śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; vṛṣṇīnām — of the Vṛṣṇis; pravaraḥ — the best; mantrī — adviser; kṛṣṇasya — of Kṛṣṇa; dayitaḥ — beloved; sakhā — friend; śiṣyaḥ — disciple; bṛhaspateḥ — of Bṛhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods; sākṣāt — directly; uddhavaḥ — Uddhava; buddhi — having intelligence; sat-tamaḥ — of the highest quality.

tam — to him; āha — spoke; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; preṣṭham — to His most dear; bhaktam — devotee; ekāntinam — exclusive; kvacit — on one occasion; gṛhītvā — taking; pāṇinā — with His hand; pāṇim — (Uddhava’s) hand; prapanna — of those who surrender; ārti — the distress; haraḥ — who takes away; hariḥ — Lord Hari.

gaccha — please go; uddhava — O Uddhava; vrajam — to Vraja; saumya — O gentle one; pitroḥ — to the parents; nau — Our; prītim — satisfaction; āvaha — carry; gopīnām — of the gopīs; mat — from Me; viyoga — caused by separation; ādhim — of the mental pain; mat — brought from Me; sandeśaiḥ — by messages; vimocaya — relieve them.

tāḥ — they (the gopīs); mat — absorbed in Me; manaskāḥ — their minds; mat — fixed upon Me; prāṇāḥ — their lives; mat-arthe — for My sake; tyakta — abandoning; daihikāḥ — everything on the bodily platform; mām — Me; eva — alone; dayitam — their beloved; preṣṭham — dearmost; ātmānam — Self; manasā gatāḥ — understood; ye — who (the gopīs, or anyone); tyakta — giving up; loka — this world; dharmāḥ — religiosity; ca — and; mat-arthe — for My sake; tān — them; bibharmi — sustain; aham — I.

mayi — I; tāḥ — they; preyasām — of all objects of endearment; preṣṭhe — the most dear; dūra-sthe — being far away; gokula-striyaḥ — the women of Gokula; smarantyaḥ — remembering; aṅga — dear (Uddhava); vimuhyanti — become stunned; viraha — of separation; autkaṇṭhya — by the anxiety; vihvalāḥ — overwhelmed.

dhārayanti — they hold on; ati-kṛcchreṇa — with great difficulty; prāyaḥ — barely; prāṇān — to their lives; kathañcana — somehow; prati-āgamana — of return; sandeśaiḥ — by the promises; ballavyaḥ — the cowherd women; me — My; mat-ātmikāḥ — who are fully dedicated to Me.

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; uktaḥ — spoken to; uddhavaḥ — Uddhava; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); sandeśam — the message; bhartuḥ — of his master; ādṛtaḥ — respectfully; ādāya — taking; ratham — his chariot; āruhya — mounting; prayayau — went off; nanda-gokulam — to the cowherd village of Nanda Mahārāja.

prāptaḥ — reaching; nanda-vrajam — the pastures of Nanda Mahārāja; śrīmān — the fortunate (Uddhava); nimlocati — while it was setting; vibhāvasau — the sun; channa — invisible; yānaḥ — whose passing; praviśatām — who were entering; paśūnām — of the animals; khura — of the hooves; reṇubhiḥ — by the dust.

vāsita — of the fertile (cows); arthe — for the sake; abhiyudhyadbhiḥ — who were fighting with one another; nāditam — resounding; śuśmibhiḥ — sexually aroused; vṛṣaiḥ — with the bulls; dhāvantībhiḥ — running; ca — and; vāsrābhiḥ — with the cows; udhaḥ — by their udders; bhāraiḥ — burdened; sva — after their own; vatsakān — calves; itaḥ tataḥ — here and there; vilaṅghadbhiḥ — jumping; go-vatsaiḥ — by the calves; maṇḍitam — adorned; sitaiḥ — white; go-doha — of the milking of the cows; śabda — by the sounds; abhiravam — reverberating; veṇūnām — of flutes; niḥsvanena — with the loud vibration; ca — and; gāyantībhiḥ — who were singing; ca — and; karmāṇi — about the deeds; śubhāni — auspicious; bala-kṛṣṇayoḥ — of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa; su — finely; alaṅkṛtābhiḥ — ornamented; gopībhiḥ — with the cowherd women; gopaiḥ — the cowherd men; ca — and; su-virājitam — resplendent; agni — of the sacrificial fire; arka — the sun; atithi — guests; go — the cows; vipra — the brāhmaṇas; pitṛ — forefathers; deva — and demigods; arcana — with worship; anvitaiḥ — filled; dhūpa — with incense; dīpaiḥ — lamps; ca — and; mālyaiḥ — with flower garlands; ca — also; gopa-āvāsaiḥ — because of the homes of the cowherds; manaḥ-ramam — very attractive; sarvataḥ — on all sides; puṣpita — flowering; vanam — with the forest; dvija — of birds; ali — and bees; kula — with the swarms; nāditam — resounding; haṁsa — with swans; kāraṇḍava — and a certain species of duck; ākīrṇaiḥ — crowded; padma-ṣaṇḍaiḥ — with bowers of lotuses; ca — and; maṇḍitam — beautified.

tam — him (Uddhava); āgatam — arrived; samāgamya — approaching; kṛṣṇasya — of Kṛṣṇa; anucaram — the follower; priyam — dear; nandaḥ — Nanda Mahārāja; prītaḥ — happy; pariṣvajya — embracing; vāsudeva-dhiyā — thinking of Lord Vāsudeva; ārcayat — worshiped.

bhojitam — fed; parama-annena — with first-class food; saṁviṣṭam — seated; kaśipau — on a nice bed; sukham — comfortably; gata — relieved; śramam — of fatigue; paryapṛcchat — he inquired; pāda — of his feet; saṁvāhana — with massaging; ādibhiḥ — and so on.

kaccit — whether; aṅga — my dear; mahā-bhāga — O most fortunate one; sakhā — the friend; naḥ — our; śūra-nandanaḥ — the son of King Śūra (Vasudeva); āste — lives; kuśalī — well; apatya-ādyaiḥ — with his children and so on; yuktaḥ — joined; muktaḥ — freed; suhṛt — to his friends; vrataḥ — who is devoted.

diṣṭyā — by good fortune; kaṁsaḥ — King Kaṁsa; hataḥ — has been killed; pāpaḥ — the sinful; sa — along with; anugaḥ — his followers (brothers); svena — because of his own; pāpmanā — sinfulness; sādhūnām — saintly; dharma-śīlānām — always righteous in their behavior; yadūnām — the Yadus; dveṣṭi — hated; yaḥ — who; sadā — always.

api — perhaps; smarati — remembers; naḥ — us; kṛṣṇaḥ — Kṛṣṇa; mātaram — His mother; suhṛdaḥ — His well-wishers; sakhīn — and dear friends; gopān — the cowherds; vrajam — the village of Vraja; ca — and; ātma — Himself; nātham — whose master; gāvaḥ — the cows; vṛndāvanam — the forest of Vṛndāvana; girim — the mountain Govardhana.

api — whether; āyāsyati — will come back; govindaḥ — Kṛṣṇa; sva-janān — His relatives; sakṛt — once; īkṣitum — to see; tarhi — then; drakṣyāma — we may glance upon; tat — His; vaktram — face; su-nasam — with beautiful nose; su — beautiful; smita — smile; īkṣaṇam — and eyes.

dāva-agneḥ — from the forest fire; vāta — from the wind; varṣāt — and rain; ca — also; vṛṣa — from the bull; sarpāt — from the serpent; ca — and; rakṣitāḥ — protected; duratyayebhyaḥ — insurmountable; mṛtyubhyaḥ — from mortal dangers; kṛṣṇena — by Kṛṣṇa; su-mahā-ātmanā — the very great soul.

smaratām — who are remembering; kṛṣṇa-vīryāṇi — the valorous deeds of Kṛṣṇa; līlā — playful; apāṅga — with sidelong glances; nirīkṣitam — His looking; hasitam — smiling; bhāṣitam — speaking; ca — and; aṅga — my dear (Uddhava); sarvāḥ — all; naḥ — for us; śithilāḥ — slackened; kriyāḥ — material activities.

sarit — the rivers; śaila — hills; vana — of the forests; uddeśān — and the various parts; mukunda — of Kṛṣṇa; pada — by the feet; bhūṣitān — ornamented; ākrīḍān — the locations of His play; īkṣyamāṇānām — for those who are seeing; manaḥ — the mind; yāti — attains; tat-ātmatām — total absorption in Him.

manye — I think; kṛṣṇam — Kṛṣṇa; ca — and; rāmam — Balarāma; ca — and; prāptau — obtained; iha — on this planet; sura — of demigods; uttamau — two of the most elevated; surāṇām — of the demigods; mahat — great; arthāya — for a purpose; gargasya — of the sage Garga; vacanam — the statement; yathā — as.

kaṁsam — Kaṁsa; nāga — of elephants; ayuta — ten thousand; prāṇam — whose vital strength; mallau — the two wrestlers (Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika); gaja-patim — the king of the elephants (Kuvalayāpīḍa); yathā — inasmuch as; avadhiṣṭām — the two of Them killed; līlayā — as a game; eva — simply; paśūn — animals; iva — as; mṛga-adhipaḥ — the lion, king of animals.

tāla-trayam — as long as three palm trees; mahā-sāram — extremely solid; dhanuḥ — the bow; yaṣṭim — a stick; iva — as; ibha-rāṭ — a royal elephant; babhañja — He broke; ekena — with one; hastena — hand; sapta-aham — for seven days; adadhāt — held; girim — a mountain.

pralambaḥ dhenukaḥ ariṣṭaḥ — Pralamba, Dhenuka and Ariṣṭa; tṛṇāvartaḥ — Tṛṇāvarta; baka-ādayaḥ — Baka and others; daityāḥ — demons; sura-asura — both the demigods and the demons; jitaḥ — who conquered; hatāḥ — killed; yena — by whom; iha — here (in Vṛndāvana); līlayā — easily.

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya — intensely and repeatedly remembering; nandaḥ — Nanda Mahārāja; kṛṣṇa — to Kṛṣṇa; anurakta — completely attracted; dhīḥ — whose mind; ati — extremely; utkaṇṭhaḥ — anxious; abhavat — he became; tūṣṇīm — silent; prema — of his pure love; prasara — by the force; vihvalaḥ — overcome.

yaśodā — mother Yaśodā; varṇyamānāni — being described; putrasya — of her son; caritāni — the activities; ca — and; śṛṇvantī — as she heard; aśrūṇi — tears; avāsrākṣīt — poured down; sneha — out of love; snuta — moistened; payodharā — her breasts.

tayoḥ — of the two of them; ittham — like this; bhagavati — for the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kṛṣṇe — Lord Kṛṣṇa; nanda-yaśodayoḥ — of Nanda and Yaśodā; vīkṣya — clearly seeing; anurāgam — the loving attraction; paramam — supreme; nandam — to Nanda; āha — spoke; uddhavaḥ — Uddhava; mudā — with joy.

śrī-uddhavaḥ uvāca — Śrī Uddhava said; yuvām — you two; ślāghyatamau — the most praiseworthy; nūnam — for certain; dehinām — of embodied living beings; iha — in this world; mana-da — O respectful one; nārāyaṇe — for the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa; akhila-gurau — the spiritual master of all; yat — because; kṛtā — produced; matiḥ — a mentality; īdṛśī — like this.

etau — these two; hi — indeed; viśvasya — of the universe; ca — and; bīja — the seed; yonī — and the womb; rāmaḥ — Lord Balarāma; mukundaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; puruṣaḥ — the creating Lord; pradhānam — His creative energy; anvīya — entering; bhūteṣu — within all living beings; vilakṣaṇasya — confused or perceiving; jñānasya — knowledge; ca — and; īśāte — control; imau — They; purāṇau — primeval.

yasmin — in whom; janaḥ — any person; prāṇa — from one’s life air; viyoga — of separation; kāle — at the time; kṣaṇam — for a moment; samāveśya — absorbing; manaḥ — one’s mind; aviśuddham — impure; nirhṛtya — eradicating; karma — of the reactions of material work; āśayam — all traces; āśu — immediately; yāti — he goes; parām — to the supreme; gatim — destination; brahma-mayaḥ — in a purely spiritual form; arka — like the sun; varṇaḥ — whose color; tasmin — to Him; bhavantau — your good selves; akhila — of all; ātma — the Supreme Soul; hetau — and reason for existence; nārāyaṇe — Lord Nārāyaṇa; kāraṇa — the cause of everything; martya — human; mūrtau — in a form; bhāvam — pure love; vidhattām — have given; nitarām — exceedingly; mahā-ātman — to the perfectly complete; kim vā — then what; avaśiṣṭam — remaining; yuvayoḥ — for you; su-kṛtyam — required pious activity.

āgamiṣyati — He will return; adīrgheṇa — not long; kālena — in time; vrajam — to Vraja; acyutaḥ — Kṛṣṇa, the infallible one; priyam — satisfaction; vidhāsyate — He will give; pitroḥ — to His parents; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; sātvatām — of the devotees; patiḥ — master and protector.

hatvā — having killed; kaṁsam — Kaṁsa; raṅga — the arena; madhye — within; pratīpam — the enemy; sarva-sātvatām — of all the Yadus; yat — what; āha — He spoke; vaḥ — to you; samāgatya — by coming back; kṛṣṇaḥ — Kṛṣṇa; satyam — true; karoti — will make; tat — that.

mā khidyatam — please do not lament; mahā-bhāgau — O most fortunate ones; drakṣyathaḥ — you will see; kṛṣṇam — Kṛṣṇa; antike — in the near future; antaḥ — within; hṛdi — the hearts; saḥ — He; bhūtānām — of all living beings; āste — is present; jyotiḥ — fire; iva — just as; edhasi — within firewood.

na — not; hi — indeed; asya — for Him; asti — there is; priyaḥ — dear; kaścit — anyone; na — not; apriyaḥ — not dear; vā — or; asti — there is; amāninaḥ — who is free from desire for respect; na — not; uttamaḥ — superior; na — not; adhamaḥ — inferior; vā — or; api — also; samānasya — for Him who has all respect for others; āsamaḥ — completely ordinary; api — also; vā — or.

na — there is no; mātā — mother; na — no; pitā — father; tasya — for Him; na — no; bhāryā — wife; na — no; suta-ādayaḥ — children and so forth; na — no one; ātmīyaḥ — related to Himself; na — nor; paraḥ — an outsider; ca api — also; na — no; dehaḥ — body; janma — birth; eva — either; ca — and.

na — there is not; ca — and; asya — for Him; karma — work; vā — or; loke — in this world; sat — pure; asat — impure; miśra — or mixed; yoniṣu — in wombs or species; krīḍā — of playing; artham — for the sake; saḥ — He; api — also; sādhūnām — of His saintly devotees; paritrāṇāya — for the saving; kalpate — appears.

sattvam — goodness; rajaḥ — passion; tamaḥ — and ignorance; iti — thus called; bhajate — He accepts; nirguṇaḥ — beyond the material modes; guṇān — the modes; krīḍan — playing; atītaḥ — transcendental; api — although; guṇaiḥ — using the modes; sṛjati — He creates; avati — maintains; hanti — and destroys; ajaḥ — the unborn Lord.

yathā — as; bhramarikā — because of whirling around; dṛṣṭyā — in one’s vision; bhrāmyati — whirling; iva — as if; mahī — the ground; īyate — appears; citte — the mind; kartari — being the doer; tatra — there; ātmā — the self; kartā — the doer; iva — as if; aham-dhiyā — because of false ego; smṛtaḥ — is thought.

yuvayoḥ — of you two; eva — alone; na — not; eva — indeed; ayam — He; ātma-jaḥ — the son; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hariḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; sarveṣām — of all; ātma-jaḥ — the son; hi — indeed; ātmā — the very self; pitā — father; mātā — mother; saḥ — He; īśvaraḥ — the controlling Lord.

dṛṣṭam — seen; śrutam — heard; bhūta — past; bhavat — present; bhaviṣyat — future; sthāsnuḥ — stationary; cariṣṇuḥ — mobile; mahat — large; alpakam — small; ca — and; vinā — apart from; acyutāt — the infallible Lord Kṛṣṇa; vastu — thing; tarām — at all; na — is not; varyam — capable of being named; saḥ — He; eva — alone; sarvam — everything; parama-ātma — as the Supersoul; bhūtaḥ — manifesting.

evam — in this way; niśā — the night; sā — that; bruvatoḥ — as they were both speaking; vyatītā — was finished; nandasya — Nanda Mahārāja; kṛṣṇa-anucarasya — and the servant of Kṛṣṇa (Uddhava); rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); gopyaḥ — the cowherd women; samutthāya — rising from sleep; nirūpya — lighting; dīpān — lamps; vāstūn — the domestic deities; samabhyarcya — worshiping; dadhīni — curds; amanthan — churned.

tāḥ — those women; dīpa — by the lamps; dīptaiḥ — illumined; maṇibhiḥ — with jewels; virejuḥ — shone; rajjūḥ — the (churning) ropes; vikarṣat — pulling; bhuja — upon their arms; kaṅkaṇa — of bangles; srajaḥ — wearing rows; calan — moving; nitamba — their hips; stana — breasts; hāra — and necklaces; kuṇḍala — due to their earrings; tviṣat — glowing; kapola — their cheeks; aruṇa — reddish; kuṅkuma — with kuṅkuma powder; ānanāḥ — their faces.

udgāyatīnām — who were loudly singing; aravinda — like lotuses; locanam — (about the Lord) whose eyes; vraja-aṅganānām — of the women of Vraja; divam — the sky; aspṛśat — touched; dhvaniḥ — the reverberation; dadhnaḥ — of the curds; ca — and; nirmanthana — of the churning; śabda — with the sound; miśritaḥ — mixed; nirasyate — is dispelled; yena — by which; diśām — of all directions; amaṅgalam — the inauspiciousness.

bhagavati — the lord; udite — when he rose; sūrye — the sun; nanda-dvāri — in the doorway of Nanda Mahārāja’s home; vraja-okasaḥ — the residents of Vraja; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; ratham — the chariot; śātakaumbham — made of gold; kasya — whose; ayam — this; iti — thus; ca — and; abruvan — they spoke.

akrūraḥ — Akrūra; āgataḥ — has come; kim vā — perhaps; yaḥ — who; kaṁsasya — of King Kaṁsa; artha — of the purpose; sādhakaḥ — the executor; yena — by whom; nītaḥ — brought; madhu-purīm — to Mathurā City; kṛṣṇaḥ — Kṛṣṇa; kamala — lotuslike; locanaḥ — whose eyes.

kim — whether; sādhayiṣyati — will he accomplish; asmābhiḥ — with us; bhartuḥ — of his master; prītasya — who was satisfied with him; niṣkṛtim — the funeral ritual; tataḥ — then; strīṇām — the women; vadantīnām — as they were speaking; uddhavaḥ — Uddhava; agāt — came there; kṛta — having performed; ahnikaḥ — his early-morning religious duties.