®r…la Rupa GosvЂmi

2 To ®r… KЌђЉa, whose eyes are beautiful as lotus flowers, who delights in playing the flute, who drinks the nectar of RЂdhЂ's lips, and who is garlanded with forest flowers, I offer my respectful obeisances.

author unknown

3 This verse may be interpreted for either Lord KЌђЉa's eyes or form. The two possible translations follow.

Translation 1

May Lord Hari's eyes, which lovingly gaze on the devotees, which rival the splendour of blue lotuses, on which the yogis meditate to attain auspiciousness, which are two great oceans of handsomeness, and which fill RЂdhЂ's eyes with the nectar of love, quell for you the sufferings of material life.

Translation 2

May Lord Hari's form, on which the devotees lovingly gaze, which rivals the splendour of blue lotuses, on which the yogis meditate to attain auspiciousness, which is a great ocean of handsomeness, and which fills RЂdhЂ's eyes with the nectar of love, quell for you the sufferings of material life.

®r… Saranga

4 May KЌђЉa's arms, their golden ornaments and peacock feathers anointed with mud when He lifted Govardhana Hill, deep in VЌndЂvana forest the gopis' two blue pillows, and anointed with Kuvalayapida's fragrant ichor, always grant auspiciousness to you.

Subhanka

5 May playful Gopala's flute-music, which calls the faraway surabhi cows by name, which is the mystic mantra that charms the gopis' hearts, and which delights and attracts the deer enjoying in VЌndЂvana bless you all.

®r… Hara

6 I offer my respectful obeisances to wonderful, playful, mischievous KЌђЉa who, if He desires, can make an ocean dry land, dry land an ocean, a blade of grass a thunderbolt, a thunderbolt an insignificant blade of grass, fire cool, or snow blazing fire.

author unknown

7 Because He is very affectionate, He promises to give fearlessness to His devotees, He removes His devotees' sins, and He bestows limitless auspiciousness, and because Prahlada, Vibhisana, Gajendra, Draupadi, Ahalya, and Dhruva testify to these virtues, Lord KЌђЉa, the husband of the goddess of fortune, should be served by all the worlds.

author unknown

8 Where were the hunter Dharma's piety, Dhruva's maturity, and Gajendra's knowledge? Where was Kubja's beauty? Where was Sudama's wealth? Where was Vidura's noble birth? Where was Ugrasena's chivalrous strength? Lord Madhava is pleased only by devotional service and not by material qualifications.

®r… Daksinatya

9 What is the difference between good and bad deeds? Let there be only firm devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Although the king of snakes gives poison and the moon gives sweet nectar, Lord Siva does not see any difference between them.

®r… Visnu Puri

10 O Madhusudana, if a wise person in his heart serves Your lotus feet then any sins he may have done are all nullified. If he rejects Your service he gets all sinful reactions even though he may not have done any sinful deed.

author unknown

11 Not by wearing saffron cloth, not by restricting food and other sense-activities, not by living in the forest, not by discussing philosophy, and not by observing a vow of silence, but only by even the slightest beginning of devotional service to the lotus feet of Lord Govinda, who enjoys pastimes on the Yamuna's wide banks, is Kamadeva stopped.

author unknown

12 The words “KЌђЉa KЌђЉa” are sufficient to purify the people's sins. If they have blissful service to Lord Mukunda, then the goddess of liberation bows before their lotus feet.

®r… Sarvajna

13 As long as there is hunger and thirst, eating and drinking make one feel very happy. When the Lord is worshipped with pure love, transcendental bliss is awakened in the heart of the devotee.*

®r… RЂmananda Raya

14 Pure devotional service in KЌђЉa Consciousness cannot be had even by pious activity in hundreds and thousands of lives. It can be attained only by paying one price - that is, intense greed to obtain it. If it is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay.*

®r… RЂmananda Raya

15 Knowledge is not equal to love of KЌђЉa, and the ability to perform mystic tricks is not equal to KЌђЉa's holy name.

®r… ®r…dhara SvЂmi

16 All glories to the holy name of Lord Hari. As the boat of the sun goes to the other shore of the ocean of darkness, so the all-auspicious holy name, rising once, destroys all sins.

®r… Laksmidhara

17 Extracting the four syllables that are the heart of the four Vedas, Lord Hari makes the word Narayana. Day and night chanting this name, we become purified. We do not known any other better way to please Lord Hari.

author unknown

18 Let the twice-born enter the fearless kingdom of yoga, vedic study, and solitary meditation in the forest. Let them become liberated in that way. As for us, we will spend hundreds of thousands of births chanting the holy name of Lord KЌђЉa, whose splendid dark complexion and yellow garments are like a host of blue lotus flowers blooming in a grove of yellow-flower-bearing kadamba trees.

®r… Isvara Puri

19 May KЌђЉa's holy name, which is a reservoir of all transcendental happiness, the destruction of Kali-yuga's sins, the most purifying of all purifying things, the saintly person's food as he traverses the path to the spiritual world, the pleasure-garden where the voices of the greatest saints, philosophers, and poets play, the life of the righteous, and the seed of the tree of religion, bring transcendental auspiciousness to you all.

author unknown

20 O Supreme Personality of Godhead, when someone desires to chant Your holy name, sins tremble in fear, the glory of material illusion faints unconscious, Yamaraja's scribe Citragupta becomes happy and gazes at the chanter's toenails with awe and reverence, and Lord Brahma prepares madhu-parka to worship him. O Lord, what more can we say than this?

author unknown

21 Lord KЌђЉa's holy name is the only auspiciousness in this world. If one places it on his neck, then what is Yamaraja, the king of the other world, to him? What are Yamaraja's servants to him?

®r… Anandacarya

22 Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord KЌђЉa, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of KЌђЉa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.*

Bhagavan ®r… Caitanya MahЂprabhu

23 If the opulence or knowledge of many millions of universes were clustered together, they would hardly equal a small fragment of the glory of KЌђЉa's holy name. KЌђЉa's holy name is my life. It is the goal of my life. It is the means I will employ to attain the goal of my life.

author unknown

24 Lord Visnu's holy name removes sin, establishes piety, makes one disinterested in the attempt to gain an exalted post like that of Lord Brahma, grants devotion for the lotus feet of the spiritual master, brings transcendental knowledge of Lord Visnu, burns the seed of repeated birth and death, and places the saintly devotee in complete awareness of perfect transcendental bliss.

®r… VyЂsa

25 The holy name of KЌђЉa is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is KЌђЉa Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. KЌђЉa's name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than KЌђЉa Himself. Since KЌђЉa's name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with mЂyЂ. KЌђЉa's name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of KЌђЉa and KЌђЉa Himself are identical.*

®r… VyЂsa

26 KЌђЉa's name is the sweetest of sweet things, the most auspicious of auspicious things, the transcendental fruit of the vine of all Vedic literature. O best of the bhrgus, chanted even once, either with faith or contempt, it delivers the chanter.

®r… VyЂsa

27 The attempt to attain the heavenly svarga planets impoverishes the entire world. The desire to attain impersonal liberation brings only trouble. The regimen of yoga is dry and tasteless. What is the use of endeavours like these? I will abandon them all, and simply make my tongue chant "KЌђЉa, KЌђЉa".

author unknown

28 O Lord, is Your impersonal spiritual effulgence not always present everywhere? Even so, it has not been able to break even a single small leaf from the tree of repeated birth and death. On the other hand, the moment Your holy name is taken by the tongue it thoroughly shatters the tree of birth and death down to it's roots. Of these two (the spiritual effulgence or the holy name) which should be served?

®r… ®r…dhara SvЂmi

29 The holy name of Lord KЌђЉa is an attractive feature for many saintly liberal people. It is the annihilator of all sinful reactions and is so powerful that save for the dumb who cannot chant it, it is readily available to everyone, including the lowest type of man, the candala. The holy name of KЌђЉa is the controller of the opulence of liberation, and it is identical with KЌђЉa. Simply by touching the holy name with one's tongue, immediately effects are produced. Chanting the holy name does not depend on initiation, pious activities or the purascarya regulative principles generally observed before initiation. The holy names does not wait for all these activities. It is self-sufficient.*

®r… Laksmidhara

30 O Lord, just as a miser continually collects, counts and remembers his money, in the same way let us continually collect, count and remember Your holy names.

®r… Bhavananda

31 My Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, in Your holy name there is all good fortune for the living entity, and therefore You have many names, such as KЌђЉa and Govinda, by which You expand Yourself. You have invested all Your potencies in those names and there are no hard and fast rules for remembering them. My dear Lord, although You bestow such mercy upon the fallen, conditioned souls by liberally teaching Your holy names, I am so unfortunate that I commit offenses while chanting the holy name, and therefore I do not achieve attachment for chanting.*

®r… Caitanya MahЂprabhu

32 One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honour but is always prepared to give all respect to others, can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.*

®r… Caitanya MahЂprabhu

33 "O ®r… RЂma, O Janardana (rescuer of the devotees), O Jagatam Natha (master of the universe), O Narayana, O Ananta (personified transcendental bliss), O Dayapara (merciful one), O Kamalakanta (husband of Laksmi), O KЌђЉa," O Lord please make me become overwhelmed with tears streЂming from my eyes as I repeatedly plunge into the waves of the great nectar ocean of these beautiful transcendental names.

34 Calling out, "O ®r…kanta (husband of the goddess of fortune), O KЌђЉa (all-attractive one), O KarunamЂyЂ (merciful one), O Kanjanabha (whose navel is like a lotus flower), O Kaivalyavallabha (O master of liberation), O Mukunda (giver of liberation), O Murantaka (killer of the Mura demon)," I will place upon my neck the Lord's holy names, which eclipse the beauty of a splendid strand of pearls.

®r… Laksmidhara

35 O KЌђЉa, O BalarЂma, O Mukunda, O Vamana, O Vasudeva, O master of the universe, O Matsya, O Kurma, O Nrsimha, O Varaha, O RЂmacandra, please protect me. O Lord worshipped by the demigods, demons, and great sages who have Narada as their leader, O ocean of mercy, O son of Devaki, please grant me unwavering devotion to Your feet.

author unknown

36 O Gopalaka (cowherd boy), O Krpa-jala-nidhi (ocean of mercy), O Sindhukanya-pati (husband of Laksmi), O Kamsantaka (killer of Kamsa), O Gajendra-karuna-parina (merciful saviour of Gajendra), O Madhava (husband of Laksmi), O RЂmanuja (younger brother of BalarЂma), O Jagat-traya-guru (master of the three worlds), O Pundarikaksa (lotus-eyed), O Gopijana-natha (master of the gopis), please protect me. I do not accept anyone as the Supreme, except for You.

®r… Vaisnava

37 O ®r… Narayana, O Pundarika-nayana (lotus-eyed one), O ®r… RЂma, O Sita-pati (husband of Sita), O Govinda, O Acyuta (infallible one), O Nandanandana (son of Nanda), O Mukunda (giver of liberation), O Ananda (personified transcendental bliss), O Damodara (whose waist Mother Yasoda bound with a rope), O Visnu, O Raghava (descendant of Raghu), O Vasudeva (son of Vasudeva), O Nrhari (Nrsimha), O Devendra-cudamani (crest jewel of the demigods), O Samsararnava-karnadharaka (captain of the boat for crossing the ocean of repeated birth and death), O Hari, O ®r… KЌђЉa, I offer my respectful obeisances to You.

®r… Vaisnava

38 O Bhandiresa (master of Bhandiravana), O Sikhanda-mandana (decorated with peacock feathers), O Vara (Supreme Personality of Godhead), O ®r…khanda-liptanga (whose limbs are anointed with sandalwood Paste), O Sphurad-amandendivara-syamala (whose dark complexion is like a splendid blue lotus flower), O Kalindi-priya (fond of the Yamuna),O Nandanandana (son of Nanda), O Parananda (filled with transcendental bliss), O Aravindeksana (lotus-eyed), O ®r… Govinda, O Mukunda, O Sundara-tanu (handsome one), to me, who may very poor and weak, please give transcendental bliss.

®r… Gopala Bhatta

39 The message of the Upanisads is far from the nectar topics of Lord Hari. For this reason Upanisad study does not result in a heart melting with emotion, or ecstatic symptoms, such as trembling, shedding tears, or standing of hairs on the body.

®r… Bhagavan VyЂsapada

40 O Lord, I do not pray for heavenly happiness, I do not even aspire for liberation. Simply let, day after day, the nectar of KЌђЉa's transcendental pastimes flood my ears.

®r… Kaviratna

41 One who daily sings the glories of Yasoda's son, KЌђЉa, which are cooling as sandalwood and camphor, is not troubled by the days of Kali-yuga. For him at every step there is a torrential flood of the sweetest nectar.

®r… Kaviratna

42 We have now plunged into the great nectar-ocean of the transcendental youthful pastimes of Maharaja Nanda's son, KЌђЉa. Of what use to us is the salt-water of impersonal liberation?

®r… Yadavendra Puri

43 O Lord, the saintly devotees, who happily play in the nectar ocean of the narration of Your glories, think the four purusarthas (material piety, economic development, sense-gratification, and liberation) insignificant as a blade of grass.

®r… ®r…dhara SvЂmi

44 The Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, as well as all holy places of pilgrimage, stay where the transcendental topics of the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead are narrated.

author unknown

45 May Lord Madhava's pastimes, which bring a sense-pleasure stronger than that experienced by the hedonists, a liberation more real than that felt by the yogis in their hearts, and a bliss more intense than that tasted by the most expert drinkers of nectar, protect you.

®r… Sankara

46 I worship Lord Govinda, whose complexion is the colour of a blooming blue lotus flower, whose face is like the moon, who is fond of wearing a peacock feather crown, who bears the mark of ®r…vatsa, who wears a great Kaustubha gem, who is dressed in yellow garments, whose handsome form is worshipped with offerings of the lotus flowers that are the gopis' glances, who is accompanied by a host of surabhi cows and gopas, who is fond of sweetly playing the flute, and whose transcendental body is decorated with glittering ornaments.

®r… Saradakara

47 His handsome form gracefully bending in three places, His beautiful earrings reaching to His shoulders, the vines of His eyebrows slightly raised, His glance crooked, His delicate lips slightly pursed, and His flower-blossom fingers moving restlessly, KЌђЉa happily enchants the entire world as He fills His flute with music under a kalpa-vrksa tree. In this way one may meditate on Lord KЌђЉa.

author unknown

48 A garland of campaka flowers resting on His gracefully sloping shoulders, KЌђЉa places the flute to His lips. I eternally offer my respectful obeisances to KЌђЉa, who was victorious over Kamsa.

®r… Purusottamadeva

49 His loosened hair crowned with a peacock-feather and flowing over His shoulders, His handsome form bending in three places, and His feet crossing as He dances, merciful and charming KЌђЉa plays His flute. Such is the Lord whom I worship.

®r… Narada

50 Carrying Lord KЌђЉa, undecorated, saying "Why?" as he rejects the jewel sandals a military commander offers in his hand, and forgetting that they are inside the palace, the bird-king Garuda suddenly leaves, making a sound like the trumpeting of elephants. I offer my respectful obeisances to the Lord's swift departure.

®r… Daksinatya

51 Lord KЌђЉa, who is like a sun rising in the darkness, like a boat to the drowning, like a sweet raincloud to those dying of thirst, like a fabulous wealth to the poverty-stricken, and like an infallible physician to those afflicted with the most painful disease, has come to grant auspiciousness to us.

®r… VyЂsa

52 To the saintly devotees of the Lord, headed by Prahlada, Narada, Parasara, Pundarika, VyЂsa, Ambarisa, Suka, Saunaka, Bhisma, Dalbhya, Rukmangada, Uddhava, Vibhisana, and Arjuna, I offer my respectful obeisances.

®r… Daksinatya

53 Maharaja Pariksit attained the highest perfection, shelter at Lord KЌђЉa's lotus feet, simply by hearing about Lord Visnu. Sukadeva GosvЂmi attained perfection simply by reciting ®r…mad-Bhagavatam. Prahlada Maharaja attained perfection by remembering the Lord. The goddess of fortune attained perfection by massaging the transcendental legs of Maha-Visnu. Maharaja Prthu attained perfection by worshipping the Deity, and Akrura attained perfection by offering prayers unto the Lord. Vajrangaji (Hanuman) attained perfection by rendering service to Lord RЂmacandra, and Arjuna attained perfection simply by being KЌђЉa's friend. Bali Maharaja attained perfection by dedicating everything to the lotus feet of KЌђЉa.*

54 I offer my respectful obeisances to the devotees of the Lord. Simply by hearing the two syllables "KЌђЉa", their bodily hairs stand up in ecstasy and they become moved to dance in ecstatic bliss. With their sandals they expertly extricate the fallen souls deeply sunk in the fetid mud of the ocean of repeated birth and death.

®r… Autkala

55 By remembering Lord Hari, the devotees' hearts become overwhelmed with bliss, their bodily hairs stand erect, and their eyes become filled with tears of joy. O earth, these devotees are the best of men. Please carefully maintain them for as long as the sun and the moon shine in the sky. What is the use of your carefully maintaining those other burdensome persons who are simply intent on coming and going to and from the house of Yamaraja?

®r… Sarvananda

56 O Lord, Your devotee sees the king of rivers as a handful of water, the sun as a firefly, Mount Meru a clump of earth, the emperor of the world a servant, a multitude of cintamani jewels simply pebbles, a valuable kalpa-druma tree a mere stick, the entire world a bunch of straw, and his own body a burden only.

®r… Sarvajna

57 They whose eyes are blinded by the dust of the Karma-mimamsa philosophy cannot fix their hearts on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They whose intelligence is atrophied by illogical conclusions dictated by pride stay far away from the topics of Lord Hari. They who understand the Vedas but cannot become devotees of Lord KЌђЉa do not actually understand the Vedas. Distributing the sweetest nectar with a great ladle, these persons will not touch it with their own spoon.

®r… Madhava Sarasvati

58 Some are inclined to speculative knowledge and other are inclined to fruitive work. We, however, are inclined to take shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Hari's servants.

®r… Madhava Sarasvati

59 Now that we have become Your devotees, Your holy names have affectionately created a jubilant festival in our mouths. Your bodily splendour, like a dark raincloud, has become the black ointment of our eyes and the music of Your flute has become the ornament of our ears. We no longer take pleasure in material desires. O Almighty Lord, material desires no longer appear beautiful to us.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

60 The elephant of my mind is drowning in the waters of material illusion. Strongly held by the ferocious crocodile of the threefold miseries, it anxiously cries with fear in its heart. O Lord Hari, please rescue it with Your glowing Sudarsana cakra, which cuts the sufferings of the demigods to pieces.

61 I am drowning in the painful, fathomless whirlpool of repeated birth and death. O Lord, O friend of the shelterless, O effulgent moon of mercy, please, this one time, quickly extend Your hand to save me.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

62 This mango tree in VЌndЂvana is now overwhelmed by remembering You. It dances, moving it's branches in the breeze. It sings in the form of these humming bees. It sheds tears in the form of these many drops of honey. It hairs stand erect in ecstasy in the form of these new sprouts. O Mukunda, as dear to me as my own life, why is this tree so filled with love for You? Who as I so hard-hearted that even Your name will not enter my heart?

®r… Isvara Puri

63 O Lord Hari, O form of mercy, You quickly rescued both Draupadi and Gajendra. What has happened to that quick action now that I suffer so acutely?

®r… Autkala

64 O Lord Yadavendra, I am fallen. When I remember Your name Dina-bandhu (the friend of the fallen) I become encouraged, and when I hear that You love Your devotees my heart trembles.

®r… Jagannatha Sena

65 O Lord, Brahma and his associates offer prayers to You, Siva and his associates are full of love for You, and Indra and the demigods are Your servants. Who are we in comparison to them?

®r… Dhananjaya

66 O Lord, no one is more merciful than You, and no one is more pathetic than I. I am very lowly and fallen. O Lord Yadunatha, please reflect on my case and do to me whatever is appropriate.

author unknown

67 Beaten by the hundred whips of material sufferings, the horse of my mind runs wildly on the bad road of the senses. O Lord Madhava, please pull up the reins of devotional service. Stop the horse and tie it to the post of Your lotus feet.

author unknown

68 O Lord, in this birth I have not meditated on You, glorified You, even slightly worshipped You, or developed any devotion for Your lotus feet. That is why I suffer in this condition. I am very poor and fallen. O ®r… KЌђЉa, O ocean of mercy, please be compassionate on me.

®r… Sankara

69 I have no goal in life, and I have committed countless sins. O Lord Hari, O Murari, You are my shelter. O Madhusudana, O Vasudeva. O Visnu, all glories to You. O Jagadisa, please protect me, please protect me.

author unknown

70 O Lord Murari, during the beginning, middle and end of all our days and nights, You always remain the only goal of our lives.

®r… Daksinatya

71 O My Lord, O KЌђЉa, son of Maharaja Nanda, I am Your eternal servant, but because of My own fruitive acts, I have fallen in this horrible ocean of nescience. Now please be causelessly merciful to Me. Consider Me a particle of dust at Your lotus feet.*

®r… Caitanya MahЂprabhu

72 We are not poets. We are not logicians. We are not philosophers who have crossed to the farther shore of Vedanta. We are not eloquent debaters. We are the servants of a rascal cowherd boy.

®r… Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya

73 The talkative people will rebuke us. Is it not? We do not care. We will drink the liquor of love for Lord Hari. We will become completely intoxicated. We will roll about on the ground. We will dance. We will experience ecstasy.

®r… Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya

74 I am not a brahmana, I am not a ksatriya, I am not a vaisya or a sudra. Nor am I a brahmacari, a householder, a vanaprastha or a sannyasi. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord ®r… KЌђЉa, the maintainer of the gopis. He is like an ocean of nectar, and He is the cause of universal transcendental bliss. He is always existing with brilliance.*

®r… Caitanya MahЂprabhu

75 May the cowherd boy who is a festival of ecstatic bliss for the hearts of the fortunate creatures residing in the groves of Govardhana Hill, who is the lover of the gopis, who eagerly enjoys pastimes in VЌndЂvana forest, and whose complexion is as splendid as a great sapphire, eternally enjoy transcendental pastimes in our hearts.

®r… Isvara Puri

76 Those devoid to poetry may praise the nectar of poetry and those devoted to Vedic study may praise the nectar of impersonal Brahman. We will praise neither. We will simply take shelter of a flutist who wears a gunja-necklace.

®r… Yadavendra Puri

77 They who understand the inconceivable, impersonal absolute will find that pure transcendence in their hearts. That is not, however, what is in our hearts. In our hearts resides a charming, lotus-faced, lotus eyed person who wears golden garments and whose complexion is the colour of a dark raincloud.

®r… Kaviratna

78 My mind never prays for the post of an earthly king. The post of King Indra does not appeal to it. It does not like the yogic perfections. It does not yearn after liberation. It only runs after the pure supreme Brahman, who, bound by the vine of a gopi's arm, appears like a dark raincloud and stationary lightning flash in the forest by the Yamuna's shore.

®r… Kaviratna

79 O my evening prayer, all good unto you. O my morning bath, I bid you good-bye. O demigods and forefathers, please excuse me. I am unable to perform any more offerings for your pleasure. Now I have decided to free myself from all reactions to sins simply by remembering anywhere and everywhere the great descendant of Yadu and the great enemy of Kamsa (Lord KЌђЉa). I think that this is sufficient for me. So what is the use of further endeavours?*

®r… Madhavendra Puri

80 My ritual bath has wilted away, my religious duties are undone, my prayers at sunrise, noon and sunset are unsaid, the four Vedas are unhappy, the host of other scriptures stay boxed in the heart, their orders unfollowed, material piety is wounded at the core of its life, and a multitude of sins are annihilated, for day and night my heart kisses the two lotus feet of Lord Yadavendra.

author unknown

81 I will become a servant of the son of Devaki. Because of my past karma the path may be rough or smooth. What is that to me.

author unknown

82 Let the sharp moralist accuse me of being illusioned; I do not mind. Experts in Vedic activities may slander me as being misled, friends and relatives may call me frustrated, my brothers may call me a fool, the wealthier mammonites may point me out as mad, and the learned philosophers may assert that I am much too proud; still my mind does not budge an inch from the determination to serve the lotus feet of Govinda, though I be unable to do it.*

®r… Madhavendra Puri

83 The form of Syamasundara is the supreme form, the city of Mathura is the supreme abode, Lord KЌђЉa's fresh youth should always be meditated upon, and the mellow of conjugal love is the supreme mellow.*

®r… Raghupati Upadhyaya

84 Liberation may appear before me. The enduring kingdom of Lord Brahma may also appear before me. I do not care for them. I simply desire to serve Lord KЌђЉa, the leader of the cowherd boys.

®r… Surottamacarya

85 O Vasudeva, You may make a king, or a poverty-stricken beggar. You may make others respect me, or revile me. You may give residence in Vaikuntha or in hell. Whatever You do, You will always remain the only goal of my life. No one else will ever become my goal.

®r…garbha Kavindra

86 He may show His own kingdom, or He may make me suffer the three-fold miseries. Whether I suffer or enjoy, I pray that Lord Kesava never abandon me.

®r… Kaviraja Misra

87 The drops of honey trickling from the two lotus flowers of Lord Nandanandana's feet are so many oceans of transcendental bliss. I pray those drops of honey may eternally delight my heart.

®r…karacarya

88 "Here our Lord herded the calves, and here He played the flute," I pray that I may pass my days shedding tears as I speak these words on the Yamuna's shore.

®r… Raghupati Upadhyaya

89 The Supreme Personality of Godhead is decorated with yellow kadamba flowers. a yellow dhoti girds His waist, He enjoys playing sweet flute music in the forest garden. I pray that my heart may become fixed on Him.

®r… Govinda

90 May Lord KЌђЉa, who has long reddish eyes, whose transcendental form is more charming than millions of Kamadevas, who is very pleasing to the eyes, and who is the king of VЌndЂvana village, appear on the lotus flower of my heart.

®r… Bhavananda

91 I pray that Lord KЌђЉa, the mischievous youth who is a flood of handsomeness, who is waves of sweet charm, and who is the heart of mercy, may appear before me.

®r… Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya

92 O Lord, I pray that I may take birth again and again in a place where my ears may drink the sweet music of Your flute. What is the use of talking to me about impersonal liberation?

®r… Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya

93 O Lord KЌђЉa, I pray that the remnants of Your foodstuff may become as palatable to me as a woman's lips are palatable for a materialist. I pray that the narration of Your pastimes may become as sweet to my ears as the words of a young girl are sweet for a materialist. I pray that the sight of Your transcendental form may become as pleasing to my eyes as the beauty of a young bride is pleasing to her husband. I pray that I may always chant Your holy name in the same way a lover reads aloud a letter from his long-separated beloved.

author unknown

94 My dear Lord, when will My eyes be beautified by filling with tears that constantly glide down as I chant Your holy name? When will My voice falter and all the hairs on My body stand erect in transcendental happiness as I chant Your holy name?*

®r… Caitanya MahЂprabhu

95 O Lord of the universe, I do not desire material wealth, materialistic followers, a beautiful wife or fruitive activities described in flowery language. all I want, life after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You.*

®r… Caitanya MahЂprabhu

96 May Lord KЌђЉa, who is a fresh raincloud over Govardhana Hill, a new blue lotus in the Yamuna River, and a great tamala-tree in VЌndЂvana forest, protect me from the three-fold miseries of material existence.

®r… Gaudiya

97 I pray that the cowherd boy who expertly casts amorous glances from the corners of His restless eyes, whose cheeks are decorated with glistening, beautiful, swinging shark-shaped earrings, and who is very eager to enjoy the rasa dance with the beautiful girls of Vraja, may at once appear within my heart.

®r… Madhavendra Puri

98 The sruti-sastra is insignificant as a bunch of straw. Why do we now think in this way? Our eyes have seen the Supreme Brahman enjoying pastimes with the gopis.

®r… Raghupati Upadhyaya

99 To whom can I speak who will believe me when I say that KЌђЉa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is hunting the gopis in the bushes by the banks of the River Yamuna? In this way the Lord demonstrates His pastimes.*

®r… Raghupati Upadhyaya

100 I have carefully understood Kanada's paRЂmanuvada philosophy. I have studied Gautama's nyaya philosophy. I know Jaimini's karma-mimamsa philosophy. I have already travelled on the path of pseudo-Kapila's sankhya philosophy. I have applied my mind to Patanjali's yoga philosophy. I have ardently studied VyЂsa's Vedanta philosophy. None of these attracts me. It is the flood of sweetness from Lord Nandasunu's flute that attracts my heart.

®r… Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya

101 Eclipsing both the demigoddesses' artistry and the waves of sweetness flowing from their mouths, the music of Lord Murari's flute makes my heart tremble.

®r… Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya

102 A dark-complexioned thief has stolen my heart. Look! He has already stolen the sins of the surrendered devotees, the life-breath of Putana, the bracelets and garments of the young gopis, and the eyes and hearts of the saintly devotees.

author unknown

103 Enough with this talk of celestial planets! What is the use of a great kingdom on earth? Even the opulence of liberation should go far away from me! In the groves by the Yamuna's shore a person whose dark complexion is like a young tamala tree has now stolen my heart.

®r… Haridasa

104 We offer our respectful obeisances to the host of sapphires, gazed on, pleased, and lovingly embraced by the gopis in the groves of VЌndЂvana forest.

®r… Sarvavidyavinoda

105 When will I see Nanda's son? He is the protector of the devotees. He is garlanded with kadamba flowers, and His forehead is decorated with glistening tilaka.

®r… Madhavendra Puri

106 When, in VЌndЂvana forest, which is glorified by the Yamuna's touch, will I continually wander, filled with the longings of love, loudly chanting the transcendental pastimes of Gokula's king, KЌђЉa and thickly sprinkling the trees with streams of tears from my eyes.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

107 When will Lord Madhuripu's (KЌђЉa's) sweet flute music, which dances with a lotus foot on the unapproachable braided hair of the goddesses who are the Upanisads, suddenly enter my ear?

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

108 When will infant KЌђЉa, charmingly decorated with a great peacock feather, wriggling His lotus toes, and His lotus mouth placed on His mother's breast, enter the pathway of my eyes?

author unknown

109 O KЌђЉa, who can forget Your face, which eclipses the beauty of the moon? Who can forget Your splendid transcendental form delicate as a new tamala leaf?

author unknown

110 O KЌђЉa, if, wearing a peacock-feather crown, playing the flute, Your form beautifully decorated with various ornaments, and accompanied by the gopis, You glance on us and delight our eyes, then all the desires sitting in our hearts become at once fulfilled.

®r… Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya

111 Bhakti means devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mukti means impersonal liberation, where there is no longer any devotional service. Who is so foolish that, after attaining devotional service, would still desire to attain this mukti?

®r… Sivamauni

112 O Lord, You are the master, and I am Your servant. I do not desire any kind of liberation from the bonds of repeated birth and death that will also break our relationship.

®r… Hanuman

113 Many intelligent people thirst after impersonal liberation. O friend, when my heart considers their folly it becomes struck with wonder.

author unknown

114 "Who are you?"

"I am impersonal liberation."

"Why have you suddenly come here?"

"My lord, I have come because by constantly remembering Lord KЌђЉa you are now qualified to become His maidservant."

"Stay away! Why do you trouble a person like me? I have not done anything wrong. Your smell alone will ruin the sweet fragrance of the sandalwood paste of my reputation as a devotee.

author unknown

115 One who thinks the worshipable Deity form of Lord Visnu is a stone, the bona-fide spiritual master is an ordinary man, the Vaisnava belongs to a caste in the varnasRЂma system, the water that has washed the feet of Lord Visnu or the Vaisnavas, and that actually removes the sins of the Kali-yuga, is ordinary water, the name of Lord Visnu, which is a sacred mantra that removes all sin, is an ordinary sound, or the Supreme Lord Visnu is the same as other persons, is a resident of hell.

®r… Daksinatya

116 A tulasi leaf offered to the lotus feet of the Nrsimha SalagRЂma-sila destroys the sin of murder. Water that has washed the lotus feet of the Nrsimha SalagRЂma-sila destroys the sin of theft. Foodstuff offered to the Nrsimha SalagRЂma-sila destroys the sin of drinking liquor. Sincere surrender to the Nrsimha SalagRЂma-sila destroys the sin of adultery with the wife of the spiritual master. Association with the devotees of the Nrsimha SalagRЂma-sila destroys the sin of offenses tot he devotees. This is the extraordinary glory of the Nrsimha SalagRЂma-sila.

®r… Agama

117 O Lord Murari, as You enjoyed the palatable food presented by the wives of the brahmanas, the meal offered by Vidura, the milk and yoghurt of the cows in Vraja, the handful of chipped rice from Your friend Sudama Brahmana, the breast-milk of Mother Yasoda, and the delicious foods prepared by the young girls of Vraja, I hope the offering I now place before You will also enjoy in he same way.

®r… RЂmanuja

118 O Lord Madhusudana, as You enjoyed the meal offered by Vidura, the foods presented by Kunti, Your lunch on the peak of Govardhana Hill, the chipped rice of Sudama Brahmana, the breast milk offered by Mother Yasoda, the meal offered by Bharadvaja Muni, the food offered by Sabarika, the many dishes presented by the wives of the brahmanas, as well as the taste of the gopis' lips, I hope the offering of food I now place before You You will enjoy in the same way.

author unknown

119 O Lord Hari, You greatly enjoyed the ksira presented by Syamala, the phanita presented by Kamala, the laddus given by Bhadra, and the madhurasa offered by Candravali. I hope that the delicious food I have prepared under RЂdhЂrani's guidance, and I now place before You, You will enjoy a hundred times more that what was offered by these other gopis.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

120 O Mother Mathura, lotus-eyed Lord Hari left His wonderful Vaikuntha world and eagerly appeared within your boundary. You are very fortunate and glorious in this world. We repeatedly offer our respectful obeisances, bowing before you hundreds of times.

author unknown

121 When will I become fortunate to visit Mathura Puri and shed tears of bliss as I drink from the stream of nectar words flowing from the mouths of the old guides there who say, "Here was Nanda Maharaja's home. Here the cart was broken. Here Lord Damodara, who breaks the bonds of birth and death for His devotees, was Himself tied up with ropes by Mother Yasoda"?

®r… Kavisekhara

122 Mathura, Lord KЌђЉa's capitol, beautifully decorated with footprints marked with a cakra, flag, and elephant-rod, where Brahma, who was born from a lotus flower and is the original guru of everyone, yearned to take birth as a blade of grass, is splendidly manifest, even now

author unknown

123 May Mathura Puri, where two transcendental potencies, taraka, which is the seed of the tree of liberation and the saviour from a host of sufferings, and paraka, which satisfies the thirst for the nectar of pure love of KЌђЉa, arise among the residents, crush all your sins and give you the treasure of pure love for Lord KЌђЉa.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

124 O Mathura, even your master, Lord MuRЂmardana, refuses to give the exalted stage of devotional service you easily give to the devotees. O Mathura, words have no power to properly describe your glories.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

125 Mathura is in my ears. Mathura is in my eyes. Mathura is in my voice. Mathura is in my heart. Mathura is before me. Mathura is behind me. Mathura is sweet. Mathura is sweet.

®r… Govinda Misra

126 Go ahead and worship Lord Brahma! Go ahead and worship Lord Siva! Go ahead and worship the Supreme Brahman! I will not follow you. I will simply worship VЌndЂvana forest, which brought transcendental delight to Lord KЌђЉa.

author unknown

127 Those who are afraid of material existence worship Vedic literature. Some worship smrti, the corollaries to Vedic literature, and others worship the Mahabharata. As far as I am concerned, I worship Maharaja Nanda, the father of KЌђЉa, in whose courtyard the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is playing.

®r… Raghupati Upadhyaya

128 I offer my respectful obeisances to Nanda Maharaja. His garments are red as a bandhuka flower. His face is handsome. His chubby form is the golden colour of sandalwood paste. His eyes are enchanted by the sight of Lord Mukunda.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

129 Mother Yasoda holds Lord Pankajanabha (KЌђЉa) on her lap. Her garments are wonderfully beautiful. Her complexion is the colour of a fresh raincloud. She delights the entire world. I repeatedly offer my respectful obeisances to her.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

130 Lying on His back, His hands and feet charmingly reddish, and His forehead gracefully decorated with yellow gorocana tilaka markings, Lord Murari violently overturned the cart. I offer my respectful obeisances to Him.

author unknown

131 His eyes half-opened, Lord Visnu drinks the milk of His mother's breast. Finishing one breast, with His hand He rubs the other, from which the milk has already begun to flow. His mother fondles Him with her fingers. He smiles. May the white splendour of Lord Visnu's teeth, which are anointed with drops of milk, protect you all.

®r… Mangala

132 His restless eyes ignoring the face of the queen of the gopas, and His lips anointed with the sweet nectar of a smile, a infant crawls on the ground with His knees. I worship that infant, whose complexion is the dark colour of a tamala leaf.

®r… Raghunatha dasa

133 The gopis asked: "Where is Your face?" Where are Your eyes? Where is Your nose? Where are Your ears? Where is the top of Your head?" With each question the Lord place His flower-petal finger in the appropriate spot. In this way the infant Lord delighted the gopis.

®r… Kavi Sarvabhauma

134 KЌђЉa, one moment I carefully bathe and anoint You, and the next moment You are again covered with dust!

®r… Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya

135 His hair getting in His eyes, and His bells, bracelets, necklaces, and anklets all tinkling, the restless five year old son of Maharaja Nanda runs in the courtyard. All of you please bow down to offer respect to Him.

®r… Agama

136 Child KЌђЉa approached a gopi and carefully placed His lips against her lips, His neck against her neck, His eyes against her eyes, and His forehead against her forehead. Speaking sweetly, He explained that He was, after all, only a small child, and then He pressed Himself against her breasts for a long time. He then smiled and the hairs of His body stood up with excitement. May child KЌђЉa, whose body appeared to be too young to enjoy amorous pastimes, protect you all.

®r… Divakara

137 The gopis complained: "We will tell Your mother what You have done, how, even though You pretend to be only a small child, You enjoy amorous pastimes with the doe-eyed girls, delighting their eyes in the caves of Govardhana Hill." In the view of all these gopis, baby KЌђЉa cleverly placed a finger in His mouth and began to suck on it to refute their arguments. May baby KЌђЉa purify the entire world.

®r… Vanamali

138 While on His father's lap, Lord Vanamali acts as a small child, although when He is alone with the young gopis, He exchanges amorous smiles.

®r… Mukunda Bhattacarya

139 Mother Yasoda asked child KЌђЉa: "How much butter did You take?" In the presence of all the grown-ups child KЌђЉa grasped Dhanistha's breast and said "This much."

®r… Saranga

140 Child Kesava said to a young gopi: "Thief, where are you going? Have I not caught you stealing? Under your bodice you are hiding My two toy balls! Give them up!" His bodily hairs standing erect with joy, He violently attacked that young gopi's breasts to retrieve His toyballs. All glories to Lord Kesava, who enjoyed these extraordinary pastimes in Gokula Village.

®r… Dipaka

141 Seeing a pot of butter in the distance, baby Kesava quickly crawled there, anxiously turning His face out of fear of His mother. I worship these childhood pastimes of the Lord.

author unknown

142 As child Hari was stealing butter He noticed His own reflection in a nearby jewelled column. Thinking this to be another boy, He became frightened and begged: "You are My friend. I will share this butter with You. Please don't tell on Me! Don't tell on Me!" May child Hari protect you all.

author unknown

143 Awakened at daybreak by the sounds of yoghurt-churning, on silent feet child KЌђЉa stealthily entered the gopis' home, extinguished the lamps with His lotus breath, and stole a handful of butter. I pray child KЌђЉa may protect me.

author unknown

144 Silencing His belt of bells by holding it in His left hand, gently smiling, arching His back, creeping up on His tip-toes, and with a crooked glance warding off the smiling gopis standing before Him, child Hari stole butter behind His mother's back.

®r… ®r…man

145 Taking two or three steps in the doorway, turning His restless eyes in all directions, smiling and intent on stealing yoghurt, child Madhuripu (KЌђЉa) fearfully enters the house.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

146 Rubbing His hand against the corner of His mouth, which had become oily and fragrant from eating the stolen milk-products, repeatedly smelling His hand, silencing His belt of bells, and with restless eyes glancing in all directions, the tricky child Gopala slowly approached His mother.

author unknown

147 Hearing sleeping KЌђЉa say, "Siva, welcome! Sit down. Brahma, you sit at my left. Karttikeya! Auspiciousness to you. Indra! Happiness to you. Kuvera! I did not see you." Mother Yasoda said" "Child! What, what nonsense are You saying?" I pray these words of Mother Yasoda will protect you all.

®r… Mayura

148 Hearing Vasudeva's son KЌђЉa say in His sleep, "Mother Earth, please become calm. Know that your burden will certainly be removed. Have I not already practically killed the demon Kamsa?" The gopis became stunned with wonder. All glories to these words Lord KЌђЉa spoke in His sleep.

®r… Vasudeva

149 The gopas confidently said: "I did not see KЌђЉa at the Yamuna's shore. I did not see Him on Govardhana Hill or at the outskirts of Vraja Village. I did not see Him at the base of the banyan tree. I did not see Him in the courtyard of RЂdhЂ's father Maharaja Vrsabhanu." As Nanda Maharaja became struck with wonder to hear all this, smiling KЌђЉa slipped out of the house, from right under Nanda's nose. May KЌђЉa protect you all.

®r… Umapatidhara

150 Mother Yasoda said, "Child, when You take care of the cows far away in the forests or the caves of Govardhana Hill, and You see dangerous wild animals, then You should meditate on the ancient Supreme Person, Lord Narayana, and He will protect You." As Lord KЌђЉa heard these words it was only with great difficulty that He prevented a smile from appearing on His bimba-fruit lips. May that suppressed smile protect all the worlds.

®r… Abhinanda

151 "There was once a king named RЂma."

"Yes"

"His wife was Sita."

"Yes"

"On the order of His father, RЂma lived in the Pancavati forest. There Ravana kidnapped Sita."

As Lord KЌђЉa heard His mother narrate His own activities performed in ancient times, He suddenly called out: "Laksmana! Where is My bow? Where is My bow? Where is my bow?" I pray these alarmed words of Lord KЌђЉa may protect you all.

author unknown

152 "O my rising dark moon, my child, You are not asleep?"

"No. Sleep has not yet come to Me."

"Listen, my son. I will tell You a bedtime story that will make You fall asleep."

"What is this story I have never heard? Please tell it."

Mother Yasoda then told the story. When she came to the sentences, "Then Lord Nrsimha appeared from the pillar. Lord Nrsimha was very eager to rip the demon to shreds", a smile suddenly arose on child KЌђЉa's lips.

®r… Sarvananda

153 Wearing a crown, and His hand on the head of a cane, the Lord loudly sings the song sung by bulls when they challenge each other for the sake of a cow. Hearing the challenge, two large, arrogant bulls appear and for a long time remain absorbed in the arts of battle. I pray Lord Murari, the playful cowherd boy who enjoys pastimes of protecting the cows and bulls, will always protect you.

®r… Yogesvara

154 When the cowherd boys become intoxicated by the sweet sounds of the flute, and with unblinking eyes drink the sight of Lord Mukunda, then the unattended cows, eager for soft grasses to eat, wander far away and enter the caves of Govardhana Hill.

®r… Kesavacchatri

155 With an air of peaceful respectability the gopis placed nice garments around their hips and went to enjoy amorous pastimes with KЌђЉa in a solitary place. The sound of KЌђЉa's flute stunned their vow of chastity, their attachment to their husband's homes, and all the protections offered by their elders.

®r… Sarvavidyavinoda

156 When the beautiful-eyed girls of Vraja saw Lord KЌђЉa they wished all their senses with eyes, and when they heard the waves of music from His flute they wished all their senses were ears.

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157 Removing their silk saris, the young gopis eagerly sported in the waters of the Yamuna. After some time they intently looked in all directions, and then, certain that no one was watching, emerged from the bodies and carefully dried their naked bodies. Meanwhile hidden in a nearby forest grove, Lord KЌђЉa had been watching their every movement for a long time. At a certain moment He began to play His flute. All glories to Lord KЌђЉa's tricky flute-music, which completely charms the girls of Vraja.

®r… Purusottamadeva

158 The gracefully moving gopis captured Lord KЌђЉa's heart. His hands perspired and trembled. Lord KЌђЉa, whose form was bent in three places, was unaware that the flute had dropped from His lotus-bud hands and fallen to His lotus feet. He began to blow into what He thought was His flute, but no sound emerged. All glories to that soundless blowing of Lord KЌђЉa.

®r… Ciranjiva

159 Friend, who is this person? His body is like a new black nikasa stone. He wears earrings of asoka buds. The vines of eyebrows dance on His charming, handsome face. I am overcome by the sound of His flute.

author unknown

160 Who is this teen-age boy? a charming pearl-necklace decorates His chest. He is dressed in garments the colour of molten gold. The splendid complexion is the brother of the blue lotus whorl. He fills the world with amorous passion.

®r… Sarvavidyavinoda

161 He is dark-complexioned boy who plays very beautiful music. What girl will not tremble at heart by hearing His music for even a moment?

author unknown

162 Unhappy-faced RЂdhЂ said to Her friends: "My heart is wounded by Kama's arrow. My body is now filled with the symptoms of love."

®r… Purusottamadeva

163 Since in the forest by the Yamuna, I saw this person whose complexion is the colour of a dark raincloud, My heart has been trembling like a drop of water on a lotus leaf.

®r… Kavicandra

164 Friend, one time, as I walked on the path to the Yamuna's bank I saw a boy whose complexion was the colour of a dark raincloud. What spell did He cast on Me when He glanced at Me with those crooked eyes? I do not know. Since that time My heart is always very agitated. It no longer allows Me to perform My household duties.

®r… Jayanta

165 First I saw a splendid blue effulgence. Then I smelled the fragrance of musk. Then I heard graceful flute music. Then I heard the sweet tinkling of a sash of bells. Then I saw waves of wonderful handsomeness encircled by a vine that was a stationary lightning flash. Then I became filled with bliss.

author unknown

166 O beautiful friend, as He played the flute for a long time on the Yamuna's shore, the playful debauchee Madhava stole My heart.

author unknown

167 Since with My own eyes I saw KЌђЉa's pastimes in the vanira grove on the Yamuna's shore, My heart has not allowed Me to perform My household chores. What should I do? I do not know what to do.

®r… Kavicandra

168 O My friend, since the moon of KЌђЉa's face has appeared within the perception of My eyes, My mind has lost all discrimination. It no longer has the power to distinguish between the cooling Malayan breeze and the blazing fire.

®r… Sanjaya Kavisekhara

169 It is wrong, wrong, wrong! Alas! Alas! I saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari, and I thought He was an ordinary cowherd boy!

®r… Sarana

170 Friend, when I see KЌђЉa, who wears a garland of forest-flowers, why does My mouth become dry, My thighs become stunned, My heart tremble, and My cheeks perspire?

®r… Mukunda Bhattacarya

171 Friend, I have seen an autumn full-moon shining above a tamala tree. This moon's flute music mocks My chastity.

®r… Sanjaya Kavisekhara

172 O moon-faced friend, the gentle breezes, the moon, and the scent of sandalwood torment My heart. It is not happy. It yearns to see My lover, KЌђЉa.

author unknown

173 Alas! Alas! KЌђЉa's flute makes Me completely forget the rebukes of My elders, My own growing infamy, and the harsh actions of My husband.

®r… Sarvavidyavinoda

174 My wealth, home, children, friends, and fЂmily all seem important only as long as Vanamali KЌђЉa does not glance on Me with dancing eyes on the Yamuna's shore.

®r… Sarvavidyavinoda

175 Let My enemies be pleased to find fault with Me. Let My husband punish Me again and again. I do not care. Lord KЌђЉacandra, who enjoys transcendental pastimes in VЌndЂvana forest, will always be the precious jewel that decorates My breasts.

author unknown

176 Let My husband beat Me! Let My enemies laugh in My face! Let My parents and elderly relatives shame Me before My husband! Let My whole fЂmily become polluted! I do not care. My heart will continue to love BalarЂma's younger brother, KЌђЉa.

author unknown

177 My husband is angry? Let him be angry. My friends rebuke Me? Let them. Let there fall upon Me whatever other catastrophe there may be in this world. I do not care. I simply wish that My eyes may eternally drink the nectar of KЌђЉa's handsome form.

®r… Puskaraksa

178 O messenger-friend, if KЌђЉa would walk on the pathway of My eyes, then My birth will become fruitful. What is the use of this impossible desire? Who is able to perform the pious activities to obtain this?

author unknown

179 O friend, I am very unfortunate. If the sound of KЌђЉa's flute fell once again on the pathway of My ears, I would not care even whether or not I had the fortune to see Him.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

180 O moon surrounded by stars on the fourth night on the month of Bhadra, O lord, O moon making tidal waves in the ocean of amorous desire, I respectfully offer arghya water to you and I bow down before you. I pray (that by your mercy) my desire to become the beloved of youthful KЌђЉa will become fulfilled in truth.

author unknown

181 Friend, I cannot say for certain why RЂdhЂ's eyes are rolling about in this way. Perhaps She was touched by the flute-music breeze blowing from the Supreme Personality of Godhead under the kadamba tree.

®r… Ranga

182 The hairs stand erect on Your body. Your eyes are full of tears. Your words are choked-up. Your chest heaves with sighs. O moon-faced friend, I know it is the sweetness of Mukunda's flute music that makes Your heart tremble.

®r… Ranga

183 "O fickle-hearted girl, I know You broke the vow of a faithful wife, and I know the harsh words You exchanged with Your husband and relatives. Still You will not give up this affair with KЌђЉa. Why is it so hard for You to give Him up?"

"My beautiful-faced friend, what will I do? When I hear the sound of KЌђЉa's flute My heart cannot find a moment's peace."

author unknown

184 Let Me become infamous as KЌђЉa's mistress! I don't care. Tell me the truth. When it heard the sound of KЌђЉa's flute, what happened to your heart?

author unknown

185 You speak the truth. It is true that the harsh rebukes of My superiors are very hard to bear. It is true that My fЂmily's reputation is spotless. It is true that this friend KЌђЉa is merciless. It is true that the Yamuna is very far away. Still, when the beautiful, intoxicating sound of KЌђЉa's flute music becomes a guest in My ears, I immediately forget all of this.

®r… Govinda Bhatta

186 The night is filled with clouds. Darkness has swallowed the world. You are a young girl and Your body is filled with unprecedented, ever-fresh, playful, graceful beauty. O beautiful-faced girl, what is the use of Your sleeping like this in a House in Vraja Village? Wake up! At this moment KЌђЉa, whose dark complexion is the colour of a young tamala tree, and who is the Deity of the kadamba forest, wanders about in the night.

®r… Sarvavidyavinoda

187 When this girl, whose face is like the full moon, gazes at Your picture, She transforms You into black mascara anointing Her eyes. When She hears about You, She makes You into a blue lotus flower on Her ear. In Her heart She meditates on You as a new sapphire decorating Her breast.

author unknown

188 O KЌђЉa, O killer of the Mura demon, Your absence has so stunned beautiful-faced RЂdhЂrani that as She talks at night with Her friends She cannot remember whether She took any betelnuts, whether betelnuts are in Her hand, or betelnuts in Her mouth.

®r… Harihara

189 O Lord of the universe, Her body licked by the flames of love for You, RЂdhЂ fell from Her bed to the floor and could not rise again.

®r… Kavicandra

190 O KЌђЉa, how can I describe the greatness of fawn-eyed RЂdhЂ's love for You? Even though She has fallen into the ocean of suffering, She still loves You deeply.

®r… Kavicandra

191 RЂdhЂ taught Her caged parrot to recite the words of Your letter. She turned Your letter into a song She sings to the accompaniment of flute and vina.

®r… Govardhanacarya

192 O RЂdhЂ, in Vraja Village are there not very many lotus-eyed gopis expert in amorous pastimes and completely in love with Murari? What great austerities did You perform to make Damodara love You so much?

author unknown

193 He will not take care of the calves. He does not play the flute. He is not pleased by the cooling breezes blowing into the forest from the Yamuna River. He sits in the forest grove with His head bowed down. O beautiful girl, in His heart the son of Nanda sighs for You.

®r… Daityari Pandita

194 KЌђЉa is the best of lovers. He is the most expert in all the arts of amorous love. He is the most handsome. He loves You. O heroine of Vraja Village, if He begs You, You should respond to His advances. You should worship Him. What greater love could You find in all the world?

®r… Ranga

195 Move Your feet softly. Wear these dark blue garments. Cover Your bracelets with the edge of Your sari. Don't talk. O reckless girl, the autumn moonlight of Your teeth dispels the darkness.

®r… Sanmasika

196 The gopis said: "What kind of path is this? It turns like the winding coils of an angry snake. Why must we tolerate this?" Repeatedly remembering the gopis harsh words and prayers that the moonlight would light up the darkness, lotus eyed RЂdhЂ cast in the direction of the very faint moon an angry glance from the reddish corner of Her eyes. She forbade the moon to shine.

®r… Sarvavidyavinoda

197 O Madhava, how can we describe RЂdhЂ's reckless fear of the serpent engraved on Her medallion? As She walked on the path to secretly meet You in the middle of the night, She became so afraid the effulgence of the jewel on that serpent's hood would light up and the darkness She covered it with Her hand.

author unknown

198 Say something to the splendidly smiling infallible Personality of Godhead who stands before You filled with amorous desire. O fawn-eyed girl, sprinkle Him with the flooding nectar of Your amorous glance.

author unknown

199 My dear friend, You have already sold Yourself and all Your beauty to Govinda. Now You should not be bashful. Please look upon Him cheerfully. One who has sold an elephant to another person should not make a miserly quarrel about selling the trident which controls the elephant.*

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

200 With affectionate RЂdhЂrani, who is very expert at the art of embracing, peacock feather crowned KЌђЉa enjoyed a great festival to welcome the arrival of Kamadeva.

®r… Kaviraja Misra

201 This forest grove resembles even though there is no wind. Someone must be here. We don't see anyone. The cowherd boys have all fled from this place in terror. In this place there is only RЂdhЂ's friend KЌђЉa, who enjoys pastimes of loudly playfully, ferociously and frighteningly roaring like a tiger. May Lord KЌђЉa delight you all.

author unknown

202 The gopis said: "What passionate lover made this couch of new flower-petals here in the middle of this solitary grove of nicula trees?" I pray that ®r… RЂdhЂ-Madhava's smiling glances at these joking gopis may protect you all.

®r… Rupadeva

203 A very young gopa said: "KЌђЉa, deep in the forest I found Your forest flower garland and peacock-feather necklace in this gopi's hair. Someone must have taken them from You. Please take them back." Hearing these words, RЂdhЂ and Madhava glanced at each other. all glories to Their gently smiling, embarrassed glances.

®r… Laksmana Sena

204 O girl whose breasts are like waterpots, You are very tired. Why churn yoghurt now? At this moment Lord Murari sweetly plays His flute in the forest.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

205 My mother-in-law is suspicious. My sisters-in-law watch My every move, licking Me with their eyes. My husband sighs with jealousy. My enemies sniff about to discover My intentions. I cannot go with You now. From a distance please accept My respects with folded hands. What is the use of these crooked sidelong glances? O friend expert at relishing transcendental mellows, these endeavours to convince Me to go with You are all useless.

author unknown

206 When Lord KЌђЉa arrived in RЂdhЂ's courtyard for Their rendezvous, His tinkling ornaments sounded as the cooing of cuckoos and other birds. He suddenly heard the door open, and He also heard the continual jingling sounds of conchshell bracelets. When He heard the arrogant Jarati call out, "Who's there? Who's there?" He became pained at heart. He spent that entire night hiding in a tree in a corner of the courtyard.

®r… Hara

207 Mother Yasoda said to KЌђЉa: "My child, I invited RЂdhЂ to a party at night. Her husband wasn't at home. She left Her empty home and came here. When She came the servants were very agitated and said: "How can a chaste wife travel about all alone? How can She return to Her home unaccompanied? For this reason, my child, I want You to escort Her home." When RЂdhЂ and Madhava heard Mother Yasoda's words, They glanced at each other. All glories to Their sweetly smiling gentle glances.

®r… Laksmana Sena

208 One day RЂdhЂ accidentally met KЌђЉa in the forest. She said: "I am going. O Acyuta, what happiness will I get by seeing You? If a girl stays in a secluded place with a man her reputation is ruined." After saying these crooked hints, RЂdhЂ feigned unhappiness and remained motionless. Lord KЌђЉa suddenly embraced Her, making the hairs of His body stand up with joy. I pray Lord KЌђЉa will protect you all.

author unknown

209 O friend, You are trembling. The hairs on Your body are standing up. You have run into the house from outside. O beautiful girl, You must certainly have been attacked by the black snake of Lord KЌђЉa.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

210 O khanjana-eyed girl, at this moment in the forest groves lotus-eyed KЌђЉa is decorating the gopis' hair with splendid springtime flowers. For this reason we say: You are the best of all girls expert at relishing transcendental pastimes. Why do You not take Your hands from this housework and go to Him? There is not a moment to lose.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

211 (One day, as RЂdhЂ was hurrying to meet KЌђЉa in the forest, a gopi-friend met Her and asked why She was hurrying so quickly. RЂdhЂ said:) "I'm embarrassed. Has lightning struck My door? Does the Yamuna flood My house? Do snakes stare at Me with angry eyes? Are these the reasons for My haste, or is the reason that I have eternally offered My body and life to Lord KЌђЉa?"

author unknown

212 After two or three steps, She thinks Her toy lotus flower a burden and sets it down by the road. After three or four steps She sets down the garland of jasmine flowers decorating Her braids, and after five steps She removes the pearl-necklace from Her neck. Then slender RЂdhЂ, unhappy that the meeting is so far away, and Her heart trembling with love for KЌђЉa, rebukes Her hips for being so heavy, but She cannot abandon them, and so She is forced to carry them.

author unknown

213 O messenger friend, why don't you stop decorating Me with flowers, and decorate the bed in this forest-cottage instead. Look! Playful, blinding darkness now covers VЌndЂvana forest. My heart hopes that here I will meet Lord KЌђЉa, the prince of the gopas.

®r… Raghunatha dasa

214 My friend, perhaps some other women enticed KЌђЉa with lute-music? Perhaps she won Him in a gambling match? The night is very beautiful. The sepahali flowers are in bloom. The moon has already half traversed the sky. Some other woman have lured My lover, KЌђЉa. Otherwise, why is He so late in coming here?

author unknown

215 Unhappy sleep does not come near Me. My heart counts His virtues but not His faults. The night ends, but My desire to meet Him does not end. My body has become weak and thin, but My love for Him has not become weak at all.

®r… Kanka

216 Messenger friend, get up! Let us go. The hour is passed, and still He has not come. A girl who can remain alive in this situation certainly has the god of life in her control.

®r… Kanka

217 At daybreak seeing marks of red lac on KЌђЉa's forehead, the impression of armlets on His neck, black mascara on His mouth, and the red betel stains around His eyes, doe-eyed RЂdhЂ suddenly stopped sighing. Decorated with intense anger, She was like a red lotus flower.

®r… Autkala

218 What is the use of these lies? Stop! Stay, O debauchee, with the girl who placed these glistening red scratch marks on Your chest. What do You want with an honest girl like Me?

®r… Rudra

219 Filled with hundreds of lusty desires, Your beautiful new mistress pretends she loves You in her heart. I am not like her. What is the use of pretending to fall at My feet?

®r… Rudra

220 O Madhava, even when You do not wear ornaments You enchant My heart. How much more enchanting You are decorated with the nice scratch-marks of this other girl.

®r… Visvanatha

221 Now all My endeavours have come to an end. Now My heart is crushed. Now My last hopes have left and I am on the verge of giving up this life. Now the cuckoos, springtime, moon, and all the others famous for killing lovers separated from their beloved, torment My heart.

®r… Purusottamadeva

222 Dear Mr Cupid, please doe not excite Me by throwing your arrows at My body. Dear Mr Air, please do not arouse Me with the fragrance of flowers, I am now bereft of KЌђЉa's loving attitude, and so, under the circumstances, what is the use of My sustaining this useless body? There is no need for such a body by any living entity.*

®r… Purusottamadeva

223 Now You should be angry with this expert cheater KЌђЉa. Being gentle to a debauchee will bring only suffering.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

224 Say it! What is the use of these tricky lies? Beloved, go now. It is not Your fault at all. Destiny is against us. If You love me, do this. Alas! What suffering have I not seen in this wretched, fickle life?

®r… Amaru

225 O cheater, to the gopis who have accidentally come here, what are You? O Lord Hari, these girls don't love You. How can You cheat them? I alone have fallen hopelessly in love with You. You are dear to me as life.

®r… Purusottamadeva

226 Why do you tilt your neck and stare at Him? Friend, let KЌђЉa go. Let Him go. Only a fool will treat this tricky debauchee like the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

227 O beautiful one, for plunging You into this ocean of love don't be eternally angry with Me. O charming one, have You not heard how poison is produced by churning nectar?

®r… Ranga

228 O moon-faced girl, O affectionate one, don't turn from My words. O charming one, how many pious activities must one perform in order to hear My words, which are carefully kept secret from even the Personified Vedas?

®r… Ranga

229 Enough! Stop saying the name of this merciless person! Again the time is passed talking of Him! O gopi-messenger, tell Me again what He said! Tell Me! Careful attention should be given to the words of the enemy.

®r… Angada

230 O pious girl, first You refuse to see His love, then you insult your friends, and now You are suddenly angry with Your lover. Still, I can see that you are burning in the flames of separation from KЌђЉa, and your anger at Him is like crying in the wilderness.

®r… Amaru

231 O fair-complexioned gopi, please do not loosen and untie the knot of Your anger. KЌђЉa does not like gentle saintliness. A cheater does not think honesty is a virtue.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

232 I repeatedly practiced knitting My eyebrows. I studied how to stare without blinking. Again and again I practiced remaining silent with a sarcastic smile. I studied how to keep My heart steady and not lose My composure. I can practice how to be angry with KЌђЉa, but My final success still remains in the hands of fate.

®r… Amaru

233 O Alansangi, I know how to display an angry silence. I know how to speak crooked sarcastic words, and I know how to angrily knit My eyebrows in hundreds of ways. If I do not become overwhelmed by the sound of the flute on Lord KЌђЉa's lotus mouth, I know how to display all these angry features.

author unknown

234 Yes, My friend, I have heard that KЌђЉa is a debauchee always searching for new lovers. Still, My heart trembles with love for Him. I pacified My heart with many logical arguments and was able to chase the love from it, but then, in the next moment I found Myself devoured by the sweet sound of KЌђЉa's flute.

®r…man Prabhupada

235 When My lover, KЌђЉa, stands before Me and speaks sweet words, do all My senses become ears, or do they become eyes? I do not know.

author unknown

236 When I gaze at KЌђЉa, the creator Brahma does not transform all My senses into eyes. When I hear about KЌђЉa's transcendental qualities, Brahma does not transform all My senses into ears. When I speak with KЌђЉa, Brahma does not transform all My limbs into mouths. Brahma does not know anything about drinking the nectar of KЌђЉa.

®r… Sarana

237 O honest, upright friend, You are very pure in heart, and this flutist KЌђЉa is very crooked. because He is so crooked, with His form bending in three places, the crooked vaijayanti garland finds it very easy to rest on His chest.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

238 Now that I can no longer see the face of My lover, KЌђЉa, sighs burn My mouth, My heart is torn from His roots, sleep refuses to come to Me, I cry day and night, My limbs have dried up, and I simply wait for the footsteps of My beloved KЌђЉa. O friends, what quality of KЌђЉa will I remember so I may become angry with Him?

®r… Amaru

239 You refuse to eat. You have stopped all activities of the senses. Your eyes are fixed on the tip of Your nose, and Your mind is fixed on a single thought. You are now silent, and You see the entire world as a void. Friend, please tell me, have You become a mystic yogini, or are You rapt in meditation on KЌђЉa?

author unknown

240 Separation from KЌђЉa is better than meeting Him. When I meet Him there is only one KЌђЉa, but when I am separated from Him the three worlds become filled with KЌђЉas.

author unknown

241 His heart agitated in separation from a certain gopi, Lord KЌђЉa sat down in the dark shade of the vetasi trees by the Yamuna's shore. Without using His tongue or palate, He played flute melodies as sweet as the warbling of the cuckoos. May those melodies protect you all.

author unknown

242 In the presence of His elders KЌђЉa moved His head so it's shadow appeared at RЂdhЂ's feet. RЂdhЂ responded by moving the vines of Her arms so their shadows embraced KЌђЉa. In this way RЂdhЂ and KЌђЉa ended Their playful lover's quarrel and became again pleased with each other as Their unsuspecting elders looked on. All glories to RЂdhЂ and KЌђЉa's again becoming pleased.

®r… Hara

243 RЂdhЂ is completely red with love for You. Her love is not like the redness of a gunja berry, which is red not only on the surface, but through and through. O clever-talking KЌђЉa, the redness of Your love for Her is not in Your heart but only in Your mouth, just as a parrot's mouth is red, but the rest of him is some other colour.

®r… Govardhanacarya

244 O handsome KЌђЉa,RЂdhЂ's heart burns with love for You. You eternally stay in Her heart. On the other hand, Your heart is always very cool and cheerful. My unloved friend RЂdhЂ is never allowed to enter there even for a moment.

®r… Rudra

245 One time Lord KЌђЉa offended RЂdhЂ, and They quarrelled. Afterwards, KЌђЉa disguised Himself as a gopi, fell down at the feet of one of RЂdhЂ's gopi-friends, pacified Her, and by her arrangement was able to enter RЂdhЂ's house. When RЂdhЂ was alone on Her bed, disguised KЌђЉa approached Her bedside and began to massage Her body. The touch of His hand reminded Her of KЌђЉa. Still thinking KЌђЉa to be a gopi, she said to Him: "Ah! You must be very unhappy. KЌђЉa must have forsaken You as He has Me." She looked into KЌђЉa's eyes. After that She slowly and very happily fell into His arms.

author unknown

246 RЂdhЂ became genuinely afraid of the possible intrusion of Her elders, and for this reason the bud of Her feigned anger began to blossom. Her dear and intelligent gopi-friend cast a meaningful glance at KЌђЉa to apprise Him of the situation. He understood. He took His leave and went to the cottage of vines by the Yamuna's shore, only to meet RЂdhЂ again in that more secluded place.

author unknown

247 Walking in the madhavi grove where there were many bumble-bees, intelligent Madhava played very beautiful music on His flute, which was like a fishhook to catch the fishhook to catch the fish of the gopis' hearts.

author unknown

248 This is a good path. Don't think there are obstacles here. I have seen this path with my own eyes. It leads to the Yamuna's waters where there are splendid blue lotus flowers. On the shore is a tamala tree, and in the grove nearby the male cuckoo of the Supreme Personality of Godhead enjoys pastimes.

®r… Sarvavidyavinoda

249 "Who are You?"

"I am a gopi-messenger sent by Madhava."

"What is His message?"

"He says: 'O beloved, please don't be angry with Me."

"That rascal has given His heart to another girl!"

"O friend, He never stopped worshipping You for a moment."

RЂdhЂ was pleased by the nectar of this conversation. Disguised as a gopi, KЌђЉa brought Her to a cottage in the forest grove, and then revealed His real form. May smiling Lord KЌђЉa protect you all.

®r… Vasava

250 It is spring. This forest is very secluded. You are a young girl, and I am an amorous young boy. O RЂdhЂ, come to Me. If You hesitate for a moment, You will simply become the object of Your friends' clever teasing jokes.

author unknown

251 "My Lord, You are mistaken. This forest is dense and dark. I am a young girl all alone. This place is completely covered by the shade of these tamala trees. O handsome KЌђЉa, please leave Me at once."

When KЌђЉa heard RЂdhЂ's words, He at once embraced Her. May passionate Lord KЌђЉa protect you all.

author unknown

252 All glories to the gopa KЌђЉa who as He was drawing pictures of dolphins on ®r…mati RЂdhЂrani's waterpotlike breasts became so agitated He was unable to draw a single straight line.

author unknown

253 "O Laksmana, now that I am separated from Janaki, these rainclouds torture Me, and these cruel breezes blowing from the kadamba flowers violently strike My heart." As RЂdhЂ heard sleeping KЌђЉa's description of His feelings of separation in a previous birth, She became frightened and filled with jealous anger. May dreЂming Lord KЌђЉa delight you all.

®r… Subhanka

254 Silencing Her anklets by placing them on Her arms as golden armlets, and carefully observing KЌђЉa's eyes for any sign of His becoming startled, smiling RЂdhЂ stole the flute from His lap.

®r… Daityari Pandita

255 O flute who is so dear to KЌђЉa, when you grant Me your mercy I will also give you many benedictions in return. I will bless you, saying, "May you become faultless. May your heart become filled with the nectar from KЌђЉa's lips. May you become very eloquent. May you become charmingly slender. May you become the object of Lord KЌђЉa's worship."

®r… Govinda Misra

256 O flute, you have blessed Me by giving Me the emptiness in your heart, your lightness, the dryness of your body, and your eloquence in constantly chanting the holy name of KЌђЉa, the king of Vraja. Why do you now not give to Me the nectar of KЌђЉa's lips, which you drink, turn into song, and shamelessly use to enchant the entire world and bring it under your control.

®r… Govinda Misra

257 May Lord Kesava who, sweetly playing the flute, a peacock feather in His hair, blackened with dust, decorated with a wilted forest-flower garland, tired, handsome, and a festival of happiness for the gopis' eyes, returns with the surabhi cows at the day's end, grant auspiciousness to you all.

author unknown

258 "O Kesava, my eyes are now filled with the dust raised by the cow's hooves and I cannot see anything. I have stumbled and fallen to the ground. O Lord, are You not kind to the fallen? You are the only shelter for all women distressed at heart." I pray Lord Hari, to whom a gopi spoke these words, will protect you always.

author unknown

259 His flute tucked into His belt, one lotus hand on a surabhi cow's back and the other holding a stick, lotus-eyed KЌђЉa entered the Village of Vraja.

author unknown

260 As KЌђЉa walked on the path one gopi secretly worshipped Him with the playful movements of her vine eyebrows, another with her sidelong glances, and another with the moonlight of her smiles . However, it was on RЂdhЂ's face, which was filled with a graceful beauty that mocked the other gopis and broke their pride, that His shy, amorous glances fell. All glories to those glances of KЌђЉa, the enemy of Kamsa.

®r… Umapatidhara

261 May Gokulapati KЌђЉa's lotus face, with neck tilted, earrings touching His shoulders, a splendid peacock feather decorating His hair, bending vines of His eyebrows moving restlessly, a flute on His lips making sweet music, and an amorous sidelong glance falling on RЂdhЂ's face, protect you all.

®r… Laksmana Sena

262 May RЂdhЂ's lover, KЌђЉa, who, resting the flute on His cheek and shoulder, placing the flute's mouth to His bimba-fruit lips and, gentle blowing, makes a very sweet sound, His necklaces slightly swaying as He moves His arched fingers over the flute's holes, protect you.

®r… Nathoka

263 Resting on half His feet, grasping the udder between His thumb and finger, spraying Himself with two or three stray drops, and making a charming stream of milk pour into the pail balanced between His arched knees, Damodara milks a surabhi cow.

®r… Sarana

264 O cheater, even as You are embracing Candravali, when You hear the tinkling of the jewelled belt of some other girl, Your attention turns to her and the knot of Your arms around Candravali becomes loosened. How can I tell her? My friend Candravali has been poisoned by Your eloquent words mixed with honey and ghee, She can no longer see.

author unknown

265 May KЌђЉa on whom, as He playfully lifted tall Govardhana Hill with His lotus hand, Mother Yasoda gazed with fear and pain, RЂdhЂ gazed with pleasure to see the transcendental qualities of Her lover, the small naked gopa-boys happily gazed, thinking they were as strong as He and could also lift the hill if they tried, and Maharaja Nanda gazed with simultaneous terror, delight and wonder, protect you all.

®r… Sohnoka

266 "O KЌђЉa, for a long time You held up Govardhana Hill without any help. You must be very tired now. Please sit down and rest. All of us will hold the hill in Your place." KЌђЉa then shifted a small portion of the hill's weight onto the raised arms of the cowherd men. When they felt the pressure of the hill, their arms became bent and they began to scream. May KЌђЉa, who smiled to see all this, protect you all.

®r… Sarana

267 "You must be exhausted by now. Let go of the hill and we will hold it for You." When He shifted a little of the hill's weight, and the arms of the cowherd men began to become crushed, KЌђЉa began to smile. All glories to KЌђЉa.

®r… Subandhu

268 "Please go far away from the path of KЌђЉa's eyes. O slender girl, don't make Govardhana Hill fall from His hand because He is absorbed in gazing on You." When KЌђЉa heard the gopis' words to stop RЂdhЂ, He sighed and the hill began to slip from His hand. May those sighs of Lord KЌђЉa protect you all.

®r… Subhanka

269 "Take us to the other side of the Yamuna!" Repeatedly called by the gopis, KЌђЉa pretended to nap by His boat. All glories to doubly indolent Lord KЌђЉa.

®r… Sanjaya Kavisekhara

270 KЌђЉa: My dear young girl, please step into My tari (boat, which will become tarau in the locative case.)

RЂdhЂ: What power do I have to climb trees?

(Here RЂdhЂ interprets tarau to be the locative of taru, which means tree).

KЌђЉa: My dear, charming, bewildered girl, I do not mean tree, I mean tarani (boat).

RЂdhЂ: Why would I want to go to the sun? (Here She interprets the word tarani to mean sun).

KЌђЉa: All these words I have used mean nau (boat).

RЂdhЂ: All these words are meant to bring Us together. (Here She interprets the word nau to mean Us).

I worship unconquerable Lord KЌђЉa, who happily smiled as ®r… RЂdhЂ defeated Him in this playful verbal duel.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

271 What You say is true. There are no waves on the Yamuna, and this is a new, sturdy boat. I am so afraid because You, O Madhava, are the reckless captain of the boat.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

272 The river is very deep, this is an old boat, and we are simply helpless girls. It is very dangerous for us. Nevertheless, O Madhava, at the present moment You are the only boat-captain who can take us slender girls across the Yamuna.

®r… Jagadananda Raya

273 KЌђЉa suddenly stopped the boat in the middle of the Yamuna and demanded immediate payment of the fare. He smiled as He gazed at the frightened face of the gopi, who had no money to give.

®r… Suryadasa

274 O Yadunandana, by Your order I have cast into the water these milk-products as well as My own necklace. I have thrown My bodice far away. Still, the shore of the Yamuna has not come any closer.

author unknown

275 The boat is violently tossed by the wind. Filling with water, it is now sinking into the Yamuna. Alas! Destiny has become my enemy. Even in this calЂmity lusty-hearted KЌђЉa again and again puts His had on me!

276 My hands are exhausted. They can no longer push the water out. All You do is speak joking words. O KЌђЉa, if I live through this, never again will I place my feet in Your boat.

®r… Manohara

277 O gopi-friends, all of you please bow down before your chosen deity and pray that either the Yamuna River will not be deep as our knees, or we get a boat-captain other than KЌђЉa.

®r… Mukunda Bhattacarya

278 The boat rocks to and fro. The river is deep. The reckless son of Maharaja Nanda is the captain. I am a helpless girl. The sun is setting in the west, and the village of Vraja is still far away. O gopi-friend, what will I do now?

author unknown

279 He pays no attention to My prayers. He does not hear My begging in a broken voce. He does not consider My repeatedly bowing down before Him. O gopi-friend, what will I do now? In the middle of this wave-filled river, the reckless son of Maharaja Nanda violently shakes the boat.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

280 "The Yamuna is filled with huge waves, and the boat is filling with water. Still, KЌђЉa is not afraid."

"O beautiful RЂdhЂ, don't be so harsh. By Your mercy We will live through this. All You need do is pay the boat-fare of a promise to enjoy with Me a festival of amorous pastimes in the cave of Govardhana Hill."

281 O KЌђЉa, O cheater hiding behind this heap of dried cow-dung, why do you uselessly beg me in this way? Go away! (This is a foolish trick) You used to be very expert at tricking the gopis. You expertly tricked them when You frightened them in an old boat. Where is that expertise now?

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

Note: One time Lord KЌђЉa took the gopis for a ride in an old boat. When the boat began to rock dangerously in a storm, KЌђЉa extorted various amorous favours from the frightened gopis in return for their rescue.

282 "Who taps on My door with one finger?"

"O crooked girl, it is Madhava."

"Madhava is a name of spring. Has springtime come knocking on My door?"

"Certainly not. It is the holder of the Sudarsana wheel."

"Potters hold wheels. Are You a potter?"

"I am not. I am the person who holds up the entire world."

"The forked-tongued serpent king Ananta holds up the world. Are You He?

"No. I am a person who crushes serpents."

"The bird-king Garuda crushes serpents. Are You he?

"No. I am Lord Hari."

"Hari is a name of the monkey-king Hanuman. Are You he?

May Lord KЌђЉa, who holds the Sudarsana cakra, and who smiled to hear these clever words from ®r…mati RЂdhЂrani, protect you all.

author unknown

283 "Who is there in the darkness of night?"

"It is Kesava."

"Kesava means hair. Why should hair approach Me? You are awfully proud, hair."

"O beautiful girl, I am the grandson of Maharaja Surasena."

"Of what use is the worthless son of a virtuous grandfather?"

"O moon-faced girl, I am the holder of the Sudarsana wheel."

"Ah, You are a potter who spins a potter's wheel! Will You give Me a bowl, a pot, and a milk-bucket?"

May Lord KЌђЉa, who was embarrassed by these clever replies of the gopi RЂdhЂ, protect you all.

®r… Cakrapani

284 One morning, when KЌђЉa came to RЂdhЂ, RЂdhЂ asked Him, "My dear Kesava, where is Your vasa at present?" The sanskrit word "vasa: has three meanings: one meaning is residence, one meaning is fragrance and another meaning is dress.

Actually RЂdhЂrani inquired from KЌђЉa "Where is Your dress?" But KЌђЉa took the meaning as residence and He replied to RЂdhЂrani, "My dear captivated one, at the present moment My residence is in Your beautiful eyes."

To this RЂdhЂrani replied, "My dear cunning boy, I did not ask You about Your residence, I inquired about Your dress."

KЌђЉa then took the meaning of "vasa" as fragrance and said, "My dear fortunate one, I have just assumed this fragrance in order to be associated with Your body."

®r…mati RЂdhЂrani again inquired from KЌђЉa, "Where did You pass Your night?" The exact Sanskrit word used in this connection was "yЂminyamusitah". "YЂminyam" means "at night" and usitah means "pass". KЌђЉa, however, divided the word "yЂminyamusitah" into two separate words, namely "yЂminya" and "musitah". By dividing this word into two, it came out to mean that He was kidnapped by YЂmini, or night. KЌђЉa therefore replied to RЂdhЂrani, "My dear RЂdhЂrani, it is possible that night can kidnap Me?" In this way He was answering all of the questions of RЂdhЂrani so cunningly that He gladdened this dearest of the gopis.* May smiling Lord KЌђЉa protect you all.

author unknown

285 "RЂdhЂ, You have become kupita (angry)."

"Ku means earth, and pita means father. It is You who are father of the earth."

"And You are the mother of all universes."

"You are the actual mother of the universes. You are omniscient. No one is Your equal."

"O Goddess, Your skill in joking lover's quarrels is ananta (unlimited)."

"Nan means bowing down, ta means the state of being, and a means without. It is You whom possess this quality of ananta (refusing to bow down)."

May Lord KЌђЉa, who smiled as He then bowed down before the beautiful gopi RЂdhЂ, grant auspiciousness to you all.

®r… Harihara

286 On a wonderful night, in delightful VЌndЂvana forest filled with the fragrance of jasmine flowers, illuminated by beautiful moonlight, and made charming by the singing of the cuckoos and other birds, KЌђЉa's sweet, regal flute music, which stole away the gopis hearts and bodies, was splendidly manifest.

author unknown

287 Filled with the sweet nectar of KЌђЉa's lips, the playful sound of the flute delighted the does, the doe-eyed gopis, and the sages.

®r… Madhavendra Puri

288 May KЌђЉa, who thirsted after the honey of the gopis' lips, and whose playful, talkative flute made the gopis tremble, protect you from all dangers.

®r… Madhava Cakravati

289 Mother, don't stop me! Let go of my hand! I am going to KЌђЉa. Because KЌђЉa's bold messenger, the flute, calls me, I cannot stay here.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

290 The top of His head kissed by a crown of peacock feathers, His garments the colour of gold, a karnikara flower in His ear, His heart swept away by waves of amorous desire, the flute placed to His expert-musician lips, and His eyes decorated with crooked sidelong glances, Lord KЌђЉa, whose form is the full development of all transcendental bliss, was worshipped by the slender-waisted gopis in the forest of VЌndЂvana.

®r… Jivadasa Vahinipati

291 All your garments became disarrayed as you ran here through the forest at night. I think you must have been repeatedly attacked by some demon. Aha! What fear can remain as long as My arms, which swiftly turn the demon's wives into widows, are present. O doe-eyed girls, all of you go home and enjoy pastimes on the chest of your husbands. I will take care of this demon.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

292 What is the overwhelming thirst that troubles your hearts in this pleasant, sacred forest of Vraja? O pious girls, please return to your homes. Do not sin. Within My sight the path of religion will never be broken.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

Note: These ambiguous words may also be translated:

"What is the overwhelming thirst that troubles your hearts in this pleasant, sacred forest of Vraja? O pious girls, please do not return to your homes. Stay here. Within My sight the path of religion is never broken."

293 Why do You teach us the path of religion? Be kind. Teach Your bad-mouthed disciple, the flute. Alas! Alas! Your bold flute robs our modesty and carries our hearts to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Teach it not to call us here.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

294 The gopis arms around His waist, the hairs on His body standing up in joy, and His eyes restlessly moving, KЌђЉa plays the flute. I bow down to offer my respects to ®r… KЌђЉa, the only worshippable Lord for the entire world.

®r… Purusottamadeva

295 With tears in Her eyes, angry RЂdhЂrani left the nectarean pastimes of the rasa dance and fled to the Yamuna's shore. His bodily hairs standing up, KЌђЉa followed Her footprints. He eventually caught up with Her and obtained Her merciful glance. May Lord KЌђЉa's successful appeal to Her bless you all.

®r… Bhatta Narayana

296 O Tulasi, you are very beautiful. O jasmine vine, you are filled with splendid blossoms. O land-growing lotus flower, you are very lovely with all these bumble-bees. O friends, please tell me at once: In which cave did Nandanandana, the king of cheaters, go?

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

297 "Did You see where Madhava went? He took one vraja-girl and left. O friend, we are all cheated."

"If you want to find KЌђЉa, then divide into groups of two and go everywhere searching for Him."

Saying these words, KЌђЉa, disguised as a gopi, at once took RЂdhЂ's hand and went with Her deep into the forest. May Lord KЌђЉa protect you all.

author unknown

298 O prince of Vraja, who can say whether You are at fault or not at fault for abandoning this girl? Who can say whether Your actions are auspicious or inauspicious? Still, O tilaka-marking of Your fЂmily, my cruel heart remembers how this girl entered the dangerous forest for Your sake, without caring for Her own self.

®r… RЂmacandra dasa

299 Displaying His own splendour, Lord KЌђЉa appeared in the middle of the rasa-dance circle. He was fragrant with musk, and the flute was placed to the moon of His lips. The dancing gopis gazed at Him and He glanced at them with pleasure. May Lord KЌђЉa, who moved His feet in the rasa-dance, protect you.

300 Devaki bore a precious fruit sought by the liberated sages, Yasoda protected that fruit, and now the gopis taste that fruit to their hearts' content.

®r… Daksinatya

301 The young gopis must have performed many austerities and pious deeds in their previous births so that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has now become a blue garment covering their waterpotlike breasts.

®r… Raghupati Upadhyaya

302 As a young cakravaka couple separates and then meets again, KЌђЉa, His palms trembling in His water-pastimes, delights in covering and uncovering RЂdhЂ's face. May Lord KЌђЉa protect the entire world.

author unknown

Note: The male and female cakravaka birds associate during the day, but separate again at night.

303 My friend, please do not be too puffed up because KЌђЉa has decorated Your forehead with His own hand. It may be that KЌђЉa is yet attracted by some other beautiful girl. I see that the decoration on Your forehead is very nicely made, and so it appears that KЌђЉa was not too disturbed in painting it. Otherwise, He could not have painted such exact lines!*

®r… Damodara

304 When the priyara trees bloom everywhere in Gokula, their flowers are like a host of moods decked in yellow garments.

®r… Govardhanacarya

Note: The second meaning hidden in these ambiguous words is:

"When the priyara trees bloom everywhere in Gokula, then Candravali becomes dear to Lord KЌђЉa, who wears yellow garments."

The second meaning implies that Candravali is not beautiful by herself, but only is beautiful when surrounded by beautiful things, such as priyara flowers.

305 We are conquered by Your friendship. For this reason we will tell You something. O beautiful one, if You go again to the Yamuna, don't go to the kadamba forest. In that place is a great splendid darkness. When that darkness even lightly touches the corner of a young girls lotus eyes, she is never again able to see her husband's house.

®r… Govinda Bhatta

306 The whole day has been dark with clouds. And now, at sunset, You are eager to go to the Yamuna's shore for flowers. Go ahead. What is my distress? When I see the deep thorn-scratches on Your breast I become afraid some crooked man will attack You.

®r… Karnapura

307 O pious girl, if in Your heart You wish to go to the Yamuna, then please follow my advice and don't go to the asoka grove, or if You go there, don't go alone and listen to the sound of KЌђЉa's flute in that secluded place.

®r… Tairabhukta Kavi

308 O restless girl, don't delay. Fill Your jar and go home while KЌђЉa's flute does not recite it's mantra charm.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

309 Hiding behind a kadamba tree to the Yamuna's shore, and suddenly beginning to play His pastime-flute, Lord Mukunda made the gopi dipping her jar in the water turn her face.

author unknown

310 My gopi-friends have already gone home and I am left behind carrying this big, full jar. O son of Nanda, if You touch Me now that I am all alone, I will immediately give up this life in Your presence.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

311 "The moving forest-flower garland must wave wiped the sandalwood paste from Your breasts and the movements of the shark-shaped earrings must have destroyed the pictures of sharks drawn on Your cheeks."

"O rascal gopi, this slender body was washed of these things by the water's playful waves."

"You speak the truth. Even now You are jubilantly submerged in the nectar waters of the Yamuna."

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

Note: In this verse a gopi-friend accuses ®r…mati RЂdhЂrani of enjoying pastimes with KЌђЉa. The gopi says that the sandalwood paste on RЂdhЂrani's breasts must have been wiped away by Lord KЌђЉa's flower garland when He embraced Her, and the picture of the sharks drawn on RЂdhЂrani's cheeks must have become destroyed by KЌђЉa's shark-shaped earrings when He kissed Her. RЂdhЂrani then defends Herself, saying that the sandalwood paste and shark-pictures were washed away when She bathed in the Yamuna.

312 Why are you eagerly going into the deep, dark forest to pick flowers for goddess Katyayani? Look! O beautiful-necked girl, your gopa-husband is angrily staring at the scratches on your breasts.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

313 O handsome one, why do you suspiciously stare at my dear friend's back, now yellow from the priyangu flower pollen blown by the Yamuna breeze?

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

Note: Candravali's back is yellow because she enjoyed pastimes with Lord KЌђЉa on a bed of flowers.

314 Lord Mukunda's eternal pastimes are manifested even now in VЌndЂvana. Because these pastimes are very confidential, they are not clearly described by they who know of them.

Note: The authorship of texts 314-316 is not given in the original.

315 Lord Siva hinted to his wife Parvati that Lord Madhava eternally enjoys pastimes with the lotus-faced gopis in VЌndЂvana. Because these jewel-pastimes are a very great secret, VyЂsa's son Sukadeva GosvЂmi, who knows the actual truth, described Lord KЌђЉa's entrance into Mathura City.

316 In the Padma Purana Lord Siva privately said to Parvati: "Lord KЌђЉa, the killer of Kamsa, eternally enjoys pastimes in VЌndЂvana with the cows, gopas and gopis.

317 O Kamadeva, you have given this lowly girl's body friendship with the new moon Tell me, after KЌђЉa leaves at sunrise, where will you shoot your arrows/

®r… Rudra

Note: Anxious because of KЌђЉa's imminent departure, RЂdhЂ has become thin and pale as the new moon.

318 The bracelets repeatedly slide from My wrists. My tears fall without interruption. Peacefulness will not sit in My heart for even a moment. In His heart My beloved has decided to go. Everyone has come. Now He is about to go. O My life, how can My dear friend be abandoned?

®r… Amaru

319 A blind girl, on the path of whose eyes even the shadow of a form never entered, decorated the city of Mathura. When she heard that Mukunda had entered the city, she at once took a bandhukara flower offering in her hand, and went to meet him.

®r… Vanivilasa

320 Fie on our large beautiful eyes reaching to our ears! By continually shedding tears they interrupt our vision of the young man the girls of Vraja saw.

®r… Tairabhukta Kavi

321 The same intensely blissful, limitless, eternal, unborn Supreme Brahman, whom the yogis worship in a trance of meditation in order to directly see for a moment, was completely conquered by the fortunate young girls of Vraja. Hundreds of times they happily spoke with Him, kissed Him and embraced Him.

®r… Vahinipati

322 O dear friend, the lotus flowers in the lake remain with petals unopened, and the flowers in the forest refuse to blossom. From this I can understand that the handsome son of Maharaja Nanda has not yet returned to Vraja Village.

®r… Kumara

323 When KЌђЉa was about to leave, and I heard Him say, "Now I will go." I remained peaceful. As He was leaving He continually fixed His eyes on Me, even from a distance, and I responded by ignoring Him and turning from Him. When I returned to My empty house, the breath was still present in My body. O friends, look! I, who love only My own life, am pretending to cry.

®r… Rudra

324 Three hours have passed. Six hours have passed. Nine hours have passed. The day has passed. Alas! alas! What will I do? I do not see KЌђЉa's face!

®r… Sankara

325 O friend, the moon who pretends to be a young gopa will never again be seen dancing and playing ball with a flower on the Yamuna's shore.

®r… Sasthi dasa

326 O My friend, girls who can see their lover in dreams are very fortunate. As for Me, since KЌђЉa left, My enemy sleep has left Me for good.

®r… Dhanya

327 It is the same springtime. It is the same forest. It is the same tree. Everything is the same as it was then, but, alas! Alas! That person whose delicate body is splendid as a fresh raincloud, that person who is the first incarnation of Kamadeva, is nowhere to be seen.

®r… Sanjaya Kavisekhara

328 May Lord Govinda, because of separation from You, I consider even a moment a great millennium. Tears flow from My eyes like torrents of rain, and I see the entire world as void.*

®r… Caitanya MahЂprabhu

329 My trembling heart is torn, but will not break two. My wretched body is stunned, but will not lose consciousness. A fire burns in My body, but does not turn it to ash. Fate wounds My heart, but will not destroy My life.

®r… Bhavabhuti

330 O fate, go move the raincloud! Please the cataka birds! Make the peacocks cry "keka"! Make the ketaki flowers bloom! when a lover separated from his beloved faints and loses consciousness, that drives away the pain. O merciless fate, why do you again afflict him with the disease of consciousness?

®r… Bhavabhuti

331 I have already seen the sky gray with ketaki pollen. I have seen the river's shore filled with new banana flowers. I have already tolerated the breeze blowing from the kadamba flowers. O friends, wipe your tears. Give up your anxiety. Why are you unnecessarily pained? I am made of thunderbolts, I will be able to withstand the ferocious attack of all these things.

®r… Rudra

332 This is the same river. This is the same moonlight. This is the same shore of the Yamuna. This is the same forest. These are the same jasmine-scented breezes. O love more dear to Me than life, You have now become unattainable for Me.

®r… Hari Bhatta

333 O Yadunatha, when will My friends come running from all directions with full-moon faces to tell Me that You have come?

®r… Tairabhukta Kavi

334 O my Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathura! When shall I see You again? Because of not seeing You, my heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?*

®r… Madhavendra Puri

335 If I must remain alive in this way, eternally hanging by a single thread of hope, then why did the supremely benign creator Brahma not create a deadly poison (to save Me)?

Raghunatha dasa

336 When the mango trees begin to bloom, this fickle life becomes eager to depart. The Lord of My life is not here. That alone is the intense pain that afflicts Me.

®r… Ranga

337 O friend, I don't suffer because I am separated from KЌђЉa, the moon of the gopas. I suffer because KЌђЉa is now in Kamsa's city, which is filled with cruel demons.

®r… Raghunatha dasa

338 "O Sisira season, please spread the fragrance of these jasmine flowers. O breeze please blow nicely. O moon, please illuminate the directions. O Kamadeva, now you may arouse desire." Those days have passed. Friends, please give up talking of Him. Now My heart wishes to do something else in this place.

®r… Rudra

339 O friend, if Yadupati KЌђЉa will not come here, let Him not come. If, out of separation from Him, My life-breath goes away, let it go. The fact that I will never again see the moonlight face of KЌђЉa is a great thunderbolt striking My heart.

®r… Hari Bhatta

340 Let this body die. Let it's elements merge with the other elements. I bow My head before the creator Brahma and beg from Him the benediction that the water of My body may enter the waters of KЌђЉa's lake, Syama-kunda, the fire of My body may enter KЌђЉa's mirror, the ether of My body may enter His courtyard, the earth in My body may be placed before His path, and the air in My body may join the breeze created by His palm-leaf fan.

®r… Sanmasika

341 Let KЌђЉa embrace this maidservant, who has fallen at His lotus feet. let Him trample Me or break My heart by never being visible to Me. He is a debauchee, after all, and can do whatever He likes, but He is still no one other than the worshipable Lord of My heart.*

®r… Caitanya MahЂprabhu

342 Now who will take half-chewed betelnuts from his own mouth and place them in Mine? Now who will subdue Me with sweet words when I depart from the path of righteousness? Now who will call: "Come! Come!" wave his arm, and place Me on his lap? Now who will re-tie My peacock feather when it falls because of My pastimes?

®r… Tairabhukta Kavi

343 O moon-faced girl, because the reactions of My past deeds have become mature, I walk on a solitary forest path, or away from the path, and I flood the universes with My lamentations filled with loud moans and ceaselessly flowing tears for You.

®r… Tairabhukta Kavi

344 Among the vrajavasis the gopis are the best, and their best quality is their sweet words. Among the gopis there is one who is the best, and Her best quality is Her crooked sidelong glance.

author unknown

345 On the day We met Your love suddenly appeared without the slightest cause. Your love is not diminished by My offenses, nor increased by My prayers. It is full of nectar and it destroys the sufferings of the three worlds. How can I easily described Your intense love for Me?

author unknown

346 That possibility of Our conversing is very distant. So be it! The possibility of My embracing Your transcendental body is also distant. So be it! However, again and again I bow down before You and beg: Please always count Me among Your friends, and please write a line to Me.

®r… Kesava Bhattacarya

347 This is the Yamuna, very beautiful with many blue lotus petals, and the favourite place of restless, warbling jalaranku birds blinded with happiness. On this shore Lord KЌђЉa's days were mostly spent in passionate and blissful amorous pastimes with the gopis.

®r… Dasaratha

348 In the past the Yamuna would every day become muddied with the black musk anointing the vraja-gopis bodies and breasts. Now that KЌђЉa has left the water is twice as muddy, but this time with the mascara washed away by the gopis constant tears.

®r… Sarvananda

349 This is the shore of the Yamuna. In this place, when the cows heard the glories of KЌђЉa, the grass fell from their mouths. When the gopis in different places heard the sweet sounds of KЌђЉa's flute, their beautiful eyes opened wide and they trembled continually.

®r… Motaka

350 I offer my respectful obeisances to the gopis. When KЌђЉa, the husband of the goddess of fortune, remembers their transcendental qualities, His warm signs wilt the vaijayanti garland on His chest.

author unknown

351 O gopis separated from Lord KЌђЉa, even the great yogis are not able to travel your path. They meditate on the transcendental form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the Supreme Person meditates on you. This is your rare good fortune.

author unknown

352 O friend, what good thing will I tell you? You used to approach My rivals, speak My name, and affirm that I was the queen of Lord KЌђЉa's life. Now when I see this messenger I become afraid he will tell Me that KЌђЉa's love for Me has broken. I refuse to hear his message. I will not ask him any question.

®r… RЂmacandra dasa

353 O beautiful-thighed RЂdhЂrani, don't stain Your moonlike face with these tears from Your eyes. Lord Hari, who is an ocean of mercy, will be merciful to You again.

®r… Sasthivara dasa

354 She rests a cheek on Her hand and bathes her face in continual tears. since the auspicious day of KЌђЉa's departure, how what method could this lotus-eyed girl employ to obtain even a moment's sleep?

®r… Harihara

355 There is no sandalwood incense in the homes of the vaisyas. There are no flower in any forest. There are no lotuses in the waters of the rivers and streams. Because of the torture of separation from KЌђЉa, no one is peaceful.

®r… Harihara

356 O breeze, you are the life-breath of all the universes. By picking up the sound of KЌђЉa's flute and revealing the path to Him, you formerly became the leader of the beautiful-eyebrowed girls of Vraja. O breeze from the gardens of Mathura, by touching the transcendental body of Lord KЌђЉa you have become very pure and cool. At this moment you are our only protector.

®r… RЂmacandra dasa

357 The gentle breeze blowing from the place where You stay makes the hairs of Her body stand up. She satisfies Her eyes by showing them the beautiful picture of Your transcendental form. Her ears are sprinkled with the nectar of Your name. Her words filled with songs in the fifth raga, day and night this slender girl stays by the window overlooking the path where You might return.

®r… Trivikama

358 Flames of amorous yearnings burn in Her body. The mark of rapt meditation rests in Her eyes. Her life rests in Her throat. Her cheek rests for a long time on Her flower-bud hand. Her braid rests on her shoulder. Sandalwood paste rests on Her breasts. Silence rests in Her words. These things rest firmly in their places, but Her heart and mind cannot rest anywhere without You.

®r… Ksemendra

359 When She sees that You, Her beloved, the splendid moon that dispels the darkness in the courtyard of the sky, have gone far away, Her sighs become like lotus buds, Her face becomes like a lotus flower with petals closed, Her love for You becomes like a churning ocean of milk with great waves, and Her eyes become like two melting candrakanta jewels.

®r… Bhima Bhatta

360 O cheater KЌђЉa, You eternally stay in Your lover RЂdhЂ's heart, which burns with flames of separation from You. Still, RЂdhЂ cannot stay for even a moment in Your heart, which is as cool as ice and snow.

®r… Sankara

361 O Mukunda, how will I describe the sufferings of this doe-eyed girl? Her sighs constantly fan the flames of Her suffering. When a beautiful lotus petal is placed on Her burning breast it first become dried, then shrivelled, then turns to powder, and then becomes a blazing dust-fire.

®r… Santikara

362 Because the vine of Her body may violently tremble, we do not fan Her even with a single lotus petal. Because She may become overwhelmed we do not sprinkle Her body with sandalwood powder and water. Because She may become crushed by the great burden, we generally do not place even a flower on Her breast. How may the disease of this slender girl's heart become cured?

®r… Ananda

363 RЂdhЂ is again and again attacked by the sharpened arrows of cupid. If She may live in the protection of Your thunderbolt-heart, that will be very good for Her.

author unknown

364 "They are blooming."

"Cut them with fingernails."

"It is blowing."

"Stop it with the edge of your sari."

"They are now entering the pastime-forest."

"Frighten them away with the tinkling of your bracelets."

O Handsome KЌђЉa, afflicted by separation from You. RЂdhЂ's friends spoke about the blooming flowers, pleasant southern breeze, and cooing cuckoos in this way.

®r… Sambhu

365 One evening one of the gopis fainted, and then a second, and gradually all the gopis fainted. O handsome KЌђЉa, one gopi tried to write a love letter to You, but she became overwhelmed and was unable to complete the first word "svasti" (greetings).

®r… Sacipati

366 When She meditated on You in order to draw Your picture, Kamadeva drew his bow. When Her two fingers moved to grasp the paintbrush, Kamadeva placed an arrow on the bowstring. When She began to draw, Kamadeva shot an arrow. She was severely wounded. O Kesava, She fainted and for a long time She was motionless as a painted picture.

®r… Bana

367 Constantly meditating on You in Her heart, and imagining that You had appeared before Her, She made Her arms like a bracelet around You. Her hairs standing up, She passionately embraced Her own body for a long time. When I saw Her, I thought Her tears were a monsoon rain in disguise.

author unknown

368 In the presence of some friends She sheds continual tears, to other friends She narrates Her grief, to other friends, She humbly begs mercy, and because of Her superiors and elderly relatives She is anxious. These are the ways She suffers in separation from You. Please become peaceful. She will become happy today or tomorrow. She is only really tortured by the constant sighing.

369 The dark complexioned Supreme Personality of Godhead is expert at capturing the hearts of others with the sweet handsomeness of His face. What hope is left for a person who desires friendship with Him?

®r… Jagannatha Sena

370 What is the use of talking with You in a solitary place? What is the use of gazing at You with unblinking eyes? O Lord, O son of Nanda, it is the love they bear for You in their hearts that is the only real friend of the beautiful girls in Gokula.

author unknown

371 When they heard the sweet sounds of Your flute they were not shy of their superiors. Why should the gopis become shy now that they are separated from You?

®r… Sasthi dasa

372 O traveller to Mathura, at Lord KЌђЉa's door please speak this message from the gopis: "The fire of Kaliya's poison again burns in the Yamuna's water."

®r… Vira Sarasvati

373 Remembering the gently flowing Yamuna River, the area around Govardhana Hill, dark with blue lotuses, and the valleys fragrant with many kadamba flowers, and also remembering sweetly beautiful RЂdhЂ during Their first meeting, He became filled with pain. May Lord Damodara, the king of Dvaraka, delight the three worlds.

®r… Sarana

374 He does not wish the pastime lotus flower. The moonlight does not please Him. He does not try to playfully talk with His doe-eyed queens. He spends the evenings sitting down, pale, wan, and languid, without desiring to enjoy anything. A vraja-gopi staying in His heart, Lord Hari is stunned.

®r… Sarana

375 Even though tightly embraced by Rukmini-devi in a jewelled palace in Dvaraka by the sea, Lord KЌђЉa, remembering the fragrance of ®r…mati RЂdhЂrani's transcendental pastimes in the vanira grove by the lovely shore of the Yamuna, suddenly fainted.

®r… Umapatidhara

376 "Now I am passionately embracing Pali in the water. Why do You speak angry words? O RЂdhЂ, You pine for Me in vain!" Hearing these crooked words from KЌђЉa as He slept on the bed, Rukmini stopped embracing His neck. May Lord KЌђЉa protect you all.

®r… Umapatidhara

377 When KЌђЉa left for Dvaraka, RЂdhЂ wrapped Herself in His garments and sat down by a charming vine in a grove on the Yamuna's shore. Filled with longing, She shed tears and sang in a shrill, choked up voice. When the fish in the water heard Her they became anxious, thinking the singing the warbling of a predator crane or pelican.

®r… Aparajita

378 O traveller, if you go to Dvaraka, tell this to the son of Devaki: "now that You have rejected them, the gopis are overwhelmed by Kamadeva's mantra-charm, and their eyes are blinded by the kadamba pollen of Your pastimes. In spite of all this, the shore of the Yamuna still does not enter Your heart.

®r… Govardhanacarya

379 "Why do Govardhana's caves, the Yamuna's shore, Your favourite vata tree named Bhandira, the kadamba tree at Kaliya lake, Your friends, and Vraja village, not enter Your heart, even to be criticised, O debauchee of Dvaraka." These words of the vraja-gopis were an unbearable javelin wounding Lord Hari's heart. May that javelin protect you all.

®r… Nila

380 The girls of Vraja wrote Lord KЌђЉa a letter, that said: "(O KЌђЉa) why is it that the constantly shining charming moonlight and the constant breezes on the shore of the Yamuna are not able to cool the burning sufferings we feel?" When He heard these words within His palace, KЌђЉa began to sigh. Those sighs broke into pieces the pride of His beautiful queens.

®r… Pancatantrakrt

381 Please don't go. Friend, it is not auspicious for you to speak these unloving words. Stay here. You can be completely independent. You can do whatever you like. You can remain completely aloof. O friend Sudama, I tell you until I see you again I will always remember you with reverence and love.

®r… Hari

382 Before my home was a small shack with slanted walls, and now it is a heavenly palace. Before I had only one old cow, and now there are many elephants moving like a great cloud. Before there was only the occasional sound of the grinding mortar, and now there is the sweet singing of many women. This is very wonderful. How has this brahmana obtained a place like this?

author unknown

383 Jubilant, fortunate RЂdhЂ closed Her right eye, and with Her left eye, which was like a glistening red lotus flower pushed by a fish, gazed at Lord KЌђЉa.

®r… Hara

384 Her eyes flooded with tears and could no longer see. Her arms were overwhelmed with trembling and could not wrap themselves around His neck. Her choked voice could speak no words, and Her heart was restless. After such a long time, the meeting with Her lover was just like Her separation from Him.

®r… Subhra

385 Why have You fallen disconsolate at My feet? The husband is always independent. He may stay for some time, and then He may also go away. What fault is there on Your part? It is I who am the sinner, for I remained alive even when separated from You. The wife should always consider her husband to be her very life and soul. It is I who should apologise to You.

author unknown

386 That very personality who stole away my heart during my youth is now again my master. These are the same moonlight nights of the month of Caitra. The same fragrance of malati flowers is there, and the same sweet breezes are blowing from the kadamba forest. In our intimate relationship, I am also the same lover, yet still my mind is not happy here. I am eager to go back to that place on the bank of the Reva under the Vetasi tree. That is my desire.*

author unknown

387 My dear friend, now I have met My very old and dear friend KЌђЉa on this field of Kuruksetra. I am the same RЂdhЂrani, and now We are meeting together. It is very pleasant, but still I would like to go to the bank of the Yamuna beneath the trees of the forest there. I wish to hear the vibration of His sweet flute playing the fifth note within that forest of VЌndЂvana.*

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

388 "O beautiful girl, reject Siva. Reject Indra, Varuna, and Brhaspati. O lotus-eyed girl, worship the transcendental Personality of Godhead, and reject all the others."

May Lord Hari, who overheard Dhanvantari as he was instructing Laksmi-devi to select the Lord as her husband, protect you all.

author unknown

389 To KЌђЉa, the crown of the Yadu dynasty, the Lord who enjoys transcendental pastimes in VЌndЂvana, and the boat for crossing the ocean of repeated birth and death, I offer my respectful obeisances.

®r… Avilamba Sarasvati

390 May Lord KЌђЉa's arms, which are decorated with armlets glistening because of striking the splendid summit of Mount Mandara, which eclipse the beauty of the forepart of Airavata Elephant's trunk, which break the decoration on the cheeks of the great demon's wives by turning them into widows, and which remove the sins of the age of Kali, protect you all.

®r… Yogesvara

391 Jayadeva GosvЂmi, Bilvamangala Thakura, and other famous authors have written many books. Without referring to their verses, the work of other, less-famous authors has been assembled in this book.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi

392 I pray that the young tamala kalpa-vrksa tree expert at enjoying splendid amorous pastimes and worshipped by the pious girls of Gokula will grant my desire.

®r… Rupa GosvЂmi