Friday, August 8, 2014

'Shri Krishna Karnamrita:' Seventy-first Shloka

pashu-pala-bala-parishad-vibhushanah
shishureshashitala-vilola-locanah

mridula-smitardra-vadanendu-sampada

madayan
madiya-hridayam vigahate ||71||




Simple Meaning:





Adolescent Krishna, Ornament of the Cowherd Community

Reaching the heights of ecstasy by the charming madhurya or sweetness of Lord Krishna who delights alll his senses Shri Billavmangal ji says Ah! With His sweet tender smile,The One who is like an ornament for the cowherd community, who is endowed with cooling fickle eyes like the moon and who delights the entire world with the wealth of His charming moonlike face, is entering deep into my impassioned heart and thrilling every fibre of my being.


shishur esha shitala-vilola-locanah:


Child Krishna, Supreme Lover of the Gopis
  
How is this innocent beautiful young child whom the gopis or cowherdesses have seen in youthful form when He was still in the cradle. For loving hearts and the cowherdesses Krishna is the same mischievous capricious Supreme Lover, whose love loads their hearts. Seeing that Youth, the colour of the condensed sky, Shri Billamanalji is infatuated; Dark-hued Krishna's countenance is innocent, there is simplicity in every move of His, but the intoxication of love has made His glance lively and by the contraction of His brows he has successfully delivered many messages. Making their bodily hair stand on end with this shower of love and with His spirited sidelong glance Krishna cools the body, mind and souls of His beloveds.


This child is stepping in to the period of time which lies between boyhood and youth. Marked by the simplicity of childishness, the alertness of youth is reflected in His eyes, there is a joyous abandon in His gait, and an eager curiosity in His eyes.


mridula-smitardra-vadanendu-sampada



Krishna's Moonlike Face
Well, what is the wealth of Krishna's moonlike face? Eyes look like two blossoming lotuses and His flower bud like lips are adorned with a moonbeam smile. Whose hearts will not be churned and stirred by this sidelong glance and passionate smile of His.


A passionate episode centred on His sidelong glance and smile is apparent in an astonishing playfull dalliance.

 Krishna with Gopis on Banks of the Yamuna

 'Letting out a gentle laugh, the full moon saw that a living moon seated on the floor bed of glittering sand in the clean enlave of the forest posited on the banks of the Yamuna, had been surrounded by countless moons at full glory. The vault of the sky peeping from above also saw this unique creation of a romantic dalliance.Closeby the gushing waves of the Kalindi, softly and sweetly saying something to this Supreme Lover began dancing in joyous abandon. Casting a loving glance on His beloveds, Krishna, that newly turned youth, smiled. Every limb of those young maidens was thrilled...their dupattas moved.. Their tied hair loosened and frolicked on their cheeks and bosoms. 



Gopis Pining for Krishna

 When the moonbeams were startled to see the sparkling teeth peeping from the tender redness of Krishna's smiling lips, well then what would be the plight of these young cowherdesses.Assuming the sakhi bhava Shri Billavmangalji is absorbed in the sweetness of His moonlike face and is losing his presence of mind. The half smile playing on Krishna's moonlike face is tender and cool moon beams are exuding from His face. The forests and groves, kunjas and nikunjas are forever blooming with these moonbeams surging from Krishna's face.


pashu-pala-bala-parishad-vibhushanah:



Lord Krishna Has Meals with the Gopas
The pada can be construed in two ways. Pashupalaks means the gopas or cowherds and their child means Krishna. Lord Krishna is like an ornament and is the leader of these sakahs' assemblage, He is their Shiromani or head ornament. All the gopas act according to His orders whereas He is the very life and soul of these sakhas or cowherd friends. All the sakhas become dejected without Him. Waking up early in the morning, they straightaway head for the Nand Bhavan with the greed of adulating their most beloved sakha. With various multicoloured substances the cowherd boys paint Krishna with various multicoloured substances, do His shringar or adorn Him with forest flowers, and have midday meals in the forest.


Lord Krishna's pastimes with His sakha friends are also described in these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.13.8):



krishnasya vishvak puru-raji-mandalair 
abhyananah phulla-drisho vrajarbhakah
sahopavishta
vipine virejushchada

yathambhoruha-karnikayah ||


  Krishna Surrounded by Sakhas

 "Like the whorl of a lotus flower surrounded by its petals and leaves, Krishna sat in the center, encircled by rows of His friends, who all looked very beautiful." Madhumangal, Shridama, Subal, Kinkini, Krishnatosh, Madho, Subahu and Vasudama sat down in the first row of the main sakhas, the remaining sakhas sat down, stuck to each other, in the many encircling rows behind them. Everyone's faces were turned towards Lord Krishna.



Krishna has His Midday Meal in the Forest

 While having His midday meal in the forest Lord Krishna kept amusing his cowherd friends. In Krishna's left hand was a moutful of curd rice mixed with ghi. Furthermore, various kinds of pickles, preserved fruit jams, ginger, lemons etc were held between His fingers.




Brahma, Deluded by Krishna Having Lunch with the Gopas

 "Every one of them was trying to look forward toward Krishna, thinking that Krishna might look toward him. In this way they all enjoyed their lunch in the forest." Struck with wonder, Gods residing in the heavens were watching this divine lila or playfull dalliance. This was the divine play which proved to delude Brahma.


2)pashu-pala-bala-parishad-vibhushanah:


 Krishna, Ornament of the Gopis

 The second meaning is that Lord Krishna is the ornament of their wives, which means assemblage of cowherdesses.


Shri Shukdev Muni says in the Bhagvata:

tatropavishto bhagavan sa isvaro; yogesvarantar hridi kalpitasanah |

cakasa gopi parishad gato’rcitas trailokya lakshmyeka padam vapur dadhat ||

(Bhagavata 10.32.14)



Krishna Seated on Gopi Cloth

"Sri Krishna, the Original Godhead, for whom the kings of yogis make a seat in their hearts during their meditations, sat down on a seat that the gopis made for Him with their garments. When He was thus honoured and surrounded by the Gopa-sundaris He displayed a form that contained the beauty of all the three worlds.”


After vanishing in the Maharasa when Lord Krishna appeared after hearing the soulful weeping of the cowherdesses, pining for Him, those maidens were extremely delighted. They took off their odhnis1,coloured by the saffron of their breasts, and spread it on the sandy banks of the Yamuna for Him to sit on.

gopi parishad vibhushan:

He is the ornament of the assemblage of gopis. By resplendently sitting amidst these beautiful maidens the majestic beauty of Lord Krishna was further enhanced. Dark-hued Krishna's beauty became ineffably beautiful.

 
 Krishna, the Cowherd

Intoxicated by this rasa or divine nectar, Shri Billavmangal ji says,"This moonlike face of His, His smile soaked in love and love-filled glance is driving my heart and soul into a passionate frenzy. This enchanting form of Krishna in the guise of a cowherd has begun residing permanently in my heart which is smitten by Him.





1odhni: A diaphanous veil, it is used as a covering for the brest, back, shoulders and head.