10.47 · The Song of the Bee

In the forty seventh chapter Uddhava hears the ten types of citra jalpa from the mouths of the gopis. He then gives the message sent by Krsna to them. Praising them, he returns to Mathura. The gopis smiled on seeing Uddhava whose dress reminded them of Krsna (suci smita). There is another reading suvismita, which means that they were surprised, wondering how Uddhava had obtained Krsna’s yellow dhoti and his used lotus garland. "Who is this person who appears so handsome? Where has he come from? Which family does he belong to?" Saying this, the gopis became excited, with the possibility of obtaining news about Krsna.

The two verses are read together and are connected with the verb in the next sentence. They questioned who he was, since they recognized that he was a servant of Kṛṣṇa (verse 4). If he had done his morning duties and then come from Mathurā in the morning, he would be recognized by the crowds as a great warrior. (He could not have spoken to the gopīs privately.) “The women of Vraja” refers to the dear gopīs in love with Kṛṣṇa, famous as the best of women in Vraja. They have been described previously. Vraja-striyaḥ kṛṣṇa-gṛhīta-mānasāḥ: these women of Vraja had their minds completely absorbed in Kṛṣṇa. (SB 10.29.4) Seeing Uddhava they recognized him as a follower of Kṛṣṇa because of similarity of form, such as long arms. The lotus garland had been given by Kṛṣṇa to Uddhava when he had departed for Vraja. Because his friends in Vraja had dress and form similar to Kṛṣṇa’s in Vraja, they inferred he was also a devoted follower of Kṛṣṇa. They were surprised, that somewhere else others could be similar in dress and form. Thus they asked “Who is this person?” Another version has śucismitā. They smiled because of thinking of receiving the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. His form was very beautiful (apīvya-darśaṇaḥ). His dress, tilaka, hair style (veśa) and his earrings and bracelets (bhūṣaṇa) were similar to Kṛṣṇa’s. Or he actually wore dress and ornaments that had belonged to Kṛṣṇa, along with his own. tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha- vāso-’laṅkāra-carcitāḥ ucchiṣṭa-bhojino dāsās tava māyāṁ jayema hi Simply by decorating ourselves with the garlands, fragrant oils, clothes and ornaments that you have already enjoyed, and by eating the remnants of your meals, we, your servants, will indeed conquer your illusory energy. SB 11.6.46 The sudden cause of their lack of reserve was their eagerness (utsukāḥ). Unable to tolerate time, they lost their sense of discrimination. Later the cause of their lack of reserve was that Uddhava has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. Or, because he had massaged Kṛṣṇa’s feet, he was a shelter like a pillow. They understood that he was an intimate associate of Kṛṣṇa.

By his great bhakti, Uddhava, attaining a similar form as the Lord, followed him (kṛṣṇānucaram). The women of Vraja (vraja-śtriyaḥ) were always meditation on Kṛṣṇa’s form and clothing. Seeing Uddhava directly from far off, they were most surprised because his form was similar to Kṛṣṇa’s, with long arms and lotus eyes. The first two lines describe his beauty and the other lines his ornaments and his beauty, shining a smiling face, or because of his earrings. Who is this person with beautiful form (darśanaḥ)? Though not mentioned, it is understood that his form, age and complexion were similar to Kṛṣṇa’s. He had similar necklace and other ornaments (acyuta-veśa-bhuṣaṇaḥ). He had the dress of a dancer. Or he actually wore Kṛṣṇa’s cloth and ornaments. tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha- vāso-’laṅkāra-carcitāḥ ucchiṣṭa-bhojino dāsās tava māyāṁ jayema hi Simply by decorating ourselves with the garlands, fragrant oils, clothes and ornaments that you have already enjoyed, and by eating the remnants of your meals, we, your servants, will indeed conquer your illusory energy. SB 11.6.46 The gopīs became excited or full of longing (utsukāḥ). They individually came from different places. Or gathering in a group out of great pain, they came there together. They surrounded him since he had taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. This indicates that because of his devotion, he was similar in qualities. Or he was the shelter or pillow for Kṛsṇa’s lotus feet, in order to massage them. He was thus always close to Kṛṣṇa and most dear to him. The word tam should not be repeated, but appears twice because of Śukadeva’s disturbed speech.

They bowed their heads out of humility. Being naturally bashful, they covered their heads with their veils. This bashfulness suddenly appears on its own when they meet any respectable person. Thinking that Uddhava must be an intimate friend of their beloved, they smiled, and looked at him with open eyes, and greeted him with welcoming words, and worshipped him with footwash and other items (adi) suitable to the place. They then asked Uddhava questions in private, unseen by outsiders. By his coming promptly to such a place, they understood that he was bearing news about Krsna, the master of Laksmi. Sukadeva, siding with the gopis, showed some bitterness towards Krsna by addressing Krsna as the husband of Laksmi. "In order to make Krsna happy, Laksmi will be coming Mathura. So what purpose could he have in sending messages to the cowherd women?"

Then, understanding that he was a messenger from Kṛṣṇa (ramā-pateḥ), in a solitary place they offered him a seat, given as an article of worship, while bowing their heads humbly, glancing at him with shyness and smiles. They welcomed him with polite words, and asked him questions. That is the order of their actions. He sat on a seat, so that they could be near him, since he recognized their great devotion. While with Kubjā and others it will be described that he also sat on a seat. What then to say of respecting the gopīs. They bowed their heads in humility. They glanced at him with joy and shyness. They spoke words of welcome which were skilful. They then worshipped him by offering a seat, foot water etc.(ādibhiḥ). They then seated him a solitary place, since it would not be suitable to speak while persons of dissimilar mood were present. They did this because they understood that Uddhava was a messenger from Kṛṣṇa. They were certain that he had brought a message from Kṛṣṇa for them. They manifested feeling described in this verse on seeing the auspiciousness and wealth of Kṛṣṇa who was the abode of even Lakṣmī, reflected in Uddhava, as explained in the following verse: jayati te ’dhikaṁ janmanā vrajaḥ śrayata indirā śaśvad atra hi O beloved, by your birth the land of Vraja has become exceedingly glorious, and thus Lakṣmī always resides here. SB 10.31.1

After surrounding Uddhava, the gopīs remained with heads bowed in humility. Politely (susat-kṛtam) they asked him, Kṛṣṇa’s messenger, when he was seated, in private, with shy glances and slight smiles and friendy words. They understood he was a messenger because of symptoms. Their love for the Lord arose naturally on seeing similarity to the Lord’s form. The friendly words were words of welcome. They also offered foot water and other items. Or they asked Uddhava who had been nicely worshipped (susat-kṛtam). This means that, seeing their love for Kṛṣṇa, he became happy. Kṛṣṇa is called the husband of Lakṣmī, because they thought that he could also protect them. Or they understood that he was a messenger sent secretely (rahasi) and thus questioned him.

"We know who you are, so we do not have to ask. You are follower of the lord of the Yadus. Though Krsna was of cowherd origins, now he is living as king of the Yadus. With such a big post, how is it possible that he will personally come here again? Therefore it seems, O Uddhava, that he has sent you. And he sent you, not for us, but to pacify his mother and father. But what use has he for a father and mother who are cowherd people? He is sending you here just out of fear of general criticism that he is busy ruling in Mathura while Nanda and Yasoda are crying themselves to death. O charming fellow! The most intelligent one has sent you to pacify Nanda and Yasoda. Having come, here, go to Nanda and Yasoda. Receiving you, they will blissfully forget about Krsna. His sharp intelligence has come in handy!" In this way, in their words there are many such implications of criticism, hidden in words of false praise.

Though certain that Uddhava had a message, they hid their relationship with Kṛṣṇa out of sorrow. We know you are a follower of the protector of the Yadus, because of your clothing and you have approached the people of Vraja. What is the need of asking you about this? You have been sent by your master. You did not come on your own, but were sent by him. You really did not want to come, since you would have to leave him, but you came for appearance’s sake. You have come simply because you must follow the orders of your master. He is master of the Yadus and does not care for his own people since they are no longer qualified for him. You have been sent by your master. By this they attempt to show indifference to him. We know something of the purpose of your visit. You came to please Kṛṣṇa’s parents, not out of love.

We know that you have come to Nanda (āgatam), riding the king’s chariot (sam). We do not need to ask about this. Since he is king of the Yadus it is suitable that he ignores us. They explain. Giving up Kṛṣṇa, you have come here on the order of your master. They servant must carry out his order. “Since he sent me, understand that he is most concerned about you.” He desires to comfort his parents.

"We do not see anyone else worthy of remembrance in Vraja. But if he disrespects even his father and mother Nanda and Yasoda, whom he is remembering, how is it possible that we or persons like us can have a place in his memory at all? Even those who take sannyasa find it hard to give up relationship with father and mother. But Krsna very easily has given up relationship with countless wives of others whom he enjoyed. What severe sense of renunciation Krsna has!"

He has sent you only because of them. Otherwise we do not see anything that the leader of the Yadus would consider worth remembering Vraja whose only wealth is cows. What to speak of actually remembering. The quality of his parents is that they remember him out of affection, though he does not. Bonds of affection for parents and others are hard to give even for sannyāsīs. It is possible to forget these relationships by great effort, but not immediately. In saying this they show his hard-heartedness.

Other than them (anyathā) we do not see any person for him to remember in Vraja with its cows. Out of misery they compare themselves to cows. One has affection for family members. Even ātmārāmas find it difficult to give up those attachments, what to speak of a person like him, with so much wealth.

"Because he has no use for mother, fathe, brother,or anyone, he should not have possessiveness of them. But because he has a use for you women, since he is lusty, he should be remembering you all the more." This verse answers. "Friendship with those other than parents is motivated. Without those motives, the relationships do not exist. Thus they should be condemned. Those who make friendship, those who are the object of friendship and those who assist in bringing about friendship are all to be condemned because of the selfish motivation. There is friendship where there is motive, and there is no friendship where there is no motive. The friendship of man with woman is the same. The relationship of a man with a woman, who, like a flower, possesses beauty, fragrance, softness and sweetness, and is even with steady heart, is condemned. It is like the bee making friendship with the flower. The bee, drinking once the honey from the flower endowed with so many good qualities, gives up the flower and goes elsewhere. In the same way, the man gives up the woman after enjoying her, though she is worthy of enjoyment, endowed with good qualities and is faithful. In this case there is motivation, but no friendship at all. That relationship is considered even more despicable."

Making friends with others is self-motivated, for one’s own purposes, not like the relationship with relatives which is natural. One will pretend to be a friend until one’s goals are fulfilled. Men establish friendship with women just like bees with flowers, until their goal is fulfilled. The flower is like a person with a good mind (sumanaḥṣu), having no fault, but out of greed the bee comes.

Affection for persons other than family members is motivated. Or though it is difficult even for ātmārāmas to give up family members, we do not see anyone attractive to him in Vraja since he has no friends here. Does one see affection for persons who are not family members? That is very temporary. His friendship to others is motivated. It does not continue after his goal is achieved. It is a show only. Sometimes one sees strong friendship between some man and some woman. Thus another example is given. He is like a bee in a flower. Sumanaḥsu also means “in persons with good hearts.” They have no fault. The bee is fickle.

If a relationship between two persons is based prominently on dharma it is lasting, whereas if it is predominated by local custom, it is temporary. This point is made by giving many examples. Prostitutes give up a penniless man and citizens reject a king who cannot protect them (akalpam). Sacrificial priests give up a man who has paid them.

Niḥsvam is a person who had money, but spend it. Citizens give up a king who cannot give protection (akalpam). Priests give up the sponsor once he has given the donation.

The last verse explained that friendship do not exist without motivation . This verse illustrates that statement by listing a series of examples (dipaka nyaya). "The prostitute gives up the penniless man. As long as the man has money, she does not give him up. The citizens give up the king who cannot protect them. The priest gives up the sponsor once has given a donation. The bird gives up the tree once the fruit have rotted. A paramour gives up a woman though she is eager enjoyment. As long as she is young he does not give her up. Where the motivation no longer exists, the friendship ceases. Since Krsna has fulfilled his goals with the women of Mathura, how is it possible that we are worthy of his remembrance?" Therefore they indicate that Krsna did not have love for the gopis. In this verse woman in the singular and paramours is in the plural form. This implies that it is alright to reject a woman who is involved with many men out of lust. "However we are many, and we have only one male object of love. ( And it is not impelled by lust since we had prema for him since childhood.) Yet still he does not show us love. By neglecting so many of us, he shows unprecedented cruelty in his heart."

Animals give up a burned down forest. The word jārā (paramour) indicates criticism of the man, not the woman he gives up. The word prostitute is not used to describe the woman. She is simply described as attached. The examples are used to show that the gopīs are faultless. When he discerned our attraction for him, we accepted him with dedication. Having enjoyed us, he rejected us. He is a jāra. The gopīs use the plural for him (jārāḥ) and the singular for the woman (striyam). One woman attached to such men may have many such lovers. Thus she is also criticized. Such a woman regards these men as her own. Thus people expect money, protection, learning, livelihood from performing worship, food, shelter and love. Among these motives some are auspicious and others inauspicious, but all are conditional factors, not based on affection.

Birds, wandering in the sky and seeing fruit, come there. Guests by invitation or because of hunger come to a house to eat. Animals come to a forest for fresh grass but give it up when it is burned down. Men give up women they have enjoyed. Speaking generally, they do not actually indicate their own condition though they speak out of misery. Since they are dedicated to Kṛṣṇa with the highest prema, they cannot have a relationship like a material man and woman. The eight examples are related to material goals.

Revealing through their own mouths their unfaithfulness to their husbands, they then gave up consideration of social criticism. While repeated singing Krsna’s balya and kaisora pastimes, they began to cry. During Krsna’s baby pastimes, their prema was pure, nirupadhika, or unconditional, but during Krsna’s kaisora age their prema was kamopadhika motivated by lust.

Speaking in this way (iti) the gopīs, gave up their reserve about disrespecting a person, with the arrival of the messenger of Kṛṣṇa-- who attracts everyone and had become their dear lover, but had gone far away-- since (hi) their words, bodies and minds were dedicated to Govinda, previously the lord of Gokula, or one who pervades all the senses (go). He was the goal of their bodies: they had offering him their bodies, and had done actions only for his pleasure, forgetting their bodies by their absorption in him. Thus their present condition was reasonable. They had accepted him completely. They gave up all shyness and remembering constantly his dear activities of the kaiśora and younger periods, sang. They wept. The kaiśora activities are mentioned first since this age acted as the uddīpana of their particular rasa. They remembered his actions of the kaumāra and paugaṇḍa ages (bālyam). They remembered everything about him, having affection for him from his infancy.

Saying this (iti), the gopīs stopped their duties. Or they gave up their duties in this way. They had previously given their bodies, minds and words to the king of Gokula (govinde), who pervades all the senses. They had offered their limbs or life airs to him. Or they forgot their bodies, being absorbed in him. Or they gave up their bodily activities for him. Or they did activities only for him. They did this because the messenger of he who attracted their hearts (kṛṣṇa) had arrived in Vraja. They gave up shame. Or that they wept and fainted.

Someone (kacit) (the daughter of Vrsabhanu) endowed with seventh stage of prema called mahabhava (prema, sneha, mana, pranaya,raga anuraga, bhava, mahabhava?), the embodiment of essence of the hladini sakti, imagining through meditation Krsna’s relationship with the women of Mathura, became angry. "Beloved Krsna has sent this messenger here to pacify me." Imagining in this way, she then began to speak to a bee which had just flown in front of her. Or on the pretext of the bee, she was actually directing her words to Uddhava.

In the chapter on sthāyi-bhāva Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi describes citrajalpa caused by divyonmāda. etasya mohanākhyasya gatiṁ kāmapy upeyuṣaḥ | bhramābhā kāpi vaicitrī divyonmāda itīryate || udghūrṇā-citra-jalpādyās tad-bhedā bahavo matāḥ || When mohana attains an indescribable state similar to complete bewilderment with remarkable symptoms, it is called divyonmāda. It has many forms such as udghūrṇā and citra-jalpa. Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 14.190-191 preṣṭhasya suhṛdāloke gūḍha-roṣābhijṛmbhitaḥ | bhūri-bhāva-mayo jalpo yas tīvrotkaṇṭhitāntimaḥ || The excessive chatter that arises out of great, deep anger, in the presence of a friend of the lover, filled with various bhāvas and finally ending with intense longing, is called citra-jalpa. Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 14.195 These symptoms are described in one among the many gopīs. This “someone (kācit)” is the most beloved, Śrī Rādhā. Another meaning of kācit is she who possesses spiritual knowledge (cit) completely (ā) concerning the bliss of prema (ka). Or she was the chief of those who increased at every moment (ācinoti) their happiness of prema (ka) for Kṛṣṇa. Her name is directly mentioned in Vāsanā-bhāṣya. She suddenly saw a bee whose whiskers were powered with yellow pollen and imagined this to be a messenger from Kṛṣṇa. She then spoke as follows using indirect speech. Why was she angry when she was suffering greatly in separation? She was thinking of the association with her lover. She remembered her direct contact with him as he constantly came to her secretly in the form of sphūrti and during dreams. Anger would be possible if he also had contact with other women lovers. That is explained: she who imagined the bee to be a messenger also imagined that he had other lovers. Later in this chapter she will say, “Don’t touch me with your whiskers, which are smeared with the kuṁkuma that rubbed onto Kṛṣṇa’s garland when it was crushed by the breasts of a rival lover!” She then spoke ten verses called citra-jalpa in which she speculates about the messenger sent by Kṛṣṇa, who was full of love for her. The Vāsana-bhāṣya says: gopyaḥ papracchur uṣasi kṛṣṇānucaram uddhavam | hari-līlā-vihārāṁś ca tatraikāṁ rādhikāṁ vinā | rādhā tad-bhāva-saṁlīnā vāsanāyā virāmitā || sakhībhiḥ sābhyādhāc chuddha-vijñāna-guṇa-jṛmbitam ījyānte-vāsināṁ veda-caramāṁśa-vibhāvanaiḥ The gopīs asked Uddhava the servant of Kṛṣṇa in the morning about his pastimes in the absence of Rādhā. Absorbed in her love for him, giving up all other thoughts, she spoke citra-jalpa with her sakhīs, using examples from the Upaniṣads which are worshipped by the sections on karma, and reveal pure knowledge. Previously to this Rādhā showed remorse (nirveda), which at root was a bhāva composed of affection and anger. She then gave up all desires on considering that she was about to die. She gave up all hope of meeting him again. Not able to tolerate such news, not seeing a way to overcome the suffering, even by taking another body to stop the suffering, she thought that liberation would be better. She thus spoke, using examples from the Upaniṣads, with speech filled with pure knowledge. She did not do this alone, but with her sakhīs. Or veda-caramāṁśa can also mean the Vedas, which reveal similar bhāvas as hers. She gave up all other bhāvas (vāsanayā). Śuddha-vijñāna-guṇa-jṛmbitam means “with anubhāvas.” Yam sarve veda āmananti, mumukṣavo brahmavādinaśca: the Vedas, liberated souls and knowers of Brahman, praise this love. (Kaṭha Upaniṣad) General bhakti is praised, being superior to liberation. Vāñchanti yad bhava-bhiyo munayo vayaṁ ca: their pure love is hankered after by those who fear material existence, by great sages, and by ourselves as well. (SB 10.47.58) The general love shown by the gopīs is desired by all people. ity acyutāṅghriṁ bhajato 'nuvṛttyā bhaktir viraktir bhagavat-prabodhaḥ bhavanti vai bhāgavatasya rājaṁs tataḥ parāṁ śāntim upaiti sākṣāt O King! The devotee who worships the lotus feet of the infallible Lord with constant endeavor achieves unflinching devotion, detachment and experience of the Lord. He achieves supreme happiness. SB 11.2.43 Thus from bhakti arises the anubhāvas.

The chief gopī among them (kācit) then spoke. Or kācit means she who has knowledge (cit) complete with the happiness of prema (ke ā). This means Rādhā. gopyaḥ papracchur uṣasi kṛṣṇānucaram uddhavam | hari-līlā-vihārāṁś ca tatraikāṁ rādhikāṁ vinā | rādhā tad-bhāva-saṁlīnā vāsanāyā virāmitā || sakhībhiḥ sābhyādhāc chuddha-vijñāna-guṇa-jṛmbitam ījyānte-vāsināṁ veda-caramāṁśa-vibhāvanaiḥ In the morning the gopīs asked Uddhava, the servant of Kṛṣṇa, about his pastimes in the absence of Rādhā. Absorbed in her love for him, giving up all other thoughts, she spoke citra-jalpa with her sakhīs, using examples from the Upaniṣads which are worshipped by the sections on karma, and reveal pure knowledge. Agni Purāṇa Gopīes other than Rādhā asked Uddhava about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. Rādhā was absorbed in mahābhāva for Kṛṣṇa and had thus given up all other desires. She spoke to Uddhava, disciple of Bṛhaspati, using examples from the Upaniṣads. Uddhava was full of realization in prema. Thus Rādhā’s citrajalpa was a transformation of divyonmāda, and the essence of the Upaniṣads. etasya mohanākhyasya gatiṁ kāmapy upeyuṣaḥ | bhramābhā kāpi vaicitrī divyonmāda itīryate || udghūrṇā-citra-jalpādyās tad-bhedā bahavo matāḥ || When mohana attains an indescribable state similar to complete bewilderment with remarkable symptoms, it is called divyonmāda. It has many forms such as udghūrṇā and citra-jalpa. Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 14.190-191 preṣṭhasya suhṛdāloke gūḍha-roṣābhijṛmbhitaḥ | bhūri-bhāva-mayo jalpo yas tīvrotkaṇṭhitāntimaḥ || The excessive chatter that arises out of great, deep anger, in the presence of a friend of the lover, filled with various bhāvas and finally ending with intense longing, is called citra-jalpa. Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 14.195 Except for the last verse, everything is pervaded by anger. A bee suddenly appeared. She thought it was a messenger sent by Kṛṣṇa. By meditating on associating with Kṛṣṇa, by seeing Uddhava or by her very nature, she thought the bee was sent by him. She spoke to Uddhava, but aimed at the bee. Or seeing the messenger Uddhava sent by Kṛṣṇa, she imagined him to be a bee since she meditated on associating with him. He appeared like a bee because of his dark complexion. She did not look closely since she was overcome by mahabhāva mixed with pain in separation, by absorbing her mind in associating with Kṛṣṇa. Without the Lord’s mercy no one can understand the words of Rādhā, whose mind was absorbed in Govinda and who talked because of her natural prema.

Seeing the bee buzzing around greedily for the fragrance of her lotus feet, Radha, possessed of divine madness (divyonmada), began to speak. "O bee, friend of the deceitful one! (kitava bandho)" She then enumerates the reasons why Krsna should be called a cheater. "Krsna said, ‘For my sake you all have given up everything to come here filled with attraction, and I have given you up. Please forgive me for this injustice I have done.’ 10.32.21. He also said, ‘You have surrendered yourselves to me with the highest attraction, and it is impossible for me to repay you.’ Sitting on the chariot of Akrura, Krsna sent a servant’s message to the gopis, who ere pained by the impeding separation from Krsna, and said, ‘I am coming quickly from Mathura.’ 10.39.35 "Because these statements by Krsna are false, Krsna can be called a cheater. O bee you are a friend of that cheater! As a friend you are playing the role of a messenger. Do not touch my feet!" The bee, making a buzzing sound, seemed to say, "What is this? Will you not let me offer obeisances to you?" Radha said, "Oh one who drinks liquor (madhu pa), by contact with intoxicants, my feet will become impure. If you just want to offer obeisances, do that from far off." The bee seemed to reply, "Why are you accusing me of being drunk, when I have no fault?" Radha said, "This is not just an accusation, it is true. Do not touch me with your whiskers tinged by the kumkuma of the garland from another woman’s breasts which has been crushed by contact with Krsna’s chest (or the garland worn by Krsna which has been crushed by another woman’s breasts.)" Radha here puts blame on the natural color of the bee’s yellows hairs thinking them to be tinged with kumkuma. "That you have come to praise me when I am in a state of anger without even washing your whiskers, shows that you are without judgement, that you did drink some liquor. Any intelligent person will understand that seeing you in that condition will only increase my anger, not decrease it." As the bee continued to hum, Radha thought that he was again speaking. "Whatever the case, you should be happy." Radha answered, "O protector of the liquor (madhu palaka), go to Mathura, protect the liquor to be drunk by your master, and drink it yourself. That is a good job for you, because you are unsuitable to be a messenger, being so stupid." Humming, the bee began to fly around. He seemed to be saying,"I see you are finding many faults. Why should I hear all these words? Now I am going to Mathura. Let Krsna himself come and make you happy." Radha said, "Now he is sitting as the king of the Yadus. Though a cowherd, born to the queen of Vraja, by some good fortune, he has become a ksatriya. Let him give happiness to those women who regard him as a ksatriya. All the cowherd women mean nothing to him now. Let him continuously satisfy them." By the use of the plural manininam, those who regard him as a ksatriya, she indicates the unlimited number of women in Mathura whom he should enjoy. "But when he satisfies one of them, others become angry. When he satisfies that women, another becomes angry. Thus he will have to continuous satisfy them one after the other. Thus he will have no opportunity to come to see us." The bee seemed to say, "You are an ocean of good fortune for him. You should not speak like this. If he did not keep you in his mind, why would he send me here as a messenger?" She answered, "You, as his servant, are carrying the clues of his love affairs. And he, exhibiting those clues, will be scorned in the assembly of Yadus. When the news of his transgressions with the Yadu women becomes known, the husbands will throw abuse on him. (Or, with such a messenger as you, all the assembly of Yadus will get scorned in all countries by other ksatriyas, because their women were enjoyed by a cowherd man.) And sending a messenger like you with the clues of his illicit affairs, he must certainly be intoxicated, being the master of liquor (madhu pati)." All the words used in this verse arise from the emotions experienced by Radha. The word "cheater"iarises from her indignation (asuya). The word "co wife," another woman, arises from jealousy (irsya). "Do not touch my feet" arises from pride (mada). "Let him deliver to them" comes from her desire to disrespect (avadhirana).. "Scorned in the assembly of Yadus" arises from the urge to spit out harsh words. This constitutes prajalpa. "To spit out rude words towards the beloved, with expressions of disrespec, tindignation, jealousy, and pride is called prajalpa."

Without mercy how can one understand the meaning of the words of Rādhā, whose heart was absorbed in Kṛṣṇa, and whose words arose from her innate prema? Who can understand the disconnected words of Rādhā’s citra-jalpa filled with divyonmāda, which was brought about the highest sweetness by deep envy, pride, hatred, disrespect, joking and other emotions, filled with waves of heaps of nectar of mahābhāva, overstepping all boundaries, on seeing the messenger of Kṛṣṇa? O bee! Or O drunkard! Alcoholics generally cheat others! Kṛṣṇa is a cheater since he has given us up. He has deviated from his words. He said na pāraye ’haṁ niravadya-saṁyujā: I am not able to repay my debt for your spotless service. (SB 10.32.22) You are his friend since you have become his messenger, and have similar colors (black and yellow). Moreover you are madhupa (bee) and he is madhu-pati (king of liquor). Even your names are similar. And your actions are similar since generally drunkards and cheaters are friends. By saying he is a cheater, she reveals malice. Thinking that the bee wants to touch her feet to flatter her when the bee lands on her nails because of thinking that they are raṅgana flowers, she says, “Do not touch my feet.” We are honorable and most independent. We are not pleased by such acts. What is the use in touching my feet? She shows pride in making her statement. She speaks further after forbidding the bee to touch her feet. He has some rival woman (sapatnyaḥ), the chief among many with whom he enjoys today or tomorrow. The word sapatnyaḥ is used to express hatred for her lover for having an affair with other women. Vilutita means “disheveled” by the strong embrace. The plural (naḥ) is used to indicate all gopīs or to show pride. The meaning is this. The bees are Kṛṣṇa’s followers, and know the art of silence. Since this bee wanders about near him, making indistinct sounds, and now particularly moves around us, it must be his messenger. He must be considered Kṛṣṇa’s follower because his mustache is yellow because of dwelling in Kṛṣṇa’s garland. We have been forgotten and left far away because of them. Let him please an esteemed woman of Mathurā. This statement is made in rage. The plural is used (māninīnām) to indicate that after pleasing one woman he will honor another. Then after pleasing her he will honor another woman. The word madhupati indicates his great power. This suggests “What use does he have for us?” She shows disrespect for him. He is also the king of drunkards, without discrimination. Thus he has no friends. Though his pleasing them is respected because of his great power, it is not perfect since others mock hm. He will become the object of jokes in the assembly of Yadus. How will his acting for the pleasure of the women be revealed? Your servant is like you (tvam īdṛk): he wears the signs of your enjoyment with women on his body. It is not surprising that the bee reveals this. This shows Rādhā’s skill in words. Śrīdhara Svāmī says the meaning is “O bee, whose whiskers are marked with kuṁkuma from the crushed garland, do not touch me.” Another meaning is “O bee! Do not touch me with your whiskers marked with kuṁkuma from a crushed garland.”

Madhupati also means one who drinks liquor. Such a person cheats others. O cheater (madhupati)! O friend of a cheater (kitava-bandho)! Krṣṇa said he could never repay us, but then he left us. The bee is called a friend of Kṛṣṇa because he acts as his messenger or because he is also black. Or you are called madhupa and he is madhupati, with similar names. Intoxicated persons and cheaters become friends. You two have similar actions. The jalpa of Rādhā which produces intense sweetness by waves of deep hatred, pride, disrespect, and joking from abundant sweetness of mahābhāva, which ignored all rules when she saw the messenger of Kṛṣna, can be understood by some persons. She calls him a cheater out of hatred. She thinks the bee is going to touch her feet to pacify her, when it flies towards her toenails, thinking they are raṅgana flowers. “Do not touch my feet.” We are proud and indenependent. We cannot be pacified by such things. What can touching my feet do? This shows pride. She thinks that Uddhava also is doing the same thing to pacify her because of her absorption in meeting Kṛṣṇa. The statements are not always grammatically correct because of her state of unmāda in mahābhāva. But this becomes a good quality and somehow becomes suitable and pleases the devotees. The rival is Lakṣmī or some other woman of Mathurā. Or it expresses the women of Mathurā in general. She imagaines that the bee’s whiskers are tinged with kuṁkuma from Kṛṣṇa’s garland, but the kuṁkuma came from his tightly embracing (vilulita) the woman’s breasts. She speaks in the plural (naḥ) to indicate her friends was well, or to show respect. The same is true of other verses also. Some say that Uddhava’s hairs were also reddish but that is not correct, since verse 2 describes him as very handsome. However one can say that she imposes that form on Uddhava who has unlimited qualities and form by imagining that Uddhava is a bee. We are astonished by his love affairs with our rival. This expresses her envy or hatred. Māninīnām refers to the city women or women he has enjoyed. Plural is used to indicate that after pleasing one woman he goes to another. Let him do that. Let him go to them and touch their feet. What do we have to do with him? This shows disrespect. He is the lord of the Yadus (madupatiḥ). That is to be expected from some having power. He is also a master of intoxication (madhupatiḥ), having no sense of friendship. Let him do this since (yad), O bee (u), his action will be laughed at in the assembly of friends (sadasi). By the kuṁkuma on the bee’s whiskers, Kṛṣṇa’s lack of shame in dealing with women is indicated, since the quality of the master is transferred to the servant. Or though sent to pacify us, you have come with our rival’s kuṁkuma on your whiskers. This shows your lack of intelligence. The master is controlled by women and the servant follows. This imitation (viḍambyam) will be mocked. Or do not touch me with whiskers full of kuṁkuma, because you are friend of the cheater. He is a cheater because he has other women. He cheats not only us, but all women. Let him please them. You are similar to him. You are the intoxicated messenger and he is the master of intoxication. What is this pleasure he gives? It is all cheating. By touching feet he is merely cheating.

The bee seemed to say, "This yellow color is my natural color as a bee. It is not the kumkuma from Krsna’s alliance with another woman. What offense has Krsna committed? He thinks only of you, and does not see another woman in Mathura even while dreaming. Why you become so angry?" "After making us drink the nectar of his lips just once, he has given us up. That is his offense." Though Krsna had actually kissed the gopis many times, by saying that he kissed them only once she expresses her extreme thirst, out of attachment to him. "And because his lips are nectar, in spite of our suffering we do not die. Krsna previously considered, 'If they all die of such torment, then who will be left that I can torture?' Thus he has made us drink the nectar of his lips so that this does not happen." That is the meaning of her words. "Then after giving us a taste, he immediately leaves us. You should consider that if he really wanted to give us happiness, he would have forcibly made us drink the nectar repeatedly." The buzzing bee said, "But how could you chaste women become so desirous of him?" Radha said, "That nectar destroys our intelligence. By tasting that nectar our hopes in this and next life have all been destroyed. Krsna does not consider the saying, ‘One should not cut down with ones own hand even a poisonous tree that one has planted and raised oneself.’ What he likes and dislikes is astonishing. Just as Visnu made the devatas drink nectar churned from the ocean, Krsna has made us drink nectar yet he abandons us just as someone like you (bhavadrk), a bee, abandons a jasmine flower. " The bee said, " But when he abandons you, are you at fault or is he?" Radha answered, "He gives us up, like the bee gives up the jasmine. You should consider whose fault that is. We are also famous in Vraja as sumana, being like the jasmine (sumanasa) in fragrance, softness, purity and attractiveness, and because we have splendid minds (su manas), whereas he is famous as being fickle like the bee, only interested in his own pleasure. I am not just reciting poetry. The bee, because of his fickleness, after giving up many jasmine flowers, becomes attracted or attached to inferior flowers. Why should we not become angry with Krsna, just as we would with the bee?" The bee argued, "It is well known from the scriptures that Krsna is without fault. Garga, knowledgeable of scriptures, has said that he is equal to Narayana." Radha answered, "Well, that may be, but how can that cover up what we see in real life-such as the way he cheats others?" Pondering this, she found a reason why Laksmi serves him. "Laksmi serves him, because her mind is attracted to the glorification given to Uttama sloka (he who is glorified) by his own men. Laksmi however is very simply whereas we have been endowed by the creator with skill, intelligence, slyness, and beauty. How can we be like her?" "By making us drink, we lose our intelligence" shows Krsna’s deceptive nature. "He instantly gives them up" indicates his mercilessness. "Like you the bee (bhavadrk)" indicates Krsna’s fickleness. By revealing Laksmi as simple, Radha indicates her own cleverness. All the words indicate Krsna’s ungrateful nature and lack of love for them. This verse is an example of parijalpa. The symptoms of parijalpa are mentioned in the Ujjvala Nilamani: "When a person reveals indirectly their own cleverness while enumerating another’s faults of mercilessness, craftiness and fickleness, and other qualities (ungratefulness, love of love) it is called parijalpa."

Showing how he is a cheater, she speaks of the cause of her anger. He made us drink the nectar of his lips and then gave us up like you, the bee (madhupa). From this statement his name as madhupati, lord of the drunkards is inferred, without having to show great hatred. Madhupati made us once drink the nectar of his lips and then by force or some other pretense, gave us up after enjoying us chaste women. Those lips were bewildering to the intelligence, causing great, uncontrollable greed for him. The example is used, not to compare how he makes them drink, but to show that he gives them up. Like you, the bee, who gives up flowers after taking their honey, he gave us up. The meaning is this. The bee, because he must depend on it for his life, takes a little nectar from each of many flowers. Giving them up, though they are for his pleasure, is proper since there is no end to his desire for enjoying them. The lord of drunkards cannot be compared to other rasas since his lips are made of nectar. But he gives sorrow to those with pure minds (sumanasaḥ) because of his bad character while taking happiness for himself. Therefore you should not remain friends with that cheater. Or bhavadṛk can apply to the bee (he is like you) and the drunkard (you are like him) , coming from afar to take sweet fragrances, wandering about everywhere and performing actions like kissing while making sweet sounds. “Lakṣmī is attracted to him, as stated in your own words “O beloved, by your birth the land of Vraja has become exceedingly glorious, and thus Lakṣmī always resides here.” (SB 10.31.1) Thus even now she worships him. Why then do you criticize him?” Though endowed with all lotuses, why does Lakṣmī worship his lotus feet? It cannot be understood. Having said that, she then thinks for a moment. Perhaps it is like this (api). Oh (bata)! She laments. It is well known (hi). It is known that Lakṣmī’s mind has been bewildered by his cheating words. This indicates Lakṣmī’s foolishness and his cleverness. Therefore our anger at this cheater is justified. Though Rādhā had kissed him many times, in this verse she says she kissed him one, since her great longing caused her to forget. In showing his easy of cheating her because of his wealth of methods, she shows great fright. This indicates her hatred. By describing his lips as enchanting (mohinīm) she reveals her continual greed for them. This indicates her bewilderment.

Sudhā can mean “that which receives the heart of drinkers while intoxicating them.” Thus it means the lips cause one to drink the greatest sweetness. In the example of the bee and the flowers, the gopī implies that her love for him is pure (just as the flower is not at fault, but the bee gives it up.) He gave us up because he is cruel, a cheater. “Chaste women should be patient.” Or “When he went to Mathurā did you obstruct him?” The nectar of this lips was bewildering. Our intelligence ceased. You are like him. Since he gave us up, you imitate him and give up the flower. By great friendship with him, you have also become fickle. This quality confirms your friendship with him. Or just as you are fickle, and people give the flower after smelling it once, Kṛṣṇa gave us up quickly. He should not be served because he has unsteady friendship and is ungrateful. Thinking Lakṣmī constantlhy serving him, she speculates. Oh (nu)! Why does Lakṣmī serve the lotus feet of this fickle drunkard? Lakṣmī with a play lotus in her hand massages his feet. Oh! It must been (api) her heart is bewildered by the deceptive words of Uttama-śloka, (SB 10.32.22) Or her heart is bewildred by words sung with excellence by praisers. Or her heart is bewildered by the false news brought by his servant when he says “He has the topmost qualities.” She indicates that her rival is foolish and she and her friends are clever.

Seeing the bee constantly buzzing due to his nature, Radha thought, "Agitated by my criticism, he is singing his own glories." She then spoke. "Why are you singing this to us gopis? The songs of an ignorant bee will not please the gopis. Again and again you are singing. And as well, in those songs you are publicizing the glories of the leader of the Yadus. You are doing that in front of us-who were made by Krsna to give up our homes and are now sitting at the edge of the forest. We cannot give you even a fistful of chickpeas in charity." "Then just give me the old clothing and garlands from your body." "You are completely ignorant of this. I will not give you anything. Reciting the Puranas you are trying to prove that Krsna is the lord of the Yadus. O six legged creature, 1.5 x a normal four legged animal, 1.5 times more unintelligent , you do not know where you should sing. Being an animal, how do you know the Puranas? And how can you receive charity? But since you are an animal, we are not angry with you. We will give instructions on where you should sing to support your existence. "You should sing in front of the girl friends of that friend of yours who is preeminently victorious or defeated by them in the battle of love (vijaya sakha). You should sing all about those victories and defeat in love." Vijaya sakha can also mean the friend of Arjuna who is also known as Vijaya. Previously Krsna was known as the friend of Subala, but after he left Vraja, he became known as the friend of Arjuna. Radha therefore refers to Krsna in the future. "These women of Mathura, relieved of the pain in their breasts, being respected by you by your letting them hear your songs, will fulfill your desires." The second half of the verse shows indignation concealing beneath deep seated anger. In all of the verse there are leering inferences, mocking Krsna. This is an example of vijalpa. Leering statements directed towards Krsna with explicit envy, hiding within them signs of deep anger are called vijalpa, according to Ujjvala Nilamani.

Confused when Rādhā angrily brushed away the bee trying to touch her lotus feet, the bee came before her while humming. She then thought that the bee was profusely glorifying Kṛṣṇa to please her. She began to wonder about other things, in order to ignore the bee. O bee, you sing because that is your nature as a bee. But why do you sing here (iha) in Vraja, full of grief? And why do you sing so much (bahu)? He is the leader of unlimited persons of the royal order of Yadus in Mathurā. Here in Vraja the cowherds are not respected by him. The Yadus, protected by him, depend for their life on him, and thus praise him. They can supply him pleasure. The people of Vraja cannot please him. You should therefore sing in Mathurā a lot or a little as you please. Animals have four feet. You have six feet. As an animal and a half, you sing with great lack of intelligence, without discrimination. This shows jealousy. “But he is full of prema in Vraja. Vraja is the best place.” The many pastimes he performed were done with deceit (purāṇam). Or, all that was done previously, long in the past. Or, just as the word Kṛṣṇa is made of kṛṣ (existence) and ṇa (bliss), so purāṇam can be made of purā and ṇa. Previously (purā) Vraja was happy (ṇa). How there is only existence. Why do you sing in front of us, and in Vraja, and so profusely? The gopīs gave up their houses after being spoiled by him, since they were rejected by others after they once tasted the bewitching rasa of his left over saliva. On the other hand, Mathurā is your place for singing since there reside his beloved women. You should sing in front of the girl friends of your friend Kṛṣṇa (vijaya) about what gives him happiness. Sing to Kṛṣṇa, controlled by hundreds of city women, whom he attained on giving us up and becoming the leader of the Yadus. Respected (iṣṭāḥ) by you and him, those women will quickly give you what you want. Or, they always remain doing what you want. Now, seeing our unhappy condition from afar, respected by you, those women who think they are respectable, while you sing his glories, will particularly fulfill all your desires, for the pangs of the desire in their breasts have been extinguished by Kṛṣṇa. After they have suffered, people give abundant charity to panegyrists (like you) out of joy. She glances and laughs while showing boldness, envy and crookedness.

O bee! She indicates that by his nature he is skillful at singing. Animals have four feet. You have six feet. You sing without intelligence since you are just half an animal. Why do you sing so much, in front of us? If you have a desire to sing, do it invisibly just once. Why do you sing constantly, even if we do not hear? This indicates veiled hatred. “I sing to fulfil my desire.” But why do you sing in Vraja (iha)? Your desire will be fulfilled in Mathurā, not in the forest. “This place is better than the city.” You sing about the lord of the Yadus. It is proper that you sing in front of persons whom he protects, not to others. “He is also the lord of you women.” We are without homes. We do not have knowledge of singing, since we are from the forest. This is sarcasm. “You are all very skillful.” We have heard this song many times. It is old. This suggests hatred. Or we are without lovers (agṛhāṇām). Why do you sing a song which previously gave happiness (purāṇam) but now gives grief, in front of us who have no lover? “Where should I sing?” You should sing about him in a place where there are girl friends of your friend Kṛṣṇa, who has the power to defeat the world. By destroying desire in their hearts, he has made them his lovers. They thus fulfil your desires. This shows envy and crookedness. Or the great attachment for Kṛṣṇa (tat-prasaṅgaḥ) should be sung to your friends (since Kṛṣṇa’s friends are yours also) who are friends of he who has all attractiveness (vijaya). Or you should sing about those whose pain in the heart is destroyed by his embraces and scratching with his nails. This is mocking him, showing his boldness. They become dear to you (īṣṭāḥ). Being respected by your singing, being dear to you, they will certainly fulfill your desires.

Hearing the bee buzzing, Radha thought he was saying, "Crown jewel of the dearmost of Krsna! In Mathura, Krsna is meditating on you day and night, pierced by the arrow of love. If you are pleased, then he is delivered from his pain." Radha then speaks with envy. "Who is difficult for Krsna to attain in svarga, martya and patala?" The meaning is "I know very well that Krsna cannot pass his time without the presence of young women. If there are no women in Mathura, then let he meditate on us, satisfy us, and send a messenger such as you to bring us there. Do not tell us that the Ksatriya women will not accept a person of cowherd birth, for there is no one unavailable to him in all the three worlds. If he goes to svarga there are the divine women, if he goes to rasatala there are the wives of the nagas. They all give up their husbands for him. What to speak then of the women of Mathura? For obtaining women he does not have to depend on punya. Being deceptive, with his dancing eyelashes and charming smile who can resist him? They no longer belong to their husbands. For the price of his deceptive smile they have been purchased, giving up their husbands. He is deceptive because, though attaining them, once he enjoys them he gives them up and goes after new women. What to speak of the heavenly women, even Laksmi, situated on the chest of Narayana, serves Krsna’s lotus feet in order to get his association. (prayers of kaliya’s wives). We have heard that from the mouth of Paurnamasi. Therefore how can we remain unaffected? We are only humans, morever simple cowherd women, moreover cowherd women of Vrndavana." These humble words reveal jealousy latent with pride through the inflection of her voice and nodding of her head. Through that jealousy she reveals thoughts of her superiority to Laksmi in prema, beauty, and similarity of caste. "His is supposed to favor the miserable. He who is merciful to the suffering and fallen is called Uttama sloka. But as Krsna lacks this quality, that name is a lie." Another abusive implication is: "If he did not make miserable people like us suffer in the first place, then how could get that name?" The first half of the verse describing Krsna's attraction to all women, shows his trickery. The third line indicates jealousy (irsa) filled with pride (garva). The last line shows abuse (apeksa) mixed with indignation (asuya). This is called ujjalpa. Abusive, indignant speech which reveals Krsna’s trickery with jealousy filled with pride is called ujjalpa.

She gives up her pretense of anger suddenly because of the nature of unmāda and acts like a remorseful woman (kalahāntā) after her lover has left. What woman in the three worlds is hard to attain for him, smiling and moving his brows to deceive people with his charm? Lakṣmī worships the dust of his feet. This is certain (hi). What is our position? Rādhā speaks of service while accepting the lowest position. Or this verse can be taken as an expression of her anger. “If he is so deceptive, why were you not careful? Denying fault on her part, she says that they had been given up by Kṛṣṇa who bewildered them by some magical power. She then speaks this verse with hatred and humility. He has a smile and crooked brows attractive with charm (kapaṭa) and thus no woman is unavailable to him Lakṣmī serves his foot dust. Those who are unfortunate say he is worthy of praise, but this is not so. Or, he is available to all women in heaven, earth and lower planets. This shows envy. Ultimately he cannot be controlled. With sarcasm, pride, hatred and misery she then says, “Who is not available to him?” Whomever he desires to attract becomes available to him. Even Lakṣmī is obedient to him. And serves his foot dust, what to speak of us! Those who are miserable praise him as the best, but persons suffering like us do not.

What woman in all the three worlds, upper, middle and lower, is unavailable to him? Lakṣmī worships the dust of his feet. She does extremely low service. Hi means certainly. Or “Not only you worship him. Wherever there are young women, they fall under his control.” In all the three worlds what women, low women, are unavailable? Or all women should be unavailable to him. This shows disrespect for him. The reason is that he moves his brow, while smiling attractively, with deception. By his cleverness he cheats women. “Why do you say that? The best of all beautiful women, Lakṣmī, worships the dust of his feet.” If she worships dust of his feet, let her do that. What is that to us? She is just one among many of us. This shows pride and hatred. For helping the miserable, there is only the name or fame of Uttama-śloka. Because he ignores the miserable, his fame being a cause of song (uttama--śloka) is destroyed. One should not sing about him. Or “Since he is known as Uttama-śloka one should not ignore him. He is the best of all people.” He is miser or cruel person (kṛpaṇa-pakṣe) since he does not give happiness by showing himself. Since that is so, his name Uttama-śloka is false. Only his servants call him by that name. This is criticism with hatred.

While the bee was flying around it landed on Radha’s foot, out of greed for her fragrance, and still buzzing seemed to say, "O lady, worshipable by millions of Laksmis! Truly Krsna has made offense to you. I say, you should forigive him." Thinking that the bee was offering her his respects, she said, "Why are you touching your head to my foot. Please go away! I know you. You cannot cheat me like you cheat Laksmi and others. You have got lessons from Mukunda. He is very skilful at humble entreaties, sending messages with sweet words. You have learned it all from him. I know your character! I know you!" "O mistress! What is the use of fighting with him, who is more dear to you than millions of lives? Rather you should make peace with him through me." "For his sake, we gave up chindren, husands, mothers and fathers, and he gave us up and left. The gopis who were prevented from going to the rasa dance gave up their children and went to meet him. We gave up husbands. The unmarried girls gave up their mothers and fathers. He, who is ungrateful (akrta cetasah), gave up all these women. Should one make peace with such a cruel hearted person? No, never." The first half of the verse shows sarcastic abuse and the second half shows the lover's ungratefulness and other qualities (adi) like mercilessness, treachery and lack of love. This verses illustrates sanjalpa. Ujjvala Nilamani describes sanjalpa as "utterances about Krsna’s ungratefulness and other bad qualities, through deeply sarcastic, harsh words."

Other women may not know, but I know since I am perceptive. I know that you have learned from Kṛṣṇa the art of conciliation with messages using clever words. He is Mukunda, the liberator, making us all give up our houses, possessions and families. This indicates his deception and cruelty. Since you are his messenger, you are most deceitful as well. Thus you also cannot be trusted. Or, thinking that her foot is a lotus, the bee approaches her foot and softly hums. Seeing the bee she thinks the bee is saying, “O lady! Do not be angry. Be merciful and just once hear my request.” She then speaks this verse with sarcasm. I know the character of you and Mukunda. Therefore give up my feet along with your extraordinary, flattering words. Give up flattering words and my feet. Those flattering words are messages learned from Mukunda, expert at conciliation. “O lady! Why fight with your lover. Forgive his one offense. Create peace using me.” He has rejected those who have given up house, children, husbands, the happiness of this life and the next and others also for his sake. He is ungrateful or he has not given his heart to us (akṛta-cetāḥ). He is concerned only with himself. Or he gave us up for his own purpose (sva-kṛtaḥ). Rejecting us, he attracted husbands, children and others and then gave them up also. Ah! Should we make peace with a cheater? Of course we should not.

The bee seemed to say, "O Radha, tender hearted Krsna meditates on you in Mathura. I have seen it with my eyes." "You are new to Mathura, so you do not know the truth. Not only in this life has he been cruel hearted, but in previous lives also. I have heard this from Paurnamasi. When he appeared as a ksatriya in the form of Rama, he gave up ksatriya dharma and like a hunter kills a dear, he killed Vali, the king of the monkeys mercilessly, by hiding behind a tree. "In the events of this story there is more impiety, for he transgressed the rules of the hunter. The hunter does not kill monkeys because their flesh is inedible and cannot even be sold to anyone. Hear about some more of his impiety. The woman Surpanakha, overcome with lust, desired Rama, but Rama disfigured here by cutting off her nose, so that no one else would want to enjoy with her. That was simply because of his cruel nature. He did not do this cruel act because he was protecting his vow of celibacy while wearing matted locks and dress of a renunciate, because at that time he also was living with Sita, conquered by love for her (stri jitah). "Similarly, he appeared as Vamana, as a brahmana, he rejected the qualities of the brahama such as peacefulness and straightforwardness, and after enjoying the offerings made by the pious king Bali, threw him from his rulership of the three worlds (pisthapat aksipat), into a hole in the earth." Alternative reading is avesthayat dhvanksavat instead of pisthapat. In that case the meaning is: "He, like a crow, bound him up by trickery. Just as the crow, after devouring offerings meant for worship, calls other crows and surrounds a woman, Vamana called his own people who surrounded Bali, and tormented him. Enough with friendships with that black complexioned man! Not one of many types of friendship of us gold complexioned women with that black complexioned man has proved auspicious.And because he has impure heart (asita), one should be wary of him. What use have we of such a person?" "The bee seemed to say, "Do those who go around criticizing others constantly have pure hearts?" Radha said, "Talking about his activities in past lives is hard to give up, though it gives us sorrow. Though we should not be discussing about him, we cannot give up discussing, whether we criticize him or not." Another meaning: "Though we have given him up, we cannot stop talking about him." As the subject is not mentioned in this phrase dustyas tat katharthah, it infers the even for the best of munis it is difficult to give up speaking about Krsna. Killing Vali indicates his ruthless nature, being controlled by woman indicates his lust, accepting offerings indicates fraud, and friendships with the black fellow indicates fear, malice (irsya), and unsuitableness of attachment,. This is an example of avajalpa. "Statements which show that attachment to him is unadvisable because of his hard nature, his lust and cheating behavior, along with expressions of malice and fear is called avajalpa."

Not only do I fear such activities that he does, but also the nature of his color. Thinking of Kṛṣṇa as being non-different because of similar qualities, she shows faults in Rāma and others who are famous for qualities like dhīrodatta. If they have faults, what to speak of Kṛṣṇa. Like a hunter, without mercy, a person who was dark in complexion, filled with greed for meat etc. (lubdha-dharmā), or even without bad qualities, killed Bali, king of the monkeys. Monkeys should not be killed. Let that be. He disfigured the daughter of Viśrava, even though she was full of desire, and also cut off her ears and nose. Such cruel acts are possible since it is customary in the kṣatriya families. Another person with black complexion, brāhmaṇa by birth, who was suitable for maintaining qualities like peacefulness, tied up (āveṣṭayat) Bali, who had the highest sense of dharma, after having enjoyed Bali’s articles of worship. Or he removed (akṣipat) Bali from his position as master of the three worlds (pisṭapāt) and made him enter a lower world. He is like a crow which devours offerings meant of the devatās and surrounds people by calling other crows and surrounding the house. Killing others indicates his hard nature. Being controlled by women indicates his lust. Enjoying the gifts indicates his deceit. What is the use in establishing friendship with a dark complexioned person? “But why do the sages not stop speaking about him?” He is hard to give up. His nature is completely bewitching. These words express fear and hatred. Or another meaning is as follows. “One should not find fault in others.” One should not speak about him since it is forbidden. But it is not possible to give up speaking about his bad qualities because my anger is aroused by his most unjust actions. Discussing his faults is hard to give up.

He shot the best of monkeys, who had no fault. He is called “conquered by a woman” because Sītā is their competitor as well as Lakṣmī. He is compared to a crow, which eats offerings meant for the devatās and injures people. Or he was cruel and insulting, binding Bali tightly as if Bali were a crow. This also shows his ingratitude. His friends become black like him. Let us give up friendship with that black person. The plural is used to indicate complete rejection of all types of friendship with him. Or “Just hear about the qualities of your friend.” She begins criticizing him. Like a hunter he shot the best bull (kapīndram—one who shakes the earth). atha tarhy āgato goṣṭham ariṣṭo vṛṣabhāsuraḥ mahīm mahā-kakut-kāyaḥ kampayan khura-vikṣatām The demon Ariṣṭa then came to the cowherd village. Appearing in the form of a bull with a large hump, he made the earth tremble as he tore it apart with his hooves. SB 10.36.1 Using the bull’s horn, like a hunter, not following dharma, he killed the huge bull. Being lusty, he desired deformed woman, Kubjā. He devoured the offerings given by the cowherds and rejected the worship of Indra. “Then why do you speak about him?” He is the goal of speech in Vraja (kathārthaḥ). Being absorbed in speaking of his activites in Vraja, we must speak of him. It is not by our will. And we cannot leave Vraja. What can we do? Or another meaning is as follows. “One should not find fault in others.” One should not speak about him since it is forbidden. But it is not possible to give up speaking about his bad qualities because my anger is aroused by his most unjust actions. Discussing his faults is hard to give up.

"But what is so remarkable about our suffering after establishing a relationship with him. Discussion of his pastimes gives sorrow to the whole world. The pastimes which he performed at every moment (anucaritam) are nectar for the ears, the sound itself gives joy, what to speak of the joy on understanding the meaning. By tasting just one drop, just once, friendship between men and women (dvandva dharma) is immediately cut (vidhuta). If a wife hears, then she gives up affection for her husband. If a husband hears, he gives up affection for his wife. If a son hears, he gives up affection for mother and father. If a mother hears she gives up affection for her son. In this way each person attains complete destruction (vi=visesa nasta). "It is not the same suffering as in renunciation, but worse. The proof is the common people. Though the people who develop a taste for Krsna’s pastimes are soft hearted, they also become hard hearted, merciless and ungrateful, on hearing the pastimes of hard hearted Krsna. Just on hearing about him, they give up fathers and mothers, in laws who are suffering because, having no other means of support, they do not have enough money for the next day’s food; or they give the family members suffering due to separation as if they were dead people. What to speak of wife and children dying, even they themselves cannot be happy. They are penniless (dinah), for, having left home with disturbed mind, they have forgotten to tie up in their cloth even a few coins. This is not the case of one man, or two , or three or four people. This has been the case with hundreds and hundreds of people." If the alternate reading dhirah (instead of dinah) is taken, it means that in spite of seeing the wife cry, they are unmoved or hard hearted. "How do they maintain their lives?" "Like (iva) birds, they survive on grains by begging, not by some big donation." Sometimes alternate reading "iha" is seen instead of "iva." In that case it means: "They come and beg here, in Vrndavana, the place of suffering and suffer even more in our association." "Krsna lila is like a poisonous mixture of sugarcane juice and powered seeds of the dhatura plant. The speaker of his pastimes is a murderer in the dress of a saint. The puranas are a net. The speaker may be seen wandering from forest to forest with the puranas under his arm. Vyasa and others are the makers of the net which teaches that Krsna is Supreme. This is accepted by Krsna, who then thinks, 'I will make all people like the gopis fall in the ocean of suffering.' Seeing others suffering is his happiness. So he must bear the consequence of giving others such misery, not Vyasa or anyone else" . In this way, there are thousands of implications in this verse. In this verse, through indirect praisethrough condemnation, the excellence of bhakti is established.

Remorseful statements to give up Krsna because of his inflicting pain on innocent people who suffer like birds is called abhijalpa. Ujjvala Nilamani gives the same definition.

His activities are for his own use, independent play like that of a small child. These should be criticized since they are contrary to activities for people’s benefit. As sound, those pastimes are nectar for the ear, but in meaning, they give pain to the mind. They are not profuse but scant (vipruṭ) and are eaten only once and tasted only slightly from a far off place. By this, relationship between couples is destroyed, or enjoyment of the duality of warmth and coolness is completely destroyed. They become like many birds. After hearing the pastimes just once people give up their poor fathers, mothers and wives and they themselves become poor and withered. Arriving at the place of the pastimes (iha) they beg for a living. Instead of dīnāḥ sometimes dhīrāḥ is seen. They become undisturbed by suffering or hard hearted. Instead of bahava eva sometimes bahava iva is seen but this is not accepted by the commentators. However Śrīdhara Svāmī has used the word haṁsa iva in giving a secondary meaning. The birds which are seen are not ancient, since it would be impossible for them to live in separation from him. They are recent. Thus coming to Vraja and acting like beggars is possible for them just as you, the bee, have come as a messenger. Or, how can I describe his cruelty? Even those people who hear a little of his pastimes become cruel. She then speaks this verse. The meaning is the same. Or, “Why do you forbid me from singing?” She answers with this verse. Particularly there are many birds here inclined to sing because of absorption in him. They act like beggars for a living. Are you one among them there? Usually they sing about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, but do not take pleasure in that. How can your singing his pastimes give us pleasure?

The bee seemed to say, "Why did such intelligent ladies establish friendship with such a person as Krsna?" Radha said, "'You have offered yourselves to me with the highest attachment. If I had the lifetime of the devatas, still I could not repay you.'(sb 10.32.22) We fools had faith in this cheaters statements, just as the wives of the black deer have faith in the song of the hunter. As the deer 'saw' his song (saw the result-- the striking of the arrow), so we also experienced the sharp pangs of love with the touch of his nails. Not once, but many times, the deer, out of ignorance, have been shot. This shows their extreme stupidity. And we also, repeatedly suffering in the mind from relationship with him, are also extremely stupid. Therefore o jester, speak of other things, which will make us happy, for news of Krsna simply brings us suffering." This verse is an example of ajalpa, which contains descriptions of Krsna’s crooked nature, stating that topics about him give sorrow, and other topics give happiness. Ujjvala Nilamani says, "Where there is discussion of his crooked nature with disgust, and how that gives sorrow, where as other topics give happiness, it is called ajalpa."

“Why do you say that Kṛṣṇa is a danger to dharma? Previously you met with him alone. You did not say then what you are saying today!” She answers with this verse. Let that be. If there will be proof then you can ask, and not otherwise, for we have drowned in the ocean of suffering because of thinking his words were true. Or, if we develop great troubles just by hearing about his pastimes, is it astonishing that we have experienced great suffering by listening to his deceptive words? She then speaks this verse. Or, the bee says, “O lady! First hear the message from your lover. Then consider. Then you can become angry if you want.” She then answers with this verse. We believed the words of your cheating friend previously described. He said “I cannot repay you.” (SB 10.32.22) He said “I will come back.” (SB 10.41.17) He has promised us a thousand times. We believed that his words were true (ṛtam) countless times. We were certain, since great persons speak the truth. Though he often deviated from his word, we still had firm faith. We felt sharp pangs of desire on always seeing the marks caused when many times he touched us with his nails, since in illusion we thought we were his wives. We experienced (dadṛṣima instead of dadṛśuḥ) only pain in that love, and not happiness in that love. There is an incongruous verb ending for metrical reasons and because she was not aware of the correct grammar due to unmāda. The past tense is used in the sense of “being completed” to hide her present feelings. This happened because we were foolish. An example of a sound made by a hunter and deer is given. The deer, hearing the sound of the hunter think that it is truly favorable for them and not dangerous. They then experience the pain of the hunter’s arrow, just as we experience the pain of love from his nails. The deer then experience unfortunate circumstances just like us. In both cases they are susceptible because of their ignorance. “But you are respectable women and animals become food for men. How can you compare yourselves to the deer?” Thinking the deer to be favorable to her, she includes them in her group by praising them as the wives of the black deer (kṛṣṇa-vadhvaḥ). She addresses their husband with the attractive name of Kṛṣṇa. What is the superiority of the deer over your friend, O bee, by which the does attain excellence? Just as the hunter gives suffering to the does, so your friend gives suffering to us. O representative of Kṛṣṇa, who remains silent in pride! The word upamantin can also mean a jester as in SB 10.70.19. tatropamantriṇo rājan nānā-hāsya-rasair vibhum upatasthur naṭācāryā nartakyas tāṇḍavaiḥ pṛthak And there, O King, jesters would entertain the Lord by displaying various comic moods, expert entertainers would perform for him, and female dancers would dance energetically. Thus the meaning in the present verse would be “O jester! Give some other news. Give up joking. The total meaning that the gopī spoke out of pain, using words of unmade, is of the highest excellence. This is left unspoken by Śukadeva.

By hearing his pastimes we experience great pain. What can be said? By his false words we have experienced great suffering. Believing his false words to be true, we, suitable for the black person, were like wives of the black deer. Previous she said alam asita-sakhaih: enough with the friends of the black person! The bee says, “O lady! Your lover has sent a message: Dearest! Please be merciful. Do not lament. Please come from there and be merciful to me.” Because we were ignorant, previously, being his wives, we experienced pains of love from the touch of his nails. We believed the words of your cheating friend to be true. When leaving through a messenger he said “I will come back.” (SB 10.41.17) He sent a message from Mathurā through a cowherd, “I will return to see my relatives.” (SB 10.45.23) We experience incomparable pain, maintaining our bodies with hope of his returning. This is lamentation with self pity. Speak of other things. Holding her chest with both hands in pain, for a moment being bewildered, she falls on the ground. That is indicated by the word etat. The bee also left.

Though the bee was buzzing around that place, Radha out of the madness of prema, could not find him. Not seeing him for a moment, she began to consider. "Because of my sharp words, that messenger, being afflicted, has gone off to Mathura, and must have told everything to Krsna. Now he has become indifferent to me." Considering this Rahda gave up her quarrelsome mood, and staring at the path said, "Perhaps my beloved, the ocean of love, and crown of good qualities, will again send his messenger here." Suddenly seeing him, she said respectfully, "O friend of the dearmost of my life! Though wounded by the arrows of my words, by your own good qualities, you have forgotten my offenses and returned here. Can I understand that my dearmost, has sent you here again, not considering my thousands of offenses? If that is so, then you should pray for one boon from me. What do you desire? I will fulfill your request. O bee, if you say, 'I want you to go to Mathura' then I will answer, 'Yes, I will go to Mathura.' After saying that she thought, "If I see my beloved surrounded by other women in Mathura, I will get uncontrollable jealously." So she said, "Why are you taking me to Krsna, who cannot give up loving affairs?" "I swear that he is alone in Mathura." "O one of pure intelligence! Laksmi is by his side. Not only that, she is constantly there. Not only that, she is on his chest, taking shelter of the Lord." As Laksmi has the power to take many forms, when Krsna enjoys with other women, Laksmi sits on his chest as a golden line. But when other women are not present, she gives up the form as a golden line and and taking the form of a young woman, enjoys with him. Although she respects the bee in this verse, after acceptings the bee’s statements, she rejects them after showing how they are inappropriate. This is an example of prati jalpa. The qualities of prati jalpa are explained in the ujjvala nila mani. "Humble statements expressing respect for the messenger, but with refusal to meet Krsna because of his relationships with other women is called pratijalpa."

The bee went some distance away, since that is its nature, or it left for some other place. Or from either unmāda or fainting she did not search out the bee. Or, not seeing the bee for a moment, she suddenly developed the mood of the kalahāntaritā (a woman in separation), fearing that Kṛṣṇa would disregard her, because of the nature of longing in prema. Or the bee returned, or another bee came, or she searched and found the bee. In joy she speaks to the bee in two verses. In the first verse she praises the bee in the first half. O pleasing friend! She says this because the bee is engaged in helping her. Have you been sent by my lover? She expresses great joy. What do you desire (anurundhe)? As previously the ending is ungrammatical. The verb should be anurundtse. Or I desire something. I desire that you go to Mathurā. Then in the second half of the verse she speaks mildly, reasonably and pitifully. By what method will you take us to the side of your friend, who is now having relationships with the women of Mathurā (dvandva), who are so unlike us? Those relationships will be hard for him to give up. But if you go there, the women will criticize you. They are certainly of low character. Lakṣmī has gone from here to Mathurā with him. She is keeping him there for her pleasure. She speaks of Lakṣmī with hatred. She resides on his chest with great happiness (sākam). She refers to the golden line on his chest. The expression is similar to the following: gopyaḥ kim ācarad ayaṁ kuśalaṁ sma veṇur dāmodarādhara-sudhām api gopikānām My dear gopīs! What auspicious activities must the flute have performed to enjoy the nectar of Dāmodara’s lips independently and leave only a taste for us gopīs, for whom that nectar is actually meant! SB 10.21.9 Her statement indicates her opposite intention. This shows her boldness. She shows malice and envy. Though she is constantly there with him, because he respects only prema, which is the very nature of Vraja, he does not respect her in the same way. He respects her greatly there because of the presence of a wealth of the four goals of human life. How can we go there? Therefore, bring him here. This expresses hatred, envy and desire.

Recovering after a short time, she saw the bee return. Also Uddhava quickly went to get some water (to help her recover from fainting) and she saw him return. O dear friend! The bee was dear because it had returned. She thought that Kṛṣṇa had sent the bee back. Separation is difficult. Thus Lakṣmī stays on his chest constantly. O peaceful bee! You should not be friends with him (who is not peaceful). Or though the bee was present, in madness she thought the bee had gone. When her mood changed, she thought the bee had returned. In lamentation she utters this verse. Have you returned, sent by him? Since we are very proud, your desire was not fulfilled. Let that be. It is said that the words of a truthful messenger should never be ignored. Thus I must respect you (māninīyaḥ). I will do as you want. “I request that you come to Mathurā.” O bee, beautiful to behold like the moon (saumya)! You are nice to see but have no intelligence! Will you take us to Mathurā? He is always with the women from whom he cannot separate. Our going there is useless. This is a statement of hatred. “When you come, he will give them up.” Lakṣmī is famous for being is eternal favourite. He remains there happily (kam) with her (sā) on his chest, dominating him. This is uttered with envy.

"Oh, in my madness I have been talking, but did not ask the questions I should have." With repentence she spoke with respect. "Is the noble son in Mathura now? Just as he left Vraja, will he also leave Mathura? " By this she hints that he may develop the desire to come here, because it is not so far from Mathura. She did not ask if he was happy there, but simply asked if he were there. This revealed her thoughts. "Because he was cheated by the Yadus, the son of noble, devoted Nanda, suffering there in remembrance of our love, is residing there in great difficulty. He is thinking, 'Even my father cannot bring me to Vraja. By what means can I go to Vraja?' Not tolerating his own delay, he has sent you here as a messenger. Therefore there is no fault if he is still in Mathura, because he is the son of Nanda. Nanda is noble, simple minded, and without keen foresight of the consequences. Who could know that such a father could leave such a son and return to Vraja empty handed? If she had known, the queen of Vraja Yasoda would have climbed up on Akrura’s chariot, sat there, hugging her child, and gone off to Mathura. The gopis would have followed after him. The father's good nature has been the cause of our destruction. "Does Krnsa remember all the houses of Nanda? When the cheater Vasudeva snatched away the son of simple hearted Nanda, Nanda returned to Vraja and remained in a stunned state. Does Krsna sometimes remember those rooms, the storeroom, the kitchen, the bedroom, which now are empy, uncleaned, and filled with grass, dust, leaves and spider webs? Does he remember his friends like Subala who now remains stunned in other houses? "Sometimes, when other women cannot please him by their service, and they cannot understand how to make him happy, and they ask what will make him happy, does he speak about us servants to them? Does he say,'You cannot please me as do my gopis in Vraja, in stringing flower garlands, smearing ointments, putting on ornaments, preparing betel nut, playing the vina, creating wonderful melodies and beats, in singing and dancing, in beauty and youthfulness, in exchanging questions and answers, in union, and in all the stages of prema, sneha, mana and pranaya. Oh Yadu women, therefore you should go to your husbands. I do not need you at all. I will go to Vraja tomorrow morning.' "Saying this, when will he come here, when will he hold our heads in his arms, fragrant with aguru. He will console us saying, 'O gopis dear to my life, I make this vow before you. I will never give you up and go elsewhere. I have not found even a particle of anyone like you in the three worlds.' The first line of the verse shows simplicity. The second line shows gravity in not mentioning oneself, the third and fourth line show humility, unsteadiness and eagerness. This verse is an example of sujalpa. "Sujalpa refers to asking about Krsna with simplicity, gravity, humility, unsteadiness and eagerness." These ten types of divya unmada or transcendental madness are together called citra jalpa. These ten types of madness appear in Radha in her manfestation of mohana, the most excellent part of mahabhava. "Mohana arises primarily in Radha, and reaches an indescribable state, resembling delusion. It is then called divyonmada. It has many varieties such as udgirna and citrajalpa. This ecstatic talk, induced by seeing a friend of ones beloved, and filled with covered anger, culminates in extreme eagerness. The ten types of citra jalpa are: prajalpa, parijalpa, vijalpa, ujjalpa, sanjalpa, avajalpa, abhijalpa, ajalpa, pratijalpa and sujalpa." Some say that Krsna assumed the form of the bee in order to drink the sweetness of Radha’s citrajalpa.

Ah! What have I been saying? I have not asked what I should have asked. Finally with sincerity, gravity, humility, fickleness, and longing, with tears and choked voice she inquires from Uddhava. Api indicates a question. This should be understood for all the statements in the verse. O messenger (bata)! By convention ārya-putra refers to the son of the elderly Nanda. But he is actually our husband. The perception of other persons being our husbands is only an appearance. No one in any other place has had the bhāvas that we experienced for him from his childhood. It was said: iti gopyo hi govinde gata-vāk-kāya-mānasāḥ kṛṣṇa-dūte samāyāte uddhave tyakta-laukikāḥ The gopīs, whose words, bodies and minds were fully dedicated to Govinda, put aside all their regular work now that Kṛṣṇa’s messenger, Uddhava, had arrived among them. SB 10.47.9 In addressing Kṛṣṇa as ārya-putra, Rādhā shows straightforwardness or sincerity. Is he now in Mathura? First she asks this question, since there has been no news of him for a long time and as well she had heard that he had gone far away to the gurukula. On hearing this, out of pain, she asks this question first. Now she does not put on a pretense of anger. Nanda also did not ask this question. No news was heard because it was forbidden. He lived in Avantī secretly performing gāyatrī puraścaraṇa. He feared Jarāsandha and others would attack Mathurā if they learned he was absent from Mathurā. He also worried that the people of Vraja would be in great sorrow if they heard he was far away. Not knowing he had gone elsewhere, in asking the question she expresses censure. This indicates her gravity (gāmbhīrya). “O lady! He is living there happily.” Fearing such an answer, she asks, “Does he remember his parents and others in Vraja?” Dissatisfied with her previous question she asks many questions in succession. Included in that question is a question about the houses of Vraja. He now lives in Mathurā, and will stay in that attractive place a long time, or is delayed there. But he is the only cause of living for the people of Vraja. Does the son of Nanda remember the houses of his father since he was born there? There were many houses because Nanda, going here and there in Vraja, built many houses in various places for the joy of his son, or because there were many palaces in Nandīśvara. The word “houses” indicates the places of various pastimes in which his mother and father cared for him during his infancy. Does he remember his relatives (bandhūn) such as Upananda and the cowherd boys like Śrīdāmā? Does he, the friend of Śrīdāmā, or the master of us gopīs, at some time or somewhere (kvacit) talk about us, since we are qualified by being his servants, having rendered him much service? This indicates humility (dainyam). Kathāḥ is in the plural because there are many servants in Vraja and many details in each topic. The topics were compositions with many incidents of various types. Another version has kathām in the singular. When will he place his arm, fragrant with aguru, on our heads? She experiences the fragrance by intense meditation. This indicates her absorption in longing. Placing his arm on their heads to remove all obstacles indicates humility as his servants. This shows fickleness (cāpalam). By asking when this will happen, with the expression of uncertainty, she shows great despondency. The word nu indicates conjecture. After considering she remains uncertain. This shows the height of the greatest longing. By addressing Kṛṣṇa as ārya-putra she established herself as his wife. However later in the verse she thinks of herself as a servant, out of humility and lowness. However she is actually his wife. Similarly the unmarried gopīs said: nanda-gopa-sutaṁ devi patiṁ me kuru te namaḥ O great potency of the Lord, O possessor of great mystic power and mighty controller of all, please make the son of Nanda Mahārāja my husband. SB 10.22.4 śyāmasundara te dāsyaḥ karavāma tavoditam O Śyāmasundara, we are your maidservants and must do whatever you say. SB 10.22.15 Kālindī says ahaṁ tad-gṛha-mārjanī: Now I am engaged as a sweeper in his palace. SB 10.83.11 Bata can also indicate lamentation. Why is he still in Mathurā? He should not stay there forever, but should come here quickly since he is Nanda’s son (ārya-putra). His friends are all of good quality (saumya-bandhūn), and thus should be remembered.

Hearing the words of prema directly as the gopīs spoke, Uddhava, after their transformations arising from prema decreased, he spoke to pacify them. He spoke to inform them of Kṛṣṇa’s powers and the greatness of his prema (idam) in order to stop the transformations arising from their prema and to praise them in order to relieve their feelings of wretchedness. Out of respect Uddhava did not speak to Rādhā directly. She heard through others.

Atha indicates the beginning of the message. Since it was unsuitable to begin the message immediately, when they were so disturbed by prema, he began speaking later. Hearing about the gopīs’ previous love and lamenation (evam), he consoled them with the message from their lover. The messages themselves were also dear. The messages were dear since they were related to Kṛṣṇa. Or priya can mean “O dear Parīkṣit!” When the disturbance caused by prema lessened, it would be proper to hear the message. By starting with statements expressing the good fortune of the gopīs, he could counteract their misery, and make them give up their disturbance. In this way Uddhava begins speaking.

"Indeed (sma) you, whose minds are offered in this way to the Lord, are certainly successful. Other devotees also offer their minds to the Lord, but we do not see their minds offered in this way."

Ah (aho)! This is most amazing. It is something never seen or heard previously. It is certain (sma). He uses yūyam and bhavatyaḥ which have the same meaning out of great respect. The past particple expresses the present (pūjitāḥ). Your goal, prema is outstanding, with complete form, endowed with all good qualities (pūrṇārthāḥ). Naturally you have all wealth. Therefore, you are worshipped by all other people more than any others. Or you, Rādhā and the other gopīs, having complete prema, are worshiped by others. With the greatest prema your minds have been offered to Kṛṣṇa, the shelter of all beings (vāsudeve), the source of all beings, and the supreme shelter of all powers (bhagavati). The expression yāsām iti arpita-manaḥ indicates that their minds act independently.

This is amazing (aho)! Or it expresses bliss. Sma means eva (emphatic). It can be placed with all the appropriate words praising the gopīs. You have attained all success, which even Lakṣmi has not attained. Thus you are worthy of worship (pujitāḥ) by all people in all fourteen worlds. Out of joy he addreses them with yūyam and later out of devotion addresses with bhavatyaḥ. Your minds are fixed in the antaryāmī (vāsudeve), full of six qualities (bhagavati), or in the son of Vasudeva, who is directly the supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa (bhagavati). Vasudeva-gṛhe sākṣat bhagavān puruṣaḥ paraḥ: the direct Lord, the highest person has appeared in Vasudeva’s house. (SB 10.1.23) Or you fixed your minds on the son of the best Vasu, Nanda, the supreme person full of unparalleled bueaty (bhagavati). By saying the Kṛṣṇa is supreme, he shows the gopīs that they have attained the highest success. They fixed their minds on him with the highest prema.

Devotion to Krsna is produced by various processes (sadhana) such as giving. In the case of bhakti, giving (dana) must refer to giving to vaisnavas. Vrata must refer to vaisnava vratas like ekadasi. Tapah must refer to giving up objects of enjoyment for krsna’s sake (krsanrtha bhoga tyagadi-see nectar of devotion angas). Homa refers to vaisnava homas and japa refers to chanting visnu matras. Svadyaya refers to recitation of the gopala tapani upanisad and other text concerning Krsna. Other auspicious practices refers to those actions which are angas of bhakti (producing bhakti). That is because other practices, such of dana, tapa etc., in themselves are incapable of producing bhakti. That has been explained before.

This point is emphasized using kaimutya. All auspicious acts like charity and others like jñāna, sāṅkhya and yoga (anyaiḥ) are successful when offered to Kṛṣṇa. Bhakti, a taste of hearing about the Lord and other process, unto Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, is accomplished when these processes are offered to the Lord. naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam | kutaḥ punaḥ śaśvad abhadram īśvare na cārpitaṁ karma yad apy akāraṇam || Even the stage of jñāna without the bondage of karma is not glorious if it is devoid of bhakti to the Supreme Lord. What is the use of having destroyed ignorance? What then to speak of sakāma-karma which causes suffering, both during practice and at the stage perfection, and niṣkāma-karma, when not offered to the Lord? SB 1.5.12 This fact is expressed positively and negatively in the following verses: sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje | ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati || The supreme dharma for all human beings (sādhana bhakti) is that by which prema-bhakti to the Lord arises, which is not caused by anything other than itself, cannot be obstructed, and which satisfies the mind completely. SB 1.2.6 dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ | notpādayed yadi ratiṁ śrama eva hi kevalam || Varṇāśrama-dharma of the human being, which does not produce attraction for topics of the Lord, is only wasted effort. SB 1.2.8 In the verse vrata means following rules, tapa refers to austerities and saṁyama means control of the senses.

“Success is attained by attaining Kṛṣṇa, not by concentrating the mind.” This is expressed in two verses. Vrata means austerirites. Tapaḥ means following one’s dharma. Homa means sacrificies. Svādhyāya means study of the Vedas. Saṁyama means control of all the senses. Dāna means charity and japa means chanting silently. Since these are necessary, and known among people as the best acitons, they are clearly mentioned. By jñaṇa (śreyobhiḥ) and other methods such as liberation, one can also attain the Lord. Vividhaiḥ modifies all the items. There various types of liberation such as sālokya etc. according to Vedānta and Nyāya. The rest is clear. The order of methods is according to increasing effectiveness. By these methods certainly (hi) bhakti to Kṛṣṇa, the supreme Lord, is accomplished. Otherwise, whatever else is attained by these methods is useless. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁṣām: varṇāśrama-dharma of the human being, which does not produce attraction for topics of the Lord, is only wasted effort. (SB 1.2.8)

"Your bhakti is very different from other types This is the supreme form of bhakti (anuttama), which has not existed before. However, following after your ragatmika bhakti, raganuga bhakti will be spread as a practice in the future. This is for the good fortune of the people in general (distya)."

Your bhakti consisting of mahābhāva is nitya-siddha. How can one praise it enough? However it should be praised as auspicious for all people by teaching it to them. The highest bhakti, mahā- prema for Kṛṣṇa who reveals all his powers (bhagavati), and therefore most praised (uttama-śloke), has been spread (pravartitā) to people by the power of seeing and hearing you. It will be said in verse 26 “You have rightfully claimed the privilege of unalloyed love for the Lord.” vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ śraddhānvito ’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ Anyone who faithfully and continually hears or describes the Lord’s playful affairs with the young gopīs of Vṛndāvana will attain the highest type of prema to the Lord, quickly destroy lust, the disease of the heart, and immediately become steady. SB 10.33.39 This prema has appeared by good fortune (diṣṭyā).

But you have preached to the people by your conduct incomparable bhakti called prema to the Lord, who manifests all his powers and who is most worthy of praise. This has produced good fortune (diṣṭyā). It gives the highest benefit to whole world. It is not easily attainable by all persons. It is rare even for sages like Sanaka. Bhakti is the highest result. Therefore Kṛṣṇa will automatically be controlled.

"It is my good fortune that you have given up sons etc who are the objects of extreme attachment, and accepted the form of the Supreme Lord named Krsna as the enjoyer of yourselves."

The process of spreading bhakti is clearly explained in this verse. Since you have given up sons and other things, considering them to be temporary, because of the power of natural love for one object, Kṛṣṇa, you have accepted Kṛṣṇa, the parabrahman with human form (puruṣaṁ param), as your real lover. This is good fortune for all people. Having seen and heard about your actions, others will do the same.

“Lakṣmī should be praised for having such bhakti. Since we however are not independent we cannot perform such worship.” This has been most auspicious. You have up even brothers and sisters (svajanān) and accepted as your lover the supreme person called Kṛṣṇa, who manifests unlimited forms and qualities. Sons and others were rejected by rejecting affectionate relationships with them, or by completely rejecting them. Rejection of bodies means to neglect the body and to attain a death-like state. The order in the list is from more important to less important. Ca means eva. You are superior to Lakṣmī by your type of bhakti.

"How is it auspicious for you, if we have given up wealth and family and accepted Krsna?" "Prema unto Krsna, who cannot be perceived by anyone’s senses (adhoksaje), is so much rarer than that. But you have mahabhava, that bhava filled completely with its essential qualities, (sarvatma bhava). Just as the sun spreads to all by transference of heat and the moon spreads itself to all people by transference of coolness, so mahabhava spreads itself to all people by transference of its own nature. In this verse, the combination of the words sarvatma (complete) and bhava (emotion) reveals the characteristics of mahabhava. Ujjvala Nila mani gives the definition of mahabhava. When anuraga (after sneha, pranaya mana, etc.) attains states of being conscious of only itself, of its own taste, clearly manifests sattvika bhava symptoms, and reaches its maximum possible state, it is called maha bhava. (ujjvala nila mani 109). This bhava or mahabhava is the seventh manifestation of prema. It manifests in you and in no one else, not even Laksmi. What is it like? It is a special privilege or right which has been given by the Lord to you women alone, and not given to anyone else (adhikrtah). By your manifestation of love in separation, you have been merciful to me, showing all the varieties within mahabhava such as citra jalpa and divyonmada. If you had not experienced separation from Krsna , he would not have sent me here, and I would not have observed this great wonder". In this way he describes the extent of his good fortune.

The past participle adhikṛtaḥ has a present meaning. You have the all bhāvas up to mahābhāva (sarvātma-bhāvaḥ) for the Lord since you are complete. Prema, continually appearing, is established (adhikṛtaḥ) by you. That bhāva appears everywhere (sarvātma). This meaning of ātmā is found in the following verse: ātatatvāc ca mātṛtvād ātmā hi paramo hariḥ The Lord is called ātmā because he is all-pervasive (āt) and is the source of everything (mā). Śrīdhara Svāmī’s commentary on Bhāgavatam That bhāva for the Lord is controlled by you since it is seen in you. Thus he is not far from you. O fortunate ones (mahā-bhāgā)! Separation is external only. You should not absorb your minds in that. I think that separation has appeared externally in order to give mercy to me by showing the greatness of your prema. Virahena is the subject.

“Then we should not be separated from him.” That is true. This has been done to show the special attraction of bhakti. You have showed prema, with separation, to the Lord who is beyond the senses (adhoḥkṣaje), by concentrating all your senses on him. O most fortunate women! This is possible for you most fortunate women but not for others. You are more fortunate than all his other devotees what to speak of Lakṣmī. My master is controlled by you alone. You have shown me great mercy. Or “Does this indescribable mahābhāva (mahān) exist or not? Since it has not been seen or heard about, the devotees cannot believe in it. But today directly experiencing it, I have developed a hope. You have shown me great mercy, or the Lord by sending me here has given great mercy.

"O Uddhava! In speaking about mahabhava, what is the use of praising us and yourself? You have come here to pacify us. Do you have some message of Krsna which can remove our sorrow? If you have, please tell us." He answers with this verse. "Please hear the message of your beloved which will bring you happiness, which, I, carrying out his confidential work, have brought here."

Consoling them and seeing they were in better condition, Uddhava then stated what had to be spoken. Or, upset on not seeing any decrease in their agitation, thinking that they would recover by hearing Kṛṣṇa’s message, he simply began to speak. “But that message will not bring him here quickly.” This message will bring happiness to you who are filled with the greatest longing, since it says that he will come quickly. For that purpose I have come and no other. It will produce respect for him. They answer by saying, “We see nothing else he might consider worth remembering in these cow pastures of Vraja.” (SB 10.47.5) Uddhava identifies himself as a servant of his master (bhartuḥ). Because of that, Uddhava is suitable to carry a message because he is most trustworthy. He can also keep the message secret. O pure women (bhadrā)! You are most qualified for his message. The letter is most auspicious because it will produce respect for Kṛṣṇa.

The first message gives instructions on knowledge, whose purpose is to reveal the unassailable strength of prema to the most intellegent, and to cover the glories of prema from the dull minded. "See, through Uddhava I am teaching the gopis the nectar of knowledge, and that could not extinguish the fire of their love. Rather that knowledge got consumed by heat of the fire of their love. Their prema has been proven the strongest, because it has rendered useless jnana yoga taught by me, the lord of mind and yoga." It is just as, at the beginning of the rasa dance, his instructions of karma yoga revealed the strength of prema to the confidential devotees. The supreme lord, benefactor of all, taught jnana for liberation to the gopis, even though they are filled with the highest prema,.in order to hide the greatest secret, the glories of prema from the ignorant people who think they are learned. In this way, he nourished the devotees with the nectar of prema and cheated the non devotees by giving some intoxicant. Like Mohini, the verse reveals two functions equally, in relation to the devotees and the demons. Now let us continue with the explanation of the verse. This is the speech of Uddhava, spoken in the past tense, but the text says "The Lord said." The reason is as follows. " Though I have great love for the Lord, I find it difficult to understand the meaning of his words. Therefore I will reveal his message as if he were saying it, keeping the ambiguity of his words intact." "O gopis! You never have any separation from me. Therefore why do you want to die with so much crying?" "How are you never separate from us?" "Because I am the supersoul pervading all beings. All the scriptures, Garga muni and the devatas such as Varuna say this. I am present as the supersoul with your bodies, and therefore you are always united with me." In this statement, as with Krnsa’s instructions on dharma at the beginning of the rasa dhance, there are hidden instructions on conjugal dealings in order to prevent the gopis criticizing him later. On a day following the rasa lila, the gopis criticized Krnsa saying, "O jewel among lusty boys! Why did you give us instructions on morality on the day of the rasa dance?" Krsna then replied, "O ignorant girls! On that day I gave instructions on how to enjoy conjugal rasa with me. How did you foolish girls ever conclude that I was teaching about moral principles?" Krsna then told them another meaning to his words of instruction before the rasa dance. In the same way, after being absent for a long time, at their future meeting the gopis might say, "O lord of our life! Why did you give us instructions on knowledge through Uddhava when we were suffering in separation?" Anticipating that, Krsna says, "O unintelligent girls, I taught you through Uddhava all about prema. How did you conclude that I was teaching about jnana?" He then proceeds to give another explanation of the present verse which indicates prema not jnana. "Your separation from me is not in all my forms but one only, the body (na sarvatmana) (since atma refers to body, soul, mind and intelligence). Certainly prema is the very nature of my atma and thus my soul, senses and intelligence (atma) all l reside in you. I took one body only (atma) to Mathura. As well, your senses, intelligence and mind (atma) reside with me in Mathura. Only your bodies are stiuated in Vraja. "But all the scriptures have said also that I am dependent on prema. I am not independent in my prema. Thus the separation between you and me, who have a bond of prema, existing only in the separation of our bodies, gives rise the the sentiments of suffering in separation. Prema now, using that vehicle of separation, desires to increase to the extreme. Thus, even though I have great longing, how can I immediately bring my body to Vraja? But when that prema, once reaching its desired level and exhibiting full separation, ascends to the state of meeting, I can then bring that body to Vraja, being dependent on that prema. In this way the separation of bodies will disappear." The external meaning of the second part of the verse is as follows. "But as the source of all matter, I exist in all things. As all the elements, earth, water, fire air and ether exist in all moving and non moving creatures, I am the shelter of all, the final cause of all causes (guna) and effects (mana). Wherever they exist, I exist." For the gopis the meaning of this part of the verse is as follows: "Having taken shelter of the minds, life airs, intelligences, senses, qualities and words of you who meditate constantly on me with love, I remain there always, appearing in my wonderful form."

“The Lord said” actually means that Uddhava began reciting the words of Kṛṣṇa’s message. The past perfect uvāca indicates that the speaking was completed in the past and that the speaker was not present. One can say “Did I lament (vilalāpa) while I was asleep?” using the past perfect of lament to indicate that one was not aware of the lamenting. Thus the meaning is “I cannot understand what he said (uvāca), but you gopīs should try to understand its meaning.” The apparent meaning of the message is instructions on jñāna. Though this first meaning is used to hide another secret meaning, it appears to pacify lamentation according to conventional means. The Lord used this method after consideration. He considered as follows. They will realize that even for ordinary devotees, jñāna is repulsive. tasmān mad-bhakti-yuktasya yogino vai mad-ātmanaḥ na jñānaṁ na ca vairāgya prāyaḥ śreyo bhaved iha Therefore, for a devotee engaged in bhakti, with mind fixed on me, the cultivation of knowledge and renunciation is generally not beneficial for bhakti. SB 11.20.31 nātyantikaṁ vigaṇayanty api te prasādaṁ kimv anyad arpita-bhayaṁ bhruva unnayais te ye ’ṅga tvad-aṅghri-śaraṇā bhavataḥ kathāyāḥ kīrtanya-tīrtha-yaśasaḥ kuśalā rasa-jñāḥ Persons who have realized you do not regard attainment of impersonal liberation as your mercy, what to speak of attaining a material position like Indra which is subject to fear caused by the Lord raising his eyebrow. O Lord! Those devotees, surrendered to your lotus feet, are expert knowers of rasa derived from narrations about your fame, which should be chanted and which purify everyone like a tīrtha. SB 3.15.48 The gopīs who are totally convinced by their personal experience will then realize the highest level of sweetness of pure prema for me in my sphūrti. I will place the real meaning with the conclusion, which testifies to the experience of prema, within the external message for their perception. But even then, worrying that the gopīs would reach the highest level of longing when realizing only his sphūrti in that experience, he decided there should be a third meaning concerning their eternal pastimes. Realizing this, they would immediately become peaceful. By the power of my instructions that plan will take place. Considering in this way, he then gave his message. The main statement is made in the first line. The first meaning of this is as follows. You are never separated from me because I am the material cause and the antaryāmī. The second meaning is as follows. There is no separation from me, by making all efforts (sarvātmanā), because my sphūrti always exists internally and externally. An example is given. Just as the elements exist in all things, I am the shelter of your qualities such as excellent disposition, your senses, your elements, life airs and minds. Or, I am the shelter of the qualities of your mind, senses life airs and elements. Or just as the elements are the shelter of the guṇas, mind, senses, life airs and elements in your bodies, I dwell there, always appearing there in my form. The third meaning is as follows. There is no separation because of all my appearances (sarvātmanā). But there is separation now in this one manifestation in the material world. There is however union, not separation in the aprakaṭa manifestations. How is this? Just as ether is present invisibly in its effect known as air, I am present in an aprakaṭa form here and there. What form does this take? It is the form which takes shelter in your intelligence, life airs and senses (manaḥ-prāṇa- bhūtendriya-guṇāśrayaḥ): the form of Śyāmasundara, playing the flute. It has been said that Kṛṣṇa eternally exists in Vṛndāvana, Mathurā and Dvārakā. Skanda Purāṇa says tatra vṛndāvanaṁ ramyaṁ vṛndādevī-samāśritam hariṇādhiṣthitaṁ tac ca brahma-rudradi-sevitam In Vṛndāvana, served by Brahmā and Śiva, under the shelter of Vṛndādevī, the Lord resides. vatsair vatsatarībhiś ca sākaṁ krīḍati mādhavaḥ | vṛndāvanāntaragataḥ sarāmo bālakair vṛtaḥ ||431|| Kṛṣṇa plays with the calves and older calves within Vṛndāvana, surrounded by Balarāma and other boys. Padma Purāṇa says: aho abhagyaṁ lokasya na pītaṁ yamunā-jalam go-gopa-gopikā-saṅge yatra krīḍati kaṁsahā People are unfortunate who have not drunk the water of the Yamunā, where the killer of Kaṁsa plays in association with the cows, cowherd boys and gopīs. yamunā-jala-kallole sadā krīḍati mādhavaḥ Kṛṣṇa always plays in the waves of the Yamunā’s water. sarva-deva-mayaś cāhaṁ na tyajāmi vanaṁ kvacit || āvirbhāvas tirobhāvo bhaven me ’tra yuge yuge | tejo-mayam idaṁ ramyam adṛśyaṁ carma-cakṣuṣā || All the devas and the elements exist there in a spiritual form. I, the embodiment of all devas, do not leave that forest for a moment, though I appear and disappear in this world age after age. But this radiant forest full of pleasure is invisible to the material eye. Gautamīya-tantra govindaṁ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaṁ vṛndāvana-sura-bhūruha-talāsīnaṁ satataṁ samarud-gaṇo ’haṁ toṣayāmi I along with the Maruts satisfy Govinda, the form of eternity, knowledge and bliss, who sits beneath a desire tree in Vṛndāvana. Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad janma-jarābhyāṁ bhinnaḥ sthānur ayam acchedyo ’yaṁ yo ’sau saurye tiṣṭhati | yo ’sau goṣu tiṣṭhati, yo ’sau gāḥ pālayati, yo ’sau gopeṣu tiṣṭhati govindān mṛtyur bibheti || He is unchanging, free from birth and old age. He who stays in Vṛndāvana is indivisible. Death fears Govinda who stays with the cows, who protects the cows and who resides with the cowherd people. Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad Ato ‘tidhanyā mathurā yatra sannihito hari Mathurā is most fortunate for there the Lord resides eternally. Ādi-varāha Purāṇa aho madhupurī dhanyā yatra tiṣṭhati kaṁsahā Oh! Mathurā is most fortunate for Kṛṣṇa resides there. Padma Purāṇa catvāriṁśad yojanānāṁ tatas tu mathurā smṛtā yatra devo hariḥ sākṣāt svayaṁ tiṣthati sarvadā Mathurā is twenty for yojanas in size. There the Lord resides personally at all times. Vāyu Purāṇa prāpya mathurāṁ purīṁ ramyāṁ sadā brahmādi-sevitam | śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-śārṅga-rakṣitāṁ muṣalādibhiḥ || yatrāsau saṁsthitaḥ kṛṣṇas tribhiḥ śaktyā samāhitaḥ | rāmāniruddha-pradyumnai rukmiṇyā sahito vibhuḥ || He attained attractive Mathurā always worshipped by Brahmā and others and protected by the conch, cakra, club and bow. There Kṛṣṇa lives with his three śaktis, along with Balarāma, Aniruddha, Pradyumna and Rukmiṇī. Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad rājadhānī tataḥ sābhūt sarva-yādava-bhūbhujām mathurā bhagavān yatra nityaṁ sannihito hariḥ Since that time, the city of Mathurā had been the capital of all the kings of the Yadu dynasty. The city and district of Mathurā are very intimately connected with Kṛṣṇa, for Lord Kṛṣṇa lives there eternally. SB 10.1.28 He resides eternally in Dvārakā as well. dvārakāṁ hariṇā tyaktāṁ samudro ’plāvayat kṣaṇāt varjayitvā mahā-rāja śrīmad-bhagavad-ālayam As soon as Dvārakā was abandoned by the Supreme Lord, the ocean flooded it on all sides, O King, sparing only his palace. nityaṁ sannihitas tatra bhagavān madhusūdanaḥ smṛtyāśeṣāśubha-haraṁ sarva-maṅgala-maṅgalam Madhusūdana, the Supreme Lord, is eternally present in Dvārakā. By remembering that most auspicious of all auspicious places, one destroys all contamination. SB 11.31.23-24 Viṣṇu Purāṇa particularly says yadu-deva-gṛhas tv ekā nāplāvayat: the house of Kṛṣṇa was not covered with water. Kṛṣṇa-krīḍākaraṁ sthānam: Dvārakā is the place of pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. jayati jananivāso devakī-janma-vādo yadu-vara-pariṣat svair dorbhir asyann adharmam | sthira-cara-vṛjina-ghnaḥ susmita-śrī-mukhena vraja-pura-vanitānāṁ vardhayan kāma-devam || Kṛṣṇa lives among the cowherd men and the Yādavas, and is conclusively both the son of Devakī and Yaśodā. He is the guide of the Yadu dynasty and the cowherd men, and with His mighty arms he kills everything inauspicious, in Vraja, Mathurā and Dvārakā. By his presence he destroys all things inauspicious for all living entities, moving and inert, and the suffering of separation of the inhabitants of Vraja and Dvārakā. His blissful smiling face always increases the desires of the gopīs of Vṛndāvana and women of Mathurā and Dvārakā. He remains eternally in this situation. SB 10.90.48 Thus Kṛṣṇa resides in these places eternally. Though it is said that he comes and goes from these places, he actually does this by manifesting different forms (one stays and one goes). Yaśodā realized that Kṛṣṇa is inside and outside of everything during the Dāmodara and eating dirt pastimes. Thus his powers are seen even though he has a human form. Because of his acintya-śakti it is not impossible for him to display opposing qualities in one being. Such matters are accepted on the basis of śrutes tu śabdamūlatvāt: the scriptures are the source of knowledge. (Brahma-sūtra 2.1.27) Since he has all powers, he easily manifests other forms in order to be present at many places simultaneously. But, with manifestations of power and human natures simultaneously, according to his will, one form manifests as many by his acintya-śakti. It is like forms manifesting through a medium, like reflections on water. However, in such an example they only exist because of a medium like water for reflection. One cannot touch the reflections in the same way as the original object. The reflection is an opposite form to the original form, and the images are more limited than the original. Kṛṣṇa however expands his forms simply by a display of his natural śakti. The forms can be touched, they have forms according to his desire, and they have the potency of the original. All these forms exist separately by his acintya-śakti. They have separate activities. There is no contradiction if all the different forms which appear simultaneously have actions like opening and closing of their eyes independently. However the Lord is the person who acts, since he is the shelter of all the forms performing different actions. This is described in many places in Bhāgavatam and other scriptures. Normally such expansions could not give happiness to a person who knew the truth about them. But it the case of Kṛṣṇa this is not so. This shows the outstanding nature of these forms. Thus Nārada says: citraṁ bataitad ekena vapuṣā yugapat pṛthak gṛheṣu dvy-aṣṭa-sāhasraṁ striya eka udāvahat It is astounding that Kṛṣṇa, who is one without a second, expanded himself in sixteen thousand similar forms to marry sixteen thousand queens in their respective homes. SB 10.69.2 Though his form was one, it had many separate manifestations. Each of these forms performed differing actions. This is not possible for sages to perform. Thus Nārada was astonished. Such forms are sometimes called ātmā and sometimes rūpa. For instance the present verse says sarvātmanā kvacit (by all my expanded forms). kṛtvā tāvantam ātmānaṁ yāvatīr gopa-yoṣitaḥ reme sa bhagavāṁs tābhir ātmārāmo ’pi līlayā Expanding himself us many times as there were cowherd women to associate with, the Supreme Lord, though self-satisfied, playfully enjoyed their company. SB 10.33.19 atho muhūrta ekasmin nānāgāreṣu tāḥ striyaḥ yathopayeme bhagavān tāvad-rūpa-dharo ’vyayaḥ Then the imperishable Lord, assuming a separate form for each bride, duly married all the princesses simultaneously, each in her own palace. SB 10.59.42 ity ādiṣṭo bhagavatā kṛṣṇenecchā-śarīriṇā triḥ parikramya taṁ natvā vimānena divaṁ yayau So instructed by the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, who assumes his body by his own will, the hunter circumambulated the Lord three times and bowed down to him. Then the hunter departed in an airplane that had appeared just to carry him to the spiritual sky. SB 11.30.40 Since each form is the center of activities, there is a separate identity in each of the manifested forms for nourishing the rasa of the pastimes and each is unaware of the other forms. Bhagavān accepts such arrangements by his will. His associates can also assume many forms since they are endowed with his śakti. Thus at the marriage of Kṛṣṇa to sixteen thousand queens, Vasudeva and others assumed many forms to be present at the various weddings. According to the commentary it is said that simultaneously Devakī and others were present in each house. Kṛṣṇa was present with them while he had a separate identity in each wedding, just as Nārada saw separate forms in each palace by the influence of yogamāyā. dīvyantam akṣais tatrāpi priyayā coddhavena ca pūjitaḥ parayā bhaktyā pratyutthānāsanādibhiḥ There he saw the Lord playing at dice with his beloved consort and his friend Uddhava. Lord Kṛṣṇa worshiped Nārada by standing up, offering him a seat. SB 10.69.20 mantrayantaṁ ca kasmiṁścin mantribhiś coddhavādibhiḥ jala-krīḍā-rataṁ kvāpi vāramukhyābalāvṛtam Somewhere he was consulting with royal ministers like Uddhava, and somewhere else he was enjoying in the water, surrounded by many society girls and other young women. SB 10.69.27 There is difference in identity because of different bhāvas in the different forms. One form thinks, “This is the situation and I am here.” At the marriage of sixteen thousand queens Devakī was present with Kṛṣṇa somewhere doing activity and was happy seeing him. And in another place, in his absence, she longed to see him. Sometimes Kṛṣṇa was with Uddhava and sometimes in another expansion in separation. This is the remarkable nature of his expansions. Since there different expansions and different actions and identity because of those different forms, there are different conditions for these forms. Thus there are two types of expansion: prakaṭa and aprakaṭa. The prakaṭa forms manifest in the material world. In the twenty-eighth chapter Goloka was shown: this becomes visible in the material world as Vṛndāvana. Even now there are meetings of the gopīs in their aprakaṭa forms with Kṛṣṇa in his aprakaṭa form. There is at this time separation of the gopīs in their prakaṭa forms from Kṛṣṇa’s prakaṭa form, which has gone to the prakaṭa form of Mathurā, though he was previously situated in the prakaṭa Vṛndāvana. The statement is illustrated in the verse with an example. The first meaning is as follows. Just as the five elements—ether, air, fire, water and earth—are also in objects made of air or earth etc. As the material cause (upādāna), I am in your minds, life airs, bodies, senses and qualities. The second meaning is as follows. Just as the elements exist as the shelter or cause in the effects such as living beings, I also am the shelter of your qualities, mind, life airs, senses and bodies, since you take my sphūrti as your very life. The third meaning is as follows. Just as the elements are present in the effects in aprakaṭa form, I am present with you in an aprakaṭa form, which takes the form present in your minds and life airs: Śyāmasundara with a flute.

You are certainly (hi) not separated from me at any time since I am the cause of everything (sarvātmanā). Or you are not separated from me in any way (sarvatmanā). You play in Vraja doing the rāsa dance eternally, in a special manifestation. The eternal pastimes are indicated. Or there is no separation because my sphurti exists inside and outside everything. An example is given. The former in the list are causes and the latter elements are effects. The causes are situated in the effects. Ether is situated in earth. Similarly I am situated your minds, prāṇas, senses, bodies and qualities. Or I am the shelter of the functions (guṇa) of your minds, prāṇas, bodies and senses. Being situated there, I manifest myself.