Chapter 1 (Part 2)

13. The most precious jewels are treasured in the best loved places,
    The mouths of Sree Ananta are the Treasury of the jewels of (Krishna’s) glorious deeds.
14. Therefore in the beginning if praises of Balaram
    Find expression in that mouth manifests the Kirtan of Chaitanya.
15. A thousand hooded serpent is Lord Balaram.
    What-so-ever the Lord does is all unrestrained.
16. The great Lord Haladhar, of immense stature,
    Drunk with the praise of Chaitanya Chandra, of exceeding patience.
17. Above him there is none other dearer to Chaitanya.
    At all time does he delight in that form.
18. His behaviour what-so-ever being listens to, sings,
    Him does Srikrishna-Chaitanya give his supreme protection,
19. With him are greatly pleased Mahesh and Parvati.
    On his tongue dances the Pure Goddess of speech,
20. With ninety-thousand consorts, Parvati and the rest,
    Does Siva offer homage to Sankarshan as His worshipper.
21. This narrative in the fifth skandha of the Bhagabat
    Is the Balaram ballad revered of all Vaishnavas.
22. Generously unconventional to the extreme is the narrative of His Rasa¹ pastimes
    In Brindaban in the company of gopis He did take delight.
23. Two months of the spring that bear the names of Madhab and Madhu,
    Did last, says the Purana, the Rasa pastimes of “Wielder of the plough”
24. Listen, those slokas of the Bhagabat are these,
    Spoken by Sree Suka, to Raja Parikshit who was the hearer,
25. ‘Two months did there abide those of Madhu and Madhab,
    The Divine Rama augmenting the amour of the gopis during the nights.
26. Encircled by spiritual damsels He took His delight in gardens fringing the Yamuna
    Which were lightened by the shining digits of the full moon served by breezes perfumed with
    the scent of the lotus.
27. His praises sung by Gandharbas, within the circle resplendent with the beauty of ladies,
    He did sport like that Lord of the herd of female elephants, the Tusker that serves Mahendra,
28. Drums sounded in the sky, the gods in delight did send down the shower of flowers.
    Forthwith did the Gandharbas and the Munis please Rama by reciting the deeds of His
    prowess.
29. All association with females is condemned by the Munis
    Who thus did sing hymns of praise in the rasa of Rama.
30. At Whose rasa the gods appearing sent down the flowery shower,
    The gods who know that difference there is none between Krishna and Haladhar.
31. The doings of Haladhar are hidden away in the four Vedas,
    It is not I who say but all have been revealed in the Puranas.
32. There are some people by reason of foolishness do not look into the Puranas;
    They hold the rasa-sport of Balaram as not revealed.
33. But the two Brothers in the society of gopikas
    Did in the same spot perform the rasa-sport inside Brindaban.
34. Thereafter on a certain occasion, Govinda and Rama of wonderful prowess,
    Sported in the wood at night encircled by the ladies of Braja;
35. Their praises sang melodiously by those females who were so attached to them by love;-
    Their bodies beautifully decorated with ornaments, sandal-paste, garlands and clothes free
    from all particles of dust;
36. Preferring the dusk with the stars visible and the moon showing above the horizon,
    With bees intoxicated by the odour of Mallika, served by breezes blowing over the lotus,
37. Sang they together, blessing the ear and the mind of all beings,
    Discoursing melodious airs athwart the whole gamut.
38. Listening to the Bhagabata without loving Rama
    Ensures the expulsion of the hearer from the paths of Vishnu and Vaishnavas.
39. Who does not recognise the Bhagabata is like the Yavana;
    His punisher is the Lord Yama in each successive birth.
40. Even now some that dance and caper in the guise of eunuchs
    Aver, ‘Is there shastra in which is found the rasa of Balaram?’
41. Some sinners never admit though they see the shastra,
    And misinterpret even by offering one meaning as another.
42. Balai is Love-embodied of Chaitanya Chandra;
    Offending against Him brings death at every step.
43. In different forms He Himself becomes the servant as well as the Lord -
    All those signs appear to view only in His descent into this world.
44. As chum, brother, fan, bed, offerings,
    Apartment, umbrella, clothing, diverse ornaments, seat, -
45. The Lord in all forms serves Himself;
    Whom He favours he alone knows.
46. As apartment, bed, seat, shoe, fine clothing, pillow, umbrella and other transcendental insignia,
    By reason of the difference of form persisting to the last, Thou art rightly styled ‘Shesha’ by
    people.
47. The mighty Sree Garuda, the constituent of Ananta,
    Gracefully and with zeal, encompasses Krishna.
48. Whether Brahma, or Siva, or Sanaka with other sons of Brahma,
    Vyasa, Suka, Narada and others - who-so-ever bears the name of devotee
49. Worshipped of them all is great Shree Ananta,
    The Lord with a thousand faces, saturate with mellowing devotion.
50. Primal god, great yogi, Isvara, Vaishnava, -
    This the full height of His glory is not known to all.
51. Ye have heard about His service, now listen as regards His power -
    How self-supported He abides in Patala.
52. Shree Narada Gosvamin attended by tamburu
    Thus sings His praise putting it into verse in the presence of Brahma. -
53. By whose thought Satva and the other qualities of Nature following one another in regular order,
    that are the causes of the origin, persistence and absorption of this world, were enabled to act -
    Whose form is everlasting and without a beginning; Who being One in His Own Self contains
    the many;- how can man know His ways?
54. Who out of His infinite mercy to us assumed the pure satva Form wherein all effect and cause
    manifests itself;
    Whose prowess is infinite, of whose unblameable Lila for subduing the minds of His Own the
    Lord of the hunted hath a glimpse.
55. Whose Name after being heard, or accidently or being distressed, or in jest, if by the fallen is
    recited,
    Instantly destroys the endless sins of men;- on Whom else besides the Divine Shesa the seeker
    of the highest good shall depend?
56. On one head of the thousand-headed great Ananta, of immeasurable, infinite prowess,
    Is placed like an atom this globe of the world with its hills, streams, seas and living beings;- His
    deeds even with a thousand tongues who can recount?
57. The great Lord Ananta of such prowess, of infinite might, possessed of all high qualities and
    majesty,
    Dwelling at the base of rasatala, self-supported, holds up with ease this world in order to
    nourish it.’
58. Creation, maintenance, destruction, satva and the other qualities that follow in its train,
    Are produced and cease to be, time and again, by whose Glance;
59. Yet in His Own Self Ananta is One, Whose Glory is ever-lasting and without a beginning;
    Who can understand His Ways?
60. The Lord out of mercy assumes the pure satva Form
    Wherein unfolded with graceful ease all things are manifested.
61. The ripples of His Movements the mighty Lion having imbibed,
    Delights the minds of his kin with alacrity.
62. The Name of Ananta heard or duly recited -
    Who-so-ever in whatever wise may opine -
63. The bondage of endless births does instantly snap;
    Wherefore his hold of Him a Vaishnava does never relinquish.
    Without Shesa there is no deliverance from the world;
    Yea, the Name of Ananta redeems all jivas.
64. To nourish this boundless world with all its hills and seas,
    The Lord supports it on His head, -
65. As a tiny point on one of His thousand hoods,
    Scarce aware that it exists, - so infinite His power.
66. With thousand mouths, the up-holder of the world, the foremost of gods.
    Keeps on singing incessantly the glories of Krishna.
67. It is Ananta Who sings and there is no end of beauty and glory;
    Both being mighty neither of them may win nor yield.
68. To this day with His thousand beauteous mouths
    Shesadeva sings the deeds of Chaitanya and finds no end.
69. Shree Raga²
    (Burden of song)
    Hey Ho! Rama and Gopala are vying in praise of one another!
    Brahma, Rudra, the gods,
    Siddhas and the greatest munis
    Are gazing on with joy.
70. With the cry ‘I must reach shore,’ He doth plunge making all speed to get across the sea,
    But the ocean of Krishna’s glory offers no bounds and broadeneth out evermore.

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¹ Rasa - harmonious, ecstatic and amorous dance of spiritual milk-maids in a circular form illustrated by kissing, embracing, singing etc with a view to enchant transcending all rules of society.

² One of the six primary musical modes.