When the sun reached the zenith, the blue-complexioned boy, desiring to eat, went to the waters of the Yamunā in the company of his cowherd friends.
vyomamadhyam gate sūrye suhṛdbhirgopanandanaiḥ |
bhoktukāmo nīlabālo jagāma yamunājalam ||1||
vyomamadhyam — the middle of the sky
gate — having gone
sūrye — when the sun
suhṛdbhiḥ — with friends
gopanandanaiḥ — the sons of the cowherds
bhoktukāmaḥ — desiring to eat
nīlabālaḥ — the blue-complexioned boy
jagāma — went
yamunājalam — to the waters of the Yamunā
sūrye vyomamadhyam gate sati, nīlabālaḥ suhṛdbhiḥ gopanandanaiḥ saha, bhoktukāmaḥ san yamunājalam jagāma,
- sūrye vyomamadhyam gate sati — when the sun had reached the zenith,
- nīlabālaḥ suhṛdbhiḥ gopanandanaiḥ saha — the blue-complexioned boy, along with his cowherd friends,
- bhoktukāmaḥ san yamunājalam jagāma — desiring to eat, went to the waters of the Yamunā
- The term "nīlabālaḥ" emphasizes the transcendental beauty of Kṛṣṇa’s complexion, which is compared to a fresh rain cloud.
- The midday setting (madhyāhna) is the traditional time for the cowherd boys' picnic, a central theme in the Vaiṣṇava tradition of Vraja-līlā.
- The movement toward the Yamunā signifies the transition from the morning grazing activities to the intimate midday pastimes of the Lord.
