04 Jun 2018
Songs of God Krishna On Cowherd Lady
[Once, Swami was explaining the devotion of Gopikas (cowherd ladies) to God Krishna quoting the Bhagavatam. Some devotees told Swami that the devotion of Gopikas is marvellous after Krishna leaving Brundavanam and settled in Dwaaraka. Swami told “we are seeing the devotion of Gopikas only, which is just a wave in the infinite ocean of the love of Krishna towards Gopikas. Since the love of Gopikas to Krishna is finite, it is expressed in the Bhagavatam. The love of Krishna towards Gopikas is infinite and hence, couldn’t be expressed by anybody. Nobody knows how much agony was undergone by God Krishna in Dwaaraka due to separation from Gopikas. If devotee puts one step towards God, God puts 100 steps towards devotee in the same path selected by the devoted soul as per its taste”. After this, Swami told “Lord Krishna possessed Me now to express His love to Gopikas through songs, which was hidden in Him so far.” For three days continuously, Swami sang these songs with very high fever. On the second day, when I sat near Swami, He told me that a fire altar is burning in His heart. Then, I placed my hand on His heart to find out the truth. Immediately, my hand was burnt deeply, which became red hot and it was burning till the third day was over, when Swami completed the songs. I was pressing Him from a long time to translate these songs also in to English so that devotees can realize the depth of love of God towards His devotees. Swami was hesitating to do the translation fearing that devotees of ordinary level can’t understand this climax of divine love of God. Somehow, I succeeded in getting this translation done by Swami so that the devotees of climax level will appreciate this. All these songs are in Telugu except very few songs, which are in Sanskrit. This book was published, but, Swami instructed us not to distribute this book to every devotee. Swami told us that this book shall be given to devotees of very high level only.
On the last day of completion of these songs, Swami made the following remarks on this book— “After doing deep penance for several births, which is the spiritual knowledge concluded through several discussions and debates, sages developed immense devotion to God and found out that the human incarnation alone is relevant to humanity for real worship. They identified Rama as God, in spite of strong denial from Him, developed taste for a special bond with God as darling and wanted to become females through their miraculous power, to embrace Rama. God can be worshiped through any bond depending on the taste of the individual soul. Whatever may be the bond, the selfless practical love present in it brings weight to it. Sages developed this type of bond towards God since the Veda says that all souls irrespective of gender are females and wives of God (Striya satiih…). In the next birth, sages became Gopikas and Rama was born as Krishna to test the extent of their salvation from the three strong worldly bonds (with life partner, issues and wealth) called as eshanas, which gives an indirect estimation of the strength of the bond with God. The sages expressed their salvation from the bond of life partner only before Rama. God wanted to test this bond also while they become females in which lot of risk is involved to break the tradition and justice for the sake of God. The soul has to vote for justice against injustice in Pravrutti, where as in Nivrutti, the soul has to vote for God against even justice (Sarvadharmaan… Gita). Hence, Krishna danced with Gopikas in Brundavanam to test this bond in extreme state, which involves even to go to hell for the love to God (In fact, Gopikas gave the dust of their feet to sage Narada to cure the headache of Krishna and were prepared to go to hell by doing so for the happiness of Krishna)! Apart from this bond of life partner, God wanted to test other two bonds (issues and wealth) also and Krishna stole butter (wealth) in the houses of Gopikas kept reserved for their issues. Proper understanding of the Bhagavatam (story of Krishna) is said to be the acid test for the spiritual knowledge of scholars (Vidyaavataam Bhaagavate pariikshaa)”. — S. Phani Kumar]
Song in Sanskrit:-
1) Vandanaani- Vandanaani,
Vandanaani- Vandanaani. (Chorus)
Padmacharana – Vandanaani, Padmapaani – Vandanaani,
Padamavadana – Vandanaani, Padmanayana – Vandanaani.
Padmavarna – Vandanaani, Padmagandha – Vandanaani,
Padmahrudaya – Vandanaani, Padmasadma- Vandanaani.
Krishna Datta – Paanishatka- Padmabrunda – Vandanaani,
Paanipadma – Gopabhaame, Vandanaani – Vandanaani.
Bhaktijaladhi – nirmathitam, Brahmayoga – satcharitam,
Pibasi Gopi! – Bhaagavatam, Krishna Datta – vaagamrutam.
(Translation):-
Salutations –salutations, Salutations –salutations,
Salutations –salutations, Salutations –salutations. (Chorus)
Salutations to your lotus feet, Salutations to your lotus palms,
Salutations to your lotus face, Salutations to your lotus eyes.
Salutations to your lotus color, Salutations to your lotus scent,
Salutations to your lotus heart, Salutations to your lotus seat.
Salutations from six lotus like hands of Krishna–Datta,
Salutations – Salutations – to lotus handed cowherd lady.
Divine nectar-poems of Krishna Datta, achieved,
From churning of the endless ocean of devotion,
The true story of the union of devotee with God,
O cowherd lady! Swallow this love of God to you.
[The cowherd lady is said to have lotus seat, which means that she is incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, who sits on lotus flower. Since Krishna is the incarnation of God Vishnu, He saw the cowherd lady as the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi.]
2) What a shocking statement came from your mouth!
That I have completely forgotten you, O cowherd lady! (Chorus)
Uddhava told Me that while making this remark,
Your eyes became red rubies with tear-streams.
I may forget even Myself, how can I forget you?
Yamuna river is witness along with Tamaala trees.
You always doubt Me, doubting is your property,
I believe always truly since I am the ultimate truth.
When the Shishupaala scolded Me bitterly, I just smiled,
But, I wept a lot, on hearing your remark from Uddhava.
[1) Uddhava, a close relative of Krishna, was sent to Brundavanam to console Gopikas weeping in separation from God. Uddhava preached spiritual knowledge that soul is God Krishna, which is false monism. The devotees are always in dualism experiencing the divine love of God. Uddhava returned as a strong devotee like Gopikas!
2) Shishupaala scolded Krishna very bitterly since his bride, Rukmini, ran away with Krishna and married Him.]
★ ★ ★ ★ ★