SB 10.20.31 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

शाद्वलोपरि संविश्य चर्वतो मीलितेक्षणान् । तृप्तान् वृषान् वत्सतरान् गाश्च स्वोधोभरश्रमा: ॥ ३० ॥ प्रावृट्‍‍श्रियं च तां वीक्ष्य सर्वकालसुखावहाम् । भगवान् पूजयां चक्रे आत्मशक्त्युपबृंहिताम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Verse text

śādvalopari saṁviśya carvato mīlitekṣaṇān tṛptān vṛṣān vatsatarān gāś ca svodho-bhara-śramāḥ prāvṛṭ-śriyaṁ ca tāṁ vīkṣya sarva-kāla-sukhāvahām bhagavān pūjayāṁ cakre ātma-śakty-upabṛṁhitām

Synonyms

śādvala — a grassy patch ; upari — upon ; saṁviśya — sitting ; carvataḥ — who were grazing ; mīlita — closed ; īkṣaṇān — their eyes ; tṛptān — satisfied ; vṛṣān — the bulls ; vatsatarān — the calves ; gāḥ — the cows ; ca — and ; sva — their own ; ūdhaḥ — of the milk bags ; bhara — by the weight ; śramāḥ — fatigued ; prāvṛṭ — of the rainy season ; śriyam — the opulence ; ca — and ; tām — that ; vīkṣya — seeing ; sarva — kāla — always ; sukha — pleasure ; āvahām — giving ; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; pūjayām cakre — honored ; ātma — śakti — from His internal potency ; upabṛṁhitām — expanded .

Translation

Lord Kṛṣṇa watched the contented bulls, calves and cows sitting on the green grass and grazing with closed eyes, and He saw that the cows were tired from the burden of their heavy milk bags. Thus observing the beauty and opulence of Vṛndāvana’s rainy season, a perennial source of great happiness, the Lord offered all respect to that season, which was expanded from His own internal potency.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Lord Kṛṣṇa watched the contented bulls, calves and cows sitting on the green grass and grazing with closed eyes, and He saw that the cows were tired from the burden of their heavy milk bags. Thus observing the beauty and opulence of Vṛndāvana's rainy season, a perennial source of great happiness, the Lord offered all respect to that season, which was expanded from His own internal potency. KB 10.20.30-31 While Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and Their friends were eating, they watched the cows, calves and bulls. The cows appeared to be a little tired from standing with their heavy milk bags. By sitting and chewing grass, they became happy, and Kṛṣṇa was pleased to see them. He was proud to see the beauty of the forest due to the rainy season, which was nothing but the manifestation of His own energy. At such times Kṛṣṇa would praise nature’s special activities during the rainy season. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that the material energy, or nature, is not independent in its actions. Nature is acting under the superintendence of Kṛṣṇa. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā, which states that material nature, known as Durgā, is acting as the shadow of Kṛṣṇa. Whatever order is sent from Kṛṣṇa, material nature obeys. Therefore the natural beauty created by the rainy season was acted out according to the indications of Kṛṣṇa, who thus felt very proud of material nature’s beautiful activities.

Purport

The lush beauty of the rainy season in Vṛndāvana is meant to enhance the pleasure pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Thus, to set the scene for the Lord’s loving affairs, His internal potency makes all the arrangements described in this chapter.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

He saw the cows, bulls and calves sitting on green pastures, with eyes closed, ruminating (carvataḥ). The season was surcharged with the hlādini-śakti (ātma-śakti) which made the season qualified for his pastimes. He considered the season proper (pūjayām cakre). unmatta-śikhi-sāraṅge tasmin kāle mahāvane / kṛṣṇarāmau mudāyuktau gopālaiś ceratuḥ saha // kvicid gobhiḥ samaṁ ramyaṁ geya-tāla-ratā bubhau / ceratuḥ kvacid atyarthaṁ śīta-vṛkṣa-talāśritau // kvacit kadaṁba-srak-citrau mayūra-srag-virājitau / viliptau kvacid āsātāṁ vividhair giri-dhātubhiḥ // parṇaśayyāsu saṁsuptau kvacin nidrāntaraiṣiṇau / kvacid garjati jīmūte hāhā-kāra-ravākulau // Surrounded by cowherd boys, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma wandered in the large forest during the monsoon, filled with impassioned peacocks and cātaka birds. Sometimes they would sing as they wandered in the forests made beautiful by the cows. They would sit at the bases of cool trees. They were decorated in kadamba garlands and garlands made of peacock feathers. Sometimes they would decorate themselves with various minerals from the mountains. Sometimes they would sleep on beds made of leaves and after sleep would desire to play again. Sometimes when the clouds rumbled they would shout. Viṣṇu Purāṇa 5.6.44-47

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

He saw the cows ruminating and the beauty of the season. The animals were sitting because they were satisfied (tṛptān). During the monsoon, there was plentiful soft grass everywhere. In one place, in one moment they could fill their stomachs. The word ca indicates the whole group. They sat near Kṛṣṇa. The cows also sat because their udders were full. The cows and bulls are mentioned because they were in the majority, but buffalos were also present. He saw the beauty of the monsoon with the forests, which was previously described (tām). Or he saw the beauty of the monsoon which was indescribable (tām). Beauty of the monsoon means beauty of the forest, deer and buffaloes in the monsoon season. Megha-prṣṭhe balākānāṁ rarāja vimalā tatiḥ Durvṛtter vṛtta-ceṣṭeva kulīnasyātiśobhanā A spotless line of cranes shone on the surface of a cloud. The well-bred were splendid and the wicked were futile in their actions. Viṣṇu Purāṇa The monsoon season was filled with the Lord’ṣ śakti in the form of time. This made it different. Time serves the Lord. Or though it was filled with his own powers (ātma-śakty-upabṛṁhitām) he praised it with affection (pūjayām cakre) or thought it excellent, because it gave happiness to all beings continuously. Instead of sukha sometimes mudā is seen with the same meaning. Or one may worry that the swans would be suffering. The season was endowed with the Lord’s power so that even they were happy. Other pastimes are described by Parāśara: unmatta-śikhi-sāraṅge tasmin kāle mahāvane / kṛṣṇarāmau mudāyuktau gopālaiś ceratuḥ saha // kvicid gobhiḥ samaṁ ramyaṁ geya-tāla-ratā bubhau / ceratuḥ kvacid atyarthaṁ śīta-vṛkṣa-talāśritau // kvacit kadaṁba-srak-citrau mayūra-srag-virājitau / viliptau kvacid āsātāṁ vividhair giri-dhātubhiḥ // parṇaśayyāsu saṁsuptau kvacin nidrāntaraiṣiṇau / kvacid garjati jīmūte hāhā-kāra-ravākulau // Surrounded by cowherd boys, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma wandered in the large forest during the monsoon, filled with impassioned peacocks and cātaka birds. Sometimes they would sing as they wandered in the forests made beautiful by the cows. They would sit at the bases of cool trees. They were decorated with kadamba garlands and garlands made of peacock feathers. Sometimes they would decorate themselves with various minerals from the mountains. Sometimes they would sleep on beds made of leaves and after sleep would desire to play again. Sometimes when the clouds rumbled they would shout. Viṣṇu Purāṇa 5.6.44-47