Chapter 70 - A Description of Śrīkṛṣṇa

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Pārvatī said:

1. O lord, I desire to hear (the account worth) hearing of him and about those who are the members of his assembly. O you treasure of kindness, (please) narrate it.

The lord said:

2-7. (One can see) Govinda along with Rādhā seated on a golden throne. He has the loveliness of form as described before. His ornaments, garments and garland are divine. He, in his crooked posture (assumed with his body bent at three points while playing on his flute) is sweet and very glossy and is the pupil of the eyes of the cowherdesses. Outside sitting on the seat for abstract meditation (Yogapīṭha) covered with a golden sheet resembling a lion’s skin(?) are the chief ladies dear to Kṛṣṇa and having a strong devotion for him in every limb (of their bodies). They are Lalitā and others, and are the portions of the primordial matter. Rādhikā is the primordial matter. In front of him is goddess Lalitā; in the north-west is Śrīharipriyā; in the east is Viśākhā; and after her, in the south-east is Śaibyā; Padmā is in the south; and then in the south-west, on the Yogapīṭha, in front of a bakula tree, is Candrāvatī, dear to him. Thus they remain in order. These eight are auspicious and chief natural forms, dear to Kṛṣṇa.

8-13. The chief form is Rādhā who is similar to Candrāvatī. Candrāvalī, Citrarekhā, Candrā, Madanasundarī, Priyā, Śrī, Madhumatī, Candrarekhā, Haripriyā—these are the sixteen original natural forms dear to Kṛṣṇa. At Vṛndāvana Rādhā is the (chief) goddess, so also Candrāvatī dear (to Kṛṣṇa). In front are thousands of cowherdesses having identical virtues and beauty and charming eyes. They are lovely, are dressed attractively, are young and bright. They resemble the mass of pure gold, are very much pleased, and have lovely eyes; his form has got into their hearts, eager for his embrace; they have plunged themselves into the nectar of Kṛṣṇa; in their minds thoughts about him flash; they have dedicated their hearts to the lotus-like feet of Kṛṣṇa, worshipped by their lotus-like eyes.

14-26. On the right are Śrutikanyās, gathered in thousands and myriads, having forms which have infatuated the world, having in their minds a longing for Kṛṣṇa; they have enticed the three worlds with many natural sounds; there they, overcome with love, sing the concealed (i.e. great) secrets; on the left are divine damsels, with divine dresses and splendid with love; they are proficient in many skills, and are full of many divine sentiments. They are endowed with excellence of beauty and are very attractive due to their glances; they, not being ashamed of Govinda, are eager for the touch of his body. Their minds are merged in devotion to him. They look with a smile and obliquely. Then outside the temple, clearly filled with his beloveds, (there are ladies) of a similar dress and age, of a similar might and valour, of similar virtues and deeds, to whom similar ornaments are dear. They are engaged in singing songs of similar notes and playing upon similar lutes. At the western door is Śrīdāmā; similarly at the northern (door) is Vasudāmā; in the same way, Sudāmā is at the eastern door and Kiṅkiṇī at the southern door. Outside it on the golden seat, surrounded by a golden temple, on another golden altar, adorned with golden ornaments (one can see) little Kṛṣṇa, surrounded by myriads and myriads of cowherds like Subhadra, having horns, lutes, flutes, canes and having (similar) age, dresses, forms and voice, and being overcome (with sentiments) and meditating upon his virtues, singing (his praise), drawn in pictures of wonderful forms, always shedding tears of joy, with their entire bodies full of horripilation, steady like best meditating saints; with trickling aloe-wood (paste), (he is also) surrounded by innumerable cow-keepers; outside it, on a golden rampart, bright with a crore of suns, and stupefied with sweet fragrance, is a great park (spreading) in (all) four directions and having a glorious Pārijāta tree in the west.

27-31. Below it (is) a divine golden seat, decorated with gold; on it (is) a divine throne, decked with gems and rubies. On it (one can see), Vāsudeva, the lord of the world, who is the highest joy, who is beyond the three guṇas and of the nature of intelligence, who is the cause of all causes, who is dark like a sapphire and a cloud, whose dark hair is curly, whose eyes are broad like a lotus-petal, who has put on ear-rings of the shape of a crocodile, who has four hands, whose weapons are the disc, sword, mace, conch and lotus, who is without a beginning or an end, who is eternal, who is the chief, the Supreme Being, who is of the form of light, who is the great and ancient abode, who puts on the garland of wood-flowers, who has put on a yellow garment, who is glossy, who is adorned with divine ornaments, who has smeared himself with divine unguent, who is charming due to his lustrous body.

32-37. Then (one can) also (see) the eight ladies dear to Vāsudeva: Rukmiṇī, Satyabhāmā, Nāgnajitī, Sulakṣaṇā, Mitravindā, Anuvindā, Sunandā, and Jāmbavatī dear to him, and also Suśīlā. They are bright, are surrounded by their retinue, and are intent on devotion. In the north (is) a very great park, having the yellow sandal tree; below it (is) a golden seat decorated with a jewelled pavilion in it on a petal fashioned with gold; on a bright throne (one can see) Saṅkarṣaṇa i.e. Balarāma, with Revatī; he is very dear to the lord, and not having different virtues and form; he is like a pure crystal; his eyes are like red lotuses; he has put on a blue strap, is glossy, and has put on divine ornaments, garlands and garments; he is always addicted to drinking liquor with his eyes red due to (drinking) liquor.

38-42a. In the best region in the south, remaining in the interior of the lovely navel, at the root of the Santāna tree, there is the embellishment of a jewelled temple. In it on a bright divine throne decked with gems and rubies, one (goddess) attends upon god Pradyumna seated upon it. He is full of the charm of the row of the essences of beauty deluding the world. He resembles a heap of dark lotuses; his eyes are like the petals of lotuses; he is (adorned with) divine ornaments and decorations and (with) smearing of divine sandal; his wonderful body has the full beauty which has infatuated the world.

42b-52a. In the eastern park in the great forest, resorted to by divine trees, below there, is a golden seat adorned with a golden pavilion. On it on a shining, divine, bright throne (one can see) glorious Aniruddha with Uṣā; he is the lord of the world; he is dark like a dense cloud; he is very glossy; his hair is dark; his eyebrows are lovely, and resemble a bent creeper; his cheeks are good (i.e. charming); his nose is fine; his neck is nice; his chest is lovely and is extremely handsome; he has put on a crown (and) ear-rings; he is decorated with an ornament round his neck; his body is extremely lovely on account of the sweetness of the charming anklets; he is being propitiated by his dear attendants; music is dear to him; he is the complete Brahman, always full of joy; his nature is pure goodness; above him, in the atmosphere (one can see) Viṣṇu, the god of all gods; he is without a beginning; he is the source and of the nature of intelligence; he is intellect and joy, is supreme, and is the lord; he is beyond the three constituents; is unmanifest; is eternal; inexhaustible and immutable; his dark body has the beauty of the sweetness of the mass of clouds; he is very handsome due to his dark curly and glossy hair; his charming eyes are very long (i.e. broad) like the petals of a white lotus; he is surrounded by pure beings having crowns and ear-rings (dangling) about the cheeks; so also by lovely individuals, of the nature of intelligence and intent upon meditation on his form, having thoughts about him in their hearts, and with their eyes fixed on the tips of their noses.

52b-65. By means of body, mind and speech purposeful devotion is practised. On their left (he is surrounded by) yakṣas, gandharvas, siddhas, vidyādharas etc., so also by groups of very charming celestial damsels, intent on dancing and singing; and in front, in the atmosphere, on a comfortable seat, by all devotees of Viṣṇu, longing for Kṛṣṇa, and very much desiring service to his body; (he is surrounded by) Prahlāda, Nārada and others; so also by Kumāra, Śuka and devotees of Viṣṇu; so also by Janaka and others, having a bright (i.e. strong) sentiment, and intent upon inspiration out of the heart (hṛdbāhyasphūrtatatparaiḥ?), with their entire bodies overcome with horripilation, full of darting love and sprinkled with the nectar of secret. The hymn of twin letters (viz. Kṛṣṇa) is said to be the crest-jewel of all hymns and the origin of all hymns. Of all the hymns of the lord, the child’s hymn (i.e. the hymn addressed to Kṛṣṇa, the child), is the cause. The hymn is the crest-jewel of all hymns (addressed to the) child. Resorting to full love and pleasure they mutter the name mentally. They desire a steady means of love for his lotus-like feet. Outside it on a very lovely crystal platform (one can see) in the west the door-keeper—Viṣṇu, who is fair, and has four hands; (he is sprinkled with) saffron, white and red flowers crowding (all) the four directions; he is adorned with a conch, a disc, a mace, a lotus, a crown etc.; he is red, has four hands, and has the lotus, the conch, and weapons like a disc and a mace. In the north, (one can see) a door-keeper, bright with a crown and ear-rings; he, Viṣṇu, is fair; has four hands, has a conch and weapons like a disc and a mace; he is adorned with crown and ear-rings etc. and has put on wood-flowers. On the eastern gate is a door-keeper; is fair and called Viṣṇu. The southern doorkeeper is dark in complexion, has four arms, has ornaments like a conch, a disc etc. He is Śrī Viṣṇu of a dark complexion. He, who being restrained and pure, would read or listen to the account of Śrīkṛṣṇa with devotion, obtains love for Govinda.