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.

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.

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.  

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.

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.

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.

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)