Canto 10: The Summum BonumChapter 35: The Gopīs Sing of Kṛṣṇa as He Wanders in the Forest

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.35.14-15

vividha-gopa-caraṇeṣu vidagdho

veṇu-vādya urudhā nija-śikṣāḥ

tava sutaḥ sati yadādhara-bimbe

datta-veṇur anayat svara-jātīḥ

savanaśas tad upadhārya sureśāḥ

śakra-śarva-parameṣṭhi-purogāḥ

kavaya ānata-kandhara-cittāḥ

kaśmalaḿ yayur aniścita-tattvāḥ

SYNONYMS

vividha — various; gopa — of cowherds; caraṇeṣuin the activities; vidagdhaḥ — expert; veṇu — of the flute; vādyein the matter of playing; urudhā — manifold; nija — of His own production; śikṣāḥ — whose teachings; tava — your; sutaḥ — son; satiO pious lady (Yaśodā); yadā — when; adhara — upon His lips; bimbe — which are like red bimba fruits; datta — placing; veṇuḥ — His flute; anayatHe brought forth; svara — of musical sound; jātīḥ — the harmonic tones; savanaśaḥ — with a variety of low, high and middle pitches; tat — that; upadhārya — hearing; sura-īśāḥ — the principal demigods; śakraIndra; śarvaŚiva; parameṣṭhi — and Brahmā; puraḥ-gāḥ — headed by; kavayaḥ — learned scholars; ānata — bowed; kandhara — their necks; cittāḥ — and minds; kaśmalam yayuḥ — they became bewildered; aniścita — unable to ascertain; tattvāḥ — its essence.

TRANSLATION

O pious mother Yaśodā, your son, who is expert in all the arts of herding cows, has invented many new styles of flute-playing. When He takes His flute to His bimba-red lips and sends forth the tones of the harmonic scale in variegated melodies, Brahmā, Śiva, Indra and other chief demigods become confused upon hearing the sound. Although they are the most learned authorities, hey cannot ascertain the essence of that music, and thus they bow down their heads and hearts.

PURPORT

The words tava sutaḥ sati, "your son, O chaste lady," clearly indicate that at this point mother Yaśodā is among the young gopīs as they earnestly describe Lord Kṛṣṇa's glories. According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, among the demigods led by Śakra (Lord Indra) were Upendra, Agni and Yamarāja, among those led by Śarva (Lord Śiva) were Kātyāyanī, Skanda and Gaṇeśa, and among those led by Parameṣṭhī (Lord Brahmā) were the four Kumāras and Nārada. Thus the best collective intelligence in the universe could not definitively analyze the enchanting musical arrangements of the Supreme Lord.

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