ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣಕರ್ಣಾಮೃತಮ್- ೧:೨೬-೫೦

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 328 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 26 to 50 of the first ashwasa with a prosaic translation in English.  

ಕದಾ ವಾ ಕಾಲಿಂದೀಕುವಲಯದಲಶ್ಯಾಮಲತರಾಃ

ಕಟಾಕ್ಷಾ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಯಂತೇ ಕಿಮಪಿ ಕರುಣಾವೀಚಿನಿಚಿತಾ

ಕದಾ ವಾ ಕಂದರ್ಪಪ್ರತಿಭಟಜಟಾ ಚಂದ್ರಶಿಶಿರಾಃ

ಕಮಪ್ಯಂತಸ್ತೋಷಂ ದದತಿ ಮುರಲೀಕೇಲಿನಿನದಾಃ ||  ೧.೨೬||

When shall I receive  the katakshas (side-glances of Krishna) which are full of compassion and which are darker than the waters of Yamuna and the petals of the  blue lily?  When shall the playful sweet melodies from the flute of (Krishna), cool as the rays of the moon and capable of fighting Cupid (Kama, lust), give me inner peace and contentment?  

ಅಧೀರಮಾಲೋಕಿತಮಾರ್ದ್ರಜಲ್ಪಿತಂ

ಗತಂ ಚ ಗಂಭೀರವಿಲಾಸಮಂಥರಂ|

ಅಮಂದಮಾಲಿಂಗಿತಮಾಕುಲೋನ್ಮದ-

ಸ್ಮಿತಂ ಚ ತೇ ನಾಥ ವದಂತಿ ಗೋಪಿಕಾಃ || ೧.೨೭||

O Lord! the gopis say that your glances are shifting and merciful,  talk is sweet and soft, gait is dignified, slow and playful, embrace is tight and smile is bewitching.

ಅಸ್ತೋಕಸ್ಮಿತಭರಮಯತಾಯತಾಕ್ಷಂ

ನಿಶ್ಶೇಷಸ್ತನಮೃದಿತಂ ವ್ರಜಾಂಗನಾಭಿಃ|

ನಿಃಸೀಮಸ್ತಬಕಿತನೀಲಕಾಂತಿಧಾರಂ

ದೃಶ್ಯಾಸಂ ತ್ರಿಭುವನಸುಂದರಂ ಮಹಸ್ತೇ || ೧.೨೮||

O Lord may I see your effulgent form, the most beautiful in all the three worlds, having a bewitching broad smile and wide eyes, pressed by the breasts of the belles of vraja and like the concentrated accumulation of dark blue lustre. 

ಮಯಿ ಪ್ರಸಾದಂ ಮಧುರೈಃ ಕಟಾಕ್ಷೈಃ

ವಂಶೀನಿನಾದಾನುಚರೈರ್ವಿಧೇಹಿ |

ತ್ವಯಿ ಪ್ರಸನ್ನೇ ಕಿಮಿಹಾಪರೈರ್ನ್ನಃ

ತ್ವಯ್ಯಪ್ರಸನ್ನೇ ಕಿಮಿಹಾಪರೈರ್ನ್ನಃ || ೧.೨೯||

O Krishna ! May you bestow on me your sweet glances from the corner of your eyes which follow the melodies for your flute.  When you are pleased what is the use of others? (because there is nothing for them to do).  When you are not pleased what is the use of others? ( because they won’t be able to do anything) 

ನಿಬದ್ಧಮೂರ್ದ್ಧಾಂಜಲಿರೇಷ ಯಾಚೇ

ನೀರಂಧ್ರದೈನ್ಯೋನ್ನತಮುಕ್ತಕಂಠಂ |

ದಯಾಂಬುಧೇ! ದೇವ! ಭವತ್ಕಟಾಕ್ಷ-

ದಾಕ್ಷಿಣ್ಯಲೇಶೇನ ಸಕೃನ್ನಿಷಿಂಚ || ೧.೩೦||

With palms pressed together above my head I, utterly miserable and helpless,   beg of you at the top of my voice “ O Krishna ! Ocean of Compassion ! Light of lights!  Kindly drench me, just once, with just a little glance of compassion from the corners of your eyes.”  

ಪಿಂಛಾವತಂಸರಚನೋಚಿತಕೇಶಪಾಶೇ

ಪೀನಸ್ತನೀನಯನಪಂಕಜಪೂಜನೀಯೇ  |

ಚಂದ್ರಾರವಿಂದವಿಜಯೋದ್ಯತವಕ್ತ್ರಬಿಂಬೇ

ಚಾಪಲ್ಯಮೇತಿ ನಯನಂ ತವ ಶೈಶವೇ ನಃ || ೧.೩೧||

Our eyes thirst to see your childhood.  With your hair adorned with peacock feathers,  with your form adorable to the lotus-eyes of women and your face out to conquer the lotus and the moon by its beauty.  

ತ್ವಚ್ಛೈಶವಂ ತ್ರಿಭುವನಾದ್ಭುತಮಿತ್ಯವೈಮಿ

ಯಚ್ಚಾಪಲಂಚ ಮಮ ವಾಗವಿವಾದಗಮ್ಯಂ|

ತತ್ಕಿಂ ಕರೋಮಿ ವಿರಣನ್ಮುರಲೀವಿಲಾಸ-

ಮುಗ್ಧಂ ಮುಖಾಂಬುಜಮೀಕ್ಷಿತುಮೀಕ್ಷಣಾಭ್ಯಾಂ  || ೧.೩೨||

I know that childhood form of Krishna is the most wonderful in all the three worlds.  It is also a beyond argument that my mind is shifting and wavering and cannot concentrate.  What then should I do to see  with my two eyes that lotus face from which arise the beautiful melodies of the flute? 

ಪರ್ಯಾಚಿತಾಮೃತರಸಾನಿ ಪದಾರ್ಥಭಂಗಿ

ವಲ್ಗೂನಿ ವಲ್ಗಿತವಿಶಾಲವಿಲೋಚನಾನಿ

ಬಾಲ್ಯಾಧಿಕಾನಿ ಮದವಲ್ಲವಭಾವಿತಾನಿ

ಭಾವೇ ಲುಠಂತಿ ಸುದೃಶಾಂ ತವ ಜಲ್ಪಿತಾನಿ | ೩೩||

O Krishna! Your talk is sweet like nectar; the meaning of words is so beautiful that people hear it with wide-eyed wonder. They are far above the level expected from a boy of young age and appreciated by the cowherds in love. They create lovely emotions in the heart of the gopis of Vraja.   

ಪುರುಪ್ರಸನ್ನೇನ ಮುಖೇಂದುತೇಜಸಾ

ಪುರೋಽವತೀರ್ಣಸ್ಯ ಕೃಪಾಮಹಾಂಬುಧೇಃ |

ತದೇವ ಲೀಲಾಮುರಲೀರವಾಮೃತಂ

ಸಮಾಧಿವಿಘ್ನಾಯ ಕದಾನು ಮೇ ಭವೇತ್ || ೩೪||

When will Krishna, ocean of mercy,  descend before me with his  moon-like face shining and blissful  and by the playful melodies from his flute break my meditation (samadhi)

ಯಾವನ್ನ ಮೇ ನಿಖಿಲಮರ್ಮದೃಢಾಭಿಘಾತ-

ನಿಸ್ಸಂಧಿಬಂಧನಮುದೇತ್ಯಸವೋಪತಾಪಃ |

ತಾವದ್ವಿಭೋ ಭವತು ತಾವಕವಕ್ತ್ರಚಂದ್ರ

ಚಂದ್ರಾತಪದ್ವಿಗುಣಿತಾ ಮಮ ಚಿತ್ತಧಾರಾ || ೧.೩೭||

When all the vulnerable spots (marma) in the body are being pounded and all joints become rigid and life is ebbing out of this body, then let my heart (mind) be flooded with double the luminosity of moonlight emanating from your face which excels the moon.

ಯಾವನ್ನ ಮೇ ನರದಶಾ ದಶಮೀ ದೃಶೋಽಪಿ

ರಂಧ್ರಾದುಪೈತಿ ತಿಮಿರೀಕೃತಸರ್ವಭಾವಾ|

ಲಾವಣ್ಯಕೇಲಿಸದನಂ ತವ ತಾವದೇತು

ಲಕ್ಷ್ಯಂ ಸಮುತ್ಕ್ವಣಿತವೇಣು ಮುಖೇಂದುಬಿಂಬಂ|| ೩೮||

Before life ebbs out of my body through one of the (nine) openings and

all emotions and sentiments are blacked out, may that moon-like face which is the playhouse of all beauty appear before my eyes accompanied by the melodious music from the flute.

ಆಲೋಲಲೋಚನವಿಲೋಕಿತಕೇಲಿಧಾರಾ-

ನೀರಾಜಿತಾಗ್ರಸರಣೇಃ ಕರುಣಾಂಬುರಾಶೇಃ|

ಆರ್ದ್ರಾಣಿ ವೇಣುನಿನದೈಃ ಪ್ರತಿನಾದಪೂರೈ-

ರಾಕರ್ಣಯಾಮಿ ಮಣಿನೂಪುರಶಿಂಜಿತಾನಿ || ೩೯||

I hear the tinkling of the anklets of Krishna,  who is an ocean of mercy, mingled with the echo of the melodies from the flute as he walks the streets of Vrindavan, casting his roving

glances  lighting up the road ahead.  

ಹೇ ದೇವ ಹೇ ದಯಿತ! ಹೇ ಜಗದೇಕಬಂಧೋ!

ಹೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣ! ಹೇ ಚಪಲ! ಹೇ ಕರುಣೈಕಸಿಂಧೋ!

ಹೇ ನಾಥ! ಹೇ ರಮಣ! ಹೇ ನಯನಾಭಿರಾಮ!

ಹಾ ಹಾ ಕದಾ ನು ಭವಿತಾಸಿ ಪದಂ ದೃಶೋರ್ಮೇ || ೧.೪೦||

O God ! O Beloved! O the only friend of all!  O Kirshna ! O the playful! O Ocean of Compassion! O Lord! O  Giver of Happiness! O Beautiful to Behold! When will you come within the line of my sight ? ( When shall I see you before my eyes?)

ಅಮೂನ್ಯಧನ್ಯಾನಿ ದಿನಾಂತರಾಣಿ

ಹರೇ ತ್ವದಾಲೋಕನಮಂತರೇಣ |

ಅನಾಥಬಂಧೋ ಕರುಣೈಕಸಿಂಧೋ

ಹಾ ಹಂತ! ಹಾ ಹಂತ! ಕಥಂ ನಯಾಮಿ || ೧.೪೧||

All these days when I was not able to have your darshan, seem to me, have been utterly wasted.   O friend of all who have none!  Ocean of Compassion!  How shall I pass these days (without seeing you)?

ಕಿಮಿಹ ಶೃಣುಮಃ ಕಸ್ಯ ಬ್ರೂಮಃ ಕಥಂ ಕೃತಮಾಶಯಾ

ಕಥಯತು ಕಥಮನ್ಯಂ ಮನ್ಯಾಮಹೇ ಹೃದಯೇಶಂ |

ಮಧುರಮಧುರಸ್ಮೇರಾಕಾರೇ ಮನೋನಯನೋತ್ಸವೇ

ಕೃಪಣಕೃಪಣಾ ತೃಷ್ಣಾ ಚಿರಂ ಬತ ಲಂಬತೇ || ೪೨||

Our hearts are set  on  Krishna and  have been thirsting, for a long time,  for Krishna who has the sweetest of smiles and who gladdens one’s mind and eyes.  How can we then hear, tell or accept some other God as the Lord of our hearts?  

ಆಭ್ಯಾಂ ವಿಲೋಚನಾಭ್ಯಾಂ

ಅಂಬುಜದಲದಲಿತಲೋಚನಂ ಬಾಲಂ|

ದ್ವಾಭ್ಯಾಮಪಿ ಪರಿರಬ್ಧುಂ

ದೂರೇ ಮಮ ಹಂತ ದೈವಸಾಮಗ್ರೀ || ೪೩||

With these two eyes of mine I greatly desire to embrace the child whose eyes excel the petals of lotus in beauty.  But alas, the blessings of the god are far way in this respect.

ಅಶ್ರಾಂತಸ್ಮಿತಮರುಣಾರುಣಾಧರೋಷ್ಠಂ

ಹರ್ಷಾರ್ದ್ರದ್ವಿಗುಣಮನೋಜ್ಞವೇಣುಗೀತಂ|

ವಿಭ್ರಾಮ್ಯದ್ವಿಪುಲವಿಲೋಚನಾರ್ಧಮುಗ್ಧಂ

ವೀಕ್ಷಿಷ್ಯೇ ತವ ವದನಾಂಬುಜಂ ಕದಾ ನು? || ೪೪||

O Lord! When shall I see your face beautiful as the lotus, always lit with a smile and having reddish lips, steeped in the joy of captivating melodies from the flute and having roving large beautiful eyes which are half-closed.

ಲೀಲಾಯತಾಭ್ಯಾಂ ರಸಶೀತಲಾಭ್ಯಾಂ

ನೀಲಾರುಣಾಭ್ಯಾಂ ನಯನಾಂಬುಜಾಭ್ಯಾಂ|

ಆಲೋಕಯೇದದ್ಭುತವಿಭ್ರಮಾಭ್ಯಾಂ

ಬಾಲಃ ಕದಾ ಕಾರುಣಿಕಃ ಕಿಶೋರಃ || ೪೫||

When will the young boy Krishna, full of mercy, cast  on me a glance from his eyes which are beautiful as the lotus, playfully wide, cool with compassion, blue with a reddish tinge and reflecting wonderful emotions. 

ಬಹುಲಚಿಕುರಭಾರಂ ಬದ್ಧಪಿಂಛಾವತಂಸಂ

ಚಪಲಚಪಲನೇತ್ರಂ ಚಾರುಬಿಂಬಾಧರೋಷಠಂ|

ಮಧುರಮೃದುಲಹಾಸಂ ಮಂಥರೋದಾರಲೀಲಂ

ಮೃಗಯತಿ ನಯನಂ ಮೇ ಮುಗ್ಧವೇಷಂ ಮುರಾರೇಃ|| ೪೬||

My eyes are frantically searching for the beautiful form of Krishna, slayer of Mura,

Oh God who plays the lute, I keep on hunting for  your face,

Which is having, a big crop of hair,

Which is decorated , by peacock feathers,

Which has eyes,  that keep on shifting,

Which has red pretty lips,  similar to Bimba* fruits,

Which has a soft smile , which is similar to honey,

And which at first look itself appears as generous

ಬಹುಲಜಲದಚ್ಛಾಯಾಚೋರಂ ವಿಲಾಸಭರಾಲಸಂ

ಮದಶಿಖಿಶಿಖಾಲೀಲೋತ್ತಂಸಂ ಮನೋಜ್ಞಮುಖಾಂಬುಜಂ|

ಕಿಮಪಿ ಕರುಣಾಪಾಂಗೋದಗ್ರಪ್ರಮೃಷ್ಟಜಗಜ್ಜಡಂ

ಮಧುರಿಮಪರೀಪಾಕೋದ್ರೇಕಂ ವಯಂ ಮೃಗಯಾಮಹೇ || ೪೭||



We are searching (yearning) for the Lord (Krishna) who is the very embodiment of the peak of matured sweetness, whose dark blue colour excels that of the clouds, who is lazily playful, who adorns his head with the plumes of peacock, whose face is fascinating and whose sidelong glances full of mercy wipe out the ignorance of (his devotees) in the world.

ಪರಾಮೃಶ್ಯಂ ದೂರೇ ಪರಿಷದಿ ಮುನಿನಾಂ ವ್ರಜವಧೂ-

ದೃಶಾಂ ದೃಶಲಂ ಶಶ್ವತ್ ತ್ರಿಭುವನಮನೋಹಾರಿ ವಪುಷಂ|

ಅನಾಮೃಶ್ಯಂ ವಾಚಾಮನಿರ್ದ್ದಮುದಯಾನಾಮಪಿ ಕದಾ

ದರೀದೃಶ್ಯೇ ದೇವಂ ದರದಲಿತನೀಲೋತ್ಪಲನಿಭಂ || ೪೮||

When shall I be able to see my Lord whose dark blue complexion excels that of the slightly open blue lotus, who is far away from the talks (discussions) in the assembly of sages but who is always seen by the belles of Vraja, the beauty of whose form captivates the three worlds and who is incapable of being described in words.
ಲೀಲಾನನಾಂಬುಜಮಧೀರಮುದೀಕ್ಷಮಾಣಂ

ನರ್ಮಾಣಿ ವೇಣುವಿವರೇಷು ನಿವೇಶಯಂತಂ|

ಡೋಲಾಯಮಾನನಯನಂ ನಯನಾಭಿರಾಮಂ

ದೇವಂ ಕದಾ ನು ದಯಿತಂ ವ್ಯತಿಲೋಕಯಿಷ್ಯೇ || ೪೯||

When shall I see my darling Krishna whose face is beautiful as the lotus, whose glances are shifting, who plays the flute putting humour in its holes(melodies), who has roving eyes and whose form is extremely beautiful.
ಲಗ್ನಂ ಮುಹುರ್ಮನಸಿ ಲಂಪಟಸಂಪ್ರದಾಯಿ

ಲೇಖಾವಿಲೇಖನರಸಜ್ಞಮನೋಜ್ಞವೇಷಂ |

ಲಜ್ಜನ್ಮೃದುಸ್ಮಿತಮಧುಸ್ನಪಿತಾಧರಾಂಶು

ರಾಕೇಂದುಲಾಲಿತಮುಖೇಂದುಮುಕುಂದಬಾಲ್ಯಂ || ೫೦||  

The childhood form of Mukunda (Krishna) with its habit of taking liberties with the belles of Vraja, with its picture-perfectness for an artist and with its bright lips bathed in a shy, soft and sweet smile and with its face brighter than the full moon, rises up frequently in my mind (heart).