Chapter 35: The Gopîs Sing of Krishna as He Wanders in the Forest

(2-3)

'Putting His left cheek to the left
of His arm places He,
arching His eyebrows the flute
to His lips stopping the holes
with His tender fingers, o gopîs;

where Mukunda so vibrates
follow in the air the women
together with the perfected,
amazed listening to that
embarrassed of having yielded
to the pursuit of their desires
and forget they the distress
they felt in their minds,
as well as their good order.  

(4-5)

Oh girls what a wonder
to hear this from Nanda's son,
the giver of joy to people
in trouble, when He with
His brilliant smile and steady streak
of lightning [the S'rîvatsa or the goddess] on His chest
has sounded His flute.

The groups of bulls
kept in the pasture, the deer
and the cows pricking up
their ears at a distance
stop with their mouths full their teeth
from chewing and stand frozen
as if they were
a picture drawn.

(6-7)

When Mukunda, with an arrangement
of [peacock] feathers, [mineral] colors and leaves,
in clothing looking like a wrestler,
with Balarâma and the gopas,
dear gopîs, calls for the cows,

is indeed the flow
of the rivers broken
as they just like us,
slighting their piety,
with their arms of water
have stopped, trembling
of love hankering for
the dust of the lotus feet
brought by the wind.

(8-9)

When He as the Original Person
indeed, calling with His flute
for the cows, to the prowess
of His inexhaustible opulences
elaborately is hailed
by His company, moving around
in the forest and on the hillsides,

do the creepers and the trees then,
rich with flowers and fruits,
by themselves - as if revealing
Vishnu - bow down
heavy with their branches,
while out of love raining down
torrents of sweet sap
with the growth on their bodies
erect enthralled.

(10-11)

When He as the most
attractive to see
raises His flute,
grateful acknowledging
the dear, strong humming
bee swarms intoxicated
by the honeysweet [subtle] fragrance
of the tulsî flowers around
His divine garland, oh then,

do the cranes, swans and other
birds in the lake
with their minds seized by
the charm of the song
come forward to pay
Him homage with closed eyes,
keeping silent with their
minds in control.

(12-13)

O Vraja-devîs, when He,
being together with Balarâma,
for fun wearing a garland
on His head at the mountain side
gives happiness vibrating
on His flute and makes
the whole world joyfully delight,

then does the deck of clouds,
afraid to offend
such a great personality
in return most gentleminded
thundering and raining
flowers upon his Friend,
offer its shade as a shield.

(14-15)

O pious lady [Yas'odâ],
when your son, an expert
in the various cowherd things
and an original in different styles
of playing, places His flute
to His bimba-red lips
to produce His music
so harmonious in tones,

do the controllers of enlightenment
like Indra, S'iva and Brahmâ
hearing that soundscape,
with the learned going first
bow their heads intimidated
within not being able
to ascertain its essence.

(16-17)

When, honored by His flute,
with the diverse flag, thunderbolt,
lotus and elephant goad markings
of His flowerpetal lotus feet
the soil of Vraja
with His body, moving
with the grace of an elephant,
is relieved from its pain
created by the hooves [of the cows],

do we, by that walk
in the good of His glances
so playful agitated
by Cupid, in our bewilderment,
like trees transfixed,
not know anymore [of the condition]
of our dresses and braids.

(18-19)

When He, with the garland
of the by Him favored fragrance
of tulsî, counts the cows
on a string of colored beads
and, throwing His arm
over the shoulder of a loving
companion, so now and then sings,

do the wives of the black deer,
the doe, just like the gopîs
who gave up their homely aspirations,
approach that ocean
of transcendental qualities to sit
at His side with their hearts stolen
by the sound that Krishna
produces with His flute.

(20-21)

O sinless lady
your darling child,
the son of Nanda,
with a garland made of jasmine
to His attire and surrounded
by the gopas and the cows
having a good time at the Yamunâ,

was, as He played there amusing
His companions, honored by the wind
blowing gently in His favor
with the scent of sandalwood
and, encircled by the different
categories of the lesser divinities [the Upadevas],
presented with gifts and offered praise
with instrumental music and song.

(22-23)

Caring about the cows
of Vraja and to His feet
as the lifter of the mountain [see 10.25]
being worshiped was He,
at the end of the day
collecting the herd of cows
and playing His flute with His companions,
all along the path by the entirety
of the exalted gods so high
in His glories praised;

this moon born from the womb
of Yas'odâ, who came
with a desire to answer
His friends desires,
was even fatigued
a feast for the eyes
with His garland and color
powdered by the dust
that was raised by the hooves.

(24-25)

With His eyes slightly rolling
of intoxication, honoring
His well-wishing friends,
His garland of forest flowers,
His face paled like a jujube plum [a badara],
the soft line of His cheeks
and the beautiful show
of His earrings of gold,
is the sporting Lord of the Yadus
in His beauty just like
an elephant all regal;

like the king of the night [the moon]
at the end of the day
arriving with His joyful face,
drives He away, to prove
the Vraja cows His mercy,
the hard to endure
painful heat of the day.'