Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.15.7
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
-
śikhinaḥ
—
peacocks
From śikha (crest). The crested ones. Gauḍīya: the peacock is Kṛṣṇa's chosen ornament — He wears its feather. The peacocks dance for Him knowing one of their feathers will crown the only head worth crowning.
-
hariṇyaḥ
—
the female deer
Feminine plural of hariṇa. Their glances are compared to gopīs' glances. Gauḍīyas: in Vraja, the species barrier thins — a deer's glance and a gopī's glance both originate in the same loving heart; only the body differs.
-
gopyaḥ iva
—
as if the gopīs
gopī (cowherd woman) + iva (as if). The verse's explicit simile: the deer's affectionate glance is gopī-like. Gauḍīyas hold this as evidence that all of Vraja's creatures are gopī-tattva in lower bodies — same heart, lower vehicle.
-
sūktaiḥ
—
with Vedic prayers
Instrumental plural of sūkta (well-spoken; Vedic hymn). The cuckoos' calls are heard as sūktas — Vedic hymns. Gauḍīya: in Vraja, even bird-song is Veda, because the object praised is Veda's hidden subject — kṛṣṇaś ca enaṁ veda.
-
vana-okasaḥ
—
the residents of the forest
vana (forest) + okas (dweller). The forest-dwellers are dhanyāḥ — fortunate. Gauḍīyas: residing where Bhagavān walks is itself the highest sādhana. The Six Gosvāmīs deliberately became vana-okas in Vraja for this reason.
"In order to respect you for coming to their house, the cuckoos by sweet sounds (suktaih), the peacocks by dancing, and the deer by glancing, attempt to please you (priyam kurvanti). It is natural that a cultured person will welcome a guest with dance, kind glances and sweet words (iyan satam nisargah)."
O Balarāma, worthy of praise (īḍya)! Balarāma in embarrassment had turned away with a shy smile. Kṛṣṇa faces him with this call. The word mudā (joyfully) should be supplied to all statements in the verse. The does joyfully show affection for you with their glances. The does are compared to gopīs because their glances are filled with similar affection and beauty. The does’ eyes are long, fickle and filled with love like the gopīs’ eyes. The gopīs referred to here are different from Kṛṣṇa’s gopīs. At the beginning of paugaṇḍa age, he began to develop affection for young gopīs and they began to develop affection for him. In the paugaṇḍa age there is a trace of kaiśora age, because of the effulgence of the body. The cuckoos sing praises which give happiness. Why do they do this? They welcome Kṛṣṇa since he has come to their house. This is proper for it is said vāk caturthī ca sunṛta: as a fourth time, the house never be without sweet words. (Mahābhārata 5.36.32)
O Balarāma, worthy of praise (īḍya)! Balarāma in embarrassment had turned away with a shy smile. Kṛṣṇa make him faces him with this call. Or the peacocks dance in joy, praising you (īḍya). The phrases should be attached to all the statements in the verse. May the peacocks dance in joy! The does please you by their joyful eyes. They produce beauty, reminding one of the gopīs. The cuckoos please you with the best tunes, like sweet verses of praise (śūktaiḥ), when you come to their houses. With affection they offer their individual excellent gifts. The gopīs should act in the same way since they are also women and their qualities are similar. Or all these items are compared to the gopīs. The gopīs are superior to all these items by their wealth of qualities. They are superior to the peacocks in dancing etc. May the cuckoos become the best singers about secrets of your love. They are most fortunate (dhanyāḥ). This is proper because (hi) their excellent conduct is natural. Or may they all be filled with the treasure of the highest prema (dhanyā). He gives blessing to all inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. This is because (hi) this is the nature of these devotees having prema (satām).
- Whom in my circle do I welcome the way the forest welcomes Kṛṣṇa?
- What animal-like simplicity in worship could I borrow from the doe or the peacock?
A great soul arriving at a village home is met by every member with their own form of welcome — children dance, women glance shyly, elders speak verses. Kṛṣṇa arrives at Vṛndāvana's forest the same way: peacocks dance like cousin-children, deer glance like the gopīs, cuckoos chant like brahmins reciting Veda. Every species' nature is fulfilled in welcoming Him.
My note
Source: vedabase.io