Verse 77
dhenu-pâla-dayitâ-stana-sthali-
dhanya-kumkumasa-nâtha-kântaye,
venu-gita-gati-mula-vedhase
brahma-râshi-mahase namo namah.77.
Translation
The saffron on the breasts of the Gopa damsels is indeed blessed for it bathes Sri Krishna and makes Him look all the more radiant and exultant. He is the Creator of the sweet song of the flute and all other wonderful notes. He is the Creator of countless Brahmâs. I pay repeated obeisance to That effulgent Sri Krishna.77.
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ow Sri Lilâshuk beheld Sri Krishna Who was coloured with the saffron of the Gopa damsels’ breasts. How attractive and radiant He looked! How wonderfully He played the flute! He uttered in amazement – “I pay repeated obeisance to this Sri Krishna.” Love has overwhelmed him so much that he has said ‘namo namah’ twice. How is Sri Krishna looking? The blessed saffron from the Gopa damsels’ breasts has coloured Him. He is looking all the more radiant and exultant. His dark complexion has become brilliant due to the saffron. The Vrajabâlâs are naturally luxuriant and fragrant. When the saffron meets their breasts, it becomes blessed, for it gains these qualities.
During viraha, the Gopis had paled. Now Sri Krishna’s embrace has made them joyful. He is weaving magic with His flute. Sri Krishna is the Originator of the sweet song of the flute. He is the One Who has created Ved-mantras that resonate from each and every pore of the flute.
“When Sri Krishna plays the reverberating notes of the flute, Indra, Shiva, Brahmâ and all other celestial beings hear spellbound, yet they are unable to discern the Truth about Him and they fall in illusion.”
– (Srimad-Bhâgavatam10.35.15)
We see in Sri Brahma-samhitâ –
“The Gâyatri Mantra came out from the flute and entered Brahmâ’s pure lips. Thus Brahma, who was born in the lotus, got the Gâyatri Mantra from the flute-playing Sri Krishna. In this manner the Lord cleansed Brahmâ and made him a Brahmin.”
Vidagdha-Madhav[1] too has called the song of the flute as Vedic chant.
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Vishâkhâ told Sri Râdhârâni, “Your modesty is like a sacrificial fire and the resonance of the flute is the mantra of the Atharva Ved that extinguishes that fire (it is destroying Your modesty). The notes of the flute are kindling the fire of passion like the mantras of Sâmadheni. They are like the teachings of the Upanishads since they unite the Soul (You) with the Super Soul (Kânhâ). Therefore, You may safely conclude that the flute is Your staunch enemy.” – (V.M.)
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Srila Bilwamangal Thâkur too has stated –
“The music of Sri Krishna’s flute drive people crazy, it lends its voice to the Vedas, makes the trees blissful, melts the rocks and mesmerizes the deer. It makes the cattle happy, fills the universes with awe and pleasures the Munis. The song of the flute expresses the seven notes, manifests Omkâr (the primeval sound) and reigns Supreme.”
Sri Lilâshuk was amazed and thought, “Is it possible that Sri Krishna is the Originator of this Venu-geet?” Immediately he remembered a divine pastime and said, “It is nothing surprising – brahma-râshi-mahase.” Srila Kavirâj Goswâmi has explained the meaning – “There are infinite universes and infinite Brahmâs. They glorify Sri Krishna, Who is the Creator of them all.” Is it surprising that He Who is the Creator of creators has created the Venu-geet? Sri Chaitanya Charitâmrita has described one portion of the Lord’s majesty –
“One day, in Dwaraka, the gate-keeper informed Sri Krishna that Brahmâ had come to see Him. The Lord asked, “Which Brahmâ? What is his name?” The gatekeeper returned to Brahmâ and inquired about him. Brahmâ was surprised. He answered, “Tell Him – Chaturmukh, the father of Sanak Muni, has come.” The gatekeeper conveyed this message to Sri Krishna and took Brahmâ inside.
He prostrated himself before the Lord. Sri Krishna received him well and asked, “Why have you come?” Brahmâ said, “I shall state my request later. First, please clear my doubt. Why did you ask ‘which Brahmâ’? There is no other Brahmâ than myself!” The Lord smiled and meditated. Immediately innumerable Brahmâs appeared in His presence. They had ten, twenty, hundred, thousand, million, lakh, and crores of heads. Some had so many heads you would not be able to count them even. Then the Shivas came with lakhs of crores of heads. Indras with lakhs of crores of eyes followed them. When Chaturmukh saw this, he was at a complete loss. He felt like a rabbit amidst a herd of elephants.”
– (Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita.Madhya. 21.44-54)
‘brahma-râshi-mahase’ also means ‘the One Whose effulgence is called Brahman’.
“Sri Krishna’s effulgence is supremely brilliant. Upanishads call His effulgence as the ‘Pure Brahman’.
– (C.C.Âdi.2.8)
“Sri Govinda is supremely powerful. Brahman is His effulgence. It sustains and contains crores and crores of universes. It is entirely different from His immense majesty. It is complete, infinite and all pervading. I worship That Primeval Lord Sri Govinda.”
– (Brahma-Samhitâ.5.40)
Brahmâ has arisen from the opulence of the root Brahman and That Brahman is Sri Krishna’s effulgence. Therefore, Sri Krishna is the source of all Brahmâs.
Sri Gitâ too declares –
“I am the source of Brahman”. – (14.27)
Sri Bhatta Goswâmipâd says, the poet is describing Sri Radharani’s good fortune in this verse and is paying obeisance with pleasure. He has explained ‘brahma-râshi-mahase’ in the following manner.
The devotees become extremely euphoric (brahma-sukha-râshi) and celebrate (mahah) when they behold the cowherd form of Sri Krishna – “I pay obeisance to that Sri Krishna (Gopâl).” This indicates that when a devotee performs Sri Krishna-bhajan he experiences crores of times greater delight than merging with Brahman.
“Even if one attains the pleasure of merging with Brahman after performing samâdhi for a parârdha[2], it is nothing compared to an atom of joy felt by a devotee.”
– (Srimad-Bhâgavatam)
“When we are proud to be Sri Krishna’s servant, we experience such tremendous joy that even crores of Brahma-sukh[3] is nothing compared to it.”
– (C.C.Âdi.6.40)
I pay obeisance unto the lotus-feet of that cowherd form of Sri Krishna over and over again.
How does Sri Krishna look?
He is ‘dhenu-pâla-dayitâ-stana-sthali-dhanya-kumkumasa-nâtha-kântaye’.
‘Dhenu-pâla’ means ‘the Gopas who tend the cattle’. ‘Dayitâ’ means ‘their wives (the Gopis)’. The blessed saffron of their breasts is beautifying Him and He is looking colourful and resplendent. The above expression may also mean ‘the beloved of the cows, the cowherds, and the Gopis’ which indicates Sri Râdhâ. In this case the meaning will be –
‘Sri Krishna’s effulgence is powerful due to the blessed saffron from Sri Râdhâ’s breasts’.
‘Venu-gita-gati-mula-vedhase’ means ‘the Originator of the sweet song of the flute and various other virtues of music’. Sri Krishna’s Venu-geet is supremely attractive and mesmerizing.77.
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[1] A play by Sri Rupa Goswâmi
[2] The number of earthly days equal to fifty years of Brahmâ’s life
[3] Brahman-realization