श्यामेति सुन्दरवरेति मनोहरेति
कन्दर्पकोटिललितेति सुनागरेति ।
सोत्कण्ठमह्नि गृणती मुहुराकुलाक्षी
सा राधिका मयि कदा नु भवेत्प्रसन्ना ॥ ३८ ॥
śyāmeti sundara-vareti manohareti
kandarpa-koṭi-laliteti sunāgareti |
sotkaṇṭham ahni gṛṇatī muhur ākulākṣī
sā rādhikā mayi kadā nu bhavet prasannā || 38 ||
“Today Śrī Rādhikā’s eyes are anxious from not seeing her beloved Kṛṣṇa. She calls out again and again in lamentation, ‘O Śyāma! O beautiful one! O charming one! O one who enchants countless gods of love! O my love!’ When will she be pleased with me?”
Anxious Śrī Rādhā
Rasa-Varṣiṇī-Vyākhyā: After Śrīpāda’s visions ended, he felt intense pain in his heart. The intended goal is to attain Svāminī’s merciful glance; there is no other quest. The Vrajavāsīs are solely devoted to their beloved Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. If a sādhaka faithfully follows the Vrajavāsīs’ prema, their nature will also be transmitted into that sādhaka. Vraja-prema is based on following. e saba anugā haiyā, prema-sebā niba cāiyā, iṅgite bujhiba saba kāja; rūpe guṇe ḍagamagi, sadā haba anurāgī, basati kariba sakhī-mājha. “As a follower of these mañjarīs, I shall request and receive the loving service of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Simply by seeing their gestures I shall understand all my duties. Constantly submerged in Śrī Yugala-Kiśora’s beauty and virtues, I shall devote myself to them and live among their sakhīs.” (Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 53) Śrīpāda is weeping—“O Śrī Rādhikā! Please place your merciful glance on me. O Śrī Rādhikā! Look with compassion at this lowly one. I am all alone; my life is devoid of association. What will I do without you?” Within a short while, another vision of līlā arose.
A daytime tryst: Anxious and eager to rendezvous with Śyāma, Śrī Rādhā walked quickly to the meeting bower. The stronger the passion, the more inevitable the tryst. Only a vraja-premika could imagine this.
māthahiṁ tapana, tapata-patha-bāluka,
ātapa-dahana bithāra |
nonika putali tanu, caraṇa kamala janu,
dinahiṁ kayala abhisāra ||
hari hari! premaka gati anibāra |
kānu-paraśa-rase, parabaśa rasabatī,
bichurala sabahuṁ bicāra ||
Sun on her head, searing sand path,
sunshine burning everywhere.
Body like a doll made of cream, feet like lotuses,
she made a daytime tryst.
Hari Hari! the premikā’s progress is unpreventable.
By the rasa of Kṛṣṇa’s touch, rasavatī Rādhā is overcome.
She forgot all doubt and hesitation.
(Mahājana)
Intoxicated by her quest to please Śyāma, Śrī Rādhā has forgotten all doubts, surpassed all obstacles and impediments and arrived at the bower. Śyāma had not yet come to meet her. Seeing that the expected meeting time had passed, Svāminī became anxious. Again and again, she looked intently toward the path of Śyāma’s arrival. Her eyes were restless, longing to see him. All the anxiety in her heart took refuge in her eyes. She eagerly looked toward Śyāmasundara’s arrival path, continuously remembering his form, qualities and pastimes. She lamented, “O Śyāma! Vṛndāvana is illuminated by your raincloud complexion. Who is not infatuated by the sweetness of your world-enchanting beauty? If a virtuous girl becomes maddened by your beauty, will the dam of her forbearance not be shattered?” Śrīman Mahāprabhu, intoxicated from accepting Śrī Rādhā’s sweet nature, drifted toward infinity in the river of this beautiful dark complexion.
brajendra-kula-dugdha-sindhu, kṛṣṇa tāhe pūrṇa indu, janmi kaila jagat ujora |
kānty-amṛta yebā piye, nirantara piyā jiye, braja-janera nayana-cakora ||
sakhi he! kothā kṛṣṇa karāha darśana |
kṣaṇeka yāṁhāra mukha, nā dekhile phāṭe buka, śīghra dekhāo, nā rahe jībana ||
ei brajera ramaṇī, kāmārka-tapta-kumudinī, nija-karāmṛta diyā dāna |
praphullita kare yei, kāṁhā mora candra sei, dekhāo sakhi! rākhaha mora prāṇa ||
kāṁhā se cūḍāra ṭhāma, śikhi-piñchera uḍāna, naba-meghe yena indra-dhanu |
pītāmbara taḍid-dyuti, muktā-mālā baka-pāṁti, nabāmbuda jini śyāma tanu ||
ekabāra yāra nayane lāge, sadā tāra hṛdaye jāge, kṛṣṇa-tanu yena āmra-āṭhā |
nārīra mane paiśe hāya, yatne nāhi bāhirāya, tanu nahe,—seyākulera kāṁṭā ||
jiniyā tamāla-dyuti, indranīla-sama kānti, yei kānti jagata mātāya |
śṛṅgāra-rasa tāte chāni, tāte candra-jyotsnā-sāni, jāni bidhi niramila tāya ||
“The king of Vraja’s family is an ocean of milk from which Kṛṣṇa rose like the full moon. At his birth, the whole world brightened. The cakora-like eyes of the Vrajavāsīs constantly drink the nectar of his luster. O friend, where is Kṛṣṇa? Please show me. My heart will break if I cannot see his face for just a moment. Show me quickly; my life is fading. The girls of Vraja are like water-lilies burning in the sun of desire. He gives them the nectar of his hands and they blossom from his touch. Where is my moon? Show me, my friend! Save my life. Where is the peacock feather that sits atop his head like a rainbow on a new raincloud? Where are his yellow garments, brilliant like bolts of lightning? Where is his pearl necklace, white as a row of herons? His dark body is more beautiful than a new raincloud. Once Kṛṣṇa’s body is caught by someone’s eyes, it always awakens in that person’s heart. Alas, Kṛṣṇa’s body is like the sap of a mango tree. After it enters a woman’s mind, it cannot be removed, even with great effort. It is not a body; it is a thorn of the śiyākula plant! His sapphire complexion is more beautiful than a tamāla tree and it delights the whole world. Brahmā has created that body by mixing śṛṅgāra-rasa with moonlight.” (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛtam, Antya 19.36-41)
Śrīmatī says, “O Śyāma! Whenever I don’t get to see you, I feel like dying. Please sustain my life with the gift of seeing you.” The kiṅkarī gives her courage: “O Rādhā! Compose yourself; the love of your life will soon arrive.” But alas! Where is the path to solace for the agony-stricken heart? She says, “O radiant one! You feel like dying because you are not tasting his nectarous beauty. Your eyes are restless to taste it. saundaryena dṛg-ānanda-kārī rucira ucyate. “One whose beauty provides joy to the eyes of all observers is called rucira, or radiant.” Śrīmatī says, “Śyāma, how can I be calm without seeing you? Oh, my kiṅkarī has not understood the state of my mind!”
anyera ye duḥkha mane, anya tāhā nāhi jāne, satya ei śāstrera bicāre |
anya-jana kāṁhā likhi, nāhi jāne prāṇa-sakhī, yāte kahe dhairya dharibāre ||
kṛṣṇa kṛpā-pārābāra, kabhu karibena aṅgīkāra, sakhi tora e byartha bacana |
jībera jībana cañcala, yena padma-patrera jala, tata-dina jībe kon jana? ||
śata-batsara-paryanta, jībera jībana-anta, ei bākya kaha nā bicāri |
nārīra yaubana-dhana, yāre kṛṣṇa kare mana, se yaubana dina-dui-cāri ||
“Śāstra reasons that a person cannot truly know the misery of another person’s mind. Not to speak of others, even my dear friends do not know. They just tell me to be patient. Friend, it is useless to say that Kṛṣṇa is an ocean of mercy who will accept me at any time. The life of a jīva is unpredictable, like a drop of water on a lotus leaf. Who will live so long? The jīva’s life ends after a hundred years. You spoke without thinking. A woman’s wealth is her youth and that’s all Kṛṣṇa cares about. But that youth only lasts for two or four days.” (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛtam, Madhya 2.23-25)
Śrī Rādhā’s only desire is to make Śrī Kṛṣṇa happy. Her pure love causes her to feel unbearable pain every moment she is not engaged in his sevā. She became delirious as she continuously looked about. In a vision, she saw that Kṛṣṇa had arrived. He said, “O dear one, why are you depressed? I just now got here. Where would I be without you? You are the treasure of my life.” Śrīmatī thinks, “Candrāvalī has many lovers. Kṛṣṇa has just come from her bower and is now making this hypocritical plea to me.” Thus, in the mood of a dhīrā-mānavatī-nāyikā,(1) Śrīmatī said, “O charming one, you steal the minds of all the girls in the world. Therefore, you must fulfill their desires. All the girls of Vraja want you; I’m no longer the only one. So go and please them.”
tvaṁ cumbako’si mādhava, lohamayī nūnam aṅganā-jātiḥ |
dhāvati tatas tato’sau, yato yataḥ krīḍayā bhramasi ||
“O Mādhava! You are like a magnet and the girls are like iron. Thus, when you run playfully in some direction, they follow you. (Śrī-Bhakti-Rasāmṛta-Sindhuḥ 2.1.168) Therefore, what is your fault? This is your natural quality.”
dhīrā kānta dūre dekhi kare pratyutthāna | nikaṭe āsile kare āsana pradāna ||
hṛde kopa, mukhe kahe madhura bacana | priya āliṅgite tāre kare āliṅgana ||
sarala byabahāre kare mānera poṣaṇa | kiṁbā solluṇṭha-bākye kare priya nirasana ||
“When a dhīrā-nāyikā sees her lover in the distance, she rises from her seat to welcome him. When he arrives, she offers him a seat. In her heart, she is angry, but she speaks sweetly. When her beloved embraces her, she returns the embrace. She maintains her huff with a sincere demeanor or rejects her lover with sarcastic words.” (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛtam, Madhya 14.144-146)
Mādhava seems to be saying, “O angry one! Why are you uselessly sulking? I don’t go anywhere; I always stay near you. Don’t be sad because of unnecessary pride. muñca mayi mānam anidānam. Give up your unnecessary anger and be pleased with me because I am innocent.” After hearing Kṛṣṇa’s words, Śrīmatī’s jealousy and anger appeared. She said in the mood of a dhīrādhīrā-nāyikā,(2) “O one who is more charming than countless gods of love! Your form is more handsome than countless Kandarpas. Or, śṛṅgāra-pracurā ceṣṭā yatra taṁ lalitaṁ viduḥ. “The state in which there are abundant endeavors in the erotic sentiment is called lalita.” (Śrī-Bhakti-Rasāmṛta-Sindhuḥ 2.1.267) You are more expert than countless Kandarpas in actions filled with śṛṅgāra-rasa. All the women of Vraja are captivated by this quality of yours that destroys Kandarpa’s pride. Therefore, go quickly; it is inappropriate for you to linger. If you quickly attend to everyone, they will become familiar with that quality. If there is some delay, their passion will rise and it will be extremely difficult for you to satisfy them. If they have to wait too long, your charming qualities will fall short. Just relax and let yourself be controlled by them. Don’t worry about me; I’m always pleased with you.”
dhīrādhīrā bakra-bākye kare upahāsa |
kabhu stuti kabhu nindā kabhu bā udāsa ||
“The dhīrādhīrā-nāyikā sometimes jokes about her lover in ambiguous words, sometimes praises him, sometimes criticizes him and is sometimes indifferent to him.” (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛtam, Madhya 14.148)
It was as though Śrī Rādhā’s vision-obtained lover had seen that her huff had not been alleviated and was now sitting near her foot-stool, holding her feet and trying to pacify her.
satyam evāsi yadi sudati mayi kopinī dehi khara-nakhara-śara-ghātam |
ghaṭaya bhuja-bandhanaṁ janaya rada-khaṇḍanaṁ yena vā bhavati sukha-jātam ||
tvam asi mama jīvanaṁ tvam asi mama bhūṣaṇaṁ tvam asi mama bhava-jaladhi-ratnam |
bhavatu bhavatīha mayi satatam anurodhinī tatra mama hṛdayam atiyatnam ||
“O Rādhā! O one with beautiful teeth! If you are truly angry with me, strike me with your sharp arrow-like nails. Bind me with your rope-like arms and bite my lips. Punish me in whatever way makes you happy and assuages your anger. You are my life; you are my ornament; you are the jewel in the ocean of my being. The sole desire of my heart is that you always be pleased with me.” (Gīta-Govindam)
Moody Rādhā’s huff had not abated. Her vision-obtained lover left as though disappointed. Śrīmatī then entered the kalahāntaritā(3) state and began to weep, saying, “O my love! You sat at the feet of this humiliated girl and did so much pleading, but I did not become happy. Alas, I was in a bad mood. I carelessly cast my dearest one far away. I lost my wealth through negligence of my own accord.” Śrīmatī then struck her chest and head with her hands and said, “O my love! Please forget this unfortunate girl’s shortcomings and come back. I have scolded you under the weight of a wounded sense of honor. Please forgive me; my life fades in your absence.” In this way, Śrīmatī passes her day of viraha with longing, tearful eyes gazing in the direction of Śyāmasundara’s path. Suddenly, Śrīpāda’s mystic vision came to an end. He prayed fervently to again see Śrī Rādhā’s love-filled and anxious form in her distressed state of viraha. sā rādhikā mayi kadā nu bhavet prasannā. “When will viraha-stricken Śrī Rādhā be pleased with me? When will she appear within a vision, and when will I be blessed to taste the sweetness of her love-filled conversations.” In this sincere prayer, his singular absorption in his cherished Śrī Rādhārāṇī is an essential teaching for the sādhaka-bhakta.
----------------------
1. A dhīrā-mānavatī-nāyikā remains calm externally but is angry internally.
2. A type of heroine whose anger or resentment is partially exhibited (Samsad)
3. A heroine separated from her lover in consequence of a quarrel (MW)
4 comments:
This is incredibly good
Standing on the shoulders of giants.
Thank you both so much
Rādhe Rādhe!
Post a Comment