Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti's

Sri Vraja-riti-cintamani
The Cintamani Jewel of Vraja

Chapter 1
1 Let me glorify Vrajabhumi, the place where Sri Krsna enjoys
transcendental pastimes. Simply by drinking with their ears the
nectarean description of Vrajabhumi, the liberated souls abandon
the bliss of impersonal Brahman and yearn to attain the land of
Vraja.
2 With a pure heart let me worship Vrajabhumi, which is the
form of the sweetness of meditation on Sri Krsna, which is eternal,
transcendental, blissful, and peerless, and which, although it cannot
be understood by ordinary people, is easily understood by its
residents.
Note: Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has concealed the
names of Sri Krsna Caitanya, Nityananda and Advaita in the first
two lines of this verse.
3 A poet's poem becomes famous because of its quality of
being poetic. I shall boldly declare that this poem of mine is the
most poetic and best of all poems, for it glorifies the transcendental
land of Vraja.
4 I yearn to be able to write as well as Lord Caitanya's Rupa
Gosvami, but I cannot write as well as he, and neither can I write as
well as his followers who wrote many wonderful, perfect books,
which everyone should read and remember. Compared to their
books my little book can hardly be considered poetic.
5 Millions of material universes and even millions of spiritual
Vaikuntha planets are not very significant in comparison to
Vrndavana, where Sri Krsna enjoyed lunch with His friends on the
Yamuna's sandy bank, and enjoyed many other transcendental
pastimes.
6 Sri Krsna's friends and associates, who enjoy pastimes with
Him as equals, reside in this perfectly spiritual abode of
Vrndavana.
7 All these associates of the Lord have spiritual bodies,
although their forms and activities appear ordinary and material to
the conditioned souls. These associates of the Lord are enchanted
by Lord Krsna's charming pastimes in Vraja.
8 Although their forms and actions are filled with spiritual
knowledge, the people of Vraja know Krsna as their friend and
relative: an ordinary person. This is not at all surprising.
9 Although they are the most exalted, by the influence of the
potency of pure devotion to the Lord they think themselves the
most lowly and insignificant. I have with my own eyes seen how
the people of Vraja think themselves ordinary even though the
great saints worship them.
10 Defeated by their humbleness, Sri Krsna eternally enjoys
pastimes in their midst. In their presence He manifests a limitless
flood of the sweetness of the most confidential transcendental
mellows.
11 Even though it appears to be material, the opulent sweet
nectar shower of Lord Krsna's pastimes is worshipped by the great
devotees.
12 I pray that by the mercy of its inconceivable residents I will
attain the place that bears the auspicious names Vrndavana,
Gokula-dhama, Gostha, and Vraja.
13 Vrndavana cannot be understood by conditioned souls, for
although it may appear to be material, all its villages, forests, and
cow-pastures are perfectly spiritual.
14 Some portion of transcendental Vrndavana becomes visible in
this world at the time of Lord Krsna's manifest pastimes.
Conditioned souls think Vrndavana is material, although actually it
is spiritual, and beyond their ability to understand or describe.
15 The devotees declare that Nandisvara Hill, the form of Lord
Siva is now shining as Nanda Maharaja's capitol, is an endlessly
beautiful crown decorating Vrndavana.
16 On its eastern, northern, and southern sides people free from
all unhappiness reside. On its summit is Nanda Maharaja's palace,
which the Purana's describe as existing since ancient times.
17 Nanda Maharaja's capitol is enclosed by a great wall built of
sapphires. The homes within the capital are made of emeralds,
with coral pillars, golden roofs, and crystal windows.
18 Nanda Maharaja's palace is made of glistening sapphires,
with lapus lazuli roofs and large gates made of rubies.
19 In the centre of Nanda Maharaja's palace is a courtyard. The
royal treasury is in the western part, Lord Balarama's residence in
the northern part and Lord Krsna's residence in the southern part of
the palace.
20 In the eastern part of the palace is a temple where, in order to
obtain auspiciousness for his son, Nanda Maharaja serves His
Deity, Sri Narayana.
21 South of the treasury and west of Lord Krsna's residence is
the little kitchen where Sri Radhika enjoys cooking pastimes.
22 South of Krsna's residence and the kitchen is a secluded
garden, where there is a pleasant lake and many hidden courtyards
and cottages.
23 The cowherds' many beautiful homes rest on two sides and
Nandisvara Hill is splendidly manifest behind them. Lord Siva
repeatedly offers respectful obeisances to the hill.
24 Each cowherd's home is surrounded by an impassable jewel
wall with many jewel entrance-ways and many gates studded with
pearls and other jewels.
25 Seeing these cowherd men's homes, human beings proclaim
them more wonderful than the residences of the demigods,
demigods proclaim them more wonderful than the residences in
Vaikuntha, and the Vaikuntha-vasis proclaim them more wonderful
than the sweetest nectar.
26 Within the walls of each cowherd man's compound were the
homes of a gatekeeper, priests, and other associates.
27 Around the cowherd men's homes are many other houses, a
marketplace, and roads leading in many directions.
28 Near the entrances of the city are many cross-roads and
marketplaces.
29 In these marketplaces are many stores where jewel necklaces,
splendid flags, pearl necklaces, and blossomed-flower garlands as
large as trees are offered for sale.
30 Filled with fragrant spring flowers, these marketplaces are
like many hills of aromatic substances.
31 There is a jeweller's shop glistening as a mine full of precious
gems, and there are other shops where aromatic substances such as
musk and kunkuma are sold.
32 I shall now describe the bliss of Sri Vrndavana-dhama just as
Paramananda Kavikarnapura has done in his book Ananda-
Vrndavana-campu, and many other great poets have also done in
their books. I shall describe it a little bit, just as someone
unlearned
in music may strum a lute and pick out a few melodic fragments
here and there.
33 When the vrajavasis say the word `matsara: they do not mean
`envy', but `my lake'. When they say `khala', they do not mean
`demon', but `a woman's sash'. When they say `mala', they do not
mean `defect', but `gentle and delicate'. In this way they never
speak anything unpleasant, but everything they say is pleasing and
auspicious.
34 When the vrajavasis say the word `pradosa' they do not mean
`fault', they do not mean `rascal', but `moon'. When they say
`rosa', they do not mean anger, but `love'. When they say `mosa'
they do not mean a cruel thief, but Krsna's playfully stealing the
gopis' yoghurt. In this way they never speak anything unpleasant,
but everything they say is pleasing and auspicious.
35 When the vrajavasis say the word `danda', they do not mean
`the king's rod of chastisement', but rather, `the handle of a
parasol, camara fan, or other similar article'. When they say `nivi',
they do not mean `handcuffs', but `a ribbon for tying the hair'.
When they say `adhi' they do not mean `headache', but `ecstatic
meditation on the Personality of Godhead'. In this way they never
speak anything unpleasant, but everything they say is pleasing and
auspicious.
36 When the vrajavasis say the word `panka' they do not mean
`mud', but aromatic ointments such as musk, kunkuma, and
sandalwood paste. When they say `crookedness' they do not mean
the crookedness of a thief, but the beautiful shape of spiral earrings
or some other ornament. When they say `hardness' they do not
mean the hard-heartedness of a cruel person, but the hardness of a
gem or stone. In this way they never speak anything unpleasant,
but everything they say is pleasing and auspicious.
37 When the vrajavasis say the word `rajah' they do not mean
`material passion', but `the pollen of flowers'. When they say
`tamah' they do not mean `ignorance', but `the pleasant darkness of
night'. When they say `dvandvam' they do not mean `the material
dualities of happiness and distress', but `a happy couple'. When
they say `slowness' they do not refer to the intellect, but the wind.
When they say `restlessness' they do not mean anything
inauspicious, but rather `great eagerness to see Lord Hari', or else
`the charming restless glances of the Lord'. In this way they never
speak anything unpleasant, but everything they say is pleasing and
auspicious.
38 When the vrajavasis say the word `smallness' they do not
refer to the lack of anything good, but rather to a slender waist.
When they say `nicagatvam' they do not mean `faith in rascals' but
`a stream that can be easily crossed'. When they say the words
`lamentation, humility, fatigue, bewilderment, sleep and laziness'
they do not mean any inauspicious material traits, but rather the
various symptoms of ecstatic love of God.
In this way they never speak anything unpleasant, but
everything they say is pleasing and auspicious.
39 When the vrajavasis say the word `cows' they refer to the
celestial kamadhenu cows. When they say `trees' they mean kalpa-
vrksa trees that fulfil all desires. When they say `rocks' they mean
cintamani gems. How is it possible to describe the limitless
opulences of Vraja?
40 When the Personified Vedas saw the splendid good fortune of
the vraja-gopis, they decided to follow in their footsteps and
become gopis also. When Laksmi-devi saw the charming
sweetness of the vraja-gopis, she became bewildered and fainted
with envy. Who can describe the transcendental opulences of this
land of Vraja?
41 Filled with pure transcendental love, the vrajavasis
considered the Supreme Personality of Godhead their intimate
friend or relative. Although they were all liberated, transcendental
personalities, they appeared just like ordinary conditioned souls.
What is not wonderful in this?
42 The vrajavasis are filled with auspicious spiritual qualities.
They have no material attributes. What may even seem to be faults
on their part are actually auspicious and spiritual when seen in
connection to their transcendental rasa with Krsna. Seeing this
wonderful condition of the residents of Nanda Maharaja's
Vrajabhumi, the three modes of material nature have become
embarrassed. They have relinquished all their pride in being able
to control others.
43 That the devotees are eternally filled with all spiritual virtues
and always free from material defects or the influence of the three
modes of nature is confirmed by many statements of the Smrti,
Itihasa, Puranas and Vedas.
44 Someone may ask: `If Sri Krsna's pastimes are all eternal,
then why do some people think that they are temporary?'
The devotees learned in transcendental science, reply: `These
matters are very confidential, and Sri Krsna is unwilling to allow
unqualified non-devotees to understand them. For this reason He
conceals the truth from them.'
45 Supremely fortunate, the personified deity of parental love,
and his form purely spiritual, the king of Vraja, who is named Sri
Nanda, lives there in his capitol city.
46 Sri Nanda who is Krsna's father and the king of Vraja, is a
liberated soul in a perfectly spiritual body. All the vrajavasis love
him as if he were their own father.
47 Staying in Nanda's home is his pious wife, Yasoda-devi, who
is the personified nectar of the treasure of parental love, and who is
like a spiritual kalpa-valli vine that has borne as its fruit the
precious gem known as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
48 Sri Yasoda, who brings (da) fame (yasah) to the world, and
who is filled with the nectar bliss of a mother's love for Sri Krsna,
once angrily bound Him with a rope. In this way she made Krsna's
happiness and her wonderful love increase.
49 Countless cowherd people live in Vraja, some intimate
relatives of King Nanda, and others who have barely a scent of
family tie with him. All of them, however, are full of love for Lord
Mukunda.
50 The saintly cowherd men of Vraja are just like personified
forms of devotional service, and their wives are also constantly
engaged in Krsna's service. Some of their sons are Krsna's
friends, and some of their daughters are Krsna's lovers.
51 Krsna's contemporary friends are His equals in all respects,
and they are all eternally young boys, just like the four Kumaras.
What is impossible for they who have dedicated their hearts to
Krsna?
52 Some friends are considered very confidential and some
fortunate friends perform confidential services. Subala, Ujjvala
and some splendid others, who are as good as the gopis, are rich
with the sight of Krsna's splendid conjugal pastimes.
53 All of Sri Krsna's gopi beloveds are splendidly beautiful. A
millionth part of a single ray of light from their lotus toenails
defeats the shining of millions of moons. The waves of the ocean
of their incomparable glory and supreme good fortune have
drowned the Vedas.
54 Even Laksmi-devi was unable to attain even a small fragment
of the mercy the gopis attained. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami
confirmed this in the Srimad Bhagavatam (10.47.60):
ÖWhen Lord Sri Krsna was dancing with the gopis in the
rasa-lila, the gopis were embraced by the arms of the Lord. This
transcendental favour was never bestowed upon the goddess of
fortune or the other consorts in the spiritual world. Indeed, never
was such a favour even imagined by the most beautiful girls in the
heavenly planets, whose bodily lustre and aroma resemble those of
lotus flowers. And what to speak of worldly women who are very
beautiful according to the material estimation."*
55 Even the youngest gopi could not renounce pastimes with the
Lord. Srimad Bhagavatam (10.33.19) says: ÖKrsna the supreme
mystic, expanded Himself in many forms and stood beside each
gopi. He began to dance in their midst."*
56 Enchanted by their transcendental virtues, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead enjoyed pastimes with the gopis. The
gopis were also enchanted by the Lord's transcendental virtues, and
they worshipped Him with full concentration.
57 A jewel necklace of virtues crowning the head of the gopis, a
golden ketaki flower in the garden of gopis blinded with love for
Krsna, and a glittering lightning flash beside the dark cloud of Sri
Krsna's sweetness, Sri Vrsabhanu's daughter is splendidly
manifest.
58 Maharaja Vrsabhanu's daughter is the moonlight of
transcendental bliss. Her beauty enchants Sri Krsna, the enchanter
of Laksmi. She is a golden streak on the black testing stone named
Sri Krsna's handsomeness.
59 Sri Radhika is the sweetest nectar churned from the ocean of
transcendental beauty. She is the realm of transcendental artistic
talent. She is a mine filled with the jewels of all transcendental
auspicious virtues. She is the celebrated lover of Sri Krsna, the
moon of Vraja.
60 More fair than thousands of fair-complexioned girls, in the
Vedas celebrated as `dark' with the intensity of Her beauty, Her
form exquisitely beautiful, and Her self the life-breath of the gopis,
Sri Radha is splendidly manifest.
61 Sri Radhika is the lover of Sri Krsna, the moon of Vraja.
Some say She is the Supreme Goddess of Fortune, and others say
the Tantras describe Her as the pastime potency (lila-sakti) of the
Lord. The masters of the Sruti-sastra say She is the pleasure-
potency (anandini sakti) of the Lord.
62 All His potencies, all His pastimes, all His qualities, and all
His handsomeness, sweetness, expertise, and other virtues under
Her dominion, Krsna's lover, Sri Radhika, shines with great
splendour.
63 Krsna's lover, Sri Radhika, who enjoys endless, eternal,
sweet, splendidly amorous pastimes with Him, shines with great
splendour.
64 Sri Radhika, who is sweeter than even Sri Krsna, who is
Himself flooded with handsomeness, virtues, pastimes, and
sweetness, shines with great splendour.
65 When She sees Lalita, Visakha, and Her other friends, Sri
Radha proudly thinks they are every bit as beautiful, virtuous, and
dear to Krsna as She is, and She becomes filled with happiness.
66 Syama-gopi is famous for both her virtues and Her friendship
with Sri Radha. With sweet affection She constantly strives to
keep Radha's friendship.
67 One day Radha and Syama met and together skilfully
fashioned various garments and ornaments. When these articles
were given to Sri Krsnacandra, he asked who had made them.
Syama replied that Radha made them all Herself, and Radha
insisted that Syama made them unassisted.
68 So deeply in love were they, Krsna's lovers completely
ignored society's continued contempt. This is certainly very
wonderful.
69 The exalted brahmanas in Vraja are the personifications of
pure religion. Some preach the religion of the Vedas and some
follow the pancaratras.
70 These brahmanas all receive generous charity from the king
of Vraja, and perform Vedic sacrifices on his behalf. Some of
them are enchanted by the transcendental opulence, and some by
the intense sweetness of the young prince of Vraja.
71 The betelnuts, scented oils, flower garlands and other
paraphernalia the vrajavasis offer to Sri Krsna are perfectly
spiritual, even though offered by `human beings'. Even the
demigods in heaven cannot attain love like these `human beings'
bear for Sri Krsna, the moon of Vraja.
72 In Vraja the surabhi cow barns have crystal walls, enormous
gold pillars, and emerald roof-beams.
73 The roofs are made of various jewels, and rubies mark the
places where the roof beams meet the pillars of the walls.
74 White as the deity of goddess Sarasvati, and sober and grave
as great ascetics, splendid surabhi cows wander in the courtyards of
these barns.
75 These surabhi cows are just like cintamani jewels that fulfil
all desires. Their happy calves are like pleasant summers. Their
mooing is the most beautiful poetry. They lift their ears to hear the
sound of Krsna's flute.
76 The calves look as if they might be the moving rocks on the
peak of Mount Kailasa, or the infant children of the moonlight.
77 As they wander over the earth, the calves are like the milk
ocean's bubbles, Lord Siva's chuckles, or mamsa-pinda offerings
in pure goodness.
78 Are these great boulders from the crystal mountain? Are they
tidal waves from the milk ocean? These are the bulls of Vraja.
During the day they freely wander, just as liberated souls, and
during the evening they sit peacefully at home, just as great sages
rapt in contemplation.
79 Proudly mooing from the loose folds of skin about their
necks, Vraja's bulls look like old sannyasis. Then again, their
reddish stares make them look like intoxicated persons.
80 South of Nandisvara, on a regal hilltop is Maharaja
Vrsabhanu's home, which is like a brother to Maharaja Nanda's
home.
81 Maharaja Nanda and Maharaja Vrsabhanu are both equal in
regal splendour and power. Their capitols are similar, and their son
and daughter are equally famous.
82 Midway between Nandisvara Hill and Vrsabhanu Hill is
Sanketa, the place of Radha-Krsna's rendezvous. I meditate on this
place. I think it is the personification of the divine couple's love.
83 To the north of Nandisvara Hill is the district of Vidhuhrdya,
where the town of Yavata is located. That populous town is like
the crown jewel of all jewel like towns, and it is the home of
Srimati Radharani's parents-in-law.
84 This town of Yavata was built by Maharaja Vrsabhanu for the
pleasure of His daughter. She would often sit on the roof of Her
palace and gaze at the direction of Her lover's home, and in the
same way He would also gaze at the direction of Yavata-pura.
85 Anxious and deferential in the presence of Their elderly
relatives, the divine couple would slip away, and on their palace
roofs gaze in each other's direction.
86 The place where Krsna would secretly meet His beloved
under a charming fig tree (vata), happily enjoy pastimes with Her,
and anoint Her feet with red lac (yava), is named Yavata.
87 By the mercy of Sri Krsna, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila
Rupa Gosvami, and my spiritual master, this book, a brief
description of the Lord's splendid abode and nectar pastimes, has
been written. The Sri Vraja-riti-cintamani's first chapter, which
describes Nandisvara Hill for the transcendental delight of the
entire world, is now concluded.
Note: This verse is a little like a kaleidoscope. Each word in the
first line may be interpreted as either a noun or adjective. And
according to the interpretation the opening phrase assumes a
different meaning. Fro example if `sri-krsnena' is taken as the
noun, and the other words as adjectives, the opening phrase means:
`by the mercy of Sri Krsna, who is the master of the entire world,
and who has appeared here as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu'. If
`guruna' is taken as the noun, the phrase means: `By the mercy of
my spiritual master, who is the bona fide representative of Sri
Krsna, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and Srila Rupa Gosvami'. If
`caitanya-rupena' is taken as the noun, the phrase means: `By the
mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Sri Krsna Himself, the
master of all the worlds'. If `caitanya-rupena' is taken as the noun,
the phrase may also be understood to mean: `By the mercy of Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Srila Rupa Gosvami, who is the
representative of Sri Krsna, and the spiritual master of all the
Vaisnavas.'

Chapter 2
1 Nandisvara Hill is like a monarch in the centre of
Vrajabhumi, and around it are many different kinds of forests,
where there are many splendid desire-trees, desire-vines, groves,
pastime-places, and colourful birds.
2 Passing the mewing peacocks, the young goddesses of Vraja
walk along the forest path, holding each other by the hand as they
follow their master and mistress at the time of transcendental
pastimes.
3 Wild rams have chewed fragrant kakkola berries and wild
buffaloes with their horns have torn the bark and branches of
fragrant sarala trees. All this has made the Vraja forest very
aromatic.
4 Wild elephants have broken the tender young branches of
fragrant sallaki trees, and wild buffaloes have spread the aroma of
fresh grass by their grazing. All this has made the Vraja forest very
aromatic.
5 In some places the ground of the forest is covered with
bunches of grapes partly eaten by monkeys and in other places ripe
mangoes have fallen on the ground. All this has made the Vraja
forest very beautiful.
6 Aborigine girls, wearing nice earrings, their faces, fragrantly
anointed with plantain juice and camphor crushed by hand, walk in
Vraja's forest, carrying bunches of peppers and other articles.
7-10 Filled with many rasala trees, panasa trees, amrataka,
sriphala, jambhu, palasa, pungasana, coconut, madhuka, punnaga,
sirisa, priya, bilva, arjuna, karma ranga, kapittha, lodhra, priya,
lavali, asoka, lakuca, karira, campaka, tamala, nava-malika,
jatidvaya, rayabilva, kosataki, parkatika, vata, asvattha, sala,
khadira, and sami trees, which all have many wonderful splendid
fruits and flowers, and also filled with many lavanga vines, and
various other beautiful vines, and also filled with many parrots and
other birds, as well as many wild beasts, the forests of Vraja are
splendidly beautiful.
11 In Vraja there are many splendid ponds, pools, lakes, and
rivers, all filled with many white, blue, red, yellow, and
multicoloured kahlara, padma, and utpala lotus flowers, as well as
many swans and other water-birds.
12 In some places the ground of Vraja is made of camphor dust.
In some places it is saffron. In some places it is made of ground
musk, and in some places it is made of the aromatic substances
used in religious ceremonies.
13 In some places the ground of Vraja is made of emeralds, and
in other places it is made of a variety of precious gems. In some
places the fresh grasses of Vraja, which are eaten by the cows and
other animals, is made of emeralds.
14 In some places the ground of Vraja is golden Jambu river, and
in other places it is made of sapphires. Sometimes, when Krsna
enjoys pastimes with Radhika, it seems there is only one person and
not two. It seems that there is only Sri Krsna enjoying pastimes in
a golden place, or there is only Radhika enjoying pastimes in a
sapphire place.
15 In some places the ground of Vraja is made of emeralds, and
the trees, bushes, and creepers are made of gold. In other places
the ground is gold and the trees are emeralds.
16 In some places the ground of Vraja is made of rubies, and the
trees and vines are crystal. In other places the ground is crystal and
the trees and creepers are rubies.
17 In some places emerald trees are embraced by golden vines,
and in other places emerald vines embrace golden trees.
18 In some places ruby vines embrace crystal trees, and in other
places ruby trees are embraced by crystal vines.
19 The trees are made of jewels. They have many jewel
branches, various jewel twigs, and jewel flowers that carry a
variety of fragrances.
20 Jewel birds perch on the jewel branches. Jewels fall from the
trees and cover the nearby area. They appear like a little jewel
irrigation trench around the tree's roots.
21 From the branches and roots of the trees of Vraja all Brahmas
and Sivas emanate. Although the trees of Vraja are as splendid as
the sun, they still are wonderful parasols to shade one from the
sun's rays. They shine with the lustre of youth, just as the four
Kumaras.
22 The trees of Vraja were never planted or husbanded. They
never grew from any seed. They glisten with many leaves and
flowers. They bear many ripe, unripe, and ripening fruits.
23 The splendid trees of Vrajabhumi are perfectly spiritual in
nature and full of all potencies. They are just like the incarnations
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just as the conditioned
souls misunderstand the spiritual nature of the Supreme Lord's
incarnations, in the same way they misunderstand the glory of these
trees in Vraja.
24 Decorated with many wonderful leaves and flowers, and
entwined about the kalpa-vrksa trees, the splendid vines are just
like young girls continually embraced by their lovers.
25 Splendid with many eternal flowers, fruits and eternally
sprouting fresh new buds, the vines fulfil all the desires of the
infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees.
26 Sri Krsna, the moon of Vraja, enjoys pastimes and also rests
in these groves, which are filled with many wonderful trees and
vines eternally blossoming with many beautiful flowers, even down
to their roots.
27 In the groves of Vraja, the cuckoos and bumblebees sing very
melodiously, the plants are all splendidly beautiful, the camari does
gracefully move their tails, and the musk oxen diffuse a sweet
aroma in all directions.
28 In the groves of Vraja there is a little clearing bounded on
four sides by four kalpa-vrksa trees, each covered by two flowering
vines. In the centre of this little courtyard is a cottage made of
jewels.
29 Four trees are the four pillars of this cottage. Their branches
and twigs are its roof, their flowers its domes and spires, the vines
clinging to their sides its walls, and the opening among the vines is
its door.
30 These beautiful cottages, which are found throughout Vraja's
forests, remove the demigods' pride in their airplanes, and attract
even the residents of Vaikuntha.
31 Vraja's forests, groves, creepers, trees, birds, beasts, and
other living entities all blossom with happiness when Lord
Mukunda glances on them and wilt with disappointment when He
does not.
32 North of Nandisvara is a forest where Lord Krsna enjoys
secret pastimes that are worshipped by six eager demigods in
heaven.
33 The Yamuna river passes through that forest and flows near
Nandisvara Hill. It winds through Vraja in a very crooked course,
searching for Sri Krsna, the moon of Vraja.
34 On the pretext of fetching water and other things, the gopis
would go to that pastime forest and meet their beloved Krsna.
They call this place gopi-ghatta. Did the Lord agitate the gopis
with His pastimes there, or not?
35 A treasure filled chest filled with the glory of Sri Krsna's
pastimes, which decorate the worlds, the Bhandiravana forest of
druma and vidruma trees shines with great splendour.
36 In that place are Munjatavi forest and many other beautiful,
charming groves and forests where the gopis keep many delightful
gardens.
37 In these groves the gopis meet their lover, Krsna, converse
with Him, dance with Him, and enjoy unlimited pastimes with Him.
In this way all their desires to serve Krsna become fulfilled.
38 Among Vrndavana's splendid forests, which make the
splendours of Vaikuntha seem very pale, the very beautiful forest
named Vrndavana-vana is the best.
39 They who offer respectful obeisances to her or bathe in her
waters, the Yamuna, which is like a moat of black mascara
encircling Vrndavana, transform into pure devotees carrying Lord
Krsna in their hearts.
40 The Yamuna river is like a blue lotus flower garland, a
sapphire necklace, or a blue sash worn by the goddess of
Vrndavana.
41 Passing the seven seas and seven planetary systems, and
breaking through the sevenfold covering of the universe, the
Yamuna enters the spiritual Goloka planet and wanders here and
there to serve Vrndavana by carrying water.
42 Many greedy men will wait at a rich man's doorstep, hoping
to meet him and benefit hundreds of thousands of times over. In
the same way the Yamuna flows in a very winding course, greedy
to get some of the wealth of Vrndavana forest.
43 The dark nectar current of the Yamuna picks up Lord Krsna
and plunges Him and His gopi friends in the dark nectar current of
transcendental amorous pastimes.
44 Many charming aquatic creatures, plunged in the nectar of
love for Krsna, again and again push their heads above the
Yamuna's waters, hoping for a glimpse of Lord Syama.
45 On the Yamuna's beautiful shores are jewel staircases, which
are like the teeth of the goddess of beauty, and which remind one
of Sri Krsna.
46 When they drink the sound of Krsna's flute, these two jewel
staircases melt with love, and the river flowing between them
becomes solid and stunned with ecstasy.
47 In the moonlight the Yamuna's beaches appear to be made of
camphor sand. Lord Krsna enjoyed His rasa-lila on these beaches
with each place bearing the name of a particular pastime.
48 In the clearings of the splendid groves by the Yamuna's
shore, birds fly here and there, yearning for a glimpse of Lord
Govinda.
49 Everywhere in Vrndavana and on the Yamuna's shores, are
trees that are like the Lord's incarnations, that give the gift of pure
love, and that make one remember the Lord, making He who is the
moon of Vraja suddenly rise within the heart.
50 Everywhere in Vrndavana and on the Yamuna's shore are
groves of ancient, wonderful mango and other trees, which feed
nectar to Lord Krsna's eyes.
51 In Vrndavana are grape-vines, flower gardens, groves of
plantain trees, golden pavements, a mountain of precious gems, and
a grove of kalpa-vrksa trees.
52 In some places of Vrndavana there are large groves of a
single kind of tree. In other places two or three different kinds of
trees grow together, and in other places there are groves that
contain a great variety of different trees.
53 Are there any other flowers equal to the mango flowers of
Vraja? Where are trees equal in height to the great five branched
mango trees growing in Vraja? Even if one were to fashion a great
statue of a tree it would be very difficult to make one as high as
these mango trees.
54 In some places in Vraja there are groves of tamala trees, and
in other places there are opulent and wonderfully colourful groves
filled with many different kinds of trees. Krsna's enemies have
never been able to enter any of these groves of Vraja.
55 With many lovely jewel palaces in their groves, Vrndavana
and other forests are splendidly manifest everywhere in Vraja.
56 Even if one thinks Vrndavana an ordinary material place, he
must still admit that Vrndavana enchants the minds of Vaikuntha's
residents. He must also admit that Vrndavana's gardens delight the
king that enjoys pastimes there.
57 Generally the six seasons come one after another, and the
qualities of only one season are manifest at any given time. Here in
Vrndavana, He who is the moon of Vrndavana can enjoy the
pastimes of any season at any time.
58 In Vrndavana all the seasons are eternal, and they all
diligently serve Sri Krsna, the moon of Vrndavana. The gopis
decorate Sri Krsna with garlands and other ornaments made from
the flowers of many different seasons.
59 In Vrndavana the gardens of all the gopi beloveds of
Vrndavana's moon (Krsna) shine with great splendour. A single
ray of those gardens' splendour eclipses the Brahman effulgence.
60 The animals, birds, trees, vines and all other living entities
that reside in Vrndavana yearn to see the rising of Vrndavana's
moon (Krsna).
61 Originally there is only one kalpa vrksa tree in Vrndavana,
and the other trees have attained the qualities of kalpa vrksa trees
by its association. In the same way, there is only one Sri Krsna, the
master of Vrndavana, and by enjoying pastimes with Him His
friends have attained qualities like His.
62 Although all the trees in Vrndavana are kalpa-vrksa trees, still
one among them is especially glorious. This tree grows next to a
jewel palace in a supremely charming grove.
63 This palace has many wings five, six, eight or even nine
stories high. Each wing has a courtyard shaped like a lotus whorl
with eight petals.
64 The residential quarters of the devotees overlook these
courtyards. Within the beautiful palace's courtyards again there
are eight smaller palaces.
65 These eight palaces are placed in the eight directions and in
the middle is placed an eternal kalpa vrksa tree, which with its
many branches protects the devotees from the enemies of the Lord.
66 This grove with nine palaces is surrounded in all directions by
eight other groves, each with nine palaces. Beyond these groves
and palaces there are more groves and palaces.
67 In the best of these kalpa-vrksa groves is the splendid palace
of Vrndavana's queen. Around Her palace are the palaces of her
gopi friends, and around them are the residences of Her
maidservants.
68 Staying in Her palace by Her lover's side, the queen of the
gopis shines with great splendour. The residences of the other
gopis are situated around Her palace.
69 Around the central kalpa vrksa tree is a grove with many very
wonderful palaces just as Mukunda's beloved would desire them.
70 This abode of Sri Sri Radha Krsna is called Govinda-bhumi
(The abode of Lord Govinda) in the Puranas, and yoga pitha (the
transcendental place) in the Tantras. In this book we call it Sri
Kunja-raja (the king of groves).
71 To the south is the regal, wonderfully constructed place of Sri
Sri Radha-Krsna's swing pastimes. The beauty of this place has
been eloquently described in the Ananda-Vrndavana-campu.
72 Far to the south is Govinda-kunda, the lake of Lord Govinda,
the husband of the goddess of fortune. Around this lake are many
groves filled with buzzing bees.
73 To the north is Brahma-kunda, surrounded by many pleasant
groves. To the north of Brahma-kunda is an asoka grove that
enchants the divine couple and as a thief, has stolen away their
peaceful gravity.
74 North of that is Gopisa where, worshipped by them, Lord
Siva pleased the gopis' hearts by giving them the benediction to
enjoy pastimes with Lord Krsna.
75 A little north of that, at Vamsivata, which is like a splendid
dancer on the Yamuna's shore, Sri Krsna attracted His beloved by
playing the flute.
76 North of that is Nidhuvana, the name of which attracts the
ears and heart. Delighting His beloved, Sri Krsna disappeared
from the company of gopis eager to enjoy the rasa dance there.
77 To the southwest, in a jasmine garden, is Suryaspada, where
Sri Radhika worships the sun-god with a newly blossomed red rose.
78 In the northwest is Bhadrakali-tirtha, where at the base of a
kadamba tree the gopis worshipped the goddess for a long time,
and where the thief Krsna stole the gopis' garments.
79 In the southeast is Vighnaraja-tirtha, where Sri Krsna
incarnated in the form of a deity of Ganesa. Constantly afraid of
separation from their beloved, the gopis earnestly worshipped this
deity and became quickly convinced that they would always have
Krsna's association.
80 To the east is Sri Venu-kupa (the flute's well), which is filled
with the waters of love. Sri Krsna pleased His beloved by creating
this well with the music of His flute.
81 In the midst of the rasa dance Radha and Krsna left the gopis'
company and enjoyed pastimes in a solitary place. When Radha
became thirsty, Krsna created this well (Sri Venu-kupa) by playing
His flute.
82 In the grove named Srngara-santi, Krsna decorated His
beloved under a vata tree named Srngara-vata, which can be seen
and glorified even today.
83 One time, when Sri Krsna had gone a little distance from
Vamsivata, a gentle (dhira) breeze (samira) sprang up from His
flute playing. That place became known as Dhira-samira-tirtha.
84 Although the entire shoreline of the Yamuna shines with love
of Krsna, I think the area of Vamsivata not only shines, but actually
dances in ecstatic love.
85 Every evening Vrnda-devi and the other gopis make elaborate
arrangements for Sri Krsna to take rest in the beautiful forest
palaces of Vraja. When He sees this He becomes struck with
wonder.
86 Every morning the gopis bring betelnuts and other gifts.
Seeing this, Sri Krsna becomes struck with wonder and His heart
begins to melt with love for them. Seeing His love for them, the
gopis also begin to melt with love.
87 This book, Sri Vraja-riti-cintamani gives a brief description of
Sri Krsna's abode, the forest of Vrndavana, as it is splendidly
manifest in the area around Nandisvara palace. This second
chapter has described the beauty of the Lord's transcendental
pastimes, His eagerness to enjoy them, and other topics.

Chapter 3
1 Govardhana Hill is like a flag of intense sweetness placed in
the opulent land of Vrndavana. As the king of mountains
Govardhana Hill offers very pleasing royal service to the young
prince of Vraja.
2 The rocks of Govardhana Hill are many kinds of splendid
jewels that provide thrones, couches, and other kinds of furniture
for Sri Krsna, the supreme monarch of all nectar mellows.
3 Govardhana Hill's beautiful forests and caves are Krsna's
nectar pastime palaces, each one perfect for the supreme good
fortune of His beloved and Her friends.
4 Govardhana Hill's trees and vines serve Sri Krsna by offering
Him blossoming branches with sweet fruits, and flowers filled with
honey, nectar and fragrant pollen.
5 The red, vermilion, yellow and other coloured pigments of
Govardhana Hill decorate Lord Krsna's transcendental body for the
pleasure of His beloved gopis.
6 The musk left by deer, as well as the kunkuma, camphor, and
aguru naturally produced by Govardhana Hill, were all used to give
a sweet fragrance to the transcendental body of Lord Krsna.
7 There is a pleasant grove of sandalwood trees on Govardhana
Hill. Although snakes generally flock to sandalwood trees, no
snakes ever come here, or if sometimes a snake may come it is not
poisonous, or if sometimes a poisonous snake may come its poison
is automatically counteracted, and it can do no harm. As the best
servant of Lord Hari, Govardhana Hill has made this wonderful
arrangement for the Lord's pleasure.
8 One time a contrary fawn-eyed gopi left Sri Krsna. A short
time afterwards She saw a snake on the road. Frightened, She took
shelter of Lord Krsna, embracing Him and begging for protection.
As Lord Hari's best servant, Govardhana Hill made all these
nectarean arrangements for His pastimes.
Note: This verse may also be translated in the following way:
Rejected by a certain contrary fawn eyed gopi, Sri Krsna said:
ÖI have just been bitten by one of Govardhana Hill's snakes".
When the gopi heard this, she became repentant and came before
the Lord with many apologies. As Lord Hari's best servant,
Govardhana Hill made all these arrangements for His pastimes.
9 The rocks of Govardhana Hill are all precious gems. Some
are sapphires, some emeralds, some rubies or crystals. They
provide the perfect backdrop for Lord Krsna's pastimes.
10 If, while walking on Govardhana Hill, Krsna's elder brother
Balarama sees a series of golden stones, He thinks: `the daughter of
King Vrsabhanu must have just now walked before Me', and He
changes course to avoid an awkward situation. In the same way, if
She sees a series of crystal stones, She thinks: `Balarama must have
just now walked before Me', and She changes Her course.
11 If, on Govardhana Hill, which is the best of Lord Hari's
servants, Sri Krsna sees a golden stone, He takes it to be His
beloved. In the same way, His beloved sees a sapphire, She
assumes it is Her lover.
12 The gopis' necklaces, ornaments, red foot cosmetic,
betelnuts, and other paraphernalia gaze on the beauty of
Govardhana Hill's groves and caves. Who would not become
enchanted by the beauty of Govardhana Hill?
13 Sri Krsna is the sapphire and the gopis the golden necklaces
ornamenting Govardhana Hill. The pastimes of Krsna and the
gopis are the sons and daughters of Govardhana Hill. Who is able
to describe the glories of Govardhana Hill?
14 The peacocks dance enthusiastically, the bees and cuckoos
sing melodiously and many other birds chirp a rhythmic
accompaniment, as they all gaze on the service to Lord Hari done
by Govardhana Hill, the best of Lord Hari's servants.
15 The land around Govardhana Hill in all directions is filled
with many lakes, groves, and other charming places of Lord
Krsna's pastimes. Many lovely streams flow from Govardhana
Hill onto these lands in all directions.
16 To the east is Dana-nivartana-kunda. When Sri Radhika's
handsome beloved remembers it, He begins to tremble, and the
hairs on His body stand erect.
17 To the east of that is Candra-sarovara, where the divine
couple enjoyed many rasa dances. The memory of this place
makes Them dance in ecstatic love.
18 Southeast of Govardhana Hill is Sanksarsanananda-sarovara,
and to the east of that is Gauri-tirtha, which is scrupulously avoided
by Gauri's husband, Lord Siva.
19 The nectar flood of supreme good fortune rising from His
eternal pastimes with Her has made Her beloved supremely learned
in the philosophy of forest-pastimes.
20 In between Sankarsana-sarovara and Dana-nivartana-kunda is
Anandaraja-tirtha, where the Mahanna-kuta festival delighted the
young prince of Vraja.
21 West of that are two splendid places in the mouth of Krsna's
pastimes. They are Sri Dhana-ghata and Sri Sumani-ghata, where
the divine couple playfully talked and joked.
22 At this place the divine couple enjoyed the playful quarrel
pastimes known as dana-keli. Who would not be astonished by this
pastime? When this pastime enters the ears it makes both the body
and mind dance.
23 Govardhana Hill resembles a gigantic peacock that has
Govinda-kunda as its tail. The Manasa-ganga, where the divine
couple eternally enjoys boat-sailing pastimes, enters into the waters
of Govinda-kunda.
24 If one hears about the divine couple's boat-sailing pastimes,
he will become stunned in ecstasy and it will not be possible for
him to stop hearing about them.
25 On the Manasa-ganga's shores are many madhavi-vine
pavilions with nectar beauty that shines in the three worlds. There
the divine couple enjoys splendid pastimes that are eternally
remembered in the world's hearts.
26 With its nearby forest groves and the limitless nectar-trickling
flowers in its waters, Kusuma-sarovara shines with great splendour.
Is it the handsome face of Govardhana Hill, the king of mountains?
27 This lake is known as Kusuma-sarovara because of the many
blossoming flowers, destined to become gopis in the future, that
grow in its waters. Simply by one bathing in this Kusuma-
sarovara, Narada Muni attained a gopi-form. This fact is directly
confirmed in the words of the enchanting Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
28 The Supreme Personality of Godhead eternally enjoys
pastimes on Govardhana Hill. He personally lifted Govardhana
Hill with His own hand to protect His cowherd associates. Who is
able to describe the glories of Govardhana Hill, the best of Lord
Hari's servants?
29 Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda are Govardhana's two love-
filled eyes. Because it nourishes the gopas, gopis, and surabhi
cows with Lord Madhava's sweetness, it shines with the name `go-
vardhana'.
30 Syama-kunda and Radha-kunda are two great floods of the
nectar of beauty. They are two great oceans of splendour. They
are two beautiful roots from which sweet devotional service grows.
31 They are two jewel-mines of love. They are two seeds from
which grow the jewel-vines of transcendental pastimes. How did
they become two splendid and nectar-sweet lakes?
32 By seeing these two lakes, Radha and Krsna believe They are
present in them. It is as if They directly see each other there. The
wise say that by approaching these lakes one directly approaches
Radha and Krsna.
33 Longing to meet, but forced to remain separate, Radha and
Krsna assumed the forms of Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda. In
this way They become splashed with the nectar of meeting each
other.
34 I think that when Radha saw Krsna She melted with ecstasy
and thus assumed the liquid state of the waters of Radha-kunda,
and in the same way when Krsna saw Radha He also melted in
ecstasy and became the waters of Syama-kunda. In this way these
two lakes bear the names and qualities of the divine couple.
35 Out of great kindness to the people, so they could directly
taste Their sweetness, Radha and Krsna have become these two
lakes. Shining with happiness, the devotees bathe in these two
lakes.
36 I think these two lakes are the divine couple's love. They
who are fortunate bathe there. Because bathing there is like
bathing in Their transcendental love, these two lakes bear the
names of the divine couple.
37 Spelled backwards, the word sara (lake) becomes rasa
(nectar). They who are aware of this great secret bathe in these
two lakes.
38 Wishing to see Their sweet pastimes in the forest, the two
lakes have become the divine couple's two pet cakora-birds.
39 Limitless beautiful Sri Radha-kunda is filled with the divine
couple's great love. On every side are the groves of Radha's
friends and the humming of many bees.
40 To the north is a jewel lotus garden named Lalita-pramada.
To the north is a flower garden named Visakha-pramada.
41 To the east is Citra-pramada, a wonderful garden of colourful
flowers. To the southeast is Purnendu-kunja, the delight of
Indulekha-gopi.
42 To the south is Prema-kunja, the delight of Campakalata-gopi.
Sri Radha slips away from the protection of her mother-in-law
Jatila to meet Krsna in this grove.
43 In the southwest is the sapphire studded grove named Nila-
nikunja, the delight of Sri Rangadevi-gopi. Once Radha's mother-
in-law Jatila happened upon the divine couple sitting together in
this sapphire grove. Jatila could not see Krsna, whose bodily lustre
camouflaged Him against the background of sapphires. Jatila
thought Radha was sitting alone. She glorified Her daughter-in-law
and quickly left.
44 To the west is Aruna-kunja, the red-flower-filled grove that is
the delight of Tungavidya-gopi. To the northwest is the tree grove
of Marakata-kunja (grove of emeralds), which is the delight of
Sudevi-gopi.
45 Placed over the waters in the middle of Radha-kunda is a
wonderful jewel palace where Ananga-manjari with great love
serves the divine couple. Without love and devotion who is able to
know about this palace?
46 All the groves, paths, and various places around Radha-kunda
are filled with the nectar of Lord Govinda's pastimes. All these
places are elaborately described in Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja
Gosvami's book Sri Govinda-lilamrta.
47 To the south and west of Nandisvara Hill are Kamyavana
Forest and many other beautiful places, such as Pramatta-radha-
tirtha, where the divine couple enjoy many confidential pastimes.
48 When the fragrance of the divine couples' pastimes of
sweetness enter this place, the powerful goddess of the pastimes of
supreme opulence hides.
49 At the place known as Lanka-kunda, Lord Mukunda
delighted Sri Radhika by narrating Lord Ramacandra's pastimes of
bridging the great ocean and travelling to Lanka.
50 As Sri Sri Radha-Madhava converse during the wonderful
lukayana pastimes in Kamyavana, They manifest a great
transcendental sweetness that astonishes Their gopis friends.
51 Because of its many charming (kamya) forests, groves, and
lakes, where Lord Krsna relishes the sweetness of His pastimes,
this place is known as Kamyavana.
52 By a lake there, at the place the people call Santanu-vasa, is a
sun-god deity Sri Radha worships. On the pretext of seeing him
She gives that deity a chance to see Her.
53 On a mountain there named Chadi-sila (roof of rocks) Krsna
enjoyed many wonderful pastimes. There Krsna wept tears of joy.
There Krsna played guessing games and spoke many playful
words.
54 Nanda Maharaja made his new home there. Disguised as a
small lake, the ocean of jewels stood at his doorstep. Nearby were
Lalita-kunda and other charming lakes where the Lord enjoyed
pastimes.
55 There the gopis drank the nectar of the divine couple's
playful conversation and saw the divine couple maddened by Their
mutual touch. The gopis came from all directions (viccheda-ga) to
see the divine couple, and therefore this place became known as
vicchedata-tirtha.
56 There Laksmi-devi performed severe austerities to become a
gopi. Although she remained Laksmi and did not attain her goal,
she nevertheless had the opportunity to speak with her beloved
Krsna.
57 There Lord Krsna manifested the milk ocean, expanded
Himself as Ananta Sesa, transformed Himself into Ksirodakasayi
Visnu and then sat down on the body of Ananta. Sri Radha them
became the beautiful Laksmi-devi, who with humbly bowed head
began to massage Lord Visnu's lotus feet. This sight greatly
delighted Radha's onlooking gopi-friends.
58 In the twelve forests of Vraja are many pastime-groves,
where Lord Krsna, the moon of Vrndavana, enjoys with His
beloveds, and where the opulence is so great it makes tears flow
down Goddess Laksmi's chest.
59 The Vedas explain that there are 24 important gardens in
Lord Hari's Vraja. Among them is Kokila-kanana, which is filled
with the singing of cuckoos.
60 The peerless and supremely sweet land of Vrndavana is the
blissful abode where the Supreme Personality of Godhead enjoys
pastimes. It is the incarnation of the Lord's form and is non
different from Him. I have briefly described this land of
Vrndavana in this book, Sri Vraja-riti-cintamani, which is
completed in this, the last verse of the Third Chapter.