निर्माय चारुमुकुटं नवचन्द्रकेण
गुञ्जाभिरारचित-हारमुपाहरन्ती ।
वृन्दाटवी-नवनिकुञ्जगृहाधिदेव्याः
श्रीराधिके तव कदा भवितास्मि दासी ॥ ३१ ॥
nirmāya cāru-mukuṭaṁ nava-candrakeṇa
guñjābhir āracita-hāram upāharantī |
vṛndāṭavī-nava-nikuñja-gṛhādhidevyāḥ
śrī-rādhike tava kadā bhavitāsmi dāsī || 31 ||
“O Rādhikā! You are the goddess of the new bower-cottage in the forest of Vṛndā. When will I become your maidservant? When will I bring you the beautiful crown of peacock feathers and the guñjā-seed necklace I made for you?”
The Goddess of the Cottage in the Bower
Rasa-Varṣiṇī-Vyākhyā: Śrīpāda has received amazing visions of līlā-rasa while absorbed in his svarūpa, but then they end. It has been going on continuously. He simultaneously experiences extraordinary joy and anguish. This condition is like the meeting of poison and nectar in one place. A wonderful experience lies within such pain. Only one who feels it can understand. ei premā yāra mane, tāra bikrama sei jāne, yena biṣāmṛte ekatra milana (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 2.51). “Only one who has prema in his heart knows its intensity. It is like the union of poison and nectar.” Even though Śrīpāda is a nitya-siddha-parikara,(1) he experiences his current state as being just like pūrva-rāga.(2) At every moment, he feels the lack of a direct meeting. Even though he is a companion of Mahāprabhu, Śrīpāda is teaching us about the astonishing nature of tasting sādhana-rasa through his activities as a sādhaka. One’s svarūpa must be awake before one can understand. Where is the awakening of a guru-given-svarūpa for a jīva like me? Having accepted this body and all that goes with it, I have become mad. I have so much pride in my own knowledge and intellect, but I do not know myself. The experience of thinking of oneself as Śrī Rādhā’s maidservant is amazing. Śrīpāda’s heart and mind are always filled with the taste of that rasa. In the previous verse, he had a vision of Śrī Rādhā going to Nandīśvara and then wept when it ended. Unbearable pain arose in his heart from the intense feelings of separation. To alleviate the burning grief, he expressed his wish to always keep the beautiful Śrī Rādhā in his heart. This infused his viraha-stricken heart with boundless coolness and the vision came again.
In his siddha-svarūpa, Śrīpāda has arrived at the meeting bower with Śrī Rādhā, who is most eager to join her lover. Mādhava had arrived there a little earlier today and decorated the cottage with his own hands. He decorated it according to his desires for līlā. When his lover sees the beautiful cottage, the same desire for vilāsa will awaken in her heart. Because Priyājī will be sitting there, Kṛṣṇa fashioned a seat for her with stemless flowers. He sprinkled the flowers with teardrops of love. It is as though his love for Priyā has manifested as beauty throughout the cottage. He decorated with the intention that “I will sit here like this with Priyā.” What astonishing skill he has in prema-sevā! Śrī Hari has enhanced the bower with his beauty, qualities and artistry. Just as Svāminī, in the mood of a vāsaka-sajjikā, nicely decorates the bower-cottage and then sits waiting for Sundara Kṛṣṇa,(3) today the reverse of that occurs. The reciprocal service of love!
Śrīmatī has arrived at the bower-cottage with her kiṅkarīs and is surprised by its beauty. It is called Madana-Sukhadā-Kuñja, the bower that brings happiness to the god of love. Moreover, the transcendental young god of love has decorated it with his own hands. Svāminī asks, “Mādhava! Who has decorated the kuñja?” Śyāma replies, “How would I know? You tell me.” Svāminī says, “You have done this. This is not the work of another. You worked so hard because you knew I would be coming! I should have decorated it with you.” Śrī Hari has stolen the mind of the naturally coy Śrī Rādhā with his youthful charm. Today is a great day. Śyāmasundara respectfully took Svāminī to her seat. Each one’s love melted the other’s heart. caḍi gopīra manorathe, manmathera mana mathe, nāma dhare madana-mohana (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, Madhya 21.107). “He who mounts the chariots of the gopīs’ minds and churns the mind of the god of love is called Madana-Mohana.” We worship the one who rests his radiant arm on Śrī Rādhā’s shoulder. Śrī Yugala’s pastimes are intense! They each become intoxicated by the other’s presence. In his kiṅkarī form, Śrīpāda relishes the sweetness of Śrī Yugala’s pastimes by peering through an opening in the bower. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmipāda has said, rādhā-mādhava-mādhurībhir abhitaś cittaṁ mamākramyatām. “Let my heart and mind be filled with the sweetness of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava at all times and in every way. Let there be no trace of anything in my heart and mind other than that indescribable sweetness.” They are radiant with gold and dark-blue lusters. Their eyes dance in a pure festival of amorous sport. Their forms are smeared with expertise in countless arts of love. Each is perfumed with the nectarous fragrance of the other’s affection. The mind of one in whose heart such mādhurī exists can never give up its sweet and pleasant taste.
Their love-making has ended. The kiṅkarīs know it is time for sevā and have entered the bower. Sundara Kṛṣṇa’s peacock-feather crown has fallen off and his pearl necklace has broken. Seeing his condition, Svāminī says, “Okay Sundara, I’m dressing you today. I ruined your ornaments, so I’ll redecorate you.” After saying this, she gathered some flowers, made them into ornaments and affectionately adorned her beloved Kṛṣṇa. He is thoroughly submissive to her. Svāminī is like the goddess of the beautiful bower-house.
In his kiṅkarī form, Śrīpāda then decided he would offer two delightful gifts to Svāminī: a crown made of peacock feathers and a necklace of guñjā seeds. These are not suitable gifts for Svāminī, but rather for her darling Śyāmasundara. They are gifts that are harmonious with Śrīmatī’s desires. These precious articles will be for her service to Śyāmasundara. This sevā comes from the hearts of Śrī Rādhā’s dāsīs. By Śrīmatī’s grace, they capture her heart. After entering Vṛndāvana, the kiṅkarī gathered fresh, beautiful peacock feathers and guñjā seeds and brought them here. She displayed her amazing artistry by creating an enchanting crown with the peacock feathers and a lovely necklace with the guñjā seeds. Understanding Svāminī’s mind, the kiṅkarī gave these two wonderful gifts to her as she dressed Śyāmasundara and received a compassionate look in return. A cascade of mercy was pouring from Svāminī’s eyes. The kiṅkarī considered herself fortunate and successful. Śrīmatī floated in an ocean of joy after decorating her sweetheart with the gifts from her kiṅkarī. The kiṅkarī can feel Svāminī’s happiness in her own heart. Blessed rādhā-dāsya! The sādhaka must also inquire whether his sevā has brought happiness to his cherished one. The best article of worship is pure prema meant to please one’s deity. This prema-rasa combined with the article of worship makes every offering pleasing to Śrī Bhagavān. If the sādhaka has other desires, such as for profit, adoration or fame, the articles he offers will not bring happiness to his deity. If the sādhaka performs earnest bhajana, Śrī Bhagavān will make his heart and mind suitable for sevā. “I have taken shelter of bhakti; what can māyā do to me?” I want such a fearless mind.
As Śrīmatī dressed her lover with the gifts from her kiṅkarī, she began to float in an ocean of joy. Suddenly, Śrīpāda’s vision ended. Filled with humility, he prayed, “O Śrī Rādhikā! When will I become your dāsī?”
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1. Eternal companion of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa
2. Dawning or incipient love, occurring even before the lovers’ meeting (Apte)
3. Sundara means handsome and charming.
