FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.18

పూర్ణచన్ద్రకలామృష్టే కౌముదీగన్ధవాయునా । యమునోపవనే రేమే సేవితే స్‍త్రీగణైర్వృత: ॥ ౧౮ ॥
pūrṇa-candra-kalā-mṛṣṭe
[poorna-chandra-kalaa-mrishte]
kaumudī-gandha-vāyunā
[kaumudee-gandha-vaayunaa]
yamunopavane reme
[yamunopavane reme]
sevite strī-gaṇair vṛtaḥ
[sevite stree-ganair vritah]
pūrṇa — full candra — of the moon kalā — by the rays mṛṣṭe — bathed kaumudī — of lotus flowers that open in the moonlight gandha — (bearing) the fragrance vāyunā — by the wind yamunā — of the Yamunā River upavane — in a garden reme — He enjoyed sevite — served strī — women gaṇaiḥ — by many vṛtaḥ — accompanied .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pūrṇa-candra-kalā-mṛṣṭe
pūrṇa
full
candra
of the moon
kalā
by the rays
mṛṣṭe
bathed
kaumudī-gandha-vāyunā
kaumudī
of lotus flowers that open in the moonlight
gandha
(bearing) the fragrance
vāyunā
by the wind
yamunopavane reme
yamunā
of the Yamunā River
upavane
in a garden
reme
He enjoyed
sevite strī-gaṇair vṛtaḥ
sevite
served
strī
women
gaṇaiḥ
by many
vṛtaḥ
accompanied .
  • pūrṇa — full
    Modifies candra (moon). Pūrṇa-candra is Vraja's signature lighting — the rāsa-līlā of chapters 29–33 also happened under pūrṇa-candra. The Bhāgavatam is repeating the mise-en-scène.
  • kaumudī — of lotus flowers that open in the moonlight
    Night-blooming white lotus — specifically the flower that opens for the moon. Gauḍīya poetry uses kaumudī as an emblem of the devotee whose heart opens only for the Lord's light, not for the sun of empirical sense.
  • yamunā — of the Yamunā River
    The river — Kṛṣṇa's eternal companion, daughter of the sun. In Gauḍīya theology Yamunā is herself a devī; her presence frames every Vraja-līlā. This verse stages her as the site, the next verses will make her a participant.
  • upavane — in a garden
    Locative of upavana — pleasure-garden adjacent to a settlement. The Vraja-upavanas are catalogued individually in Gauḍīya geography (Vrṣabhānu-vana, Tāla-vana, etc.); each has a specific rasa.
  • reme — He enjoyed
    Perfect of √ram (to delight). The root of Rāma. The Bhāgavatam plays the etymology: Rāma reme — the Delighter delighted. Gauḍīya commentators note that Bhagavān's pleasure is His name's verb.
In the company of numerous women, Lord Balarāma enjoyed in a garden by the Yamunā River. This garden was bathed in the rays of the full moon and caressed by breezes bearing the fragrance of night-blooming lotuses.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains that Lord Balarāma’s conjugal pastimes took place in a small forest alongside the Yamunā, a place known as Śrīrāma-ghaṭṭa, which is far from the site of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa dance.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
In the company of numerous women, Lord Balarāma enjoyed in a garden by the Yamunā River. This garden was bathed in the rays of the full moon and caressed by breezes bearing the fragrance of night-blooming lotuses.
Commentary

He enjoyed in a garden on the Yamuna which was bright with the rays of the full moon in the form of blooming white lotuses, served by breeze fragrant with lotuses, made to bloom by the moon, at the place know as Rama ghata, far from the place where Krsna performed his rasa lila.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The details are given. By Balarāma’s will, the nights always had the full moon.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

How he gave happiness is described. The full moon shone continually at that time to please Balarāma or to give beauty to Vṛnḍavana. He enjoyed, surrounded by gopīs other than those who had enjoyed with Kṛṣṇa. The wind carried fragrance of lotuses or like fragrances during the autumn full moon.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Prema (Divine Love)
Related verses
Concepts
Jiva

A garden full-mooned and lotus-scented becomes, for one night, a small replica of Goloka — not because the geography changed but because the right person is in it. Vraja's gardens are theological furniture: they take the shape of whoever is dancing in them.

📝 My note

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