VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Chapter 38
Akrûra's Musing and Reception in Gokula
This chapter describes Akrūra's trip from Mathurā to Vṛndāvana, his meditation on Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma along the way and the honor the two Lords showed Akrūra upon his arrival.
Early in the morning on the day after Kaḿsa had ordered him to bring Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to Mathurā, Akrūra prepared his chariot and set off for Gokula. As he traveled, he thought as follows: "I am about to attain the great good fortune of seeing Śrī Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, which are worshiped by Brahmā, Rudra and the other demigods. Although Kaḿsa is an enemy of the Supreme Lord and His devotees, still, it is by Kaḿsa's grace that I will get this great boon of seeing the Lord. When I first catch sight of His lotus feet, all my sinful reactions will be destroyed at once. I will descend from my chariot and fall at the feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, and even though I have been sent by Kaḿsa, the omniscient Śrī Kṛṣṇa will certainly harbor no animosity toward me." As Akrūra thus thought to himself, he arrived in Gokula at sunset. Alighting from his chariot in the cowherd pasture, he began rolling about in the dust in great ecstasy.
Then Akrūra continued on to Vraja. When he saw Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma he fell at Their lotus feet, and both the Lords embraced him. Afterward They brought him to Their residence, inquired from him about the comfort of his trip and honored him in various ways — offering him water for washing his feet, arghya, a seat and so forth. They relieved him of his fatigue by massaging his feet and served him a delicious banquet. Mahārāja Nanda also honored Akrūra with many sweet words.
10.38.1
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Akrûra with his spirits high spending the night in the city of Mathurâ [after 10.36: 40], then mounted his chariot and set off for Nanda's cowherd village.
King Kaḿsa ordered Akrūra to go to Vṛndāvana on the Ekādaśī of the dark fortnight of the Vedic month of Phālguna. After spending the night in Mathurā, Akrūra left early the next day. That morning Nārada offered his prayers to Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, and in the afternoon the demon Vyoma was killed there. At dusk Akrūra entered the Lord's village.
10.38.2
bhagavaty ambujekṣaṇe
(2) On his way experienced he an exceptional amount of devotion for the greatly fortunate lotus-eyed Personality of Godhead and thought he thus like this:
10.38.3
(3) 'What good works have I done, what severe penance did I suffer or of what other worship was I that I today may see Kes'ava?
10.38.4
mamaitad durlabhaḿ manya
(4) My reaching the presence of the One Praised in the Verses is, I think, for someone with a worldly mind as difficult to achieve as the chanting of the Vedas is for someone of the lowest class. 10.38.5
maivaḿ mamādhamasyāpi
syād evācyuta-darśanam
(5) But enough of that, even for a fallen soul like me there is a chance to have the audience of Acyuta; sometimes does someone pulled along by the river of time reach the other shore!
10.38.6
mamādyāmańgalaḿ naṣṭaḿ
phalavāḿś caiva me bhavaḥ
(6) Today has the impure been uprooted and bears my birth indeed fruit, for it are the lotuslike feet of the Supreme Lord meditated upon by the yogis that I am going to respect.
10.38.7
kaḿso batādyākṛta me 'ty-anugrahaḿ
kṛtāvatārasya duratyayaḿ tamaḥ
(7) Kamsa sending me here indeed did me a great service by obliging me to look for the feet of the Lord who descended into this world; it is by the effulgence of His rounded toenails that in the past many succeeded in freeing themselves from the hard to overcome darkness of a material existence.
Akrūra noted how ironic it was that the envious, demoniac Kaḿsa had given him an extraordinary blessing by sending him to see the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa.
10.38.8
go-cāraṇāyānucaraiś carad vane
yad gopikānāḿ kuca-kuńkumāńkitam
(8) It is they [those feet], worshiped by Lord Brahmâ, S'iva, the other demigods, by S'rî the goddess of fortune, the sages and the devotees, with which He for tending the cows with His companions moved about in the forest that was marked by the kunkuma from the breasts of the gopîs.
10.38.9
mukhaḿ mukundasya guḍālakāvṛtaḿ
(9) For certain will I behold the beautiful cheeks and nose, the smiles and glances of His reddish lotuslike eyes and the hair curling around the face of Mukunda; indeed are the deer passing me to the right [an auspicious omen]!
Akrūra saw an auspicious omen — the passing of the deer on his right — and thus felt sure he would see the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa.
10.38.10
apy adya viṣṇor manujatvam īyuṣo
bhārāvatārāya bhuvo nijecchayā
lāvaṇya-dhāmno bhavitopalambhanaḿ
(10) No doubt will I today enjoy the direct sight of Vishnu, will I perceive the Abode of Beauty, who by His own desire to diminish the burden of this earth has assumed the form of a human being.
10.38.11
(11) He, though being a witness [like me] to the true and untrue, is void of I-ness and has by that personal potency of His dispelled the darkness and bewilderment of an existence in separation [see also 2.5: 14, 2.10: 8-9, 3.27: 18-30 and 10.3: 18]; it is He, who works from the inside out, who by the created beings who manifest themselves when He casts His glance upon the material energy of His creation only indirectly can be seen through the vital airs, senses and intelligence in their bodies [see also 2.2: 35].
In this verse Akrūra establishes the all-powerful position of the Supreme Lord, whom he is about to see in Vṛndāvana. The false concept of separation from the Lord is described in the Eleventh Canto of the Bhāgavatam (11.2.37): bhayaḿ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ. Although all existence emanates from the Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa, we imagine a "second thing," this material world, to be entirely separate from the Lord's existence. With this mentality, we try to exploit that "second thing" for our sense gratification. Thus the psychological underpinning of material life is the illusion that this world is somehow separate from God and therefore meant for our enjoyment.
It is ironic that the impersonal philosophers, in their radical renunciation of this world, claim it to be utterly false and totally separate from the Absolute. Unfortunately, this artificial attempt to divest this world of its divine nature, or, in other words, its relation to God, does not lead people to utterly reject it but rather to try to enjoy it. While it is true that this world is temporary and thus in one sense illusory, the mechanism of illusion is a spiritual potency of the Supreme Lord. Realizing this, we should immediately desist from any attempt to exploit this world; rather, we should recognize it as God's energy. We will actually give up our material desires only when we understand that this world belongs to God and is therefore not meant for our selfish gratification.
The word abhīyate here refers to a process of surmising the presence of the Lord through meditative introspection. This process is also described in the Second Canto of the Bhāgavatam (2.2.35),
bhagavān sarva-bhūteṣu
lakṣitaḥ svātmanā hariḥ
lakṣaṇair anumāpakaiḥ
"The Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is in every living being along with the individual soul. And this fact is perceived and hypothesized in our acts of seeing and taking help from the intelligence."Akrūra states that the Lord is free of the egoistic pride afflicting ordinary, embodied souls. Yet the Lord appears to be embodied like everyone else, and therefore someone might object to the statement that He is free of egoism. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī comments on this puzzle as follows: "How can we distinguish between being free of false ego and being afflicted by it? 'If a living entity is situated in a body,' [argues the objector,] 'he will encounter the unhappiness and confusion that occur within it, just as a person living in a house, whether he be attached to it or not, cannot avoid experiencing the darkness, warmth and cold that occur within it.' This objection is answered as follows: By His internal potency the Lord dispels the darkness of ignorance along with the separateness and bewilderment it produces."
10.38.12
yasyākhilāmīva-habhiḥ su-mańgalaiḥ
vāco vimiśrā guṇa-karma-janmabhiḥ
(12) The auspicious words, joined with the qualities, activities and the incarnations [of Him and His expansions], destroy all sins in the world and give life, beauty and purity to the entire universe, while words void of these are considered as things beautiful on a corpse.
How can one who is devoid of ordinary ego, who is fully self-satisfied, engage in pastimes? The answer is given here. Lord Kṛṣṇa acts on the pure, spiritual platform for the pleasure of His loving devotees, not for any kind of mundane gratification.
10.38.13
(13) And now has descended indeed in His own dynasty of loyals [Sâtvatas] He who maintains the codes, He who as the chief of the immortals creating delight spreads His fame being present in Vraja as the Controller of whose all-auspicious nature the godly sing.
10.38.14
(14) For certain will I today see Him, the destination and spiritual master of the great souls of all three worlds, the real beauty and great feast to all who have eyes, He who exhibits the form that is the desire of the goddess, who is my safe haven of whom all dawns became His auspicious presence.
10.38.15
athāvarūḍhaḥ sapadīśayo rathāt
(15) The moment I alight from my chariot to respect the feet of the two Lords, the Principal Personalities to whom even the yogis meditating hold on for their self-realization, will I bow down before Them as also to the friends living with Them in the forest.
10.38.16
prodvejitānāḿ śaraṇaiṣiṇāḿ ṇṛnām
(16) And having fallen at the base of the feet will the Almighty place upon my head His very own lotuslike hand that makes one unafraid of the serpent of time of whose swift force the people greatly disturbed search for shelter. 10.38.17
samarhaṇaḿ yatra nidhāya kauśikas
sparśena saugandhika-gandhy apānudat
(17) Putting into that hand a respectful offering attained Purandara [see 8.13: 4] and Bali [see 8.19] as well rulership [the position of Indra] over the three worlds; it is that hand which, during the pastime in contact with the ladies of Vraja, fragrant like an aromatic flower wiped away the fatigue [see 10.33].
The Purāṇas call the lotus found in the Mānasa-sarovara Lake a saugandhika. Lord Kṛṣṇa's lotus hand acquired the fragrance of this flower by coming in contact with the beautiful faces of the gopīs. This specific incident, which occurred during the rāsa-līlā, is described in the Thirty-third Chapter of the Tenth Canto.
10.38.18
(18) Toward me, though being a messenger of Kamsa, will Acyuta develop no attitude of enmity; He is the overseer of everything who inside and outside the heart is the Knower of the field [of the body, see B.G. 13: 3], the Knower who with a perfect vision sees whatever that is sought and tried.
Being omniscient, Lord Kṛṣṇa knew that Akrūra was only externally a friend of Kaḿsa. Internally he was an eternal devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
10.38.19
sapady apadhvasta-samasta-kilbiṣo
(19) Fixed at the base of His feet with joined palms will He look upon me smiling affectionately so that with the immediate eradication of all contamination by His glance I will be freed from doubt and achieve intense happiness.
10.38.20
(20) As the best of friends and a family member having Him exclusively as my object of worship, will He embrace me with His two large arms whereupon as a result of which my body instantly will become sanctified and my karma-given bondage will slacken.
10.38.21
māḿ vakṣyate 'krūra tatety uruśravāḥ
(21) When I, head down and palms joined, have achieved the physical contact, will Urus'rava ['the Lord of Great Renown'] address me with words like 'O Akrûra, dearest relative' and will thus because of the Greatest of All Persons my birth be a success; indeed is he whose birth is not honored like that to be pitied!
10.38.22
(22) No one is His favorite or best friend, nor is anyone indeed disliked, hated or contemptible to Him either [see B.G. 9: 29] and still does He reciprocate with His devotees [see also 10.32: 17-
22] for they are just like [desire-] trees from heaven that resorted to give whatever is wished for [see vaishnava pranâma].
The Lord says something similar in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.29):
samo 'haḿ sarva-bhūteṣu
"I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend and is in Me, and I am also a friend to him."
Similarly, Lord Caitanya was as hard as a thunderbolt for those who envied Him, and as soft as a rose for those who understood His divine mission.
10.38.23
kiḿ cāgrajo māvanataḿ yadūttamaḥ
(23) Furthermore will His elder brother, the most excellent Yadu, smiling at me standing there with a bowed head embrace me, take hold of my hands and take me into His house to receive me with all respects and inquire how Kamsa fares with the members of His family.'
10.38.24
(24) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus on his way with his chariot pondering over Krishna reached the son of S'vaphalka [see 9.24: 15] the village of Gokula as the sun was setting behind the mountain, o King.
although Akrūra did not even notice the road, being deeply absorbed in meditation on Lord Kṛṣṇa, he still reached Gokula on his chariot.
10.38.25
vilakṣitāny abja-yavāńkuśādyaiḥ
(25) The prints of His feet, of which the rulers of all worlds hold the pure dust on their crowns, saw he in the earth of the pasture: a wonderful decoration distinguished by the lotus, the barleycorn, the elephant goad and so on [see also 10.16: 18 and 10.30: 25*].
10.38.26
tad-darśanāhlāda-vivṛddha-sambhramaḥ
premṇordhva-romāśru-kalākulekṣaṇaḥ
rathād avaskandya sa teṣv aceṣṭata
(26) The ecstasy of seeing them exited him greatly, made his hair stand on end and filled his eyes with tears; getting down from his chariot he rolled himself in the prints exclaiming: 'Oh this is the dust from my masters feet!'
10.38.27
darśana-śravaṇādibhiḥ
(27) This is what of all embodied beings is the goal of life: to give up the pride, fear and sorrow from being commanded [by mâyâ] when one has within one's sight the signs of the Lord that one hears about and so on [see 7.5: 23-24].
Akrūra gave up fear by openly showing his love and reverence for Kṛṣṇa, even though he or his family might have been punished by the angry Kaḿsa. Akrūra gave up his pride in being an aristocratic member of society and worshiped the cowherd residents of the simple village of Vṛndāvana. And he gave up lamenting for his house, wife and family, which were in danger from King Kaḿsa. Giving up all these things, he rolled in the dust of the lotus feet of God.
10.38.28-33
śarad-amburahekṣaṇau
dhvaja-vajrāńkuśāmbhojaiś
cihnitair ańghribhir vrajam
śobhayantau mahātmānau
sānukrośa-smitekṣaṇau
puṇya-gandhānuliptāńgau
avatīrṇau jagaty-arthe
yathā mārakataḥ śailo
raupyaś ca kanakācitau
(28-33) In Vraja he saw Krishna and Râma, who with their eyes that looked like autumnal lotuses were going to where the cows were milked, wearing yellow and blue clothes. The two shelters to the goddess were bluish-dark and fair skinned youngsters most beautiful to behold with mighty arms, attractive faces and a gait like that of an elephant. With Their feet marked by the flag, bolt, goad and lotus did the great souls with Their smiles and glances full of compassion beautify the cow pasture. They whose pastimes were so magnanimous and attractive were freshly bathed and wore jeweled necklaces, flower garlands, had Their limbs anointed with auspicious, fragrant substances and were spotless in their apparel. The two original, most excellent persons, who are the Cause and Lord of the universe [see also 5.25] had for the welfare of that universe descended in Their distinct forms of Balarâma and Kes'ava. O King with their effulgence dispelled They, as a mountain of emerald and a mountain of silver both decorated with gold, in all directions the darkness.
10.38.34
papāta caraṇopānte
(34) Quickly climbing down from his chariot prostrated Akrûra, overwhelmed by affection, himself at the feet of Râma and Krishna.
10.38.35
bhagavad-darśanāhlāda-
bāṣpa-paryākulekṣaṇaḥ
pulakacitāńga autkaṇṭhyāt
svākhyāne nāśakan nṛpa
(35) Seeing the Supreme Personality was he, because of the tears of joy overflowing his eyes and the eruptions [of ecstasy] marking his limbs, in his eagerness not able to announce himself, o King.
10.38.36
bhagavāḿs tam abhipretya
rathāńgāńkita-pāṇinā
parirebhe 'bhyupākṛṣya
(36) The Supreme Lord, the Caretaker of the Surrendered, recognizing him, drew him with His hand marked with a chariot wheel [the cakra] near and pleased embraced him.
According to the ācāryas, by extending His hand marked with the chariot wheel, or cakra, Lord Kṛṣṇa indicated His ability to kill Kaḿsa.
10.38.37-38
(37-38) Next embraced the magnanimous Sankarshana [Râma] him who stood there with his head down, and with His hand taking hold of his two hands took He him with His younger brother into the house. Following He inquired whether he had a pleasant journey and offered He him an excellent seat, and washed He, as was prescribed as a form of reverential respect, his feet with sweetened milk.
10.38.39
śraddhayopāharad vibhuḥ
(39) Donating a cow in charity and respectfully giving the tired guest a massage served the Almighty One faithfully him the right food of different tastes.
Akrūra went to Kṛṣṇa's and Balarāma's house on the twelfth lunar day, on which one should not break a fast at night. However, Akrūra dispensed with this formality because he was eager to receive food in the Lord's house.
10.38.40
(40) After the meal arranged Râma the Supreme Knower of the Dharma with love further for herbs to serve the tongue and for fragrances and flower garlands to give the highest satisfaction.
10.38.41
(41) Nanda asked the honored one: 'O descendant of Das'ârha, how are you, with the merciless Kamsa alive, that boss that is just like a butcher is with sheep?
10.38.42
(42) If he cruel and self-indulgent killed his own sister's babies to her great distress, what then, I dare say, would that mean to his subjects, to someone like you?'
10.38.43
jahāv adhva-pariśramam
(43) Thus by Nanda properly honored with true and pleasing words put Akrûra aside the fatigue of the road.'
Honored by Nanda Mahārāja with these true and pleasing words of inquiry, Akrūra forgot the fatigue of his journey.
Thus end of the Tenth Canto, Thirty eighth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "Akrūra's Arrival in Vṛndāvana."
Chapter 39
Krishna and Balarâma Leave for Mathurâ
(Akrūra's vision)
This chapter describes how Akrūra informed Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma of Kaḿsa's plans and his activities in Mathurā; what the gopīs cried out in distress when Kṛṣṇa left for Mathurā; and also the vision of Lord Viṣṇu's abode that Akrūra saw within the water of the Yamunā.
When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma offered Akrūra great respect and comfortably seated him on a couch, he felt that all the desires he had reflected on while traveling to Vṛndāvana were now fulfilled. After the evening meal, Kṛṣṇa asked Akrūra whether his trip had been peaceful and whether he was well. The Lord also inquired about how Kaḿsa was behaving toward their family members, and finally He asked why Akrūra had come.
Akrūra described how Kaḿsa had been persecuting the Yādavas, what Nārada had told Kaḿsa and how Kaḿsa had been treating Vasudeva cruelly. Akrūra also spoke of Kaḿsa's desire to bring Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to Mathurā to kill Them on the pretext of Their seeing the bow sacrifice and engaging in a wrestling match. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma laughed out loud when They heard this. They went to Their father, Nanda, and informed him of Kaḿsa's orders. Nanda then issued an order to all the residents of Vraja that they should collect various offerings for the King and prepare to go to Mathurā.
The young gopīs were extremely upset to hear that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would be going to Mathurā. They lost all external awareness and began to remember Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. Condemning the creator for separating them from Him, they began to lament. They said that Akrūra did not deserve his name (a, "not"; krūra, "cruel"), since he was so cruel to be taking away their dearmost Kṛṣṇa. "It must be that fate is against us," they lamented, "because otherwise the elders of Vraja would have forbidden Kṛṣṇa to leave. So let us forget our shyness and try to stop Lord Mādhava from going." With these words the young cowherd girls began to chant Kṛṣṇa's names and cry.
But even as they wept, Akrūra began taking Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to Mathurā in his chariot. The cowherd men of Gokula followed behind on their wagons, and the young gopīs also walked behind for some distance, but then they became placated by Kṛṣṇa's glances and gestures and pacified by a message from Him that said "I will return." With their minds completely absorbed in Kṛṣṇa, the cowherd girls stood as still as figures in a painting until they could no longer see the chariot's flag or the dust cloud being raised on the road. Then, chanting Kṛṣṇa's glories all the while, they despondently returned to their homes.
Akrūra halted the chariot at the bank of the Yamunā so Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma could perform a ritual of purification and drink some water. After the two Lords had gotten back into the chariot, Akrūra took Their permission to bathe in the Yamunā. As he recited Vedic mantras, he was startled to see the two Lords standing in the water. Akrūra came out of the river and returned to the chariot — where he saw the Lords still sitting. Then he returned to the water to find out if the two figures he had seen there were real or not.
What Akrūra saw in the water was four-armed Lord Vāsudeva. His complexion was dark blue like a fresh raincloud, He wore yellow garments and He lay on the lap of thousand-hooded Ananta Śeṣa. Lord Vāsudeva was receiving the prayers of perfected beings, celestial serpents and demons, and He was encircled by His personal attendants. Serving Him were His many potencies, such as Śrī, Puṣṭi and Ilā, while Brahmā and other demigods sang His praises. Akrūra rejoiced at this vision and, joining his palms in supplication, began to pray to the Supreme Lord in a voice choked with emotion.
10.39.1
sukhopaviṣṭaḥ paryańke
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Comfortably seated on a couch after having been that much honored by Râma and Krishna saw he [Akrûra] thus all he on his way had pictured in his mind realized before him.
10.39.2
(2) What would be unattainable with the Supreme Lord, the shelter of S'rî, being satisfied; yet do the ones devoted to Him, o King, indeed not desire anything.
10.39.3
sāyantanāśanaḿ kṛtvā
papracchānyac cikīrṣitam
(3) After the evening meal had been enjoyed asked the Supreme Lord, the son of Devakî about the behavior of Kamsa towards His friends and relatives as also what his plans were.
10.39.4
(4) The Supreme Lord said: 'O gentle one, have you recovered from your trip? All good to you! Are your friends and relatives and other associates all healthy and hale?
10.39.5
edhamāne kulāmaye
(5) But what my dear, am I to ask about our well-being, our relatives and the subject citizens, as long as that disease of the family Kamsa, in name our maternal uncle, is insolent?
10.39.6
yad-dhetor bandhanaḿ tayoḥ
(6) Just see how my offenseless parents because of Me had to suffer greatly with him causing the death of their sons and holding them captive.
Because Kaḿsa had heard a prophecy that the eighth son of Devakī would kill him, he tried to kill all her children. For the same reason, he imprisoned her and her husband, Vasudeva.
10.39.7
tavāgamana-kāraṇam
(7) Today has the wish been fulfilled that We may enjoy the good fortune of you, My close relative, seeking My presence, o gentle one; please explain o uncle for what reason you came here.'
10.39.8
vairānubandhaḿ yaduṣu
vasudeva-vadhodyamam
(8) S'rî S'uka said: 'On the request of the Supreme Lord described the descendant of Madhu [Akrûra, see 9.23: 29] the inimical attitude and the murder schemes [of Kamsa] towards Vasudeva and the Yadus.
10.39.9
sva-janmānakadundubheḥ
(9) He disclosed for what message he had been sent as an envoy and what Nârada had told him [Kamsa] about Krishna's being born as a son of Ânakadundubhi.
10.39.10
śrutvākrūra-vacaḥ kṛṣṇo
(10) Hearing what Akrûra had to say made Krishna and Balarâma, the destroyer of all boldness in opposition, laugh and they told Nanda, their (foster-)father, what the king had ordered.
10.39.11-12
(11-12) The gopas he then on his turn told: 'Gather all dairy, take gifts and yoke the wagons. Tomorrow will we together with all the people under my care go to Mathurâ to offer the king our products and have a great festival', and so had the gopa Nanda it announced by spokesmen all over his domain.
Nanda wanted to bring ghee and other milk products as taxes for the King.
10.39.13
(13) The cowherd-girls then who heard that Akrûra had come to Vraja to take Râma and Krishna to the city, got totally upset.
10.39.14
(14) With some of them created that in their hearts such a great pain that they with their beautiful faces sighing turned pale while of others the knots in their hair, their bracelets and dresses came to slip.
10.39.15
nivṛttāśeṣa-vṛttayaḥ
(15) With others, fixed in meditation on Him, ceased, just like with those who have attained the realm of self-realization, all the sensory functions taking no notion of this world anymore.
The gopīs were in fact already on the platform of self-realization. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 20.108) states, jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa: "The self, or individual soul, is an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Thus because they were rendering the most intense loving service to the Lord, the gopīs were situated at the highest stage of self-realization.
10.39.16
smarantyaś cāparāḥ śaurer
anurāga-smiteritāḥ
(16) Still other women fainted, thinking of how S'auri sending His loving smiles would touch the heart and express Himself in wonderful phrases.
10.39.17-18
snigdha-hāsāvalokanam
śokāpahāni narmāṇi
cintayantyo mukundasya
sametāḥ sańghaśaḥ procur
aśru-mukhyo 'cyutāśayāḥ
(17-18) Thinking about the movements so charming, the activities, the affectionate smiles, the glances removing all unhappiness, the jesting words and mighty deeds of Mukunda, joined they in fear of the separation greatly distressed in groups speaking deeply absorbed in Acyuta with tears on their faces.
10.39.19
tāḿś cākṛtārthān viyunańkṣy apārthakaḿ
vikrīḍitaḿ te 'rbhaka-ceṣṭitaḿ yathā
(19) The fine gopîs said: 'O providence, where is your mercy to bring together the embodied in love and friendship while you leave each of us to her devices unfulfilled in her aims; how useless you toy with us like a child!
10.39.20
yas tvaḿ pradarśyāsita-kuntalāvṛtaḿ
(20) Having shown to us the face of Mukunda framed in black locks, His fine cheeks and straight nose and the beauty of His modest smile dispelling the misery, you're not doing any good making them invisible.
10.39.21
krūras tvam akrūra-samākhyayā sma naś
yenaika-deśe 'khila-sarga-sauṣṭhavaḿ
(21) By the name of Akrûra [meaning 'not-cruel'] you for certain are cruel; the Perfection of All Creation, the perfection of the enemy of Madhu, that you once granted our eyes to see you indeed just like a fool alas take away.
The gopīs did not care to see anything but Kṛṣṇa; therefore if Kṛṣṇa left Vṛndāvana, their eyes would have no function. Thus Kṛṣṇa's departure was blinding these poor girls, and in their distress they berated Akrūra, whose name means "not cruel," as cruel indeed.
10.39.22
samīkṣate naḥ sva-kṛtāturā bata
(22) Alas, now that He has taken up a new love, does the son of Nanda, in a second breaking with His friendship, have no eyes for us who under His control in direct service to Him were moved to give up our homes, relatives, children and husbands.
10.39.23
yāḥ saḿpraviṣṭasya mukhaḿ vrajas-pateḥ
pāsyanty apāńgotkalita-smitāsavam
The dawn following this night will certainly be auspicious for the women of Mathurā. All their hopes will now be fulfilled, for as the Lord of Vraja enters their city, they will be able to drink from His face the nectar of the smile emanating from the corners of His eyes.10.39.24
(24) However subservient and intelligent Mukunda may be, once His mind is seized by their honey-sweet words, o girls, what chance have we that He, moved by the enchantments of their bashful smiles, will return to us rustics?
10.39.25
adya dhruvaḿ tatra dṛśo bhaviṣyate
drakṣyanti ye cādhvani devakī-sutam
(25) Today will there certainly be a great festival to the eyes of the Dâs'ârhas, Bhojas, Andhakas, Vrishnis and Sâtvatas and all others out there when they on the road see passing by the Darling of the Goddess, the reservoir of all transcendental qualities that is the son of Devakî.
10.39.26
maitad-vidhasyākaruṇasya nāma bhūd
yo 'sāv anāśvāsya su-duḥkhitam janaḿ
(26) The name of such an unkind person, a person as extremely cruel as him here, shouldn't be 'a-krûra' because he without any excuse takes away from the presence of us people [of Vraja] full of sorrow, the One dearer to us than the dearest.
10.39.27
tam anv amī ca tvarayanti durmadāḥ
gopā anobhiḥ sthavirair upekṣitaḿ
daivaḿ ca no 'dya pratikūlam īhate
(27) This one, He who, to the indifference of the elders, so coolly has mounted the chariot, is by these besotted gopas followed in their bullock carts; today providence is not working in our favor.
the gopīs thought: "These foolish cowherd men and elders are not even trying to stop Kṛṣṇa. Don't they realize they are committing suicide? They are helping Kṛṣṇa go to Mathurā, but they will have to come back to Vṛndāvana and will certainly die in His absence. The whole world has become nonsensical."
10.39.28
mukunda-sańgān nimiṣārdha-dustyajād
(28) Let's go to Him and stop Him, He cannot do this to us, the family, the elders and our relatives who not even for a half a second can miss the association of Mukunda; separated by that fate our hearts will be broken!
the gopīs thought: "Let us go right up to Kṛṣṇa and pull at His clothes and hands and insist that He get down from His chariot and stay here with us. We will tell Him, 'Don't bring upon Yourself the sinful reaction for murdering so many women!' "
"But if we do that," said other gopīs, "our relatives and the village elders will discover our secret love for Kṛṣṇa and abandon us."
"But what can they do to us?"
"Yes, our lives are already wretched now that Kṛṣṇa is leaving. We have nothing to lose."
"That's right. We will remain in the Vṛndāvana forest just like presiding goddesses, and then we can fulfill our true desire — to stay with Kṛṣṇa in the forest."
"Yes, and even if the elders and our relatives punish us by beating us or locking us up, we can still live happily with the knowledge that Kṛṣṇa is residing in our village. Some of our girlfriends who are not imprisoned will cleverly find a way to bring us the remnants of Kṛṣṇa's food, and then we can remain alive. But if Kṛṣṇa is not stopped, we will certainly die."
10.39.29
līlāvaloka-parirambhaṇa-rāsa-goṣṭhām
(29) For us who to the charm of His loving affection, attractive smiles, intimate discussions and playful glances and embraces, were brought to the assembly of the râsadance [10.33], passed the night in a moment; how, o gopîs, can we now get over the insurmountable darkness of being without Him?
For the gopīs, a long time in Kṛṣṇa's association passed like a moment, and a single moment in His absence seemed like a very long time.
10.39.30
(30) How can we ever exist without Him, that Friend of Ananta [Râma] who at the end of the day, surrounded by gopas entered Vraja with His hair and garland smeared with the dust of the hoofs and who, playing His flute, smiling from the corners of His eyes, with His glances stole our minds?'
10.39.31
(31) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus speaking hopelessly unsettled of the separation, forgot the ladies of Vraja, in attachment thinking of Krishna, all their shame and cried they out aloud: 'O Govinda, o Dâmodara, o Mâdhava!'
For a long time the gopīs had carefully hidden their conjugal love for Kṛṣṇa. But now that Kṛṣṇa was leaving, the gopīs were so distressed that they could no longer hide their feelings.
10.39.32
(32) As the women thus lamented then set at sunrise Akrûra, having performed his morning duties, out with his chariot.
According to some Vaiṣṇava authorities, Akrūra offended the gopīs by not consoling them when he took Kṛṣṇa to Mathurā, and because of this offense Akrūra was later forced to leave Dvārakā and be separated from Kṛṣṇa during the episode of the Syamantaka jewel. At that time Akrūra had to take up an ignoble residence in Vārāṇasī.
Apparently, mother Yaśodā and the other residents of Vṛndāvana were not crying like the gopīs, for they sincerely believed Kṛṣṇa would be coming back within a few days.
10.39.33
gopās tam anvasajjanta
nandādyāḥ śakaṭais tataḥ
ādāyopāyanaḿ bhūri
(33) The gopas headed by Nanda following Him then in their wagons brought along an abundance of offerings and clay pots filled with dairy products.
10.39.34
anuvrajyānurañjitāḥ
kāńkṣantyaś cāvatasthire
(34) The gopîs to that, following Krishna hoping for some pacifying words to comfort them, stood waiting.
10.39.35
sva-prasthāṇe yadūttamaḥ
āyāsya iti dautyakaiḥ
(35) Seeing them thus lamenting as He was leaving, consoled the Greatest of the Yadus them full of love giving the message: 'Keep courage' [*].10.39.36
yāvad ālakṣyate ketur
anuprasthāpitātmāno
lekhyānīvopalakṣitāḥ
(36) Sending their minds after him for as long as the flag was visible and the dust of the chariot could be seen, stood they there as painted figures.
10.39.37
viśokā ahanī ninyur
(37) They without hope of ever seeing Him returning, full of sorrow went back spending their days and nights singing about the activities of their Beloved.
10.39.38
rāmākrūra-yuto nṛpa
(38) With the chariot swift as the wind arrived the Supreme Lord together with Râma and Akrûra, o King, at the Yamunâ, the river defeating all sin.
that Lord Kṛṣṇa secretly lamented His separation from the gopīs. These transcendental feelings of the Lord are part of His supreme pleasure potency.
10.39.39
tatropaspṛśya pānīyaḿ
(39) After touching the water there, drinking the sweet liquid as effulgent as jewels from His hand, moved He on to a grove and mounted He with Balarâma the chariot.
10.39.40
akrūras tāv upāmantrya
(40) Akrûra asking Them to stay behind on the chariot went to a pool of the Yamunâ and performed his bath according the injunctions.
10.39.41
(41) Immersing himself in that water reciting perennial mantras saw Akrûra before him the both of Râma and Krishna together.
10.39.42-43
sutāv ānakadundubheḥ
ity unmajjya vyacaṣṭa saḥ
(42-43) He thought: 'How can the two sons of Ânakadundubhi present on the chariot be here; let's see if they're still there', and rising from the water saw he Them sitting where he left Them. Again entering the water alone he wondered: 'Was it perhaps a hallucination of me seeing Them in the water?'
10.39.44-45
bhūyas tatrāpi so 'drākṣīt
stūyamānam ahīśvaram
asurair nata-kandharaiḥ
(44-45) And again in that same place saw he the Lord of the Serpents [Ananta or Balarâma], the Godhead with the thousands of heads, hoods and helmets, clad in blue and white like the filaments of a lotus stem, situated as if He were mount Kailâsa with its white peaks, with the perfected, the venerable ones, the singers of heaven and the ones of darkness bowing their heads.
10.39.46-48
padma-patrāruṇekṣaṇam
su-kapolāruṇādharam
valimat-pallavodaram
(46-48) On His lap there was, like a dark cloud clad in yellow silk, the Original Personality with the four arms in peace; with reddish eyes like the petals of a lotus; an attractive cheerful face with a charming, smiling glance; fine eyebrows, ears and a straight nose; beautiful cheeks and red lips; a broad chest and high shoulders; stout, long arms and a conch shell-like neck; a deep navel and a belly with lines like those of a [banyan] leaf.
10.39.49-50
karabhoru-dvayānvitam
navāńguly-ańguṣṭha-dalair
(49-50) Tight were His buttocks and hips, like an elephant's trunk His two thighs and shapely His two knees and attractive the pair of shanks He had. High were His ankles, reddish the rays emanating from His toenails and glowing like flower petals the soft toes surrounding the two big toes.
10.39.51-52
kirīṭa-kaṭakāńgadaiḥ
(51-52) Adorned with a helmet bedecked with great and precious gems, with bracelets, armlets, a belt, a sacred thread, necklaces, ankle bells and earrings, carried He an effulgent lotus, a conch shell, a disc and held He a club in His hands to the S'rîvatsa on His chest, the brilliant Kaustubha jewel and a flower garland.
10.39.53-55
parṣadaiḥ sanakādibhiḥ
sureśair brahma-rudrādyair
navabhiś ca dvijottamaiḥ
pramukhair bhāgavatottamaiḥ
stūyamānaḿ pṛthag-bhāvair
vacobhir amalātmabhiḥ
kīrtyā tuṣṭyelayorjayā
vidyayāvidyayā śaktyā
(53-55) He was awaited by His attendants with Nanda and Sunanda first. By Sanaka and the others [the Kumâras], by the leading demigods headed by Brahmâ and S'iva, by the foremost twice-born [headed by Marîci] and by the most exalted devotees lead by Prahlâda, Nârada and Vasu, was He, according each his different type of loving attitude, praised in sanctified words and served by His [feminine] internal potencies of fortune [S'rî], development [Pushthi or also strength], speech [Gîr or knowledge], beauty [Kânti], renown [Kîrti], contentment [Tushthi or renunciation - these first ones are His six opulences]; comfort [Ilâ, bhû-s'akti, the earth-element or sandhinî] and power [Ûrjâ, expanding as Tulasî]; His potencies of knowing and ignorance [vidyâ and avidyâ, leading to liberation and bondage]; His internal pleasure potency [S'akti or hlâdinî], his marginal potency [jîva-s'akti] and His creative potency [Mâyâ].
the Lord's potencies mentioned in these verses: "Śrī is the potency of wealth; Puṣṭi that of strength; Gīr, knowledge; Kānti, beauty; Kīrti, fame; and Tuṣṭi, renunciation. These are the Lord's six opulences. Ilā is His bhū-śakti, also known as sandhinī, the internal potency of whom the element earth is an expansion. Ūrjā is His internal potency for performing pastimes; she expands as the tulasī plant in this world. Vidyā and Avidyā [knowledge and ignorance] are external potencies who cause the living entities' liberation and bondage, respectively. Śakti is His internal pleasure potency, hlādinī, and Māyā is an internal potency who is the basis of Vidyā and Avidyā. The word ca implies the presence of the Lord's marginal energy, the jīva-śakti, who is subordinate to Māyā. Lord Viṣṇu was being served by all these personified potencies."
10.39.56-57
pariklinnātma-locanaḥ
girā gadgadayāstauṣīt
praṇamya mūrdhnāvahitaḥ
(56-57) Witnessing this to his great pleasure, stood he [Akrûra] there, enthused with supreme devotion, with the hairs on his body erect and with his eyes and body getting wet of loving ecstasy. Getting himself together offered the great devotee with his voice choked his respects bowing his head down and joined he his hands attentively praying slowly.'
* The Sanskrit root to the verb used here is âyâsya, meaning agile, dexterous, valiant, and is by some translators interpreted as returning. But since Krishna will not return to Vraja but by sending Uddhava later on as also by Balarâma who once comes back, has been chosen here for the literal: 'mind to be valiant' of the 'âyâsye iti' for: 'keep tight, hold on, keep courage, stay strong'.
Thus end of the Tenth Canto, Thirty-ninth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "Akrūra's Vision."
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