Post by madanmohandas on Oct 4, 2019 3:20:45 GMT -6
Theft of the Cowherd maids Garments
(paraphrased from Bhag. 10.22 with some accretions from extra verses in the Vira Raghava edition)
Now in the season called by Hema’s name,
A throng of tender cowherd maidens came
To worship Shiva’s consort, Parvati,
Down by the bank of holy Kalindi.
They set an image by the river’s brink,
And offered scents, and lamps, nice food and drink,
And to the mother goddess they all prayed,
And on this wise their heart’s desire conveyed,
“Hail holy mother goddess, Uma, hail!
Great consort of the mighty lord of all!
With folded palms we here before you stand,
May Nanda’s son become our dear husband,
O spouse of Shiva, this our only prayer,
That Nanda’s son become our husband dear.”
Thus when they did the great goddess implore,
They rose, and laid their garments on the shore,
Kalindi’s chilly waters entered in,
And, naked, ‘gan to splash, frolic, and swim;
They sang of Krishna’s marvels and his sports,
And fancied they would soon be his consorts.
Now on that day Haladhar stayed at home,
And Krishna with his cowherd friends did roam,
And came unto Kalindi’s shelving shore;
Around his neck a flower garland wore,
And on his head a peacock feather bore;
And as down by the river bank he strayed,
Beheld those garments, in due order laid.
The garments, Krishna, o’er his shoulder flung,
And clomb a leafy tree, whereon he hung
The cowherd maiden’s costly bright sarees,
And left them there to wonton in the breeze.
Govinda then addressed a lofty speech,
The essence of self sacrifice to teach,
“O pious virgins! Who have for my sake
Made holy vows, come now, your garments take;
I jest not, no, nor am I being rude,
But since I see that you are bathing nude,
Must expiate the sin you have incurred,
So I from scripture and wise men have heard;
Forgather now, with palms together pressed,
The guilt abates when guilt has been confessed.
I speak the truth, nor never would I lie,
These comrades here my honour testify.
With smiles approach, I shall not you deceive,
That each may her own bright garment receive.”
Thus when this speech the cowherd maidens heard,
They stood shamefast, with indignation stirred,
And answering his doctrine, thus replied,
“O son of Nanda, O thou lotus-eyed!
It ill beseems your worthy dignity,
Of pious vows to mar the sanctity;
As noble Nanda’s son you are our prince,
How is it you have lost your righteous sense?
We are your hand maids, ready to fulfill
What you command, and carry out your will,
But give us back our garments, we implore!
That we in order laid upon the shore;
And if you don’t return to us our weeds,
We’ll tell the king, your father, of your deeds!”
The maidens in the chilly water stayed,
But smiles and looks their secret love betrayed,
And unto them Mukunda, smiling, said,
“Well, if you be my hand maids, as ye say,
You should, methinks, in this my will obey;
Come forth with folded palms, prostration make,
And then you may your shining garments take.”
(The cowherd damosels , when they had heard,
His stern commandment, trusting in his word,
Who was the mighty lord whom all obey,
In fear, with but one hand they humbly pay
Obeisance, yet in shame the other hand
Conceals their privy parts while there they stand.
Marking the violation of their vow,
By only using one hand while they bow,
That glorious lord, observant of decrees
Of righteousness, began in words like these,
"Those who are learned in the Vedas know
That he who would to lord Achyuta bow,
With but one hand commits a heinous deed,
The punishment for which has been decreed,
For those who bow in this forbidden way,
Is that their other hand be lopped away.
Therefore one who respects the lord's commands,
When bowing down should use both of the hands;
So come, fair damsels, and do as I tell,
And by this action you would please me well.")*
Thus with both hands they salutation make,
That each might her own shining garments take;
Enamored of his beauty and his charm,
Which Love, the flower archer, would disarm,
The cowherd maids with bashful glances came
Forth, and did each her own bright garment claim;
With descent modesty and pious haste,
Their own fair garments on their bodies placed.
And through their eyes they drew him to the heart,
And fain would not from his dear presence part.
When he perceived the ardour of their love,
Krishna did all their fasts and vows approve,
And promised that he would their faith requite,
Upon some future fair bright moonlit night.
Hearing his promise, merciful and kind,
His handsome form impressed upon their mind,
Reluctantly, they made their way back home,
While Krishna with his friends, proceeded on.
And when they came beneath the shady trees,
Krishna addressed his friends in words like these,
“O Subal, Amsu, Arjun, and the rest!
Mark how the stately trees are highly blest.
How, by their generosity, maintain
Others, and offer shelter from the rain.
On likewise generosity fulfills
Life’s purpose, and alleviates all ills.”
(paraphrased from Bhag. 10.22 with some accretions from extra verses in the Vira Raghava edition)
Now in the season called by Hema’s name,
A throng of tender cowherd maidens came
To worship Shiva’s consort, Parvati,
Down by the bank of holy Kalindi.
They set an image by the river’s brink,
And offered scents, and lamps, nice food and drink,
And to the mother goddess they all prayed,
And on this wise their heart’s desire conveyed,
“Hail holy mother goddess, Uma, hail!
Great consort of the mighty lord of all!
With folded palms we here before you stand,
May Nanda’s son become our dear husband,
O spouse of Shiva, this our only prayer,
That Nanda’s son become our husband dear.”
Thus when they did the great goddess implore,
They rose, and laid their garments on the shore,
Kalindi’s chilly waters entered in,
And, naked, ‘gan to splash, frolic, and swim;
They sang of Krishna’s marvels and his sports,
And fancied they would soon be his consorts.
Now on that day Haladhar stayed at home,
And Krishna with his cowherd friends did roam,
And came unto Kalindi’s shelving shore;
Around his neck a flower garland wore,
And on his head a peacock feather bore;
And as down by the river bank he strayed,
Beheld those garments, in due order laid.
The garments, Krishna, o’er his shoulder flung,
And clomb a leafy tree, whereon he hung
The cowherd maiden’s costly bright sarees,
And left them there to wonton in the breeze.
Govinda then addressed a lofty speech,
The essence of self sacrifice to teach,
“O pious virgins! Who have for my sake
Made holy vows, come now, your garments take;
I jest not, no, nor am I being rude,
But since I see that you are bathing nude,
Must expiate the sin you have incurred,
So I from scripture and wise men have heard;
Forgather now, with palms together pressed,
The guilt abates when guilt has been confessed.
I speak the truth, nor never would I lie,
These comrades here my honour testify.
With smiles approach, I shall not you deceive,
That each may her own bright garment receive.”
Thus when this speech the cowherd maidens heard,
They stood shamefast, with indignation stirred,
And answering his doctrine, thus replied,
“O son of Nanda, O thou lotus-eyed!
It ill beseems your worthy dignity,
Of pious vows to mar the sanctity;
As noble Nanda’s son you are our prince,
How is it you have lost your righteous sense?
We are your hand maids, ready to fulfill
What you command, and carry out your will,
But give us back our garments, we implore!
That we in order laid upon the shore;
And if you don’t return to us our weeds,
We’ll tell the king, your father, of your deeds!”
The maidens in the chilly water stayed,
But smiles and looks their secret love betrayed,
And unto them Mukunda, smiling, said,
“Well, if you be my hand maids, as ye say,
You should, methinks, in this my will obey;
Come forth with folded palms, prostration make,
And then you may your shining garments take.”
(The cowherd damosels , when they had heard,
His stern commandment, trusting in his word,
Who was the mighty lord whom all obey,
In fear, with but one hand they humbly pay
Obeisance, yet in shame the other hand
Conceals their privy parts while there they stand.
Marking the violation of their vow,
By only using one hand while they bow,
That glorious lord, observant of decrees
Of righteousness, began in words like these,
"Those who are learned in the Vedas know
That he who would to lord Achyuta bow,
With but one hand commits a heinous deed,
The punishment for which has been decreed,
For those who bow in this forbidden way,
Is that their other hand be lopped away.
Therefore one who respects the lord's commands,
When bowing down should use both of the hands;
So come, fair damsels, and do as I tell,
And by this action you would please me well.")*
Thus with both hands they salutation make,
That each might her own shining garments take;
Enamored of his beauty and his charm,
Which Love, the flower archer, would disarm,
The cowherd maids with bashful glances came
Forth, and did each her own bright garment claim;
With descent modesty and pious haste,
Their own fair garments on their bodies placed.
And through their eyes they drew him to the heart,
And fain would not from his dear presence part.
When he perceived the ardour of their love,
Krishna did all their fasts and vows approve,
And promised that he would their faith requite,
Upon some future fair bright moonlit night.
Hearing his promise, merciful and kind,
His handsome form impressed upon their mind,
Reluctantly, they made their way back home,
While Krishna with his friends, proceeded on.
And when they came beneath the shady trees,
Krishna addressed his friends in words like these,
“O Subal, Amsu, Arjun, and the rest!
Mark how the stately trees are highly blest.
How, by their generosity, maintain
Others, and offer shelter from the rain.
On likewise generosity fulfills
Life’s purpose, and alleviates all ills.”
