What Happened To Yashoda's Son?

(Suha-i-rAga)

ke go a-i gaura-baraNa bAGkA bhuru bAGkA nayana
cina cina cina yena kari
e-i nA se nandera gopAla yazodAra jIvana dulAla
A-ila kari gopIra mana-curi

Look! Look! Look! Who is this person with a fair complexion,
with curved eyebrows and eyes with crooked glances?
He cannot be Nanda’s gopa son! He cannot be Yasoda’s beloved son!
He cannot be the boy that robbed the gopis of their hearts!

zire chila mohana cUDA ebe mAthA kaila neDA
kaupina parila dhaDA chADi
gopI-mana mohanera tAre mohana-baMśI chila kare
ebe se ha-ila daNDa-dhArI

In the past His hair was glorious. Now His head is shaved.
Now He wears a kaupina and a sannyasi’s garments.
In the past He charmed the gopis’ hearts. In the past He played
charming melodies on his flute. Now He carries a sannyasi’s danda.

nIpa-taru-mUle giyA adhare muralI laiya
rAdhA-nAma karita sAdhana
ebe suradhunI-tIre bAhu duTI ucca ka’re
sadAi karaye saGkIrtana

In the past He sat under a kadamba tree, placed the flute
to His lips, and played melodies that were actually songs
chanting Radha’s name. Now He stands by the Ganga’s banks,
raises His arms, and always sings in sankirtana.

nabIna nAgara sAje gopI-saha kuNja-mAjhe
karita ye bibidha bilAsa
ebe pAriSada saGge nAma yAce dIna-beze
sei ei kahe kAnu-dAsa

In the past He was the teenage hero of amorous pastimes. In the past
He enjoyed many pastimes with the gopis in the middle of the forest.
Now He wears the garments of a sannyasi. Accompanied by
His companions, He begs everyone to accept the chanting
of Krishna’s holy names. Thus spake Kanu Das.

— Gaura-pAda-taraGgiNī