Chapter 20 of Govinda lilamrta

[Paramananda das]

CHAPTER 20

"Evening pastimes" (18h. -20.24 p.m.)

 

 (Summary description)

 

 

1 remember Shri Radha in the evening, sending many eatables to Her lover's house through Her friend and then eats the remnants of the moon of Vraja's (Krishna's) food, that was brought to Her by a girlfriend. I also remember Shri Krishna in the evening, being nicely bathed, beautifully dressed and fondled by His mother, then goes to the barn to milk some cows and returns home again to eat something. (1)

 

 

Mother Yasoda came home and brought her sons to the bathroom where she engaged her servants in bathing KrsnL She told Dhanistha, who stood next to Her: "0 daughter, go to see Radha and take the laddus and other delicacies that Krishna likes from Her, that I asked Her to make and that will increase my son's lifespan!" Dhanistha went to Radhika and told Her of mother Yasoda's order. Radhika became eager to have dishes sent to Krishna through some girlfriends. (2-4)

 

 

Then a duti named Malati came, being sent by Vrnda, and told Radhika: "Tonight Vrnda has arranged Your place of meeting with Krishna at Govinda Sthali (this place is called the yoga pitha and is by the present Govinda temple in Vrndavana)." (S)

purport : Srila Rupa Goswami build a temple for Radha Govinda at Govinda Sthali in Vrindavana he revealed where this place is : 

Author: Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura

Book Name: Stavamrta Lahari

Language: Sanskrit

 

LYRICS

(1)
jāmbūnadoṣṇīṣa-virāji-muktā-
mālā-maṇi-dyoti-śikhaṇḍakasya
bhańgyā nṛṇāḿ lolupayan dṛśaḥ śrī-
govindadevaḥ śaraṇaḿ mamāstu

 

(2)

kapolayoḥ kuṇḍala-lāsya-hāsya
ccavi-cchaṭā-cumbitayor yugena
sammohayan sambhajatāḿ dhiyaḥ śrī-
govindadevaḥ śaraṇaḿ mamāstu

 

(3)

sva-preyasī-locana-koṇa-śīdhu-
prāptyai puro-varti-janekṣaṇena
bhāvaḿ kam api udgamayan budhānām
govindadevaḥ śaraṇaḿ mamāstu

 

(4)

vāma-pragaṇḍārpita-gaṇḍa-bhāsvat-
tāṭańka-lolāka-kānti-siktaiḥ
bhrū-valganair unmadaya kula-strīr
govindadevaḥ śaraṇaḿ mamāstu

 

(5)

dūre sthitās tā muralī-ninādaiḥ
sva-saurabhair mudrita-karṇa-pālīḥ
nāsārudho hṛd-gata eva karṣan
govindadevaḥ śaraṇaḿ mamāstu

 

(6)

navīna-lāvaṇya-bharaiḥ kṣitau śrī-
rūpānurāgambu-nidhi-prakāśaiḥ
sataś camatkāra-vataḥ prakurvan
govindadevaḥ śaraṇaḿ mamāstu

 

(7)

kalpa-drumādho-maṇi-mandirāntaḥ
śrī-yoga-pīṭhāmburu hāsyayā svaḿ
upāsayaḿs tantra-vido pi mantrair
govindadevaḥ śaraṇaḿ mamāstu

 

(8)

mahābhiṣeka-kṣaṇa-sarva-vāso
'lańkṛty-anańgī-karaṇocchalantyā
sarvāńga-bhāsākulayaḿs tri-lokīm
govindadevaḥ śaraṇaḿ mamāstu

 

(9)

govindadevāṣṭakam etad uccaiḥ
paṭhet tadīyāńghri-niviṣṭa-dhīr yaḥ
taḿ majjayann eva kṛpā-pravāhair
govindadevaḥ śaraṇaḿ mamāstu

 

TRANSLATION

1) "May Lord Govindadeva, who charms the eyes of all living beings with the graceful movement of the peacock feather in His golden crown shining with pearls and gems, be my shelter."

 

2) "May Lord Govindadeva, who charms the hearts of the devotees' with His cheeks which are kissed by the splendour of His smile and the dancing of His earrings, be my shelter."

 

3) "May Lord Govindadeva who, by glimpsing at His beloved to attain Her nectarean sidelong glance, provokes the love of all the demigoddesses, be my shelter."

 

4) "May Lord Govindadeva, who entices the pious cowherd girls with the charming movements of His eyebrows, which are enhanced by the beauty of His moving locks of hair, lustrous earrings, and His cheek placed upon His left shoulder, be my shelter."

 

5) " He enters into the hearts of the cowherd damsels and draws the to him, though they stand afar, blocking their ears from the sound of His flute and their noses from the wonderful scent of His body. May Lord Govindadeva be my shelter."

 

6) "He fills the devotees on earth with astonishment by the weight of His youthful beauty and the unlimited ocean of His love. May Lord Govindadeva be my shelter."

 

7) Those learned in the scriptures worship Him with mantras as He sits in the lotus-like yoga-pitha in a gem-studded palace beneath a grove of wish-fulfilling trees. May Lord Govindadeva be my shelter."

 

8) "He is as handsome as the god of love (Ananga) and is dressed and decorated as if for a royal coronation. He enthralls all the residents of the three worlds with His beautiful form. May Lord Govindadeva be my shelter."

 

9) "One who reads aloud this Govindadevastakam and meditates upon the Lord’s lotus feet, is thrown into a river of mercy by the Lord Himself. May Lord Govindadeva be my shelter."

 

 

 

Shri Radhika gave her separate fresh claypots with food, covered by sheets. She gave Tulasi manjari and Kasturi manjari a wonderful wooden basket with the food, covered by white sheets. She give betelleaves along with Tulasi and sent her along to Dhanistha, who had understand the hint about the rcndez vous in the forest. Dhanistha took all these articles and brought them to mother Yasoda, who had them placed in different plates by Tulasi and Kasturi. Mother Yasoda mixed a little of her own preparations in each pot and had her brahmanaboys offer this to their Narayana-deity. (6-10)

 

 

Meanwhile servants began to sprinkle Han's and Balarama's bodies, massaging Them with oil. They bathed Them, dressed Them in fresh clothes, arranged Their hair; adorned Them with tilaka, garlands, pastes and ornaments before they brought Them to the dining room. There mother Yasoda served Them mashed coconuts, drinks, savouries, various fruits, Piyusa granthi, Karpura Keli, Amrta Keli, saddus and rice cooked in ghL Krishna and His friends laughed when Madhumangala joked and after drinking, eating and joyfully washing their mouths, they took rest on beds, where they were served with betelleaves and chownes by Their servants. After some time They returned to the barn to milk to cows there. (11-16)

 

 

Dhanisthika collected the remnants of Krishna's meal and secretly gave it to her friend Gunamala to bring it to Shri Radha. After Radhika relished Krishna's remnants She climbed on the moontower again with Her friends to blissfully behold Krishna's cowmilkingpastimes. (17-18)

 

 

Sometimes, in the summer, Krishna doesn't go to the barn, but asks His mother: "Ma, can I go and swim in the Yamuna or Pavana Sarovara with My friends?" Then mother Yasoda joyfully sends some servants along with Krishna to carry His supper and His clothes and ornaments for bathing. After bathing and dresing there, Krishna ate, drank and took some rest. Then He returned to the barn with His friends to milk the cows. (19-20)

 

 

At that time Radha also went to the Yamuna on the pretext of taking Her evening bath there, to touch the water that had touched Krishna's body (21)

 

 

Through Kundalata Radhika sent Krishna eatables, enjoyed His remnants and returned home after seeing Him.(22)

 

 

As He walked home, Krishna was surrounded by servants who carried His waterpot, pan-pot, fan, stick and cowropes. On the way He blissfully saw that Nanda Maharaja was sitting on his throne with many pots of milk before him, ordering his servants and cowherders to do their duties, looking down the road for Krishna to come. Krishna also saw how the cows called their thirsty and noisy calves with their mooing, looking down the road for Him to come. They were hardly able to move because of their heavy udders from which the milk dripped by itself. Some cows were amready milked, others had yet to be milked and others were being milked Krishna saw how the cowherders called the calves like they called the cows, saying: "hee hee!". They milked the cows and filled their jugs with milk, placing them in orderly rows while looking down the road for Him to come. Krishna saw how the servants carried the milk to the nearby storehouse and placed the empty jugs in front of Nanda Maharaja, eager to see Krishna. (23-27)

 

 

Again and again the bulls furrowed the ground with their hooves and horns as they fought over the cows that were in season, making loud sounds. Han was happy to see how the calves also fought, head to head, again and again. Krishna happily went to the barn to milk the cows after telling His father . There He pacified the cows, that surrounded Him, by fondling them. Han pleased His cows by scratching and carressing them with His beautiful hands. He made the calves drink their milk, milked some of them and made other boys milk the other cows. The calves filled their bellies with milk and became satisfied. Even after the cowherdboys had stopped milking the cows, their udders remained full, not thin. How amazing!" (28-32)

 

 

The cows drank the nectar of Krishna's lotusface with their eyes and mind and of love milk dripped from their udders automatically The cowherdboys placed pots under them that were full after some time and they brought these pots before Nanda Maharaja. (33)

 

 

Ran and Balarama made the calves enter the barn to be fondled by their mothers. The cowherdboys then sent the cows to their own barns. Then they went to Nanda Maharaja, who engaged the porters in bringing the milk home and kept servants by the gates of the barn. Then Krishna and Balarama went home with Their friends. (34-35)

 

 

Coming home, father Nanda washed his feet and entered his temple to watch brahmana boys perform the worship of the Salagrama sila and the evening arati of Lord Yisnu. Mother Yasoda then brought fruits cooked in ghi and canesugar, garlands, scents, betelleaves and other dishes to Lord Vishnu and blissfully distributed them to Nanda Maharaja and all the others present. They spoke for a while and then Nanda's friends went home. They could not keep their eyes off Krishna, having placed their lives and senses in Him. (36-39)

 

 

Nanda always invited his nephews like Subhadra to eat with Krishna and sometimes he invited all his brothers also. On that day, though, he invited everyone and sent a brahmana-boy the order to his wife Yasoda to arrange for their meals. Through a brahmana boy also mother Yasoda had called all her sisters-in-law, like Tungi, Pibara and Kuvala with their sons and daughters-in-law, inviting them to dine with Krishna. They washed their feet before they came in and sat down with Nanda Maharaja in their midst. Nanda's older brothers sat on his right, his younger brothers on his left and Krishna and Balarama faced him. Subhadra and others sat on Krishna's left and the brahmanas sat on Balarama's righL (40-44)

 

she filled trays with fragrant golden soft stacks of rice cooked in gh4 surrounded by vegetables and placed them before the guests. When Nanda and his clan began to eat, Tungi gradually served the vegetables of six flavours (salty, sour, sweet, bitter, pungent etc), dalia (whole wheat porridge), ksira (sweet rice), pies, puddings in nice pots and soft rotis (flat bread). On Yasoda's indication Rohini again and again served everyone whatever they liked, knowing their tastes. Queen Yasoda constantly served condensed milk, sikharin4 lemonade, thick yoghurt, savouries, different kinds of pickles and ripe mangoes. (45-49)

 

 

Although they were a little shy in front of Nanda and his clan, Yasoda and the other ladies could not help but openly show the eagerness of their minds, words and eyes to fondle Krishna and the boys. The fathers' minds were melting with affection and their bodies were moistened with tears of love. Because they enthusiastically encouraged the boys a hundred times to eat more they happily ate again, although they were already satisfied. This made the mothers very happy (50)

 

 

The only difference between breakfast and supper was that Madhumangala's jokes were graver and mother Yasoda's eagerness was more intense in the evening (because of the presence of so many relatives). (5I)

 

 

Although Krishna and Balarama could not joke and play freely because Nanda and his brothers were present and mother Yasoda could also not freely fondle the boys, supper was a hundred times nicer for Nanda and his companions (since they could not take breakfast with Krishna). (52)

 

 

vaktrendoh smita sampada vrajavidhos tad vak sudha bindubhis

tat saurabhya vimisra dhupa visarais tat tata vrntanitaih

tac chri sagdhyamrtabhisikta madhurair bhojyais ca sam Jebhire  te pancendriya trptjjam atitamam sambhojaniyam mudam

 

The eyes of Nanda and the elders were sprinkled with the nectardrops from Krishna's moonlike face, by the opulent smile of the moon of Vraja (Krishna) and by the nectar of His words. Their noses were pleased by the fragrance of His body, mixed with incense, driven along by the breeze caused by palmleaffans (which pleased their sense of touch) and their tongues were pleased by the nectar-shower of His sweet foodremnants. In this way all the senses of the cowherders were pleased during their supper and they were very happy (53)

 

 

After eating and drinking everyone washed their mouths and lay down to rest on beds. Nanda and the elders laY down on a platform, attended by their servants, and Krishna lay down on the veranda, being served by His servants with betelleaves and fans. (54)

 

 

atta~aya sailatah prasrmaram krishnananendu dyuti

jyotsnam sali cayesvari sva vadabhi jaladhva dattanana

payam payam apaya sunyam apusac chri drk cakoryau nije sarvatraiva hi sarvada phalavati sad bhagya bha jam sprha

 

When the Krishna-moon rose on the veranda, showing His brilliant beams, Radhika and Her girlfriends climbed on the moontower and beheld His beauty with their Cakoribird-like eyes, again and again drinking this nectar to their full satisfaction and without hindrance. In this way they were very fortunate to have their desires fuilfilled. (55)

 

 

tasya mukhabja susamam makaranda dhara sarad gavaksa mukhato mifitam piban sah krishnah puposa trsitau nija netra bhrngav

utkanthitaiva mahatam hi phalapti hetuh

 

 

Subhadra's mother Tungi was expert in etiquette and serving, so on mother Yasoda's request and with Rohini's help shc served. First she served the brahmanas, then her husband, then her brothers-in-law and then the boys. Krishna also looked at Radhika's beautiful lotuslike face through His window, drinking its nectar with His honeybee-like eyes to His full satisfaction. The great souls obtain this nectar only through divine eagerness. (56)

 

 

atha vrajesa tulasim sahalikam krtagraha bhojayitum dhanisthaya abhani scyam prathamam na radhikam vinatti bhojyam na ja Jam pibaty api

 

Mother Yasoda told Dhanistha to make Tulasi and Kasturi eat, but Dhanistha told her: "She will not even drink water before Radhika has eaten first!" (57)

 

 

sa srutva sneha ritim tam pritahannam sa temanam sa sakhivrnda radhartham abhyam prasthapaya drutam

 

Hearing this, mother Yasoda was very pleased with their love for Radhika and lovingly said: "Then Tulasi and Kasturi should quickly go and bring this rice and these vegetables to Radha and Her girlfriends!" (58)

 

 

So Dhanistha happily took the rice and vegetables along with things cooked by Rohini in a lonely place and sent them along with Tulasi in a big basket. (59)

 

 

First Yasoda fed the servants, maidservants and cowherdboys and then she ate herself with her sisters-in-law, their daughters-in-law and daughters, sitting with them. (60)

 

 

Tulasi took the dishes and left and Dhanistha privately told Subala where Krishna could meet Radhika that night, giving him a pan for Krishna made by Radhika. (61)

 

 

Tulasi then came to Shri Radha and showed Her Krishna's meal. When Radhika and Her girlfriends saw this, their noses and eyes were pleased by its fragrance and colour. (62)

 

 

tad rupa manjari nitva tulasya bhojanalayam sa sakhivrnda radhayai prthak patresv akalpayat

 

Shri Rupa manjari took the dishes from Tulasi, took Radha and Her girlfriends to the diningroom and made different plates there for them. (63)

 

 

Jatila then called Visakha and said: "My son went out to the barn, tell Radha to come and eat. Her husband will sleep in the barn tonight after his meal." Visakha said: "Radha is tired of walking around in the forest and fell asleep. Please give me the rice and vegetables, I will give them to Her." Visakhika happily took the meal and kept it in a corner of the dining hall. Then she went to Radha and happily told Her what had happened. (64-66)

 

 

Shri Radha sat down on a dais with Her girlfriends to eat the remnants of Krishna's meal, drinking from a golden goblet, like a thirsty female swan relishing nectar (67)

 

 

ILalita sat on Radhika's right side and Visakha on Her left with all Her other girlfriends sitting at Her side and before Her. Rupa manjari and Tulasi lovingly served the food, like Mohini gradually served all the nectar to the demigods. (68-69)

 

pranayi jana visrstam shri harer bhuktasesam tad adhara madhu mistam tat karenabhimrstam nu~a nikhifa ganestam radhaya netra drstam mftam api ca tadasit aksayam bantane'nnam

 

Although there was actually only little of it, there seemed to be no end to the rice and vegetables that were served to Radha and Her dear girlfriends, because they were left over by Shri Han, sweetened by His lips, desired for by the whole world, touched by Han's hands and looked upon by Radha's eyes. (70)

 

 

ramana kavaJa sistam san mrna lam maralyali kisalaya kulam enyah shri marandam bhramaryah amrtam iva cakoryas caindavam radhikadya mumudur adhikam annam pasya krishnavasistam

 

Radhika found unlimited bliss in relishing Krishna's remnants, like a swan tasting nice lotusstems left over by her husband, a doe tasting fresh sprouts, bees tasting honey or Cakori-birds tasting the nectar of the moon. (71)

 

 

After washing their mouths, Radhika and Her girlfriends relished the remnants of Krishna's betelleaves and took rest on their beds, being served by their maidservants. (72)

 

 

Joyfully Tulasi and Rupa manjari sent Radhika's remnants of rice and vegetables to Vrnda through Malati. Then all the other sakhis and maidservants blissfully sat down to eat the remnants of Radhika's meal. (73-74)

 

 

tatresta vyanjanadinam anyonya parivesane bhojanadau tayor asid vyatidana kalih ksanam

 

They joyfully served eachother the nectarean remnants of Radhika's meal, lovingly quarreling with eachother -for a while. (75)

 

 

After eating and washing their mouths they came to Radhika's lotusfeet to serve them and to accept the remnants of Her chewed betelleaves. (76)

 

 

hrd amrta ruci ratna dravini harsa sindhum nayana kuva Jaya Jim calam utphullayanti vrajavasati jananam sadhu sayantaniya jayati visada lila kaumudi gokulendoh

 

The eyes of the Vrajavasis were like blue lotusfiowers (that bloom in the moonlight) and their hearts were like moonstones (that melt when the moon rises. All glories to the moonbeams of Krishnacandra's evening-pastiles, that made the ocean of their bliss swell!" (77)

 

 

In the great poem Govinda Lilamrta, which was 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 association of Shri Jiva Gosvami and the blessing of Shri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, this was the twentieth chapter, dealing with the evening pastimes.