Chapter Nineteen Śrī Kṛṣṇāgamanotsava The Festival on Śrī Kṛṣṇa Return

Listening to the words of His devotee, and remembering His own promise, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead, who loves His devotees, made up His mind to go to Vraja.

ratham āruhya sūryābhaṁ uddhavena samanvitaḥ bhaktānāṁ darśanaṁ dātuṁ prāyayau nanda-gokulam baladevam—Balarāma; sthāpyitvā—placing; kārya-bhāreṣu—in the duties; sarvataḥ—in all respects; hemāḍhyam—opulent with gold; kiṅkiṇī-jālam—a network of tinkling ornaments; caṣcala—eager to go; aśva—horses; niyojitam—yoked; ratham—chariot; āruhya—mounting; sūryābham—splendid as the sun; uddhavena—with Uddhava; samanvitaḥ—with; bhaktānām—of the devotees; darśanam—the sight; dātum—to give; prāyayau—went; nanda-gokulam—to Nanda's Gokula. Entrusting all His duties to Balarāma, and mounting a chariot rich with tinkling golden ornaments and yoked to eager horses, Kṛṣṇa went with Uddhava to Nanda's Gokula to meet His devotees.

ratham āruhya sūryābhaṁ uddhavena samanvitaḥ bhaktānāṁ darśanaṁ dātuṁ prāyayau nanda-gokulam baladevam—Balarāma; sthāpyitvā—placing; kārya-bhāreṣu—in the duties; sarvataḥ—in all respects; hemāḍhyam—opulent with gold; kiṅkiṇī-jālam—a network of tinkling ornaments; caṣcala—eager to go; aśva—horses; niyojitam—yoked; ratham—chariot; āruhya—mounting; sūryābham—splendid as the sun; uddhavena—with Uddhava; samanvitaḥ—with; bhaktānām—of the devotees; darśanam—the sight; dātum—to give; prāyayau—went; nanda-gokulam—to Nanda's Gokula. Entrusting all His duties to Balarāma, and mounting a chariot rich with tinkling golden ornaments and yoked to eager horses, Kṛṣṇa went with Uddhava to Nanda's Gokula to meet His devotees.

Seeing Govardhana and Gokula as He went, Kṛṣṇa came to the Yamunā's beautiful shore by Vṛndāvana forest.

As soon as they saw Him, from all directions millions and millions of cows, milk dripping from their udders out of love, ran to Kṛṣṇa, the king of Vraja.

sa-rathaṁ sāruṇaṁ sāśvaṁ śarad-arkaṁ yathā ghanāḥ rurudhus taṁ rathaṁ rājann uddhavasya prapaśyataḥ ut—raised; āsya—faces; karṇa—ears; vālāḥ—tails; ca—and; rambhamānāḥ—mooing; sa-vatsakāḥ—with calves; mukhe—in the mouth; kavala-samyuktā—with a mouthful; aśru-mukhyaḥ—tears in their eyes; gata-vyathāḥ—their unhappinesses gone; sa-ratham—with his chariot; sāruṇam—with the aruṇas; sāśvam—with his horses; śarad-arkam—the autumn sun; yathā—as; ghanaḥ—clouds; rurudhuḥ—stopped; tam—that; ratham—chariot; rājann—O king; uddhavasya—as Uddhava; prapaśyataḥ—looked. As Uddhava watched, the mooing cows and calves, their faces, ears, and tails erect, the cud still in their mouths, and their sufferings now gone, blocked the chariot, as autumn clouds block the sun-god, riding in his chariot pulled by many horses and accompanied by the aruṇas.

sa-rathaṁ sāruṇaṁ sāśvaṁ śarad-arkaṁ yathā ghanāḥ rurudhus taṁ rathaṁ rājann uddhavasya prapaśyataḥ ut—raised; āsya—faces; karṇa—ears; vālāḥ—tails; ca—and; rambhamānāḥ—mooing; sa-vatsakāḥ—with calves; mukhe—in the mouth; kavala-samyuktā—with a mouthful; aśru-mukhyaḥ—tears in their eyes; gata-vyathāḥ—their unhappinesses gone; sa-ratham—with his chariot; sāruṇam—with the aruṇas; sāśvam—with his horses; śarad-arkam—the autumn sun; yathā—as; ghanaḥ—clouds; rurudhuḥ—stopped; tam—that; ratham—chariot; rājann—O king; uddhavasya—as Uddhava; prapaśyataḥ—looked. As Uddhava watched, the mooing cows and calves, their faces, ears, and tails erect, the cud still in their mouths, and their sufferings now gone, blocked the chariot, as autumn clouds block the sun-god, riding in his chariot pulled by many horses and accompanied by the aruṇas.

Then Lord Kṛṣṇa, the protector of the cows, called each cow by name. Touching them with His glorious hand, He became happy.

Seeing the cows clustered around the chariot, the gopas headed by Śrīdāmā became filled with wonder and spoke among themselves.

The gopas said: O friends, how is it possible that these cows have stopped such a chariot decorated with with canopy and flag, splendid as a hundred suns, and making a great rumbling sound as, pulled by a hundred horses, it goes as fast as the wind?

This is none other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the prince of Vraja, that has come. The cows are filled with happiness. Our bodies tremble on the left side, an auspicious sign. The peacock has made an arch for Kṛṣṇa to pass under.

Śrī Nārada said: Thinking in this way, all the gopas went and saw their friend Kṛṣṇa. They gazed on Him as people who have suddenly realized the truth.

The Lord Kṛṣṇa, the perfect Supreme Personality of Godhead, jumped from the chariot and, overcome with love, embraced them all.

Shedding tears from His lotus eyes, He embraced them all, one by one. Who in this world can describe the love they all felt?

O king of Mithilā, all the gopas wept, shedding tears. Trembling with love for Kṛṣṇa, they could not speak.

With sweet words the Supreme Personality of Godhead comforted the gopas, who were all overwhelmed with the bliss of love.

Then Kṛṣṇa and the boys sent Uddhava into Nanda's village to say that Śrī Kṛṣṇa had returned.

Hearing that Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda and the dear friend of the gopas, had returned, everyone, now their desires all fuflilled, left the village to escort Him back.

Accompanied by the sweet sounds of bherīs, mṛdaṅgas, paṭahas, and brāhmaṇas chanting Vedic mantras, and bringing full waterpots and auspicious fried rice mixed with raw and unhusked rice, King Nanda and Yaśodā-devī came to meet Kṛṣṇa.

With a great intoxicated elephant shackled with golden links and its trunk decorated with red sindūra preceding them, King Vṛṣabhānu and his queen Kalāvati also came to meet Kṛṣṇa.

Carrying garlands, flutes, guṣjā, and peacock feathers, and their desires now fulfilled, the young, adolescent, and adult gopas also came to meet Kṛṣṇa.

Flutes, sticks, and bugles in their hands, very happy, and eager to see Kṛṣṇa, the gopas sang and danced, shaking their yellow garments.

Hearing from Her friends' mouths that Kṛṣṇa had returned, Rādhā at once rose from bed and, pleased with them as a new lotus is pleased with its own sweet fragrance, at once gave them Her own ornaments.

O king of Mithilā, accompanied by thirty-two, eight, and sixteen groups of gopīs, Rādhā rode on a beautiful palanquin to see Lord Kṛṣṇa, the husband of the goddess of fortune.

O king of kings, leaving their household duties undone, their garments and ornaments in disarray, and their hearts and limbs trembling with love, millions of gopīs came to meet Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa glanced at the trees, cows, deer, birds, and all the living entities in Vraja. Filled with love, they had come to meet Him. Seeing His father King Nanda and His mother Yaśodā, Lord Kṛṣṇa placed His folded palms to His forehead and bowed down before them.

Their long-cherished desire now fulfilled, King Nanda and Queen Yaśodā embraced their long-absent son, with both arms holding Him to their hearts. They bathed Him with tears from their eyes.

Lord Kṛṣṇa bowed down before the Nandas, Upanandas, and Vṛṣabhānus and respectfully received their blessings. Then He grasped the hands of the boys His age and younger.

Placing King Nanda and Queen Yaśodā on the elephant, and Himself mounting the chariot, in the company of the Nandas, Upanandas, and the great multitude of cows, Lord Kṛṣṇa entered King Nanda's village.

As Kṛṣṇa returned to His home the demigods showered flowers, the gopīs showered grains of rice, and the gopas made a great auspicious sound of "Victory!"

With voices choked with emotion, the gopas said to Kṛṣṇa, "Your friend Uddhava is a great saint. He has shown to us You, the life of all the gopas."

O king of kings, now I have described to you Lord Kṛṣṇa's return to Vraja. Lord Kṛṣṇa's wonderful and transcendental pastimes brings auspiciousness to both the demigods and demons. What more do you wish to hear? .pa