Bhagavata Purana

बहिर्जातविरागाय शान्तचित्ताय दीयताम् । निर्मत्सराय शुचये यस्याहं प्रेयसां प्रियः

Let this be given to one who is outwardly detached, whose mind is peaceful, who is free from envy, pure, and for whom I am the dearest among the dear.

य इदं श्रृणुयाद् अम्ब श्रद्धया पुरुषः सकृत् । यो वाभिधत्ते मच्चित्तः स ह्येति पदवीं च मे

O mother, any person who even once hears this with faith, or who recites it with mind fixed on me, surely attains my path.

महारासवर्णनं; परीक्षित्कृत शंकायाः शुकद्वारा समाधानं च - श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) इत्थं भगवतो गोप्यः श्रुत्वा वाचः सुपेशलाः । जहुर्विरहजं तापं तदङ्‌गोपचिताशिषः

Śrī Śuka said: Thus, having heard the most beautiful words of the Lord, the cowherd women let go of the pain born of separation, their desires fulfilled by his presence.

तत्रारभत गोविन्दो रासक्रीडामनुव्रतैः । स्त्रीरत्‍नैरन्वितः प्रीतैः अन्योन्याबद्धबाहुभिः

There, Govinda began the rāsa play, surrounded by devoted and joyful women, the finest of jewels among women, their arms entwined with one another.

रासोत्सवः सम्प्रवृत्तो गोपीमण्डलमण्डितः । योगेश्वरेण कृष्णेन तासां मध्ये द्वयोर्द्वयोः

The festival of rāsa commenced, adorned by the circle of gopīs, with Kṛṣṇa, the lord of yogis, standing between each pair among them.

प्रविष्टेन गृहीतानां कण्ठे स्वनिकटं स्त्रियः । यं मन्येरन् नभस्तावद् विमानशतसङ्‌कुलम्

Entering among them, he drew the women close by the neck; those who saw this would imagine the sky crowded with hundreds of flying palaces.

दिवौकसां सदाराणां औत्सुक्यापहृतात्मनाम् । ततो दुन्दुभयो नेदुः निपेतुः पुष्पवृष्टयः । जगुर्गन्धर्वपतयः सस्त्रीकास्तद् यशोऽमलम्

The gods, along with their wives, their minds carried away by eagerness, watched; then drums sounded, showers of flowers fell, and the lords of the Gandharvas sang his spotless glory with their wives.

वलयानां नूपुराणां किङ्‌किणीनां च योषिताम् । सप्रियाणामभूत् शब्दः तुमुलो रासमण्डले

In the rāsa circle arose a tumultuous sound from the bracelets, anklets, and bells of the women, together with their beloveds.

तत्रातिशुशुभे ताभिः भगवान् देवकीसुतः । मध्ये मणीनां हैमानां महामरकतो यथा

Among them, the Lord, son of Devakī, shone exceedingly, as a great emerald among golden gems.

( शार्दूलविक्रीडित ) पादन्यासैर्भुजविधुतिभिः सस्मितैर्भ्रूविलासैः । भज्यन्मध्यैश्चलकुचपटैः कुण्डलैर्गण्डलोलैः । स्विद्यन्मुख्यः कवररसना ग्रन्थयः कृष्णवध्वो । गायन्त्यस्तं तडित इव ता मेघचक्रे विरेजुः

With the stamping of feet, the waving of arms, smiling glances, playful movements of brows, swaying earrings brushing their cheeks, loosened hair braids damp with sweat, the wives of Kṛṣṇa sang; they shone like lightning within a circle of clouds.

( अनुष्टुप् ) उच्चैर्जगुर्नृत्यमाना रक्तकण्ठ्यो रतिप्रियाः । कृष्णाभिमर्शमुदिता यद्‍गीतेनेदमावृतम्

Dancing, their voices raised, their throats flushed with passion, delighted by Kṛṣṇa's touch, the beloveds sang, filling the place with their song.

काचित् समं मुकुन्देन स्वरजातीरमिश्रिताः । उन्निन्ये पूजिता तेन प्रीयता साधु साध्विति । तदेव ध्रुवमुन्निन्ये तस्यै मानं च बह्वदात्

One, together with Mukunda, skillfully blended her singing with his, and being honored by him with affection and praised as 'well done, well done,' she sang again and again, and he showed her great favor.

काचिद् रासपरिश्रान्ता पार्श्वस्थस्य गदाभृतः । जग्राह बाहुना स्कन्धं श्लथद्वलयमल्लिका

One, exhausted from the rāsa, rested her arm, with loosened bracelet and jasmine garland, upon the shoulder of the mace-bearer who stood beside her.

तत्रैकांसगतं बाहुं कृष्णस्योत्पलसौरभम् । चन्दनालिप्तमाघ्राय हृष्टरोमा चुचुम्ब ह

One, taking Kṛṣṇa's arm, fragrant with blue lotus and smeared with sandalwood, to her nose, thrilled with joy, kissed it.

कस्याश्चित् नाट्यविक्षिप्त कुण्डलत्विषमण्डितम् । गण्डं गण्डे सन्दधत्याः अदात्ताम्बूलचर्वितम्

Another, her cheek adorned with the gleam of earrings tossed by her dancing, pressed her cheek to his and offered him betel she had chewed.

नृत्यती गायती काचित् कूजन् नूपुरमेखला । पार्श्वस्थाच्युतहस्ताब्जं श्रान्ताधात् स्तनयोः शिवम्

One, dancing and singing, her anklets and girdle ringing, weary, placed the lotus hand of Acyuta, who stood beside her, upon her breasts for comfort.

गोप्यो लब्ध्वाच्युतं कान्तं श्रिय एकान्तवल्लभम् । गृहीतकण्ठ्यस्तद्दोर्भ्यां गायन्त्यस्तं विजह्रिरे

The gopīs, having gained Acyuta as their beloved, the exclusive consort of Śrī, embraced him around the neck with their arms and, singing, enjoyed with him.

( वसंततिलका ) कर्णोत्पलालकविटङ्‌ककपोलघर्म वक्त्रश्रियो वलयनूपुरघोषवाद्यैः । गोप्यः समं भगवता ननृतुः स्वकेश स्रस्तस्रजो भ्रमरगायकरासगोष्ठ्याम्

With lotus earrings, locks of hair, cheeks shining with sweat, faces radiant, and the music of bracelets and anklets, the gopīs danced together with the Lord, their garlands loosened in their hair, in the company of bees singing in the cowherd's grove.

( मिश्र ) एवं परिष्वङ्‌गकराभिमर्श स्निग्धेक्षणोद्दामविलासहासैः । रेमे रमेशो व्रजसुन्दरीभिः यथार्भकः स्वप्रतिबिम्बविभ्रमः

Thus, with embraces, touches of the hand, affectionate glances, exuberant playful smiles and laughter, the Lord of Lakshmi delighted with the beautiful women of Vraja, just as a child delights in his own reflected image.

तदङ्‌गसङ्‌गप्रमुदाकुलेन्द्रियाः केशान् दूकूलं कुचपट्टिकां वा । नाञ्जः प्रतिव्योढुमलं व्रजस्त्रियो विस्रस्तमालाभरणाः कुरूद्वह

Their senses overwhelmed with joy from contact with his limbs, the women of Vraja—hair, garments, or breastbands loosened—could not properly gather up what had fallen, O best of the Kurus, their garlands and ornaments slipping down.

( अनुष्टुप् ) कृष्णविक्रीडितं वीक्ष्य मुमुहुः खेचरस्त्रियः । कामार्दिताः शशाङ्‌कश्च सगणो विस्मितोऽभवत्

Seeing Krishna's playful sports, the celestial women in the sky became bewildered, overcome by desire; even the moon, along with his retinue, was astonished.

कृत्वा तावन्तमात्मानं यावतीर्गोपयोषितः । रेमे स भगवान् ताभिः आत्मारामोऽपि लीलया

Assuming as many forms as there were cowherd women, the Blessed Lord, though self-satisfied, enjoyed with them all by his own playful will.

तासां अतिविहारेण श्रान्तानां वदनानि सः । प्रामृजत् करुणः प्रेम्णा शन्तमेनाङ्‌ग पाणिना

When they became tired from excessive play, he, compassionate and loving, gently wiped their faces with his peaceful hand, O dear one.

( वसंततिलका ) गोप्यः स्फुरत्पुरटकुण्डलकुन्तलत्विड् गण्डश्रिया सुधितहासनिरीक्षणेन । मानं दधत्य ऋषभस्य जगुः कृतानि पुण्यानि तत्कररुहस्पर्शप्रमोदाः

The gopis, their cheeks adorned by the radiance of golden earrings and hair, with sweet smiles and glances, sang of the glorious deeds of the foremost of men, feeling blessed by the touch of his lotus hands.

ताभिर्युतः श्रममपोहितुमङ्‌गसङ्‌ग घृष्टस्रजः स कुचकुङ्‌कुमरञ्जितायाः । गन्धर्वपालिभिरनुद्रुत आविशद् वा श्रान्तो गजीभिरिभराडिव भिन्नसेतुः

Surrounded by those women, their garlands crushed and smeared with the saffron from their breasts, he entered the forest, followed by hosts of Gandharvas, just as a weary elephant, breaking through a dam, enters the water surrounded by female elephants.

सोऽम्भस्यलं युवतिभिः परिषिच्यमानः प्रेम्णेक्षितः प्रहसतीभिरितस्ततोऽङ्‌ग । वैमानिकैः कुसुमवर्षिभिरीड्यमानो रेमे स्वयं स्वरतिरत्र गजेन्द्रलीलः

There, as he was bathed by the young women, gazed upon with love and laughter from all sides, and praised by the celestial beings showering flowers, he, the self-delighting Lord, sported like the king of elephants.

( मिश्र ) ततश्च कृष्णोपवने जलस्थल प्रसूनगन्धानिलजुष्टदिक्तटे । चचार भृङ्‌गप्रमदागणावृतो यथा मदच्युद् द्विरदः करेणुभिः

Then, in Krishna's grove, on land and water, where the directions were filled with the fragrance of flowers, he wandered, surrounded by swarms of joyful women like a rutting elephant with his female companions.

एवं शशाङ्‌कांशुविराजिता निशाः स सत्यकामोऽनुरताबलागणः । सिषेव आत्मन्यवरुद्धसौरतः सर्वाः शरत्काव्यकथारसाश्रयाः

Thus, through nights adorned by the rays of the moon, he, true to his word and surrounded by loving women, enjoyed with them, his passion absorbed within himself, savoring the poetic essence of the autumn season.

श्रीपरीक्षिदुवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) संस्थापनाय धर्मस्य प्रशमायेतरस्य च । अवतीर्णो हि भगवानंन् अंशेन जगदीश्वरः

King Parikshit said: To establish righteousness and subdue unrighteousness, the Lord of the universe descends in person.