Verse 58

Translation

Aho! His feet vanquish the pride of a lotus-forest and so Padmâlaya-kamalâ has taken His shelter. His lotus-hands holding the flute are experts in casting a spell. As also in all other arts, His arms shower sweetness and thus fulfil the desires of the Vraja-beauties. No one can describe the splendour of His face – Who is this brilliant youth? 58.

rila Krishnadâs Kavirâj Goswâmi says: Once more Sri Râdhâ got a sphurtiof Sri Krishna and mistook it as ‘sâkshâtkâr’. She saw Sri Krishna approaching the kunja and asked with doubt – Who is this person really? Sri Lilâshuk has echoed Srimati in this verse.

“Aho! What is this mass of effulgence appearing before me? Is it that youthful Krishna?” She thought for a moment and decided, “This mass of effulgence has the form of a Kishor, then it must be Krishna, since His feet are like the lotus and are more beautiful than a forest of lotuses”. In the 12^th verse the poet has said – ‘kamala-vipin-vithi-garva-sarva-ankashabhyam’, meaning, ‘Sri Krishna’s lotus-feet are the sources of all Divine sports and they have vanquished the pride of a lotus-forest. The lotus-forest is proud because it spreads coolness, beauty, fragrance, sweetness and serenity all around. Thus, it gives pleasure to everyone. However, Sri Krishna’s beautiful feet vanquish that pride since they possess those very same qualities, but to a greater degree. In this universe, whatever is beautiful, fragrant or cool is all material. They are temporary and limited. However, Sri Krishna’s beauty is transcendental, condensed sat-chit-ânanda and ever new. Therefore, we cannot compare His beauty with anything material. It is incomparable. The Gopikâs alone can relish the special sweetness of Sri Krishna’s lotus-feet.

“Sri Krishna’s lotus-feet are so beautiful that lotuses are tempted to relish them. His lotus-feet are full of honey-like lâvanya. His toes are like lotus-petals and the Gopis’ eyes (that gaze at them) are like the honeybees. His toenails are very splendorous and resemble the filament of the lotus, since they scatter fragrance all around. May my mind be ever absorbed in those lotus-feet of Sri Krishna and never go astray.”- [Sri Yadunandan Thâkur]

Hence Laxmi, who resides on a lotus (hence She is called ‘padmâlaya’) is mesmerized by the beauty of Sri Krishna’s feet and takes shelter there.

Sri Krishna’s lotus-hands have a great affinity for the flute. He is Parabrahman while the flute emanates Shabda Brahma.

“Sri Krishna is the embodiment of Eros and the song of His flute is full of eroticras that exerts its fullest effect on the Gopis, especially on Sri Râdhâ. What is Her state when She hears the hypnotizing song of the flute and beholds the sweet beauty of the Flute-player? Well, the Mahâjans have given us a slight inkling of that in the following poem. Sri Râdhâ’s messenger is telling Sri Krishna –

“The song of the Your flute is incredible. As soon as one hears it, the heart yearns for more, and ever since She has seen You, my Precious One is dying.

Many sleepless nights have emaciated Her. She continuously stares at the fading moon. Her pulse has weakened, She is sweating profusely and She is moaning in anguish.

She has turned pale, fainted and has stopped breathing. Now, only if You meet Her, then She will recover and entire Gokul will rejoice. Poet Gyâna dâs says – Hear O Shyâm! I have dedicated my life to You.”

Sri Krishna’s arms are very much expert in all the arts.

“Look at that, what strange activities Sri Krishna, the treasure house of all dalliance, is performing! He is composing songs, performing the tândava (fiery dance), conjuring riddles, playing the flute, sewing garlands, sculpting, performing magic and is defeating even the grandmasters in the game of dice.”

His arms shower sweetness. Therefore, they are the source of pleasure for the doe-eyed damsels of Vraja. During the Râs-leelâ, three hundred crores of Gopiswished that Sri Krishna should put His arms around each of them and dance! Sri Krishna’s arms had fulfilled their wish by going around each one at the same time.

“Yogeshwar Sri Krishna entered in between two Gopis and put His arms around them. In this manner, He commenced the Râs-festival. In this Râs-festival every Gopi thought Sri Krishna was dancing with her alone.”

And how is His face?

His infinitely sweet face is inexpressibly beautiful. It is beyond the power of speech. Therefore, even attempting to describe its beauty is useless. When we see His extremely beautiful face, we have an urge to describe it, but we are so astounded that we become speechless.

We may also relish this verse in another way. First, the poet had a vision of only Sri Krishna’s splendour. So he asked – what is this brilliance? It is enchanting my mind and eyes. Then he got a slightly clearer vision and he felt a spurt of love. Therefore, he said – Aho! Is this brilliance ‘Kishor Krishna?’ Then he got a complete vision and described Sri Krishna’s most splendid feet, hands and sweet face.

Sripâd Bhatta Goswâmi says – Sri Lilâshuk was meditating on the sweet pastimes of Sri Krishna. Therefore, he got a sphurti. He experienced His sweet beauty and recited this verse. He was dazed and was thinking, what is this soft brilliance? Is it the effulgence of Brahman? It is not possible since this brilliance has feet and they are so beautiful that they vanquish the pride of a lotus-forest!” You may ask, ‘An exalted person like Sri Kamalâ Devi (Laxmi) resides in the lotus-forest. Is it possible then, for His feet to defeat the lotus-forest?’ To this the poet replies, “Yes, ‘padma-alaya-lambitau’ – Sri Kamalâ Devi too has left her lotus-forest and has sought shelter at His lotus-feet, don’t you see that? She too is spellbound by His feet! His hands are expert at playing the flute and in all the arts. His arms shower sweetness and fulfil all the desires of the Vraja-beauties.”

After describing the sweetness of His feet, hands and arms to a small extent, the poet tried to describe the sweetness of Sri Krishna’s face, but failed. He could only utter, “Sri Krishna’s face is so sweet that it is beyond of the power of speech.”