Jai Shri KRshNa
Yesterday was GopAshTamI - it was on this kArtik shukla ashTamI -- the 8th day of the bright lunar fortnight of the month of Kartik in the Hindu calendar -- that little 5 year old KRshNa was crowned a "Gopa" by the family priest, adorned a pagaDi like the older gopAs and was allowed to take the "big cows" grazing. Not just the calves.
This is a sweet bhajan sung by Jaya Kishori describing the LeelA where KAnhA was given a big dose of the Gopis' medicine for breaking their pots . He comes home crying to YashodA , fully covered in dust, and surrounded by the complaining Gopis -- years older than Him.
banwAri O KRshNa murAri , O lAlA kaho thAre manaDe ri baat re
Says Mother YashodA :
O My Dearest KRshNa, Who destroyed demon mUra , Who is fighting with You?
My Dear child, Please tell me what is on Your mind. I want to hear from You, not these Gopis.
bhejyo tho lAlA tane gAya charAvata, rovataDo kyu ghara Ayo ?
I had sent You to the forest to graze the cows. Why did You come back crying? (YashodA's astonished heart is going all out to her son)
kine se tU zagaDo kara lIno, mAti se kyo bhara Ayo ?
With whom have You been fighting? Why are You covered with dust and mud ?!
Mother [shudders at the idea] and says "Who beat You ? Tell me their name!" , running her loving hand on His head.
KAnhu keeps crying , "It hurts, Mother!", Mother caresses Him on His head, "Please tell me what is in Your heart. (do not hesitate)"
baiThyo tho maiyA kadamb ke nIche, boli gujariyA bansi bajA....
Little KRshNa says "Dear mother, I was sitting under the Kadamb tree. This Gujar lady asked me to play the flute. I refused - No way. She got angry and snatched My flute, and broke it! Dear mother, no one listened to Me! All these Gujar ladies wrung my wrist and beat Me !"
(GujariyA = ethnic-tribal identification of folks in the area - Gujarath-Rajasthan-Mathura-Vrundavan-Gokul...)
sun karke maiyA bAtA kAnha kuwara kI [boli] "mAro hivaDo bhara Ayo"
Hearing all this YashodA kept crying , and said "My heart is full with grief and Love, seeing all this" [She could not see beyond KRshNa's sweet LeelA and made up story - which to me is not made up, I think the Gopis are lying! They made my Baby cry. I gave him a warm bath and some goodies to eat]
mATi zADi sAre badan se aur hivaDe se lipaTAyo
Mother dusted away all the dust and mud from KAnhU's transcendental body, and held Him close to her heart.....
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