Bhoga Arati

bhaja bhakata-vatsala śrī-gaurahari
śrī-gaurahari sohi goṣṭha-bihārī,
nanda-jaśomatī-chitta-hārī

(1) Just worship Śrī Gaurahari, who is always affectionate toward His devotees. He is the same Supreme Godhead, Krishna, who sported in the cowherd pastures of Braja and stole the hearts of Nanda and Jaśodā.

belā ho’lo, dāmodara, āisa ekhano
bhoga-mandire bosi’ koraho bhojana

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

nandera nirdeśe baise giri-bara-dhārī
baladeva-saha sakhā baise sāri sāri

(3) 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.

śuktā-śākādi bhāji nālitā kuṣmāṇḍa
ḍāli ḍālnā dugdha-tumbī dadhi mochā-ghaṇṭa

(4) 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.

mudga-boḍā māṣa-boḍā roṭikā ghṛtānna
śaṣkulī piṣṭaka kṣīr puli pāyasānna

(5) 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.

karpūra amṛta-kelī rambhā kṣīra-sāra
amṛta rasālā, amla dvādaśa prakāra

(6) 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.

luchi chini sarapurī lāḍḍu rasābalī
bhojana korena kṛṣṇa ho’ye kutūhalī

(7) 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.

rādhikāra pakka anna vividha byañjana
parama ānande kṛṣṇa korena bhojana

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

chole-bole lāḍḍu khāy śrī-madhumaṅgala
bagala bājāy āra deya hari-bolo

(9) Krishna’s funny brāhmaṇa 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.

rādhikādi gaṇe heri’ nayanera koṇe
tṛpta ho’ye khāy kṛṣṇa jaśodā-bhavane

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

bhojanānte piye kṛṣṇa subāsita bāri
sabe mukha prakṣāloy ho’ye sāri sāri

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

hasta-mukha prakṣāliyā jata sakhā-gaṇe
ānande biśrāma kore baladeva-sane

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

jāmbula rasāla āne tāmbūla-maśālā
tāhā kheye kṛṣṇa-chandra sukhe nidrā gelā

(13) 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.

viśālākṣa śikhi-pucha-chāmara ḍhulāya
apūrvva śayāya kṛṣṇa sukhe nidrā jāya

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

jaśomatī-ājñā peye dhaniṣṭhā-ānito
śrī-kṛṣṇa-prasāda rādhā bhuñje hoye prīto

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

lalitādi sakhī-gaṇa avaśeṣa pāya
mane mane sukhe rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa gāya

(16) 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.

hari-līlā ek-mātra jāhāra pramoda
bhogārati gāy ṭhākur bhakativinoda

(17) Ṭhākur Bhaktivinoda, whose one and only joy is the Pastimes of Lord Hari, sings this Bhoga-ārati song.

bhaja govinda govinda gopāla
giridhārī gopīnātha nanda dulala
bhaja govinda govinda gopāla
nanda dulala jaya jaya śachī dulala
śachī dulala jaya jaya gaura gopāla