Sri Krishna Jayanti

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Dear Bhaktas,

 

I am sharing a translation of the Pasurams from the sixth decad of

Perumal Tirumozhi for the occassion of Sri Krishna Jayanti. This

decad follows the fifth decad in which Kulashekara Perumal performed

SharaNagati to the Lord of Tiruvithakodu. In it he establishes the

relationship between a Prapanna and Bhagavan as that of a Pativrata

dedicated to her husband. In the sixth decad, the Azhwar continues

with this train of thought and analyzes the relationship between

the Gopikas of Gokulam and Lord Krishna. The Gopikas were deeply

attached to Lord Krishna and wanted to experience him as

Nayaka-Nayaki. Often Lord Krishna made promises to the Gopikas only

to break them later with the intent of teasing them. This causes them

great anguish. Their relationship to Lord Krishna is that

of eternal servitude. At the same time, his playful deceit angers

them. The Azhwar brings out these feelings of the Gopikas with

consummate effect in ten delectable verses beautifully strung

together. In it the Azhwar wishes to bring out the distress of

Bhaktas when the Lord does not immediately respond to their

imploring appeal. As a result, only the Azhwar's pristine Anubhavam

can bring out in full meaure the feelings of the Gopikas. Consequently,

no translation can do full justice to the Azhwar's

outpourings and capture his thought-process.

 

This translation is based on the work of U.Ve. Sri

Ananathanarasimhachariar Swamin (Bangalore), Srikaryam Srimad

Poundarikapuram Ashramam. All errors and shortcomings are Adiyen's

contributions.

 

1. Oh Vasudeva, in this town (Nanda Gokulam) there are a number of

Gopikas with attractive hair, wearing beautifully bloomed flowers and

like me have a desire to embrace you. Even after knowing you well, I

believed your false promises and waited for you with mental tension

(fear of being seen by someone) till next morning on the sands of Yamuna

shivering in cold while the fog was coming down like rain.

 

2. Oh Damodara! Seeing a lady with fish-like attractive eyes near our

house, churning butter you said "I can churn butter very fast". Then

you mesmerized her with your attractive eyes and your hair, decorated

with bee-attracting flowers loosened (during churning). Your bright

charming face made her sweat in her face and her red lips quivered.

Do you think I do not know the episode of your churning the cool butter?

 

3. Oh Lord! Destroyer of Nalakubera and Manigriva (in the form of

two Arjuna trees)! You gave a side glance to one Gopi with black hair

wearing flowers while at the same time you showed your interest to

another Gopi. For yet another you said that you are her servant; to

another innocent girl you told a lie to meet her alone; then you

embraced someone else (another Gopi) with attractive hair and telling

her a lie also. Your deceit is growing with your age.

 

4. Even though there was tasty milk in the mother's breasts, you skid

from her lap, crawled and put your mouth on the breasts of the deceitful

woman Putana and drank the poisoned milk. Oh Lord! will not

others call you mad? While I am waiting with deep love thinking of you

only you enjoyed all the pleasures with the messengewr I sent to you

with a message for you. I suppose even this act fits with your mischief.

 

5. Taking with you a lady with slender waist like lightning in the

darkness of the night along our street covering your faces with a

silken cloth, I was standing observing you both. On this occassion,

also you cast your look on another lady and bound her with your

magnetic glances while conveying a coded message with your hand

gestures. I was standing observing you. Why did you then come here

leaving her? Oh embodiment of all qualities! Please go there in future

also.

 

6. Oh Vasudeva! Oh Powerful-shouldered one! I the sinned one while

sleeping, you left me alone in the middle of the night on the cosy

bed and went away. You did the same thing the next night also. During

this time, you were happy in the company of others. Why did you come

near me now? Oh Lord! You may go somewhere else.

 

7. Oh Lord! Reclining on the beautiful serpent-bed Adishesha! We

are not Gopikas of the past. As you think, we neither have a beautiful

and attractive body nor have eyes like deer. Why come near us? Seeing

you beautiful head gear, your charming face, your attractive mouth

playing the flute, we believed your falsehood one day and that is

enough. Do not speak falsehood. Oh Lord! Please go away.

 

8. Having asked me to come to the specific spot with a canopy of jasmine

creeper full of flowers, you were embracing another waiting

for you there and after seeing me stepped aside agitated. Holding

the silken cloth in your hand, you pretended like one frightened that

day. If I catch you here one day coming to me, I shall settle my score

with you then!

 

9. Oh Lord! With benevolent grace with a garland shining in your chest,

wearing a peacock feather in your head, with a silken cloth

around your waist, a bunch of flowers hanging from your ears, you are

coming in the company of ladies (Gopis) who have decorated their hair

with fragrant flowers, playing the flute melodiously. To play flute for

us even for a day, it appears that the sound does not come out

of your flute.

 

10. The young Gopis who deeply loved Krishna, the Lord of Mahalakshmi,

said these verses after experiencing a rejection of their love and

separation in the night. These verses are composed by Kulashekara

Azhwar, Lord of Kolli, King of Madurai, in chaste Tamil with melodious

tunes. Those who recite these verses will not experience sorrow.

 

Namo Narayana,

 

Muralidhar Rangaswamy

 

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