Adhyaya 32

Verse 1

श्रीशुक उवाच इति गोप्य: प्रगायन्त्य: प्रलपन्त्यश्च चित्रधा । रुरुदु: सुस्वरं राजन् कृष्णदर्शनलालसा: ॥ १ ॥

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, having thus sung and spoken their hearts out in various charming ways, the gopīs began to weep loudly. They were very eager to see Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Verse 2

तासामाविरभूच्छौरि: स्मयमानमुखाम्बुज: । पीताम्बरधर: स्रग्वी साक्षान्मन्मथमन्मथ: ॥ २ ॥

Then Lord Kṛṣṇa, a smile on His lotus face, appeared before the gopīs. Wearing a garland and a yellow garment, He directly appeared as one who can bewilder the mind of Cupid, who himself bewilders the minds of ordinary people.

Verse 3

तं विलोक्यागतं प्रेष्ठं प्रीत्युत्फुल्लद‍ृशोऽबला: । उत्तस्थुर्युगपत् सर्वास्तन्व: प्राणमिवागतम् ॥ ३ ॥

When the gopīs saw that their dearmost Kṛṣṇa had returned to them, they all stood up at once, and out of their affection for Him their eyes bloomed wide. It was as if the air of life had reentered their bodies.

Verse 4

काचित् कराम्बुजं शौरेर्जगृहेऽञ्जलिना मुदा । काचिद् दधार तद्बाहुमंसे चन्दनभूषितम् ॥ ४ ॥

One gopī joyfully took Kṛṣṇa’s hand between her folded palms, and another placed His arm, anointed with sandalwood paste, on her shoulder.

Verse 5

काचिदञ्जलिनागृह्णात्तन्वी ताम्बूलचर्वितम् । एका तदङ्‍‍‍‍‍घ्रिकमलं सन्तप्ता स्तनयोरधात् ॥ ५ ॥

A slender gopī respectfully took in her joined hands the betel nut He had chewed, and another gopī, burning with desire, put His lotus feet on her breasts.

Verse 6

एका भ्रुकुटिमाबध्य प्रेमसंरम्भविह्वला । घ्नन्तीवैक्षत् कटाक्षेपै: सन्दष्टदशनच्छदा ॥ ६ ॥

One gopī, beside herself with loving anger, bit her lips and stared at Him with frowning eyebrows, as if to wound Him with her harsh glances.

Verse 7

अपरानिमिषद्‌दृग्भ्यां जुषाणा तन्मुखाम्बुजम् । आपीतमपि नातृप्यत् सन्तस्तच्चरणं यथा ॥ ७ ॥

Another gopī looked with unblinking eyes upon His lotus face, but even after deeply relishing its sweetness She did not feel satiated, just as mystic saints are never satiated when meditating upon the Lord’s feet.

Verse 8

तं काचिन्नेत्ररन्ध्रेण हृदिकृत्वा निमील्य च । पुलकाङ्‌‌ग्युपगुह्यास्ते योगीवानन्द सम्प्लुता ॥ ८ ॥

One gopī took the Lord through the aperture of her eyes and placed Him within her heart. Then, with her eyes closed and her bodily hairs standing on end, she continuously embraced Him within. Thus immersed in transcendental ecstasy, she resembled a yogī meditating upon the Lord.

Verse 9

सर्वास्ता: केशवालोकपरमोत्सवनिर्वृता: । जहुर्विरहजं तापं प्राज्ञं प्राप्य यथा जना: ॥ ९ ॥

All the gopīs enjoyed the greatest festivity when they saw their beloved Keśava again. They gave up the distress of separation, just as people in general forget their misery when they gain the association of a spiritually enlightened person.

Verse 10

ताभिर्विधूतशोकाभिर्भगवानच्युतो वृत: । व्यरोचताधिकं तात पुरुष: शक्तिभिर्यथा ॥ १० ॥

Encircled by the gopīs, who were now relieved of all distress, Lord Acyuta, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, shone forth splendidly. My dear King, Kṛṣṇa thus appeared like the Supersoul encircled by His spiritual potencies.

Verse 11

ता: समादाय कालिन्द्या निर्विश्य पुलिनं विभु: । विकसत्कुन्दमन्दारसुरभ्यनिलषट्पदम् ॥ ११ ॥ शरच्चन्द्रांशुसन्दोहध्वस्तदोषातम: शिवम् । कृष्णाया हस्ततरलाचितकोमलवालुकम् ॥ १२ ॥

The almighty Lord then took the gopīs with Him to the bank of the Kālindī, who with the hands of her waves had scattered piles of soft sand upon the shore. In that auspicious place the breeze, bearing the fragrance of blooming kunda and mandāra flowers, attracted many bees, and the abundant rays of the autumn moon dispelled the darkness of night.

Verse 12

ता: समादाय कालिन्द्या निर्विश्य पुलिनं विभु: । विकसत्कुन्दमन्दारसुरभ्यनिलषट्पदम् ॥ ११ ॥ शरच्चन्द्रांशुसन्दोहध्वस्तदोषातम: शिवम् । कृष्णाया हस्ततरलाचितकोमलवालुकम् ॥ १२ ॥

The almighty Lord then took the gopīs with Him to the bank of the Kālindī, who with the hands of her waves had scattered piles of soft sand upon the shore. In that auspicious place the breeze, bearing the fragrance of blooming kunda and mandāra flowers, attracted many bees, and the abundant rays of the autumn moon dispelled the darkness of night.

Verse 13

तद्दर्शनाह्लादविधूतहृद्रुजो मनोरथान्तं श्रुतयो यथा ययु: । स्वैरुत्तरीयै: कुचकुङ्कुमाङ्कितै- रचीक्लृपन्नासनमात्मबन्धवे ॥ १३ ॥

Their heartache vanquished by the ecstasy of seeing Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs, like the personified Vedas before them, felt their desires completely fulfilled. For their dear friend Kṛṣṇa they arranged a seat with their shawls which were smeared with the kuṅkuma powder from their breasts.

Verse 14

तत्रोपविष्टो भगवान् स ईश्वरो योगेश्वरान्तर्हृदि कल्पितासन: । चकास गोपीपरिषद्गतोऽर्चित- स्त्रैलोक्यलक्ष्म्येकपदं वपुर्दधत् ॥ १४ ॥

Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for whom the great masters of mystic meditation arrange a seat within their hearts, took His seat in the assembly of gopīs. His transcendental body, the exclusive abode of beauty and opulence within the three worlds, shone brilliantly as the gopīs worshiped Him.

Verse 15

सभाजयित्वा तमनङ्गदीपनं सहासलीलेक्षणविभ्रमभ्रुवा । संस्पर्शनेनाङ्ककृताङ्‍‍‍‍‍घ्रिहस्तयो: संस्तुत्य ईषत्कुपिता बभाषिरे ॥ १५ ॥

Śrī Kṛṣṇa had awakened romantic desires within the gopīs, and they honored Him by glancing at Him with playful smiles, gesturing amorously with their eyebrows, and massaging His hands and feet as they held them in their laps. Even while worshiping Him, however, they felt somewhat angry, and thus they addressed Him as follows.

Verse 16

श्रीगोप्य ऊचु: भजतोऽनुभजन्त्येक एक एतद्विपर्ययम् । नोभयांश्च भजन्त्येक एतन्नो ब्रूहि साधु भो: ॥ १६ ॥

The gopīs said: Some people reciprocate the affection only of those who are affectionate toward them, while others show affection even to those who are indifferent or inimical. And yet others will not show affection toward anyone. Dear Kṛṣṇa, please properly explain this matter to us.

Verse 17

श्रीभगवानुवाच मिथो भजन्ति ये सख्य: स्वार्थैकान्तोद्यमा हि ते । न तत्र सौहृदं धर्म: स्वार्थार्थं तद्धि नान्यथा ॥ १७ ॥

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: So-called friends who show affection for each other only to benefit themselves are actually selfish. They have no true friendship, nor are they following the true principles of religion. Indeed, if they did not expect benefit for themselves, they would not reciprocate.

Verse 18

भजन्त्यभजतो ये वै करुणा: पितरौ यथा । धर्मो निरपवादोऽत्र सौहृदं च सुमध्यमा: ॥ १८ ॥

My dear slender-waisted gopīs, some people are genuinely merciful or, like parents, naturally affectionate. Such persons, who devotedly serve even those who fail to reciprocate with them, are following the true, faultless path of religion, and they are true well-wishers.

Verse 19

भजतोऽपि न वै केचिद् भजन्त्यभजत: कुत: । आत्मारामा ह्याप्तकामा अकृतज्ञा गुरुद्रुह: ॥ १९ ॥

Then there are those individuals who are spiritually self-satisfied, materially fulfilled or by nature ungrateful or simply envious of superiors. Such persons will not love even those who love them, what to speak of those who are inimical.

Verse 20

नाहं तु सख्यो भजतोऽपि जन्तून् भजाम्यमीषामनुवृत्तिवृत्तये । यथाधनो लब्धधने विनष्टे तच्चिन्तयान्यन्निभृतो न वेद ॥ २० ॥

But the reason I do not immediately reciprocate the affection of living beings even when they worship Me, O gopīs, is that I want to intensify their loving devotion. They then become like a poor man who has gained some wealth and then lost it, and who thus becomes so anxious about it that he can think of nothing else.

Verse 21

एवं मदर्थोज्झितलोकवेद- स्वानां हि वो मय्यनुवृत्तयेऽबला: । मयापरोक्षं भजता तिरोहितं मासूयितुं मार्हथ तत् प्रियं प्रिया: ॥ २१ ॥

My dear girls, understanding that simply for My sake you had rejected the authority of worldly opinion, of the Vedas and of your relatives, I acted as I did only to increase your attachment to Me. Even when I removed Myself from your sight by suddenly disappearing, I never stopped loving you. Therefore, My beloved gopīs, please do not harbor any bad feelings toward Me, your beloved.

Verse 22

न पारयेऽहं निरवद्यसंयुजां स्वसाधुकृत्यं विबुधायुषापि व: । या माभजन् दुर्जरगेहश‍ृङ्खला: संवृश्च्य तद् व: प्रतियातु साधुना ॥ २२ ॥

I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahmā. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation.