Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 10 · Chapter 46
श्रीशुक उवाच वृष्णीनां प्रवरो मन्त्री कृष्णस्य दयित: सखा । शिष्यो बृहस्पते: साक्षादुद्धवो बुद्धिसत्तम: ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca vṛṣṇīnāṁ pravaro mantrī kṛṣṇasya dayitaḥ sakhā śiṣyo bṛhaspateḥ sākṣād uddhavo buddhi-sattamaḥ
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The supremely intelligent Uddhava was the best counselor of the Vṛṣṇi dynasty, a beloved friend of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and a direct disciple of Bṛhaspati.
तमाह भगवान्प्रेष्ठं भक्तमेकान्तिनं क्वचित् । गृहीत्वा पाणिना पाणिं प्रपन्नार्तिहरो हरि: ॥ २ ॥
tam āha bhagavān preṣṭhaṁ bhaktam ekāntinaṁ kvacit gṛhītvā pāṇinā pāṇiṁ prapannārti-haro hariḥ
The Supreme Lord Hari, who relieves the distress of all who surrender to Him, once took the hand of His fully devoted, dearmost friend Uddhava and addressed him as follows.
गच्छोद्धव व्रजं सौम्य पित्रोर्नौ प्रीतिमावह । गोपीनां मद्वियोगाधिं मत्सन्देशैर्विमोचय ॥ ३ ॥
gacchoddhava vrajaṁ saumya pitror nau prītim āvaha gopīnāṁ mad-viyogādhiṁ mat-sandeśair vimocaya
[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] Dear gentle Uddhava, go to Vraja and give pleasure to Our parents. And also relieve the gopīs, suffering in separation from Me, by giving them My message.
ता मन्मनस्का मत्प्राणा मतर्थे त्यक्तदैहिका: । मामेव दयितं प्रेष्ठमात्मानं मनसा गता: । ये त्यक्तलोकधर्माश्च मदर्थे तान्बिभर्म्यहम् ॥ ४ ॥
tā man-manaskā mat-prāṇā mat-arthe tyakta-daihikāḥ mām eva dayitaṁ preṣṭham ātmānaṁ manasā gatāḥ ye tyakta-loka-dharmāś ca mad-arthe tān bibharmy aham
The minds of those gopīs are always absorbed in Me, and their very lives are ever devoted to Me. For My sake they have abandoned everything related to their bodies, renouncing ordinary happiness in this life, as well as religious duties necessary for such happiness in the next life. I alone am their dearmost beloved and, indeed, their very Self. I personally sustain such devotees, who for My sake give up all worldly duties.
मयि ता: प्रेयसां प्रेष्ठे दूरस्थे गोकुलस्त्रिय: । स्मरन्त्योऽङ्ग विमुह्यन्ति विरहौत्कण्ठ्यविह्वला: ॥ ५ ॥
mayi tāḥ preyasāṁ preṣṭhe dūra-sthe gokula-striyaḥ smarantyo ’ṅga vimuhyanti virahautkaṇṭhya-vihvalāḥ
My dear Uddhava, for those women of Gokula I am the most cherished object of love. Thus when they remember Me, who am so far away, they are overwhelmed by the anxiety of separation.
धारयन्त्यतिकृच्छ्रेण प्राय: प्राणान् कथञ्चन । प्रत्यागमनसन्देशैर्बल्लव्यो मे मदात्मिका: ॥ ६ ॥
dhārayanty ati-kṛcchreṇa prāyaḥ prāṇān kathañcana pratyāgamana-sandeśair ballavyo me mad-ātmikāḥ
Simply because I have promised to return to them, My fully devoted cowherd girlfriends struggle to maintain their lives somehow or other.
श्रीशुक उवाच इत्युक्त उद्धवो राजन्सन्देशं भर्तुरादृत: । आदाय रथमारुह्य प्रययौ नन्दगोकुलम् ॥ ७ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca ity ukta uddhavo rājan sandeśaṁ bhartur ādṛtaḥ ādāya ratham āruhya prayayau nanda-gokulam
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus addressed, O King, Uddhava respectfully accepted his master’s message, mounted his chariot and set off for Nanda-gokula.
प्राप्तो नन्दव्रजं श्रीमान् निम्लोचति विभावसौ । छन्नयान: प्रविशतां पशूनां खुररेणुभि: ॥ ८ ॥
prāpto nanda-vrajaṁ śrīmān nimlocati vibhāvasau channa-yānaḥ praviśatāṁ paśūnāṁ khura-reṇubhiḥ
The fortunate Uddhava reached Nanda Mahārāja’s pastures just as the sun was setting, and since the returning cows and other animals were raising dust with their hooves, his chariot passed unnoticed.
वासितार्थेऽभियुध्यद्भिर्नादितं शुश्मिभिर्वृषै: । धावन्तीभिश्च वास्राभिरुधोभारै: स्ववत्सकान् ॥ ९ ॥ इतस्ततो विलङ्घद्भिर्गोवत्सैर्मण्डितं सितै: । गोदोहशब्दाभिरवं वेणूनां नि:स्वनेन च ॥ १० ॥ गायन्तीभिश्च कर्माणि शुभानि बलकृष्णयो: । स्वलङ्कृताभिर्गोपीभिर्गोपैश्च सुविराजितम् ॥ ११ ॥ अग्न्यर्कातिथिगोविप्रपितृदेवार्चनान्वितै: । धूपदीपैश्च माल्यैश्च गोपावासैर्मनोरमम् ॥ १२ ॥ सर्वत: पुष्पितवनं द्विजालिकुलनादितम् । हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णै: पद्मषण्डैश्च मण्डितम् ॥ १३ ॥
vāsitārthe ’bhiyudhyadbhir nāditaṁ śuśmibhir vṛṣaiḥ dhāvantībhiś ca vāsrābhir udho-bhāraiḥ sva-vatsakān itas tato vilaṅghadbhir go-vatsair maṇḍitaṁ sitaiḥ go-doha-śabdābhiravaṁ veṇūnāṁ niḥsvanena ca gāyantībhiś ca karmāṇi śubhāni bala-kṛṣṇayoḥ sv-alaṅkṛtābhir gopībhir gopaiś ca su-virājitam agny-arkātithi-go-vipra- pitṛ-devārcanānvitaiḥ dhūpa-dīpaiś ca mālyaiś ca gopāvāsair mano-ramam sarvataḥ puṣpita-vanaṁ dvijāli-kula-nāditam haṁsa-kāraṇḍavākīrṇaiḥ padma-ṣaṇḍaiś ca maṇḍitam
Gokula resounded on all sides with the sounds of bulls in rut fighting with one another for fertile cows; with the mooing of cows, burdened by their udders, chasing after their calves; with the noise of milking and of the white calves jumping here and there; with the loud reverberation of flute-playing; and with the singing of the all-auspicious deeds of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma by the cowherd men and women, who made the village resplendent with their wonderfully ornamented attire. The cowherds’ homes in Gokula appeared most charming with their abundant paraphernalia for worship of the sacrificial fire, the sun, unexpected guests, the cows, the brāhmaṇas, the forefathers and the demigods. On all sides lay the flowering forest, echoing with flocks of birds and swarms of bees and beautified by its lakes crowded with swans, kāraṇḍava ducks and bowers of lotuses.
तमागतं समागम्य कृष्णस्यानुचरं प्रियम् । नन्द: प्रीत: परिष्वज्य वासुदेवधियार्चयत् ॥ १४ ॥
tam āgataṁ samāgamya kṛṣṇasyānucaraṁ priyam nandaḥ prītaḥ pariṣvajya vāsudeva-dhiyārcayat
As soon as Uddhava arrived at Nanda Mahārāja’s home, Nanda came forward to meet him. The cowherd King embraced him in great happiness and worshiped him as nondifferent from Lord Vāsudeva.
भोजितं परमान्नेन संविष्टं कशिपौ सुखम् । गतश्रमं पर्यपृच्छत् पादसंवाहनादिभि: ॥ १५ ॥
bhojitaṁ paramānnena saṁviṣṭaṁ kaśipau sukham gata-śramaṁ paryapṛcchat pāda-saṁvāhanādibhiḥ
After Uddhava had eaten first-class food, been seated comfortably on a bed and been relieved of his fatigue by a foot massage and other means, Nanda inquired from him as follows.
कच्चिदङ्ग महाभाग सखा न: शूरनन्दन: । आस्ते कुशल्यपत्याद्यैर्युक्तो मुक्त: सुहृद्व्रत: ॥ १६ ॥
kaccid aṅga mahā-bhāga sakhā naḥ śūra-nandanaḥ āste kuśaly apatyādyair yukto muktaḥ suhṛd-vrataḥ
[Nanda Mahārāja said:] My dear most fortunate one, does the son of Śūra fare well, now that he is free and has rejoined his children and other relatives?
दिष्ट्या कंसो हत: पाप: सानुग: स्वेन पाप्मना । साधूनां धर्मशीलानां यदूनां द्वेष्टि य: सदा ॥ १७ ॥
diṣṭyā kaṁso hataḥ pāpaḥ sānugaḥ svena pāpmanā sādhūnāṁ dharma-śīlānāṁ yadūnāṁ dveṣṭi yaḥ sadā
Fortunately, because of his own sins, the sinful Kaṁsa has been killed, along with all his brothers. He always hated the saintly and righteous Yadus.
अपि स्मरति न: कृष्णो मातरं सुहृद: सखीन् । गोपान् व्रजं चात्मनाथं गावो वृन्दावनं गिरिम् ॥ १८ ॥
api smarati naḥ kṛṣṇo mātaraṁ suhṛdaḥ sakhīn gopān vrajaṁ cātma-nāthaṁ gāvo vṛndāvanaṁ girim
Does Kṛṣṇa remember us? Does He remember His mother and His friends and well-wishers? Does He remember the cowherds and their village of Vraja, of which He is the master? Does He remember the cows, Vṛndāvana forest and Govardhana Hill?
अप्यायास्यति गोविन्द: स्वजनान्सकृदीक्षितुम् । तर्हि द्रक्ष्याम तद्वक्त्रं सुनसं सुस्मितेक्षणम् ॥ १९ ॥
apy āyāsyati govindaḥ sva-janān sakṛd īkṣitum tarhi drakṣyāma tad-vaktraṁ su-nasaṁ su-smitekṣaṇam
Will Govinda return even once to see His family? If He ever does, we may then glance upon His beautiful face, with its beautiful eyes, nose and smile.
दावाग्नेर्वातवर्षाच्च वृषसर्पाच्च रक्षिता: । दुरत्ययेभ्यो मृत्युभ्य: कृष्णेन सुमहात्मना ॥ २० ॥
dāvāgner vāta-varṣāc ca vṛṣa-sarpāc ca rakṣitāḥ duratyayebhyo mṛtyubhyaḥ kṛṣṇena su-mahātmanā
We were saved from the forest fire, the wind and rain, the bull and serpent demons — from all such insurmountable, deadly dangers — by that very great soul, Kṛṣṇa.
स्मरतां कृष्णवीर्याणि लीलापाङ्गनिरीक्षितम् । हसितं भाषितं चाङ्ग सर्वा न: शिथिला: क्रिया: ॥ २१ ॥
smaratāṁ kṛṣṇa-vīryāṇi līlāpāṅga-nirīkṣitam hasitaṁ bhāṣitaṁ cāṅga sarvā naḥ śithilāḥ kriyāḥ
As we remember the wonderful deeds Kṛṣṇa performed, His playful sidelong glances, His smiles and His words, O Uddhava, we forget all our material engagements.
सरिच्छैलवनोद्देशान् मुकुन्दपदभूषितान् । आक्रीडानीक्ष्यमाणानां मनो याति तदात्मताम् ॥ २२ ॥
saric-chaila-vanoddeśān mukunda-pada-bhūṣitān ākrīḍān īkṣyamāṇānāṁ mano yāti tad-ātmatām
When we see the places where Mukunda enjoyed His sporting pastimes — the rivers, hills and forests He decorated with His feet — our minds become totally absorbed in Him.
मन्ये कृष्णं च रामं च प्राप्ताविह सुरोत्तमौ । सुराणां महदर्थाय गर्गस्य वचनं यथा ॥ २३ ॥
manye kṛṣṇaṁ ca rāmaṁ ca prāptāv iha surottamau surāṇāṁ mahad-arthāya gargasya vacanaṁ yathā
In my opinion, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma must be two exalted demigods who have come to this planet to fulfill some great mission of the demigods. Such was foretold by Garga Ṛṣi.
कंसं नागायुतप्राणं मल्लौ गजपतिं यथा । अवधिष्टां लीलयैव पशूनिव मृगाधिप: ॥ २४ ॥
kaṁsaṁ nāgāyuta-prāṇaṁ mallau gaja-patiṁ yathā avadhiṣṭāṁ līlayaiva paśūn iva mṛgādhipaḥ
After all, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma killed Kaṁsa, who was as strong as ten thousand elephants, as well as the wrestlers Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika and the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa. They killed them all sportingly, as easily as a lion disposes of small animals.
तालत्रयं महासारं धनुर्यष्टिमिवेभराट् । बभञ्जैकेन हस्तेन सप्ताहमदधाद् गिरिम् ॥ २५ ॥
tāla-trayaṁ mahā-sāraṁ dhanur yaṣṭim ivebha-rāṭ babhañjaikena hastena saptāham adadhād girim
With the ease of a royal elephant breaking a stick, Kṛṣṇa broke a powerful, giant bow three tālas long. He also held a mountain aloft for seven days with just one hand.
प्रलम्बो धेनुकोऽरिष्टस्तृणावर्तो बकादय: । दैत्या: सुरासुरजितो हता येनेह लीलया ॥ २६ ॥
pralambo dhenuko ’riṣṭas tṛṇāvarto bakādayaḥ daityāḥ surāsura-jito hatā yeneha līlayā
Here in Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma easily destroyed demons like Pralamba, Dhenuka, Arista, Tṛṇāvarta and Baka, who had themselves defeated both demigods and other demons.
श्रीशुक उवाच इति संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य नन्द: कृष्णानुरक्तधी: । अत्युत्कण्ठोऽभवत्तूष्णीं प्रेमप्रसरविह्वल: ॥ २७ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca iti saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya nandaḥ kṛṣṇānurakta-dhīḥ aty-utkaṇṭho ’bhavat tūṣṇīṁ prema-prasara-vihvalaḥ
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus intensely remembering Kṛṣṇa again and again, Nanda Mahārāja, his mind completely attached to the Lord, felt extreme anxiety and fell silent, overcome by the strength of his love.
यशोदा वर्ण्यमानानि पुत्रस्य चरितानि च । शृण्वन्त्यश्रूण्यवास्राक्षीत् स्नेहस्नुतपयोधरा ॥ २८ ॥
yaśodā varṇyamānāni putrasya caritāni ca śṛṇvanty aśrūṇy avāsrākṣīt sneha-snuta-payodharā
As mother Yaśodā heard the descriptions of her son’s activities, she poured out her tears, and milk flowed from her breasts out of love.
तयोरित्थं भगवति कृष्णे नन्दयशोदयो: । वीक्ष्यानुरागं परमं नन्दमाहोद्धवो मुदा ॥ २९ ॥
tayor itthaṁ bhagavati kṛṣṇe nanda-yaśodayoḥ vīkṣyānurāgaṁ paramaṁ nandam āhoddhavo mudā
Uddhava then joyfully addressed Nanda Mahārāja, having clearly seen the supreme loving attraction he and Yaśodā felt for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead .
श्रीउद्धव उवाच युवां श्लाघ्यतमौ नूनं देहिनामिह मानद । नारायणेऽखिलगुरौ यत्कृता मतिरीदृशी ॥ ३० ॥
śrī-uddhava uvāca yuvāṁ ślāghyatamau nūnaṁ dehinām iha māna-da nārāyaṇe ’khila-gurau yat kṛtā matir īdṛśī
Śrī Uddhava said: O respectful Nanda, certainly you and mother Yaśodā are the most praiseworthy persons in the entire world, since you have developed such a loving attitude toward Lord Nārāyaṇa, the spiritual master of all living beings.
एतौ हि विश्वस्य च बीजयोनी रामो मुकुन्द: पुरुष: प्रधानम् । अन्वीय भूतेषु विलक्षणस्य ज्ञानस्य चेशात इमौ पुराणौ ॥ ३१ ॥
etau hi viśvasya ca bīja-yonī rāmo mukundaḥ puruṣaḥ pradhānam anvīya bhūteṣu vilakṣaṇasya jñānasya ceśāta imau purāṇau
These two Lords, Mukunda and Balarāma, are each the seed and womb of the universe, the creator and His creative potency. They enter the hearts of living beings and control their conditioned awareness. They are the primeval Supreme.
यस्मिन् जन: प्राणवियोगकाले क्षणं समावेश्य मनोऽविशुद्धम् । निर्हृत्य कर्माशयमाशु याति परां गतिं ब्रह्ममयोऽर्कवर्ण: ॥ ३२ ॥ तस्मिन् भवन्तावखिलात्महेतौ नारायणे कारणमर्त्यमूर्तौ । भावं विधत्तां नितरां महात्मन् किं वावशिष्टं युवयो: सुकृत्यम् ॥ ३३ ॥
yasmin janaḥ prāṇa-viyoga-kāle kṣanaṁ samāveśya mano ’viśuddham nirhṛtya karmāśayam āśu yāti parāṁ gatiṁ brahma-mayo ’rka-varṇaḥ tasmin bhavantāv akhilātma-hetau nārāyaṇe kāraṇa-martya-mūrtau bhāvaṁ vidhattāṁ nitarāṁ mahātman kiṁ vāvaśiṣṭaṁ yuvayoḥ su-kṛtyam
Anyone, even a person in an impure state, who absorbs his mind in Him for just a moment at the time of death burns up all traces of sinful reactions and immediately attains the supreme transcendental destination in a pure, spiritual form as effulgent as the sun. You two have rendered exceptional loving service to Him, Lord Nārāyaṇa, the Supersoul of all and the cause of all existence, the great soul who, although the original cause of everything, has a humanlike form. What pious deeds could still be required of you?
आगमिष्यत्यदीर्घेण कालेन व्रजमच्युत: । प्रियं विधास्यते पित्रोर्भगवान् सात्वतां पति: ॥ ३४ ॥
āgamiṣyaty adīrgheṇa kālena vrajam acyutaḥ priyaṁ vidhāsyate pitror bhagavān sātvatāṁ patiḥ
Infallible Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the devotees, will soon return to Vraja to satisfy His parents.
हत्वा कंसं रङ्गमध्ये प्रतीपं सर्वसात्वताम् । यदाह व: समागत्य कृष्ण: सत्यं करोति तत् ॥ ३५ ॥
hatvā kaṁsaṁ raṅga-madhye pratīpaṁ sarva-sātvatām yad āha vaḥ samāgatya kṛṣṇaḥ satyaṁ karoti tat
Having killed Kaṁsa, the enemy of all the Yadus, in the wrestling arena, Kṛṣṇa will now surely fulfill His promise to you by coming back.
मा खिद्यतं महाभागौ द्रक्ष्यथ: कृष्णमन्तिके । अन्तर्हृदि स भूतानामास्ते ज्योतिरिवैधसि ॥ ३६ ॥
mā khidyataṁ mahā-bhāgau drakṣyathaḥ kṛṣṇam antike antar hṛdi sa bhūtānām āste jyotir ivaidhasi
O most fortunate ones, do not lament. You will see Kṛṣṇa again very soon. He is present in the hearts of all living beings, just as fire lies dormant in wood.
न ह्यस्यास्ति प्रिय: कश्चिन्नाप्रियो वास्त्यमानिन: । नोत्तमो नाधमो वापि समानस्यासमोऽपि वा ॥ ३७ ॥
na hy asyāsti priyaḥ kaścin nāpriyo vāsty amāninaḥ nottamo nādhamo vāpi sa-mānasyāsamo ’pi vā
For Him no one is especially dear or despicable, superior or inferior, and yet He is not indifferent to anyone. He is free from all desire for respect and yet gives respect to all others.
न माता न पिता तस्य न भार्या न सुतादय: । नात्मीयो न परश्चापि न देहो जन्म एव च ॥ ३८ ॥
na mātā na pitā tasya na bhāryā na sutādayaḥ nātmīyo na paraś cāpi na deho janma eva ca
He has no mother, no father, no wife, children or other relatives. No one is related to Him, and yet no one is a stranger to Him. He has no material body and no birth.
न चास्य कर्म वा लोके सदसन्मिश्रयोनिषु । क्रीडार्थं सोऽपि साधूनां परित्राणाय कल्पते ॥ ३९ ॥
na cāsya karma vā loke sad-asan-miśra-yoniṣu krīḍārthaṁ so ’pi sādhūnāṁ paritrāṇāya kalpate
He has no work to do in this world that would oblige Him to take birth in pure, impure or mixed species of life. Yet to enjoy His pastimes and deliver His saintly devotees, He manifests Himself.
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति भजते निर्गुणो गुणान् । क्रीडन्नतीतोऽपि गुणै: सृजत्यवति हन्त्यज: ॥ ४० ॥
sattvaṁ rajas tama iti bhajate nirguṇo guṇān krīḍann atīto ’pi guṇaiḥ sṛjaty avan hanty ajaḥ
Although beyond the three modes of material nature — goodness, passion and ignorance — the transcendental Lord accepts association with them as His play. Thus the unborn Supreme Lord utilizes the material modes to create, maintain and destroy.
यथा भ्रमरिकादृष्ट्या भ्राम्यतीव महीयते । चित्ते कर्तरि तत्रात्मा कर्तेवाहंधिया स्मृत: ॥ ४१ ॥
yathā bhramarikā-dṛṣṭyā bhrāmyatīva mahīyate citte kartari tatrātmā kartevāhaṁ-dhiyā smṛtaḥ
Just as a person who is whirling around perceives the ground to be turning, one who is affected by false ego thinks himself the doer, when actually only his mind is acting.
युवयोरेव नैवायमात्मजो भगवान् हरि: । सर्वेषामात्मजो ह्यात्मा पिता माता स ईश्वर: ॥ ४२ ॥
yuvayor eva naivāyam ātmajo bhagavān hariḥ sarveṣām ātmajo hy ātmā pitā mātā sa īśvaraḥ
The Supreme Lord Hari is certainly not your son alone. Rather, being the Lord, He is the son, Soul, father and mother of everyone.
दृष्टं श्रुतं भूतभवद् भविष्यत् स्थास्नुश्चरिष्णुर्महदल्पकं च । विनाच्युताद् वस्तु तरां न वाच्यं स एव सर्वं परमात्मभूत: ॥ ४३ ॥
dṛṣṭaṁ śrutaṁ bhūta-bhavad-bhaviṣyat sthāsnuś cariṣṇur mahad alpakaṁ ca vinācyutād vastu tarāṁ na vācyaṁ sa eva sarvaṁ paramātma-bhūtaḥ
Nothing can be said to exist independent of Lord Acyuta — nothing heard or seen, nothing in the past, present or future, nothing moving or unmoving, great or small. He indeed is everything, for He is the Supreme Soul.
एवं निशा सा ब्रुवतोर्व्यतीता नन्दस्य कृष्णानुचरस्य राजन् । गोप्य: समुत्थाय निरूप्य दीपान् वास्तून् समभ्यर्च्य दधीन्यमन्थन् ॥ ४४ ॥
evaṁ niśā sā bruvator vyatītā nandasya kṛṣṇānucarasya rājan gopyaḥ samutthāya nirūpya dīpān vāstūn samabhyarcya daudhīny amanthun
While Kṛṣṇa’s messenger continued speaking with Nanda, the night ended, O King. The women of the cowherd village rose from bed and, lighting lamps, worshiped their household deities. Then they began churning the yogurt into butter.
ता दीपदीप्तैर्मणिभिर्विरेजू रज्जूर्विकर्षद्भुजकङ्कणस्रज: । चलन्नितम्बस्तनहारकुण्डल- त्विषत्कपोलारुणकुङ्कुमानना: ॥ ४५ ॥
tā dīpa-dīptair maṇibhir virejū rajjūr vikarṣad-bhuja-kaṅkaṇa-srajaḥ calan-nitamba-stana-hāra-kuṇḍala- tviṣat-kapolāruṇa-kuṅkumānanāḥ
As they pulled on the churning ropes with their bangled arms, the women of Vraja shone with the splendor of their jewels, which reflected the lamps’ light. Their hips, breasts and necklaces moved about, and their faces, anointed with reddish kuṅkuma, glowed radiantly with the luster of their earrings reflecting from their cheeks.
उद्गायतीनामरविन्दलोचनं व्रजाङ्गनानां दिवमस्पृशद् ध्वनि: । दध्नश्च निर्मन्थनशब्दमिश्रितो निरस्यते येन दिशाममङ्गलम् ॥ ४६ ॥
udgāyatīnām aravinda-locanaṁ vrajāṅganānāṁ divam aspṛśad dhvaniḥ dadhnaś ca nirmanthana-śabda-miśrito nirasyate yena diśām amaṅgalam
As the ladies of Vraja loudly sang the glories of lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa, their songs blended with the sound of their churning, ascended to the sky and dissipated all inauspiciousness in every direction.
भगवत्युदिते सूर्ये नन्दद्वारि व्रजौकस: । दृष्ट्वा रथं शातकौम्भं कस्यायमिति चाब्रुवन् ॥ ४७ ॥
bhagavaty udite sūrye nanda-dvāri vrajaukasaḥ dṛṣṭvā rathaṁ śātakaumbhaṁ kasyāyam iti cābruvan
When the godly sun had risen, the people of Vraja noticed the golden chariot in front of Nanda Mahārāja’s doorway. “Who does this belong to?” they asked.
अक्रूर आगत: किं वा य: कंसस्यार्थसाधक: । येन नीतो मधुपुरीं कृष्ण: कमललोचन: ॥ ४८ ॥
akrūra āgataḥ kiṁ vā yaḥ kaṁsasyārtha-sādhakaḥ yena nīto madhu-purīṁ kṛṣṇaḥ kamala-locanaḥ
“Perhaps Akrūra has returned — he who fulfilled Kaṁsa’s desire by taking lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa to Mathurā.
किं साधयिष्यत्यस्माभिर्भर्तु: प्रीतस्य निष्कृतिम् । तत: स्त्रीणां वदन्तीनामुद्धवोऽगात् कृताह्निक: ॥ ४९ ॥
kiṁ sādhayiṣyaty asmābhir bhartuḥ prītasya niṣkṛtim tataḥ strīṇāṁ vadantīnām uddhavo ’gāt kṛtāhnikaḥ
“Is he going to use our flesh to offer funeral oblations for his master, who was so satisfied with his service?” As the women were speaking in this way, Uddhava appeared, having finished his early-morning duties.
