I worship Vijaya, the son of Krishna’s wetnurse in Vraja, whose roars cause millions of divine universes to burst, what to speak of the demons, who are more insignificant than insignificant, and who is engaged by his mother Ambikā in always staying near Sri Krishna to protect him.
VERSE 19:
nādair yasya sphuṭati parito divya-vidhyaṇḍa-koṭiḥ
ke te tāvat kila diti-sutāḥ kṣudrakāt kṣudra-jīvāḥ
snehān mātrā vijayam abhito rakṣaṇe sanniyuktaṁ
kṛṣṇasyārāt param iha bhaje hanta dhātrī-sutaṁ tam
Stavāmṛta Kaṇā Vyākhyā: In this verse Raghunath Das Goswami praises Vijaya, the son of Krishna’s wetnurse, Ambika. The nectarine, fearlessness-granting lotus feet of the Supreme Lord Vrajendra-nandana have been prayed to for protection against different kinds of calamities since time immemorial by all intelligent people, but in his Vrindavan lila, his wetnurse Ambikā, apprehending some calamity befalling him, anxiously worshipped the goddess Gaurī for his protection. And her worship truly proved successful, for by the grace of the Goddess she gave birth to a heroic son, the intimate friend (suhṛt-sakhā) of Krishna named Vijaya.
Shrila Rupa Goswami has written:
vātsalya gandhi sakhyās tu kiñcit te vayasādhikāḥ;
sāyudhās tasya duṣṭebhyaḥ sadā rakṣā parāyaṇāḥ
subhadra maṇḍalībhadra bhadra-vardhana gobhaṭāḥ;
yakṣendra-bhaṭa bhadrāṅga vīrabhadrā mahā-guṇāḥ
vijayo balabhadrādyāḥ suhṛdas tasya kīrtitāḥ
The suhṛt-sakhās have a bit of parental love mixed with their friendship for Krishna. They are a little older than he and they always take care to protect him with their weapons. Subhadra, Mandalibhadra, Bhadravardhana, Gobhata, Yaksha, Indrabhata, Bhadranga, Virbhadra, Mahaguṇa, Vijaya and Baladeva are counted as Krishna’s suhṛt-friends. (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 3.3.22-23)
During Krishna’s goṣṭha-līlā they hold different weapons to constantly protect him. As soon as there is any doubt about his safety they run forward with their weapons in their hands. Sri Rupa has written the following verse to exemplify these friends:
dhunvan dhāvasi maṇḍalāgram amalaṁ tvaṁ maṇḍalībhadra! kiṁ
gurvīṁ nārya! gadāṁ gṛhāṇa vijaya! kṣobhaṁ vṛthā mā kṛthāḥ
śaktiṁ na kṣipa bhadravardhana! puro govardhanaṁ gāhate
garjann eṣa ghano balī na tu balīvardākṛtir dānavaḥ
O Mandalibhadra! Why are you running around with this spotless sword? O Arya! Don’t pick up this heavy mace! O Vijaya! Don’t be agitated for nothing! O Bhadravardhana! Don’t throw your spear for no reason! These are just some clouds rumbling above Govardhana hill! This is not the reappearance of Arishta, the bull demon! (ibid.24)
Raghunath Das says: “Millions of divine universes burst when Vijaya shouts like a lion, indicating his heroism.” This is not at all astonishing, because the companions are just as qualified as Sri Krishna himself is. Then just as Sri Krishna’s prowess is revealed in a sweet way in Vraja Dham, meaning that if the cowherd boys see Sri Krishna killing a demon or so, there will be no awe and reverence in their minds, rather they will just think: “My friend is so powerful, so we won’t have to fear when we freely ramble in the forest!”, thus nourishing the sweet pastimes. Similarly, Vijaya also nourishes his loving feeling of friendship by roaring in a way that indicates his heroic mood. To the demons, though, this is truly terrifying, and therefore Das Goswami has said: “How can those demons, the most insignificant living beings, stand before Vijaya’s prowess?”
Mother Ambikā, who is totally overwhelmed by affection, keeps Vijaya always near Krishna and has placed Krishna under his protection. For the Vrajavasis, their bodies, homes, children and relatives are all offered for Krishna’s pleasure (yad dhāmārtha suhṛt priyātma tanaya prāṇāśayās tat kṛte — Bhāgavata 10.14.35). Whatever they have, it is all for Sri Krishna, and whatever they don’t have they hope to get, just for Krishna’s pleasure. Blessed is this wonderful spotless expertise of Vraja-prema!
kṣudrād api kṣudra sei diti-putragaṇa;
kevā tādera vīra boli koroye gaṇana?
brahmāṇḍa koṭi yāra huhuṅkāra svare;
sphuṭita hoilo boli sabe mane kore
sneha paratantra hoiyā kṛṣṇera pālane;
jananī ambikā dilā rakṣaṇāvekṣaṇe
sei dhātrī-suta vīra vijaya yāra nāma;
satata bhajana kori – koro paritrāṇa
“I always worship Vijaya, the heroic son of the wetnurse. Who can count the heroism of the demons, that become most insignificant, in front of him? When he shouts everyone thinks that the universe is bursting! Subdued by affection he protects Krishna, because his mother has placed him under his protection. O Vijaya! Save me also!”
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Commentary of Sri Radha Kund Mahant, Pandit Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaj is named Stavāmṛta Kaṇā Vyākhyā (a drop of the nectar of Stavāvalī), and was published in Gaurābda 503 (1989 A.D.) from Sri Krishna Chaitanya Shastra Mandir, Vrajananda Ghera, PO Radhakunda (district Mathura), U.P., India.
Devotional songs in Bengali that follow each commentary were composed by Dr. Haripada Sheel.
© Translated by Advaita dāsa in 1994
More of Ananta Das Pandit’s writings in English translation can be found at Tarun Govinda’s blog, Amrita Tarangini.
The post Vraja Vilasa :: Ambika’s son Vijaya appeared first on Vrindavan Today.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.