VERSE 69:
yeṣāṁ cāru taleṣu śīta niviḍa cchāyeṣu rātrindivaṁ
puṣpāṇāṁ vigalat parāga vilasat talpeṣu klṛptāśrayam
prītyā snigdha madhu-vratair madhukaṇaiḥ saṁsevitaṁ tannavaṁ
yūnor yugmataraṁ mudā viharate te pāntu māṁ bhūruhāḥ
May the trees of Braj protect me, in whose deep, cool shade the Divine Couple blissfully lie upon a bed of flowers day and night, sprinkled by the sweet pollen and drops of honey from their flowers, which are kissed by humming bees.
Stavāmṛta Kaṇā Vyākhyā: After describing the sweet kunjas that are made of trees and vines, Raghunath Das Goswami now praises the trees and vines separately in the following two verses.
In this verse he praises the trees. All the trees of Vrindavan are the divine playmates of Shri Radha and Krishna.
drumāś ca kalpa pūrvā ye nānāmoda vidhāyakāḥ.
vṛndāvanāsthās tān viddhi balabhadrāṁśa sambhavān
(Krishna Yāmala Tantra)
“The wish-yielding trees in Vrindavan give all kinds of transcendental happiness, and they are all (viśuddha sattvamaya) expansions of Lord Baldev.”
Therefore there is not even the slightest element of material nature in them –
kecit pīyūṣa sārottama pariṇatayaḥ kecana kṣīra sārair
divyaiḥ sannirmitāḥ ke’pyatula mada-kṛtām āsavānāṁ ghanāṅgāḥ
kecit saitopalāḥ ke’pyati himakarakāḥ kalpa rūpā iti śrī
vṛndāraṇye drumendrā dadhati bahuvidhā rādhikā kṛṣṇa tuṣṭyai
(Vrindavan Mahimamrita 10.77)
“For the pleasure of Shri Radha and Krishna, the trees of Vrindavan have taken many different forms. Some of them are like crystalized essence of nectar, some of them are like the essence of divine milk, some of are like condensed nectar, some of them are like crystal, and some of them appear to be dusted with camphor.” In Sri Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta (2.5.255) it is written:
yasyaika vṛkṣo’pi nijena kenācid dravyeṇa kāmāṁs tanute’rthino’khilān
tathāpi tat tan na sadā prakāśayed aiśvaryam īśaḥ svavihāra vighnataḥ
“Although all the trees in Braj, and even their leaves and flowers, are able to give anything to one who asks, and thus fulfill all his desires, still they do not always display this prowess and opulence, afraid that it will disturb the enjoyments of their Lord. Sometimes, when it suits the Lord’s pastimes, they may manifest such power!”
Sri Sri Radha and Krishna’s service is the greatest treasure for the trees of Vrindavan. After Sri Krishna disappeared from the Raas Lila, the gopis inquired from Vrindavan’s trees about him:
cūta priyāla panasāsana kovidāra jambvarka bilva bakulāmra kadamba-nīpāḥ
ye’nye parārtha-bhavakā yamunopakūlāḥ śaṁsantu kṛṣṇa-padavīṁ rahitātmanāṁ naḥ(Bhāgavata 10.30.9)
“O Cūta, Priyāla, Panasa, Asana, Kovidāra, Jambu, Arka, Bilva, Bakul, mango, Kadamb, Nīpa and other trees that are standing on the bank of the Yamuna for the welfare of others! O coconut and betel trees! Please show us empty-hearted Braj girls the way to attain Krishna!”
Some explain the word parārtha-bhavakā as follows: parā ca paraś ca parau śrī rādhā-kṛṣṇau tayor arthe tayoḥ sevārthaṁ bhavaḥ utpattir yeṣāṁ te parārtha-bhavakāḥ “ para means the Supreme Lord, ie. Shri Krishna and parā means the Supreme Goddess, Sri Radha. The auspicious advent of Sri Vrindavan’s trees took place for the sake of their service”.
Hence, Raghunath Das Goswami says: “May the trees of Braj protect me, in whose deep, cool shade the Divine Couple blissfully lie upon a bed of flowers day and night, sprinkled by the sweet pollen and drops of honey from their flowers, which are kissed by humming bees.”. Virahī Raghunath Das Goswami yearns for the grace of these trees, so that he can behold the honey-sweet pastimes of the playful Śrī-Sri Yugala Kiśora and engage in Their service.
ye tarura śītala chāy, suvicitra śobhā pāy,
vigalita parāga śayyāy
bhṛṅga madhu kaṇā lobhe, dale dale anurāge,
paḍiteche yāhādera gāy
puṣpa hāsya vikasita, gandhe dik āmodita,
sadā kore līlā uddīpane
navīna kiśora dvaya, hṛṣṭa-citte atiśaya
sukhe vihariche rātri dine
sei vṛkṣa parivāra, rakṣā koru bār bār,
vṛndāvane yāhāra janam
yoto muni ṛṣi-vare, vṛkṣa hoiyā sevā kore
kṛṣṇa līlā kore daraśan
“May the trees that took birth in Vrindavan protect me, in whose cool shade beautiful beds of flowers sprinkled with pollen give shelter to the Divine Couple, whose whose bodies (trunks) are covered by swarms of bees, greedy for drops of honey, whose flowers smile and constantly give inspiration for amorous pastimes by filling Vrindavan with their fragrance, and who are actually all great sages and saints who have taken birth as trees to witness Krishna’s pastimes.”
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