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Sri Krishna Jayanti

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muralidhar rangaswamy • August 12, 1998 


Dear Bhaktas,

I am sharing a translation of the Pasurams from the sixth decad of 
Perumal Tirumozhi for the occassion of Sri Krishna Jayanti. This 
decad follows the fifth decad in which Kulashekara Perumal performed 
SharaNagati to the Lord of Tiruvithakodu. In it he establishes the 
relationship between a Prapanna and Bhagavan as that of a Pativrata 
dedicated to her husband. In the sixth decad, the Azhwar continues 
with this train of thought and analyzes the relationship between 
the Gopikas of Gokulam and Lord Krishna. The Gopikas were deeply 
attached to Lord Krishna and wanted to experience him as 
Nayaka-Nayaki. Often Lord Krishna made promises to the Gopikas only 
to break them later with the intent of teasing them. This causes them 
great anguish. Their relationship to Lord Krishna is that 
of eternal servitude. At the same time, his playful deceit angers 
them. The Azhwar brings out these feelings of the Gopikas with 
consummate effect in ten delectable verses beautifully strung 
together. In it the Azhwar wishes to bring out the distress of 
Bhaktas when the Lord does not immediately respond to their 
imploring appeal. As a result, only the Azhwar's pristine Anubhavam 
can bring out in full meaure the feelings of the Gopikas. Consequently, 
no translation can do full justice to the Azhwar's 
outpourings and capture his thought-process.

This translation is based on the work of U.Ve. Sri 
Ananathanarasimhachariar Swamin (Bangalore), Srikaryam Srimad 
Poundarikapuram Ashramam. All errors and shortcomings are Adiyen's 
contributions.

1. Oh Vasudeva, in this town (Nanda Gokulam) there are a number of 
Gopikas with attractive hair, wearing beautifully bloomed flowers and 
like me have a desire to embrace you. Even after knowing you well, I 
believed your false promises and waited for you with mental tension 
(fear of being seen by someone) till next morning on the sands of Yamuna 
shivering in cold while the fog was coming down like rain.

2. Oh Damodara! Seeing a lady with fish-like attractive eyes near our 
house, churning butter you said "I can churn butter very fast". Then 
you mesmerized her with your attractive eyes and your hair, decorated 
with bee-attracting flowers loosened (during churning). Your bright 
charming face made her sweat in her face and her red lips quivered.
Do you think I do not know the episode of your churning the cool butter?

3. Oh Lord! Destroyer of Nalakubera and Manigriva (in the form of 
two Arjuna trees)! You gave a side glance to one Gopi with black hair 
wearing flowers while at the same time you showed your interest to 
another Gopi. For yet another you said that you are her servant; to 
another innocent girl you told a lie to meet her alone; then you 
embraced someone else (another Gopi) with attractive hair and telling 
her a lie also. Your deceit is growing with your age.

4. Even though there was tasty milk in the mother's breasts, you skid 
from her lap, crawled and put your mouth on the breasts of the deceitful 
woman Putana and drank the poisoned milk. Oh Lord! will not 
others call you mad? While I am waiting with deep love thinking of you 
only you enjoyed all the pleasures with the messengewr I sent to you 
with a message for you. I suppose even this act fits with your mischief. 

5. Taking with you a lady with slender waist like lightning in the 
darkness of the night along our street covering your faces with a 
silken cloth, I was standing observing you both. On this occassion, 
also you cast your look on another lady and bound her with your 
magnetic glances while conveying a coded message with your hand 
gestures. I was standing observing you. Why did you then come here 
leaving her? Oh embodiment of all qualities! Please go there in future 
also.

6. Oh Vasudeva! Oh Powerful-shouldered one! I the sinned one while 
sleeping, you left me alone in the middle of the night on the cosy 
bed and went away. You did the same thing the next night also. During 
this time, you were happy in the company of others. Why did you come 
near me now? Oh Lord! You may go somewhere else.

7. Oh Lord! Reclining on the beautiful serpent-bed Adishesha! We 
are not Gopikas of the past. As you think, we neither have a beautiful 
and attractive body nor have eyes like deer. Why come near us? Seeing 
you beautiful head gear, your charming face, your attractive mouth 
playing the flute, we believed your falsehood one day and that is 
enough. Do not speak falsehood. Oh Lord! Please go away.

8. Having asked me to come to the specific spot with a canopy of jasmine 
creeper full of flowers, you were embracing another waiting 
for you there and after seeing me stepped aside agitated. Holding 
the silken cloth in your hand, you pretended like one frightened that 
day. If I catch you here one day coming to me, I shall settle my score 
with you then!

9. Oh Lord! With benevolent grace with a garland shining in your chest, 
wearing a peacock feather in your head, with a silken cloth 
around your waist, a bunch of flowers hanging from your ears, you are 
coming in the company of ladies (Gopis) who have decorated their hair 
with fragrant flowers, playing the flute melodiously. To play flute for 
us even for a day, it appears that the sound does not come out 
of your flute. 

10. The young Gopis who deeply loved Krishna, the Lord of Mahalakshmi, 
said these verses after experiencing a rejection of their love and 
separation in the night. These verses are composed by Kulashekara 
Azhwar, Lord of Kolli, King of Madurai, in chaste Tamil with melodious 
tunes. Those who recite these verses will not experience sorrow.

Namo Narayana,

Muralidhar Rangaswamy

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