DvitÈya KuÎja-vihÄry-a߯aka

“Eight Prayers Glorifying Lord KÅßÊa,

Who Enjoys Pastimes in the Forest of VÅndÄvana (2)”

by ãrÈla RÝpa GosvÄmÈ

Translated by KuÃakratha dÄsa

 

TEXT 1

avirata-rati-bandhu-smeratÄ-bandhura-ÃrÈÛ

kavalita iva rÄdhÄpÄËga-bhaËgÈ-taraËgaiÛ

mudita-vadana-candraà candrakÄpÈÐa-dhÄrÈ

mudira-madhura-kÄntir bhÄti kuÎje-vihÄrÈ

avirata—constant; rati-bandhu—amorous; smeratÄ—smiles; bandhura—charming; ÃrÈÛ—handsomeness; kavalita—devoured; iva—as if; rÄdhÄ—of RÄdhÄ; apÄËga—sidelong glances; bhaËgÈ—crooked; taraËgaiÛ—with waves; mudita—happy; vadana—face; candraÛ—moon; candrakÄpÈÐa—with peacock-feather ornament; dhÄrÈ—wearing; mudira—raincloud; madhura—charming; kÄntiÛ—splendor; bhÄti—shines; kuÎje—in the forest (of VÅndÄvana); vihÄrÈ—He who enjoys transcendental pastimes.

Lord KÅßÊa is very beautiful, His face always graced by charming, amorous smiles. He looks as if He is being devoured by the waves of RÄdhÄ’s sidelong glances. His jubilant face resembles the moon, His head is decorated with a peacock feather, and His complexion is as charming as a monsoon cloud. In this way the Lord shines with great splendor as He enjoys pastimes in the forest of VÅndÄvana.

 

TEXT 2

tata-sußira-ghanÄnÄÞ nÄdam Änaddha-bhÄjÄÞ

janayati taruÊÈnÄÞ maÊÐale maÊÐitÄnÄm

taÆa-bhuvi naÆa-rÄja-krÈÐayÄ bhÄnu-putryÄ

vidadhad atula-cÄrÈr bhÄti kuÎje-vihÄrÈ

tata—of string instruments; sußira—of wind instruments; ghanÄnÄm—of the orchestra; nÄdam—the sound; Änaddha-bhÄjÄm—of drummers; janayati—creates; taruÊÈnÄm—of gopÈs; maÊÐale—in the circle; maÊÐitÄnÄm—decorated; taÆa-bhuvi—on the shore; naÆa—of dancers; rÄja—of the king; krÈÐayÄ—with the pastimes; bhÄnu—of VÅßabhÄnu; putryÄ—with the daughter; vidadhat—manifesting; atula—peerless; cÄrÈÛ—movements.

Encircled by beautifully attired gopÈs on the YamunÄ’s shore, KÅßÊa has them begin playing orchestral music on wind instruments, string instruments, and drums. Then that King of Dancers gracefully dances in their midst. In this way the Lord shines with great splendor as He enjoys pastimes in the groves of VÅndÄvana.

TEXT 3

Ãikhini kalita-ßaÐje kokile paÎcamÄÐhye

svayam api nava-vaÞÃyoddÄmayan grÄma-mukhyam

dhÅta-mÅgamada-gandhaÛ su߯hu gÄndhÄra-saÞjÎaÞ

tri-bhuvana-dhÅti-hÄrir bhÄti kuÎje-vihÄrÈ

Ãikhini—when the peacock; kalita—sounds; ßaÐje—the first note; kokile—when the cuckoo; paÎcamÄÐhye—sounds the fifth note; svayam—personally; api—also; nava—new; vaÞÃyÄ—with the flute; uddÄmayan—releasing; grÄma—of musical scales; mukhyam—the best; dhÅta—bearing; mÅgamada—of musk; gandhaÛ—the fragrance; su߯hu—nicely; gÄndhÄragÄndhÄra; saÞjÎam—named; tri—the three; bhuvana—worlds; dhÅti—peaceful composure; hÄriÛ—removing.

When the peacock sings the first note of the musical scale and the cuckoo the fifth, KÅßÊa plays the most beautiful gÄndhÄra melody on His flute, thus destroying the composure of everyone in the three worlds. In this way Lord KÅßÊa, fragrant with musk, shines with great splendor as He enjoys pastimes in the groves of VÅndÄvana.

TEXT 4

anupama-kara-ÃÄkhopÄtta-rÄdhÄËgulÈko

laghu laghu kusumÄnÄÞ paryaÆan vÄÆikÄyÄm

sa-rabhasam anugÈtaà citra-kaÊÆhÈbhir uccair

vraja-nava-yuvatÈbhir bhÄti kuÎje-vihÄrÈ

anupama—incomparable; kara—hands; ÃÄkha—by the branches (i.e., the fingers); upÄtta—grasped; rÄdhÄ—of RÄdhÄ; aËgulÈuko—fingers; laghu laghu—gently; kusumÄnÄÞ—of flowers; paryaÆan—strolling; vÄÆikÄyÄm—in the garden; sa—with; rabhasam—happiness; anugÈtaÛ—sung; citra—wonderful; kaÊÆhÈbhiÛ—with throats; uccaiÛ—loudly; vraja—of Vraja; nava—young; yuvatÈbhiÛ—girls.

With His matchlessly beautiful fingers KÅßÊa grasps RÄdhÄ’s fingers, and together they stroll about in a luxuriant flower garden as the young girls of Vraja sing in wonderfully melodious voices. In this way the Lord shines with great splendor as He enjoys pastimes in the groves of VÅndÄvana.

TEXT 5

ahiripu-kÅta-lÄsye kÈcakÄrabdha-vÄdye

vraja-giri-taÆa-raËge bhÅËga-saËgÈta-bhÄji

viracita-paricaryaà citra-taurya-trikeÊa

stimita-karaÊa-vÅttir bhÄti kuÎje-vihÄrÈ

ahiripu—by the peacocks; kÅta—done; lÄsye—in the dance; kÈcakÄrabdha—done by bamboos moving in the wind; vÄdye—music; vraja—of Vraja; giri—of Govardhana hill; taÆa—on the side; raËge—in the dancing arena; bhÅËga—by bees; saËgÈta—songs; bhÄji—possessing; viracita—manifested; paricaryaÛ—service; citra—wonderful; taurya-trikeÊa—by simultaneous singing, dancing, and instrumental music; stimita—stunned; karaÊa—of the senses; vÅttiÛ—actions.

As KÅßÊa dances in the dancing arena near the slopes of Govardhana hill, the peacocks worship Him with their dancing, the bumblebees with their singing, and the bamboos with their instrumental music as they sound in the wind. With His senses completely absorbed in this simultaneous dancing, singing, and instrumental music, the Lord shines with great splendor as He enjoys pastimes in the groves of VÅndÄvana.

TEXT 6

diÃi diÃi Ãuka-sÄrÈ-maÊÐalair gÝÐha-lÈlÄÛ

prakaÆam anupaÆhadbhir nirmitÄÃcarya-pÝraÛ

tad ati-rahasi vÅttaÞ preyasÈ-karÊa-mÝle

smita-mukham abhijalpan bhÄti kuÎje-vihÄrÈ

diÃi diÃi—in every direction; Ãuka-sÄrÈ—of male and female parrots; maÊÐalaiÛ—by the flocks; gÝÐha—confidential; lÈlÄÛ—pastimes; prakaÆam—revealing; anupaÆhadbhiÛ—by reciting; nirmita—done; ÄÃcarya—wonderful; pÝraÛ—flooding river (of nectar); tad—that; ati—very; rahasi—in a secluded place; vÅttam—done; preyasÈ—of His beloved; karÊa—in the ear; mÝle—in the root; smita—smiling; mukham—face; abhijalpan—whispering.

By reciting descriptions of the confidential pastimes of RÄdhÄ and KÅßÊa, flocks of male and female parrots have revealed these pastimes publicly and created a wonderful flooding river of nectar. KÅßÊa smiles as he whispers the parrots’ words in the ear of His beloved. In this way He shines with great splendor as He enjoys pastimes in the groves of VÅndÄvana.

 

TEXT 7

tava cikura-kadambaÞ stambhate prekßya kekÈ

nayana-kamala-lakßmÈr vandate kÅßÊasÄraÛ

alir alam alakÄntaÞ nauti paÃyeti rÄdhÄÞ

su-madhuram anuÃaÞsan bhÄti kuÎje-vihÄrÈ

tava—Your; cikura-kadambam—mass of hair; stambhate—becomes stunned; prekßya—seeing; kekÈ—the peacock; nayana-kamala—of the lotus eyes; lakßmÈÛ—the beauty; vandate—bows down; kÅßÊasÄraÛ—the black deer; aliÛ—the bees; alam—greatly; alakÄntam—curling locks of hair; nauti—praises; paÃya—just see!; iti—thus saying; rÄdhÄm—RÄdhÄ; su—very; madhuram—sweetly; anuÃaÞsan—praising.

KÅßÊa very sweetly flatters RÄdhÄ: “Look! Seeing Your beautiful hair, this peacock has become stunned. This black deer is bowing down to offer respect to the beauty of Your lotus eyes. And this bumblebee is praising Your curling hair.” In this way the Lord shines with great splendor as he enjoys pastimes in the groves of VÅndÄvana.

TEXT 8

madana-tarala-bÄlÄ-cakravÄlena vißvag-

vividha-varakalÄnÄÞ ÃikßayÄ sevyamÄnaÛ

skhalita-cikura-veÃe skandha-deÃe priyÄyÄÛ

prathita-pÅÆhula-bÄhur bhÄti kuÎje-vihÄrÈ

madana—with amorous passion; tarala—trembling; bÄlÄ—of the girls; cakravÄlena—by the multitude; vißvak—everywhere; vividha—various; vara-kalÄnÄm—of the best of arts; ÃikßayÄ—with the instruction; sevyamÄnaÛ—served; skhalita—fallen; cikura-veÃe—ornamentally decorated hair; skandha-deÃe—on the shoulders; priyÄyÄÛ—of His beloved; prathita—extended; pÅÆhula—broad; bÄhur—arm.

the multitude of gopÈs, who are trembling with amorous desire, serve KÅßÊa by instructing Him in the varous details of the best art—the art of love. Following their expert instructions, He has placed His broad arm on His beloved’s shoulders where Her hair has fallen. In this way the Lord shines with great splendor as He enjoys pastimes in the groves of VÅndÄvana.

TEXT 9

idam anupama-lÈlÄ-hÄri kuÎje-vihÄrÈ-

smaraÊa-padam adhÈte tu߯a-dhÈr a߯akaÞ yaÛ

nija-guÊa-vÅtayÄ ÃrÈ-rÄdhayÄrÄdhitas taÞ

nayati nija-padÄbjaÞ kuÎja-sadmÄdhirÄjaÛ

idam—this; anupama—incomparable; lÈlÄ—pastimes; hÄri—charming; kuÎje-vihÄrÈ—KÅßÊa, who enjoys pastimes in the groves of VÅndÄvana; smaraÊ—of remembrance; padam—the abode; adhÈte—studies; tu߯a—happy; dhÈÛ—at heart; a߯akam—eight verses; yaÛ—one who; nija—own; guÊa—virtues; vÅtayÄ—filled; ÃrÈ-rÄdhayÄ—by ãrÈ RÄdhÄ; ÄrÄdhitaÛ—worshiped; tam—him; nayati—leads; nija—to His own; padÄbjam—lotus feet; kuÎja—in the groves; sadma—abode; ÄdhirÄjaÛ—the monarch.

These eight prayers, which are the abode of the remembrance of KuÎja-vihÄrÈ, are very beautiful because they are filled with descriptions of His unparalleled pastimes. KuÎja-vihÄrÈ, who is worshiped by the supremely virtuous RÄdhÄ and who is the king of VÅndÄvana forest, leads the delighted reader of these verses to His lotus feet.