वनमालापरिक्षिप्तौ सालपोताविवोद्गतौ। अरविन्दकृतापीडौ रज्जुयज्ञोपवीतिनौ
Encircled by garlands of forest flowers, rising like young sala trees, wearing lotus-made crowns and sacred threads of rope.
सशिक्यतुम्बुरुकरौ गोपवेणुप्रवादकौ। क्वचिद्वसन्तावन्योन्यं क्रडमानौ क्वचिद्वने
With pitchers and tumbaru in their hands, playing the cowherd flute, sometimes embracing each other, sometimes playing in the forest.
पर्णशय्यासु तौ सुप्तौ क्वचिन्निद्रान्तरैषिणौ। तौ वत्सान्पालयन्तौ हि शोभयन्तौ महद्वनम्
Sleeping on beds of leaves, sometimes seeking other places for rest, tending the calves, beautifying the great forest.
चञ्चूर्यन्तौ रमन्तौ च राजन्नेवं तदा शुभम्। ततो बृन्दावनं गत्वा वसुदेवसुतावुभौ। गोकुलं तत्र कौन्येय चारयन्तौ विजह्रतुः
Moving about and delighting, O King, thus at that time, both sons of Vasudeva went to Vrindavan, and there, O Kaunteya, they grazed the cows and enjoyed themselves.
ततः कदचिद्गोविन्दो ज्येष्ठं सङ्कर्षणं विना। चचार तद्वनं रम्यं सुस्वरूपो वराननः
Then once Govinda, without his elder brother Sankarshana, wandered in that beautiful forest, handsome and radiant.
काकपक्षधरः श्रीमाञ्छ्यामः पद्मनिभेक्षणः। श्रीवत्सेनोरसा युक्तः शशाङ्क इव लक्ष्मणा
With hair like crow's wings, glorious, dark-complexioned, eyes like lotus petals, bearing the mark of Srivatsa on his chest, like the moon with its mark.
रज्जुयज्ञोपवीती स पीताम्बरधरो युवा। श्वेतचन्द्रनलिप्राङ्गो नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धजः
Wearing the sacred thread of rope, clad in yellow garments, youthful, with limbs fair as white jasmine, and hair curled and dark.
राजता बर्हिपत्रेण मन्दमारुतकम्पिना। क्वचिद्गायन्क्वञ्चित्क्रीडन्क्वचिन्नृत्यन्क्वचिद्धसन्
Adorned with a silver peacock feather, gently stirred by the breeze, sometimes singing, sometimes playing, sometimes dancing, sometimes laughing.
गोपवेणुं सुमधुरं कामं तदपि वादयन्। प्रह्लादनार्थं च गवां क क्वचिद्वनगतो युवा
Playing the cowherd flute, very sweetly and skillfully, for the delight of the cows, sometimes wandering in the forest as a youth.
गोकुले मेघकाले तु चचार द्युतिमान्प्रभुः। बहुरम्येषु देशेषु वनस्य वनराजिपु
In Gokula, during the rainy season, the radiant Lord wandered in many delightful places among the groves of the forest.
तासु कृष्णो मुदा युक्तः क्रीडयन्भरतर्षभ। स कदाचिद्वने तस्मिन्गोभिः सह परिव्रजन्
There, Krishna, filled with joy, played, O best of Bharatas, and sometimes wandered in that forest with the cows.
भाण्डीरं नाम दृष्ट्वाऽथ न्यग्रोधं केशवो महान्। तच्छायायां मतिं चक्रे निवासाय तदा प्रभुः
Seeing the great banyan tree called Bhāṇḍīra, Keshava, the Lord, chose its shade as his place of dwelling.
स तत्र वयसा तुल्यैर्बत्सपालैस्तदाऽनघ। रेमे स दिवसं कृष्णः पुरा स्वर्गगतो यथा
There, O sinless one, Krishna delighted for the day with cowherd boys of equal age, as if he had ascended to heaven.
तं क्रीडमानं गोपालाः कृष्णं भाण्डीरवासिनः। रमयन्ति स्म बहवो मान्यैः क्रीडनकैस्तदा
Many cowherds from Bhāṇḍīra, playing with Krishna, entertained him with esteemed toys.
अन्ये स्म परिगायन्ति गोपा मुदितमानसाः। गोपालकृष्णमेवान्ये गायन्ति स्म वनप्रियाः
Some cowherds, their hearts joyful, sang songs; others sang of Krishna the cowherd, beloved of the forest.
तेषां सङ्गायतामेव वादयामास केशवः। पर्णवाद्यान्तरे वेणुं तुम्बवीणां च तत्र वै
As they gathered together, Keśava played the flute and the tumbavīṇā amidst the leaf-instruments.
एवं क्रीडान्तरैः कृष्णो गोपालैर्विजहार सः। तेन बालेन कौन्तेय कृतं लोकहितं तदा
Thus Krishna enjoyed various games with the cowherds; by that boy, O Kaunteya, a deed for the welfare of the world was accomplished.
पश्यतां सर्वभूतानां वासुदेवेन भारत। ह्रदे निपातता तत्र क्रीडितं नागमूर्धनि
As all beings watched, O Bhārata, Vāsudeva played atop the serpent's head after plunging into the lake.
शासयित्वा तु कालीयं सर्वलोकस्य पश्यतः। विजहार ततः कृष्णो बलेदवसहायवान्
Having subdued Kāliya, as all the worlds looked on, Krishna then wandered, accompanied by Balarama.
धेनुको दारुणो राजन्दैत्यो रासभविग्रहः। तदा तालवने राजन्बलदेवेन वै हतः
The fierce demon Dhenuka, in the form of an ass, was slain by Baladeva in the Tāla forest, O king.
ततः कदाचित्कौन्तेय रामकृष्णौ वनं गतौ। चारयन्तौ प्रवृद्धानि गोधनानि शुभाननौ
Then, at some time, O Kaunteya, Rāma and Krishna went to the forest, tending the grown cattle, their faces radiant.
विहरन्तौ मुदा युक्तौ वीक्षमाणौ वनानि वै। श्वेलयन्तौ प्रगायन्तौ विचिन्वन्तौ च पादपान्
With joy, they wandered, observing the woods, whistling, singing, and searching among the trees.
नामभिर्व्याहरन्तौ च वत्सान्गाश्च परन्तपौ। चेरतुर्लोकसिद्धाभिः क्रीडाभिरपराजितौ
Calling the calves and cows by name, those subduers of foes roamed, undefeated, with games known to the perfected beings.
तौ देवौ मानुषीं दीक्षां वहन्तौ सुरपूजितौ। तज्जातिगुणयुक्ताभिः क्रीडाभिश्चेरतुर्वनम्
Those two gods, honored by the celestials, bore human discipline and played in the forest with games suited to their birth and qualities.
एवं बाल्येऽपि गोपालैः क्रीडाभिश्च विजह्रतुः
Thus, even in childhood, they delighted in games with the cowherds.
ततः कृष्णो महातेजास्तदा गत्वा तु गोव्रजम्। गिरियज्ञं तमेवैष प्रवृत्तं गोपदारकैः
Then Krishna, of great splendor, went to Govraja; there, the mountain sacrifice was being performed by the cowherd boys.
बुभुजे पायसं शौरिरीश्वरः सर्वभूतकृत्। तं दृष्ट्वा गोपकाः सर्वे कृष्णमेव समर्चयन्
Śauri, the lord and creator of all beings, ate the rice pudding; seeing him, all the cowherds worshipped Krishna.
पूज्यमानस्तदा देवैर्दिव्यं वपुरधारयत्। धृतो गोवर्धनो नाम सप्ताहं पर्वतो धृतः
Honored then by the gods, he assumed a divine form; Govardhana, the mountain, was held aloft for seven days.
शिशुना वासुदेवेन गवार्थमरिमर्दन। क्रीडमानस्तदा कृष्णः कृतवान्कर्म दुष्करम्
As a child, Vāsudeva, destroyer of enemies, playing for the sake of the cows, performed a difficult deed.
तदद्भुतमतीवासीत्सर्वलोकस्य भारत। देवदेवः क्षितं गत्वा कृष्णं नत्वा मुदान्वितः
That was a most wondrous event for all the worlds, O Bhārata; the god of gods, having come to earth, joyfully bowed to Krishna.