SB 10.21.14 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

प्रायो बताम्ब विहगा मुनयो वनेऽस्मिन् कृष्णेक्षितं तदुदितं कलवेणुगीतम् । आरुह्य ये द्रुमभुजान् रुचिरप्रवालान् श‍ृण्वन्ति मीलितद‍ृशो विगतान्यवाच: ॥ १४ ॥

Verse text

prāyo batāmba vihagā munayo vane ’smin kṛṣṇekṣitaṁ tad-uditaṁ kala-veṇu-gītam āruhya ye druma-bhujān rucira-pravālān śṛṇvanti mīlita-dṛśo vigatānya-vācaḥ

Synonyms

prāyaḥ — almost ; bata — certainly ; amba — O mother ; vihagāḥ — the birds ; munayaḥ — great sages ; vane — in the forest ; asmin — this ; kṛṣṇa — īkṣitam — in order to see Kṛṣṇa ; tat — uditam — created by Him ; kala — veṇu — gītam — sweet vibrations made by playing the flute ; āruhya — rising ; ye — who ; druma — bhujān — to the branches of the trees ; rucira — pravālān — having beautiful creepers and twigs ; śṛṇvanti — they hear ; mīlita — dṛśaḥ — closing their eyes ; vigata — anya — vācaḥ — stopping all other sounds .

Translation

O mother, in this forest all the birds have risen onto the beautiful branches of the trees to see Kṛṣṇa. With closed eyes they are simply listening in silence to the sweet vibrations of His flute, and they are not attracted by any other sound. Surely these birds are on the same level as great sages.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

O mother, in this forest all the birds have risen onto the beautiful branches of the trees to see Kṛṣṇa. With closed eyes they are simply listening in silence to the sweet vibrations of His flute, and they are not attracted by any other sound. Surely these birds are on the same level as great sages. KB 10.21.14 Another young gopī told her mother, “My dear Mother, the birds, who are all looking at Kṛṣṇa playing on His flute, are sitting very attentively on the branches and twigs of different trees. From their features it appears that they have forgotten everything and are engaged only in hearing Kṛṣṇa’s flute. This proves that they are not ordinary birds; they are great sages and devotees, and just to hear Kṛṣṇa’s flute they have appeared in Vṛndāvana forest as birds.” Great sages and scholars are interested in Vedic knowledge, but the essence of Vedic knowledge is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ [Bg. 15.15]. Through the knowledge of the Vedas, Kṛṣṇa has to be understood. From the behavior of these birds, it appeared that they were great scholars in Vedic knowledge and that they took to Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental vibration and rejected all branches of Vedic knowledge.

Purport

The birds resemble sages because they live in the forest, keep their eyes closed, observe silence and remain motionless. Significantly, it is stated here that even great sages become maddened by the sound of Kṛṣṇa’s flute, which is a completely spiritual vibration. The word rucira-pravālān indicates that even the branches of the trees are transformed in ecstasy when struck by the vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s flute-song. Indra, Brahmā, Śiva and Viṣṇu, being primordial gods, travel throughout the universe and have extensive knowledge of the science of music, and yet even these great personalities have never heard or composed music like that which emanates from Kṛṣṇa’s flute. Indeed, the birds are so moved by the blissful sound that in their ecstasy they close their eyes and cling to the branches to avoid falling off the trees. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains that the gopīs would sometimes address each other as amba, “mother.”

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

"But the calves are material and they are tasting material pleasure. The atma rama munis fixed in knowledge and renouncing all feelings, cannot be not disturbed by Krsna." " But this is not true. Krsna also attracts them with his sweetness. Oh (bata), it is surprising, mother (amba --out of affection friends address each other in this way). All these birds must be munis. See how they sit in the forest with closed eyes in silence. Perched on the branches of the trees, they are listening to the flute. The branches hearing the flute song and by the touch of the munis feet begin to sprout new leaves (ruchira prabalan) out of ecstasy. This song agitates the whole universe (kala venugitam). It arises only from Krsna (krsna iksita), not from Indra, Brahma, Siva or Visnu, as it is unique, being very old, traveling all over without obstruction, continuing for a long time, and being fully conversant with musical theory. Is it possible anyone else can sing like this? No, this song arises from Krsna alone ( tad udita). Neither Brahma, Visnu nor Siva can make this song. They cannot even understand the musical science created by Krsna. Thus the birds or munis, with eyes closed, are absorbed in relishing this never before heard song. They have given up all other talk, even the talk of munis about brahmananda, being absorbed in bliss of Krsna."

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

What to speak of the good fortune of the cows, protected by Kṛṣṇa, how can we describe the fortune of the birds in the forest? The majority of the birds are like this, but some like the peacocks are equal to the greatest devotees with their dancing in prema (not sitting in the tress). Bata expresses astonishment. O mother! It is the nature of those immersed in prema to make such statements. Since no mother is present, they address their friends in this manner. The birds climb on the branches of trees in order that they can see Kṛṣṇa or so that Kṛṣṇa can see them. The branches have attractive buds which create an obstacle to seeing him, and are the object of enjoyment. Seeing him, they listen to the song of his flute with half-closed eyes. This indicates lassitude because of intense prema. No words except the words of the flute are sensed by their minds, ears or voice. Thus they are fortunate. An interpretation according to prema may also be given. The word rucira also indicates that the buds have offered all activities to their Lord. The word prāyaḥ indicates conjecture (perhaps it is so?). The word munayaḥ refers to ātmārāmas like the Kumāras who have become birds in this forest, in order to see Kṛṣṇa. They hear the sound of the flute which they imagine in many ways, since they have never experienced the sound before, whose qualities are continually increased (uditam) by Kṛṣṇa. This shows that the sound of the flute attracts them away from brahma-samādhi. That song of the flute attracts the universe (kala). These sages have surpassed the branches of the Vedas filled with various subdivisions. They have given up study of the Vedas. Their consciousness of their bodies has disappeared (mīlita-dṛśaḥ—closed vision). They are silent on all topics except Kṛṣṇa. What else can they deliberate on?