Madhurageetham: Sri Krishna Leela – 5
The 10th canto in Srimad Bhagavatam is known as “Ashrayam” or “refuge” for Lord Krishna’s devotees for it talks about the Lord’s incarnation and his sweet lilas on this Earth. Sri Swamiji has written beautiful kirtans on these various lilas of Lord Krishna. So, in this series we will relish those lilas of Lord Krishna through Sri Swamiji’s kirtans.
Nanda’s Celebration – Nandan Kondadinaan
Last month, we saw how Vasudeva carried infant Krishna to Gokula and left him with a heavy heart at Nanda Baba’s home and returned to Mathura with the girl child that was born to Yashoda.
As the day dawned in Gokula, the news that a son was born to Yashoda spread like wildfire. Nanda Baba was immensely pleased and immediately arranged to give away expensive gifts. The gopas and gopis dressed themselves in their finest clothes and ran giddily to Nanda Baba’s home to get a glimpse of the newborn.
Sri Shuka describes this beautiful scene to Parikshith,
“…..chitrAmbara: pathi shikAchyutha mAlya varshA:
nandAlayam savalaya vrajatIr vireju:…….”
(… Adorning colorful clothes, oblivious that the flowers strung in their hair were strewn around them, [the gopis] ran to Nanda’s home…)
Periyazhwar too describes this in his pasuram,
“…ODuvAr vizhuvAr ugandu AlippAr…” (They run, they fall, they hug each other…)
The gopis then stood surrounding the radiant newborn, admiring him. A gopi would lift him and plant a kiss on his cheek. As she kissed him, another gopi would take him in her hands and kiss him. And then a third one. Sri Swamiji would say that this scene of the dark-hued infant Krishna being passed around from one gopi to another was akin to a bee hopping from one lotus to another, tasting the sweet nectar of the fragrant flowers.
The gopas and gopis then started celebrating the birth of the Lord, by throwing milk, curd and ghee at one another. Periyazhwar sings, “ennai, chunnam edir edir thUvida…” (they sprayed oil and slaked lime paste at each other…)
The entire Gokula wore a festive look. Sri Swamiji describes this beautiful Nandotsavam in his kirtan and literally transports all of us to that blessed day in Gokula.
Ragam: Sama
Talam: Adi
nandan koNDADinAn kaNNan piRandadai
gOkula vEndan avan sakalaraiyum azhaitthu
sanmAnangaL thandu Anandam aDaindAn
Aycchiyar ADi pADi kaLitthanarE
thayir pAl veNNey thUvi magizhndanarE
kaNNan kaNNan enDru kUviya paDiyE
eNNay chuNNam edir edir thUvinarE
viNNavargaL viraindangu vandanarE
mannanavan ivanai kaNDu poRAmai koNDanarE
Meaning
Nanda celebrated, the birth of (Lord) Krishna!
The Lord of Gokula (Nanda), having invited everyone
Gave away gifts and revelled in happiness!
The cowherd girls sang and danced in joy
And relished throwing milk, butter and curd at each other
Calling the name Kanna, Kanna,
They threw oil and colors on each other
Celestial beings, having arrived there,
Looked at the Lord enviously!
Sowmya Balasubramaniam, Fremont, CA
