nata vara - post 2

[Guest guest]

Post 2

Dear sri vaishNva perunthagaiyeer,

 

After seeing the 3 slOkams of sreemadh bhaagavatham in which krishNa,

the nata vara, being described for his dressing, we will see in this

post the meanings for the remaining two slOkams [one in which sri

sukhar describes the natavara already seen].

Second - krishNa being eulogized by brahma after he is defeated [(?)

or a leela] by krishNa – Krishna taking the form of calves and gOpa

boys for a period of one year, when brahma tried to conceal the

calves and boys in a cave, also another brahma sitting in original

brahmaa's seat, thereby this original brahma getting a doubt, am I

the original or a duplicate etc,. This incident, since, is not the

focal point for us, but the brahma sthuthi is, in particular the

description of the lord – the dancer's dressing – nata vara's

dressing. So we take up that verse.

 

Sree brahma uvaacha

noumeeDya thE~ bhra vapushE thaDidhambaraaya

gunjaavathamsa paripichcha lasan mukhaaya !

vanyasrajE kavala vEthra vishaaNa vENu lakshma

sriyE mrudhu padhE pasu paangajaaya !!

10 –14 –1 sreemadh bhaagavatham dhasama skandham

 

na: mE eeDya = to be worshipped by us all

thE = you

abhra vapushE = thunder cloud colour bodied, rainy weather colour

bodied, or simply cloud colour bodied

thadith = striking or lightning, flashy,

ambaraaya = having the cloth, or clothed

gunjaa = kundhumani in tamil – red and blackberry seeds [as ear rings]

avathamsa = causing slight obscurity

pari pichcha = a tail feather bedecked

lasan mukhaaya = having a glittering face [las- glitter, shine]

vanya srajE = decorated with forest plants and flowers

kavala vEthra = having a handful of food on one hand and another

having a long cane

vishaaNa = also having a horn

vENu = flute

lakshma sriyE = characteristic wealth or glory

pasu paangajaaya mrudhu padhE = one having soft lotus feet

 

meaning: Lord Brahmaa said: O Lord, You are fit to receive the

worship of the entire universe. O son of the king of cowherds, Your

transcendental body is dark blue like a new cloud, Your garment is

brilliant like lightning, and the beauty of Your face is enhanced by

Your gunja earrings and the peacock feather on Your head. Wearing

garlands of various forest flowers and leaves, and equipped with a

herding stick, a buffalo horn, a flute, and a morsel of grain mixed

with yogurt in Your hand, You are most attractive. Your lotus feet

are very soft. I offer my prayers unto You.

 

Dear bhakthaas, see how close, it is to the previous slOkam

description – barhaapeedam - Same peacock feathers in head, forest

flowers decked as garland deorates the chest, flashy peethaambaram

as dress in the waist, cloud coloured body, etc, being described.

 

The differences are

1. the earrings – there flowers, here gunja,

2. there flute being played, here just held.

3. there no food in hand, here food in hand

4. No horn there, here a horn

 

Now we will take up the next slokam description of krishNa, the nata

vara, by the wives of the braahmaNaas. The braahmaNaas were doing a

yagnam and when Krishna wanted food from them, they refused. whereas

the wives of these people readily offered to give, and, in fact, gave

food.

 

syaamam hiraNya pariDhim vanamaalya

barhi dhaathu pravaaLa nata vEsham anuvrathaamsE !

vinyastha hastham itharENa Dhunaanam abjam

karNOthpalaalaka kapOla mukhaabja haasam !!

10 –23 – 22 sreemadh bhaagavatham dhasama skandham

 

syaamam = black coloured [or cloud coloured]

hiraNya pariDhim = golden hued garment adorned

vanamaalya = garlanded with forest flowers

barhi dhaathu = peacock stems or feathers [actually dhaathu means

base element, seed, stem or parts of main item eg. Aya dhaathu – iron

ore]

pravaaLa = a young shoot, sprout, or one having flowing long or

beautiful hair

nata vEsham = dressed for dancing

anuvratha amsE = followed by parties [gOpa boys]

vinyastha hastham = hands placed down on

itharENa Dhunaanam = shaken by others

abjam = lotus – born in water

karNa uthpalaalaka = in the ears blossoming

kapOla mukha = cheeks, face

abja haasam = lotus, smile or laughter.

 

meaning: krishNaa's complexion was blackish, syaama, like a new cloud

and His garment golden. Decorated with a peacock feather, colored

minerals, sprigs of flower buds, and a garland of forest flowers and

leaves, He was dressed as the best of all dancers. He rested His left

hand upon the shoulder of a friend and with His right hand, twirled a

pastime lotus. Lilies graced His ears, His hair hung down over His

cheeks, and His lotus like face was smiling sweetly.

 

[Dear all, my intention is to give meaning of individual words also,

is to enjoy the description of my krishNa in its original form. Also,

if some of the readers want to pick up few Sanskrit words as well few

sreemadh bhaagavatham slokams they can do so].

 

Here again, we see the description is just same. Marked differences

are

1. the hands of Krishna resting on the shoulders of his gOpa

friends.

2. No mention of the flute either being played or just held.

3. mention about the flowing hair

 

You may wonder why so much about his dressing. Because when he

started playing the flute the whole world is mesmerized and that

music only was filling anywhere and everywhere – refer naavalam

theevil of periyaazhvaar. There was no room for treat for the eyes.

Hence the treat is for the eyes first. Then only we now also can

visualize HIM before our mind. Enjoy him till we receive next post.

 

Dhasan

Vasudevan m.g.