यत्किङ्करीषु बहुशः खलु काकुवाणी
नित्यं परस्य पुरुषस्य शिखण्डमौलेः ।
तस्याः कदा रसनिधेर्वृषभानुजाया-
स्तत्केलिकुञ्जभवनाङ्गण-मार्जनी स्याम् ॥ ८ ॥
yat-kiṅkarīṣu bahuśaḥ khalu kāku-vāṇī
nityaṁ parasya puruṣasya śikhaṇḍa-mauleḥ |
tasyāḥ kadā rasa-nidher vṛṣabhānu-jāyās
tat-keli-kuñja-bhavanāṅgaṇa-mārjanī syām || 8 ||
“When shall I become a broom in the courtyard of the forest cottage of that ocean of rasa Vṛṣabhānu-Nandinī Śrī Rādhā? Her kiṅkarīs are forever being supplicated by the Supreme Person, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose hair is always adorned with a peacock feather.”
The Glory of Śrī Rādhā's Maidservants
Rasa-Varṣiṇī-Vyākhyā: In the previous two verses, Śrīpāda, absorbed in his spiritual form, had obtained a sweet vision of the springtime rāsa dance. Having abandoned the other gopīs who were dancing with him in the rāsa, Śrī Kṛṣṇa relished the mādhurya of Rāseśvarī’s moonlike face in a secret kuñja. After experiencing this līlā in a vision, Śrīpāda expressed in the seventh verse his intense longing to see the sweetness of her face again. Floating in the waves of his prayer, Śrīpāda’s mind has again entered the realm of līlā. He obtained a vision of that līlā by Śrīmatī’s mercy. He made no personal effort to obtain the sphūrti: it appeared spontaneously. A vision is experienced as though one is in the direct presence of the object.
After reviving her transcendental young lover by sprinkling him with the life-giving nectar of her bodily touch, Śrīmatī and her beloved entered the decorated cottage in the bower and began their romantic sport! Svāminī’s passion has caused her lover to also become restless. Svāminī is intoxicated by sporting with the king of śṛṅgāra-rasa.(1) She can never get enough of such pastimes with her beloved! Śyāma is overwhelmed by the unprecedented ingredients of mādana-rasa, like a beggar sitting before a feast in the royal palace! Svāminī, the guru of fine arts, amuses herself by teaching her submissive lover the games of śṛṅgāra-rasa, thus making him her own! In the form of a kiṅkarī, Śrīpāda has obtained the great fortune of tasting Śrī Yugala’s līlā-mādhurī by peeking through an opening in the kuñja. Such are the wonderful ways of prema! Suddenly, another mood awoke in Svāminī’s heart. Compassionate Śrī Rādhā thought of her sakhīs. On this rāsa night, hundreds of sakhīs were searching for the divine couple. Śrīmatī thought, “Alas, our pastimes are so sweet, but why do my friends not get to taste this rasa?” To nourish Śrī Yugala’s līlā-rasa, the līlā-śakti(2) has caused this change in Śrīmatī’s mental state.
Because, prema-līlā-vihārāṇāṁ samyag vistārikā sakhī (Ujjvala-Nīlamaṇi 8.1). The sakhīs amplify the prema-līlā and amorous pastimes in every way. The word vistāra means “to proclaim and further develop.” The sakhīs proclaim in a very sweet and wonderful way the nāyikā’s love for the nāyaka and the nāyaka’s love for the nāyikā, as well as further develop the couple’s loving devotion to each other.(3) After having brought Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda together at the pastime site by arranging their abhisāra,(4) they laugh and joke to nourish Rādhā’s vāmya-bhāva, or contrary mood, thus increasing the couple’s līlā-mādhurī. Then later, at another time and place, the sakhīs recount those sweet pastimes to them. By encouraging Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa to overcome the obstructions presented by their elders and uniting them at the place for love-sports, the sakhīs nourish the pastimes and increase the couple’s vihāra-mādhurya. Then, reminiscing about the love-making, they once again celebrate its sweet rasa. Therefore, without the assistance of the sakhīs, the wonderful varieties of līlā would not occur.(5)
sakhī binā ei līlāra puṣṭi nāhi haya |
sakhī līlā bistāriyā sakhī āsvādaya ||
“Without the sakhīs, the līlā would not be nourished. The sakhīs both relish and expand the līlā.” (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 8.203) However, when Śrīmatī was concerned about her sakhīs, Rasika-Maṇi Kṛṣṇa understood the state of her heart and considered that in this condition she would feel no joy from their love sports. Therefore, thinking that without the sakhīs the līlā-rasa could not reach full development, Rasikendra left the kuñja to search for them. Meanwhile, the sakhīs met up with Śrīmatī on another path. Because Śyāma was a little delayed in returning, Śrīmatī begins to think, “Tonight is the rāsa dance and countless vraja-sundarīs are sporting in the forest. So, that one who is lusty for all the beautiful damsels of Vraja has no doubt joined with some other nāyikā.” Thinking in this way, Śrīmatī became intensely jealous and began to sulk. This jealous sulking has arisen from love.
snehaṁ vinā bhayaṁ na syān nerṣyā ca praṇayaṁ vinā |
tasmān māna-prakāro’yaṁ dvayoḥ prema-prakāśakaḥ ||
“There can be no fear without affection, nor jealousy without love. Therefore, this māna(6) causes the appearance of prema in both the nāyaka and nāyikā.” (Ujjvala-Nīlamaṇi 15.78) Filled with intense indignation, Śrīmatī ordered her kiṅkarīs to stand guard at the kuñja’s gateway and stop Śrī Kṛṣṇa from entering. Meanwhile, Nāgararāja(7) returned to the kuñja after being unable to find the sakhīs in the forest. The kiṅkarīs stationed at the gate informed him of Śrīmatī’s orders: “O king of debauchees, where have you been for so long after leaving our Svāminī? She is very annoyed with you; you are not allowed in the kuñja. Go back to the one you were with for all that time! Go! Move away from here quickly or Svāminī will scold us.” Śyāmasundara, who wears a peacock feather in his hair, desperately pleads with Śrī Rādhā’s kiṅkarīs to allow him entrance into the kuñja. They refuse to leave their post. The nāgara, tormented by separation, folds his hands and in a humble voice says, “I now have no refuge but you. Please make your īśvarī understand that her anger is unnecessary. I’ve done nothing wrong; I just went to look for her sakhīs to make her happy. If you reject me, where shall I go?” Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person, is glorifying the mañjarīs with such endearing words. kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yaḥ (Brahma-Saṁhitā 5.39). Śrī Bhagavān, the complete and ultimate truth, is praying to Śrī Rādhā’s dāsīs with folded hands! He for whose mercy all living entities pray is himself praying to Śrī Rādhā’s maidservants! Blessed is rādhā-dāsya. Therefore, Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmipāda has prayed,
karuṇāṁ muhur arthaye paraṁ
tava vṛndāvana-cakravartini |
api keśi-ripor yayā bhavet
sa caṭu-prārthana-bhājanaṁ janaḥ ||
“O Queen of Vṛndāvana! I pray constantly for your mercy; please bless me. If you see fit, please allow this humble maidservant to be a vessel for Kṛṣṇa’s sweet supplications.” (Stavamālā, Cāṭupuṣpāñjalī 23) By Śrīmatī’s mercy, her dāsīs are blessed with this great fortune. Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s specific gift of compassion is rādhā-dāsya. Her dāsī is the vessel for madhura-rasa. In form and qualities, she is an adolescent girl (kiśorī), perfectly suited to assist in Śrī Rādhā’s romantic pastimes. Her sevā is saturated with madhura-rasa! This dāsya is very enjoyable and desirable for the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas. First comes the experience of rasa; at the end comes sevā. kabe hāma bujhaba se yugala piriti (Ṭhākura Mahāśaya). “When will I comprehend the sweetness of their mutual love?” This sevā becomes possible for those who know the ways of Rasamaya and Rasamayī’s hearts. The mañjarīs possess rādhā-snehādhikā-bhāvollāsā-rati.(8) They love Śrī Kṛṣṇa because he is Rādhārāṇī’s lover, not independently. They think that Rādhārāṇī belongs to them. If Kṛṣṇa causes any disturbance, they make him leave the kuñja. Without the permission of the mañjarīs, headed by Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī, Śrī Rādhā’s bodily touch remains far away from him. Śyāma has no authority to enter even the courtyard of the lovers’ cottage. The glory of Śrī Rādhā’s dāsīs is indescribable.
Because Śrī Kṛṣṇa desired Rādhā’s love, he did much pleading with the kiṅkarīs. Seeing Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s unbounded eagerness and impatience, the kiṅkarīs allowed him into the cottage without waiting for Rādhārāṇī’s permission. They knew that even though Rādhā was angry, she was also feeling distressed and anxious about Śyāmasundara. If Śyāmasundara should go to her, they knew that she would be pleased with them for arranging the meeting and quickly give up her anger. After entering the kuñja, Rasika-Śiromaṇi Kṛṣṇa drove away Rasikā-Maṇi Rādhā’s huff with his affectionate words. As Śrīmatī’s sulking mood waned, a gentle and sweet smile appeared upon her beautiful face. Rasikendramauli(9) then pulled the love of his life to his chest as though she were his heart’s treasure, and sank deeply into vilāsa-rasa.(10) Having tasted this līlā-mādhurī in the form of a kiṅkarī, Śrīpāda said, rasa-nidher vṛṣabhānu-jāyāḥ. rasasya śrī-kṛṣṇasya nidhiḥ hṛdaya-ratna-svarūpāyāḥ. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the embodiment of rasa and Śrī Rādhā is the embodiment of his heart’s dearest treasure. Śrī Rādhā’s beauty and sweetness reach their highest stage of manifestation during her romantic pastimes with Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
kṛṣṇa-mañjula-tāpiñche vilasat svarṇa-yuthikā |
govinda navya-pāthode sthira-vidyul-latādbhutā ||
“Śrī Rādhā appears like a radiant golden creeper caressing the charming tamāla tree Kṛṣṇa, or a wonderful, motionless streak of lightning resting upon the newly-formed cloud Govinda.” (Viśākhānandada Stotram)
A mahājana has said,
o naba jaladhara aṅga | iha thira bijurī taraṅga ||
o bara marakata-ṭhāma | iha kāñcana daśābāna ||
o matta madhukara rāja | iha naba paduminī sāja ||
o naba taruṇa tamāla | iha hemayūthi rasāla ||
o mukha cāṅda cakora | iha diṭhi lubadha-cakora ||
“That person’s body is like a rain cloud; this one’s is like a motionless streak of lightning. That one is like a splendid emerald; this one is golden. That one is the king of drunken bees; this one is adorned with lotus buds. That one is like a young tamāla tree; this one, a lovely yellow jasmine. That one’s face is like the moon; this one’s eyes are like thirsty cakora birds.”(11)
Or, rasa-nidhi means that she is like an ocean of rasa. She extends the waves of wonderfully sweet rasa and gives her beloved incomparable joy by submerging him in them.
Suddenly Śrīpāda’s sphūrti (vision) comes to an end. Returning to sādhaka consciousness, he feels deep humility and sorrow in his heart. He has become so overwhelmed by the glories of Śrī Rādhā’s kiṅkarīs that he humbly proclaims his heartfelt prayer to become a broom in the courtyard of her kuñja, hoping that he may be blessed to serve the dust of their feet and also obtain such great fortune. Or, reflecting upon the boundless good fortune of Śrī Rādhā’s dāsīs, Śrīpāda considers, “Am I worthy of that extremely rare position of serving as her dāsī?” Suddenly a glimmer of hope appears in his heart. He considers that with Śrī Rādhā’s mercy, anything is possible. Therefore, hoping to get her mercy, he proclaims his desire to become a broom in the courtyard of her kuñja, where particles of her foot-dust have fallen.
1. Erotic rasa
2. Pastime potency
3. Nāyaka is the masculine for “lover” and nāyikā the feminine.
4. Lovers’ tryst
5. This is a translation of the gist of the Ānanda-Candrikā commentary on the above-quoted partial verse from Ujjvala-Nīlamaṇi.
6. Anger or indignation excited by jealousy (MW)
7. King of paramours
8. A joyful love wherein affection for Śrī Rādhā predominates
9. King of rasikas
10. Love-making
11. Cakora birds are said to drink moonbeams.
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