[INDOLOGY] Continuing with my Krishna verses

[Madhav Deshpande]

Continuing my Sanskrit Krishna verses:

शुक्लाम्बरधरो विष्णु: शशिवर्ण इतीरित: ।
देवक्यां जातमात्रोऽसौ कृष्णतामगमत् कथम् ।।३११।।
Viṣṇu is described as having the complexion of the moon and wearing white
garments. Just after being born in the womb of Devaki, how did he acquire a
dark hue?

निरीक्षमाण: स्वं रूपं यमुनाजलदर्पणे ।
कृष्णतामवलोक्य स्वामपृच्छस्त्वं स्वमातरम् ।।
Looking at your own reflection in the mirror of the water of Yamunā, and
noticing your own dark hue, you asked your mother about it.

कुतोऽहं कृष्णरूपोऽस्मि भ्राता मे गौरदर्शन: ।
मातर्मे कृष्णतायां किं कारणं कथयस्व मे ।।३१२।।
Why am I with a dark hue, while my brother looks fair. O Mother, please
tell me. What is the reason behind my dark hue?

गोविन्द ते कृष्णताया बहव: सन्ति हेतव: ।
सावधानं शृणु वचो मदीयं मधुसूदन ।।३१३।।
O Kr̥ṣṇa, there are many reasons for your dark hue. Pay attention to what I
am telling you, O Madhusūdana.

श्यामले यमुनानीरे गाहमानो दिने दिने ।
श्यामलाङ्गोऽभव इति चित्रं किं तत्र माधव ।।३१४।।
Day after day you dive into the dark waters of Yamunā, and then your body
became dark. O Mādhava, is there any surprise?

शतवारं यदि स्नाया: कृष्ण त्वं यमुनाजले ।
सापि कृष्णजला पुत्र गच्छेत् ते कृष्णता कथम् ।।३१५।।
O Kr̥ṣṇa, even if you bathe in the water of Yamunā a hundred times, that
water of Yamunā is of a dark hue. How will your dark hue go away?

आतपे यमुनातीरे खेलसि त्वं दिने दिने ।
भ्राता खेलति छायायां ततोऽसौ गौरदर्शन: ।।३१६।।
On the banks of Yamunā, you play in the sun day after day. Your brother
plays in the shade. That is why he looks fair.

शैशवे मृत्तिकां खादन्नधावस्त्वमितस्तत: ।
तया मृत्तिकया लिप्तं वपुस्ते कृष्णतां ययौ ।।३१७।।
As a child, you used to run here and there stuffing your mouth with mud.
Your body smeared with that mud became dark.

कज्जलं नेत्रयोर्मातु: संक्रामति शिशोस्तनौ ।
कज्जलं मम नेत्राभ्यां संक्रान्तं त्वयि माधव ।।३१८।।
The collyrium in the eyes of the mother passes on to the body of her child.
O Mādhava, the collyrium from my eyes passed on to you.

कज्जलं राधिकानेत्रे गोपिकानयनेषु च ।
निरन्तरं वर्षति ते शरीरे गोकुले हरे।।
There is collyrium in Rādhā’s eyes and in the eyes of the milkmaids, and it
constantly showers on you in Gokula, O Kr̥ṣṇa.

कज्जलाक्ता गोपिकानां दृष्टि: स्पृशति ते वपु: ।
तासां तत् कज्जलं कृष्ण न निर्याति कदाचन ।।३१९।।
The gaze of the milkmaids, smeared with collyrium, touches your body. That
collyrium of theirs will never go away.

कृष्णता तव गोविन्द प्रविष्टा हृदयं मम ।
का चिन्ता बाधतेऽद्य त्वां यथासि त्वं प्रियोऽसि मे ।।३२०।।
O Govinda, your dark hue has entered into my heart. What worry is bothering
you today? You are dear to me as you are.

Madhav M. Deshpande
Professor Emeritus
Sanskrit and Linguistics
University of Michigan
[Residence: Campbell, California]


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