krishnakarnamrtham-part2-slokas35 to42

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35.anganaam anganaam anthare maaDhavo

maaDhavam maaDhavam cha anthreNaanganaa

itTham aakalpithe mandale maDhyagaH

sanjagou veNunaa dhevakeenandhanaH

 

There was a Krishna, maaDhavaH, between, anthare, each gopi, anganaam anganaam, and a gopi between, anthareNa anganaa, each Krishna. In the centre, maDhyagaH, of the circle, mandale, thus formed, ittham aakalpithe, Krishna was playing the flute, sanjagou veNunaa dhevakeenandhanaH..

 

The eight slokas beginning with this describe the rasakrida. This sloka gives the picture often seen as the scene of rasakreeda with Krishna making himself manifold dancing in between the gopis. Leelasuka says that he is also standing in the middle of the circle formed by the gopis and krishnas, implying that the form in the center is the real one. This has a philosophical significance. The gopis are the jeevas each one of them has the Lord as the inner self. So the world is the rasakreeda of the Lord. When the jeeva joins hands with the Lord it is pure joy. The Krishna in the centre denotes that the supreme self is the self of all but not attached to them. The circle revolves around the centre which remains unchanged. To those who are ignorant enough to find the rasakreedaa as a sensual sport this sloka gives the answer as no ordinary mortal can become so many, at the same time standing apart.

As the Upanishad says, `sadheva soumya idham agra aaseeth, ekam eva adhvitheeyam; thath aikshatha bahusyaam prajaayeya,' ( Chand.6.2.1;6.2.3),' That (Brahman) alone was in the beginning one only without a second and it willed to become many.'

In Srimadbhagavatham, Suka says that Krishna played with the gopis like a child with his own reflection.

`yaThaa arbakaHsvaprathibimbavibhramaH.'

 

 

36.kekikekaadhrtha aneka pankeruhaa

leenahamsaavaleehrdh yathaa hrdhyathaa

kamsavamSaatavee dhaahadhaavaanalaH

sanjagou veNunaa dhevakeenandhanaH

 

Making the peacocks, keki, sounds, kekaa, in response and gladdening, hrdhyathaa, the hearts, hrdh, of the swans hidden, leenahamsa, in the lotuses, anekapankeruha, Krishna, who was like a fire that burned, dhaahadhaavaanalaH, the forest of the clan of Kamsa, kamsavamSaatavee, played the flute.

 

This sloka describes the joy of all beings when the Lord calls the tune. The nature and the creatures other than man, are able to work in harmony with the Lord, which is denoted by the sound of the peacocks and the joy of the swans.

 

37.kvaapi veenaabhiraaraaviNaa kampithaH

kvaapi veeNaabhiraa kinkiNee narthithaH

kvaapi veenaabhiramaantharam gaapithaH

sanjagou veNunaa dhevakeenandhanaH

 

In one place, kvaapi, he was moved, kampithaH, by some playing the veena, veeNaabhiH aaraaviNaa, in another, kvaapi, he was made to dance, narthitthaH, with his ankle bells, kinkinee, sounding like veena, veeNabhraa, in yet another place, kvaapi, he was induced to sing, gaapithaH, with his voice sweet like the veena, veeNaabhiraamaantharam.

 

This sloka not only shows that the Lord is also in harmony with the world of beings, but also that He is bound by devotion and does the bidding of His devotees.

He has said `math bhakthaa yathra gaayanthi thathra thishTaami,' meaning that he is there where His devotees sing His glory. By this sloka it is clear that not only he stands there but also takes part by singing ,dancing etc.

 

 

 

38.chaaruchandhraavaleelochanaiH chumbithaH

gopa gobrndha gopaalikaa vallabhaH

vallveebrndha brndhaarakaH kaamukaH

sanjagou veNunaa dhevakee nandhanaH

 

Krishna, kissed with the eyes, lochanaiH chumbithaH, by the rows of beautiful moonlike faces, chaaru chandhraavalee, the beloved of gopas, cows as well as the gopis, the beautiful lover of the gopies gathered, played the flute.

 

Krishna is not only loved by the gopis but also by the gopas and the cows as well because He is the inner self of all. The whole world loves Krishna.

 

 

39. Moulimaalaamilan matthabhrngeelathaa

bheetha bheetha priyaavibhramaalingithaH

srasthagopeekuchaabhogasammelithaH

sanjagou veNunaa dhevakeenandhanaH

 

Krishna , who was embraced on his broad chest,aabhogasammelithaH, by a gopi, who was frightened, bheethabheethaa, of the bees that hovered round the flowers on her head , mouli malaamilan matthabhringeelathaa, played the flute.

 

The bees hover around the flowers on the head of a gopi, and feigning fear she clings to Krishna finding shelter on his broad chest.

 

40.chaaru chaameekaraabhaasabhaamaavibhuH

vyjayantheelathaa vaasithorashalaH

nandha brndhaavane vaasithaa maDhyagaH

sanjagou veNunaa dhevakeenandhanaH

 

Krishna, the central figure of the gopis of Brindavan of Nandhagopa, the Lord of Lakshmi, bhaamaavibhuH,, who shines charming like the gold, chaaru chamekaraabhaasa, with his chest perfumed by the tulasi garland, vyjayantheelathaa vaasitha urasThalaH, played the flute.

 

Krishna is the centre around whom the whole brindavan under the reign of Nandha functions. He is referred to as the lord of Lakshmi, (bhaama meaning a beautiful woman) who shines like gold, (hiraNyavarNaa.) Krishna is wearing the garland of Tulasi leaves which gives the fragrance to his chest.

 

 

 

 

 

41.baalikaa thaalikaa thaala leelaa layaa-

sanga sandharSitha bhroolathaa vibhramaH

gopikaageethadhatthaavaDhaanassvayam

sanjagou veNunaa dhevakeenandhanaH

 

Krishna, who showed his joy hearing the song of the gopis set to thaala by lifting of his eyebrows, and gave himself to them, played the flute.

 

This sloka is the essence of the rasakreeda. The Lord gives Himself to those who love Him like the gopis did by offering Him their body, mind and soul.

The gopis enjoyed with Krishna `abhinna baahyaantharam aikarasyam aanandham,' a joy which is undifferentiated inside and outside and unalloyed and pure.

 

 

 

42.paarijaatham samudDhrthya raaDhaavaro

ropayaamaasa bhaamagrhasyaangaNe

SeethaSeethe vate yaamuneeye thate

sanjagou veNunaa dhevakeenandhanaH

 

Krishna,, the beloved of Radha, who brought the Parijatha tree from heaven and planted it on the courtyard of Bhaama, played the flute beautifully from under the cool banyan tree on the banks of river Yamuna.

 

The reference is here to the episode of Krishna bringing the celestial tree Parijatha to the court yard of Bhama. He playing the flute splendidly standing under the banyan tree on the banks of Yamuna. The epithet , lover of Radha qualifies Krishna in the particular context as against that which mentions him as the lord of Bhama.