Sunday, May 29, 2016

Gopala Vimsathi 14/21

14.     hRdI mugdhasikanda mandana:
                likhita: kena mamaisha SilpinA
    madanAdura vallavAnganA

   vadanAmbhoja divAkaro yuvA 

           


                  1.       hRdI - heart
                  2.       mugdhasikanda – Peacock feathers
                  3.       mandana:- cheerful
                  4.       likhita:- written
                  5.       SilpinA - artist
                  6.       madana Adura – captivated by love
                  7.       vallavAnganA – Gopis, Cowherd girls
                  8.       vadana Ambhoja – lotus face
                  9.       divakaro – the sun
                10.   Yuva – Youth

     I see the image of young Krishna with Peacock feathers in my heart.  Just as sun makes the            lotus bloom the youthful Krishna makes the Gopi’s happy by his youthful appearance before          them. Which artist has drawn this picture of the youthful Krishna in my mind? I believe it is          Krishna himself who has drawn this beautiful in my heart.

     

Gopala Vimsathi 13/21

13. akilAnavalaokayAmi kAlAn
   mahilAdhIna bhujAntarasya yuna:
   abhilASapadam. vrajAnganAnAm

   abhilAbha krama dhuramAbhirUpyam

    1.  avalaokayAmi – see
     2.  akila kAlAn– at all times
     3.  mahilAdhIna – that which is with Goddess Lakshmi
     4.  bhuja – Antarasya – end of the hand
     5.  yuna: - young Krishna
     6.  abhilASapadam – that which is wished for
     7.  vajrAnganAnAm – Cow herd girls – the Gopis
     8.  abhilAbha karma – that which cannot be told
     9.  dhuramAbhirUpyam that vision

Even in Krishnavatar Goddess is with him at all times. Krishna/Gopala has given her special position in his heart  to enjoy him in any way she likes. Krishna is eternal, young youthful to enjoy and play with Sri Mahalakshmi. It is impossible to describe his beauty and elegance. That indescribable beauty is what the Gopis (cowherd girls) want to enjoy. I am blessed to enjoy this very beauty of Gopala at all times.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Gopala Vimsathi 12/21

1.       adharAhita cAru vamSa nALA:
makuTalambi mayUra pinchamAlA: |
harinIla SilAvibhanga-lIlA:

pratibhA: santu mamAntima prayANe


1.       adhar - lips
2.       ahita – kept
3.       cAru – pretty, beautiful
4.       vamSa nALA: - flute
5.       makuTa – Crown
6.       Alambi – supported by
7.       mayUra – Peacock
8.       pinchamAlA:- Feather
9.       hari – nIla – Yellowish blue
10.   SilA vibhanga – broken statue
11.   Lila – play, amusement
12.   pratibhA: - image
13.   santu – should happen
13.mamAntima prayANe

The vision of Krishna playing the melodious flute, having the very precious blue sapphire on his crown and the peacock feather that is slanting on his head should be seen by me during my final journey. 

Gopala Vimsathi 11/21

11. anuyAyi manojna vam.sanAlai:
avatu sparSita vallavI vimohai: |
anagasmita SItalai rasau mAm

anukampA saritambhujai: apAngai: ||



   1.       anuyAyi – following
         2.       manojna – lovely, charming, beautiful
         3.       vamsam – flute
         4.       nAlai: - hollow tube
         5.       sparSita – contact
         6.       vallavI- cowherd
         7.       vimohai:- perplexed
         8.       anagasmita – innocent smile
         9.       SItalai – cool
        10.   asau – this Krishna
        11.   mAm avatu – protect me
        12.   anukampA – compassion, pity
        13.   sarit - river
        14.   ambhuja – lotus
        15.   apAnga – outer corner of the eye
Venugopalan plays beautiful enchanting music with his flute and gives compassionate glances with the outer corner of his eyes. His eyes seem like freshly blossomed lotuses in the river of compassion.  The Gopis and perplexed by his music and compassionate looks. The mischievous looks of Krishna covered by his innocent smile is very pleasant to the Gopis. May this Krishna protect also me with his gracious smile and compassionate glances.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Gopala Vimsathi 10/21

10. animeSaniSevanIyamakshno:
         ajahat yauvanam Avirastu chitte
        kalahAyita kuntalam kalAbhai:
        karanonmAdaka vibramam. maho me



            1.       animeSam – vigilantly, without winking an eye
            2.       aniSevanIyam – for experiencing
            3.       akshno: - for the eye
            4.       ajahat – not dropping or loosing
            5.       Yauvanam – youth
            6.       Avirastu – to become visible or apparent
            7.       kalahAyita – Quarrel
            8.       kuntalam – hair of the head
            9.       kalAbhai: - peacock feather
          10.   karana – senses
          11.   unmAdaka – maddening
          12.   vibramam – filled with actions                                                                                                   
          13.   maha: mighty brilliance

  
Krishna’s beauty and incomparable attraction is enjoyed by Swami Desikan in this verse. We should always enjoy the ever youthfulness and incomparable beauty of Krishna without winking the eyes. Even the momentary involuntary winking of the eye will make us loose his sight for that split second. The peacock feather and his curly hair adds beauty to him and attracts us. The thought of his mighty brilliant playful deeds and pranks at Gokulam and Vrundavanam makes us fall madly in love with him and overpowers our senses. May this Krishna filled with beauty and brightness be always be seen my mind.





Gopala Vimsathi 9/21

9. padavIm. adhavIyasIm. vimukte
atavI sam.padam ambhuvAhayantIm
aruNAdhara sAbhilASa vam.sAm
karuNAm. kAraNa mAnushIm. bhajAmi



            1.       padavIm – track
            2.       adhavIyasIm – very near, close by
            3.       vimukte – moksha
            4.       atavI – forest – vrundavan
            5.       sampadam – wealth
            6.       ambhuvAhayantIm – rain bearing cloud
            7.       aruNA adhara – red lips
            8.       sAbhilASa – with desire
            9.       vamsAm – hollow tubular bamboo – the flute
          10.   karuNA – compassion
          11.   kAraNa- reasoning
          12.   mAnushIm – human
          13.   bhajAmi – worship


He is the one who revealed to us prapatti - saranagathi - the easy short way to attain moksha. Maam Ekam Charanam Vraja. He is the cause for the existence and sustenance of the universe. When Krishna walks in Vrundavan it is like the movement of the clouds. When there is optimum rain at the right time the place is prosperous. Gopala is therefore like the rain bearing cloud that showers karuna – compassion on vrundavan due to which action the place was very prosperous. The flute resting on his red lips when he plays seems to be very eager to taste the sweetness of his mouth. I pray to Gopala who is the protector of the sages and came down to the earth to reduce the burden caused by the sins committed by bad people.  

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Gopala Vimsathi 8/21

8. nikaTeshu nisAmayAmi nityam
nigamAntai: adhunApi mRkyamAnam
yamalArjuna dRshTa bAlakelim
yamunAsAkshika yauvanam yuvAnam


1.       nikaTeshu – close proximity
2.       nisAmayAmi – I visualize, I see
3.       nigamAnta – by the vedas
4.       adhunApi- even now
5.       mRkyamAnam - one who is being searched
6.       yamala Arjuna – two Arjuna trees
7.       dRshTa – seen
8.       bAlakelim – childs play
9.       Yamuna sAkshika– witnessed by river Yamuna
10.   Yauvanam – acts of youthfulness
11.   yuvAnam – Krishna the youth
The vedas are searching for him even now. The Upanishads have not been able to describe one of his characteristics. The twin marutha trees (described in the previous verse) enjoyed the leelas of Krishna and even after they were released from the curse and became humans again did not want to go to their home and stayed back to enjoy some more of his child play. The Yamuna river was the witness  to his youthful acts. Swami Vedantha Desika says “I always experience that Krishna in my vision”. This vision is due to Swami always doing dhyanam of Lord Krishna.

Gopala Vimsathi 7/21

7.  parivartita kandharam bhayena
smita phulladhara pallavam. smarAmi
vitapitva nirAsakam kayoschict

vipulolUkala karSakam kumAram



        1.       parivartita – about turn
        2.       kandharam – neck
        3.       bhayena – out of fear
        4.       smita – smile
        5.       pulla – bloomimg as a flower
       6.       adhara – lips
       7.       viTapitva – born as a tree
       8.       nirAsakam – hopelessness
       9.       kayoschit – some two people
     10.   vipula – large
     11.   ulUkala – mortar
     12.   karSakam – ploughing through
     13.   kumaram – the little baby Krishna

In this verse Swami Desikan visualizes Krishna as a little boy who steals the butter in his home making his mother Yashodha very angry. She then ties Krishna to a big mortar with a rope with the hope he will not be able to move beyond the length of the rope. Krishna on the other hand looks around turning his neck to see if his mother is watching and ensures she is not around. He then smiles to himself and when he smiles his lips are like blooming flower. The little baby Krishna then moves dragging the mortar along. He ploughs through two big arjuna trees (marutha tree) and brings them down. The two sons of kubera  Nalakooparan and Manigreevan who had become the two trees growing in Gokulam due to the sapam they received from sage Narada got sapa vimochanam and came back to life. Swami Desikan says he shudders to think of the omnipotent being tied to the mortar, and talking about his own helplessness always keeps thinking of Lord Krishna.

Gopala Vimsathi 6/21

6. vraja yoshidapAnga vedhanIyam
mathurAbhAgyam. ananya bhogyamIDe
vasudevavadhU sthanandhayam. Tat
       kimapi brahma kiShorabhava dhRSyam 



   1.  vraja yoshid – Cow herd girls in Gokulam

     2.  apAnga – divine glance
     3.  vedhanIyam – to be felt by, penetrate
     4.  Mathura – the town of Mathura
     5.  Bhagyam – fortune
     6.  Ananya – sole, not havening a second, unswerving
     7.  Bhogyam – that may be enjoyed
     8.  vasudevavadhU – wife of Vasudeva – ie Devaki
     9.  sthanam – breast
    10.tat - that
    11.kimapi – nothing
    12.brahma- supreme
    13.Kishore – infant

    14.dhRSyam – to see, beautiful

        The cow herd girls of gokulam look at this beautiful son of Yashodha with great affection. Their glances penetrate him like arrows and make him subservient to them.  He is the great fortune of the town of Mathura in northern India. Krishna who was born there is the delightful experience of the sages who look for nothing other than that in this world. Ever since he was born to Devaki in the prison and was breast fed by her as an infant he is the beauty of the three worlds.  I pray and offer my salutations to this Supreme Being – Gopalan.


Saturday, May 14, 2016

Gopala Vimsati 5/21

5. hartum. kumbhe vinihita kara: svAdu hayangavInam.
dRshTvA dhAmagrahaNacatulAm. mAtaram. jAtaroshAm|
pAyadhISat pracalitapado nApagacchan na tishTan
mithyAgopa: sapadi nayane mIlayan visvagoptA ||



      1.       hartum – sieze
            2.       kumbh – pot
            3.       vinihita kara – with the hand inside
            4.       svAdu – delicious
            5.       hayangavInam – fresh butter
            6.       dRshTvA – having seen
            7.       dhAmagrahaNa - to get a rope
            8.       catulAm – perturbed
            9.       mAtaram – mother
          10.    jAtaroshAm –getting angry
          11.   pAyad – should protect -
          12.   ISat - little
          13.   pracalita pada – moved his leg
          14.   na Apagacchan – not going
          15.   na tishTan – not sitting
          16.   mithyAgopa – one who falsely adorned the role of a cowherd
          17.   sapadi – immediately
          18.   nayane – eyes
          19.   mIlayan – closing
     20. vishvagoptA – one who protects the world


Butter is usually kept in a pot. Yashodha matha keeps the butter secretively in a kudam (deep pot that is used to fetch water). Krishna the naughty little boy puts his hands into the pot right up toh his shoulders and eats the butter when the mother is away for a few minutes but is caught in the act. His mother Yashodha on seeing Krishna eating the butter is very angry and turns to get a rope to tie the little boy. Krishna on seeing his angry mother pretends he is very scared, lifting on leg to go away from the scene but does not go.  He closes his eyes in an attempt to avoid the impending actions due to his mother’s anger in a similar manner to what ordinary normal humans do. Swami Desikan enjoys this scene and goes on to admire Krishna’s simplicity and says let lord Krishna who is so simple protect the world (Vishwam).

Gopala Vimsati 4/21

4.AvirbhAvAtvANibhrUtAbharaNam. purastAt
Akuncitaika caraNam. nibrUtanyapAdam|
dadhnAnimantamukareNa nibaddhatAlam
nAthasya nandabhAvane navaneetanATyam ||


1.       AvirbhAvAt – appear, become apparent
2.       ANibhrUt – violently moved or shaken
3.       AbharaNam – ornaments, jewellery
4.       purastAt  - in front, or in presence or before the eyes of
5.       Akuncita – bent
6.       Eka – one
7.       caraNam – foot
8.       nibrUta – frim without movement
9.       anya – other
10.   pAdam – foot
11.   dadhi – curd
12.   nimantamukareNa – considered as churning
13.   nibaddha – considered as
14.   tAlam – rhythm, beat
15.   nAtha – dancer
16.   nandabhAvane – nandagopalans home
17.   navanItam butter
18.   nATyam – dancing

Vednatha Desika in this verse imagines Lord Krishna dancing with one leg bent and the other leg placed firmly on the ground. As he is dancing the movements of the ornaments, necklace, anklets worn by him on his holy feet are shaken producing enjoyable musical sound rhythmic to the churning of the butter by his mother Yashodha. Krishna dances to the tunes of his mother’s churning to get some more butter in his home of Nandagopala and Yashodha.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Gopala Vimsati 3/21


3.  amnAyagandhI rudita sphUritAdharoshTam
     AsrAvilekshaNamanukshaNa mandahAsam |
    gopAlaDimbhavapuSam kuhanAjananyA:
    prANasthanandayAmivaimi param pumAmsam ||


   1. amnAya - Vedas
   2. gandhI - smelling , perfumed with
   3. rudita - crying
   4. sphUrita - trembling
   5. adharoshTam  - fluttering upper and lower lips
   6. AsrA - tears, crying
   7. avila - not clear, turbid
   8. ekshaNam - aspect of sight
   9. anukshaNam - momentarily, that very instant
  10. mandahAsam - gentle smile
  11. gopAlaDimbha - the little cowherd boy
  12. vapuSam - admirable, wonderfully beautiful
  13. kuhanAjananyA: - one who assumed falsely sanctity of motherhood - poothanai
  14. prANasthanam - one who drank the breath of life from the  breast of a human being along with          the milk
  15. mivaimi - understand
  16. param pumAmsam - parama purusha, 

This verse is based on the story of poothanai who is a demon and comes in the form of a mother/Gopi to breast feed him. As he sees her Vedantha Desika describes how Lord Krishna is crying with his upper and lower lips trembling being afraid of the oncoming problem – the demon poothanai. The tears are making his eyes turbid and his breath carries the fragrance of the vedas. As he cries he smiles to himself planning how to overcome her. Lord Krishna even though looks like an innocent cow herd little boy drinks the life of the demon along poisonous milk from the breast and kills her. Vedantha Desika says this is not an ordinary child I see him as the supreme Lord himself – param purusha

Gopala Vimsati 2/21

2. vAacam nijAnka rasikAm prasameekshamANo
    vaktr¯aravinda vinive´sita p¯a˜ncajanyah. Á
    varNa trikon.a rucire vara puNdareeke
     baddhAsano jayati vallava cakravart¯ı

  


 1. vAcam - Saraswathi Devi
 2. nijAnka - lap. 
 3. rasikAm - delighted in
 4. prasameekshamANam - blessing with auspicious looks
 5. vaktra - face / jaws
 6. aravinda - lotus
 7. vinivesita - placed or fixed in or on
 8. p¯a˜ncajanyam - Conch
 9. varNam - color
 10. trikonam - triangle . 
 11. rucire - beautiful
 12. puNdareekam - lotus flower
 13. baddhAsanam - seated well
 14. jayati - victorious
 15. vallava - cow herd
 16. cakravart¯ı - Universal ruler who rules ethically and benevolently over the entire world


The ruler of the cowherds is seated on a colorful triangular yantra placed inside a lotus with eight petals by his devotees who enjoy his incomparable beauty. On his lap is the Goddess of learning Saraswathi, whom he blesses with his bountiful glances. He has a sacred conch - the Panchajanyam the sound of which produces the PRANAVAM -OHM.



Friday, May 6, 2016

Gopala Vimsati 1 of 21


GOPALA VIMSATI

SriRamaJayam
Ohm Srimaan Vedantha Desikaaya Namaha
Sarvam Sri Krishnarpanamasthu

Srimaan Venkata Nadhaarya Kavithaarkika kesari
Vedantaachaaryavaryome sannidhatththaam sadaahridi



Vimsati in sanskrit is twenty. Swamidesikan composed this 20 verses Gopala Vimsathi    in praise of Lord Rajagopalan of Thiruvahindrapuram. Swami in these beautiful verses gives us the nectar of BalaKrishna Leelas and his youthful joyful time with the Gopas and Gopis wandering and playing in Vrundavan.  In first verse swami makes us guess whom he is describing by giving us clues like who he has his Jayanthi in the month of  AAvani and who wanders with a vijayanthimala on his neck and who is the king of the cow herds. Even without a thought we can say it is our little Lord supreme Gopala. Hence the composition is Gopala Vimsati. This is a humble maiden attempt to explain the slokas in very simple language for the understanding of youngsters and children who are not initiated into sanskrit.

1.  vande bRndAvanacaram vallavI janavallabham
jayantisambhavam dhAma vaijayantI vibhUshaNam ||


1.       vande – Salute, Praise,  Prostrate, Pray
2.       brindAvan- near the town in Gokulam in the district of MathurA on the left bank of river YamunA
3.       chara- wandering / walking
4.       vallavi – Cow herd (girls) - gopikas
5.       jana – People
6.       vallabham – beloved
7.       jayantI  sambhavam – Holy birth – Sri Jayanthi – Birth of Krishna
8.       dhAma – supreme Jyothi
9.       vijayantI – necklace of viShnu
10.   vibhushanam – adorning, ornament

I prostrate before that supreme power, He who wanders in the forest of Vrundavan a town near Gokulam in the district of Mathura. ). He who grazes the cows and enjoys the company with the cow herd girls the gopis and wears a garland made of wild flowers Jayanthi is always SriJayanthi the day (unless specified by another prefix as Nrusimha Jayanthi, Ramanuja Jayanthi etc). Perumal took avataram as Krishna, and was born to Devaki and Vasudeva . Krishna was born in the tamil month of avani, Krishna paksha ashtami  (eighth day from full moon to new moon)