Chapter 13

 

1- Lord Krishna and His associates then arrived at the forest-boundary that divided the monsoon and autumn-seasons. In the following words He described the beauties of both seasons to His beloved Radharani:

2- O My beloved, the last part of the monsoon-season is like the last part of a girl's childhood, and the beginning of autumn is like the beginning of a girl's adolescence. Look! the autumn forest of Vrndavana is present before Us, glistening like a beautiful teen-age girl.

3- Now that the yuthi creeper no longer bear flowers, the bumble-bee has abandoned it, and gone to the freshly blooming jati flower, like a young man rejects an old woman and is attracted to a beautiful young girl.

4-The forest of Vrndavana is now reddened with ripe gunja berries and whitened with blossoming kasa flowers. The absence of rain has silenced the peacocks, who no longer spread their tail-feathers. The swans warble excitedly. The beauty of this season announces the arrival of autumn.

5- Look! Whenever this bumble-bees lands on a sephalika flower, that flower at once falls away. The same thing happened to Me. O girl with the beautiful face, when I tried to reclaim My flute from Your gopi-friends, they all became frightened and fled as soon as I approached.

6- Then Kundalata said: O king and queen of Vrndavana, look at this part of the forest, so beautifully decorated by Your friend, the autumn season.

7- Her eyes quickly moving khanjana birds, her face a lotus flower, her breasts playful cakravaka birds, her garments like a white cloud, her lips a red lotus flower, the sash of tinkling bells about her waist a host of warbling sarasa cranes, and her earrings fashioned of blue lotus flowers, Your friend the autumn season is eager to serve You. O my master and mistress, please glance upon her.

8- Your friend the autumn season has fashioned all kinds of ornaments from jati and rangana flower, crowns from white lotus flowers, garlands from beautiful red and blue lotus flowers, and a forest-cottage couch from sephalika flowers. She gazes at this path, waiting for the time when she can offer all these to You.

9- His ichor-fragrance the blossoming saptacchada flowers, the cloth covering his body a host of white clouds, his camara-whisk a multitude of kasa flowers, his bellow the sound of bulls and bees maddened with amorous desire, his jingling ornaments the warbling of sarasa cranes in the lakes, his tinkling bells the cooing of swans and other birds, the autumnal cupid-elephant now appears very handsomely before You in this forest.

10- Her graceful charm this multitude of lakes teeming with lotus flowers, the luster of her beautiful form these playful cakravaka birds, her limbs the sole shelter of these handsome swans, this autumn season now stands before You.

10- This autumn season now appears before You like the Supreme Personality of Godhead's transcendental form. This form carry the glistening Sudarsana cakra. It is the sole shelter of the pure devotees, and it appears even more charming and beautiful by the presence of the transcendental form of Shrimati Laksmi-devi.

11- Lord Krishna and His friends then overhead the following foolish debate between the male and female parrots in branches of the tree filled with ripe nectar fruits above them.

12- The male birds said: We male birds are great students and teachers of Vedanta philosophy, and you female parrots are by nature our maidservants. Because Lord Krishna, the king of Vrndavana is very pleased with us, He gave us this forest as our property. For these reasons we order you: Do not touch this tree until we have finished eating these fruits. Go away! Go somewhere else.

13- The female parrots replied: You are rebels who hate our mistress Radharani. Radharani is the queen of Vrndavana. The puranas proclaim: Radha Vrndavane vane ( Radharani is the ruler of Vrndavana forest).

14- The male parrots then said: The sruti-sastra proclaims that Vrndavana forest is the property of Lord Krishna. Your evidence from the smrti-sastra is negated by our quotation from the more authoritative sruti. This you should consider.

15- That Lord Hari is the master of this forest is a fact well-known in all the worlds. This fact delights the minds of the people of this world. This fact is confirmed by the statements of both sruti and smrti sastras.

16- The female parrots replied: That Her lover is its king is not the only relationship Radharani has with this forest. This forest is the expansion of Radharani's expansion. This forest is the reflection of Shrimati Radharani's transcendental body.

17- The cowherd boys like Krishna, although from the outside they are very handsome and pleasant to see, within their hearts they are polluted with great cunning. They are like maha-kala fruits that are pretty without and wretched within.

18- The male parrots then proceeded to say: The gopis are just like coconuts, for just as a coconut has a hard shell, a soft inside, and nectar-liquid within, in the same way the gopis are covered by a hard shell of pride, within which is a soft coating of gentleness, and within that is a pool of transcendental nectar.

19-My master Krishna has no faults. He is filled with nectar both within and without, just like grapes .

20- The female parrots replied: Your master Lord Acyuta is just like a sugar-cane stalk. Although filled with nectar within, he covered by a hard, rough shell of arrogance and cunning. Within removing the hard shell of His pride, there is no question of obtaining the sweet nectar within.

21- The female parrots continued: Just as one must press a sesame seed to obtain the oil within, in the same way one must first press the hard covering of Lord Krishna's crookedness before obtaining the oil of gentle love within Him.

22- The male parrots said: The gopis are like java flowers for although they are very beautiful they have no sweet fragrance. Lord Krishna is like a blue lotus flowers, for He is simultaneously splendid and fragrant.

23- A female parrot said: Our queen Radha is reddened with transcendental virtue within and without like the red manjistha plant. On the other hand Your king Krishna has no qualities of His own. He is like a clear crystal that only reflects Radharani's various virtues because He always remains in Her company.

24- A male parrot replied: Our Krishna lifted Govardana Hill, the king of mountains, and He burned the moths of the demons with the fire of His own strength. Who can compare with Him?

25- A female parrot replied: Satisfied by Vrajesvara Nanda's worship, Lord Vishnu invested His own wonderful power in Krishna. Fools glorify Krishna for killing Putana, Bakasura, and the other enemies of the demigods. They do not know He could not have done it without Vishnu's help.

26- A male parrot then said: Satisfied by Vraja's offerings, Krishna assumed the form of a gigantic Govardhana Hill reaching to the sky. The same Krishna extended His hand and lifted Govardhana Hill at its root. In this way He become famous as the lifter of Govardhana Hill.

27- The male parrot sang: The glorification of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beneficial to everyone in the universe. His beauty is victorious over the gopis of Vrndavana, and it subdues their patience. His pastimes astound the goddess of fortune, and His bodily strength turns Govardhana Hill into a small toy like a ball. His spotless qualities are unlimited, and His behavior satisfies everyone. Lord Krishna is attractive to everyone. Oh, may our Lord maintain the whole universe.

28- The female parrot said: Shrimati Radharani's affection, Her exquisite beauty and good behavior, Her artistic dancing and chanting and Her poetic compositions are all so attractive that they attract the mind of Krishna, who attracts the mind of everyone in the universe.

29- A male parrot said: Radha's enjoyment is to serve Krishna's lotus feet. On the other hand, Krishna's enjoyment is only to taste the nectar of Radha's lips in the same way a bumble-bee enjoys a jasmine flower. By comparing these two methods of enjoyment we may easily understand that Krishna is in the superior position.

30- A female parrot then said: Shrimati Radharani prays for Lord Krishna's association. She performs severe austerities in the glorious powerful summer sun as She prays. She prays to serve Krishna with love. It is very wonderful that She prays in this way in the kingdom of Vrndavana forest.

31- A female parrot said: Lord Hari's companion the flute causes havoc in this forest. This flute stuns the flowing streams, attracts the entire universe, enchants all living entities with its spell, and forces the women of Vrndavana to transgress the codes of religion.

32- A male parrot replied: Who can describe the glories of Lord Krishna's flute? By showering the nectar of its music upon the hearts of the women in the universe, this flute washes away the mud of love for any other man, and uncovers the heart's natural love for Krishna.

33- Maddened with love for their master and mistress, the male and female parrots delightedly conversed, asking and answering questions in the following way:

34- One male parrot asked his colleagues: Who flattened the great mountain of Indra's pride by lifting the unliftable Govardhana Hill? Who danced on the dancing-arena of the Kaliya srpent's heads?Say who did this! Another male parrot replied: Krishna did this.

35- One female parrot asked: Whose two mountain-breasts carry Lord Krishna as if He were a toy lotus flower? Who dances on the head of the moving snake of the thoughts of Lord Krishna, the subduer of the Kaliya serpent? Say who does this? Another female parrot replied: Shrimati Radharani does this.

 36- One male parrot asked: Who gives the madhavi creepers blossoming in this forest the power to constantly nourish the bumble-bees with nectar? Another male parrot answered: Lord Madhava does it.

37- One male parrot asked: These madhavi creepers, madhuka trees and bumble-bees are all liberated souls. Why have they taken birth in this forest? Another male parrot replied: They have accepted birth here so they may associate with Lord Krishna, the younger brother of Balarama.

38- One female parrot asked: Who stole the pious gopis' garments, saw them naked, and violated their chastity? Who killed a woman  (Putana), a calf (Vatsasura), and a bull (Aristasura), without feeling any shame? Say who did all this. Another female parrot answered: Krishna did this.

39- One male parrot asked: Who, even though affectionate to His mother, killed His motherly nurse (Putana)? Who, although the protector of the calves, killed a calf (Vatsasura)? Who, although the protector of the dhenukas, killed a dhenuka (Dhenukasura)? Who, although the maintainer of the bulls, killed a bull (Aristasura)?Who, by examining the words, hearts, and limbs of the young girls who yearned to become His wives, simultaneously broke their chastity and elevated them to the greatest purity? Say who did this. Another male parrot replied: Krishna did all this.

40- Shri Shri Radha-Krishna and their associates filled the gobbles of their ears and drank the nectarean words of these expert birds. They walked through this part of the forest, gazed at the beauty and opulence of autumn, and pointed out the various details for the pleasure of Their friends.

41- Lalita then gave ripe grapes to the female parrots, and Subala gave ripe pomegranate seeds to the male parrots.

42- Nandimukhi then said: O king and queen of Vrndavana-forest, look at this part of the forest. This place, famous as Hemanta-santama (the great auspiciousness of the early winter season) is eager to employ its charming opulences in the worship of Your lotus feet.

43- This place in the forest bring pleasure to the five senses of Your Lordships. The blossoming citra, amlana, kurunda, and kurubaka flowers delight Your eyes and nose with their splendor and fragrance, the jubilant patridges, quails, bees, kikhi birds, and parrots charm Your ears with their musical warblings, the ripe nagaranga and rucaka fruits please Your palate with their delightful flavor, and the breezes bring a pleasant coolness to Your sense of touch.

44- O Krishna, this hemanta-season is exactly like the transcendental form of Your Lordship. It is surrounded by many friends, its beauty is eternal and unfading, it resembles cupid who carries a bow of flowers, it is glorifies by the beautiful gopis, it resembles a quiver filled with fully-blossomed flower-arrows, and it is filled with playful garrulous parrots who glorify it just as the great parrot Sukadeva Goswami glorified Your transcendental pastimes. In all these ways the hemanta-season resembles Your Lordship.

45- Lord Hari became very pleased to see the beauty and opulence of the hemanta-season. He turned to His beloved Shrimati Radharani and spoke the following words:

46- O beautiful-faced Radharani, look how this hemanta-season appears like a beautiful actress. Her complexion appears in many different colors, her large breasts are these nagaranga fruits, and her garments these mature rice plants. She bows deeply and recites the drama's introductory verses, which are the sweet warbling of these parrots.

47- My dear saintly Radharani, the sun's warmth, fearing the bitter cold of the hemanta-season, has refuge in the strong fortress of Your heart. Because the sun's warmth is so near, the two cakravaka birds of Your breasts do not experience any inconvenience because of the season, and indeed they are both happily playing together all day and night.

48- Experiencing the intense heat of the fir, the frightened frosts in this hemanta-season have now fled in all directions. Some are now hiding in the well-water, others in the tree-branches,and others in mountain-caves.

49- Unobserved, the witch of winter-cold drinks the fire and sun's warmth blood both day and night.

50- Embracing their beloved mother, the sleeping young winter nights huddle around the warmth of her breasts. In response to their worship of him, the sun mercifully delays his appearance on he horizon, and in this way the little nights are gradually growing into strong, tall adults.

51- These ripe naranga fruits remind Us of the young gopis' breasts so nicely decorated with kunkuma during the rasa-dance.

52- To Shri Shri Radha and Krishna, her mistress and master, who were eagerly viewing that part of the forest, Vrnda-devi, the controller of Vrndavana forest, then spoke the following words:

53- This part of the forest is named Sisira-rucira ( The beauty of the cold sisira season ). In this place all living entities shiver with cold and the hairs of their bodies stand upright. The trees are stooped over, and because the sun is traveling in the south, the sunlight is very faint.

54- Dressed in the exquisite red garments of the splendor of the java and bandhuka flowers, wearing the bodice of the luster of the damanaka flowers, and her head covered by the white veil of the glistening of the kunda flowers, the beauty and opulence of the late winter sisira season joins voices with the bharadvaja and harita birds as if glorifying You with great love.

55- This forest is filled with leafy trees studded with suryakanta gems. At sunrise and sunset the sunshine warms this place only slightly. The charming deer in this place see You and at once approach near to You. They slowly chew their cud, their bodily hairs stand up in ecstasy, and the tears glide from their eyes.

56- During this season there is not very much sunlight. The cold weather has killed the lotus flowers, and the fiercely shining sun, seeing his dearest friends destroyed, has become despondent and now shines only faintly. All this happens with the sanction of the Lord of the universe, for without His sanction how could this season exert its influence upon anyone?

57- Afraid of the cold sisira season, the sun has hidden the treasure of its warmth in the mountain fortresses of the gopis' breasts. The gopis at once brought the sun's treasure to been joyed by Lord Krishna. The principles of religion had no power to hinder the intense love of the gopis.

58- Delighted by Vrnda-devi's words, Lord Krishna, the enemy of Bakasura, gazed at the beauty and opulence of this forest in the sisira season. He then turned to His beloved Radharani and spoke the following charming playful words:

59- My dear beautiful girl, by ignoring the lotus flowers and finding great pleasure in the kunda flowers, the bumble-bees point to the arrival of this sisir season.

60- My dear beautiful girl, seeing their lotus flower, temple burst into flames because of the intense cold, the bumble-bees quickly left that place and made a new temple of the kunda flowers.

61- The military leader who is the rahu-planet of winter-cold has found himself unable to defeat his enemy, the sun. Seeking revenge, and knowing the lotus flowers to be most dear lovers of the sun, the winter cold has now become an arsonist, setting into flames the lotus flowers.

62- These ripe badari fruits remind Me of the breasts of the young gopis as they were rising from the Yamuna's waters.

63- Vrnda-devi then gave Lord Hari two clusters of flowers, each with a delicate white java flower in the center. His bodily hairs standing up in ecstasy, and His hands trembling, Lord Hari placed these flowers on the ears of His beloved Radharani, who responded by placing kunda flowers on His ears in the same way.

64- Vrnda-devi then jubilantly placed a garland of kunda flowers in Shrimati Radharani's lotus hand. She placed it around Lord Krishna's neck, and He then removed the same garland and placed it around Radharani's neck and breasts. Although the garland was the color of the pink lotus flowers, when placed around Lord Krishna's neck, it assumed the color of blue lotus flowers, and when around Shrimati Radharani's neck the same garland appeared the color of yellow campaka flowers. This is certainly very wonderful.

65- Smiling Visakha then said: Look at this delicate beautiful creeper Kundalata. These amorous bumble-bees are constantly drinking the nectar of her flowers. This is certainly very wonderful.

66- Citra-gopi then said: My dear saintly girl, it is not at all wonderful that Kundalata's lovers are all bumble-bees. This is good arrangement for which there is ample precedent. For example, the Pracetas, who were all human beings, accepted as their wife the daughter of the trees.

67- Kundalata then said: Look! Hundreds of wild bumble-bees have left this host of nearby bandhujiva flowers. They are all simultaneously drinking the nectar of this one bandhujiva flower. This is certainly very wonderful.

68- Citra then said: This is not actually very wonderful. These pure-hearted bees, who sing the fifth note, are intent on drinking only the purest, sweetest nectar. For this reason they will only drink the honey of the bodily luster of Lord Krishna and nothing else.

69- Lord Hari then spoke the following joking words to His beloved Radharani: O Radha, Your peerless transcendental virtues have shaken the pride even of the goddess of fortune Laksmi-devi. Even Laksmi cannot approach Your exalted position, what to speak of any other girls. When Shrimati Radharani heard these words She began the following conversation with Lord Hari:

70- Radha said: Krishna! How can You speak in this way? This goddess of fortune Laksmi-devi is Your wife. You cannot speak ill of her in this way.

71- Krishna said: I can speak in this way because You are actually the goddess of fortune. The goddess of fortune is not a personality different from You.

72- Radha: Why do You say that we gopis are goddesses of fortune?

73- Krishna: The husband of You gopis is famous as the husband of the goddesses of fortune. Therefore, if He is Your husband You must all be goddesses of fortune.

74- Radha: The goddess of fortune must genuinely love You if she is willing to abandon Her exalted position in the spiritual world and appear as Your human wife.

75- Krishna: It is true. The goddess of fortune has appeared before Me as My humanlike wife.

76- Radha: Even the does have become attracted by the sound of Your flute. You seem to be very fond of these does.

77- Krishna: I am fond of the does because their eyes resemble Your beautiful eyes.

78- Radha: You do not love Me. I think You actually love the Yamuna river. She is the daughter of the great sun-god. Her complexion is the same as Yours, and she is also known by Your name, Krishna.

79- Krishna: I love You and I also Love Your friend Visakha who is just like You.

80- Radha: These female bumble-bees nap on the garland resting on Your chest as if they were Your lovers. Perhaps it is they You love.

81- Krishna: These bees are eternally dear to Me because they resemble Your beautiful hair.

82- Radha: O Krishna, Your form is as delicate as a blue lotus flower, and Your waist is very slender. How was it possible for this delicate form to lift Govardhana Hill for seven days?

83- Krishna: My lifting Govardhana Hill for seven days is not so wonderful. What I cannot understand is how is it possible for Your tender, delicate form to continually carry the two lofty golden Meru mountains of Your breasts?

84- Radha: Unable to tolerate any separation from You, the crescent moon has appeared on Your chest as the glistening mark of Shrivatsa. I think this Shrivata mark is the actual object of Your love.

85- Krishna: Radha, Your face is the moon, and Your fingernails are crescent moons. I keep the crescent moons of Your fingernails in My heart and they are reflected outside as this mark of Shrivatsa on My chest.

86- Radha: These honey and bumble-bee filled creepers bring You great delight. I think they are the real source of Your happiness.

87- Krishna: The fresh sprouts on this creeper resemble Your lovely lips, and the flowers resemble Your smile. It is for this reason that the sight of this creeper brings Me such happiness.

88- Radha: Here is youthful, charming, beautiful Lalita. Just as Parvati, the mother of Karttikeya is expert in military engagement, Lalita is expert at fighting the amorous duels which so delight passionate lovers. I think You should reject Me and give Your love to her.

89- Krishna: My dear girl with the beautiful neck, although this Lalita may be expert in verbal-battle, when challenged to an amorous duel, she always flees.

90- The wonderful designs drawn in musk on Your breasts appear like a host of splendid black bees sitting on the whorl of a golden lotus flower.

91- Radha: Your wonderfully elegant words are like a glistening sharp sword that cuts the heartsand senses of these young gopis.

92- Krishna: This cuckoo naturally sings loudly the fifth note. He is not at fault if his singing arouses the amorous desire of these young girls.

93- Radha: The women of this world testify that it is not this cuckoo, but rather lovely hypocritical flute that glorifies irreligion before these young girls.

94- Krishna: According to My own wish this flute preaches the message of religious scriptures and thus purifies these young girls of all faults.

95- Radha: How is it possible for these tender young girls, who have so devotedly worshipped the goddess Katyayani, to bear these crushing blows from You, who are as ferocious as a maddened elephant?

96- Krishna: The attack of a large bumble-bee does not harm the blossoming yuthika flowers, but rather nourishes them. In the same way, is it not so that these young girls remain unharmed by My crushing words?

97- A glorious golden plain traversed by a young black snake is something like Your beautiful golden abdomen decorated with this line of black hairs.

98- Your beautiful braid-decorated back is like a golden mountain-slope decorated with a black snake.

99- Radha: O My beloved, why have these beautiful cakori birds ceased gazing at the moon and assembled together during the daytime, jubilantly flying in the air?

100- Krishna: Seeing the moon grow smaller and smaller, these cakori birds have abandoned it. Now they jubilantly nourish themselves by drinking the effulgence of the beauty of Your moonlike face.

101- By speaking the following joking questions and answers in fitting poetic prayers, Shrimati Radharani and Lord Krishna, the infallible Personality of Godhead, who were overwhelmed with love for each other, embarrassed their gopi-friends.

102- Krishna: O Radha, when I shower dangerous arrows of joking words in the verbal battlefield, even the most eloquent, harsh, and ferocious gopi flee from My challenges. Tell Me,who among the gopis is eager to fight with Me? Who is able to fight against My showers of arrows? Radha: Lalita shall fight You.

103- Krishna: O Radha, among the gopis who flee from the challenge of My dangerous arrows, who will stay behind and worship her chosen deity anointing her deity's breasts with kunkuma, musk, aguru, and sandalwood paste? Radha: Visakha shall do that.

104- Krishna: What creeper shall slowly crawl far away from her husband and approach the tamala tree of Lord Krishna? Radha: Kundalata (jasmine-creeper) is that creeper.

105- Krishna: Who is the artistic, gentle, charming, humble gopi who will please Us by decorating Us in various ways? Radha: Citra will decorate Us.

106- Krishna: Which gopi is expert in erotic science who will accept Me as her student, and in private will place each of My limbs upon Yours? Radha: Tungavidya shall do this.

107- Krishna: Who is the gopi, simultaneously pure-hearted and cunning, who arouses amorous desires with only a glance? Tell Me who. Radha: Indulekha is she.

108- Krishna: Who is the beautiful, quickly moving gopi who will please Us with her graceful dancing? Radha: Rangadevi is she.

109- Krishna: who is the expert gopi, who, seeing Me win the magnet wagered in the dice-game, will proclaim Me the loser, and try to without the prize from Me? Radha: Sudevi is she.

110- Krishna: What devotees are satisfied when I am satisfied, very unhappy when I am unhappy, unable to enjoy if their enjoyment means My unhappiness, and fully engaged in worshipping Me as their deity? My dear moon-faced girl, please think for a moment, and tell Me who is like this. Radha: My gopi-friends are like this.

111- Joking with the clever and artistic gopis, worshipping them with flowers, touching their breasts and kissing their lips, Lord Krishna appeared like the king of cuckoos, intoxicated by tasting the fruits and flowers of a host of creepers. Enjoying in this way, and wandering here and there, Lord Krishna gradually arrived at the grove named Lalitanandada-kunja ( Lalita's delight ).

112- Thus ends the thirteenth chapter of Govinda-lilamrta in the matter of the Lord's midday pastimes. Shrila Raghunatha dasa Goswami has ordered me to write this book, which I have been able to do by the blessings of Shrila Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami and the saintly association of Shrila Jiva Goswami. I consider this book the ripened fruit of the service I have rendered to Shrila Rupa Goswami, who is like a bumble-bee relishing the honey at the lotus feet of Shri  Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.