युगलगीता
Yugala-gītā

Twenty-four verses arranged in twelve pairings sung by the gopīs during the day in the village of Vraja while Śrī Kṛṣṇa is away grazing the cows in the forest.

Excerpted from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.35.1–26.

श्रीशुक उवाच
गोप्य: कृष्णे वनं याते तमनुद्रुतचेतस: ।
कृष्णलीला: प्रगायन्त्यो निन्युर्दु:खेन वासरान् ॥१॥

śrī-śuka uvāca
gopyaḥ kṛṣṇe vanaṁ yāte tam anudruta-cetasaḥ |
kṛṣṇa-līlāḥ pragāyantyo ninyur duḥkhena vāsarān||1||

Śrī Śuka said:
When Kṛṣṇa went to the forest [each morning], the gopīs, who in their minds ran with him, passed the days with difficulty [in the village] singing of Kṛṣṇa’s līlās.

श्रीगोप्य ऊचु:
वामबाहुकृतवामकपोलो
वल्गितभ्रुरधरार्पितवेणुम् ।
कोमलाङ्गुलिभिराश्रितमार्गं
गोप्य ईरयति यत्र मुकुन्द: ॥२॥
व्योमयानवनिता: सह सिद्धै-
र्विस्मितास्तदुपधार्य सलज्जा: ।
काममार्गणसमर्पितचित्ता:
कश्मलं ययुरपस्मृतनीव्य: ॥३॥

śrī-gopya ūcuḥ
vāma-bāhu-kṛta-vāma-kapolo
valgita-bhrur adharārpita-veṇum |
komalāṅgulibhir āśrita-mārgaṁ
gopya īrayati yatra mukundaḥ ||2||
vyoma-yāna-vanitāḥ saha siddhair
vismitās tad-upadhārya salajjāḥ |
kāma-mārgaṇa-samarpita-cittāḥ
kaśmalaṁ yayur apasmṛta-nīvyaḥ ||3||

The beautiful gopīs said:
O gopīs!
When Mukunda,
His left cheek turned towards his left shoulder,
And his eyebrows dancing,
Plays the flute placed on his lips,
Covering its holes with his tender fingers,
[Then] The women in sky-vehicles
[Although] Along with the siddhas [i.e., their husbands],
Upon hearing it,
Become astonished,
Bashful,
Of mind given over to the arrows of kāma,
Bewildered,
And unconscious of their waistbands [falling loose].

हन्त चित्रमबला: श‍ृणुतेदं
हारहास उरसि स्थिरविद्युत् ।
नन्दसूनुरयमार्तजनानां
नर्मदो यर्हि कूजितवेणु: ॥४॥
वृन्दशो व्रजवृषा मृगगावो
वेणुवाद्यहृतचेतस आरात् ।
दन्तदष्टकवला धृतकर्णा
निद्रिता लिखितचित्रमिवासन् ॥५॥

hanta citram abalāḥ śṛṇutedaṁ
hāra-hāsa urasi sthira-vidyut |
nanda-sūnur ayam ārta-janānāṁ
narma-do yarhi kūjita-veṇuḥ ||4||
vṛndaśo vraja-vṛṣā mṛga-gāvo
veṇu-vādya-hṛta-cetasa ārāt |
danta-daṣṭa-kavalā dhṛta-karṇā
nidritā likhita-citram ivāsan ||5||

Hanta!
O girls!
Hear of this wonder!
When this Son of Nanda,
He whose smile resembles a necklace,
He who bears still lightning on his chest,
The giver of laughter to distressed persons,
Cooes on his flute,
[Then] From afar
Herds of bulls in Vraja,
Deer, and cows
Have their minds captivated by the flute’s sound,
Remain with chewed morsels [of food] in their teeth,
Their ears pricked,
And become [stunned] as though asleep,
And like painted pictures.

बर्हिणस्तबकधातुपलाशै-
र्बद्धमल्लपरिबर्हविडम्ब: ।
कर्हिचित् सबल आलि सगोपै-
र्गा: समाह्वयति यत्र मुकुन्द: ॥६॥
तर्हि भग्नगतय: सरितो वै
तत्पदाम्बुजरजोऽनिलनीतम् ।
स्पृहयतीर्वयमिवाबहुपुण्या:
प्रेमवेपितभुजा: स्तिमिताप: ॥७॥

barhiṇa-stavaka-dhātu-palāśair
baddha-malla-paribarha-viḍambaḥ |
karhicit sa-bala āli sa-gopair
gāḥ samāhvayati yatra mukundaḥ ||6||
tarhi bhagna-gatayaḥ sarito vai
tat-padāmbuja-rajo’nila-nītam |
spṛhayatīr vayam ivābahu-puṇyāḥ
prema-vepita-bhujāḥ stimitāpaḥ ||7||

O friends!
When Mukunda,
Bedecked with peacock tail-feathers, minerals, and foliage,
[And therewith] Imitating the trappings of a wrestler,
Sometimes with Bala [i.e., Balarāma] and the cowherds,
Calls the cows [who have names such as Kālindī, Gaṅgā, and Sarasvatī],
Then the rivers,
Desiring the dust of his lotus feet
Brought by the breeze,
Have their flows broken,
Since they, like us, are of no great fortune
[As they, like us, did not obtain the dust of his lotus feet at that time]
And remain with their arms [i.e., waves] trembling out of prema,
And their waters at a standstill.

अनुचरै: समनुवर्णितवीर्य
आदिपूरुष इवाचलभूति: ।
वनचरो गिरितटेषु चरन्ती-
र्वेणुनाह्वयति गा: स यदा हि ॥८॥
वनलतास्तरव आत्मनि विष्णुं
व्यञ्जयन्त्य इव पुष्पफलाढ्या: ।
प्रणतभारविटपा मधुधारा:
प्रेमहृष्टतनवो ववृषु: स्म ॥९॥

anucaraiḥ samanuvarṇita-vīrya
ādi-pūruṣa ivācala-bhūtiḥ |
vana-caro giri-taṭeṣu carantīr
veṇunāhvayati gāḥ sa yadā hi ||8||
vana-latās tarava ātmani viṣṇuṁ
vyañjayantya iva puṣpa-phalāḍhyāḥ |
praṇata-bhāra-viṭapā madhu-dhārāḥ
prema-hṛṣṭa-tanavo vavṛṣuḥ sma ||9||

When he,
Roaming in the forest,
His vigour being highly praised by his companions,
And his splendor unwavering like [that of] the Original Puruṣa,
Calls with his flute
The cows roaming on the hillside,
[Then] The forest creepers and trees,
Abounding with fruits and flowers,
Their branches bowed under the weight [thereof],
And their bodies delighted [i.e., horripilating] with prema,
Shower streams of nectar,
As though manifesting Viṣṇu in their hearts.

दर्शनीयतिलको वनमाला-
दिव्यगन्धतुलसीमधुमत्तै: ।
अलिकुलैरलघुगीतामभीष्ट-
माद्रियन् यर्हि सन्धितवेणु: ॥१०॥
सरसि सारसहंसविहङ्गा-
श्चारुगीताहृतचेतस एत्य ।
हरिमुपासत ते यतचित्ता
हन्त मीलितद‍ृशो धृतमौना: ॥११॥

darśanīya-tilako vana-mālā-
divya-gandha-tulasī-madhu-mattaiḥ |
ali-kulair alaghu-gītām abhīṣṭam
ādriyan yarhi sandhita-veṇuḥ ||10||
sarasi sārasa-haṁsa-vihaṅgāś
cāru-gītā-hṛta-cetasa etya |
harim upāsata te yata-cittā
hanta mīlita-dṛśo dhṛta-maunāḥ ||11||

When he of sightly tilaka
[alt., he who is the foremost of the sightly]
Attentively listens
To the agreeable, sonorous song of the bees,
Maddened by the nectar
Of the divinely fragrant tulasī
On his forest garland,
And picks up his flute,
[Then] The cranes, swans, and other birds,
Their minds captivated by the charming song [he then resounds],
Approach and worship Hari
With fixed minds and closed eyes,
Observing silence.
Hanta!

सहबल: स्रगवतंसविलास:
सानुषु क्षितिभृतो व्रजदेव्य: ।
हर्षयन् यर्हि वेणुरवेण
जातहर्ष उपरम्भति विश्वम् ॥१२॥
महदतिक्रमणशङ्कितचेता
मन्दमन्दमनु गर्जति मेघ: ।
सुहृदमभ्यवर्षत् सुमनोभि-
श्छायया च विदधत् प्रतपत्रम् ॥१३॥

saha-balaḥ srag-avataṁsa-vilāsaḥ
sānuṣu kṣiti-bhṛto vraja-devyaḥ |
harṣayan yarhi veṇu-raveṇa
jāta-harṣa uparambhati viśvam ||12||
mahad-atikramaṇa-śaṅkita-cetā
manda-mandam anu garjati meghaḥ |
suhṛdam abhyavarṣat sumanobhiś
chāyayā ca vidadhat pratapatram ||13||

O devīs of Vraja!
When he of manifest delight,
Along with Bala [i.e., Balarāma]
Charming with garlands and ear-ornaments,
Calls out with the sound of his flute
From atop the ridges of the mountain,
Delighting the world,
[Then] The clouds,
Their minds apprehensive of disregarding a great person,
Gently, gently, rumble along [with the sound of the flute],
Shower their friend [i.e., Kṛṣṇa] with flowers,
And form an umbrella with shade [over him].

विविधगोपचरणेषु विदग्धो
वेणुवाद्य उरुधा निजशिक्षा: ।
तव सुत: सति यदाधरबिम्बे
दत्तवेणुरनयत् स्वरजाती: ॥१४॥
सवनशस्तदुपधार्य सुरेशा:
शक्रशर्वपरमेष्ठिपुरोगा: ।
कवय आनतकन्धरचित्ता:
कश्मलं ययुरनिश्चिततत्त्वा: ॥१५॥

vividha-gopa-caraṇeṣu vidagdho
veṇu-vādya urudhā nija-śikṣāḥ |
tava sutaḥ sati yadādhara-bimbe
datta-veṇur anayat svara-jātīḥ ||14||
savanaśas tad upadhārya sureśāḥ
śakra-śarva-parameṣṭhi-purogāḥ |
kavaya ānata-kandhara-cittāḥ
kaśmalaṁ yayur aniścita-tattvāḥ ||15||

O virtuous one [i.e., O Mother Yaśodā],
When your son,
Who is adept in the various arts of cowherding,
And extensively self-taught in playing the flute,
Places the flute on his bimba lips
And sends forth notes and rhythmic patterns,
[Then] Upon hearing that
Along with its [various] pitches,
The learned lords of the suras
Led by Indra, Śiva, and Brahmā,
Become confused,
Uncertain of its nature,
And bow their shoulders and minds.

निजपदाब्जदलैर्ध्वजवज्र-
नीरजाङ्कुशविचित्रललामै: ।
व्रजभुव: शमयन् खुरतोदं
वर्ष्मधुर्यगतिरीडितवेणु: ॥१६॥
व्रजति तेन वयं सविलास-
वीक्षणार्पितमनोभववेगा: ।
कुजगतिं गमिता न विदाम:
कश्मलेन कवरं वसनं वा ॥१७॥

nija-padābja-dalair dhvaja-vajra-
nīrajāṅkuśa-vicitra-lalāmaiḥ |
vraja-bhuvaḥ śamayan khura-todaṁ
varṣma-dhurya-gatir īḍita-veṇuḥ ||16||
vrajati tena vayaṁ sa-vilāsa-
vīkṣaṇārpita-manobhava-vegāḥ |
kuja-gatiṁ gamitā na vidāmaḥ
kaśmalena kavaraṁ vasanaṁ vā ||17||

He with the bodily gate of an elephant
Moves about playing the flute
And relieving from the land of Vraja
The pain from the hoofs [of the cows]
With the petals of the lotuses of his own feet
Bearing the variegated emblems
Of a flag, lightning bolt, lotus, and goad,
And thereby we into whom the mind-born urge [i.e., kāma] is cast
By his playful glances
Enter the condition of [being] trees,
And in confusion,
Are not aware of our braids or garments
[i.e., whether they have fallen down or not].

मणिधर: क्‍वचिदागणयन् गा
मालया दयितगन्धतुलस्या: ।
प्रणयिनोऽनुचरस्य कदांसे
प्रक्षिपन् भुजमगायत यत्र ॥१८॥
क्‍वणितवेणुरववञ्चितचित्ता:
कृष्णमन्वसत कृष्णगृहिण्य: ।
गुणगणार्णमनुगत्य हरिण्यो
गोपिका इव विमुक्तगृहाशा: ॥१९॥

maṇi-dharaḥ kvacid āgaṇayan gā
mālayā dayita-gandha-tulasyāḥ |
praṇayino’nucarasya kadāṁse
prakṣipan bhujam agāyata yatra ||18||
kvaṇita-veṇu-rava-vañcita-cittāḥ
kṛṣṇam anvasata kṛṣṇa-gṛhiṇyaḥ |
guṇa-gaṇārṇam anugatya hariṇyo
gopikā iva vimukta-gṛhāśāḥ ||19||

When he,
With a garland of tulasī [around his neck]
Bearing fragrance that is beloved,
Somewhere holds [a string of] jewels
And counts cows [thereupon],
And sometimes throws an arm
Over the shoulder of a loving companion,
And sings [with his flute],
[Then] The female antelopes,
The wives of the blackbucks,
Their minds beguiled
By the sound of the resounding flute,
Follow Kṛṣṇa,
The ocean of qualities,
And remain with him,
Having abandoned,
Like the gopīs,
The desire for household life.

कुन्ददामकृतकौतुकवेषो
गोपगोधनवृतो यमुनायाम् ।
नन्दसूनुरनघे तव वत्सो
नर्मद: प्रणयिणां विजहार ॥२०॥
मन्दवायुरुपवात्यनुकूलं
मानयन् मलयजस्पर्शेन ।
वन्दिनस्तमुपदेवगणा ये
वाद्यगीतबलिभि: परिवव्रु: ॥२१॥

kunda-dāma-kṛta-kautuka-veṣo
gopa-godhana-vṛto yamunāyām |
nanda-sūnur anaghe tava vatso
narmadaḥ praṇayiṇāṁ vijahāra ||20||
manda-vāyur upavāty anukūlaṁ
mānayan malayaja-sparśena |
vandinas tam upadeva-gaṇā ye
vādya-gīta-balibhiḥ parivavruḥ ||21||

O sinless one [i.e., Mother Yaśodā]!
When your darling,
The son of Nanda,
Festively decorated with a jasmine garland,
And surrounded by cows and cowherds,
Sports along the Yamunā
Amusing his loving companions,
[Then] The gentle breeze favorably fans him,
Honoring him with a touch like that of sandalwood,
And praisers, who are upadevas,
Worship him all around
With music, songs, and tributes.

वत्सलो व्रजगवां यदगध्रो
वन्द्यमानचरण: पथि वृद्धै: ।
कृत्‍स्‍नगोधनमुपोह्य दिनान्ते
गीतवेणुरनुगेडितकीर्ति: ॥२२॥
उत्सवं श्रमरुचापि द‍ृशीना-
मुन्नयन् खुररजश्छुरितस्रक् ।
दित्सयैति सुहृदाशिष एष
देवकीजठरभूरुडुराज: ॥२३॥

vatsalo vraja-gavāṁ yad aga-dhro
vandyamāna-caraṇaḥ pathi vṛddhaiḥ |
kṛtsna-go-dhanam upohya dinānte
gīta-veṇur anugeḍita-kīrtiḥ ||22||
utsavaṁ śrama-rucāpi dṛśīnām
unnayan khura-rajaś-churita-srak |
ditsayaiti suhṛd-āśiṣa eṣa
devakī-jaṭhara-bhūr uḍu-rājaḥ ||23||

The king of the night [i.e., moon]
Born of the womb of Devakī,
Affectionate to the cows of Vraja—
Since he is the lifter of the mountain [i.e., Govardhana]—
His feet being worshippable
To the elders [i.e., the devatās] along the path,
Gathers all the cows at the end of the day
As he plays the flute
And his praises are sung by his companions,
And, creating a festival for the eyes
Although of fatigue in mein,
His garland covered with dust from the [cows’] hooves,
Returns [to the village]
Out of desire to fulfil the wishes of his kinsfolk.

मदविघूर्णितलोचन ईषत्
मानद: स्वसुहृदां वनमाली ।
बदरपाण्डुवदनो मृदुगण्डं
मण्डयन् कनककुण्डललक्ष्म्या ॥२४॥
यदुपतिर्द्विरदराजविहारो
यामिनीपतिरिवैष दिनान्ते ।
मुदितवक्त्र उपयाति दुरन्तं
मोचयन् व्रजगवां दिनतापम् ॥२५॥

mada-vighūrṇita-locana īṣat
mānadaḥ sva-suhṛdāṁ vana-mālī |
badara-pāṇḍu-vadano mṛdu-gaṇḍaṁ
maṇḍayan kanaka-kuṇḍala-lakṣmyā ||24||
yadu-patir dvirada-rāja-vihāro
yāminī-patir ivaiṣa dinānte |
mudita-vaktra upayāti durantaṁ
mocayan vraja-gavāṁ dina-tāpam ||25||

His eyes rolling slightly with excitement,
Offering regards to his kinsfolk,
Wearing a forest garland,
His face pale like a jujube,
Adorning his soft cheeks
With the beauty of golden earrings,
Strolling like the king of elephants,
His countenance cheerful
Like the lord of the night [i.e., the moon],
He, the protector of the Yadus,
Returns at the end of the day,
Delivering the cows [alt., eyes] of Vraja
From the difficult to endure
Heat of the day.

श्रीशुक उवाच
एवं व्रजस्त्रियो राजन् कृष्णलीला नु गायती: ।
रेमिरेऽह:सु तच्चित्तास्तन्मनस्का महोदया: ॥२६॥

śrī-śuka uvāca
evaṁ vraja-striyo rājan kṛṣṇa-līlā nu gāyatīḥ |
remire’haḥsu tac-cittās tan-manaskā mahodayāḥ ||26||

Śrī Śuka said:
O King,
In this way the women of Vraja,
Singing of Kṛṣṇa’s līlās,
Enjoyed during the days,
Their hearts [fixed] upon him,
Their minds [fixed] upon him,
Greatly fortunate.

Meter

Svāgatā

Note

Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī explains in his Bṛhad Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā on SB 10.35.26 that with the twelve pairs of verses in this chapter, the gopīs sing of Kṛṣṇa’s līlās throughout the later three divisions of the day, beginning from the time he leaves the village in the morning and concluding at the time he returns in the evening. In the first three pairs (i.e., verses 2–7), they describe Kṛṣṇa’s līlā in the forenoon (pūrvāhna), and in the second three pairs (i.e., 8–13), they describe Kṛṣṇa’s līlā at midday (madhyāhna). In the following pair (i.e., 14–15), they suddenly address Mother Yaśoda, and in the pair thereafter (i.e., 16–17), they describe their own condition. In the following three pairs (i.e., 18–23), they describe Kṛṣṇa’s līlā in the afternoon (aparāhna), and in the final pair (24–25) they describe Kṛṣṇa’s līlā of arriving back in the village at the time of sunset and moonrise (i.e., at the end of the aparāhna and beginning of sāyāhna).

Śrī Sanātanapāda also reflects on this chapter of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam at the end of his commentary as follows:

gokulotsava-līlāyāḥ samāptau sad-rasāmbudheḥ |
anyatra kaḥ pravarteta vinā nija-durāgraham ||

“At the conclusion of this līlā of the Joy of Gokula [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa], who is an ocean of true rasa, who would pursue anything else without [i.e., were it not for] their own willfulness?”

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