Chapter Eight Śrī Kṛṣṇa-darśana-varṇana Description of Seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa

Śrī Nārada said: Not seeing the calves, returning to the riverbank and not seeing the gopas, and then searching in the forest for them both, Kṛṣṇa thought, "This must be Brahmā's work."

Then, to please the cows and gopīs, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the creator of the universes, made Himself into (the calves and boys).

yāvad bhūṣana-vastrādīn tāvac chrī-hariṇā svataḥ sarvaṁ viṣṇumayaṁ viśvaṁ iti vākyaṁ pradarśitam yāvat—as; vatsapa—gopas; vatsānām—and calves; vapuḥ—forms; pāṇi-padādikān—beginning weith feet and hands; yāvat—as; yaṣṭi—sticks; visana—horns; ādīn—beginning with; yāvac—as; śīla—character; guṇa—and qualities; ādikān—beginning with; yāvat—as; bhūṣana-vastrādīn—beginning with graments and ornaments; tāvac—so; chrī-hariṇā—by Lord Kṛṣṇa; svataḥ—pwrsonally; sarvam—all; viṣṇumayam—consisting of Lord Viṣṇu; viśvam—the universe; iti—thus; vākyam—the statement; pradarśitam—demonstrated. Whatever were the gopas' and calves' forms, with their hands, feet, and other parts, whatever were their sticks, horns, and other possessions, whatever were their characters, qualities, and other features, and whatever were their clothes, ornaments, and other things, Lord Kṛṣṇa perfectly copied. In this way He proved the Vedic statement: "sarvaṁ viṣṇumayaṁ viśvam" (The entire universe is Lord Viṣṇu).

yāvad bhūṣana-vastrādīn tāvac chrī-hariṇā svataḥ sarvaṁ viṣṇumayaṁ viśvaṁ iti vākyaṁ pradarśitam yāvat—as; vatsapa—gopas; vatsānām—and calves; vapuḥ—forms; pāṇi-padādikān—beginning weith feet and hands; yāvat—as; yaṣṭi—sticks; visana—horns; ādīn—beginning with; yāvac—as; śīla—character; guṇa—and qualities; ādikān—beginning with; yāvat—as; bhūṣana-vastrādīn—beginning with graments and ornaments; tāvac—so; chrī-hariṇā—by Lord Kṛṣṇa; svataḥ—pwrsonally; sarvam—all; viṣṇumayam—consisting of Lord Viṣṇu; viśvam—the universe; iti—thus; vākyam—the statement; pradarśitam—demonstrated. Whatever were the gopas' and calves' forms, with their hands, feet, and other parts, whatever were their sticks, horns, and other possessions, whatever were their characters, qualities, and other features, and whatever were their clothes, ornaments, and other things, Lord Kṛṣṇa perfectly copied. In this way He proved the Vedic statement: "sarvaṁ viṣṇumayaṁ viśvam" (The entire universe is Lord Viṣṇu).

As the sun was setting on the western horizon, Kṛṣṇa, herding calves that were in truth Himself, and accompanied by gopas that were also Himself, playfully entered Nanda's village.

The many gopas, who were all Kṛṣṇa, led the various calves, who were also Kṛṣṇa, to their respective barns. Then the gopas entered their own homes.

Hearing the sound of the flute, the gopīs fainted and then suddenly stood up. As milk flowed from them, each embraced her son.

Seeing their calves, the cows mooed. They licked the calves with their tongues, and made the calves drink their milk.

In this way all the gopīs and cows became Kṛṣṇa's mothers. Their love for their children became four times what it had been.

As they embraced, bathed, massaged, and in other ways served their sons, the gopīs now gazed on Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Then the millions of gopī girls, who were all deeply in love with Kṛṣṇa, were married to the many gopa boys, who at that time were all forms of Kṛṣṇa.

In the circle of Vraja one year passed with Kṛṣṇa disguising Himself as both the calves and gopas. He was the calves and He was the gopas protecting the calves.

On the day when there were only five nights remaining to complete the year, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma went to the forest as They herded the calves.

From far away on the summit of Govardhana Hill the cows ran to their calves, licked their bodies, gazed on them, and made them drink the nectar of their milk.

O king, the cowherd men saw the calves, who had already drunk their (mothers') milk, staying below Govardhana Hill, and they saw the cows, overcome with love for their calves, also staying there.

As the men came down from the hill to hit the cows, they suddenly came upon their own sons.

Meeting them, the gopa men immediately placed their sons on their laps.

Young and old were flooded with tears of love. The men embraced their sons and grandsons and sat down with them.

Seeing everyone so affectionate, powerful Balarāma had many doubts. In His mind he said:

I do not understand what has happened for the past year. Everyone is so affectionate, and their love increases day after day.

Is this an illusion made by the devas, gandharvas, or rākṣasas? No one but Kṛṣṇa can bewilder Me.

Thinking this, Balarāma closed His eyes. Then with transcendental eyes He looked at the past, present, and future.

He saw that all the calves and gopas had become dark boys, each decorated with a flute and stick, peacock feathers, Bhṛgu Muni's footprint, . . .

. . . necklaces of flowers, jewels, guṣjā, lotuses, and water lilies, . . .

. . . turbans, crowns, and splendid earrings, endowed with curly locks of hair, making showers of bliss with the glances of their autumn-lotus eyes, . . .

. . . more handsome than millions of Kāmadevas, their noses decorated with pearls and their heads and hands decorated with many ornaments, . . .

. . . having two arms, glorious with yellow garments, belts, bracelets, and anklets, and more glorious than millions of rising suns.

Balarāma saw that all these forms on top of Govardhana Hill, and in Vṛndāvana forest south of the Yamunā were all Kṛṣṇa.

Understanding what Brahmā had done and what Kṛṣṇa had done, and looking again at the calves and gopas, Balarāma said to Kṛṣṇa:

The devotees Brahmā, Ananta, Yama, Indra, and Śiva always worship the Supreme Lord, who is the controller of everything, who is self-satisfied, whose desires are always fulfilled, and who has the power to create many millions of universes in the sky.

Śrī Nārada said: As Balarāma was speaking, Brahmā came there and saw Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, the calves, and the gopas.

Saying, "Kṛṣṇa brought back all the (calves and gopas) I took away," Brahmā left and saw them all still there (where he had hid them).

Seeing them all still asleep, he returned to Vraja and gazed again at Kṛṣṇa and the gopas. Astonished, in his mind he said:

This is a great wonder. From where did all these boys come that now they are playing with Kṛṣṇa just as before?

What is for me only a moment is a year on earth. I don't understand how they are still manifested as before.

In this way Brahmā, who bewilders the entire universe, was so blinded by Kṛṣṇa's illusion that he could not see even his own body.

What happened to Brahmā, the master of the universe, after he stole the gopas? The creator Brahmā became like a firefly standing before the sun of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

As Brahmā stood, stunned and bewildered, Kṛṣṇa mercifully removed His own illusory potency and revealed Himself.

With eyes of knowledge Brahmā devotedly gazed at the calves and gopa boys and saw that they were all Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

O king, Brahmā then saw that the entire universe, including all that was inside and outside his body, and including his own self, was all the potency of Lord Viṣṇu.

Gazing at this, Brahmā became stunned. He looked like an unmoving tulasī plant in Vṛndāvana forest.

Aware that Brahmā had no power to continue gazing at the Lord's glories, Kṛṣṇa at once pulled the curtain of His illusory potency.

dadarśedaṁ sahātmanā tataḥ—from that; pralabdha—bewildered; nayanaḥ—eyes; sraṣṭa—the creator; supta—asleep; iva—as if; utthitaḥ—rose; unmīlya—opening; nayane—his eyes; kṛcchrat—with difficulty; dadarśa—saw; idam—this; saha—with; ātmanā—himself. Then, his eyes covered, the creator Brahmā became as if asleep. Awakening, and with difficulty opening his eyes, he saw Vṛndāvana and he also saw himself.

Now composed and peaceful, in the ten directions he saw, filled with flowering vasantī vines, charming and beautiful Vṛndāvana, . . .

. . . where without any enmity fawns play with tiger cubs, doves play with eagles, and snakes play with mongeese.

Then Brahmā saw Kṛṣṇa, with a morsel of food in His hand, searching for His calves and friends in Vṛndāvana forest.

Gazing at Him, and suddenly understanding that Kṛṣṇa was Lord Hari, the beloved of Goloka, the Supreme Personality of Godhead now disguised as an ordinary gopa, Brahmā became afraid for what he had done.

O king, to beg for pardon from the Lord, whose glory filled all directions, Brahmā, speechless with embarrassment, descended from his swan-carrier.

Slowly he approached the Lord. Saying, "Please be kind", bowing down, and with a streams of tears offering arghya, he fell down like a stick.

Pulling Brahmā up, comforting him, and gently touching him as a lover touches his beloved, Lord Kṛṣṇa, His eyes wet with nectar, glanced at the many demigods now standing far away.

When the demigods received Lord Kṛṣṇa's merciful glance they called out, "Glory! Glory!", bowed down, and offered prayers. Pleased with them, Kṛṣṇa offered them all respect.

Gaizing at Lord Kṛṣṇa standing there, and his heart filled with devotion, with folded hands Brahmā bowed down. Falling like a stick to the ground, the hairs of his body erect in ecstasy, and his voice choked with emotion, Brahmā offered prayers.