Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 10 Chapter 12 Verses 7-11

kecit -- some of them; venun -- flutes; vadayantah -- blowing; dhmantah -- bugling; sringani -- the horn bugles; kecana -- someone else; kecit -- someone; bhringaih -- with the bumblebees; pragayantah -- singing along with; kujantah -- imitating the sound of; kokilaih -- with the cuckoos; pare -- others; vicchayabhih -- with running shadows; pradhavantah -- someone running on the ground after the birds; gacchantah -- going along; sadhu -- beautiful; hamsakaih -- with the swans; bakaih -- with the ducks sitting in one place; upavisantah ca -- sitting silently like them; nrityantah ca -- and dancing with; kalapibhih -- with the peacocks; vikarshantah -- attracting; kisa-balan -- the young monkeys; arohantah ca -- gliding over; taih -- with the monkeys; druman -- the trees; vikurvantah ca -- exactly imitating them; taih -- with the monkeys; sakam -- along with; plavantah ca -- gliding over; palasishu -- on the trees; sakam -- along with; bhekaih -- with the frogs; vilanghantah -- jumping like them; saritah -- the water; srava-samplutah -- became wet in the water of the river; vihasantah -- laughing; praticchayah -- at the shadows; sapantah ca -- condemned; pratisvanan -- the sound of their echoes; ittham -- in this way; satam -- of the transcendentalists; brahma-sukha-anubhutya -- with Krishna, the source of brahma-sukha (Krishna is Parabrahman, and from Him originates His personal effulgence); dasyam -- servitorship; gatanam -- of the devotees who have accepted; para-daivatena -- with the Supreme Personality of Godhead; maya-asritanam -- for those in the clutches of material energy; nara-darakena -- with Him who is like an ordinary child; sakam -- along with; vijahruh -- enjoyed; krita-punya-punjah -- all these boys, who had accumulated the results of life after life of pious activities.

TRANSLATION

All the boys would be differently engaged. Some boys blew their flutes, and others blew bugles made of horn. Some imitated the buzzing of the bumblebees, and others imitated the voice of the cuckoo. Some boys imitated flying birds by running after the birds' shadows on the ground, some imitated the beautiful movements and attractive postures of the swans, some sat down with the ducks, sitting silently, and others imitated the dancing of the peacocks. Some boys attracted young monkeys in the trees, some jumped into the trees, imitating the monkeys, some made faces as the monkeys were accustomed to do, and others jumped from one branch to another. Some boys went to the waterfalls and crossed over the river, jumping with the frogs, and when they saw their own reflections on the water they would laugh. They would also condemn the sounds of their own echoes. In this way, all the cowherd boys used to play with Krishna, who is the source of the Brahman effulgence for jnanis desiring to merge into that effulgence, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead for devotees who have accepted eternal servitorship, and who for ordinary persons is but another ordinary child. The cowherd boys, having accumulated the results of pious activities for many lives, were able to associate in this way with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How can one explain their great fortune?

PURPORT

As recommended by Srila Rupa Gosvami, tasmat kenapy upayena manah krishne nivesayet (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.2.4). Somehow or other, whether one thinks of Krishna as an ordinary human child, as the source of the Brahman effulgence, as the origin of Paramatma, or as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should concentrate one's full attention upon the lotus feet of Krishna. That is also the instruction of Bhagavad-gita (18.66): sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the easiest way of directly approaching Krishna. Isvarah sadyo hridy avarudhyate 'tra kritibhih susrushubhis tat-kshanat (Bhag. 1.1.2). Diverting even a little of one's attention toward Krishna and activities in Krishna consciousness immediately enables one to achieve the highest perfection of life. This is the purpose of the Krishna consciousness movement. Lokasyajanato vidvams cakre satvata-samhitam (Bhag. 1.7.6). The secret of success is unknown to people in general, and therefore Srila Vyasadeva, being compassionate toward the poor souls in this material world, especially in this age of Kali, has given us the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-bhagavatam puranam amalam yad vaishnavanam priyam (Bhag. 12.13.18). For Vaishnavas who are somewhat advanced, or who are fully aware of the glories and potencies of the Lord, Srimad-Bhagavatam is a beloved Vedic literature. After all, we have to change this body (tatha dehantara-praptih). If we do not care about Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, we do not know what the next body will be. But if one adheres to these two books -- Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam -- one is sure to obtain the association of Krishna in the next life (tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so 'rjuna [Bg. 4.9]). Therefore, distribution of Srimad-Bhagavatam all over the world is a great welfare activity for theologians, philosophers, transcendentalists and yogis (yoginam api sarvesham [Bg. 6.47]), as well as for people in general. Janma-labhah parah pumsam ante narayana-smritih (Bhag. 2.1.6): if we can somehow or other remember Krishna, Narayana, at the end of life, our life will be successful.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
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