NAUKAA
CHARITRAMU
(BOAT STORY)
SRI TYAGARAJA
Translated by
Prof. William J. Jackson
Indiana
University, Indianapolis, Indiana
(Continued from the previous number)
SONG 1
Adorning themselves adorably
they set out with Sri Krishna;
Delighting in life’s finer things,
with such pleasing and charming
figures and features, these cowherd ladies
whose bodies were like jewels,
went in such a beautiful way:
As one was giggling, sashaying and swaying,
Another was fastening blossoms to her tresses;
As one was combing her long flowing hair
Another was gleefully teasing Krishna.
Decking themselves out prettily
they set out with Sri Krishna.
One made the bold claim: “He is my dear husband!”
Another was lacing up her blouse;
One said: “I’m the one who’s suitable for him.”
Another was joyfully embracing His feet.”
Adorning themselves adorably
they set out along with Sri Krishna.
One became drunk – bewildered by love
Another all of a sudden kissed Krishna;
One told Him: “Come here beside me!” Another,
Desirous, offered Him folded betel leaves, with bliss
Adorning themselves adorably,
they went along with Sri Krishna.
There was one who fetched and flung perfumes
One was murmuring “Hari! Lord Hari!”
Another one pressed Him to her bosom
Yet another’s upper cloth slid off,
And she entreated him with joy
Happily decorating themselves
they went along with Sri Krishna.
One whispered “O my lotus-eyed Love!”
Another called to Him with winks and blinkings
“O come, come!” requested another;
And one lady said: “He a is friend of Tyagaraja.”
Adorning themselves adorably
they all went along with Sri Krishna.
After that, those jewels of cowherd girls
Having become divinely inspired by the Great Happiness
Of being with Krishna were on their way.
To the Yamuna river bank, doing just as they pleased...
If you should ask how they were coming along....
The ladies were playing amusing games
And describing very nicely what they saw
As they went along: the splendid Yamuna river
With shining black clouds above,
With clusters of red lotuses on the water’s
Surface, with the buzzing of black bumblebees,
With flocks of female Swans, and with trees
Full of flowers swaying back and forth in the breeze
Then the pearls of cowherd girls
One after the other, with their feelings over-
flowing, tried to describe the river goddess Yamuna
If you ask in what manner they spoke...
SONG 2
“Lo and behold the river goddess Yamuna O sisters!
With joy feast your gaze on her beauty –
What a glorious vision!
The buzzing of the bumblebees inside the lotuses of red –
Their sweet humming is so pleasant! Look, O sisters, see
The river goddess Yamuna, what charming joyful beauty!
O how white do those sand dunes appear!
While the body of the stream is dark blue like a sapphire!
Look, O sisters, at the Yamuna, what beauty, joyfully see!
The little waves glide as if made of bright diamonds
See the stairway of diamonds where wavelets swirl! Ladies!
The goddess Yamuna enchanting, with happiness, see!
O see here how she shimmers and dazzles
The great goddess now resounding with wild geese!
Look at her, ladies, Yamuna, O such beauty, happily see!
O pretty maidens, the branches of vines in the bowers
Are bowing, dripping honey, bending
with luscious date-fruits!
Come see, O ladies, the divine Yamuna
Ah, such beauty, so pleasing to see!
Her groves are rich with ripened fruit, with clusters
Of nectary grapes and pairs of green parrots play therein!
See, O sisters, the lady Yamuna,
her magnificence, blissful to see!
With this kind and that kind of blossoms drifting down
Making our poor minds dizzy and lovesick
See her, O sisters, Yamuna Devi,
What beauty, a joy to behold!
The black cuckoos are singing, the love-god is flinging
Flower-darts – O behold, dear ladies, this goddess Yamuna!
How the cool Malayan breeze now for sure
Will touch and enchant Lord Krishna! Lo and behold the Lady
Yamuna, O sisters, what a lovely vision to see.
O moon-faced ladies, look, enjoy, listen to the song
Of our friend, Tyagaraja ... See her O sisters, Yamuna Devi
O what beauty to soak in joyfully!
Then those pearls of cowherd girls,
In sweet ecstasy from the moment they caught sight
Of the Yamuna river, when they beheld a silver boat
Studded all over with the nine precious gems…
If you should wonder what they said....
Those girls with hands as soft as leaves
On seeing the shining white-silvery boat
Afloat there on the black Yamuna river
Conceived the idea (and murmured
Among themselves) of sporting on the water.
Speaking one with the other they hatched a plan
Of joining with Krishna in the boat
And if you ask the way they were thinking
Of having this love play...
“He’s a boy!” “Not only that – He is a prince,
The son of a great king, wearing golden ornaments!
With someone like that, we should not do such a thing!”
Thus were they reckoning among themselves.
SONG 3
“All of us ladies, joining together,
Let us play and plead with Hari!”
“With Krishna looking on, let’s enjoy some play
On the water – this is a perfect day!”
“We ladies, getting together, will play
Pleading with Sri Hari!”
“Leaving the lotus-eyed one can we be happy?
Will we be able to bring the boat back to the bank?”
“All of us ladies joining together
Let’s have some fun and ask Krishna to come.”
“He is a prince wearing jewelry
Made of the nine precious gems Ladies let’s do
Get together, we’ll enjoy ourselves,
Begging Him to come too.”
“But my dear, He is a very small boy–
Surely He will become quite frightened–
I don’t know, little mother!” “Yes let’s all
Get together, girls, we’ll play in joy
And pray to the boy Hari, to come along as well.”
“Someone might tattletale to His mama!
She’ll make our heads hang in humiliation.”
“Come now ladies, altogether we’ll play
Entreating Hari, come, little maidens!”
“This affair will become the cause of gossip
If our sports should ever be known.”
“Maidens we’ll amuse ourselves, joining together
We’ll play, and pray entreating the Lord.”
“O girls, if you go on like this, worrying
And prattling, I’m afraid the whole day will pass.”
“So girls, let’s get together
Let’s pray and praise Lord Hari.”
“Enough! Come on! This way! Shove off!
Ah, into the water, little mother!”
“Ladies, joining together, we’ll play
And request Krishna to come along.”
“But the friend of Tyagaraja won’t listen
To the chattering of a bunch of women!”
“Ladies, let’s get together, and enjoy ourselves
And entreat Sri Krishna to come as well.”
When the gopis have spoken thus, then
Sri Krishna, knowing their hearts, begins
To speak; if you ask what He says, it’s this:
“O girls adorned with blooms, never is it proper
For ladies without a man to display much boldness.”
“When ladies are enjoying themselves in a happy mood
It is very wrong then to be a desirous man!” (they say)
“A show of force in loving merriment is not good,
Is it – ever; happiness cannot be found
That way, not even in a dream!”
“Without so much as a speck of fear
You engage the women of other people in talk
O Krishna, and You gleefully speak crazy words!
“It is your utmost safety in this regard
Which I am concerned with and am promising
In this display–that is what
I’ve been talking about!” (he says).
“You’re just a small boy, this boat is, so heavy!
O moon-faced child have you the might to move it?”
“Without me can even a straw stir? From time
Immemorial the Vedas and Sastras
Have been announcing this – have you not heard?
To govern and protect creatures in the manner
Of Lord Hari, I am the sole cow-keeper
Of the thousand cows
I shall guard and govern well, please
Hear my words and understand, dear ladies.”
Having heard Lord Krishna speak, the gems of gopis
Speak: if you ask how....
“Is it not well known in the world
We cannot treat you like a mere child
Thus you should not be taken, O moon-bright face
Just for some fun, Krishna, will you
Make our friends and aquaintances laugh at us?”
Looking at the gopis who had spoken without belief
In Him in that way there, the Supreme Being
Krishna speaks. If you wonder what he says
“All my words are true. I am the Pilot.
Without me it will never be proper
To play in boats in the river by yourselves.
It would be an eternal disgrace. You are ladies–
You’re the weaker sex. Is this something women
Are able to do? Who would ever advise this deed
For ladies?” Thus Krishna spoke with the ladies
The gopis having heard that speech
Criticize the faults which they find present
In Krishna. If you ask how–
SONG 4
“How can we fully believe you, Krishna?
Why all this verbal tussle?
Naughtily hiding our clothes that time
Isn’t that harassing us?
When we were bathing didn’t you pester us?
Why should we fall for your silly stories
And why go on with this argument?
Asking full-grown ladies to come to you
With the excuse of putting the mark on their foreheads
Did you or did you not
Pinch their bimba fruit lips?
O how can we be taken in by you, Krishna?
And why go on and on in disagreement?
And once before when you were gobbling butter
Didn’t you smear it all over the faces
Of some blossoming maidens? So
How can we really trust you, Krishna?
What’s the use of all this talk?
Coming disguised as a sister-in-law you untied
My petticoat and then you ran away; didn’t you?
So can we put our faith in you, Krishna?
Why all this blithering botherment?
‘Got you!’ we said one time when we caught you
But when we went to tell on you we found you
Up against your mother’s breast.
So how can we take you at your word, Krishna?
All this arguing is absurd, isn’t it?
When the wives of the sacrificers, burning with love
Of you, prayed, you simply took up your flute
And played – so how are we supposed to trust you
Krishna, and why go on and endlessly argue?
Another day you had us offer rice to you
Instead of to Indra–didn’t it rain for days on end?
So Krishna how can we rely on you
And why so much debate?
Haven’t you said that the words of the Lord
Adored by Tyagaraja will never lead astray?
Well, how can we be expected to listen to you
And why should we continue to argue?”
Having heard the words which put blame
Spoken by the jewels of milkmaidens
Sri Krishna the Lord, just to make them realize
His capability, spoke; if you ask in what way...
“This is just a river, isn’t it;
An ocean is not seen – well, doesn’t Madhava
Cause people, gods and titans
To cross the ocean of existence, O pearls?”
Looking at the gopis, he furthermore says:
SONG 5
“Tsk! all the different things you’ve said about me!
Tsk! without really knowing – O sisters
You show no mercy to me!
Once upon a time when Mount Mandara sank
Didn’t I, as tortoise, bear it on my back?
And when the king of elephants was attacked
Didn’t I show pity (and now it this my thanks)?
My, what you’ve said so smartly about me
Without really knowing, tsk tsk!
O sisters, you show me no mercy!
Fearless Somakasura hid in the waters – I slew
That demon so the Vedas would be rescued;
Did I not put down the upraised conceit
Of the snake in Kalinda pool with just my bare feet?
All kinds of things you’ve jabbered about me
Where is your pity for me, little sister?
When my guru’s son by a crocodile was kidnapped
Did I not retrieve the boy and hand him back?
Have you never heard of the valour
Of the friend of Tyagaraja?
And yet all that nonsense you’ve prattled
Of me? Tsk! without really knowing
O sisters, you do me wrong, showing me no mercy!”
Having heard the words spoken by Lord Krishna
The gems of gopis, becoming full of great courage
Were speaking in this way:
“The words of the progenitor of the mind-born love-god
Are truth to the mind,” said those lovelies who
Had gotten rid of fear. Putting Krishna in the mind
And hitching their hiked-up sari-skirts securely
They were soon on their way.
(To be continued)