Ārati Kīrtan – Song Four

(1)
bhaja bhakata-vatsala śrī-gaurahari


śrī-gaurahari sohi goṣṭha-bihārī,


nanda-yaśomatī-citta-hārī

1) Just worship Śrī Gaurahari, who is always very affectionate to His devotees. Śrī Gaurahari of Navadvīpa is Himself Kṛṣṇa of Vṛndāvana, the same personality who has stolen the hearts of Nanda Mahārāja and Mother Yaśodā.

(2)
belā ha’lo, dāmodara, āiso ekhona


bhoga-mandire basi’ karoha bhojana

2) Mother Yaśodā calls to Kṛṣṇa: “My dear Dāmodara! It is now very late! Please come and sit down in the dining hall to take Your lunch!”

(3)
nandera nideśe baise giri-vara-dhārī


baladeva-saha sakhā baise sāri sari

3) On the direction of Nanda Mahārāja, the holder of Govardhana Hill along with His elder brother Śrī Baladeva and all their cowherd boyfriends sit down in rows to take lunch.

(4)
śuktā-śākādi bhāji nālitā kuṣmāṇḍa


ḍāli ḍālnā dugdha-tumbī dadhi mocā-khaṇḍa

4) They are served a feast of śuktā, various kinds of green leafy vegetables, then nice savories, a salad made of the green leaves of the jute plant, pumpkin, baskets of fruit, small square cakes made of lentils and cooked-down milk, then squash cooked with milk, thick yogurt and vegetable preparations made with the flowers of the banana tree.

(5)
mudga-boḍā māṣa-boḍā roṭikā ghṛtānna


śaṣkulī piṣṭaka khīr puli pāyasānna

5) Then they have fried squares of mung dahl and urad dahl patties, capātīs, and rice with ghee. Next they have sweetmeats made with milk, sugar and sesamum, rice flour cakes, thick cooked-down milk, sweet rolls, and sweet-rice.

(6)
karpūra amṛta-keli rambhā khīra-sār


amṛta rasāla, amla dvādaśa prakāra

6) There is also sweet-rice tasting just like nectar due to its being mixed with camphor. There are bananas and cheese, which is nectarean and delicious, and luscious mangoes. They are also served twelve kinds of sour preparations made with tamarinds, limes, lemons, oranges and pomegranates.

(7)
luci cini sarpurī lāḍdu rasābalī


bhojana korena kṛṣṇa ho’ye kutūhalī

7) There are purīs made with flour and white powdered sugar, purīs filled with cream, lāḍḍus, and dahl patties boiled in sugared rice. Being very eager, Kṛṣṇa eats all of the prasād.

(8)
rādhikāra pakka anna vividha byañjana


parama ānande kṛṣṇa korena bhojana

8) Kṛṣṇa feels the greatest ecstasy and joy when He eats the various curries, sweets and pastries cooked by Śrī Rādhikā.

(9)
chale-bale lāḍḍu khāy śrī-madhumaṅgala


bagala bājāy āra deya hari-bolo

9) Kṛṣṇa’s funny brāhmaṇa friend Madhumaṅgala gets lāḍḍus to eat by hook or by crook. When Madhumaṅgala eats the lāḍḍus he shouts, “Give me more! Haribol!” and makes a funny sound by slapping his sides under his armpits with his hands.

(10)
rādhikādi gaṇe heri’ nayanera koṇe


tṛpta ho’ye khāy kṛṣṇa yaśodā-bhavane

10) Beholding Rādhikā and Her gopī friends out of the corners of His eyes, Kṛṣṇa dines at the house of Mother Yaśodā with great satisfaction.

(11)
bhojanānte piye kṛṣṇa suvāsita bāri

sabe mukha prakṣāloy ho’ye sāri sari

11) After lunch, Kṛṣṇa drinks sweet rose-scented water. Then all His friends, standing in lines, wash their mouths.

(12)
hasta-mukha prakṣāliyā jata sakhā-gaṇe

ānande viśrāma kore baladeva-sane

12) After all the cowherd boys wash their hands and mouths, they take rest with Lord Baladeva in great bliss.

(13)
jambula rasāla āne tāmbūla-masālā

tāhā kheye kṛṣṇa-candra sukhe nidrā gelā

13) Kṛṣṇa’s servants named Jambula and Rasāla provide betel nuts dressed with fancy spices. Chewing the pān, Kṛṣṇa-candra then happily goes to sleep.

(14)
viśālākṣa śikhi-puccha-cāmara ḍhulāya

apūrva śayyāya kṛṣṇa sukhe nidrā jāya

14) While Kṛṣṇa contentedly takes His rest upon an excellent bedstead, His servant Viśālākṣa cools Him by gently waving a fan of peacock feathers.

(15)
yaśomatī-ājñā pe’ye dhaniṣṭhā-ānīto


śrī-kṛṣṇa-prasāda rādhā bhuñje ho’ye prīto

15) Receiving the order of Mother Yaśodā, the gopī Dhaniṣṭhā brings remnants of food left on Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s plate to Rādhā, who takes them with great delight.

(16)
lalitādi sakhī-gaṇa avaśeṣa pāya

mane mane sukhe rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa gāya

16) Lalitā-devī and the other gopīs then receive the remnants of Rādhā, and within their heart-of-hearts they sing the glories of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa with great joy.

(17)
hari-līlā eka-mātra yāhāra pramoda

bhogārati gāy ṭhākur bhakativinoda

17) Thus Bhaktivinoda, whose only joy is the wonderful pastimes of Lord Hari, sings this Bhoga-ārati song.