Srimad Bhagavatam – day 691
The Gopikas describe the beauty of Krishna who was playing the flute
Narayana Narayana Krishna
“Krishna began to play his flute as soon as He entered the forest. His flute rendition, that causes hearts to overflow with love, was no ordinary music. Some Gopikas of Brindavan, who heard the enchanting music flowing from His flute, felt their hearts overflow with love. Upon returning to the hamlet, these Gopikas, in the form of a song, described in detail the music to their friends who had stayed back in the hamlet and as such not had any opportunity to listen to it. Through different songs they explained the beauty of the music that flowed from Krishna’s flute. As they began the narration, memories of Krishna’s childhood activities flooded their mind and their hearts surged with love for Him”.
Remember that Krishna was still six to seven-years-old. They were recollecting His activities when He was two or three. In love, there are two types. Absolute love towards the Lord is the first one. Surrendering everything in totality to Him is the second.
“The love that the Gopikas had for Krishna had crossed all possible boundaries. The excessive love pulled their minds completely and they were totally distracted. It was as if they were thrown into delusion.
Barhāpīḍaḿ naṭa-vara-vapuḥ karṇayoḥ karṇikāraḿ
bibhrad vāsaḥ kanaka-kapiśaḿ vaijayantīḿ ca mālām
Randhrān veṇor adhara-sudhayāpūrayan gopa-vṛndair
Bṛndāraṇyaḿ sva-pada-ramaṇaḿ prāviśad gīta-kīrtiḥ
Śrikrishna, who possesses a body similar to that of a great actor, adorned His head with a peacock feather. Golden-hued karṇikāra flowers adorned His ears. He was wearing golden-silken clothing around His waist. Around His neck He worn a vyjayanti garland that consisted of five varieties of forest flowers. He was blowing into that flute which was touching His lips. With His beautiful, charming footprints, Krishna stepped into Brindavana. Then, He began playing the flute, which had the ability to steal the minds of every living entity.
This music was heard for the first time by the ladies of Gokula. When they met one other, they recollected this divine music and having experienced deep horripilation they embraced each other lovingly. Talking about His enthralling music became their way of life.
The ladies said to the others, ‘Dearest friends, listen. Together with all their friends, Balarama and Krishna, the sons of Nanda the leader of Gokula, entered into the forest for cattle grazing. They were casting tender, loving gazes upon all their friends who love them dearly. Their love-filled gaze captivated one and all. That gaze had the power to bind illusion itself!”
His gaze itself is the biggest illusion and is more powerful than illusion itself. That gaze contains everything.
“The flute is readily placed on their lips. Retaining in the eyes, the bliss derived from gazing at their tender, loving faces, is itself the fruit for having feasted upon their divine beautiful faces”.
The eye that has observed His beautiful face is truly fortunate. Retaining this bliss that was derived is itself the fruit for having observed Him. There can be no fruit greater than this.
“Our eyes were fortunate to have feasted upon the sight of Krishna playing his flute. How are we to describe this?
Krishna and Balarama had adorned their heads with tender mango leaves, peacock feathers and bunches of flowers. Water-lilies adorned their ears. In their hands they held lotuses and around their necks they wore garlands made of forest flowers. With all these colourful decorations, the boys were illumining divinely. It was as if all the various colours in the universe were decorating the Supreme Lord”.
The decoration on His head was different from that on His neck. Decoration on His waist, ear, shoulders differed in colour and design. Bracelets made of flower adorned his wrists. Anklets made with different combination of flowers adorned his feet. His waist band was made with some other leaves and flowers. It was as if the entire universe was seen on his body. This image of the Lord should come to our memory when we close our eyes.
“Surrounded by friends on all sides, Balarama and Krishna, played the flute like stage actors. O Gopikas, we do not know what meritorious deed this flute would have performed in the past, for it enjoys the nectar, without even wasting a drop, as it drips from the lips of Damodara Krishna, the property of the Gopikas.
Due to infinite bliss enjoyed, the bamboo tree that supplied this flute and the rivers that watered that bamboo tree experience horripilation. Remembering this flute that was born in their lineage, the bamboo trees are shedding tears of joy, akin to the forefathers”.
The bamboo trees were delighted that the flute was from their lineage. After all, Krishna would eternally hold in His hand the flute which made from one tree belonging to their species. Remembering this, they would joyfully shed tears.
“Dear friends, Brindavan enhances the glory of Earth, because, this land bears the lotus prints from the feet of Śrikrishna, the son of Yashoda. The dust from His lotus feet adorns the entire area”.
How fortunate is this land! This is Bhu-vaikuntha. All the trees, birds, animals, lakes, rivers, mountains that live in Brindavan are fortunate. They would have performed limitless meritorious deeds to be born here. Even when the words ‘Nanda-gokula or Brindavan’ fall into one’s ears, all the sins of the person get destroyed. Such is the purity of this place. Sprinkling the sacred mud of this land on the head and body grants merit. The women-folk of Brindavan would narrate to each other the glories of Krishna and of how the lands visited by Him would be rendered more powerful and energetic. As they spoke lovingly about Krishna, tears of joy would wet their clothes. In great happiness they would hug one another. They were filled with happiness. The entire Nature around them was also filled with happiness. All the rivers, plants, trees, grasses, mountains and stones reverberated with peace and happiness. The Lord’s flute filled such Brindavan with horripilation.
Krishna Krishna