones acting] contrary and some reciprocate with neither of both; please o dearest, tell us how it factually is.' (Vedabase)

 

Text 17

The Supreme Lord said: 'Friends respecting each other for their self-interest only, are no real friends that way because they, in just desiring their benefit, do not follow the principle.

The Supreme Lord said: 'Those who as friends mutually reciprocate exclusively for their own sake, are in that endeavor indeed not to the principle, not of true friendship; they are after their own benefit, nothing else. (Vedabase)

 

Text 18

They who are respectful and kind without being respected themselves, like parents e.g., are faultless in their sense of duty and of real friendship, oh slender girls.

They who devout are of mercy with those who do not reciprocate, the way e.g. one's parents are, are faultless to the principle in this and of real friendship, o slender girls. (Vedabase)

 

Text 19

As for those who have no respect for the ones who respect them, not even answering the love they receive: with them one may speak of either [spiritually] self-satisfied souls, of people whose material desires were fulfilled, of ungrateful, dissatisfied human beings, or else of persons inimical towards venerable personalities [like spiritual masters and superiors].

Some are sure not to reciprocate even with the devout; what indeed should one say of those who do not reciprocate, of the [spiritually] self-satisfied, of the ones who have all their desires fulfilled, of the ingrates and of those who are inimical towards the venerable? (Vedabase)


Text 20

My dear friends, I on the other hand do not [always] answer the respect I receive from other living beings, not even when I am worshiped, because I want to make that respect [that propensity for pure love] grow. It works like with a poor man who collected some wealth and, out of fear to lose it, can think of nothing else then [see also B.G. 4: 11 and 10.29: 27].

I then my friends, do not always reciprocate with those who are of worship so that their [- and your -] propensity may actuate and there with them like with a poor man who acquired wealth, full of anxiety to lose it, is no thought of anything else [see also B.G. : 4.11 and 10. 29: 27]. (Vedabase)


Text 21

Because you for My sake defied what the people, the scriptures and your relatives all say, and because of [My desire to increase] your propensity to love Me, I have answered actually out of love by disappearing from your sight, My dear girls [**]. So do not be displeased with your Beloved, oh dear ones.

Thus with your for My sake defying of what the people, the scriptures and your relatives say did I, my dear girls, actually reciprocating indeed with Your compliance unto Me [**], vanish; you should therefore not grumble at your Beloved, my dear ones. (Vedabase)

 

Text 22

I will, not even living as long as a god in heaven, be able to repay you for your unadulterated worship of Me. May your pious activities constitute the return [the reward] for your cutting with the so difficult to break chains of your household lives.'

Not even living as long as a god in heaven am I able to repay you who so free from deceit are worshiping Me; let that cutting with the difficult to overcome chains of your household lives be returned by its own virtue. (Vedabase)


*: S'rīla Vis'vanātha Cakravartī Thhākura states that the seven gopīs mentioned thus far in this chapter are the first seven of the eight principal gopīs of which the S'rī Vaishnava-toshanī in a verse gives the names as being Candrāvalī, S'yāmalā, S'aibyā, Padmā, S'rī Rādhā, Lalitā and Vis'ākhā. The eighth one is understood to be Bhadrā. The Skanda Purāna declares these eight gopīs to be the principal ones among the three billion gopīs and Rādhā is, as confirmed in the Padma Purāna, Brihad-gautamīya-tantra and the Rig-paris'ishtha, the Lord's most beloved one.

**: Intermitted reinforcement as practiced by Krishna so evanescently here, in fact creates the strongest bond, so confirms modern behavioral science. Thus with all His religions everywhere in the world there are days of materially motivated work where we do not see Him as He vanishes into the background, and days of prayer where we do meet Him by His representatives.

 

 

 

 


Creative Commons License
The text and audio are offered under the conditions of the
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
The name of the artist of the painting - Krishna returns to the gopīs - is unknown.
Production:
Filognostic Association of The Order of Time.

 

 

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