The Gopis Glorify the Song of Krsna's Flute

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Lord Sri Krishna with Srimati Radharani

Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 10 The Summum Bonum Chapter 21

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase Srimad Bhagavatam

Sukadeva Gosvami said: Thus the Vrndavana forest was filled with transparent
autumnal waters and cooled by breezes perfumed with the fragrance of lotus
flowers growing in the clear lakes. The infallible Lord, accompanied by His cows
and cowherd boyfriends, entered that Vrndavana forest.

The lakes, rivers and hills of Vrndavana resounded with the sounds of maddened
bees and flocks of birds moving about the flowering trees. In the company of the
cowherd boys and Balarama, Madhupati [Sri Krsna] entered that forest, and while
herding the cows He began to vibrate His flute.

When the young ladies in the cowherd village of Vraja heard the song of Krsna's
flute, which arouses the influence of Cupid, some of them privately began
describing Krsna's qualities to their intimate friends.



Lord Sri Krishna with the Gopis on a boat

The cowherd girls began to speak about Krsna, but when they remembered His
activities, O King, the power of Cupid disturbed their minds, and thus they
could not speak.

Wearing a peacock-feather ornament upon His head, blue karnikara flowers on His
ears, a yellow garment as brilliant as gold, and the Vaijayanti garland, Lord
Krsna exhibited His transcendental form as the greatest of dancers as He entered
the forest of Vrndavana, beautifying it with the marks of His footprints. He
filled the holes of His flute with the nectar of His lips, and the cowherd boys
sang His glories.



Lord Sri Krishna in the rasa dance with the Gopis

O King, when the young ladies in Vraja heard the sound of Krsna's flute, which
captivates the minds of all living beings, they all embraced one another and
began describing it.

The cowherd girls said:O friends, those eyes that see the beautiful faces of the
sons of Maharaja Nanda are certainly fortunate. As these two sons enter the
forest, surrounded by Their friends, driving the cows before Them, They hold
Their flutes to Their mouths and glance lovingly upon the residents of
Vrndavana. For those who have eyes, we think there is no greater object of
vision.

Dressed in a charming variety of garments, upon which Their garlands rest, and
decorating Themselves with peacock feathers, lotuses, lilies, newly grown mango
sprouts and clusters of flower buds, Krsna and Balarama shine forth
magnificently among the assembly of cowherd boys. They look just like the best
of dancers appearing on a dramatic stage, and sometimes They sing.

My dear gopis, what auspicious activities must the flute have performed to enjoy
the nectar of Krsna's lips independently and leave only a taste for us gopis,
for whom that nectar is actually meant! The forefathers of the flute, the bamboo
trees, shed tears of pleasure. His mother, the river on whose bank the bamboo
was born, feels jubilation, and therefore her blooming lotus flowers are
standing like hair on her body.

O friend, Vrndavana is spreading the glory of the earth, having obtained the
treasure of the lotus feet of Krsna, the son of Devaki. The peacocks dance madly
when they hear Govinda's flute, and when other creatures see them from the
hilltops, they all become stunned.

Blessed are all these foolish deer because they have approached Maharaja Nanda's
son, who is gorgeously dressed and is playing on His flute. Indeed, both the doe
and the bucks worship the Lord with looks of love and affection.

Krsna's beauty and character create a festival for all women. Indeed, when the
demigods' wives flying in airplanes with their husbands catch sight of Him and
hear His resonant flute-song, their hearts are shaken by Cupid, and they become
so bewildered that the flowers fall out of their hair and their belts loosen.

Using their upraised ears as vessels, the cows are drinking the nectar of the
flute-song flowing out of Krsna's mouth. The calves, their mouths full of milk
from their mothers' moist nipples, stand still as they take Govinda within
themselves through their tear-filled eyes and embrace Him within their hearts.

O mother, in this forest all the birds have risen onto the beautiful branches of
the trees to see Krsna. With closed eyes they are simply listening in silence to
the sweet vibrations of His flute, and they are not attracted by any other
sound. Surely these birds are on the same level as great sages.

When the rivers hear the flute-song of Krsna, their minds begin to desire Him,
and thus the flow of their currents is broken and their waters are agitated,
moving around in whirlpools. Then with the arms of their waves the rivers
embrace Murari's lotus feet and, holding on to them, present offerings of lotus
flowers.

In the company of Balarama and the cowherd boys, Lord Krsna is continually
vibrating His flute as He herds all the animals of Vraja, even under the full
heat of the summer sun. Seeing this, the cloud in the sky has expanded himself
out of love. He is rising high and constructing out of his own body, with its
multitude of flower-like droplets of water, an umbrella for the sake of his
friend.

The aborigine women of the Vrndavana area become disturbed by lust when they see
the grass marked with reddish kunkuma powder. Endowed with the color of Krsna's
lotus feet, this powder originally decorated the breasts of His beloveds, and
when the aborigine women smear it on their faces and breasts, they feel fully
satisfied and give up all their anxiety.

Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this hill
supplies Krsna and Balarama, along with Their calves, cows and cowherd friends,
with all kinds of necessities -- water for drinking, very soft grass, caves,
fruits, flowers and vegetables. In this way the hill offers respects to the
Lord. Being touched by the lotus feet of Krsna and Balarama, Govardhana Hill
appears very jubilant.

My dear friends, as Krsna and Balarama pass through the forest with Their
cowherd friends, leading Their cows, They carry ropes to bind the cows' rear
legs at the time of milking. When Lord Krsna plays on His flute, the sweet music
causes the moving living entities to become stunned and the nonmoving trees to
tremble with ecstasy. These things are certainly very wonderful.

Thus narrating to one another the playful pastimes of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead as He wandered about in the Vrndavana forest, the gopis became fully
absorbed in thoughts of Him.

Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness

http://www.krsnabook.com

http://www.vedabase.net


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