Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.46.9-13
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesKṛṣṇa Reveals Vraja’s Sunset Joy
“Gokula resounded on all sides with the sounds of bulls in rut fighting with one another for fertile cows; with the mooing of cows, burdened by their udders, chasing after their calves; with the noise of milking and of the white calves jumping here and there; with the loud reverberation of flute-playing; and with the singing of the all-auspicious deeds of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma by the cowherd men and women, who made the village resplendent with their wonderfully ornamented attire. The cowherds’ homes in Gokula appeared most charming with their abundant paraphernalia for worship of the sacrificial fire, the sun, unexpected guests, the cows, the brāhmaṇas, the forefathers and the demigods. On all sides lay the flowering forest, echoing with flocks of birds and swarms of bees and beautified by its lakes crowded with swans, kāraṇḍava ducks and bowers of lotuses.”
What the purport teaches
- Although Gokula was immersed in grief over separation from Kṛṣṇa, He covered that grief through His internal potency. Uddhava could therefore see Vraja’s normal bustle and joy at sunset.
- Amid the sounds of cows, calves, milking and flutes, the cowherd men and women sang the all-auspicious deeds of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.
- The homes were well supplied for worship and welcoming guests. Flowering forests, birds, bees and lotus-filled lakes added to Gokula’s beauty.
Try this today
During one ordinary task today, recall the cowherds singing the deeds of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.
Ask yourself
How might remembrance of Kṛṣṇa become part of my everyday activities?
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.