Brahmā’s Prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa
VERSE 10.14.1
śrī-brahmovāca
naumīḍya te ’bhra-vapuṣe taḍid-ambarāya
guñjāvataṁsa-paripiccha-lasan-mukhāya
vanya-sraje kavala-vetra-viṣāṇa-veṇu-
lakṣma-śriye mṛdu-pade paśupāṅgajāya
SYNONYMS
śrī-brahmā uvāca — Lord Brahmā said; naumi — I offer praise; īḍya — O most worshipable one; te — unto You; abhra — like a dark cloud; vapuṣe — whose body; taḍit — like lightning; ambarāya — whose garment; guñjā — made of small berries; avataṁsa — with ornaments (for the ears); paripiccha — and peacock feathers; lasat — resplendent; mukhāya — whose face; vanya-sraje — wearing garlands of forest flowers; kavala — a morsel of food; vetra — a stick; viṣāṇa — a buffalo-horn bugle; veṇu — and a flute; lakṣma — characterized by; śriye — whose beauty; mṛdu — soft; pade — whose feet; paśu-pa — of the cowherd (Nanda Mahārāja); aṅga-jāya — unto the son.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā said: My dear Lord, You are the only worshipable Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore I offer my humble obeisances and prayers just to please You. O son of the king of the 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 guñjā 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 and a flute, You stand beautifully with a morsel of food in Your hand.
VERSE 10.14.2
asyāpi deva vapuṣo mad-anugrahasya
svecchā-mayasya na tu bhūta-mayasya ko ’pi
neśe mahi tv avasituṁ manasāntareṇa
sākṣāt tavaiva kim utātma-sukhānubhūteḥ
SYNONYMS
asya — of this; api — even; deva — O Lord; vapuṣaḥ — the body; mat-anugrahasya — which has shown mercy to me; sva-icchā-mayasya — which appears in response to the desires of Your pure devotees; na — not; tu — on the other hand; bhūta-mayasya — a product of matter; kaḥ — Brahmā; api — even; na īśe — I am not able; mahi — the potency; tu — indeed; avasitum — to estimate; manasā — with my mind; antareṇa — which is controlled and withdrawn; sākṣāt — directly; tava — Your; eva — indeed; kim uta — what to speak; ātma — within Yourself; sukha — of happiness; anubhūteḥ — of Your experience.
TRANSLATION
My dear Lord, neither I nor anyone else can estimate the potency of this transcendental body of Yours, which has shown such mercy to me and which appears just to fulfill the desires of Your pure devotees. Although my mind is completely withdrawn from material affairs, I cannot understand Your personal form. How, then, could I possibly understand the happiness You experience within Yourself?
VERSE 10.14.3
jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva
jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām
sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir
ye prāyaśo ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām
SYNONYMS
jñāne — for knowledge; prayāsam — the endeavor; udapāsya — giving up completely; namantaḥ — offering obeisances; eva — simply; jīvanti — live; sat-mukharitām — chanted by the pure devotees; bhavadīya-vārtām — topics related to You; sthāne — in their material position; sthitāḥ — remaining; śruti-gatām — received by hearing; tanu — with their body; vāk — words; manobhiḥ — and mind; ye — who; prāyaśaḥ — for the most part; ajita — O unconquerable one; jitaḥ — conquered; api — nevertheless; asi — You become; taiḥ — by them; tri-lokyām — within the three worlds.
TRANSLATION
Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.
VERSE 10.14.4
śreyaḥ-sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho
kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye
teṣām asau kleśala eva śiṣyate
nānyad yathā sthūla-tuṣāvaghātinām
SYNONYMS
śreyaḥ — of supreme benefit; sṛtim — the path; bhaktim — devotional service; udasya — rejecting; te — they; vibho — O almighty Lord; kliśyanti — struggle; ye — who; kevala — exclusive; bodha — of knowledge; labdhaye — for the achievement; teṣām — for them; asau — this; kleśalaḥ — botheration; eva — merely; śiṣyate — remains; na — nothing; anyat — other; yathā — just as; sthūla-tuṣa — empty husks; avaghātinām — for those who are beating.
TRANSLATION
My dear Lord, devotional service unto You is the best path for self-realization. If someone gives up that path and engages in the cultivation of speculative knowledge, he will simply undergo a troublesome process and will not achieve his desired result. As a person who beats an empty husk of wheat cannot get grain, one who simply speculates cannot achieve self-realization. His only gain is trouble.
VERSE 10.14.5
pureha bhūman bahavo ’pi yoginas
tvad-arpitehā nija-karma-labdhayā
vibudhya bhaktyaiva kathopanītayā
prapedire ’ñjo ’cyuta te gatiṁ parām
SYNONYMS
purā — previously; iha — in this world; bhūman — O almighty Lord; bahavaḥ — many; api — indeed; yoginaḥ — followers of the path of yoga; tvat — unto You; arpita — having offered; īhāḥ — all their endeavors; nija-karma — by their prescribed duties; labdhayā — which is achieved; vibudhya — coming to understand; bhaktyā — by devotional service; eva — indeed; kathā-upanītayā — cultivated through hearing and chanting topics about You; prapedire — they achieved by surrender; añjaḥ — easily; acyuta — O infallible one; te — Your; gatim — destination; parām — supreme.
TRANSLATION
O almighty Lord, in the past many yogīs in this world achieved the platform of devotional service by offering all their endeavors unto You and faithfully carrying out their prescribed duties. Through such devotional service, perfected by the processes of hearing and chanting about You, they came to understand You, O infallible one, and could easily surrender to You and achieve Your supreme abode.
VERSE 10.14.6
tathāpi bhūman mahimāguṇasya te
viboddhum arhaty amalāntar-ātmabhiḥ
avikriyāt svānubhavād arūpato
hy ananya-bodhyātmatayā na cānyathā
SYNONYMS
tathā api — nevertheless; bhūman — O limitless one; mahimā — the potency; aguṇasya — of Him who has no material qualities; te — of You; viboddhum — to understand; arhati — one is able; amala — spotless; antaḥ-ātmabhiḥ — with mind and senses; avikriyāt — not based on material differentiations; sva-anubhavāt — by perception of the Supreme Soul; arūpataḥ — without attachment to material forms; hi — indeed; ananya-bodhya-ātmatayā — as self-manifested, without the help of any other illuminating agent; na — not; ca — and; anyathā — otherwise.
TRANSLATION
Nondevotees, however, cannot realize You in Your full personal feature. Nevertheless, it may be possible for them to realize Your expansion as the impersonal Supreme by cultivating direct perception of the Self within the heart. But they can do this only by purifying their mind and senses of all conceptions of material distinctions and all attachment to material sense objects. Only in this way will Your impersonal feature manifest itself to them.
VERSE 10.14.7
guṇātmanas te ’pi guṇān vimātuṁ
hitāvatīṛnasya ka īśire ’sya
kālena yair vā vimitāḥ su-kalpair
bhū-pāṁśavaḥ khe mihikā dyu-bhāsaḥ
SYNONYMS
guṇa-ātmanaḥ — of the possessor of all superior qualities; te — You; api — certainly; guṇān — the qualities; vimātum — to count; hita-avatīrṇasya — who have descended for the benefit of all living entities; ke — who; īśire — are able; asya — of the universe; kālena — in due course of time; yaiḥ — by whom; vā — or; vimitāḥ — counted; su-kalpaiḥ — by great scientists; bhū-pāṁśavaḥ — the atoms of an earthly planet; khe — in the sky; mihikāḥ — the particles of snow; dyu-bhāsaḥ — the illumination of stars and planets.
TRANSLATION
In time, learned philosophers or scientists might be able to count all the atoms of the earth, the particles of snow, or perhaps even the shining molecules radiating from the sun, the stars and other luminaries. But among these learned men, who could possibly count the unlimited transcendental qualities possessed by You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who have descended onto the surface of the earth for the benefit of all living entities?
VERSE 10.14.8
tat te ’nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo
bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam
hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk
SYNONYMS
tat — therefore; te — Your; anukampām — compassion; su-samīkṣamāṇaḥ — earnestly hoping for; bhuñjānaḥ — enduring; eva — certainly; ātma-kṛtam — done by himself; vipākam — the fruitive results; hṛt — with his heart; vāk — words; vapurbhiḥ — and body; vidadhan — offering; namaḥ — obeisances; te — unto You; jīveta — lives; yaḥ — anyone who; mukti-pade — to the position of liberation; saḥ — he; dāya-bhāk — the rightful heir.
TRANSLATION
My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim.
VERSE 10.14.9
paśyeśa me ’nāryam ananta ādye
parātmani tvayy api māyi-māyini
māyāṁ vitatyekṣitum ātma-vaibhavaṁ
hy ahaṁ kiyān aiccham ivārcir agnau
SYNONYMS
paśya — just see; īśa — O Lord; me — my; anāryam — contemptible behavior; anante — against the unlimited; ādye — the primeval; para-ātmani — the Supersoul; tvayi — You; api — even; māyi-māyini — for the masters of illusion; māyām — (my) illusory potency; vitatya — spreading; īkṣitum — to see; ātma — Your; vaibhavam — power; hi — indeed; aham — I; kiyān — how much; aiccham — I desired; iva — just like; arciḥ — a small spark; agnau — in comparison to the whole fire.
TRANSLATION
My Lord, just see my uncivilized impudence! To test Your power I tried to extend my illusory potency to cover You, the unlimited and primeval Supersoul, who bewilder even the masters of illusion. What am I compared to You? I am just like a small spark in the presence of a great fire.
VERSE 10.14.10
ataḥ kṣamasvācyuta me rajo-bhuvo
hy ajānatas tvat-pṛthag-īśa-māninaḥ
ajāvalepāndha-tamo-’ndha-cakṣuṣa
eṣo ’nukampyo mayi nāthavān iti
SYNONYMS
ataḥ — therefore; kṣamasva — please excuse; acyuta — O infallible Lord; me — me; rajaḥ-bhuvaḥ — who have taken birth in the mode of passion; hi — indeed; ajānataḥ — being ignorant; tvat — from You; pṛthak — separate; īśa — a controller; māninaḥ — presuming myself; aja — the unborn creator; avalepa — the covering; andha-tamaḥ — by such darkness of ignorance; andha — blinded; cakṣuṣaḥ — my eyes; eṣaḥ — this person; anukampyaḥ — should be shown mercy; mayi — Me; nātha-vān — having as his master; iti — thus thinking.
TRANSLATION
Therefore, O infallible Lord, kindly excuse my offenses. I have taken birth in the mode of passion and am therefore simply foolish, presuming myself a controller independent of Your Lordship. My eyes are blinded by the darkness of ignorance, which causes me to think of myself as the unborn creator of the universe. But please consider that I am Your servant and therefore worthy of Your compassion.
VERSE 10.14.11
kvāhaṁ tamo-mahad-ahaṁ-kha-carāgni-vār-bhū-
saṁveṣṭitāṇḍa-ghaṭa-sapta-vitasti-kāyaḥ
kvedṛg-vidhāvigaṇitāṇḍa-parāṇu-caryā-
vātādhva-roma-vivarasya ca te mahitvam
SYNONYMS
kva — where; aham — I; tamaḥ — the material nature; mahat — the total material energy; aham — false ego; kha — ether; cara — air; agni — fire; vāḥ — water; bhū — earth; saṁveṣṭita — surrounded by; aṇḍa-ghaṭa — a potlike universe; sapta-vitasti — seven spans; kāyaḥ — body; kva — where; īdṛk — such; vidhā — like; avigaṇita — unlimited; aṇḍa — universes; para-aṇu — like the atomic dust; caryā — moving; vāta-adhva — airholes; roma — of hair on the body; vivarasya — of the holes; ca — also; te — Your; mahitvam — greatness.
TRANSLATION
What am I, a small creature measuring seven spans of my own hand? I am enclosed in a potlike universe composed of material nature, the total material energy, false ego, ether, air, water and earth. And what is Your glory? Unlimited universes pass through the pores of Your body just as particles of dust pass through the openings of a screened window.
VERSE 10.14.12
utkṣepaṇaṁ garbha-gatasya pādayoḥ
kiṁ kalpate mātur adhokṣajāgase
kim asti-nāsti-vyapadeśa-bhūṣitaṁ
tavāsti kukṣeḥ kiyad apy anantaḥ
SYNONYMS
utkṣepaṇam — the kicking; garbha-gatasya — of a child in the womb; pādayoḥ — of the legs; kim — what; kalpate — amounts to; mātuḥ — for the mother; adhokṣaja — O transcendental Lord; āgase — as an offense; kim — what; asti — it exists; na asti — it does not exist; vyapadeśa — by the designations; bhūṣitam — decorated; tava — Your; asti — there is; kukṣeḥ — of the abdomen; kiyat — how much; api — even; anantaḥ — external.
TRANSLATION
O Lord Adhokṣaja, does a mother take offense when the child within her womb kicks with his legs? And is there anything in existence — whether designated by various philosophers as real or as unreal — that is actually outside Your abdomen?
VERSE 10.14.13
jagat-trayāntodadhi-samplavode
nārāyaṇasyodara-nābhi-nālāt
vinirgato ’jas tv iti vāṅ na vai mṛṣā
kintv īśvara tvan na vinirgato ’smi
SYNONYMS
jagat-traya — of the three worlds; anta — in the dissolution; udadhi — of all the oceans; samplava — of the total deluge; ude — in the water; nārāyaṇasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa; udara — growing from the abdomen; nābhi — from the navel; nālāt — out of the lotus stem; vinirgataḥ — came out; ajaḥ — Brahmā; tu — indeed; iti — thus speaking; vāk — the words; na — are not; vai — certainly; mṛṣā — false; kintu — thus; īśvara — O Lord; tvat — from You; na — not; vinirgataḥ — specifically emanated; asmi — am I.
TRANSLATION
My dear Lord, it is said that when the three planetary systems are merged into the water at the time of dissolution, Your plenary portion, Nārāyaṇa, lies down on the water, gradually a lotus flower grows from His navel, and Brahmā takes birth upon that lotus flower. Certainly, these words are not false. Thus am I not born from You?
VERSE 10.14.14
nārāyaṇas tvaṁ na hi sarva-dehinām
ātmāsy adhīśākhila-loka-sākṣī
nārāyaṇo ’ṅgaṁ nara-bhū-jalāyanāt
tac cāpi satyaṁ na tavaiva māyā
SYNONYMS
nārāyaṇaḥ — the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa; tvam — You; na — not; hi — whether; sarva — of all; dehinām — embodied living beings; ātmā — the Supersoul; asi — You are; adhīśa — O supreme controller; akhila — of all; loka — planets; sākṣī — the witness; nārāyaṇaḥ — Lord Śrī Nārāyaṇa; aṅgam — the expanded plenary portion; nara — from the Supreme Personality; bhū — originating; jala — of the water; ayanāt — because of being the manifesting source; tat — that (expansion); ca — and; api — indeed; satyam — true; na — not; tava — Your; eva — at all; māyā — illusory energy.
TRANSLATION
Are You not the original Nārāyaṇa, O supreme controller, since You are the Soul of every embodied being and the eternal witness of all created realms? Indeed, Lord Nārāyaṇa is Your expansion, and He is called Nārāyaṇa because He is the generating source of the primeval water of the universe. He is real, not a product of Your illusory Māyā.
VERSE 10.14.15
tac cej jala-sthaṁ tava saj jagad-vapuḥ
kiṁ me na dṛṣṭaṁ bhagavaṁs tadaiva
kiṁ vā su-dṛṣṭaṁ hṛdi me tadaiva
kiṁ no sapady eva punar vyadarśi
SYNONYMS
tat — that; cet — if; jala-stham — situated upon the water; tava — Your; sat — real; jagat — sheltering the entire universe; vapuḥ — the transcendental body; kim — why; me — by me; na dṛṣṭam — was not seen; bhagavan — O Supreme Lord; tadā eva — at that very time; kim — why; vā — or; su-dṛṣṭam — perfectly seen; hṛdi — within the heart; me — by me; tadā eva — just then; kim — why; na — not; u — on the other hand; sapadi — suddenly; eva — indeed; punaḥ — again; vyadarśi — was seen.
TRANSLATION
My dear Lord, if Your transcendental body, which shelters the entire universe, is actually lying upon the water, then why were You not seen by me when I searched for You? And why, though I could not envision You properly within my heart, did You then suddenly reveal Yourself?
VERSE 10.14.16
atraiva māyā-dhamanāvatāre
hy asya prapañcasya bahiḥ sphuṭasya
kṛtsnasya cāntar jaṭhare jananyā
māyātvam eva prakaṭī-kṛtaṁ te
SYNONYMS
atra — in this; eva — indeed; māyā-dhamana — O subduer of Māyā; avatāre — in the incarnation; hi — certainly; asya — of this; prapañcasya — created material manifestation; bahiḥ — externally; sphuṭasya — which is visible; kṛtsnasya — entire; ca — and; antaḥ — within; jaṭhare — Your abdomen; jananyāḥ — unto Your mother; māyātvam — Your bewildering potency; eva — indeed; prakaṭī-kṛtam — has been demonstrated; te — by You.
TRANSLATION
My dear Lord, in this incarnation You have proved that You are the supreme controller of Māyā. Although You are now within this universe, the whole universal creation is within Your transcendental body — a fact You demonstrated by exhibiting the universe within Your abdomen before Your mother, Yaśodā.
VERSE 10.14.17
yasya kukṣāv idaṁ sarvaṁ
sātmaṁ bhāti yathā tathā
tat tvayy apīha tat sarvaṁ
kim idaṁ māyayā vinā
SYNONYMS
yasya — of whom; kukṣau — within the abdomen; idam — this cosmic manifestation; sarvam — all; sa-ātmam — including Yourself; bhāti — is manifested; yathā — as; tathā — so; tat — that; tvayi — within You; api — although; iha — here externally; tat — that cosmic manifestation; sarvam — whole; kim — what; idam — this; māyayā — the influence of Your inconceivable energy; vinā — without.
TRANSLATION
Just as this entire universe, including You, was exhibited within Your abdomen, so it is now manifested here externally in the same exact form. How could such things happen unless arranged by Your inconceivable energy?
VERSE 10.14.18
adyaiva tvad ṛte ’sya kiṁ mama na te māyātvam ādarśitam
eko ’si prathamaṁ tato vraja-suhṛd-vatsāḥ samastā api
tāvanto ’si catur-bhujās tad akhilaiḥ sākaṁ mayopāsitās
tāvanty eva jaganty abhūs tad amitaṁ brahmādvayaṁ śiṣyate
SYNONYMS
adya — today; eva — just; tvat ṛte — apart from You; asya — of this universe; kim — what; mama — to me; na — not; te — by You; māyātvam — the basis in Your inconceivable potency; ādarśitam — shown; ekaḥ — alone; asi — You are; prathamam — first of all; tataḥ — then; vraja-suhṛt — Your cowherd boyfriends of Vṛndāvana; vatsāḥ — and the calves; samastāḥ — all; api — even; tāvantaḥ — of the same number; asi — You became; catuḥ-bhujāḥ — four-handed forms of Lord Viṣṇu; tat — then; akhilaiḥ — by all; sākam — together with; mayā — myself; upāsitāḥ — being worshiped; tāvanti — of the same number; eva — also; jaganti — universes; abhūḥ — You became; tat — then; amitam — the unlimited; brahma — Absolute Truth; advayam — one without a second; śiṣyate — You now remain.
TRANSLATION
Have You not shown me today that both You Yourself and everything within this creation are manifestations of Your inconceivable potency? First You appeared alone, and then You manifested Yourself as all of Vṛndāvana’s calves and cowherd boys, Your friends. Next You appeared as an equal number of four-handed Viṣṇu forms, who were worshiped by all living beings, including me, and after that You appeared as an equal number of complete universes. Finally, You have now returned to Your unlimited form as the Supreme Absolute Truth, one without a second.
VERSE 10.14.19
ajānatāṁ tvat-padavīm anātmany
ātmātmanā bhāsi vitatya māyām
sṛṣṭāv ivāhaṁ jagato vidhāna
iva tvam eṣo ’nta iva trinetraḥ
SYNONYMS
ajānatām — to persons who are in ignorance; tvat-padavīm — of Your transcendental position; anātmani — in the material energy; ātmā — Yourself; ātmanā — by Yourself; bhāsi — appear; vitatya — expanding; māyām — Your inconceivable energy; sṛṣṭau — in the matter of creation; iva — as if; aham — I, Brahmā; jagataḥ — of the universe; vidhāne — in the maintenance; iva — as if; tvam eṣaḥ — Yourself; ante — in the annihilation; iva — as if; tri-netraḥ — Lord Śiva.
TRANSLATION
To persons ignorant of Your actual transcendental position, You appear as part of the material world, manifesting Yourself by the expansion of Your inconceivable energy. Thus for the creation of the universe You appear as me [Brahmā], for its maintenance You appear as Yourself [Viṣṇu], and for its annihilation You appear as Lord Trinetra [Śiva].
VERSE 10.14.20
sureṣv ṛṣiṣv īśa tathaiva nṛṣv api
tiryakṣu yādaḥsv api te ’janasya
janmāsatāṁ durmada-nigrahāya
prabho vidhātaḥ sad-anugrahāya ca
SYNONYMS
sureṣu — among the demigods; ṛṣiṣu — among the great sages; īśa — O Lord; tathā — as well as; eva — indeed; nṛṣu — among the human beings; api — and; tiryakṣu — among animals; yādaḥsu — among aquatics; api — also; te — of You; ajanasya — who never takes material birth; janma — the birth; asatām — of the nondevotees; durmada — the false pride; nigrahāya — for the purpose of subduing; prabho — O master; vidhātaḥ — O creator; sat — to the faithful devotees; anugrahāya — for the purpose of showing mercy; ca — and.
TRANSLATION
O Lord, O supreme creator and master, You have no material birth, yet to defeat the false pride of the faithless demons and show mercy to Your saintly devotees, You take birth among the demigods, sages, human beings, animals and even the aquatics.
VERSE 10.14.21
ko vetti bhūman bhagavan parātman
yogeśvarotīr bhavatas tri-lokyām
kva vā kathaṁ vā kati vā kadeti
vistārayan krīḍasi yoga-māyām
SYNONYMS
kaḥ — who; vetti — knows; bhūman — O supreme great one; bhagavan — O Supreme Personality of Godhead; para-ātman — O Supreme Soul; yoga-īśvara — O master of mystic power; ūtīḥ — the pastimes; bhavataḥ — of Your Lordship; tri-lokyām — in the three worlds; kva — where; vā — or; katham — how; vā — or; kati — how many; vā — or; kadā — when; iti — thus; vistārayan — expanding; krīḍasi — You play; yoga-māyām — Your spiritual energy.
TRANSLATION
O supreme great one! O Supreme Personality of Godhead! O Supersoul, master of all mystic power! Your pastimes are taking place continuously in these three worlds, but who can estimate where, how and when You are employing Your spiritual energy and performing these innumerable pastimes? No one can understand the mystery of how Your spiritual energy acts.
VERSE 10.14.22
tasmād idaṁ jagad aśeṣam asat-svarūpaṁ
svapnābham asta-dhiṣaṇaṁ puru-duḥkha-duḥkham
tvayy eva nitya-sukha-bodha-tanāv anante
māyāta udyad api yat sad ivāvabhāti
SYNONYMS
tasmāt — therefore; idam — this; jagat — cosmic manifestation; aśeṣam — entire; asat-svarūpam — whose existence is unreal in the sense of temporary; svapna-ābham — like a dream; asta-dhiṣaṇam — wherein awareness becomes covered over; puru-duḥkha-duḥkham — full of repeated miseries; tvayi — within You; eva — indeed; nitya — eternal; sukha — happy; bodha — conscious; tanau — whose personal appearances; anante — who is unlimited; māyātaḥ — by the illusory energy; udyat — coming forth; api — although; yat — which; sat — real; iva — as if; avabhāti — appears.
TRANSLATION
Therefore this entire universe, which like a dream is by nature unreal, nevertheless appears real, and thus it covers one’s consciousness and assails one with repeated miseries. This universe appears real because it is manifested by the potency of illusion emanating from You, whose unlimited transcendental forms are full of eternal happiness and knowledge.
VERSE 10.14.23
ekas tvam ātmā puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ
satyaḥ svayaṁ-jyotir ananta ādyaḥ
nityo ’kṣaro ’jasra-sukho nirañjanaḥ
pūrṇādvayo mukta upādhito ’mṛtaḥ
SYNONYMS
ekaḥ — one; tvam — You; ātmā — the Supreme Soul; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Person; purāṇaḥ — the oldest; satyaḥ — the Absolute Truth; svayam-jyotiḥ — self-manifested; anantaḥ — without end; ādyaḥ — without beginning; nityaḥ — eternal; akṣaraḥ — indestructible; ajasra-sukhaḥ — whose happiness cannot be obstructed; nirañjanaḥ — devoid of contamination; pūrṇa — complete; advayaḥ — without a second; muktaḥ — free; upādhitaḥ — from all material designations; amṛtaḥ — deathless.
TRANSLATION
You are the one Supreme Soul, the primeval Supreme Personality, the Absolute Truth — self-manifested, endless and beginningless. You are eternal and infallible, perfect and complete, without any rival and free from all material designations. Your happiness can never be obstructed, nor have You any connection with material contamination. Indeed, You are the indestructible nectar of immortality.
VERSE 10.14.24
evaṁ-vidhaṁ tvāṁ sakalātmanām api
svātmānam ātmātmatayā vicakṣate
gurv-arka-labdhopaniṣat-sucakṣuṣā
ye te tarantīva bhavānṛtāmbudhim
SYNONYMS
evam-vidham — as thus described; tvām — You; sakala — of all; ātmanām — souls; api — indeed; sva-ātmānam — the very Soul; ātma-ātmatayā — as the Supersoul; vicakṣate — they see; guru — from the spiritual master; arka — who is like the sun; labdha — received; upaniṣat — of confidential knowledge; su-cakṣuṣā — by the perfect eye; ye — who; te — they; taranti — cross over; iva — easily; bhava — of material existence; anṛta — which is not real; ambudhim — the ocean.
TRANSLATION
Those who have received the clear vision of knowledge from the sunlike spiritual master can see You in this way, as the very Soul of all souls, the Supersoul of everyone’s own self. Thus understanding Your original personality, they are able to cross over the ocean of illusory material existence.
VERSE 10.14.25
ātmānam evātmatayāvijānatāṁ
tenaiva jātaṁ nikhilaṁ prapañcitam
jñānena bhūyo ’pi ca tat pralīyate
rajjvām aher bhoga-bhavābhavau yathā
SYNONYMS
ātmānam — Yourself; eva — indeed; ātmatayā — as the Supreme Soul; avijānatām — for those who do not understand; tena — by that; eva — alone; jātam — is generated; nikhilam — the entire; prapañcitam — material existence; jñānena — by knowledge; bhūyaḥ api — once again; ca — and; tat — that material existence; pralīyate — disappears; rajjvām — within a rope; aheḥ — of a snake; bhoga — of the body; bhava-abhavau — the apparent appearance and disappearance; yathā — just as.
TRANSLATION
A person who mistakes a rope for a snake becomes fearful, but he then gives up his fear upon realizing that the so-called snake does not exist. Similarly, for those who fail to recognize You as the Supreme Soul of all souls, the expansive illusory material existence arises, but knowledge of You at once causes it to subside.
VERSE 10.14.26
ajñāna-saṁjñau bhava-bandha-mokṣau
dvau nāma nānyau sta ṛta-jña-bhāvāt
ajasra-city ātmani kevale pare
vicāryamāṇe taraṇāv ivāhanī
SYNONYMS
ajñāna — manifesting from ignorance; saṁjñau — which designations; bhava-bandha — bondage to material existence; mokṣau — and liberation; dvau — the two; nāma — indeed; na — not; anyau — separate; staḥ — are; ṛta — true; jña-bhāvāt — from knowledge; ajasra-citi — whose awareness is unimpeded; ātmani — the spirit soul; kevale — who is separate from matter; pare — who is pure; vicāryamāṇe — when he is properly distinguished; taraṇau — within the sun; iva — just as; ahanī — day and night.
TRANSLATION
The conception of material bondage and the conception of liberation are both manifestations of ignorance. Being outside the scope of true knowledge, they cease to exist when one correctly understands that the pure spirit soul is distinct from matter and always fully conscious. At that time bondage and liberation no longer have any significance, just as day and night have no significance from the perspective of the sun.
VERSE 10.14.27
tvām ātmānaṁ paraṁ matvā
param ātmānam eva ca
ātmā punar bahir mṛgya
aho ’jña-janatājñatā
SYNONYMS
tvām — You; ātmānam — the real self; param — something else; matvā — thinking; param — something else; ātmānam — Yourself; eva — indeed; ca — also; ātmā — the Supreme Self; punaḥ — again; bahiḥ — outside; mṛgyaḥ — must be searched out; aho — oh; ajña — ignorant; janatā — of persons; ajñatā — the ignorance.
TRANSLATION
Just see the foolishness of those ignorant persons who consider You to be some separated manifestation of illusion and who consider the self, which is actually You, to be something else, the material body. Such fools conclude that the supreme soul is to be searched for somewhere outside Your supreme personality.
VERSE 10.14.28
antar-bhave ’nanta bhavantam eva
hy atat tyajanto mṛgayanti santaḥ
asantam apy anty ahim antareṇa
santaṁ guṇaṁ taṁ kim u yanti santaḥ
SYNONYMS
antaḥ-bhave — within the body; ananta — O unlimited Lord; bhavantam — Yourself; eva — indeed; hi — certainly; atat — everything separate from You; tyajantaḥ — rejecting; mṛgayanti — search out; santaḥ — the saintly devotees; asantam — unreal; api — even; anti — present nearby; ahim — (the illusion of) a snake; antareṇa — without (negating); santam — real; guṇam — the rope; tam — that; kim u — whether; yanti — appreciate; santaḥ — persons who are spiritually situated.
TRANSLATION
O unlimited Lord, the saintly devotees seek You out within their own bodies by rejecting everything separate from You. Indeed, how can discriminating persons appreciate the real nature of a rope lying before them until they refute the illusion that it is a snake?
VERSE 10.14.29
athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-
prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi
jānāti tattvaṁ bhagavan-mahimno
na cānya eko ’pi ciraṁ vicinvan
SYNONYMS
atha — therefore; api — indeed; te — Your; deva — my Lord; pada-ambuja-dvaya — of the two lotus feet; prasāda — of the mercy; leśa — by only a trace; anugṛhītaḥ — favored; eva — certainly; hi — indeed; jānāti — one knows; tattvam — the truth; bhagavat — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mahimnaḥ — of the greatness; na — never; ca — and; anyaḥ — another; ekaḥ — one; api — although; ciram — for a long period; vicinvan — speculating.
TRANSLATION
My Lord, if one is favored by even a slight trace of the mercy of Your lotus feet, he can understand the greatness of Your personality. But those who speculate to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are unable to know You, even though they continue to study the Vedas for many years.
VERSE 10.14.30
tad astu me nātha sa bhūri-bhāgo
bhave ’tra vānyatra tu vā tiraścām
yenāham eko ’pi bhavaj-janānāṁ
bhūtvā niṣeve tava pāda-pallavam
SYNONYMS
tat — therefore; astu — may it be; me — my; nātha — O master; saḥ — that; bhūri-bhāgaḥ — greatest good fortune; bhave — in the birth; atra — this; vā — or; anyatra — in some other birth; tu — indeed; vā — or; tiraścām — among the animals; yena — by which; aham — I; ekaḥ — one; api — even; bhavat — or Your; janānām — devotees; bhūtvā — becoming; niṣeve — I may fully engage in serving; tava — Your; pāda-pallavam — lotus feet.
TRANSLATION
My dear Lord, I therefore pray to be so fortunate that in this life as Lord Brahmā or in another life, wherever I take my birth, I may be counted as one of Your devotees. I pray that wherever I may be, even among the animal species, I can engage in devotional service to Your lotus feet.
VERSE 10.14.31
aho ’ti-dhanyā vraja-go-ramaṇyaḥ
stanyāmṛtaṁ pītam atīva te mudā
yāsāṁ vibho vatsatarātmajātmanā
yat-tṛptaye ’dyāpi na cālam adhvarāḥ
SYNONYMS
aho — oh; ati-dhanyāḥ — most fortunate; vraja — of Vṛndāvana; go — the cows; ramaṇyaḥ — and the gopīs; stanya — the breast milk; amṛtam — which is like nectar; pītam — has been drunk; atīva — fully; te — by You; mudā — with satisfaction; yāsām — of whom; vibho — O almighty Lord; vatsatara-ātmaja-ātmanā — in the form of the calves and the sons of the cowherd women; yat — whose; tṛptaye — for the satisfaction; adya api — even until now; na — not; ca — and; alam — sufficient; adhvarāḥ — the Vedic sacrifices.
TRANSLATION
O almighty Lord, how greatly fortunate are the cows and ladies of Vṛndāvana, the nectar of whose breast milk You have happily drunk to Your full satisfaction, taking the form of their calves and children! All the Vedic sacrifices performed from time immemorial up to the present day have not given You as much satisfaction.
VERSE 10.14.32
aho bhāgyam aho bhāgyaṁ
nanda-gopa-vrajaukasām
yan-mitraṁ paramānandaṁ
pūrṇaṁ brahma sanātanam
SYNONYMS
aho — what great; bhāgyam — fortune; aho — what great; bhāgyam — fortune; nanda — of Mahārāja Nanda; gopa — of the other cowherd men; vraja-okasām — of the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi; yat — of whom; mitram — the friend; parama-ānandam — the supreme bliss; pūrṇam — complete; brahma — the Absolute Truth; sanātanam — eternal.
TRANSLATION
How greatly fortunate are Nanda Mahārāja, the cowherd men and all the other inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi! There is no limit to their good fortune, because the Absolute Truth, the source of transcendental bliss, the eternal Supreme Brahman, has become their friend.
VERSE 10.14.33
eṣāṁ tu bhāgya-mahimācyuta tāvad āstām
ekādaśaiva hi vayaṁ bata bhūri-bhāgāḥ
etad-dhṛṣīka-caṣakair asakṛt pibāmaḥ
śarvādayo ’ṅghry-udaja-madhv-amṛtāsavaṁ te
SYNONYMS
eṣām — of these (residents of Vṛndāvana); tu — however; bhāgya — of the good fortune; mahimā — the greatness; acyuta — O infallible Supreme Lord; tāvat — so much; āstām — let it be; ekādaśa — the eleven; eva hi — indeed; vayam — we; bata — oh; bhūri-bhāgāḥ — are most fortunate; etat — of these devotees; hṛṣīka — by the senses; caṣakaiḥ — (which are like) drinking cups; asakṛt — repeatedly; pibāmaḥ — we are drinking; śarva-ādayaḥ — Lord Śiva and the other chief demigods; aṅghri-udaja — of the lotus feet; madhu — the honey; amṛta-āsavam — which is a nectarean, intoxicating beverage; te — of You.
TRANSLATION
Yet even though the extent of the good fortune of these residents of Vṛndāvana is inconceivable, we eleven presiding deities of the various senses, headed by Lord Śiva, are also most fortunate, because the senses of these devotees of Vṛndāvana are the cups through which we repeatedly drink the nectarean, intoxicating beverage of the honey of Your lotus feet.
VERSE 10.14.34
tad bhūri-bhāgyam iha janma kim apy aṭavyāṁ
yad gokule ’pi katamāṅghri-rajo-’bhiṣekam
yaj-jīvitaṁ tu nikhilaṁ bhagavān mukundas
tv adyāpi yat-pada-rajaḥ śruti-mṛgyam eva
SYNONYMS
tat — that; bhūri-bhāgyam — the greatest good fortune; iha — here; janma — the birth; kim api — any whatsoever; aṭavyām — in the forest (of Vṛndāvana); yat — which; gokule — in Gokula; api — even; katama — of any (of the devotees); aṅghri — of the feet; rajaḥ — by the dust; abhiṣekam — bathing; yat — whose; jīvitam — life; tu — indeed; nikhilam — whole; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mukundaḥ — Lord Mukunda; tu — but; adya api — even until now; yat — whose; pāda-rajaḥ — dust of the feet; śruti — by the Vedas; mṛgyam — sought after; eva — certainly.
TRANSLATION
My greatest possible good fortune would be to take any birth whatever in this forest of Gokula and have my head bathed by the dust falling from the lotus feet of any of its residents. Their entire life and soul is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, the dust of whose lotus feet is still being searched for in the Vedic mantras.
VERSE 10.14.35
eṣāṁ ghoṣa-nivāsinām uta bhavān kiṁ deva rāteti naś
ceto viśva-phalāt phalaṁ tvad-aparaṁ kutrāpy ayan muhyati
sad-veṣād iva pūtanāpi sa-kulā tvām eva devāpitā
yad-dhāmārtha-suhṛt-priyātma-tanaya-prāṇāśayās tvat-kṛte
SYNONYMS
eṣām — to these; ghoṣa-nivāsinām — residents of the cowherd community; uta — indeed; bhavān — Your Lordship; kim — what; deva — O Supreme Personality of Godhead; rātā — will give; iti — thinking thus; naḥ — our; cetaḥ — mind; viśva-phalāt — than the supreme source of all benedictions; phalam — a reward; tvat — than You; aparam — other; kutra api — anywhere; ayat — considering; muhyati — becomes bewildered; sat-veṣāt — by disguising herself as a devotee; iva — indeed; pūtanā — the demoness Pūtanā; api — even; sa-kulā — along with her family members, Bakāsura and Aghāsura; tvām — You; eva — certainly; deva — O Lord; āpitā — was made to attain; yat — whose; dhāma — homes; artha — wealth; suhṛt — friends; priya — dear relatives; ātma — bodies; tanaya — children; prāṇa — life air; āśayāḥ — and minds; tvat-kṛte — dedicated to You.
TRANSLATION
My mind becomes bewildered just trying to think of what reward other than You could be found anywhere. You are the embodiment of all benedictions, which You bestow upon these residents of the cowherd community of Vṛndāvana. You have already arranged to give Yourself to Pūtanā and her family members in exchange for her disguising herself as a devotee. So what is left for You to give these devotees of Vṛndāvana, whose homes, wealth, friends, dear relations, bodies, children and very lives and hearts are all dedicated only to You?
VERSE 10.14.36
tāvad rāgādayaḥ stenās
tāvat kārā-gṛhaṁ gṛham
tāvan moho ’ṅghri-nigaḍo
yāvat kṛṣṇa na te janāḥ
SYNONYMS
tāvat — for that long; rāga-ādayaḥ — material attachment and so on; stenāḥ — thieves; tāvat — for that long; kārā-gṛham — a prison; gṛham — one’s home; tāvat — for that long; mohaḥ — the bewilderment of family affection; aṅghri — upon their feet; nigaḍaḥ — shackles; yāvat — as long as; kṛṣṇa — O Lord Kṛṣṇa; na — do not become; te — Your (devotees); janāḥ — any persons.
TRANSLATION
My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, until people become Your devotees, their material attachments and desires remain thieves, their homes remain prisons, and their affectionate feelings for their family members remain foot-shackles.
VERSE 10.14.37
prapañcaṁ niṣprapañco ’pi
viḍambayasi bhū-tale
prapanna-janatānanda-
sandohaṁ prathituṁ prabho
SYNONYMS
prapañcam — that which is material; niṣprapañcaḥ — completely transcendental to material existence; api — although; viḍambayasi — You imitate; bhū-tale — on the surface of the earth; prapanna — who are surrendered; janatā — of people; ānanda-sandoham — the great variety of different kinds of ecstasies; prathitum — in order to spread; prabho — O master.
TRANSLATION
My dear master, although You have nothing to do with material existence, You come to this earth and imitate material life just to expand the varieties of ecstatic enjoyment for Your surrendered devotees.
VERSE 10.14.38
jānanta eva jānantu
kiṁ bahūktyā na me prabho
manaso vapuṣo vāco
vaibhavaṁ tava go-caraḥ
SYNONYMS
jānantaḥ — persons who think they are aware of Your unlimited potency; eva — certainly; jānantu — let them think like that; kim — what is the use; bahu-uktyā — with many words; na — not; me — my; prabho — O Lord; manasaḥ — of the mind; vapuṣaḥ — of the body; vācaḥ — of the words; vaibhavam — opulences; tava — Your; go-caraḥ — within the range.
TRANSLATION
There are people who say, “I know everything about Kṛṣṇa.” Let them think that way. As far as I am concerned, I do not wish to speak very much about this matter. O my Lord, let me say this much: As far as Your opulences are concerned, they are all beyond the reach of my mind, body and words.
VERSE 10.14.39
anujānīhi māṁ kṛṣṇa
sarvaṁ tvaṁ vetsi sarva-dṛk
tvam eva jagatāṁ nātho
jagad etat tavārpitam
SYNONYMS
anujānīhi — please give leave; mām — to me; kṛṣṇa — O Lord Kṛṣṇa; sarvam — everything; tvam — You; vetsi — know; sarva-dṛk — all-seeing; tvam — You; eva — alone; jagatām — of all the universes; nāthaḥ — the master; jagat — universe; etat — this; tava — to You; arpitam — is offered.
TRANSLATION
My dear Kṛṣṇa, I now humbly request permission to leave. Actually, You are the knower and seer of all things. Indeed, You are the Lord of all the universes, and yet I offer this one universe unto You.
VERSE 10.14.40
śrī-kṛṣṇa vṛṣṇi-kula-puṣkara-joṣa-dāyin
kṣmā-nirjara-dvija-paśūdadhi-vṛddhi-kārin
uddharma-śārvara-hara kṣiti-rākṣasa-dhrug
ā-kalpam ārkam arhan bhagavan namas te
SYNONYMS
śrī-kṛṣṇa — O Lord Kṛṣṇa; vṛṣṇi-kula — of the Yadu dynasty; puṣkara — to the lotus; joṣa — pleasure; dāyin — O You who bestow; kṣmā — of the earth; nirjara — the demigods; dvija — the brāhmaṇas; paśu — and of the animals; udadhi — of the great oceans; vṛddhi — the increase; kārin — O You who cause; uddharma — of atheistic principles; śārvara — of the darkness; hara — O dispeller; kṣiti — upon the earth; rākṣasa — of the demons; dhruk — the opponent; ā-kalpam — until the end of the universe; ā-arkam — as long as the sun shines; arhan — O supremely worshipable Deity; bhagavan — O Supreme Personality of Godhead; namaḥ — I offer my respectful obeisances; te — unto You.
TRANSLATION
My dear Śrī Kṛṣṇa, You bestow happiness upon the lotuslike Vṛṣṇi dynasty and expand the great oceans consisting of the earth, the demigods, the brāhmaṇas and the cows. You dispel the dense darkness of irreligion and oppose the demons who have appeared on this earth. O Supreme Personality of Godhead, as long as this universe exists and as long as the sun shines, I will offer my obeisances unto You.
VERSE 10.14.41
śrī-śuka uvāca
ity abhiṣṭūya bhūmānaṁ
triḥ parikramya pādayoḥ
natvābhīṣṭaṁ jagad-dhātā
sva-dhāma pratyapadyata
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; abhiṣṭūya — offering praise; bhūmānam — to the unlimited Supreme Lord; triḥ — three times; parikramya — circumambulating; pādayoḥ — at His feet; natvā — bowing down; abhīṣṭam — desired; jagat — of the universe; dhātā — the creator; sva-dhāma — to his personal abode; pratyapadyata — returned.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Having thus offered his prayers, Brahmā circumambulated his worshipable Lord, the unlimited Personality of Godhead, three times and then bowed down at His lotus feet. The appointed creator of the universe then returned to his own residence.
VERSE 10.14.42
tato ’nujñāpya bhagavān
sva-bhuvaṁ prāg avasthitān
vatsān pulinam āninye
yathā-pūrva-sakhaṁ svakam
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — then; anujñāpya — giving permission; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; sva-bhuvam — to His own son (Brahmā); prāk — from before; avasthitān — situated; vatsān — the calves; pulinam — to the shore of the river; āninye — He brought; yathā-pūrva — just as before; sakham — where the friends were present; svakam — His own.
TRANSLATION
After granting His son Brahmā permission to leave, the Supreme Personality of Godhead took the calves, who were still where they had been a year earlier, and brought them to the riverbank, where He had been taking His meal and where His cowherd boyfriends remained just as before.
VERSE 10.14.43
ekasminn api yāte ’bde
prāṇeśaṁ cāntarātmanaḥ
kṛṣṇa-māyāhatā rājan
kṣaṇārdhaṁ menire ’rbhakāḥ
SYNONYMS
ekasmin — one; api — although; yāte — having passed; abde — year; prāṇa-īśam — the Lord of their lives; ca — and; antarā — without; ātmanaḥ — of themselves; kṛṣṇa — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; māyā — by the illusory potency; āhatāḥ — covered; rājan — O King; kṣaṇa-ardham — half a moment; menire — they thought; arbhakāḥ — the boys.
TRANSLATION
O King, although the boys had passed an entire year apart from the Lord of their very lives, they had been covered by Lord Kṛṣṇa’s illusory potency and thus considered that year merely half a moment.
VERSE 10.14.44
kiṁ kiṁ na vismarantīha
māyā-mohita-cetasaḥ
yan-mohitaṁ jagat sarvam
abhīkṣṇaṁ vismṛtātmakam
SYNONYMS
kim kim — what indeed; na vismaranti — persons do not forget; iha — in this world; māyā-mohita — bewildered by illusion; cetasaḥ — whose minds; yat — by which; mohitam — bewildered; jagat — the world; sarvam — entire; abhīkṣṇam — constantly; vismṛta-ātmakam — making one forget even one’s own self.
TRANSLATION
What indeed is not forgotten by those whose minds are bewildered by the Lord’s illusory potency? By that power of Māyā, this entire universe remains in perpetual bewilderment, and in this atmosphere of forgetfulness no one can understand his own identity.
VERSE 10.14.45
ūcuś ca suhṛdaḥ kṛṣṇaṁ
sv-āgataṁ te ’ti-raṁhasā
naiko ’py abhoji kavala
ehītaḥ sādhu bhujyatām
SYNONYMS
ūcuḥ — they spoke; ca — and; suhṛdaḥ — the friends; kṛṣṇam — to Lord Kṛṣṇa; su-āgatam — have come all the way back; te — You; ati-raṁhasā — very quickly; na — not; ekaḥ — one; api — even; abhoji — has been eaten; kavalaḥ — morsel; ehi — please come; itaḥ — here; sādhu — properly; bhujyatām — take Your meal.
TRANSLATION
The cowherd boyfriends said to Lord Kṛṣṇa: You have returned so quickly! We have not eaten even one morsel in Your absence. Please come here and take Your meal without distraction.
VERSE 10.14.46
tato hasan hṛṣīkeśo
’bhyavahṛtya sahārbhakaiḥ
darśayaṁś carmājagaraṁ
nyavartata vanād vrajam
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — then; hasan — smiling; hṛṣīkeśaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of everyone’s senses; abhyavahṛtya — taking lunch; saha — along with; arbhakaiḥ — the cowherd boys; darśayan — showing; carma — the skin; ājagaram — of the python Aghāsura; nyavartata — He returned; vanāt — from the forest; vrajam — to the village of Vraja.
TRANSLATION
Then Lord Hṛṣīkeśa, smiling, finished His lunch in the company of His cowherd friends. While they were returning from the forest to their homes in Vraja, Lord Kṛṣṇa showed the cowherd boys the skin of the dead serpent Aghāsura.
VERSE 10.14.47
barha-prasūna-vana-dhātu-vicitritāṅgaḥ
proddāma-veṇu-dala-śṛṅga-ravotsavāḍhyaḥ
vatsān gṛṇann anuga-gīta-pavitra-kīrtir
gopī-dṛg-utsava-dṛśiḥ praviveśa goṣṭham
SYNONYMS
barha — with peacock feathers; prasūna — flowers; vana-dhātu — and forest minerals; vicitrita — decorated; aṅgaḥ — His transcendental body; proddāma — great; veṇu-dala — a flute made from the branch of a bamboo tree; śṛṅga — of the buffalo horn; rava — by the resounding; utsava — with a festival; āḍhyaḥ — resplendent; vatsān — the calves; gṛṇan — calling; anuga — by His companions; gīta — sung; pavitra — purifying; kīrtiḥ — His glories; gopī — of the cowherd women; dṛk — for the eyes; utsava — a festival; dṛśiḥ — the vision of Him; praviveśa — He entered; goṣṭham — the cow pasture.
TRANSLATION
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental body was decorated with peacock feathers and flowers and painted with forest minerals, and His bamboo flute loudly and festively resounded. As He called out to His calves by name, His cowherd boyfriends purified the whole world by chanting His glories. Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa entered the cow pasture of His father, Nanda Mahārāja, and the sight of His beauty at once produced a great festival for the eyes of all the cowherd women.
VERSE 10.14.48
adyānena mahā-vyālo
yaśodā-nanda-sūnunā
hato ’vitā vayaṁ cāsmād
iti bālā vraje jaguḥ
SYNONYMS
adya — today; anena — by Him; mahā-vyālaḥ — a great serpent; yaśodā — of Yaśodā; nanda — and Mahārāja Nanda; sūnunā — by the son; hataḥ — has been killed; avitāḥ — have been saved; vayam — we; ca — and; asmāt — from that demon; iti — thus; bālāḥ — the boys; vraje — in Vṛndāvana; jaguḥ — sang.
TRANSLATION
As the cowherd boys reached the village of Vraja, they sang, “Today Kṛṣṇa saved us by killing a great serpent!” Some of the boys described Kṛṣṇa as the son of Yaśodā, and others as the son of Nanda Mahārāja.
VERSE 10.14.49
śrī-rājovāca
brahman parodbhave kṛṣṇe
iyān premā kathaṁ bhavet
yo ’bhūta-pūrvas tokeṣu
svodbhaveṣv api kathyatām
SYNONYMS
śrī-rājā uvāca — the King said; brahman — O brāhmaṇa, Śukadeva; para-udbhave — for the offspring of another; kṛṣṇe — Lord Kṛṣṇa; iyān — so much; premā — love; katham — how; bhavet — can be; yaḥ — which; abhūta-pūrvaḥ — unprecedented; tokeṣu — for the children; sva-udbhaveṣu — their own offspring; api — even; kathyatām — please explain.
TRANSLATION
King Parīkṣit said: O brāhmaṇa, how could the cowherd women have developed for Kṛṣṇa, someone else’s son, such unprecedented pure love — love they never felt even for their own children? Please explain this.
VERSE 10.14.50
śrī-śuka uvāca
sarveṣām api bhūtānāṁ
nṛpa svātmaiva vallabhaḥ
itare ’patya-vittādyās
tad-vallabhatayaiva hi
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; sarveṣām — for all; api — indeed; bhūtānām — created living beings; nṛpa — O King; sva-ātmā — one’s own self; eva — certainly; vallabhaḥ — dearmost; itare — others; apatya — children; vitta — wealth; ādyāḥ — and so on; tat — of that self; vallabhatayā — based on the dearness; eva hi — indeed.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, for every created being the dearmost thing is certainly his own self. The dearness of everything else — children, wealth and so on — is due only to the dearness of the self.
VERSE 10.14.51
tad rājendra yathā snehaḥ
sva-svakātmani dehinām
na tathā mamatālambi-
putra-vitta-gṛhādiṣu
SYNONYMS
tat — therefore; rāja-indra — O best of kings; yathā — as; snehaḥ — the affection; sva-svaka — of each individual; ātmani — for the self; dehinām — of the embodied beings; na — not; tathā — thus; mamatā-ālambi — for that which one identifies with as his possessions; putra — sons; vitta — wealth; gṛha — homes; ādiṣu — and so on.
TRANSLATION
For this reason, O best of kings, the embodied soul is self-centered: he is more attached to his own body and self than to his so-called possessions like children, wealth and home.
VERSE 10.14.52
dehātma-vādināṁ puṁsām
api rājanya-sattama
yathā dehaḥ priyatamas
tathā na hy anu ye ca tam
SYNONYMS
deha-ātma-vādinām — who ascribe to the view that the body is the self; puṁsām — for persons; api — indeed; rājanya-sat-tama — O best of kings; yathā — as; dehaḥ — the body; priya-tamaḥ — most dear; tathā — thus; na — not; hi — certainly; anu — relative; ye — which things; ca — and; tam — to that.
TRANSLATION
Indeed, for persons who think the body is the self, O best of kings, those things whose importance lies only in their relationship to the body are never as dear as the body itself.
VERSE 10.14.53
deho ’pi mamatā-bhāk cet
tarhy asau nātma-vat priyaḥ
yaj jīryaty api dehe ’smin
jīvitāśā balīyasī
SYNONYMS
dehaḥ — the body; api — also; mamatā — of possessiveness; bhāk — the focus; cet — if; tarhi — then; asau — that body; na — not; ātma-vat — in the same way as the soul; priyaḥ — dear; yat — because; jīryati — when it is growing old; api — even; dehe — the body; asmin — this; jīvita-āśā — the desire to remain living; balīyasī — very strong.
TRANSLATION
If a person comes to the stage of considering the body “mine” instead of “me,” he will certainly not consider the body as dear as his own self. After all, even as the body is growing old and useless, one’s desire to continue living remains strong.
VERSE 10.14.54
tasmāt priyatamaḥ svātmā
sarveṣām api dehinām
tad-artham eva sakalaṁ
jagad etac carācaram
SYNONYMS
tasmāt — therefore; priya-tamaḥ — most dear; sva-ātmā — one’s own self; sarveṣām — for all; api — indeed; dehinām — embodied living beings; tat-artham — for the sake of it; eva — certainly; sakalam — all; jagat — the created universe; etat — this; cara-acaram — with its moving and nonmoving entities.
TRANSLATION
Therefore it is his own self that is most dear to every embodied living being, and it is simply for the satisfaction of this self that the whole material creation of moving and nonmoving entities exists.
VERSE 10.14.55
kṛṣṇam enam avehi tvam
ātmānam akhilātmanām
jagad-dhitāya so ’py atra
dehīvābhāti māyayā
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇam — Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; enam — this; avehi — just try to understand; tvam — you; ātmānam — the Soul; akhila-ātmanām — of all living entities; jagat-hitāya — for the benefit of the whole universe; saḥ — He; api — certainly; atra — here; dehī — a human being; iva — like; ābhāti — appears; māyayā — by His internal potency.
TRANSLATION
You should know Kṛṣṇa to be the original Soul of all living entities. For the benefit of the whole universe, He has, out of His causeless mercy, appeared as an ordinary human being. He has done this by the strength of His internal potency.
VERSE 10.14.56
vastuto jānatām atra
kṛṣṇaṁ sthāsnu cariṣṇu ca
bhagavad-rūpam akhilaṁ
nānyad vastv iha kiñcana
SYNONYMS
vastutaḥ — in fact; jānatām — for those who understand; atra — in this world; kṛṣṇam — Lord Kṛṣṇa; sthāsnu — stationary; cariṣṇu — moving; ca — and; bhagavat-rūpam — the manifest forms of the Personality of Godhead; akhilam — everything; na — nothing; anyat — else; vastu — substance; iha — here; kiñcana — at all.
TRANSLATION
Those in this world who understand Lord Kṛṣṇa as He is see all things, whether stationary or moving, as manifest forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such enlightened persons recognize no reality apart from the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa.
VERSE 10.14.57
sarveṣām api vastūnāṁ
bhāvārtho bhavati sthitaḥ
tasyāpi bhagavān kṛṣṇaḥ
kim atad vastu rūpyatām
SYNONYMS
sarveṣām — of all; api — indeed; vastūnām — entities; bhāva-arthaḥ — the original, unmanifested causal phase of material nature; bhavati — is; sthitaḥ — established; tasya — of that unmanifest nature; api — even; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; kim — what; atat — separate from Him; vastu — thing; rūpyatām — may be ascertained.
TRANSLATION
The original, unmanifested form of material nature is the source of all material things, and the source of even that subtle material nature is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. What, then, could one ascertain to be separate from Him?
VERSE 10.14.58
samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām
SYNONYMS
samāśritāḥ — having taken shelter; ye — those who; pada — of the feet; pallava — like flower buds; plavam — which are a boat; mahat — of the total material creation, or of the great souls; padam — the shelter; puṇya — supremely pious; yaśaḥ — whose fame; mura-areḥ — of the enemy of the demon Mura; bhava — of the material existence; ambudhiḥ — the ocean; vatsa-padam — the hoof-print of a calf; param padam — the supreme abode, Vaikuṇṭha; padam padam — at every step; yat — where; vipadām — of material miseries; na — none; teṣām — for them.
TRANSLATION
For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murāri, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoof-print. Their goal is paraṁ padam, Vaikuṇṭha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step.
VERSE 10.14.59
etat te sarvam ākhyātaṁ
yat pṛṣṭo ’ham iha tvayā
tat kaumāre hari-kṛtaṁ
paugaṇḍe parikīrtitam
SYNONYMS
etat — this; te — unto you; sarvam — all; ākhyātam — described; yat — which; pṛṣṭaḥ — requested; aham — I; iha — in this regard; tvayā — by you; tat — that; kaumāre — in His early childhood (up to the end of His fifth year); hari-kṛtam — performed by Lord Hari; paugaṇḍe — in later childhood (beginning with His sixth year); parikīrtitam — glorified.
TRANSLATION
Since you inquired from me, I have fully described to you those activities of Lord Hari that were performed in His fifth year but not celebrated until His sixth.
VERSE 10.14.60
etat suhṛdbhiś caritaṁ murārer
aghārdanaṁ śādvala-jemanaṁ ca
vyaktetarad rūpam ajorv-abhiṣṭavaṁ
śṛṇvan gṛṇann eti naro ’khilārthān
SYNONYMS
etat — these; suhṛdbhiḥ — along with the cowherd friends; caritam — pastimes; murāreḥ — of Lord Murāri; agha-ardanam — the subduing of the demon Aghāsura; śādvala — on the grass in the forest; jemanam — the taking of lunch; ca — and; vyakta-itarat — supramundane; rūpam — the transcendental form of the Lord; aja — by Lord Brahmā; uru — elaborate; abhiṣṭavam — the offering of prayers; śṛṇvan — hearing; gṛṇan — chanting; eti — attains; naraḥ — any person; akhila-arthān — all desirable things.
TRANSLATION
Any person who hears or chants these pastimes Lord Murāri performed with His cowherd friends — the killing of Aghāsura, the taking of lunch on the forest grass, the Lord’s manifestation of transcendental forms, and the wonderful prayers offered by Lord Brahmā — is sure to achieve all his spiritual desires.
VERSE 10.14.61
evaṁ vihāraiḥ kaumāraiḥ
kaumāraṁ jahatur vraje
nilāyanaiḥ setu-bandhair
markaṭotplavanādibhiḥ
SYNONYMS
evam — thus; vihāraiḥ — with pastimes; kaumāraiḥ — of boyhood; kaumāram — the childhood age up to five years; jahatuḥ — they passed; vraje — in the land of Vṛndāvana; nilāyanaiḥ — with sports of chasing about; setu-bandhaiḥ — with the building of bridges; markaṭa-utplavana — with the jumping around of monkeys; ādibhiḥ — and so on.
TRANSLATION
In this way the boys spent their childhood in the land of Vṛndāvana playing hide-and-go-seek, building play bridges, jumping about like monkeys and engaging in many other such games.