2011-12-31
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.05.05-07 - Expressing Love and Care by Real Gestures (download mp3) and (download flv)
by Radhanath Swami at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net
SB 10.5.5
saumangalya-giro viprah
suta-magadha-vandinah
gayakas ca jagur nedur
bheryo dundubhayo muhuh
Translation:
The brahmanas recited auspicious Vedic hymns, which purified the environment by their vibration. The experts in reciting old histories like the Puranas, the experts in reciting the histories of royal families, and general reciters all chanted, while singers sang and many kinds of musical instruments, like bheris and dundubhis, played in accompaniment.
SB 10.5.6
vrajah sammrsta-samsikta-
dvarajira-grhantarah
citra-dhvaja-pataka-srak-
caila-pallava-toranaih
Translation:
Vrajapura, the residence of Nanda Maharaja, was fully decorated with varieties of festoons and flags, and in different places, gates were made with varieties of flower garlands, pieces of cloth, and mango leaves. The courtyards, the gates near the roads, and everything within the rooms of the houses were perfectly swept and washed with water.
SB 10.5.7
gavo vrsa vatsatara
haridra-taila-rusitah
vicitra-dhatu-barhasrag-
vastra-kaƱcana-malinah
Translation:
The cows, the bulls and the calves were thoroughly smeared with a mixture of turmeric and oil, mixed with varieties of minerals. Their heads were bedecked with peacock feathers, and they were garlanded and covered with cloth and golden ornaments.
Purport:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has instructed in Bhagavad-gita (18.44), krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma-svabhavajam: "Farming, cow protection and trade are the qualities of work for the vaisyas." Nanda Maharaja belonged to the vaisya community, the agriculturalist community. How to protect the cows and how rich this community was are explained in these verses. We can hardly imagine that cows, bulls and calves could be cared for so nicely and decorated so well with cloths and valuable golden ornaments. How happy they were. As described elsewhere in the Bhagavatam, during Maharaja Yudhisthira's time the cows were so happy that they used to muddy the pasturing ground with milk. This is Indian civilization. Yet in the same place, India, Bharata-varsa, how much people are suffering by giving up the Vedic way of life and not understanding the teachings of Bhagavad-gita.