Looking at the Cultural Background 87

Jayadratha as the river’s water,

The King of Gandhara the blue water-lily,
Salya the shark, Krpa the current,

Karna the mighty waves,

ASsvatthama and Vikarna the dread alligators,
And Duryodhana the very whirlpool—

But Thou, O Krsna, wast the ferryman!

—7—

May the spotless lotus of the Mahabharata
That grows on the waters

Of the words of Vyasa

And of which the Bhagavaa-gita

Is the irresistibly sweet fragrance

And its tales of heroes

The full-blown petals

Fully opened by the talk of Lord Hari,
Who destroys the sins

Of Kali-yuga,

And on which daily light

The nectar-seeking souls,

AS sO many bees

Swarming joyously —

May this lotus of the Mahabharata
Bestow on us the highest good.

—8—

Salutations to Lord Krsna

The embodiment of supreme bliss,
By whose grace and compassion
The dumb become eloquent

And the lame scale mountains—
Him I salute!

PURPORT

Foolish followers of foolish speculators cannot understand the mean-
ing of offering salutations to Lord Krsna, the embodiment of bliss.
