पीतारुणच्छविमनन्त-तडिल्लताभां
प्रौढानुरागमदविह्वल-चारुमूर्तिम् ।
प्रेमास्पदां व्रजमहीपति-तन्महिष्यो-
र्गोविन्दवन्मनसि तां निदधामि राधाम् ॥ ३० ॥
pītāruṇa-cchavim ananta-taḍil-latābhāṁ
prauḍhānurāga-mada-vihvala-cāru-mūrtim |
premāspadāṁ vraja-mahīpati-tan-mahiṣyor
govindavan manasi tāṁ nidadhāmi rādhām || 30 ||
“I keep Śrī Rādhā within my heart. Her beautiful form is overwhelmed by the intoxication of her powerful love. Like Śrī Kṛṣṇa, she is the recipient of the affection of Śrī Nanda and Śrī Yaśodā, the king and queen of Vraja. Her reddish-yellow complexion is effulgent like infinite streaks of lightning.”
Śrī Rādhā at Nanda’s Home
Rasa-Varṣiṇī-Vyākhyā: Śrīpāda is overcome by humility while in sādhaka-consciousness; he thinks himself to be deeply unworthy. Still, he is not without hope. When absorbed in his svarūpa, his hope is very strong. As his realization grows, so does his hope. When bhakti appears, it makes the sādhaka feel unqualified on the one hand, while on the other, great hope makes him restless.
na premā śravaṇādi-bhaktir api vā yogo’thavā vaiṣṇavo
jñānaṁ vā śubha-karma vā kiyad aho saj-jātir apy asti vā |
hīnārthādhika-sādhake tvayi tathāpy acchedya-mūlā satī
he gopī-jana-vallabha! vyathayate hā hā mad-āśaiva mām ||
“O beloved of the gopīs! Alas, I have no prema, nor do I engage in bhakti-sādhana such as hearing and chanting. I do not practice vaiṣṇava-yoga (meditation, concentration and so on). I have no knowledge of Śrī Bhagavān, no auspicious works (such as service to the Vaiṣṇavas) or a favorable high birth. Still, because you mercifully fulfill the needs of the afflicted, my steadfast hope for obtaining you causes me anguish.” (Śrī-Bhakti-Rasāmṛta-Sindhuḥ 1.3.35)
āpanā ayogya dekhi mane pāṅ kṣobha |
tathāpi tomāra guṇe upajaya lobha ||
“Understanding that I am unqualified, my mind becomes distressed. Even so, I am attracted by your qualities.” (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 1.204)
Śrīpāda remembered the descriptions of Śrī Rādhārāṇī’s qualities. Forgetting his own inadequacy, he wept for Svāminī’s darśana. By her mercy, a vision of sweet līlā appeared.
It is morning. Yaśodā Mā has asked Svāminī to come and cook for Kṛṣṇa, so she is walking to Nandīśvara with the sakhīs and Kundalatā. In his kiṅkarī form, Śrīpāda is walking behind Śrīmatī carrying a jug of water. Śrīmatī has become submerged in līlā-rasa while discussing nectarous topics with her girlfriends. The kiṅkarīs feel Svāminī’s happiness in their hearts. Ah, the blessed service of Śrī Rādhā! The sādhakas also yearn to have such an experience. This must be understood through the minds of the ācāryas. Vraja-prema requires devotion. Svāminī is overwhelmed with joy; from time to time she even stumbles off the path. She moves along with her sakhīs and Kundalatā like a festival of moons. They donned their veils as they passed through the village and then removed them outside. Their beauty brightened the path. Absorbed in a trance of joy, they walked along engaged in playful banter, like kutaḥ kva yāmīty api nahi vedana-gocarī karoti (Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Bhāvanāmṛtam 5.27). “I don’t know where I’ve been or where I’m going.” The soul-stirring, sweet form of her beloved has appeared on the mirror of her heart. The sādhaka thinks, “When will I see you like this and understand the joy of your mind? The curtain of your mind will open for me and reveal everything.”
Kundalatā says, “Rādhā, my friend, by tasting a drop of the beauty of his dark raincloud complexion, the wishes of your cātaka-bird(1) eyes will be fulfilled.” After Śrīmatī heard this, flowers of bhāva such as goosebumps, trembling, languor and so on began to blossom on her creeper-like body. Śrī Rādhā is worshiping Kṛṣṇa! She delights in serving him personally. Overwhelmed by the joy of cooking for him and then feeding him, she therefore sometimes stumbles as she walks. The nature of prema is that the desire to personally perform sevā awakens within the premika. Those who are premikas cannot place the responsibility for serving their beloved in the hands of another. Though having countless servants and maidservants, Yaśodā Mā churns butter for Kṛṣṇa with her own hands and Nanda Mahārāja personally milks the cows. A teaching for the sādhaka: In the matter of worshiping the śrī-vigraha also, sevā done by another person on one’s behalf will be performed with apathy and is therefore worldly. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmipāda said, para-dvārā sampādanaṁ vyavahāra-niṣṭhatvasyālasyatvasya vā pratipādakam. tato śraddhāmayatvādhīnam eva tat (Krama-Sandarbha). “Having the worship of śrī-vigraha performed by someone else is mundane and a sign of laziness. Therefore, it is faithless and of a lower quality.”
As a result of Durvāsā’s boon, Śrī Rādhā is known as amṛta-hastā or nectar-hands. The rice, vegetables, sweets and so on that she cooks are all more delicious than nectar. They destroy diseases and increase one’s lifespan and energy. Since hearing this news, Yaśodā Mā sends Kundalatā daily to invite Śrī Rādhārāṇī to come and cook for her beloved son and then take her back home. Śrī Rādhā and her sakhīs move with such captivating gaits.
sundarī sakhī-saṅge kariche payāna |
raṅga-paṭāmbare, jhāṅpala saba tanu, kājare ujora nayāna ||
daśanaka jyoti, moti naha samatula, hasaite khase maṇi jāni |
kāñcana-kiraṇa, baraṇa naha samatula, bacana jiniyā pika-bāṇī ||
kara-padatala thala-, kamala-dalāruṇa, mañjīra runujhunu bāje |
gobinda-dāsa kaha, ramaṇī śiromaṇi, jitala manamatha-rāje ||
“Beautiful Rādhā is walking with her sakhīs. She wears a colorful dress, her limbs are adorned with ornaments and her radiant eyes are decorated with collyrium. Her glistening teeth are more beautiful than a string of pearls. When she smiles, it seems like diamonds fly from her mouth. Her complexion is brighter than golden rays and her voice is sweeter than a cuckoo’s. Her palms and soles are red like the petals of a land-lotus and her ankle-bells jingle. Govinda Dāsa says, ‘She is the crest-jewel of beautiful girls; she has conquered the god of love.’” (Pada-Kalpa-Taru)
Śrīmatī has arrived near the village gate. Śrī Rādhā and Śyāmasundara are both anxious. After milking the cows, he and his friends played games and eventually ended up standing at the gate. His limbs glow with eagerness. Śrī Bhagavān is eager to accept the loving service of a premika. “Śrī Bhagavān wants me.” What a pleasant thought! What wonderful thing is it that Śyāma wants so much to experience? Kundalatā points Kṛṣṇa out, “Look at the dark blue radiance at the village gate. When the Vraja girls see that charming luster, the dam of their composure crumbles.” Kṛṣṇa has placed his left hand on the shoulder of his dear friend Subala and twirls a līlā-kamala(2) with his right. He appears to be spinning the Vraja girls’ minds. Svāminī thinks, “Śyāma enchants the whole world, yet he is waiting there for me.” Sensing Śyāma’s anxiety, she pulled her veil up with her left hand, giving him a brief glimpse of her innocent face. Ah! The beauty of meditation! In the same way that she pulls the border of her veil, she also pulls the border of Śyāma’s mind. How sweet the sound of her jeweled bangles! Mahābhāva Śrī Rādhā’s arms are like golden lotus stalks that destroy the composure of Kṛṣṇa’s swan-like mind. Her fingers, more beautiful than campaka buds, are adorned with jeweled rings. Kṛṣṇa looks at her with unblinking eyes. Deep waves of love for Kṛṣṇa are playing in the depths of Svāminī’s heart. That love is expressed through her body. Her yellowish complexion blended with the reddish tinge of love is more radiant than molten gold. A stream of sweetness seems to gush from her beautiful body. pītāruṇa-cchavim ananta-taḍil-latābhām. Her reddish-yellow complexion is brighter than countless lightning bolts. The harsh brightness of lightning in the material world is painful to the eyes, but the light of this mahābhāva is endlessly satisfying and pleasurable. Ecstatic symptoms (sāttvika-bhāvas) like goosebumps and trembling have appeared on her body; a gentle stream of love-tears falls from her eyes. She is unable to walk quickly now. She says, “Friends, I cannot move so fast because there are large pebbles on the path.” Kundalatā teases her, “Is the pebble stuck in your foot or your mind?” The world is flooded with ecstasy. Śrīmatī’s lovely form is overwhelmed by the wine of passionate love. How captivating is her intoxicated form combined with shyness, modesty, joy and amorous desire! Overcome by the taste of her mādhurī, Śyāma gazes at her with unblinking eyes. Both now directly perceive the treasures of their meditations. They are overjoyed to see one another.
patha-gati nayane milana rādhā-kāna |
duṅhu mane manasija purala sandhāna ||
duṅhu mukha heraite duṅhu bhela bhora |
samaya nā bujhata acatura cora ||
bidagadha saṅginī saba rasa jāna |
kuṭila-nayane kayala sābadhāna ||
calilā rāja-pathe—duṅhu urajhāi |
kaha kabi śekhara duṅhu caturāi ||
“Rādhā’s eyes met Kṛṣṇa’s as they walked on the path. Both felt the god of love had fulfilled their quest. Both were enchanted by seeing the other’s face. The guileless thief misunderstood the time. The clever girlfriend knows all about rasa. They spoke with cautious sidelong glances. Having met on the public road, they both walked on. Kavi Śekhara says both are crafty.” (Pada-Kalpa-Taru)
The sādhaka devoted to smaraṇa always gets a taste of this bhāva-mādhurī. The purpose of smaraṇa is mental association. It is a deviation of bhajana if one is not near to Svāminī. One must be near to her at all times to perform sevā. The word upāsanā means “to remain nearby.”
Śrīmatī’s face turned red in embarrassment. In a soft voice, she asked Lalitā, “Friend, is there no other way to enter the village? I cannot go on this path.” Lalitā replied, “Rādhā, I can see that your body is trembling and covered in goosebumps due to fear of walking in front of that debauchee. I see the teardrops in the corners of your lotus eyes. Why are you afraid? Your elders have told you to take this path, so you are under the protection of their words. All your faults will be ignored. Walk, friend! We will proceed on this path.” After hearing Lalitā’s clever words, Śrīmatī mentally praised her for her intelligence. With a joyful mind, she walked slowly on the path in front of Kṛṣṇa, placing each footstep on the field of his heart. The sounds of her waist-bells and ankle-bells bathed Śyāmasundara’s ears in a stream of nectar.
Svāminī leisurely entered the main gate of the king of Vraja’s village. How wonderfully beautiful this village is! She saw extraordinary artistry wherever she looked. An inexhaustible fountain of beauty and sweetness fills the entire village. She passes by seven walled areas containing residences as well as fruit, flower and vegetable gardens. For as far as he could see, Śyāma relished her beauty and sweetness with unblinking eyes. There is not much talking now; only the sounds of waist-bells and ankle-bells. Śrī Rādhārāṇī is Dhaniṣṭhā’s life. Dhaniṣṭhā goes in and out of the palace repeatedly to see if Rādhā is coming. As soon as she sees her, she runs to greet her, saying, “Why are you so late? I’m miserable when I cannot see you!” Śrīmatī replied in a soft and gentle voice, “I am dependent on others.” Śrīmatī entered the palace along with her sakhīs and Dhaniṣṭhā. Her beauty and sweetness brightened the entire residence. Yaśodā Mā quickly arrived, full of joy, and embraced Śrī Rādhā with great affection.
rāire dekhiyā, umati haiyā, yaśodā karala kore |
mukhāni dhariyā, cumbana karite, bhigāla nayāna-lore ||
se ye rasabatī, karala praṇati, yaśodā-rohiṇī-pāya |
“Seeing Rādhikā, Yaśodā Mā became excited and embraced her. She held her face and kissed it. Tears fell from Mā’s eyes and soaked her clothing. Lovely Rādhā bowed at the feet of Yaśodā and Rohiṇī.” (Pada-Kalpa-Taru)
Bhakti-Latā Svāminī placed her head at Yaśodā’s feet and offered obeisance. Yaśodā lifted her and embraced her again. She held her by the chin and caressed her like a daughter-in-law, kissed her and repeatedly sniffed her head. Śrīpāda has said that Rādhā, like Govinda, is an object of Yaśodā’s love. vrajendra-gṛhinī kṛṣṇa-prāya-sneha-niketanam (Śrīpāda Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī). “The queen of Vraja is an abode of love for Kṛṣṇa.” Śrīmatī is melted by Mā’s affection; her heart is touched. In a faltering voice, she says, “Mā! I am yours.” Yaśodā’s heart melts. She lightly strokes Śrīmatī’s head with her hand and gives a blessing: “O Moonface! May you live for a hundred years. May you always appear in my home and give joy to my mind and eyes.” Śrī Rādhā’s sakhīs and mañjarīs also bowed at Mā’s feet. Knowing that the girls belong to Śrī Rādhā, Yaśodā caressed and kissed them, sniffed their heads and gave them blessings. Śrī Rādhā and her friends became most beautiful after being adorned with garlands of vātsalya(3) flowers from Vrajeśvarī, a creeper of incomparable vātsalya-rasa. Finally, after the cooking was finished and the food was being served, Nanda Bābā also showered his special affection on Śrī Rādhā, just as he had on Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Suddenly, Śrīpāda’s mystic vision ended. In sādhaka-consciousness, he humbly prayed, “I will always keep Śrī Rādhā carefully in my heart.”
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1. A cātaka is a bird said to subsist on raindrops.
2. A līlā-kamala is a lotus flower held in the hand as a plaything. (Apte)
3. Vātsalya means parental love.
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