vastra-harana-adi-lila-sthali-darshanam

A Vision of the Site where Shri Krishna Stole the Gopis' Garments,

and Other Holy Places

  

 atash ca yamuna-pare / vndaranya sanatanam

 tatra nandadayo gopa / vasa cakrur atandritah 1

   atah - then; ca - and; yamuna-pare - on the far shore of Yamuna; vnda-aranyam - the forest of Vrinda; sanatanam - eternal; tatra - there; nanda-adayah - Nanda and the others; go-pah - the cow protectors; vasam - residence; cakruh - made; atandritah - industrious.

  Krishna Dasa continued, "Then, on the far shore of Yamuna, where the forest of Vrindavana exists eternally, Nanda and the other cowherds busily erected dwelling places.

 pashyatra shakatair durga / kta pitradibhir vtau

 rama-knau khelatash ca / go-gopala-janaih saha 2

   pashya - just see; atra - here; shakataih - with the carts; durgam - fort; ktam - made; pitra-adibhih - by the fathers; vtau - surrounded; rama-knau - Rama and Krishna; khelatah - they played; ca - and; go-gopala-janaih - with the cows and cowherds; saha - with.

  "Behold this spot where the fathers and other men had created a fort out of the carts. Surrounded by the carts, Rama and Krishna played with the cows and cowherds.

 kapittha-mule 'tra janarddanena / vadhah kto vatsaka-rupa-dharinah

 vatsasurasya baka-vesha-dharino / bakasurasyapi ca gaura-candra 3

   kapittha-mule - at the root of the kapittha tree; atra - here; jana-ardanena - by the Lord who thrills the hearts of people; vadhah - killing; ktah - done; vatsaka-rupa - form of a calf; dharinah - taking on; vatsa-asurasya - of the demon appearing as a calf; baka-vesha - appearance of a crane; dharinah - taking on; baka-asurasya - of Baka-asura; api - indeed; ca - and; gaura-candra - O Golden Moon.

  "O Golden Moon! Here at the root of a kapittha tree, Shri Janardana slew Vatsasura, the demon who took the form of a calf, as well as Bakasura, the demon who took the form of a crane.

 atraiva shri-rama-janarddanau ca / sa-venu-vetradi-yutaih sakhi-janaih

 cikridatur vanara-paka-sankulair / mayura-kekadi-rutair jagat-pati 4

   atra - here; eva - truly; shri-rama-janardanau - Shri Rama and Janardana; sa-venu - with flutes; vetra-adi - sticks and so on; yutaih - equipped with; sakhi-janaih - with the friends; cikridatuh - they played; vanara-paka - groups of monkeys; sankulaih - with crowds; mayura - peacocks; keka-adi - calls and so on; rutaih - resounding; jagat-pati - the protectors of the universe.

  "In this place, Rama and Janardana, the protectors of the cosmic manifestation, equipped with flutes, sticks and other cowherd paraphernalia, played with their boyfriends, imitating the activities of the throngs of monkeys and the resounding cries and movements of the peacocks."

 shrutva svaya kna-rasena purnah / shri-bhakta-rupo rasikendra-mauli

 purvvaparabhya viayashrayavto / lila-rasabhya prabhu-gaura-candrah 5

   shrutva - having heard; svayam - spontaneously; kna-rasena - with the mellows of Krishna; purnah - filled; shri-bhakta-rupa - the sacred form of a devotee; rasika-indra-mauli - the chief of all those expert in relishing rasa; purva-aparabhyam - with former and later; viaya - object; ashraya - subject; avtah - embued; lila-rasabhyam - with pastime and mellow; prabhu - Master; gaura-candrah - Lord like a Golden Moon.

  Hearing these deshriptions, Gaura Hari, the crest jewel among all rasikas, who had accepted the form of an exemplary devotee, became wholly saturated with Krishna-rasa. In His former lila, Gaura Candra Prabhu was imbued with the rasa of vishaya-tattva, or the absolute truth as the object of transcendental love. Whereas in His present lila, He is imbued with the rasa of ashraya-tattva, or the absolute truth as the subject of that love.

 atra pashya ca gauranga / sarpa-rupa-dharo 'py aghah

 bakanujo maha-papah / praptas ta cahanad dharih 6

   atra - here; pashya - just see; ca - and; gauranga - O Golden Lord; sarpa-rupa - the form of a snake; dharah - taking; api - indeed; aghah - the demon of personified sin; baka-anujah - the younger brother of Baka; maha-papah - very sinful; praptah - accepted; tam - him; ca - and; ahanat - killed; harih - Lord Hari.

  Krishna Dasa continued, "O Gauranga! Behold the place where the immensely sinful demon Agha, the younger brother of Baka, assumed the form of a python and was slain by Shri Hari.

 sva-janaih sakhibhish catra / dtva bhojana-kautukam

 svayambhur vatsara vatsa-sva-janapaharo 'bhavat 7

   sva-janaih - with His intimates; sakhibhih - with His friends; ca - and; atra - here; dtva - having seen; bhojana - luncheon; kautukam - enthusiastic; svayam-bhuh - self-born Brahma; vatsaram - one year; vatsa - calves; sva-jana - of His friends; apaharah - theft; abhavat - it took place.

  "At this spot, when Brahma saw the festive luncheon taking place amongst Krishna and His intimate boyfriends, he stole away the calves and boys for one year.

 dhenukasya vadha catra / kpayasya vimocanam

 kaliya-damana catra / hrada pashya su-nirmmalam 8

   dhenukasya - of the ass-demon; vadham - killing; ca - and; atra - here; kpaya - by the mercy; asya - of Krishna; vimocanam - liberation; kaliya-damanam - subuing of the Kaliya serpent; atra - here; hradam - lake; pashya - just see; su-nirmalam - very pure.

  "In this place the ass-demon was slain, and by Krishna's mercy he received liberation from material bondage. Look at this crystal-clear lake. Here Lord Govinda subdued the great snake named Kaliya.

 kaliya-damani catra / murti pashya jagad-guro

 shitartta-cchalatah kna / utthito 'tra jalad bahih 9

   kaliya-damanim - the subduer of Kaliya; ca - and; atra - here; murtim - Deity; pashya - just see; jagat-guro - O spiritual master of the universe; shita - cold; arta - afflicted; shalatah - shaking; kna - O Krishna; utthitah - arose.

  "O spiritual preceptor of the world, behold the Deity form of the subduer of Kaliya. When Krishna rose out of the lake, He was shivering, being pained by the cold water.

 atra vai dvadashaditya / utthita gaganopari

 dvadashaditya-ghatto 'ya / kathyate veda-paragaih 10

   atra - here; jalat - from the water; bahih - outside; atra - here; vai - truly; dvadasha - twelve; adityah - suns; utthitah - arose; gagana - sky; uparim - above; dvadasha-aditya-ghattah - the bathing place named after the twelve suns; ayam - this; kathyate - it is told; veda-paragaih - by those fully conversant in the Vedas.

  "Thus at this place, twelve suns rose in the sky to give Krishna warmth. Therefore, those who are conversant in the Vedas call this place Dvadashaditya-ghatta, or `the Bathing Place of the Twelve Suns.'

 atraiva vatsa-palana / davagneh parimocanam

 kta nanda-kumarena / bhakta-duhkhapaharina 11

   atra - here; eva - factually; vatsa-palanam - of the boys protecting calves; dava-agneh - of the forest fire; parimocanam - complete freedom; ktam - done; nanda-kumarena - by the son of Nanda; bhakta-duhkha - grief of the devotees; apaharina - by one who relieves.

  "At this spot, while the boys of Vraja were engaged in protecting the calves, Nanda Kumara delivered them unharmed from the flames of a forest-fire. He did this because He is celebrated for His promise to relieve His bhakta from all distress.

 krida-parajitah knah / shridama-nama balakam

 uvaha parama-pritah / pralambo rohini-sutam 12

   krida - play; parajitah - defeated; knah - the all-attractive Person; shridama-nama balakam - the boy named Shridaman; uvaha - He carried; parama-pritah - with great love; pralambah - the demon Pralamba; rohini-sutam - the son of Rohini (Balarama).

  "When Krishna was defeated in play, out of great love He carried His boyfriend Shridaman on His shoulders, and the demon Pralambasura carried the son of Rohini.

 jnatvasura punah so 'pi / muti-ktya karambujam

 shirasy atadayat tasya / so 'patad gata-jivitah 13

   jnatva - knowing; asuram - demon; punah - again; sah - He; api - indeed; muti-ktya - making a fist; kara-ambujam - lotus hand; shirasi - on the head; atadayat - He struck; tasya - his; sah - he; apatat - he fell down; gata-jivitah - his life gone.

  "Realizing that this cowherd boy was actually a demon in disguise, Balarama made a fist with His lotus hand and struck Pralamba on the head. His life departed from his body and the demon fell to the ground.

 bhandirakhya vata vndaranye pashya mahattamam

 iikakhya-vana hy atra / go-dhana tna-lobhitam 14

   bhandira-akhyam - named Bhanira; vatam - banyan; vnda-aranye - in the forest of Vrinda; pashya - just see; mahattamam - the greatest; iika-akhya-vanam - the forest named I~shika; atra - here; go-dhanam - the wealth of the cow-protectors, cows; tna-lobhitam - eager for grass.

  "See the great banyan tree named Bhanira in Vrindaranya. And here is the forest of reeds known as I~shika-vana. There the cows, the wealth of the cowherds, once entered, being eager for new grasses.

 pravita venu-nadena / knenanitam apy uta

 davanale madhya-ga ca / sva-gana vikya shri-harih 15

 papau kara-tali-ktyanala bhakta-jana-priyah

 pashya catra rasa-jnena / shri-knena kta hi yat 16

   pravitam - entered; venu-nadena - accompanied by the sound of the flute; knena - by Krishna; anitam - led; api - however; uta - indeed; dava-anale - in a forest fire; madhya-gam - gone in the midst; ca - and; sva-ganam - His own herd; vikya - seeing; shri-harih - thief of the mind; papau - drank; kara-tali-ktya - cupping His hands; analam - fire; bhakta-jana-priyah - one who holds dear His devotees; pashya - just see; ca - and; atra - here; rasa-jnena - by He who is wise in relationships; shri-knena - by Shri Krishna; ktam - done; hi - indeed; yat - which.

  "Led by the sound of Krishna's flute, the cows entered the heart of the forest. However, they found themselves surrounded by a forest-fire. Seeing His own herd endangered, Shri Hari, who is affectionate to His devotees, cupped His hands and drank the fire. Behold the spot where Shri Krishna performed this wonderful deed.

 tam eva patim icchantyo / vrata ceruh kumarikah

 atraiva yamuna-tire / vastrabharana-rakitah 17

   tam - Him; eva - assuredly; patim - husband; icchantyah - desiring; vratam - a vow; ceruh - performed; kumarikah - maidens; atra eva - in this very spot; yamuna-tire - on the bank of the Yamuna; vastra-abharana - dresses and ornaments; rakitah - kept carefully.

  "Desiring to get Krishna as their husband, the young maidens of Vrindavana practiced an austere vow. In this place on the bank of the Yamuna they carefully kept their dresses and ornaments before bathing.

 vishantyo jalam evaitas / tato nagara-shekharah

 adaya tasa vastrani / nipam aruhya sa-tvarah 18

   vishantyah - entered; jalam - the water; eva - verily; etah - they; tatah - then; nagara-shekharah - the crest amongst paramours; adaya - took; tasam - their; vastrani - garments; nipam - a kadamba tree; aruhya - mounting; sa-tvarah - with speed.

  "When they entered the water, the crest-jewel of all paramours snatched their garments and speedily climbed into a kadamba tree.

 hasati sakhibhih sarddha / tatas tah shita-vepitah

 kna santoayam asuh / shuddha-bhavena bhavitah 19

   hasati - He joked; sakhibhih - with the friends; sardham - with; tatah - then; tah - they; shita-vepitah - shivering from cold; knam - Krishna; santoayam asuh - they pleased; shuddha-bhavena - by their pure consciouness; bhavitah - absorbed in thoughts.

  "Then Shri Krishna spoke jestingly, teasing the gopis who were shivering in the cold water of the Yamuna. Finally they received back their dresses after pleasing the Lord by their pure consciousness and innocent demeanor.

 shri-ramena samam knas / tam uddeshya vanaspatin

 vndaranya-sthitan atra / prashasan yamuna gatah 20

   shri-ramena - with Shhri Rama; samam - with; knah - Krishna; tam - Him; uddeshya - pointing out the worthy qualities; vanaspatin - the trees; vnda-aranya-sthitan - situated in the forest of Vrinda; atra - here; prashasan - praising; yamunam - Yamuna river; gatah - went.

  "Thereafter in the company of Shri Rama, Krishna pointed out the worthy qualities of the trees of Vrindaranya. After praising them, they bathed in Yamuna.

 tato 'tra vipra-patnibhyash / cannam adaya yajna-bhuk

 bubhuje balakaih sarddha / balenapi baliyasa 21

   tatah - then; atra - here; vipra-patnibhyah - from the wives of the learned brahmanas; ca - and; annam - food; adaya - taking; yajna-bhuk - the enjoyer of sacrifice; bubhuje - enjoyed; balakaih sardham - with the boys; balena - with Balarama; api - also; baliyasa - with the strongest.

  "Here the enjoyer of all sacrifice accepted gifts of food from the wives of learned brahmana. He enjoyed them with mighty Balarama and the cowherd boys."

   Thus ends the Seventh Sarga entitled "A Vision of the Site where Shri Krishna Stole the Gopis' Garments, and Other Holy Places," in the Fourth Prakrama of the great poem Shri Chaitanya Carita.