164 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Antya-lila, Ch. 18

characteristic nature; haila—became; vipariti—reversed; krsnera—of Lord Krsna;
rajye—in the kingdom; aiche—such; nydya—principle; haya—there is.

TRANSLATION

“Blue and red lotus flowers are unconscious objects, whereas cakravakas
are conscious and alive. Nevertheless, in ecstatic love, the blue lotuses began
to taste the cakravakas. This is a reversal of their natural behavior, but in Lord
Krsna’s kingdom such reversals are a principle of His pastimes.

PURPORT

Generally the cakravaka bird tastes the lotus flower, but in Krsna’s pastimes the
lotus, which is usually lifeless, tastes the cakravaka bird.

TEXT 98

facaa faa nRatm, pHAcs ZU AilH’,
SCRA ACH AH AASlA |
Qrafaos aa faa, ace Sera,— @ AG fou,
8 ay ‘facate-Raeia’ ae |

mitrera mitra saha-vasi, cakravake lute asi’,
krsnera rajye aiche vyavahara
aparicita satrura mitra, rakhe utpala,—e bada citra,
ei bada ‘virodha-alankara’

SYNONYMS

mitrera—of the sun-god; mitra—the friend; saha-vasi—living together with the
cakravaka birds; cakravake—the cakravaka birds; lute—plunder; asi’—coming;
krsnera rajye—in the kingdom of Krsma; aiche—such; vyavahadra—behavior;
aparicita—unacquainted; satrura mitra—the friend of the enemy; rakhe—pro-
tects; utpala—the red lotus flower; e—this; bada citra—very wonderful; ei—this;
bada—great; virodha-alankaéra—metaphor of contradiction.

TRANSLATION
“The blue lotuses are friends of the sun-god, and though they all live
together, the blue lotuses plunder the cakravakas. The red lotuses, however,
blossom at night and are therefore strangers or enemies to the cakravakas. Yet
