1-çré-çuka uväca
tataç ca paugaëòa-vayaù-çrétau vraje
babhüvatus tau paçu-päla-sammatau
gäç cärayantau sakhibhiù samaà padair
våndävanaà puëyam atéva cakratuù
Çukadeva Gosvämé said: When Lord Räma and Lord Kåñëa attained the age
of paugaëòa [six to ten] while living in Våndävana, the cowherd men allowed
Them to take up the task of tending the cows. Engaging thus in the company ofTheir friends, the two boys rendered the land of Våndävana most auspicious byimprinting upon it the marks of Their lotus feet.
2-tan mädhavo veëum udérayan våto
gopair gåëadbhiù sva-yaço balänvitaù
paçün puraskåtya paçavyam äviçad
vihartu-kämaù kusumäkaraà vanam
Thus desiring to enjoy pastimes, Lord Mädhava, sounding His flute,
surrounded by cowherd boys who were chanting His glories, and accompanied
by Lord Baladeva, kept the cows before Him and entered the Våndävana forest,
which was full of flowers and rich with nourishment for the animals.
3-tan maïju-ghoñäli-måga-dvijäkulaà
mahan-manaù-prakhya-payaù-sarasvatä
vätena juñöaà çata-patra-gandhinä
nirékñya rantuà bhagavän mano dadhe
The Supreme Personality of Godhead looked over that forest, which
resounded with the charming sounds of bees, animals and birds, and which was
enhanced by a lake whose clear water resembled the minds of great souls and by
a breeze carrying the fragrance of hundred-petaled lotuses. Seeing all this, Lord
Kåñëa decided to enjoy the auspicious atmosphere.
3-sa tatra taträruëa-pallava-çriyä
phala-prasünoru-bhareëa pädayoù
spåçac chikhän vékñya vanaspatén mudä
smayann ivähägra-jam ädi-püruñaù
The primeval Lord saw that the stately trees, with their beautiful reddish
buds and their heavy burden of fruits and flowers, were bending down to touch
His feet with the tips of their branches. Thus He smiled gently and addressed
His elder brother.
5-çré-bhagavän uväca
aho amé deva-varämarärcitaà
pädämbujaà te sumanaù-phalärhaëam
namanty upädäya çikhäbhir ätmanas
tamo-‘pahatyai taru-janma yat-kåtam
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O greatest of Lords, just see how
these trees are bowing their heads at Your lotus feet, which are worshipable by
the immortal demigods. The trees are offering You their fruits and flowers to
eradicate the dark ignorance that has caused their birth as trees.
6-ete ‘linas tava yaço ‘khila-loka-térthaà
gäyanta ädi-puruñänupathaà bhajante
präyo amé muni-gaëä bhavadéya-mukhyä
güòhaà vane ‘pi na jahaty anaghätma-daivam
O original personality, these bees must all be great sages and most elevated
devotees of Yours, for they are worshiping You by following You along the path
and chanting Your glories, which are themselves a holy place for the entire
world. Though You have disguised Yourself within this forest, O sinless one,
they refuse to abandon You, their worshipable Lord.
7-nåtyanty amé çikhina éòya mudä hariëyaù
kurvanti gopya iva te priyam ékñaëena
süktaiç ca kokila-gaëä gåham ägatäya
dhanyä vanaukasa iyän hi satäà nisargaù
O worshipable one, these peacocks are dancing before You out of joy, these
doe are pleasing You with affectionate glances, just as the gopés do, and these
cuckoos are honoring You with Vedic prayers. All these residents of the forest
are most fortunate, and their behavior toward You certainly befits great souls
receiving another great soul at home.
8-dhanyeyam adya dharaëé tåëa-vérudhas tvatpäda-
spåço druma-latäù karajäbhimåñöäù
nadyo ‘drayaù khaga-mågäù sadayävalokair
gopyo ‘ntareëa bhujayor api yat-spåhä çréù
This earth has now become most fortunate, because You have touched her
grass and bushes with Your feet and her trees and creepers with Your
fingernails, and because You have graced her rivers, mountains, birds and
animals with Your merciful glances. But above all, You have embraced the
young cowherd women between Your two arms-a favor hankered after by the
goddess of fortune herself.
9-çré-çuka uväca
evaà våndävanaà çrémat
kåñëaù préta-manäù paçün
reme saïcärayann adreù
sarid-rodhaùsu sänugaù
Çukadeva Gosvämé said: Thus expressing His satisfaction with the beautiful
forest of Våndävana and its inhabitants, Lord Kåñëa enjoyed tending the cows
and other animals with His friends on the banks of the river Yamunä below
Govardhana Hill.
10/11/12-kvacid gäyati gäyatsu
madändhäliñv anuvrataiù
upagéyamäna-caritaù
pathi saìkarñaëänvitaù
anujalpati jalpantaà
kala-väkyaiù çukaà kvacit
kvacit sa-valgu küjantam
anuküjati kokilam
kvacic ca käla-haàsänäm
anuküjati küjitam
abhinåtyati nåtyantaà
barhiëaà häsayan kvacit
megha-gambhérayä väcä
nämabhir düra-gän paçün
kvacid ähvayati prétyä
go-gopäla-manojïayä
Sometimes the honeybees in Våndävana became so mad with ecstasy that
they closed their eyes and began to sing. Lord Kåñëa, moving along the forest
path with His cowherd boyfriends and Baladeva, would then respond to the
bees by imitating their singing while His friends sang about His pastimes.
Sometimes Lord Kåñëa would imitate the chattering of a parrot, sometimes,
with a sweet voice, the call of a cuckoo, and sometimes the cooing of swans.
Sometimes He vigorously imitated the dancing of a peacock, making His
cowherd boyfriends laugh. Sometimes, with a voice as deep as the rumbling of
clouds, He would call out with great affection the names of the animals who had
wandered far from the herd, thus enchanting the cows and the cowherd boys.
13-cakora-krauïca-cakrähvabhäradväjäàç
ca barhiëaù
anurauti sma sattvänäà
bhéta-vad vyäghra-siàhayoù
Sometimes He would cry out in imitation of birds such as the cakoras,
krauïcas, cakrähvas, bhäradväjas and peacocks, and sometimes He would run
away with the smaller animals in mock fear of lions and tigers.
14-kvacit kréòä-pariçräntaà
gopotsaìgopabarhaëam
svayaà viçramayaty äryaà
päda-saàvähanädibhiù
When His elder brother, fatigued from playing, would lie down with His
head upon the lap of a cowherd boy, Lord Kåñëa would help Him relax by
personally massaging His feet and offering other services.
15-nåtyato gäyataù kväpi
valgato yudhyato mithaù
gåhéta-hastau gopälän
hasantau praçaçaàsatuù
Sometimes, as the cowherd boys danced, sang, moved about and playfully
fought with each other, Kåñëa and Balaräma, standing nearby hand in hand,
would glorify Their friends’ activities and laugh.
16-kvacit pallava-talpeñu
niyuddha-çrama-karçitaù
våkña-müläçrayaù çete
gopotsaìgopabarhaëaù
Sometimes Lord Kåñëa grew tired from fighting and lay down at the base of a
tree, resting upon a bed made of soft twigs and buds and using the lap of a
cowherd friend as His pillow.
17-päda-saàvähanaà cakruù
kecit tasya mahätmanaù
apare hata-päpmäno
vyajanaiù samavéjayan
Some of the cowherd boys, who were all great souls, would then massage His
lotus feet, and others, qualified by being free of all sin, would expertly fan the
Supreme Lord.
18-anye tad-anurüpäëi
manojïäni mahätmanaù
gäyanti sma mahä-räja
sneha-klinna-dhiyaù çanaiù
My dear King, other boys would sing enchanting songs appropriate to the
occasion, and their hearts would melt out of love for the Lord.
19-evaà nigüòhätma-gatiù sva-mäyayä
gopätmajatvaà caritair viòambayan
reme ramä-lälita-päda-pallavo
grämyaiù samaà grämya-vad éça-ceñöitaù
In this way the Supreme Lord, whose soft lotus feet are personally attended
by the goddess of fortune, concealed His transcendental opulences by His
internal potency and acted like the son of a cowherd. Yet even while enjoying
like a village boy in the company of other village residents, He often exhibited
feats only God could perform.
20-çrédämä näma gopälo
räma-keçavayoù sakhä
subala-stokakåñëädyä
gopäù premëedam abruvan
Once, some of the cowherd boys—Çrédämä, the very close friend of Räma
and Kåñëa, along with Subala, Stokakåñëa and others—lovingly spoke the
following words.
21-räma räma mahä-bäho
kåñëa duñöa-nibarhaëa
ito ‘vidüre su-mahad
vanaà täläli-saìkulam
[The cowherd boys said:] O Räma, Räma, mighty-armed one! O Kåñëa,
destroyer of the miscreants! Not far from here is a very great forest filled with
rows of palm trees.
22-phaläni tatra bhüréëi
patanti patitäni ca
santi kintv avaruddhäni
dhenukena durätmanä
In that Tälavana forest many fruits are falling from the trees, and many are
already lying on the ground. But all the fruits are being guarded by the evil
Dhenuka.
23-so ‘ti-véryo ‘suro räma
he kåñëa khara-rüpa-dhåk
ätma-tulya-balair anyair
jïätibhir bahubhir våtaù
O Räma, O Kåñëa! Dhenuka is a most powerful demon and has assumed the
form of an ass. He is surrounded by many friends who have assumed a similar
shape and who are just as powerful as he.
24-tasmät kåta-narähäräd
bhétair nåbhir amitra-han
na sevyate paçu-gaëaiù
pakñi-saìghair vivarjitam
The demon Dhenuka has eaten men alive, and therefore all people and
animals are terrified of going to the Täla forest. O killer of the enemy, even the
birds are afraid to fly there.
25-vidyante ‘bhukta-pürväëi
phaläni surabhéëi ca
eña vai surabhir gandho
viñücéno ‘vagåhyate
In the Täla forest are sweet-smelling fruits no one has ever tasted. Indeed,
even now we can smell the fragrance of the täla fruits spreading all about
26-prayaccha täni naù kåñëa
gandha-lobhita-cetasäm
väïchästi mahaté räma
gamyatäà yadi rocate
O Kåñëa! Please get those fruits for us. Our minds are so attracted by their
aroma! Dear Balaräma, our desire to have those fruits is very great. If You
think it’s a good idea, let’s go to that Täla forest.
27-evaà suhåd-vacaù çrutvä
suhåt-priya-cikérñayä
prahasya jagmatur gopair
våtau tälavanaà prabhü
Hearing the words of Their dear companions, Kåñëa and Balaräma laughed
and, desiring to please them, set off for the Tälavana surrounded by Their
cowherd boyfriends.
28-balaù praviçya bähubhyäà
tälän samparikampayan
phaläni pätayäm äsa
mataì-gaja ivaujasä
Lord Balaräma entered the Täla forest first. Then with His two arms He
began forcefully shaking the trees with the power of a maddened elephant,
causing the täla fruits to fall to the ground.
29-phalänäà patatäà çabdaà
niçamyäsura-räsabhaù
abhyadhävat kñiti-talaà
sa-nagaà parikampayan
Hearing the sound of the falling fruits, the ass demon Dhenuka ran forward
to attack, making the earth and trees tremble.
30-sametya tarasä pratyag
dväbhyäà padbhyäà balaà balé
nihatyorasi kä-çabdaà
muïcan paryasarat khalaù
The powerful demon rushed up to Lord Baladeva and sharply struck the
Lord’s chest with the hooves of his hind legs. Then Dhenuka began to run
about, braying loudly.
31-punar äsädya saàrabdha
upakroñöä paräk sthitaù
caraëäv aparau räjan
baläya präkñipad ruñä
Moving again toward Lord Balaräma, O King, the furious ass situated
himself with his back toward the Lord. Then, screaming in rage, the demon
hurled his two hind legs at Him.
32-sa taà gåhétvä prapador
bhrämayitvaika-päëinä
cikñepa tåëa-räjägre
bhrämaëa-tyakta-jévitam
Lord Balaräma seized Dhenuka by his hooves, whirled him about with one
hand and threw him into the top of a palm tree. The violent wheeling motion
killed the demon.
33-tenähato mahä-tälo
vepamäno båhac-chiräù
pärçva-sthaà kampayan bhagnaù
sa cänyaà so ‘pi cäparam
Lord Balaräma threw the dead body of Dhenukäsura into the tallest palm
tree in the forest, and when the dead demon landed in the treetop, the tree
began shaking. The great palm tree, causing a tree by its side also to shake,
broke under the weight of the demon. The neighboring tree caused yet another
tree to shake, and this one struck yet another tree, which also began shaking. In
this way many trees in the forest shook and broke.
34-balasya lélayotsåñöakhara-
deha-hatähatäù
täläç cakampire sarve
mahä-väteritä iva
Because of Lord Balaräma’s pastime of throwing the body of the ass demon
into the top of the tallest palm tree, all the trees began shaking and striking
against one another as if blown about by powerful winds.
35-naitac citraà bhagavati
hy anante jagad-éçvare
ota-protam idaà yasmiàs
tantuñv aìga yathä paöaù
My dear Parékñit, that Lord Balaräma killed Dhenukäsura is not such a
wonderful thing, considering that He is the unlimited Personality of Godhead,
the controller of the entire universe. Indeed, the entire cosmos rests upon Him
just as a woven cloth rests upon its own horizontal and vertical threads.
36-tataù kåñëaà ca rämaà ca
jïätayo dhenukasya ye
kroñöäro ‘bhyadravan sarve
saàrabdhä hata-bändhaväù
The other ass demons, close friends of Dhenukäsura, were enraged upon
seeing his death, and thus they all immediately ran to attack Kåñëa and
Balaräma.
37-täàs tän äpatataù kåñëo
rämaç ca nåpa lélayä
gåhéta-paçcäc-caraëän
prähiëot tåëa-räjasu
O King, as the demons attacked, Kåñëa and Balaräma easily seized them one
after another by their hind legs and threw them all into the tops of the palm
trees.
38-phala-prakara-saìkérëaà
daitya-dehair gatäsubhiù
raräja bhüù sa-tälägrair
ghanair iva nabhas-talam
The earth then appeared beautifully covered with heaps of fruits and with
the dead bodies of the demons, which were entangled in the broken tops of the
palm trees. Indeed, the earth shone like the sky decorated with clouds
39-tayos tat su-mahat karma
niçamya vibudhädayaù
mumucuù puñpa-varñäëi
cakrur vädyäni tuñöuvuù
Hearing of this magnificent feat of the two brothers, the demigods and other
elevated living beings rained down flowers and offered music and prayers in
glorification.
40-atha täla-phaläny ädan
manuñyä gata-sädhvasäù
tåëaà ca paçavaç cerur
hata-dhenuka-känane
People now felt free to return to the forest where Dhenuka had been killed,
and without fear they ate the fruits of the palm trees. Also, the cows could now
graze freely upon the grass there.
41-kåñëaù kamala-paträkñaù
puëya-çravaëa-kértanaù
stüyamäno ‘nugair gopaiù
sägrajo vrajam ävrajat
Then lotus-eyed Lord Çré Kåñëa, whose glories are most pious to hear and
chant, returned home to Vraja with His elder brother, Balaräma. Along the
way, the cowherd boys, His faithful followers, chanted His glories.
42-taà gorajaç-churita-kuntala-baddha-barhavanya-
prasüna-rucirekñaëa-cäru-häsam
veëum kvaëantam anugair upagéta-kértià
gopyo didåkñita-dåço ‘bhyagaman sametäù
Lord Kåñëa’s hair, powdered with the dust raised by the cows, was decorated
with a peacock feather and forest flowers. The Lord glanced charmingly and
smiled beautifully, playing upon His flute while His companions chanted His
glories. The gopés, all together, came forward to meet Him, their eyes very eager
to see Him.
43-pétvä mukunda-mukha-säragham akñi-bhåìgais
täpaà jahur viraha-jaà vraja-yoñito ‘hni
tat sat-kåtià samadhigamya viveça goñöhaà
savréòa-häsa-vinayaà yad apäìga-mokñam
With their beelike eyes, the women of Våndävana drank the honey of the
beautiful face of Lord Mukunda, and thus they gave up the distress they had
felt during the day because of separation from Him. The young Våndävana
ladies cast sidelong glances at the Lord—glances filled with bashfulness,
laughter and submission—and Çré Kåñëa, completely accepting these glances as
a proper offering of respect, entered the cowherd village.
44-tayor yaçodä-rohiëyau
putrayoù putra-vatsale
yathä-kämaà yathä-kälaà
vyadhattäà paramäçiñaù
Mother Yaçodä and mother Rohiëé, acting most affectionately toward their
two sons, offered all the best things to Them in response to Their every desire
and at the various appropriate times.
45-gatädhväna-çramau tatra
majjanonmardanädibhiù
névéà vasitvä ruciräà
divya-srag-gandha-maëòitau
By being bathed and massaged, the two young Lords were relieved of the
weariness caused by walking on the country roads. Then They were dressed in
attractive robes and decorated with transcendental garlands and fragrances.
46-janany-upahåtaà präçya
svädy annam upalälitau
saàviçya vara-çayyäyäà
sukhaà suñupatur vraje
After dining sumptuously on the delicious food given Them by Their
mothers and being pampered in various ways, the two brothers lay down upon
Their excellent beds and happily went to sleep in the village of Vraja.
47-evaà sa bhagavän kåñëo
våndävana-caraù kvacit
yayau rämam åte räjan
kälindéà sakhibhir våtaù
O King, the Supreme Lord Kåñëa thus wandered about the Våndävana area,
performing His pastimes. Once, surrounded by His boyfriends, He went
without Balaräma to the Yamunä River.
48-atha gävaç ca gopäç ca
nidäghätapa-péòitäù
duñöaà jalaà papus tasyäs
tåñëärtä viña-düñitam
At that time the cows and cowherd boys were feeling acute distress from the
glaring summer sun. Afflicted by thirst, they drank the water of the Yamunä
River. But it had been contaminated with poison.
49/50-viñämbhas tad upaspåçya
daivopahata-cetasaù
nipetur vyasavaù sarve
salilänte kurüdvaha
vékñya tän vai tathä-bhütän
kåñëo yogeçvareçvaraù
ékñayämåta-varñiëyä
sva-näthän samajévayat
As soon as they touched the poisoned water, all the cows and boys lost their
consciousness by the divine power of the Lord and fell lifeless at the water’s
edge. O hero of the Kurus, seeing them in such a condition, Lord Kåñëa, the
master of all masters of mystic potency, felt compassion for these devotees, who
had no Lord other than Him. Thus He immediately brought them back to life
by showering His nectarean glance upon them
51-te sampratéta-småtayaù
samutthäya jaläntikät
äsan su-vismitäù sarve
vékñamäëäù parasparam
Regaining their full consciousness, the cows and boys stood up out of the
water and began to look at one another in great astonishment.
52-anvamaàsata tad räjan
govindänugrahekñitam
pétvä viñaà paretasya
punar utthänam ätmanaù
O King, the cowherd boys then considered that although they had drunk
poison and in fact had died, simply by the merciful glance of Govinda they had
regained their lives and stood up by their own strength.
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