Some scenes from Holi - taken from the Ananda Vrindavan Champu

These are Kavi Karnapura's visions of the Holi which takes place at the beginning of spring.
Subhag and Bhanu swamis were responsible for the translations of this book :


Krishna, an expert fighter, attacked the gopis by hitting them between the breasts with a volley of ashoka flower balls. Afterwards a fierce fight broke out between the gopis and the gopas. They threw fragrant red powder balls and squirted each other with heavenly scented colored water that felt sweet and soothing.

A barrage of colours blanketed all directions. Being light, the colored powders just floated and swirled around in the sky to block the sun and create darkness. Nobody could see each other. Both sides fought valiantly. Suddenly Krishna boldly entered a phalanx of gopis. Krishna's flute resounded triumphantly during the battle of the Eros.

The gopis fought heroically in the war against their beloved Shyam. To counteract the weapons of his flute, they surrounded him and shot him with the weapon of their long sidelong glances.

Somehow, Krishna mounted a heroic counter offensive. and got free from their clutches. But being greedy for more pastimes, he pulled back the bowstrings of his dancing eyebrows, and shot the gopis with the samprasvapana (sleep inducing arrow of his glance.) Instantly, they felt dizzy and drowsy.Totally fatigued they yawned and rolled their eyes lazily. Slumping forward they fell asleep.

After some time, he resumed his attack on the phalanxes of the gopis. Kissing them, snapping their necklaces and ripping open their blouses, he appeared lke an elephant in rut, trumpeting joyfully while trampling clumps of lotuses in the forest.

The battlefield looked astonishing after the fog of colored powders settled.

More Holi scenes from the Champu....

Red powder completely covered both the gopis and the sporting field. The coloured powder and musk dripping off the gopis' bodies muddied the ground.

Their defeat drowned Madhumangal in an ocean of bliss. He joyfully danced and shouted, "Well done, bravo, Krishna! In my whole life I have never felt so good. Oh Muralidhar, That's what they get for putting your dear friend (Madhumangal) into such extreme distress !

Just see how their blouses are torn and their necklaces are crushed to dust. All their puja paraphanelia are strewn here and there. Their hair, faces and breasts are covered with colors. They got just what they deserved! But, alas my dear friend Krishna, we better watch out, because they can outwit anyone in Brahma's creation. If they join forces with their leader Radharani, they will violently attack us in great numbers. These gopis who are hostile by nature could do anything to us. So let us run away from here before that happens."

While smiling some cowherd boys said, " Talkativeness is Batu's natural fault. One minute he acts boldly, next minute he shivers in fright. Oh Krishna, console Batu and keep him from panicking and becoming disturbed."

Krishna said "Oh Kusumasava, give up your cowardice. Show me the gopis whom you fear. Why are you afraid in my presence?"

Krishna and the cowherd boys went to a grove of madhavi creepers where Radhika, Lalita, and other sakhis picked flowers. In great joy the gopis attacked Krishna with millions of sidelong glances. Krishna shot back the arrow of his love laden glance. Hitting Radhika's breasts. The arrow pierced the armour of her shyness to release a splendor that radiated in all directions.

Radhika retaliated with the arrow of her sidelong glance which was coated with the deadly poison of her kajal surrounding her beautiful eyes, and sharpened by her brightly beaming smile. The arrow mercilessly pierced the heart of Krishna.

Seeing his friend completely devasted by Radhika's glance, Batu swelled in ecstasy. Shaking his hands and his head, he said, "My dear friend. do not become bewildered while I am here to help. Take this flower bomb and douse them in colors. What is impossible for one who has a friend like me?"

Though weary from the pastime of Holi, Vrsabhanunandini suddenly became enthusiastic. Her eyes bloomed wide and her eyebrows moved elegantly like a swan's movements. Her golden bangles rang loudly proclaiming victory as she took a vermilion flower bomb in her lotus hand and fired it at Krishna's chest.

This broke Krishna's rapture.Then he sprung in to action, grabbed a flower bomb and chased after Radhika. He looked like an angry lion whose sleep had been disturbed.

Lalita confronted Krishna.. "Oh Crest jewel of enjoyers, which playful girl threw that vermillion ball on your chest? It appears that she did not throw a ball at you, but actually that she offered you her love. Do you know her name? Indeed, she aways enchants you, but this is not a good time to become bewildered. Think very carefully.. You are harassing my innocent sakhi for no reason."

more coming. B)

Overwhelmed by the bliss of Holi, Krishna ignored Lalita and kept chasing Radha, who smiled slightly and cast the playful waves of her glances at Shyama-sakhi,. before hiding among her girlfriends. Krishna, catching Shyam -sakhi, smeared colors on her hair, cheeks, forehead and breasts.

Seeing the unfairness, Bakula-mala, Shyama-sakhi’s friend, anxiously shouted, “Hey Shyamasundar, that witty girl who pelted your chest with a flower bomb now throws pearls with her flashing white smile ! The radiance of her beautiful face mocks the glowing full moon. Why did you leave her to harass my innocent friend?”

On hearing this, Krishna now turned his attention to Radhika. Full of passion, he approached her and said, “Oh proud girl, come here and show your strength by throwing those balls at me !” Overcome by her presence, he smiled slightly and threw a sidelong glance as approached his beloved.

Radha then shouted a command, “Oh sakhis, surround him and smash him with your flower bombs!” Making sweet cuckoo like sounds, the sakhis chanted, “Ghero, ghero!”.. (surround, surround.) “Maro, maro !”..(kill, kill.) The effulgent young gopis almost caught Krishna the enjoyer of transcendental bliss.

The sportive young son of Nanda struck back by splashing them with a volley of colors. They responded with a shower of flower bombs. Aiming his jeweled pickhari, he then soaked them with streams of fragrant kumkuma and sandalwood scented water. Though repulsed by his furious attack, they regrouped and repeatedly tried to capture him. The colored waters of Holi washed away every bit of their shyness.

Enlivened by their numerical strenghth, affection, and agitated hearts, they surrounded their beloved just like moonbeams encircling a cloud. All the directions shook with the sweet love songs of Matangi and her host of kinaris, accompanied by vinas and other musical instruments.

The bangles on the lotus stem like arms of the gopis jingled sofly as they threw flower balls at the emperor of love. Bumblebees, cuckoos, and other exotic birds hummed and warbled pleasantly. The creepers danced according to the wind’s orders. Krishna’s intimate friend, Subala sang the vasanta raga. Some of the boys threw flower bombs and colored powder at each other. Batu the expert joker danced a jolly ecstatic dance.


(I’m doing some slight editing to make the reading smooth. The meanings remain as they were...ADR)