Friday, January 22, 2010

Campakalata's Kunja

hema-vallI-vRtair hema-puSpakaiz chAdito’bhitaH |
hema-padmAvalI-citro hema-prAGgaNa-kuTTimaH ||
hema-maNDapikAyukto hema-hindolikAnvitaH |
hemAbhAli-khagair yukto hema-lIlA-paricchadaH ||
lIlayA pIta-vasanA pItAlepa-vibhUSaNA |
yatra praviSTA zrI-rAdhA kRSNenApi na lakSyate ||
gaurAGgI-veza-dhRk kRSNaH svapreyasyA sahAlIbhiH |
zRNoti prema-saMlApaM yatraitAbhir alakSitaH ||
kadAcit padmayA yatra preritA jaTilAgatA |
dadarza kRSNaM no rAdhAM tenaikAsana-gAm api ||
svavarNa-kRt-svasthitAnAM bhAti kAJcana-bhUr iva |
dakSiNe campakalatAnandado hema-kuJjakaH ||


“On the southern side of Sri Radha-Kunda lies a golden bower known as Hema Kunja, which gives great joy to Sri Campakalata. It is covered with golden creepers, flowers and lotuses, and has golden courtyards, terraces, pavilions and swings, as well as golden bees and birds. Indeed, all the paraphernalia for Radha-Krishna’s lila there is golden, as though everything has assumed the color of the golden earth. When, to suit the lila, Sri Radha enters the kunja dressed in golden clothing and anointed with golden ointment, even Krishna cannot see her. And when Krishna, similarly dressed in gold, secretly listens to Radha talk with her sakhis about her love sports, they also cannot see him! Once, when Jatila arrived there, sent by Padma, she was unable to see Radha and Krishna, though they were sitting together before her on a seat.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 7.85-90)



yatra campakavallyAH sA nikuJja-pAka-zAlikA |
Aste tad-Izayoz citra-jagdhi-vedikayAnvitA ||
yasyAM pAka-kriyAcAryA savRndA sA nijezayoH |
sampAdayati saMmodAt kadAcit kuJja-bhojanam ||



“Campakalata’s cooking house there is accompanied by a colorful covered platform where Radha and Krishna sometimes take their meals, expertly prepared with great pleasure by Campakalata and Vrinda.” (Govinda-LIlAmRtam 7.91-92)

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