chapter 16 of Govinda Lilamrta The Parrots of Radha Krsna glorifying them

[Paramananda das]

CHAPTER 16

 

 

"The parrots eulogize Krishna's tip-to-toe beauty"

 

 

After some time Radha and Krishna woke up and sat up on the bed. The sakhis that had already risen before Them saw Them and came up to Them with Subala and Madhumangala. (1)

 

 

Vrnda took her two pupils, the young learned sarika Kalokti and the suka Manjuvak and engaged them in praising the Divine Couple. (2)

 

 

tatas tau pathato namrau jaya vrndavanesvara jaya vrndavancsani jayatalyah prasidata

 

These parrots humbly recited: "Glory to the Lord of Yrndavana! Glory to the Queen of Yrndavana! Glory to Their girlfriends! Be pleased with us!" (3)

 

 

Understanding Radha's gesture, Vrnda ordered the suka to praise Krishna, so the parrot began to gladden the assembly with his recitation. He sang: "Although my poetry is not very sweet and is devoid of good qualities they will be relishable for the saints as they describe Acyuta's qualities, just as the iron knife of a hunter can also be turned into gold by the touch of a touchstone, even if it lies in his house!" (4-5)

 

 

"Shri Krishna's feet eclipse the beauty of Shri Purusottama's (Vishnu's) feet with its marks of the disc, half moon, barleycorn, octagon, pitchei; umbrella, triangle, sky (a void), bow, svastika, thunderbolt, cow's hoof; conchshell, fish, an upward line, a goad, a lotusflower, a flag and a ripe rose-apple!" (6)

 

 

"A single mentioning of the glories of Shri Krishna's feet at once removes one's thirst for everything else. They arc expert in destroying the ealamides of those who meditate on them and bestow all good fortune. One becomes highly astonished upon seeing their beauty that gladdens all the senses. Their touch removes all miseries of fatigue and give happiness. May these feet fulIfill all my desires!" (7)

 

 

"Simply by meditating on Krishna's lotusfeet one attains all spiritual and material fortune, beauty good qualities and wealth and they are an abode of pastimes. May they be our everything!" (8)

 

 

"Even a slight worship of Shri Krishna's feet turns a mere stone into a Cintamani, a mere cow into a Kamadhenu and a mere tree into a desiretree. They fulifill all desires of a living being. Who will not take

shelter of these lotusfeet?" (9)

 

 

parimala vasita bhuvanam sva rasamodita rasajna rolambam giridhara padambhojam kah khalu rasikah samihite hatum

 

 

"Giridhari's lotusfeet always gladden the tongues of the honeybee-like devotees with their fragrance that fills the whole world. Which man of taste could give up these feet?" (10)

 

 

"I praise Krishna's lotusfeet that are filled with the honey of the Lavani-vine. The toes are the petals and the nails the whorls of these lotuses, that pervade all directions with their fragrance which is drunk by the gopis' bee-like eyes. (11)

 

"These feet are like red lotussprouts that please all the five senses with their great qualities and that are generous like the leaves of a desiretree. With what can we compare Han's lotusfeet?" (12)

 

 

"Krishna's toenails are as white as the Ganga by Prayaga, the top sides of these feet are as black as the Yamuna and the soles are red like Brahma's daughter Sarasvati. In this way Krishna's lotusfeet are completely beautiful and fulIfill all desires, like a bath in the Triveni (the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati)." (13)

 

 

"The glories of Krishna's feet are wonderful. The darkness, that takes shelter of these feet, defeats Aruna, the sun's charioteer, in battle, so Aruna (crimson morning glory) takes shelter of Krishna's footsoles (the are just as red). Seeing the darkness of these feet the moon flees in fear and takes shelter of Krishna's splendid nails." (14)

 

 

With a glance, Vrnda engaged the parrot Kalokti, who scented her tongue with the descriptions of Krishna's lotusfeet. She sang: "The hot crimson rays of the sun have scorched Aruna, who took shelter of the cool shade of Krishna's feet. That's why Krishna's footsoles are pervaded with their reddish luster. This is the example of the poets, but I think that the strong passion for Him of Radhika's heart has colored His lotusfeet red, making them Her abode!" (16)

 

 

illaravindam aravinda drsam karabje

kanke Ill pallavam uroja suvarna kumbhah raktotpalam yad 'ha hrt sarasidamide

padaravindam aravinda vifocanasya

 

"When Krishna's lotusfeet are fondled by the lotushands of the lotuseyed gopis they look like blue lotusfiowers, when they stand on the gopis' golden, pitcher-like breasts they look like red Asoka-leaves and when they stand in the gopis' lake-like hearts they shine like red lotuses!" (17)

 

 

"Krishna's lotusfeet are more cool, beautiful and fragrant than the moon, the blue lotus, sandalpaste, camphor or lotusstems, and they are always eager to touch Radha's breasts or to be fondled by Her hands. They became smeared by beautiful vermilion from Radha's breasts, which makes them the playground of the gidfriend of beauty personified. May these lotusfeet of Krishna always be massaged by us!" (18)

 

 

Then, on Radha's encouragement, the suka and sari described Krishna's other limbs, filling the ears of the assembled sakhis with nectar. (19)

 

 

"Krishna's heels are shining like very glossy glcbules of waves of natural beauty, or like blue lotusbuds coming up half on the surface of the Yamuna. They are like wonderful Tamala-leafcups filled with the honey of fresh natural beauty. Whoever licks this honey even once with the bee-like tip of the tongue at once spins around in intoxication!" (20-21)

 

 

"Above Krishna's beautiful lotusfeet the Creator has hidden these two heels for the satisfaction of Radhika's two parrot-like eyes, as if they were two ripe Karamardaka fruitsThese heels are like marbles that nicely embrace Han's feet. The maidens of Radha's mental desires play with them like girls playing ball with boys." (22-23)

 

 

"Han's shanks are like Cupid's soldiers that destroy the soldiers of the patience of the housewives of Gokula and they look like small clubs made of Tamala-wood. They are like the emerald columns of the banana-trees, that the Creator placed to support the abode of the universe, or sapphire goads that subdue the elephant-like minds of the young girls. May these shanks of Han destroy all sins!" (24-25)

 

 

"Krishna's luster is like the small stream of the Yamuna and His shanks are like waves of nectarean beauty in that strcam. His anklebells resound like the sweetly warbling swans in that river. When Han's shanks see eachother's beauty and elegance they become eager to meet Eachother. When Krishna plays His flute and stands in His enchanting threefold bending form, these shanks have a chance to meet and touch Eachother." (26-27)

 

 

"Han's knees shine beautifully like the sittingplace of the goddess of sweetness, like two high stakes that support the vine of natural beauty or two boxes with ornaments of beauty and opulence. Han's wonderfully charming knees are like two small sapphire chests filled with innumerable Cintamani-stones of the minds of the housewives of Yraja. May Han's knees, that show lines when He walks and they contract, and that show no lines when they spread, when Krishna stands still, and that are always fondled by Shri Radhika's beautiful hands, fuIlfill our desires!" (28-30)

 

 

"Krishna's strong, glossy big, charming thighs border His buttocks, gradually tapering towards the knees, and are the stage for Cupid's dancers. May that abode of playful beauty dwell in our hearts!" (31)

 

 

Are these sapphire pillars to support the abode of the world, the ladle for Cupid's sacrifice or pillars to tie up the elephant-like hearts of the gopis ? No, they are Han's thighs!" (32)

 

 

"Han's buttocks are like a raised ground where the blue bananas of His thighs are tapering They are the very sweet fruits that nourish the girls' parrot-like eyes. Han's thighs defeat the pride of the temples of lusty elephants in softness and of the bananas in thickness and they are always fondled by the edges of Shri Radhika's hands. What can the poets compare them with? Krishna's beautiful thighs are the beautiful objects of the grave cowherdladies' desires. Billions of Cupids dance on this soft, extended dancingstage!" (33-35)

 

 

"Krishna's upper body stands on His waist like a steady new Tamalatree. His hips are a sapphire belt from which very sweet water of natural beauty drips to water this tree, and His swan-like anklebells swim in this waterfall." (36)

 

 

"Krishna's waist is the throne on which the Queen of Radha's heart sits. For Her pleasure the Creator has eovcred it with a thick blue cloth as a wonderful moonlike cushion." (37)

 

 

"Obeisances to Han's beautiful underbelly, that is a flood that fills up a pond of nectarean beauty where the gopis' fish-like eyes can play, or that is like a cave for Radhika's lion-like mind! There is a river-like curved line on Krishna's underbelly Above that is Krishna's beautiful lake-like navel and inbetween that is a plain where Shri Radha's mind dances with many dancinggirl-like desires that are always dancing the Rasa there." (38-39)

 

 

"Acyuta's navel is like a well of nectar, the hairs on this navel the rope for drawing this nectar and His underbelly the bucket. The gopis are like thirsty cows that drink this nectar of Acyuta's limbs, made by the Creatoin" (40)

 

 

"The Creator made Krishna's waist like a sapphire mortar to grind the wheat of the gopis' minds, removing the husk of any other thought in them. May that waist always be manifest in my minCL For defeating Lord Siva, Cupid worshipped the Creator, who granted him Siva's damaru (X-shaped drum), which looks just like Krishna's waist with His broad chest above it and His broad hips under it. The Creator gave fresh youth to Krishna's slender waist, between His big chest and His broad hips, shaping it like the letter X." (41-43)

 

drstya bakarer avalagna sausthavam nUavalagnasya ku kirti sankaya durgasu durga janakasya bhubhrto darisu parindra gana vitilyire

 

"When the lions saw the beauty of Krishna's thin waist they feared that their own waists would lose their glories in comparison, so they fled into the inaccessible caves of the Himalaya's" (44)

 

Iavanya vanya bhrama bhangapurna bakiripor nabhi hradc gambhire trsarta gopi hrdayebha pali magnaiva nonmajjati sa kadapi

 

"Krishna's navel is like a deep lake full of streams and whirlpools of natural beauty where the thirsty elephant-like hearts of the gopis drown, never to come back up again." (45)

 

 

shri krishna vigraha tamala suradrume 'smin sobha maranda bhrta nabhi sukotaro'sti Iobhad vadhu drg ahpahr iha pravista yat sa punar nahi nireti rase nimagna

 

"The greedy bee-like eyes of the gopis enter into the hollows of the beautiful honey-filled Tamala-desiretree of Shri Krishna's navel and drown there in the rasa, not coming out anymore." (46)

 

 

"When king Bali praised Krishna (as Vamana) for having the Ganga flowing from His lotusfeet, Yamuna became envious and grew hair from the lake of His lotusnavel (that hair has the same colour as Yamuna). Vamana was praised by one Bali, but Krishna's belly has three Bali's (lines) that worship His lotusnavel. Yamuna washes all other desires off those who see these lines and gives them love for Krishnal" (47)

 

 

"Han's navel is like a hole where His hairs dwell like black snakes that, although they are very thin, are eadng the breezes of the gopis' minds (These snakes live on the wind)." (48)

 

 

"Drinking the honey from Murari's beautiful lotusnavel, the children of the gopis' bee-like eyes become intoxicated, so they fly up and fall on the lotuspetal of Krishna's belly, where they lie down as the hairs He has there." (49)

 

 

"Govinda's abdomen, with its sandal-tijak like hairs, is as beautiful as the universal goddess of victory It defeats the beauty of a Banyan-leaf or a blue lotuspetal, whose sweetness attracts the bee-like eyes of anyone who sees it. l(rsna's very thin, beautiful belly is more soft and fragrant than a fresh Tamala-leaf that is smeared with musk, and nourishes everyone's bee-like eyes." (50-51)

 

 

"The srngara rasa (conjugal flavour) flows down from the hairs on Han's chest into the lake-like navel on His belly, that is slightly raised at both sides and slightly lowered in the middle. May that belly illuminate my mind." (52)

 

 

"Krishna's lotusnavel, that shines on His beautiful pond-like belly, is always the playground for Radha's swanlike mind and fishlike eye Krishna's crane-like waistbells jingle at its shore and is covered by moss-like hairs and three thin lines like waves full of the nectar of shining natural beauty." (53)

 

Han's two sides are like two great, round, soft, pleasant, most beautiful lovers that are always eager to touch their mistress' Shri Radhika's sides." (54)

 

 

"Krishna's beautiful broad chest has the Shrivatsa-mark on its right side, while the goddess of fortune took shelter of its left side in the form of a stripe. The effulgent Kaustubha-jewel hangs on it from Krsn's neck and a garland of forestflowers always plays on it. It is the object of the beautiful gopis' hearts desires, the emerald throne for the queen of Radha's mind and it's sweetness enchants all the young gids of the three worlds." (55-56)

 

"I offer my obeisances to Krishna's chest, that is like the holy bathingplace Prayaga, that bestows auspiciousness to the people of the three worlds through its touch, where the white pearl necklace is the Ganga (white water), His hairs are the (black) Yamuna and His amulet the (red) Sarasvati-river." (At Prayaga these three rivers meet) (57)

 

 

"Murari's arms are to sapphire posts, bound to His chest, for the swing of Cupid and Rati (his wife) and the strings of that swing are His luster, that causes it's swinging." (58)

 

 

"Krishna's chest looks like the beautiful net of the hunter Cupid to trap the wagtailbirds of the gopis' eyes and the beauty of Laksmi and Shrivatsa on it are the bait. The storeroom of Krishna's chest is like a sapphire door to the treasury of the mind of Shri Radhika, the jewel of young girls, with little knobs on each side, that are known as His nipples." (59-60)

 

 

"Krishna's arms are like the beautiful roots of the Tamala-tree of desire that fulfills all the wishes in the gopikas' hearts, or they are like the cruel hunter Cupid's Tamalawood-spears that destroy the does of the ladies' chastity They are like sapphire pestles that expertly thresh the rice of the gopis' hearts, the bolts that lock the abode of Radha's heart, or the bolt that locks the cage of Radha's and the gopis parrot-like minds. May Krishna's long strong beautiful arms, that are the desired objects of the hearts of all ladies in the world, like Laksmi, that have firm breasts, be manifest in my heart!" (61-63)

 

 

"Have two sweet mad elephants named Cupid entered the springfqrest of blooming youthful beauty, Han's body? Their proboscis (Han's hands) reach down to His knees, always eating the leaves of their sweet beauty" (64)

 

 

"Has the Creator made Han's arms like two sapphire pillars of a wonderful swing of sweetness to swing the minds of laksmi and other ladies? The poets say that king Cupid performed a sacrifice in Krishna's body to destroy the gopis patience, using the sapphire ladles of Krishna's arms. But my opinion is that these arms are wonderful streams in an ocean of brilliant conjugal love-flavours." (65-66)

 

 

"Han's handpalms have all the signs of Shri Purusottama (Vishnu) on them: the conch, half moon, goad, barleycorn, club, umbrella, flag, lotus, plough, bow, ladle, svastika, disc, sword, spade, a Baeltree, a fish and an arrow, and have discs on each fingertip". (67)

 

 

"The poets say that Sauri's (Krishna's) hands are naturally soft, but they became hard because that is the sign of g great man (or the Supreme Person maha purusa). There is nothing wrong with this saying, but I think they became so hard from massaging the gopis breasts, that are are hard as turtles' shells." (68)

 

 

"The hands of the moon of Vraja, Krishna, are like fresh medicinal herbs that cure the fever in the young Vrajagopis' breasts, caused by Cupid's arrows, or they are the fresh lotusflowers that adorn the golden vases of Shri Radhika's delicious breasts". (69)

 

"The poets may compare Han's hands with blue lotuses (the top sides) coupled to red lotuses (the back palms) crowned with a crest of full moons (the nails) on sharp edges of Cupid's arrows (the fingertips). The petals (fingers) of these lotuses sometimes entwine eachother." (70)

 

"Some people say that Krishna's shoulders defeat the high humps on the backs of the bulls and they show the signs of the Supreme Person, Purusottama. But my opinion is that they became so raised out of ecstasy from being always embraced by Shri Radhika's lotusstem-arms. I think that Hari's shoulders became so raised because He was eager to see the sweet beauty of the Kaustubhajewel on His neck, for which He stuck His head out high." (71-72)

 

 

"I praise Han's back, that gives joy to the doe-eyed gopis, that broadens upwards and tapers downwards. It is the sapphire throne of the king of sweetness, carrying a heavy load of natural beauty That is why it is a little lowered downwards." (73)

 

 

"Mukunda's neck defeats the pride of a lion's neck in sweetness, being thick, tapering towards its root and providing a round playthrone for Mukunda's beautiful locks." (74)

 

 

kantho harer lasati kaustubha rajahamsam Illamrtaksaya sarah satatam yato'smat iavanya narma kavita vara gana sampad divyapagah pratidisam kila nihsaranti (76)

 

"Krishna's neck appears like a sapphire conch, that is adorned with the ever-fresh lustre of the Kaustubha-gem and three lines that please the eyes of everyone in the three worlds. In this neck is Han's voice whose soundwaves mock the singing of the Pika-birds, the vina, the flute and the bees. The Kaustubha-gem always plays like a lordly swan in the limitless nectarlake of Han's pastimes, where divine rivers of beautiful jokes, poems and songs stream from in all directions." (75-76)

 

 

"Glory to Shri Krishna's lotusface, whose nose, jaws, lips, cheeks, chin and ears are its petals, His teeth are the stamen, His smile is its honeysweet fragrance, His eyes the wagtailbirds that sit on it, His eyebrows honeybees and His tongue the whorl!" (77)

 

 

"Krishna's spotles moonlike face threw its spots on the gopis, thus polluting their reputations, bad poets say, but now hear my opinion: His face is naturally spotless and makes all spots take shelter of it and merge in it." (78)

 

 

"If the Creator would remove the spots from the moon, kept Bandhuli-flowers (lips), two mirrors (cheeks), Kundaflowerbuds (teeth), a sesameflower (nose), Cupid's bow (eyebrows) and bumblebees (hairlocks) would sit on it, it could be somewhat compared with Shri Krishna's face by the best of poets!" (79)

 

 

"Shri Han's chin defeats the beauty of a blooming blue lotuspetal with the moon shining on it. It's middle is slightly pressed in by His fondling mother's thumb in His childhood and the bottom is slightly raised by her two fingers to turn His face upwards (when He did something naughty). Who can describe the beauty of Han's chin, that is like a flood of natural beauty?" (80-81)

 

 

"Han's slightly long jaws touch His beautiful ears (up) and chin (down). It is like a net of sweetness to catch the birds of everyone's eyes and they underline His face nicely." (82)

 

 

"Krishna's ears, that wear beautiful Makara-earrings, defeat the shape of the halfmoon-shaped cakes or the wonderful clods of Kusa-grass. It's brilliant rays swallow the eyes and minds of everyone in the world. The small holes in Krishna's ears that became lengthened by carrying His earrings, are like holes in the nets that catch the eyes of all the ladies of the world, the net that the hunter Cupid spread out to catch the gopis' doe like minds, or the ropes that bind the wagtailbirds of Shri Radhika's eyes. May Madhava's ears, that are always eager to hear Gandharvika's proud jokes and criticisms and the nectarean beverage of Her crooked words, that are beautifully reddish inside and that are at equal height, be manifest in my heartl" (83-85)

 

 

krishnasya puma vidhu mandala sannivesam radhadharamrta rasayana seka pustam

ganda dvayam makara kundafa nrtya rangam bhatindranila mani darpana darpa han

 

"Krishna's cheeks are like full moons that are showered and nourished by the ambrosial elixir of Radha's lips and they are the dancingstage for His Makara-earrings, that eclipse the pride of sapphire mirrors." (86)

 

 

"The corners of Krishna’s mouth, that form the borders of His lips, are like whirlpools in the nectar-river of sweetness, His teeth sprinkle these lips with their rays, that are more effulgent than fresh sprouts that are prinkled with milk. (the sprouts are the lips and the milk is the effulgent teeth)" (87)

 

 

"The poets say that the little carving in Krishna's lips, that mock the beauty of the Bandhujiva-flowers comes from His ever outgoing breath. In the middle of these lips is a slight raising and its borders are beautiful, narrow and long black and red lines." (88)

 

 

"Krishna's lips defeat the beauty of the Bimbafruits and the small lines in the middle naturally make one forget all other attachments. He scents these lips even more with the nectar of His fine, long fluteplaying with which He attracts the whole world." (89)

 

 

sarvasva ratna pitako vraja sundarinam flvatu sidhu casakam vrsabhanu jayah

tac chri lasad dasana Iaksmana Iaksitam shri krishnadharaustham anisam hrdi me cakas£u

 

"May Krishna's lips, that are jewelry chests that contain everything for the beautiful girls of Vraja, that are giving life to the daughter of Yrsabhanu like a cup with nectar and that are beautified by Her toothmarks, shine in my heart!" (90)

 

 

svakara sausthava vinindita kunda vrnda

sat korakan sikhara hiraka mauktikanam sobhabhimana bhara khandana kanti lesan vamabhruvam adhara bimba sukayamanan

 

"Mukunda's teeth defeat the elegant form of the Kundaflower-buds, diamonds, ripe pomegranate-seeds and pearls with a mere drop of their luster and they are the parrots that relish the Bimbafruits of the fairbrowed gopis' lips!" (91)

 

 

jatyalva paktrima su dadima bya manjun sasvat priyadhara rasasvadanena sonan

kantaustha sona mani bhedana kama tankan

minds of the sakhis were immersed in an ocean of nectar and they were stunned of amazement and ecstasy for a while. (110)

 

In the great poem Govinda Lilamrta, which is the result of service to Shri Rupa Gosvami, who  is a honeybee  at Shri Chaitanya's lotusfeet, the encouragement of Shri Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami,  the company of Shri Jiva Gosvami and the blessing of Shri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, this was  the sixteenth chapter, which deals with the midday pastimes.