Sri Vidagdha-Madhava (Clever Krishna)
by Srila Rupa Goswami
Act Four: Venu-harana
Theft of the Flute
TEXT 1 (a)
(tatah pravisati nandimukhi).
nandimukhi: bhanidamhi lalida-e “hala nandimuhi, go-mandale gottham pa-itthe ehi kanho tuvaranto go-addhanahimuham patthido. ta tumam tattha gadu-a su-alam vinnavehi, jadha eso osare ni-a-vaassassa rahi-am sumaravedi” tti. (parikramya) kadham ettha pa-uma a-accha-i.
Nandimukhi: Lalita said to me, “Friend Nandimukhi, when the cows enter the pasture, Krishna quickly goes near Govardhana Hill. Please go there and tell Subala to remind his friend Krishna about Radha.” (Begins to walk.) Why does Padma come here?
TEXT 1 (b)
(pravisya)
padma: hala nandimuhi, kamam kusalasi. ta kampi uva-am kadhehi jena uvviggam canda-alim asasemi.
Padma: Nandimukhi, you are very wise. Please tell me what I should do to pacify agitated Candravali.
TEXT 1 (c)
nandimukhi: kim se uvve-a-kalanam.
padma: hala, janasi jjevvamtumam jadha padose savvam kkhu go-ulam vibbhamena kanho paccaham ranjedi.
nandimukhi: adha im.
padma: sampadam dava ettha dakkhine gotthaddhe imassa gandho vi dullaho.
Nandimukhi: Why is she agitated?
Padma: You know. Every evening Krishna delights the people of Gokula.
Nandimukhi: Yes. It is so.
Padma: Nowadays it is hard to find even the fragrance of Krishna in the southern part of Vrindavana.
TEXT 1 (d)
nandimukhi: hala, ma dunehi. (sanskritena)
drishtam bimbita-dhatu-citra-racanam saibya lalatam maya
syama-kuntala-camaram ca viluthad-vanya-srajoddamaram
gunja-hara-latardha-manjur adhuna bhadra-bhujantas tatha
tathyam viddhi sa nagari-gurur abhud govardhanasyatibhih
Nandimukhi: Don’t worry. I saw Saibya, her forehead decorated with pictures and designs. I saw Syama, her camara hair garlanded with forest flowers. I saw Bhadra, her shoulders decorated with a gunja necklace. Please know that He who is the teacher of all playful and beautiful girls must now be the guest of Govardhana Hill.
TEXT 2
(nepathye)
kritva vamsim akhila-jagati-gita-sangita-bhangi-
sangi-bhava-prathama-vasatim sanginim vama-panau
esa premna vrajati nayananandanah nanda-sunur
mandam govardhana-sikharinah kandara-mandiraya
Vrinda: (offstage) Holding In His left hand His friend the flute, a flute that has become the home of waves sweet music that splash against all the worlds, and with blissful eyes looking for a cave where He may stay, with great love Nanda’s son slowly walks on the summit of Govardhana Hill.
TEXT 3 (a)
nandimukhi: pa-ume, tumam imina vuttantena canda-ali-am suhavehi. aham su-alam anusarissam. (iti niskranta).
padma: (punah pasyanti). esa karala-e ejji-a-e cittam anuvattanti vana-de-ada vunda canda-ali-am sacchalam nivaredi.
Nandimukhi: Padma, with this news please make Candravali happy. I will go to Subala. (Nandimukhi exits)
Padma: (looking again) Fully aware of what is in Karala’s heart, Vrinda, the goddess of Vrindavana Forest, uses this trick to stop Candravali.
Note: Karala is Candravali’s grandmother.
TEXT 3 (b)
(nepathye)
kim radheva durantam icchasi balad unmadam alambitum
mugdhe ma maya mananiya-jarati-vakyam bahir ma vraja
esa smera-vilocanancala-ruca capalyam ullasayann
ayati vraja-sundari-gana-mano-manikya-hari harih
Vrinda: (offstage) Why, like Radha, do you yearn to embrace that wretched madman? O bewildered girl, don’t listen to the words of that proud old lady. Don’t go outside. Robbing Vraja’s beautiful girls of the rubies that are their hearts, and His smiling eyes splendid, restless, and mischievous, Krishna comes.
TEXT 4 (a)
(pravisya)
candravali: (sautkyam samantad avalokya). kadham vunda-e ali-am vva vyahari-adi. kudo ettha kanho. (iti khedam natayati).
(Candravali enters).
Candravali: (eagerly looking in all directions) Why does Vrinda lie? Where is Krishna? (She becomes distraught.)
TEXT 4 (b)
padma: (upasritya, sanskritena).
na santapam svantad davayasi katham dava-visamam
ghana-svasaih kim va malinayasi bimbadharam api
vanantan kekabhih sakhi sikhari-kakshe mukharayan
sakhi-sthalyah kalyany abhajad upasalyam yadu-patih
Padma: (approaching, she says in Sanskrit) Why not drive that terrible forest-fire from your heart? Why pollute your bimba-fruit lips with those sighs? O beautiful one, making the forest resound with the peacocks’ calls, Krishna now stays near the village of Sakhisthali, by the side of Govardhana Hill
TEXT 5 (a)
candravali: (vilokya) kadham pi-a-sahi pa-uma. (iti gadham alingya). avi nama akkhalidam bhanida.
padma: adhaim.
Candravali: (looking) Is this my dear friend Padma? (tightly embraces her). I hope what you say is true.
Padma: Yes, it is true.
TEXT 5 (b)
(tatah pravisati subalenanugamyamanah krishnah).
krishnah: pasya pasya.
akalita-tapas taraner
asta-siro-vithibhis tirodhanat
asphuta-timira-vijrimbhah
prathayati tosham nisarambhah
(Accompanied by Subala, Krishna enters).
Krishna: Look! Look! The faint sun now sets in the peaks of the western mountains. With it’s faint yawning of darkness, the beginning of evening is very pleasing.
TEXT 6 (a)
subalah: vaassa, ajja go-dohanam vi anavekkhi-a salalasao vi kimti ettha laddhosi.
krishnah: sakhe, mayuram varnayata kenacit priyam candravalim smarito ‘smi tad-vilokanaya lalaseyam.
subalah: kerisam mora-vannanam.
Subala: Friend, even if You are very happy, if You neglect to milk the cows, what will You gain?
Krishna: Friend, someone described the peacocks to Me, and that reminded Me of dear Candravali. Now I yearn to see her.
Subala: How did he describe the peacocks?
TEXT 6 (b)
krishnah:
unmadena puratah sikhandina
tandave prithuni mandali-kritam
pasya nindita-mahendra-karmukam
krishna-candra-cala-candrakavalim
Krishna: He said: “Look at the circle-tail (candrakavali) of this wildly dancing peacock, a tail that eclipses even the rainbow.”
TEXT 7 (a)
subalah: tado a-atthanam vamsi-kalam ullasehi.
(krishno vaktre venum vinyasyati).
candravali: (nisamya. saghurnam). savvada suvvantivi vi assuda-ari vi-a vimhavedi dummuhi murali.
Subala: Please play some sweet music on Your flute.
(Krishna places the flute to His mouth.)
Candravali: (Hearing the sound of the flute, she becomes agitated.) Whenever I hear it, that playful rascal flute fills me with wonder.
TEXT 7 (b)
krishnah: sakhe subala, adya candravali-prasade tvaya mamanukulena bhavitavyam.
subalah: adha im.
padma: hala, pekkha. eso venu-sanna-e tumam tuvaravedi go-ulenda-nandano.
Krishna: Friend Subala, today We will try to please Candravali.
Subala: Yes.
Padma: Look! With a signal from His flute, Krishna, the prince of Gokula, calls you to quickly come to Him.
TEXT 7 (c)
candravali: (vilokya. sanskritena).
sakhi murali visala-cchidra-jalena purna
laghur atikathina tvam granthila nirasasi
tad api bhajasi svasvac cumbanananda-sandram
hari kara-parirambham kena punyodayena
Candravali: (Looking, she says in Sanskrit) My dear friend the flute, you are actually full of many holes or faults. You are light, hard, juiceless and full of knots. But what kind of pious activities have engaged you in the service of being kissed by the Lord and embraced by His hands?*
TEXT 8 (a)
krishnah: (puro drishtva, sanandam) sakhe, seyam mama locanendivara-candrika candravali. (iti sadaram upetya).
Krishna: (Looking ahead, He happily says) Friend, here is Candravali, the moon who makes My lotus eyes bloom.
TEXT 8 (b)
priye,
candras tava mukha-bimbam
candra nakharani kundale candrau
nava-candras tu lalatam
satyam candravali tvam asi
(candravali lajjate).
Beloved, your face is a moon, your fingernails and toenails are moons, and your forehead is a new moon. In truth, you are a host (avali) of moons (candra).
(Candravali is embarrassed.)
TEXT 9 (a)
krishnah: priye, dushta-danava-damanabhinivesat tvan-mukha-candra aprekshamana yatayama bhavantyo ‘pi na yata-yama bhavanti mamamur yaminyah.
Krishna: Beloved, unable, because I was busy killing so many demons, to see the moon of your face, I wasted so many nights.
TEXT 9 (b)
candravali: sundara, bhamarassa via- nava-navanusarini de pa-idi kadham cirasanga-nirasasu pa-uminisu ahiramadu.
Candravali: Handsome one, You are like a bumble-bee that always seeks a new companion. Why should You play with us? We are like lotus flowers dried-up by Your long absence.
TEXT 9 (c)
krishnah: priye candravali, pratipad-aloke tvam sarvesam nava-navasi. tad adya nirvapaya virahottapam parisvanga-rasena.
Krishna: Dear Candravali, whenever I see you, you are always newer and newer. With the nectar of your embrace please extinguish the flames of separation from you
TEXT 9 (d)
padma: pi-a-sahi-virahena kudo tumha tavuppatti.
subalah: a-i, ma kkhu evvam bhana. eso canda-ali-virahena santatto si-ala-e jaladhara-e kacche deham nikkhivi-a satinno ca-uro vi-a nam jjevva canda-ali-am savvado peccha-i vaasso.
Padma: How can it be that Krishna is burning in separation from my dear friend?
Subala: Don’t talk like that. As a thirsty cakora bird throws its body before a cooling, water-filled cloud, so my friend, burning in separation from her, always gazes at Candravali.
TEXT 9 (e)
krishnah: priye, sruyatam.
vipinantare milanti
madhura-rasa sitala-sparsa
amrita-mayi tvad-virahe
samajani mama tapa-nuttaye radha
(iti sambhramam) dhara dhara.
Krishna: Beloved, listen. During our separation, when I was in the forest, there was only one thing to relieve My distress. That thing was full of nectar, cooling to the touch and very sweet. That thing was Radha. (bewildered) I mean the stream of water, the stream of water!
TEXT 10 (a)
candravali: (sabhyasuyam) gaccha, raham jjeva sevehi.
krishnah: priye, dharety avadam.
candravali: jadam kadham donam vannanam vivaridattanam.
krishnah: priye, dvayor varnayoh karnayor va viparitatvam ity asminn asti vicarah.
Candravali: (With jealous anger) Go! Serve Radha!
Krishna: Beloved, I said “water”.
Candravali: Then why did my ears hear something else?
Krishna: O beloved, your ears did not hear it right.
TEXT 10 (b)
candravali: (rosarunam mukham anamayya). a-i dana-saunda. alam eda-e avahittha-e. ajja appano manaharino suvanna-ju-alassa vinnasado sahu mahuri-purida-kannamhi kida.
Candravali: (turns down her head, which is now red with anger) O Krishna addicted to giving gifts to others, what is the use of pretending? Now my ears are flooded with the sweetness of those two golden syllables, syllables that enchant the heart.
TEXT 10 (c)
krishnah:
yathartheyam vani tava cakita-saranga-nayane
suvarnalankaro madhurayati yat te sruti-yugam
mukhendor antas te bahir api suvarna-cyutir iyam
mama srotra-dvandvam nayana-yugalam cakulayati
Krishna: O girl with eyes like a frightened doe, what you say is right. That golden ornament does make your ears very sweet. The beautiful sound of your name arouses My ears and the golden splendor of your face arouses My eyes.
TEXT 11 (a)
padma: hala appano adittham sumaranti ma khijjehi. jutto rahanurattassa imassa raha-nama-mayi sankadha.
Candravali: (nisvasya) sahi pa-ume, evam nedam.
Padma: Ah, don’t torture yourself by meditating on Your misfortune. It is natural that boy in love with Radha will always say the name “Radha”.
Candravali: (sighs) Friend Padma, so it is.
TEXT 11 (b)
krishnah: priye, badham anasankaniyam evedam. yatah.
tasya shodasa-kalasya shodasi
vallabha sphurati ya nabhas-tale
radhaya suvadane katham taya
sangatir bhuvi mamadya sambhavet
Krishna: Beloved, please don’t worry. O girl with the beautiful face, the word “Radha” means “the beautiful full-moon shining in the sky”. How can I, who stand on the earth, meet the moon?
Radha and Krsna
Bhagavat Purana, Rajasthan
