Friday, August 12, 2011

Shri Venu Geet: Fourth Shloka

The Madhurya of Krishna's Flute-Play
 
tad varnayitumarabdhah smarantyah krishnacheshtitam |
nashakan smaravegena vikshiptamanaso nrupa || 4 ||



The Gopis Want to Sing the Glories of Krishna's Flute-Play

Meaning: The gopis of Vraja certainly wanted to sing of the madhurya of Krishna's flute play amongst themselves, but the instant they thought of the flute, the cowherdesses became nostalgic for Lord Krishna's innocent pranks, roving glances, the meaningful tilt of His eyebrows as well as the loving tenderness of His smile. Above all, the ardent longing for the sight and touch of their beloved Krishna intensified.

The Cowheredesses are Passionately Drawn to Krishna's Flute Song 

They were passionately drawn to Him. Deep in their hearts, the gopis were transported to the site where Lord Krishna was playing the flute. Hence they became speechless with joy, which meant that they were unable to give an account of the dark god's winsome manners.


Lord Krishna is Ineffably Beautiful

Commentary by Shri Manohar Baba: According to Shri Pad Sanatan Goswami, Jeev Goswami and Pad Vishwanath Chakravarty all these young village girls began singing the glories of Lord Krishna, in seclusion. They wished to give a detailed description of the ineffable beauty and total shangar, the adornment, of Krishna.

A Gopi Recollects her Romantic Dalliance with Krishna

However the distinctive spiritual enlightenment they instantly attained by recollecting their earlier romantic dalliance with Shri Krishna, in His proximity (beatific state in which the soul attends on God), and because of an intense longing to move to Krishna's side, these village girls of Vraja, enraptured by the dark god, could not succeed in glorifying Shri Krishna and his *love moves.


Love: the enraptured cowherdesses longing for union with their supreme lover Krishna, is seen as the perennial quest of mankind for a divine and transcendental love.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Shri Venu Geet: Third Shloka


Krishna Plays the Flute During the Magical Sharad Ritu of Vrindavan
tada vrajstriya aashrutya venugeetam smarodayam,
kaashichat paroksham krishnasya svasakheebhaunvvarnayan ||3||
(Shrimad Bhagavatam 10.21.3 )

The Flute Play of Krishna Passionately Draws the Gopis

Meaning: The flute play of Lord Krishna is a breath of love which arouses the longing of the enraptured soul for union with the dark god. (hearing the sound of Krishna's flute, the gopis were love-struck and longed to become one with their teasing, elusive and insistent paramour.) In isolation, they began describing their ardent longing for the dark-hued god and sang the glories of Lord Krishna's beauteous form, His virtues and the melodious flute which drew them out of their homes.
 
Lakes Bloom with Lotuses in the Autumnal Season 

Commentary by Shri Manohar Baba: What is the underlying meaning of Venu Geet at this glorious time of the year? The sakhis hear the Venu Geet every single day in Vraja. However by looking at the forest during this magical time which comes with Sharad Ritu, when the lakes are blooming with lotuses, the forest region is covered by a carpet of flowers, the whole earth rejoices on being cleansed,
Shri Radha-Krishna

and by gazing at the romantic dalliance of Lakshmi (Shri Radha, the source of all shaktis) it is but natural for them to develop love for Krishna and become enlightened about His love play, when they hear the nostalgic flute played by Krishna who is impassioned by the cowherdesses of Vraja; or just by adulating the ineffable purity and effulgent beauty (Shri) of Vrindavan in autumn
Gopis Long for Union with Krishna, their Elusive Paramour

Hearing the melodious Venu Geet, those young village girls who had secretly prayed that Krishna might become their husband, were reminded of the past times when Krishna had sported with them in their youth. They began describing those episodes to the other sakhis with the same bhava. Everyone heard the Venu Geet in Vraja but the writer says that the flute play evoked nostalgic memories for only those having the kaant-bhavana ( the young gopis who wished that Krishna became their husband) and not for other women with the vatsalya bhava (who related to Krishna as a parent). 
 
Some Gopis Become One with Krishna, the Supreme Lover

Shri Shri Vallabhacharya ji Maharaj says that on hearing the nostalgic Venu Geet some cowherdesses swooned at the sight of Krishna and became one with HIm. They assumed that the gopis standing behind Krishna, were Swajan and began describing their experiences to them.