Gopāla-campū

title of a book

the name of a book written by Jīva Gosvāmī.

The Gopāla-campū is divided into two parts. The first part is called the eastern wave, and the second part is called the northern wave. In the first part there are thirty-three supplications and in the second part thirty-seven supplications. In the first part, completed in 1510 Śakābda (A.D. 1588), the following subject matters are discussed: 1) Vṛndāvana and Goloka 2) the killing of the Pūtanā demon, the gopī’s returning home under the instructions of mother Yaśodā, the bathing of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, Snigdha-kaṇṭha and Madhu-kaṇṭha 3) the dream of mother Yaśodā 4) the Janmāṣṭamī ceremony 5) the meeting between Nanda Mahārāja and Vasudeva, and the killing of the Pūtanā demon 6) the pastimes of awakening from bed, the deliverance of the demon Śakaṭa, and the name-giving ceremony 7) the killing of the Tṛṇāvarta demon, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s eating dirt, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s childish naughtiness, and Lord Kṛṣṇa as a thief 8) churning of the yogurt, Kṛṣṇa’s drinking from the breast of mother Yaśodā, the breaking of the yogurt pot, Kṛṣṇa bound with ropes, the deliverance of the two brothers (Yamalārjuna) and the lamentation of mother Yaśodā 9) entering Śrī Vṛndāvana 10) the killing of Vatsāsura, Bakāsura and Vyomāsura 11) the killing of Aghāsura and the bewilderment of Lord Brahmā 12) the tending of the cows in the forest 13) taking care of the cows and chastising the Kāliya serpent 14) the killing of Gardabhāsura (the ass demon), and the praise of Kṛṣṇa 15) the previous attraction of the gopīs 16) the killing of Pralambāsura and the eating of the forest fire 17) the gopīs’s attempt to approach Kṛṣṇa 18) the lifting of Govardhana Hill 19) bathing Kṛṣṇa with milk 20) the return of Nanda Mahārāja from the custody of Varuṇa and the vision of Goloka Vṛndāvana by the gopīs 21) the performance of the rituals in Kātyāyanī-vrata and the worship of the goddess Durgā 22) the begging of food from the wives of the brāhmaṇas performing sacrifices 23) the meeting of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs 24) Kṛṣṇa’s enjoying the company of the gopīs, the disappearance of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa from the scene, and the search for Them by the gopīs 25) the reappearance of Kṛṣṇa 26) the determination of the gopīs 27) pastimes in the waters of the Yamunā 28) the deliverance of Nanda Mahārāja from the clutches of the serpent 29) various pastimes in solitary places 30) the killing of Śaṅkhacūḍa and the Hori 31) the killing of Ariṣṭāsura 32) the killing of the Keśī demon 33) the appearance of Śrī Nārada Muni and a description of the year in which the book was completed. In the second part, known as Uttara-campū, the following subject matters are discussed: 1) attraction for Vrajabhūmi 2) the cruel activities of Akrūra 3) Kṛṣṇa’s departure for Mathurā 4) a description of the city of Mathurā 5) the killing of Kaṁsa 6) Nanda Mahārāja’s separation from Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma 7) Nanda Mahārāja’s entrance into Vṛndāvana without Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma 8) the studies of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma 9) how the son of the teacher of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma was returned 10) Uddhava’s visit to Vṛndāvana 11) Rādhārāṇī’s talking with the messenger bumblebee 12) the return of Uddhava from Vṛndāvana 13) the binding of Jarāsandha 14) the killing of the yavana Jarāsandha 15) the marriage of Balarāma 16) the marriage of Rukmiṇī 17) seven marriages 18) the killing of Narakāsura, the taking of the pārijāta flower from heaven and Kṛṣṇa’s marriage to 16,000 princesses 19) victory over Bāṇāsura 20) a description of Balarāma’s return to Vraja 21) the killing of Pauṇḍraka 22) the killing of Dvivida and thoughts of Hastināpura 23) departure for Kurukṣetra 24) how the residents of Vṛndāvana and Dvārakā met at Kurukṣetra 25) Kṛṣṇa’s consultation with Uddhava 26) the deliverance of the king 27) the performance of the Rājasūya sacrifice 28) the killing of Śālva 29) Kṛṣṇa’s considering returning to Vṛndāvana 30) Kṛṣṇa’s revisiting Vṛndāvana 31) the adjustment of obstructions by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and others 32) everything completed 33) the residence of Rādhā and Mādhava 34) decorating Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa 35) the marriage ceremony of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa 36) the meeting of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa 37) entering Goloka.

✍ Gopāla-campū (1.29.30–31)

✍ (Gopāla-campū 1.1.1–8)