Continuing my Krishna verses:

कज्जलं कृष्णचन्द्रस्य प्रसृतं यमुनाजले

तत: प्रयातं सर्वत्र गोकुलं कज्जलीकृतम् ।।३२३।।

The collyrium of the Moon of Kr̥ṣṇa spread into the waters of Yamunā.  From there it spread everywhere, and gave Gokula its dark hue.


कलङ्क: कृष्णवर्णोऽपि शुक्लचन्द्रस्य भूषणम्

कथं स्यात् कृष्णता ब्रूहि कृष्णचन्द्रस्य दूषणम् ।।३२४।।

The dark spot on the white moon shines like an ornament.  Then why would the dark hue of the Moon of Kr̥ṣṇa be a blemish?


कृष्णस्य यादवेन्द्रस्य कृष्णा सा द्रुपदात्मजा

भगिनीति तच्चित्रं कृष्णता तत्र कारणम् ।।३२५।।

The dark daughter of Drupada treated Kr̥ṣṇa as her brother.  There is no surprise.  They both have a dark hue.


रात्रिन्दिवं ध्यायति यो व्यास: कृष्णं परात्परम्

स्वयं कृष्णतां धत्ते पाराशर्य: सभक्तिकम् ।।३२६।।

The great sage Vyāsa who constantly and devoutly meditates upon Kr̥ṣṇa himself gained the name Kr̥ṣṇa.


धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रेपाण्डवानां धनञ्जय:”

इत्युक्त्वा प्रकटीचक्रे पार्थस्यापि कृष्णताम् ।।३२७।।

On the holy battlefield of Kurukshetra, you explained that Arjuna was also Kr̥ṣṇa by saying: “I am Arjuna among the Pāṇḍavas.”


जन्मान्तरेऽपि कृष्णोऽसौ राघवेन्द्रो यदाभवत्

तदापि श्यामलाङ्गोऽसौ नायं त्यजति कृष्णताम् ।।३२८।।

Even in the previous incarnation, when he was Rāma of the lineage of Raghu, he had a dark hue.  So he never lets it go.


उद्यन्तु कृष्णचन्द्रस्य रश्मयो हृदये मम

विशोधयन्तु कालुष्यं निगूढं सुचिरं हृदि ।।३२९।।

May the beams of the Moon of Kr̥ṣṇa, rising in my heart, cleanse the blemishes hidden there for a long time.


तेजसा कृष्णचन्द्रस्य तम: कृष्णमपाकृतम्

चित्रमेतज्जगन्नाथ धवला तव कृष्णता ।।३३०।।

The black darkness [of ignorance] was removed by the brilliance of the Moon of Kr̥ṣṇa.  This is surprising, O Lord.  Is your darkness white?


अतन्त्रा कृष्णता कृष्ण तव सर्वत्र धावति

यद्यत् स्पृशसि नेत्रेण तत्तन्नयसि कृष्णताम् ।।३३१।।

O Kr̥ṣṇa, your uncontrolled dark hue runs through everything.  Whatever you touch with your gaze turns dark.


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