seeing through the eyes of scriptures

Continuation of Sri Astadasa Chandah Stava purports to vers 7 part 2

O Krsna Who decorated the home of Nanda Maharaja with your pastimes of crawling about.O Krsna who delighted the hearts of Gokula with your sweetness.O Krsna who was draged about by a restless calf, whoes tail You had grasped. O Krsna whoese pastimes delighted the Gopis

housewives, and made them forget all about their household duties.O Krsna who became curious and released the calves at the wrong time.O Krsna who frieghtened because of Your stealing activities ,restlessly glances here and there.O Krsna who laughed when the elderly Gopis rebuked you.O Krsna whoes face expertly conceals Your guilt as a thief.O Krsna who climbed up on the wooden motar. O Krsna who poked holes in the jars suspended from ropes.O Krsna who delighted the monekeys by giving the milkproducts to them.O Krsna who broke

the full of fresh youghurt.O Krsna into whoes frightened eyes Your mother gazed, O sun who makes the lotusflower of Gokula bloom, all glories to You.All glories to You

Purport:

Srila Rupa Goswami here describes the crawling of Bala Gopala ,

In the Damodarastakam ,Satya Vrata Muni has sung:

(1)

namāmīśvaraḿ sac-cid-ānanda-rūpaḿ lasat-kuṇḍalaḿ gokule bhrājamanam yaśodā-bhiyolūkhalād dhāvamānaḿ parāmṛṣṭamatyantato drutya gopyā

(2)

rudantaḿ muhur netra-yugmaḿ mṛjantam karāmbhoja-yugmena sātańka-netram muhuḥ śvāsa-kampa-trirekhāńka-kaṇṭha- sthita-graivaḿ dāmodaraḿ bhakti-baddham

(3)

itīdṛk sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe sva-ghoṣaḿ nimajjantam ākhyāpayantam tadīyeṣita-jñeṣu bhaktair jitatvaḿ punaḥ prematas taḿ śatāvṛtti vande

(4)

varaḿ deva mokṣaḿ na mokṣāvadhiḿ vā na canyaḿ vṛṇe ‘haḿ vareṣād apīha idaḿ te vapur nātha gopāla-bālaḿ sadā me manasy āvirāstāḿ kim anyaiḥ

(5)

idaḿ te mukhāmbhojam atyanta-nīlair vṛtaḿ kuntalaiḥ snigdha-raktaiś ca gopyā muhuś cumbitaḿ bimba-raktādharaḿ me manasy āvirāstāmalaḿ lakṣa-lābhaiḥ

(6)

namo deva dāmodarānanta viṣṇo prasīda prabho duḥkha-jālābdhi-magnam kṛpā-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyāti-dīnaḿ batānu gṛhāṇeṣa mām ajñam edhy akṣi-dṛśyaḥ

(7)

kuverātmajau baddha-mūrtyaiva yadvat tvayā mocitau bhakti-bhājau kṛtau ca tathā prema-bhaktiḿ svakāḿ me prayaccha na mokṣe graho me ‘sti dāmodareha

(8)

namas te ‘stu dāmne sphurad-dīpti-dhāmne tvadīyodarāyātha viśvasya dhāmne namo rādhikāyai tvadīya-priyāyai namo ‘nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam

TRANSLATION

1) To the Supreme Lord, whose form is the embodiment of eternal existence, knowledge, and bliss, whose shark-shaped earrings are swinging to and fro, who is beautifully shining in the divine realm of Gokula, who I (due to the offense of breaking the pot of yogurt that His mother was churning into butter and then stealing the butter that was kept hanging from a swing) is quickly running from the wooden grinding mortar in fear of mother Yasoda, but who has been caught from behind by her who ran after Him with greater speed--to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.

2) (Seeing the whipping stick in His mother's hand) He is crying and rubbing His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes are filled with fear, and the necklace of pearls around His neck, which is marked with three lines like a conch shell, is shaking because of His quick breathing due to crying. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, whose belly is bound not with ropes but with His mother's pure love, I offer my humble obeisances.

3) By such childhood pastimes as this He is drowning the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy, and is revealing to those devotees who are absorbed in knowledge of His supreme majesty and opulence that He is only conquered by devotees whose pure love is imbues with intimacy and is free from all conceptions of awe and reverence. With great love I again offer my obeisances to Lord Damodara hundreds and hundreds of times.

4) O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for the boon of impersonal liberation, nor the highest liberation of eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon (which may be obtained by executing the nine processes of bhakti). O Lord, I simply wish that this form of Yours as Bala Gopala in Vrndavana may ever be manifest in my heart, for what is the use to me of any other boon besides this?

5) O Lord, Your lotus face, which is encircled by locks of soft black hair tinged with red, is kissed again and again by mother Yasoda, and Your lips are reddish like the bimba fruit. May this beautiful vision of Your lotus face be ever manifest in my heart. Thousands and thousands of other benedictions are of no use to me.

6) O Supreme Godhead, I offer my obeisances unto You. O Damodara! O Ananta! O Vishnu! O master! O my Lord, be pleased upon me. By showering Your glance of mercy upon me, deliver this poor ignorant fool who is immersed in an ocean of worldly sorrows, and become visible to my eyes.

7) O Lord Damodara, just as the two sons of Kuvera--Manigriva and Nalakuvara--were delivered from the curse of Narada and made into great devotees by You in Your form as a baby tied with rope to a wooden grinding mortar, in the same way, please give to me Your own prema-bhakti. I only long for this and have no desire for any kind of liberation.

8) O Lord Damodara, I first of all offer my obeisances to the brilliantly effulgent rope which binds Your belly. I then offer my obeisances to Your belly, which is the abode of the entire universe. I humbly bow down to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani, and I offer all obeisances to You, the Supreme Lord, who displays unlimited pastimes.

Srila Sanatana Goswami has given an amazing purport:

http://kksongs.org/authors/purports/namamisvaram_sntg.html

Srila Sanatana Goswami has described these pastimes :

sadhu-raksha-karam dushta-

marakam bhakta-vatsalam maha-narayanam vande

nandananda--vivardhanam

sadhu--the saintly devotees; raksha-karam--protecting; dushta--the demons; marakam--killing; bhakta--to the devotees; vatsalam--very affectionate; maha-nariayanam--the great Lord Narayana; vande--I offer respectful obeisances; nanda--of Nanda Maharaja; ananda--the bliss; vivardhanam--increasing.

I offer respectful obeisances to Lord Krishna, who is very affectionate to the devotees, protecting them, and destroying the demons.He is the great Lord Narayana and He increases the bliss of Nanda Maharaja.

Verse 87

jaya ringana-liladhya

janu-cankramanotsuka

ghrishta-janu-kara-dvandva

maugdhya-lila-manohara

jaya--all glories; ringana--crawling; lila--pastimes; adhya--enriched; janu--on the knees; cankramana--moving about; utsuka--eager; ghrishta--rubbed; janu--knees; kara--hands; dvandva--pairs; maugdhya--of childish innocence; lila--with pastimes; manohara--enchanting the mind.

O Lord Krishna, eagerly crawling about on Yourhands and knees, and performing the pastimes of an innocent child, you enchant the minds ( of the devotees).All to You.

Verse 88

kinkini-nada-samhrishta

vraja-kardama-vibhrama

vyalambi-culika-ratna-

griva-vyaghra-nakhojjvala

kinkini--of the bells; nada--by the sound; samhrishta--pleased; vraja--of Vrajabhumi; kardama--in the mud; vibhrama--wandering about; vyalambi--hanging; culika--top of the head; ratna--jewel; griva--the neck; vyaghra--of a tiger; nakha--with the nails ujjvala--splendid.

O Lord Krishna, delighted by the sounds (of other people's) ankle-bells, You would crawl in the mud of Vraja (as if to follow them).the top of Yourhead was decorated with a jewel, and Yourneck appeared very splendid, ornamented with the nails of a tiger.

Verse 89

pankanulepa-rucira

mamsaloru-kati-tata

sva-mukha-pratibimbarthin

pratibimbanukaraka

panka--with mude; anulepa--anointed; rucira--charming; mamsala--strong; uru--thighs; kati--hips; tata-surface; sva--own; mukha--face; pratibimba--reflection; arthin--desiring; pratibimba--reflection; anukaraka--imitating.

O Lord Krishna, you appear very charming, anointed with the mud of Vraja, and Your and hips becoming gradually stronger as You grew older.O Lord, You desired to see the reflection of Yourface and You saw that reflection, You playfully imitated Your own movements.

Verse 90

avayakta-valgu-vag-vritte

smita-lakshya-radodgama

dhatri-kara-samalambin

praskhalac-citra-cankrama

avyakta--inarticulate; valgu--charming; vak--of words; vritte--activites; smita--smile; lakshya--perceivable; rada--of teeth; udgama--arival; dhatri--of the nurse; kara--by the hands; ashamalambin--held; praskhalat--stumbling; citra--amazing; cankrama--walking.

O Lord Krishna, holding You with her hands as she was breast-feeding You, Mother Yashoda little teeth beginning to grow in Yoursmiling mouth, which was speaking the charming inarticulate words of a small child.At that time You began to walk, Youramazing activites occasionally decorated with stumbling.

jayangana-gana-prekshya-

balya-lilanukaraka

aviskritalpa-samarthya

pada-vikshepa-sundara

jaya--all glories; angana-gana--by the gopis; prekshya--seen; balya--childhood; lila--pastimes anukaraka--imitating; aviskrita--manifested; alpa--little; samarthya--ability; pada--of the feet; vikshepa--kicking; sundara--beautiful.

O Lord Krishna, thus imitating the pastimes of a helpless human child, charmingly kicking Yourlegs performing other pastimes, You were observed by the gopis.

Verse 92

vatsa-puccha-samakrishta

vatsa-puccha-vikarshanavismaritanya-vyapara-

gopa-gopi-pramodana

vatsa--of the calves; puccha--by the tails; samakrishta--attracted; vatsa--of the calves; puccha--by the tail; vikarshana--dragging about; vismarita--forgotten; anya--other; vyapara--activities; gopa--of the cowherd men; gopi--of the cowherd women; pramodana--the delight.

O Lord Krishna, pulling the tail of a calf, You would in turn be dragged about by him.The cowherd men and women would then forget all their other activites and become delighted by these childhood pastimes

Verse 93

griha-kritya-samasakta-

matri-vaiyagrya-karaka

brahmadi-kamya-lalitya

jagad-ashcarya-shaishava

griha--household; kritya--duties; samasakta--attached; matri--of the mother; vaiyagrya--perplexity; karaka--causing; brahma--by Lord Brahma; adi--and the other demigods; kamya--beautiful; lalitya--charm; jagat--of the universe; ashcarya--amazement; shaishava--childhood.

O Lord Krishna, in this way You would greatly perplex Your mother, who was intent on performing her household duties.O Lord, Your great charm enchants Lord Brahma and the other demigods and the beauty of Your childhood amazes the entire universe.(All glories unto You).

Twenty-fifth Obeisance

Verse 94

prasida bala-gopala

gopi-gana-muda vaha

anurupa-vayasyapta

caru-kaumara-capala

prasida--please be merciful; bala--child; gopala--O cowherd; gopi--of the gopis; gana--to the community; muda--joy; vaha--bringing; anurupa--suitable; vayasya--friends of the same age; apta--attained; caru--beautiful; kaumara--of youth; capala--mischief.

O Lord Krishna, O little cowherd boy, O delight of the gopis, O performer of mischievous childhood pastimes in the company of Your like-minded friends of the same age, please be merciful to me.

Verse 95

akala-vatsa-nirmoktir

vraja-vyakrosa-susmita

nava-nita-maha-cora

vanarahara-dayaka

akala--at the wrong time; vatsa--calves; nirmoktih--release; vraja--of the residents of Vrajabhumi; vyakrosa--lament; susmita--nicely smiling; nava-nita--fresh butter; maha--great; cora--thief; vanara--to the monkeys; ahara--foodstuff; dayaka--giving.

O Lord Krishna, releasing the calves at the wrong time, You smiled to see the residents of Vraja lament.You would continually steal butter, and also feed it to the monkeys.

Srimad Bhagavatam 10 Canto describes these lilas:

SB 10.8.21: After a short time passed, both brothers, Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, began to crawl on the ground of Vraja with the strength of Their hands and knees and thus enjoy Their childhood play.

SB 10.8.22: When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, with the strength of Their legs, crawled in the muddy places created in Vraja by cow dung and cow urine, Their crawling resembled the crawling of serpents, and the sound of Their ankle bells was very charming. Very much pleased by the sound of other people's ankle bells, They used to follow these people as if going to Their mothers, but when They saw that these were other people, They became afraid and returned to Their real mothers, Yaśodā and Rohiṇī.

SB 10.8.23: Dressed with muddy earth mixed with cow dung and cow urine, the babies looked very beautiful, and when They went to Their mothers, both Yaśodā and Rohiṇī picked Them up with great affection, embraced Them and allowed Them to suck the milk flowing from their breasts. While sucking the breast, the babies smiled, and Their small teeth were visible. Their mothers, upon seeing those beautiful teeth, enjoyed great transcendental bliss.

SB 10.8.24: Within the house of Nanda Mahārāja, the cowherd ladies would enjoy seeing the pastimes of the babies Rāma and Kṛṣṇa. The babies would catch the ends of the calves' tails, and the calves would drag Them here and there. When the ladies saw these pastimes, they certainly stopped their household activities and laughed and enjoyed the incidents.

SB 10.8.25: When mother Yaśodā and Rohiṇī were unable to protect the babies from calamities threatened by horned cows, by fire, by animals with claws and teeth such as monkeys, dogs and cats, and by thorns, swords and other weapons on the ground, they were always in anxiety, and their household engagements were disturbed. At that time, they were fully equipoised in the transcendental ecstasy known as the distress of material affection, for this was aroused within their minds.

SB 10.8.26: O King Parīkṣit, within a very short time both Rāma and Kṛṣṇa began to walk very easily in Gokula on Their legs, by Their own strength, without the need to crawl.

SB 10.8.27: Thereafter, Lord Kṛṣṇa, along with Balarāma, began to play with the other children of the cowherd men, thus awakening the transcendental bliss of the cowherd women.

SB 10.8.28: Observing the very attractive childish restlessness of Kṛṣṇa, all the gopīs in the neighborhood, to hear about Kṛṣṇa's activities again and again, would approach mother Yaśodā and speak to her as follows.

SB 10.8.29: "Our dear friend Yaśodā, your son sometimes comes to our houses before the milking of the cows and releases the calves, and when the master of the house becomes angry, your son merely smiles. Sometimes He devises some process by which He steals palatable curd, butter and milk, which He then eats and drinks. When the monkeys assemble, He divides it with them, and when the monkeys have their bellies so full that they won't take more, He breaks the pots. Sometimes, if He gets no opportunity to steal butter or milk from a house, He will be angry at the householders, and for His revenge He will agitate the small children by pinching them. Then, when the children begin crying, Kṛṣṇa will go away.

SB 10.8.30: "When the milk and curd are kept high on a swing hanging from the ceiling and Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma cannot reach it, They arrange to reach it by piling up various planks and turning upside down the mortar for grinding spices. Being quite aware of the contents of a pot, They pick holes in it. While the elderly gopīs go about their household affairs, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma sometimes go into a dark room, brightening the place with the valuable jewels and ornaments on Their bodies and taking advantage of this light by stealing.

SB 10.8.31: "When Kṛṣṇa is caught in His naughty activities, the master of the house will say to Him, 'Oh, You are a thief,' and artificially express anger at Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will then reply, 'I am not a thief. You are a thief.' Sometimes, being angry, Kṛṣṇa passes urine and stool in a neat, clean place in our houses. But now, our dear friend Yaśodā, this expert thief is sitting before you like a very good boy." Sometimes all the gopīs would look at Kṛṣṇa sitting there, His eyes fearful so that His mother would not chastise Him, and when they saw Kṛṣṇa's beautiful face, instead of chastising Him they would simply look upon His face and enjoy transcendental bliss. Mother Yaśodā would mildly smile at all this fun, and she would not want to chastise her blessed transcendental child.

Srila Prabhupada has given very amazing purports to these slokas: SB 10.8.21

After a short time passed, both brothers, Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, began to crawl on the ground of Vraja with the strength of Their hands and knees and thus enjoy Their childhood play.

PURPORT

One brāhmaṇa devotee says:

śrutim apare smṛtim itare bhāratam anye bhajantu bhava-bhītāḥ

aham iha nandaḿ vande yasyālinde paraḿ brahma

"Let others, fearing material existence, worship the Vedas, the Vedic supplementary purāṇas and the Mahābhārata, but I shall worship Nanda Mahārāja, in whose courtyard the Supreme Brahman is crawling." For a highly exalted devotee, kaivalya, merging into the existence of the Supreme, appears no better than hell (narakāyate). But here one can simply think of the crawling of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma in the courtyard of Nanda Mahārāja and always merge in transcendental happiness. As long as one is absorbed in thoughts of kṛṣṇa-līlā, especially Kṛṣṇa's childhood pastimes, as Parīkṣit Mahārāja desired to be, one is always merged in actual kaivalya. Therefore Vyāsadeva compiled Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Lokasyājānato vidvāḿś cakre sātvata-saḿhitām (Bhāg. 1.7.6). Vyāsadeva compiled Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, under the instruction of Nārada, so that anyone can take advantage of this literature, think of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes and always be liberated.

śrutim apare smṛtim itare bhāratam anye bhajantu bhava-bhītāḥ

aham iha nandaḿ vande yasyālinde paraḿ brahma

I like to add to Srila Prabhupadas purport that Krsna and Balarama resided in 2 places in Vraja first in Gokula ,Nanda Bhavan and later in Nandagrama : Srila Visvanath Chakravati Thakura has written a beautifull prayer for us to daily chant:

Shri Nandisvarastaka

Eight Glorifying Nandisvara Hill

saksan mahattama-mahaghana-cid-vilasa-

punjah svayam sikhari-sekharatam upetah

yatresvarah sa khalu nandati yena veti