Śrī Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī
In the first three chapters of the tenth canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatamthere is a description of the appearance of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This morning weread the English translation by our revered spiritual master, Śrī Śrīmad A. C.Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupādajī Mahārāja. In the evening, Advaita Ācārya prabhualso read the same three chapters in Oriya.
In Hari-vaṁśa there is also a description of Kṛṣṇa’sappearance. In Gopāla-campū, written by Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī there is also a descriptionof Kṛṣṇa’s appearance. I will be reciting Gopāla campū, and I have to speak intwo languages, first in Oriya then in English, in this way I will go on.Therefore I request one and all to sit patiently, quietly and hear withconcentrated attention because the hearing of this transcendental līlā-kāhāṇī ofBhagavān Kṛṣṇa is all-auspicious. The Bhāgavatam (1.2.17) describes:
śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satāṁ
“Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmāin everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desirefor material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urgeto hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard andchanted.”
Why Kṛṣṇa Descends
The Bhāgavata has said, to hear this transcendentallīlā-kāhāṇī of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa is all-auspicious. If you hear with full faith andconcentrated attention, all of the material contamination in your heart will bepurified. No other means is there. For this reason Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa descendshere, though Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa has His eternal abode in the spiritual sky, knownas sac cid-ānandamaya-dhāma, a dhāma that is sanmaya, cinmaya, and ānandamaya -full of eternality, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. He is always there,engaged, completely absorbed in transcendental līlā, especially in rāsa-līlā Heenjoys and relishes the mellow.
Why will He come to this material world which is not Hisdhāma, abode?
It is completely opposite to that transcendental sac-cid-ānandamaya-dhāma.This material world is asat-, acit-, and nirānanda-māyā — it is temporary, fullof ignorance and misery.
Why will He come here?
What business does He have coming here?
He comes because He is suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ — the onlywell-wishing friend of all living entities. He has said this in Bhagavad-gītā.From time immemorial you have forgotten Kṛṣṇa and have been under the clutchesof māyā, however Kṛṣṇa has not forgotten you. He is your well-wishing friend. Healways runs behind you. He is there in your heart as Paramātmā. He neverdeserts you. He also descends in many incarnations to this material world alongwith His dhāma and His associates and He manifests transcendental pastimes. Thepurpose for His coming is so that His līlā-kāhāṇīs will be recorded in books,and His dear devotees the sādhus, Vaiṣṇavas, mahājanas will come, they willrecite, speak and preach these pastimes. Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes should be heard,read, deliberated, and meditated upon. Thereby you will achieve peace andbliss. Your heart will be cleansed and then you will be able to understand yourconstitutional position. You are the eternal servant of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa is youreternal master. Kṛṣṇa therefore descends here for krīḍārtha, to play with Hisdear devotees, to relish His līlā-rasa, the mellow of transcendental līlā. Inaddition He also gives you an opportunity to relish these pastimes. Moreover,He also comes here for sādhu-saṁrakṣaṇa, to protect His dear devotees. Theseare the reasons why Kṛṣṇa comes to this material world.
Dvādaśī-Parama-Vrata
So now I will read from Gopāla-campū, which is in nice song form.I want you to follow it with me. It is nice to sing.
“snigdha-kaṇṭha madhu-kaṇṭha nāme kavi-dvaya /
nanda-rāja darabare niti gīta gāya //
eka dina sabhā madhye gīta ārambhila /
nandarāja yena mate tanaya pāila //
bahu jaga yajña nanda putra lāgi’ kare /
tabu putra nāhi haila āpanāra ghare //
saba vraja-vāsi āra bandhu-jana yata /
nandera santāna lāgi’ vrata kaila kata //
tabu yadi yaśodāra putra nāhi haila /
duḥkha sukhe yaśomatī bhojana chāḍila //
adho-mukhe dhara tale bosi’ nandarāṇī /
niravadhi aśru pheli’ kāñdai’ āpani //
dekhi’ gopa-rāja baḍa duḥkha pāye mane /
prabaddha karaye nanda vividha vacane //
vidhatara icchā jāhā tāhā-i haibe /
se putra magiye āmi yajñena phalibe //
tabe yaśomatī bole “śuno prāṇeśvara /
āmāra hṛdāya kathā kahiba tomāra //
saba vrata jaga yajna āmi samarpilu /
dvādaśī parama vrata nāhi ācārilu” //
e hena vacana nanda kariyā śravana /
ānande utphulla hoi’ vahila vacana //
“ohe priye bhālo kathā sunāilā tumi /
satya satya ei vrata nāhi kailu ami! //
tumi sudhā-mukhī sādhvī kahile madhura /
pūribe avaśya vāñchā duḥkha ha’be dūra” //
tabe nija purohite dākiyā ānila /
dvādaśī vratera vidhi bujhiyā laila” //
snigdhakaṇṭha bole “bhāi, are kibā haila? /
ei darabare saba kathā khule ra’la” //
In Gopāla-campū it is described that there were two poets namedSnigdha-kaṇṭha and Madhu-kaṇṭha who daily sang songs in the assembly of NandaMahārāja. One day they started singing about how Nandarāja begot a son.Nandarāja performed many sacrifices to beget a son, but still no son was born.The residents of Vrajabhūmi, who were all his friends, also took up a vrata, (vow)and offered worship so that Nanda Mahārāja could have a son. Still no son wascoming. Yaśomatī, the wife of Nanda Mahārāja, became very distressed. She gaveup eating and was always sitting, hanging her head down and only sheddingtears.
Seeing the condition of his wife, Nanda Mahārāja become verydistressed and consoled her in various ways, saying:
“Whatever is the will of Providence, that will take place.”
His wife Yaśodā-mātā said:
“My dear husband, I will tell what I have thought of in myheart. I have performed many sacrifices and have taken up many vows (vrata),but I have not performed the dvādaśī-parama-vrata.”
Hearing this, Nanda Mahārāja became very happy and said:
“Yes, very good. We have not performed this vrata. Thereforewe must do it.”
Nanda Mahārāja called his priest and the priest described everythingto him about the procedures, rules and regulations to perform thisdvādaśī-vrata.
Nanda Mahārāja’s Dream
Then Madhu-kaṇṭha continued singing:
nanda-yaśomatī vrata vatsare kaila /
vrata śeṣe eka baḍa susvapna haila //
svayaṁ śrī hari yena bole prasanna haiya /
acire phalibe āśā śuno mana diyā //
prati kalpe hai āmi tomāra santāna /
e kalpa se mata hevā satya boli’ jāno //
tomādera gṛhe śiśu rūpe kariba vihāra /
nitya daraśane āśā pūribe tomāra //
e hena madhura svapna dekhe nanda-rāya /
akasmāt nidrā bhaṅge baḍa duḥkha pāya //
prabhāta haila dekhe dāke pakṣi-gaṇa /
rāṇī saha yamunā-te jāite manana //
yathā vidhi snāna kari’ rāṇīra sahita /
dāna dite ārambhila āpana hāthe ta //
pāiyā dāna ānandera sabe pūrṇa haila /
nanda-yaśodāra dvaya puccha kori’ vahila //
Nanda Mahārāja ki jaya!
Yaśomatī-devi ki jaya!
Nandarāṇī ki jaya!
gṛhete āsiyā nanda śrī viṣṇu pūjila
nitya karma vidhi yata saba samāpila
ati śighra darabare dhuhey praveśila
guru-dvija-pūjya-jane vandanā karila
āsi bale snigdhakaṇṭhā “are, kibā kaila?”
madhukaṇṭhā tabe kathā ārambha karila.
Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśomatī-rāṇī accepted this vrata and observedfor one year. At the end of the vrata Nanda Mahārāja had a very nice dream. LordHari Himself being very much pleased said:
“Your desire will soon be fulfilled. In every kalpa I comeas your son, and in this kalpa I will also come as your son. I will manifest Mychildhood līlā in your gṛha, home. Every day, seeing My childhood līlā, youwill be very happy.”
After seeing this wonderful dream Nanda Mahārāja’s sleep broke.It was morning and birds were chirping. He decided to take bath in the Yamunāalong with his wife Yaśomatī, and Nanda Mahārāja took much wealth with him togive in charity. All of the demigods, munis, and ṛṣis came in the guise of beggarsto receive charity from Nanda Mahārāja. Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśomatī completedtheir bath, and then started giving charity. Everyone become very pleased andsatisfied to receive charity from Nanda Mahārāja. They all loudly shouted:
“Nanda Mahārāja ki jaya! Yaśomatī-rāṇī ki jaya!”
Then Nanda Mahārāja returned home and offered worship toBhagavān Viṣṇu. After finishing his nitya-karma, daily activities, he came tohis assembly, and offered respect to all the worshipable personalities,respected gurus and brāhmaṇas.
After that, again Snigdha-kaṇṭha asked:
“What happened then?”
Then he started singing.
The Brahmacāriṇī Tapasvī’s Prediction
rāja-darabare nanda yakhana vasila /
dvārī kahe “rājā! dvāre tapasvī āila //
saṅge brahmacārī haya sundara darśana /
brahmacārinī saṅge ati manorama” //
dvārīra vacane nanda gātra-uttāna kaila /
svāgata kariya śighra tapasvī laila //
dīna-jana divyāsane virāja haila /
pada-dhauta-ādi kari’ mahapūjā kaila //
yaśodā yoginī-pade kāñdiyā paḍila /
yoginī āpana kare yaśodāre mila //
“duḥkha nāhi koro rāṇī duḥkha parihara /
bhaviṣya-te haibe eka santāna sundara” //
śire hātha diyā kare śubha aśirvāda /
śuni’ gopa-gopi kare ‘jaya jaya’ nāda
Nandarāṇī ki jaya! Yaśomatī-rāṇī ki jaya!
Just then the gatekeeper came and informed Nanda Mahārāja thata tapasvī, a brahmacāriṇī had come, and with her a brahmacārī was also there.Hearing this, Nanda Mahārāja stood up and welcomed the brahmacārī,brahmacārīnī, tapasvī, and offering them nice seats Nanda Mahārāja washed theirfeet and offered worship to them. Yaśodā-mātā began crying at the feet of thatbrahmacāriṇī tapasvī. The ascetic took Yaśodā-mātā onto her lap and, placingher hand on Yaśodā’s head, blessed her, saying:
“‘My dear queen, very soon a nice son will come and takebirth.”
Hearing this, all the gopa-gopīs said:
“Nandarāṇī ki jaya!”
How Did Kṛṣṇa Enter the Womb of Yaśodā-Mātā?
“upānanda hāsi bale “e gokula vana /
mahā-tīrtha rūpe tabe haiba gaṇana //
nandera bhavisya-vani suni’ sarva-jane /
yoginīra pāda-padma vande jane jane //
śighra tabe karidela kutira nirmāna /
tāhāte yoginī devī kaila avasthāna //
snigdhakaṇṭha bale “bhai, acche kibā haila /
yaśodāra garbhe kṛṣṇa kemate āila?” //
madhukaṇṭha mane mane karila vicāra /
“saba gopya kathā-ādi kariba vistāra //
kabe nanda yaśomatī vasta reka dhari /
dvādaśī pālana kaila ati yatna kari’ //
tabe māgi’ kṛṣṇa prati madhyera ratre-te /
eka śubha svapna nanda dekhe [acambite] //
nīla-varṇa eka śiśu gagane beḍāya /
svarna-varṇa kanyā eka tā’re gheri’ rahe //
kichu kṣana pare dohe nanda hṛdi mājhe /
karama sukhete [pāite] ānande birāje //
nanda hṛdi-rathe pūrṇa yaśodā garbha-te /
dhīra-bhāve virājita dekhe gopa-pate //
sei haite yaśodāra garbhera prakāśa /
dekhi’ gopa-gopī mane barhila ullāsa //
saba gopa-gopī kare ānanda uttarala /
nitya mahā-mahotsava ānanda maṅgala //
bahu dāna brahmaṇere deha gopa-rāja /
nitya daraśane āila trividhā samāja //
niśi-dina nanda gṛhe kevā āse jāya /
tāhāra nirṇaya keha karite nā pāya //
krame krame baḍi garbha āṭha māsa haila /
ei māse santāna ha’be jyotiṣī kahila //
bhādra-kṛṣṇāṣṭamī dina samāgata ha’la /
āji śiśu ha’be boli dhātrī saba thila //
Bhadra-kṛṣṇāṣṭamī-tithi ki jaya!
Kṛṣṇa-avirbhava-tithi ki jaya!
Hearing this, Upānanda became very joyful and said:
“This Gokula vana will be a mahā-tīrtha.”
Hearing this prophecy all of the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmiwere happy, joyful. They all came forward and offered daṇḍavat-praṇāmas at thefeet of that yoginī, brahmacārinī. They built a kuṭīra, cottage for her and shestayed there.
Then Snigdha-kaṇṭha asked:
“My dear brother Madhu-kaṇṭha, now tell how Kṛṣṇa came tothe womb of Yaśodā-mātā.”
Madhu-kaṇṭha then spoke about this confidential truth.
Continuously for one year, Nanda and his wife Yaśomatī observeddvādaśī-vrata. Then, Māgha-māsa, kṛṣṇa-pratipata, on the first day of the darkfortnight of the month of Māgha, that night Nanda Mahārāja had a very gooddream. He saw a baby, nīla-varṇa, a blue complexioned child moving in the sky,and he also saw a girl with a golden-hued bodily complexion. The two of thementered into Nanda Mahārāja’s heart and stayed there blissfully. Then they cameout of the heart of Nanda Mahārāja and entered into the womb of Yaśodā-mātā.Nanda Mahārāja saw all this in a dream. In this way, Yaśodā-mātā becamepregnant. Hearing this all gopas-gopīs became very blissful and happy. Everyday there were mahotsava, grand festivals.
Nanda Mahārāja gave much charity to the brāhmaṇas, Vaiṣṇavasand some goddesses were also coming there every day. Day and night who wascoming, who was going no one could calculate.
In this way, by the eighth month of pregnancy an astrologersaid:
“This month the child will take birth.”
When this day came, on the eighth day of the dark fortnightof this month of Bhādra, the child will take birth on a most auspicious tithi.
Bhādra-kṛṣṇāṣṭamī-tithi ki jaya!
Janmāṣṭamī-tithi ki jaya!
When this Bhādra-kṛṣṇāṣṭamī, the eighth day of the dark fortnightof the month of Bhādra came, the nurse said:
“The child will be born today.”
Then the maternity home was prepared.
Preparing the Maternity Home
“śighra suti’ grha eka nirmāna karila /
puṣpa malya ādi dei sajādi rakhila. //
phulera torana kaila saba phula sāje /
uttama uttama dhātrī tāhāte virāje //
ethā deva-gaṇa saba ānande mātiyā /
mṛdu-manda vāri varṣe haraṣita haiyā //
se divasa kibā sukha gokule haila /
sukhe rasa-samudre yena sakale ḍubila //
kichu niśi saba gopī jāgiyā rahila /
kṛṣṇera māyā pare nidra-gata haila //
yena kāle baḍa sukhe yaśodā-sundarī /
prsabila putra-ratna keha nāhi eḍi.” //
Yaśodā-nandana ki jaya!
Yaśodā-nandana-kṛṣṇa ki jaya!
Immediately the maternity home was prepared and decorated nicely.Flower garlands were hung in the room. Gates were also made out of various flowers.Expert nurses came to take care of the mother and child. In the heavenlyplanets all of the demigods became very joyful. Indradeva was showering rain.On that day the Vrajavāsīs, the demigods in the heavenly planets, everyoneeverywhere was joyful, blissful, drowning in an ocean of happiness, for theSupreme Lord was about to take birth.
Yaśodā-Mātā Gave Birth to Kṛṣṇa
Kichu niśi saba gopī jāgiyā rahila, kṛṣṇera māyā parenidragata haila, all of the gopīs kept awake for some of the night but fellasleep due to the influence of kṛṣṇera māyā. When the child took birth everyonewas sleeping. Even Yaśodā-mātā was asleep. Without any pain, Yaśodā-mātā gavebirth to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality, that putra-ratna, a son like an invaluablegem, nīlamaṇi.
Yaśodā-nandana ki jaya!
Take Me to Vraja-Gokula
“sei kāle mathurāte devakī garbhete
deva-rūpe janma ho’li īśvara murtite //
sundara kiriti sahe śirete tāhāra /
cāri-bhuje śaṅkha-cakra-gada manohara //
kanaka kuṇḍala kāne kare jhalamala /
rūpera chatai diye hai ta ujjvala //
ei rūpa dekhi e devakī-sundarī /
para kore juti kare bhumi palecari //
vasudeva śighra kare manase snāna kaila /
mane mane janmotsave gavī-dāna dila //
karila stavana bahu deva nārāyaṇe /
tabe nārāyaṇa tāre kahile sākṣāte //
“more lai’ ebe calo gokula nāgare /
yaśodāra kole rākho parama ādare” //
śuniya harira vākya vasudeva dhīra /
putra lai’ śighra kari’ haila bahira //
jei kāle kaṁsa-purī ha’te baharila /
yaśodāra kunda eka kanyā ratna ha’la //
bhara yamunā e dekhi vasudeva mane /
kemane yamunā pāre kariba gamane” //
Exactly at the same time when Yaśodā-mātā gave birth to babyKṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, in Mathurā in the prison house of Kamsa, Devakī also gavebirth to a child. The picture is there and it is described in the tenth cantoof the Bhāgavatam. Lord Hari appeared in Mathurā in a four-handed form. On Hishead there was a beautiful crown and with His four hands He was holding a śaṅkha,cakra, gadā, and padma — a conch-shell, disk, club and lotus. Kanaka-kuṇḍala-karṇa,on His two ears there were golden earrings, and a bright effulgence was comingout of His body. Although it was a dark and cloudy night, by the effulgencecoming from the body of Lord Hari everything was illuminated.
Seeing this wonderful child, Devakī paid obeisances with foldedhands and offered prayers. Vasudeva immediately took bath.
How could he take bath in the prison house?
He did so by meditation within his mind, manasā-snāna. Alsoin his mind he observed a grand festival for the birthday of Lord Hari and gaveaway innumerable cows in charity to the brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas. He alsooffered prayers to Lord Nārāyaṇa. Then Nārāyaṇa told him:
“Immediately take Me to Vraja-Gokula and put Me on the lapof Yaśodā-mātā.”
Hearing this, Vasudeva was very, very happy and was able to leavethe prison house immediately and by the wonderful will of Lord Hari, those whowere guarding the prison all fell asleep. All of the strong iron doors andshackles miraculously opened and Vasudeva was free to leave. Exactly at thesame time when Vasudeva was leaving the prison of Kamsa, Yaśodā-mātā gave birthto a second child, a daughter.
When Vasudeva came to the bank of the Yamunā he saw therewas a great flood. The water was very high and all of the land was inundated.He thought:
“How can I cross?”
A Very Confidential Matter
“hena kāle mahāmāyā sṛgālīra veśe
yamunāha giyā pāra kahe to hariṣe //
tā’ra picche picche jāya vasudeva dhīra
hena rūpe pailena nandera mandira //
yasodāra kole dila āpanā tanaya
yasodā-nandinī diye kale vasu-rāya” //
snigdhakaṇṭha bale “bhai, ei kibā kathā
nandera putra ki tabe āchilo vatasā” //
madhukaṇṭha bale “bhai, kara avadhāna
baḍa ei durgama līlā ei saba jāna //
yasodāra kanyā sāksāt yogamāyā
nanda-putra pakṣe teho rūpe ācchādiyā //
saba viṣṇu-tattve aṁśi nanda-putra haya
vasudeva aṁśa vāsudeva nāme kare //
nadī-gaṇa yena mate sāgare milāya
sei mata aṁśa yata aṁśi-te miśāya //
yogamāyā śabde vasu ihā nahī jāne
ajanta rahila tārā e saba akhyāne //
hari bandhu sete jā’che ihāra pramāṇa
eka kāle dui sthāne janmera ākhyāna” //
While Vasudeva was thinking how to cross, just then he saw Mahāmāyāin the form of a she-jackal crossing the Yamunā. Therefore Vasudeva followedher.
“A she-jackal is going and I was thinking it is such highwater!”
Finally he came to the quarters of Nanda Mahārāja. There heput his son on the lap of Yaśodā-mātā and took Yaśodā’s daughter with him. Hearingthis, Snigdha-kaṇṭha said:
“What is this?
Yaśoda-mātā gave birth to one son and one daughter, andVasudeva took the daughter.
Where is the son?”
Madhu-kaṇṭha said:
“This is a very confidential matter. The daughter Yaśodā-mātāgave birth to was sākṣāt-yogamāyā. By her potency, Yogamāyā kept nanda-putra,the son of Nanda hidden, and Vasudeva could not see Him, the son of Nanda. He onlysaw the daughter.”
The son of Nanda and Yaśodā, nanda-nandana, yaśodā-nandana, issvayaṁ bhagavān, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead —
ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam
Nanda-nandana-kṛṣṇa, yaśodā-nandana-kṛṣṇa is svayaṁ bhagavān,and all avatāras are His plenary portions or portions of His plenary portions,aṁśa and kalā.
When svayam bhagavān Kṛṣṇa comes, all of His portions and portionsof portions, aṁśa and kalā, all come within Him. All are there in Him. The sonof Vasudeva is Vāsudeva, four-handed form. Vāsudeva is the plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa.When Vasudeva put his son in the lap of Yaśodā, that Vāsudeva entered into Kṛṣṇa.Vāsudeva is the plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa. Just as all rivers flow down to enterinto the ocean, similarly all the plenary portions and portions of the plenaryportions of the Lord all come and enter into aṁśī, that is svayam bhagavān, theoriginal Lord. This is the activity of yoga-māyā, therefore Vasudeva could not understandany of this. They were completely unknown to him.
Prābhava-Prakāśa and Vaibhava-Vilāsa
In the Hari-vaṁśa (2.4.11) there is a description of how simultaneouslyLord Hari took birth in two places:
garbha kāle tv asaṁpūrṇe aṣṭame māsi te striyau
devakī ca yaśodā ca suṣubāte samaṁ tadā
In the eighth month of pregnancy, which is considered asaṁpūrṇa,because generally it is 10 months, therefore incomplete, Yaśodā and Devakī bothgave birth to Lord Hari.
Just after that, Yaśodā gave birth to a daughter. She isknown as Yogamāyā. With Yogamāyā, Mahāmāyā was also born. Vasudeva tookMahāmāyā. Yogamāyā stayed in Vrajabhūmi. Vasudeva took Mahāmāyā and handed herover to Kaṁsa. It was declared that from this eighth pregnancy, a daughter has come,not a son. Kaṁsa was cheated. Yaśodā-nandana, the son of Yaśodā-mātā is svayambhagavān, Lord Hari, sākṣāt bhagavān. From the womb of Devakī came thefour-handed form Vāsudeva, who is a prābhava-prakāśa of Kṛṣṇa.
Lord Kṛṣṇa has two types of expansions, prābhava-prakāśa andvaibhava-vilāsa. In the temporary category of prābhava come the incarnationsMohinī, Haṁsa and Śukla. In the eternal category comes Dhanvantari, Ṛṣabha,Vyāsa, Dattātreya, Kapila, etc. The vaibhava-prakāśa are partially powerful. Inthis category comes Kūrma, Matsya, Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi, Varāha, Hayagrīva, Pṛśnigarbha,Baladeva, Yajña, Vibhu, Satyasena, Hari, Vaikuṇṭha, Ajita, Vāmana, Sarvabhauma,Ṛṣabha, Viṣvaksena, Dharmasetu, Sudāmā, Yogeśvara, Bṛhadbhānu, etc.
Yaśodā drowned in the Ocean of Blissfulness
“snigdhakaṇṭha bole “bhāi, nandotsava kathā /
uttama rūpete hethā bolibe sarvathā” //
madhukaṇṭha bole “tabe kara avadhāna /
kṛṣṇa prasaṅgera kathā nahila sandhāna //
sabe nidrā sukhe sārā nisi goāṅila /
paravāta kāla krame āsi’ dekhā dila //
tabe līlā kari hari kāñde uccha-svare /
lāge śighra yaśomatī mudita antare” //
Madhu-kaṇṭha then said:
“When Yaśodā-mātā gave birth to Kṛṣṇa, all were asleep.Everyone slept through the whole night.
Then in the morning Lord Hari started crying:
‘Kwaaa! Kwaaa! Kwaaa!’
Everyone woke up. Yaśomatī also woke and saw her nice son.”
“dekhiya tanaya yasomati maiya sukhera patare vase /
ki kari ki kari bujhite nā pāre baḍa sukha mane vase //
nayane tara jharuchi aghara stana ha’te jhare khīra /
tava śiśu kole kari yaśomatī basichi haiya sthira” //
“Seeing her wonderful, very beautiful son, mother Yaśodā completelydrowned in the ocean of blissfulness. She could not think what to do. She wasshedding tears of bliss and love. From her breast, milk was flowing. Thenew-born child was there in her lap and Yaśodā was very blissfully looking atHim.”
“preme gada-gada mātā vacana nā sphure,
ānande divasa tanu snehe netra dhare //
ata dina anya putre kaila nirīkṣaṇa
ājī āpanāra śiśu ha’la daraśana //
netra-nīre stana-khire vastra biji’ jāya
ānande putrera mukha yaśodā dekhāya //
ethā dhātrī-gaṇa āra gopa-nāri gaṇa
se krandane jāgiyā uṭhila sarva-jana //
“e-ṭī kanyā nāya putra” boli’ uttarola
takhane gokule vahe ānanda hillola //
yaśodāra nava yata śiśu dekhibāre
dhaiyā āise gopī nandarāja-pure //
saba-i dundubhi bāje nāce deva-gaṇa
“hari hari hari” dhvani karila bhuvana //
Yaśodā-mātā’s voice was faltering in joy. She could notspeak anything, and was simply shedding tears of love. Up until that day shehad only looked at the sons of others. Today she was looking at her own son.Tears poured from her eyes and milk flowed from her breasts. Her whole sārībecame completely soaked. Again and again Yaśodā-mātā looked at the beautiful lotus-like,moon-like face of her son. All the nurses, gopas, and gopīs awoke, hearing thecrying sound of the new-born child. Everyone came and said:
“O, it is not a daughter, it is a son!
Yaśodā has given birth to a son!”
Everyone was very happy and blissful. It was as if all ofGokula, Vrajabhūmi, had drowned in an ocean of blissfulness. All the gopas andgopīs came running to Nanda Mahārāja’s quarters to see Yaśodā’s newly born son.The demigods were dancing in the heavenly planets, beating drums and singing:
“hari hari haribolo! hari-bolo! hari-bolo! hari-bolo!”
The fourteen planetary systems resounded with the sound of“hari-bolo"
Performing the Jāta-Karma-Saṁskāra
“deva-nārī kare sukhī puṣpa variṣaṇa, /
mahānande nāce āra gopa-nārī-gaṇa //
ethā saba gopa-gaṇa ānanda sāgare /
asi’ yena paraspara aliṅgana kare //
śighra nanda snāna kari’ vedera vidhāne /
putrer’ jata-karmādi kare ati sāvadhāne //
purohita divya-gaṇa svasti-vākya bole /
āsithila ela vādya tahar’ dale dale //
ānande sakale kare vividha bājana /
tribhuvana vādya jata bājila takhana //
mahā-mahānande pūrṇa haila tribhuvana /
sādhu-dvija-pṛthivir’ duḥkha haila vimocana” //
In the heavenly planets the deva-nārīs, the wives of the demigods,were showering flowers. All of the gopas and gopīs were dancing blissfully.Embracing one another with love and affection, they were all drowning in anocean of happiness.
Immediately Nanda Mahārāja took bath according to Vedicrites. Then he performed the jāta-karma-saṁskāra — purificatory ceremony forchildbirth. Brāhmaṇas came and uttered svasti-vācana, prayers forauspiciousness. Many musicians came playing varieties of musical instruments.The sound of drums, kettledrums, and other musical instruments resoundedthroughout all of the three planetary systems. The three planetary systems werecompletely filled with supreme happiness, mahā-ānanda. Pṛthivī-devī, MotherEarth had been very, very distressed and over-burdened by the asuras, demons.Now the demons were to be killed and Pṛthivī-devī would be relieved of her heavyburden. All of the sādhus, Vaiṣṇavas, and dvijas, brāhmaṇas, were happy.
Innumerable Moons Have Arisen
“kothā gela nanda-ghoṣa era dekha asi /
tava gṛhe udaya haiyāche kata śaśi //
eteka divase janma haila sakala /
manera ānande nanda vadana-kamala //
yaśodāra putra haila paḍi gela jāḍā /
mahānande dhāiyā āila jata goyāla pāḍā //
nandera mandire goyāla āila dhāiyā /
hāte lāḍi kāñdhe bhāra nāce theya theya //
sabe bole “nandaghoṣa baḍa bhāgya pūra /
tava gṛhe nāhi āra ānandera āra” //
nācaya hariṣe nanda putra mukha chahiyā /
cau-dige goyāla nāce karatali diyā //
svarge nāce deva-gaṇa patāle nāce phani /
antaḥpūre rāṇī nāce pāiyā nīlamaṇi //
śiva nāce brahmā nāce āra nāce indra /
gokule goyāla nāce pāiyā govinda //
dahi haridra āne āra gorocana /
du’bāhu pasāri āse āire aṅgana //
yadunātha dāsa bole śuno nandarāṇī /
kata punya kare’ tumi pāilā nīlamaṇi” //
When Nanda Mahārāja came, all the gopas and gopīs said:
“Nanda come, come and see your beautiful son.
Tava gṛhe udaya haiyāche kata śaśi — it is as if innumerablemoons have arisen in your house.
O Nanda Mahārāja, eteka divase janma haila sakala, maneraānande dekha vadana kamala — you have achieved perfection in this birth after along time. Many long years have gone past. Come and see the beautifullotus-like face of your son.”
The news spread throughout Gokula, Vrajabhūmi. All of the gopasand gopīs came running to Nanda’s quarters — nandera mandire gayālā āiladhāiyā, hāte lāḍi kāṅdhe bhāra — all the gopas had sticks in their hands and ontheir shoulders they were carrying kāṅdhe bhāra, a stick with bags on bothends.
As they were coming they were dancing. Sabe bole “nandaghoṣabaḍa bhāgya pūra tava gṛhe nāhi āra ānandera āra” Everyone was saying, “ONanda, such excellent good fortune you have. Ah! Today there is an ocean ofbliss in your house.”
In All Directions Everyone was Dancing
Nācaya hariṣe nanda putra mukha chahiyā cau-dige goyāla nācekaratali diyā, seeing the beautiful lotus-like face of his son, Nanda Mahārājawas blissfully dancing. In all directions all of the cowherd men and inhabitantsof Gokula were also clapping their hands and blissfully dancing. In theheavenly planets the demigods were dancing. In the nether planet, Pātāla, thesnakes were dancing. In the inner quarters, Yaśodārāṇī was dancing. Śiva wasdancing, Brahmā was dancing, and Indra was dancing. Everyone was dancing andfull of bliss.
Dahi haridra āne āra gorocana du’bāhu pasāri āse āire aṅgana,all of the cowherd men came bringing auspicious presentations of yoghurt,turmeric, and gorocanā, a yellow dye. Yadunātha dāsa bole śuno nandarāṇī katapunya kare’ tumi pāilā nīlamaṇi, Yadunātha dāsa who composed this poem said:
“O Nandarāṇī, O wife of Nanda Mahārāja, you have acquiredall good fortune and auspiciousness, for today you have obtained Nīlamaṇi, the bluegem Kṛṣṇa as your child.”
śrī kṛṣṇa-janmāṣṭamī tithi mahā-mahotsava ki jaya!
bhādra kṛṣṇāṣṭamī tithi ki jaya!
bhagavān kṛṣṇa āvirbhāva tithi ki jaya!
vrajendra-nandana kṛṣṇa āvirbhāva tithi ki jaya!
śrī nanda-nandana yaśodā-nandana kṛṣṇa ki jaya!
Could you please mention "Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami" in the beginning or at the end of the lecture.
ResponderEliminarThank you.