'Shri Krishna-Karnamrita:' One Hundred & Tenth Shloka

ishana-deva-carakna-bharanena nivi-
damodara-sthira-yashah stabakodgamena  |
lilashukena racitam tava krishna deva,
karnamritam vahatu kalpa-shatantare 'pi ||110||

 

Simple Meaning:

 

Krishna-Karnamrita, a Bouquet of  Verses Describing Krishna's Glory

By producing this bouquet of verses, which has the lasting fame of Nivi Damodara as its wealth and which adorns the lotus feet of Ishanadeva, Lilashuka has described Your glory! O Lord Krishna! May this work named ‘Shri Krishna-Karnamrita’ which has been composed by Lilashuka Billavmangal, continue to let the stream of delight gush forth from it for Your bhaktas, for hundreds of kalpas.

The Rasa-laden Commentary:

 

Krishna-Karnamrita is Like Nectar For Krishna's Ears

Hearing the sweet words of Shri Billavmangal Lord Krishna began to rave,” O Lilashuka! Your rasa-laden words are like nectar to My ears, giving happiness, it is very touching.  I have been extremely satisfied with your sweet renditions. So you ask for any boon as per your will.

 Having Darshan of dark-hued Krishna

Shri Billavmangalji replied,” I am contented by this unprecedented happening of beholding You in front of me, I have no wish left. Nothing in this world is desirable for me. I pray for just this that my work ‘Krishna-Karnamrita,’ which is laden with the unbroken stream of your madhur rasa, constantly gushes forth for hundreds of kalpas.

 

Billavmangalji Prays for Krishna-karnamrita to Become Immortal

May this rasa-laden work, always sounding like nectar for Your ears, attain the position of a relishable composition and keep delighting Your heart.
 

Drenching the minds of  rasikas, the worshippers of madhurya rasa, may the rasa-laden stream of ‘Krishna-Karnamrita’, eternally gush forth in the hearts of those well-versed in  rasa. May this work of mine become immortal in this world,  is what I pray for.

Commentators have given different meanings to the phrase ‘ishan deva.’

A]Shripad Gopala Bhatta has written in his commentary on ‘Krishna Vallabha’:

Krishna, the Worshippable Deity of Shiva

1)He has interpreted ishana-deva-carakna-bharanena in this manner ‘Shri Shiv.’ ishanasya devah aaradhyah means Shri Krishna the worshippable Lord of Shiva.

 Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh 

2)eeshana sarve divyanti dyotante yasmaditi va

Which means all the gods (Brahma, Vishnu Mahesh)etc., are radiant with His own light, that Lord Krishna.

B] As per Shri Krishna Das Kaviraj

 Krishna, the Prana of Shri Radha

eesha radha, sa chananamanah tasya mam vanah pranashchayan devasy

The One who is the prana (vital breath) of Shri Radha, the very same Lord is my prana.

 Shri Radha-Krishna

s ch tayorva charana ev shirohridayabharanani yasy ten.

Shri Radha-Krishna are the ornament of whose heart and head, that very same Shri Lilashukha Billavmangal ji Maharaj. Which means I am their sevaka- their eternal servant(Hence ishan-deva means-the conjoined form of Shri Radha-Krishna)

 A Bouquet of Flowers

nivi-damodara-sthira-yashah stabakodgamena

Meaning that the purely radiant eternal glorious form of Nivi Damodar-the bouquet of flowers, is my wealth, or that Lilashuk from whom that bouquet of flower verses have manifested, or me ‘Lilashuk’ who has arisen as a fruit from that bouquet of flowers.

Dark-hued Krishna is Accessible by Prema

 There are three meanings to the phrase Nivi damodar

1)Chaitanya Das Goswami has acknowledged nivi damodar to be the parents of the poet.

2)As per Shri Gopal Bhatt Goswami-nivi is mooldhan or the capital, meaning prema and its price, and this very prema is the price, the Damodar who is overwhelmed by that prema, meaning Krishna who is accessible by prema

3)nivi-damodar-nivi-dor-kati-kanchi, meaning Damodar Shri Krishna bound by golden strings that hold the girdle of Shri Radha who is the svarupa of mahabhava.

 Shri Radha-Krishna on a Full Moon Night

 An example of this playful dalliance is found in the 'Kartik Mahatmaya.'

Once, on the full moon night in the month of Kartika, Radha had made an appointment with Krishna, but Krishna failed to show up in time, so Radha angrily frowned Her eyebrows and bound Him around the belly with the golden strings that held Her girldle. When Krishna explained to Her that He was late because of attending a Kartika-festival held by His mother and flattered Her with sweet words, Radha forgave Him and released Him. Since then Sri Krishna is known as ‘Nivi Damodara’ or ‘Damodara.’

 Rasika are Drawn to Krishna Like Black Bees

 This ‘Krishna-Karnamrita’ is a bouquet of Your glory in which there is a description of your tender traits, which seems as if flowers are blooming. They contain fragrance and sweetness therefore the composition is exuding a pleasant fragrance, bestowing delight.  Like capricious black bees, rasikas are passionately drawn to it on reading and hearing this work. My prayer is solely this that the bouquet of Your imperishable glory bestows delight for all times to come.