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2024-04-27, 5:43 PM |
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Chapter
47: The
Gopî Reveals Her Emotions: The Song of the Bee
(1-2)
S'rî
S'uka said: 'When the women of Vraja saw him, the servant of
Krishna, with his long arms, being so young, with his lotus
eyes, wearing a yellow garment and a lotus garland and with his
effulgent lotuslike countenance and polished earrings, wondered
they quite astonished from where this handsome man had come and
to whom he, wearing Krishna's clothes and ornaments, belonged.
With all of them talking like this crowded they eagerly around
him who was sheltered by the lotus feet of Uttamas'loka
[the Lord Praised in the Scriptures]. (3)
In proper respect bowing down to him in humility and shyly
smiling with their glances, sweet words and all, inquired they
with him, having taken him separate seated on a pillow, for
they had understood that he was an envoy of the Master of the
Goddess of Fortune. (4)
'We know that you arrived here as the personal associate of the
chief of the Yadus who as your Master has sent you here to
satisfy by your mediation His parents. (5)
We wouldn't know what there would be else for Him worth to
remember in these cow pastures; the bonds of affection with
one's relatives are even for a sage difficult to relinquish.
(6)
The interest in others manifests itself as friendship for as
long as it takes; it is a pretense as good as the interest that
bees show for flowers or that men show for women.
(7)
Prostitutes abandon a penniless man, citizens an incompetent
king, graduates abandon their teacher and priests one abandons
after compensating them. (8)
Birds do so with a tree rid of the fruits and guests with the
house where they ate; animals abandon the forest that burned
down and likewise does a lover so once he has enjoyed an
enamored woman.'
 (9-10)
The
gopîs with Uddhava, the messenger of Krishna,
having arrived in their midst, did so with their speech, bodies
and minds aiming at Krishna, put aside their worldly concerns,
singing and crying without restraint in the intense memory of
the youth and childhood activities of their Sweetheart.
(11)
One [noted as Râdhâ, see also *]
seeing a honeybee while meditating the association with Krishna
imagined it a messenger sent by her Beloved and spoke the
following. (12)
The gopî said: 'O honeybee, you friend of a
cheater, don't touch my feet with your whiskers carrying the
kunkum from His garland that rubbed off from the breasts of our
rival; He who has sent a messenger such as you is derided in
the assembly of the Yadus - let the Lord of Madhu [Himself
instead] be of mercy with the women! [prajalpa
**]
(13)
Once He made us drink the nectar from His bewildering lips, but
He has suddenly abandoned us like we were some flowers; I
wonder why, like you [o bee], the goddess of fortune
[Padmâ] serves His lotus feet - that must be so
because, alas, by the chitchat of Krishna her mind has been
stolen [parijalpa ***].
(14)
O mister sixlegs, why are you singing here so much about the
Master of the Yadus in front of us, old friends of the Friend
of Vijaya [Arjuna], who abandoned their homes; you
better sing of His topics before the [present]
girlfriends of whom He [now has] relieved of the pain
of their breasts - His sweethearts will provide you the charity
you seek [vijalpa *4].
(15)
What women in heaven, on earth and below would not be available
to Him so deceptive with His charming smiles and arching
eyebrows; what is, when the wife of the Fortunate One is of
worship with the dust of the feet, the value of us, we for whom
being so wretched indeed He at least is there by the sound of
'Uttamas'loka' [ujjalpa *5]?
(16)
Keep your head off my foot! I know you, you expert who as a
messenger from Mukunda learned the diplomacy of flatter! Why
should I reconcile with Him who so ungrateful abandoned us, who
for His sake in this life have abandoned their children,
husbands and everything else [sañjalpa
*6]?
(17)
Against the rules shot He [as Râma, see
9.10
& 11] as
cruel as a hunter the king of the monkeys
[Vâlî], was He won by a woman
[Sîtâ], did He disfigure a woman driven by
lust [S'ûrpanakhâ, the sister of
Râvana] and did He, after consuming His tribute
[as Vâmana], bind Bali up like a crow [see
8.21];
so therefore enough of that Black Boy whom of all friendships
is so hard to give up with us losing ourselves in the topics
about Him [avajalpa *7].
(18)
The ears, just once partaking in a drop of the nectar of the
pastimes He constantly performed, do remove one entirely from
the duality and ruin the personal duties right away, because of
which, rejecting their miserable homes and families, many
people out here like birds pursue the livelihood of begging
[abhijalpa *8].
(19)
We, taking His deceptive speech for true, as foolish doe wives
of the black deer trusting the hunter's song, repeatedly
experienced this sharp pain of lust caused by the touch of His
fingernails; o messenger, I beg, speak of another subject
[ajalpa *
9]!
(20)
O sweet friend, have you by my Beloved once again been sent
here - please choose whatever you wish, you are to be honored
by me my dearest - why are you with us here raising this
conflict of feelings with Him that is so impossible to give up;
o gentle one, isn't there always present at His side His
consort, the goddess of fortune S'rî, to His chest
[pratijalpa *
10]?
(21)
It certainly is regrettable that the son of Nanda now resides
in Mathurâ; does He remember the household affairs of His
father, His friends and the cowherd boys so now and then, o
great soul, or..., does He still in talks relate to us, the
maidservants? When is there the chance that He will lay His
aguru-scented hand on our heads [sujalpa
*
11]?'
(22)
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Uddhava, having heard how the cowherd girls were
hankering for the sight of Krishna, next in order to pacify
them spoke of the messages of their Sweetheart.
(23)
S'rî Uddhava said: 'You who in this manner dedicated your
minds unto the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva, are for sure to be
worshiped by all people, because you fulfilled the purpose of
your good selves [of modeling the emotions of relating to
Him]. (24)
By donating, vows [of poverty, celibacy and fasting],
sacrifices, the rosary [japa], by study, and by
turning inward concentrating and meditating, and by all kinds
of other auspicious practices [see also yama,
niyama,
vidhi
and bhâgavata
dharma] is
indeed unto Krishna the bhakti, the devotional service,
realized. (25)
By your good selves unto the Supreme Lord, who is glorified in
sublime poetry, have you - and my congratulations for that -
established an unequaled devotion hard to attain even for the
sages. (26)
To your good fortune you chose to leave your sons, husbands,
physical comforts, relatives and homes to associate with that
superior male personality named Krishna. (27)
By the rightful claim of your wholehearted love in separation
from Adhokshaja,
o glorious ones, have you done me [the Lord and
everyone] a great favor. (28)
Please, good ladies, hear what the message from your Beloved
for you is for the reason of which I, as a faithful servant of
my master's orders, came here.
(29)
The
Supreme Lord has said: 'You women are actually never separated
from Me, who is ever present as the Soul of All; just as all
the elements, the ether, the fire, the air, the water and the
earth are part of all beings, am I likewise, to the elements of
the mind, the life air, the senses, and their natural modes
[guna, rasa and jalpa] there as their
harbor. (30)
Within Me do I Myself by means of Myself create, destroy and
sustain through the power of My deluding potency that is made
up by the elements, the senses and the modes. (31)
The soul full of pure spiritual knowledge is, concerning the
effect of the modes of nature, uninvolved in what is perceived
by the functions of deep sleep, dream sleep and waking
consciousness. (32)
What one meditates by the senses that run after the objects is
as false as a dream is when one wakes up; staying alert should
one bring under control that what [in the mind] gathers
from the input of the senses [compare B.G. 2:
68 and
6:
35-36].
(33)
This, like all rivers ending in the ocean, is of the
intelligent the end conclusion to all vedic studies, yoga,
analysis, renunciation, penance, sense control and truthfulness
[compare B.G. 2:
70].
(34)
The fact then that I, who is so dear to your eyes, indeed am
situated so far away from you, is according My wish that you,
in your solicitude towards Me, are attracted to Me in the
mind. (35)
For the minds of women remain absorbed when the one dearest to
them is far away and not so much the minds of those who have
him present directly before their eyes. (36)
Your minds totally absorbed in Me will - because of the
constant remembrance of Me - having given up on all the
restlessness, soon obtain Me. (37)
Those remaining here in Vraja while I was sporting at night in
the forest [see 10.29:
9] and for that
reason not experienced the râsa dance, were as
fortunate to achieve Me by thinking of My heroic
acts.'
(38)
S'rî
S'uka said: 'The women of Vraja hearing the instructions this
way imparted by their Beloved, next addressed Uddhava, pleased
as they were to have their memories revived by the message.
(39)
The gopîs said: 'Fortunately has the cause of the
suffering, the enemy of the Yadus Kamsa, together with his
followers been killed. How good it is that Acyuta at present
happily lives with His well-wishers who have attained all they
desired. (40)
O gentle one, perhaps is the elder brother of Gada
[Krishna, see 9.24:
46] giving the
women of the city the love that belongs to us, we who revere
Him affectionately and bashful with inviting smiles and
glances. (41)
How will our Darling, so versed in all the matters of love, not
become bound by the bewildering gestures and words of the city
women, who are also [just as we] constantly of worship?
(42)
And... does Krishna, o pious one, remember us; does He ever
mention us, village girls, when He freely talks in the company
of the city women? (43)
Does He recall those nights in which He enjoyed in
Vrindâvana that place so enchanting because of the lotus,
the jasmine and the moon, when He with tinkling ankle bells
danced with us, His beloved girlfriends, who ever glorify Him
with the charming stories about Him? (44)
Will that descendant of Das'ârha come over here to bring,
perhaps with His touch, back to life us who are tormented with
the sorrow He Himself gave rise to, just like Indra would do to
[replenish] a forest with his clouds? (45)
But why would Krishna come over here now that He, surrounded by
all His well-wishers, is happy having attained a kingdom,
killed His enemies and married the daughters of kings?
(46)
What unto Him, the great Soul and husband of the goddess of
fortune whose every desire is already fulfilled, would there be
to fulfill as a purpose for us, forest-dwellers, or for other
women; He's complete in Himself! (47)
The highest happiness indeed is found in not hoping for
anything, so even stated Pingalâ [a courtesan, see
11.8],
yet for us who aware of that are focused on Krishna is it
difficult not to hope. (48)
Who is able to put out of his mind the thought of the intimate
talks with Uttamas'loka, from whose body the goddess, even
though He's not desiring her, never moves away?
(49)
With Sankarshana for His companion lived Krishna, o prabhu, by
the rivers, the hills and places in the forest, the cows and
the sounds of the flute. (50)
Ah!, over and over do those places with the divine markings of
His feet remind us of the son of Nanda we really can never
forget. (51)
O, how can we, whose hearts were stolen by His gait, His
playful glances, His generous charming smiles and nectarean
words, forget Him? (52)
O Master, Master of the Goddess, Master of Vraja, o Destroyer
of the Suffering, o Govinda lift Gokula up from the ocean of
misery it is submerged in!'
 (53)
S'rî
S'uka said: 'They, with their fever of separation removed by
Krishna's messages, then worshiped him recognizing him as
Adhokshaja
Himself. (54)
Remaining there for some months singing the topics of Krishna's
pastimes, gave he joy to Gokula dispelling the sorrow of the
gopîs. (55)
All the days that Uddhava dwelled in Nanda's cowherd village
passed for the residents of Vraja in a single moment, because
they were all filled with discussions about Krishna.
(56)
Seeing the rivers, forests, mountains, valleys and flowering
trees, took the servant of the Lord pleasure in inspiring the
people of Vraja about Krishna. (57)
Noticing all this and more of the gopîs' total
absorption in Krishna and their agitation to it, was Uddhava
extremely pleased and sang he, offering them all respect, the
following: (58)
'These women, with success maintaining their bodies on this
earth as cowherd women exclusively for Govinda, the Soul of
All, all by themselves achieved perfection in their loving
ecstasy - a love that is desired as well as by us as by the
sages who fear a material existence; what use is it to be
blessed with the [three] births of a brahmin [from
his mother, his guru and his sacrifices] if one has the
taste for the topics of the Unlimited Lord? (59)
Where is one compared to these women who, impure in their
conduct towards Krishna, wander in the forests; what is one's
position compared to this stage of perfect love for the Supreme
Soul? - most certainly is the Controller of the one who is of
constant worship, even when he's not very learned, directly
bestowing the highest good, the good that imbibed works like
the very best of all medicines [that is: irrespective the
person]. (60)
The Vraja ladies in this being blessed by the embrace of
Uttamas'loka in the râsa dance was, o pity, not
reserved for the goddess on His chest who is so intimately
related, this was not the favor for the women of heaven with
their scent and luster of a lotus flower, and much less was it
granted to others of worldly beauty [10.33].
(61)
Oh, let me be devoted to the dust of the lotus feet of the
gopîs in Vrindâvana, let me be any of the
bushes, creepers or herbs [there in relation] to them
who, in worship of the feet of Mukunda, for whom one searches
with the help of the Vedas, gave up the family members so
difficult to leave behind and the path of civil correctitude.
(62)
The feet of the Supreme Lord of which the goddess, the unborn
one, and the other gods, even being accomplished as masters of
yoga, can only think of, were by them indeed in the gathering
of the râsa dance placed on their breasts, so that
by that embrace their anguish was vanquished. (63)
To the dust of the feet of the cowherd women of Vraja, of whose
loud chanting the stories of Krishna the three worlds are
purified, my respects again and again.'
(64)
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Then taking permission to leave of the
gopîs, of Yas'odâ and Nanda as also of the
gopas, mounted the descendant of Das'ârha, ready
to take off, his chariot. (65)
Approaching him, as he was riding out, with various items of
worship in their hands, spoke Nanda and the others
affectionately with tears in their eyes. (66)
'May our minds always take to the shelter of the lotus feet of
Krishna, may our words express His names, and may our bodies
bowing down and all of that, so act for His sake.
(67)
Wherever we for our work to the will of the Controller are
being made to wander, may there, of what we do and give away in
charity, be the auspiciousness of our attachment to Krishna our
Lord.'
(68)
After
the gopas thus had honored him with Krishna bhakti, o
first among men, turned Uddhava back to Mathurâ, the city
that now enjoyed the protection of Krishna. (69)
Before Krishna falling down to pay his respects, told he Him of
the intense devotion of the residents of Vraja and gave he the
gifts he had brought with him to Vasudeva, Balarâma and
the king [Ugrasena].'
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