Srimad Bhagavatam: Canto 10

S'rî S'uka said: 'When the gopîs heard these most charming words of the Supreme Lord, they gave up their lamentation about having been deserted. Touching His limbs had fulfilled all their desires.

S'rî S'uka said: 'The gopîs, thus hearing the most charming words of the Supreme Lord gave, with their eager hearts fulfilled by [their touching] His limbs, up on the [cherished] distress of their having been deserted. (Vedabase)

Text 2

Govinda thereupon on the spot engaged in a dance [a râsa, or sport] in which those faithful jewels of women all satisfied joined with their arms linked together.

Right there engaged Govinda in a dance [a râsa, or sport] in which the faithful jewels among women satisfied joined in linking their arms together. (Vedabase)

Text 3-4

The festival of the dance commenced with the gopîs positioned in a circle. Krishna, the Controller of the Mystic Union, always keeping Himself situated between two of them, held His arms around the necks of the women next to Him. At that moment the sky was crowded by hundreds of celestial carriers belonging to the denizens of heaven with their wives whose minds were carried away by curiosity.

The festive play commenced with the gopîs in a circle that was decorated with, in their midst, Krishna, the Controller of the Mystic Union, who held the women, two by two present beside Him, by their necks. At that moment was the sky crowded by hundreds of celestial carriers belonging to the denizens of heaven and their wives whose minds were carried away in the eagerness of their respect. (Vedabase)

Text 5

Thereupon kettledrums resounded and a rain of flowers came down, while the chief singers of heaven together with their wives sang about His immaculate glories.

Kettledrums then resounded and a rain of flowers fell down while the chief singers of heaven with their wives sang of His immaculate glories. (Vedabase)

Text 6

In the circle of the dance there was a great rumor of the bracelets, ankle bells and waist bells of the women being together with their Beloved.

In the circle of the dance there was a great rumor of the bracelets, ankle and waist bells of the women being together with their Beloved. (Vedabase)

Text 7

The Supreme Lord, the son of Devakî, being together with them appeared as handsomely splendid as an exquisite [blue] sapphire in the midst of golden ornaments.

The Supreme Lord, the son of Devakî, there with them appeared as handsomely splendid as an exquisite [blue] sapphire in the midst of golden ornaments. (Vedabase)

Text 8

The way they placed their feet, by the gestures of their hands, their smiles, playful eyebrows and their bending waists, by their breasts moving beneath their clothes, their earrings at their necks and their perspiring faces, with the braids of their hair, their tightly tied belts and their singing about Him, they, in the role of Krishna's consorts, shone as streaks of lightening amidst the clouds.

The way they placed their feet, by the gestures of their hands, their smiles and playful eyebrows and their bending waists; by their moving breasts, their clothes, their earrings on their necks and their perspiring faces; with the braids of their hair, their belts tied tight and their singing about Him, shone they in the role of Krishna's consorts as streaks of lightening amidst the clouds. (Vedabase)

Text 9

They by whose song the entire universe is pervaded, sang loudly with their colored throats, danced joyfully and were happy in their dedication to be touched by Krishna.

Loudly sang they by whose song the entire universe is pervaded with their colored throats, dancing joyfully, delighting in their dedication to the touch of Krishna. (Vedabase)

Text 10

One gopî who together with Krishna raised [her voice relative to His] in pure tones of close harmony, was praised by Him who pleased exclaimed: 'excellent, excellent!' And another gopî who vibrated along with them with a special metre, He also showed His great appreciation.

One gopî together with Krishna raising [her voice relative to His] in pure tones of close harmony was praised by Him who pleased exclaimed: 'excellent, excellent!' and another one who vibrated along with a special metre He gave a lot of special attention. (Vedabase)

Text 11

A certain gopî [Râdhâ probably] whose bracelets and flowers were slipping, stood fatigued because of the dancing at the side of the Master of the Ceremony ['He who holds the club'] and grasped His shoulder with her arm.

A certain gopî [Râdhâ probably], with her bracelets and flowers slipping, stood fatigued by the dance aside and grasped with her arm the shoulder of the Master of the Ceremony ['He who holds the club']. (Vedabase)

Text 12

Somewhere else there was one who placed Krishna's arm, which was as fragrant as a blue lotus, over her shoulder and kissed it, as she smelled the sandalwood with her hair standing on end.

Somewhere else placed one Krishna's arm, that was as fragrant as a blue lotus, upon her shoulder and smelling the sandalwood kissed she it with her hairs standing on end. (Vedabase)

Text 13

Another one, looking beautiful with the glittering of her earrings shaking because of the dancing, placed her cheek next to His and received from Him the betel nut He had chewed.

Some other one beautiful with the glittering of her, from the dancing, shaking earrings placed her cheek next to His and was given the bethel He had chewed. (Vedabase)

Text 14

One of them, who with Acyuta at her side was dancing and singing with tinkling ankle bells and waist bells, feeling tired, placed His auspicious lotus hand on her breasts.

One of them who with Krishna standing at her side was dancing and singing with tinkling ankle and waistbells, feeling tired placed Acyuta's auspicious lotushand on her breasts. (Vedabase)

Text 15

Now that the gopîs had achieved the Infallible Lord, the Exclusive Lover of the Goddess of Fortune, as their lover, they enjoyed it, with His arms around their necks, to sing about Him.

The gopîs with His arms around their necks having attained the Infallible Lord, the Exclusive Lover of the Goddess of Fortune, as their lover, delighted in singing about Him. (Vedabase)

Text 16

With the lotus flowers behind their ears and the wreaths in their hair falling to the ground, with the locks of their hair decorating their cheeks and their beautiful faces perspiring, with the reverberation of the harmonious sounds of their armlets and bells and the bees buzzing around them, the gopîs danced together with the Supreme Lord in the arena of the dance.

With the lotus flowers behind their ears, the locks of their hair decorating their cheeks, the beauty of their perspiring faces and the reverberation of the harmonious sounds of their armlets and bells, danced the gopîs, with the flowers braided in their hair scattered, to the hum of the bees together with the Supreme Lord in the arena of the dance. (Vedabase)

Text 17

The Master of the Goddess of Fortune, thus with His embraces, the touches of His hands, His affectionate glances and His broad playful smiles, enjoyed it to be together with the young women of Vraja, just like a boy does playing with His own reflection.

He, the Master of the Goddess of Fortune, thus with embraces, touches of His hand, affectionate glances and broad playful smiles enjoyed the young women of Vraja just like a boy does playing with His own reflection. (Vedabase)

Text 18

From the bodily contact with Him being overwhelmed in their senses, it was for the ladies of Vraja not easy to keep their hair, their dresses and the cloths, which covered their breasts, sufficiently tidy. Their flower garlands and ornaments were in disarray, oh best of the Kurus.

From the bodily contact with Him overflowing in their senses was it for the Vraja ladies not easy or possible to keep their hair, dresses and the cloths covering their breasts in good order so that their flower garlands and decorations were in disarray, o best of the Kurus. (Vedabase)

Text 19

Seeing Krishna thus playing, the goddesses moving through the sky were seized by desires of love and the moon and his followers [the stars] got amazed.

Seeing Krishna playing became the goddesses hovering in the sky entranced and restless of amorous desires and fell the moon and his followers [the stars] in amazement. (Vedabase)

Text 20

Expanding Himself to as many [appearances] as there were cowherd women, He, despite being the Supreme Lord satisfied within, enjoyed the pastime He had with them.

Expanding Himself to as many [appearances] as there were cowherd women present enjoyed He, though being the self-satisfied Supreme Lord, His Selves playing with them. (Vedabase)

Text 21

Lovingly He, with His most soothing hand, kindly wiped the faces of the gopîs, my best one, when they felt tired from the pleasure of the romance.

Of them, fatigued of the pleasure of the romance, wiped He in loving compassion the faces, my best, with His most soothing hand. (Vedabase)

Text 22

The gopîs, greatly pleased by the touch of His fingernails, sang about the exploits of their Hero, honoring Him with the beauty of their smiles, glances and cheeks, that was heightened by the effulgence of their shining locks of hair and golden earrings.

Greatly pleased by the touch of His fingernails sang the gopîs of the exploits of their Hero, honoring Him with the nectarean beauty of their smiles, glances, cheeks and locks of hair, shining golden in the effulgence of their earrings. (Vedabase)

Text 23

Being tired, He, with His garland crushed and smeared by the kunkuma of their breasts, quickly being followed by the bees [singing] like the best Gandharvas, entered together with the gopîs the water [of the Yamunâ] in order to dispel the fatigue, just as a bull elephant does when he with his wives has broken the irrigation dikes [in their case: the normal rules of conduct].

With His garland crushed and smeared by the kunkuma of their breasts, entered He, as the leader of the Gandharvas accompanied by the swiftly following bees, being tired, in order to dispel the fatigue, the water not unlike a bull-elephant does with his wives having broken the irrigation dikes [or the normal rules of conduct]. (Vedabase)

Text 24

In the water He was splashed from all sides by the girls who looked at Him with love and laughter, my best one. Thereto from the heavenly carriers [of the gods] being worshiped with a rain of flowers He, who is personally always satisfied within, in that place reveled in playing [with the gopîs] like He was the king of the elephants [see also 8.3]

In the water was He from all sides splashed by the girls eyeing Him with love and laughter, my best, and being worshiped from the heavenly carriers with a rain of flowers reveled He, who is personally always pleased within, there in playing like the king of the elephants [see also 8.3]. (Vedabase)

Text 25

Just like an elephant that is dripping rut with his wives, He then, surrounded by the swarm of His bees and women, passed through a grove nearby the Yamunâ that everywhere was filled with the - by the wind carried - fragrance of the flowers in the water and on the land.

Just like an elephant dripping rut with his wives He then passed, surrounded by the lot of His bees and women, through a grove reaching the Yamunâ that everywhere was filled with the fragrance carried by the wind from the flowers in the water and on the land. (Vedabase)

Text 26

He, the Truth of all Desires, thus with His many adoring girlfriends spent the night that was so bright because of the moonlight. He thereby controlled within Himself [during that one night] the romantic feelings He wished to honor during all autumn nights, the nights that so very much inspire for poetic descriptions of spiritual moods [or rasas].'

In this manner spent He, the Truth of all Desire, with His many adoring girlfriends the night that was so bright of the moonlight. Thereby manifested He within Himself all the romantic gestures in enjoying all those autumn nights that are so very inspiring to poetic descriptions of transcendental moods [or rasas].' (Vedabase)

Text 27-28

S'rî Parîkchit said: 'In order to establish the dharma and to subdue the defiant souls, He, the Supreme Lord, the Controller of the Universe, descended with His plenary portion [Balarâma]. How could He, the original speaker, executor and protector of the codes of moral conduct, behave so to the contrary, oh brahmin, by touching the wives of other men?

S'rî Parîkchit said: 'To establish the dharma and to subdue the ones defiant, descended indeed He, the Supreme Lord, the Controller of the Universe with His plenary portion [Balarâma]. How could He, the original speaker, executor and protector of the codes of moral conduct, behave so to the contrary o brahmin, in touching the wives of others? (Vedabase)

Text 29

What did He, being satisfied within, have in mind with this no doubt contemptible performance, oh upholder of the vows? Please dispel our doubt about this.'

What did He, so self-satisfied, have in mind with this assuredly contemptible performance, o best of the vowed, please dispel our doubt about this.' (Vedabase)

Text 30

S'rî S'uka said: 'When mighty authorities transgress the rules of dharma and act boldly, it does not mean they are at fault. They are like an all-consuming fire [that is not affected by what it consumes].

S'rî S'uka said: 'The transgression of dharma and thoughtlessness, as can be observed with spiritual authorities, does not mean they are at fault. They are much like an all-consuming fire [which is not affected by what it consumes]. (Vedabase)

Text 31

Someone not in control [of himself] must not even think of ever doing a thing like this. Being as foolish to act in such a way, means one's demise, one is not a Rudra who can drink the poison of the ocean [see 8.7].

Someone not in control [with himself] most certainly mustn't even think of ever doing a thing like this; such a one, acting out of foolishness, would find his destruction as good as anybody else but Rudra would with [drinking] the poison from the ocean [see 8.7]. (Vedabase)

Text 32

It are the words of the authorities that are true, their acts should only occasionally be taken as an example. Someone intelligent does only what is in agreement with their words [see also B.G. e.g. 3: 6-7, 3: 42, 5: 7].

True are the words of the ones in control [with the Lord, with themselves] and what they do should by people of intelligence [only] in some cases be taken as an example to follow, namely in those cases in which that what they do is in accord with that what they said [see also B.G. e.g. 3: 6-7, 3:42, 5:7]. (Vedabase)

Text 33

Just as they who act egolessly do not benefit from the good acts they perform, they neither will suffer any disadvantage when they act contrary to the virtue.

As good as, my best, there for those whose acts are egoless is no advantage to be found with what they in their piety do, will they neither suffer any disadvantage when they act contrary to the expectations. (Vedabase)

Text 34

How can one speak in terms of right or wrong concerning the Controller(s) of those who are controlled - all the created beings, animals, human beings and denizens of heaven?

How then can we in connection with the Controller of those who are controlled - all the created beings, animals, human beings and denizens of heaven - speak of right or wrong? (Vedabase)

Text 35

The sages [His representatives] who abandoned all karmic bondage by serving the dust of the lotus feet, are satisfied by the power of yoga and act freely, they never get entangled because of Him. Therefore one can never speak of a state of bondage of, or of being bound by, Him who assumed His wonderful bodies [for the sake of detachment, see vapu].

The sages, whose bondage of karma by serving the dust of the lotus feet has all been washed away, are satisfied by the power of yoga and act freely, they, on His account, never get entangled; in what sense could one speak of a state of bondage with those who according His will have accepted bodies of a transcendental nature? [see vapu]. (Vedabase)

Text 36

He who, within the gopîs and their husbands, indeed within all embodied beings, lives as the Supreme Witness, assumes a form in this world in order to engage in His pastimes.

He who within the gopîs and their husbands, indeed within all embodied beings, lives as the Supreme Witness, has assumed His form to sport in this world. (Vedabase)

Text 37

In order to show His mercy to His devotees, He, with assuming a humanlike body, engages in such [amorous] pastimes, that one hearing them becomes devoted to Him [see also 1.7: 10].

Assuming a humanlike body to show His mercy to His devotees, does He engage in pastimes about which one hearing becomes dedicated to Him [see also 1.7: 10]. (Veda b ase)

Text 38

The cowherd men of Vraja, who were bewildered by the power of His mâyâ, were not jealous of Krishna. They all thought that their wives had stayed at their side.

Even though the cowherd men of Vraja were bewildered by the power of His mâyâ were they not jealous with Krishna; they all assumed that their wives stood by their side. (Vedabase)

Text 39

Even though the gopîs did not want to, the sweethearts of the Supreme Lord, on Krishna's advise went home after that [endless] night of Brahmâ had passed.

Even though they didn't want to went the gopîs, the sweethearts of the Supreme Lord, on Krishna's advise home after that [endless] night of Brahmâ had passed. (Vedabase)

Text 40

Anyone who with faith listens to, or gives an account of, this pastime of Lord Vishnu with the cowherd girls of Vraja, will achieve the transcendental devotional service of the Supreme Lord. He will quickly become sober and forthwith drive away the disease of lust in his heart.'

Anyone who faithfully listens to or gives an account of this pastime of Lord Vishnu with the cowherd girls of Vraja, will obtain the transcendental devotional service of the Supreme Lord, he will quickly become sober and manage to drive away the disease of lust in the heart.' (Vedabase)