SRIKRISHNA KARNAMRUTAM – ASHWASA 2 (SLOKAS 1 TO 25)

                    Srikrishna Karnamrutham

Srikrishna Karnamrutham is a beautiful devotional poem authored by
Bilwamangala Swami, also known as Lila Shuka because of his descriptions of the
leelas of Krishna in the same manner
in which Suka described it to Parikshit.  
Lila Suka has painted vivid word picutres of the leelas of Krishna as a child, as an adolescent boy and as a lover.
The work contains 328 verses in three aashwasas (or sargas, chapters).
Throughout the book the undercurrent is loving devotion to Krishna who is
regarded as the plenary incarnation of Mahavishnu, the purely sattwic aspect of
brahman, the Ultimate reality.  It is
said that Chaitanya mahaprabhu was acquainted with this work and he greatly
appreciated it.

Given below are slokas 1 to 25 of the second ashwasa with a prosaic
translation in English.  

अभिनवनवनीतस्निग्धमापीतदुग्धं

दधिकणपरिदिग्धं मुग्धमंगं मुरारेः।

दिशतु भुवनकृच्छ्रच्छेदि तापिञ्छगुच्छ-

च्छवि नवशिखिपिञ्छलाञ्छितं वाञ्छितं नः॥१॥

May Lord Krishna
grant us our wishes; Krishna whose pretty body, nurtured by drinking milk, is
as smooth as freshly prepared butter and is smeared all over with drops of
curd, which destroys the suffering of the three worlds, which is dark blue as
the tapinjha flowers and is adorned with the fresh plumes of peacock.

यां दृष्ट्वा यमुनां पिपासुरनिशं व्यूहो गवां गाहते

विद्युत्वानिति नीलकण्ठनिवहो
यां द्रष्टुमुत्कण्ठते ।

उत्तंसाय तमालपल्लवमिति छिन्दन्ति यं गोपिकाः

कान्तिः
कालियशासनस्य वपुषः सा पावनी पातु नः॥२.२॥

(The dark complexion of Krishna causes confusion in the minds of
cows who, thinking that it is the river Yamuna (which is also dark) enter it
urged by thirst. The peacocks think that it is a dark cloud and are raring to
see it.  The milkmaids think it is the
tender leaf of the tamala tree and
plucks it to adorn their hair. May that purifying luster of the discipliner of
Kaliya (Krishna) protect us.

देवः
पायात् पयसि विमले यामुने मज्जतीनां

याचन्तीनामनुनयपदैर्वञ्चितान्यंशुकानि।

लज्जालोलैरलसविलसैरुन्मिषत्पञ्चबाणैः

गोपस्त्रीणां नयनकुसुमैरर्चितः केशवो नः ॥२.३॥

May Keshava
(Krishna) protect us who is worshipped by the eye-flowers of the milkmaids
whose robes had been taken away while they were bathing in the pure waters of
the Yamuna and, embarrassed and stricken by love, they were persuading and
entreating him to give back their clothes.

मातर्नातःपरमनुचितं यत् खलानां पुरस्ता-

दस्ताशङ्कं जठर पिठरीपूर्तये नर्तितासि 

तत् क्षन्तव्यं सहजसरले वत्सले वाणि कुर्यां

प्रायश्चित्तं गुणगणनया गोपवेषस्य विष्णोः॥२.४॥

O Mother Vani (Goddess of Learning)! 
We have been making you dance ( composing verses of praise) before
wicked kings just for the sake of filling our stomachs.  Now we have understood that it is not proper
and we should not do it any more.  You
are very affectionate  and by nature you
are very simple.  Please forgive us.  We shall atone for this misbehavior by
praising the qualities of Lord Vishnu incarnated in the guise of a gopa

अङ्गुल्यग्रैररुणकिरणैर्मुक्तसंरुद्धरन्ध्रं

वारं
वारं वदनमरुता वेणुमापूरयन्तं।

व्यत्यस्ताङ्घ्रिं विकचकमलच्छायविस्तारिनेत्रं

वन्दे वृन्दावनसुचरितं नन्दगोपालसूनम् ॥२.५॥

I bow to the
son of Nandagopa (Krishna),  who created
history for Vrindavana, who alternately opens and closes the holes in his flute
with his fingertips the nails of which radiate rays of red colour, who again
and again fills the flute with the air from his mouth, whose posture is with
his legs crossed and whose eyes are wide resembling the petals a of blooming
lotus.

मन्दं मन्दं मधुरनिनदैर्वेणुमपूरयन्तं

वृन्दं वृन्दावनभुवि गवां चारयन्तं चरन्तं।

छन्दोभागे शतमखमखध्वंसिनां दानवानां

हन्तारं तं कथय रसने गोपकन्याभुजंगम् ॥२.६॥

O
tongue!  Chant the names of Krishna who slowly
and slowly fills his flute with sweet melodies, who grazes the herd of cows in
Vrindavan, who strolls in the Upanishads (i.e. he is talked about in the
Upanishads), who kills the demons who put obstacles in the sacrifices performed
by Indra and who rests in  the arms of
the gopis of Vridavan.

वेणीमूले विरचित घनश्यामपिञ्छावचूडो

विद्युल्लेखावलयित इव स्निग्धपीतांबरेण।

मामालिङ्गन्मरतकमणिस्तंभगंभीरबाहुः

स्वप्ने दृष्टस्तरुणतुलसीभूषणो नीलमेघः ॥२.७॥

I  dreamed Krishna embracing me with his
majestic hands resembling pillars of emerald, wearing garlands of fresh tulsi
leaves and his complexion dark as the clouds. His hair was adorned with peacock
plumes dark as the cloud and he was wearing bright yellow robes which gave the
impression that he was enveloped by streaks of lightning.

क्रुष्णे हृत्वा सिचय निचयं कूलकुञ्जाधिरूढे

मुग्द्धा काचिन्मुहुरनुनयैः किन्विति व्याहरन्ती।

सभ्रूभंगं सदरहसितं सत्रपं सानुरागं

छायाशौरेः करतलगतान्यंबराण्याचकर्ष॥२.८॥

When Krishna took the robes of the gopis (milkmaids) and went up a tree on the banks of the river, one
innocent gopi,  saying it was no use making requests, started
pulling the clothes from the hands of Krishna’s shadow reflected in the Yamuna,
 with her brows arched and a smile on her
face,  overcome by shyness and love.

अपि जनुषि परस्मिन्नात्तपुण्यो भवेयं

तटभुवि यमुनायास्तादृशो वंशनालः ।

अनुभवति य एषः श्रीमदाभीरसूनो-

रधरमणिसमीपन्यासधन्यामवस्थाम्॥।२.९॥

Let me earn enough merit (by doing good things) and in my next
incarnation take birth on the banks of the Yamuna as a bamboo tree from the
like of which is made Krishna’s flute which experiences the joy of being placed
on the lips of Krishna.

अयि परिचिनु चेतः प्रातरंभोजनेत्रं

कबरकलितचञ्चत् पिञ्छदामाभिरामम्।

वलभिदुपलनीलं वल्लवी भागधेयं

निखिलनिगमवल्लीमूलकन्दं मुकुन्दम् ॥२.१०॥

O Mind! Meditate on the form of Mukunda with eyes beautiful as the
lotus at sunrise, hair prettily done with a garland of peacock plumes,  complexion

dark blue as the sapphire, the good fortune of the Gopis and the
root of all the Vedas which are like creepers

अयि
मुरलि मुकुन्दस्मेरवक्त्रारविन्द-

श्वसनमधुरसज्ञे त्वां प्रणम्याद्य याचे ।

अधरमणिसमीपं प्राप्तवत्यां भवत्यां

कथय
रहसि कर्णे मद्दशां नन्दसूनोः॥११॥

O  Murali! You have
experienced the sweetness of the breath from the smiling lotus face of Mukunda
(Krishna). I prostrate before you and beg of you this: When you reach near the
jewel like lips of Krishna secretly whisper in the ears of the son of Nanda my
miserable state because of the separation from him. 

सजलजलदनीलं वल्लवीकेलिलोलं

श्रितसुरतरुमूलं विद्युदुल्लासिचेलम्।

सुररिपुकुलकालं सन्मनोबिम्बलीलं

नुतसुरमुनिजालं नौमि गोपालबालम् ॥१२॥

I bow to
krishna, child of Nandagopa, dark as the water-laden cloud, interested in
playful activities with the cowherd belles, resting under the celestial
wish-giving tree,  wearing clothes bright
as lightning, death to the enemies of the denizens of heaven, playing in the
hearts of the good and saintly people and eulogized by the celestials and
hermits.   

अधरबिम्बविडम्बितविद्रुमं

मधुरवेणुनिनादविनोदिनं

कमलकोमलकम्रमुखांबुजं

कमपि गोपकुमारमुपास्महे ॥१३॥

We worship
and meditate on some child of a gopa whose lips resemble corals, who revels in
the sweet music from the flute and who has a handsome face soft and pretty as
the lotus.

अधरे विनिवेश्य वंशनालं

विवराण्यस्य सलीलमंगुलीभिः

मुहुरन्तरयन्मुहुर्विवृण्वन्

मधुरं गायति माधवो वनान्ते ॥१४॥

Placing the flute on the lower lip and playfully now closing and now
opening its holes alternately with his fingers, Madhava sings sweetly in the
forests of Vrindavan

वदने नवनीतगन्धवाहं

वचने तस्करचातुरीधुरीणम् ।

नयने कुहनाश्रुमाश्रयेथा-

श्चरणे कोमलताण्डवं कुमारम्॥२.१५॥

Take refuge in the child Krishna whose mouth smells of fresh butter,
whose speech is that of clever thieves, whose eyes are full of fake tears and
whose feet are capable of beautiful dance.

अमुनाखिलगोपगोपनार्थं

यमुनारोधसि नन्दनन्दनेन।

दमुनावनसंभवः पपे नः

किमु नासौ शरणार्थिनां शरण्यः ॥१६॥

By this son of Nanda,
Krishna, the forest fire on the banks of the Yamuna was swallowed in order to
protect all the cowherds.  Is he not one
in whom people can seek refuge when they need refuge?  

जगदादरणीयजारभावं

जलजापत्यवचोविचारगम्यम्।

तनुतां तनुतां शिवेतराणां

सुरनाथोपलसुन्दरं महो नः ॥१७॥

May that
effulgence (Krishna) radiant as the blue gem stone,   whose status as the paramour of the gopis
has got the approval of the world and 
who can be attained by reflecting and meditating on the thoughts of
Brahma, destroy everything that is not auspicious.

या शेखरे श्रुतिगिरां हृदि योगभाजां

पादांबुजे च सुलभा व्रजसुन्दरीणाम् ।

सा काऽपि सर्वजगतामभिरामसीमा

कामाय नो भवतु गोपकिशोरमूर्तिः ॥२.१८॥

That which is at the top of vedic texts, in the heart of the Yogis
and at the lotus-feet of the beauties of Vraja and is the very acme of all that
is beautiful in this world, may that in the form of Krishna, the young cowherd boy, fulfill all our desires.

अत्यन्तबालमतसीकुसुमप्रकाशं

दिग्वाससं कनकभूषणभूषितांगम्।

विस्रस्तकेशमरुणाधरमायताक्षं

कृष्णं नमामि शिरसा वसुदेवसूनुम् ॥२.१९||

I prostrate
before Krishna, son of Vasudeva, who is a little baby, who has a dark blue
radiance like that of the atasi flower, who has only the eight
directions as clothes, who is adorned by golden ornaments, whose hair is
scattered ,whose lips are red and eyes are wide.

हस्तांघ्रिक्वणित कङ्कणकिङ्किणीकं

मध्येनितंबमवलम्बितहेमसूत्रम्।

मुक्ताकलापमुकुलीकृतकाकपक्षं

वन्दामहे व्रजचरं वसुदेवभाग्यम्॥२०॥

We worship
Krishna who wanders in Vraja, who is the good fortune of Vasudeva,  whose bracelets and anklets in the hands and
feet make sweet tinkling sound,  who has
a golden thread tied around his hips and whose hair is tied together by a
string of pearls 

वृन्दावनन्द्रुमतलेषु गवां गणेषु

वेदावसानसमयेषु च दृश्यते यत् ।

तद्वेणुवादनपरं शिखिपिञ्छचूडं

ब्रह्म स्मरामि कमलेक्षणमभ्रनीलम् ॥२. २१॥

That which is seen underneath the trees of Vrindavan, in the group
of cows, in the concluding portions of Vedas (Upanishads) –  on that Brahman  I meditate visualising it as playing the
flute, sporting a peacock feather on its head, with lotus-like eyes and
dark-blue complexion of the water-charged clouds.

व्यत्यस्तपादमवतंसितबर्हिबर्हं

साचीकृतानननिवेशितवेणुरन्ध्रम्

तेजः परं
परमकारुणिकं पुरस्तात्

प्राणप्रयाणसमये मम सन्निधत्ताम् ॥२. २२॥

May the  resplendent form of
Krishna, full of compassion and kindness, 
with legs crossed,  peacock
feather adorning the head,  the hole of
the flute placed at the lips and with face slightly tilted to the side,  be at my bedside when life is ebbing out of
this body

घोषप्रघोषशमनाय मथोगुणेन

मध्ये बबन्ध जननी नवनीतचोरम्।

तत्बन्धनं त्रिजगतामुदराश्रयाणा-

माक्रोशकारणमहो नितरां बभूव ॥२.२३॥

To pacify the
gopis who complained against the mischief of Krishna who stole fresh butter,
the mother tied him in the stomach with the rope used for churning curd.  That knot on the stomach caused much discomfort
to the living beings of the three worlds in his stomach.

शैवा वयं न खलु तत्र विचारणीयं

पञ्चाक्षरीजपपरा नितरां तथापि।

चेतोमदीयमतसीकुसुमावभासं’

स्मेराननं स्मरति गोपवधूकिशोरम् ॥२४॥

We are
shaivites, there is no doubt about it and we do very much chant the  panchakshari mantra. In spite of this
our minds always remember the child of 
Yashoda with his smiling face and his shining  dark blue colour like that of the atasi  flower.   

राधा पुनातु जगदच्युतदत्तचित्ता

मन्थानमाकलयति दधिरिक्तपात्रे ।

त्तस्याः स्तनस्तबकचञ्चललोलदृष्टिः

देवोपि दोहनधिया वृषभं निरुन्धन्॥२. २५॥

May this world be purified by Radha who,
her heart completely with Krishna, is churning the curd in the pot unaware that
the pot is empty.   Krishna, with his
roving eyes watching the movement of Radha’s breasts while she churns,  prepares to milk the cow unaware that what he
had brought for milking was a bull. [Each one’s heart is thinking of the other
completely forgetting what they are doing]

Sri P R Ramamurthy Ji was the author of this website. When he started this website in 2009, he was in his eighties. He was able to publish such a great number of posts in limited time of 4 years. We appreciate his enthusiasm for Sanskrit Literature. Authors story in his own words : http://ramamurthypr1931.blogspot.com/

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