SB 10.35.9 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

अनुचरै: समनुवर्णितवीर्य आदिपूरुष इवाचलभूति: । वनचरो गिरितटेषु चरन्ती- र्वेणुनाह्वयति गा: स यदा हि ॥ ८ ॥ वनलतास्तरव आत्मनि विष्णुं व्यञ्जयन्त्य इव पुष्पफलाढ्या: । प्रणतभारविटपा मधुधारा: प्रेमहृष्टतनवो ववृषु: स्म ॥ ९ ॥ दर्शनीयतिलको वनमाला- दिव्यगन्धतुलसीमधुमत्तै: । अलिकुलैरलघुगीतामभीष्ट- माद्रियन् यर्हि सन्धितवेणु: ॥ १० ॥ सरसि सारसहंसविहङ्गा- श्चारुगीताहृतचेतस एत्य । हरिमुपासत ते यतचित्ता हन्त मीलितद‍ृशो धृतमौना: ॥ ११ ॥

Verse text

anucaraiḥ samanuvarṇita-vīrya ādi-pūruṣa ivācala-bhūtiḥ vana-caro giri-taṭeṣu carantīr veṇunāhvayati gāḥ sa yadā hi vana-latās tarava ātmani viṣṇuṁ vyaṣjayantya iva puṣpa-phalāḍhyāḥ praṇata-bhāra-viṭapā madhu-dhārāḥ prema-hṛṣṭa-tanavo vavṛṣuḥ sma darśanīya-tilako vana-mālā- divya-gandha-tulasī-madhu-mattaiḥ ali-kulair alaghu gītām abhīṣṭam ādriyan yarhi sandhita-veṇuḥ sarasi sārasa-haṁsa-vihaṅgāś cāru-gītā-hṛta-cetasa etya harim upāsata te yata-cittā hanta mīlita-dṛśo dhṛta-maunāḥ

Synonyms

anucaraiḥ — by His companions ; samanuvarṇita — being elaborately described ; vīryaḥ — whose prowess ; ādi — pūruṣaḥ — the original Personality of Godhead ; iva — as if ; acala — unchanging ; bhūtiḥ — whose opulences ; vana — in the forest ; caraḥ — moving about ; giri — of the mountains ; taṭesu — on the sides ; carantīḥ — who are grazing ; veṇunā — with His flute ; āhvayati — calls ; gāḥ — the cows ; saḥ — He ; yadā — when ; hi — indeed ; vana — latāḥ — the forest creepers ; taravaḥ — and the trees ; ātmani — within themselves ; viṣṇum — the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu ; vyaṣjayantyaḥ — revealing ; iva — as if ; puṣpa — with flowers ; phala — and fruits ; āḍhyāḥ — richly endowed ; praṇata — bowed down ; bhāra — because of the weight ; viṭapāḥ — whose branches ; madhu — of sweet sap ; dhārāḥ — torrents ; prema — out of ecstatic love ; hṛṣṭa — hairs standing on end ; tanavaḥ — on whose bodies (trunks) ; vavṛṣuḥ sma — they have rained down ; darśanīya — of persons who are attractive to see ; tilakaḥ — the most excellent ; vana — mālā — upon His garland made of forest flowers ; divya — divine ; gandha — whose fragrance ; tulasī — of the tulasī flowers ; madhu — by the honeylike sweetness ; mattaiḥ — intoxicated ; ali — of bees ; kulaiḥ — by the swarms ; alaghu — strong ; gītam — the singing ; abhīṣṭam — desirable ; ādriyan — thankfully acknowledging ; yarhi — when ; sandhita — placed ; veṇuḥ — His flute ; sarasi — in the lake ; sārasa — the cranes ; haṁsa — swans ; vihaṅgāḥ — and other birds ; cāru — charming ; gīta — by the song (of His flute) ; hṛta — taken away ; cetasaḥ — whose minds ; etya — coming forward ; harim — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; upāsata — worship ; te — they ; yata — under control ; cittāḥ — whose minds ; hanta — ah ; mīlita — closed ; dṛśaḥ — their eyes ; dhṛta — maintaining ; maunāḥ — silence .

Translation

Kṛṣṇa moves about the forest in the company of His friends, who vividly chant the glories of His magnificent deeds. He thus appears just like the Supreme Personality of Godhead exhibiting His inexhaustible opulences. When the cows wander onto the mountainsides and Kṛṣṇa calls out to them with the sound of His flute, the trees and creepers in the forest respond by becoming so luxuriant with fruits and flowers that they seem to be manifesting Lord Viṣṇu within their hearts. As their branches bend low with the weight, the filaments on their trunks and vines stand erect out of the ecstasy of love of God, and both the trees and the creepers pour down a rain of sweet sap. Maddened by the divine, honeylike aroma of the tulasī flowers on the garland Kṛṣṇa wears, swarms of bees sing loudly for Him, and that most beautiful of all persons thankfully acknowledges and acclaims their song by taking His flute to His lips and playing it. The charming flute-song then steals away the minds of the cranes, swans and other lake-dwelling birds. Indeed they approach Kṛṣṇa, close their eyes and, maintaining strict silence, worship Him by fixing their consciousness upon Him in deep meditation.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Kṛṣṇa moves about the forest in the company of His friends, who vividly chant the glories of His magnificent deeds. He thus appears just like the Supreme Personality of Godhead exhibiting His inexhaustible opulences. When the cows wander onto the mountainsides and Kṛṣṇa calls out to them with the sound of His flute, the trees and creepers in the forest respond by becoming so luxuriant with fruits and flowers that they seem to be manifesting Lord Viṣṇu within their hearts. As their branches bend low with the weight, the filaments on their trunks and vines stand erect out of the ecstasy of love of God, and both the trees and the creepers pour down a rain of sweet sap. KB 10.35.8-11 Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead, the origin of all Viṣṇu forms, and the cowherd boys are all demigods. So just as Lord Viṣṇu is always worshiped and surrounded by different demigods like Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, Indra, Candra and others, when Kṛṣṇa traveled through the Vṛndāvana forest or walked on Govardhana Hill, He was accompanied by the cowherd boys. While walking, He played His flute just to call His cows. Just by His association, the trees, plants and other vegetation in the forest immediately became Kṛṣṇa conscious. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person sacrifices everything for Kṛṣṇa. Although the trees and plants were not very advanced in consciousness, by the association of Kṛṣṇa and His friends they also became Kṛṣṇa conscious. They then wanted to deliver everything—whatever they had—namely their fruits, flowers and the honey incessantly falling from their branches. When Kṛṣṇa walked on the bank of the Yamunā, He was seen nicely decorated with tilaka on His face. He was garlanded with different kinds of forest flowers, and His body was smeared with the pulp of sandalwood and tulasī leaves. The bumblebees became mad after the fragrance and sweetness of the atmosphere and began to hum. Being pleased by the humming sound of the bees, Kṛṣṇa would play His flute, and together the sounds became so sweet to hear that aquatic birds like cranes, swans and ducks were charmed. Instead of swimming or flying, they became stunned. They closed their eyes and entered a trance of meditation in worship of Kṛṣṇa. Maddened by the divine, honeylike aroma of the tulasī flowers on the garland Kṛṣṇa wears, swarms of bees sing loudly for Him, and that most beautiful of all persons thankfully acknowledges and acclaims their song by taking His flute to His lips and playing it. The charming flute song then steals away the minds of the cranes, swans and other lake-dwelling birds. Indeed they approach Kṛṣṇa, close their eyes and, maintaining strict silence, worship Him by fixing their consciousness upon Him in deep meditation.

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has made several illuminating comments on these verses. He gives the analogy that just as when householder Vaiṣṇavas hear a saṅkīrtana party approaching they become ecstatic and offer obeisances, so the trees and creepers in Vṛndāvana became ecstatic when they heard Kṛṣṇa’s flute and bowed low with their branches and vines. The word darśanīya-tilaka in text 10 indicates not only that the Lord is “the most excellent (to see),” but also that He decorated Himself with attractive reddish tilaka taken from the mineral-rich earth of Vṛndāvana forest. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī also points out that tulasī, although exalted in many ways, is not normally considered an especially fragrant plant. However, early in the morning tulasī emits a transcendental fragrance that ordinary people cannot perceive but that transcendental personalities fully appreciate. The bees who are privileged to swarm about the flower garlands worn by the Supreme Personality of Godhead certainly appreciate this fragrance, and Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī quotes from the Bhāgavatam (3.15.19) to the effect that the most fragrant plants in Vaikuṇṭha also appreciate the special qualifications of Tulasī-devī. The word sandhita-veṇuḥ in text 10 indicates that Lord Kṛṣṇa placed His flute firmly upon His lips. And the melody emanating from that flute is certainly the most enchanting of sounds, as the gopīs describe in this chapter.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

As these rivers, though unconscious entities, are eternally perfect, being the forms of devatas, it is natural that they should react in this way. But see how the immobile trees of low birth born due to previous karma relish the sound of the flute. In this way another group of gopis spoke. When Krsna, endowed with unchanging opulence (acala vibhuti), similar to Narayana (adi purusa iva), whose strength is described by the cowherd boys, wanders in the forest, being attracted by the souls there, all the creepers along with their husbands the trees, having directly seen Visnu who usually appears in the mind, weep tears in the form of streams of honey. They are just like grhastha vaisnavas who on hearing sankirtana offer their obeisances along with their wives. Being endowed with flowers and fruit, the creepers have sthayi bhava (fruit) along with sancari bhava of joy (flowers). Their completely bent branches indicate the anubhava of paying obeisances. As their hairs were standing on end in joy, they displayed the sattvika bhava of romanca. After describing the creepers and trees as householder devotees in the previous verse, the swans and cranes are described as detached atma ramas, worshiping Visnu on hearing the flute. Krsna wore attractive markings made from mineral clays (darsaniya tilaka). The phrase can also mean that Krsna was like tilaka, the most excellent among all beautiful things. Krsna wore a garland of five colors, with fragrant tulasi whose honey was sought by greedy bees, who hummed loudly because of their unrestricted madness. There may be an objection. Usually the lotus, jasmine and naga kesara are described as fragrant by ordinary people. Though the glories of tulasi are much greater, her fragrance is not highly praised. The objection is answered as follows. Ordinary people can sense a little of tulasi’s fragrance, but spiritually advanced persons can experience her fragrance as greater than that of the lotus. Since the bees had qualification for the flower garland on Krsna’s neck, they also could sense more fragrance in tulasi than even the spiritually advanced persons. However, only Krsna’s nostrils can smell the most sublime of fragrances. By the covering of Yogamaya, these fragrances cannot be perceived elsewhere. The special nature of tulasi is stated in the description of Vaikuntha. gandhe ’rcite tulasikabharanena tasya yasmins tapah sumanaso bahu manayanti Although flowering plants like the mandāra, kunda, kurabaka, utpala, campaka, arṇa, punnaga, nagakesara, bakula, lily and parijata are full of transcendental fragrance, they are still conscious of the austerities performed by tulasi, for tulasi is given special preference by the Lord, who garlands Himself with tulasi leaves. (SB 3.15.19) When Krsna thought about what pitch he would play on his flute, the bees would buzz and Krsna would play his flute according to that pitch. Respecting the song, when he placed his flute on his lower lip, the water birds left the lakes and, approaching Krsna, began to worship him—by seeing, hearing and thinking of him. They closed their eyes, indicating that they were tasting the rasa.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

After having the cows drink the water and drinking the water himself, along with the cows he enters a mountainous area in the shade of beautiful trees. Letting the cows graze freely, he listens to his friends’ songs glorifying him, and then calls the cows with his flute since they have wandered far off because of his inattention. When he plays the flute, then, what to speak of the supreme worshipable rivers in the form of their presiding personalities, even the immobile trees in this place react in a similar fashion. That is explained in these two verses. His prowess is described in order (anu—varṇita), from birth pastimes filled with the affection of his mother and father, in the most excellent way (sam) -filled with prema--and with all details of the pastimes by friends who always accompany him (anu--caraiḥ) because of great friendship. Or anucāraiḥ can indicate that the friends gather together with the same mood. Or the word can indicate that the friends are next (anu) to him, each (anu) displaying his skill in describing Kṛṣṇa. His acts filled with power (vīrya) are praised completely (sam), with rasa, bhāva, ornaments, singing, rhythm, and gestures. He is an exceptional person (ādi-puruṣaḥ). Or, though he has fixed beauty and qualities, like Nārāyaṇa (ādi-puruṣaḥ), he wanders in the forest. This shows his extremely playful nature. The example of Nārāyaṇa is given to confirm his similar nature (not that he is the Lord). Though Kṛṣṇa is actually the supreme, situated above Nārāyaṇa, the gopīs use the word iva to indicate he is similar to Nārāyaṇa, since the gopīs’ natures are completely filled with sweetness like Kṛṣṇa’s and do not consider Kṛṣṇa’s powers. They use the word “immovable wealth” to indicate his natural wealth of sweetness which is unequalled and ever-increasing, without decrease (acala-bhūtiḥ). This increasing sweetness is then shown in the consequent words. He wanders in the forest because the cows have disappeared. But actually he eternally wanders in Vṛndāvana (acala-bhūtiḥ). He wanders in the uneven areas (giri-taṭeṣu), thus the cows become tired. Thus he calls them with his flute. As the crest jewel of cowherd (saḥ), he is skilful at calling them. When (yadā hi) he wanders in the forest (locative case vane is not used in vana-caraḥ for metrical reasons), then in the forest all the trees and creepers make known that Kṛṣṇa, who spreads everywhere (viṣṇum) or enters everyone, has appeared within themselves. The verb is in the feminine because the creepers, being women, represent the gopīs’ mood. The word iva in this case means “exactly” rather than “like.” He appears within them because his actions are under the control of their love. Another meaning is that he is similar (iva) to Nārāyaṇa. By this they make clear the previous example ādi-puruṣa iva. The creepers (feminine) and trees (masculine) are filled with fruits and flowers. They are endowed with all sādhanas and their results, as indicated by the following: 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 5.8.12 sarvaṁ mad-bhakti-yogena mad-bhakto labhate ’ñjasā svargāpavargaṁ mad-dhāma kathañcid yadi vāñchati All auspicious means of perfecting life are easily achieved by my devotee through bhakti. If somehow or other my devotee desires Svarga, liberation, or residence in my abode, he easily achieves such benedictions. SB 11.20.33 The bushes are bowing down, heavy with fruit. Having seen Kṛṣṇa, with satisfied eyes, they become full of bliss, bowing down like the four Kumāras. Honey flows as tears for the creepers and trees. Their sprouting buds are their hairs standing on end. This is famous in Gokula: gā gopakair anu-vanaṁ nayator udāra veṇu-svanaiḥ kala-padais tanu-bhṛtsu sakhyaḥ aspandanaṁ gati-matāṁ pulakas taruṇāṁ niryoga-pāśa-kṛta-lakṣaṇayor vicitram My dear friends! When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma pass from forest to the forest with their cowherd friends, with their cows, carrying ropes to bind the cows’ rear legs at the time of milking, by the generous sound of his flute, among all living beings, moving things become inert and trees sprout shoots in ecstasy. This is most amazing. SB 10.21.19 The description also applies to the gopīs. In both cases, they are spread with prema. Though the word prema is in a particular compound, it applies to the other words in the verse by the power of its meaning. The trees shower honey or tears constantly and abundantly. Another version has sasṛjuḥ: the trees produced tears in a remarkable way. Or, the trees full of honey, produced prema. The trees spread prema to all onlookers by their actions. In the case of the trees and the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa has spread everywhere, and this is revealed in certain signs in the trees and gopīs. Previously wearing forest decorations, Kṛṣṇa performed suitable pastimes. Hearing songs he wandered in the forest. Now, he is described with a change of dress. Tired at noon, he takes a bath in a large lake, and then quickly puts on tilaka and garland with little decoration. Eating a picnic lunch with his friends, in a wide, elevated area, sitting on a stone slab under a huge tree, after sending the boys for gathering the cows, paying attention to the bees which have been attracted to his new garland and are his only association, he enjoys playing his flute. The gopīs describe this. What to speak of the trusting trees, hear what happened to the living birds. He wears tilaka made of gaurika which is always attractive. He wears a garland made of most attractive flowers and most fragrant tulasī, which attracts bees because of its honey. Since all the bees would completely cover him, they instead circle around as if intoxicated, with the strong ones pushing away the weaker ones so that they can come close to Kṛṣṇa. Because they are intoxicated they sing loudly. That is the special nature of their song. That song which they sing by their nature as bees is most attractive (abhīṣṭam) to Kṛṣṇa because it expresses extreme eagerness. Or, whatever song he desires from them, they sing with colorful rāgas. They have this astonishing nature in Vṛndāvana. In uttering the word “desired” the gopīs experience some hatred mixed with affection. Many things are dear or desirable to Kṛṣṇa, except us! Because the song is dear to him, he respects it. Just on starting to play a pleasurable song on his flute, all the birds—cranes, swans and cakravākas—dwelling in the lake, come to that song and approach (upāsata) Kṛṣṇa, famous for his attractive nature (harim), though they are most numerous and inclined to play in joy (te), or they are most fortunate. They then faint in bliss. With controlled minds they become silent with closed eyes. Oh (hanta)! The gopīs cry out in distress, on not attaining their desires. As with other words indicating the Lord, there is another meaning. The birds seem to be worshipping Viṣṇu with controlled minds.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

When the cows begin to perspire, they leave the bank of the river on lower ground and proceed to an unseen place more elevated, covered with thick forest, grazing on grass with joy in front, he calls them with his flute. What to speak of the rivers with their presiding deities being attracted, the moving beings and even the immobile creepers and trees develop special bhāvas on hearing the flute. That is explained in two verses. His exploits (vīryānī) are described continuously or after calling the cows (anu) in a complete manner, expressing their affection for him through relating his pastimes, by his followers with whom he constantly moves (anucaraiḥ). He is like Nārāyaṇa (ādi-puruṣaḥ) and has fixed wealth. By wandering in the forest he experiences the highest joy. Or he has fixed beauty. He wanders in the forest (vanacaraḥ) since he cannot see the cows. He wanders on uneven ground, on the slopes of hills and becomes tired. Then he, the best of cowherds, expert on the flute (saḥ), calls using his flute. Even (hi) all the creepers and trees develop bliss, though they lack skill in love, being elements of the forest. Even the trees, though male, develop bhāva. Or he calls cows by name. These cows have names of creepers. O Malatīt! O Mallikā! O Vasanti! O Yuthikā! The trees and creepers, confusing the names, develop bhāva. The trees flow with honey. It is as if Viṣṇu who spreads everywhere was within them. This is only an analogy, since it would be inappropriate to conclude that Kṛṣṇa was the Lord. The trees and creepers became full of flowers and fruit. The external wealth is an external symptom of the presence of the Viṣṇu. Or because of the presence of Viṣnu, their bhāva is suitable, expressed as a wealth of fruits and flowers. Because of Viṣṇu’s presence the branches bow down. The branches are like hands holding ingredients of worship, bending low. Or the branches appear to be offering obeisances, with the tips of the branches bending low. The bark seems to burst, with hairs standing on end. Though the flow of honey is a symptom of prema, the hairs standing on end is an occasional condition, though natural to creepers. This indicates outstanding prema. The trees release honey profusely and constantly. Another version has sasṛjuḥ: they produced honey, in a remarkable manner. The boys expressed their affection for Kṛṣṇa by accompanying him and praising his actions. The creepers and trees out of envy desire to express their affection for the Lord and thus offer their fruits and flowers. Or how did the boys praise Kṛṣṇa? He was like Nārāyaṇa. But then, how to describe the joy of Gokula? It is much more. And this is because he has wealth or Lakṣmī at all times. Like a great treasure, Kṛṣṇa does not reveal his qualities publicly. Thus he is only “like” Nārāyaṇa. The creepers are mentioned first since they are female like the gopīs, with similar bhāvas. The bushes shower streams of honey or the bushes, having streams of honey, shower prema. They distribute prema to persons in the past and present by their condition. The following should be said. The devotees of Kṛṣṇa are endowed with wealth and birth, resembling flowers, and sons resembling fruits. Or they are endowed with karmas described in the Vedas dedicated to material gains, which resemble flowers and with material enjoyment in this and next life, resembling fruits. The bushes are similarly endowed with fruits and flowers but are endowed with humility and other good qualities. Thus they bow down along with their family members. They manifest the Lord who shines in the self, spreading as the unlimited cause externally and internally on hearing the song, though they try to hide this. They are unable to hide this because strong prema has appeared. Their hairs stand on end and they shed tears. Or just as those who shed tears of prema spread prema to the people, so the shrubs flowing with honey spread prema. The word iva indicates that they try to hide the manifestation of the Lord. As noon approaches, having entered the forest, Kṛṣṇa gives up the wrestler’s dress and dons special clothing. By the soft, sweet sound of his flute he enchants the birds inhabiting the water bodies, even though they are far away. This is explained in two verses. As the son of Nanda, best of devotees, he wears beautiful vaiṣṇava tilaka made of gaurika. The fragrance of the tulasī is the very nature of the tulasī. The bees sing loudly or with long notes. On hearing the song of the bees, he puts his flute to his lips out of joy, to imitate their song (ādriyan--respecting). Or without covering the bees’ song he plays the flute softly and sweetly. As soon as he places the flute on his lips, the song arises (sandhita-venuḥ). His lips are mentioned because they are most attractive. Sarasi is in the singular to represent a type. All the birds in the water such as carkavākas, cranes and swans become attracted to the song. These birds are mentioned because they inhabit the water. Sārasa also means things related to bhakti and haṁṣa means a person with high intelligence, like the swan that can separate milk from water. The birds are attracted to that song and approach (upāsata) Kṛṣṇa, famous for his attractive nature (harim). The birds are innumerable and inclined to play happily. Cāru (beautiful) can modify gītā or the verb. Thus they approach with movements of prema or worship him with devotion. The method of worship is described along with the characteristics of having their hearts stolen. The external and internal senses concentrate only on him (yatacittāḥ). The closed eyes represent all the knowledge senses or just the eyes. They stop speaking. This indicates that all the action senses have stopped functioning by destruction of agitation. Or the eyes represents all the limbs. Mental, physical and verbal actions all stop. Or by seeing his form, they develop the highest prema and they faint (yata-cittāḥ). The cranes living in the water like sages such as Saubhari, come to the Lord, thinking he is affectionate to the most fallen, on hearing the flute. They become intoxicated with the sound and are not in a fainting state in the beginning. Or on hearing the sweet song of the flute mixed with the humming of bees, thinking Kṛṣṇa favors entities with wings, they approach him with affection. Then, on seeing his beauty, they faint in prema. Or tracing out the thief by signs, they approach and see his deceitful behavior. Out of fear and dismay, they cannot speak or do anything. They close their eyes and remain by his side.