Text 21
nānyaṁ patiṁ vṛṇe vīra
tam ṛte śrī-niketanam
tuṣyatāṁ me sa bhagavān
mukundo ’nātha-saṁśrayaḥ
na — no; anyam — other; patim — husband; vṛṇe — will I choose; vīra — O hero; tam — Him; ṛte — except for; śrī — of the goddess of fortune; niketanam — the abode; tuṣyatām — may please be satisfied; me — with me; saḥ — He; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; mukundaḥ — Kṛṣṇa; anātha — of those who have no master; saṁśrayaḥ — the shelter.
I will accept no husband other than Him, the abode of the goddess of fortune. May that Mukunda, the Supreme Personality, the shelter of the helpless, be pleased with me.
The beautiful Kālindī here reveals some apprehension. She insists that she will not accept any husband except Lord Kṛṣṇa, and she states that He is the shelter for those who have no other master. Since she will accept no other shelter, Kṛṣṇa must give her shelter. Also, she says, tuṣyatāṁ me sa bhagavān: “May that Supreme Lord be pleased with me.” This is her prayer.
As Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī points out, although Kālindī is a young, helpless girl staying in a secluded place, she is not afraid. This staunch faith in and devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa is ideal Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and Śrīmatī Kālindī’s desire will soon be fulfilled.