Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 10 Chapter 12 Verses 7-11

kecit — some of them; venūn — flutes; vādayantah — blowing; dhmāntah — bugling; śrińgāni — the horn bugles; kecana — someone else; kecit — someone; bhrińgaih — with the bumblebees; pragāyantah — singing along with; kūjantah — imitating the sound of; kokilaih — with the cuckoos; pare — others; vicchāyābhih — with running shadows; pradhāvantah — someone running on the ground after the birds; gacchantah — going along; sādhu — beautiful; hamsakaih — with the swans; bakaih — with the ducks sitting in one place; upaviśantah ca — sitting silently like them; nrityantah ca — and dancing with; kalāpibhih — with the peacocks; vikarshantah — attracting; kīśa-bālān — the young monkeys; ārohantah ca — gliding over; taih — with the monkeys; drumān — the trees; vikurvantah ca — exactly imitating them; taih — with the monkeys; sākam — along with; plavantah ca — gliding over; palāśishu — on the trees; sākam — along with; bhekaih — with the frogs; vilańghantah — jumping like them; saritah — the water; srava-samplutāh — became wet in the water of the river; vihasantah — laughing; praticchāyāh — at the shadows; śapantah ca — condemned; pratisvanān — the sound of their echoes; ittham — in this way; satām — of the transcendentalists; brahma-sukha-anubhūtyā — with Krishna, the source of brahma-sukha (Krishna is Parabrahman, and from Him originates His personal effulgence); dāsyam — servitorship; gatānām — of the devotees who have accepted; para-daivatena — with the Supreme Personality of Godhead; māyā-āśritānām — for those in the clutches of material energy; nara-dārakena — with Him who is like an ordinary child; sākam — along with; vijahruh — enjoyed; krita-punya-puñjāh — 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 jñānīs 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 Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, tasmāt kenāpy upāyena manah krishne niveśayet (Bhakti-rasāmrita-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 Paramātmā, 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-gītā (18.66): sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaranam vraja. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the easiest way of directly approaching Krishna. Īśvarah sadyo hridy avarudhyate 'tra kritibhih śuśrūshubhis tat-kshanāt (Bhāg. 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. Lokasyājānato vidvāmś cakre sātvata-samhitām (Bhāg. 1.7.6). The secret of success is unknown to people in general, and therefore Śrīla Vyāsadeva, being compassionate toward the poor souls in this material world, especially in this age of Kali, has given us the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-bhāgavatam purānam amalam yad vaishnavānām priyam (Bhāg. 12.13.18). For Vaishnavas who are somewhat advanced, or who are fully aware of the glories and potencies of the Lord, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is a beloved Vedic literature. After all, we have to change this body (tathā dehāntara-prāptih). If we do not care about Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we do not know what the next body will be. But if one adheres to these two books — Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam — one is sure to obtain the association of Krishna in the next life (tyaktvā deham punar janma naiti mām eti so 'rjuna [Bg. 4.9]). Therefore, distribution of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all over the world is a great welfare activity for theologians, philosophers, transcendentalists and yogīs (yoginām api sarveshām [Bg. 6.47]), as well as for people in general. Janma-lābhah parah pumsām ante nārāyana-smritih (Bhāg. 2.1.6): if we can somehow or other remember Krishna, Nārāyana, at the end of life, our life will be successful.

<<< >>>

Buy Online Copyright ©r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari