Sri Krishna Kathamrita

Bindu Issue 534

Karttika Meditations
 Sri Krishna Kathamrita
तवकथामृतं तप्तजीवनम्
tava kathāmṛtaṁ tapta-jīvanam
Bindu
Fortnightly email mini-magazine from Gopal Jiu Publications

Issue No. 534 Śrī Ramā Ekādaśī 21 October 2022

• Krishna-katha is Essential
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
• Always Discuss Topics of the Lord
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada
• Feeding the Monkeys
Highlights

Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

• The Mouse, the Lamp, and the Queen
A Puranic History
• Prapanchika Vaikuntha
• Mother, Give Me Butter!
The Gaudiya Poet Raya Sekhar
• Krishna’s Anger at Yashoda
The Gaudiya Poet Balaram Das

Krishna-katha is Essential

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The descriptions of the pastimes of Lord Krishna are so
attractive that they are relishable for all classes of men.
… Whether one is liberated, or is trying to be liberated, or
is even grossly materialistic, the pastimes of Lord Krishna
are worth studying.
... It is essential for persons who are actually liberated to
hear about the pastimes of Krishna. That is the supreme
relishable subject matter for one in the liberated state.
Also, if persons who are trying to be liberated hear such
narrations as Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam then
their path of liberation becomes very clear. Bhagavad-gītā
is the preliminary study of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. By studying
the Gītā, one becomes fully conscious of the position of Lord
Krishna; and when he is situated at the lotus feet of Krishna,
he understands the narrations of Krishna as described in the
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Lord Chaitanya has therefore advised
his followers that their business is to propagate kṛṣṇa-kathā.
Cover: "Bala Krishna with elderly gopis". Unknown artist.
 Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu Issue Five Hundred Thirty four, Page — 2

Always Discuss
Topics of the Lord
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada
There is always discussion of hari-kathā in our
maṭha, and the residents there are also engaged in
Lord Hari’s service. It is our duty to associate in all
respects with devotees for whom the Lord’s service
is their life and soul. That place where there is no
Unknown artist

kṛṣṇa-kathā is extremely unfavorable for bhakti, even

if it is filled with relatives and items for comfortable
living. I simply think of Mahaprabhu’s mercy when I
see the devotees in the maṭha continually discussing
Beautiful Krishna Gopal hari-kathā and always being eager to serve the Lord.
Pious persons who desire their own good should
... It is the order of Lord Chaitanya that kṛṣṇa-
visit the maṭha from time to time and hear kṛṣṇa-
kathā should be spread all over the world, because
kathā from the spiritual master and the vaiṣṇavas.
if the conditioned souls suffering under the pangs
If we have a taste for kṛṣṇa-kathā and a propensity
of material existence take to kṛṣṇa-kathā then their
to serve Krishna, then that taste will keep us aloof
path of liberation will be open and clear.
from bad association. By always reading spiritual
... Krishna will be appealing to the liberated souls
magazines and studying the literature written by
and to persons who are trying to be liberated, as well
the mahājanas while constantly begging for Sri
as to the gross, conditioned materialists. According
Guru-Gauranga’s mercy, we can attain the result of
to the statement of Maharaja Parikshit, who heard
hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā from the mouths of the devotees.
about Krishna from Sukadev Goswami, kṛṣṇa-
Although in this material world we cannot always
kathā is equally applicable to every human being,
meet with devotees from the spiritual world, the
in whatever condition of life he is in. Everyone
pastimes and conversations of the devotees who
will appreciate it to the highest magnitude. But
were contemporaries of Mahaprabhu have been
Maharaja Parikshit also warned that persons who
permanently recorded in books. Therefore, there is
are simply engaged in killing animals and in killing
no need for disappointment. If we live somewhere
themselves may not be very much attracted to
and discuss kṛṣṇa-kathā, we will certainly attain
kṛṣṇa-kathā. In other words, ordinary persons who
are following the regulative moral principles of auspiciousness, and nothing can harm us.
scriptures, no matter in what condition they are If we simply engage in discussing topics of the
found, will certainly be attracted, but not persons Lord while living anywhere, by the Lord’s mercy
who are killing themselves. The exact word used we can realize the glories of devotional service, the
in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is paśughna, which means Lord’s mercy, and come to remember the Lord in
killing animals or killing oneself. Persons who are our day-to-day life. A devotee should live wherever
not self-realized and who are not interested in the Lord is pleased to keep him and should forget
spiritual realization are killing themselves; they his own material miseries. When the propensity
are committing suicide. Because this human form to serve the Lord is awakened in the heart while
of life is especially meant for self-realization, by discussing hari-kathā in the association of devotees,
neglecting this important part of his activities, then we will automatically remember Hari under all
one simply wastes his time like the animals. So circumstances. To test us, the Supreme Lord is always
he is paśughna. present behind what we can see. If we see the Lord’s
— From the introduction to Kṛṣṇa, The Supreme Personality of mercy behind every incident, we will no longer feel
Godhead. Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Bombay. 1996. distress. The material world, material existence, is the
Issue Five Hundred Thirty-four, Page — 3 श्रीकृष्णकथामृत बिन् दु
place where we are tested. If we wish to pass the test, And you are with so many monkeys. Gopal, are you
we must hear kṛṣṇa-kathā from the pure devotees. not afraid, surrounded by so many monkeys?”
Even though at present we may not always have the Gopal said, “Mother, these monkeys helped
opportunity to hear hari-kathā in the association of Lord Rama! Rama was going to conquer Lanka
devotees, if we continuously hear it in the form of and kill Ravan. The monkeys underwent severe
discussing vaiṣṇava literature we will not feel the tribulations, suffering, suffering, suffering.
absence of vaiṣṇava association. Lord Rama was wandering in the forest. He had
— Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. Amrta Vani. Pp. 153-154. A
collection of statements from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati no good food to give them. He had nothing.
Thakur. Originally compiled in Bengali by Sri Bhakti Bhagavat Sometimes they couldn’t get anything at all to
Mayukha Maharaja. Translated into English by Bhumipati Das.
Touchstone Media. Mumbai. 2004. eat. Sometimes they were jumping from one
branch to another to get some fruit, and some
Feeding the Monkeys days they might not have gotten anything, so
they had to fast. Now see, mother, how they are
Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja stretching out their hands, begging for mākhan,
This is a conversation between Yashoda and Krishna ‘Give us, give us, give us mākhan!’ They are eating
which took place after Yashoda caught her son stealing with so much delight.”
butter and feeding it to the monkeys. This is such a wonderful sweet līlā! The Supreme
Mother Yashoda said to Gopal, “Your intelligence, Lord makes His devotees drown in the ocean of
your play, your activities, are like that of the monkeys. happiness, joyfulness, and pleasure.

Photo by Divyadesam.com

The original mortar where Krishna was tied in Gokul

Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu Issue Five Hundred Thirty four, Page — 4

Painting by Annapurna Dasi

Krishna fed butter to the monkeys while keeping a watchful eye out for his mother

Yashoda-mata, due to her vātsalya-rasa, parental studied throughout the three Vedas, the Upanishads,
love, forgot that Krishna is Bhagavan. She was only the literature of sāṅkhya-yoga, and other vaiṣṇava lit-
thinking how to make everything auspicious for her erature. Yet mother Yashoda considered that Supreme
Person her ordinary child.
son, how to make her son happy. By the activity of
yoga-māyā, she was only thinking, “My son, my son!” Those who are sāṅkhya-yogīs engage in analytical
She was thinking only these kinds of thoughts. The discussion on him. Those who are devotees offer
Bhāgavatam (10.8.45) describes: prayers to the Supreme Lord Krishna. But mother
Yashoda said, “He is my son, he is my son!” —
trayyā copaniṣadbhiś ca sāṅkhya-yogaiś ca sātvataiḥ
sāmanya-tātmajam. This is pure vātsalya-rasa.
upagīyamāna māhātmyaṁ hariṁ sāmanyatātmajam
— From a lecture in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 21 May 1994. Chapter four
The glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are of Mathura Meets Vrindavan. Gopal Jiu Publications. Bhubaneswar. 2003.
Issue Five Hundred Thirty-four, Page — 5 श्रीकृष्णकथामृत बिन् दु
Srila Jiva Goswami then cites an example from the
The Mouse, the Lamp Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa of an ordinary mouse who
and the Queen became a devotee and a queen due to some superficial
contact with the Lord. A similar story is also found the
A Puranic History Padma Purāṇa.
Srila Jiva Goswami writes in Bhakti-sandarbha, In the Viṣṇudharmottara (1.167), Markandeya Rishi
anuccheda 153: relates the following to King Vajra.
In the country of Vidarbha there lived a king
astu tāvat śuddha-bhakty-ābhāsasya vārtā, aparādhatvena
named Chitraratha. He had one hundred and fifteen
dṛśyamāno ‘py asau mahā-prabhāvo dṛśyate.
sons, but only one daughter, whose name was
It is seen that the activities of pure bhakti when Lalitika. She was endowed with all good qualities
performed even without a devotional attitude are and possessed matchless beauty. Her father gave
still very powerful. her in marriage to the righteous king of Kashi. That

Painting by Keshav

Krishna, the lover of the cows

 Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu Issue Five Hundred Thirty four, Page — 6
Unknown artist. South India. Late 18th century

The butter thief

law-abiding king of Kashi had three hundred wives, of the divine river named Umadevi. For blessing the
but Lalitika became his principal queen. Beginning from masses of people, she was called by the Brahmins to
the dark half of the month of Āśvina (September- descend to the earth. On her banks there is a sacred
October), till the bright half of the month of Kārttika place measuring eight miles in circumference. The
(October-November), it was Lalitika’s daily water in that holy place is considered to contain waters
practice to light thousands of lamps, both day from all the places of pilgrimage. Whoever dies there
and night, in the temple of Vishnu. She also sent obtains an auspicious result. That goddess destroys
lamps to the houses of Brahmins, to crossroads of sins whenever she is heard, wished for, or seen. Her
the streets, to various temples, at the bottom of holy place, named “Narasimha”, destroys all sins. In
holy trees, on the tops of mountains, on the sandy the past, the Lord who has a combined form of a man
banks of rivers, and on the surface of wells. Seeing and a lion had taken a bath there. In ancient times, the
her thus absorbed, her co-wives gathered together king of Sauvira constructed a temple of Lord Vishnu at
and asked her, “O fair eyed Lalitika! Neglecting all that place. The priest there daily worshiped the Lord
other rituals, you always seem keen on lighting with flowers, fragrant scents, and the offering of lamps.
lamps in the temples of Vishnu. We are very One evening during the month of Kārttika, the lamp that
curious to know why you do this. Please explain had been offered to the Lord was almost extinguished.
to us why you have so much faith in this activity?” I was then living in that temple in the body of a female
Lalitika replied, “O auspicious ladies! Listen carefully mouse. Thinking to eat the ghee-soaked wick, I seized it,
to my words, and I will tell you why it is that I have but suddenly a cat came. I fled away out of fear with the
faith in the fruit of giving lamps. That worthy daughter wick in my mouth. My running made the flame of the
of the lord of mountains, who is the beloved wife of lamp burn brightly as before. I then met with death and
Shiva, is famous in the country of Madra in her form was later reborn as a daughter of the king of Vidarbha.”
Issue Five Hundred Thirty-four, Page — 7 श्रीकृष्णकथामृत बिन् दु

Krishna and one of the bulls of Vraja Painting and photo collage by Akash Kumar. Zacktic Artz.

In the Padma Purāṇa story (uttara-khanda, chapter Singing and praying to the Lord and dancing in front of
30), Lord Shiva relates the following to Narada Muni. his deity, Kapila stayed awake. When it was midnight,
On the charming bank of the Saraswati River there the Brahmin was finally overcome with sleep. Seeing
was a hermitage known as Siddhashram. Formerly a that Kapila had fallen into a slumber, the cat quickly
Brahmin named Kapila lived there. He was poor but came there. He saw a small female mouse that had come
learned in the Vedas, and maintained his family by to eat the wick and drink the oil in the lamp. He jumped
begging. He worshiped Lord Vishnu by performing and attacked, and the mouse ran away. While running
various vows and fasts. As part of his worship of the away, the mouse bumped the lamp with its foot. Due to
Lord, with great devotion he always lit lamps in his that contact, the lamp suddenly became bright. With
house for the pleasure of Vishnu. the suddenly increased light of the lamp, the Brahmin
A cat with sharp teeth was also living in the house. Day woke up and continued his all-night vigil. The cat also
and night, the cat was searching for mice, and ate many stayed awake throughout that night. When the sun rose,
in the house of the Brahmin Kapila. One Ekādaśī day, that the Brahmin performed his daily duties and then broke
pure Brahmin and his wife fasted and worshiped Vishnu. the fast along with his relatives.
Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu Issue Five Hundred Thirty four, Page — 8

Unknown artist. Mural from the Guruvayur temple in Kerala.

Krishna and his friends stealing butter

The magnanimous Brahmin Kapila obtained many the month of Kārttika arrived. During that month, lamps
sons and grandsons, as well as grains, excellent are lit by those who are devoted to Vishnu.
health, and abundant riches. Finally, at the end of his One day, the king said to the queen, “Today is the
life, Kapila was liberated from this material world due auspicious Prabodhini Ekādaśī [also known as Haribodhini
to his practice of offering lamps to the Lord. or Utthānā Ekādaśī, it is the last Ekādaśī of the Vaishnava
In course of time, the female mouse also died and month of Kārttika and marks the end of Lord Vishnu’s
a wonderful divine airplane came and took her to four-month slumber known as cātur-māsya]. With my
the world of Vishnu. The cat also eventually met senses controlled by fasting, today I will bathe in the
with death, and, ascending an excellent airplane holy place Pushkar and worship the imperishable lotus-
surrounded by celestial nymphs, accompanied by hosts eyed Lord of gods along with his consort Lakshmi.”
of Vidyadharas, and being praised with auspicious Hearing these pleasing words, Rupasundari,
cries of victory, he also went to the world of Vishnu. who was always engaged in the well-being of her
After enjoying many pleasures there for hundreds of husband, replied, “O king, I desire to go with you
millions of years, that former cat took birth on the earth to the sacred place Pushkara.”
as a king named Sudharman. [In this connection, see Then the king and queen, accompanied by groups
“Prapanchika Vaikuntha”, in the box below.] of elephants, horses, chariots, and the family-priests,
Maharaja Sudharman was religious-minded. He came to Pushkar. The king took bath and worshiped
regularly worshiped the Lord and the Brahmins, and the Supreme Lord Vishnu. Standing in a charming
he was handsome, brave, and very strong. His dear wife temple that was full of rows of lights everywhere, the
was endowed with all auspicious marks, devoted to her king suddenly saw a drawing of a cat. Upon seeing that
husband, and was of good character. Her name was picture, the king remembered his former existence,
Rupasundari, and she was the most beautiful among all looked at the lotus-like face of his beloved, and smiled.
ladies. Many sons and daughters were born to them. While Rupasundari said, “O lord, why did you smile
the couple was thus enjoying each other’s company, after looking at me?”
Issue Five Hundred Thirty-four, Page — 9 श्रीकृष्णकथामृत बिन् दु

Painting by Keshav

From his youth, Krishna took care of the calves and cows
The king replied, “In a previous birth I was a cat I came out of my hole to snatch the wick so I could eat
in the house of a Brahmin. There I ate hundreds of it. Emerging from the hole, I saw the deity of Vishnu
mice. Even though my intention was to catch mice decorated with flowers and the Brahmin overcome
to eat, since the result was that I guarded the lamp with sleep. You, in the body of a cat, jumped up to
in front of Vishnu, I got, O Queen, the fruit of that attack me. I saw you and ran back into the hole. In
deed. I first attained the world of Vishnu and now doing this, my foot struck the lamp and it made the
have obtained a kingdom here on earth. wick suddenly burn bright. O lord of great kings, since
Rupasundari said, “I, too, have gained recollection I brightened the lamp in that way, I have now secured
of my former existence. I was a small female mouse excellent beauty, obtained you as my husband, and
in the house of the Brahmin. Once, on the Prabodhini also gained a kingdom, sons, and great happiness. Due
Ekādaśī in Kārttika, when the lamp had become dim, to my inadvertent brightening of the lamp, I secured
 Issue Five Hundred Thirty-four, Page — 10 श्रीकृष्णकथामृत बिन् दु

Prapanchika Vaikuntha
One question arises here: How can someone
attain the Lord’s abode and then return to the

Unknown artist
material world? After all, Krishna says in the Gītā
(15.6), yad gatvā na nivartante — “Once attaining my
abode, one never returns to this material world.”
The permanent nature of residence in the spiritual
world is also described by Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada in a number of places in his
writings. Some examples:
From Vedic scriptures it is understood that some-
times even Brahma and Indra fall down, but a
devotee in the transcendental abode of the Lord
never falls. (Purport to Bhāg. 3.15.48)
Unknown artist

The conclusion is that no one falls from the spiri-

tual world, or Vaikuntha planet, for it is the eternal
abode. (Purport to Bhāg. 3.16.26)

However, the Bhāgavatam (8.5.5) and other

Yashoda loves her darling boy Purāṇas describe an abode of Lord Vishnu
knowledge that is extremely difficult to obtain. By within the material universe. That planet is
the fruit of even unconsciously assisting offering a sometimes referred to as Prapanchika Vaikuntha
lamp to Vishnu, we have been blessed to remember [“prapañcika” means “consisting of the five
our former existences and all our sins have perished.” material elements”]. There are many descriptions
After this discussion, the king and queen, with of persons attaining that place and then returning
great faith, properly performed the rituals of offering to this material world.
a lamp to Vishnu at the holy place of Pushkar. As a
result, the two of them obtained salvation, which is
difficult for even the demigods to attain.
Thus, bhakti is so powerful that even the slightest
Mother, Give Me Butter!
touch of it possesses great power. As Krishna says in
Bhagavad-gītā 2.40: The medieval Gaudiya poet Raya Sekhar
nehābhikrama-nāśo ‘sti pratyavāyo na vidyate The scholar Sukumar Sen in his iconic book, A History
sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt of Brajabuli Literature, writes: “Raya Sekhar, or Kavi-
“In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a sekhar as he very often styled himself, was the greatest
little advancement on this path can protect one from poet of Brajabuli and Bengali lyric literature among the
the most dangerous type of fear.” successors of Govindadas Kaviraj. Raya Sekhar seems to
— MD. have been a younger contemporary of Govindadas, as
he apparently imitated the latter in some of his poems.
Bibliography
Raya Sekhar was a disciple of Raghunandan Goswami of
— Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. English translation and commentary by
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Srikhand. His native place was the village of Paranagram
Bombay. 1995. in the district of Burdwan.”
— Jiva Goswami. Śrī Bhakti-sandarbha. English translation by Sri
Kusakratha Das. The Krishna Institute. Culver City, California. ādha ādha bālaka sata bola bolata
— Jiva Goswami. Śrī Bhakti-sandarbha. Gaudiya Mission. Kolkata. janani vadana tahi cāi
2005. Sanskrit in Bengali script.
mākhana kṣīra svara udara pūrī deha
— Padma Purāṇa. English translation. Motilal Banarshidass. Delhi. 1990.
— Vishnudharmottara Purana, with English translation by Dr. navanita khāi tathāi
Priyabala Shah. Parimal Publications. Delhi. 2005.
Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu Issue Five Hundred Thirty four, Page — 11

Unknown artist. Gita Press.

Mother Yashoda considered that supreme person her ordinary child

The mother said, “O small child! Tell me truly milk products before eating what has been freshly
what you want. The child replied, “Give me as made. So Krishna vaguely promises that he will eat
much mākhana (butter that has been stored for a the navanīta only after finishing the existing food.
few days), kṣīra (kheer), and svara (a special milk In Bengali, the word svara refers to a sound or
preparation) till my stomach is full. Then I will eat noise, however, this poem is written in Brajboli.
navanīta (freshly churned butter).” “Svara” here seems to refer to the top layer of fat
[Translator’s Note: Yashoda knows that Krishna on boiled cow’s milk. ]
is more interested in the navanīta, freshly churned e kṣira mākhana svara dila nandarāni
butter, but she wants her son to finish all the existing kibā se bhojana kare golokera mani
Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu Issue Five Hundred Thirty four, Page — 12

Unknown artist
Yashoda churns butter for Krishna

Thus, Nandarani Yashoda gave him kṣīra, Mother Yashoda strictly says, “Your words are
mākhana and svara to eat. Just see how the crest- false. Your actual intention was to eat navanīta.”
jewel of Golok is eating all of it! [Translator’s Note: From these words, Krishna
bhojana kariyā puna udare dhari kara now knows that he has entered a danger zone where
kemana mākhana dilā māgo nā pūre udara he may be subject to punishment.]

Quickly finishing everything that was given to him, mā bola bali bali tuli bāhu phirata
bhāve bhara gada bhebe dhanda
he puts his hand on his stomach and says, “Māgo
rāya sekhare bhane jānala taichane
(Mother)! What mākhana have you given me? My jasamati tavahi ānanda
stomach is not at all filled.”
[Translator’s Note: Krishna's intention all along As Mother Yashoda was speaking these strict
has been to eat navanīta. Therefore, he has finished words, Krishna raised his hands and started
everything in great haste, pretending that it was not walking here and there, saying “Ma! Ma!” and
enough to fill his stomach.] making a false show that he has eaten too
much and is now experiencing indigestion.
mā bola bala e tomāya e michā vacana
Raya Shekhar says, “At that moment, O Yasoda, I
navani bhojana tomāra nija pṛya jana
knew the joy that you had experienced!”
Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu Issue Five Hundred Thirty-four, Page — 13
[Translator’s Note: In order to escape punishment, Standing in front of Nanda, Gopal was weeping.
Krishna pretended to have stomachache. No loving Tears of mock anger were wetting his breast.
mother will chastise a child who’s having a stomach “I shall not stay in your house anymore.
issue. There is immense joy of vātsalya-rasa to be What can be more insulting than this?
experienced by a devotee who directly sees in A mother calling her son a thief!
their heart this pastime of a strict Yashoda and dhariyā yugala kare bāṅdhiyā chāndana-ḍore
pretentious Krishna.] bāṅdhe rāṇī navanī lāgiyā
— Translated by Hari Parshad Das from song 2 of the Śrī Kṛṣṇera āhīrī ramaṇī hāse dāṅḍāiyā cāri pāśe
Bālyalīlā section of Rāyaśekharera Padāvalī. No publisher information. haya naya dekha sudhāiyā
“For a cup of cream the queen tied me by the hands.
Krishna's Anger at Yashoda All the milk maids stood around and laughed.
You can ask others it you disbelieve me!
The medieval Gaudiya poet Balaram Das
anyera chāoyāla yata tārā nanī khāya kata
Balaram Das is considered by scholars and Vaishnavas mā ha-iyā kebā bāndhe kare
to be one of the greatest poets in the Gaudiya Vaishnava ye bala se bala more nā thākibā tora ghare
e nā duḥkha sahite nā pāre
literature of Bengal. Unfortunately, however, his identity is
unclear. Sukumar Sen in his book, A History of Brajabuli “All the other boys have their fill of cream.
Literature (p 75) suggests that he was likely a disciple Which other mother tied her son?
of Nityananda Prabhu, who was present at the famous Whatever you say, I will not stay here.
festivals in Katwa and Kheturi (around 1582-1583) and I cannot bear the sorrow and injustice.
who is mentioned in Cc. ādi 11.34. Mr. Sen further opines balāi khāyyāche nanī michā cora bale rāṇī
that it was probably this Balaram Das who is mentioned by bhāla manda nā kari vicāra
parera chāorāla pāiyā mārena āsiyā dhāiyā
Devakinandan Das in his famous Vaiṣṇava-vandanā, as a
śiśu bali dayā nāhi tāra
disciple of Nityananda and a writer of songs.
“It was Balai (Balaram), after all, who had that cream!
dāṅḍā-iyā nandera āge gopāla kānde anurāge The queen punished me, without any proof.
buk bāhiyā paḍe dhārā
Only because I am not her own son
nā thākiba tomāra ghare apayaśa deha more
mā ha-iya bale nanīcorā She has no pity even at my tender age!
aṅgada-balaya-tāḍa āra yata alaṅkāra
Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu āra maṇi-mukutāra hāra
sakala khasāyyā laha āmāre vidāya deha
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National Highway No. 5 Take everything off me and bid me farewell.
IRC Village I shall cross the Yamuna with pain in my heart.”
Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India 751015 balarāma dāse kaya ei karma bhāla naya
dhāiyā gopāla kara koḍe
Email: [email protected] yaśodā āsiyā kāche gopalera mukha muche
Website: www.gopaljiu.org aparādha kṣamā kara more
Subscriptions: [email protected] Balaram Das says “This does not bode well.
Gopal Jiu Publications is a section of the International Come quickly and take Gopal on your lap.”
Society for Krishna Consciousness, Founder-Acharya: His Yashoda comes quickly and wipes Gopal’s eyes.
Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. “Forgive me, my child, for what I have done.”
Quotations from the books, letters, and lectures of His Divine Grace Bibliography
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ©Bhaktivedanta Book — Bengali Vaiṣṇava Lyrics. Pp. 40-41. By Edward C. Dimock, Jr, and
Trust. All other materials, unless specified, © ISKCON Gopal Jiu Roushan Jahan. First published by the South Asian Languages
Publications. All rights reserved. Blanket permission is given Research Program at The University of Chicago. June 1963.
to redistribute Bindu in electronic or print form provided no
— Sukumar Sen. A History of Brajabuli Literature. University of
changes are made to the contents.
Calcutta. Calcutta. 1935.