Verse 1.12.264-265

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 1.12.264-265:

কালিন্দীর তীরে যেন শ্রী-নন্দ-কুমার গোপ-বৃন্দ-মধ্যে বসি’ করিলা বিহার সেই গোপ-বৃন্দ লৈ’ সেই কৃষ্ণচন্দ্র বুঝি,—দ্বিজ-রূপে গঙ্গা-তীরে করে রঙ্গ ॥ ২৬৪-২৬৫ ॥

कालिन्दीर तीरे येन श्री-नन्द-कुमार गोप-वृन्द-मध्ये वसि’ करिला विहार सेइ गोप-वृन्द लै’ सेइ कृष्णचन्द्र बुझि,—द्विज-रूपे गङ्गा-तीरे करे रङ्ग ॥ २६४-२६५ ॥

kālindīra tīre yena śrī-nanda-kumāra gopa-vṛnda-madhye vasi’ karilā vihāra sei gopa-vṛnda lai’ sei kṛṣṇacandra bujhi,—dvija-rūpe gaṅgā-tīre kare raṅga || 264-265 ||

kalindira tire yena sri-nanda-kumara gopa-vrnda-madhye vasi’ karila vihara sei gopa-vrnda lai’ sei krsnacandra bujhi,—dvija-rupe ganga-tire kare ranga (264-265)

English translation:

(264-265) Just as the son of Nanda enjoyed His pastimes sitting amongst the cowherd boys on the bank of the Yamunā, that same Kṛṣṇa in the form of a brāhmaṇa now enjoyed pastimes sitting with those same cowherd boys on the bank of the Ganges.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

The Lord sat on the bank of the Ganges surrounded by His students. Three comparisons are given in this regard: (1) the moon surrounded by the stars, (2) Bṛhaspati surrounded by the demigods, and (3) Cupid. But these three comparisons are unable to properly describe the Lord’s unparalleled beauty and sitting posture, because (a) the moon has black marks resembling a rabbit, it waxes and wanes, and it cannot be seen in daylight, while Gauracandra is devoid of black spots and diminishment; (b) Bṛhaspati is the spiritual master of just one party (only the demigods) and

has no sympathy for the opposing party, the demons, while Gaurasundara is the spiritual master of everyone; and (c) Cupid appears in the mind of a person and causes mundane agitation, while the appearance of Gaurasundara vanquishes all bondage and enlivens the living entities.

Though these comparisons give an incomplete and partial indication of the Lord’s beauty, they are unable to give a complete description.

Therefore Govinda in His unparalleled pastimes of sitting on the bank of the Yamunā with the cowherd boys is the best and ideal comparison to Gaura, who is nondifferent from Him.