Śrīmad Bhāgavatam|Canto 10 Chapter 33

The Rāsa Dance

VERSE 10.33.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

itthaṁ bhagavato gopyaḥ
śrutvā vācaḥ su-peśalāḥ
jahur viraha-jaṁ tāpaṁ
tad-aṅgopacitāśiṣaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; ittham — thus; bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; gopyaḥ — the cowherd girls; śrutvā — hearing; vācaḥ — the words; su-peśalāḥ — most charming; jahuḥ — they gave up; viraha-jam — born out of their feelings of separation; tāpam — the distress; tat — His; aṅga — from (touching) the limbs; upacita — fulfilled; āśiṣaḥ — whose desires.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When the cowherd girls heard the Supreme Personality of Godhead speak these most charming words, they forgot their distress caused by separation from Him. Touching His transcendental limbs, they felt all their desires fulfilled.

VERSE 10.33.2

tatrārabhata govindo
rāsa-krīḍām anuvrataiḥ
strī-ratnair anvitaḥ prītair
anyonyābaddha-bāhubhiḥ

SYNONYMS

tatra — there; ārabhata — began; govindaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; rāsa-krīḍam — the pastime of the rāsa dance; anuvrataiḥ — by the faithful (gopīs); strī — of women; ratnaiḥ — the jewels; anvitaḥ — joined; prītaiḥ — who were satisfied; anyonya — among one another; ābaddha — entwining; bāhubhiḥ — their arms.

TRANSLATION

There on the Yamunā’s banks Lord Govinda then began the pastime of the rāsa dance in the company of those jewels among women, the faithful gopīs, who joyfully linked their arms together.

VERSE 10.33.3

rāsotsavaḥ sampravṛtto
gopī-maṇḍala-maṇḍitaḥ
yogeśvareṇa kṛṣṇena
tāsāṁ madhye dvayor dvayoḥ
praviṣṭena gṛhītānāṁ
kaṇṭhe sva-nikaṭaṁ striyaḥ

yaṁ manyeran nabhas tāvad
vimāna-śata-saṅkulam
divaukasāṁ sa-dārāṇām
autsukyāpahṛtātmanām

SYNONYMS

rāsa — of the rāsa dance; utsavaḥ — the festivity; sampravṛttaḥ — commenced; gopī-maṇḍala — by the circle of gopīs; maṇḍitaḥ — decorated; yoga — of mystic power; īśvareṇa — by the supreme controller; kṛṣṇena — Lord Kṛṣṇa; tāsām — of them; madhye — within the midst; dvayoḥ dvayoḥ — between each pair; praviṣṭena — present; gṛhīṭānām — who were held; kaṇṭhe — by the necks; sva-nikaṭam — next to themselves; striyaḥ — the women; yam — whom; manyeran — considered; nabhaḥ — the sky; tāvat — at that time; vimāna — of airplanes; śata — with hundreds; saṅkulam — crowded; diva — of the heavenly planets; okasām — belonging to the inhabitants; sa — accompanied; dārāṇām — by their wives; autsukya — by eagerness; apahṛta — carried away; ātmanām — their minds.

TRANSLATION

The festive rāsa dance commenced, with the gopīs arrayed in a circle. Lord Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself and entered between each pair of gopīs, and as that master of mystic power placed His arms around their necks, each girl thought He was standing next to her alone. The demigods and their wives were overwhelmed with eagerness to witness the rāsa dance, and they soon crowded the sky with their hundreds of celestial airplanes.

VERSE 10.33.4

tato dundubhayo nedur
nipetuḥ puṣpa-vṛṣṭayaḥ
jagur gandharva-patayaḥ
sa-strīkās tad-yaśo ’malam

SYNONYMS

tataḥ — then; dundubhayaḥ — kettledrums; neduḥ — resounded; nipetuḥ — fell down; puṣpa — of flowers; vṛṣṭayaḥ — rain; jaguḥ — they sang; gandharva-patayaḥ — the chief Gandharvas; sa-strīkāḥ — along with their wives; tat — of Him, Lord Kṛṣṇa; yaśaḥ — the glories; amalam — spotless.

TRANSLATION

Kettledrums then resounded in the sky while flowers rained down and the chief Gandharvas and their wives sang Lord Kṛṣṇa’s spotless glories.

VERSE 10.33.5

valayānāṁ nūpurāṇāṁ
kiṅkiṇīnāṁ ca yoṣitām
sa-priyāṇām abhūc chabdas
tumulo rāsa-maṇḍale

SYNONYMS

valayānām — of the armlets; nūpurāṇām — ankle bells; kiṅkiṇīnām — bells worn around the waist; ca — and; yoṣitām — of the women; sa-priyāṇām — who were with their beloved; abhūt — there was; śabdaḥ — a sound; tumulaḥ — tumultuous; rāsa-maṇḍale — in the circle of the rāsa dance.

TRANSLATION

A tumultuous sound arose from the armlets, ankle bells and waist bells of the gopīs as they sported with their beloved Kṛṣṇa in the circle of the rāsa dance.

VERSE 10.33.6

tatrātiśuśubhe tābhir
bhagavān devakī-sutaḥ
madhye maṇīnāṁ haimānāṁ
mahā-marakato yathā

SYNONYMS

tatra — there; atiśuśubhe — appeared most brilliant; tābhiḥ — with them; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; devakī-sutaḥ — Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī; madhye — in the midst; maṇīnām — of ornaments; haimānām — golden; mahā — great; marakataḥ — a sapphire; yathā — as.

TRANSLATION

In the midst of the dancing gopīs, Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared most brilliant, like an exquisite sapphire in the midst of golden ornaments.

VERSE 10.33.7

pāda-nyāsair bhuja-vidhutibhiḥ sa-smitair bhrū-vilāsair
bhajyan madhyaiś cala-kuca-paṭaiḥ kuṇḍalair gaṇḍa-lolaiḥ
svidyan-mukhyaḥ kavara-rasanāgranthayaḥ kṛṣṇa-vadhvo
gāyantyas taṁ taḍita iva tā megha-cakre virejuḥ

SYNONYMS

pāda — of their feet; nyāsaiḥ — by the placement; bhuja — of their hands; vidhutibhiḥ — by the gestures; sa-smitaiḥ — smiling; bhrū — of their eyebrows; vilāsaiḥ — by the playful movements; bhajyan — bending; madhyaiḥ — by their middles; cala — moving; kuca — covering their breasts; paṭaiḥ — by the cloths; kuṇḍalaiḥ — by their earrings; gaṇḍa — on their cheeks; lolaiḥ — rolling; svidyan — perspiring; mukhyaḥ — whose faces; kavara — the braids of their hair; rasanā — and their belts; āgranthayaḥ — having tightly tied; kṛṣṇa-vadhvaḥ — the consorts of Lord Kṛṣṇa; gāyantyaḥ — singing; tam — about Him; taḍitaḥ — bolts of lightning; iva — as if; tāḥ — they; megha-cakre — in a range of clouds; virejuḥ — shone.

TRANSLATION

As the gopīs sang in praise of Kṛṣṇa, their feet danced, their hands gestured, and their eyebrows moved with playful smiles. With their braids and belts tied tight, their waists bending, their faces perspiring, the garments on their breasts moving this way and that, and their earrings swinging on their cheeks, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s young consorts shone like streaks of lightning in a mass of clouds.

VERSE 10.33.8

uccair jagur nṛtyamānā
rakta-kaṇṭhyo rati-priyāḥ
kṛṣṇābhimarśa-muditā
yad-gītenedam āvṛtam

SYNONYMS

uccaiḥ — loudly; jaguḥ — they sang; nṛtyamānāḥ — while dancing; rakta — colored; kaṇṭhyaḥ — their throats; rati — conjugal enjoyment; priyāḥ — dedicated to; kṛṣṇa-abhimarśa — by the touch of Lord Kṛṣṇa; muditāḥ — joyful; yat — whose; gītena — by the singing; idam — this entire universe; āvṛtam — is pervaded.

TRANSLATION

Eager to enjoy conjugal love, their throats colored with various pigments, the gopīs sang loudly and danced. They were overjoyed by Kṛṣṇa’s touch, and they sang songs that filled the entire universe.

VERSE 10.33.9

kācit samaṁ mukundena
svara-jātīr amiśritāḥ
unninye pūjitā tena
prīyatā sādhu sādhv iti
tad eva dhruvam unninye
tasyai mānaṁ ca bahv adāt

SYNONYMS

kācit — a certain gopī; samam — together; mukundena — with Lord Kṛṣṇa; svara-jātīḥ — pure musical tones; amiśritāḥ — not confused with the sounds vibrated by Kṛṣṇa; unninye — she raised; pūjitā — honored; tena — by Him; prīyatā — who was pleased; sādhu sādhu iti — saying, “excellent, excellent”; tat eva — that same (melody); dhruvam — with a particular metrical pattern; unninye — vibrated (another gopī); tasyai — to her; mānam — special respect; ca — and; bahu — much; adāt — He gave.

TRANSLATION

One gopī, joining Lord Mukunda in His singing, sang pure melodious tones that rose harmoniously above His. Kṛṣṇa was pleased and showed great appreciation for her performance, saying “Excellent! Excellent!” Then another gopī repeated the same melody, but in a special metrical pattern, and Kṛṣṇa praised her also.

VERSE 10.33.10

kācid rāsa-pariśrāntā
pārśva-sthasya gadā-bhṛtaḥ
jagrāha bāhunā skandhaṁ
ślathad-valaya-mallikā

SYNONYMS

kācit — a certain gopī; rāsa — by the rāsa dance; pariśrāntā — fatigued; pārśva — at Her side; sthasya — who was standing; gadā-bhṛtaḥ — of Lord Kṛṣṇa, holding a baton; jagrāha — took hold of; bāhunā — with Her arm; skandham — the shoulder; ślathat — loosening; valaya — Her bracelets; mallikā — and the flowers (in Her hair).

TRANSLATION

When one gopī grew tired from the rāsa dance, She turned to Kṛṣṇa, standing at Her side holding a baton, and grasped His shoulder with Her arm. The dancing had loosened Her bracelets and the flowers in Her hair.

VERSE 10.33.11

tatraikāṁsa-gataṁ bāhuṁ
kṛṣṇasyotpala-saurabham
candanāliptam āghrāya
hṛṣṭa-romā cucumba ha

SYNONYMS

tatra — there; ekā — one (gopī); aṁsa — upon her shoulder; gatam — placed; bāhum — the arm; kṛṣṇasya — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; utpala — like a blue lotus; saurabham — the fragrance of which; candana — with sandalwood pulp; āliptam — smeared; āghrāya — smelling; hṛṣṭa — standing on end; romā — her bodily hairs; cucumba ha — she kissed.

TRANSLATION

Upon the shoulder of one gopī Kṛṣṇa placed His arm, whose natural blue-lotus fragrance was mixed with that of the sandalwood pulp anointing it. As the gopī relished that fragrance, her bodily hair stood on end in jubilation, and she kissed His arm.

VERSE 10.33.12

kasyāścin nāṭya-vikṣipta
kuṇḍala-tviṣa-maṇḍitam
gaṇḍaṁ gaṇḍe sandadhatyāḥ
prādāt tāmbūla-carvitam

SYNONYMS

kasyāścit — to a certain gopī; nāṭya — by the dancing; vikṣipta — shaken; kuṇḍala — whose earrings; tviṣa — with the glitter; maṇḍitam — adorned; gaṇḍam — her cheek; gaṇḍe — next to His cheek; sandadhatyāḥ — who was placing; prādāt — He carefully gave; tāmbūla — the betel nut; carvitam — chewed.

TRANSLATION

Next to Kṛṣṇa’s cheek one gopī put her own, beautified by the effulgence of her earrings, which glittered as she danced. Kṛṣṇa then carefully gave her the betel nut He was chewing.

VERSE 10.33.13

nṛtyatī gāyatī kācit
kūjan nūpura-mekhalā
pārśva-sthācyuta-hastābjaṁ
śrāntādhāt stanayoḥ śivam

SYNONYMS

nṛtyatī — dancing; gāyatī — singing; kācit — a certain gopī; kūjan — murmuring; nūpura — her ankle bells; mekhalā — and her belt; pārśva-stha — standing at her side; acyuta — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; hasta-abjam — the lotus hand; śrāntā — feeling tired; adhāt — placed; stanayoḥ — upon her breasts; śivam — pleasing.

TRANSLATION

Another gopī became fatigued as she danced and sang, the bells on her ankles and waist tinkling. So she placed upon her breasts the comforting lotus hand of Lord Acyuta, who was standing by her side.

VERSE 10.33.14

gopyo labdhvācyutaṁ kāntaṁ
śriya ekānta-vallabham
gṛhīta-kaṇṭhyas tad-dorbhyāṁ
gāyantyas tam vijahrire

SYNONYMS

gopyaḥ — the gopīs; labdhvā — having attained; acyutam — the infallible Lord; kāntam — as their lover; śriyaḥ — of the goddess of fortune; ekānta — the exclusive; vallabham — lover; gṛhīta — held; kaṇṭhyaḥ — their necks; tat — His; dorbhyām — by the arms; gāyantyaḥ — singing; tam — about Him; vijahrire — they took pleasure.

TRANSLATION

Having attained as their intimate lover Lord Acyuta, the exclusive consort of the goddess of fortune, the gopīs enjoyed great pleasure. They sang His glories as He held their necks with His arms.

VERSE 10.33.15

karṇotpalālaka-viṭaṅka-kapola-gharma-
vaktra-śriyo valaya-nūpura-ghoṣa-vādyaiḥ
gopyaḥ samaṁ bhagavatā nanṛtuḥ sva-keśa-
srasta-srajo bhramara-gāyaka-rāsa-goṣṭhyām

SYNONYMS

karṇa — upon their ears; utpala — with the lotus flowers; alaka — by locks of their hair; vitaṅka — decorated; kapola — their cheeks; gharma — with perspiration; vaktra — of their faces; śriyaḥ — the beauty; valaya — of their armlets; nūpura — and ankle bells; ghoṣa — of the reverberation; vādyaiḥ — with the musical sound; gopyaḥ — the gopīs; samam — together; bhagavatā — with the Personality of Godhead; nanṛtuḥ — danced; sva — their own; keśa — from the hair; srasta — scattered; srajaḥ — the garlands; bhramara — the bees; gāyaka — singers; rāsa — of the rāsa dance; goṣṭhyām — in the assembly.

TRANSLATION

Enhancing the beauty of the gopīs’ faces were the lotus flowers behind their ears, the locks of hair decorating their cheeks, and drops of perspiration. The reverberation of their armlets and ankle bells made a loud musical sound, and their chaplets scattered. Thus the gopīs danced with the Supreme Lord in the arena of the rāsa dance as swarms of bees sang in accompaniment.

VERSE 10.33.16

evaṁ pariṣvaṅga-karābhimarśa-
snigdhekṣaṇoddāma-vilāsa-hāsaiḥ
reme rameśo vraja-sundarībhir
yathārbhakaḥ sva-pratibimba-vibhramaḥ

SYNONYMS

evam — thus; pariṣvaṅga — with embracing; kara — by His hand; abhimarśa — with touching; snigdha — affectionate; īkṣaṇa — with glances; uddāma — broad; vilāsa — playful; hāsaiḥ — with smiles; reme — He took pleasure; ramā — of the goddess of fortune; īśaḥ — the master; vraja-sundarībhiḥ — with the young women of the cowherd community; yathā — just as; arbhakaḥ — a boy; sva — His own; pratibimba — with the reflection; vibhramaḥ — whose playing.

TRANSLATION

In this way Lord Kṛṣṇa, the original Lord Nārāyaṇa, master of the goddess of fortune, took pleasure in the company of the young women of Vraja by embracing them, caressing them and glancing lovingly at them as He smiled His broad, playful smiles. It was just as if a child were playing with his own reflection.

VERSE 10.33.17

tad-aṅga-saṅga-pramudākulendriyāḥ
keśān dukūlaṁ kuca-paṭṭikāṁ vā
nāñjaḥ prativyoḍhum alaṁ vraja-striyo
visrasta-mālābharaṇāḥ kurūdvaha

SYNONYMS

tat — with Him; aṅga-saṅga — from the bodily contact; pramudā — by the joy; ākula — overflowing; indriyāḥ — whose senses; keśān — their hair; dukūlam — dresses; kuca-paṭṭikām — the garments covering their breasts; — or; na — not; añjaḥ — easily; prativyoḍhum — to keep properly arranged; alam — capable; vraja-striyaḥ — the women of Vraja; visrasta — scattered; mālā — their flower garlands; ābharaṇāḥ — and ornaments; kuru-udvaha — O most eminent member of the Kuru dynasty.

TRANSLATION

Their senses overwhelmed by the joy of having His physical association, the gopīs could not prevent their hair, their dresses and the cloths covering their breasts from becoming disheveled. Their garlands and ornaments scattered, O hero of the Kuru dynasty.

VERSE 10.33.18

kṛṣṇa-vikrīḍitaṁ vīkṣya
mumuhuḥ khe-cara-striyaḥ
kāmārditāḥ śaśāṅkaś ca
sa-gaṇo vismito ’bhavat

SYNONYMS

kṛṣṇa-vikrīḍitam — the playing of Kṛṣṇa; vīkṣya — seeing; mumuhuḥ — became entranced; khe-cara — traveling in the sky; striyaḥ — the women (demigoddesses); kāma — by lusty desires; arditāḥ — agitated; śaśāṅkaḥ — the moon; ca — also; sa-gaṇaḥ — with his followers, the stars; vismitaḥ — amazed; abhavat — became.

TRANSLATION

The wives of the demigods, observing Kṛṣṇa’s playful activities from their airplanes, were entranced and became agitated with lust. Indeed, even the moon and his entourage, the stars, became astonished.

VERSE 10.33.19

kṛtvā tāvantam ātmānaṁ
yāvatīr gopa-yoṣitaḥ
reme sa bhagavāṁs tābhir
ātmārāmo ’pi līlayā

SYNONYMS

kṛtvā — making; tāvantam — expanded that many times; ātmānam — Himself; yāvatīḥ — as many as; gopa-yoṣitaḥ — cowherd women; reme — enjoyed; saḥ — He; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; tābhiḥ — with them; ātma-ārāmaḥ — self-satisfied; api — although; līlayā — as a pastime.

TRANSLATION

Expanding Himself as many times as there were cowherd women to associate with, the Supreme Lord, though self-satisfied, playfully enjoyed their company.

VERSE 10.33.20

tāsāṁ rati-vihāreṇa
śrāntānāṁ vadanāni saḥ
prāmṛjat karuṇaḥ premṇā
śantamenāṅga pāṇinā

SYNONYMS

tāsām — of them, the gopīs; rati — of conjugal love; vihāreṇa — by the enjoyment; śrāntānām — who were fatigued; vadanāni — the faces; saḥ — He; prāmṛjat — wiped; karuṇaḥ — merciful; premṇā — lovingly; śantamena — most comforting; aṅga — my dear (King Parīkṣit); pāṇinā — with His hand.

TRANSLATION

Seeing that the gopīs were fatigued from conjugal enjoyment, my dear King, merciful Kṛṣṇa lovingly wiped their faces with His comforting hand.

VERSE 10.33.21

gopyaḥ sphurat-puraṭa-kuṇḍala-kuntala-tviḍ-
gaṇḍa-śriyā sudhita-hāsa-nirīkṣaṇena
mānaṁ dadhatya ṛṣabhasya jaguḥ kṛtāni
puṇyāni tat-kara-ruha-sparśa-pramodāḥ

SYNONYMS

gopyaḥ — the gopīs; sphurat — shining; puraṭa — golden; kuṇḍala — of their earrings; kuntala — and of the locks of their hair; tviṭ — of the effulgence; gaṇḍa — of their cheeks; śriyā — by the beauty; sudhita — made nectarean; hāsa — smiling; nirīkṣaṇena — by their glances; mānam — honor; dadhatyaḥ — giving; ṛṣabhasya — of their hero; jaguḥ — they sang; kṛtāni — the activities; puṇyāni — auspicious; tat — His; kara-ruha — of the fingernails; sparśa — by the touch; pramodāḥ — greatly pleased.

TRANSLATION

The gopīs honored their hero with smiling glances sweetened by the beauty of their cheeks and the effulgence of their curly locks and glittering golden earrings. Overjoyed from the touch of His fingernails, they chanted the glories of His all-auspicious transcendental pastimes.

VERSE 10.33.22

tābhir yutaḥ śramam apohitum aṅga-saṅga-
ghṛṣṭa-srajaḥ sa kuca-kuṅkuma-rañjitāyāḥ
gandharva-pālibhir anudruta āviśad vāḥ
śrānto gajībhir ibha-rāḍ iva bhinna-setuḥ

SYNONYMS

tābhiḥ — by them; yutaḥ — accompanied; śramam — fatigue; apohitum — to dispel; aṅga-saṅga — by their conjugal association; ghṛṣṭa — crushed; srajaḥ — whose garland; saḥ — He; kuca — from their breasts; kuṅkuma — of the vermilion powder; rañjitāyāḥ — which was smeared by the color; gandharva-pa — (who appeared like) leaders of the heavenly singers; alibhiḥ — by bees; anudrutaḥ — swiftly followed; āviśat — He entered; vāḥ — the water; śrāntaḥ — tired; gajībhiḥ — together with His female elephant consorts; ibha-rāṭ — a lordly elephant; iva — as; bhinna — having broken; setuḥ — the walls of a paddy field.

TRANSLATION

Lord Kṛṣṇa’s garland had been crushed during His conjugal dalliance with the gopīs and colored vermilion by the kuṅkuma powder on their breasts. To dispel the fatigue of the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa entered the water of the Yamunā, followed swiftly by bees who were singing like the best of the Gandharvas. He appeared like a lordly elephant entering the water to relax in the company of his consorts. Indeed, the Lord had transgressed all worldly and Vedic morality just as a powerful elephant might break the dikes in a paddy field.

VERSE 10.33.23

so ’mbhasy alaṁ yuvatibhiḥ pariṣicyamānaḥ
premṇekṣitaḥ prahasatībhir itas tato ’ṅga
vaimānikaiḥ kusuma-varṣibhir īdyamāno
reme svayaṁ sva-ratir atra gajendra-līlaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — He; ambhasi — in the water; alam — very much; yuvatibhiḥ — by the girls; pariṣicyamānaḥ — being splashed; premṇā — with love; īkṣitaḥ — glanced upon; prahasatībhiḥ — by them, who were laughing; itaḥ tataḥ — here and there; aṅga — my dear King; vaimānikaiḥ — by those traveling in their airplanes; kusuma — flowers; varṣibhiḥ — who were raining down; īḍyamānaḥ — being worshiped; reme — enjoyed; svayam — personally; sva-ratiḥ — satisfied within Himself; atra — here; gaja-indra — of a king of the elephants; līlaḥ — whose playing.

TRANSLATION

My dear King, in the water Kṛṣṇa found Himself being splashed on all sides by the laughing gopīs, who looked at Him with love. As the demigods worshiped Him by showering flowers from their airplanes, the self-satisfied Lord took pleasure in playing like the king of the elephants.

VERSE 10.33.24

tataś ca kṛṣṇopavane jala-sthala
prasūna-gandhānila-juṣṭa-dik-taṭe
cacāra bhṛṅga-pramadā-gaṇāvṛto
yathā mada-cyud dviradaḥ kareṇubhiḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ — then; ca — and; kṛṣṇā — of the river Yamunā; upavane — in a small forest; jala — of the water; sthala — and the land; prasūna — of flowers; gandha — with the fragrance; anila — by the wind; juṣṭa — joined; dik-taṭe — the edges of the directions; cacāra — He passed; bhṛṅga — of bees; pramadā — and women; gaṇa — by the groups; āvṛtaḥ — surrounded; yathā — just as; mada-cyut — exuding a secretion from its forehead because of excitement; dviradaḥ — an elephant; kareṇubhiḥ — with his she-elephants.

TRANSLATION

Then the Lord strolled through a small forest on the bank of the Yamunā. This forest was filled to its limits with breezes carrying the fragrances of all the flowers growing on the land and in the water. Followed by His entourage of bees and beautiful women, Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared like an intoxicated elephant with his she-elephants.

VERSE 10.33.25

evaṁ śaśāṅkāṁśu-virājitā niśāḥ
sa satya-kāmo ’nuratābalā-gaṇaḥ
siṣeva ātmany avaruddha-saurataḥ
sarvāḥ śarat-kāvya-kathā-rasāśrayāḥ

SYNONYMS

evam — in this manner; śaśāṅka — of the moon; aṁśu — by the rays; virājitāḥ — made brilliant; niśāḥ — the nights; saḥ — He; satya-kāmaḥ — whose desires are always fulfilled; anurata — constantly attached to Him; abalā-gaṇaḥ — His many girlfriends; siṣeve — He utilized; ātmani — within Himself; avaruddha — reserved; saurataḥ — conjugal feelings; sarvāḥ — all (the nights); śarat — of the autumn; kāvya — poetic; kathā — of narrations; rasa — of the transcendental moods; āśrayāḥ — the repositories.

TRANSLATION

Although the gopīs were firmly attached to Lord Kṛṣṇa, whose desires are always fulfilled, the Lord was not internally affected by any mundane sex desire. Still, to perform His pastimes the Lord took advantage of all those moonlit autumn nights, which inspire poetic descriptions of transcendental affairs.

VERSE 10.33.26-27

śrī-parīkṣid uvāca

saṁsthāpanāya dharmasya
praśamāyetarasya ca
avatīrṇo hi bhagavān
aṁśena jagad-īśvaraḥ

sa kathaṁ dharma-setūnāṁ
vaktā kartābhirakṣitā
pratīpam ācarad brahman
para-dārābhimarśanam

SYNONYMS

śrī-parīkṣit uvāca — Śrī Parīkṣit Mahārāja said; saṁsthāpanāya — for the establishment; dharmasya — of religious principles; praśamāya — for the subduing; itarasya — of the opposite; ca — and; avatīrṇaḥ — descended (upon this earth); hi — indeed; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; aṁśena — with His plenary expansion (Śrī Balarāma); jagat — of the entire universe; īśvaraḥ — the Lord; saḥ — He; katham — how; dharma-setūnām — of the restrictive codes of moral behavior; vaktā — the original speaker; kartā — the executor; abhirakṣitā — the protector; pratīpam — contrary; ācarat — behaved; brahman — O brāhmaṇa, Śukadeva Gosvāmī; para — of others; dāra — the wives; abhimarśanam — touching.

TRANSLATION

Parīkṣit Mahārāja said: O brāhmaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord of the universe, has descended to this earth along with His plenary portion to destroy irreligion and reestablish religious principles. Indeed, He is the original speaker, follower and guardian of moral laws. How, then, could He have violated them by touching other men’s wives?

VERSE 10.33.28

āpta-kāmo yadu-patiḥ
kṛtavān vai jugupsitam
kim-abhiprāya etan naḥ
śaṁśayaṁ chindhi su-vrata

SYNONYMS

āpta-kāmaḥ — self-satisfied; yadu-patiḥ — the master of the Yadu dynasty; kṛtavān — has performed; vai — certainly; jugupsitam — that which is contemptible; kim-abhiprāyaḥ — with what intent; etat — this; naḥ — our; śaṁśayam — doubt; chindhi — please cut; su-vrata — O faithful upholder of vows.

TRANSLATION

O faithful upholder of vows, please destroy our doubt by explaining to us what purpose the self-satisfied Lord of the Yadus had in mind when He behaved so contemptibly.

VERSE 10.33.29

śrī-śuka uvāca

dharma-vyatikramo dṛṣṭa
īśvarāṇāṁ ca sāhasam
tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya
vahneḥ sarva-bhujo yathā

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; dharma-vyatikramaḥ — the transgression of religious or moral principles; dṛṣṭaḥ — seen; īśvarāṇām — of powerful controllers; ca — even; sāhasam — due to audacity; tejīyasām — who are spiritually potent; na — does not; doṣāya — (lead) to any fault; vahneḥ — of fire; sarva — everything; bhujaḥ — devouring; yathā — as.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The status of powerful controllers is not harmed by any apparently audacious transgression of morality we may see in them, for they are just like fire, which devours everything fed into it and remains unpolluted.

VERSE 10.33.30

naitat samācarej jātu
manasāpi hy anīśvaraḥ
vinaśyaty ācaran mauḍhyād
yathārudro ’bdhi-jaṁ viṣam

SYNONYMS

na — not; etat — this; samācaret — should perform; jātu — ever; manasā — with the mind; api — even; hi — certainly; anīśvaraḥ — one who is not a controller; vinaśyati — he is destroyed; ācaran — acting; mauḍhyāt — out of foolishness; yathā — as; arudraḥ — one who is not Lord Rudra; abdhijam — generated from the ocean; viṣam — poison.

TRANSLATION

One who is not a great controller should never imitate the behavior of ruling personalities, even mentally. If out of foolishness an ordinary person does imitate such behavior, he will simply destroy himself, just as a person who is not Rudra would destroy himself if he tried to drink an ocean of poison.

VERSE 10.33.31

īśvarāṇāṁ vacaḥ satyaṁ
tathaivācaritaṁ kvacit
teṣāṁ yat sva-vaco-yuktaṁ
buddhimāṁs tat samācaret

SYNONYMS

īśvarānām — of the Lord’s empowered servants; vacaḥ — the words; satyam — true; tathā eva — also; ācaritam — what they do; kvacit — sometimes; teṣām — of them; yat — which; sva-vacaḥ — with their own words; yuktam — in agreement; buddhi-mān — one who is intelligent; tat — that; samācaret — should perform.

TRANSLATION

The statements of the Lord’s empowered servants are always true, and the acts they perform are exemplary when consistent with those statements. Therefore one who is intelligent should carry out their instructions.

VERSE 10.33.32

kuśalācaritenaiṣām
iha svārtho na vidyate
viparyayeṇa vānartho
nirahaṅkāriṇāṁ prabho

SYNONYMS

kuśala — pious; ācaritena — by activity; eṣām — for them; iha — in this world; sva-arthaḥ — selfish benefit; na vidyate — does not accrue; viparyayeṇa — by the opposite; — or; anarthaḥ — undesirable reactions; nirahaṅkāriṇām — who are free from false ego; prabho — my dear sir.

TRANSLATION

My dear Prabhu, when these great persons who are free from false ego act piously in this world, they have no selfish motives to fulfill, and even when they act in apparent contradiction to the laws of piety, they are not subject to sinful reactions.

VERSE 10.33.33

kim utākhila-sattvānāṁ
tiryaṅ-martya-divaukasām
īśituś ceśitavyānāṁ
kuśalākuśalānvayaḥ

SYNONYMS

kim uta — what to speak then; akhila — of all; sattvānām — created beings; tiryak — animals; martya — humans; diva-okasām — and inhabitants of heaven; īśituḥ — for the controller; ca — and; īśitavyānām — of those who are controlled; kuśala — with piety; akuśala — and impiety; anvayaḥ — causal connection.

TRANSLATION

How, then, could the Lord of all created beings — animals, men and demigods — have any connection with the piety and impiety that affect His subject creatures?

VERSE 10.33.34

yat-pāda-paṅkaja-parāga-niṣeva-tṛptā
yoga-prabhāva-vidhutākhila-karma-bandhāḥ
svairaṁ caranti munayo ’pi na nahyamānās
tasyecchayātta-vapuṣaḥ kuta eva bandhaḥ

SYNONYMS

yat — whose; pāda-paṅkaja — of the lotus feet; parāga — of the dust; niṣeva — by the service; tṛptāḥ — satisfied; yoga-prabhāva — by the power of yoga; vidhuta — washed away; akhila — all; karma — of fruitive activity; bandhāḥ — whose bondage; svairam — freely; caranti — they act; munayaḥ — wise sages; api — also; na — never; nahyamānāḥ — becoming bound up; tasya — of Him; icchayā — by His desire; ātta — accepted; vapuṣaḥ — transcendental bodies; kutaḥ — where; eva — indeed; bandhaḥ — bondage.

TRANSLATION

Material activities never entangle the devotees of the Supreme Lord, who are fully satisfied by serving the dust of His lotus feet. Nor do material activities entangle those intelligent sages who have freed themselves from the bondage of all fruitive reactions by the power of yoga. So how could there be any question of bondage for the Lord Himself, who assumes His transcendental forms according to His own sweet will?

VERSE 10.33.35

gopīnāṁ tat-patīnāṁ ca
sarveṣām eva dehinām
yo ’ntaś carati so ’dhyakṣaḥ
krīḍaneneha deha-bhāk

SYNONYMS

gopīnām — of the gopīs; tat-patīnām — of their husbands; ca — and; sarveṣām — of all; eva — indeed; dehinām — embodied living beings; yaḥ — who; antaḥ — within; carati — lives; saḥ — He; adhyakṣaḥ — the overseeing witness; krīḍanena — for sport; iha — in this world; deha — His form; bhāk — assuming.

TRANSLATION

He who lives as the overseeing witness within the gopīs and their husbands, and indeed within all embodied living beings, assumes forms in this world to enjoy transcendental pastimes.

VERSE 10.33.36

anugrahāya bhaktānāṁ
mānuṣaṁ deham āsthitaḥ
bhajate tādṛśīḥ krīḍa
yāḥ śrutvā tat-paro bhavet

SYNONYMS

anugrahāya — to show mercy; bhaktānām — to His devotees; mānuṣam — humanlike; deham — a body; āsthitaḥ — assuming; bhajate — He accepts; tādṛśīḥ — such; kriḍāḥ — pastimes; yāḥ — about which; śrutvā — hearing; tat-paraḥ — dedicated to Him; bhavet — one becomes.

TRANSLATION

When the Lord assumes a humanlike body to show mercy to His devotees, He engages in such pastimes as will attract those who hear about them to become dedicated to Him.

VERSE 10.33.37

nāsūyan khalu kṛṣṇāya
mohitās tasya māyayā
manyamānāḥ sva-pārśva-sthān
svān svān dārān vrajaukasaḥ

SYNONYMS

na asūyan — were not jealous; khalu — even; kṛṣṇāya — against Kṛṣṇa; mohitāḥ — bewildered; tasya — His; māyayā — by the spiritual potency of illusion; manyamānāḥ — thinking; sva-pārśva — at their own sides; sthān — standing; svān svān — each their own; dārān — wives; vraja-okasaḥ — the cowherd men of Vraja.

TRANSLATION

The cowherd men, bewildered by Kṛṣṇa’s illusory potency, thought their wives had remained home at their sides. Thus they did not harbor any jealous feelings against Him.

VERSE 10.33.38

brahma-rātra upāvṛtte
vāsudevānumoditāḥ
anicchantyo yayur gopyaḥ
sva-gṛhān bhagavat-priyāḥ

SYNONYMS

brahma-rātre — the nighttime of Brahmā; upāvṛtte — being completed; vāsudeva — by Lord Kṛṣṇa; anumoditāḥ — advised; anicchantyaḥ — unwilling; yayuḥ — went; gopyaḥ — the gopīs; sva-gṛhān — to their homes; bhagavat — of the Supreme Lord; priyāḥ — the dear consorts.

TRANSLATION

After an entire night of Brahmā had passed, Lord Kṛṣṇa advised the gopīs to return to their homes. Although they did not wish to do so, the Lord’s beloved consorts complied with His command.

VERSE 10.33.39

vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ
śraddhānvito ’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ
bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ
hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ

SYNONYMS

vikrīḍitam — the sporting; vraja-vadhūbhiḥ — with the young women of Vṛndāvana; idam — this; ca — and; viṣṇoḥ — by Lord Viṣṇu; śraddhā-anvitaḥ — faithfully; anuśṛṇuyāt — hears; atha — or; varṇayet — describes; yaḥ — who; bhaktim — devotional service; parām — transcendental; bhagavati — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratilabhya — obtaining; kāmam — material lust; hṛt — in the heart; rogam — the disease; aśu — quickly; apahinoti — he drives away; acireṇa — without delay; dhīraḥ — sober.

TRANSLATION

Anyone who faithfully hears or describes the Lord’s playful affairs with the young gopīs of Vṛndāvana will attain the Lord’s pure devotional service. Thus he will quickly become sober and conquer lust, the disease of the heart.