ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣಕರ್ಣಾಮೃತಮ್, ೩:೫೧ to ೭೫

Srikrishna Karnamrutham

Srikrishna Karnamrutham is a beautiful devotional poem authored by Bilwamangala Swami, also known as Lila Shuka because of his descriptions of the leelas of Krishna in the same manner in which Suka described it to Parikshit.   Lila Suka has painted vivid word picutres of the leelas of Krishna as a child, as an adolescent boy and as a lover. The work contains ೩೨೮ verses in three aashwasas (or sargas, chapters). Throughout the book the undercurrent is loving devotion to Krishna who is regarded as the plenary incarnation of Mahavishnu, the purely sattwic aspect of brahman, the Ultimate reality.  It is said that Chaitanya mahaprabhu was acquainted with this work and he greatly appreciated it.

Given below are slokas ೫೧ to ೭೫ of the third ashwasa with a prosaic translation in English.  

ಅಹಿಮಕರಕರನಿಕರಮೃದುಮೃದಿತಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀ
ಸರಸತರಸರಸಿರುಹಸದೃಶದೃಶಿ ದೇವೇ
ವ್ರಜಯುವತಿರತಿಕಲಹವಿಜಯನಿಜಲೀಲಾ
ಮದಮುದಿತವದನಶಶಿಮಧುರಿಮಣಿ ಲೀಯೇ || ೫೧|| 

Let me become dissolved in the sweetness of Krishna whose eyes are more pretty than the beautiful lotus held in the hand of Lakshmi which is bathed by the rays of the rising sun and whose sweet moon-like face is happy because of his victory in playful love quarrel with the gopis of Vraja.


ಕರಕಮಲದರದಲಿತಲಲಿತತರವಂಶೀ
ಕಲನಿನದಗಲದಮೃತಘನಸರಸಿ ದೇವೇ
ಸಹಜರಸಭರಭರಿತದರಹಸಿತವೀಚೀ
ಸತತವಹದಧರಮಣಿಮಧುರಿಮಣಿ ಲೀಯೇ || ೫೨|| 

Let me get dissolved in the sweetness of Krishna the nectar of sweet melodies flowing from the delicate flute held in whose lotus-like hands create a lagoon and whose jewel-like lips always carry a wave of smiles sprouting spontaneously out of his naturally blissful state.   


ಕುಸುಮಶರಶರಸಮರಕುಪಿತಮದಗೋಪೀ-
ಕುಚಕಲಶಘುಸೃಣರಸಲಸದುರಸಿ ದೇವೇ| 
ಮದಲಲಿತಮೃದುಹಸಿತಮುಷಿತಶಶಿಶೋಭಾ-
ಮುಹುರಧಿಕಮುಖಕಮಲಮಧುರಿಮಣಿ ಲೀಯೇ  || ೫೩|| 

Let me get dissolved in the sweetness of Krishna whose body is smeared with sandal paste from the pot-like breasts of gopis  who are angry because of the attack of Cupid with his  flower arrows and whose soft and sweet smile lighting up the lotus-like face steals the brightness of the moon.

ಆನಮ್ರಾಮಸಿತಭ್ರುವೋರುಪಚಿತಾಮಕ್ಷೀಣಪಕ್ಷ್ಮಾಂಕುರೇ-
ಷ್ವಾಲೋಲಾಮನುರಾಗಿಣೋರ್ನಯನಯೋರಾರ್ದ್ರಾಂ ಮೃದೌ ಜಲ್ಪಿತೇ | 
ಆತಾಮ್ರಾಮಧರಾಮೃತೇ ಮದಕಲಾಮಮ್ಲಾನವಂಶೀರವೇ-
ಷ್ವಾಶಾಸ್ತೇ ಮಮ ಲೋಚನಂ ವ್ರಜಶಿಶೋರ್ಮೂರ್ತಿಂ ಜಗನ್ಮೋಹಿನೀಂ|| ೫೪|| 


My eyes yearn for Krishna’s form which captivates the heart of the whole world with its curved brows and thick hair, tenderness in the eyes for those who love, softness in speech, redness in the nectarine lips and undiminished shringara in the melodies from the flute. 


ತತ್ಕೈಶೋರಂ ತಚ್ಚ ವಕ್ತ್ರಾರವಿಂದಂ
ತತ್ ಕಾರುಣ್ಯಂ ತಚ್ಚ ಲೀಲಾಕಟಾಕ್ಷಾಃ | 
ತತ್ ಸೌಂದರ್ಯಂ ಸಾ ಚ ಮಂದಸ್ಮಿತಶ್ರೀಃ
ಸತ್ಯಂ ಸತ್ಯಂ ದುರ್ಲಭಂ ದೈವತೇಷು || ೧.೫೫|| 

That childhood, that Lotus of a face, that compassion, that playful sidelong glances, that beauty and that bewitching  smile – truly these are difficult to see even among the gods.

ವಿಶ್ವೋಪಪ್ಲವಶಮನೈಕಬದ್ಧದೀಕ್ಷಂ
ವಿಶ್ವಾಸಸ್ತಬಕಿತಚೇತಸಾಂ ಜನಾನಾಂ| 
ಪಶ್ಯಾಮಃ ಪ್ರತಿನವಕಾಂತಿಕಂದಲಾರ್ದ್ರಂ
ಪಶ್ಯಾಮಃ ಪಥಿ ಪಥಿ ಶೈಶವಂ ಮುರಾರೇಃ||  ೫೬|| 

At every step we see the child like form of Murari (Krishna)  which takes on ever new mellifluous effulgence and which has vowed to destroy all those who hurt the people who have in their hearts unshakable faith in it.


ಮೌಲಿಶ್ಚಂದ್ರಕಭೂಷಣಂ ಮರಕತಸ್ತಂಭಾಭಿರಾಮಂ ವಪು-
ರ್ವಕ್ತ್ರಂ ಚಿತ್ರವಿಮುಗ್ಧಹಾಸಮಧುರಂ ಬಾಲೇ ವಿಲೋಲೇ ದೃಶೌ| 
ವಾಚಃ ಶೈಶವಶೀತಲಾ ಮದಗಜಶ್ಲಾಘ್ಯಾ ವಿಲಾಸಸ್ಥಿತಿಃ
ಮಂದಂ ಮಂದಮಯೇ ಕ ಏಷ ಮಥುರಾವೀಥೀಮಿತೋ ಗಾಹತೇ || ೫೭||  

Who is this who walks slowly in the streets of Mathura,  his head adorned with peacock feathers, his body like a pillar of emerald, face sweet with a beautiful smile, eyes childish and roving, speech cool as a child’s and gait as that of an elephant in rut.



ಪಾದೌ ಪಾದವಿನಿರ್ಜಿತಾಂಬುಜವನೌ ಪದ್ಮಾಲಯಾಲಂಕೃತೌ
ಪಾಣೀ ವೇಣುವಿನೋದನಪ್ರಣಯಿನೌ ಪರ್ಯಾಪ್ತಶಿಲ್ಪಶ್ರಿಯೌ| 
ಬಾಹೂ ದೋಹದಭಾಜನಂ ಮೃಗದೃಶಾಂ ಮಾಧುರ್ಯಾಧಾರಾ ಗಿರೋ
ವಕ್ತ್ರಂ ವಾಗ್ವಿಭವಾತಿಲಂಘಿತಮಹೋ ಬಾಲಂ ಕಿಮೇತನ್ಮಹಃ || ೫೮|| 

What is this effulgence of a child whose feet excel forests of lotus flowers (in softness and beauty) and are decorated by Goddess Lakshmi, hands which are fond of playing the flute and which look as if beautifully sculptured,  arms which induce passion in doe-eyed gopis, speech which is a continuous flow of sweetness and a face the beauty of which cannot be described in words? 

ಬರ್ಹಂ ನಾಮ ವಿಭೂಷಣಂ ಬಹುಮತಂ ವೇಷಾಯ ಶೇಷೈರಲಂ
ವಕ್ತ್ತ್ರಂ ಚಿತ್ರವಿಶೇಷಕಾಂತಿಲಹರೀವಿನ್ಯಾಸಧನ್ಯಾಧರಂ| 
ಶೀಲೈರಲ್ಪಧಿಯಾಮಗಮ್ಯವಿಭವೈಃ ಶೃಂಗಾರಭಂಗೀಮಯಂ
ಚಿತ್ರಂ ಚಿತ್ರಮಹೋ ವಿಚಿತ್ರಮಹೋ ಚಿತ್ರಂ ವಿಚಿತ್ರಂ ಮಹಃ|| ೫೯|| 

Peacock feathers are adornments, nothing else is required.  The face is decorated by different coloured designs which light up the lips.  Body is bewitchingly beautiful  which dull wits cannot comprehend or appreciate. This effulgence (of Krishna) is indeed the wonder of wonders.

ಅಗ್ರೇ ಸಮಗ್ರಯತಿ ಕಾಮಪಿ ಕೇಲಿಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀ-
ಮನ್ಯಾಸು ದಿಕ್ಷ್ವಪಿ ವಿಲೋಚನಮೇವ ಸಾಕ್ಷೀ| 
ಹಾ ಹಂತ ಹಸ್ತಪಥದೂರಮಹೋ ಕಿಮೇತ-
ದಾಸೀತ್ ಕಿಶೋರಮಯಮಂಬ ಜಗತ್ತ್ರಯಂ ಮೇ || ೬೦|| 

I see in front of me and in all other directions the heart warming play of Krishna for which only my eyes are witness.  For me all the three worlds are only the young boy Krishna but alas ! he is out of reach of my hands.

ಚಿಕುರಂ ಬಹುಲಂ ವಿರಲಂ ಭೃಮರಂ
ಮೃದುಲಂ ವಚನಂ ವಿಪುಲಂ ನಯನಂ| 
ಅಧರಂ ಮಧುರಂ ವದನಂ ಲಲಿತಂ
ಚಪಲಂ ಚರಿತಂ ಚ ಕದಾಽನುಭವೇ|| ೬೧|| 

When shall I experience in my mind Krishna with his thick locks of hair, low brow, soft speech, large eyes, sweet lips, pretty face and playful walk (habit).


ಪರಿಪಾಲಯ ನಃ ಕೃಪಾಲಯೇ-
ತ್ಯಸಕೃಜ್ಜಲ್ಪಿತಮಾತ್ಮಬಾಂಧವಃ| 
ಮುರಲೀಮೃದುಲಸ್ವನಾಂತರೇ
ವಿಭುರಾಕರ್ಣಿಯಿತಾ ಕದಾ ನನು? || ೬೨|| 

When will Lord Krishna who is the friend of all hear, in between the sweet melodies from his flute, my frequent prattle of  ‘O merciful one! kindly protect us’?

ಕದಾ ನು ಕಸ್ಯಾಂ ನು ವಿಪದ್ದಶಾಯಾಂ
ಕೈಶೋರಗಂಧಿ ಕರುಣಾಂಬುಧಿರ್ನಃ
ವಿಲೋಚನಾಭ್ಯಾಂ ವಿಪುಲಾಯತಾಭ್ಯಾಂ
ವ್ಯಲೋಕಯಿಷ್ಯನ್ವಿಷಯೀಕರೋತಿ || ೬೩|| 

When and in what dire circumstances will young boy Krishna, ocean of mercy, will see me with his wide, long eyes and reveal Himself to me.

ಮಧುರಮಧರಬಿಂಬೇ ಮಂಜುಲಂ ಮಂದಹಾಸೇ
ಶಿಶಿರಮಮೃತವಾಕ್ಯೇ ಶೀತಲಂ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಪಾತೇ
ವಿಪುಲಮರುಣನೇತ್ರೇ ವಿಶ್ರುತಂ ವೇಣುನಾದೇ
ಮರಕತಮಣಿನೀಲಂ ಬಾಲಮಾಲೋಕಯಾಮಃ || ೬೪|| 

We see child Krishna, dark blue as the emerald stone, sweet in his lips, pretty in his smile, cool in his nectarine speech and in his glances, wide in his eyes with reddish tinge and famous in the melodies from his flute.


ಮಾಧುರ್ಯಾದಪಿ ಮಧುರಂ
ಮನ್ಮಥತಾತಸ್ಯ ಕಿಮಪಿ ಕೈಶೋರಂ| 
ಚಾಪಲ್ಯಾದಪಿಚಪಲಂ
ಚೇತೋ ಮಮ ಹರತಿ ಹಂತ ಕಿಂ ಕುರ್ಮಃ || ೬೫|| 


The boyhood of Krishna, father of the Love God,  is sweeter than sweetness itself and he is more playful than playfulness itself. It has stolen my heart. What shall I do?


ವಕ್ಷಃ ಸ್ಥಲೇ ಚ ವಿಪುಲಂ ನಯನೋತ್ಪಲೇ ಚ
ಸ್ಮಿತೇ ಚ ಮೃದುಲಂ ಮದಜಲ್ಪಿತೇ ಚ | 
ಬಿಂಬಾಧರೇ ಚ ಮಧುರಂ ಮುರಲೀರವೇ ಚ
ಬಾಲಂ ವಿಲಾಸನಿಧಿಮಾಕಲಯೇ ಕದಾ ನು? || ೧.೬೬|| 

Wide chest and wide eyes,  softness in smile and in talk,   sweetness in the lips and in the music of the flute  - when can I see the child (Krishna), the treasure house of all these qualities of beauty and grace?

ಆರ್ದ್ರಾವಲೋಕಿತದಯಾಪರಿಣದ್ಧನೇತ್ರ-
ಮಾವಿಷ್ಕೃತಸ್ಮಿತಸುಧಾಮಧುರಾಧರೋಷ್ಠಂ | 
ಆದ್ಯಂ ಪುಮಾಂಸಮವತಂಸಿತಬರ್ಹಿಬರ್ಹ-
ಮಾಲೋಕಯಂತಿ ಕೃತಿನಃ ಕೃತಪುಣ್ಯಪುಂಜಾಃ || ೧.೬೭|| 

Only those who have done a lot of good deeds and accumulated enough merit can see the very First Person (incarnated as Krishna), his head adorned with peacock feathers, his mellifluous glances tinged with compassion and with his lips, as sweet as nectar, lit up by a beautiful smile.

ಮಾರಃ ಸ್ವಯಂ ನು ಮಧುರದ್ಯುತಿಮಂಡಲಂ ನು
ಮಾಧುರ್ಯಮೇವ ನು ಮನೋನಯನಾಮೃತಂ ನು
ವಾಣೀಮೃಜಾ ನು ಮಮ ಜೀವಿತವಾಲ್ಲಭೋ ನು
ಬಾಲೋಽಯಮಭ್ಯುದಯತೇ ಮಮ ಲೋಚನಾಯ || ೬೮|| 

The form of child Krishna rises before my eyes making me wonder whether this is the Love god himself, or effulgence of sweetness, or sweetness itself, or nectar for the eyes and mind, or beauty of speech or  Lord and darling of my life.

ಬಾಲೋಽಯಮಾಲೋಲವಿಲೋಚನೇನ
ವಕ್ತ್ರೇಣ ಚಿತ್ರೀಕೃತದಿಙ್ಮುಖೇನ| 
ವೇಷೇಣ ಘೊಷೋಚಿತಭೂಷಣೇನ
ಮುಗ್ಧೇನ ದುಗ್ಧೇ ನಯನೋತ್ಸವಂ ನಃ || ೬೯|| 

This boy Krishna is a veritable feast (festival) for our eyes with his roving eyes, with his face which captures the beauty of all the directions,  with his clothes and adornments suitable for cowherds and with his fondness for milk.

ಆಂದೋಲಿತಾಗ್ರಭುಜಮಾಕುಲನೇತ್ರಲೀಲ-
ಮಾರ್ದ್ರಸ್ಮಿತಾರ್ದ್ರವದನಾಂಬುಜಚಂದ್ರಬಿಂಬಂ| 
ಶಿಂಜಾನಭೂಷಣಶತಂ ಶಿಖಿಪಿಂಛಮೌಲಿಂ
ಶೀತಂ ವಿಲೋಚನರಸಾಯನಮಭ್ಯುಪೈತಿ  || ೭೦|| 

Approaching me is an effulgence (Krishna),   cool and nectar to the eyes,  arms swinging, eyes playfully roving, sweet smile, moon-like lotus face,  a hundred ornaments tinkling and head adorned with peacock plumes..  



ಪಶುಪಾಲಬಾಲಪರಿಷದ್ವಿಭೂಷಣಂ
ಶಿಶುರೇಷ ಶೀತಲವಿಲೋಲಲೋಚನಃ| 
ಮೃದುಲಸ್ಮಿತಾರ್ದ್ರವದನೇಂದುಸಂಪದಾ
ಮದಯನ್ ಮದೀಯಹೃದಯಂ ವಿಗಾಹತೇ || ೭೧|| 


This child who is the ornament of the assembly of cowherd boys, whose eyes are cool and roving, and whose  moon-like face is lighted up by a soft smile dives into my heart filling it with joy. 


ತದಿದಮುಪನತಂ ತಮಾಲಲೀಲಂ
ತರಲವಿಲೋಚನತಾರಕಾಭಿರಾಮಂ| 
ಮುದಿತಮುದಿತವಕ್ತ್ರಚಂದ್ರಬಿಂಬಂ
ಮುಖರಿತವೇಣುವಿಲಾಸಜೀವಿತಂ ಮೇ || ೭೨|| 

I have been blessed with the vision of this (Krishna),  dark blue as the tamala,  eyes with the pupils roving, moon-like face radiating joy and playing the flute the melodies from which are my very life.  

ಚಾಪಲ್ಯಸೀಮ ಚಪಲಾನುಭವೈಕಸೀಮ
ಚಾತುರ್ಯಸೀಮ ಚತುರಾನನಶಿಲ್ಪಸೀಮ | 
ಸೌರಭ್ಯ ಸೀಮ ಸಕಲಾದ್ಭುತಕೇಲಿಸೀಮ
ಸೌಭಾಗ್ಯಸೀಮ ತದಿದಂ ವ್ರಜಭಾಗ್ಯಸೀಮ || ೧.೭೩|| 

This (Krishna) is the acme of playfulness, the limit of experience of Lakshmi, perfection of cleverness, the highest manifestation of Brahma’s handiwork, the perfection of sweet smell, the limit of all wonderful exploits, the repository of all auspicious qualities and the summit of good fortune of the inhabitants of Vraja

ಮಾಧುರ್ಯೇಣ ದ್ವಿಗುಣಶಿಶಿರಂ ವಕ್ತ್ರಚಂದ್ರಂ ವಹಂತೀ
ವಂಶೀವೀಥೀವಿಗಲದಮೃತಸ್ರೋತಸಾ ಸೇಚಯಂತೀ| 
ಮದ್ವಾಣೀನಾಂ ವಿಹರಣಪದಂ ಮೂರ್ತಸೌಭಾಗ್ಯಭಾಜಾಂ
ಮತ್ಪುಣ್ಯಾನಾಂ ಪರಿಣತಿರಹೋ ನೇತ್ರಯೋಸ್ಸನ್ನಿಧತ್ತೇ || ೧.೭೪|| 


Wonder of wonders! right before my eyes is (Krishna)  the result of all my good deeds  and the personification of my good luck, which has a face twice cooler and  prettier than the moon, which waters the streets with the flow of nectar of music from the flute and which is he playground for my words  


ತೇಜಸೇಽಸ್ತು ನಮೋ ಧೇನು-
ಪಾಲಿನೇ ಲೋಕಪಾಲಿನೇ| 
ರಾಧಾಪಯೋಧರೋತ್ಸಂಗ-
ಶಾಯಿನೇ ಶೇಷಶಾಯಿನೇ || ೧.೭೫|| 

Prostrations to that effulgence which takes care of cows and (at the same time) protects the worlds, rests on the breasts and the lap of Radha and  (at the same time ) also reclines on Adishesha,  the thousand hooded serpent.