By Brijabasi das
From Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī’s «Laghu-vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī» commentary on the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 10.45.3. I have added the corresponding chapters of the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the original sanskrit and approximate ages in parentheses. I have used Purīdāsa Mahāśaya’s edition of the commentary («Śrī Śrī Saṅkṣepa-vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī», Mymensingh, 1946, sanskrit).
Tṛṇāvarta killed (7th Chapter) – after a full year passed (varṣe pūrṇe).
Damodāra-līlā (Chapters 9-10) – in the beginning of the third year during Kārtika month (tṛtīya-varṣārambhe kārtike) (2 years and 2 months).
Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma and all the cowherds move to Vṛndāvana (11th Chapter) – some days after Damodāra-līlā (katicid-dinānte vṛndāvana-praveśaḥ) (2 years and 2 months).
Kṛṣṇa began herding the calves (10.11.37) – 2-3 months after moving to Vṛndāvana (dvi-tra-māsānantaraṁ vatsa-cāraṇārambhaḥ) (2 years and 4-5 months).
Vatsāsura, Bakāsura and Vyomāsura killed (10.11.41-54) – during that time (tatra vatsa-baka-vyoma-vadhaḥ) (2 years and 4-5 months).
Brahmā stole the cowherd boys and calves (Chapters 12-14 ) – after the third year passed and the fourth year started, in the autumn (tṛtīye pūrṇe caturthārambhe śaradi bāla-vatsa-haraṇaṁ) (little more than 3 years)
[Note: At this time He actually entered paugaṇḍa age but it was manifested only after a year passed – see 10.12.41].
Paugaṇḍa age manifested (10.12.37) – in the beginning of the fifth year (pañcamārambhe paugaṇḍa-prakāśaḥ) (little more than 4 years).
Started herding the cows (10.15.1) – on śukla-aṣṭamī of Kārtika month (tatra kārtika-śuklāṣṭamyāṁ go-cāraṇārambhaḥ) (4 years, 2 months and 2 weeks).
Kāliya-damana-līlā (Chapters 16-17) – in the summer of the fifth year (pañcamasya nidāghe kāliya-damanaṁ) (4 years and appr. 10 months).
[Note: This līlā is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam after killing of Dhenukāsura]
In His sixth year He was immersed in herding the cows – (ṣaṣṭhe go-cāraṇa-kautuka-mātraṁ)
He entered kaiśora age – in the beginning of the seventh year (saptamārambhe kaiśora-praveśaḥ) (little more than 6 years).
Dhenuka killed (15th Chapter)– at that time when when tāla-fruits became ripe (tatraiva pakva-tālāvasare dhenuka-vadhaḥ).
On that evening also the gopīs for the first time manifested their loving mood described in 10.15.43. (little more than 6 years).
Pralamba killed (18th Chapter) – in the summer of the seventh year (saptamasya nidāghe pralamba-vadhaḥ) (6 years and appr. 10 months).
Veṇu-gītā pastime (21st Chapter) – in the eighth year during Aśvina month (aṣṭamasyāśvine veṇu-gītaṁ) (7 years and 1 month).
Kṛṣṇa lifted Govardhana (24th Chapter) – in His eighth year, on the first day of the waxing moon in Kārtika month (kārtīke govardhanoddharaṇaṁ) (7 years, 2 months and 7 days).
Govinda-abhiṣeka (27th Chapter) – in the beginning of His eighth year, on śukla-ekādaśī of Kārtika month (aṣṭamārambhe eva kārtika-śuklaikādaśyāṁ govindābhiṣekaḥ) (7 years, 2 months and 17 days).
Journey to Varuṇa’s planet (10.28.1-11) – on the following dvādaśī (dvādaśyāṁ ca varuṇa-loka-gamanaṁ) (7 years, 2 months and 18 days).
Vrajavāsīs bathed in Brahma-hrada (10.28.16) – on the following full moon day of Kārtika (tat-pūrṇimāyāṁ brahma-hradāvagāhanaṁ) (7 years, 2 months and 21 days).
Vastra-haraṇa-līlā (22nd Chapter) – in the winter of His eighth year (hemante vastra-haraṇaṁ) (7 years and appr. 3 months).
Showing mercy to the wives of the brāhmaṇas (23rd Chapter) – in the summer of His eighth year (nidāghe yajña-patnī-prasādaḥ) (7 years and appr. 10 months).
[Note: Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī says in the commentary to 10.24.1 that these līlās are described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam out of chronological order because of Śukadeva Gosvāmī’s lack of self-control due to his prema (prema-vaivaśyāt) and also because of the similarity of the pastimes (svajātīyatvāc ca)]
Rāsa-līlā (Chapters 29-33) – in the beginning of His ninth year, in the autumn season (navamasya śaradi rāsa-līlā) (8 years and 1.5 months).
Journey to Ambikā-vana (10.34.1-3) – during Śiva-rātri festival on caturdaśī [on the fourteenth lunar day of the dark fortnight of the month of Phālguna] – (śiva-rātri-caturdaśyām ambikā-vana-yātrā) (8 years, 6 months and 6 days).
Śaṅkhacūḍa killed (10.34.25-32) – in Phālguna month (phālgunyāṁ śaṅkhacūḍa-vadhaḥ) (appr. 8.5 years).
Ariṣṭāsura killed (10.36.1-15) – on the full moon of Caitra month (ekādaśasya caitra-paurṇamāsyām ariṣṭa-vadhaḥ) (10 years, 7 months and 21 days).
Keśī killed (10.37.1-8) – on the twelfth day of the dark fortnight of Phālguna (dvādaśasya gauṇa-phālguna-dvādaśyāṁ keśi-vadhaḥ) (11 years, 6 months and 4 days).
Kaṁsa killed (44th Chapter) – on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Phālguna month [2 days later] (tac caturdaśyāṁ kaṁsa-vadhaḥ) (11 years, 6 months and 6 days).
Nice post, Brijabasi Prabhu. It reminded me of one of the appendices from Sivarama Swami’s latest book, Nava-vraja-mahima. The following excerpt is from an appendix titled “Deliberation on the Ages of Krsna and His associates,” in which Maharaja addresses (among other things) the timeline you’ve posted here. Isn’t it surprising that Krsna started herding the calves at age two, or that he danced with the gopis at age eight?
Here’s the excerpt (edited for length):
That Kåñëa’s nava-yavana age and qualities fully manifest themselves in Våndävana leads one to the conclusion that He left for Mathurä in His fifteenth year. And Rüpa Gosvämé’s analysis of Kåñëa’s three primary ages as being five years each confirms that conclusion. Çrémad-Bhägavatam, however, says that Kåñëa lived in Våndävana for only eleven years before leaving for Mathurä. By that account He left Våndävana at the beginning of adolescence, not the end.
Çré Uddhava says to Vidura:
“Thereafter, His father, being afraid of Kaàsa, brought Him to the cow pastures of Mahäräja Nanda, and there He lived for eleven years like a covered flame with His elder brother, Baladeva.” (SB 3.2.26)
…Accepting that both statements must be correct, it is justified to wonder, “Is there a way to reconcile the two different ages?”
Luckily, Jéva Gosvämé has given a hint. In discussing the five-year periods given for each of Kåñëa’s three ages, the äcärya says, “This is a general description. Kåñëa should be understood to be special.” (Durgama-saìgamané 2.1.309)
And to our further good fortune, Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura further elaborates on this subject. He explains that Uddhava has correctly measured Kåñëa’s stay in Vraja at eleven years, but within that time the Lord progressed through each age at an extraordinary pace—fifty percent faster than a normal human being does—to reach nava-yauvana. In other words, it took only ten years for Kåñëa to reach the point of maturity that others reach at fifteen. (Särärtha-darçini 10.45.3)