Texts

niculita-giri-dhātu-sphīta-patrāvalīkān

niculita-giri-dhātu-sphīta-patrāvalīkān
akhila-surabhi-reṇūn kṣālayadbhir yaśodā |
kuca-kalasa-vimuktaiḥ sneha-mādhvīka-medhyais
tava navam abhiṣekaṁ dugdha-pūraiḥ karoti ||
(Lalita-mādhava-nāṭaka: 1.46; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sidhu: 3.4.47)

“[O Kṛṣṇa!]
Yaśodā conducts your first bath [after you return from the forest in the afternoon]
With the supremely pure streams of milk
Replete with the honey of her affection
Released from the urns of her breasts
That wash away all the dust from [i.e., raised by] the cows,
By which your leaves [i.e., the decorative leaf designs drawn on your body] made of minerals
Become covered over.”

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tanau mantra-nyāsaṁ praṇayati harer gadgadamayī

tanau mantra-nyāsaṁ praṇayati harer gadgadamayī
sabāṣpākṣī rakṣā-tilakam alike kalpayati ca |
snuvānā pratyūṣe diśati ca bhuje kārmaṇam asau
yaśodā mūrteva sphurati suta-vātsalya-paṭalī ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 3.4.14)

“Early in the morning,
Stuttering,
Her eyes filled with tears,
Milk flowing [from her breasts],
She performs mantra-nyāsa on Hari’s body,
Draws a tilaka for protection on his forehead,
And places a spell-infused root on his arms;
Yaśodā shines
Like the embodiment
Of a profusion of affection for a son.”

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kṣaumaṁ vāsaḥ pṛthu-kaṭi-taṭe bibhratī sūtra-naddhaṁ

kṣaumaṁ vāsaḥ pṛthu-kaṭi-taṭe bibhratī sūtra-naddhaṁ
putra-sneha-snuta-kuca-yugaṁ jāta-kampaṁ ca subhrūḥ |
rajjv-ākarṣa-śrama-bhuja-calat-kaṅkaṇau kuṇḍale ca
svinnaṁ vaktraṁ kabara-vigalan-mālatī nirmamantha ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.9.3; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 3.4.12)

“Bearing a linen garment bound with a cord
Around her wide hips,
Shaking breasts
Flowing [with milk]
Out of affection for her son,
Bangles moving along her arms
In the midst of the labor of pulling the [churning] ropes,
[Swaying] Earrings,
And a perspiring face,
She of fine brows [viz., Yaśodā],
With mālatī flowers falling from her braid,
Churned [the yoghurt].”

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mayy arpitātmanaḥ sabhya nirapekṣasya sarvataḥ |

mayy arpitātmanaḥ sabhya nirapekṣasya sarvataḥ |
mayātmanā sukhaṁ yat tat kutaḥ syād viṣayātmanām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.14.12)
“O noble one, how can those of mind upon objects of the senses have the happiness on account of me, the Self, which those of mind offered to me, who are indifferent to everything [else], have?”

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kim upāyanam ānītaṁ brahman me bhavatā gṛhāt

kim upāyanam ānītaṁ brahman me bhavatā gṛhāt |
aṇv apy upāhṛtaṁ bhaktaiḥ premṇā bhūry eva me bhavet |
bhūry apy abhaktopahṛtaṁ na me toṣāya kalpate ||
patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati |
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.81.3–4)

“O brāhmaṇa, what gift has been brought by you from your home for me? Even something small offered by bhaktas with prema shall certainly be great to me. Even a great [i.e., lavish] offering by a non-bhakta [however] does not lead to satisfaction for me. One who with bhakti offers a leaf, flower, fruit, or water to me—I partake of that offered out of bhakti from one of pure heart.”

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ānanda-nirjharamayīm aravinda-nābha

ānanda-nirjharamayīm aravinda-nābha-
pādāravinda-makarandamaya-pravāham |
taṁ kṛṣṇa-bhaktim iva mūrtimatiṁ sravantīṁ
vande maheśvara-śiro-ruha-kunda-mālām ||
(Hari-bhakti-kalpa-latikā: 2.3)

“To her [viz., Śrī Gaṅgā Devī],
She who is filled with a cascade of bliss,
She who is a stream
Filled with the nectar of the lotus feet
Of he of lotus eyes [viz., Śrī Bhagavān],
She who is like a flowing embodiment of Kṛṣṇa-bhakti,
She who is a jasmine garland
Mounted on the head of Maheśvara—
I offer obeisance.”

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vijñāpya tātaṁ dohāya gato’sau gāś ca tā mudā

vijñāpya tātaṁ dohāya gato’sau gāś ca tā mudā |
militāḥ svābhitaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sāntvayāmāsa sāntvanaiḥ ||
śrī-hasta-mārjanaiḥ kaṇḍūyanair gāḥ prīṇayan hariḥ |
dudoha dohayāmāsa vatsāṁs tais taiś ca pāyayan ||
vatsā nipīyodara-pūram uccakais
tṛptiṁ gatā gopa-gaṇā yathepsitam |
dugdhvā nivṛttāś ca gavāṁ tathāpy aho
nodhaḥ-payaḥ-pūrtir avāpa hīnatām ||
kṛṣṇānanābjārpita-netra-cetasāṁ
gavāṁ svayaṁ saṁsravad audhasaṁ payaḥ |
gopāḥ stanādho-dhṛta-kumbha-sañcayaiḥ
sambhṛtya ninyuḥ purato vrajeśituḥ ||
(Govinda-līlāmṛta: 20.30–33)

“He informed his father and went to milk [the cows]. Kṛṣṇa comforted the cows delightedly assembled around him with comforting gestures. After pleasing them by scratching and wiping them with his beautiful hands, Hari milked the cows and had them [i.e., his fellow cowherds] feed the calves milk and milk [the other cows]. The calves drank a belly-full [of milk] and greatly felt satisfaction. The cowherds also milked [the cows] to the extent desired and desisted. Still, aho! The fulness with milk of the cows’ udders did not undergo depletion. The cowherds collected in pots held below their udders the milk flowing of its own accord from the udders of the cows, whose eyes and hearts were fixed on the lotus of Kṛṣṇa’s face, and [then] brought it before the king of Vraja [viz., Nanda Mahārāja].”

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hihī gaṅge godāvari śabali kālindi dhavale

hihī gaṅge godāvari śabali kālindi dhavale
hihī dhūmre tuṅgi bhramari yamune haṁsi kamale |
hihī rambhe campe kariṇi hariṇīti vraja-vidhur
muhur nāma-grāhaṁ nikhila-surabhīr āhvayad asau ||
nyastāṅgaḥ prapadopari praghaṭayan jānu-dvaye dohanīṁ
kāścid dogdhi payaḥ svayaṁ tv atha parāḥ svair dohayaty unmukhīḥ |
anyāḥ pāyayati sva-tarṇaka-gaṇān kaṇḍūyanaiḥ prīṇayann
itthaṁ nanda-sutaḥ prage sva-surabhīr ānandayan nandati ||
(Govinda-līlāmṛta: 2.40–41)

“‘Hihī, Gaṅge!
Godāvari! Śabali! Kālindi! Dhavale!
Hihī, Dhūmre! Tuṅgi! Bhramari! Yamune! Haṁsi! Kamale!
Hihī, Rambhe! Campe! Kariṇi! Harini!’
Repeatedly taking their names in this way,
The Moon of Vraja calls all the cows.
Placing his body [weight] over the tips of his toes
And setting a milk vessel between his knees,
He personally milks some of the cows himself
And has other eager ones milked by his companions.
He pleases others by scratching [them]
And has their calves drink [their] milk.
In this way delighting his cows,
The Son of Nanda delights in the morning.”

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