SB 10.35.14 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

विविधगोपचरणेषु विदग्धो वेणुवाद्य उरुधा निजशिक्षा: । तव सुत: सति यदाधरबिम्बे दत्तवेणुरनयत् स्वरजाती: ॥ १४ ॥ सवनशस्तदुपधार्य सुरेशा: शक्रशर्वपरमेष्ठिपुरोगा: । कवय आनतकन्धरचित्ता: कश्मलं ययुरनिश्चिततत्त्वा: ॥ १५ ॥

Verse text

vividha-gopa-caraṇeṣu vidagdho veṇu-vādya urudhā nija-śikṣāḥ tava sutaḥ sati yadādhara-bimbe datta-veṇur anayat svara-jātīḥ savanaśas tad upadhārya sureśāḥ śakra-śarva-parameṣṭhi-purogāḥ kavaya ānata-kandhara-cittāḥ kaśmalaṁ yayur aniścita-tattvāḥ

Synonyms

vividha — various ; gopa — of cowherds ; caraṇeṣu — in the activities ; vidagdhaḥ — expert ; veṇu — of the flute ; vādye — in the matter of playing ; urudhā — manifold ; nija — of His own production ; śikṣāḥ — whose teachings ; tava — your ; sutaḥ — son ; sati — O pious lady (Yaśodā) ; yadā — when ; adhara — upon His lips ; bimbe — which are like red bimba fruits ; datta — placing ; veṇuḥ — His flute ; anayat — He brought forth ; svara — of musical sound ; jātīḥ — the harmonic tones ; savanaśaḥ — with a variety of low, high and middle pitches ; tat — that ; upadhārya — hearing ; sura — īśāḥ — the principal demigods ; śakra — Indra ; śarva — Śiva ; parameṣṭhi — and Brahmā ; puraḥ — gāḥ — headed by ; kavayaḥ — learned scholars ; ānata — bowed ; kandhara — their necks ; cittāḥ — and minds ; kaśmalam yayuḥ — they became bewildered ; aniścita — unable to ascertain ; tattvāḥ — its essence .

Translation

O pious mother Yaśodā, your son, who is expert in all the arts of herding cows, has invented many new styles of flute-playing. When He takes His flute to His bimba-red lips and sends forth the tones of the harmonic scale in variegated melodies, Brahmā, Śiva, Indra and other chief demigods become confused upon hearing the sound. Although they are the most learned authorities, they cannot ascertain the essence of that music, and thus they bow down their heads and hearts.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

O pious mother Yaśodā, your son, who is expert in all the arts of herding cows, has invented many new styles of flute-playing. When He takes His flute to His bimba-red lips and sends forth the tones of the harmonic scale in variegated melodies, Brahmā, Śiva, Indra and other chief demigods become confused upon hearing the sound. Although they are the most learned authorities, they cannot ascertain the essence of that music, and thus they bow down their heads and hearts. KB 10.35.14-15 One of the gopīs told Mother Yaśodā, “My dear mother, your son is very expert among the cowherd boys. He knows all the different arts of how to tend the cows and how to play the flute. He composes His own songs, and to play them He puts His flute to His mouth. When He plays, either in the morning or in the evening, all the demigods, including Lord Śiva, Brahmā, Indra and Candra, bow their heads and listen with great attention. Although they are very learned and expert, they cannot understand the musical arrangements of Kṛṣṇa’s flute. They simply listen attentively and try to understand, but they become bewildered and nothing more.”

Purport

The words tava sutaḥ sati, “your son, O chaste lady,” clearly indicate that at this point mother Yaśodā is among the young gopīs as they earnestly describe Lord Kṛṣṇa’s glories. According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, among the demigods led by Śakra (Lord Indra) were Upendra, Agni and Yamarāja, among those led by Śarva (Lord Śiva) were Kātyāyanī, Skanda and Gaṇeśa, and among those led by Parameṣṭhī (Lord Brahmā) were the four Kumāras and Nārada. Thus the best collective intelligence in the universe could not definitively analyze the enchanting musical arrangements of the Supreme Lord.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

In the afternoon, the gopis, thinking of how to get continuous sight of Krsna, went to Mother Yasoda’s house. They mixed with the elders, young girls and children, and talked about Krsna’s qualities and activities. Yasoda listened and then spoke. In order to console Yasoda, who was feeling separation from her son and also appease their own minds, they began describing to her the power of the flute’s song. O Yasoda, when your son who is skilful at herding the cows, caring for them and milking them, holds the flute to his red lips and plays the various jatis (18 chief ones) numbering in the thousands, which were self taught, all the devatas including Indra along with Upendra Agni and others, Siva along with Katyayani, Kartikya and Ganesa, and Brahma along with the four kumaras, Narada and others, as well as composers of songs, hear that song, and tasting the sweetness of the song, bow down their shoulders and minds. But they cannot comprehend the raga and tala. They become completely bewildered by the sweetness of the song and lose their sense of judgement. If the devatas become bewildered what can we say of ordinary mortals? Your son bewilders the whole universe.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

A devoted group of listeners is addressed. Yaśodā, included in the group, is also praised during the narration of pastimes. The gopīs speak of the flute with its special effects even influencing her. When she worries about her son returning late when the afternoon passes, the gopīs, while worrying why he is late, console her and encourage her by describing his absorption in skilful, astonishing pastimes, while hiding their own rasa with him (Vatsalya-rasa and madhurya-rasa do not mix well). By desiring that he return quickly they also secretly hope to extinguish their own absorption in him. But they hide their sentiments for him by describing him clearly as if they were ordinary people. He is skilful at cowherd activities. By these general activities he attracts everyone. Most attractive with the flute placed on his red lips, he plays svāra-jātis (tunes) in which he has invented on his own many ways of playing the flute. He has produced many ways of playing the flute by his own invention using the notes. Or he has invented his own svāra-jātis which are plentiful in his music. O Yaśodā, respected by the universe (sati)! Because of your nature, it is natural to your son. This verse continues from the previous verse which describes how the flute gives joy to the universe. The devatās hear this sound while situated in their abodes. That sounds ends up spreading everywhere. The best devatās who have endowed with great musical knowledge from the Gandharvas, who are skilful at music themselves (kavayaḥ); Indra, along with the loka-pālas; Śiva, and his family of Durgā, Skanda and Ganeśa; and Brahmā and his associates like the Kumāras, Nārada, the seven sages and the Prajāpatis--they all listen because of the unique sound of his flute playing. First Indra and his associates are mentioned because they hear with their external senses. Though Śiva is situated on Kailaśa he hears next because of his great concentration. Since Brahmā is furthest away, he is mentioned last. Their hearts become submissive on hearing since they cannot understand this sound. Even one note is completely different from anything they have heard. Because of the sweetness of the sound of the flute, they become faint-hearted (kaśmalam). Savanaśaḥ means the low, middle and high pitches, or it can mean “repeatedly hearing.” Aniścita-tattvam can mean they wonder, “What is this song from a flute, so astonishingly sweet? What is this most astonishing sound which has never previously been heard?” or “What is this magical sound which completely bewilders?” By this bewilderment, becoming completely absorbed in that sound, they forget everything (kaśmalam yayuḥ).

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

As the gopīs are singing suddenly Yaśodā comes. Or as they sing they think of her great devotion to Kṛṣṇa in their minds and call out to her. In describing his excellence, they show how Brahmā and other powerful, wise persons become bewildered by the sound of this flute and his pastimes, experiences as most astonishing. Two verses describe this. He is skillful at playing with cowherds, while herding and not herding the cows. When he places the flute on his lip and produces notes, since the cowherds relish the flute playing, he gives teachings in an extraordinary manner, as the crest jewel of cowherds. Parāśara says gopa-venu-pravādakau: Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma play cowherd flutes. (Viṣṇu Purāṇa) Playing the flute is sometimes done to show skill in playing as a cowherd. Or at noon, it is done to give joy to the universe. He places the flute on his red lower lip. This indicates his sweetness and beauty. In describing his excellence to his mother, the gopīs hide their bhāva. To satisfy Yaśodā, they compare his lips to the bimba fruit. O Yaśodā, worshipped by the world (sati)! This is quite suitable for your son. Situated in their own places, the devatās hear the sound. As devatāsm, they are familiar with a wealth of songs sung by Gandharvas and others. Indra, Śiva and Brahmā, in order of importance, hear. Brahmā gives birth to Śiva. Others such as the loka-pālas are also present. Or Garuḍa and other associates of the Lord are present. Their hearts are submissive (ānata). They become bewildered (kaśmalam). They are not able to determine the notes since they were different. Or the nature of the flute’s sound is bewildering. Or in playing the flute he produces plentiful notes, putting the flute to his lip. Coming close, the devatās listen. The gopīs attempt to increase Yaśodā’s belief in his attractive nature, with the possibility of seeing him. As devatās, Brahmā and others have great intelligence. The best yogīs (kavayaḥ) like the Kumāras also bow their hearts and shoulders. Coming from their places, seeing Kṛṣṇa, they show humility in front of him. They are not able to understand with certainty about their own selves (aniścita-tattvāḥ) because the flute has stolen their hearts. Or they are not certain if Brahman is the only truth. Or they cannot discern what is real because of his flute playing, for his flute playing is endowed with the highest bliss. Or because the flute playing is so attractive they forget about the bliss of Brahman. “What is this song from a flute, so astonishingly sweet? What is this most astonishing sound which has never previously been heard?” or “What is this magical sound which completely bewilders?” By this bewilderment, becoming completely absorbed in that sound, they forget everything (kaśmalam yayuḥ).