Krishna, the cowherd dawn
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
सोडियेल्या गाई नवलक्ष गोपाळीं । सवें वनमाळी चालियेला ॥1॥
सुदीन समय भाग्याचा उदय । चारावया गाई वनामाजी ॥ध्रु.॥
गाईगोपाळांच्या संगें चाली हरि । क्रीडा नानापरि खेळताति ॥2 ॥
काठी कांबळीया मोहरीया पोंवा । सिदोरी गांजिवा खांद्यावरि ॥3॥
गोधनें संवगडे खेळे नानापरी । आले भीमातीरीं वेणुनादा ॥4॥
तेथें उभा ठेला गोपाळांसहित । सिदोरिया सोडीत बैसे तेथें ॥5॥
तुका ह्मणे ज्यांनीं आणिल्या भाकरी । नेऊनियां हरीपुढें देती ॥6॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The nine hundred thousand cowherds released their cows, and the Lord Vanamali walked along with them. It was the blessed dawn of good fortune, going to graze the cows in the forest. Hari walked with the cows and cowherds, playing games of every kind. Staffs, blankets, nose-rings, scarves, and lunch bundles and quivers slung over their shoulders. The cattle and friends played in every way, coming to the banks of the Bhima, drawn by the sound of the flute. There He stood with the cowherds. They untied their bundles and sat down together. Says Tuka, those who had brought their bread offerings placed them before Hari.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The cowherds let loose nine hundred thousand cows, and Vanamali walked along with them. It was a blessed dawn, a rising of good fortune, going out to graze the cows in the forest. Hari walked among the cows and cowherds, playing games of every kind. Staffs, blankets, nose-flutes, panpipes, lunch bundles and pouches were slung over their shoulders. The cattle and the friends played in every way, and they came to the bank of the Bhima, drawn by the sound of the flute. There He stood with the cowherds. They untied their bundles and sat down. Tuka says: those who had brought their bread carried it forward and laid it before Hari.
What it means
Tukaram is painting the simple morning when Krishna goes out herding with the cowherd boys. A vast number of cows are turned loose and Vanamali walks among them; the poet calls the hour itself blessed, a sunrise of good fortune, just because the Lord is going to the forest. He fills in the homely detail: the boys carry their staffs and blankets, their nose-flutes and panpipes, their lunch bundles over their shoulders, romping with the cattle until the flute draws them to the river Bhima. The scene closes in tender reverence: they sit, open their food, and the ones who brought bread bring it first to Hari, the meal turned into an offering.
Krishna Leela
Poems celebrating Krishna's birth, childhood, and divine play.
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