Chapter Nine Śrī Rāma-rāsa-krīdā Lord Balarāma's Rāsa Dance

GS 8.9.1

Verse text

duryodhana uvāca muni-śārdūla bhagavān balabhadro nāga- kanyābhir gopībhih kadā kālindī-kūle vijahāra.

Synonyms

duryodhana uvāca — Duryodhana said ; muni-śārdūla — O tiger of sages ; bhagavān — Lord ; balabhadrah — Balarāma ; nāga — snake ; kanyābhih — with the girls ; gopībhih — with the gopīs ; kadā — when? ; kālindī-kūle — on the Yamunā's shore ; vijahāra — enjoyed pastimes.

Translation

Duryodhana said: O tiger of sages, when did Lord Balarāma enjoy the rāsa dance on the Yamunā's shore with gopīs that had been snake-girls in their previous birth?

GS 8.9.2

Verse text

śrī-prāḍvipāka uvāca ekadā dvārakā-nāgarād dhi tālāṅkaṁ ratham āsthāpya surān didṛkṣuh param utkaṇṭho nanda-rāja-gokula- go-gopāla-gopī-gaṇa-saṅkulah saṅkarṣaṇa āgataś cirotkaṇṭhābhyāṁ nandarāja-yaśodābhyāṁ pariṣvakto gopī-gopāla-gobhir militvā tatra dvau masau vasantikau cāvatsīt.

Synonyms

śrī-prāḍvipāka uvāca — Supreme Personality of Godhe ; ekadā — one day ; dvārakā-nāgarāt — from Dvārakā ; hi — indeed ; tālāṅkam — marked with the sign of the palm tree ; ratham — chariot ; āsthāpya — mounting ; surān — the demigods ; didṛkṣuh — desiring to see ; param — greatly ; utkaṇṭhah — eager ; nanda-rāja-gokula — in King Nanda's Gokula ; go-gopāla-gopī-gaṇa — the cows, gopas, and gopīs ; saṅkulah — agitated ; saṅkarṣaṇa — Lord Balarāma ; āgataś — came ; cirotkaṇṭhābhyām — yearning for a long time ; nandarāja-yaśodābhyām — by Yaśodā and King Nanda ; pariṣvaktah — embraced ; gopī-gopāla-gobhih — by the gopas and gopīs ; militvā — meeting ; tatra — there ; dvau — two ; masau — months ; vasantikau — in spirngtime ; ca — and ; āvatsīt — resided.

Translation

Śrī Prāḍvipāka Muni said: One day, eager to see His devotees, Lord Balarāma mounted His chariot bearing a palm-tree flag, left Dvārakā, and, yearning to see the gopas, gopīs, and cows, went to Gokula. Yaśodā and King Nanda embraced Him when He arrived. Later He met with the gopas and gopīs. He stayed there for two months.

GS 8.9.3

Verse text

atha ca yā nāga-kanyāh pūrvoktās tā gopa-kanyā bhūtvā balabhadra-prāpty-arthaṁ gargācāryād balabhadrapaṣcāṅgaṁ gṛhītvā tenaiva siddhā babhūvuh. tābhir baladeva ekadā prasannah kālindī-kūle rāsa-maṇḍalaṁ samārebhe. tadaiva caitra-pūrṇimāyāṁ pūrṇa-candro 'ruṇa-varṇah sampūrṇaṁ vanaṁ raṣjayan vireje.

Synonyms

atha — then ; ca — and ; ya — who ; nāga-kanyāh — the snake girls ; pūrvoktah — previously described ; ta — they ; gopa-kanyā — gopīs ; bhūtvā — becoming ; balabhadra-prāpty-artham — to attain Lord Balarāma ; gargācāryāt — from Garga Muni ; balabhadra — of Lord Balarāma ; paṣcāṅgam — the five methods of worship ; gṛhītvā — accepting ; tena — by that ; eva — indeed ; siddha — perfect ; babhūvuh — became ; tābhih — with them ; baladeva — Balarāma ; ekadā — one day ; prasannah — happy ; kālindī — of the Yamunā ; kūle — on the shore ; rāsa-maṇḍalam — the rasa-dance circle ; samārebhe — attained ; tadā — then ; eva — indeed ; caitra-pūrṇimāyām — on the full moon of the month of Caitra ; pūrṇa — full ; candrah — moon ; aruṇa-varṇah — red ; sampūrṇam — full ; vanam — forest ; raṣjayan — making red ; vireje — shone.

Translation

The previously described snake-girls became gopīs and, in order to attain Lord Balarāma's association, on Garga Muni's advice followed the five methods of worshiping Lord Balarāma. In this way they became perfect. Pleased with them, Lord Balarāma enjoyed a rāsa-dance with them on the full-moon night of the month of Caitra (March-April), a night when the red moon reddened the whole of Vṛndāvana forest.

GS 8.9.4

Verse text

śītalā manda-yānāh kamala-makaranda-reṇu-vṛnda- samvṛtāh sarvato vāyavah parivavuh kalinda-giri-nandinī-cala- laharībhir ānanda-dāyinī pulinaṁ vimalaṁ hy acitaṁ cakāra. tathā ca kuṣja-prāṅgana-nikuṣja-puṣjaih sphural-lalita-pallava-puṣpa-parāgair mayūra-kokila-puṁskokila- kūjitair madhupa-madhura-dhvanibhir vraja-bhūmir vibhrājamānā babhūva.

Synonyms

śītalā — cool ; manda-yānāh — slowly moving ; kamala-makaranda-reṇu-vṛnda-samvṛtāh — filled with lotus pollen ; sarvatah — everywhere ; vāyavah — breezes ; parivavuh — blew ; kalinda-giri-nandinī-cala-laharībhih — moving the Yamunā's waves ; ānanda-dāyinī — delightful ; pulinam — the shore ; vimalam — splendid ; hy — indeed ; acitam — collected ; cakāra. — did ; tathā — so ; ca — and ; kuṣja-prāṅgana-nikuṣja-puṣjaih — with the forest goves and courtyards ; sphural-lalita-pallava — playfully blossoming petals ; puṣpa — flowers ; parāgaih — with pollen ; mayūra — peacocks ; kokila-puṁskokila — and cuckoos ; kūjitaih — cooing ; madhupa-madhura-dhvanibhih — with the sweet hummingof bees ; vraja-bhūmih — the land of Vraja ; vibhrājamānā — shining ; babhūva — became.

Translation

Cooling, gentle, delightful, lotus-pollen filled breezes pushed the Yamunā's waves and blew to the splendid shore. Then the land of Vraja became very splendid, its many forest groves and courtyards filled with the fragrant pollen of playfully and gracefully blossoming flowers, with the cooing of cuckoos and peacocks, and with the sweet humming of bees.

GS 8.9.5

Verse text

tatra kvaṇad-ghaṇṭikā-nūpurah sphuran-maṇi-maya-kaṭaka- kaṭi-sūtra-keyūra-hāra-kirīṭa-kuṇḍalayor upari kamala-patrair nīlāmbaro vimala-kamala-patrākṣo yakṣībhir yakṣa-rāḍ iva gopībhir gopa-rāḍ rāsa-maṇḍale reje.

Synonyms

tatra — there ; kvaṇat — sounding ; ghaṇṭikā — bells ; nūpurah — anklets ; sphuran-maṇi-maya-kaṭaka — glittering gend bracelets with jewels ; kaṭi-sūtra — belts ; keyūra — armlets ; hāra — necklaces ; kirīṭa — crowns ; kuṇḍalayoh — and earrings ; upari — above ; kamala-patraih — with lotus petals ; nīlāmbarah — blue garments ; vimala-kamala-patrākṣah — glistening lotus eyes ; yakṣībhih — with Yakṣīs ; yakṣa-rāḍ — Kuvera ; iva — like ; gopībhih — with the gopīs ; gopa-rāḍ — the king of the gopas ; rāsa-maṇḍale — in the rasa-dance circle ; reje — shone.

Translation

Decorated with tinkling ankle-bells, glittering gold and jewel necklace, armlets, belt, crown, and earrings, and with many lotus petals, dressed in blue garments, and His eyes like glittering lotus petals, Lord Balarāma was splendid with the gopīs in the rāsa-dance circle. He was like Kuvera surrounded by a host of beautiful yakṣīs.

GS 8.9.6

Content

atha varuṇa-preṣitā vāruṇī devī puṣpa-bhara-gandhi-lobhi- milinda-nādita-vṛkṣa-koṭarebhyah patantī sarvato vanaṁ surabhī- cakāra. tat-pāna-mada-vihvalah kamala-viśāla-tāmrākṣo makaradhvājāveśa-calad-dhuryāṅga-bhaṅgo vihāra-kheda- prasvedāmbu-kaṇair galad-gaṇḍa-sthala-patra-bhaṅgo gajendra- gatir gajendra-śuṇḍādaṇḍa-sama-dordaṇḍa-maṇḍito gajībhir gaja-rājendra ivonmattah siṁhāsane nyasta-halo musala-pāṇih koṭīndu-pūrṇa-maṇḍala-saṅkāśah prodgamad-ratna-maṣjīra- pracala-nūpura-prakvaṇat-kanaka-kiṅkinībhih kaṅkaṇa-sphurat- tāṭaṅka-puraṭa-hāra-śrī-kaṇṭhāṅgulīya-śiromaṇibhih praviḍambinī-kṛta-sarpiṇī-śyāma-veṇī-kuntala-lalita-gaṇḍa- sthala-patrāvalībhih sundarībhir bhagavān bhuvaneśvaro vibhrājamāno virarāja atha ca reme. atha—then; varuṇa—by Varuṇa; preṣitā—sent; vāruṇī—Varu.nī; devī—goddess; puṣpa-bhara-gandhi-lobhi—made greedy by the scent of the flowers; milinda—of bees; nādita—sounded; vṛkṣa—of the trees; koṭarebhyah—from the hollows; patanti—fall; sarvatah—everywheer; vanam—the forest; surabhī—fragrant; cakāra—made; tat-pāna-mada-vihvalah—eager to drink it; kamala-viśāla-tāmrākṣah—His eyes large red lotus flowers; makaradhvāja—of Kāmadeva; āveśa—from the entrance; calat—moving; dhuryāṅga-bhaṅgah—great limbs; vihāra-kheda—exhausted from pastimes; prasvedāmbu-kaṇaih—with drops of perspiration; galad-gaṇḍa-sthala-patra-bhaṅgah—trickling down His cheeks; gajendra—of the king of elephants; gatih—walking; gajendra-śuṇḍādaṇḍa-sama-dordaṇḍa-maṇḍitah—decorated with arms like elephants' trunks; gajībhih—with female elephants; gaja-rājendra—the king of the kings of the kings of elephants; iva—like; unmattah—intoxicated; siṁhāsane—on a throne; nyasta-halah—weakened; musala-pāṇih—club in hand; koṭīndu-pūrṇa-maṇḍala-saṅkāśah—splendid like millions of moons; prodgamad-ratna-ma 24jīra-pracala-nūpura-prakvaṇat-kanaka-kiṅkinībhih—with tinkling anklets and ornaments; kaṅkaṇa—bracelets; sphurat—glistening; tāṭaṅka—earrings; puraṭa—golden; hāra—necklace; śrī-kaṇṭha—graceful neck; aṅgulīya—rings; śiromaṇibhih—crest jewels; praviḍambinī-kṛta—mocking; sarpiṇī—snake girls; śyāma—black; veṇī—braids; kuntala—hair; lalita—graceful; gaṇḍa-sthala—cheeks; patrāvalībhih—with pictures and decorations; sundarībhih—beautiful; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhuvaneśvarah—the master of the worlds; vibhrājamānah—shining; virarāja—shone; atha—then; ca—and; reme—enjoyed. Then, sent by the demigod Varuṇa, Goddess Varuṇī, in the form of honey oozing from the hollows of trees filled with the humming of bees made greedy by the sweet scent of the flowers, made the entire forest very fragrant. Eager to drink that honey, His eyes now red lotus flowers, His limbs weakened by enjoying amorous pastimes, perspiration born from the fatigue of His pastimes now streaming down His cheeks and washing away the pictures and designs drawn there, walking like an elephant king, decorated with mighty arms like the trunks of elephant kings, as if intoxicated, sitting on a throne, relinquishing His plow, His club still in His hand, splendid like ten million full moons, His jewel anklets, bracelets, and other ornaments tinkling, His gold earrings, necklaces, finger-rings, and jewel crown glittering, and surrounded by beautiful gopīs, their cheeks decorated with graceful pictures and designs and their black braids mocking the beautiful snake girls, Lord Balarāma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of the worlds, shone with great splendor, and enjoyed transcendental pastimes.

GS 8.9.7

Verse text

atha ha vāva kālindī-kūla-kāntāra-paryaṭana-vihāra- pariśramodyat-sveda-bindu-vyāpta-mukhāravindah snānārthaṁ jala- krīḍārthaṁ yamunāṁ dūrāt sa ājuhāva. tatas tv anāgataṁ taṭinīṁ halāgreṇa kupito vicakarṣa iti hovāca ca.

Synonyms

atha — then ; ha — indeed ; vāva — blew ; kālindī-kūla-kāntāra-paryaṭana — wandering on the Yamunā's shore ; vihāra — from pastimes ; pariśrama — from fatigue ; udyat — manifesting ; sveda-bindu — drops of perspiration ; vyāpta — covered ; mukhāravindah — lotus face ; snānārtham — to bathe ; jala — water ; krīḍā — pastimes ; artham — for the purpose ; yamunām — the Yamunā ; dūrāt — from afare ; sa — He ; ājuhāva. — called ; tatah — then ; tv — indeed ; anāgatam — not come ; taṭinīm — the shore ; hala — of His plow ; agreṇa — with the tip ; kupitah — angered ; vicakarṣa — dragged ; iti — thus ; ha — indeed ; uvāca — spoke ; ca — also.

Translation

His lotus face covered with perspiration born from the fatigue of wandering along the Yamunā's shore and enjoying many pastimes, Lord Balarāma called for the Yamunā to come to Him so He could bathe and enjoy water-pastimes. When the Yamunā did not come, Lord Balarāma became angry and began to drag it to Him, scratching its shore with the tip of His plow. Lord Balarāma said:

GS 8.9.8

Verse text

adya mām avajṣāya nayasi mayāhūtāpi musalena tvaṁ kāma- cāriṇīṁ śatadhā neṣya eva nirbhartsitā sa bhūri-bhītā yamunā cakitā tat-pādayoh patitovāca.

Synonyms

adya — today ; mām — Me ; avajṣāya — disrespecting ; nayasi — you go ; mayā — by Me ; āhūta — called ; api — even thoguh ; musalena — with the club ; tvām — you ; kāma-cāriṇīm — going as you like ; śatadhā — into a hundred streams ; neṣye — I will lead ; eva — indeed ; nirbhartsitā — rebuked ; sa — she ; bhūri-bhītā — very afraid ; yamunā — the Yamunā ; cakitā — frightened ; tat-pādayoh — at His feet ; patitā — fallen ; uvāca — spoke.

Translation

"Today you have no respect for Me. Even though I call, you ignore My order and go your own way as you wish. Now I will divide you into a hundred tiny streams." Rebuked with these words and now very afraid, the Yamunā came before Lord Balarāma, fell at His feet, and said:

GS 8.9.9

Verse text

rāma rāma saṅkarṣaṇa balabhadra mahā-bāho tava paraṁ vikramaṁ na jāne. yasyaikasmin mūrdhni sarṣapavat sarvaṁ bhū-khaṇḍa-maṇḍalaṁ dṛśyate. tasya tava param anubhāvam ajānantīṁ prapannāṁ māṁ moktuṁ yogyo 'si. tvaṁ bhakta-vatsalo 'si.

Synonyms

rāma rāma — Rāma Rāma ; saṅkarṣaṇa — Saṅkarṣaṇa ; balabhadra — Balabhadra ; mahā-bāhah — O mighty-armed ; tava — of You ; param — great ; vikramam — power ; na — not ; jāne. — know ; yasya — of whom ; ekasmin — in one ; mūrdhni — head ; sarṣapavat — like a mustard seed ; sarvam — entire ; bhū-khaṇḍa-maṇḍalam — earth ; dṛśyate. — is seed ; tasya — of Him ; tava — of Yoiu ; param — great ; anubhāvam — power ; ajānantīm — not knowing ; prapannām — surrenedered ; mām — to me ; moktum — to realso ; yogyah — is appropriate ; asi — You are ; tvam — You ; bhakta-vatsalah — the lover of Your devotees ; asi — are.

Translation

"Rāma! Rāma! Saṅkarṣaṇa! Balabhadra! O mighty-armed one! I did not know Your great power. The entire earth is seen resting like a single tiny mustard-seed on one of Your many heads. It is proper for You to release Me, who have now surrendered to You and who did not know Your true glories. You should release me because You are always affectionate to Your devotees.

GS 8.9.10

Verse text

ity evaṁ yācito balabhadro yamunāṁ tato vyamuṣcat punah kareṇubhih karīva gopībhir gopa-rāḍ jale vijagāha. punar jalād vinirgatya tata-sthāya balabhadrāya sahasā yamunā copāyanaṁ nīlāmbarāṇi hema-ratna-maya-bhūṣaṇāni divyāni ca dadau ha vāva tāni gopī-yūthāya pṛthak pṛthak vibhajya svayaṁ nīlāmbare vasitvā kāṣcanīṁ mālāṁ nava-ratna-mayīṁ dhṛtvā mahendro vāraṇendra iva balabhadro vireje.

Synonyms

ity evam — thus ; yācitah — requested ; balabhadrah — Lord Balarāma ; yamunām — the Yamunā ; tatah — then ; vyamuṣcat — released ; punah — again ; kareṇubhih — with many female elephants ; karī — a male elephant ; iva — like ; gopībhih — with the gopīs ; gopa-rāḍ — the king of gopas ; jale — in the water ; vijagāha. — enjoyed pastimes ; punah — again ; jalāt — from the water ; vinirgatya — emerging ; tata-sthāya — staying on the shore ; balabhadrāya — to Lord Balarāma ; sahasā — quickly ; yamunā — the Yamunā ; ca — and ; upāyanam — approach ; nīlāmbarāṇi — blue garments ; hema-ratna-maya-bhūṣaṇāni — ornaments of gold and jewels ; divyāni — splendid ; ca — and ; dadau — gave ; ha — indeed ; vāva — went ; tāni — them ; gopī-yūthāya — to the gopīs ; pṛthak pṛthak — each one ; vibhajya — dividing ; svayam — personally ; nīlāmbare — the blue garments ; vasitvā — dressing ; kāṣcanīm — gold ; mālām — necklace ; nava-ratna-mayīm — made of nine jewels ; dhṛtvā — taking ; mahendrah — Indra ; vāraṇendra — the king of elephants ; iva — like ; balabhadrah — Lord Balarāma ; vireje — shone.

Translation

Begged in this way, Lord Balarāma released the Yamunā. Then He enjoyed in the Yamunā's waters, as an elephant enjoys with its many wives. When He returned to the shore the Yamunā approached and gave Him gifts of many blue garments and many ornaments of gold and jewels. Lord Balarāma divided the gifts among the girls, giving some to each gopī. Then He dressed in one of the blue garments and decorated Himself with a necklace of gold and nine kinds of jewels. Then He enjoyed with the gopīs as the king of elephants enjoys with its many wives.

GS 8.9.11

Verse text

itthaṁ kauravendra yādavendrasya rāmatah sarvā vāsantikīr niśā vyatītā babhūvuh. bhagavato balabhadrasya hastināpuram iva vīryaṁ sūcayatīva hy adyāpi ca kṛṣṭa-vartmanā yamunā vahati. imaṁ rāmasya rāsa-kathāṁ yah śṛṇoti śrāvayati ca sa sarva-pāpa-paṭalaṁ chittvā tasya parasparam ānanda-padaṁ pratiyāti. kiṁ bhūyah śrotum icchasi.

Synonyms

ittham — thus ; kauravendra — O king of the Kauravas ; yādavendrasya — of the king of the Yādavas ; rāmatah — from Lord Balarāma ; sarvā — all ; vāsantikīh — springtime ; niśā — night ; vyatītā — passed ; babhūvuh. — became ; bhagavatah — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; balabhadrasya — Lord Balarāma ; hastināpuram — to Hastināpura ; iva — like ; vīryam — power ; sūcayati — shows ; iva — like ; hy — indeed ; adyāpi — even today ; ca — and ; kṛṣṭa-vartmanā — by the dragged path ; yamunā — the Yamunā ; vahati — flows ; imam — this ; rāmasya — of Lord Balarāma ; rāsa — ofd the rāsa dance ; kathām — the narration ; yah — one who ; śṛṇoti — hears ; śrāvayati — recounts ; ca — and ; sa — he ; sarva-pāpa-paṭalam — the entirety of a great host of sins ; chittvā — destroying ; tasya — of him ; parasparam — mutual ; ānanda-padam — the abode of bliss ; pratiyāti — goes ; kim — what? ; bhūyah — more ; śrotum — to hear ; icchasi — do you wish.

Translation

O king of the Kauravas, in this way Lord Balarāma, the king of the Yādavas, spent that springtime night with the gopīs. Even today the Yamunā flows in many divided streams at that place, a testimony to the great strength, equal to that of a host of elephants, of Lord Balarāma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A person who hears or recounts these pastimes of Lord Balarāma destroys the entirety of a great host of sins and attains transcendental bliss. What more do you wish to hear? .pa