The Remaining Bowers in Lalita's Kunja (Updated 12-26)

namra-zAkhA-bhujAzliSTa-phulla-hema-latA-cayaiH |

tamAlaiH kalpitaM jiSNu-nIla-ratnAvali-citam ||

nIla-padma-dalAkArair upakuJjASTakair vRtam |

suvarNa-karNikaM prAcyAM bhAti kuJjAsitAmbujam ||

 “On the eastern petal lies Asitambuja Kunja. Its golden pericarp is surrounded by eight bowers in the shape of blue-lotus petals inlaid with sapphires and covered with tamala trees whose branches bend with the weight of golden creepers in bloom.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 7.68-69)

avAcyAM padmarAgAdi-citAntar-bAhya-maNDalam |

lavaGgaiz chAditaM phullair bhAti kuJjAruNAmbujam ||

kuJjaM hemAmbujaM bhAti pratIcyAM phulla-campakaiH |

vallIbhiz chAditaM hema-cita-bAhyAntarAlakam ||

 “On the southern petal lies Arunambuja Kunja, inlaid inside and out with rubies and other jewels and covered with blooming clove trees. In the west lies Hemambuja Kunja, covered with blossoming campaka trees and creepers and studded all about with gold.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 7.70-71)

evam uttarAdi-kuJjA bhAnti rAdhA-hari-priyAH |

nAnA-varNAkAra-bhedAd dRzAM vismaya-kArinaH ||

 “Thus, all these various kunjas, which are very dear to Radha-Krishna, are amazing to see because of their distinctive colors and shapes.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 7.72)

The Northeast Petal (Updated 12-22)

aizAnyAM bhAty aSTa-patraM mAdhavI-kuJja-sArasam |

mAdhavAnandadaM nAma nAnA-lIlopahAra-yuk ||

“On the northeast petal lies a madhavi bower known as Madhavanandada Kunja. It is shaped like an eight-petaled lotus and provides the necessary materials for various pastimes.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 7.65)

Madhavi Flower

phulla-malllIbhir AzliSTa-namra-zAkhA-bhuja-vrajaiH |

chAditaM phulla-punnAgaiz candrakAnta-citAntaram ||

padma-patrAkAra-kuJjair veSTitaM svarNa-karNikam |

udIcyAM maNi-kiJjalkaM bhAti kuJjaM sitAmbujam ||

“On the northern petal lies Sitambuja Kunja, a beautiful lotus-shaped bower with a golden pericarp surrounded by filaments of jewels and leaflike bowers covered with moonstones and blooming nagakeshara trees, their branches bent low with blossoming jasmine vines.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 7.66-67)

Nagakeshara

The Southeast Petal (Updated 12-13)

AgneyAM bhAti padmAbha-ratna-hindola-kuTTimam |

pUrvApara-dig-utpanna-pravINa-bakulAgayoH ||

sAci kiJcid vinirgatya gatyA vakrordhvayopari |

militAbhyAM suzAkhAbhyAM chAditaM maNDapAkRti ||

“On the southeast petal lies a lotus-shaped, jeweled swing terrace with two old bakula trees, one on the western side and one on the east. Two of their beautiful branches have grown in a somewhat upward twist and joined above in the shape of a pavilion.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 7.55-56)

tac-chAkhA-mUla-saMnaddhaiH paTTa-rajju-catuSTayaiH |

dRDhair baddha-catuSkoNaM nAbhimAtrocca-saMsthiti ||

“Four strong silken ropes are bound to the bases of those two branches and then tied to the four corners of a swing, which hangs at the height of one’s navel.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 7.57)

padmarAgASTa-paTTibhiH pravAlaja-padASTakaiH |

ghaTitaM hasta-mAtrocca-paTTi-veSTana-kezaram ||

dvyaSTa-patrAmbujAkAra-ratnAli-citra-karNikam |

dvi-dvi-pAdAnvitAmbhoja-dalAbhASTa-dalair vRtam ||

ratna-paTTi-kezarAntar dvArASTaka-susaMyutam |

dakSiNe dala-pArzva-sthAroha-dvAra-dvayAnvitam ||

laghu-stambha-dvayAsakta-paTTi-pRSThAvalambakam |

paTTa-tUlI-lasan-madhyaM pArzva-pRSThopadhAnakam ||

nAnA-citrAMzukaiz channaM svarNa-sUtrAmbarair api |

lasac-candrAvalI-muktA-dAma-guccha-vitAnakam ||

yatrASTa-dala-gAlInAM madhya-gau rAdhikAcyutau |

gAyad-anya-vayasyAbhir vRndA dolayatIzvarau ||

svArUDha-rAdhAcyutayoH sarvAbhimukhatAkaram |

hindolAmbujam AbhAti madanAndolanAbhidham || (aSTabhiH kulakam)

“That beautiful lotus-shaped swing, known as MadanAndolana, has a sixteen-petaled, jeweled lotus throne as its pericarp, surrounded by eight hand-high footstools inlaid with coral as its filaments and eight seats inlaid with rubies as its outer petals. The seats all have silken cushions, side pillows and back-bolsters supported by two small posts. Two doors on the right-hand side allow the swing to be mounted, while eight more doorways join the main seat with the outer ones. Above the swing hangs a canopy covered with colorful cloth interwoven with golden threads and adorned with shining moons, strings of pearls and clusters of flowers. With Their Lordships Radhika and Acyuta sitting in the center as the cynosure of everyone’s eyes, and their eight sakhis on the petals, Vrindadevi pushes the swing along with several other singing gopis.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 7.58-64) (This is a first draft, so some of this may change.)