Mahaprabhu's Dancing on Janmastami

(kāmoda raga)

gorā mora gokulera śaśī
kṛṣṇera janama āji kahe hāsi hāsi

My Gora, the moon of Gokul, again and again
declares that today is the birthday of Krishna.

se āveśe thira haite nāre
dhari gopaveśa nāca ullāsa antare

In an introspective mood He has donned the dress of
a cowherd boy, and dances in a way that delights His heart.

nitāi gopera veśa dhari
hāte laiyā laguḍa nācaye bhaṅgi kari

Nitai has also donned a cowherd dress, and
dances in various ways while carrying a stick.

gaurīdāsa rāmāi sundara
nāce gopa-veśe kāndhe bhāra manohara

Gauridasa and Ramai look beautiful, dancing in the
dress of cowherds while carrying clay pots on their shoulders.

śrivāsa advaita gopa-veśe
chāḍaya haladī dadhi manera ullāse

Srivasa and Advaita, dressed as cowherds,
joyfully throw haldi and yoghurt everywhere.

keha keha nānā vādya vāya
mukunda mādhava ye janama-līlā gāya

While different persons played different varieties of music,
Mukunda das and Madhava das sang about Krishna's birth-pastimes.

kare sumaṅgala nārīgaṇa
śrivāsa ālaya yena nandera bhavana

The ladies made many auspicious sounds, as if
Srivasa's home was the palace of Nanda Maharaj.

jaya-dhvani kari bāre bāre
dhyāya loka dhairaja dharite keu nāre

Again and again the devotees shouted
'jaya!', and nobody could control themselves.

kata sādhe dekhe aṅkhi bhari'
śobhāya bhuvana bhule bhaṇe narahari

Eagerly gazing on these pastimes,
everyone felt their eyes to be satisfied.
Narahari declares that the whole world is enchanted by that beauty.

- Adapted from Sri Krishna Kathamrita-bindu #133, originally from Bhakti-ratnakara 12.3148-3168