Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.35.24-25
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesKṛṣṇa’s Return Brings Relief
“As Kṛṣṇa respectfully greets His well-wishing friends, His eyes roll slightly as if from intoxication. He wears a flower garland, and the beauty of His soft cheeks is accentuated by the brilliance of His golden earrings and the whiteness of His face, which has the color of a badara berry. With His cheerful face resembling the moon, lord of the night, the Lord of the Yadus moves with the grace of a regal elephant. Thus He returns in the evening, delivering the cows of Vraja from the heat of the day.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa respectfully greets His well-wishing friends as He returns in the evening. His cheerful face resembles the moon, and He moves with the grace of a regal elephant.
- His return delivers the cows of Vraja from the heat of the day. The purport explains that the Sanskrit word go can mean either “cow” or “senses.”
- By returning to Vraja, Śrī Kṛṣṇa also relieves the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. Their eyes and other senses had felt distress throughout the day because they were separated from direct contact with Him.
Try this today
This evening, reread the description of Kṛṣṇa’s cheerful face and spend a moment attentively remembering Him.
Ask yourself
How does the purport’s explanation of “senses” deepen your understanding of the joy of Kṛṣṇa’s return?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.