Text 176
prāyo batāmba munayo vihagā vane ’smin
kṛṣṇekṣitaṁ tad-uditaṁ kala-veṇu-gītam
āruhya ye druma-bhujān rucira-pravālān
śṛṇvanti mīlita-dṛśo vigatānya-vācaḥ
prāyaḥ — almost; bata — certainly; amba — O mother; munayaḥ — great sages; vihagāḥ — the birds; vane — in the forest; asmin — this; kṛṣṇa-īkṣitam — seeing the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa; tat-uditam — created by Him; kala-veṇu-gītam — sweet vibrations made by playing the flute; āruhya — rising; ye — all of them; druma-bhujān — to the branches of the trees; rucira-pravālān — having beautiful creepers and twigs; śṛṇvanti — hear; mīlita-dṛśaḥ — closing their eyes; vigata-anya-vācaḥ — stopping all other sounds.
“ ‘My dear mother, in this forest, all the birds, after rising on the beautiful branches of the trees, are closing their eyes and, not being attracted by any other sound, are simply listening to the vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s flute. Such birds must be on the same level as great saints.’
This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.21.14). This statement was made by the gopīs, who were lamenting in separation from Kṛṣṇa and studying how the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana were enjoying life like saintly persons.