Post by madanmohandas on Jul 10, 2020 1:40:20 GMT -6
Sri Keshavastakam revised and presumptuously annotated.
The author, divine Rupa, in eight stanzas portrays the scenes of Krishna's 'uttara gostha' or return to the cowherd settlement at the approach of eventide.
The first stanza provides a meditation on the simple attire and nonchalant elegance of the amorous hero.
navapriyakamanjariracitakarnapurasriyam
vinidrataramaalatikalitasekharenojjvalam/
darocchvasitayuthikaagrathitavalguvaikaksakam
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam// 1
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
Fresh blooms of Priyaka adorn his ears,
A crown of budding Jessamine who wears;
And o'er his shoulder, baldric-wise, is flung
A wreath of flowers, negligently hung. 1
Baldric-wise means draped across the shoulder as a sacred thread, 'dara' small, 'ucchvasita' blooming, implies a delicate thin garland of Yuthika flowers.
Next as he prepares to return in the afternoon to the cowherd settlement, Krishna calls the names of cows either individually or by groups to round them up and tallies the number on a string of gems.
pisanga manikastani pranatasrngi pingeksane
mrdangamukhi dhumale sabali hamsi vamsipriye/
iti svasurabhikulam taralam aahvayantam mudaa
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam//2
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
With joy, the names of cows he loudly cries,
'O Tawney! O Gem-uddered! O Pink eyes!
'O Swan-like! O Flute-fond! O Dappled one!
'O Drum-head! Crook-horn! O Smoky skin! come. 2
Self explanatory.
The next stanza introduces the reader to Krishna's cowherd companions who attend him as one dearer than life and who are his peers in admirable qualities and accomplishments.
ghanapranayamedhuraan madhuranarmagosthikalaa
vilaasanilayanmiladvividhavesavidyotinah
sakhinakhilasaarayaa pathisu haasayantam giraa
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam 3
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
Who, as he on the homeward pathway wends
Holds witty discourse with his merry friends;
While they deep love and eloquence display,
All dressed in party coloured garments gay;
He, that best and foremost of the cowherds,
Induces them to laugh with his sweet words. 3
'ghana' thick , condensed, deep, 'pranaya' affection, love, fond attachment, medhuraam frought with abundance. They are endued with intense and fondest love and affection. When they approach him each vies to touch him, exclaiming, 'Me first, me first!'
The author now draws our attention to a closer perusal of Krishna's beauty, his loosened hair and rustic adornment.
sramaambukanikaavalidaravilidhagandaantaram
samudhagiridhaatubhir likhitacaarupatraankuram/
udancadalimandalidyutividambivakraavalam
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam//4
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
Whose handsome cheeks with tiny sweat drops glow,
Whose limbs designs of mountain pigments show;
In rolling waves, descending from his crown,
Like swarms of bees, his glossy curls hand down. 4
'Srama', fatigue 'ambu-kanika' water drops, ie. perspiration. Giridhaatu refers to coloured mineral pigments extracted from the rocks which are used as cosmetic adornments.
Now, Krishna directs the herds towards the pens with the sound of his flute, whereon the cows become eager to return and suckle their calves. As they proceed on the path they raise up clouds of dust by the striking hooves in the soft and yielding earth.
nibaddhanavatarnakaavalivilokanotkanthayaa
natatkharaputaancalair alaghubhir bhuvam bindatim/
kalena dhavalaaghatam laghu nivartayantam puro
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam//5
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
Breathing sweet strains into his flute, he calls
The herds back to the cowpens and the stalls;
The eager kine no longer wish to graze,
They break the earth and clouds of dust upraise;
And anxious for their newborn suckling calves,
They trample the soft ground with prancing hooves. 5
Navatarnaka are the young grass eaters, ie. the calves. The cows suddenly become anxious to see their calves.
Next the conspicuous footprints of Krishna are mentioned along with a further illustration of the striking beauty of Krishna all besmeared with cow dust and how his garment and ornaments sway with the motions of the breeze.
padaankatatibhir varaamviracayantamadhvasriyam
calattaralanaicikinicayadhulidhumrasrajam/
marullaharicacalikrtadukulacudaancalam
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam//6
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
Whose unique footprints on the paths around,
Affords an added lustre to the ground;
The dust cloud raised up by the restless kine,
Cover his flower wreath with powder fine;
And as the wavy breeze around him plays,
His garment flutters and his headdress sways. 6
Marul-lahari, wind waves. or wavy breeze. The fluctuating or undulating current of the air.
Now Krishna approaches the precincts of Vraja and announces his arrival by sounding his flute. The author introduces in the last two stanzas, the humours of maternal affection and amorous attraction and indicates the ecstatic responses in the repositories of the said humours.
vilaasamuralikaladhvanibhirullasanmaanasaah
ksanaadakhilaballavih pulakayantamantargrhe/
muhurvidadhatamhrdi pramuditam ca gosthesvarim
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam//7
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
Who plays his bamboo flute with vast delight,
Which the minds of the cowherd dames excite;
Overwhelmed with rapture and fond surprise,
The downy hairs upon their bodies rise.
And when the cowherd queen that sweet sound heard,
With eager joy her mind and heart were stirred. 7
Gosthesvari, the cowherd queen, Yashoda.
The last scene in this octet of stanzas illustrates Krishna's entrance into the cowherd settlement of Vraja; the cowherd damsels mount their rooftop apartments and balconies to have an unrestricted view of his ever fresh beauty and charm; finally the very sweet observation is made.
upeya pathi sundaritatibhiraabhirabhyarcitam
smitaankurakarambitairnatadapaangabhangisataih/
stanastavakasancarannayanacancarikaancalam
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam//8
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
On whose approach the cowherd damsels go
Up to the balcony and portico,
Thence thousands of love's gestures they display,
And with amorous smiles welcome convey.
But as he gazes up at them and sees
Their flower bud like breasts, his eyes like bees,
Are drawn by eager longing and delight,
And on their bud like breasts his gazes light. 8
In conclusion the author provides a benedictory verse to bless the reader.
idam nikhilaballavikulamahotsavollaasanam
kramena kila yah pumaan pathati susthu padyaastakam/
tamujjvaladhiyam sadaa nijapadaaravindadvaye
ratim dadhadacancalam sukhayataad visaakhaasakhah// 9
Whoever with devout attention reads
These eight stanzas that tell of Hari's deeds,
Which all the cowherd damosels delight;
May Vihsakha's dear friend their faith requite,
And unto them unflinching love impart,
And place his lotus-feet within their heart. 9
Vishaka's dear friend refers to Krishna.
Kramena-'in proper sequence' implies not only the order as given, but also the appropriate time of day; not that there are any time restrictions, but the reader will observe that the events take place in the late afternoon and can therefore be used as daily meditation and prayer at that time, if one has the leisure for such pursuits.
iti
Finis
The author, divine Rupa, in eight stanzas portrays the scenes of Krishna's 'uttara gostha' or return to the cowherd settlement at the approach of eventide.
The first stanza provides a meditation on the simple attire and nonchalant elegance of the amorous hero.
navapriyakamanjariracitakarnapurasriyam
vinidrataramaalatikalitasekharenojjvalam/
darocchvasitayuthikaagrathitavalguvaikaksakam
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam// 1
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
Fresh blooms of Priyaka adorn his ears,
A crown of budding Jessamine who wears;
And o'er his shoulder, baldric-wise, is flung
A wreath of flowers, negligently hung. 1
Baldric-wise means draped across the shoulder as a sacred thread, 'dara' small, 'ucchvasita' blooming, implies a delicate thin garland of Yuthika flowers.
Next as he prepares to return in the afternoon to the cowherd settlement, Krishna calls the names of cows either individually or by groups to round them up and tallies the number on a string of gems.
pisanga manikastani pranatasrngi pingeksane
mrdangamukhi dhumale sabali hamsi vamsipriye/
iti svasurabhikulam taralam aahvayantam mudaa
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam//2
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
With joy, the names of cows he loudly cries,
'O Tawney! O Gem-uddered! O Pink eyes!
'O Swan-like! O Flute-fond! O Dappled one!
'O Drum-head! Crook-horn! O Smoky skin! come. 2
Self explanatory.
The next stanza introduces the reader to Krishna's cowherd companions who attend him as one dearer than life and who are his peers in admirable qualities and accomplishments.
ghanapranayamedhuraan madhuranarmagosthikalaa
vilaasanilayanmiladvividhavesavidyotinah
sakhinakhilasaarayaa pathisu haasayantam giraa
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam 3
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
Who, as he on the homeward pathway wends
Holds witty discourse with his merry friends;
While they deep love and eloquence display,
All dressed in party coloured garments gay;
He, that best and foremost of the cowherds,
Induces them to laugh with his sweet words. 3
'ghana' thick , condensed, deep, 'pranaya' affection, love, fond attachment, medhuraam frought with abundance. They are endued with intense and fondest love and affection. When they approach him each vies to touch him, exclaiming, 'Me first, me first!'
The author now draws our attention to a closer perusal of Krishna's beauty, his loosened hair and rustic adornment.
sramaambukanikaavalidaravilidhagandaantaram
samudhagiridhaatubhir likhitacaarupatraankuram/
udancadalimandalidyutividambivakraavalam
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam//4
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
Whose handsome cheeks with tiny sweat drops glow,
Whose limbs designs of mountain pigments show;
In rolling waves, descending from his crown,
Like swarms of bees, his glossy curls hand down. 4
'Srama', fatigue 'ambu-kanika' water drops, ie. perspiration. Giridhaatu refers to coloured mineral pigments extracted from the rocks which are used as cosmetic adornments.
Now, Krishna directs the herds towards the pens with the sound of his flute, whereon the cows become eager to return and suckle their calves. As they proceed on the path they raise up clouds of dust by the striking hooves in the soft and yielding earth.
nibaddhanavatarnakaavalivilokanotkanthayaa
natatkharaputaancalair alaghubhir bhuvam bindatim/
kalena dhavalaaghatam laghu nivartayantam puro
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam//5
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
Breathing sweet strains into his flute, he calls
The herds back to the cowpens and the stalls;
The eager kine no longer wish to graze,
They break the earth and clouds of dust upraise;
And anxious for their newborn suckling calves,
They trample the soft ground with prancing hooves. 5
Navatarnaka are the young grass eaters, ie. the calves. The cows suddenly become anxious to see their calves.
Next the conspicuous footprints of Krishna are mentioned along with a further illustration of the striking beauty of Krishna all besmeared with cow dust and how his garment and ornaments sway with the motions of the breeze.
padaankatatibhir varaamviracayantamadhvasriyam
calattaralanaicikinicayadhulidhumrasrajam/
marullaharicacalikrtadukulacudaancalam
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam//6
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
Whose unique footprints on the paths around,
Affords an added lustre to the ground;
The dust cloud raised up by the restless kine,
Cover his flower wreath with powder fine;
And as the wavy breeze around him plays,
His garment flutters and his headdress sways. 6
Marul-lahari, wind waves. or wavy breeze. The fluctuating or undulating current of the air.
Now Krishna approaches the precincts of Vraja and announces his arrival by sounding his flute. The author introduces in the last two stanzas, the humours of maternal affection and amorous attraction and indicates the ecstatic responses in the repositories of the said humours.
vilaasamuralikaladhvanibhirullasanmaanasaah
ksanaadakhilaballavih pulakayantamantargrhe/
muhurvidadhatamhrdi pramuditam ca gosthesvarim
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam//7
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
Who plays his bamboo flute with vast delight,
Which the minds of the cowherd dames excite;
Overwhelmed with rapture and fond surprise,
The downy hairs upon their bodies rise.
And when the cowherd queen that sweet sound heard,
With eager joy her mind and heart were stirred. 7
Gosthesvari, the cowherd queen, Yashoda.
The last scene in this octet of stanzas illustrates Krishna's entrance into the cowherd settlement of Vraja; the cowherd damsels mount their rooftop apartments and balconies to have an unrestricted view of his ever fresh beauty and charm; finally the very sweet observation is made.
upeya pathi sundaritatibhiraabhirabhyarcitam
smitaankurakarambitairnatadapaangabhangisataih/
stanastavakasancarannayanacancarikaancalam
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipinadesatah kesavam//8
Adore Keshava of the curling hair,
Who from the woods to Vraja does repair;
On whose approach the cowherd damsels go
Up to the balcony and portico,
Thence thousands of love's gestures they display,
And with amorous smiles welcome convey.
But as he gazes up at them and sees
Their flower bud like breasts, his eyes like bees,
Are drawn by eager longing and delight,
And on their bud like breasts his gazes light. 8
In conclusion the author provides a benedictory verse to bless the reader.
idam nikhilaballavikulamahotsavollaasanam
kramena kila yah pumaan pathati susthu padyaastakam/
tamujjvaladhiyam sadaa nijapadaaravindadvaye
ratim dadhadacancalam sukhayataad visaakhaasakhah// 9
Whoever with devout attention reads
These eight stanzas that tell of Hari's deeds,
Which all the cowherd damosels delight;
May Vihsakha's dear friend their faith requite,
And unto them unflinching love impart,
And place his lotus-feet within their heart. 9
Vishaka's dear friend refers to Krishna.
Kramena-'in proper sequence' implies not only the order as given, but also the appropriate time of day; not that there are any time restrictions, but the reader will observe that the events take place in the late afternoon and can therefore be used as daily meditation and prayer at that time, if one has the leisure for such pursuits.
iti
Finis