Chapter Eight Śrī Rādhikā-janma-varṇana Description of Śrī Rādhikā's Birth

30 verses

Verse text

śrī-garga uvāca śrutvā tadā śaunaka bhakti-yuktaḥ śrī-maithilo jṣāna-bhṛtaṁ variṣṭhaḥ natvā punaḥ prāha muniṁ mahantaṁ devarṣi-vāryaṁ hari-bhakti-niṣṭhaḥ

Translation

śrī-gargaḥ uvāca - Śrī Garga Muni said; śrutvā - heariṅg; tadā - then; śaunaka - O Śaunaka; bhakti-yuktaḥ - full of devotion; śrī-maithilo - the King of Mithilā; jṣāna-bhṛtāṁ - of the wise; variṣṭhaḥ - the best; natvā - bowiṅg doen; punaḥ - again; prāha - said; muniṁ - to the sage; mahantaṁ - great; devarṣi-vāryaṁ - the best of the divine sages; hari - to Lord Hari; bhakti - devotional service; niṣṭhaḥ - faith. Śrī Garga Muni said: O Śaunaka, when Bahulāśva, the king of Mithilā, who was filled witḥ faith and devotion to Lord Hari and who was the best of the wise, heard this, he again bowed down and spoke to the great sage Nārada, the best of the devarṣis.

Verse text

śrī-bahulāśva uvāca tvayā kulaṁ kau viśadī-kṛtaṁ me śubhaṁ harer yad yaśasāmalena śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhakta-kṣaṇa-saṅgamena jano 'pi sat syād bahunā kim u svit

Translation

śrī-bahulāśvaḥ uvāca - Śrī Bahulāśva said; tvayā - by you; kulaṁ - the family; kau - bad; viśadī-kṛtaṁ - purified; me - of me; śubhaṁ - auspicious; harer - of Lord Hari; yad - which; yaśasā - by the fame; amalena - pure; śrī-kṛṣṇa - of Śrī Kṛṣṇa; bhakta - of the devotees; kṣaṇa - a moment's; saṅgamena - by the contact; jano - a person; api - also; sat - saint; syād - becomes; bahunā - more; kim u svit - what? Śrī Bahulāśva said: By giving it the narrations of Lord Hari's pure glories you purified my materialistic family and made it auspicious. By a moment's touch with Lord Kṛṣṇa's devotee even an ordinary person will become a saint. What more need I say?

Verse text

śrī-rādhayā pūrṇatamas tu sākṣād gatvā vraje kiṁ caritaṁ cakāra tad brūhi me deva ṛśe ṛśīśa tri-tāpa-duḥkhāt paripāhi māṁ tvam

Translation

śrī-rādhayā - with Śrī Rādhā; pūrṇatamas - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tu - indeed; sākṣād - directly; gatvā - having gone; vraje - to Vraja; kiṁ - what?; caritaṁ - activities; cakāra - did; tad - that; brūhi - please tell; me - to me; deva - lord; ṛśe - O sage; ṛśi - of the sages; īśa - O lord; tri - three; tāpa - of the sufferings; duḥkhāt - from the miseries; paripāhi - protect; māṁ - me; tvam - you. What did the Supreme Personality of Godhead do when He came with Śrī Rādhā to Vraja? O Lord, O great sage, please tell me. O king of the sages, please save me from the three miseries.

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca dhanyaṁ kulaṁ yan niminā nṛpena śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhaktena parat-pareṇa pūrṇī-kṛtaṁ yatra bhavān prajātaḥ śuktau hi muktā-bhavanaṁ na citram

Translation

śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca - Śrī Nārada said; dhanyaṁ - fortunate; kulaṁ - family; yat - what; niminā nṛpena - by King Nimi; śrī-kṛṣṇa-bhaktena - a devotee of Śrī Kṛṣṇa; parāt pareṇa - greater than the greatest; pūrṇī-kṛtaṁ - perfected; yatra - where; bhavān - you; prajātaḥ - born; śuktau - in an oyster; hi - indeed; muktā - of a pearl; bhavanaṁ - the birth; na - not; citram - surprising. Śrī Nārada said: The family of your birth is fortunate for it was made perfect by King Nimi, who was a very great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. It is not surprising that a pearl is born in an oyster.

Verse text

atha prabhos tasya pavitra-līlāṁ su-maṅgalāṁ saṁśṛṇutāṁ parasya abhūt satāṁ yo bhuvi rakṣaṇārthaṁ na kevalaṁ kaṁsa-vadhāya kṛṣṇaḥ

Translation

atha - then; prabhos - of the Lord; tasya - of Him; pavitra - pure; līlāṁ - pastimes; su-maṅgalāṁ - very auspicious; saṁśṛṇutāṁ - should be heard; parasya - of the Supreme; abhūt - was; satām - of the devotees; yo - who; bhuvi - the earth; rakṣaṇārthaṁ - to protect; na - not; kevalaṁ - only; kaṁsa-vadhāya - to kill Kaṁsa; kṛṣṇaḥ - Kṛṣṇa. Please hear the purifying pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord did not only come to kill Kaṁsa. He also came to protect the devotees.

Verse text

athaiva rādhā vṛśabhānu-patnyām āveśya rūpaṁ mahasaḥ parākhyam kalindajā-kula-nikuṣja-deśe su-mandire sāvatatāra rājan

Translation

atha - then; eva - indeed; rādhā - Rādhā; vṛśabhānu-patnyām - in the wife of Vṛṣabhānu; āveśya - entering; rūpaṁ - form; mahasaḥ - of glory; para - transcendental; ākhyam - named; kalindajā - of the Yamunā; kula - shore; nikuṣja-deśe - in the forest grove; su-mandire - in a great palace; sā - She; avatatāra - descended; rājan - O king. Then, placing Her glorious transcendental form in (the womb of) King Vṛṣabhānu's wife, Śrī Rādhā descended into a great palace in a garden by the Yamunā's shore.

Verse text

ghanāvṛte vyomni dinasya madhye bhadre site nāga-tithau ca some avākiran deva-gaṇāḥ sphuradbhis tan-mandire nandanajaiḥ prasūnaiḥ

Translation

ghana - with clouds; āvṛte - covered; vyomni - the sky; dinasya - of the day; madhye - in the middle; bhādre - in the month of Bhadra; site - during the bright fortnight; nāga-tithau - on the eighth day; ca - also; some - on the day of the moon (Monday); avākiran - scattered; deva-gaṇāḥ - the demigods; sphuradbhis - with blossoming; tan-mandire - on that palace; nandanajaiḥ - grown in the Nandana gardens; prasūnaiḥ - flowers. In the month of Bhādra (August-September), on a Monday that was the eighth day of the bright fortnight of the moon, at midday, when the sky was covered with clouds, (to celebrate Rādhā's descent) the demigods scattered flowers that had blossomed in the Nandana gardens.

Verse text

rādhāvatāreṇa tadā babhūvur nadyo 'malāmbhaś ca diśaḥ praseduḥ vavuś ca vātā aravinda-rāgaiḥ su-śītalāḥ sundara-manda-yānāḥ

Translation

rādhā - of Śrī Rādhā; avatāreṇa - by the descent; tadā - then; babhūvur - became; nadyo - the rivers; amala - pure; ambhas - waters; ca - and; diśaḥ - the directions; praseduḥ - became happy and auspicious; vavus - blew; ca - also; vātās - breezes; aravinda - of lotus flowers; rāgaiḥ - with pollen; su-śītalāḥ - very cool; sundara - beautiful; manda - slowly; yānāḥ - going. Because of Rādhā's descent the rivers became very pure and clear, the directions became auspicious and happy, and graceful, gentle, cooling breezes carried the pollen of lotus flowers.

Verse text

sutāṁ śarac-candra-śatābhirāmāṁ dṛṭṭvātha kīrtir mudam āpa gopī śubhaṁ vidhāyāśu dadau dvijebhyo dvi-lakṣam ānanda-karaṁ gavāṁ ca

Translation

sutāṁ - daughter; śarat - autumn; candra - moons; śata - hundred; abhirāmaṁ - beautiful; dṛṭṭvā - seeing; atha - then; kīrtir - Kīrti; mudam - happiness; āpa - attained; gopī - the gopī; śubhaṁ - auspicious; vidhāya - giving; āśu - at once; dadau - gaving; dvijebhyo - to the brāhmaṇas; dvi-lakṣam - two hundred thousand; ānanda - bliss; karaṁ - donation; gavān - cows; ca - also. Gazing at her daughter beautiful as hundreds of moons, the gopī Kīrti became happy. To bring auspiciousness she gave two hundred thousand cows in charity to please the brāhmaṇas.

Verse text

preṅkhe khacid-ratna-mayūkha-pūrṇe suvarṇa-yukte kṛta-candanāṅge andolitā sā vavṛdhe sakhī-janair dine dine candra-kaleva bhābhiḥ

Translation

preṅkhe khacid-ratna-mayūkha-pūrṇe suvarṇa-yukte kṛta-candanāṅge andolitā sā vavṛdhe sakhī-janair dine dine candra-kaleva bhābhiḥ

Verse text

yad-darśanaṁ deva-varaiḥ su-durlabhaṁ yajṣair na vāptaṁ jana-janma-koṭibhiḥ sa-vigrahaṁ taṁ vṛśabhānu-mandire lalanti lokā lalanā-pralālanaiḥ

Translation

yad-darśanaṁ deva-varaiḥ su-durlabhaṁ yajṣair na vāptaṁ jana-janma-koṭibhiḥ sa-vigrahaṁ taṁ vṛśabhānu-mandire lalanti lokā lalanā-pralālanaiḥ

Verse text

śrī-rāsa-raṅgasya vikāśa-candrikā dīpāvalīr yā vṛśabhānu-mandire goloka-cūḍā-maṇi-kaṇṭha-bhūśaṇāṁ dhyātvā parāṁ tāṁ bhuvi paryaṭāmy aham

Translation

śrī-rāsa-raṅgasya vikāśa-candrikā dīpāvalīr yā vṛśabhānu-mandire goloka-cūḍā-maṇi-kaṇṭha-bhūśaṇāṁ dhyātvā parāṁ tāṁ bhuvi paryaṭāmy aham

Verse text

śrī-bahulāśva uvāca vṛśabhāno raho-bhāgyaṁ yaśā rādhā sutābhavat kalāvatyā sucandreṇa kiṁ kṛtaṁ pūrva-janmani

Translation

śrī-bahulāśva uvāca vṛśabhāno raho-bhāgyaṁ yaśā rādhā sutābhavat kalāvatyā sucandreṇa kiṁ kṛtaṁ pūrva-janmani

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca nṛga-putro mahā-bhāgaḥ sucandro nṛpatīśvaraḥ cakravartī harer aṁso babhūvātīva-sundaraḥ

Translation

śrī-nārada uvāca nṛga-putro mahā-bhāgaḥ sucandro nṛpatīśvaraḥ cakravartī harer aṁso babhūvātīva-sundaraḥ

Verse text

pitṛṇāṁ manasī-kanyās tisro 'bhuvan manoharāḥ kalāvatī ratnamālā menakā nāma nāmataḥ

Translation

pitṛṇāṁ manasī-kanyās tisro 'bhuvan manoharāḥ kalāvatī ratnamālā menakā nāma nāmataḥ

Verse text

kalāvatīṁ sucandrāya harer aṁsāya dhīmate vaidehāya ratnamālāṁ menakāṁ ca himādraye pāribarheṇa vidhinā svecchabhiḥ pitaro daduḥ

Translation

kalāvatīṁ sucandrāya harer aṁsāya dhīmate vaidehāya ratnamālāṁ menakāṁ ca himādraye pāribarheṇa vidhinā svecchabhiḥ pitaro daduḥ

Verse text

sītābhūd ratnamālāyāṁ menakāyāṁ ca pārvatī dvayoś caritraṁ viditaṁ purāṇeṣu mahā-mate

Translation

sītābhūd ratnamālāyāṁ menakāyāṁ ca pārvatī dvayoś caritraṁ viditaṁ purāṇeṣu mahā-mate

Verse text

sucandro 'tha kalāvatyā gomatī-tīraje vane divyair dvādaśabhir varśais tatāpa brahmaṇas tapaḥ

Translation

sucandro 'tha kalāvatyā gomatī-tīraje vane divyair dvādaśabhir varśais tatāpa brahmaṇas tapaḥ

Verse text

atho vidhis tam āgatya varaṁ brūhīty uvāca ha śrutvā valmīka-deśāc ca niryayau divya-rūpa-dhṛk

Translation

atho vidhis tam āgatya varaṁ brūhīty uvāca ha śrutvā valmīka-deśāc ca niryayau divya-rūpa-dhṛk

Verse text

taṁ natvovāca me bhūyād divyaṁ mokṣaṁ parat-param tac chrutvā duḥkhitā sādhvī vidhiṁ prāha kalāvatī

Translation

taṁ natvovāca me bhūyād divyaṁ mokṣaṁ parat-param tac chrutvā duḥkhitā sādhvī vidhiṁ prāha kalāvatī

Verse text

patir eva hi nārīṇāṁ daivataṁ paramaṁ smṛtam yadi mokṣam asau yāti tadā me kā gatir bhavet

Translation

patir eva hi nārīṇāṁ daivataṁ paramaṁ smṛtam yadi mokṣam asau yāti tadā me kā gatir bhavet

Verse text

etad vinā na jīvāmi yadi mokṣaṁ pradāsyasi tubhyaṁ śāpaṁ pradāsyāmi pati-vīkṣepa-vihvalā

Translation

etad vinā na jīvāmi yadi mokṣaṁ pradāsyasi tubhyaṁ śāpaṁ pradāsyāmi pati-vīkṣepa-vihvalā

Verse text

śrī-brahmovāca tvac-chāpād bhaya-bhīto 'haṁ me varo 'pi mṛśā na hi tasmāt tvaṁ prāṇa-patinā sārdhaṁ gaccha tripiśṭapam

Translation

śrī-brahmovāca tvac-chāpād bhaya-bhīto 'haṁ me varo 'pi mṛśā na hi tasmāt tvaṁ prāṇa-patinā sārdhaṁ gaccha tripiśṭapam

Verse text

bhuktvā sukhāni kālena yuvāṁ bhūmau bhaviśyathaḥ gaṅgā-yamunayor madhye dvāparānte ca bhārate

Translation

bhuktvā sukhāni kālena yuvāṁ bhūmau bhaviśyathaḥ gaṅgā-yamunayor madhye dvāparānte ca bhārate

Verse text

yuvayo rādhikā sākṣāt paripūrṇatama-priyā bhaviśyati yadā putrī tadā mokṣaṁ gamiśyathaḥ

Translation

yuvayo rādhikā sākṣāt paripūrṇatama-priyā bhaviśyati yadā putrī tadā mokṣaṁ gamiśyathaḥ

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca itthaṁ brahma-vareṇātha divyenāmogha-rūpiṇā kalāvatī-sucandrau ca bhūmau tau dvau babhūvatuḥ

Translation

śrī-nārada uvāca itthaṁ brahma-vareṇātha divyenāmogha- rūpiṇā kalāvatī-sucandrau ca bhūmau tau dvau babhūvatuḥ

Verse text

kalāvatī kānyakuṣje bhalandana-nṛpasya ca jāti-smarā hy abhūd divyā yajṣa-kuṇḍa-samudbhavā

Translation

kalāvatī kānyakuṣje bhalandana-nṛpasya ca jāti- smarā hy abhūd divyā yajṣa-kuṇḍa-samudbhavā

Verse text

sucandro vṛśabhānv-ākhyaḥ surabhānu-gṛhe 'bhavat jāti-smāro gopa-varaḥ kāmadeva ivāparaḥ

Translation

sucandro vṛśabhānv-ākhyaḥ surabhānu-gṛhe 'bhavat jāti-smāro gopa-varaḥ kāmadeva ivāparaḥ

Verse text

sambandhaṁ yojayām āsa nanda-rājo mahā-matiḥ tayoś ca jāti-smarayor icchator icchayā dvayoḥ

Translation

sambandhaṁ yojayām āsa nanda-rājo mahā-matiḥ tayoś ca jāti-smarayor icchator icchayā dvayoḥ

Verse text

vṛśabhānoḥ kalāvatyā akhyānaṁ śṛṇute naraḥ sarva-pāpa-vinirmuktaḥ kṛṣṇa-sāyujyam āpnuyāt

Translation

vṛśabhānoḥ kalāvatyā akhyānaṁ śṛṇute naraḥ sarva- pāpa-vinirmuktaḥ kṛṣṇa-sāyujyam āpnuyāt