Devanagari
पूर्णा: पुलिन्द्य उरुगायपदाब्जराग-
श्रीकुङ्कुमेन दयितास्तनमण्डितेन ।
तद्दर्शनस्मररुजस्तृणरूषितेन
लिम्पन्त्य आननकुचेषु जहुस्तदाधिम् ॥ १७ ॥
Verse text
pūrṇāḥ pulindya urugāya-padābja-rāga
śrī-kuṅkumena dayitā-stana-maṇḍitena
tad-darśana-smara-rujas tṛṇa-rūṣitena
limpantya ānana-kuceṣu jahus tad-ādhim
Synonyms
pūrṇāḥ
—
fully satisfied
;
pulindyaḥ
—
the wives of the Śabara tribe
;
urugāya
—
of Lord Kṛṣṇa
;
pada
—
abja — from the lotus feet
;
rāga
—
of reddish color
;
śrī
—
kuṅkumena — by the transcendental kuṅkuma powder
;
dayitā
—
of His girlfriends
;
stana
—
the breasts
;
maṇḍitena
—
which had decorated
;
tat
—
of that
;
darśana
—
by the sight
;
smara
—
of Cupid
;
rujaḥ
—
feeling the torment
;
tṛṇa
—
upon the blades of grass
;
rūṣitena
—
attached
;
limpantyaḥ
—
smearing
;
ānana
—
upon their faces
;
kuceṣu
—
and breasts
;
jahuḥ
—
they gave up
;
tat
—
that
;
ādhim
—
mental pain .
Translation
The aborigine women of the Vṛndāvana area become disturbed by lust when they see the grass marked with reddish kuṅkuma powder. Endowed with the color of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, this powder originally decorated the breasts of His beloveds, and when the aborigine women smear it on their faces and breasts, they feel fully satisfied and give up all their anxiety.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The aborigine women of the Vṛndāvana area become disturbed by lust when they see the grass marked with reddish kuṅkuma powder. Endowed with the color of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, this powder originally decorated the breasts of His beloveds, and when the aborigine women smear it on their faces and breasts, they feel fully satisfied and give up all their anxiety.
KB 10.21.17
The aborigine girls became fully satisfied when they smeared their faces and breasts with the dust of Vṛndāvana, which was reddish from the touch of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. The aborigine girls had very full breasts, and they were also very lusty, but when their lovers touched their breasts, the girls were not very much satisfied. When they came out into the midst of the forest, they saw that while Kṛṣṇa was walking some of the leaves and creepers of Vṛndāvana had turned reddish from the kuṅkuma powder which fell from His lotus feet. His lotus feet are held by the gopīs on their breasts, which are smeared with kuṅkuma powder, but when Kṛṣṇa travels in the Vṛndāvana forest with Balarāma and His boyfriends, the reddish powder falls on the ground. So the lusty aborigine girls, while looking toward Kṛṣṇa playing His flute, saw the reddish kuṅkuma on the ground and immediately took it and smeared it over their faces and breasts. In this way they became fully satisfied, although they were not satisfied when their lovers touched their breasts. All material lusty desires can be immediately satisfied if one comes in contact with Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Purport
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains this verse as follows: “The wanton aborigine girls also became fully satisfied when they smeared their faces and breasts with the dust of Vṛndāvana, which was reddish from the touch of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. The aborigine girls had very full breasts, and they were also very lusty, but when their lovers felt their breasts, they were not very satisfied. When they came out into the midst of the forest, they saw that while Kṛṣṇa was walking, some of the leaves and creepers of Vṛndāvana had turned reddish from the
kuṅkuma
powder which fell from His lotus feet. His lotus feet were held by the
gopis
on their breasts, which were also smeared with
kuṅkuma
powder, but when Kṛṣṇa travelled in the Vṛndāvana forest with Balarāma and His boy friends, the reddish powder fell on the ground. So the lusty aborigine girls, while looking toward Kṛṣṇa playing His flute, saw the reddish
kuṅkuma
on the ground and immediately took it and smeared it over their faces and breasts. In this way they became fully satisfied, although they were not satisfied when their lovers touched their breasts. All material lusty desires can be immediately satisfied if one comes in contact with Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Leaving aside the attraction of the flute, this verse speaks of the lotus feet of Sri Radha, which have the power, by merely slight contact, to induce complete attraction to Ksna, and raise one to the seventh level of prema called madana in mahabhava.
"The pulinda women have reached perfection, we have not. We desire to inquire about their austerities." This is the hint in the gopis statement about the perfection of the pulinda women. "Why are they perfect? They smear on their faces and breasts the kumkuma which has dyed the feet of Krsna (urugaya padabja raga). Where did this kumkuma come from? From the breast of his beloved (dayita stana manditena), Radha. Though we are desiring to praise her good fortune, not being able to be so bold, we instead praise the pulinda women. Though that is indeed the kumkuma of Radha, out of great attraction, the pulindas did not even give proper respect. What did they do? Seeing the kumkuma which was smeared on the grass, after Krsna had enjoyed with Radha and was amusing himself in the forest, they developed lust. I do not know what would happen if they saw Krsna. Then, with a desire to receive the fragrance of Krsna’s body, they smeared it on their faces, and then, with a desire for the enjoyment given by Krsna to Radha, they smeared it on their breasts, thinking that they were being enjoyed by Krsna. In this way the pain of their lust was pacified (adhim). That kumkuma has a special power in it. In all our births we have not received it even once."
In Ujjvala Nilamani madana is described as follows: " In madana there is a continuous enjoyment. Even just a trace of this is the subject of great adoration and praise." This definition should be applied to the present verse. "Continuous enjoyment" means that because all bhavas exist in madana, all enjoyments of meeting directly with Krsna and all pleasurable pastimes must be there. Thus this verse indicates that there was enjoyment of these gopis through the pastimes with Krsna. Therefore from verse six of this chapter, it should be understood that they were embraced by Krsna who suddenly appeared before them, and thus they began speaking in this chapter.
Some also give this meaning to madana: madana which contains all bhavas and is completely blissful, is the ultimate stage, with nothing higher, and attains glory in Radha alone." However, this is not acceptable as it is given by other commentators.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
They now describe their own rasa by a verse revealing their emotions. The sequence is as follows. What to speak of his friend the cloud having good fortune, what can we say about the outcaste women? These women have reached success (pūrṇāḥ). We also can have a relationship with him, but not with such good fortune as they! We are more lamentable than these outcaste women.
Kṛṣṇa is called Urugāya because he sings expansively (uru) using his flute, which causes the gopīs’ unsteadiness. Our minds desire to touch those lotus feet colored with beautiful, charming (śrī) kuṁkuma. That kuṁkuma was on the breast of his lover. It is impossible for such gallant boy not to have a lover. We conclude that this kuṁkuma attained its beauty by being on the breasts of that dear lover kept secretly. But her good fortune filled with pastimes is far, far away from us. They become agitated on seeing that kuṁkuma. Immediately just by seeing something related to Kṛṣṇa, they become bewildered, by their nature or by remembering his pastimes. What to speak of when they actually see him. That kuṁkuma has colored the grass. Let us take such a birth! Ah! Those women must be filled with bliss. Attracted by the kuṁkuma’s nature of creating greed, they bring it to their faces to smell it and see it. They then smear it on their faces and then on their breasts out of lust. On seeing an object which is related to their lover, they desire association of even that object. By that object the pain causes by their desire becomes relieved to some extent. That gave them some relief, but we have no relief at all. Thus they are perfect, whereas we are unfortunate.
Something should be said in this regard. Their words may be taken as an expression of their emotions since their deep emotions were caused simply by seeing him from a great distance.
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ
The devatās constantly dwell with all good qualities in that person who has pure bhakti for the Lord. There are no good qualities in the non-devotee who chases after temporary material objects with desire for material pleasure. SB 5.18.12
The queens later say:
kāmayāmaha etasya śrīmat-pāda-rajaḥ śriyaḥ
kuca-kuṅkuma-gandhāḍhyaṁ mūrdhnā voḍhuṁ gadā-bhṛtaḥ
vraja-striyo yad vāñchanti pulindyas tṛṇa-vīrudhaḥ
gāvaś cārayato gopāḥ pada-sparśaṁ mahātmanaḥ
We simply desire to carry on our heads the glorious dust of Kṛṣṇa’s feet, enriched by the fragrance of kuṁkuma from his consort’s (Rādhā’s) bosom. We desire the same contact with the Supreme Lord’s feet that the young women of Vraja, the cowherd boys and even the aborigine Pulinda women desire—the touch of the dust he leaves on the plants and grass as he tends his cows. SB 10.83.42-43
Thus it is understood that the kuṁkuma from the breast of one gopī was on Kṛṣṇa’s feet. By describing that kuṁkuma as śrī the gopīs indicate that the gopī was special. It is understood that this is Rādhā:
vārāṇasyāṁ viśālākṣī vimalā puruṣottame |
rukmiṇī dvāravatyāṁ tu rādhā vṛndāvane vane ||
In Varaṇāśi Viśālākṣī presides. In Puri Vimalā presides. In Dvārakā Rukmiṇī presides and in Vṛndāvana Rādhā presides. Matsya Purāṇa
The word śṛi is also used in Brahma-saṁhitā to indicate all the gopīs. śriyaḥ kāntāḥ kāntaḥ parama-puruṣaḥ; I worship this Goloka, where there are unlimited gopīs and their beloved Kṛṣṇa, the supreme form of God. However in Gautamīya-tantra it is said:
devī kṛṣṇamayī proktā rādhikā para-devatā |
sarva-lakṣmī-mayī sarva-kāntiḥ sammohinī parā ||
Dear Rādhā, filled with thoughts of Kṛṣṇa, is the supreme goddess. She is the embodiment of all women, possesses all beauty, and is the supreme bewilderer.
Śrī cannot refer to Lakṣmī because she is excluded by the following verse.
kasyānubhāvo ’sya na deva vidmahe
tavāṅghri-reṇu-sparaśādhikāraḥ
yad-vāñchayā śrīr lalanācarat tapo
vihāya kāmān su-ciraṁ dhṛta-vratā
Lord, we do not know how the serpent Kāliya has attained this great opportunity of being touched by the dust of your lotus feet. For this end, the goddess of fortune performed austerities for centuries, giving up all other desires and taking austere vows. SB 10.16.36
Śrī cannot mean Rukmiṇī, since she was not related to the Vṛndāvana pastimes. The meeting between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa was possible during the day, since the Pulinda women were wandering about and it was still fresh since they could smear it on their faces and breasts. However their meeting was not intimate since it is said at the rāsa pastimes was their first meeting.
bhagavān api tā rātṛīḥ śāradotphulla-mallikāḥ
vīkṣya rantuṁ manaś cakre yoga-māyām upāśritaḥ
Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, full in all powers, yet upon seeing those autumn nights scented with blossoming jasmine flowers, He turned His mind toward loving affairs. To fulfill his purposes he employed his internal potency. SB 10.29.1
Otherwise it would not be proper for Kṛṣṇa to test them with words of indifference when he met them at the rāsa dance. The flute is mentioned in this regard, since the flute is related to the story. That is indicated by the name Urugāya which means he who sings using the flute. One time Rādhā fainted because of attraction to his flute. To relieve her of fainting, he reverently touched her kuṁkuma covered breast with a petal which had touched his foot. This being the first time he touched her, he then left quickly since he was still feeling shy. Some gopīs spoke privately (verse 3). Those same gopīs speak this verse. (Thus they refer to Rādhā). In speaking this verse they all indicate that they have pūrva anurāga (attraction before directly meeting). Because there is absence of envy, even if another gopī has association, it only doubles their attraction.
yarhy ambujākṣa tava pāda-talaṁ ramāyā
datta-kṣaṇaṁ kvacid araṇya-jana-priyasya
asprākṣma tat-prabhṛti nānya-samakṣam añjaḥ
sthātuṁs tvayābhiramitā bata pārayāmaḥ
O lotus-eyed one, the goddess of fortune considers it a festive occasion whenever she touches the soles of your lotus feet. You are very dear to the residents of the forest, and therefore we also touched those lotus feet. From that time on we will be unable even to stand in the presence of any other man, for we will have been fully satisfied by you. SB 10.29.36
The young unmarried gopīs had accepted him at the time of the Kātyāyanī-vrata but had not been touched by him. The reference to touching in this verse is through identity with Rādhā being touched by Kṛṣṇa mentioned in the present verse. Abhiramitā means full of bliss.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
Another group of gopīs speaks three verses. Or as previously explained, all the verses can be considered as one speech. What to speak of his friend the cloud having good fortune of serving Kṛṣṇa with excellent ingredients, what can we say about the outcaste women who were rejected as untouchable? Pulinda refers to the women of bhilla tribe who wandered in the forest. They are representative of others also in the same category who assist them. Ugugāya means “he who is glorified by the gopīs” or “he who sings using his flute.”
The kumkuma, which had decorated the breasts of some women lovers, stained the grass, stones and other items. They do not say specially which gopīs, out of shyness. Śrīdhara Svāmī explains this. By smearing the kumkuma on their faces and breasts they relieve themselves of the pain of desire (tad-ādhim). Or they relieve themselves of love pains at that moment (tat). Or they rid themselves of the indescribable (tat) pain of not attaining Kṛṣṇa.
Śrī-kuṁkumena indicates kumkuma which had ornamented Kṛṣṇa’s lovers’ (śṛi) breasts, having great beauty and which attained even greater beauty by contact with Kṛṣṇa’s feet. The Pulinda women took that kuṅkuma and rubbed it on their bodies. Wandering without ornaments in the forest for gathering firewood, they attained the highest ornamentation and removed all suffering.
Or Ah! In Vṛndāvana only we are unfortunate. They explain this in the verse. The Pulindas rub their limbs with kuṅkuma of a woman who has anurāga for Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. This was special kuṅkuma which could produce Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction, since it was imbued with the gopī’s prema for Kṛṣṇa. It was first applied on the breasts of dear lovers like you to satisfy Kṛṣṇa.
Or it was kuṅkuma of Śrī, red (rāga) like Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. Because its color was similar, the gopīs smeared it on their breasts. Later by the amazing sound of his flute, singing loudly, they were pulled to the forest and wandered around here and there. They fell down in the forest on not attaining him. The kuṅkuma then fell from their breasts onto the grass.
Or they decorated or Kṛṣṇa decorated their breasts with grass. In this way the grass became tinged with kūmkuma. By seeing the kuṅkuma on the grass and considering their similar nature, or by their very nature, the women developed desire. By the kumkuma taken from the grass or along with the grass they applied it to their faces for its fragrance, and then applied it to their breasts out of desire. But then they gave up the kumkuma, because it was the cause of their pain (ādhim jahuḥ). They gave it up to rid themselves of suffering caused by intense prema. Ah! How misfortunate! Like them we are unfortunate, drowning in an ocean of great pain. “By a relationship with such persons, one will also develop such pain.” Thinking in this way the Pulinda women give up articles associated with our limbs out of fear.
When they became absorbed in Mahā lakṣmī through association of the kuṅkuma, they gave up pain, by special mercy of the Lord. Thus the Pulindas are successful (pūrṇāḥ). This is Vallabha’s explanation.
Or abja-rāga-śrī-kuṁkumena can mean “by kumkuma having the beauty of a ruby.” Or “by kumkuma having the color of the lotus.” It had decorated the breast of a lover and allows one to attain Urugāya (urugāya-padā).
There is another meaning. By seeing the kuṅkuma and remembering the Lord, on not attaining him they developed pain. When intense internal pain arises by the touch of the kuṅkuma happiness arises. By the manifestation of unlimited bliss and sweetness internally unlimited pain is destroyed. Thus the Pulindas became successful (pūrṇāḥ) by relationship with the gopīs and their related articles, related to the Lord. They got relief from pain but our pain increases. We are less fortunate than all living beings, being lower than the Pulindas.