Garga Bhagavatham : Vrindavan Khanda - Chapter 10

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Yashoda's worry; Consolation by Nanda and donation of a variety of things to Brahmins; Sri Krishna and Balaram take the cows for grazing

Sri Narada says:- By Ashtavakra's curse, Aghasur becomes snake and later by his boon attains the ultimate salvation. Upon hearing that Sri Krishna somehow escaped from Vatsasur, Vakasur, and the mouth of Aghasur and seeing that within a short time, all these perils came upon Him, Yashoda got very scared. She summoned Kalaavati, Rohini, elderly Gopas, Vrishbhanuvar, King of Vraj - Nand, nine Upanands, the principal among all the citizens the six Vrishbhanus and spoke thus in front of all of them.

 

Yashoda said:- All of you tell me what to do, where to go, and how I can be safe? Every moment some danger is befalling upon my son. Firstly, we left Mahavan and came to Vrindavan, to which other safer should I go to? Please be kind enough to tell me this. My son, by nature, is very playful. He goes away very far while playing. Other boys of Vraj are also very mercurial. None of them ever listen to my words. The hard beaked, powerful Vakasur attacked my son first. After escaping from him, the demon Aghasur made this helpless boy along with all the other boys and calves, his food and swallowed them all. Somehow by the grace of God, all the boys were saved. Before all this, the little boy was attacked by Vatsasur, but he was also slain by the hands of God. Now I will never allow my son to go out of the house to graze the calves.

 

Sri Narada says:- Looking at her speaking like this and continually weeping Sri Nand began to tell her something. Firstly the knower of righteousness, wealth and the most generous Nand, reminded her about the words of Sri Garga and pacified her and then said 

 

King Nand said:- Yashoda! have you forgotten all the words told by Sri Garga? Words uttered by Brahmanas are always true, they never tell a lie. That is why to overcome all hardships you have to be a benefactor always. There has never been or will there be an act more sacred than being generous.

 

Sri Narada says:- King! Then Yashaoda gave away the most valuable nine gems in her possession and her ornaments. Then Sri Nand gave ten thousand bulls and one lakh beautiful cows and fed Brahmanas two lakh times.

 

Sri Narada again says:- King! Now as per the wish of Gopas, Balaram and Sri Krishna became cowherds. With their cowherd friends, the two brothers started going around grazing cows. At that time the cows, looking at the beautiful faces of Sri Krishna and Balaram were moving all around them. They were wearing garlanda of Kshudragrantika flowers around their necks. Golden necklaces were also enhancing the beauty of their necks. Anklets were tied around their legs. Emitting the melodious sounds of their anklets, they were grazing here and there. Garlands of shining, new gemstones were beautifying all the cows. King! The horns of the cows were decorated with pearls, by which their beauty was further enhanced. Golden colored clothing continued shining on their horns and their bodies. The foreheads of some cows were marked with some red-colored spots. Their tails were painted with yellow color and their legs were decorated with the red color of the rising Sun. Many cows were white like the Mount Kailash, and were well mannered, good looking and were endowed with very good qualities. Pregnant cows with heavy bodies were moving slowly. Some of their stomachs were comparable to huge pails of water. Many cows were red in color. All of them were looking very obedient. Some were yellow, some were multi-colored, some were black, some were green, some were copper-colored, some foggy colored, and some blue like the sky. All their eyes were focussed on Ghanashyam Sri Krishna. Horns of some cows and bulls were short, some big and some tall. Some had horns like those of deer and some had curved horns. All the cows were from Kapila and Mangaldham. Crores of cows were searching and grazing fresh grass in the forest and all of them were moving within the sight of Sri Krishna.

 

    In Vrindavan, on the sacred wetland on the banks of Yamuna, was graceful with many kinds of trees - Neepa, Kadamba, Neem, Ashoka, Pravala, Kathala, Jamun, Vilva, Peepal, and Kaitha trees and many lovely creepers. The onset of Vasant Ritu was beautifying the attractive Vrindavan. It was looking like the Nandavan of Devatas, full of happiness and auspiciousness from all directions. It sidelined the Chaitrarat garden of Kubera. There Govardhan mountain was shining with waterfalls, caves, and was full of precious stones. That forest was full of Parijata (night jasmine)trees. It was adorned with many kinds of trees - sandal, pear, plantain, pine, banyan, Palaasha, Paakara, Ashoka, Arshita, Arjuna, Kadamba, Paarijaata, Paatala, and Champa trees. That forest was surrounded by black-colored trees called Indrayava and was filled with sounds of sweet-voiced male cuckoo birds and peacocks. In that region, Sri Krishna was moving from one forest to another, grazing the cows. King of Kings! He roamed in Vrindavan and Madhuvan, Taalavan nearby Kumudvan, Bahulaavan, Kamavan, on the plains of mountains named Bruhastanu and Nandeeswar, filled with cooing sounds of the cuckoo birds, in the Kokilavan, decorated by creepers, peaceful and beautiful Kushvan, most sacred Bhadravan, Bhaandir upavan, Lohargal lake and on the green lands on Yamuna's exclusive banks. Wearing a yellow colored dress, the most attractive Sri Krishna, carrying a cane and playing on His flute and enhancing the love of all Gopikas, was looking very graceful. Around His head, He was adorning a cloth(turban) which was of golden color and around his neck, the garland of vyjayanti flowers was shining.

 

   In the evening with the group of cows going in front, the supreme Sri Hari, Krishna, playing very many tunes(ragas) entered Nandavraj. Seeing the sky full of dust created by the cows and hearing the melodious sound of the flute coming from the direction of Sri Vamsi forest, all the Gopikas being attracted by the sound of the flute came out of their houses to see Shyamasundar. To forget all their worries and get the great pleasure of seeing Sri Krishna all the Gopis came out of their houses quickly. They had no strength to forget Sri Krishna. Son of Sri Nand was looking back and forth like a lion. He was playfully walking slowly like an elephant. His eyes were shining like the fully blossomed lotus. Being surrounded by cows and walking slowly in the narrow lanes, Shyamasundar could not be seen properly by the Gopikas. 

 

King of Mithila! May Lord Sri Krishna, who is covered by the dust raised by the cows, adorned by beautiful blue colored ornaments in His hair, wearing golden bracelets, wearing a crown on His head, and with his body covered by dust created by the cows, with His wide eyes stretching till His ears, wearing a garland of lotuses, with his face brightened by the luster of flowers dangling from His ears, wearing a yellow silk dress, an expert at playing on the flute and the destroyer of the burden of the earth, protect all of you. 

 

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