प्रेमस्वरूपः - 8

वामा देव्यो सकलभुवने ते भवन्त्यो भवन्तु
अस्माकं तन्निरवधिसुखस्यास्पदं वाञ्छितं यत्।
राधे राधे इति निगदिते स्तम्भतुल्या स्थितं तं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥

vāmā devyo sakalabhuvane te bhavantyo bhavantu
asmākaṁ tanniravadhikasukhasyāspadaṁ vāñchitaṁ yat|
rādhe rādhe iti nigadite stambhatulyā sthitaṁ taṁ
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||8||

वामा देव्यो – beautiful ladies
सकलभुवने – in the entire world
ते भवन्त्यो – have become yours
भवन्तु – Let them be!
अस्माकं वाञ्छितं यत् – our desire is
तन्निरवधिसुखस्यास्पदं – to have that recipient of limitless bliss
राधे राधे इति निगदिते – the mere mention of the word ‘RADHA’
स्तम्भतुल्या – like a pillar
स्थितं तं – who stands

There are many beautiful ladies of yours, let them be! My desire is that person who is the recipient of your love which is the ultimate bliss equal to brahmAnanda. I bow to that Krishna who stands frozen like a pillar upon the mere mention of the word ‘RADHA’.

प्रेमस्वरूपः - 7

आस्ये दृष्ट्वा निखिलजगतीं या त्वया सृष्टपूर्वा
किं स्वं पुत्रं सकलजगतः देव इत्यन्वभूत् सा।
कृत्वा थूत्कं त्रिदशपरिषदं प्रार्थयामास यस्मै
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥७॥

āsye dṛṣṭvā nikhilajagatīṁ yā tvayā sṛṣṭapūrvā
kiṁ svaṁ putraṁ sakalajagataḥ deva ityanvabhūt sā|
kṛtvā thūtkaṁ tridaśapariṣadaṁ prārthayāmāsa yasmai
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||7||

आस्ये – in the mouth
दृष्ट्वा – after seeing
निखिलजगतीं – the entire
या त्वया सृष्टपूर्वा – which was created earlier by you
किं सा अन्वभूत् – did she realize/experience
स्वां पुत्रं – her son
सकलजगतः देव इति – to be the lord of the worlds
कृत्वा थूत्कं – she did “thu thu”
प्रार्थयामास – and prayed
त्रिदशपरिषदं – to devas
यस्मै – for him

When Krishna ate mud, Yashoda asked him to open his mouth and show. The moment she saw the worlds inside his mouth, did she realize that her son was the lord of the universe? She immediately took some mud in her hand, circled it over his head and spit on the mud. (this is a practice followed to ward off the evil eye) I bow to that Krishna for whom Yashoda prayed to the devas.

प्रेमस्वरूपः - 6

भक्तिं दृष्ट्वानुपमितरसां नारदो विस्मितोऽभूत्
किं वा वक्ष्ये विरलवचनैः गोपिकाप्रेम तादृक्।
ताभिः सार्धं गहनयमुनातीरकुञ्जे रमन्तं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥६॥

bhaktiṁ dṛṣṭvā anupamitarasaṁ nārado vismito'bhūt
kiṁ vā vakṣye viralavacanaiḥ gopikāprema tādṛk|
tābhiḥ sārdhaṁ gahanayamunātīrakuñje ramantam
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||6||

भक्तिं दृष्ट्वा – seeing their devotion
अनुपमितरसं – incomparable essence
नारदो विस्मितोऽभूत् – Sage Narada was surprised
किं वा वक्ष्ये – what can I say
विरलवचनैः – with insufficient words
गोपिकाप्रेम तादृक् – such is the love of gopis
ताभिः सार्धं – with them
गहनयमुनातीरकुञ्जे – in the deep groves on the banks of yamuna
रमन्तं – one who sports

Seeing their incomparable bhakti, when even Sage Narada was amazed, what can I say of the gopis’ love for Krishna. I bow to that Krishna who plays with the gopis in the banks of Yamuna.

In नारदभक्तिसूत्र, Sage Narada shows the gopis as example for the highest form of bhakti who forget themselves being completely immersed in Krishna –

“नारदस्तु तदर्पिताखिलाचारत तद्विस्मरणे परमव्याकुलेति।” (नारदभक्तिसूत्राणि – ch. 2 su. 19)
“यथा व्रजगोपिकानाम्।” (नारदभक्तिसूत्राणि – ch. 2 su. 21)

प्रेमस्वरूपः - 5

स्वाम्यादेशं हननपरमप्याहरत् त्वत्समीपे
सोऽपश्यत् त्वाम् उरगशयनं कीदृगक्रूरभाग्यम्।
हेतुस्तत्र स्फटिकविमलं मानसं पश्यसि त्वं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥५॥

svāmyādeśaṁ hananaparamapyāharat tvatsamīpe
so'paśyat tvām uragaśayanaṁ kīdṛgakrūrabhāgyam|
hetustatra sphaṭikavimalaṁ mānasaṁ paśyasi tvaṁ
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||5||

स्वाम्यादेशं – lord’s order
हननपरमपि – although it was to kill
आहरत् – brought
त्वत्समीपे – to you
सोऽपश्यत् – he saw
त्वां – you
उरगशयनं – lying on a serpent bed
कीदृक् अक्रूरभाग्यम् – What a fortune for Akrura
हेतुस्तत्र – the reason there is
पश्यसि त्वं – you see
स्फटिकविमलं मानसं – crystal clear and pure heart

Knowing very well that Kamsa’s orders were meant to bring your death, Akrura brought them to you. Despite this, how fortunate was Akrura to have seen you as Vishnu under the river! The reason there is that you see only the pure heart which is clear as a crystal. I bow to that lord who is filled with love and dark like a new rain cloud.

प्रेमस्वरूपः - 4

योत्स्ये नाहं मम गुरुजनैः सार्धमेवं ब्रुवाणम्
पार्थं बोधस्फुरितवचनैः उद्धधार स्वशिष्यम्।
आत्मारामं समरभुवि तं सारथीभूतकृष्णं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥४॥

yotsye nāhaṁ mama gurujanaiḥ sārdhamevaṁ bruvāṇam
pārthaṁ bodhasphuritavacanaiḥ uddhadhāra svaśiṣyam|
ātmārāmaṁ samarabhuvi taṁ sārathībhūtakṛṣṇaṁ
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||4||

योत्स्ये नाहं – I will not fight
मम गुरुजनैः सार्धम् – with my gurus
एवं ब्रुवाणम् पार्थं – thus spoke pArtha
बोधस्फुरितवचनैः – with enlightening words
उद्धधार – uplifted
स्वशिष्यम् – his disciple
आत्मारामं – one who revels in the Self
समरभुवि - on the battlefield
तं सारथीभूतकृष्णं – that krishna who became a charioteer

With enlightening words, you uplifted the spirits of your disciple Arjuna who said, “I will not fight with my preceptors”. I bow to that Krishna who revels in the Self, yet, became charioteer for Arjuna on the battlefield.

प्रेमस्वरूपः - 3

स्मृत्वा हृद्यान् उषितदिवसान् सन्निधाने गुरोस्तान्
बद्ध्वा चैले पृथुकमनयत् त्वत्समीपे कुचैलः।
मुष्टेरर्थे विततसकलश्रीप्रसादं च कृष्णं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥३॥
smṛtvā hṛdyān uṣitadivasān sannidhāne gurostān
badhvā caile pṛthukam anayat tvatsamīpe kucailaḥ|
muṣṭerarthe vitatasakalaśrīprasādam ca kṛṣṇaṁ
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||3||

स्मृत्वा = remembering
हृद्यान् = pleasing
तान् उषितदिवसान् = those days spent
सन्निधाने गुरोः = in the presence of guru
बद्ध्वा = tying
चैले = in a piece of cloth
पृथुकम् = flattened rice
अनयत् = brought
त्वत्समीपे = to you
कुचैलः = kucela
मुष्टेरर्थे = for just one handful
विततसकलश्रीप्रसादं = provided entire wealth

Kuchela, remembering the days spent with you in gurukula, ties some flattened rice in a piece of cloth and brings it you. I praise that lord who gave entire material prosperity for just one handful of dried rice.

श्रीमद्भागवतपुराणे दशमस्कन्धे ऐकाशीतितमे अध्याये 10 & 11 श्लोकौ –
इति मुष्टिं सकृज्जग्ध्वा द्वितीयं जग्धुमाददे।
तावच्छ्रीर्जगृहे हस्तं तत्परा परमेष्ठिनः॥10॥
एतावतालं विश्वात्मन् सर्वसम्पत्समृद्धये।
अस्मिँल्लोकेऽथवामुष्मिन् पुंसस्त्वत्तोषकारणम्॥11॥
With these words, he took one fistful of that flattened rice and ate it, and then took another in hand. At this Rukmini who was none other than Sri devi caught hold of his hand, preventing the Lord from eating more of it. The Devi said, “O lord! By what you have already eaten you have conferred on him prosperity here and hereafter.”

Such was Krishna’s pleasure on seeing Kuchela that he forgot himself and wanted to eat more of the rice. By eating more, Sri, the goddess of fortune would have had to serve at the devotee’s home. To save herself from such a plight, she restrained Krishna from eating more.

प्रेमस्वरूपः - 2

कालिन्द्यां ते विषधरपतौ नर्तनं वीक्ष्य नागाः
पत्युः प्राणं सजलनयनाः प्रार्थयामासतुस्त्वाम्।
दृष्टं सर्वैरुरगपतये दत्तजीवं च कृष्णं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥२॥

kālindyām te viṣadharapatau nartanaṁ vīkṣya nāgāḥ
patyuḥ prāṇam sajalanayanāḥ prārthayāmāsatuḥ tvām|
dṛṣṭaṁ sarvaiḥ uragapataye dattajīvam ca kṛṣṇaṁ
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||2||

कालिन्द्यां = In Yamuna
विषधरपतौ = on the snake king
ते नर्तनं = your dance
वीक्ष्य = upon seeing
नागाः = the snakes (kalinga’s wives)
सजलनयनाः = with tearful eyes
पत्युः प्राणं = their husband’s life
प्रार्थयामासतुः = prayed
त्वाम् = to you
दृष्टं सर्वैः = who was seen by everyone
दत्तजीवं = who gave life
उरगपतये = to the snake king

In the river Yamuna when you danced on the head of kaliya, the snake king, his wives prayed to with tears in their eyes. I pray to that Krishna, who was seen by everyone giving life to that snake king, who is dark like a new rain cloud and full of love.

In bhagavata purana it is because of the entreaties of kaliya's wives that Krishna steps down from the snake's head.

प्रेमस्वरूपः - 1

Lord Krishna is very popular as an icon of love or prema. There are several instances where people have shown their love for Krishna in different ways and the way in which Krishna reciprocates is also different. This is the first sloka in a set of eight titled प्रेमस्वरूपः (the form of prema or love) which describes in brief some those instances.

श्रीगोपीश प्रणयसुलभ त्वच्चरित्रे हि दृष्टं
गाढं प्रेम स्वकृतवचनैः वर्णनां कर्तुमीहे।
पुण्यां वीक्षामधिजिगमिषुश्चातकोऽहं च कृष्णं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥१॥

śrīgopīśa praṇayasulabha tvaccaritre hi dṛṣṭaṁ
gāḍhaṁ prema svakṛtavacanaiḥ varṇanāṁ kartumīhe |
puṇyāṁ vīkṣām adhijigamiṣuḥ cātako'haṁ ca kṛṣṇaṁ
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||1||

श्रीगोपीश = lord of lakshmi and gopi
प्रणयसुलभ = easily accessible by love
त्वच्चरित्रे = in your life
हि दृष्टं = is indeed seen
गाढं प्रेम = deep love
स्वकृतवचनैः = words written by me
वर्णनां कर्तुम् = to describe
ईहे = I wish
पुण्यां वीक्षाम् = divine grace
अधिजिगमिषुः = wishing to get
चातकोऽहं = I am like a cataka bird
कृष्णं = krishna
प्रेमापूर्णं = filled with love
नवजलधरश्यामलं = dark like a new rain cloud
देवम् = lord
ईडे = I worship

O Krishna, who is the consort of Shri (Lakshmi) is also the lord of the gopis (wives of cowherds) because you are easily accessible by love, I wish to describe with my words the deep love that is seen in your story. For this I seek your divine grace, like the cataka bird and hence worship you Krishna who is filled with love and dark like a new rain-cloud.

Chataka is a mythical bird which always quenches its thirst only from raindrops that fall. So it is always looking at the sky in search of a rain cloud. My plight is not so bad because I am looking at you, Krishna who is dark like the rain cloud and hence always filled with love.