For my Hindu friends

Dear Freethinkingagent, you are the kind of person the world must be filled with. No pre-conceived notions, no particular distaste for any particular religious view. May your tribe increase! With that said, and looking at the shloka you have quoted that is in Praise of Lord Krishna- it is my guess that you have picked it up from some ISKCON Book? Or is it from the shrI kR^iShNa karNAmR^ita[I must check it out if that be the latter]. You have given (quoted) the meaning that is obvious very authentically. Hindu thought abounds in symbolism. Every statement made is picturesque, to make it attractive and easy to remember; the philosophical meanings are to be got either by meditating on the "seed meaning" given by the direct linguistically sound one, or by seeking the help and blessings of a Realized Guru. This looks like a dhyana shloka to me. Dhyana Shloka is one that describes the person and personality of a deity, so that you could use it to hold the iamge in your mind's eye to begin the japa or dhyana meditation. In Japa meditation the idea is to hold the image as long as you can, in dhyana[ also part of the Eight-fold yoga of Patanjali] form of meditations you are encouraged, to "lose" your conscious self into the mantra, beyond the mantra in to the silence. When you are on to the second form of meditation you are to get towards the symbolic meanings. The vamshee- the flute in the Lord's hand is source of the Music of Eternal Life, and in the yogic sense through the holes(= of Chakras in the subtle body) the way for you to "merge" into the Om-kara naada {The Primordial Om]. The Lord's "color" is the Blue/Black of a Newly formed rain-bearing Cloud, to symbolize Infinity/Immeasurable Nature of His Form at the same time the readiness to be of Infinite Grace like the Cloud that brings a soothing rain, making him as bounteous, His yellow garment typical of His being the Supreme Source the Upanishads frequently refer to the color of Golden Yellow to that which is covering the Absolute Truth, the reddish bimba fruit is a very oft given simile for beautiful ideal for the nether lip- The Lord's Lips are the source of Life- as he blows into the flute, the Lotus eyed- again a simile in Indian works for the large shapely eyes that combine, discipline and compassion, for the seeker/devotee. Moon again is a simile for a well proportioned countenance, and one look at the Moon brings a sense of peace and tranquility for the one who beholds. For the one who is steeped in bhakti or Love of God this Personified Description, is an end in itself. He holds this Form and loses himself in it. The j~naanI seeker on the other hand loses himself and the Form to merge in the Reality.

Well free thinkingagent, I should first of all thank you for giving me the meaning of this sanskrit sloga. Basically even though we are hindus , we pray to god in our own language, which are many in India, and as far as sanskrit is considered, only a few are well versed in this ancient language, and I sincerely hope that somebody who are quite good in this language will be able to give you more information. Finally it gives me great pleasure to see that somebody who is living in United States,has read this sloka and was even able to give the meaning, well hats off to you.

Thanks for sharing friend. I am devotee of lord krishna, we celebrated his birthday last week May lord krishna bless you. Welcome always. Cheers. Professor