1-çré-çuka uväca
tayos tad adbhutaà karma
dävägner mokñam ätmanaù
gopäù strébhyaù samäcakhyuù
pralamba-vadham eva ca
Çukadeva Gosvämé said:To the ladies of Våndävana, the cowherd boys then
related in full detail Kåñëa’s and Balaräma’s wonderful activities of delivering
them from the forest fire and killing the demon Pralamba.
2-gopa-våddhäç ca gopyaç ca
tad upäkarëya vismitäù
menire deva-pravarau
kåñëa-rämau vrajaà gatau
The elder cowherd men and ladies were amazed to hear this account, and
they concluded that Kåñëa and Balaräma must be exalted demigods who had
appeared in Våndävana.
3-tataù prävartata prävåö
sarva-sattva-samudbhavä
vidyotamäna-paridhir
visphürjita-nabhas-talä
Then the rainy season began, giving life and sustenance to all living beings.
The sky began to rumble with thunder, and lightning flashed on the horizon.
4-sändra-nélämbudair vyoma
sa-vidyut-stanayitnubhiù
aspañöa-jyotir äcchannaà
brahmeva sa-guëaà babhau
The sky was then covered by dense blue clouds accompanied by lightning
and thunder. Thus the sky and its natural illumination were covered in the
same way that the spirit soul is covered by the three modes of material nature.
5-añöau mäsän nipétaà yad
bhümyäç coda-mayaà vasu
sva-gobhir moktum ärebhe
parjanyaù käla ägate
With its rays, the sun had for eight months drunk up the earth’s wealth in
the form of water. Now that the proper time had arrived, the sun began
releasing this accumulated wealth.
6-taòidvanto mahä-meghäç
caëòa -çvasana -vepitäù
préëanaà jévanaà hy asya
mumucuù karuëä iva
Flashing with lightning, great clouds were shaken and swept about by fierce
winds. Just like merciful persons, the clouds gave their lives for the pleasure of
this world.
7-tapaù-kåçä deva-méòhä
äséd varñéyasé mahé
yathaiva kämya-tapasas
tanuù sampräpya tat-phalam
The earth had been emaciated by the summer heat, but she became fully
nourished again when moistened by the god of rain. Thus the earth was like a
person whose body has been emaciated by austerities undergone for a material
purpose, but who again becomes fully nourished when he achieves the fruit of
those austerities.
8-niçä-mukheñu khadyotäs
tamasä bhänti na grahäù
yathä päpena päñaëòä
na hi vedäù kalau yuge
In the evening twilight during the rainy season, the darkness allowed the
glowworms but not the stars to shine forth, just as in the age of Kali the
predominance of sinful activities allows atheistic doctrines to overshadow the
true knowledge of the Vedas.
9-çrutvä parjanya-ninadaà
maëòukäù sasåjur giraù
tüñëéà çayänäù präg yadvad
brähmaëä niyamätyaye
The frogs, who had all along been lying silent, suddenly began croaking
when they heard the rumbling of the rain clouds, in the same way that
brähmaëa students, who perform their morning duties in silence begin reciting
their lessons when called by their teacher.
10-äsann utpatha-gäminyaù
kñudra-nadyo ‘nuçuñyatéù
puàso yathäsvatantrasya
deha-draviëa -sampadaù
With the advent of the rainy season, the insignificant streams, which had
become dry, began to swell and then strayed from their proper courses, like the
body, property and money of a man controlled by the urges of his senses.
11-haritä haribhiù çañpair
indragopaiç ca lohitä
ucchiléndhra-kåta-cchäyä
nåëäà çrér iva bhür abhüt
The newly grown grass made the earth emerald green, the indragopa insects
added a reddish hue, and white mushrooms added further color and circles of
shade. Thus the earth appeared like a person who has suddenly become rich.
12-kñeträëi çañya-sampadbhiù
karñakäëäà mudaà daduù
mäninäm anutäpaà vai
daivädhénam ajänatäm
With their wealth of grains, the fields gave joy to the farmers. But those
fields created remorse in the hearts of those who were too proud to engage in
farming and who failed to understand how everything is under the control of
the Supreme.
13-jala-sthalaukasaù sarve
nava-väri-niñevayä
abibhran ruciraà rüpaà
yathä hari-niñevayä
As all creatures of the land and water took advantage of the newly fallen
rainwater, their forms became attractive and pleasing, just as a devotee becomes
beautiful by engaging in the service of the Supreme Lord.
14-saridbhiù saìgataù sindhuç
cukñobha çvasanormimän
apakva-yoginaç cittaà
kämäktaà guëa-yug yathä
Where the rivers joined the ocean it became agitated, its waves blown about
330
by the wind, just as the mind of an immature yogé becomes agitated because he
is still tainted by lust and attached to the objects of sense gratification.
15-girayo varña-dhäräbhir
hanyamänä na vivyathuù
abhibhüyamänä vyasanair
yathädhokñaja-cetasaù
Just as devotees whose minds are absorbed in the Personality of Godhead
remain peaceful even when attacked by all sorts of dangers, the mountains in
the rainy season were not at all disturbed by the repeated striking of the
rain-bearing clouds.
16-märgä babhüvuù sandigdhäs
tåëaiç channä hy asaàskåtäù
näbhyasyamänäù çrutayo
dvijaiù kälena cähatäù
During the rainy season the roads, not being cleansed, became covered with
grass and debris and were thus difficult to make out. These roads were like
religious scriptures that brähmaëas no longer study and that thus become
corrupted and covered over with the passage of time.
17-loka-bandhuñu megheñu
vidyutaç cala-sauhådäù
sthairyaà na cakruù käminyaù
puruñeñu guëiñv iva
Though the clouds are the well-wishing friends of all living beings, the
lightning, fickle in its affinities, moved from one group of clouds to another,
like lusty women unfaithful even to virtuous men
18-dhanur viyati mähendraà
nirguëaà ca guëiny abhät
vyakte guëa-vyatikare
‘guëavän puruño yathä
When the curved bow of Indra [the rainbow] appeared in the sky, which had
the quality of thundering sound, it was unlike ordinary bows because it did not
rest upon a string. Similarly, when the Supreme Lord appears in this world,
which is the interaction of the material qualities, He is unlike ordinary persons
because He remains free from all material qualities and independent of all
material conditions.
19-na raräjoòupaç channaù
sva-jyotsnä-räjitair ghanaiù
ahaà-matyä bhäsitayä
sva-bhäsä puruño yathä
During the rainy season the moon was prevented from appearing directly by
the covering of the clouds, which were themselves illumined by the moon’s
rays. Similarly, the living being in material existence is prevented from
appearing directly by the covering of the false ego, which is itself illumined by
the consciousness of the pure soul.
20-meghägamotsavä håñöäù
pratyanandaï chikhaëòinaù
gåheñu tapta-nirviëëä
yathäcyuta-janägame
The peacocks became festive and cried out a joyful greeting when they saw
the clouds arrive, just as people distressed in household life feel pleasure when
the pure devotees of the infallible Supreme Lord visit them.
21-pétväpaù pädapäù padbhir
äsan nänätma-mürtayaù
präk kñämäs tapasä çräntä
yathä kämänusevayä
The trees had grown thin and dry, but after they drank the newly fallen
rainwater through their feet, their various bodily features blossomed. Similarly,
one whose body has grown thin and weak from austerity again exhibits his
healthy bodily features upon enjoying the material objects gained through that
austerity.
22-saraùsv açänta-rodhaùsu
nyüñur aìgäpi särasäù
gåheñv açänta-kåtyeñu
grämyä iva duräçayäù
The cranes continued dwelling on the shores of the lakes, although the
shores were agitated during the rainy season, just as materialistic persons with
contaminated minds always remain at home, despite the many disturbances
there.
23-jalaughair nirabhidyanta
setavo varñatéçvare
päñaëòinäm asad-vädair
veda-märgäù kalau yathä
When Indra sent forth his rains, the floodwaters broke through the
irrigation dikes in the agricultural fields, just as in the Kali-yuga the atheists’
false theories break down the boundaries of Vedic injunctions.
24-vyamuïcan väyubhir nunnä
bhütebhyaç cämåtaà ghanäù
yathäçiño viç-patayaù
käle käle dvijeritäù
The clouds, impelled by the winds, released their nectarean water for the
benefit of all living beings, just as kings, instructed by their brähmaëa priests,
dispense charity to the citizens.
25-evaà vanaà tad varñiñöhaà
pakva-kharjura-jambumat
go-gopälair våto rantuà
sa-balaù präviçad dhariù
When the Våndävana forest had thus become resplendent, filled with ripe
dates and jambu fruits, Lord Kåñëa, surrounded by His cows and cowherd
boyfriends and accompanied by Çré Balaräma, entered that forest to enjoy.
26-dhenavo manda-gäminya
üdho-bhäreëa bhüyasä
yayur bhagavatähütä
drutaà prétyä snuta-stanäù
The cows had to move slowly because of their weighty milk bags, but they
quickly ran to the Supreme Personality of Godhead as soon as He called them,
their affection for Him causing their udders to become wet.
27-vanaukasaù pramuditä
vana-räjér madhu-cyutaù
jala-dhärä girer nädäd
äsannä dadåçe guhäù
The Lord saw the joyful aborigine girls of the forest, the trees dripping sweet
sap, and the mountain waterfalls, whose resounding indicated that there were
caves nearby.
28-kvacid vanaspati-kroòe
guhäyäà cäbhivarñati
nirviçya bhagavän reme
kanda-müla-phaläçanaù
When it rained, the Lord would sometimes enter a cave or the hollow of a
tree to play and to eat roots and fruits.
29-dadhy-odanaà samänétaà
çiläyäà saliläntike
sambhojanéyair bubhuje
gopaiù saìkarñaëänvitaù
Lord Kåñëa would take His meal of boiled rice and yogurt, sent from home,
in the company of Lord Saìkarñaëa and the cowherd boys who regularly ate
with Him. They would all sit down to eat on a large stone near the water.
30/31-çädvalopari saàviçya
carvato mélitekñaëän
tåptän våñän vatsatarän
gäç ca svodho-bhara-çramäù
prävåö-çriyaà ca täà vékñya
sarva-käla-sukhävahäm
bhagavän püjayäà cakre
ätma-çakty-upabåàhitäm
Lord Kåñëa watched the contented bulls, calves and cows sitting on the
green grass and grazing with closed eyes, and He saw that the cows were tired
from the burden of their heavy milk bags. Thus observing the beauty and
opulence of Våndävana’s rainy season, a perennial source of great happiness, the
Lord offered all respect to that season, which was expanded from His own
internal potency.
32-evaà nivasatos tasmin
räma-keçavayor vraje
çarat samabhavad vyabhrä
svacchämbv-aparuñänilä
While Lord Räma and Lord Keçava were thus dwelling in Våndävana, the
fall season arrived, when the sky is cloudless, the water clear and the wind
gentle.
33-çaradä nérajotpattyä
néräëi prakåtià yayuù
bhrañöänäm iva cetäàsi
punar yoga-niñevayä
The autumn season, which regenerated the lotus flowers, also restored the
various bodies of water to their original purity, just as the process of devotional
service purifies the minds of the fallen yogés when they return to it.
34-vyomno ‘bbhraà bhüta-çäbalyaà
bhuvaù paìkam apäà malam
çaraj jahäräçramiëäà
kåñëe bhaktir yathäçubham
Autumn cleared the sky of clouds, let the animals get out of their crowded
living conditions, cleaned the earth of its covering of mud, and purified the
water of contamination, in the same way that loving service rendered to Lord
Kåñëa frees the members of the four spiritual orders from their respective
troubles.
35-sarva-svaà jaladä hitvä
virejuù çubhra-varcasaù
yathä tyaktaiñaëäù çäntä
munayo mukta-kilbiñäù
The clouds, having given up all they possessed, shone forth with purified
effulgence, just like peaceful sages who have given up all material desires and
are thus free of all sinful propensities
36-girayo mumucus toyaà
kvacin na mumucuù çivam
yathä jïänämåtaà käle
jïänino dadate na vä
During this season the mountains sometimes released their pure water and
sometimes did not, just as experts in transcendental science sometimes give the
nectar of transcendental knowledge and sometimes do not.
37-naivävidan kñéyamäëaà
jalaà gädha-jale-caräù
yathäyur anv-ahaà kñayyaà
narä müòhäù kuöumbinaù
The fish swimming in the increasingly shallow water did not at all
understand that the water was diminishing, just as foolish family men cannot
see how the time they have left to live is diminishing with every passing day.
38-gädha-väri-caräs täpam
avindaï charad-arka-jam
yathä daridraù kåpaëaù
kuöumby avijitendriyaù
Just as a miserly, poverty-stricken person overly absorbed in family life
suffers because he cannot control his senses, the fish swimming in the shallow
water had to suffer the heat of the autumn sun.
39-çanaiù çanair jahuù paìkaà
sthaläny ämaà ca vérudhaù
yathähaà-mamatäà dhéräù
çarérädiñv anätmasu
Gradually the different areas of land gave up their muddy condition and the
plants grew past their unripe stage, in the same way that sober sages give up
egotism and possessiveness. These are based on things different from the real
self-namely, the material body and its by-products
40-niçcalämbur abhüt tüñëéà
samudraù çarad-ägame
ätmany uparate samyaì
munir vyuparatägamaù
With the arrival of autumn, the ocean and the lakes became silent, their
water still, just like a sage who has desisted from all material activities and given
up his recitation of Vedic mantras.
41-kedärebhyas tv apo ‘gåhëan
karñakä dåòha-setubhiù
yathä präëaiù sravaj jïänaà
tan-nirodhena yoginaù
In the same way that the practitioners of yoga bring their senses under strict
control to check their consciousness from flowing out through the agitated
senses, the farmers erected strong mud banks to keep the water within their
rice fields from draining out
42-çarad-arkäàçu-jäàs täpän
bhütänäm uòupo ‘harat
dehäbhimäna-jaà bodho
mukundo vraja-yoñitäm
The autumn moon relieved all creatures of the suffering caused by the sun’s
rays, just as wisdom relieves a person of the misery caused by his identifying
with his material body and as Lord Mukunda relieves Våndävana’s ladies of the
distress caused by their separation from Him.
43-kham açobhata nirmeghaà
çarad-vimala-tärakam
sattva-yuktaà yathä cittaà
çabda-brahmärtha-darçanam
-Free of clouds and filled with clearly visible stars, the autumn sky shone
brilliantly, just like the spiritual consciousness of one who has directly
experienced the purport of the Vedic scriptures.
44-akhaëòa-maëòalo vyomni
raräjoòu-gaëaiù çaçé
yathä yadu-patiù kåñëo
våñëi-cakrävåto bhuvi
The full moon shone in the sky, surrounded by stars, just as Çré Kåñëa, the
Lord of the Yadu dynasty, shone brilliantly on the earth, surrounded by all the
Våñëis.
45-äçliñya sama-çétoñëaà
prasüna-vana-märutam
janäs täpaà jahur gopyo
na kåñëa-håta-cetasaù
Except for the gopés, whose hearts had been stolen by Kåñëa, the people
could forget their suffering by embracing the wind coming from the
flower-filled forest. This wind was neither hot nor cold.
46-gävo mågäù khagä näryaù
puñpiëyaù çaradäbhavan
anvéyamänäù sva-våñaiù
phalair éça-kriyä iva
By the influence of the autumn season, all the cows, doe, women and female
birds became fertile and were followed by their respective mates in search of
sexual enjoyment, just as activities performed for the service of the Supreme
Lord are automatically followed by all beneficial results.
47-udahåñyan värijäni
süryotthäne kumud vinä
räjïä tu nirbhayä lokä
yathä dasyün vinä nåpa
O King Parékñit, when the autumn sun rose, all the lotus flowers blossomed
happily, except the night-blooming kumut, just as in the presence of a strong
ruler everyone becomes fearless, except the thieves.
48-pura-grämeñv ägrayaëair
indriyaiç ca mahotsavaiù
babhau bhüù pakva-çañyäòhyä
kaläbhyäà nitaräà hareù
In all the towns and villages people held great festivals, performing the Vedic
fire sacrifice for honoring and tasting the first grains of the new harvest, along
with similar celebrations that followed local custom and tradition. Thus the
earth, rich with newly grown grain and especially beautified by the presence of
Kåñëa and Balaräma, shone beautifully as an expansion of the Supreme Lord.
49-vaëiì-muni-nåpa-snätä
nirgamyärthän prapedire
varña-ruddhä yathä siddhäù
sva-piëòän käla ägate
The merchants, sages, kings and brahmacäré students, kept in by the rain,
were at last free to go out and attain their desired objects, just as those who
achieve perfection in this life can, when the proper time comes, leave the
material body and attain their respective forms.
Leave a Reply