Gopi kel ninna maga jaara | ಗೋಪಿ ಕೇಳ್ ನಿನ್ನ ಮಗ ಜಾರ

📜 Original Kannada Script:

ಗೋಪಿ ಕೇಳ್ ನಿನ್ನ ಮಗ ಜಾರ
ಇವ ಚೋರ ಸುಕುಮಾರ || ಪ ||

ಮುದದಿ ಮುಕುಂದ ಸದನಕಾ ಬಂದಾ
ದಧಿಯ ಮೀಸಲು ಬೆಣ್ಣೆ ತಿಂದ ನಿನ್ನಾ ಕಂದಾ ಆನಂದಾ || 1 ||

ಮಾರನ ಪಿತ ತಾ ಮನೆಯೊಳು ಪೊಕ್ಕ
ಹಿಡಿಯ ಹೋದರೆ ಕೈಗೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕ ನೋಡಿ ನಕ್ಕ ಭಾರಿ ಠಕ್ಕ || 2 ||

ಹರೆಯದ ಪೋರಿ ಜಗದ ಕಣ್ಗೋರಿ
ಭರದಿಂದ ಸೀರೆಯ ಸೆಳೆದಾ ಕರವ ಪಿಡಿದಾ ಮಾನ ಕಳೆದಾ || 3 ||

ಬಹಳ ದಿನವಾಯ್ತು ಪೇಳುವುದ್ಹ್ಯಾಂಗೆ
ಗೋಪಾಲನ ಮನಸ್ಸೊಮ್ಮೆ ಹಾಂಗೆ ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಹೀಂಗೆ || 4 ||

ರಾಧೆಯ ಮನದ ಮೋದ ಮುಕುಂದ
ಶ್ರೀದವಿಠಲನಾಟ ಚೆಂದ ನಯನಾನಂದ ಆನಂದ || 5 ||

ರಚನೆ: ಶ್ರೀದವಿಠಲದಾಸರು

✍️ English Transliteration :

Gopi kel ninna maga jaara
Iva chora sukumaara || P ||

Mudadi Mukunda sadanaka banda
Dadhiya meesalu benne tinda ninna kanda ananda || 1 ||

Maarana pita taa maneyolu pokka
Hidiya hodare kaige sikka nodi nakka bhaari thakka || 2 ||

Hareyada pori jagada kangōri
Bharadinda seeraya seleda karava pidida maana keleda || 3 ||

Bahala dinavaaytu peeluvudhyange
Gopaala mana somme haange omme hinge || 4 ||

Radheya manada moda Mukunda
Shridaviṭṭhalanaata chanda nayanananda ananda || 5 ||

🌸 English Meaning:

O Gopi, beware! Your son is quite the mischievous one—he is a gentle little thief. || P ||

This Mukunda has come quietly to your home,
He licked the pot of curd and ate up all the butter—your joyful darling! || 1 ||

He snuck into the house of a hunter’s wife,
When she tried to catch him, he was caught red-handed, and laughed heartily! || 2 ||

This charming boy—the apple of the world’s eye—
Boldly pulled at her saree, held her hand, and stripped her of her pride. || 3 ||

It’s been a long time since I dared speak—
Gopala’s mind sways now this way, now that way! || 4 ||

Mukunda is the delight of Radha’s heart,
A beautiful dance of Shrida Vittala—joy to the eyes, joy to the soul. || 5 ||

🪔 Reflections:

This playful bhajan by Śrīdaviṭṭhaladāsaru captures the charming mischief of young Krishna through Gopi’s voice—equal parts exasperation and secret delight. The scenes painted are vivid and endearing: Krishna sneaking in, stealing butter, pulling sarees, and teasing with a smile that melts all anger. The bhajan transforms these seemingly ordinary moments into spiritual metaphors.

Krishna's mischief here is not mere play—it is his divine leela, through which he draws the hearts of devotees. The saree-pulling becomes symbolic of stripping away ego, the butter-theft a metaphor for extracting the essence of love from the devotee's heart. The bhajan’s rhythm flows with lightness and joy, but its depth lies in how love, play, and surrender entwine.

For the devotee, Gopala is never just a boy—he is the Lord who delights, tests, and ultimately fills the heart with ananda. The dance described in the final stanza reflects the ultimate vision of the divine: not still or distant, but moving, living, laughing—a beautiful dance of Vittala in the world, in our minds, and in our hearts. 🙏

🎧 YouTube Link:

Lyrics: Sridavittaladasaru

Singer: Mysore Ramachandrachar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjGzhFBuX8U&t=60s