Song 7

(Dhanaśī rāga-Madhya-chanda)

Refrain: Glory, glory, glory to Śacī’s son! He is thre youthful root of all bliss. Accompnied by a host of other boys, He happily played. In this way He enjoyed His childhood pastimes.

282. With many playful boys He played many games. With many boys He enjoyed childhood pastimes, blissful and wonderful pastimes.

283. Playing and playing, He suddenly met two or four puppies. Very happy, Lord Gaura-Harī chose one of them.

284. Then one of His companions said: "Listen Viśvambhara. You chose the best puppy and left the ugly ones for us. You go home. We won’t play with You."

285. Then Lord Viśvambhara said: "This puppy belongs to all of us. Come to My house and We’ll all play with him."

286. Speaking these words, and taking the puppy with Him, Lord Gaura went to His house. Arriving home, He put a rope around the puppy’s neck and tied him to the veranda.

287. All this time Lord Viśvambhara’s mother was busy with household chores. Then, accompanied by the village ladies, she went to bathe in the Gaṅgā.

288. Now the house now empty. Accompnaied by the boys, Lord Viśvambhara played many games with the puppy. They all became covered with dust.

289. As they played and played, a quarrel was born among the boys. One boy praised Lord Gaura-Hari, and another boy rebuked Him.

290. Lord Gaura said: "Every day you come, and every day you pick a fight. Why do you act like that?" The other boy said: "I know what You’re like. You stole the puppy."

291. Angry at heart, that boy ran off. Meeting Mother Śacī, with a voice choked with anger he called out:

292. "Listen! Listen! Your Viśvambhara has a pet puppy. One moment He hugs the puppy. The next moment He holds the puppy’s neck. Go and see for yourself."

293. Hearing the boy’s words, Śacī hurried home. She saw the puppy in Lord Viśvambhara’s lap,

294. Putting her hand to her head, Mother Śacī said: "Why do You play like this? I do not know. There are so many ways You could play. Still You play with a puppy. You are very mischievous.

295. "Your father is very religious. You are his son. What will the people say? What happiness do You think You will find by playing with a puppy?

296. "You are a brāhmaṇa’s son, but You do not even slightly act like one. What good words will I speak to defend You? Ah, the words I will hear will be like an iron spear pushed into my heart.

297. "What happiness do You find by covering Your beautiful form with dust? I bow my head to speak such words. I feel that flames burn in my mouth.

298. "How many moons does Your face defeat? Your limbs are like lightning. You do not wear nice garments. Instead You cover Your limbs with dust and stay among low-class boys."

299. Angrily pressing her teeth to her lip, Śacī-devī rebuked all the boys. To Lord Gaura she said: "Go to Your room and take Your puppy with You. You can renounce Your mother and father."

300. After speaking these words, she looked at her son’s face. She was overcome with bliss. Then she said: "Come. Dear one, come and sit in my lap. Be quiet. I will kiss Your face.

301. "Leave Your dog, O dear one, and bathe in ths Gaṅgā’s waters. Six hours of the day have already passed. And You are not hungry? How much trouble do You give to me?

302. "Tie up your puppy, and go take Your bath. Later You can play with Your puppy. Now You should eat some lunch."

303. As a golden lotus wilts in the hot sunshine, so Lord Gaura’s face wilted. On the tip of His nose a drop of perspiration awakened. Gazing at her son, Śacī felt her life breath split apart.

304. Hearing Mother Śacī’s words, Lord Viśvambhara smiled and said: "I will go to bathe."

305. Speaking these words, the Lord hugged His mother’s neck and prepared for His bath. Wiping the dust from His face, Mother Śacī anointed the Lord’s limbs with scented oil.

306. For His bath Lord Viśvambhara went to the Gaṅgā’s bank. He happily palyed with His friends in the Gaṅgā’s waters.

307. Lord Viśvambhara’s form was wonderful and immovable like Mount Sumeru. As a wild elephant plays in the water with its companions, so Lord Viśvambhara played in the water with His friends.

308. Meanwhile Śacī-devī set the puppy free. She said: "I do not know where the puppy went. Perhaps the puppy ran to his own mother."

309. One of the boys was there at that time. He ran to the Gaṅgā’s bank and said: "Viśvambhara, Your mother set the puppy free."

310. Hearing the boy’s words, the Lord ran home. He saw that the puppy was gone.

311. He looked in the four directions. He did not see the puppy. His heart burned with flames of anger. He wept. He rebuked His mother. He was overcome with grief for His puppy.

312. He said: "Listen, O foolish mother. Why did you do that? You gave Me great suffering. That puppy was very beautiful. Why did you do that?"

313. Śacī said: "I did not know what happened to Your puppy. Perhaps some boys came and stole him.

314. "Why must You cry for a puppy? Tomorrow I will search in forest after forest. I will find Your puppy and bring him back.

315. "Don’t lament. Stop Your lament. I will bring back Your puppy. I promise. Don’t weep. Please don’t weep anymore."

316. After speaking these words, she wiped the tears from her son’s face and hugged Him. Gazing at His face, she became filled with bliss. She kissed Him millions and millions of times.

317. She wiped His limbs, pretending to make Him a little more clean, and then she bathed Him with the Gaṅgā’s waters. Then she fed Him many delicious sandeśa, modaka, kṣīra, and kadalaka candies.

318. She tied His hair in a topknot and she decorated His eyes with splendid black kajjala. She made Him completely splendid.

319. Around His waist she tied a red sash that hung to His toes. On His chest she rested a string of pearls. On His forehead she placed sandal tilaka.

320. She decorated Him with bracelets and armlets of priceless jewels. On His feet she placed anklets. Grasping kṣīra and lāḍu candies in His hands, He went to play with the boys.

321. His graceful walking defeated the graceful wild elephants. His voice was like thick honey. Surrounded by the boys, Lord Gaura, the king of the brāhmaṇas, was like a moon surrounded by stars.

322. Gazing at the Lord as He played, the demigods all smiled. Seeing that Lord Gaura touched even cats and dogs, Locana dāsa is filled with wonder.