SLOKA OF THE WEEK:

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 12.8.16 
gandharvāpsarasaḥ kāmaṁ
vasanta-malayānilau
munaye preṣayām āsa
rajas-toka-madau tathā

gandharva-apsarasaḥ — the celestial singers and dancing girls; kāmam — Cupid; vasanta — the spring season; malaya-anilau — and the refreshing breeze from the Malaya Hills; munaye — to the sage; preṣayām āsa — he sent; rajaḥ-toka — the child of passion, greed; madau — and intoxication; tathā — also.

TRANSLATION

To ruin the sage’s spiritual practice, Lord Indra sent Cupid, beautiful celestial singers, dancing girls, the season of spring and the sandalwood-scented breeze from the Malaya Hills, along with greed and intoxication personified.

SLOKA OF THE WEEK:

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.21.12

krsnaḿ nirīksya vanitotsava-rūpa-śīlaḿ
śrutvā ca tat-kvaṇita-veṇu-vivikta-gītam
devyo vimāna-gatayaḥ smara-nunna-sārā
bhraśyat-prasūna-kabarā mumuhur vinīvyaḥ

krsnam — Lord Krsna; nirīkṣya — observing; vanitā — for all women; utsava — a festival; rūpa — whose beauty; śīlam — and character; śrutvā — hearing; ca — and; tat — by Him; kvanita — vibrated; venu — of the flute; vivikta — clear; gītam — song; devyaḥ — the wives of the demigods; vimāna-gatayaḥ — traveling in their airplanes; smara — by Cupid; nunna — agitated; sārāḥ — their hearts; bhraśyat — slipping; prasūna-kabarāḥ — the flowers tied in their hair; mumuhuḥ — they became bewildered; vinīvyaḥ — their belts loosening.

TRANSLATION

Krsna's beauty and character create a festival for all women. Indeed, when the demigods' wives flying in airplanes with their husbands catch sight of Him and hear His resonant flute-song, their hearts are shaken by Cupid, and they become so bewildered that the flowers fall out of their hair and their belts loosen.

SLOKA OF THE WEEK:

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.21.15
nadyas tadā tad upadhārya mukunda-gītam
āvarta-laksita-manobhava-bhagna-vegāh
ālińgana-sthagitam ūrmi-bhujair murārer
grhnanti pāda-yugalam kamalopahārāh

nadyah — the rivers; tadā — then; tat — that; upadhārya — perceiving; mukunda — of Lord Krsna; gītam — the song of His flute; āvarta — by their whirlpools; laksita — manifest; manah-bhava — by their conjugal desire; bhagna — broken; vegāh — their currents; ālińgana — by their embrace; sthagitam — held stationary; ūrmi-bhujaih — by the arms of their waves; murāreh — of Lord Murāri; grhnanti — they seize; pāda-yugalam — the two lotus feet; kamala-upahārāh — carrying offerings of lotus flowers.

TRANSLATION

When the rivers hear the flute-song of Krsna, their minds begin to desire Him, and thus the flow of their currents is broken and their waters are agitated, moving around in whirlpools. Then with the arms of their waves the rivers embrace Murāri's lotus feet and, holding on to them, present offerings of lotus flowers.

JOURNAL:

There is a meditation I do that works well for me. I sit by a river and, as I watch it flow, I put music to its movements in my head. I like to do this after I have been chanting japa and I am "tired of it"; a relative phrase at best. Here is an excerpt from The Nectar of Devotion, page 173;

As far as His flute is concerned, it is said that the vibration of this wonderful instrument was able to break the meditation of the greatest sages. Kåñëa was thus challenging Cupid by advertising His transcendental glories all over the world. There are three kinds of flutes used by Kåñëa. One is called veëu, one is called muralé, and the third is called vaàcé. Veëu is very small, not more than six inches long, with six holes for whistling. Muralé is about eighteen inches long with a hole at the end and four holes on the body of the flute. This kind of flute produces a very enchanting sound. The vaàçé flute is about fifteen inches long, with nine holes on its body. Kåñëa used to play on these three flutes occasionally when they were needed. Kåñëa has a longer vaàçé, which is called mahänandä, or sammohiné. When it is still longer it is called äkarñiëé. When it is even longer it is called änandiné. The änandiné flute is very pleasing to the cowherd boys and is technically named vaàçulé. These flutes were sometimes bedecked with jewels. Sometimes they were made of marble and sometimes of hollow bamboo. When the flute is made of jewels it is called sammohiné. When made of gold, it is called äkarñiëé.

SLOKA OF THE WEEK:

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.7.6
dharmasya daksa-duhitary ajanista mūrtyām
nārāyano nara iti sva-tapah-prabhāvah
drstvātmano bhagavato niyamāvalopam
devyas tv anańga-prtanā ghatitum na sekuh

dharmasya — of Dharma (the controller of religious principles); daksa — Daksa, one of the Prajāpatis; duhitari — unto the daughter; ajanista — took birth; mūrtyām — of the name Mūrti; nārāyanah — Nārāyana; narah — Nara; iti — thus; sva-tapah — personal penances; prabhāvah — strength; drstvā — by seeing; ātmanah — of His own; bhagavatah — of the Personality of Godhead; niyama-avalopam — breaking the vow; devyah — celestial beauties; tu — but; anańga-prtanāh — companion of Cupid; ghatitum — to happen; na — never; śekuh — made possible.

TRANSLATION

To exhibit His personal way of austerity and penance, He appeared in twin forms as Nārāyana and Nara in the womb of Mūrti, the wife of Dharma and the daughter of Daksa. Celestial beauties, the companions of Cupid, went to try to break His vows, but they were unsuccessful, for they saw that many beauties like them were emanating from Him, the Personality of Godhead.

JOURNAL:

The above panting, "Nara and Narayana Appear Before Markandeya Rshi", is by Ramprasad Dasa.

... the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally appeared before the sage in the forms of Nara and Narayana. One of Them was of a whitish complexion, the other blackish, and They both had four arms. (Srimad Bhagavatam 12.8.32-34)

In his purport (SB 2.7.6) Srila Prabhupada writes; A program of so-called family planning is needed. The householder who associates with woman under scriptural restrictions, after a thorough training of brahmacarya, cannot be a householder like cats and dogs. Such a householder, after fifty years of age, would retire from the association of woman as a vānaprastha to be trained to live alone without the association of woman. When the practice is complete, the same retired householder becomes a sannyāsī, strictly separate from woman, even from his married wife.

SLOKA OF THE WEEK:

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.14.30
maitreya uvāca
saivaḿ saḿvidite bhartrā
manmathonmathitendriyā
jagrāha vāso brahmarṣer
vṛṣalīva gata-trapā

maitreyaḥ uvāca — Maitreya said; sā — she; evam — thus; saḿvidite — in spite of being informed; bhartrā — by her husband; manmatha — by Cupid; unmathita — being pressed; indriyā — senses; jagrāha — caught hold of; vāsaḥ — clothing; brahma-ṛṣeḥ — of the great brāhmaṇa-sage; vṛṣalī — public prostitute; iva —like; gata-trapā —without shame.

TRANSLATION

Maitreya said: Diti was thus informed by her husband, but she was pressed by Cupid for sexual satisfaction. She caught hold of the clothing of the great brāhmaṇa sage, just like a shameless public prostitute.

JOURNAL:

His Holiness Mahanidhi Swami gives a lecture on this sloka. Here are my notes (spellings are phonetic):

Manmatha - "to churn the mind"
Man=mind. Matha=churning.

Arrow 1 - Rupam = form
Arrow 2 - Shubda = sound
Arrow 3 - Gonda = smell
Arrow 4 - Sparsha = touch
Arrow 5 - Rasam = taste

They hit both the heart and senses.

5 Actions:

1- attraction
2- burning
3- attachment
4- bewilderment
5- intoxication

Krsna is the transcendental cupid and frees one using His version of the same arrows.

Notes on Cupid

Notes on "Cupid" in The Nectar of Devotion.

There is a statement in this connection that Krsna, on arriving at this age, manifested such beautiful bodily features that His restless eyes became the playthings of Cupid, and His mild smile resembled the newly grown lotus flower. The enchanting vibration of His songs became a great impediment to the young girls, who were supposed to remain chaste and faithful to their husbands.
(p.170)


As far as His flute is concerned, it is said that the vibration of this wonderful instrument was able to break the meditation of the greatest sages. Krsna was thus challenging Cupid by advertising His transcendental glories all over the world.
(p.173)


When Cupid came on one occasion to visit Lord Krsna, some devotee addressed him thus: "My dear Cupid, because you have been so fortunate as to have placed your eyesight on the lotus feet of Krsna, the drops of perspiration on your body have become frozen, and they resemble kaëöaké fruits [a kind of small fruit found in thorny bushes]."
(p.245)

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 28
ayudhanam aham vajram
dhenunam asmi kamadhuk
prajanas casmi kandarpah
sarpanam asmi vasukih

ayudhanam--of all weapons; aham--I am; vajram--the thunderbolt; dhenunam--of cows; asmi--I am; kama-dhuk--the surabhi cow; prajanah--the cause for begetting children; ca--and; asmi--I am; kandarpah--Cupid; sarpanam--of serpents; asmi--I am; vasukih--Vasuki.

TRANSLATION

Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows I am the surabhi. Of causes for procreation I am Kandarpa, the god of love, and of serpents I am Vasuki.

JOURNAL:

Notes on "Cupid" in Bhagavad Gita;

In the above synonyms the word "kandarpah" is translated "Cupid". Srila Prabhupada states in his purport; Kandarpa is the sex desire for presenting good sons; therefore Kandarpa is the representative of Krsna.

In another purport (BG 8.21) he describes Krishna's beauty; He is so attractive that His beauty excels that of thousands of Cupids.

TEACHINGS OF QUEEN KUNTI
Chapter Fourteen:

Srimad Bhagavatam 1:8:31
gopy adade tvayi krtagasi dama tavad
ya te dasasru-kalilanjana-sambhramaksam
vaktram niniya bhaya-bhavanaya sthitasya
sa mam vimohayati bhir api yad bibheti

gopī — the cowherd lady (Yaśodā); ādade — took up; tvayi — on Your; kṛtāgasi — creating disturbances (by breaking the butter pot); dāma — rope; tāvat — at that time; yā — that which; te — Your; daśā — situation; aśru-kalila — overflooded with tears; añjana — ointment; sambhrama — perturbed; akṣam — eyes; vaktram — face; ninīya — downwards; bhaya-bhāvanayā — by thoughts of fear; sthitasya — of the situation; sā — that; mām — me; vimohayati — bewilders; bhīḥ api — even fear personified; yat — whom; bibheti — is afraid.

TRANSLATION:

My dear Krsna, Yasoda took up a rope to bind You when You committed an offense, and Your perturbed eyes overflooded with tears, which washed the mascara from Your eyes. And You were afraid, though fear personified is afraid of You. This sight is bewildering to me.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes;

This pastime presents another opulence of Krsna--His opulence of beauty. Krsna has six opulences: all wealth, all strength, all influence, all knowledge, all renunciation, and all beauty.

To give another example of such opulence, Krsna is known as Madanamohana. Madana means Cupid. Cupid enchants everyone, but Krsna is known as Madana-mohana because He is so beautiful that He enchants even Cupid. Nonetheless, Krsna Himself is enchanted by Srimati Radharani, and therefore Srimati Radharani is known as Madana-mohana-mohini, "the enchanter of the enchanter of Cupid." Krsna is the enchanter of Cupid, and Radharani is the enchanter of that enchanter.

Krishna is the best at bewilderment and this is part of His overall beauty. This is a strange idea for to me. I know that anything I can do He can do better, and I have certainly been accused of being bewildering by those who love me. If I can be minutely bewildering then of course God can be the same. Still, I like to think of God as being "straight forward". Yet, how many times have I found myself on my knees asking, "Why Lord? Why me?".

Srila Prabhupada reminds us in the next paragraph that we too can take part in Krishna's bewildering pastimes; These are very exalted spiritual understandings in Krsna consciousness. They are not fictional, imaginary, or concocted. They are facts, and every devotee can have the privilege to understand and indeed take part in Krsna's pastimes if he is actually advanced.

He then closes the chapter with this instruction; The more we love Krsna, the more we shall become perfect. It is not necessary to understand Krsna and how He creates. Krsna explains Himself in Bhagavad-gita, and we should not try to understand much more.

There is a wonderful lecture available on this sloka by His Divine Grace A. C. Baktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, given on April 23, 1973 in Los Angeles, California.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK (from Krishna.com):

Birth of Pradyumna by Pariksit Dasa

The demigod Cupid took another birth as the son of Krishna and Rukmini, and was named Pradyumna. Because he was begotten by Lord Krishna directly, his qualities were very similar to those of Krishna. There was a demon named Sambara who was destined to be killed by this Pradyumna. Sambara was aware of this, so when Pradyumna was born, Sambara kidnapped the baby less than ten days after his birth. The demon Sambara took him and threw him into the sea. When the baby Pradyumna was thrown into the sea, he was immediately eaten by a big fish. This very fish was caught by the net of a fisherman and sold to Sambara. In the kitchen of Sambara there was a maidservant named Mayavati. Mayavati had formerly been the wife of Cupid. When the cook cut open the fish, he found the baby inside and he gave the baby to Mayavati.

Nara-Narayana Rishi Humbles Cupid by Dirgha Dasi

SLOKA OF THE WEEK:

Mukunda-mālā-stotra 22
O Cupid, abandon your residence in my mind, which is now the home of Lord Mukunda's lotus feet. You have already been incinerated by Lord Śiva's fiery glance, so why have you forgotten the power of Lord Murāri's disc?

JOURNAL:

How do you fall out of love?

I have been separated from my wife, who I married in 1994, for over a year now. Yet, I'm still in love with her. I know she is no good for me; she drinks, she teases me about my faith while having none of her own, and she thinks that steak is the best form of food given to man. Yet still, I seem to be in love with her.

I have been visiting the family once a week. In the future I think I need to ask my son to come to my place instead. At least then I won't be reminded each week of what I use to be or how easy it was for her to write me off.

Later

That last bit was mean on my part. I must strive more for the retired life and the attitude that is cultivated with it.