Shloka 8
Paugaṇḍa Cowherding, Tālavana, the Slaying of Dhenukāsura, and Revival from Poisoned Yamunā Water
धन्येयमद्य धरणी तृणवीरुधस्त्वत्- पादस्पृशो द्रुमलता: करजाभिमृष्टा: । नद्योऽद्रय: खगमृगा: सदयावलोकै- र्गोप्योऽन्तरेण भुजयोरपि यत्स्पृहा श्री: ॥ ८ ॥
dhanyeyam adya dharaṇī tṛṇa-vīrudhas tvat- pāda-spṛśo druma-latāḥ karajābhimṛṣṭāḥ nadyo ’drayaḥ khaga-mṛgāḥ sadayāvalokair gopyo ’ntareṇa bhujayor api yat-spṛhā śrīḥ
ఈ రోజు ఈ భూమి ధన్యమైంది; ఎందుకంటే నీవు నీ పాదాలతో ఆమె గడ్డి-పొదలను తాకావు, నీ వేళ్ల నఖాలతో ఆమె వృక్ష-లతలను స్పర్శించావు. కరుణామయ దృష్టితో ఆమె నదులు, పర్వతాలు, పక్షులు, మృగాలను అనుగ్రహించావు. కానీ అన్నిటికన్నా మించి, నీవు గోపికలను నీ రెండు భుజాల మధ్య ఆలింగనం చేసుకున్నావు—ఆ వరం కోసం స్వయంగా శ్రీలక్ష్మీ కూడా ఆకాంక్షిస్తుంది.
The word adya, “now,” indicates the time of Lord Balarāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa’s appearance on the earth. In His form of Varāha, Lord Kṛṣṇa personally saved the earth, and, indeed, the earth is understood to rest perpetually on the potency of Śeṣa. Both Varāha and Śeṣa are expansions of Balarāma, who is Himself an expansion of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the original Personality of Godhead. Lord Kṛṣṇa’s statement that “this earth has now become most fortunate” ( dhanyeyam adya dharaṇī ) indicates that nothing can equal the blessings of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His personal form as Kṛṣṇa, appearing simultaneously with His plenary expansion, Balarāma. The compound word karajābhimṛṣṭāḥ, “touched by Your fingernails,” indicates that as Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would move through the forest They would pick fruits and flowers from the trees, bushes and creepers and use this paraphernalia in Their pleasure pastimes. Sometimes They would break leaves off the plants and use them with the flowers to decorate Their bodies.
FAQs
It declares that the earth, plants, trees, rivers, mountains, birds, and animals become supremely blessed simply by Kṛṣṇa’s footsteps, hand-touch, and compassionate glance in Vṛndāvana.
They emphasize the extraordinary sweetness of Kṛṣṇa’s Vraja-līlā: even Lakṣmī, who is always close to Him on His chest, longs for the particular tender, intimate mercy Kṛṣṇa bestows in Vṛndāvana.
By cultivating remembrance of Kṛṣṇa with gratitude—seeing nature and life as sanctified by His presence—and by seeking His mercy through loving attention (śravaṇa, kīrtana, smaraṇa) rather than mere external achievement.