Bhagavata Purana

श्रीशुक उवाच। ततस्ताः कृष्णसन्देशैर्व्यपेतविरहज्वराः। उद्धवं पूजयांचक्रुर्ज्ञात्वात्मानमधोक्षजम्

Śuka said: Then, relieved of the fever of separation by Krishna’s messages, they honored Uddhava, recognizing him as a manifestation of the Lord.

उवास कतिचिन्मासान्गोपीनां विनुदन्शुचः। कृष्णलीलाकथां गायन्रमयामास गोकुलम्

He stayed for several months, dispelling the grief of the gopis, singing stories of Krishna’s pastimes, and delighting Gokula.

यावन्त्यहानि नन्दस्य व्रजेऽवात्सीत्स उद्धवः। व्रजौकसां क्षणप्रायाण्यासन्कृष्णस्य वार्तया

For as many days as Uddhava remained in Nanda’s Vraja, the moments for the residents passed swiftly, absorbed in news of Krishna.

सरिद्वनगिरिद्रो णीर्वीक्षन्कुसुमितान्द्रु मान्। कृष्णं संस्मारयन्रेमे हरिदासो व्रजौकसाम्

Beholding the rivers, forests, and blossoming trees, Uddhava remembered Krishna and found joy, serving the people of Vraja.

दृष्ट्वैवमादि गोपीनां कृष्णावेशात्मविक्लवम्। उद्धवः परमप्रीतस्ता नमस्यन्निदं जगौ

Seeing the gopis so absorbed in Krishna, their minds overwhelmed, Uddhava, filled with supreme joy, bowed to them and sang this.

एताः परं तनुभृतो भुवि गोपवध्वो। गोविन्द एव निखिलात्मनि रूढभावाः । वाञ्छन्ति यद्भवभियो मुनयो वयं च। किं ब्रह्मजन्मभिरनन्तकथारसस्य

These cowherd women are the highest among embodied beings on earth, for their love for Govinda is deep within the heart; sages, fearful of rebirth, and even we desire such devotion—what use is birth as Brahma compared to tasting the nectar of his stories?

क्वेमाः स्त्रियो वनचरीर्व्यभिचारदुष्टाः। कृष्णे क्व चैष परमात्मनि रूढभावः। नन्वीश्वरोऽनुभजतोऽविदुषोऽपि साक्षाच्। छ्रेयस्तनोत्यगदराज इवोपयुक्तः

Where are these women, forest-dwellers, corrupted by transgression, and where is this supreme love for Krishna, the Paramatma? Truly, even those ignorant who worship the Lord directly attain blessing, just as a king bestows favor upon those who serve him.

नायं श्रियोऽङ्ग उ नितान्तरतेः प्रसादः। स्वर्योषितां नलिनगन्धरुचां कुतोऽन्याः। रासोत्सवेऽस्य भुजदण्डगृहीतकण्ठ। लब्धाशिषां य उदगाद्व्रजवल्लभीनाम्

O friend, this grace of intense love is not found even among the heavenly women, fragrant as lotuses, nor among others; it arose at the rasa festival, when he embraced the necks of the beloveds of Vraja, granting them fulfillment.

आसामहो चरणरेणुजुषामहं स्यां। वृन्दावने किमपि गुल्मलतौषधीनाम्। या दुस्त्यजं स्वजनमार्यपथं च हित्वा। भेजुर्मुकुन्दपदवीं श्रुतिभिर्विमृग्याम्

Oh, how I wish I could become even a blade of grass, a bush, a creeper, or a herb here in Vṛndāvana, so that I might receive the dust of the feet of those who, abandoning what is so hard to give up—their own kin and the path of the virtuous—have sought the path of Mukunda, which is searched for by the Vedas.

या वै श्रियार्चितमजादिभिराप्तकामैर्। योगेश्वरैरपि यदात्मनि रासगोष्ठ्याम्। कृष्णस्य तद्भगवतः चरणारविन्दं। न्यस्तं स्तनेषु विजहुः परिरभ्य तापम्

Those whose breasts, adorned with the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa—the Lord, worshipped by Lakṣmī and the greatest of the self-satisfied yogis, and who is the very goal of the rāsa dance—have, by embracing Him, cast off all suffering.

वन्दे नन्दव्रजस्त्रीणां पादरेणुमभीक्ष्णशः। यासां हरिकथोद्गीतं पुनाति भुवनत्रयम्

I bow again and again to the dust of the feet of the women of Nanda's Vraja, whose singing of Hari's glories purifies all the three worlds.

श्रीशुक उवाच। अथ गोपीरनुज्ञाप्य यशोदां नन्दमेव च। गोपानामन्त्र्य दाशार्हो यास्यन्नारुरुहे रथम्

Śuka said: Then, after taking leave of the gopīs, Yaśodā, Nanda, and bidding farewell to the cowherds, Uddhava, about to depart, ascended his chariot.

तं निर्गतं समासाद्य नानोपायनपाणयः। नन्दादयोऽनुरागेण प्रावोचन्नश्रुलोचनाः

As he was leaving, Nanda and the others, their hands full of various gifts, approached him with affection and, their eyes filled with tears, spoke to him.

मनसो वृत्तयो नः स्युः कृष्ण पादाम्बुजाश्रयाः। वाचोऽभिधायिनीर्नाम्नां कायस्तत्प्रह्वणादिषु

May our minds always rest at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, may our words speak only His names, and may our bodies bow in His service.

कर्मभिर्भ्राम्यमाणानां यत्र क्वापीश्वरेच्छया। मङ्गलाचरितैर्दानै रतिर्नः कृष्ण ईश्वरे

Though we are tossed about by our actions wherever the Lord's will may send us, may our devotion to Kṛṣṇa, the Lord, remain steady through auspicious acts and charity.

एवं सभाजितो गोपैः कृष्णभक्त्या नराधिप। उद्धवः पुनरागच्छन्मथुरां कृष्णपालिताम्

Thus honored by the cowherds with devotion to Kṛṣṇa, Uddhava, O King, returned again to Mathurā, protected by Kṛṣṇa.

कृष्णाय प्रणिपत्याह भक्त्युद्रे कं व्रजौकसाम्। वसुदेवाय रामाय राज्ञे चोपायनान्यदात्

He bowed to Kṛṣṇa and, his heart overflowing with devotion for the people of Vraja, offered gifts to Vasudeva, Rāma, and the king.

भगवताकुब्जामनोरथपूर्तिः; अक्रूरगृहं गत्वा पाण्डवसमाचारज्ञानाय अक्रूरस्य हस्तिनापुर प्रति प्रस्थानंच - श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) अथ विज्ञाय भगवान् सर्वात्मा सर्वदर्शनः । सैरन्ध्र्याः कामतप्तायाः प्रियमिच्छन् गृहं ययौ

Śuka said: Then the Lord, the Soul of all, who sees everything, knowing the desire of Sairandhrī (Kubjā) and wishing to please her, went to her house.

महार्होपस्करैराढ्यं कामोपायोपबृंहितम् । मुक्तादामपताकाभिः वितानशयनासनैः । धूपैः सुरभिभिर्दीपैः स्रग् गन्धैरपि मण्डितम्

Her house was rich with splendid furnishings, enhanced for pleasure, adorned with pearl garlands, banners, canopies, beds, and seats, fragrant with incense, bright with lamps, and decorated with garlands and perfumes.

( मिश्र ) गृहं तमायान्तमवेक्ष्य सासनात् सद्यः समुत्थाय हि जातसम्भ्रमा । यथोपसङ्‌गम्य सखीभिरच्युतं सभाजयामास सत्-आसनादिभिः

Seeing Him enter her house, she, flustered, immediately rose from her seat, approached Him as was proper, and, together with her companions, honored Acyuta with a seat and other offerings.

तथोद्धवः साधुतयाभिपूजितो न्यषीददुर्व्यामभिमृश्य चासनम् । कृष्णोऽपि तूर्णं शयनं महाधनं विवेश लोकाचरितान्यनुव्रतः

Uddhava, too, was respectfully welcomed and, after touching the seat, sat down; Kṛṣṇa, following worldly custom, quickly entered the splendid bed.

सा मज्जनालेपदुकूलभूषण स्रग्गन्धताम्बूलसुधासवादिभिः । प्रसाधितात्मोपससार माधवं सव्रीडलीलोत्स्मितविभ्रमेक्षितैः

She, having bathed, anointed herself, dressed in fine garments and ornaments, garlanded, perfumed, and having chewed betel, approached Mādhava, her bashful, sidelong, smiling glances betraying her excitement.

आहूय कान्तां नवसङ्‌गमह्रिया विशङ्‌कितां कङ्‌कणभूषिते करे । प्रगृह्य शय्यामधिवेश्य रामया रेमेऽनुलेपार्पणपुण्यलेशया

He called his beloved, who was shy at their first meeting and hesitant, her hand adorned with bracelets; taking her by the hand, He seated her on the bed and enjoyed with her, she blessed by the merit of anointing Him.

( वसंततिलका ) सानङ्‌गतप्तकुचयोरुरसस्तथाक्ष्णोः जिघ्रन्त्यनन्तचरणेन रुजो मृजन्ती । दोर्भ्यां स्तनान्तरगतं परिरभ्य कान्तम् आनन्दमूर्तिमजहादतिदीर्घतापम्

Her breasts and heart burning with passion, her eyes longing, she inhaled the fragrance of His feet, massaged away her pains with them, and, embracing her beloved between her arms and breasts, found in the embodiment of bliss the end of her long suffering.

( अनुष्टुप् ) सैवं कैवल्यनाथं तं प्राप्य दुष्प्राप्यमीश्वरम् । अङ्‌गरागार्पणेनाहो दुर्भगेदमयाचत

Having attained Him, the Lord of liberation, so hard to attain, she, though unfortunate, asked Him for a boon by offering Him sandal paste.

आहोष्यतामिह प्रेष्ठ दिनानि कतिचिन्मया । रमस्व नोत्सहे त्यक्तुं सङ्‌गं तेऽम्बुरुहेक्षण

"Let my beloved stay here with me for a few days; enjoy with me, O lotus-eyed one, for I cannot bear to be parted from you."

तस्यै कामवरं दत्त्वा मानयित्वा च मानदः । सहोद्धवेन सर्वेशः स्वधामागमदर्चितम्

Having granted her the boon she desired and having honored her, the Giver of Honor, along with Uddhava, the Lord of all, returned to His own revered abode.

दुरार्ध्यं समाराध्य विष्णुं सर्वेश्वरेश्वरम् । यो वृणीते मनोग्राह्यं असत्त्वात् कुमनीष्यसौ

He who, by great worship, propitiates Viṣṇu, the Lord of all lords, and then chooses a boon pleasing to the mind, if lacking in goodness, is of poor judgment.

अक्रूरभवनं कृष्णः सहरामोद्धवः प्रभुः । किञ्चित् चिकीर्षयन् प्रागाद् अक्रूरप्रीयकाम्यया

Kṛṣṇa, the Lord, together with Rāma and Uddhava, desiring to accomplish something and wishing to please Akrūra, went to Akrūra's house.