The First Euphony

English rendering

Let chinata-maNi hymn be all-glorious for it has motivated a pathless me to tread a path of rectitude; let the harlot chinta-maNi be celebrated for she detoured my pathway towards strict fealty to god; and all-glory to my chinta-maNi- like mentor, AchArya somagiri , for he, like a talisman, has accorded gopAla mantram to me with which alone my god-realisation has come true; whereas that god-realisation has come to me through discerning that god's very little, all-endowing and tender feet… which feet are so tender, all-endowing, and very little like the newborn leaflets of kalpa-vRiksha … and which feet if assiduously adored by devotees the lady called prosperousness will be too willing to woo them on her own like a flirtatious femme fatale… thus that god with such all-endowing and leaflet-like feet, namely bAla-kRiShNa, the subject-matter, nirdeshita-vastu , of this poem be ever glorious. [1-1]

Word analysis and exposition

1-1. cintA-maNiH = thought-fulfilling talisman - who is this chinatamaNi nominated at the very start of the poem, as if it indicates AshIs, namaskAram or vastu-nirdesham for the poem…

It may mean anything:

this poem itself is a verse by verse ponderation - chintanam - on that sapphirine jewel - ujjvala niila maNi ;

or

cintAmaNiH = bhakta-chintAmaNi - who is like a talisman fulfilling every wish of devotees - krishna ; jayatu= let him be - sarvotkR^iShTa - pre-eminent, all-glorious;

or

cintAmaNiH = a hymn called chintAmaNi ; jayatu= let it be - sarvotkR^iShTa - pre-eminent, all-glorious;

or

cintAmaNiH [iva] guruH me = teacher, of mine who can be likened to talisman; [nAmataH] somagiriH= [ namely] somagiri ; jayatu= let him be - sarvotkR^iShTa - pre-eminent; because, it is he who initiated me to 'gopAla mantra' earlier to which I had been chanting chintamaNi hymn;

or

cintAmaNiH = a harlot called cintAmaNi ; jayatu = let her be - sarvotkR^iShTa - celebrated, because she is instrumental in diverting me from my epicurean way of life to that of a dedicated theist;

objection:

how is it the poet is saluting a harlot at the very start of his poem… does this come under ashiir namaskriya or vastu-nirdesham … yes, this is that only… whether it is hermit or a harlot, if he/she becomes an eye-opener they are praiseworthy;

and

shikShA guruH ca = one who is responsible for - sat kArya pravR^itti and duShkArya nivR^itti - instituting into demeanour, and withdrawing from misdemeanour, a supreme mentor in such behavioural patterns - god ; bhagavAn= one who has six attributes - j~nAna, vIrya, vairAgya, aishwarya, yashas, shrI - six attributes of supreme god; such a god sporting; shikhi pi~ncha= a feather of peacock; mauliH= on the crown of his head - [jayatu= let such a god be all glorious];

what if he sports a feather of a peacock or that of a parrot, or that of crow on his head… not so… it has a meaning: in all his incarnations this god has never moved close to commoners, but always wielded bow and arrows, or axe, or fangs of a wild boar etc, all the while running after demons and the like. But, this boy krishna is reared up in commoner's home, moved and played with commoners, alleviated common problems of commoners, and thus he became the commoner's common god. In order to retain this commoner's identity he sported a feather of peacock, simplest possible headgear of a cowboy, rather than sporting unusual crowns or high-flow getups. Further, no other feather has an 'eye' symbol on it excepting the feather of peacock, a symbol for more vigilant j~nAna netram ;

that being so;

yat= whose; pAda = feet called; kalpa-taru = all-endowing-tree; pallava shekhareShu = tender-leaves-like, best ones - whose tender feet are akin to the tender leaflets of the best tree among all trees - namely kapa-vRksha , hence those feet are the only recourse to a devotee because they accord all your longings like a kalpa-vRiksha , and then, jaya-shrIH, the lady called victory will woo such devotees on her own;

or

yat pAda kalpa-taru pallava= whose, feet, that are like the tender leaflets of kalpa-taru; shekhareShu= on their heads - those who decorate those leaflet-like decorations as headgear - rather best dressed males, jaya-shrIH, the lady called victory will woo them; - kliShTa anvayam . So, yat pAda is to be taken as the reverent feet of god alone.

then

jaya-shrIH= the lady called prosperousness; lIlA= with her flirtatiousness; svayaM vara= self-choosing; rasaM= interestedness; labhate= acquires - that lady called winsomeness will flirtatiously choose on her own such of those devotees who adore the feet of that god whose feet are akin to the tender leaflets of al-according kalpa vRiksha; jayatu = that being so, let such a lady called prosperousness be glorious - meaning that such a lady called prosperousness be glorious because she is always associated with the devotees of that boy-god.

Source commentary

The above is according to the delineation of tanjanagaram tevapperumALLayyagAru , who is the earliest possible translator of this work to prose. Every Telugu translation will have this piece for the first verse, but not for the rest of them. It is not clear whether his work is available nowadays in total or not.

English rendering

A certain Being is there fluting highly celebrated melodies from his transverse flute in whose effluence of mellowness, which is nothing else than the conspectus of Om-kAra , whole of the sessile and mobile beings is sempiternally enraptured with a transcendental bliss; on whom the celestial damsels are showering flowers brought from the divine trees, slowly tossing from the tips of their fingers as if they overwhelm a deity with flowers in the process of puSpa-pUja , flower-worship, because that Being is the god of gods; at whom thousands of sprightly milkmaids are rushing and hedging him in, while the knots of their sari-s are loosened, yet prudishly holding the frontal-pleats of those sari-s fast from slipping and slithering altogether; in whose hands the conferrable salvation is there which he accords most munificently, than the other godheads, to all of his true devotees; such a Being is there in the form of a stripling - call him, if you may, as shaishava-krishna … [1-2]

Word analysis and exposition

1-2. pra+stuta = highly, celebrated; veNu nAda laharI = flute's, melodies, in the waves of; nirvANa = with a transcendental bliss - prapancha upashamana rUpa Anandam - nir + vyAkulam = without, disturbance - while the world is in an undisturbed state;

svaH taruNI = heavenly, damsels; kara agra vigalat = from their hands, from fingertips; vigalat = slipping, sprinkling from fingertips; [or, vilasat = being brightened] - flowers slowly sprinkled from their fingertips as in worshipping a deity; kalpa = kalpa-vRiksha trees - called harichandana, pArijAta, kalpaka, santAna trees; prasUna = their children of - namely the flowers of kalpa trees; AplutaM = one who is being inundated, flower-showered;

srasta srasta= slipping, slithering; niruddha nIvI= holding fast, sari knots [frontal pleats] - preventing sari-s from altogether falling down ; vilasat gopI= sprightly, milkmaids; sahasra= thousands of them ; AvR^itaM= one who is hemmed in with such milkmaids ;

hasta= in hands; nyasta= kept - holding salvation - moksha in his hand; akhila= among all gods; udAraM= he who is most munificent; [in giving] apa + vargam= salvation - moksha; to those that are; nata= for the obeisant - his true devotees;

such a Being:

kishora AkR^iti = like a cub , in a stripling's; vastu= a demonstrable manifestation that abides in the triad of times, certain Being - in the form of shaishava-krishna; asti= is there.

Source commentary

In skka - prAsa and yati - alliteration and casura - will be overflowing in verses as is usual with Telugu verses. Here the word sta is repeating itself in asti, svastaruNi, vastuprastuta, srasta, srasta, hastanyasta . This is a point in determining the nativity of the poet.

English rendering

Him who is a unique realm housing all-attractiveness by his very nature, because there is nothing to prove another entity that has his grace in according salvation to his devotees; who is abounding with brilliant and fluttering sidelong glances where each glance is an endeared one to each ripple of nectar, hence his single glance will be nectariferous to his devotees; whom no less than the goddess of prosperousness, lakshmi , adores highly with her benign sidelong glances indicating her own subservience to him; who loves to sport on the thresholds of the sandbanks of river yamuna just to mingle with ordinary people, and who is responsible for inculcating a romantic feeling in the hearts of an exclusive group of milkmaids… let us, the earthbound mortals, worship that sapphirine boy, called bAla-jrishna ,whose sphere itself is a pleasurable suzerainty… [1-3]

Word analysis and exposition

1-3. cAturya= for expertise, finesse; eka= unique; nidhAna [not nidAna]= treasure trove; sIma= limits, realm; one who is a unique realm housing all-attractiveness;

capala = fluttering; apA~Nga = sidelong glances; cChaTA = with aggregation; mantharaM = overloaded with; one who is abounding with fluttering sidelong glances;

lAvaNya= brilliant ; amR^ita vIci = by nectar , ripples of; lAlita [ not lolitia]= endeared by; dR^ishaM= one who has such an eyesight, ken;

lakShmI= goddess of prosperousness; kaTAkSha= by her sidelong glances; AdR^itam= one who is highly adored;

kAlindI= of River yamuna; pulina A~NgaNa= sandbanks, thresholds; praNayinaM= one who loves; one who loves to sport on the thresholds of the sandbanks of river yamuna ;

kAma= lovegod manmatha's; avatAra= for incarnation, for emergence; a~NkuraM= a seedling, an inculcator; one who is the cause for the emergence of manmatha in the aspect of pradyumna , or, one who is responsible in inculcating romance in the hearts of milkmaids;

madhurima+svArAjyam= nectarean, dominion; whose sphere itself is a sweet dominion;

such a;

nIlam bAlaM= blue-black, boy - say ujjvala nIlamaNim - sapphirine boy ;

amI vayaM ArAdhnumaH= these [worldly people], we, will worship - let us, the mortals, worship him.

English rendering

A certain luminescence is irradiant in our hearts portrayable to have a visage soused in ambrosial sweetness, atop which spruced up hair-locks are dangling, atop which there shines a headgear stuffed with the feathers of peacocks, whose fresh youthfulness is burgeoning, and whose fluting is issuing flourishing melodies of nectar; around whom the milkmaids with tumid breasts protuberant like buds are hedging and worshipping him, and who with such a portraiture betokens to be the one and only delightful, therefore wonderful, luminescence for the entire world, called bAla-krishna … [1-4]

Word analysis and exposition

1-4. A certain luminescence with :

barha= with peacock feathers; uttaMsa= shirobhUshaNa = as headgear; vilAsi = shining forth; kuntala= hair-locks; bharaM= laden with; mAdhurya magna AnanaM= in sweetness, soaked, face;

pra+unmIlat= verily, burgeoning; nava yauvanaM = fresh, youthfulness;

pra+vilasat = highly, flourishing; veNu praNAda amR^itam = flute's, melody, nectar;

ApIna stana kuTmalaabhiH= [those that have] tumid, breasts, bud-like - protuberances; abhitaH gopIbhiH ArAdhitaM= hedged around, by milkmaids, one who is worshipped;

jagatAm = for entire world; eka = one and only; abhirAma = most delightful; hence it is; adbhutam = wonderful;

jyotiH = a certain luminescence;

naH cetasi cakAsti = in our, heart, it is irradiant.

English rendering

That highly attractive lotuslike countenance of that luminescence is with an ambrosial smile, that heartens his devotees; sporting a hairdo adorned with a bunch of varicoloured feathers of proud peacocks that enthrals his devotees; spanning a pair of broad eyes that is eye-catching for devotees... and in me, who am so far fascinated by all worldly things that are more like baits with poisoned meat that tantalises at first but sure to become self-ruinous, that self-luminous being with an ineffable compose had been fulgent in my heart for a long time, which is now taking the shape of a boy called bAla - krishna ... [1-5]

Word analysis and exposition

1-5. Which luminescence is further :

madhura-tara= charming, to higher degree; smita= wearing a smile; amR^ita= called ambrosia; vimugdha = highly attractive; mukha= face; ambu-ruhaM= called water born one - a lotus, a lotuslike face;

mada shikhi pinchi = proud, peacock's, feathers; lA~NChita= adorned with; manoj~na kaca pracayam= delightful, hairdo, with a bunch of;

vipula vilocanaM= with broad, eyes;

kim+api= whys and wherefores - an ineffable form; dhAma= luminescence;

viShaya = subjects, as in subjectivism; viSha AmiSha= poisoned, meat; grasana= in devouring; gR^idhnuni= interested; such as I was who used to run after poison like materialistic pleasures; as to how a poisoned meat firstly tastes very well, but kills the eater at a later time, the subjective thinking or the materialistic pleasures taste well in the beginning but ruin the eater later;

me= in my; cetasi= heart; ciram cakAsti= for along time, had been fulgent.

Source commentary

These factors appear as repetitive telling - punarukti doSha . It is not so, because they are just adumbrative up to now and the poet is taking them up one by one, starting at feet and slowly tilting up to face - in the order of nakha-shikha-paryantam .

English rendering

When that flutist-boy is fluting, those nectarean melodies have mellisonantly nectarlogged his visage, eyelids on his lotusy eyes are half-slouched rapturously, and his discoid cheeks shone forth like the spotless surface of a looking glass when they further bulged to pipe the flute, enjoyably... hence, let my heart be filled with that chubby boy called krishna ... [1-6]

Word analysis and exposition

anvaya: vibhoH mukha maNDalaM me manasi vijR^imbhatAm .

1-6. muralI= flute's; ninAda = musicality, mellisonance; makaranda = called nectar; nirbharam = filled with - nectarlogged; mukulAyamAna= curling down, half-closed; nayana ambujaM= eyes, called lotuses - his eyes are half-closed when he is fluting; mukurAyamANa mR^idu gaNDa maNDalaM= becoming mirror-like, soft, cheek area - when fluting his cheeks are little bulged whereby those rotund cheeks are shining like the spotless surface of a looking glass; vibhoH mukha pa~NkajaM = lord's, such a face, called a lotus; me manasi vijR^im- bhatAm = in my, heart, let it be prevailing.

English rendering

Perhaps my words may be lacking sweetness to portray him who has a heart-sweetening, yet ineffable, physique of an youngling which anyone would love to see oftentimes with their mortal eyes; whose face likened to the ambrosian moon is sapid for it emanates indescribable melodies with an ambrosial constituent, together with an immortal tenor, through fluting his flute called vamshi ; hence, let a tiniest particle of that inexplicable honey-sweetness natural to him fall on my tongue so that I can portray a fraction of the sweetness of krishna ... [1-7]

Word analysis and exposition

1-7. kamanIya= much sought after, everybody wishes to see him time and again; kishora= cublike, youngish; mugdha mUrteH = one with a heart-pleasing, physique; kala= avyakta madhurima - indescribable, melody; veNu kvaNita= flute's, fluted melodies; AdR^ita= idolised by - a face that is idolised by such melodies; Anana indoH= face, called moon; such as it is - that face of; murAreH= of mura-ari; madhurimNaH= of mellifluence; kApi kApi= somewhat, somewhat - even a tiniest part of it - lavalesha of it; kaNika api= a particle of it, even; mama vAci vijR^imbhatAM= in my, speech - poetry, let it predominate.

English rendering

May that sapphirine boy, who with a lotusy face that is embellished with the feathers of proud peacocks surmounted on his tiara has became cannily lovely when the Lovegod manmatha saddle upon him, whereby who vivaciously hobnobbed with the maidens of vraja village when their manipulatory sidelong glances have bested him, be all-excelling because the life-principle of my literary works is that boy - krishna... [1-8]

Word analysis and exposition

1-8. mukha ambujam= one having face, called lotus; mada shikhaNDi shikhaNda vibhUShaNaM = proud, peacock's, with feathers, adorned with; madana manthara mugdha= lovegod, coming under the weight of, that became more lovely; vraja vadhU= vraja village, maidens of; nayana a~ncala= by eyes, edges - by sidelong glances of; va~ncitaM= manipulated; mama = to my; vA~Nmaya = literary works; jIvitam= as life-principle, subject-matter ; vijayatAM= let him be outshine.

Source commentary

Let him transcend any other god in graciousness while I sing the praises of that boy.

English rendering

Standing on his pinkish lotusy feet that look down on the naturally beautiful bouquets of rosy pATali flowers; holding his flute called vamshi fast in his lotusy palms whose crimson hue detests the light-coppery hue of just sprouted tender leaflets; busying himself in fluting divine melodies whereon his twirling lips are sending forth clusters of scintilla with which the brilliance of his face became a flavourful honeydew for devotees; as such the milkmaids of vraja village are cuddlesome with him, whereby the vermilion powder available on their pitchery-breasts is smudged on his physique; such as he is, let me too ardently cling to that lissom lord, krishna... [1-9]

Let me seek his shelter who looked with all the reddish blotches on his blue-blackish body like a flowered trunk of a worshippable tree, atop which there is a brilliant plumage of peacocks for leaves, and upon which reddish palms, feet, lips and vermilion marks are there for colourful sprays, since trees are the natural hospices of wayfarers...

Let me seek the shelter of that bhakta-chintA-maNi , the talisman of devotees, which is in sapphire blue colour encrusted with true corals of pinkish-red hue...

Word analysis and exposition

1.-9. phulla= flushed; pATala= of pATala flowers; pATalI = agglomeration; pari + vAdi = counter-talked - detesting; pAda= with such feet that detest pATali flowers' fineness because his feet are superiorly lotusy; saro + ruham= lake-born ones - lotuses - one standing with such lotusy feet; pallava= tender leaflets like; aruNa = rosy in colour; pANi= palms called; pa~Nka + ja= mud-born ones, say lotuses - palms that look like lotuses; sa~Ngi [veNu]= [flute] attached to those palms - flute held in those rosy palms, almost incessantly; veNu rava AkulaM = fluting, the melodies, busily involved in - very busy in non-stop fluting of beautiful melodies from his flute; ullasat = that which is shining forth - his face, with; madhura adhara dyuti ma~njarI = of his sweet, lips, resplendence, a bouquet of - a bunch of scintilla scintillating from his fluting lips; with such of those attributes his face is; sa + rasa= with, flavour ; AnanaM= face - a flavourful face delectable for devotees; vallavI= milkmaids; kuca kumbha= breasts, pitcher like; ku~Nkuma = vermilion powder available on those pitchery breasts; pa~NkilaM= besmeared on his body; such and such a; prabhum= one who is capable to safeguard, the lord; Ashraye= I take shelter of.

English rendering

Whom the comely milkmaids of vraja village always worship by longingly staring at him with their sidelong glances that are like the straight shooting shafts of lovegod dripping wet with that lovegod's voluptuousness, let us seek his protégé of that lord krishna... [1-10]

Word analysis and exposition

1-10. vallava sundarIbhiH= by milkmaids, beauties; ana~Nga rekhA = that are like - lovegod's, streaks [as in a streak of mischief ]; if it is lekhA= then, as if they are the love letters from lovegod - ra, Da, la yoH abhedaH ; rasa ra~njitAbhiH= with quintessence, blotched up; a + bha~NgurAbhiH= not, aslant, or skewing - straight hitting the their target - heart of krishna; apA~Nga rekhAbhiH= edges of eyes, lines - sidelong glances; anukShaNaM abhyasyamAnaM= every moment, who is being worshipped; him; vibhum AshrayAmaH= of that lord, let us seek his protégé.

Source commentary

Steady gazing at the worshipped - tadeka dRiSTi - is a method of devotion as in bhramara-kITa nyAya .

English rendering

One who is a vacillant and with shifting glances in his wide-eyed ecstasy owing to his youthful impatience; one who enjoys the durance pleasure in the hearts of heart-pleasingly vivacious young and youthful beauties of vraja village; let my heart too ensconce him who is an ineffable self-refulgence called - krishna... [1-11]

Word analysis and exposition

1-11. taruNaM= youthful - impatience; hence; taralaM= vacillating; harSha vishAla lola netram= by ecstasy, one with broad, shifting, eyes - shifting glances with broad eyes; hR^idya vibhramANAM= heart-pleasingly, vivacious; vraja bAla sundarINAM= vraja village's, young, of beauties; hR^idayaM= who is the heart of, or, who is imprisoned - bandi - in the hearts of those beauties - a fellow subservient to them, such a; ki~ncana= certain; dhAma= self-refulgence; mama hR^idaye sannidhattAm= in my, heart, be ensconced [let me too make him a bandi in the bandi - khAna called my heart];

or

taruNaM vraja bAla sundarINAM= for youthful and young beauties of vraja village ; taralaM= one who is like the central locket of their necklaces.

English rendering

Excogitating on the pair of the lotusy feet of that sapphirine boy that are always the funfairs for the entire host of presiding deities of self-luminosity in all the worlds; that fie upon the eye-feasting stands and stretches of lovely lotuses; that with sagacity are emphatic in according security to obeisant devotees, such as they are let my heart called a brook contentedly drift wafting the memoirs of those lotusy feet of krishna... [1-12]

Word analysis and exposition

1.12. nikhila bhuvana lakShmI= entire, worlds', for the presiding deities of self-luminosity; nitya lIla AspadAbhyAM= that are always, sporting, places - pleasure parks; kamala vipina vIthI = lotuses, for the stands of, and their stretches; garva sarvankaShAbhyAm= their proud ness, that make void; praNamat= to those that are venerating; abhaya dAna= safeguard, in giving; prauDhi = in that sagacity ; gADha uddhatAbhyAM= highly, emphatic; kR^iShNa pAda ambujAbhyAm = [by ruminating on] krishna's, feet, called lotuses; [mama] cetaH= [let my] heart ; kimapi = something [ an inexplicable bliss]; vahatu= waft it along.

English rendering

Espying everything with the pair of his eyes that have graciosity, which are a purchase for equitable governance, which every time are charming to look at, every day assuming a new-look, every moment flourishing with benignancy, and which evermore shower benevolence; hence, let our hearts too come under the sway of that young boy who is the lord of our lives, namely krishna... [1-13]

Word analysis and exposition

1-13. praNaya pariNatAbhyAM= with love, consummated - love rewarding, that have graciosity ; prAbhava AlambanAbhyAM= for governance, a purchase = a firm hold on a thing to move it or to prevent it from slipping; pratipada lalitAbhyAM= every time, charming ; pratiahaM nUtanAbhyAm= every day, having new-look; prati muhur adhikAbhyAM= every moment, flourishing with benignancy ; prasnuvat [pra + snu + vat= well, delivering, as if ]= showering grace on devotees ; lochanAbhyAm= one who is with such a pair of his eyes ; prANa-nAthaH= life, lord of the; kishoraH= youngling; naH hR^idaye prabhavatu= in our, hearts, let him preponderate.

English rendering

Manifesting a cute smile on his exquisite face akin to the orb of the moon, he who is an ambrosial ocean with a train of passion-tides surging with overweening passion; yet, he dons a toddler's getup and a benign look for the onlookers; wherefore, let my heart also be buoyant in that effusion of bliss - satya-j~nAna-Ananda swarUpa vAridhi - called krishna ... [1-14]

Word analysis and exposition

1-14. A+manda hAsa= always, cutely, smiling; lalita Anana candra bimbam= on exquisite, face, like moon's, orb; mAdhurya = for a mellowly beauty ; vAridhi= an ocean; mada andha= haughtiness, blinded by - overweening; tara~Nga= swelling waves; bha~NgI= wave train - rows of waves [not breaking]; shR^i~NgAra sa~Nkulita= passion, commingled; shIta= cool look - benign look for the onlookers; kishora veSham= who is donning toddler's, get-up; Ananda samplavam= such an oceanic effusion of bliss; me manaH= my, bosom, anu + plavatAM= may be floating in those tides; or that nectar-ocean; anuplavatAM = may pour into - pour into our hearts such love toward thee &c - Collects.

Source commentary

When my heart is afloat in such and such a nectarean ocean, can any mud called sin befoul it - venganAmAtya .

English rendering

One with a lotusy countenance that is charming by its own nature, expressing a lovely facial language of a virtuoso while engrossed in the melodies he is fluting at full tilt, bears a melody-drenching-esprit that is bedewing all the contemplators of the world; let my heart deliquesced in devotion to him become a playground for that lotusy footed little boy called krishna... [1-15]

Word analysis and exposition

1-15. avyAja = nirupAdhika = unembellished by other decorations, by nature; ma~njula mukha ambuja= one with charming, face, called lotus; mugdha bhAvaiH= with lovely, body language like - bhrU vikshepAdi vyApAra - twisting eyebrows, half-closing and half-opening of lids, protruding lips etc; AsvAdyamAna= while enjoying - absorbed in; nija veNu vinoda nAdam= his own, flute's, enjoyable, melodies; bhuvana Ardram ojaH= people in worlds, bedewing - melody-drenching, his esprit; aruNa pAda saro- ruhAbhyAm= with his rosy, feet, called lake, sprung ones - lotuses; Ardre= moist - deliquescing with devotion; madIya hR^idaye= in my, heart; AkrIDatAm= let him play.

English rendering

Which little feet bear the birthmarks like padma, hala, kulisha, ankusha and the like on their soles denoting the exalted birth of that boy, which little feet became the unworn ornaments of vraja streets when he miss-stepped on them, which little feet are adorned with gem-studded anklets that tintinnabulate a lot, hence, I too adore those little feet of that lord, namely krishna... [1-16]

Word analysis and exposition

1-16. yadIyAni= of which - belonging to feet; lakShmANi= birthmarks - like padma, hala, kulisha, ankusha etc marks on soles; vraja vIthiShu lalitAni= for vraja village, streets, became tinsels - his two little feet became the unworn ornaments of vraja streets when he miss-stepped on them; them vibhoH = lord's; maNi nUpura vAcAlaM= when jewel studded, anklets, ranting highly - when they are jingling highly; tat caraNaM= those , feet; vande= I bow to.

English rendering

When that sapphirine boy is running after the lotus wielding goddess lakshmi while she is maundering in her haunts called the lotus-lakes in the laps of River kAlindi , the daughter of Mt. kalinda , his jewelled anklets are jingling, whereby, the swans accustomed to those lakes are counter-cackling presuming that the jingles are the callings from their mates, besides, those tintinnabulations even served as rhythm for the cadential dancing - rAsotstavam - of milkmaids - under his orchestration like a master danseur - gopA~NganA-jana-rAsa-utstava-nR^itta- gIta - kalanA - sAchivya - dhaureya ; hence, my heart too may resonate with those heart-pleasing jingles that are congenial to the escort of lakshmi, giggling of swans, and that served as lilt for the dance of milkmaids, which emanate from the anklets of that boy called krishna ... [1-17]

Word analysis and exposition

1-17. kamalA vane= in lotus, lakes, or, stretches in which kamala , goddess lakshmi moves [word kamala is used to denote this goddess]; cara= moving; kalinda kanyakA= of Mt. kalinda's , daughter - in the lakes belonging to the daughter of Mt. kalinda , of River kAlindi ; [ cara= moving;] kalahaMsa= of swans; kaNTha kala kUjitA= throats, beautiful, cackling; AdR^itam= esteemed [AdR^isham = on level with] ; vallavI vibhoH= milkmaids, master of - because he is the maestro of their dancing; anklets' sound; maNi nUpura = of jewelled, anklets; praNayi= congenial with - sounds of anklets congenial to the giggling of swans etc; ma~nju shi~njitam= heart-pleasing, callings; mama cetasi sphuratu= in my, heart, be revealed, resonate.

English rendering

If it is khelati , then it is - that little Being is already merry-making in my heart ; if khelati is present continuous - now frolicking, that boy cannot go on making merry in an unenlightened heart - mada chetasi , or jaDa chetasi ; if it is khelatu , a hopeful prospect, then it is - let that little being make merry in my heart ; in any case, the ensuing question is - how to visualise that boy? - this is answered in other compounds of the verse.

That boy has broad and beaming eyes that are a little roseate at edges, and yet plethoric with graciousness; his graceful physique titillates extensively under the weight of chubby breasts of goddess lakshmi ; he makes the lotuslike hearts of sages billowy with the ripples of his fluted melodies; his lips always give expression to nectarine scores or lyrics; and so, in an otiose heart of mine that is unconversant with the graciosity of gods, ticklishness of devotees, toings and froings of saintly hearts, or of the nectary lyrics or music, let there be merry making of that boy called krishna ... [1-18]

Word analysis and exposition

anvaya: mama mada cetasi [tat] madhura adharam amR^itam khelatu [ or, khelati] - how does that amR^itam look?

1-18. taruNa aruNa= taruNa abja aruNam = lightly, like just born lotus, with pinkish redness - eyes lightly reddened at edges, in the hue of just born lotus; eyes of beautiful people will not be whitely white, they are supposed have rosy streaks at edges; karuNAmaya= filled with graciousness; vipula Ayata nayanaM= with broad, sizeable, eyes - broad and beaming eyes; kamalA= of goddess lakshmi ; kuca-kalashI= breasts, pitcher-like; bhara= under the weight of them; [ pulakI ] vipulI kR^ita pulakam= extensively, made, titillation; muralI rava taralI kR^ita = by flute's, melody, billowy, made as; muni mAnasa nalinaM= sages, hearts, called lotuses; made the lotuslike hearts of sages billowy with the ripples of the melodies of his flute; madhura adharam amR^itam= luscious, lower lip, with ambrosia - whatever comes from the door of his lips, whether they are words like bhagavadgIta or fluting cosmic melodies, all that is ambrosial; mama mada cetasi in my, quiescent, heart - a heart that became functionless - pAravashya jaDIbhUtam - otiose in devotion to him; khelatu= that Being is frolicking.

English rendering

With the commencement of his melodious fluting with his flute, called mohana vamshi , the milkmaids of vraja village are rendered ecstatically excited and they rushed to him only to fence him off, then they readied themselves around him to trip their light fantastic toes in step with his music, then that boy fluting with half-closed lids made eyes at them which, in effect, is kissing those girls just with his eyesight; as such, let my mental screen be further splashed with such all-entrancing and imponderable romantic deeds of that primordial baby boy, called krishna... [1-19]

Word analysis and exposition

1-19. Arabdha veNu ravam= with the commencement of, flute's, melodious fluting; vraja vadhU= vraja village, milkmaids of ; harSha Akula = with ecstasy, highly excited; and they fenced him off ready to trip their light fantastic toes in step with his music; then; ardha nayana ambuja = with half-closed, eyes of that flutist, called lotuses; madhura Anana indoH= sweet, faces of those milkmaids, called moons; cumbyamAna= as if he is kissing with such half-closed eyes; Adi kishora mUrteH= of primordial, boy - neologism, on par with Adi varAha mUrti ; ke api bhAvAH= some imponderable, romantic exploits - shRingAra cheShTA-s - of that boy ; mama cetasi= in my, heart; A + mugdham= in all respects, entrancingly; Avirbhavantu= welling forth - splashing on my mental screen.

English rendering

Whenever he pulls out of lovemaking-bed he will be in a messed-up condition; his ladylove will be grappling and repeatedly pulling him in onto her, while his hands will be busy in fiddling with his ochry robe from slithering altogether, in readjusting the peacock's feather slipped just now back on his tiara, and in neatening up his dishevelled hair rumpled just now, his bracelets will be clanging more than necessary, ready to be caught in flagrante delicto; he neither can cleave from, nor to her; wherefore, let my consciousness shine forth with such scenes of affaires d’amour of that fumbling boy called krishna... [1-20]

Word analysis and exposition

1-20. vibhoH= lord's; madana keli shayya= lovegod's, sport, bed - lovemaking bed; utthitam= the way of his getting up from that; which can be pictured in this way ; kala kvaNita ka~NkaNaM= beautifully, clanging, bracelets are; kara niruddha pIta ambaraM= with hand, stopped, ochry, robe - from altogether falling down; krama= one by one; [klama= after fatigue ] pra sR^ita kuntalaM = loosening, hair-locks; galita barha bhUShaM= slipped, peacock's [feather], his decoration on tiara; punaH= again; prasR^iti= in straightening them; [ prakR^iti= to bring them back to normalicy ] cApalaM= who is hectic; praNayinI bhujA yantritaM= by his ladylove's, with her arms, who is controlled - say who is being repeatedly pulled in onto her; mama mAnase sphuratu = in my, consciousness, let [the scenes of his get out of love-bed] shine forth.

English rendering

When that sapphirine boy closed his eyes for a sleep, then he overheard the ear-filling gossip of milkmaids about their romantic escapades with him, whereby there is an outburst of smiles on his face that are though meant to be irrepressible yet half-repressed, deeply orotund yet half-modest and boisterously loud yet became teeny-weeny; and because these smiles are spurting out of his love for the conversers, effusive thrilling sensations are clearly manifest spreading all over the body of that unsleeping boy, sleepless in the cause of his devotees; therefore, let us adore the dissimulated sleep - mithyA nidra, kapaTa nidra - of that boy called krishna ... [1-21]

Word analysis and exposition

1-21. krIDA nimIlat dR^ishoH= playfully - feigningly, closed, of the eyes; bhagavataH= of that god; mithyA svApam= dissimulated, sleep; upAsmahe= we adore, let us adore - let us adore the illusory sleep of that god shewn on the playfully closed eyes; if it is - dR^ishaH - it is an adj. of god, then = krIDA nimIlat dR^ishaH= let us adore that god with playfully closed eyes showing an illusory sleep;

what does this sleep contain: it contains;

vraja vadhU lIlA= vraja village's, of milkmaids, about their escapades; mitho jalpitaM = mutually, prattled - conversations of milkmaids; that are; shrotR^i= for listeners ; shrotra manoharaM= ear, pleasing ones;

listening which the sleeper is reacting with:

stoka stoka= a little, a little; nirudhyamAna= that is being restrained, repressed; mR^idula prasyandi= subtly, out flowing - let out; manda smitaM= modest, smiling - of the sleeper;

because that tittle-tattle is about the lIla, escapades of milkmaids with the same sleeper; and because they are shrotR^i shrotra manoharaM, ear-delighting for listeners, it is necessary for the sleeper-listener to soliloquize his inner feelings, though silently; hence there are:

prema udbheda= out of love, spurting; nir+argala= without, constrain - effusive; pra + sR^imara = spreading all over the body; as such; pra+vyakta= clearly, manifest; roma udgamam= hair, raisings - thrilling sensations - that illusive sleep has all these factors.

English rendering

Barring three places, viz., the inter-bosom busts of vraja lasses that are painted with a variety of motifs of leaves and creepers as erasable tattoos, or the unfathomable minds of sages, or the main axes of trees in bR^indAvana garden, we do not come across any other place for the prompt accessibility of that boy called krishna ... [1-22]

Word analysis and exposition

1-22. vicitra patra a~Nkura= with a variety of, leaves, leaflets - motifs of leaves and creepers painted with erasable tattoos on women's busts; shAli bAlA = those having them, girls - milkmaids; stana antaraM = breasts, in between - the region of heart in the chest; vA= either; [yAma vanAntaraM] mauni mano antaram = sages', mind, inside of - in the deep of the minds of sages; vA= or; apAsya= barring; bR^indAvana= in bR^indAvana ; [pAda lAsyam] pAdapa Asyam= trees, on the faces of - on the main stems, boles, of trees where women usually venerate; upAsyam= obtainable - accessible place of krishna; anyaM= another place; na vilokayAma= do not, we perceive.

English rendering

Because he is fluting his flutings are replete with all enjoyable strains, and because they are with enjoyable strains they are nectarous; such as he is who is circumfusing such melodies of fluting is not only a flutist but the one who surmounts all the prepossessing personalities... but, huh, when can I see such a captivating boy called krishna ... [1-23]

Word analysis and exposition

1-23. AdhmAyamAnaiH= that is being blown, flute filled with wind; as such the flutings are; samR^iddhaiH= replete with all enjoyable strains; as such those melodies are; amR^itAya- mAnaiH = nectareous; muralI ninAdaiH sArdhaM= flute's, melodies, one who is with; madhura AkR^itInAM mUrdha-abhiShiktaM= among beautiful, entities, one who surmounts; bAlaM= at such a boy; kadA nAma= when can [I / we]; vilokayiShye= see, behold him.

Source commentary

But, when can I see that boy, when can I lift him up in my hands, and when can I press his roseate feet to my eyes, alas... bAluni grakkuna gAnchi ettikoni kannula nokkudu tat padAbjamul ... ennaDo? - vengayAmAtya.

English rendering

That boy wears a peacock's feather as a trinket on his chaplet - as if to boast his having a wisdom-eye symbolised by the eyelike marking on that feather; he with a satiny face of the moon smiles that model upon the smooth flowing honeydew - as if to boast his showering lunar nectar everywhere around; but when, really when will this pair of eyes of ours that is overwrought to see him be assuaged by that boy called krishna... [1-24]

Word analysis and exposition

1-24. shikhi pi~Ncha AbharaNaH = peacock's, feather, one who has it as his trinket; shishuH= that boy; vigalat madhu drava smita mudrA= flowing, honey, fluid - smooth, smile, with such a gesture - indicative of - one whose smiles are indicative of smooth flowing honey; mR^idunA mukha indunA= with a satiny, face, like that of moon; naH dR^ishoH yugalaM = our, eyes, pair of; kadA nu= when, really; shishirI kurute= cool, he makes - cools down.

English rendering

Endowed with opalescent sidelong glances that are gracing and vitalising all the world, which is a possibility with the unfledged; credited with wondrous exploits like lifting a mountain, shambling a cart, stifling a serpent etc, an impossibility even for the fully-fledged; with these factors your august for - divya mangala vigraha - is beaming forth with the gloriousness of infancy embedded with the magnificence of juvenescence; such as you are, make an appearance to cool down the burning eyes of mine with your cool kindliness, prithee, oh, moonish krishna... [1-25]

Word analysis and exposition

1-25. kAruNya karbura kaTAkSha nirIkShaNena [saMvalita= integrated with ] = with graciousness, iridescent, sidelong, glances - one who is integrated with gracious and opalescent sidelong glances - colour combination changes with the kind of devotee - prema bhakta, dAsya bhakta, vAtsalya bhakta etc.; bhuvanam ApuShNatA = world, those [glances] that are dowsing, nourishing - his gracious are vitalising worlds ; adbhuta vibhrameNa; adbhuta = by wondrous: govardhana uddharaNa Adi Ascharya janaka kAryeNa ; vibhrameNa [ vikrameNa ] = with exploits [saMvalita= integrated with such activity ] - your boyish form can undertake unimaginable exploits ; tAruNya saMvalita shaishava vaibhavena= with youthfulness, embodied with, infanthood, with the gloriousness of - though he is an infant, youthfulness pops up, though he comports himself like a youth, yet childhood peeps in - hence he has a divya mangala vigraham which is with the glory of both babyishness and mannishness; hè shrI kR^iShNa candra = oh, shrI krishna, moonish one; me locanaM shishirIkuru= my, eyes, please cool down.

English rendering

It is unbeknownst whether at any time I am blessed to glimpse at least a trivial glimpse from the edge of his eyes, from out of his myriad glances that are indescribable, darker than the dark-blue lotuses blossoming in rive yamuna, and that are ripply replete with commiseration; it is equally unbeknownst whether at any time I am blessed to undergo an indescribable happiness in my inmost heart with the audibility of amusing flute-melodies that are more cooler like the cool moon ensconced in the hair-locks of the retaliator of lovegod, namely shiva , from the flute called mohana vamshi of that boy called krishna... [1-26]

Word analysis and exposition

1-26. kAlindI kuvalaya dala shyAmala tarAH = River yamuna's , black-lotuses, petals, blackish, more than - that which are more blue-blackish than the petals of blue-black-lotuses blooming in river yamuna;

kim api= indescribable; karuNA vIci nicitAH kaTAkShA = commiseration, ripples, heaped up with, sidelong glances - the ripples of his trifling sidelong glances are indescribable and they are replete with commiseration;

yAmunotpalasitetaraloladayArdradR^igvilAsonnati - vengaya ;

kadA vA= whether at anytime; lakShyante= can be seen by me;

kandarpa prati-bhaTa = lovegod's - manmatha's , counter-soldier, counter-attacker - enemy of manmatha - namely god shiva ;; jaTA candra shishirAH= his hair-locks', moon, coolish - those flutings that are coolish like the cool moon ensconced in the hair-locks of the retaliator of lovegod, namely shiva ;

shambhujaTATavItaTAsannasudhAMshushItalalasanmuralIninAdAmR^itam - vengaya;

muralI keli ninadAH= flute's, amusing, melodies;

kim api= indescribable; antaH-toShaM= inmost, happiness - in heart of hearts; kadA vA= at which time; dadati = will be giving.

English rendering

There is much prating among the milkmaids of your vraja village about your shifty glances from one lass to another, about your sulking walking to one damsel from another, about your amatory talk to one dame than the other, about your bantering smiles at one maid from another, and about your airtight hugging of all the milkmaids, of course, in severalty; and because they say that you are such a mischievous swain, my eyes strain to have a glimpse you... oh, krishna ... [1-27]

Word analysis and exposition

1-27. hè nAtha = oh, lord; te= your; Alokitam a+dhIram= about seeing, not, steady - about your unsteady, shifting glances; gataM= about going - about your gait; that is; gambhIra vilAsa mantharam= weightily, vacillating, tardy - as sluggishly staggering gait; Ardra jalpitaM ca= about your romantically, said words, also; Akula ut+mada smitaM= about your - hectically, with heightened, passion, smiles smiled; Ali~Ngitam ca a+mandam = about your embraces, also, not, as slothful ones - impassioned embraces; gopikAH vidanti= milkmaids, are recounting.

English rendering

With a countenance laden with compelling grins, eyes far-reaching and wide, build grated under the busty bosoms of vraja damsels, body sporting sapphirine lambencies that boundlessly effuse everywhere as if sprays of glistening flowers are darting, your form is said to be the most charming one in all the three worlds; as such youare, let me, as an aesthetician, have a glimpse of that greatest form of yours, oh, krishna... [1-28]

Word analysis and exposition

1-28. That which is: a+stoka smita bharam= not, less, smiles, dense with- which is with compelling grins; Ayata Ayata= wider that the wide - that which are comparable with any wide things; akShaM= having such eyes; vraja a~NganAbhiH= by vraja , damsels; niHsheSha stana mR^iditaM= completely, with bosoms, pressurised; niHsIma= boundless; stabakita= made as bouquets, sprays [of glistening flowers]; nIla kAnti dhAraM = [your body's] bluish, light-beams; [you who are] sporting; tri-bhuvana sundaraM= in three worlds, most beautiful one; te mahaH= your, greatest [such a form of yours]; dR^ishyAsaM= let it be seen [by me].

English rendering

What business I have got to do with others in this world if your grace befalls on me - since my souls is elated; contrarily, if your grace goes amiss in my respect, what business I have got with another Super-Soul - since there is ne plus ultra than you; as such, let your graceful glances that assort well with the tuneful melodies of your flute mohana vamshi graciously sink in on me, oh krishna... [1-29]

Word analysis and exposition

1-29. Your : madhuraiH kaTAkShaiH= pleasing, glances; vaMshI ninAda anucaraiH= flute called vamshi's , melodies, assorting well with; hence; mayi prasAdaM vidhehi= on me, grace, accord; tvayi prasanne sati= [omnipotent] you, [if you show] beneficence, on me; iha= here in this world; a + paraiH= with others - with other fellow beings, naH kim [kAryam] = to us, what - what business we got to do with them; tvayi a+prasanne sati= if you are, not, gracious; iha= then; a + paraiH= not, with the other; or, with another, alien super-self - with another parama-Atma; naH kim [prayojanam]= what - what is the use with him - because there is none than you.

English rendering

Such as I am, oh, ocean of mercy, I beg of you with this deferential palm-fold of mine and in an insistent voice compacted with dolour, drench me with a whit of your merciful sidelong glance just for once... oh, god, krishna ... [1-30]

Word analysis and exposition

1-30. hè daya ambudhe= oh, mercy, ocean of; eSha= this me - such as I am; nibaddha mugdha a~njaliH san= one who made, deferential, palm-fold; nIrandhra dainya= compacted with, dolour; unnata mukta kaNTham yathA tathA= loudly, released, with voice - making insistent prayer; yAce- I beg of you; hè deva= oh, god; bhavat kaTAkSha dAkShiNya leshena= your, edge of eye, look with mercy, with an iota of it; sakR^it niShi~nca= just once, drench.

Source commentary

What ebbs in the ocean of your merciful glances if a ripple of sidelong glance wets me - dInasharaNya santatoddAma bhavat kR^ipArasasudhAmadhurAbditara~NgapAlilon emi korata... - vengaya .

English rendering

That which adorned with hairlocks that are accustomed for pinning the peacock feathers as adornments; that which the busty girls of vraja hold in high adoration just with their eyes; and that which is ever ready to vanquish either the moon or a lotus, that sapphirine orb called your babyish form is making our eyes fidgety as we would like to see more and more of that bAla-krishna... [1-31]

Word analysis and exposition

1- 31. [ tava shaishave= in your, childhood - your face in your childhood]; pi~NcCha avataMsa racanA ucita= for peacock's feather, as an adornment, in wearing, a befitting one [your hairdo]; kesha pAshe= having such hair, locks - your childhood face that is adorned with hairlocks that are accustomed for the feathers of peacock as adornments; pIna-stanI nayana pa~Nkaja pUjanIye = for busty girls', eyes, that are lotuslike - your face is highly adored with lotusy eyes of busty girls; candra aravinda vijaya udyata = moon, lotuses readied- that face which is ready to gain victory over those two; with such a childish face of yours; vaktra bimbe= your face, orb of; tava shaishave= in your, childhood; in such a childhood of yours; naH nayanaM cApalyam eti = our, eyes, into fidgetiness, going.

English rendering

I am aware that your childhood is a marvel in the triad of worlds; I am also aware that my disquietude for a glimpse of you is equally marvellous; in spite of this awareness I am still hankering after that possibility with which I can glimpse your infantile lotusy face, attaining which is beyond dialectics, and whose charm is heightened when melodies are vibrantly fluted with teeny-weeny facial expressions; as such, what more have I to do to become more perfect rubberneck just to fill my eyes with a glimpse of your lotusy face... tell me... oh, krishna... [1-32]

Word analysis and exposition

1-32. tvat shaishavaM= your, childhood; tri-bhuvana adbhutam iti = in triad of worlds, an astonishing one, thus; avaimi= I am aware; mama cApalaM ca = my, disquietude, also; yat tat= which is there, that is; adbhutam iti avaimi= astounding, thus, I am aware; vAk= with words; a + vivAda gamyam = without, dialectics, attainable - your form is beyond dialectical disputation; vi raNat muralI vilAsa mugdhaM = that which is highly sounded, flute, by its playing, verily charming - that face whose charms is heightened when he is fluting with puffing cheeks, whiffing lips etc; such a; mukha ambujam= face, called lotus; IkShaNAbhyAm= with the pair of my eyes - an eye-filling manner; ut+IkShitum= up, seeing - to crane and stare inquisitively - for becoming a rubberneck; kiM karomi= what, I have to do - what more can I do excepting praying for your grace.

English rendering

Whatever sweet-talk you have talked with mellifluent wordage and tonality that is honeylogged; whatever you have seen with your flittering broad eyes in an untypical way of boyishness that is provocative; all that is much discussed among the concupiscent milkmaids, and hence your looks and language are wallowing in the minds of those milkmaids with lovely eyes... [1-33]

Whatever you have said with harmonious wordage and tonality all that is nectarlogged, whatever you have seen with your flittering broad eyes in your boyhood in an untypical way of boyishness albeit like a teenager, which is much discussed among the concupiscent milkmaids, all those words and deeds are reeling in the minds of farsighted sages and saints...

Word analysis and exposition

1-33. On one hand :

pari-acita amR^ita rasAni= completely, coated with, nectar's, essence; pada artha bha~NgI valgUni = words', their meanings, their pattern, [all these are] harmonious / or, padArtha = matter; bha~NgI= the nature of; valgUni= harmonious words - harmonious words that contained the nature of matter - from maNi-suvarNAdi padArthA -s to the essential being of this world - what all you have said in many gIta-s about this world, living in this world, and passing from this world - para-tattva bodha ;

On the other hand:

valgita vishAla vilocanAni= much flittering, broad, eyes; bAlya adhikAni= for boyhood, out of the ordinary - your sayings / exploits that are untypical of a boy; mada vallava bhASitAni [ here not bhAvitAni] = by concupiscent, milkmaids, that are chattered; iha-loka-sambandhita;

such words / actions you exhibited:

tava jalpitAni= your, said - what all you have said and done;

su + dR^ishAM= those with good, eyes - milkmaids with lovely eyes / or, those farsighted sages and saints ; bhAve luThanti = in their thoughts, wallowing;

tava jalpitAni= your, said words - what all you have talked, either romantically with milkmaids, or philosophically to arjuna et al;

mada vallava bhAvitAni= by proud, cowherds - say, by all commoners; which words or actions have been adored by one and all in all these days;

but, those sayings are :

bAlya adhikAni= for boys, too much - verboten, beyond the pale; because, if boys take to your teachings arbitrarily, they either become debauchlors by your romantic sports - rAsa lIlAs stuff; or they will become pseudo-sanyasi-s by your bhagavadgita stuff;

yet they are :

su + dR^ishAM= for them with good, observation - those who have prescient outlook like sages and saints ;

bhAve luThanti = in their thoughts, your sayings will be gyrating - those sagacious persons have to ruminate over your saying;

because they are :

pari-acita amR^ita rasAni= they are completely, coated with, nectar's, essence;

pada artha bha~NgI valgUni = with ref to their wordage, their meanings, their pattern, all those sayings are harmonious;

valgita vishAla vilocanAni= that are circumspectly scanned, with broad-based, vi+locanAni= vi + alochitAni= verily, well thought of; foresighted sayings with far-reaching effects;

What all you have said, either romantically to milkmaids, or philosophically to arjuna et al, they are all adored by one and all in all these days; but, those sayings are beyond the pale of boys; yet, they will be rolling over in the minds of those that have prescient outlook like sages and saints, because those words of yours arecompletely nectarlogged and with ref to their wordage, meanings and pattern, all those sayings are harmonious because they are circumspectly scanned, broad-based, and well thought of sayings with far-reaching effects...[1-33]

English rendering

Revealing himself to me with his perpetually self-resplendent moonlike face that is ever acquiescent, when does he really play his most famous and nectar-filled melodies on his flute in a playful manner only to disrupt my meditation on that great ocean of graciousness called krishna ... [1-34]

Word analysis and exposition

1.34. punaH prasannena mukha indu tejasA = perpetually, acquiescent, with such a face, called moon, which will be self- resplendent ; puraH avatIrNasya= in my fore, having descended - after revealing himself to me ; kR^ipA mahA ambudheH= for graciousness, great, ocean of ; tat= that - with his most famous ; lIlA muralI rava amR^itaM eva= sportive, flute's, sounding, called nectar, with that alone ; me samAdhi vighnAya= my, meditation, for disrupting ; some will place the opening word punaH= again here, meaning 'when he will come again...' as if krishna has come in earlier times also; or, this punaH can be taken as 'when does his childhood reoccur ; but, perpetually is the meaning in general sense; kadA nu bhavet= when, really, will happen - when does he come - really .

English rendering

I am desperate for clenching that sapphirine-boy-cum-attitudiniser, in an inescapable hug just with my ambitiously vacillant eyes, if only he were to reveal himself to my eyes, why because my mind is highly-strung with an inexpressible ado, caused by the captivatingly undulating glances and by the charming struts and postures of that boy, and because he is the panacea of every eye, called krishna ... [1-35]

Word analysis and exposition

1.35. mugdha capalena vilokanena [vilokitena]= captivating, undulating, with such glances [or, that whish is seen, it is seen with such and such looks]; in addition to them; bhAvena= with such body language, charming demeanour - ceShTA-s; [ or bAlena = very delicate, not boyish]; mat mAnase= in my consciousness; kim api= anirvAcya = inexpressible; cApalam ut+vahantam= such a restless, up, heaving - he who is inciting; who further is; locana rasAyanam = for eyes, an elixir; who; lIlA kishoram= sportively, became a cub - who has become an attitudiniser as a boy for the sake of his sport;

adhyAdhAra from previous stanza: me samAdhi vighnAya puraH avatIrNasya= if he were to reveals himself in my fore to disrupt my concentration ;

lolena IkShaNena upa+gUhitum = with vacillant - ambitious, eyes, cave in on him - clench him inescapably; utsukAH smaH= desperate for, I am;

English rendering

What a pity, a certain heart-stealer is putting my mind to turmoil by nebulously closing and disclosing his little reddish fruit-like lips that are bugling and knobbing when he is huffing and puffing his flute, as well with the plenitude of heart-stealing and blissfully rapturous musical notes thereout, what a pity, intangible is that toddler-flutist, called krishna... [1-36]

Word analysis and exposition

1.36. hA hanta = what a pity; kena api = by someone; manaH hareNa= by some mAnasa-chora, by some heart stealer; anena = by this, an intangible entity called krishna, kR^iShNAkhya vastu ; a+dhIra = not, steady - motile; bimba = that which is like the reddish small-cucurbit fruit; adhara= such like lower lip; vibhrameNa= by that lip's quick motility; or , manaH hareNa= by heart-stealing - melodies; harSha Ardra = with rapture, blent with - that are blissfully rapturous; veNu svara sampadA ca= flute's, musical notes, by the plenitude of, as well; [me] manaH dhinoti= [my] mind, is delighting, enthralled; [dhunoti= my mind is put to tumult ; dhunoSi= you cause it to tremble] ; hA hanta= what a pity.

English rendering

As long as hitherto unfamiliar death-rattle do not descend on me, so long let the stream of consciousness flowing through my mind's eye, a single faculty that will still be working when all my other limbs are battered and hang loose on their joints owing to caducity, be snowballed in the moonlight streaming from your moonlike face... oh, lord ... krishna... [1-37]

Word analysis and exposition

1-37. hè vibho = oh, lord; nava upatApaH= new, agony - an unfamiliar agony of its own kind, death rattle - maraNa vedana ; me= my; nikhila marma= on all, pivotal parts of body; dR^iDha abhighAta= dR^iDhatvam abhighAtam= firmness, that which mars down; niH + sandhi bandhanam = without, hinges, when limbs become - raw-boned, resulting in caducity, old age; yAvat na udeti= as long as, not, coming upon me; tAvat= till then; mama citta dhArA= my, consciousness', stream; tAvaka vaktra candra= your, face, called moon; candra Atapa= by moon's, shine; dviguNitA= doubled, boosted, snowballed; bhavatu= let it be;

tAvaka sudhAdhArAlaveNuswanon- nata lAvaNyaramAnivAsamukhachandra jyotsna - uppongeDu gAta - vengayAmAtya.

English rendering

Before the gloom of dotage seeps through my eye-sockets after obfuscating every other faculty of mine in the terminal stage of life, let my stream of consciousness surge towards the moon's orb called your face, wherefrom highly mellisonant flute-melodies will be surging, and whereat grandeur made a splendid playhouse for itself, just to envisage you, oh, krishna ... [1-38]

Word analysis and exposition

1. 38. timirI kR^ita sarva bhAvA = gloomy, made as, all, perceptions; dashami nara dashA satI = in tenth, human, stage that being so - last 10 years of hundred years of lifespan, or the ultimate stage in the series of shaishava, bAlya, yauvana, kaumAra etc dashA -s - maraNa dasha; me dR^ishaH randhrAt api = my, vision's, outlets, even from; yAvat= before long; na udeti= not, going to take birth - before the onset of darkness through the sockets of my eyes; tAvat= till then; lakShmyAH= by its beauty; lAvaNya keli bhavanaM= for elegance, which is a play, house; tava= your; sam+ut+kvaNita veNu= with highly mellisonant, flute; a face lipping flute for such melodies; mukha indu bimbam= face, called moon's, orb; [ adyAdhAra; ellipt. from above stanza: mama chitta dhArA= stream of my consciousness ]; etu = let it go.

Source commentary

Telugu poet velagapUDi venganAmAtya has left out this stanza because the import of this and the previous one are almost the same.

English rendering

When that sapphirine boy is advancing by tripping his light fantastic toe, looking a little downwards with his flute-wedged-face, the ground in his fore appears to have been hallowed just with his swivelling and playful looks, as is done by swaying burning camphor at deities in daily worship, whereof I am able to listen to the nectarlogged and vibrant melodies flowing from his flute to the accompaniment of tintinnabulation of jewelled anklets of that ocean of grace called krishna ... [1-39]

While that sapphirine boy is advancing with forward trotting, the milkmaids dancing in his fore with backstep trotting seem to be hallowing him just with their swivelling and playful looks that are akin to the smoothable flares of camphor lit in the daily worship of deities, and even in that bustle, audible are the nectarlogged and vibrant melodies flowing from his flute to the accompaniment of tintinnabulation of jewelled anklets of that ocean of grace called krishna...

Word analysis and exposition

1-39. Alola locana vilokita = swivelling, with eyes, that which is seen - the foreyard, or, the who are seeing him with swivelling eyes - milkmaids; keli dhArA= with playful, series of looks - his own looks at the ground before him, or the looks of milkmaids at him; nIrAjita= as if worshipped by swaying burning camphor - at him by milkmaids, or, by him at the foreground; agra saraNeH [caraNaiH]= the foreground of, [ground before his feet, while he is advancing with dancing feet, and while the milkmaids are promenading before him with back-step dancing - the ground in between] or, saraNi = the way in which we do things; karuNa ambu rAsheH = of that one who is for - graciosity, water, heap of - an ocean of grace; prati-nAda pUraiH= reverberations, filled with; veNu ninadaiH= accompanied by flute's, melodies; ArdrANi = wet with - nectarlogged with; maNi nUpura shi~njitAni= his bejewelled, anklets', tintinnabulation ; AkarNayAmi= I am listening.

Source commentary

The first construct, krishna hallowing the earth, has a base on the hymn of mahA- nArAyaNa upanishad - ashva krAnte, ratha krAnte atha viShNukrAnte vasundharA - ' why horses of ritual or chariot like sages, oh, vasundhara , not less than viShNu treaded on you...'; the second meaning is situational.

Word analysis and exposition

1-40. Is there anything deducible from list of words used in verse; Let us see what is there in this divine conversation:

Poet: When can I apperceive you, hè deva... oh, god...

Krishna: How can you, immortals are unapparent... aprakAshamAna ...

Poet: How can it be, you cannot go against the definition of deva - dyotanAt iti deva , or dIpyate, prakAshate, krIDate - iti deva - gods are self-luminous, self-manifest etc, hence, I said deva ... svataH siddha prakAsha svabhAva ...

K: Maybe, what is the guarantee that you like me most...?

P: That is why I said dayita ... you alone are the most cherished one...

K: There are many more cherishing me... not you alone...

P: I know, I know, hence I said - hè jagat eka bandho... universal friend... and universal entities do not distinguish between cherishers by degrees of difference...

K: I may appear to some, and I may not for others, it is my will...

P: Yes, yes, hence I said, chapala ... most mercurial entity... but I also said karuNa eka sindho - a singular ocean of mercy, in that you have more mercy than mercuriality... so I need your visitation...

K: What big bond exists between you and me to make that ocean of mercy to outflow its shore...

P: That of master-servant... hence I said hè nAtha... because of that sva-svAmi-bhAva-rUpa-visheSha , it will be apt you to please your servants...

K: Lords appear at the pleasure of their lordships, not at the beck and call of servants...

P: That's why I said that you are ramaNa , a delighter of one and all without echalonic distinctions... hence reveal yourself to me...

K: Agreed that I am ramaNa , so let me take and give delight to your heart of hearts, why showing myself before your eyes...

P: Because you are nayana abhirAma, the ultimate eye-feast... ad infinitum ;

All said and done ;

hè kR^iShNa =; mè dR^ishoH padaM= my, sight's, object; kadA nu bhavitA asi hA hA= when, really, you will be, alas, alas.

Oh, Krishna, when can I really feast my eyes on you...?

English rendering

Oh singular ocean of mercy, days beyond recall are unavailing because you are undetectable, in the face of it, oh, fosterer of the helpless, how to while away some more worthless days till my last day without catching a glimpse of you... oh god, oh, god... tell me oh, krishna... [1-41]

Word analysis and exposition

1-41. karuNa eka sindho= for mercy, singular, ocean; anAtha bandho= helpless one's, fosterer of; hè hare= one who steals heart by his transcendental charm; tvat Alokanam antareNa= you, seeing, without - because I could not see you in all these days, these days are; a+dhanyAni = not, lucky, unavailing; such as those days are; amUni dina antarANi= these, days - some more days yet to come; kathaM nayAmi= how, can I while away; hA hanta hA hanta = oh, my god, oh, my god.

English rendering

How can I see into the entrails of my heart of hearts, wherein certain boy is reposing with brilliant and sweatiest form that which is beholder's eye-festival, because such a pitiably rueful desire to see him with my own eyes is dangling in my mind for a long time... how to make my heart satisfied with that desire, what advise I can have, whom should I consult, will anybody tell me whether there is any other blessed way to glimpse therein for that sapphirine boy called krishna ... [1-42]

Word analysis and exposition

1-42. madhura madhura smera AkAre = sweetest of the sweet, brilliant, who is with such a form, or, with such a smile; mano nayana utsave= for mental, eye, who is a festivity; kR^iShNe= regarding such krishna; kR^ipaNa kR^ipaNA tR^iShNA= saddest than the sadder, ambition ; ciraM lambate= for a long time, dangling - in my heart; bata= alas; dhanyAH= oh, blessed - fellow devotees; kim iva shR^iNumaH= what we have to hear of it - how to entertain it; kasya brUmaH= to whom, we shall complain; katham AshayA kR^itam= how, with that expectation, [my heart] made - my heart becomes contented; hR^idaye shayam kR^iShNe= in heart, reposing - who is instated in my heart; katham manyAmahe= how to, reckon upon him - or his revelation; bata= alas.

bata= say, oh, people ; madhura madhura smera AkAre= sweetest, of the sweet, brilliant, who is with such a form; mano nayana utsave= for mental, eye, who is a festivity - netra manobhirAma ; kR^iShNe= regarding such krishna; kR^ipaNa kR^ipaNA tR^iShNA= saddest than the sadder, ambition ; ciraM lambate= for a long time, dangling - in my heart; AshayA katham kR^itam= with that expectation, how to, made - my heart becomes contented; kim iva shR^iNumaH= what we have to hear of it - what advise I have; kasya brUmaH= to whom, we shall complain - whom should I consult; kR^iShNe hR^idaye shayam = about krishna, in heart, reposing; aho= what a surprise; anyAm dhanyAm kathAm kathayata= another, blessed, method, you please tell - will you please tell me another blessed way to fulfil my wish.

English rendering

All the while these two eyes of mine have seen very imposing things in the world; but whenever I spot that lovely kid with very delicate lotus-petal like eyes reposing in my heart with the very same eyes, and wished to take him up in my arms for a tight embrace thinking that he is very tiny, he is hoodwinking the very same eyes and slipping... what am I to do when the divine widget called fortune is very far away from me in cuddling that boy, called krishna ... [1-43]

Word analysis and exposition

1-43. AbhyAm vilocanAbhyAm = with these, two eyes - that have seen very imposing things like parvatAdi mahad vastUni, mountains etc; ambuja dala lalita lochanAm= lotus, petal like, very delicate, one having eyes - Krishna; bAlam = boy - though he is kid; dvAbhyAm api= with these both - eyes, even - even though he is just a kid to my sight that has seen huge things; whenever I wished to; parirabdhum= to enfold, embrace; [hR^idaye shayam = in heart, who is reposing - krishna] daiva sAmagrI= divine, apparatus - fortune; mama dUre= from me, remote; hanta = what am I to do.

English rendering

Adorned with a perpetual smile on the rubicund lips upon the rhapsodically gleeful face that is exalted with the rapturous melodies fluted therefrom, whereon broad and half-closed eyes sway a lot edgewise... such as it is when can I really glimpse that face of yours called lotus... oh, krishna ... [1-44]

Word analysis and exposition

1-44. a + shrAnta smitam = with not, remitting, smile - a face which has such a smile; aruNa aruNa adhara oShThaM= reddest, than the redder, with such a lower, lip; harSha Ardra dviguNa manoj~na veNu gItam= rapture, wet with - rhapsodically, doubled - exalted, flute's, fluting - the face that has such melodies - from which such melodies are flowing; vibhrAmyat vipula vilocana ardha mugdhaM = verily swaying, broad, eyes, half, closed - which face has got those sidelong glances; such a; tava vadana ambujaM= your, face, called lotus; kadA nu vIkShiShye = when, really, can I see.

English rendering

His eyes are broad, exhilarant, founts for the calmative elixir of romantics, centrally ebon peripherally rosy, and marvellously zigzagging; but, what might be the slated time for him to just throw a glance at me, for that merciful boy with such and such lotusy eyes is called, krishna ... [1-45]

Word analysis and exposition

1-45. kAruNikaH kishoraH = that merciful, boy; lIlA AyatAbhyAM= with exhilarant, broad - eyes; rasa shItala AbhyAM= sR^ingAra rasa shItala= with the romantics, elixir of, cooling - calmative; nIla aruNAbhyAM= black at the irises; rosy at edges of eyeballs; adbhuta vibhrama AbhyAM= marvellously, zigzagging; nayana ambujAbhyAm= with such eyes, called lotuses; kAle kadA= time, at which; [mAm] Alokayet - me, he will glance.

English rendering

Luxuriant is his hairdo on which a bandeau of peacock feathers is there, beneath which his eyes are bolting and darting, beneath which his charming crimsony lips ever wear a prettily delicate smile; with them he whose demeanour in toying with world is in utter constancy and in outright perpetuity like mountain mandara; my eyes search for such a boy in such a get-up, called Krishna... [1-46]

Word analysis and exposition

1-46 . bahula cikura bhAraM= much, tresses, weight of - having a bushy hairdo; baddha pi~Ncha avataMsaM= fastened, peacock's feathers, as ornament - with a bandeau of peacock feathers; capala capala netraM= darting, bolting, with such eyes; cAru bimba adhara oShTham= charming, red-fruit-like, lower lip; madhura mR^idula hAsaM= prettily, delicate, with smile; mandara = mandara adri dhR^iti= like Mt. mandara's constancy; udAra lIlaM= in perpetuity, are his [demeanour in] toying [with world]; me nayanaM [tam] mR^igayati = my, eyes [him], searches; murAreH mugdha veShaM= that Krishna, in a delighting, getup.

English rendering

That haecceity which stole the blueblack hue of rainclouds for its complexion; a little sang-froid under the strain of continuous disporting with the world; with a delightful lotusy lineament lined with lusty peahen's plumage, and we explore some such prodigy with benign sidelong glances that ever erase the inertia of world, namely Krishna... [1-47]

Word analysis and exposition

1-47. bahula jalada cChAyA= thick, water-clouds', hue of; choraM = one whose beauty stole the beauty of clouds' hue for his complexion; vilAsa bhara alasaM = [one that] in playful act, by their burden, a little sluggish - his lotusy face; mada shikhi= an excited, peahen's; shikhA = plumage; lIlA uttaMsaM= [whose beauty has got it] as a sportive, headgear; manoj~na mukha ambujam = such a delightful, face, called lotus;

karuNA apA~Nga udagram [yathaa tathaa] = filled with benignity, sidelong glances, surging;

kamalA apA~Nga udagram = with lotus-petal like eyes, side glances, squirting;

prasanna jagat jaDaM = silenced, world's, inertia; whose sidelong glances ever remove world's inertia;

pra+sa~Nga jagat jitam= always attached, world, conquered = who won over the world by ever attaching his sidelong glances on it; kliSTaanvayi ;

madhurima parIpAka udrekaM = a tenderness, that reached a culmination, and welling forth;

kam api = some such [beauty]; vayaM mR^igayAmahe = we are, scouting about.

English rendering

Neither the sages concluded in their conclaves, nor Vedic statements have consolidated about the being-ness of that Being, which at the same time is apperceivable to the eyes of boorish vraja beauties ; even so, that Being glowing in the hue of just bloomed blue-lotus, ever wears a heart-stealing smile on its countenance, stealing the triad of the world; when can I have an eyeful look at that self-luminance called Krishna... [1-48]

Word analysis and exposition

1-48. an+idam udayAnAm [= udaya AdInaam ] = not [impossible], [to tell] this is his] start, or birth, or his growth - inexplicable is the data about his birth, starting point, growth etc;

vAcAm api = by statements [of Veda-s, Upanishad-s etc], even by them; an+AmR^ishyaM = not, touched upon;

therefore:

munInAM pariShadi parAmR^ishyan api= in sages, assemblages, [this topic of his Being is] dealt with, even though; dUre = he is very far - it is a far cry to decipher Him;

but;

vraja vadhU dR^ishAM dR^ishyaM = for vraja , beauties', eyes, that Being is apperceived;

such as he is who;

shashvat tri bhuvana manohAri vadanam = always, tri, world, heart-stealing, with such a face;

dara dalita nIla utpala rucim = a little, bloomed, blue, lotus-like, in shine with;

devaM = at such a luminary;

kadA darI dR^ishye = when, to the end [eyefully], can I have a look.

English rendering

With wigwagging eyes on sprightly lotusy face, both agilely casting about for his adorers, at the same time piping flute with covert messages to his beloveds - he is an eye-feast; when can I really see that self-refulgence, a dear one to one and all, called Krishna... [1-49]

Word analysis and exposition

1-49. lIla anana ambujam = with sprightliness, a face, lotus-like; a+dhIram udIkShamANaM = not, steadily, seeing - searching here and there with too much tilting of his face, face casting about for; veNu vivareShu= in flute's, holes; narmANi = covert messages in the form of flutings; niveshayantam = one who is entering - piping the flute; lolAyamAna nayanaM = with wigwagging, eyes; nayana abhirAmaM = who for any eyes, a delighter - an eye-feast; devaM [or vande]= a certain phosphorescence - luminosity without combustion or perceptible heat; dayitam = a dear one to one and all; kadA nu vyatilokayiShye = when, really, can I see; [ vande = when can I personally adore him].

English rendering

His getup with a glow on coyly lips that are drenched in the honey called his delicate smiles, with a moonlike face that is tended by no less than full moon, will be heart-pleasing for aesthetic people; that silhouette of his boyhood picture is repeatedly stowing in my heart, only to make me short-winded for an entelechy of that boy called Krishna... [1-50]

Word analysis and exposition

1-50. rasaj~na manoj~na veSham = for aesthetic people, heart-pleasing, is his getup;

lajjat = a little coyly; mR^idu= delicately; smita madhu snapita = smiles, called honey, drenched in; adhara = such lips; aMshu = with glow of such lips;

rAka indu= night's, shiner = by moon; lAlita = nurtured by [that moon] ; mukha indu = with such a face, called moon;

mukunda bAlyam = mukunda's , boyhood;

rekha Avalekhini = silhouetted, picture;

mè manasi muhuH lagnaM = in my, heart, repeatedly, riveted;

lampaTa sampradAyam = of entanglement, a regularity - regularly making me short-winded for his sAkShAtkAram - a sort of entelechy; [ bhavati = it is becoming.]

English rendering

Filamentous are his eyes similar to the grandeur of just bloomed lotus when delicately touched by a host of dainty rays of tender sun, on a rhapsodic moon called his face that is ever gleeful for his ever winning nature in the grapples of courtships with the beauties of vraja village; I am enrapt in the rapturousness of the face of that luminary called Krishna... [1-51]

Word analysis and exposition

1-51. a+hima kara = not, snow, maker - by sun's; kara nikara = rays, a heap of; mR^idu= delicately; mR^idita = touched; lakShmI = grandeur; sarasa tara = delicacy, to higher degree; sarasi ruha = lake, born, ones - lotuses; sadR^isha = sufficient unto; dR^ishi = one with such delicate eyes; deve= of that luminary; vraja yuvati = with vraja , milkmaids; rati kalaha = when in grapples of courtship; vijayi = one who is always winning - Krishna; with such winning spree there chanced a rhapsodic state - yogic trance - on his face; nija lIlA mada = with his own, sports, with rhapsodic state; mudita vadana shashi = with a gladdened, face, called moon; madhurimaNi = in that rapturousness [of that face]; lIye = I am engulfed, enraptured - let me blend my being in that.

English rendering

Petaline are his fingers that modulate very fine tunes on his bamboo flute called mohana vamshi, which euphonic melodies are like gliding ambrosial streams filling a serene ambrosian lake called his face, on which lake ripply are his smiles filled with his intrinsic quintessence; my being is blent in such a mellifluence that ever cascades from those jewelly lips of that boy called Krishna... [1-52]

Word analysis and exposition

1-52. kara kamala dala= hands, lotus like, petals - petals of lotus like hands - with petaline fingers;

dalita = modulated tunes [ kalita = commingled tunes]; lalita tara = fine, very; vaMshI = of such a flute called mohanavamshi ;

kala ninada = euphonic, melodies; galat amR^ita = gliding, ambrosia; ghana sarasi = having a great, lake [a serene ambrosian lake called his face];

sahaja rasa bhara = intrinsic, with quintessence, filled; bharita dara hasita = filled with, a little, smiles; vIthI = rows, ripples of smiles;

satata vahat adhara maNi madhurimaNi = always, cascading, lips, called jewels, which possesses such mellifluence; deve = of that luminescence; lIye = let me blend my being in that.

English rendering

Ever glowing is his chest with the deposits of body cosmetic dabbed from the potlike bosoms of milkmaids because his wont is to embrace those maids tightly when they will be resenting in suffering defeat in the flower-throw love games played almost like a fusillade of flowery arrows as if waged by lovegod; ever gleeful is his prideful face with a pretty smile for it has already filched the grandeur of the moon, whereby its radiance is repeatedly anew, and hence, let me dissipate in the daintiness that drizzle form the lotuslike face of that boy called Krishna... [1-53]

Word analysis and exposition

1-53. kusuma-shara = [wielder of] flower, arrows - Lovegod; shara-samara= in [flowery] arrows, battle - in a love-battle in which flower throwing game will be there like shooting arrows - conducted by Lovegod; kupita = those that are resenting - because they loose the game; mada-gopI = of cheeky, milkmaids; kuca-kalasa = on bosoms, pot like; ghusR^iNa rasa = body cosmetic's, residue - usually red sandal paste; urasi lasat= with a chest, that is shining with [their breast paint is dabbed on his chest when he embraced them]; and whose face is; mada mudita [lulita] = with pride, gleeful [commingled]; mR^idu hasita = prettily, smiling; muShita shashi shobhA= [which face has already] filched, moon's grandeur; muhuH adhika= repeatedly, enriched; mukha-kamala madhurimaNi = face, called lotus's, sweetness; deve = in such a resplendence, of that god ; lIye= [let me] dissipate into.

English rendering

Curvy are his eyebrows, wedged behind the thickset fine strands of eyelashes, his eyes are beamy, benignant and roving, speaking style softish, roseate lips wet with nectar, indecipherable yet melodious flutings from his flute called mohana-vamshi are vibrant, and my eyes visually hallow the world-enchanting form of that boy from vraja village, called Krishna... [1-54]

Word analysis and exposition

1-54. In his features he is: jagan mohinIm = to world, mesmeric;

because, in point of:

a+sita bhruvoH = not, white [black], eyebrows; A-namrAm a little bent - arching like a bow;

a+kShINa pakShma a~NkureShu = not lessening [thick], eyelashes, in fine strands; upacitAm = that are beamy; anurAgiNoH= benignant; nayanayoH = eyes; AlolAm= that are roving;

mR^idau jalpite = softish, in speaking style;

ArdrAm, adhara amR^ite A+tAmrAm= drenched with, lips', nectar, reddish - lips;

a+mlAna = not, fading, hence gambhIra - reverberant; vaMshI raveShu = in flute called vamshi , in its tunes; mada kalAm= indecipherable, yet melodious;

vraja shishoH mUrtiM= village vraja's , boy, his form; mama locanaM AshAste= my, eyes, are yearning [to see, or, hallowing him - mangaLAcharaNa ].

English rendering

That which reflected in my heart when I am in a state of concentration induced by meditation, smAdhi niShTha, are forsooth impossible to find among other gods... say, his boyishness, his cuddly lotus face, gentle tenor of grace-according nature in his facial expressions, those frisky sidelong glances, that charismatic charm, even the brilliance of the cute smiles of that sapphirine-boy, called Krishna... [1-55]

Word analysis and exposition

1-55. tat = - here this word tat means 'that which reflected in my heart' - my mental picture of him - but not as 'that which belongs to Krishna' - so, the other tat words used here may be taken like this; kaishoraM = [that boy's,] boyishness; ca = and; tat vaktra aravindaM = that which reflected in my heart, [that boy's] face, called lotus; tat kAruNyaM = that which reflected in my heart, [that boy's] grace; ca = further; te lIlA-kaTAkShAH = those, his playful, sidelong glances; tat saundaryaM = that reflected in my heart, charismatic charm [of that boy]; ca = further; sA manda smita shrIH= those, cute, smiles', brilliance; durlabhaM daivateShu = hard to find, [even] among gods; satyaM satyaM = really, truly.

English rendering

On every path of our conscience we chance upon that stripling saturated with ever fresh pencils of sapphirine luminescence, and discern him as the only avowed source to quell every outbreak befalling on his adherers who mutated their hearts as sprays and bouquets of complete trustiness in that boy called Krishna... [1-56]

Word analysis and exposition

1-56. murAreH shaishavam = Krishna's, childhood; prati nava = each, new - ever new; kAnti kandala Ardram = luminescence's, sprouts, wet with - saturated with ever fresh pencils of sapphirine luminescence; pashyAmaH = we are seeing - it is obvious;

or , if it is: pra+shyAma = verily, bluish - the above sapphirine luminescence;

vishvAsa stabakita cetasam= vishvAsa = trustiness - that this boy is the lone saviour; stabakita = made [that trust] as sprays and bouquets; cetasam janAnAm = with such hearts, of people - for people whose hearts have become sprays and bouquets of complete trustiness in that boy; pathi pathi = on every path - of our conscience - antaHkaraNa lpravRittti -s; vishva upaplava shamana = every, outbreak, quelling; eka baddha dIkSham = the only, tied in - avowed, commitment - the only avowed source to quell every outbreak befalling on his adherers; pashyAmaH = we are seeing - we discern.

English rendering

"Oh, dear, look at that boy with peacock feathers tucked in coiffure, build more delightful than a column of blue-beryl, countenance sweetly with a fascinatingly splendid smile, eyes roving, speech puerilely bracing, strutting stance more exemplary than that a proud elephant; who might be he, entering the streets of mathura city from there... [1-57]

Word analysis and exposition

1-57. aye bAle = oh, dear; mauliH candraka bhUShaNA [bhUShaNo] = crown of hairdo, with peacock feathers, adorned; vapuH= body; marakata = [more than] blue-beryl; stambha = column; abhirAmam = delightful; vaktram = face; citra vi+mugdha hAsa citra [mthuram]= with amazing; vi+mugdha= very fascinating; hAsa = with such a smile; [in another mms - hAsa laharI vinyAsa dhanya adharam = with smiles, ripples of, sportively, hallowed, lips = one having lips hallowed with sportively emanating ripples of pretty smiles - and hence that face is sweetly ]; madhuram = sweetly; dR^ishau vi+lole = looks, verily, roving; vAcaH shaishava shItalA = speech, boyishly, bracing; vilAsa sthitiH = strutting, stance; mada gaja shlAghyA = by prideful, elephants, praiseworthy; mandam mandam = slowly, slowly; itaH = from here; [mithaH= secretly ]; mathurA vIthIm gAhate = mathura city, in streets, entering ; ka eSha = who is this.

Source commentary

C.F Song of Solomon ch. 5, v. 14: His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. His legs are as pillars of marble... &c

English rendering

Some divine resplendence in the form of a boy is beaming on my heart, whose feet have bested all the genera of lotuses in the matter of delicacy and which are reckoned on by the goddess Lakshmi, the resident of the very same lotuslakes amid lacklustre lotuses vis-à-vis the feet of that boy; which boy's hands always take delight in the merriment of playing flute melodiously; arms are the other word for the symmetrical beauty of the build, which for fawneyed maids are the catalysts to become ardent devotees if they chance to go into the hug of those arms; face is beyond the scope of the cornucopian speech to delineate; with all of them is this the self-luminescence of just a boy called Krishna... [1-58]

Word analysis and exposition

1-58. yasya pAdau = which boy's, feet;

pAda [vAda] vinirjita ambuja vanau ; pAda = by a fraction, say 1/4th part [vAda = in disputation whether the feet are delicate or the lotuses are delicate ] ; vi+nirjita = completely, bested; ambuja vanau = lotuses, forests of - genera of lotuses; - his feet that have already humbled down all the genera of lotuses in the matter of delicacy - are the abode of Lakshmi;

padma AlayA ala~NkR^itau= lotus-lake, resident of, embellished with - with goddess Lakshmi [lambitau= she who reckons on those feet];

yasya pANI = which boy's, hands: veNu vinodana praNayinau = playing flute, in such merriment, they are delighted;

yasya bAhU = which boy's, arms; paryApta shilpa shriyau = suffices, for architectural, beauty;

or, paryAya shilpa shriyau , where paryAya = the other word - arms are the other word for the symmetrical architecture of the build;

or , paryApta shilpa.a.ashrayA= paryApta shilpa AshrayA= almost as above - unreckoned usage;

further those arms are:

mR^iga dR^ishAM= for fawn, eyed maids; dohada bhAjanaM = catalytic, convertors - they catalyze fawneyed maids to become ardent devotees if they chance to go into the hug of those arms;

yasya girau = which boy's, speech; mAdhurya dhArA = sweetness, streams [kirau= sweetness sprinklers ];

yasya vaktraM = which boy's, face; vAk vibhava ati la~Nghitam = speech's, cornucopia, much, jumped over - beyond the scope of the cornucopian speech - to describe;

[vAk viShaya abhi la~Nghitam= beyond the subject matter of speech

with these attributes:

etat mahaH = all this self-luminance; bAlaM kim = that of a boy, is it so?

aho = what a wonder.

English rendering

Much appreciated ornament of yours is just a peacock feather and other ornaments are unneeded, is it so; your face gleams forth just with the glitter of one, two, three vertical lines, two white and one red line in between them, say your kastUri tilakam , making other ornaments needless, is it so; further, to enrich the glister of that face one glistening lower lip of yours that is celebrated for its nectarine speech is enough, is it; but you make an imponderable and splendorous manifestation of yourself to the less learned in an ostentatious getup, is isn't it; but, what really is that wondrous, incredible, unbelievable, inexplicable [and what not] self-refulgence, with or without ensemble, called Krishna... [1-59 ]

Extrinsic is any other ornament as the intrinsic value of his face abounding with romantic facial language which itself is a highly adored ornament on which the maquillage is his celebrated lips with panoplied undulations of exemplar radiance; but unintelligent think of decorating him with precious jewellery which is a waste, because fabulous, wondrous and prodigious is self-effulgence of that boy called Krishna...

Word analysis and exposition

1-59. bahumataM vibhUShaNaM = much appreciated, ornament; barhaM nAma = [just a] peacock feather, is it so; veShAya sheShaiH alaM [nAma] = for getup, remaining [ornaments], barely necessary - other ornaments are unneeded, or what;

vaktraM = face; dvi tri= two, three; visheSha= is withspecific marks = two white, one red coloured vertical tilaka marks - kastuuri tilakam lalATa phalake; kAnti laharI = with the glitter of that tilakam's radiance; vinyAsa nAma = with the panoply - face is gleaming forth, is it so;

dhanya adharam nAma = [further that face is] gleaming with celebrated, lips, is it so;

alpa dhiyAm = for those with low, intellects; a+gamya vibhavaiH shIlaiH = with an imponderable, splendorous, manifestation - you make a picture of yourself, is it so;

shR^i~NgAra bha~NgI mayaM = [that too] with a romantic, body language, filled with;

mahaH = this resplendence is; citraM citram aho vicitram ahaho citraM vicitraM = is beyond exclamatory speech.

veShAya = for makeup; dvi tri= two, three; visheSha kAnti laharI = exemplar, radiance, undulations; vinyAsa = with their panoply; dhanya adharam = celebrated, lip;

shR^i~NgAra bha~NgI mayaM = with romantic, facial language, filled with;

etat vaktraM = this, face - of yours;

bahumataM vibhUShaNaM nAma = highly adored, ornament, by itself;

alpa dhiyAm = for those with low, intellect;

a+gamya vibhavaiH = those that are not, obtainable - highly precious; sheShaiH shilpaiH = with other, ornaments; alaM = enough; unintelligent think of decorating you with precious jewellery - but it is a waste; because;

[etat] mahaH = [this] super-self-luminance of his is; citraM citram aho vicitram ahaho citraM vicitraM = highly wondrous.

English rendering

That boy's spellbinding playing is filling not only in my forefront but everywhere around me, for which my ken alone is the testifier; but, whenever I extend my arms to take that boy into my fold he is off by an arm's length; oh, mother, what is all this! All worlds seem packed with this suppositious boy called Krishna... [1-60]

Word analysis and exposition

1. 60. agre = before [my eyes]; kAm api = some inexplicable - form of a sapphirine boy; keli lakShmIm samagrayati = with his play's, charm, piling up; not only in my fore but; anyAsu dikShu api = in other, directions, even; the charm of his playing is being filled; for this; vilocanam eva sAkShi = [my mental] eye, alone, is the witness; but that boy is always; hasta patha dUram = cubit, path, distant - a cubit length away; [ hastam atha dUram = atha hastam dUram; atha = then - after extending my hand; hastam dUram = a cubit's length, away - whenever I extend my arm to grab him, he is away by one cubit]; aho amba = oh, mother; etat kim = all this, what is; me = to me; jagat trayaM = worlds, triad of; [AshA] kishora-mayam = [suppositious] boy, jam-packed with; AsIt= has become; hA hanta = oh, god.

Word analysis and exposition

1-61. [ shrI kR^iShNasya= of Krishna;] bahulam cikuram = thick, is the coiffure; viralam bhramaram = many, are the hairlocks flitting on forehead like honeybees; mR^idulam vacanam= softish, is the speech; vipulam nayanam = broad, are his eyes; madhuram adharam= mellifluous, are his lips; lalitam vadanam = pretty, is his face; capalam caritam ca = mercurial, is his comport, too - so far as milkmaids are concerned; kadA = when can that; anubhave = come into direct experience.

Thick is his coiffure, beelike hairlocks many, speech softish, eyes broad, lips mellifluous, with them his face is pretty, albeit he in his comport with milkmaids is mercurial... when can all these traits are experienceable directly of this boy called Krishna... [1-61]

English rendering

We have been praying time and time again, "oh, lord the hospice of grace, lead us unto you..."; but it is unclear when does this obsecration come to the ears of that guardian of living beings amidst the zigzagging melodies of his flute, in which he is always engrossed, since it is the wont of that boy called Krishna... [1-6 2 ]

Word analysis and exposition

1-62. hè kR^ipA alaya = oh, grace, a hospice of; naH paripAlaya = us, you lead; iti= in this way; naH = our [prayers]; a+sakR^it jalpitam = not, for once, said - prayers; Atma bAndhavaH vibhuH = intimate, associate [ of jIva loka ], such lord; muralI mR^idula svana antare = flute's, mellifluent, tunes, in between; kadA nu AkarNayitA = when, really, he will listen.

Word analysis and exposition

1-63. kadA nu = when, really; kasyAM nu = at what stage, really; vipat dashAyAM = of pernicious, state; kaishora gandhiH= one who has childhood, redolence; karuNa ambudhiH = for grace, an ocean of; naH= us; vipula AyatAbhyAm vilocanAbhyAM = with his broad, widened eyes - not knitting eyes, but with a wide-eyed inspection; AlokayiShyan = wishing to see [us in ill] viShayIkaroti = makes [us] as subject [of his eyes]

or, kasyAM nu vipat dashAyAM = in whatever problematic state; kaishora gandhiH = he who is redolent of a boy; rather who has boyish impetuosity to spring at that problem &c; kadA nu viShayIkaroti &c.

At what time and stage of our pernicious state does that ocean of grace redolent with perpetual childishness make us as a subject of his broad-wide eyes as we will be freed from our fatality with a wink of that boy called Krishna... [1-63]

Source commentary

He sprang at the problems of draupadi, gajendra, prahlAda et al only at climax. Because they are the legendary personalities they sustained all those ordeals. But we will be extinct in the first stage of such problem. Then, when will we fall in his eyesight?

This is soliloquized thinking of short-lived poet or evanescent milkmaids.

English rendering

Anent his red-fruit like lips he is lovable; as to his pretty smile, he is euphoric; in voicing his nectarous asseverations, he is like a breath of fresh air; in zeroing in his sight on his subjects, he is the dampener of strife; in fluting melodies he is legendary; hence can I, at any time, have a glimpse of that boy resemblant of a beryl jewel effusing bluish luminescence all around, called Krishna... [1-64]

Word analysis and exposition

1-64. adhara bimbe madhuram = anent his red-fruit like lips, he is lovable; manda hAse ma~njulaM = as to his pretty smile, he is euphoric; amR^ita nAde shishiram = [in voicing his] nectarous, asseverations, he is refreshing - like a breath of fresh air; dR^iShTi pAte shItalaM= in making his sight, fall [on his subjects], he is the coolth; aruNa netre vipulam= with a little reddened broad eyes, he is all-encompassing; veNu nAde [vAde] vishrutaM = in making flute, melodies, he is legendary; marakata maNi nIlaM bAlam= emerald, jewel, bluish, boy - that boy glistening like a blue-beryl jewel; Alokaye nu [Alokayeyam]= when can I glimpse, indeed.

Word analysis and exposition

1-65. manmatha tAtasya= manmatha's , father's - Krishna's, because Krishna is the father of pradyumna , an incarnation of lovegod; kaishoram = [that Krishna's] childhood; madhuraM mAdhuryAt api = any sweetly thing, than, sweetest- most cherishable; cApalyt api capalaM= any other fanciable thing, than, he is most fanciest - a preemtable entity - chApalyam is our gratuitous vacillation in our cravings - nirhetuka Asakti in any given subject; kim api= why then - to tell about my yearning for him; cetaH mama harati = heart, mine, stealing; [bata] hanta= oh, god; kiM kurmaH = what to do.

In universe, the childhood of that boy who is the old-boy of lovegod himself is a charm than any other charming thing; most fanciable than any other fanciest things - then why tell about my fancying for him; what else can be done when my heart itself is scooped up by that boy called Krishna... [1-65]

English rendering

Though a boy his chest and lotus like eyes are sizable, his soft talk and pretty smile satiny, his lips and fluted melodies winsome; for being a treasure trove of attitudinized comportment, when can I really lay eyes on that boy called Krishna... [1-66]

Word analysis and exposition

1-66. vipulaM = sizeable; vakShaH sthale ca= his chest, and; nayana utpale ca = eyes, lotuslike ones, also; mR^idulaM = satiny; manda smite ca mada jalpite ca = in his pretty smile, and soft talk, also; madhuraM = pleasant; bimba adhare ca muralI rave ca = in red-fruit like lips, and, in fluting melodies, also ; bAlaM= at such a boy; vilAsa nidhim= for charming comportment, a treasure trove of; kadA nu Akalaye = when, really, can I lay eyes on him.

English rendering

Great souls with abundant rays of puNya , religious merit, radiating from the aureoles around them are well disposed to behold the form of that primordial person embellished with graceful eyes that cast glances moistened with nothing else than graciousness; lips enriched with an ever-evanescent nectarine smile; headgear decked just with a peacock's feather; that being so, how a dullard like me can get a glimpse of that boy called Krishna... [1-67]

Word analysis and exposition

1-67. Ardra avalokita= moistened [with graciousness], having such glances; that are from; dayA pariNaddha netram= with grace, coalesced, eye - has graceful eyes casting glances that are moist with nothing else than graciousness;

AviShkR^ita = instituted; smita sudhA = smile's, nectarine; madhura adhara oShTham = sweet, lower, lip - lips always donning an evanescent nectarine smile;

AdyaM pumAMsam= at such primordial person; avataMsita barhi barham = who is donning for his headgear, peacock's, feather;

kR^ita puNya punjAH = those who made, merits, arrays of - those whose bodies are glowing with abundant rays of puNya, religious merit, in the aureoles around them - saints, sages, vraja milkmaids et al;

kR^itinaH = such great souls; Alokayanti = are disposed to behold him.

Word analysis and exposition

1-68. mama locanAya = for my, eyes - in my visual picture; ayam bAlaH abhi+udayate = a boy [boy's image], presently, emerging; who might be this boy; ayam bAlaH = this, boy - is this boy; svayaM mAraH nu = actually, lovegod himself, is that so; madhura dyuti maNDalaM nu = pleasing, luminous, sphere, is it - pleasantly shining moon, or what; mAdhuryam eva nu = embodiment of whole beauty, alone, is it; manaH nayana amR^itaM nu = for mind, eyes, nectar, or what; [ mama ] vANI mR^ijo nu = my, speech's, immaculacy, or what; [veNI mR^ijA = for my dishevelled hair, a straightener, or what]; whoever he is, will he become; mama jIvita vallabho nu = my, life's, mate, will he become.

or, abhi mama lochanAya ayam udayate = before, my, eyes, he is emerging.

Some boy's picture is emerging on my visual canvas; who he might be; maybe lovegod in person; maybe pleasantly shining discoid of moon; mayhap beau idéal of beauty itself; or, is it the picture of my own optic and noetic nectar, or is it the picture of my idiolect's immaculacy, or what; whosever it might be, can I make that boy in the graven image my alter ego, viz. Krishna... [1-68]

Word analysis and exposition

1-69. ayam bAlaH = this, boy; vaktreNa = with a face - that has; Alola vilocanena = shifting, eyes - roving glances; citrIkR^ita dik mukhena = tilakI kR^ita dik anganA muykena = he is like the kastUri tilaka, mark on foreheads, on the faces of every lady called quarters, or, whose face mirror-images on every horizon; ghoSha ucita veSheNa = for a cowman's hamlet, befitting, in getup; mugdhena bhUShaNena = with cute, ornaments; naH nayana utsavaM = our, eyes', jollity; [ayam bAlaH = this, boy ]; dugdhe = he is milking.

A cowman milks a cow when its udder becomes heavy on seeing its calf. So also, this boy whose face is weighable with the tilaka on the foreheads of ladies called the ten quarters, on which his eyes are roving, and who is adorned with cute ornaments and a getup befitting to a cowboy, he is milking jollity from our eyes that have become weighty in mentation upon his form; but, palpably, when can I see that boy called Krishna... [1-69]

English rendering

Swinging arms this way and that; athirst eyes spinning hither and thither; sporting a nectarine smile on a face relative to a cuddly lotus or orbicular moon wherefrom ambrosial sweetness is drizzly here and there; decked with a peacock feather on coiffure and many a jingling ornament that tintinnabulate now and then, some boy's form is tottering towards us looking like a coolish eye-panacea, called Krishna... [1-70]

Word analysis and exposition

1-70. some boy's form is tumbling towards us with: Andolita agra-bhujam= budging, a little, fore of shoulders - forearms; Akula lola netra lIlamm= athirst, spinning, eyes, sportiness ; Ardra smita= wet with nectar, smiled; Ardra vadana= wet, faced - wherefrom ambrosial sweetness is drizzly; ambuja candra bimbam = [ analogous to] a lotus, or the orb of moon; shi~NjAna bhUShaNa citaM= with jingling, ornaments, decked with; shikhi pi~Ncha mauliM= with peacock, feather, on coiffure; shItaM vilocana rasAyanam = coolish, for an eye, panacea of - sarvas roga nivAriNi = heal-all ; abhi upa eti = coming forward.

English rendering

Only to inflate my pride and joy this boy is imbuing into my heart with the exuberance of his satiny smiles on a moonlike face that is wringing nectar, on which his cooling eyes are swaying to ride herd on every minion, is the bijou of younger batch of cattlemen, called Krishna... [1-71]

Word analysis and exposition

1-71. eSha= this; shishuH = boy; shItala vilola locanaH = with cooling, swaying [watch over], eyes; pashu pAla = cow, minders; bAla pariShat vibhUShaNaH = for younger, group [of cowboys] he is a bijou; mR^idula smita Ardra vadana indu sampadA = satiny, smiles, wringing [nectar], with such a face, called moon, with its exuberance; madayan= to enrich [my] pride and joy; madIya hR^idayaM vigAhate= my, heart, he is imbuing.

English rendering

What is this entity that is bestrewing streams of love in our perspicacity; who is this quiddity holding his flute called mohana-vamshi on the ambit of his lips making melodious flutings flowing everywhere; such an active principle, highly cherishable by the triad of worlds, mayhap unobtainable in the whole gamut of heavens, and hence such a paragon is our beloved, god and even our life-principle too, as well, called Krishna... [1-72]

Word analysis and exposition

1-72. [ yat] naH nayanayoH= [that which] our, in two eyes - perspicacity; kAm api = something - inexplicable; prema dhArAm kirati= love's, stream, bestrews; further that which; adhara vIthI= on lips', pathway; kL^ipta = made to stand - free flowing melodies; vaMshI ninAdaM = his flute called vasmshi , its melodious fluting; idam kim = this, what is; amara vIthI durlabhaM = gods', in pathways, unobtainable - unobtainable even in then pathways of heavens, or in heaven itself; tri bhuvana kamanIyaM = by triad, of worlds, cherishable one; tat idam = therefore, this [Being called Krishna]; naH = to us; vallabhaM = is an adorable one; daivataM= god; jIvitaM ca = life-principle, even.

English rendering

Such as it is that form with blackish and lovely pupils on very broad and wavery eyes on a smugly smiling face akin to orbicular moon, upon which his transverse flute mohana-vamshi is emitting vibrating melodies, that enigmatic form brilliant like blueblackish tamAla tree, and that which is the life-principle of the sonance from that flute, is toddling towards me, called Krishna... [1-73]

Word analysis and exposition

1-73. tarala vilocana tAraka abhirAmam [ lolitataTillatAlalitalocanaprasannata ] = wavery, broad-eyes, with their [blackish] pupils, that are lovely; mudita muditam = smiling, smiling - complacently smiling, smugly smiling; vaktra candra bimbaM = face called moon's, orb; mukharita veNu vilAsa jIvitaM = vibrating, flute's [melodies], for sonance [ nAdamaya. shabdAyamAna - sonare sonant ], life-principle [life-principle for the sonance of vibrant melodies of his flute]; tat idam = that, this - such as it is - that brilliant form

[ prasannatodvelamukhendumaNDala- navInavilAsakalAkalApam ];

tamAla nIlaM = [brilliant] like [blueblack] tamAla trees, blueblackish [some enigmatic form]; me upanataM = coming in my fore.

Word analysis and exposition

1-74. cApalya sIma = for archness, he is the bourne, archetype; capala anubhava eka sIma = for chapala , i.e., goddess Lakshmi, for her revelling, [he is] the only, abode; or, capala anubhava = for revelling escapades of milkmaids in his respect; eka sIma = he is the ultimate, goal; cAturya sIma = for astuteness, he is the final; caturAnana shilpa sIma = of four-faced one [Creator's], [creative] ability [for an objet d’art], he is the acme; saurabhya sIma = in generosity [like surabhi - all-giving cow], he is supreme; sakala adbhuta keli sIma = for all, wondrous, prank-playing, he is the final; saubhAgya sIma = for prosperousness, he is the epitome; above all; vraja bhAgya sIma = for vraja village, he is providential, zenith of; tat idaM = that, this - such as it is that form; [me upanataM = coming in my fore. ]

An archetype of archness, an ideal seat for all revelries of goddess Lakshmi, or, for the scrupling milkmaids, when he is in his country seat; an embodiment of astuteness; an objet d'art of the Creator; an epitome of generosity; a wondrous prankster, of course, for the good; an emblematised prosperity; above all, the zenithal providence of vraja village; such as it is that form of that boy is nearing me, called Krishna... [1-74]

English rendering

That which is the elemental gambolling ground of my loquacity, that which is azurine in his form with its doubly coolant nature with paired lusciousness, one by virtue of the luscious moonlike face itself, while the other by the virtue of ambrosial streams slithering to drench the hearts of devotees from the pathways called holes of his transverse flute, namely mohana-vamshi, is presenting itself before my eyes, for my consummated merits last life are ecstatically partaking of the prosperity of visualising that boy called Krishna… [1-75]

Word analysis and exposition

1-75 . mat vANInAM viharaNa padaM = [that which is] for my, speeches - modus loquendi, a gambolling, ground [basis]; matta saubhAgya bhAjAM = ecstatically, in prosperity, partaking - in which my merits are ecstatically partaking of the prosperity of visualising him; mat puNyAnAM pariNatiH= my, virtuous merits', consummation - consummation of my merits that are ecstatically partaking of prosperity of visualising him; netrayoH = of my eyes - that consummation of my merits is presenting the form of that boy before my eyes, which form is; mAdhuryeNa dvi guNa shishiraM = [by virtue of double] lusciousness, doubly, coolant; such a form; vaktra candraM vahantI= face, called moon, one who is having; and one who is drenching the hearts of devotees with melodies from; vaMshI = [ from his flute called] vamshi, vIthI= from the pathways of that flute - i.e., the holes of flute from which melodies make pathways ; vigalat amR^ita srotasA= [with melodies] sliding therefrom, ambrosial, streams - ambrosial streams slithering from the pathways called holes of his transverse flute called mohana-vamshi; secayantI = drenching - the hearts of devotees with melodies of such flute; [mat netrayoH] sannidhatte = [before my eyes] he is presenting himself; aho = what a wonder.

English rendering

Hail, thou that art the sentinel of living beings in the sentiments of living beings, but contrarily thou that art the sovereign of worlds in the sensation of philosophers - thus hail thee; hail, thou that art just a ladies' man in the idées reçues of common people, for thou reclinest on the ridgy bosoms of rAdha , yet contrarily thou that art the recliner on the multi-hooded serpent sheSha , as nArAyana - thus hail thee; quidquid id est; hail thee that now fillest my vision as a self- refulgent sapphirine lambency, called Krishna... [1-76]

Word analysis and exposition

1-76. dhenu pAline= oh, cow, herder [ loka dRiSTyA - in the guesstimate of commoners, cows are lakShaNa for living beings]; loka pAline = oh, world's, sovereign [ paramArtha dRiSTyA - in the estimate of philosophers]; rAdhA payodhara utasa~Nga shAyine = on rAdha's, breasts, ridges of, oh, recliner [ loka sAdhAraNa sRingAra puruSha dRiSTyA - in the idée reçue of people as just as a ladies’ man]; sheSha shAyine = on multi-hooded serpent, oh, recliner [ paramAtma dRiSTyA - transcendentally,]; whatever it is - it is, in all faits accomplis, the; tejase = oh, self-refulgence; namaH astu= Hail, [holy Light... since God is light, &c-- Milton]

English rendering

Hail him whose sapphirine body is now glowing varicolouredly, mainly with vermilion dabs of kumkum, for that body is now embellished with the dabs glow of fabulous saffron and other cosmetics rubbed on the ups-and-downs of bosoms of milkmaids when he hugged those maids; fabulous because they so far adored the bosoms of equally fabulous milkmaids; thus dabbed on to his chest and body when he embraced them they make him to look gorgeous; hail him who is the root and branch of any musicality in the universe; hail him who is the cause of every effect; or, who is manifest in every lore of brahma ; as such, predicating Om I repeatedly revere that self-resplendence called Krishna... [1-77]

Word analysis and exposition

dhenu pAla dayitA = cow, herders', dear ones - milkmaids'; stana sthalI = on [their] bosoms', places - that which is there on the ups-and-downs of those bosoms - upastyaka - adhityaka sthalI ; dhanya ku~Nkuma= fabulous, saffron powder; sa+nAtha = with, holding - embellished with; kAntaye = one who is having that tinge - of course, on his chest and body;;

veNu gIta gati= for your flute's, melody, you are a course - in fact, for any musicality existing in nature;

and further; mUla vedhase= root, cause - cause for all effects;

tejase= oh, resplendence; tat idam = that's why, this; Om= Om; namaH namaH = hail, hail.

[ brahma rAshi = brahma's , farragoes - veda , vedAnta etc mélange; mahase = radiant factor of [those scriptures]; namo namaH = hail, hail.

Source commentary

1-77. dhenu pAla dayitA stana sthalI dhanya ku~Nkuma sanAtha kAntaye ;

English rendering

Placing his tender feet akin to the leaflets of lotuses rhythmically to the ghal-ghal sounds of anklets' jingle-bell-chunks; playing mellifluous melodies on his flute to the rhythmicity of those ghal-ghal sounds; here comes that boy who espoused the sport of universe, and who incidentally is the élan vital of my life, called Krishna... [1-78]

Word analysis and exposition

1-78. [idam mama jiivitam ayAti = here comes my life principle]; how does it look; it is looking nice with; mR^idu kvaNat nUpura = softly, jingling, anklet-bells; manthareNa pulsating sound - rhythmic swish-swash sounds occurring while churning, one for right pull and the other for left pull - onomatopoeically ghal, ghal sounds made by a chunk of jingle bells on anklets, not the jingle of one or two bells; some take manthara as heavy, thumping, or slow treading; bAlena pAda ambuja pallavena = tender, feet, [akin to] lotus, leaflets; ma~njula veNu gItam = mellifluous, flute's, melodies; anusmarat / anukvaNat / anusvanat= reminiscing / making to chime to the tune of anklet bells / making to buzz to the tune of anklet bells Atta keli = one who espoused, the sport [a sport in the form of creation, maintenance, dissolution of universe]; me jIvitam = my, life-principle; AyAti= here comes.

English rendering

Beaming the grandeur of illimitable sidelong glances that are none other than the sprouts of his cosmic bliss, aiming to drench my ecstasised ears with nectarean melodies merrily played on his flute, here comes that lone cognate of my orphaned eyes, called Krishna... [1-79]

Word analysis and exposition

1-79. Ananda kandalita = bliss, sprouts of; keli kaTAkSha = sportive, sidelong glances; laksha = with umpteen such glances; or, lakShmIH = with the grandeur of such glances - he being the form of cosmic bliss, his umpteen sidelong glances are nothing more than the innumerable sprouts of that bliss; with the grandeur of such sidelong glances;

an+anya bandhoH = no, other, near and dear = to them that have no other one as their near and dear relative - to such orphaned eras of mine; me nayana bandhuH = to my, eyes, a [dear] relative; saH ayaM = such as he is he; ut+a~ncitam = to up, perked - whose ears are perked up - ecstasised to listen the divine music; idaM mama karNa yugmam = these, my, ears, a pair of; vilAsa muralI ninada amR^itena= playing merrily, flute's, melody, nectarean - with nectarean melody merrily played on flute; si~ncann = as if to drench - those ears; AyAti = he is coming.

Word analysis and exposition

1-80 . hR^idaya~Ngama veNu nAda veNI dughena =heart-pleasing, flute's, melody, freshet, one who is milking [such milking process of freshets of melodies];

vAraNa khela gAmI = elephant, in sportiness, going - one who treads in sportiness of an elephant;

dashana AvaraNena= by teeth's, coverings - by lips ; [upalakShitena = one who is deduced by his lipping the flute];

[ saH ayam ] devaH= [ such as he is], that luminary;

dhArA kaTAkSha bharitena vilocanena = with flowing, grace, filled, eyes;

dUrAt vilokayati = from distance, he is seeing; ArAt upaiti = to near, he is coming.

vAraNa keLi gAmI = elephant, in sportiness, going - one who treads in sportiness of an elephant;

[ saH ayam ] devaH= [ such as he is], that luminary;

dhArA kaTAkSha bharitena vilokitena = with flowing, grace, filled, with his vision;

dUrAt vilokayati = from distance, he is seeing;

hR^idaya~Ngama veNu nAda veNI mukhena = heart-pleasing, flute's, melody, freshet, with such an outlet [mouth of that boy from where those melodies are fresheting;

dashana amshuka bhareNa= by teeth's, coverings, by weight of - with such bulbous lips; or, dashana amshu bhareNa = with teeth's, sparkle, filled with = with a toothy grin;

ArAt upaiti = to near, he is coming.

[ saH ayam ] devaH= [ such as he is], that luminary;

dhArA kaTAkSha bharitena vilocanena = with flowing, grace, filled, eyes;

dUrAt vilokayati = from distance, he is seeing;

and that; vAraNa khela gAmI = elephant, in sportiness, going - one who treads in sportiness of an elephant;

hR^idaya~Ngama veNu nAda veNI dughena = with heart-pleasing, flute's, melody, freshets, one who is milking [who is in the milking process of freshets of melodies];

dashana AvaraNena= by teeth's, coverings - by lips ; [upalakShitena = one who is deduced by such unseen lips that must be bulbous, for they are kissable, since they are lipping mellisonant melodies on flute];

ArAt upaiti = to near, he is coming.

That sapphirine-blaze whose eyes filled with flowing grace is envisioning me from yonder azured vault; and now that gibbous lipped one is approaching me in his elephantine gait milking freshets of heart-pleasing melodies on his flute, called Krishna... [1-80]

English rendering

Here comes that luminescent boy with footwork run to the melodies of his fluting, where those two feet are the cause of felicity for triad of worlds, for they are the lessors of brilliance to any pompous ornament, since they themselves are the jewels nonpareil, hence those two nimble little nioble feet take their own strides like a graceful elephant-walk, hence those two feet are the shelterers of shelterless, as such they alone are phenomenal; waddling on them here comes that boy, called Krishna… [1-81]

Word analysis and exposition

1-81. tri bhuvana sarasAbhyAM = for triad, of worlds, that cause felicity;

dIpta bhUShA padAbhyAm = for brilliant, ornaments, a tenancy of;

dIpta bhUShA AdarAbhyAm= for brilliant, ornaments, a lessor of;

dR^ipta bhUShA A parAbhyAm= for pompous, ornaments, other than - those that disdain the pompous ornaments for they themselves are the ornaments nonpareil - feet of Krishna;

dR^ishi dR^ishi = to every sight, or, in every sight of beholder– whoever sees those feet in whatever way; shishirAbhyAM = those feet accord coolness on that beholder;

dishi dishi = in every direction; taralAbhyAM = moving, on the move - nimble footed;

divya lIlA AkulAbhyAM = with divine, stride [that take in their own strides], concern themselves with;

a+sharaNa sharaNAbhyAM= for un+sheltered, shelter giving ones;

adbhutAbhyAM = with phenomenal, feet;

padAbhyAm = with such [wondrous] feet;

ayam ayam devaH= he alone, he alone, that luminary;

anukUjat veNuH = fluting, flute;

AyAti = here comes.

devaH= that luminary; anu+kUjat veNuH - with footwork to the tunes of his flute - where those little feet are; tri bhuvana sarasAbhyAM, adbhutAbhyAM, dIpta bhUShA padAbhyAm, divya lIlA AkulAbhyAM, dR^ishi dR^ishi hishirAbhyAM, a+sharaNa sharaNAbhyAM; padAbhyAm = with such and such feet; ayam AyAti ayam AyAti = here he comes, here he cones.

English rendering

It is he, of whom we say as the remover of the scorch of hearts of host of best sages and saints; the divester of the cloths of cocky damsels of vraja village; the amercer of the conceit of indra, the lord of the heaven; and who, incidentally, is the purloiner of the lotusy of heart of mine, it is he who is coming this way, called Krishna… [1-82]

Word analysis and exposition

1-82. [ yaH = he who is]; muni indra jana = sages, best ones, such hosts – of sages; mAnasa tApa hArI= heartily, scorch, remover; saH = that one; ayam = is this one;

[ yaH = he who is]; mada vraja vadhU vasana apahArI= cocky, vraja village’s, of damsels, cloths, divester; saH = that one; ayam = is this one;

[ yaH = he who is]; tR^itIya bhuvana Ishvara=- third, world’s, lord – lord of heaven, where the other two worlds are earth and hell; darpa hArI = conceit, amercer of; saH = that one; ayam = is this one;

[ yaH = he who is]; madIya hR^idaya ambu ruha apahArI= mine, heart, called water, born one – lotus – lotusy heart of mine, purloiner of; saH = that one; ayam = is this one;

English rendering

While plunging an anticipative glance to glimpse this all-surpassing splendorous entity, nonpareil in omniscience and in charisma as well, my mental eye purportedly seems enjoying a state of eternal bliss, whether or not the appearance of that boy is physical, illusional, or a figment of my own imagination, of that boy called Krishna… [1-83]

Word analysis and exposition

1-83. sarvaj~natve ca= in omniscience, and; maugdhye ca = in charisma, as well; sArvabhaumam= this all-surpassing entity; idaM [mahaH] tejaH= this, [super] luminosity; mama nayanaM= my, eyes – my field of vision; nirvishan= while entering – while my viasion is focussed forward at that luminescence; nirvANa padam= salvation, state of; ashnute = it is enjoying.

English rendering

Advent to the rise of the face of this boy with a moon like face, the grandeur of the face of moon on sky is fading out, yet it is recouping nourished by the innate grandeur of the face of this boy, seeing which the oceans are tide ripping – that which is natural; equally, the very same moonlike face of that boy is redoubling the rip tides in my oceanic desire to see him fully afore me - that which feeling is inculcated naturally, for he is the life principle of mine, called Krishna... [1-84]

Word analysis and exposition

1-84. uShNa itara aMshoH= hotness, other than, one who has got such beams – one whose beams are other than hot - cool-beamed-moon; udayan= on coming up – on the rise of moon [wrf to moon]; punaH ukta shobha = shobhA punarukti = repeatedly, said, grandeur – redundantly saying that moon is bright, moon is marvellous etc; kR^iShNAnam= = one that is trouncing - hi.nsati - Krishna also means hi.msa = trouncer – one who defeats heavily - so, this resplendence before my mental eye is trouncing the grandeur of moon, because that resplendence itself is far greater than the moon; [or, puShNAnam = one who enriches, krishna is enriching the already shining moon on sky by his own original refulgence, since moon is always dependant on sun or god for acquiring his shine]; kR^iShNa Ahvaya [vastuH ]= Krishna, called, some entity; [udayan= on his coming in my fore - wrf to poet]; me ki~ncana jIvitaM = my, small time, life; etat mukha indoH= by such and such, face called moon; [ me] tR^iShNa ambu rAshiM= [mine], thirst, called, water, heaps = my oceanic thirst; dvi guNI karoti = redouble, it is [that moon called Krishna] making. Krishna

kR^iShNAhvayaM= some entity called as Krishna; ki~ncana = an unexplainable entity; me etat= mine, before – that which is appearing before me; [me] jiivitam = which entity, in fact, is [my] life principle; such as it is that entity with its; mukha indoH = face, called moon; uShNa itara aMshoH= hotness, other than, who has got such beams – one whose beams are other than hit, cool-beamed-moon; [cleaved as] udayAt [ not as udayam, or udayan]= by the uprise of his face [before me, like moon on sky]; punarukta shobhAm kR^iShNAnam = pleonastic , grandeur, making – the rise of this boy’s face is making the grandeur of moon as a mere pleonastic statement often repeated; and this is as well making; me tR^iShNa ambu rAshiM= thirst called ocean; dvi guNI karoti = double fold, it is making;

mukha indoH udayAt = whose face, called, moon, on its rising; uShNa itara aMshoH = moon’s, punarukta shobhAm = much said, grandeur; puShNAnam = [that face] is enriching; kR^iShNa AhvayaM = that which is called as Krishna; ki~ncana= that which is an inexplicable entity; jIvitaM me = for being a life principle, of mine; me= of my, me like dedicates, say poet, rAdha , gopikA -s et al; tR^iShNa ambu rAshiM dvi guNI karoti = [my] thirst, called an ocean, it is redoubling.

Source commentary

In this verse ShNA is the shravaNa mathura prAsa , earpleasing alliterative word.

Word analysis and exposition

1-85. A-tAmra vilocana shrI = by his roseate, eyes’, magnificence; sambhAvita = those that are honoured; a+sheSha = without, remainder – unnumbered; vinamra = devotees; vargam= hosts; [ garvam = proudness of devotees – unnumbered devotees are very proud because the magnificence of that boy’s roseate eyes has fallen on them; [ yat ] mukha ambujaM murAreH = [that which is a] lotusy face, of Krishna [is there]; the face of such a boy who has such an innumerable proudish devotees – Krishna’s face]; [ yat ] madhura adhara oShThaM = [that which face has] nectarine, lips; [ yat ] me mAnasaM cumbati muhuH = [that which] my, heart, kisses, repeatedly; tat= that boy with a kissy face – cumbati is NOT exactly kissing or sucking, but lipping, grazing as in ‘the cue-ball barely kissed the black...’ verbally touching heartily; etat = that one is this one only.

This face must be that of prodigy having roseate eyes that have ennobled hosts of his devotees for which those devotees feel their own proper pride; this must be the face of that wunderkind on which nectarine lips are pouting, which I sense by his nectareous flutings emanating from them; this must be the kissy face of whiz-kid on which my lips always mumble; otherwise – why the oceanic thirst of mine to see him should rip tide; yes, this one is that one only, called Krishna... [1-85]

English rendering

O, third-eye, behold the eyes of this boy that ambrosially glisten transcending the grandeur of anything in any world cognate with the concept called ‘beauty, or say, excellence’; infantile feet agnatic with the infant-leaves on heavenly trees – both are spiritual species of tenderness with a coppery surface; puerile and undulatory arms simulative of just born lotuses, and they are worthy enough to be the mentors of those spriggy blossoms pensile on stacks, in the subject-matter called – delicacy; behold to hold that boy called Krishna... [1-86]

Word analysis and exposition

1-86. hè vilocana = oh, eye - or, of mine; or, of anyone who wishes to ponder on him; amR^ita mahaH= one having ambrosial, resplendence;

[or, amRitam aho ; or, amRitam mahat aho= eyes, to the eye of perceiver, ambrosial= one having ambrosial eyes in the viewpoint of the perceiver; nirupamAna locanam yasya saH ]

karau = his two arms are; sharat uda~Nchita = in autumn, that have risen – just bloomed in autumn; ambu+ja= water born ones – lotuses; vilAsa shikShA gurU = [for lotuses] intricacies, teaching, mentors - his arms are the mentors teaching niceties to just born lotuses - in delicacy;

[ sharadi ja ambuja krama vilAsa shikShA gurU = same as above, except krama = methodically, methodical tutors ]

vilokaya mahaH shaishavam = behold, the greatest, boy;

whose:

padau = two feet are; vibudha = gods’; pAda+pa = with feet, drinkers – those that drink with their feet – trees, heavenly trees; prathama pallava = first, leaflets – tender leaves; ulla~Nghinau = put to rout; in the matter of delicacy, his feet outdo the just born leaflets on heavenly trees called mandAra, pArijAta etc, for which trees wars were waged later;

dR^ishau = looks are; dalita = those whose [ durmada is] hewed asunder; dur+mada= bad, ego – those with vainglorious ego – say, kamsa , narakAsura et al, or , arrogance ; tri bhuvana = in all three worlds; upamAna [vastu]= any king, demon or a thing; kings like kaMsa et al, demons like narakAsura, vRiShabhAsura et al; or anything like shakaTAsura – cart-demon, torrential rain of Indra , or elephant like kuvalayApIDa etc; shriyau= [eye have] their grandeur – whether it is a king, demon or a thing, it will have some magnificence in its ambience. When that king, demon or a thing is destroyed or nullified, whatever grandeur available with each will not die with them, but reaches their destroyer [ vijeta], whereby, that destroyer’s eyes will be peculiarly gleaming with this accumulated grandeur. All said and done, this boy is such a victor on bad elements possessing victor-gleaming eyes.

or, his two eyes will subjugate the arrogance of any beautiful thing comparable, say, evocative of so-0called ‘beauty’ in any world - beau idéal = ideal beauty.

English rendering

Lo and behold, that amorphous Being who can morph himself into many forms for the evolvement of many methods of perpetual frolicking congruous for his jocundity, nitya lIlA vibhUti, who is now in the form of a sapphirine-boy whose face filled with the grandeur of nectareous smiles; who made the unbendable heart of most excellent husband-devout lady arundhati, wife of sage vashiSTha , to amorously rub up against his own, owing to his charm; which charm has all encomia in the eyes of lovegod/sages/milkmaids, according as their visional appreciation; with which charm he reigned high on the empire called the superficies of the bosoms of vraja milkmaids flaring out an invaluable rapturous epoch; such as he is that sapphirine-boy is now fading in slowly and slowly on our visual field, called Krishna... [1-87]

Word analysis and exposition

1-87. ahani ahani ahani = day, after day, after day - perpetually;

sa+AkArAn vihAra kramAn AcinvAnam –

sa+AkArAn = with certain manifestation – as deva-deva , Omnipresent, he does not have any manifestation – a+prAkRita dehi . It is we who anthropomorphised him for our convenience. To appease our anthropogenic thinking he too took up an anthropoid physique to become a Roman in Rome, called Krishna. Then, how Krishna’s wearing a human body differs from that of rAma and parashurAma , as they too took up Darwinian bodies. Not so. There is nothing peculiar with the bAlya-krIDA-s of bAla-rAma or bAla-parashurAma, but we have a lot of activity with bAla-kRiSNa , right from his suckler-hood, that too, amazing feats, day after day, that too peculiarly connected with sRingAram , romanticism, as recapitulated in the other foots of this verse - arundhatI hR^idayam api , ananya janma nayana shAghyAm, vraja-sundarI stana taTI sAmrAjyam etc.

vihAra kramAn AcinvAnam= frolicsome, programs, heaping up – evolving many methods for frolicking - though this boy is without shape and structure originally, aprAkRita swarUpa , he assumed certain form and evolves many frolicking measures day by day, thus appears anew day by day;

Ardra smita Asya shriyA = wet [with nectar], smiles, face’s, grandeur – with s face filled with the grandeur of nectareous smiles;

arundhatI hR^idayam api = Lady arundhati’s , heart, even it were to be; A-rundhAnam = a little, impeded – this boy made the heart of most excellent husband-devout lady arundhati, wife of sage vashiSTha , to lean on him amorously; then what is the fate of ordinary women;

ananya janma= an+anya+janma = not [like], any other, soul – one whose birth / rebirth are unlike any fellow – manmatha – lovegod; his charm is an unsurpassable one, said so, because he down not have any shape so love is shapeless;

ananya janma= an+anya+janma = not [having], other, birth = those who took only one birth - gopikA -s; this genre of gopikA -s are neither exiting before Krishna, nor took rebirth after Krishna – they are all great sages and saints came as milkmaids only to take proximate delight in the supreme - so, the are not Cow & Gate milkmaids; this boy is their eyefiller;

ananya janma= an+anya+janma = not [having], another, birth – great sages and saints – all souls salvaged from kArmic cycle; this boy is the eye-feast of their third eyes;

nayana shAghyAm= for the eyes of such a lovegod/sages/milkmaids, he is an applaudable boy – an eye filler, eye-feast;

vraja-sundarI stana taTI sAmrAjyam = of vraja-village, beauties, bosoms, superficies, sovereignty; he who is the sovereign of the sovereignty called the superficies of the bosoms of milkmaids of vraja village; with the word taTI linked to stana – his tight embrace of them is indicated, vyanjitam , indicating his wholehearted indulgence with them – not superficial.

anarghyAM dashAm AtanvAnam = an invaluable, epoch, flaring out;

A+mandaM [Anandam] ut+jR^imbhate= slowly and slowly, [that bliss called Krishna] coming up; arising, revealing before our eyes.

Source commentary

Some critics observe this as a prakshipata verse, an interpolated one.

English rendering

Hail him who is with freshly breathed juvenescence, yet with the caparisons of childhood’s flippancy still persisting; eyes look loaded with gravitas; lips spilling lovegod-hatched smiles that look nectariferous in their beauty; pouting seems continually drinking the face of his flute, vamshi , as he has a penchant for heavenly music; such as he is he who is the entrancer of the triad of the worlds, and who ipso facto is my life-principle, he is emerging before me... hail that boy called Krishna... [1-88]

Word analysis and exposition

anvayam: jagat traya vimohanam mAmakaM jIvitam jayati.

1-88. sam+ut+vasita yauvanaM = with freshly breathed, juvenescence;

tarala shaishava ala~NkR^itaM= [yet] flippant, childhood, bedecked with;

mada cchurita locanaM = with amour propre, loaded, eyes – looks loaded with gravitas;

madana mugdha hAsa amR^itam= by lovegod [galvanized], beautiful, smiles, called nectar – his nectarous smiles seem to be primed up with thousands of lovegods;

prati+kShaNa vilobhanaM = every moment, deluding – with such a face;

praNaya pIta vaMshI mukhaM [or, vamshi+mukam = face of the flute – head end of transverse flute with single hole to fill air] = with a penchant, drunk, [his flute called] vashi , with such a face – his face seems to be continuously drinking the face of his flute, vamshi , because he has a penchant for that flute; agat traya vi+mohanam = worlds, three, captivator of; mAmakaM jIvitam= one who is my, life’s principle; jayati = hail-ho.

Word analysis and exposition

1-89. tat = his; etat = this – appearing afore me ; vadana aravindam = face, called lotus; citraM= superb; sahasra sahIrShya puruSaH ;

tat = his; etat = this – appearing afore me; nayana aravindam = feet, called lotuses; citraM= superb; sahasra akshaH ;

tat = his; etat = this – appearing afore me; caraNa aravindaM = feet, called lotuses; citraM= superb; sahasra pAt ;

amba = oh, mother!!

tat etat punaH = his, all these, face, feet, eyes etc nominated by Scriptures; citram citraM= marvelous, astounding.

[ punareva vapurasya = punaH eva vapuH asya = to say repeatedly, his body / entity itself is superb]

tAtparyam = sulabham.

English rendering

I adore him who adorned the pitcherlike bosoms of the daughter of Milky Ocean, namely goddess lakshmi , and who became the emeraldine central jewel in the helices of pearly pendants called vraja damsels when they circumcircled him in ronde dances – rAsa kRIDa ; why all this, I adore that sapphirine-boy, who is the only jewel for all the words, called Krishna...

Word analysis and exposition

1-90. akhila bhuvana eka bhUShaNam= to entire, worlds, the only, one who is the jewel; jaladhi duhitR^i kuca kumbham = ocean’s, daughter – goddess lakhmi , on her bosoms, pitcherlike ones; adhi+bhUShita= one who has adorned those bosoms – with mAngalyam – marriage-necklace ; vraja yuvati hAra+avallI= vraja village’s, damsels’, pearly pendants; marakata nAyaka mahA maNiM = one who is an emeraldine, central, great, jewel; vande = I adore.

I adore him who has adorned the pitcherlike bosoms of the daughter of Milky Ocean, namely goddess lakshmi , with a betrothal bond, mAngalyam ; who is the emeraldine central jewel in the pearly strings pendant on the bosoms of vraja damsels; why all this, I adore that sapphirine-boy who the only jewel in all the words, called Krishna... [1-90]

....gopikAvilasitahAranIlamaNivishvajagadvalayaprakAshikojjvalamahanIyaratna- manivAritakAliyabhogibhogamaNDalagirivrajamai velayu nandatanUju bhajayintun.... vengayAmAtya.

English rendering

In the tussle of seizing his beloved by her hair-bun in the combats of courtship, red and biscuit coloured sandal-paste used as her body cosmetic has flaked out and dabbed on his chest; besides, just pouted tiny drops of sweat have also started to trot on his mirror-like cheeks; with these variegated colours of sandal paste flakes and pearl-like sweat drops, his own sapphirine grandeur became ineffably multicoloured its resplendence; such as he is he is before our eyes... behold him, if you can, that boy called Krishna... [1-91]

Word analysis and exposition

1-91. kAntA kaca grahaNa= beloved’s, hair-bun, while seizing; vigraha baddha [labdha] = in that tussle, bedaubed [received]; khaNDa a~Nga-rAga lakShmI = sandalwood stick’s paste [that has flaked out], body cosmetic, with its grandeur ; rasa ra~njita = with that cosmetic’s, smearing on him; ma~njula shrIH = one who is with such beautiful, grandeur;

kalikAbhogapayodharAntaralasatkAshmIrasambandhagandhivakshasthaluDai.... vengayAmAtya.

gaNDa-sthalI mukura maNDala = on cheeks, called missors, at the place; khela-mAna =as if [sweat drops] playing [on those mirror like cheeks]; gharma a~NkuraH = just started small sweat drops; kR^iShNa devaH = Krishna – his resplendence; kim api = indescribable; khelati = playing – appearing to be playing before us.

English rendering

Sweet and dear is the loveable form of that lord-boy; sweet and lovely is the face of that lord-boy gleaming with delicate smiles that are redolent of flowery nectar; oh, why enumerate one or two, whole of this milieu itself is sweet, dear, and lovely, for he is immanent here, called Krishna... [1-92]

Word analysis and exposition

1-92. asya vibhoH madhuraM vapuH madhuraM madhuraM = this, loveable, lord’s, form, is sweet and dear;

madhu-gandhi= [ having flower’s] nectar, redolent of; mR^idu smitam= adorned with delicate, smiles; asya vibhoH= of this, lord; madhuram vadanaM = adorable, face; madhuraM madhuraM = is sweet and lovely;

aho = oho;

since this ambience is redolent of flower’s loverly nectar, as a whole;

etat = all this is; madhuraM madhuram madhuraM= sweet, dear, and lovely.

English rendering

In him who is the all-inclusive aesthete for the quintessence of romance; who is adorned with a peacock’s feather in his headgear; who took up human incarnation on his own, and who is the shelterer of all worlds, called Krishna... [1-93]

Word analysis and exposition

1-93. shR^i~NgAra rasa sarvasvaM = romance, quintessence, everything – an all-inclusive aesthete for the quintessence of romance; shikhi pi~ncha vibhUShaNam= peacock’s feather, decorated with; a~NgIkR^ita nara-AkAram= volitionally, human, form – one who assumed; bhuvana Ashrayam= world, shelterer; Ashraye = I take shelter in him.

Source commentary

What is shR^i~NgAram and why it is often told... shR^i~Ngam iyarti iti shR^i~NgAram... one that ascends, places itself, on the crowning point of all kinds of enjoyments among AhAra, nidra, maithuna etc – or, the zenithal experience to living beings - hence it is shR^i~NgAram; shR^i~NgAra eva mathuraH, paraH prahlAdano rasaH – Anandavardhana. Varicoloured creation starts with this shR^i~NgAram only.

What is peacock’s feather and why it is repeatedly eulogised... it is of its own kind, and it is equally variegated in colour with the created world. To signify that particular ascription khyAti , to himself, in creation the world, he sports a plume of peacock. mAyAguNajAlakarbura - sakalajagannirmANavajichitryanissIma khyAti pratIka - mayUra barhaM. – Pt. mallampalli sharabhayya.

Hence we, worldly beings, should be thankful that our world is at the helm of this sapphirine-boy, not at some unwanted place on his body.

English rendering

Thousands of those with explorative vision, say sAnkhya philosophers, or those who control their mind and body, say yogic practitioners, or those who base their philosophy on thousands of Upanishadic statements, say vedAnta theorizers, though working for a long time at least to infer you, they could not do so even today, nor they can do so in future; such as you are, oh, god, with which remnant merit of mine in my last life you now graced to appear in my ken... oh, Krishna... [1-94]

Word analysis and exposition

1-94. su+dR^ishAM sahasram= those with explorative, sight, thousands of them – sAmkhya philosophers;

cittena ca= chitta vRitti nirodhanene – those who by controlling their mind and body – yoga practitioners;

upaniShadA ca = those who base their philosophy mainly on the statements of Upanishads; vedAnta philosophers;

adya api = even today; or , kadAcana= any time to come;

darshanena cittena upaniShadA ca api= with naked eyes, in heart of hearts, or even by the statements of Upanishads;

cirAm= though working for a long time;

adya api = even today;

tvaM na pashyati= you, not, they are perceiving;

hè svAmin = oh, god;

saH tvasm= such as you are;

mama anayoH nayanayoH padavyAM= my, these, eyes, path – in the field of vision of these eyes of mine;

kR^ipayA kadA nu saMnidhatse= with mercy, when, really, you are gracing me with your proximity.

adyApi= even today; kadApi = at any time to come; kaH api= any man, even; kA api = any female, even;

yasya = in whose respect – in your respect;

nidarshanAya= or, for your archetype to illustrate;

citte = in their heart of hearts

tathA = likewise;

su+dR^ishAM upaniShadAM sahasram= or, those that have clear-cut philosophy, like the statement of scriptures, thousands of them;

kim api = any single thing - to give example to you;

na pashyati= not, able to see – unfindable;

sa tvaM; hè svAmin! anayoH mama nayanayoH padavyAM;

kayA= with which fructification of merit;

cirAm / chirAya = permanently;

kR^ipayA saMnidhatse nu= with grace, you blessed with you proximity, really.

English rendering

What a beautiful brightness beams from your moon like face; what a beautiful getup you don in; these moonbeams, that charmy face, this boyish getup, that grandeur of resplendence – all these things are unfounded steeples of litany, withal, let them remain with you complacently; I for myself will just put a namaskAram to you, again and again, ever and evermore, for you are saccidAnandamUrti ... oh, Krishna... [1-95]

Word analysis and exposition

1-95. hè keshava; tvat mukha indoH iyaM kAntiH kA = your, face, called moon’s, this, brightness, what a; api ayaM veShaH kaH = then, this, getup, what a; sA ayaM sA ayaM= sA, sA= those, and those; iyam iyam = this, and this – brightness, moon-face, getup etc external things; svAdutA = charm; [ sA iyam = this brightness; saH ayam= that, get up;] [ seyam soyam = sA + ayam, saH+ Ayam] [svAdatAm= su+AdatAm= let them verily abide in you ] ma~Njula + shrI = [your] grandeur of resplendence; vAchAm a+bhUmiH = for words, groundless; tat = thereby; bhUyo bhUyo= again, again; bhUyashaH = many more times; tvAM namAmi [a~njaliH te] = to you, I make palmfold - adore.

English rendering

Put to rout by your moonlike face, skyey moon resigned at your feet; yet he seems to have acquired tenfold luminescence by abiding as crescentic moons on your ten toenails and shining manifoldly; what an expansible grace of yours...oh, Krishna... [1-96]

Word analysis and exposition

1-96. hè deva; shashI = moon; [tava] vadana indu vi+nirjitaH san= by [your] face, called moon, having been put to rout; [tava] padam prapadyate = in ten ways, [your,] feet, on resigning himself; adhikAM shriyam dashadhA ashnutetarAM = much more, luminescence, in ten ways, he is getting; tava kAruNya vijR^imbhitaM kiyat = your, grace’s, endowment, how much.

Source commentary

The crescentic moons on nails at the junction of skin and nails are metaphored here.

Word analysis and exposition

1-97. vAk mAdhurI = in words’, lusciousness; bahula parva-kalA samR^iddham= umpteen, festive-day shafts of radiance, embellished; tat tvat mukham = that, your, face; ab+ja samAna kakShaM= water-born one [ ab+ja = either lotus, or moon = both are water born ones] equal, in parity; katham iva bhavet = how can it be;

yasya= to which thing or being; tvat Anana samA= your, face, equalling with; suShamA = in resplendence; sadA syAt = always, will be there;

a+param bhuvana eka kAntam syAt [yadi] = another one, for all worlds, the only, desirable thing, that which is there [if it is there - what is it];

tat kim = what is, it.

tatat = such [an exemplary face]; tvat mukhaM = your, face; ambuja tulya kakShaM katham iva= how can it be place at par with a lotus or the moon;

indoH parvaNi parvaNi vAcAm a+vAci nanu= moon’s [resplendence], on full moon day, or on new moon day, for words, not, sayable, isn’t it;

tvat Ananam bhuvana eka kAnta veNu= your, face, for worlds, the only, cherished one, with a flute on it;

tat = that being so;

yat anena samaM syAt= which one, with this [face of yours], equal, will be – which one is there that is equal to your face

tat aparaM kim nu bruve = that, another one, what is, we really, speak of – if a similar thing is there, what do we call it.

Should we compare your face with a lotus, then that statement is amiss for lotus shuts down in nighttimes; should we comparer your face to the moon, then that too is a remiss, for moon's digits vary; what is that thing / being that has an equalling resplendence of yours by which we can infer you; if any other thing / being is there that which is most cherishable and the only desirable thing by all worlds, then what is it... I deign to say nothing is there other than you, oh, Krishna... [1-97]

English rendering

If you pay attention I would like to tell one thing about the moon that the former poets-extraordinary have unsaid; we will be circumcircling lit lamps, or camphor cakes, around the face of youngsters to ward of any minatorial-sights falling on them; finding no better lamp, it behoves us to place that moon in our platter to give Arati to you, for which alone that moon makes the grade, got it... Krishna... [1-98]

Word analysis and exposition

1-98. hè krishna; shushrUShase yadi = you are interested, if; pUrvaiH = in earlier time; a+pUrva kavibhiH= most eminent, poets – vyAsa , vAlmIki et al; yat na kaTAkShitaM = which statement, not, seen in a sidelong glance at least – unsaid feature; such an unsaid statement; mAmakInam vacaH shR^iNu = said in my, words, you listen – got it, Krishna; [ shushrUShase yadi shR^iNu = same as above; praNidhAna+pUrvaM= with salutation ];

shashi pra+dIpaH = moon, called well-lit lamp; bhavat Anana indoH = of your, face, called moon; nIrAjana =lamp circumcircling to ward off bad-sight– Arati; krama dhurAM = its procedure, onus of; cirAya= permanently; nir+vyAjam = unqualifiedly; arhati = it is befitting for him to become a lamp in plate.

Source commentary

The two verses 97 and 98 are said to be interpolations. Hence, some translators / commentators have not translated them in Telugu versions. However, vengayamAtya has rendered verses on these two.

English rendering

Thine smiles are sallying forth like boundless nectarous oceans outpouring with unbroken chutes and falls of fluidic seventh-heavenliness on earth that discountenanceth all other kinds of fluidic heavenly joys on earth... hail to thine refreshing smiles... oh, Krishna... [1-99]

Word analysis and exposition

1-99. a+khaNDa= un, broken – continuous; nirvANa rasa= seventh-heavenliness [not Buddhists’ nirvANa – happiness after final journey], with its fluidic-quintessence; pravAhaiH = with such torrents – niratishayasukharasapravAhA- s; Krishna’s smiles analogized with unbroken rapids and torrents of fluidic seventh-heavenliness;

vi+khaNDita = cut down to size – look down on; a+sheSha = not, with a remainder - complete; rasa antarANi= quintessences, other kinds; other kinds of fluidic heavens on earth are discountenanced before it;

ni+yantrita [ a+yantrita, a+niyantrita ] udvAnta sudhA arNavAni = with uncontrolled, outpouring, nectarous, oceans;

shItAni tava smitAni = such a refreshing things, are your, smiles; jayanti hail them.

English rendering

Him who circumstanced at the base of mandAra tree beaming forth like lovegod, winding his flute with his roseate lips, circumscribed by cows, and cowherds, milkmaids; and who bechanced like the glistening fullmoon of herdsmen community, I revere that cow-boy called Krishna... [1-100]

Word analysis and exposition

1-100. mandAra mUle = at mandAra tree, or say kalpavRiksham ,, at its base; madana abhirAmam= like lovegod, on who beams forth with charm; bimba adhara= at his bimba -fruit like roseate lips; ApUrita veNu nAdam= winded, flute’s, melody or, veNu nALam = flute’s, bamboo-tube; go gopa gopI= cows, cowherds, milkmaids; jana madhya saMstham= such flocks, in midst, one who stationed himself; gopam= such a cow-boy; who is; go kula pUrNa chandram= for cow-herders’ ethnic, who is like a full moon; aham bhaje = I venerate.

English rendering

There may be a few pro-aesthetic people for they themselves will be exquisitely charming – manohara dehadhArI- s; or, there may be thousands of connoisseurs avowedly muddle up in the domains of exponential beauty – rasaj~nA-s; we are neither at variance with them, nor use blarney about them, why because, all those handsomeness, tastefulness, artisticness etc are there with you full-fledgedly reaching their maxima... oh, Krishna... [1-100]

Word analysis and exposition

1-101. hè deva; kAmaM santu = perhaps, there may be; katipaye = a few; sArasya dhaureyakAH= in persons with most charming and beautiful physiques – astoka manohara avayava shobhitA- s; so, they must be pro-aesthetic;

vA kAmaM = or, perhaps;

kamanIyatA parimala svArAjya baddha vratAH = beauty, in exponential, dominion, fastened, connoisseurs, avowed ones; connoisseurs muddle up in the domain of exponential beauty – rasaj~nA-s;

sahasrashaH [santu ] = thousands of them, there may be;

taiH [ naivaivam= na eva evam ] = with them; vayaM = we; vivadAmahe na = dispute, not;

evam -= likewise; vayaM = we; priyaM ca = blarney, also; brUmahe na = we talk, not;

yat = by which reason - since;

ramaNIyatA pariNatiH = tastefulness, artisticness and its, maxima; tvayi eva = in you, alone; pAraM gatA= to other shore, gone - fully-fledged; satyaM = truly.

English rendering

Once they are interested in you the usually shyly milkmaids too have suddenly became the unusual lookalikes of rati-devi , the wife of lovegod, as their coyishness slithered down; an ordinary song when sung on you assumed extraordinary nectarine succulence; gone is your boyhood whereby the flippancy of your adolescence is gravitating indefinably; clichéd verbiage of me like artless poets when said on you has metamorphosed into monumental poetry like that of vAlmIki , vyAsa et al; why all these small things, our lives themselves have become frugiferous when you have become our cardinal principle... oh, Krishna... [1-102]

Word analysis and exposition

1-102. tvayi sthAne sati = when you have become an expedient, resort;

gopa-vanitAH galat vrIDAH= milkmaids’, slithered is, shyness;

lolA madana vanitAH [jAtA]= = in you interested, [milkmaids became] lovegod’s, wife – ratI-devi; they have become – once they are interested in you the shylymilkmaids too have suddenly became the lookalikes of rati-devi , the wife of lovegod;

gItam madhu sphItaM [jAtam]= [an ordinary] song, with nectar, breadthed with, [it has become so];

cApala dhurA madhurA [jAtA] = your flippancy’s, gravity, increasing [it became];

mAdR^isha girAM gumphA= me like [poets’] words, verbosity;

madhurima girAm = like melodious wordiness – of vAlmIki , vyAsa ; sam+ut+jR^imbhA [jAtA] = upsurged;

capalaM janma sa+phalam dadhati= vagrant, life [too], is becoming, bearing – fructified;

sthAne = all this is appropriate.

gopa-vanitA= milkmaids; lolA = when interested in you; madana vi+natA = by lovegod, subdued – coming under the spell of romance; therefore; galat vrIDA = slithered is they shyness – became less coyly;

kim api mada [muda] sphItaM vItam mathurA cApala dhurA

kim api = that which is indescribable; mada [muda] sphItaM= that which is with carefreeness, [or, with gladness] , amplified; vItam = that which has gone [your childhood]; cApala dhurA = flippancy [of adolescence,] under its spell; mathurA = is refreshing – since your childhood is a bygone thing, your adolescence now loaded with amplified carefreeness, and of course with flippancy, it is indescribably refreshing]

madhurima kirAm mAdR^isha girAM sam+ud+jR^imbhA gumphA;

madhurima kirAm= honeyness, bestrewing;

mAdR^isha girAM gumphA sam+ud+jR^imbhA = me like [poets’] words, piecing together, jumped up;

tvayi sthAne jAte sati = you, [as our] cardinal principle, on becoming;

capalaM janma saphalam dadhati= vagrant, life [too], is becoming, bearing – fructified;

English rendering

Your abode is Milky Ocean; your consort is universal grandeur, goddess lakshmi; your sons are lotus-seated brahma and lotus-wielder manmatha; your yes-god-bracket heavens lord indra and his coequals – Really? Then, how about your present legend of a flirtatious cow-boy, gokula jAra chora charitam – a laughable side-splitting or what, oh, Krishna... [1-103]

Word analysis and exposition

1-103. hè vibho; bhuvanaM bhavanaM = water – Milky Ocean, is your abode; shrIH vilAsinI= goddess lakshmi [or, universal grandeur,] is your consort; tAmarasa AsanaH= lotus-seated god – brahma ; smaraH ca= lovegod manmatha , also; tanayaH = your sons; sura+indrAH= jheavens lord – indra, and indra like other lords et al; paricAra paramparAH= yes-men’s, bracket; tadapi= even so; tvat caritaM vicitram= your, [present] legend, exceptional – a a hilarious mirth.

gokula vATambuna jAra chora kRiti lokul navvan kAnkshinture! – vengayAmAtya.

English rendering

Oh, god, on cosmic level you are the kastUri mark on the forehead of the damsel called the triad of worlds indicating her well-being; on microcosmic level you are the boy who manoeuvred the romantic escapades with vraja milkmaids so aptly and delicately, hail to thee oh, Krishna... [1-104]

Word analysis and exposition

1-104. trilokI saubhAgya kastUrI tilaka a~NkuraH= for the damsel called triad of worlds, indicating her well-being, [you are the] kasturi mark on her forehead, a tiny mark one; vraja a~NganA= of vraja village’s maidens; ana~Nga keli= in romantic escapades; lAlita vibhramaH= you who handled them so aptly and delicately; devas jIyAt= oh, god, hail thee.

Source commentary

Here the black kastUri facial cosmetic is used as a metonym for blueblack Krishna.

English rendering

Other than you, there is none who gives me perfect bliss, fruition of my longing, answer to my gnostic struggle, profuseness of emotions, mission of my living, very purpose of my life, oh, god, Krishna... [1-104]

Word analysis and exposition

1-104. mè prema daM ca= to me, bliss – shuddha prIti, Anandam, one that gives it, also; mè kAma daM ca= to me, fruition, giver, also; mè vedanaM ca = to me, gnostic struggle, also; mè vaibhavaM ca= my, opulence – abundance, profuseness, not just wealth, but anything, say wealth of emotions etc – aishvaryam , also; me jIvanaM ca= my, livelihood – the purpose of my living - not just food and sustenance etc, jIvita sattA ; mè jIvitaM ca= my, life – the very purpose of my life, also; deva = oh, god; mè daivataM ca = my, god, also; aparam na = other than [you], there is none.

Source commentary

By the three items in these foots 1] prema = Ananda ; 2] vedana = j~nAna ; 3] jiivanam = sastta , the poet is expressing advaita tattva in the unison of jIvAtma and paramAtma.

This construct is based on the namakam of rudra prashna - sham ca me, mayaH ca me.. sudinam ca me... etc.

English rendering

Let our diction boom orotund in extolling your honeyness and accomplishments like govardhana-uddharaNa etc; let our heartfelt emotions embellish with the acts of your childhood flippancy like gokula jAra chora Adi bAly kRIDA-s ... oh, Krishna... [1-105]

Word analysis and exposition

1-105. naH vAcaH = our, words; tava vaibhave mAdhuryeNa vijR^ibhantAM [ vivardhantAM ]= in your, accomplishments, with honeyness, let them boom [ let them enhance ]; naH cintA = our, emotions; tava shaishave cApalyena vivardhantAM= in your, childhood’s, flippancy, let them embellished.

English rendering

Those nectareous legends of yours which to the blessed souls have become savouries; or those deeds of yours that have always been tending towards giving offence to rAdha; or the other childhood legends of yours that are replete with your juvenile offhandedness; or, your sempiternal act of issuing purls of mellisonant music from your lotusy face thru your flute mohana-vamshi ; let those very acts, those very deeds cascade into the atoll called my heart in a perennial stream... oh, Krishna... [1-106]

Word analysis and exposition

1-106. yAni= those acts / deeds; tvat carita amR^itAni= of yours, legends, nectareous – those nectareous legends that are there; which to the; dhanya AtmanAM rasanA lehyAni= for the blessed souls, that are becoming savouries;

vA = or;

ye = those deeds; rAdhA aparAdha unmukhAH = [that are in respect of] rAdha , to give offence to her, [always] tending towards;

vA = or;

shaishava cApala vyatikarA = juvenile’s, offhandedness, filled with;

vA yA= or, those acts that are there;

lIlA mukha ambhoruhe = from your sporty, face, called lotus; bhAvita veNu gIta gatayoH= emanating, flute’s, songs, purls – purls of mellisonant music emanating from your lotusy face thru your flute ;

tAni eva tAni eva = those very acts, those very deeds;

me hR^idaye dhArA-vAhikayA vahantu = in my, heart, like a perennial stream, let cascade.

English rendering

If our devotion towards you who fortunately came off in the outfit of a divine whippersnapper remains much more than the word ‘immutable’, then the demoiselle called salvation, mukti, or moksha , herself will be ministering to us with a deferential palmfold; sequentially, the other factors like dharma, artha, kAma will be waiting in the wings to perform their bit on the dot... hence, we wish nothing else than to you hold you in our lap... oh, boy Krishna... [1-107]

Word analysis and exposition

1-107. daivena = fortunately; naH divya kishora veShe phalati = to us, as a divine, boy’s, in the outfit of, [you who] resulted as;

tvayi = [such as you are] in you; sthira-tarA = immutable, much [higher in degrees of comparison]; bhaktiH= devotion; syAt yadi = it is there, if;

muktiH = [the lady called] salvation; svayaM = herself; mukulita a~njaliH athA tathA = as if bowing with palm fold [of course, to us]; asmAn sevate = us, she will minister to us;

dharma artha kAma gatayaH= [the other factors like] dharma, artha etc; samaya pratIkShAH= will be waiting for their time, and bechance on us as and when needed; so, mukrti or gikti are unneeded from you. We want you. That’s all.

Word analysis and exposition

1-108. shravaNa mano nayana AmR^ita avatAra = ear-pleasing, heart-pleasing, eye-pleasing, ambrosian, incarnate; jaya = hail to thee;

tri bhuvana ma~Ngala divya nAmadheya= for triad of worlds, propitious, divine, names – one having them; jaya= hail to thee;

deva deva jaya = god of gods, hail to thee; deva jaya= oh, god, hail to thee; hè deva bAla kR^iShNa; jaya jaya = oh, godly, bAla kR^iShNa , hail, hail to thee;

tAtparyam = sulabham.

English rendering

To that indescribable self-refulgence shining forth with oceanic honeyness like an ambrosian ocean at a very distant horizon; yet, that is shining forth in the hearts of merited souls who in the uncontainable rain of ecstasy will be clearly making their wavery thoughts about their ‘ oneness with you ’ in an upsuring passion to the outside world, though they themselves are devoid of outside world and live in a cote deluged under the thoughts on you; that effulgence that is far beyond the Upanishadic statements; yet, that has resulted as an adorable baby-cowboy in the most revered cowherds’ community of vraja – signifying that that effulgence is not far away but in our midst only... I worship that effulgence called Krishna... [1-109]

Word analysis and exposition

1-109. nirbhara harSha varSha vivasha Avesha sphuTA Avirbhavat bhUyaH cApala vibhUShiteShu:

nirbhara = uncontainable; harSha varSha = ecstasy, in the rain of; vi+vasha Avesha = with baffled, gusto; sphuTa Avirbhavat bhUyaH cApala = clearly, upsurging, with much, waver; vibhUShiteShu = those that adorned with these factors - sukR^ita puruShA-s ;

su+kR^itAM bhAveShu nirbhAsate= = merited souls [like us], in their thoughts, one who is glistening forth – you, oh, Krishna;

shrImat gokula maNDanAya= for the most revered, cowherds’ community, one who is an adornment to it;

mahate vAcAM [dUre] = for great words, very far - far beyond the Upanishadic statements;

vidUra sphurat mAdhurya eka rasa arNavAya = at a very far place, shining forth, who for honeyness, the only, elixir, ocean; one who is the only entity with oceanic honeyness like an ambrosian ocean, shining forth a very distant horizon;

kasmaicit asmai mahase= to something which is an indescribable Being, to that entity, which is in the mode of self-effulgence;

tubhyaM namaH = to you, we hail.

Source commentary

The expression ‘he is far away, an ambrosial ocean etc – reminds the first mantra of mahA nArAyaNopaniShad –ambhasya pAre... bhuvanasya madhye... nAkasya pRiSTe... mahato mahIyAn.... etc.

English rendering

Wherever I see, let your magnificence with eyes doubly broadening with compassion, and your face fluting free flowing fluidic nectar like music redoubled with intonational cosmic rhythm, be evident thereabout, ubiquitously... [1-110]

Word analysis and exposition

1-110. anugraha dviguNa vishAla locanaiH = filled with compassion, with doubly, broad, eyes; anusvana dviguNa galat drava amR^itaiH= with intonation, redoubling, flowing, fluidic, nectar [like music] [ anusmaran mR^idu muralI rava amR^itaiH= when reminisced, softish, flute’s, music, nectar ] yataH yataH prasarati me vilocanaM= to where, to where, slides, my, glance; tataH tataH sphuratu tava eva vaibhavam= there, and there, be evident, your, alone, magnificence.

Source commentary

This verse is deemed as an extra text – adhika pATham.

English rendering

One who is imbued into to the vision and hearts of adherents like milkmaids of vraja , elevated souls, or percipient people, that god is the central theme of this poem, which to our like commoners will be bubbling with nectarean words in our ears, whereby this poem has become shrI kRiShNa karna-amRitam “ An Euphony to Krishna ”, which in turn milks indescribable ambrosian showers of pleasant words on the ears of all the other listeners, either homely women or astute scholars, in a trend-setting brilliance; let one and all hum this song said on the boy, called Krishna... [1-111]

Word analysis and exposition

1-111. vasyAnAM = those that are adherents [or, vanyAnAM those that are rustic, countrymen and women] – say milkmaids of vraja ;

dhanyAnAM= those that dwell in forests practising tapas – elevated souls;

su+dR^ishAM = those that are good, sighted – with j~nAna dRiSThi - percipient people;

mano nayanayoH magnasya devasya = in [their] mind, vision, imbued with, of such a god– Krishna as its central theme;

naH karNAnAM vacasAM vijR^imbhitam = to our like people, for ears, with words, that which is bubbling over;

such as it is that poem called:

kR^iShNasya karNAmR^itam = to [the listener] Krishna, [which poem is] ear, nectar;

dhanyAnAM = for the deserving souls;

that which is:

karNAnAM vivareShu = in ear, holes; kAm api sudhA vR^iShTiM = some indescribable, ambrosian, shower; muhuH duhAnaM = repeatedly, that which is milking;

sarasa anulApa saraNI saubhAagyam= pleasant, words, trend-setting, brilliance; abhyasyatAM = let them, scholars, women, dedicates et al practice – enjoy .

Source commentary

This verse is also deemed as an extra text – adhika pATham.

English rendering

A certain Thing is besprinkling rapturously scored fluting with transverse flute placed on the avenues of his lips, and bestrewing vibes on our percipience – what is this? This most exquisite Being in the triad of world seems an unobtainable entity even on the avenues of heaven; wherefore this Being is the much cherishable one to us all, our god and life too, call it, if you may, as Krishna... [1-112]

Word analysis and exposition

1-112. adhara vIdhI= on lips’, avenue – transverse on lips; kL^ipta va.mshI ninAdam= vamshI ’s, musicality; kim idam = what is this; naH nayanayoH kAm api prema dhArAm kirati= on our, vision – percipience, a certain, love - vibes, bestrewing; tat idam= that this Thing, Being; amara vIdhI durlabham= in heaven’s, avenues, an unobtainable one; bhuvana kamanIyam= in triad, of worlds, most exquisite thing; naH vallabham = to us, much cherished one; daivatam jIvitam ca = god, and life, too.

Source commentary

This verse is said to have a place as an extra text in the text taken by shrI chaitanya mahaprabhu when he visited Andhra. But it is not included in the text presented by gauDIya grantha mandira website.

However, the above English translation is according to the Telugu translation form Sanskrit, rendered by shrI jannAbhaTla vAsudeva shAshtry , in the publication of this book by shrI gaudIya maTham , Guntur, Andhra Pradesh [1991] – so says Dr. tangirAla venkaTa subba rao , who published full book of this work with Telugu translation rendered by shivashrI mallapally sharabhayya; this book containing exhaustive preface of Prof. subba rao is available with M/s vishAlAndhra publications, Hyderabad.

I sought permission from Dr. subba rao to anglicise his preface and incorporate it here. But my letter sent thru ordinary post has not reached him. If any reader is aware of his postal address, email, etc kindly inform them to me to renew my request.

English rendering

Let this poem agglomerating euphonies to that sapphirine-boy, as such parenthetically euphonious to all the listeners as well, penned by the poet pennamed as lIla-shuka , for he is a greedy parrot, to wit, winging up and up to taste the bouquet called the unfaltering magnificence of that boy, insomuch as that glory-bouquet looked like parrots- wont, an unripe fruit, be glissading for eras to come in the name of "An Euphony on Krishna" , "shI kR^iShNa karNAnR^itam" ... [1-113]

Word analysis and exposition

1-113. IshAna-deva caraNa AbharaNena= IshAna-deva alias somagiri [poet’s guru]. to his feet, one who is like an ornament [such as I am];

nIvI dAmodara= lady nIvi or nili , and dAmodara – poet’s parents; sthira yashaH = for their firm, renown; stabaka udbhavena= a bouquet, one who has come up – the poet who is an offshoot of those parents to buttress the renown of those parents firmly; lIlA-shukena= by such a son and poet with penname – lIlA-shuka ; racitaM = penned;

or:

nivI + dAma + udara= knotted, thread, at [lower] stomach = cummerbund n. = a waist sash. [Hindustani & Persian kamar-band ‘loin-band’; Telugu: mola tADu ] – a kid who roamed about with just with a loin-band on his body – Krishna;

nIvI= knot [of headstall rope of calves]; dAma udara= garlanded at [lower] stomach –one who has it around his waist; vexed with his childhood menace, his mother yashoda once tied this sapphirine-boy such a halter around his waist, and fastened the other end to a grain-pounding stone;

sthira= for the firm; yashaH= glory [of that boy]; stabaka = [which glory is in the shape of] a bouquet; udgamena = one that is winging up and up; lIlA shukena= by that playful, parrot – the poet called greedy parrot; racitaM = penned;

tava= your – on Krishna’s side; on the ears of all of your listeners – on listeners’ side;

karNa amR^itaM= to your, ears, honeyed-poem – called shrI kRiShNa karNAmRitam ;

deva kR^iShNa = hè god, Krishna;

kalpa shatAntare api vahatu= for eras, hundred to come, even, let it flow.