Sri Garga Samhita
BY: SUN STAFF
Feb 03, CANADA (SUN) —
Canto Two, Volume Three
Chapter Twenty-four
Rasa-kridayam asury-upakhyanam
The Story of Asuri Muni in the Rasa-dance Pastime
Text 1
sri-narada uvaca
atha gopi-ganaih sardham
pasyan sri-yamuna-tatam
vihartum ayayau krishno
vrindaranyam manoharam
Sri Narada said: Noticing that He had come to the Yamuna's shore, Lord Krishna proceeded to beautiful Vrindavana forest to enjoy pastimes with the gopis.
Text 2
vrindavane caushadhayo
lina jata harer varat
tah sarvas cangana bhutva
yuthi-bhutva samayayuh
With Lord Krishna's blessing all the plants in Vrindavana became transformed into beautiful girls. Joining the gopis, they approached Krishna.
Text 3
lata-gopi-samuhena
citra-varnena maithila
reme vrindavane rajan
harir vrindavanesvarah
O king of Mithila, Lord Krishna, the master of Vrindavana, then enjoyed pastimes with the plants transformed into wonderful gopis.
Texts 4 and 5
kalinda-nandini-tire
kadambac chadite subhe
tri-vidhena samirena
sarvatah surabhi-krite
vilasat-puline ramye
vamsivata-virajite
sthito 'bhud radhaya sardham
rasa-srama-samanvitah
Exhausted from the rasa dance, Radha and Krishna rested in a kadamba tree's shade at beautiful Vamsivata, fragrant with three kinds of breezes by the Yamuna's shore.
Text 6
vina-tala-mridangadi-
muru-yashti-yutani ca
vaditrany ambare neduh
surair gopi-ganaih saha
Then the demigods in the sky and the gopis on earth played vinas, karatalas, mridangas, murus, yashtis, and other musical instruments.
Text 7
deveshu pushpam varshatsu
jaya-dhvani-yuteshu ca
toshayantyo harim gopyo
jagus tad-yasa uttamam
As the demigods showered flowers and called out Victory!" the gopis pleased Lord Krishna by singing songs about His transcendental glories.
Texts 8 and 9
kascid vai megha-mallaram
dipakam ca tathaparah
malakosam bhairavam ca
sri-ragam ca tathaiva ca
hindolam ca jaguh kascid
rajan sapta-svaraih saha
kascit tasam pramugdhas ca
kascin mugdhah striyo nripa
Some sang in the raga megha-mallara, and others in dipaka, malakosa, bhairava, sri-raga, and many melodies of seven notes. O king, some had the sweet charm of submissive youth, and some had the charm of being a little more independent.
Text 10
kascit praudhah prema-parah
sri-krishne lagna-manasah
jara-dharmena govindam
kascid gopyo bhajanti hi
Some were agressive and independent, some were passionately in love, their hearts attached to Sri Krishna, and some worshiped Krishna as their paramour.
Text 11
kascic chri-krishna-sahitah
kanduka-kridane ratah
kascit pushpais ca harina
kridam cakruh parasparam
Some were attached to playing ball-games with Sri Krishna. Others played flower-games with Krishna.
Text 12
kascil latasu dhavantyah
kvanan-nupura-mekhalah
kascit pibanti satatam
balat krishnadharamritam
Some, their belts and anklets tinkling, run with Him among the flowering vines. Again and again some passionately drink the nectar of His lips.
Text 13
kascid bhujabhyam sri-krishnam
yoginam api durlabham
sangrihitva prahasyarac
cakrur alinganam mahat
Smiling, some tightly embrace Sri Krishna, whom even the great yogis cannot attain.
Text 14
manojno yadu-rajas ca
gopinam bhagavan harih
kasmira-mudrito reme
vane vrindavanesvarah
Anointed with kunkuma, Sri Krishna, who is the Lord of the gopis, the master of Vrindavana, and the king of the Yadus, enjoyed pastimes in the forest.
Text 15
kascid vinam vadayantyah
samam vamsi-dharena vai
kascin mridangam vadantyo
gayantyo bhagavad-gunam
Some played the vina as Krishna played the flute. Some played the mridanga and sang songs of Lord Krishna's glories.
Text 16
kascid vai madhuram talam
tadayantyo hareh purah
mura-yashtim sangrihitva
harina madhavi-tale
Some sweetly play karatalas before Lord Krishna. Others play murus and yashtis with Lord Krishna among the flowering madhavi vines.
Texts 17 and 18
gayantyah su-sthira bhumau
vismritya jagatah sukham
kascil latasu sri-krishnam
bhuje bahum nidhaya ca
vrindavanasya pasyantyo
sobham rajann itas tatah
Some gracefully sing Krishna's glories. O king, some, oblivious to all other happinesses in the universe, walk arm in arm with Krishna among the flowering vines and gaze at the beauty of Vrindavana forest.
Texts 19-22
lata-jalaih samvalitam
gopinam hara-sancayam
prithak cakara govindah
sprishtva tasam urah-sthalam
gopinam nasika-mukta-
valim tat-kuntalam svayam
sanaih sanaih sobhanam tac
cakre sri-nanda-nandanah
tambulam carvitam hy ardham
nitva sadyo 'tha gopikah
carvayantyah sugandhadhyam
aho tasam tapo mahat
kascic chyama-kapoleshu
dvy-angulena sanaih sanaih
hasantyas tadayantyas tah
kadambeshu balat prithak
Hidden by the flowering vines, Krishna decorated some gopis, gently touching their hair, nose-pearl, and breasts. He gave very fragrant half-chewed betelnuts to some gopis and they chewed them. This happened because they had performed many pious activities in the past. Among the kadamba trees some gopis smiled and with two fingers stroked Krishna's dark cheeks.
Text 23
pum-vesha-nayakah kascin
mauli-kundala-manditah
nrityantyah krishna-puratah
sri-krishna iva maithila
radha-vesha-dhara gopyah
satcandranana-prabhah
toshayantyas ca radham tam
tatha radha-patim jaguh
O king of Mithila, some gopis dressed as Lord Krishna, with crown and earrings, and danced before Lord Krishna, and some, glorious as a hundred moons, dressed as Radha, and by singing songs gave pleasure to Radha and Krishna.
Text 24
kascit tah sattvikair bhavaih
samyuktah prema-vihvalah
yogiva casthita bhumau
paramananda-samplutah
Some, overcome with ecstatic love, sat down on the ground as if they were yogis filled with bliss.
Text 25
kascil latasu vriksheshu
bhumyam vai viditasu ca
pasyantyah sri-patim devam
svasmin va maunam asthitah
Some sat among the trees and vines and silently gazed as Lord Krishna, the master of the goddess of fortune.
Text 26
evam rase gopa-vadhvah
sarvah purna-manorathah
babhuvur etya govindam
sarvesam bhakta-vatsalam
In this way the gopis approached Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who dearly loves His devotees, and their desires were all fulfilled.
Text 27
yat-prasadas tu gopinam
prapto rajan maha-mate
jnaninam api nasty evam
karminam tu kutas ca sah
O noble-hearted king, the gopis attained mercy even the greatest philosophers, what to speak of fruitive workers, cannot attain.
Text 28
evam sri-krishnacandrasya
hare radha-pateh prabhoh
rase citram yad babhuva
tac chrinushva maha-mate
O noble-hearted one, please hear of a great wonder that happened in the rasa dance of Radha's master, Sri Krishna.
Texts 29-31
munindra asurir nama
sri-krishneshto maha-tapah
naradadrau tapas tepe
harau dhyana-parayanah
hrit-pundarike sri-krishnam
jyotir-mandalam asthitam
manojnam radhaya sardham
nityam dhyane dadarsa ha
ekada dhyana-madhye tu
ratrau krishno na cagatah
There was a very austere saint named Asuri Muni, who was a king of sages and a great devotee of Sri Krishna. He performed austerities on Narada Mountain and in his meditation he always saw handsome Sri Sri Radha-Krishna standing in a circle of light on the lotus of his heart. Then, one night, Krishna was suddenly no longer present in his meditation.
Text 32
varam varam kritam dhyanam
khinno jato maha-munih
dhyanad utthaya sa munih
krishna-darsana-lalasah
Again and again he meditated. The great sage felt frustrated and depressed. Yearning to see Lord Krishna, he came out of his meditative trance.
Text 33
narayanasramam pragad
badari-khanda-manditam
na dadarsa harim devam
nara-narayanam munih
When the sage went to badari-decorated Narayana-asrama, he could not find Lord Krishna in His form as Sri Nara-Narayana Rishi.
Text 34
tadati-vismito vipro
lokaloka-girim yayau
sahasra-sirasam devam
na dadarsa sa tatra vai
Then the brahmana sage went to Lokaloka Mountain where, to his great surprise, he could not find thousand-headed Lord Sesha.
Text 35
papraccha parshadams tatra
kva gato bhagavan itah
na vidmo bho vayam cokto
munih khinna-manas tada
When he asked the Lord's associates there, "Where did the Lord go?" they said, "We do not know." Then the sage became morose at heart.
Text 36
svetadvipam yayau divyam
kshira-sagara-sobhitam
tatrapi sesha-paryanke
na dadarsa harim punah
When he went to glorious Svetadvipa in the milk ocean, again he could not find Lord Krishna reclining on the couch of Sesha.
Text 37
tada munih khinna-manah
premna pulakitananah
papraccha parshadams tatra
kva gato bhagavan itah
Depressed, and the hairs of his body erect with spiritual love, the sage asked the Lord's associates there, "Where did the Lord go?"
Text 38
na vidmo bho vayam cokto
munis cinta-parayanah
kim karomi kva gacchami
darsanam tat katham bhavet
They said, "We do not know." Then the sage became anxious. He thought, "What sould I do, or where should I go in order to see the Lord?"
Text 39
evam bruvan mano-yayi
vaikuntham praptavams tatah
napasyat tatra devesam
ramam vaikuntha-vasinim
Thinking in this way, he traveled at the speed of mind to the spiritual world of Vaikuntha. There he could not find Lord Narayana and goddess Lakshmi.
Text 40
na drishtas tatra bhakteshu
muninasurina nripa
tato munindro yogindro
golokam sa jagama ha
Not finding Them, Asuri Muni, who was the king of sages and yogis, went, O king, to the world of Goloka.
Text 41
vrindavane nikunje 'pi
na dadarsa parat param
tada munih khinna-manah
sri-krishna-virahaturah
Even in Vrindavana forest he could not find the Supreme Lord. Then, separated from Lord Krishna, the sage became filled with anguish.
Texts 42 and 43
papraccha parshadams tatra
kva gato bhagavan itah
ucus tam parshadas gopa
vamanande manohare
prisnigarbho yatra jatas
tatraiva bhagavan svayam
ity ukta asuris tasmad
asmin ande samagatah
When he asked the Lord's gopa friends there, "Where did the Lord go?" they said, "The Lord went to the beautiful material universe where Vamana and Prisnigarbha appeared." Asuri Muni went at once to that universe.
Text 44
harim hy apasyan pracalan
kailasam praptavan munih
tatra sthitam maha-devam
krishna-dhyana-parayanam
Not finding Lord Krishna in that universe, the sage went to Mount Kailasa, where he did find Lord Siva, who was rapt in meditation on Lord Krishna.
Text 45
natva papraccha tad ratrau
kinna-ceta maha-munih
sri-asurir uvaca
bhagavan sarva-brahmandam
maya drishtam itas tatah
Unhappy at heart, the great sage bowed down before Lord Siva and spoke. Sri Asuri said: O Lord, I have looked in all the universes . . .
Text 46
a-vaikunthac ca golokad
bhramata tad-didrkshuna
kutrapi deva-devasya
darsanam na babhuva me
kutraste bhagavan adya
vada sarva-vidam vara
. . . and I went even to Vaikuntha and Goloka looking for Him, but I could not find the Supreme Lord anywhere. Where is the Lord now? O best of all-knowing philosophers, please tell.
Text 47
sri-mahadeva uvaca
dhanyas tvam asure brahman
krishna-bhakto 'sy ahaiktukah
didrkshuna tvayayasam
kritam vedmi maha-mune
Sri Siva said: O brahmana Asuri, you are fortunate. You are a pure devotee of Lord Krishna. O great sage, I know the trouble you have taken to find Lord Krishna.
Texts 48 and 49
karmendriyaniha yatha rasadims
tatha sa-kama munayah sukham yat
manan na jananti janair apekshyam
gudham param nirguna-lakshanam tat
hamsam munim duhkha-gatam mahodadhau
yah sarvato mocayitum gatas tvaram
so 'dyaiva vrindavipine sakhi-janaih
karoti rasam rasikesvarah svayam
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, whom the materialistic philosophers cannot enjoy as the working senses cannot enjoy the objects of the knowledge-acquiring senses, and who, being beyond the modes of material nature, cannot be seen by the people in genaral, went to save Hamsa Muni from great troubles in the great ocean. Now Lord Krishna has become the king of the rasa dance. Now He is enjoying a rasa dance with many gopis in Vrindavana forest.
Text 50
shan-masiki cadya krita nisithini
sva-mayaya deva-varena bho mune
aham gamishyami tad eva drashtum
tvam eva gacchasu manoratham yatha
By His maya potency the Lord has transformed the middle of the night into a period of six months. With the Lord's blessings I will now go there to see that dance. O sage, if you wish, you may also go.
