Sri Garga Samhita
BY: SUN STAFF
Feb 18, CANADA (SUN) —
Canto Four, Volume One
Chapter Thirteen
Rishi-rupakhyana
The Story of the Gopis That Had Been Sages
Text 1
sri-narada uvaca
gopinam rishi-rupanam
akhyanam srinu maithila
sarva-papa-haram punyam
krishna-bhakti-vivardhanam
Sri Narada said: O king of Mithila, please hear the story of
the gopis that had been sages, a sacred story that removes all
sins and increases one's love for Lord Krishna.
Text 2
bangeshu mangalo nama
gopa asin maha-manah
lakshmivan chruta-sampanno
nava-laksha-gavam patih
In east Bengal lived a noble-hearted, learned, and wealthy
gopa named Mangala. He was the master of nine-hundred-thousand
cows.
Text 3
bharyah panca sahasrani
babhuvus tasya maithila
kadacid daiva-yogena
dhanam sarvam kshayam gatam
O king of Mithila, he had five thousand wives. One day all
his wealth was destroyed by fate.
Text 4
corair nitas tasya gavah
kascid rajna hrita balat
evam dainye ca samprapte
duhkhito mangalo 'bhavat
Some of his cows were stolen by thieves and the rest were
forcibly taken by the king. Now a pauper, Mangala was filled with
sorrow.
Text 5
tada sri-ramasya varad
dandakaranya-vasinah
rishayah stritvam apanna
babhuvus tasya kanyakah
The sages of Dandakaranya, who by Lord Ramacandra's blessing
were destined to become gopis, became the daughters of Mangala.
Text 6
drishtva kanya-samuham sa
duhkhi gopo 'tha mangalah
uvaca dainya-duhkhadhya
adhi-vyadhi-samakulah
When he saw his many daughters, Mangala-gopa became filled
with sorrow. Miserable in his poverty and tormented with
headaches and diseases, Mangala spoke.
Text 7
sri-mangala uvaca
kim karomi kva gacchami
ko me dukham vyapohati
srir na bhutir nabhijano
na balam me 'sti sampratam
Sri Mangala said: What shall I do? Where shall I go? Who
will take away my sufferings? Now I have no wealth, no opulences,
no dynasty, and no strength.
Text 8
dhanam vina katham casam
vivaho ha bhavishyati
bhojane yatra sandeho
dhanasa tatra kidrisi
How will my daughters marry if I have no wealth? If even the
next meal is uncertain, where is the hope to gain wealth?
Texts 9 and 10
sati dainye kanyakah syuh
kaka-taliyavad grihe
tasmat kasyapi rajnas tu
dhanino balinas tv aham
dasyamy etah kanyakas ca
kanyanam saukhya-hetave
kadarthi-kritya tah kanya
evam buddhya sthito 'bhavat
tadaiva mathurad desad
gopas caikah samagatah
Now that I am suddenly poor, how will I make my daughters
happy by marrying them to wealthy and powerful kings?
As Mangala was thinking in this way, a gopa from Mathura
district came to his home.
Text 11
sri-narada uvaca
tirtha-yayi jayo nama
vriddho buddhimatam varah
tan-mukhan nanda-rajasya
srutam vaibhavam adbhutam
Sri Narada said: From an elderly pilgrim named Jaya, who was
the wisest of the wise, Mangala had heard of the fabulous wealth
of King Nanda.
Text 12
nanda-rajasya valaye
mangalo dainya-piditah
vicintya preshayam asa
kanyakas caru-locanah
After some thought, the pauper Mangala sent his beautiful-
eyed daughters to King Nanda's circle.
Text 13
ta nanda-rajasya grihe
kanyaka ratna-bhushitah
gavam gomaya-harinyo
babhuvur go-vrajeshu ca
In King Nanda's home the girls, now decorated with jewels,
milked the cows in the barns.
Text 14
sri-krishnam sundaram drishtva
kanya jati-smaras ca tah
kalindi-sevanam cakrur
nityam sri-krishna-hetave
Gazing at handsome Sri Krishna, and remembering their previous
birth, the girls daily worshiped the Yamuna to attain Krishna.
Text 15
athaikada syamalangi
kalindi dirgha-locana
tabhyah sva-darsanam dattva
varam datum samudyata
One day the large-eyed and dark-complexioned goddess Yamuna
appeared before them and offered to give them a benediction.
Text 16
ta vavrire vrajesasya
putro bhuyat patis ca nah
tathastu coktva kalindi
tatraivantaradhiyata
They said, "May Sri Krishna, the son of Vraja's king,
become our husband." Yamuna replied, "So be it," and
suddenly disappeared.
Text 17
tah prapta vrindakaranye
kartikyam rasa-mandale
tabhih sardham hari reme
suribhih surarad iva
Later, in the month of Karttika, in the rasa-dance circle,
Lord Krishna enjoyed with them as King Indra enjoys with many
heavenly girls.
