Bhāvanā-Sāra-Saṅgrahaḥ, Madhyāhna 656-662

 

ललिताह यस्य दरगन्धमात्रत-

स्त्वमुदारमुन्मुरहराभिलक्ष्यसे ।

मकरन्दमस्य किमु हास्यसि त्वमि-

त्यतिशङ्कया कवलितां करोषि माम् ॥ ६५६ ॥

lalitāha yasya dara-gandha-mātratas

tvam udāram un mura-harābhilakṣyase |

makarandam asya kim u hāsyasi tvam i-

ty atiśaṅkayā kavalitāṁ karoṣi mām || 656 ||

Lalitā said, “O Murahara (destroyer of the Mura demon)! You became overjoyed after inhaling just a slight breath of that aroma. Why have you now given up on relishing the nectar of her lotus mouth? The apprehension you caused has swallowed me up.” (Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Bhāvanāmṛtam 12.14)

सखि मा विषीद कति वा न माधुरी-

सरितः स्रवन्ति परितो यतोऽनिशम् ।

सकृदेव पञ्चषपृषन्ति-पानतः

सरसोऽस्य किं नु भविता दरिद्रता ॥ ६५७ ॥

sakhi mā viṣīda kati vā na mādhurī-

saritaḥ sravanti parito yato’niśam |

sakṛd eva pañcaṣa-pṛṣanti-pānataḥ

saraso’sya kiṁ nu bhavitā daridratā || 657 ||

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said, “Lalitā, my friend, do not be sad. Countless rivers of sweetness are flowing incessantly in every direction from Śrī Rādhā’s lake-like mouth. If someone drinks five or six drops just once, will the lake feel deprived?” (Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Bhāvanāmṛtam 12.15)

इति सव्यदोर्भुजगपाश-वेष्टनैः

स्वबलाद्वशीकृततनोर्नतभ्रुवः ।

अधरामृतं यदपिबत्तदुत्थिता

वदनद्वयद्युतिरतीतृपत् सखीः ॥ ६५८ ॥

iti savya-dor-bhujaga-pāśa-veṣṭanaiḥ

svabalād-vaśī-kṛta-tanor nata-bhruvaḥ |

adharāmṛtaṁ yad apibat tad utthitā

vadana-dvaya-dyutir atītṛpat sakhīḥ || 658 ||

Having said this, Kṛṣṇa wrapped his left arm firmly around Rādhā’s body like a noose around a snake. Her eyebrows arched and he began to drink the nectar of her lips. The splendor of the beautiful couple’s faces at that time was very pleasing to the sakhīs. (Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Bhāvanāmṛtam 12.16)

पक्वाम्रातक-पिङ्गलामरुणितां सत्पक्वनारङ्गकैः

पीतां पक्त्रिमकर्मरङ्गकफलैः श्यामां च भल्लातकैः ।

आपक्वैरथ फुल्ललोध्रधवलामम्लायदम्लानकां

श्रीकृष्णो विपिनस्थलीमथ ययौ हेमन्त-सन्तोषिकाम् ॥ ६५९ ॥

pakvāmrātaka-piṅgalām aruṇitāṁ sat-pakvanāraṅgakaiḥ

pītāṁ paktrima-karma-raṅgaka-phalaiḥ śyāmāṁ ca bhallātakaiḥ |

āpakvair atha phullalodhra-dhavalām amlāyad amlānakāṁ

śrī-kṛṣṇo vipina-sthalīm atha yayau hemanta-santoṣikām || 659 ||

Then Śrī Kṛṣṇa went with his friends to a place in the forest known as Hemanta-Santoṣa (winter delight). It was adorned with beautiful and colorful trees bearing ripe, yellowish-brown hog plums, oranges, yellow star fruits, nearly ripe black bhallātaka nuts, and blossoming white lodhra flowers. (Kṛṣṇāhnika-Kaumudī 3.62)

A Description of Hemantavan’s Beauty

नान्दीमुखी तदनु ताववदद्वनेशौ

निध्यायतं स्वपुरतो वनभागमेतम् ।

हेमन्तशन्तमतया प्रथितं निजैः सत्-

सम्पच्चयैश्चरणमर्चितुमुत्सुकं वाम् ॥ ६६० ॥

nāndīmukhī tad anu tāv avadad vaneśau

nidhyāyataṁ svapurato vana-bhāgam etam |

hemanta-śantamatayā prathitaṁ nijaiḥ sat-

sampac-cayaiś caraṇam arcitum utsukaṁ vām || 660 ||

After that, Nāndīmukhī said to Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, “O rulers of Vṛndāvana, look before you at the part of the forest known as Hemanta-Śantama.(1) It is eager to worship your lotus feet with its abundant fruits and flowers.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 13.45)

चित्राम्लान-कुरुण्डकैः कुरुवकैः फुल्लैर्लसत्सौरभा-

माद्यत्तित्तिरि-लाव-षट्पद-किखी-कीरारवैर्मञ्जुला ।

हृद्या पक्त्रिम-नागरङ्गरुचकैः शीता तुषारानीलैः

सेयं भाति वनस्थलीह भवतोः पञ्चेन्द्रियाह्लादिनी ॥ ६६१ ॥

citrāmlāna-kuruṇḍakaiḥ kuruvakaiḥ phullair lasat-saurabhā-

mādyat-tittiri-lāva-ṣaṭpada-kikhī-kīrāravair mañjulā |

hṛdyā paktrima-nāgaraṅga-rucakaiḥ śītā tuṣārānīlaiḥ

seyaṁ bhāti vana-sthalīha bhavatoḥ pañcendriyāhlādinī || 661 ||

“This area of the forest is abloom with fragrant red and yellow amaranth flowers along with ready-to-eat oranges and citrons. The sounds of the ecstatic partridges, quails, bees, monkeys and parrots are captivating. The cool breeze joins in to give joy to your five senses.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 13.46)

स्फुरित-सहचरालीवेष्टितोऽम्लानकान्ति-

स्तत-कुसुमधनुर्मूर्च्छालिगोपीप्रगीतः ।

विकचकुसुमबाणः कृष्ण ते देहतुल्यो

मुखरित-शुकलीलो भाति हेमन्तकालः ॥ ६६२ ॥

sphurita-sahacarālī-veṣṭito’mlāna-kāntis

tata-kusuma-dhanur mūrcchāli-gopī-pragītaḥ |

vikaca-kusuma-bāṇaḥ kṛṣṇa te deha-tulyo

mukharita-śuka-līlo bhāti hemanta-kālaḥ || 662 ||

“O Kṛṣṇa! Like your body, the winter is also beautiful. Just as your body is always accompanied by your friends, in the same way, the winter is accompanied by her friends, the yellow amaranths. Just as your body is ornamented with unfading radiance, in the same way, the winter is unfading because of her bright flowers. Just as Kandarpa, whose bow is made of flowers, flourishes through your body, in the same way, Kandarpa also flourishes in the winter. Just as your body is beautified by the joyful gopīs, in the same way, the winter is beautified by flowering creepers known as gopīs. Just as Kandarpa, whose arrows are made of flowers, delights in the beauty of your body, so also does he delight in the beauty of winter. Just as Śrī Śukadeva sings of your pastimes, in the same way, the parrots sing joyfully in the winter.” (Govinda-Līlāmṛtam 13.47)

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1. Winter happiness

Śrī-Rādhā-Rasa-Sudhā-Nidhiḥ 46 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

संलापमुच्छलदनङ्ग-तरङ्गमाला-

संक्षोभितेन वपुषा व्रजनागरेण ।

प्रत्यक्षरं क्षरदपार-रसामृताब्धिं

श्रीराधिके तव कदा नु शृणोम्यदूरात् ॥ ४६ ॥

saṁlāpam ucchalad-anaṅga-taraṅga-mālā-

saṁkṣobhitena vapuṣā vraja-nāgareṇa |

praty-akṣaraṁ kṣarad-apāra-rasāmṛtābdhiṁ

śrī-rādhike tava kadā nu śṛṇomy adūrāt || 46 ||

“O Śrī Rādhikā! When will I get to stand nearby and hear your conversations with the gallant of Vraja, as your bodies tremble from the surging waves of love. Every syllable you speak is a drop of the boundless ocean of nectar.”

Śrī Rādhā’s Conversation

Rasa-Varṣiṇī-Vyākhyā: Absorbed in his svarūpa in a mystical vision, Śrīpāda is giving Kiśorī-Maṇi Śrī Rādhā a taste of śyāma-rasa as he leads her into the bower. “The sweetness of your most captivating adolescence steals the heart and mind of even Śyāmasundara, the enchanter of the whole world. The sweetness of your adolescence steals even from other thieves—such is its power. śrī-vṛndāvana-candra-durmada-manaś-caurīṁ kiśorīṁ smara (Saṅgīta-Mādhava 43). The mind of Vṛndāvana-Candra Śrī Śyāmasundara is difficult to subdue. He personally steals the hearts and minds of the world. Who will steal his mind? In this matter, Kiśorī-Maṇi Śrī Rādhā is the most capable.” The kiṅkarī was speaking so sweetly that some eagerness to meet with Śyāma was awakening in Śrīmatī’s heart. Happiness, enthusiasm and hope must be instilled in the heart of mahābhāva. This is the specialty of rādhā-dāsya. Without following the path of the mahājanas, a person will not understand the essence of this truth. Śrī Rūpa, Śrī Raghunātha and Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatipāda are the ṛṣis of vraja-rasa. The essence of the mañjarī-bhāva-sādhaka’s sādhana is to follow in their footsteps. Without this, the meaning of the subject matter cannot be understood. The king of rasa is served through mahābhāva. This is the most important thing in a life of bhajana. To attain this, the sādhaka must constantly think of Śrī Rādhārāṇī. Without intense longing, one cannot keep Śrīmatī in one’s thoughts. Hearing and singing the great teachings of the ācāryas will cause intense longing to awaken in the sādhaka’s heart. If the sādhaka devotes himself to these great teachings, a desire for whole-hearted worship of Śrī Rādhā will arise within him. The ācāryas teach that absorption in anything else will hinder a relationship with Śrī Rādhārāṇī.

tavaivāsmi tavaivāsmi na jīvāmi tvayā vinā |

iti vijñāya devi tvaṁ naya māṁ caraṇāntikam ||

“O Śrī Rādhikā, my Goddess! I am yours, I am yours—I cannot live for even a moment without you. Knowing this, please accept me at the tips of your lotus feet.” (Vilāpa-Kusumāñjaliḥ 96) These sweet, sweet teachings are perceived through bhajana-rasa. I do not get a taste of these teachings in my life. If one gives some of his mind to saṁsāra and some to Śrī Rādhārāṇī, the sweetness of her sevā-rasa will not be perceived. One’s full mind must be given to Śrī Rādhārāṇī. One must constantly remain in the presence of Śrīmatī’s lotus feet while in spiritual consciousness. Śrīpāda Sarasvaticaraṇa has amazing realizations of sevā-rasa! By describing the victory of Śrīmatī’s adolescence over Mohana’s supreme charm (in the previous verse), the kiṅkarī caused her to become eager to meet with the king of nāgaras, who had been anxiously waiting for her. Having met now, they are both excited to please each other. Śrī Rādhārāṇī says, nā gaṇi āpana duḥkha, sabe bāñchi tāṁra sukha, tāṁra sukhe āmāra tātparya. “I do not consider my own misery. In all situations, I want him to be happy. My goal is to make him happy.” In the same way, to also show Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s unselfish nature, Śrīla Gosvāmipāda has said, sarvātiśāyi premavatīnāṁ śrī-vraja-sundarīṇāṁ manoratha-paripūraṇam eva priya-mātra-sukhārthaṁ sarvaṁ kurvataḥ śrī-bhagavato mukhyatama prayojanam iti (Vaiṣṇava-Toṣaṇī commentary of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.29.1). Even though Śrī Bhagavān is ātmārāma (rejoices in himself), āpta-kāma (has all his desires fulfilled) and nitya-tṛpta (ever satisfied), he is also bhakta-vatsala (affectionate to his devotees). Bhakti, the faculty of the hlādinī-śakti in the bhakta’s heart, causes waves of desire for the bhakta’s prema-sevā to arise in the heart of the always self-satisfied Śrī Bhagavān. Therefore, after accepting the bhakta’s prema-sevā, Śrī Bhagavān becomes extremely eager to make the bhakta happy. Among all the bhaktas, the vraja-sundarīs are preeminent. Moreover, even among the vraja-sundarīs, Śrī Rādhārāṇī is the greatest of all. Thus, after accepting Śrī Rādhā’s sevā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s primary goal is to make her happy. For this reason, there is so much sweetness in their meeting, so many sweet feelings. 

Nāgararāja Śrī Kṛṣṇa is captivated by the beauty of Bhāvamayī Śrī Rādhā’s feminine gestures, nature, charm and other ornaments. The kiṅkarī is floating in an ocean of joy. The sevā she has done, meaning the awakening of eagerness in Śrīmatī’s heart by giving her a taste of sweet, sweet śyāma-rasa, has united the river of Rādhā with the ocean of Śyāma. As a result of that, the kiṅkarī is now enjoying the surging waves of Śrī Yugala’s mādhurya. How sweet is rādhā-dāsya! If you get a little taste, you will offer your life at her lotus feet. The kiṅkarī sees that Śrī Yugala’s amazing beauty surpasses that of fully blossomed blue and golden lotuses. Moreover, the ocean of mādhurya-rasa is overflowing from the beautiful mouth and eyes of Śrī Rādhā, the embodiment of great wisdom and enchanter of the son of the king of cowherds. Śrī Yugala’s nectarous pastime has begun. Through an opening in the bower, the kiṅkarī is tasting with her eyes and ears the overflowing sweetness of their bodies and words. The sādhaka must immerse himself in the nectar of remembering this rasa.

yugala-caraṇa sebi, nirantara ei bhābi,

anurāgī thākiba sadāya |

sādhane bhābiba yāhā, siddha-dehe pāba tāhā,

rāga-pathera ei se upāya ||

sādhane ye dhana cāi, siddha-dehe tāhā pāi,

pakvāpakva mātra se bicāra |

pākile se prema-bhakti, apakve sādhana-gati,

bhakati lakṣaṇa tattva-sāra ||

“I shall always remained devoted to Śrī Yugala’s lotus feet and shall constantly meditate on serving them. I shall obtain in my siddha-deha that which I contemplate during sādhana. This is the method for those on the path of rāga.

“I shall attain in my siddha-deha the treasure that I long for during sādhana: the only consideration is ripeness or unripeness. The unripe stage consists of the practices of sādhana; the ripened stage is prema-bhakti. This is the essential characteristic of the path of devotion.” (Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 55-56)

As a result of deep contemplation, the sādhaka experiences rasa as though directly. In the mind of one established in viśuddha-sattva, the beautiful līlās are also experienced as though directly. During his Deccan tour, Mahāprabhu visited the temple of Śrī Raṅgakṣetra, where he saw a brāhmaṇa lecturing on Śrī-Bhagavad-Gītā. Noticing that he was displaying sāttvika-vikāras such as tears, goosebumps and so on, Mahāprabhu asked the brāhmaṇa later on how he had obtained such a blissful experience. The brāhmaṇa replied that as he was speaking, he got to see Śrī Kṛṣṇa sitting on Arjuna’s chariot giving him instructions. This caused his ocean of joy to overflow.

arjunera rathe kṛṣṇa hañā rajju-dhara | basiyāche hāte totra śyāmala sundara ||

arjunere kahitechena hita-upadeśa | ihā dekhi haya mora ānanda-ābeśa ||

yābat paḍoṁ tābat pāṅ tāṁra daraśana | ei lāgi gītā-pāṭha nā chāḍe mora mana ||

“Beautiful, dark Kṛṣṇa was sitting on Arjuna’s chariot with the reins in his hands. He was giving Arjuna instructions for his well-being. After seeing this, I was overcome with joy. For as long as I keep reading, I get his darśana. Because of this, my mind never stops reciting the Gītā.” (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛtam, Madhya 9.99-101)

As a result of deep smaraṇa, the sādhaka experiences Śrī Yugala’s mādhurī as though directly. Therefore, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya said, sādhana-smaraṇa-līlā, ihāte nā kara helā, kāya-mane kariyā susāra (Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 14). “Do not neglect the practice of līlā-smaraṇa; following this process with one’s body and mind is very powerful.”

In his kiṅkarī form, Śrīpāda is seeing the moon-faced Śrī Rādhā conversing in a faltering voice with the king of gallants. Śrīmatī is feeling incomparable joy from the love, happiness, touch and sweet greeting of her beloved. What a sweet conversation! Every syllable is soaked in mādana-rasa.(1) Nectar is oozing from every word. When Kṛṣṇa heard her nectarous speech, his body became agitated by rising waves of passion. This is the extraordinary effect of mahābhāva on Saccidānanda Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This is the intoxicating power of mādana-rasa on the mind and heart of the transcendental young god of love. ukti-pratyuktimad-vākyaṁ saṁlāpa iti kīrtyate. “Speech containing both statements and replies is called saṁlāpa or conversation.” (Ujjvala-Nīlamaṇi 11.85) Perhaps Śrī Yugala’s nectarous conversations are something like this: Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, “O dear one! We see that even miserly people in the world sometimes show generosity to allay the suffering of beggars. You are distressed by the misery of others. Why, though I have asked for it, do you not grant me the nectar of your lips? This is surprising!” Śrīmatī replies, “O best of rogues! Unfortunately, today even my dearest sakhī has opposed me and left me in your hands. This is not your fault. In spite of wandering from forest to forest in search of a deer, a hunter may be unsuccessful. But if suddenly a golden deer falls into his hands, he will feel proud. Thus, without hesitation you dare ask for the lip-nectar of a girl from a noble family.” Hearing this, Śrī Kṛṣṇa said, “O Gaurāṅgī! A newly-formed raincloud bearing a streak of lightning on his chest becomes most beautiful and inevitably thinks himself honored. The lightning, having given her own luster to the new cloud, should also consider herself most fortunate. Therefore, is it not appropriate that the cloud and lightning pass their time together rather than separately?” Śrīmatī replied, “O Gokulānanda! We are of noble descent. How can we abandon the kula-dharma we have faithfully practiced in accord with our family traditions? Tell me. Oho! My sakhīs brought me this far to pick flowers for sūrya-pūjā, which is the kula-dharma of a gopī. You are the son of a king. Why are you being so unkind to this helpless girl?”(2) When the ocean was churned, only one pot of nectar flowed out, but in Śrī Yugala’s conversation, every syllable is filled with an ocean of nectar. The kiṅkarī is swimming in that ocean as she hides nearby.

Suddenly his mystical vision came to an end. His heart and mind were deeply afflicted and he lamented loudly. The sweetness of the līlā he experienced has awakened a wonderful sense of excitement in his mind. Crying and crying he prayed, “When will I taste the sweetness of your conversations? Why did you leave me so far away? Please bring me closer to you.” As Śrīpāda floated on the waves of his prayer, a vision of that līlā appeared to him again. We will taste that in the next verse.

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1. Mādana means the god of love, intoxication, exhilaration.

2. One drop of this conversation has been taken from Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartipāda’s Surata-Kathāmṛtam. For an extended experience, please refer to the original book.

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Śrī-Rādhā-Rasa-Sudhā-Nidhiḥ 45 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

श्रीराधिके तव नवोद्गम-चारुवृत्त-

वक्षोजमेव मुकुलद्वय-लोभनीयम् ।

श्रोणीं दधद्रसगुणैरुपचीयमानं

कैशोरकं जयति मोहनचित्तचौरम् ॥ ४५ ॥

śrī-rādhike tava navodgama-cāru-vṛtta-

vakṣojam eva mukula-dvaya-lobhanīyam |

śroṇīṁ dadhad rasa-guṇair upacīyamānaṁ

kaiśorakaṁ jayati mohana-citta-cauram || 45 ||

“O Śrī Rādhikā! Your beautiful, budlike breasts are most attractive to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The delightful qualities of your hips steal his mind. May your adolescence be victorious!”

Śrī Rādhā’s Adolescence

Rasa-Varṣiṇī-Vyākhyā: The flow of Śrīpāda’s mystical vision has not stopped. He is deeply absorbed in his svarūpa. In this condition, his prayers are very sweet. śrī-rādhike karuṇayānucarīṁ vidhehi. “Śrī Rādhikā! Please accept me as your maidservant. I will remain at your lotus feet and I will serve you.” These girls are at the highest stage of freedom from worldly desires. Even in their dreams, they have not a whiff of self-interest. If even the scent of desire remains, rādhā-dāsya cannot be attained. Nothing is for oneself; everything is dedicated to the joyful service of Śrī Yugala. “Our hearts break into a hundred pieces at the possibility of a hint of a trace of unhappiness in you. We can and will do anything to bring you a particle of joy.” Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmipāda has prayed,

parasparam apaśyatoḥ praṇaya-māninor vāṁ kadā

dhṛtotkalikayor api svam abhirakṣator āgraham |

dvayoḥ smitam udañcaye nudasi kiṁ mukundāmunā

dṛg-anta-naṭanena mām uparamety alīkoktibhiḥ ||

     “O Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava! One day you were both eager to be together, but you were also both in a huff. To protect your own pride, you each showed indifference to the other, causing distress to both. Then I said, ‘O Kṛṣṇa! Why do you glance at me again and again? I will not be able to plead with my Svāminī on your behalf.’ When will I make you both laugh with such lies? I will perform amazing sevā for you by telling lies! We can do anything for your happiness.” (Utkalikā-Vallarī 63) In the previous verse, the kiṅkarī became distressed when she thought that Śrīmatī’s tender feet might be injured as she walked to see Kṛṣṇa. The soft-hearted kiṅkarī asked Śrīmatī to slow down a bit. “Take me with you. There is no progress without your grace, so please extend a little compassion to this poor one.” The devotion of Śrī Rādhā’s kiṅkarīs is incomparable. Svāminī’s lotus feet mean everything to them. Even though jīvas like me may have obtained the path of unselfish worship, we are still drunk on the insignificant happiness of the body and things related. A mahājana shows us the light:

dehe nā kariha āsthā,        marile se yama śāstā,

duḥkhera samudra karma-gati |

dekhiyā śuniyā bhaja,        sādhu-śāstra-mata yaja,

yugala-caraṇe kara rati ||

         “Do not place your hopes in the body; when you die, Yama will chastise you. The result of karma is an ocean of misery. After seeing and hearing all this, perform loving devotional service at Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet according to the instructions of the saints and the scriptures.” (Śrī-Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 93)

Anxious Śrī Rādhā is situated outside the trysting bower, while Vrajendranandana waits inside. The kiṅkarī starts to take her svāminī inside. Śrīmatī says, “No!” In an attempt to awaken some enthusiasm for love-play in Śrīmatī’s heart, the kiṅkarī praises her adolescence. She also describes Kṛṣṇa’s sweet adolescent charm to Śrī Rādhā, whose only desire is to make him happy. tava kaiśorakaṁ jayati mohana-citta-cauram. The kiṅkarī says, “O Rādhā! Your youthful beauty has enchanted the one who enchants the universe.” A mahājana has shown great skill in his description of Madana-Mohana Śyāmasundara being charmed by Śrī Rādhā’s beauty:

yaba godhūli-samaya beli dhanī mandira-bāhira bheli |

naba-jaladhare bijurī-rehā dvandva pasāriyā geli ||

dhanī—alapa-bayasi-bālā janu—gāṁthani puhapa-mālā |

thori-daraśane āśa nā pūrala bāḍhala madana-jvālā ||

gorī kalebara nūnā janu—āṁcare ujora sonā |

keśarī jini mājhahi khīni dulaha locana-koṇā ||

īṣat hāsani sane mujhe—hānala nayana-bāṇe |

cirañjība rahu pañca-gauḍeśvara kabi bidyāpati bhane ||

“At dusk the beautiful girl left her home.

The couple, a streak of lightning on a new raincloud, began to walk.

The girl strung a garland of flowers.

He watched her for a moment; his hopes went unfulfilled.

His flame of passion grew stronger.

Her body was graceful, with a fair complexion.

The border of her dress was lustrous gold, more beautiful than saffron.

Her lovely waist was slender. 

Smiling slightly,  she shot an arrow from the corner of her eye.

The poet Vidyāpati says, ‘May the Lord of Pañcagauḍa live forever.’”

The sweetness of thought, language and description here seems to embody the enchanter’s enchantment upon seeing Śrī Rādhā. Regarding this, the following narration of Śrīla Govinda Dāsa is as clear as it is sweet.

yaba karu kheli āli-saṅge bālā | heriluṁ pathe janu cāṁdaki mālā ||

aparūpa rūpa nayane majhu lāgi | anukhaṇa mādhurī maramahi jāgi ||

e sakhi e sakhi mohe heri rāi | bihasi rahali dhani gīma moḍāi ||

so mukha jhalamala niramala jyoti | lolita nāsika beśara moti ||

raṅgima jāda bithārala pīṭha | cakitahi majhu mana lāgala dīṭha ||

aiche sukeśinī hāma nāhi pekhi | cita mūrati hiye rahalahi lekhi ||

pada nakha aṅguli yābaka śobhā | daśa bhai cāṁda aruṇa bahu lobhā ||

so pada-kamala hṛdaya kari seba | gobinda dāsa yaba anumati deba ||

  Śrī Kṛṣṇa said, “When I saw Rādhā sporting on the path with her friends, she appeared like a moon with its halo. My eyes were fixed on her infinitely beautiful form. At every moment, she awakened sweetness in my heart. O friend, O friend! I was enchanted by her smiling face. I draped my arm around her neck. Her face shimmered with pure light. A pearl ornament dangled from her nose. She spread a colorful silken cloth over a wooden seat. Excited, my mind was attached to this sight. I had never seen such beautiful long hair. The image remains in my mind, body and heart. Her lovely feet were painted with lac-dye and her toenails appeared like suns and moons.” Govinda Dāsa says, “When will you let me serve your lotus feet in my heart?”

The kiṅkarī knows very well that Śrīmatī’s happiness lies in Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s happiness. Therefore, by describing Kṛṣṇa’s attraction to her body, she is awakening the desire in Śrīmatī’s heart to meet with him. “O Rādhā! Your beautiful breasts are very attractive to Śyāmasundara.” Her body is made of mādanākhya-rasa, the highest essence of mahābhāva. Śrī Rādhā is the crest-jewel of eternally youthful girls. The gradual manifestation of her bodily beauty in a sequence of līlās is indeed the nourisher of an astonishing rasa.

The kiṅkarī says, “O Rādhikā! Don’t be afraid. You are devoted to Kṛṣṇa. Your sweet heart and mind, which are suitable for worship, have joined with your sweet adolescence. Go into the kuñja. Let your adolescence be fruitful in the service of your beloved. May your sweet adolescence be glorious!”