Śrī Bhog Ārati Gīti

Mother Yaśodā calls to Krishna, “My dear Dāmodar, it is very late. Please come right now, sit down in the dining hall, and take your lunch.”

On the direction of Nanda Mahārāj, Krishna, the holder of Govardhan Hill, sits down, and then all the cowherd boys, along with Krishna’s elder brother, Śrī Baladeva, sit down in rows to take their lunch.

They are then served a feast of śuktā and various kinds of green leafy vegetables, then nice fried things, and a salad made of the green leaves of the jute plant. They are also served pumpkin, baskets of fruit, small square cakes made of lentils and cooked down milk, then thick yogurt, squash cooked in milk, and vegetable preparations made from the flower of the banana tree.

Then they receive fried squares of mung dal patties, and urad dal patties, chapātīs, and rice with ghee. Next, sweets made with milk, sugar, and sesamum; rice flour cakes; thick cooked-down milk; cakes floating in milk; and sweet rice.

There is also sweet rice that tastes just like nectar due to its being mixed with camphor. There are bananas, and cheese which is nectarean and delicious. They are also served twelve kinds of sour preparations made with tamarinds, limes, lemons, oranges, and pomegranates.

There are purīs made with white flour and sugar; purīs filled with cream; laḍḍus; and dal patties boiled in sugared rice. Krishna eagerly eats all of the food.

In great ecstasy and joy Krishna eats the rice, curried vegetables, sweets, and pastries cooked by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

Krishna’s funny brāhmaṇ friend Madhumaṅgal, who is very fond of laḍḍus, gets them by hook or by crook. Eating the laḍḍus he shouts, “Haribol! Haribol!” and makes a funny sound by slapping his sides under his armpits with his hands.

Beholding Rādhārāṇī and Her gopī friends out of the corners of His eyes, Krishna eats at the house of Mother Yaśodā with great satisfaction.

After lunch, Krishna drinks rose-scented water. Then all of the boys, standing in lines, wash their mouths.

After all the cowherd boys wash their hands and mouths, in great bliss they take rest with Lord Balarām.

The two cowherd boys Jāmbula and Rasāla then bring Krishna pān made with betel nuts, fancy spices, and catechu. After eating that pān, Śrī Krishnachandra then happily goes to sleep.

While Krishna happily takes His rest on an excellent bedstead, His servant Viśālākṣa cools Him with a fan of peacock feathers.

At Mother Yaśodā’s request the gopī Dhaniṣṭhā brings remnants of food left on Krishna’s plate to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, who eats them with great delight.

Lalitā-devī and the other gopīs then receive the remnants, and within their hearts they sing the glories of Rādhārāṇī and Krishna with great joy.

Ṭhākur Bhakti Vinod, whose one and only joy is the Pastimes of Lord Hari, sings this Bhog Ārati song.