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Song Name: Bhaja Bhakata Vatsala

Official Name: Bhoga ĀArati (at THAkura Bhaktivinoda’s home at Surabhi-kuñja in

GodruMa-dvIpa)

Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Book Name: Gitavali (Section: Arati Kirtan Song 4)

(1)

bhaja bhakata-vatsala śrī-gaurahari

śrī-gaurahari sohi goṣṭha-bihārī

nanda-jaśomatī-citta-hari

(2)

belā ho'lo dāmodara āisa ekhano

bhoga-mandire bosi' koraho bhojana

(3)

nandera nideśe baise giri-bara-dhārī

baladeva-saha sakhā baise sāri sāri

(4)

śuktā-śākādi bhāji nālitā kuṣmāṇḍa

dāli dālnā dugdha-tumbī dadhi mocā-khaṇḍa

(5)

mudga-borā māṣa-borā roṭikā ghṛtānna

śaṣkulī piṣṭaka khīr puli pāyasānna

(6)

karpūra amṛta-keli rambhā khīra-sāra

amṛta rasālā, amla dwādaśa prakāra

(7)

luci cini sarpurī lāḍḍu rasābalī

bhojana korena kṛṣṇa ho'ye kutūhalī

(8)

rādhikāra pakka anna vividha byañjana

parama ānande kṛṣṇa korena bhojana

(9)

chale-bale lāḍḍu khāy śrī-madhumańgala

bagala bājāy āra deya hari-bolo

(10)

rādhikādi gaṇe heri' nayanera koṇe

tṛpta ho'ye khāy kṛṣṇa jaśodā-bhavane

(11)

bhojanānte piye kṛṣṇa subāsita bāri

sabe mukha prakhāloy ho'ye sāri sāri

(12)

hasta-mukha prakhāliyā jata sakhā-gaṇe

ānande biśrāma kore baladeva-sane

(13)

jambula rasāla āne tāmbūla-masālā

tāhā kheye kṛṣṇa-candra sukhe nidrā gelā

(14)

biśālākha śikhi-puccha-cāmara ḍhulāya

apūrba śayyāya kṛṣṇa sukhe nidrā jāya.

(15)

jaśomatī-ājñā pe'ye dhaniṣṭhā-ānīto

śrī-kṛṣṇa-prasāda rādhā bhuñje ho'ye prīto

(16)

lalitādi sakhī-gaṇa avaśeṣa pāya

mane mane sukhe rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa gāya

(17)

hari-līlā ek-mātra jāhāra pramoda

bhogārati gāy ṭhākur bhakativinoda

TRANSLATION

1) Just worship Sri Gaurahari, who is always affectionate toward His devotees. He is the same Supreme Godhead, Krsna, who sported in the cowherd pastures of Vraja and stole the hearts of Nanda and Yasoda.

2) Mother Yasoda calls to Krsna, "My dear Damodara, it is very late. Please come right now, sit down in the dining hall, and take Your lunch."

3) On the direction of Nanda Maharaja, Krsna, the holder of Govardhana Hill, sits down, and then all the cowherd boys, along with Krsna's elder brother, Sri Baladeva, sit down in rows to take their lunch.

4) They are then served a feast of sukta and various kinds of green leafy vegetables, then nice fried things, and a salad made of the green leaves of the jute plant. They are also served pumpkin, baskets of fruit, small square cakes made of lentils and cooked down milk, then thick yogurt, squash cooked in milk, and vegetable preparations made from the tower of the banana tree.

5) Then they receive fried squares of mung dahl patties, and urad dahl patties, capatis, and rice with ghee. Next, sweets made with milk, sugar and sesamum, rice flour cakes; thick cooked-down milk; cakes floating in milk; and sweet rice.

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

7) There are buns made with white flour and sugar; buns filled with cream; laddus; and dahl patties boiled in sugared rice. Krsna eagerly eats all of the food.

8) In great ecstasy and joy Krsna eats the rice, curried vegetables, sweets, and pastries cooked by Srimati Radharani.

9) Krsna's funny brahmana friend Madhumangala, who is very fond of Laddus, gets them by hook or by crook. Eating the laddus he shouts, "Haribol! Haribol!' and makes a funny sound by slapping his sides under his armpits with his hands.

10) Beholding Radharani and Her gopifriends from the corner of His eyes, Krsna eats at the house of mother Yasoda with great satisfaction.

11) After lunch, Krsna drinks rose-scented water. Then all of the boys, standing in lines, wash their mouths.

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

13) The two cowherd boys Jambula and Rasala then bring Krsna pan made with betel nuts, fancy spices, and catechu. After eating that pan, Sri Krsnacandra then happily goes to sleep.

14) While Krsna happily takes His rest on an excellent bedstead, His servant Visalaksa cools Him with a fan of peacock feathers.

15) At mother Yasoda's request the gopi Dhanistha brings remnants of food left on Krsna's plate to Srimati Radharani, who eats them with great delight.

16) Lalita-devi and the other gopis then receive the remnants, and within their hearts they sing the glories of Radharani and Krsna with great joy.

17) Thakura Bhaktivinoda, whose one and only Joy is the pastimes of Lord Hari, sings this Bhoga-arati song.

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