Room Conversation Pradyumna: (chanting Sanskrit) tad-iksanotprema-rasaplutasaya jatanuraga gata-manyavo ’rbhakan uduhya dorbhih parirabhya murdhani ghranair avapuh paramam mudam te Prabhupada: One line? Pradyumna: Just read like this, Srila Prabhupada? Prabhupada: One line. Pradyumna: Ah, one line. Te (gopah) tad-iksanotprema-rasaplutasayah (tesam sutanam iksanena udgatah yah prema-rasah tasmin aplutah nimagnah asayah yesam te) jatanuragah (jatah anuragah yesam te) gata-manyavah (gata-rosah) arbhakan (sutan) uduhya (utthapya) dorbhih (bahubhih) parirabhya (alingya) murdhani (mastake) ghranaih paramam mudam (ativa pritim) avapuh (praptah). Prabhupada: Hm. So translation. Pradyumna: (Bengali) Prabhupada: So the word meaning you’ll be able to translate into English? Pradyumna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada: Then I can explain the translation. Pradyumna: Yes. Prabhupada: The… Krsna has become everything. After Brahma has stolen the original cowherds boys and cows and calves, Krsna has expanded Himself. So on account of Krsna’s expansion, the cowherdsmen got a special attraction. First of all they were angry. The cowherdsmen were on the top of the hill. They did not like to come down. But on account of Krsna, the boys were very, very attracted, and they immediately come down with special affection. Is it explained? Pradyumna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada: It will help? Eh? Pradyumna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada: So you can do that. Pradyumna: Yes. We can do every verse like this, yes. Tamala Krsna: Little by little, few verses at a time throughout the day, the Bhagavata will be completed. Pradyumna: We can do as much as you were doing before. We can do. Prabhupada: Yes. We shall see how much we can… So on the head, I cannot hear properly. Tamala Krsna: Yes. I was thinking he could sit here on the bed, and I can sit on the other side with the tape, or I can sit here also, and tape everything carefully. So should he move over now? Prabhupada: Yes. Kirtanananda: You need a flashlight? Tamala Krsna: Yes. Here’s a flashlight. Sit up on the bed. Pradyumna: tatah pravayaso gopas
with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
October 14, 1977, Vrndavana
tokaslesa-sunirvrtah
krcchrac chanair apagatas
tad-anusmrty-udasravah
Tatah (anantaram) pravayasah gopah (vrddhah gopa-janah).
Prabhupada: Tatah (anantaram), you can translate? No, you can translate immediately. “Thereafter.”
Pradyumna: Yes. Tatah—thereafter; pravayasah (vrddhah gopa-janah)—the elderly cowherdsmen?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Pradyumna: Tokaslesa-sunirvrtah (putra-linganena sukhitah santah)—by embracing their sons.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Pradyumna: Putra-linganena sukhitah santah—they became overjoyed, or happy.
Prabhupada: In the beginning they were angry that the cows were being attracted by the calves, but when they came down from up the hill, they were themselves attracted by their sons, and therefore they embraced.
Pradyumna: Sanaih (kramasah)—slowly; krcchrat (kastena)—with difficulty; apagatah…
Prabhupada: Sanaih means “gradually.”
Pradyumna: Gradually. They were old ones, old gopas. Apagatah (alinganaghranadi-vyaparan-nivrtah).
Prabhupada: These are the symptoms of affection, to embrace son and smell head.
Pradyumna: Tad anusmrty udasravah (tesam sutanam anusmrtya anusmarane udgacchanti asruni netra-jalani yesam te tadrsah jatah). By the… Tesam sutanam anusmrtya anusmarane.
Prabhupada: So translate.
Pradyumna: “By remembering their sons.” Anantara vayaska gopa-gana putralingane paramananda labha kariya. Ati-kaste kramasah…
Prabhupada: You can translate into English?
Pradyumna: “Thereafter, the elderly cowherdsmen,” putralingane paramananda labha kariya, “obtaining great bliss from embracing their sons…”
Prabhupada: Feeling.
Pradyumna: “Attained great feeling.” Ati-kaste kramasah alinganadi vyapara haite nivrta hailena. “They ceased from the embracing of their sons gradually with…” Ati-kaste?
Prabhupada: With great difficulty.
Pradyumna: “…with great difficulty. With reluctance.” Takhana putra-smrti-vasatah tanhadera netra-jala udgata haite lagila. “And from remembering… On account of remembering their sons,” putra-smrti-vasatah tanhadera netra-jala udgata, “tears began to…”
Prabhupada: Roll down.
Pradyumna: “…roll down from their eyes.”
Prabhupada: In this way it can be done, and it will require a very good editing. Then it will be all right. And at the same time discussion of Bhagavata will go on. Is that correct? What the editor said?
Pradyumna: What does the editor say? Is this all right?
Jayadvaita: Sure it’s all right. This is good. This plan is good.
Prabhupada: So let us do that. So each word you read very distinctly. It doesn’t matter it takes time.
Jayadvaita: And Pradyumna, you can work ahead on this translation, so that it can be read…
Prabhupada: Hm?
Jayadvaita: Can you work ahead on translating, Pradyumna? So that can be done also, that as it’s being read to you, the translation can already be done in advance by Pradyumna.
Tamala Krsna: That’s good.
Prabhupada: Hm?
Jayadvaita: The translation of the verses can be done in advance, so that as the Sanskrit is being read to you, the meanings can also be done immediately.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Tamala Krsna: Is that all right, Srila Prabhupada?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Tamala Krsna: Should I… One thing I can do. Since Arundhati will be typing, I can sit here with the dictaphone rather than tape recorder. Then she can do just as she always did, typing off the dictaphone.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Tamala Krsna: Is that all right? And if you want, that way we can play back also very easily.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Tamala Krsna: I’ll sit here personally whenever you do this and take it on the dictaphone.
Prabhupada: You all think, and as you…, I’ll hear and do the needful. Anyway, it will be discussion on Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Tamala Krsna: I think that Krsnadasa Kaviraja was also in an invalid state when he completed Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Prabhupada. He expressed throughout the book that sometimes it was very difficult, but on account of the Vaisnavas’ great desire to hear the glories of the Lord, he continued his work.
Adi-kesava: And you compared yourself to him, also.
Tamala Krsna: Kavi. Your Godbrothers always called you Kavi.
Kirtanananda: Kaviraja. Srila Prabhupada.
Prabhupada: Let us try. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. Hare Krsna.
Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada.
Prabhupada: So read one after another. Slowly but surely. Next verse.
Pradyumna:
vrajasya ramah premardher viksyautkanthyam anuksanam mukta-stanesv apatyesv apy ahetu-vid acintayat
Ramah (baladevah)
Prabhupada: Yes.
Pradyumna: Mukta-stanesu (vayasa adhikyat stanyapanad viratesu) api apatyesu (vatsesu) vrajasya (go-samuhasya) anuksanam (nirantanam) premardheh (santati-sneha-samrddheh) autkanthyam (atisayam) viksya ahetuvit (tat-karanam ajanan) acintayat (cintitavan). Baladeva tat-kale vayasadhikya-vasatah stanya-pana virata vatsa-ganera prati dhenu-ganera etadrsa nirantara sneha-samrddhira adhikya-darsane tahara karana janite na pariya ei-rupa cinta karite lagilena.
Prabhupada: The calves were grown up, and still, the mother wanted to feed them. So Balarama was a little surprised. So He wanted to inquire what is the reason from Krsna.
Pradyumna: Next verse?
Prabhupada: It is explained?
Pradyumna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada. The calves, they were beyond milking, so when the cows were so affectionate, He could not understand.
Prabhupada: Visvanatha explanation?
Pradyumna: Yes, a very big one, big explanation.
Prabhupada: Read it. We shall try to…
Pradyumna: Premardher hetor autkanthyam mukta-stanesv api vatsesu nava-prasuta-vatsatarinam api gavam ahetu-vit hetum ajanan acintayad iti.
Prabhupada: You can translate?
Pradyumna: Yes. Premardher hetor autkanthyam, “Such enthusiasm on a cause of love, such affection,” mukta-stanesv api vatsesu, “even among those vatsas who had given up milking… They were no longer milking at their mother,” nava-prasuta-vatsatarinam api gavam, “and seeing that enthusiasm,” I think, “even among cows who had newly given birth…. They had given…” They had some older calves who had finished milking, and they had younger calves who had…
Prabhupada: Yes, still…
Pradyumna: But they showed still same enthusiasm.
Prabhupada: Yes. So Balarama was surprised.
Pradyumna: Then he raises some questions. Etavat kalesu prati-dinam eva go-dohanadi samayesu nava-prasutan api vatsan vihaya pracinan eva vatsan stanam payayantih (etc. to abhut).
Prabhupada: The mothers were more anxious to feed the older calves, although the new calves were present, because the older calves were expansions of Krsna. This was surprising.
Pradyumna: (Sanskrit—pasyato’ pi to yoga-mayaiva)
Prabhupada: No, just explain it. These were happening by the yogamaya’s manipulations. It is not generally happening, but on account of yogamaya, it was so happening. Two mayas are working under the direction of Krsna: the mahamaya, this material world; and yogamaya, the spiritual world. So this uncommon thing was happening on account of yogamaya’s influence.
Pradyumna: (Sanskrit—tatra to abhut)
Prabhupada: So on account of activity of yogamaya, the day on which Brahma stolen, and they could not understand how yogamaya was working. Uncommon thing happening.
Pradyumna: (Sanskrit—kintu to nabhut)
Prabhupada: So yogamaya was acting in such a way that even Balarama could not understand.
Pradyumna: (Sanskrit—varsa-paryantam to avasiyate)
Prabhupada: So as yogamaya gradually withdrew her action, then others could understand, especially Balarama, and inquired from Krsna. So next?
Pradyumna: Kim etad adbhutam iva vasudeve ’khilatmani vrajasya satmanas… [SB 10.13.36]
Prabhupada: One thing, you can keep open my Tenth Canto, Krsna.
Jayadvaita: Krsna book, Tenth Canto.
Prabhupada: That will help.
Jayadvaita: Krsna book. Thirteenth or Fourteenth Chapter, Volume One.
Pradyumna:
kim etad adbhutam iva vasudeve ’khilatmani vrajasya satmanas tokesv apurvam prema vardhat [SB 10.13.36]
(Sanskrit—satmanah synonyms to sri-krsne iva)
Prabhupada: The affection was increasing not to maya, but because Krsna expanded Himself as everything… So their whole life was meant for Krsna. On account of Krsna affection, the affection of the older calves were more than the new calves. What is written in the English Krsna?
Jayadvaita: “One day when Krsna, along with Balarama, was maintaining the calves in the forest…” It’s just up here. “Balarama was astonished to see all the residents of Vrndavana so affectionate for their own children, exactly as they had been for Krsna. Similarly, the cows had grown affectionate for their calves as much as for Krsna. Balarama therefore concluded that the extraordinary show of affection was something mystical, either performed by the demigods or by some powerful man.”
Prabhupada: Is it clear now? Balarama was surprised to see the action of yogamaya; therefore He inquired from Krsna, “What is happening in this scene? What is that mystery?” Is it clear?
Pradyumna: Yes, Srila Prabhupada.
Prabhupada: In this way go very slow, but the discussion may be complete. So you can go on.
Pradyumna: The next verse?
keyam va kuta ayata daivi va nary utasuri prayo mayastu me bhartur nanya me ’pi vimohini [SB 10.13.37]
(Sanskrit—iyam to bhavati)
Prabhupada: Balarama was surprised, “This maya may be some raksasi-maya. But how raksasi-maya can influence upon Balarama? That is not possible. Therefore it must be the maya of Krsna.” Therefore He inquired. What is there in the English?
Jayadvaita: “Balarama inquired from Krsna about the actual situation. He said, ‘My dear Krsna, in the beginning I thought that all these cows, calves and cowherd boys were either great sages and saintly persons or demigods. But at the present it appears that they are actually Your expansions. They are all You. You Yourself are playing as the calves and cows and boys.’ ” This is later? Before that, “Balarama had concluded that the extraordinary show of affection was something mystical, either performed by the demigods or some powerful man. Otherwise how could this wonderful change take place? He concluded that this mystical change must have been caused by Krsna, whom Balarama considered His worshipable Personality of Godhead. He thought, ‘It was arranged by Krsna, and even I could not check its mystic power.’ Thus Balarama understood that all those boys and calves were only expansions of Krsna.”
Prabhupada: Is it now clear?
Pradyumna: Yes, Prabhupada. Next verse. Iti sancintya dasarhah…
Prabhupada: Iti—thus; sancintya—thinking.
Pradyumna: “Thinking thus,” dasarhah. Dasarhah (ramah)—- “Balarama.”
Prabhupada: Dasarhah.
Pradyumna: Dasarhah. Vatsan sa-vayasan api, sarvan acasta vaikuntham caksusa vayunena sah. (Sanskrit—Sah to sa-vayasan)
Prabhupada: Jnana-caksusa is…? Try to give English.
Pradyumna: Er, er, “Then Lord Balarama, thinking in this way,” iti sancintya, vayunena caksusa, “with the eye of knowledge”?
Prabhupada: Transcendental knowledge.
Pradyumna: “…with the eye of transcendental knowledge.” Sarvan sa-vayasan (sahacaran) vatsan (gosavakan) api vaikuntham (sri-krsnam eva) acasta (apasyat): “He saw all those calves as Sri Krsna only.” Vaikuntham sri-krsnam eva apasyat: “He saw that all those calves were Krsna.”
Prabhupada: You can clear my eyes with some hot water.
Tamala Krsna: Get some hot water.
Prabhupada: Hm?
Tamala Krsna: We’re just getting some warm water, Srila Prabhupada.
Prabhupada: Make it clear. (devotees play tape back for a few seconds)
Pradyumna: “Balarama, after thinking in this way, He could see that all the calves were actually expansions of Sri Krsna.”
Prabhupada: Yes.
Pradyumna: Baladeva ei-rupa cinta kariya jnana-caksu-dvara dekhite pailena ye samasta (etc. to paiteche)
Prabhupada: Can you translate?
Pradyumna: Yes.
Prabhupada: Do it.
Pradyumna: “Thinking in this way, He was able to see with the eye of transcendental knowledge that all these cows and calves were expansions in the form of Sri Krsna, these calves.” (Sanskrit) “These calves, along with the cowherd boys,” (Sanskrit) “were Sri Krsna, expansions of Sri Krsna.”
Prabhupada: Then?
Pradyumna:
naite suresa rsayo na caite tvam eva bhasisa bhid-asraye ’pi sarvam prthak tvam nigamat katham vadety… [SB 10.13.39]
Prabhupada: Try to…
Pradyumna: Translate as I…
Prabhupada: Word to word.
Pradyumna: Yes, (he) isa—O Lord; (he prabho krsna)—O Lord Krsna; ete suresah (gopalaka-rupa-dharah deva-sresthah garudadayah iti…
Prabhupada: Word to word. Why you go?
Pradyumna: He says, “All these lords of the demigods…” He says that “The cowherd boys are actually the best of the demigods in the form of cowherd boys.” Ete suresah.
Prabhupada: No. They were all expansion of Krsna.
Pradyumna: (Sanskrit—iti to jnatam) “As was formerly understood by Me.” He formerly understood that these were all like demigods.
Prabhupada: Yes. No, Baladeva could understand before asking.
Pradyumna: Na (idanim tatha na pasyami). “I do not see it now. Now I do not see it in the same way. I do not see in such a way now.” Ete va rsayah na: “These are not rsis also.” [break]
Jayadvaita: This Bhagavatam commenting has attracted more men to come here.
Prabhupada: Hm. That’s all.
Kirtanananda: Would you like a little water, Prabhupada?
Prabhupada: Yes. Now you can chant Hare Krsna little. (kirtana) (end)