After the rāsa-līlā, Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa are lying on a bed in Hemāmbuja Kuñja. All the sakhīs are sleeping in their respective kuñjas. In the north, the sādhaka-dāsī sleeps at the feet of Śrī Gurudevī and the other guru-mañjarīs. The birds and bees sleep in various trees and creepers in all directions. Male and female cuckoos sleep in mango trees covered by mādhavī creepers. Parrots sleep in pomegranate trees covered by mālatī creepers. Mynahs sleep in grapevines covered by svarṇa-yūthī creepers. Peacocks and peahens sleep in kadamba trees covered by yūthī creepers. Male and female pigeons sleep in pīlu trees covered by navamallikā creepers.* The bees sleep on creepers and the cocks on the ground.
The kiṅkarīs awoke spontaneously when the end of night arrived, as they were accustomed to performing sevā. Dazed, they looked anxiously about in all directions. Realizing that the time for their sevā had not passed, they sat silently on their beds, yawned and then began to joke with one another. After being touched by the vernal breeze and the moonlight, the flowers blossomed and spread their fragrances all around. The bees, cuckoos and so on then awoke and became eager to wake Śrī Yugala. They waited silently for Vṛndā’s order. The sādhaka-dāsī rose from bed and, after washing her hands and face, she woke Śrī Gurudevī by massaging her lotus feet and then helped her to wash her hands and face. Like this, she served the guru-mañjarīs along with Śrī Rūpa and the other mañjarīs. Then, by the order of Śrī Gurudevī, she prepared sitting places by cleaning the terraces and benches of the nikuñja-mandira with fragrant water and a golden broom, and then dried them with a cloth. For washing Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa’s faces, the sādhaka-dāsī placed a golden basin next to a golden pot filled with fragrant water and covered with a delicate cloth. She ground sandalwood paste, saffron, other flower filaments and so on and kept them in individual golden vessels. She squeezed the juice from grapes, pomegranates and other sweet fruits and kept it in golden jars alongside goblets. She prepared golden tāmbūla scented with camphor and so on. She prepared ghee and camphor lamps for ārati. She gathered flowers and strung garlands. In this way, she created the articles required for all the seasonal sevā.
Meanwhile, Vṛndādevī awoke at the appropriate time. Alarmed, she looked around and then realized it was time to wake Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. She signaled the birds to make noise and then joined Lalitā and the other sakhīs at the four sides of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s sleeping mandira. They gazed through the holes in the lattice windows at Śrī Yugala as they slept. The sādhaka-dāsī bowed to everyone’s feet and then stood to the left of Śrī Gurudevī, overwhelmed by the sight of Śrī Yugala’s sweetness.
Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava were sleeping in a bed of flowers on a jeweled bedstead. Their transcendental beauty illuminated the sleeping mandira. They were tired from making love; their clothing and ornaments had fallen. One end of the mandira appeared bluish due to the luster of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s body, while the other was tinged yellow by Śrī Rādhā’s. Priyājī’s head rested on Kṛṣṇa’s left arm and with hers she embraced Kṛṣṇa’s neck. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s right knee rested on Priyājī’s large hips. Her breasts had been entrusted to his chest and her moonlike face touched his. At the top of four golden poles at the four corners of the jeweled bedstead, a colorful canopy fringed with pearls and marked with swastikas, lotuses and so on had been tied. Golden statuettes bearing jeweled lamps were attached to the surrounding walls along with garland-decorated paintings of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s pūrva-rāga. The bower house was perfumed with the aroma of fragrant essential oils, rose-water, musk and so on. Around the bed sat small golden tables holding fruit juices, sweets, tāmbūla and other articles meant for sevā.
*Mādhavī means myrtle creeper and the others are all types of jasmines.
No comments:
Post a Comment