Shri Venu Geet: Sixteenth Shloka

The Clouds are Like Krishna's Sakhas

drishtvatape vraja-pashoon sah raam gopaih

sancharayantam anu venum udiyarantam |

prema-pravrddha uditah kusumavalibhih

sakhyur vyadhat sva-vapusambuda atapatram ||

(SB 10.21.16)

Gathered Clouds & Krishna are Both Dark-Hued

Meaning: “O Sakhi! The rivers are entities of our earth and Vrindavan but just have a look at these clouds. How very fortunate are they. They have developed a *sakhya bhava' for Krishna because of having similar virtues and feelings like the dark god. Amazingly the clouds and dark-hued Krishna have exactly the same colour.

Krishna's Flute Song Sounds Like the Thundering Clouds

Supposedly Lord Krishna's pitambar (yellow silk garments) is like lightning and His flute song sounds like the thundering clouds.

Dense Clouds Shade Krishna From The Sun

For this very reason when these clouds see Shri Krishna going with Shri Balram and the young cowherds for grazing cows in the autumnal sun, love gushes forth in their hearts and they begin to float in the sky above Him. Besides, the dense gathered clouds expand their bodies into an umbrella and stretch it out over Ghanshyam their dark-hued sakha, to shade Him. Sakhi, it is not merely this act!

Clouds Drizzle Flowers on Krirshna

When they drizzle tiny raindrops on Krishna it appears as if they are offering beautiful white flowers on Him-no, no-rather it seems that they are sacrificing their entire life to Him on this pretext.

The Sakhis Long to Serve Krishna

Therefore, Sakhis the clouds who fulfil their role of the sakhya bhava to perfection, are the ones truly blessed. Whereas we can not attend to Krishmna's needs even on being His own sakhis. What a shame on us!


*sakhya bhava (when the devotee relates to Krishna as a friend)