1-çré-çuka uväca
kréòäsakteñu gopeñu
tad-gävo düra-cäriëéù
svairaà carantyo viviçuståëa-lobhena gahvaram
Çukadeva Gosvämé said: While the cowherd boys were completely absorbed
in playing, their cows wandered far away. They hungered for more grass, and
with no one to watch them they entered a dense forest.
2-ajä gävo mahiñyaç ca
nirviçantyo vanäd vanam
éñékäöavéà nirviviçuù
krandantyo däva-tarñitäù
Passing from one part of the great forest to another, the goats, cows and
buffalo eventually entered an area overgrown with sharp canes. The heat of a
nearby forest fire made them thirsty, and they cried out in distress.
3-te ‘paçyantaù paçün gopäù
kåñëa-rämädayas tadä
jätänutäpä na vidur
vicinvanto gaväà gatim
Not seeing the cows before them, Kåñëa, Räma and Their cowherd friends
suddenly felt repentant for having neglected them. The boys searched all
around, but could not discover where they had gone
4-tåëais tat-khura-dac-chinnair
goñ-padair aìkitair gaväm
märgam anvagaman sarve
nañöäjévyä vicetasaù
Then the boys began tracing out the cows’ path by noting their hoofprints
and the blades of grass the cows had broken with their hooves and teeth. All the
cowherd boys were in great anxiety because they had lost their source of livelihood.
5-muïjäöavyäà bhrañöa-märgaà
krandamänaà sva-godhanam
sampräpya tåñitäù çräntäs
tatas te sannyavartayan
Within the Muïjä forest the cowherd boys finally found their valuable cows,
who had lost their way and were crying. Then the boys, thirsty and tired,
herded the cows onto the path back home.
6-tä ähütä bhagavatä
megha-gambhérayä girä
sva-nämnäà ninadaà çrutvä
pratineduù praharñitäù
The Supreme Personality of Godhead called out to the animals in a voice
that resounded like a rumbling cloud. Hearing the sound of their own names,
the cows were overjoyed and called out to the Lord in reply.
7-tataù samantäd dava-dhümaketur
yadåcchayäbhüt kñaya-kåd vanaukasäm
saméritaù särathinolbaëolmukair
vilelihänaù sthira-jaìgamän mahän
Suddenly a great forest fire appeared on all sides, threatening to destroy all
the forest creatures. Like a chariot driver, the wind swept the fire onward, and
terrible sparks shot in all directions. Indeed, the great fire extended its tongues
of flame toward all moving and nonmoving creatures.
8-tam äpatantaà parito davägnià
gopäç ca gävaù prasamékñya bhétäù
ücuç ca kåñëaà sa-balaà prapannä
yathä harià måtyu-bhayärditä janäù
As the cows and cowherd boys stared at the forest fire attacking them on all
sides, they became fearful. The boys then approached Kåñëa and Balaräma for
shelter, just as those who are disturbed by fear of death approach the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The boys addressed Them as follows.
9-kåñëa kåñëa mahä-véra
he rämämogha vikrama
dävägninä dahyamänän
prapannäàs trätum arhathaù
[The cowherd boys said:] O Kåñëa ! Kåñëa! Most powerful one ! O Räma!
You whose prowess never fails! Please save Your devotees, who are about to be
burned by this forest fire and have come to take shelter of You!
10-nünaà tvad-bändhaväù kåñëa
na cärhanty avasäditum
vayaà hi sarva-dharma-jïa
tvan-näthäs tvat-paräyaëäù
Kåñëa! Certainly Your own friends shouldn’t be destroyed. O knower of the
nature of all things, we have accepted You as our Lord, and we are souls
surrendered unto You!
11-çré-çuka uväca
vaco niçamya kåpaëaà
bandhünäà bhagavän hariù
nimélayata mä bhaiñöa
locanänéty abhäñata
Çukadeva Gosvämé said: Hearing these pitiful words from His friends, the
Supreme Lord Kåñëa told them, “Just close your eyes and do not be afraid.”
12-tatheti mélitäkñeñu
bhagavän agnim ulbaëam
pétvä mukhena tän kåcchräd
yogädhéço vyamocayat
“All right,” the boys replied, and immediately closed their eyes. Then the
Supreme Lord, the master of all mystic power, opened His mouth and
swallowed the terrible fire, saving His friends from danger.
13-tataç ca te ‘kñéëy unmélya
punar bhäëòéram äpitäù
niçamya vismitä äsann
ätmänaà gäç ca mocitäù
The cowherd boys opened their eyes and were amazed to find not only that
they and the cows had been saved from the terrible fire but that they had all
been brought back to the Bhäëòéra tree.
14-kåñëasya yoga-véryaà tad
yoga-mäyänubhävitam
dävägner ätmanaù kñmaà
vékñya te menire ‘maram
When the cowherd boys saw that they had been saved from the forest fire by
the Lord’s mystic power, which is manifested by His internal potency, they
began to think that Kåñëa must be a demigod.
15-gäù sannivartya säyähne
saha-rämo janärdanaù
veëuà viraëayan goñöham
agäd gopair abhiñöutaù
It was now late in the afternoon, and Lord Kåñëa, accompanied by Balaräma,
turned the cows back toward home. Playing His flute in a special way, Kåñëa
returned to the cowherd village in the company of His cowherd friends, who
chanted His glories.
16-gopénäà paramänanda
äséd govinda-darçane
kñaëaà yuga-çatam iva
yäsäà yena vinäbhavat
The young gopés took the greatest pleasure in seeing Govinda come home,
since for them even a moment without His association seemed like a hundred
ages.
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