श्रीकेशवाष्टकम्
Śrī Keśavāṣṭakam

Eight verses in praise of Śrī Keśava’s return to Vraja from the forest in the evening

By Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda

श्रीकेशवाय नमः ।

śrī-keśavāya namaḥ |

Obeisance unto beautiful Keśava.

नवप्रियकमञ्जरीरचितकर्णपूरश्रियं
विनिद्रतरमालतीकलितशेखरेणोज्ज्वलम् ।
दरोच्छ्वसितयूथिकाग्रथितवल्गुवैकक्षकं
व्रजे विजयिनं भजे विपिनदेशतः केशवम् ॥१॥

nava-priyaka-mañjarī-racita-karṇa-pūra-śriyaṁ
vinidratara-mālatī-kalita-śekhareṇojjvalam |
darocchvasita-yūthikā-grathita-valgu-vaikakṣakaṁ
vraje vijayinaṁ bhaje vipina-deśataḥ keśavam ||1||

[Bearing] The charm of ear-ornaments
Made of fresh kadamba blossoms,
Splendid with a chaplet
Fashioned with thoroughly blooming mālatī flowers,
[Wearing] An attractive torso-garland
Strung with slightly blossoming yūthikā flowers—
I worship Keśava
Triumphantly returning from the forest land to Vraja.

Commentary

Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda explains in his commentary on this poem that the text describes Śrī Kṛṣṇa as he arrives in the village from the forest in the evening (sāyāhna) with immense delight.¹ A “torso-garland” (vaikakṣakam) refers to a garland worn over the left shelter, across the chest, and under the right arm like a sacred thread.

पिशङ्गि मणिकस्तनि प्रणतशृङ्गि पिङ्गेक्षणे
मृदङ्गमुखि धूमले शवलि हंसि वंशीप्रिये ।
इति स्वसुरभिकुलं तरलमाह्वयन्तं मुदा
व्रजे विजयिनं भजे विपिनदेशतः केशवम् ॥२॥

piśaṅgi maṇika-stani praṇata-śṛṅgi piṅgekṣaṇe
mṛdaṅga-mukhi dhūmale śavali haṁsi vaṁśī-priye |
iti sva-surabhi-kulaṁ taralam āhvayantaṁ mudā
vraje vijayinaṁ bhaje vipina-deśataḥ keśavam ||2||

“Piśaṅgī! Maṇika-stanī! Praṇata-śṛṅgī! Piṅgekṣanā!
Mṛdaṅga-mukhī! Dhūmalā!
Śavalī! Haṁsī! Vaṁśī-priyā!”
Tremulously calling his herd of cows with joy in this way—
I worship Keśava
Triumphantly returning from the forest land to Vraja.

घनप्रणयमेदुरान्मधुरनर्मगोष्ठीकला-
विलासनिलयान्मिलद्विविधवेशविद्योतिनः ।
सखीनखिलसारया पथिषु हासयन्तं गिरा
व्रजे विजयिनं भजे विपिनदेशतः केशवम् ॥३॥

ghana-praṇaya-medurān madhura-narma-goṣṭhī-kalā-
vilāsa-nilayān milad-vividha-veśa-vidyotinaḥ |
sakhīn akhila-sārayā pathiṣu hāsayantaṁ girā
vraje vijayinaṁ bhaje vipina-deśataḥ keśavam ||3||

Along the paths [in the forest]
Causing to laugh
With the most excellent words
Friends who are tender with deep, uninhibited love,
Who are repositories of expressions of the arts
In the midst of circles [formed] for [relishing] sweet jokes,
And who are replete with the radiance of various [excellent] garments—
I worship Keśava
Triumphantly returning from the forest land to Vraja.

श्रमाम्बुकणिकावलीदरविलीढगण्डान्तरं
समूढागिरिधातुभिर्लिखितचारुपत्राङ्कुरम् ।
उदञ्चदलिमण्डलीद्युतिविडम्बिवक्रालकं
व्रजे विजयिनं भजे विपिनदेशतः केशवम् ॥४॥

śramāmbu-kaṇikāvalī-dara-vilīḍha-gaṇḍāntaraṁ
samūḍhā-giri-dhātubhir likhita-cāru-patrāṅkuram |
udañcad-ali-maṇḍalī-dyuti-viḍambi-vakrālakaṁ
vraje vijayinaṁ bhaje vipina-deśataḥ keśavam ||4||

The middles of his cheeks
Slightly licked by drops of perspiration,
[Bearing] Lovely leaves and sprouts
Drawn with gathered mountain minerals
[On his forehead and elsewhere],
His curling locks belittling the resplendence
Of a rising swarm of bees—
I worship Keśava
Triumphantly returning from the forest land to Vraja.

Commentary

Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s cheeks being “slightly licked” (dara-vilīḍha) by drops of perspiration means they are mildly decorated thereby,² meaning, with the sheen created thereby. He also explains that the mountain minerals with which the leaf and spout designs are drawn on various parts of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s body are sought out and gathered [for artistic use], are yellow, red, white, and blue in color, and are high fragrant.³

निबद्धनवतर्णकावलिविलोकनोत्कण्ठया
नटत्खुरपुटाञ्चलैरलघुभिर्भुवं भिन्दतीम् ।
कलेन धवलाघटां लघु निवर्तयन्तं पुरो
व्रजे विजयिनं भजे विपिनदेशतः केशवम् ॥५॥

nibaddha-nava-tarṇakāvali-vilokanotkaṇṭhayā
naṭat-khura-puṭāñcalair alaghubhir bhuvaṁ bhindatīm |
kalena dhavalā-ghaṭāṁ laghu nivartayantaṁ puro
vraje vijayinaṁ bhaje vipina-deśataḥ keśavam ||5||

Quickly halting in the fore
With a sweet low tone [from his flute]
The multitude of cows breaking up the earth
With the heavy edges of the cloves of their striking hooves
Out of longing to behold their young calves held [in the village]—
I worship Keśava
Triumphantly returning from the forest land to Vraja.

Commentary

Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that the cows “breaking up the earth” (bhuvaṁ bhindatīm) refers to their creating furrows in it.⁴ The sense is that as the cows return to the village in the evening, they become very eager to nurture their calves they haven’t seen all day while out in the forest, and as they enter the village, they tend to rush into the village and thus break up the earth with their hooves as they strike the ground heavily while moving quickly. Yet when Śrī Kṛṣṇa following along behind them at that time calls the cows with his flute, they immediately stop rushing towards their calves as a result of becoming spellbound by the sound of his flute out of love for him.

पदाङ्कततिभिर्वरां विरचयन्तमध्वश्रियं
चलत्तरलनैचिकीनिचयधूलिधूम्रस्रजम् ।
मरुल्लहरिचञ्चलीकृतदुकूलचूडाञ्चलं
व्रजे विजयिनं भजे विपिनदेशतः केशवम् ॥६॥

padāṅka-tatibhir varāṁ viracayantam adhva-śriyaṁ
calat-tarala-naicikī-nicaya-dhūli-dhūmra-srajam |
marul-lahari-cañcalī-kṛta-dukūla-cūḍāñcalaṁ
vraje vijayinaṁ bhaje vipina-deśataḥ keśavam ||6||

Creating excellent decorations on the path
With the trails of his footprints,
His garland grey with the dust
Raised by the multitudes of lively, striding cows
[He is herding into the village from behind],
The edges of his cloth and chaplet
Fluttering in the waves of breeze—
I worship Keśava
Triumphantly returning from the forest land to Vraja.

Commentary

Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s footprints decorate the path to Vraja with the symbols found on his feet, that is, those of a flag, lightning bolt, and so on.⁵

विलासमुरलीकलध्वनिभिरुल्लसन्मानसाः
क्षणादखिलबल्लवीः पुलकयन्तमन्तर्गृहे ।
मुहुर्विदधतं हृदि प्रमुदितां च गोष्ठेश्वरीं
व्रजे विजयिनं भजे विपिनदेशतः केशवम् ॥७॥

vilāsa-muralī-kala-dhvanibhir ullasan-mānasāḥ
kṣaṇād akhila-ballavīḥ pulakayantam antar gṛhe |
muhur vidadhataṁ hṛdi pramuditāṁ ca goṣṭheśvarīṁ
vraje vijayinaṁ bhaje vipina-deśataḥ keśavam ||7||

Causing horripilation
With the sounds of the sweet low tones
Of his play-flute
In all the gopīs inside the house,
Whose minds were rejoicing
Because of the auspicious moment [of his evening return to the village],
And repeatedly making the village queen
Completely delighted at heart—
I worship Keśava
Triumphantly returning from the forest land to Vraja.

Commentary

Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that in this verse the author describes Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s being even from afar a cause of bliss for the mothers of village.⁶ “Because of the auspicious moment” (kṣaṇād) refers to the festival created by Kṛṣṇa’s return [to the village in the evening from the forest].⁷ “The village queen” (goṣṭheśvarīṁ) refers to Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mother, Śrī Yaśodā, and “all the gopīs inside the house” (akhila-ballavīḥ … antar gṛhe) refers to all the gopīs in the same inner apartment where Śrī Yaśodā lives,⁸ meaning, the elder gopīs of the village community.

उपेत्य पथि सुन्दरीततिभिराभिरभ्यर्चितं
स्मिताङ्कुरकरम्बितैर्नटदपाङ्गभङ्गीशतैः ।
स्तनस्तवकसञ्चरन्नयनचञ्चरीकाञ्चलं
व्रजे विजयिनं भजे विपिनदेशतः केशवम् ॥८॥

upetya pathi sundarī-tatibhir ābhir abhyarcitaṁ
smitāṅkura-karambitair naṭad-apāṅga-bhaṅgī-śataiḥ |
stana-stavaka-sañcaran-nayana-cañcarīkāñcalaṁ
vraje vijayinaṁ bhaje vipina-deśataḥ keśavam ||8||

Worshiped on the path
With hundreds of dancing gestures
From the corners of the eyes
Inlaid with the sprouts of gentle smiles
By these throngs of beauties having ascended,
The edges of his bee-like eyes
Buzzing around the blossom clusters of their breasts—
I worship Keśava
Triumphantly returning from the forest land to Vraja.

Commentary

Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that in this verse the author describes how Śrī Kṛṣṇa is met by his beloveds endowed with intense loving attachment⁹ as he entered the village, meaning, by Śrī Rādhā and other youthful gopīs. By describing Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s beloveds as “throngs of beauties having ascended” (upetya … sundarī-tatibhiḥ), the author conveys that they have rushed up to the roofs of their mansions¹⁰ to watch Śrī Kṛṣṇa enter the village from afar, and by referring to them as “these” (ābhiḥ) the author suggests that he is giving this description based on his own direct perception,¹¹ that is, that he is among them and is also personally observing their worshiping Śrī Kṛṣṇa with their glances and smiles and Śrī Kṛṣṇa also glancing back at them. The breasts of these gopīs are described as being like “blossom clusters” (stavaka) because they are decorated with variegated bodices.¹²

इदं निखिलबल्लवीकुलमहोत्सवोल्लासनं
क्रमेण किल यः पुमान्पठति सुष्ठु पद्याष्टकम् ।
तमुज्ज्वलधियं सदा निजपदारविन्दद्वये
रतिं दददचञ्चलां सुखयताद्विशाखासखः ॥९॥

idaṁ nikhila-ballavī-kula-mahotsavollāsanaṁ
krameṇa kila yaḥ pumān paṭhati suṣṭhu padyāṣṭakam |
tam ujjvala-dhiyaṁ sadā nija-padāravinda-dvaye
ratiṁ dadad acañcalāṁ sukhayatād viśākhā-sakhaḥ ||9||

May Viśākhā’s Friend bestow unwavering rati
To his two lotus feet
And bring joy
To that person of bright mind
Who aptly in succession recites this poem of eight verses
Which gives rise to a grand festival
For all the gopīs.

Commentary

Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda explains that in this verse, which describes the result of reciting this poem,¹³ Śrī Kṛṣṇa is spoken of as “Viśākhā’s Friend” (Viśākhā-sakhaḥ) because he is approached by her with the attitude (bhāva) of a friend.¹⁴

Meter

Pṛthvī

Sources

Stava-mālā editions by Śrī Purī Dāsa Mahāśaya, Śrī Rāma Nārāyaṇa Vidyāratna, and Nirṇaya Sāgara Press.

Footnotes

1vipina-deśataḥ kānanāt sāyāhna-samaye vraje goṣṭhe vijayinam atiprasannatayā samāgacchantam |

2dara-vilīḍham īṣad vibhūṣitaṁ … |

3samūḍhā anviṣya prāptā ye’tisugandhayo gaurāruṇa-sita-nīlā giri-dhātavas tair likhitāś cāru-patrāṅkurā yatra tam |

4bhuvaṁ bhūmiṁ bhindatīṁ likhantīm |

5padāṅka-tatibhir dhvaja-vajrādi-caraṇa-cihna-vṛndaiḥ adhva-śriyaṁ mārga-śobhām varāṁ śreṣṭhām viracayantaṁ kurvantaṁ … |

6dūrād eva mātṛ-vargānanda-kāritāṁ varṇayan … |

7kṣaṇāt kṛṣṇāgamana-rūpād utsavād dhetor … |

8akhila-ballavīr vrajeśvarī-samakakṣāḥ sarva-gopīḥ … |

9tīvrānurāgavatībhiḥ priyābhis tu sākṣātkṛta evābhūd iti varṇayan … |

10harmyāvalīm upetya āruhya … |

11ābhir iti kaves tat-sākṣātkāro vyajyate |

12tāsāṁ stanaṁ vicitra-kañcukī-bhūṣitatvāt stavakā gucchā iveti … |

13aṣṭaka-pāṭha-phalam āha—idam iti |

14viśākhā-sakhaḥ … viśākhāyāḥ sakhā mitra-bhāvenopeto nāyakaḥ kṛṣṇa ity arthaḥ |

Categories