Continuing my Krishna verses:

द्घाटिते मे नयने भवेतां वा निमीलिते 

मग्नस्य मे कृष्णरसे भिन्नं स्याद्दर्शनं कथम् ।।३५४।।

Whether my eyes are open or closed, if I am immersed in your dark hue, how could I see anything different?


कृष्णोऽहमिति मत्वैव गृहीतं नाम ते मया 

माधवो यद्यहं कृष्ण: कृष्ण त्वमसि माधव: ।।३५५।।

Thinking that I am Kr̥ṣṇa, I assumed your name.  If Mādhava is Kr̥ṣṇa, then, O Kr̥ṣṇa, you must be Mādhava.


कृष्णता दुर्निवारा ते सर्वान् गृह्णाति केशव 

अजानन्नपि कौन्तेयस्त्वया नीत: स्वतां प्रभो ।।३५६।।

O Kr̥ṣṇa, your uncontrolled dark hue catches everyone.  Even Arjuna, though he did not know it, was transformed into you, O Lord.


“अविज्ञातं विजानतां विज्ञातमविजानताम्” 

कृष्णत्वं तव वार्ष्णेय ममापि  जनार्दन ।।३५७।।

Those who claim to know do not, and those who do not claim to know do know.  Such is the dark hue of yours and mine, O Lord.


कृष्ण ते कृष्णतायां मे कृष्णताया विसर्जनम् 

जायेत यदि गोविन्द  मे परम उत्सव: ।।३५८।।

If my dark hue will merge into your dark you, O Kr̥ṣṇa, that will be a great joyous occasion for me.


अतिशेतेऽखिलान् वर्णान् कृष्णता तव माधव 

 इच्छेदपरं किञ्चिदमन्दो मधुसूदन ।।३५९।।

O Mādhava, your dark hue exceeds all other colors.  What else would a wise person wish for, O Madhusūdana.


आकाशवत्त्वं गोविन्द कृपयावृणुषे जगत् 

मेघवत् करुणावारिपूरं पूरयसे धराम् ।।३६०।।

O Krishna, like the sky you cover the world with your compassion.  Like a cloud you fill the earth with the rushing waters of your kindness.


जलवज्जगतस्तृष्णां शीतल: शमयाधुना 

वायुवत् प्राणद: प्राणो लोकं प्राणयसेऽखिलम् ।।३६१।।

Quench the thirst of the world like water, O Cool Krishna.  Like the life-giving breath, the wind, you enliven the whole world.


धरेव वत्सलो नाथ लोकानामाश्रयो हरे 

सूर्यवत्तेजसा सिञ्च धरणीं जगदीश्वर ।।३६२।।

Like the earth, O Lord, you are the loving support of the world.  O Lord, like the sun, sprinkle the earth with your brilliance.


त्वमाकाशोऽसि मेघस्त्वं जलं त्वमसि माधव ।

वायुस्त्वं धरणी च त्वमादित्यस्त्वं तथा हरे ।।३६३।।

You are the sky and you are the cloud and the water, O Mādhava.  You are the wind, the earth and the sun, O Krishna.


तवैवैतानि रूपाणि जगदाधार केशव ।

धृत्वा त्वं कुरुषे नित्यं पालनं जगतो हरे ।।३६४।।

Support of the World, O Krishna, these are your own forms, and holding those forms you always take care of the earth.


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