Chapter Six Śrī Hari-parīkṣaṇa The Test of Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Śrī Nārada said: After hearing King Vṛṣabhānu's words, the surprised people of Vraja became peaceful and free of all doubts.

The gopas said: O king, you speak the truth. Rādhā is Lord Hari's beloved. His potencies have made you become opulent and glorious in this world.

koṭiśaḥ koṭiśo gāvo hema-ratna-manoharāḥ mandirāṇi vicitrāṇi ratnāni vividhāni ca sarvaṁ saukhyaṁ bhojanādi dṛśyate sāmprataṁ tava kaṁso 'pi dharṣito jāto dṛṣṭvā te balam adbhutam sahasraśaḥ—thousands; gajā—elephants; mattāḥ—maddened; koṭiśaḥ—millions; aśvāḥ—horses; ca—and; cañcalāḥ—restless; rathāḥ—chariots; ca—and; deva-dhiṣṇyābhāḥ—splendid as the homes of the demigods; śibikāḥ—palanquins; koṭiśaḥ—millions; śubhāḥ—glory; koṭiśaḥ—millions; koṭiśaḥ—and millions; gāvaḥ—cows; hema-ratna-manoharāḥ—beautiful with gold and jewels; mandirāṇi—palaces; vicitrāṇi—wonderful; ratnāni—jewels; vividhāni—various; ca—and; sarvam—all; saukhyam—happiness; bhojanādi—beginning with enjoymwent; dṛśyate—is seen; sāmpratam—now; tava—of you; kaṁsaḥ—Kaṁsa; api—even; dharṣitaḥ—defeated; jātaḥ—born; dṛṣṭvā—seeing; te—of you; balam—the strength; adbhutam—wonderful. We see that you have thousands of intoxicated elephants, tens of millions of restless horses, tens of millions of chariots glorious as the demigods' airplanes, tens of millions of beautiful palanquins, many millions and millions of cows beautiful with gold and jewels, many wonderful jewel palaces, and all possible pleasures. Even Kaṁsa himself is defeated when he sees your wonderful strength.

koṭiśaḥ koṭiśo gāvo hema-ratna-manoharāḥ mandirāṇi vicitrāṇi ratnāni vividhāni ca sarvaṁ saukhyaṁ bhojanādi dṛśyate sāmprataṁ tava kaṁso 'pi dharṣito jāto dṛṣṭvā te balam adbhutam sahasraśaḥ—thousands; gajā—elephants; mattāḥ—maddened; koṭiśaḥ—millions; aśvāḥ—horses; ca—and; cañcalāḥ—restless; rathāḥ—chariots; ca—and; deva-dhiṣṇyābhāḥ—splendid as the homes of the demigods; śibikāḥ—palanquins; koṭiśaḥ—millions; śubhāḥ—glory; koṭiśaḥ—millions; koṭiśaḥ—and millions; gāvaḥ—cows; hema-ratna-manoharāḥ—beautiful with gold and jewels; mandirāṇi—palaces; vicitrāṇi—wonderful; ratnāni—jewels; vividhāni—various; ca—and; sarvam—all; saukhyam—happiness; bhojanādi—beginning with enjoymwent; dṛśyate—is seen; sāmpratam—now; tava—of you; kaṁsaḥ—Kaṁsa; api—even; dharṣitaḥ—defeated; jātaḥ—born; dṛṣṭvā—seeing; te—of you; balam—the strength; adbhutam—wonderful. We see that you have thousands of intoxicated elephants, tens of millions of restless horses, tens of millions of chariots glorious as the demigods' airplanes, tens of millions of beautiful palanquins, many millions and millions of cows beautiful with gold and jewels, many wonderful jewel palaces, and all possible pleasures. Even Kaṁsa himself is defeated when he sees your wonderful strength.

koṭiśaḥ koṭiśo gāvo hema-ratna-manoharāḥ mandirāṇi vicitrāṇi ratnāni vividhāni ca sarvaṁ saukhyaṁ bhojanādi dṛśyate sāmprataṁ tava kaṁso 'pi dharṣito jāto dṛṣṭvā te balam adbhutam sahasraśaḥ—thousands; gajā—elephants; mattāḥ—maddened; koṭiśaḥ—millions; aśvāḥ—horses; ca—and; cañcalāḥ—restless; rathāḥ—chariots; ca—and; deva-dhiṣṇyābhāḥ—splendid as the homes of the demigods; śibikāḥ—palanquins; koṭiśaḥ—millions; śubhāḥ—glory; koṭiśaḥ—millions; koṭiśaḥ—and millions; gāvaḥ—cows; hema-ratna-manoharāḥ—beautiful with gold and jewels; mandirāṇi—palaces; vicitrāṇi—wonderful; ratnāni—jewels; vividhāni—various; ca—and; sarvam—all; saukhyam—happiness; bhojanādi—beginning with enjoymwent; dṛśyate—is seen; sāmpratam—now; tava—of you; kaṁsaḥ—Kaṁsa; api—even; dharṣitaḥ—defeated; jātaḥ—born; dṛṣṭvā—seeing; te—of you; balam—the strength; adbhutam—wonderful. We see that you have thousands of intoxicated elephants, tens of millions of restless horses, tens of millions of chariots glorious as the demigods' airplanes, tens of millions of beautiful palanquins, many millions and millions of cows beautiful with gold and jewels, many wonderful jewel palaces, and all possible pleasures. Even Kaṁsa himself is defeated when he sees your wonderful strength.

You are the son-in-law of King Bhalandana, the ruler of Kānyakubja. You are as rich as Kuvera.

Even King Nanda's home does not have wealth and opulence equal to yours. The farmer King Nanda, who is the master of many cows, is poor-hearted in comparison to you.

O master, if Nanda's son is in truth the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then please put Him to a test that will reveal His divinity as we all watch.

Śrī Nārada said: Hearing their words, King Vṛṣabhānu devised a test to determine the extent of King Nanda's wealth.

nidhāya tāni pātreṣu vṛṇānaiḥ kuśalair janaiḥ preṣayām āsa nandāya sarveṣāṁ paśyatāṁ nṛpa koṭi—ten million; damāni—strings; muktānām—of pearls; sthūlānām—great; maithileśvara—O king of Mithilā; ekaikā—one by one; yeṣu—in which; muktāś—pearls; ca—and; koṭi-maulyāḥ—ten million crowns; sphurat-prabhāḥ—splendid; nidhāya—placing; tāni—them; pātreṣu—in caskets; vṛṇānaiḥ—with messengers bearing a proposal of marriage; kuśalaiḥ—handsome; janaiḥ—by men; preṣayām āsa—sent; nandāya—to Nanda; sarveṣām—of all; paśyatām—watching; nṛpa—O king. O king of Mithilā, as everyone watched, King Vṛṣabhānu took ten million necklaces of giant pearls, each pearl splendid as ten million glittering crowns, placed them in many jewel caskets, and had many handsome men take them to King Nanda with a proposal for his son's marriage.

nidhāya tāni pātreṣu vṛṇānaiḥ kuśalair janaiḥ preṣayām āsa nandāya sarveṣāṁ paśyatāṁ nṛpa koṭi—ten million; damāni—strings; muktānām—of pearls; sthūlānām—great; maithileśvara—O king of Mithilā; ekaikā—one by one; yeṣu—in which; muktāś—pearls; ca—and; koṭi-maulyāḥ—ten million crowns; sphurat-prabhāḥ—splendid; nidhāya—placing; tāni—them; pātreṣu—in caskets; vṛṇānaiḥ—with messengers bearing a proposal of marriage; kuśalaiḥ—handsome; janaiḥ—by men; preṣayām āsa—sent; nandāya—to Nanda; sarveṣām—of all; paśyatām—watching; nṛpa—O king. O king of Mithilā, as everyone watched, King Vṛṣabhānu took ten million necklaces of giant pearls, each pearl splendid as ten million glittering crowns, placed them in many jewel caskets, and had many handsome men take them to King Nanda with a proposal for his son's marriage.

Entering King Nanda's assembly, bowing down, and presenting the caskets of pearls, the handsome men bearing the marriage-proposal spoke to Nanda.

tavāṅgajaṁ divyam anaṅga-mohanaṁ govardhanoddharaṇa-doḥ-samudbhaṭam samvīkṣya casmān vṛṣabhānu-vanditaḥ sampreṣayām āsa viśāmpate prabho vṛṇānā ūcuḥthe men bearing the marriage-proposal; vivāha—for marriage; yogyām—suitable; nava-kañja-netrām—whose eyes are new lotus flowers; koṭi—ten million; indu—moons; bimba—circles; dyutim—splendor; ādadhānām—taking; vijṣāya—understanding; rādhām—Rādhā; vṛṣabhānu-mukhyaḥ—King Vṛṣabhānu; cakre—did; vicāram—consideration; su-varam—a suitable husband; vicinvan—selected; tava—of you; aṅgajam—the son; divyam—glorious; anaṅga-mohanam—more charming than Kāmadeva; govardhana—Govardhana Hill; uddharaṇa—lifting; doḥ—arm; samudbhaṭam—power; samvīkṣya—seeing; ca—and; asmān—us; vṛṣabhānu-vanditaḥ—glorious King Vṛṣabhānu; sampreṣayām āsa—sent; viśāmpate—O king of the vaiśyas; prabhaḥ—O master. The men bearing a marriage-proposal said: Aware that his daughter Rādhā, who is splendid as ten million moons and whose eyes are like new lotus flowers, is now old enough to be married, King Vṛṣabhānu has given some thought to who should be Her husband. He has decided on your son, who is charming as Kāmadeva himself, and whose powerful arm lifted Govardhana Hill. O master, O king of the vaiśyas, seeing us, glorious King Vṛṣabhānu sent us with this message.

tavāṅgajaṁ divyam anaṅga-mohanaṁ govardhanoddharaṇa-doḥ-samudbhaṭam samvīkṣya casmān vṛṣabhānu-vanditaḥ sampreṣayām āsa viśāmpate prabho vṛṇānā ūcuḥthe men bearing the marriage-proposal; vivāha—for marriage; yogyām—suitable; nava-kañja-netrām—whose eyes are new lotus flowers; koṭi—ten million; indu—moons; bimba—circles; dyutim—splendor; ādadhānām—taking; vijṣāya—understanding; rādhām—Rādhā; vṛṣabhānu-mukhyaḥ—King Vṛṣabhānu; cakre—did; vicāram—consideration; su-varam—a suitable husband; vicinvan—selected; tava—of you; aṅgajam—the son; divyam—glorious; anaṅga-mohanam—more charming than Kāmadeva; govardhana—Govardhana Hill; uddharaṇa—lifting; doḥ—arm; samudbhaṭam—power; samvīkṣya—seeing; ca—and; asmān—us; vṛṣabhānu-vanditaḥ—glorious King Vṛṣabhānu; sampreṣayām āsa—sent; viśāmpate—O king of the vaiśyas; prabhaḥ—O master. The men bearing a marriage-proposal said: Aware that his daughter Rādhā, who is splendid as ten million moons and whose eyes are like new lotus flowers, is now old enough to be married, King Vṛṣabhānu has given some thought to who should be Her husband. He has decided on your son, who is charming as Kāmadeva himself, and whose powerful arm lifted Govardhana Hill. O master, O king of the vaiśyas, seeing us, glorious King Vṛṣabhānu sent us with this message.

Please accept these pearls as a wedding-gift. Please give a similar gift to this girl. She is very respectable and glorious.

Śrī Nārada said: Gazing at the precious gift, Nanda became filled with wonder. Thinking to ask Yaśodā if they had anything equal to that gift, he went to the palace's inner rooms.

Thinking for a long time, King Nanda and glorious Yaśodā came to the same conclusion: "In our home there is nothing equal to these pearls.

"If we do not give a proper gift we will be embarrassed before everyone. Everyone will laugh at us. What should we do? What can we give on the occasion of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's wedding?"

ālakṣya āgatas tatra bhagavān vṛjiṇārdanaḥ nītvā dāma-śataṁ teṣu bahiḥ-kṣetreṣu sarvataḥ muktā-phalāni caikaikaṁ prākṣipat sva-kareṇa vai yathā bījāni cānnānāṁ sva-kṣetreṣu kṛṣīvalaḥ tataḥ—then; ayogyam—unsuitable; tad-grahaṇam—acceptance of that; paścāt—then; kāryam—to be done; dhana—wealth; āgame—in the arrival; evam—thus; cintayataḥ—thinking; tasya—of him; nandasya—King Nanda; eva—indeed; yaśodayā—with Yaśodā; ālakṣya—seeing; āgataḥ—come; tatra—there; bhagavān—the Lord; vṛjiṇārdanaḥ—the savior from sins; nītvā—taking; dāma-śatam—a hundred necklaces; teṣu—in them; bahiḥ-kṣetreṣu—in the fields; sarvataḥ—everywhere; muktā-phalāni—pearls; ca—and; eka-ekam—one by one; prākṣipat—threw; sva-kareṇa—with His own hand; vai—indeed; yathā—as; bījāni—seeds; ca—and; annānām—of grains; sva-kṣetreṣu—in His own fields; kṛṣīvalaḥ—a farmer. Observing that Nanda and Yaśodā thought they had nothing suitable to give in return, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the savior from distress, took one hundred of the pearl necklaces and, with His own hand, planted the pearls one by one as if He were a farmer planting grains.

ālakṣya āgatas tatra bhagavān vṛjiṇārdanaḥ nītvā dāma-śataṁ teṣu bahiḥ-kṣetreṣu sarvataḥ muktā-phalāni caikaikaṁ prākṣipat sva-kareṇa vai yathā bījāni cānnānāṁ sva-kṣetreṣu kṛṣīvalaḥ tataḥ—then; ayogyam—unsuitable; tad-grahaṇam—acceptance of that; paścāt—then; kāryam—to be done; dhana—wealth; āgame—in the arrival; evam—thus; cintayataḥ—thinking; tasya—of him; nandasya—King Nanda; eva—indeed; yaśodayā—with Yaśodā; ālakṣya—seeing; āgataḥ—come; tatra—there; bhagavān—the Lord; vṛjiṇārdanaḥ—the savior from sins; nītvā—taking; dāma-śatam—a hundred necklaces; teṣu—in them; bahiḥ-kṣetreṣu—in the fields; sarvataḥ—everywhere; muktā-phalāni—pearls; ca—and; eka-ekam—one by one; prākṣipat—threw; sva-kareṇa—with His own hand; vai—indeed; yathā—as; bījāni—seeds; ca—and; annānām—of grains; sva-kṣetreṣu—in His own fields; kṛṣīvalaḥ—a farmer. Observing that Nanda and Yaśodā thought they had nothing suitable to give in return, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the savior from distress, took one hundred of the pearl necklaces and, with His own hand, planted the pearls one by one as if He were a farmer planting grains.

ālakṣya āgatas tatra bhagavān vṛjiṇārdanaḥ nītvā dāma-śataṁ teṣu bahiḥ-kṣetreṣu sarvataḥ muktā-phalāni caikaikaṁ prākṣipat sva-kareṇa vai yathā bījāni cānnānāṁ sva-kṣetreṣu kṛṣīvalaḥ tataḥ—then; ayogyam—unsuitable; tad-grahaṇam—acceptance of that; paścāt—then; kāryam—to be done; dhana—wealth; āgame—in the arrival; evam—thus; cintayataḥ—thinking; tasya—of him; nandasya—King Nanda; eva—indeed; yaśodayā—with Yaśodā; ālakṣya—seeing; āgataḥ—come; tatra—there; bhagavān—the Lord; vṛjiṇārdanaḥ—the savior from sins; nītvā—taking; dāma-śatam—a hundred necklaces; teṣu—in them; bahiḥ-kṣetreṣu—in the fields; sarvataḥ—everywhere; muktā-phalāni—pearls; ca—and; eka-ekam—one by one; prākṣipat—threw; sva-kareṇa—with His own hand; vai—indeed; yathā—as; bījāni—seeds; ca—and; annānām—of grains; sva-kṣetreṣu—in His own fields; kṛṣīvalaḥ—a farmer. Observing that Nanda and Yaśodā thought they had nothing suitable to give in return, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the savior from distress, took one hundred of the pearl necklaces and, with His own hand, planted the pearls one by one as if He were a farmer planting grains.

When he again counted the pearl necklaces, and found they were one hundred necklaces less, Nanda became filled with doubt.

Śrī Nanda said: There are fewer necklaces than before. Alas, this is the fault of my own relatives!

Now I am unhappy at heart. I will ask whether Kṛṣṇa or Balarāma took the necklaces for their playing.

Śrī Nārada said: Thinking in this way, Nanda asked Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa, the lifter of Govardhana Hill, smiled and respectfully spoke to King Nanda.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: We gopas are farmers. We plant all kinds of seeds. I planted some pearls in the fields.

Śrī Nārada said: Hearing his son's words, and rebuking Him, Nanda, the king of Vraja, went with Him to the fields to retrieve the pearls.

There they saw hundreds of beautiful, tall, green-leaved pearl trees.

O king, in that place millions upon millions of bunches of pearls shone like many stars in the sky.

Then the dlighted Nanda could understand that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These glittering pearls were bigger even than the first ones.

Placing many millions of bhāras of these pearls on many wagons, Nanda, the king of Vraja, gave them to the men carrying the marriage-proposal.

They took the gift and gave it all to King Vṛṣabhānu. O king, everyone who saw this pastime praised the great wealth of King Nanda.

Filled with wonder, free of doubt, and now convinced that Nanda's son really was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all the people of Vraja bowed down before King Vṛṣabhānu.

O king of Mithilā, from that day on everyone in Vraja understood that Rādhā was Kṛṣṇa's beloved and Kṛṣṇa was Rādhā's beloved.

O king of Mithilā, the place where Nanda's son planted pearls became the lake Muktā-sarovara, the king of holy places.

A person who at that place gives in charity a single pearl attains the result of giving a hundred thousand pearls. Of this there is no doubt.

O king, in this way I have described to you Govardhana Hill's festival, which brings with it both sense gratification and liberation. What more do you wish to hear? .pa