Chapter Thirteen Devajana-stry-upākhyāna The Story of the Demigoddesses

14 verses

Verse text

atha devāṅganānāṁ ca gopīnāṁ varṇanaṁ śṛṇu catuṣpadārthadaṁ nṛṇāṁ bhakti-vardhanam uttamam

Synonyms

atha now ; devāṅganānām of the demigoddesses ; ca and ; gopīnām of ther gopīs ; varṇanam the description ; śṛṇu please hear ; catuṣpadārthadam giving the four goals of life ; nṛṇām of the people ; bhakti-vardhanam increasing devotion ; uttamam great.

Translation

Now please hear the story of the demigoddesses that became gopīs, a story that grants the four goals of life and increases one's love for Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Verse text

babhūva mālave deśe gopo nando divas-patiḥ bhāryā-sahasra-samyukto dhanavān nītimān paraḥ

Synonyms

babhūva was ; mālave deśe in Malava-desa ; gopaḥ a gopa ; nandaḥ Nanda ; divas-patiḥ king ; bhāryā of wives ; sahasra a thousand ; samyuktaḥ with ; dhanavān wealthy ; nītimān moral ; paraḥ great.

Translation

In Mālava-deśa there was a great gopa-king named Nanda-divaspati. He was righteous and wealthy, and he had a thousand wives.

Verse text

tīrtha-yātrā-prasaṅgena mathurāyāṁ samāgataḥ nanda-rājaṁ vrajādhīśaṁ śrutvā śrī-gokulaṁ yayau

Synonyms

tīrtha-yātrā-prasaṅgena by going on pilgrimage ; mathurāyām in Mathyra ; samāgataḥ come ; nanda-rājam to King Nanda ; vrajādhīśam the king of Vraja ; śrutvā hearing ; śrī-gokulam Śrī Gokula ; yayau went.

Translation

As he was going on pilgrimage, he arrived in Mathurā. When he heard of Vraja's King Nanda, he went to Gokula.

Verse text

militvā gopa-rājaṁ sa dṛṣṭvā vṛndāvana-śriyam nanda-rājājṣayā tatra vāsaṁ cakre mahā-manāḥ

Synonyms

militvā meeting ; gopa-rājam the gopa king ; sa he ; dṛṣṭvā seeing ; vṛndāvana-śriyam the beauty of Vṛndāvana ; nanda-rāja of King Nanda ; ājṣayā by the request ; tatra there ; vāsam residence ; cakre made ; mahā-manāḥ noble-hearted.

Translation

He met King Nanda, and he saw the beauty of Vṛndāvana. With Nanda's permission, the noble-hearted king made his residence there.

Verse text

yojana-dvayam āśritya ghoṣaṁ cakre gavāṁ punaḥ mudaṁ prāpa vraje rājan jṣātibhiḥ sa divas-patiḥ

Synonyms

yojana-dvayam sixteen miles ; āśritya taking shelter ; ghoṣam a place for the cows ; cakre did ; gavām of cows ; punaḥ again ; mudam happiness ; prāpa attained ; vraje in vraja ; rājan O king ; jṣātibhiḥ with relatives ; sa he ; divas-patiḥ Divaspati.

Translation

Having made a sixteen-mile place for his cows, King Divaspati and his relatives lived happily.

Verse text

tasya devala-vākyena sarvā devajana-striyaḥ jātāḥ kanyā mahā-divyā jvalad-agni-śikhopmāḥ

Synonyms

tasya of him ; devala-vākyena by the words of Devala Muni ; sarvā all ; devajana-striyaḥ the demigoddesses ; jātāḥ born ; kanyā girls ; mahā-divyā very splendid ; jvalad-agni-śikhopmāḥ like flames of a blazing fire.

Translation

By Devala Muni's words, all the demigoddesses were born as his daughters, daughters splendid like flames in a blazing fire.

Verse text

śrī-kṛṣṇaṁ sundaraṁ dṛṣṭvā mohitāḥ kanyakāś ca tāḥ dāmodarasya prāpty-arthaṁ cakrur māgha-vrataṁ param

Synonyms

śrī-kṛṣṇam Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; sundaram handsome ; dṛṣṭvā seeing ; mohitāḥ enchanted ; kanyakāś the daughters ; ca and ; tāḥ they ; dāmodarasya of Kṛṣṇa ; prāpty-artham to attain ; cakruḥ did ; māgha-vratam the magha-vrata vow ; param great.

Translation

When they saw handsome Kṛṣṇa they were bewildered with love for Him. To attain Him they performed the great vow of Māgha-vrata.

Verse text

ardhodaye 'rke yamunāṁ nityaṁ snātvā vrajāṅganāḥ uccair jaguḥ kṛṣṇa-līlāṁ premānanda-samākulāḥ

Synonyms

ardhodaye half-risen ; arke when the sun was ; yamunām in the Yamunā ; nityam regularly ; snātvā bathing ; vrajāṅganāḥ the girls ofVraja ; uccaiḥ loudly ; jaguḥ sang ; kṛṣṇa-līlām of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes ; premānanda-samākulāḥ overcome with love.

Translation

As they bathed at sunrise in the Yamunā, these girls of Vraja, who had fallen in love with Kṛṣṇa, every day loudly sang of Lord Kṛṣṇa's pastimes.

Verse text

tāsāṁ prasannaḥ śrī-kṛṣṇo varaṁ brūhīty uvāca ha tā ūcus taṁ paraṁ natvā kṛtāṣjali-puṭāḥ śanaiḥ

Synonyms

tāsām with them ; prasannaḥ pleased ; śrī-kṛṣṇaḥ Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; varam boon ; brūhi please ask ; iti thus ; uvāca said ; ha tā indeed ; ūcuḥ said ; tam to Him ; param then ; natvā bowing down ; kṛtāṣjali-puṭāḥ with folded hands ; śanaiḥ slowly.

Translation

Pleased with them, Lord Kṛṣṇa said to them, "Please ask for a benediction." Slowly bowing down with folded hands, these girls spoke to Kṛṣṇa.

Verse text

śrī-gopya ūcuḥ yogīśvarāṇāṁ kila durlabhas tvaṁ sarveśvaraḥ kāraṇa-kāraṇo 'si tvaṁ netra-gāmī bhāvatāt sadā no vaṁsi-dharo manmatha-manmathāṅgaḥ

Synonyms

śrī-gopya ūcuḥ the gopīs said ; yogīśvarāṇām of the masters of yoga ; kila indeed ; durlabhaḥ difficult to attain ; tvam You ; sarveśvaraḥ the Lord of all ; kāraṇa-kāraṇaḥ the cause of causes ; asi are ; tvam You ; netra-gāmī come before the eyes ; bhāvatāt have ; sadā always ; naḥ of us ; vaṁsi-dharaḥ holding a flute ; manmatha-manmathāṅgaḥ more handsome than Kāmadeva.

Translation

The gopīs said: Even the great kings of the yogīs cannot attain You. You are the master of all, the first cause of all causes. Holding a flute, and more handsome than Kāmadeva, please always stay before our eyes.

Verse text

tathāstu coktvā harir ādi-devas tāsāṁ tu yo darśanam ātatāna bhūyāt sadā te hṛdi netra-mārge tathā sa āhūta ivāśu citte

Synonyms

tathā so ; astu be it ; ca and ; uktvā saying ; hariḥ Kṛṣṇa ; ādi-devaḥ the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; tāsām of them ; tu indeed ; yaḥ who ; darśanam the sight ; ātatāna gave ; bhūyāt greatly ; sadā always ; te they ; hṛdi in the heart ; netra-mārge on the poathway of the eyes ; tathā so ; sa he ; āhūta called ; iva like ; āśu at once ; citte in the heart.

Translation

Lord Kṛṣṇa said, "So be it." He was always before them. He appeared in their heart and He appeared before their eyes as if they had just called Him.

Verse text

paripūrṇatamaḥ sākṣāc chrī-kṛṣṇo nānya eva hi eka-kāryārtham āgatya koṭi-kāryaṁ cakāra ha

Synonyms

paripūrṇatamaḥ the original Supreme Personality of Godhead ; sākṣāt directly ; śrī-kṛṣṇaḥ Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; na not ; anyaḥ another ; eva indeed ; hi indeed ; eka-kāryārtham for one purpose ; āgatya coming ; koṭi-kāryam millions of purposes ; cakāra did ; ha indeed.

Translation

Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and no one else, is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. Coming to this world to do one thing, He did millions of other things as well.

Verse text

parikarī-kṛta-pīta-paṭaṁ hariṁ śikhi-kirīṭa-natī-kṛta-kandharam lakuṭa-veṇu-karaṁ cala-kuṇḍalaṁ paṭutaraṁ naṭa-veṣa-dharaṁ bhaje

Synonyms

parikarī-kṛta-pīta-paṭam wearing a yellow sash ; harim Kṛṣṇa ; śikhi-kirīṭa a peacock-feather crown ; natī-kṛta graceful ; kandharam shoulders ; lakuṭa-veṇu-karam holding a stick and a flute ; cala-kuṇḍalam with swinging earrings ; paṭutaram very intelligent ; naṭa-veṣa-dharam dressed as a dancer ; bhaje I worship.

Translation

I worship most intelligent Kṛṣṇa who, with a peacock-feather crown, swinging earrings, a yellow sash about His waist, and a stick and flute in His hand, is dressed as a graceful-shouldered dancer.

Verse text

bhaktyaiva vaśyo harir ādi-devaḥ sadā pramāṇaṁ kila cātra gopyaḥ saṅkhyaṁ ca yogaṁ na kṛtaṁ kadāpi premṇaiva yasya prakṛtiṁ gatāḥ syuḥ

Synonyms

bhaktyā by devotional service ; eva indeed ; vaśyaḥ made submissive ; hariḥ Kṛṣṇa ; ādi-devaḥ the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; sadā always ; pramāṇam evidence ; kila kindeed ; ca and ; atra here ; gopyaḥ gopīs ; saṅkhyam saṅkhyam ; ca and ; yogam yoga ; na not ; kṛtam did ; kadāpi ever ; premṇā with love ; eva indeed ; yasya of whom ; prakṛtim nature ; gatāḥ attained ; syuḥ did.

Translation

Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is conquered by love and devotion. These gopīs are the proof of this. Although they never followed the paths of yoga or saṅkhya, they attained Lord Kṛṣṇa's company. .pa