Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Shri Krishna Kripa Kataksha Stotram: 4th shloka


Sadaivpaadpankajam madeeyamaansenijan.

Dadhaanmutmaalakan namaami Nandabaalkam.

Samastdoshshoshanan-samastlokposhnam.

Samastgopmaanasan namaami Nandalaalsam.


'I respectfully salute the supremely attractive, darling son of Nanda, who has the best mass of hair and has invaded my mind with his pair of lotus feet.'


The composer exults that two lotus feet are blooming in the Maansarovar (name of a sacred lake on mount Kailash in the Himalayas)of his mind. Once the feet invade the heart they bring coolness, sweetness and charm. The supreme lover goes early in the morning to the forest for grazing cows and the Braj maidens worry about his tender feet trudging over the tough earth. I salute the young blue-hued handsome god, whose tender lotus feet prance in the lake of my mind.


Dadhaanmutmaalakan He is adorned with the best of curly locks which entices the maidens' heart. It seems as if capricious black bees are hovering over the love-laden cheeks, ardently longing to relish love.


I respectfully salute the one who absorbs all our vices, the preserver and sustains all the lokas (worlds), the heart of the gopas and incarnation of Nanda's desires.


Truly he is the absorber of all short comings. Lord Krishna is like the raging fire for the wild forest of vices-faults, crimes leading to sins-sufferings, sorrows and grief. As the fire he seems terrifying and fearsome but for the one whose sorrows he is destroys, he is like a supremely cool balm. Krishna is the nectar for our minds and souls and the sanjeevni (life giving herb) of our lives.


Abandoning deceit we just have to worship him and he pardons all our sins, certainly overlooks them. The greatest of sinners, prostitutes and those who go to whores, and corrupt people seeking refuge in him become supremely pure and respectable.


Lord Krishna endorses in the 'Gita' , "Even if a wicked person worships me with dedicated devotion he is worthy of being called an ascetic because he has entirely focused his mind on me. Oh Kunti you be certain that my devotee is never destroyed." But the problem is that we do not abandon our cunning ways and become absorbed in his lotus feet. It is ironical that we are not truly steeped in the lotus feet of Krishna, the repository of compassion and our lovingly tender friend. The melody of whose feet destroy the sorrows of this mundane world.


Samastlokposhnam: The almighty Lord Krishna is the preserver of all the lokas. Without any distinction he nurtures all living beings, giving what one basically needs. He maintains deities-demons, mankind animals-birds, creepers and the rest. The way a mother feeds one of the children with meals, breast feeds another, gives a bitter medicine to yet another, slaps one of them to mend his ways and hugs another to her heart. But the infinite loving tenderness and maternal affection of the mother forms the basis of all these acts.


In the same manner though sorrows and problems seem apparent but the selfless supremely lovable Krishna lovingly preserving all the lokas and its beings. Whatever is befitting for an individual he looks after him accordingly.


Samastgopmaanasan: The darling son of Nanda is the lovable Shyamsundar (title of Krishna) of the cows, gopas and herd of gopis. Early in the morning, gopas throng the entrance of Nanda's house waiting for their darling Kanhaiya to step out decked in his finery. Thrilled to see his moon like face, so that soon after they can accompany him to the forest for grazing cows.


The young Krishna of Braj is the center of all their wishes and desires. When Lord Krishna picked up Goverdhan, the sakhas stuck their canes beneath so that his arm did not have to bear all the weight. This caring thought reflected the height of their innocence.


The leader of the gopas is also very dear to the elder and older gopas; the sole refuge of their delight. When demonic forces attacked Gokul, the old gopas got together and discussed about leaving the place to save their darling lalla from the ongoing atrocities. They all decided unanimously to shift to Vrindavan from Gokul. The young Krishna of Braj is truly their heart.


He is the incarnation of Nandbaba's longings, the treasure trove of his parental affection, a live symbol of his fond pampering. The way a blind man finds support with his cane, in the same way Baba has implicit faith in his darling son. On the occasion of Indra yagya (sacrifice) Krishna persisted that they should worship Giriraj who is their provider and not Indra. Easily Baba gave in to his wishes.


Focusing his desires and delights on his darling son; Nandbaba is at times amused by his spirited antics and dreams sometimes about his marriage... worrying off and on about his mysterious talk and his future plans.


He forgets at times that his son has gone to graze the cows and turns back to see; maybe he is complaining about his mother, or asking for a gift. When he turns around to hug him warmly, it instantly strikes him that Krishna has gone for grazing cows. Sometimes Baba ventures out in the scorching afternoon...or pouring rain to the forest for catching a glimpse of his darling son.


'I repeatedly make respectful salutations to the infinite Supreme Being, Vrindavan-Vihari, the destroyer of all vices and preserver of all the lokas (worlds), the heart of the goas and incarnation of Nand Baba's desires.'

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