paśyalook! paśya - look! sakhi - O frind;horīof the Holi festival;yuddhamthe battla;radhaby Radha;madhavaand Kṛṣṇa;kṛtamperformed;anu rahasam - in a
secluded place;su-ciramfor a long time;bhavatby you;anuruddhamaccording to the request
Translation
paśya paśya sakhi horī-yuddham
radha-madhava-kṛtam anu rahasaṁ suciraṁ bhavad-anuruddham
O friend, look! Look! Following your request, Radha and Kṛṣṇa are engaged in a long Holi-festival battle in a secluded place.
daṇḍa-adaṇḍi-gatearm against arm;parikhaṇḍitabroken;tara-tama-supremacy;vyatirodhamstruggle;vyatisañjanamlocked together;ihahere;bhatimanifested;taḍitof lightning;ghanaand a raincloud;rucisplendor;jayavictory;lasatglistening;udbodhammanifestation
Translation
Struggling for supremacy in each other's arms, They are more splendid than a monsoon cloud and lightning.
mastakeof the head;vastrathe garment;skhalanaof falling;arambhatfrom the activity;pihiteplaced;tatof Them;mukhaof faces;yugaleon the pair;bhramara-varayitama swarm of bumble-bees;ekenaby one asmin - on that;anyasminon the other;bahumany;kamalelotus flowers
Translation
Their turbans began to fall onto Their faces. One face appeared like a swarm of bumblebees and the other like a cluster of lotus flowers.
bhujaof the arm;bhujagenaby the serpent;hareḥof Lord Kṛṣṇa;bahudamany times;hṛdion the chest;tasyaḥof Her;phaṇaof a serpent's coil;līlathe pastime;cakravakof cakravaka birds;yugaby a pair;gīrṇiswallowing;ravacalls;akalidid;yatrawhere;muhuḥrepeatedly;kṛtadone;śīlanature
Translation
Playfully coiling again and again around them, the serpents of Kṛṣṇa's arms devour the screaming cakravāka birds of Rādhā's breasts.
api punar asminn avakalayata kila niravaniruha-tati-deśamabhinava-kanaka-lata-parivalayita-taruṇa-tamala-kuleśam
Word for word
apialso;punaḥagain;asminin this;avakalayatalook! kila - indeed;niravaniruha-tati-without trees;deśamthis place;abhinavayoung;kanakagolden;lataby a creeper;parivalayitaembraced;taruṇayoung;tamala-kula - of tamala
trees;īśamthe king
Translation
Look! In this treeless place the king of young tamāla trees is embraced by a young golden vine.
taṁ yuvatī-kula-sahayaka-kṛta-bala-radha-vaśa-valitamracayati nayati ca nija-viṣaye diśi rabhasa-rasad api valitam
Word for word
tamHim;yuvatī-kulaby the young gopīs;sahayaka-kṛtaassisted;balastrength;radhaby Radha;vaśa-valitamoverpowered;racaytidoes;nayatileads;caalso;nijaown;viśayein the range of perception;diśiin the direction;rabhasa-rasatviolently;apialso;valitammoved
Translation
Rādhā and the gopis have overpowered Kṛṣṇa. They forcibly carry Him to their place.
nītambrought;tamHim;nava-pīta-paṭamKṛṣṇa, dressed in yellow garments;mṛganabhimixed with musk;jalaiḥwith water;abhiśīktamsprinkled;tanutemade;sutanuof beautiful gopīs;tatiḥthe host;ihahere;vitanuof cupid;pramadaof intoxication;madatfrom the happiness;atiriktamoverwhelmed
Translation
Kṛṣṇa, who is dressed in yellow garments, is now taken by them. Sprinkling Him with musk-water, the beautiful gopis arouse His strong amorous desire.
seyaṁ radha svayam iha muralīṁ yad bata harati sa-yatnamna tad adbhutam iva yad aharad asya prathamaṁ hṛn-maṇi-ratnam
Word for word
sa iyamShe;radhaRadha;svayampersonally;ihahere;muralīmthe flute;yatwhich;bataindeed;haratisteals;sawith;yatnamendeavor;nanot;tatthat;adbhutamwonderful;ivaas if;yat -which;aharatstole;asyaof Him;prathamamfirst;hṛtof the heart;maṇiratnam - the great jewel
Translation
After a great struggle Rādhā takes away Kṛṣṇa's flute. She does not think it very wonderful, although for Him it is the great jewel of His heart.
athathen;rama-adiḥbeginning with Balarama;sakhijanata - Kṛṣṇa's group of friends;tamHim;paśyantiseeing;viniruddhamheld captive;sandhima peace treaty;adhitsatadesiring to make;visṛjantīsent;taḥ pratito the gopīs;durama mesenger;guṇawith virtues;śuddhampure
Translation
Seeing that Kṛśna is taken captive, Balarāma and the other gopa-friends have decided to sue for peace. They now send a virtuous, pure-hearted messenger to the gopis.
ramaḥ sa yada phalguṇa-parvaṇi deyaṁ mene datumpratibhuvam adayatha tada harir abhir amanyata ratum
Word for word
ramaḥBalarama;saḥHe;yadawhen;phalguna-parvaṇiin the Holi festival;deyama gift;memethought;datumto give;pratibhuvambail;adayataking;athanow;tadathen;hariḥKṛṣṇa;abhiḥby the gopīs;amanyatawas decided;ratumto be given
Translation
On that Holi festival day Balarāma sent a gift to the gopis as ransom for Kṛṣṇa's release. The gopis accepted the gift and decided to give Kṛṣṇa to Balarāma.
jate sandhav akhilenapi ca śaṁsati divye lokenija-nija-kanta-moha-virohaṇa-gītiḥ sa sa viluloke
Word for word
jatewas manifested;sandhauwhen the peace;akhilenaby all;caalso;śaṁsatiglorified;divye lokein the heavenly planets;nijaown;nijaown;kantademigoddesses;mohaenchantment;virohaṇamanifestation;gītiḥsongs;saḥ saḥthey;vilulokegazed
Translation
As the peace-treaty was accepted by all parties, the demigoddesses in the celestial planets intently watched, and sang many charming prayers of glorification.
About Paśya Paśya Sakhi Horī Yuddham
One verse from within Gopala-campu. Its opening words — 'look, look, friend, at the Holi battle' — clearly describe a playful Holi festival scene, likely the colored-water and flower fight among Krishna and the gopis.
Frequently asked
Who wrote Paśya Paśya Sakhi Horī Yuddham?
Paśya Paśya Sakhi Horī Yuddham was composed by Jiva Goswami. It appears in Gopala Campu.
What is the meaning of Paśya Paśya Sakhi Horī Yuddham?
paśya paśya sakhi horī-yuddham radha-madhava-kṛtam anu rahasaṁ suciraṁ bhavad-anuruddham O friend, look! Look! Following your request, Radha and Kṛṣṇa are engaged in a long Holi-festival battle in a secluded place.
How many verses does Paśya Paśya Sakhi Horī Yuddham have?
Paśya Paśya Sakhi Horī Yuddham has 11 verses.
Can I download Paśya Paśya Sakhi Horī Yuddham as a PPT or PDF?
Yes. A ready-to-display slide deck for Paśya Paśya Sakhi Horī Yuddham — verse and translation on each slide — is available to download in both PowerPoint (.pptx) and PDF formats from this page, for use in kirtan or temple programs.
