Śrī-Rādhā-Rasa-Sudhā-Nidhiḥ 32 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

संकेतकुञ्जमनुपल्लवमास्तरीतुं

तत्तत्प्रसादमभितः खलु संवरीतुम् ।

त्वां श्यामचन्द्रमभिसारयितुं धृताशे

श्रीराधिके मयि विधेहि कृपाकटाक्षम् ॥ ३२ ॥

saṁketa-kuñjam anu pallavam āstarītuṁ

tat-tat-prasādam abhitaḥ khalu saṁvarītum |

tvāṁ śyāma-candram abhisārayituṁ dhṛtāśe

śrī-rādhike mayi vidhehi kṛpā-kaṭākṣam || 32 ||

“O Śrī Rādhikā! Please cast your merciful glance upon me. To quickly get your blessings, I want to spread a bed of fresh leaves for you in the trysting-bower and then bring you to the moonlike Śyāma.”

Śrī Rādhā’s Merciful Glance

Rasa-Varṣiṇī-Vyākhyā: In the previous verse, Śrīpāda received Śrīmati’s compassion after serving her in his svarūpa. At the end of his mystic vision, he wept. He felt great suffering in the absence of sevā. Service to Śrī Rādhā is more desirable than service to Śrī Bhagavān. The desire in Śrīpāda’s heart for rādhā-dāsya caused an uncontrollable outburst of emotion. His intense longing for sevā has made him impatient. Weeping, he prayed, “O Rādhikā! When will I become your dāsī?” Deity worship will awaken the sādhaka’s consciousness as much as possible. Observing the sādhaka’s emotion, it seems that his iṣṭadeva is taking him by the hand. Realization is inevitable in rāgānugā-bhajana, particularly in rādhā-dāsya-bhajana. If there is no realization, sādhana-bhakti will seem lifeless. “Thus is the plight of a jīva like me. My svarūpa has not awakened and I am deeply engrossed in this body, the opposite of bhāva. If I cannot get to know her even a little, then what a big failure my sādhana-life is!” The sādhaka’s intense desire to be near Śrī Rādhā will pull him toward his goal. The eager sādhaka can never relax blithely into the bliss of food and sleep. An incessant prayer awakens: “O Svāminī! If you would just once enter my thoughts or dreams, I would feel reassured. Please respond, Svāminī! Just once, say, ‘You are mine.’ This is my only hope!” Compared to this yearning desire, everything else becomes insignificant. Through experience, the sādhaka is gradually pulled toward her lotus feet. 

Śrīpāda’s strong feelings of separation are the apex of longing. Weeping, he says, “Śrī Rādhikā! When will I become your dāsī?” Suddenly, the goddess of Śrīpāda’s mystical vision appeared before his eyes with boundless beauty. He experienced a vision of Śrī Rādhā’s most affectionate abhisāra-līlā.(1) The passionate girl has walked to the trysting-bower to meet her lover. Śrīpāda walked behind her in his kiṅkarī form, carrying articles for sevā such as candana, kuṅkuma and tāmbūla.(2) Svāminī feels anxious and looks nervously about. Vṛndāvana is beautified by the beauty of her eyes. The kiṅkarī encourages her, “Why are you afraid? Let’s go; if you get scared, just look at me.” Svāminī’s dāsī gives her courage. She causes the abhisāra by transferring her śakti (energy) into the heart of the mūla-śakti (original energy). Love-struck Śrī Rādhā has arrived at the meeting bower. At Śrīmatī’s signal, the dāsī prepared a comfortable pleasure-bed of fresh sprouts and leaves. Śyāmasundara has not yet arrived. Śrīmatī longs for her lover. tvāṁ śyāmacandraṁ prati abhisārayituṁ dhṛtāśe, yadvā tvāṁ tathā śyāmacandram abhisārayituṁ dhṛtāśe. “I want to lead you to Śyāmasundara,” or, “I want to bring you and Śyāmasundara together.” Seeing Śrīmatī’s distress, the kiñkarī went to search for Śyāma. Śrī Rādhā’s viraha-afflicted lover had forgotten the path to the bower and was searching for her in a different direction. A Vṛndāvana breeze carried Svāminī’s bodily fragrance from a distance and caused it to enter Śyāma’s nostrils. The aroma brought him to his senses and led him to the path. The kiṅkarī spotted the anxious nāgara from not far away. She was gratified to see Śyāma so eager to find Rādhā. The nāgara’s pain of separation was evident in his face and eyes. From her hiding place, the kiṅkarī relished the sweetness of Śyāma’s form. In her eyes, Śyāma is very handsome when he longs for Śrī Rādhā. Suddenly, the nāgara’s searching gaze fell upon Rādhā’s kiṅkarī and hope returned to his despondent heart. Delighted, he ran to the kiṅkarī and said, “O friend! Where is your leader? I was so eager and anxious to see her that I forgot the path to the meeting bower. Now I am walking around looking for her. Where is she? Please take me there!” Wanting to see Kṛṣṇa show a little more longing, the maidservant of rasa said, “O king of gallants! Your wish will remain unfulfilled. The jewel of nāgarīs is staying home today.” Distressed, Kṛṣṇa asked, “Will she not come to the forest?” The kiṅkarī replied, “She is doing housework today on the order of her elders.” Śrī Kṛṣṇa: “What is she doing right now?” The kiṅkarī: “She churned a pot of water, thinking it to be yogurt.” Śrī Kṛṣṇa: “What happened then?” The kiṅkarī: “When Jaṭilā saw her churning the water, she thought that perhaps it was her love for you that caused her mental disorder, so she scolded her and confined her to the house.” Śrī Kṛṣṇa: “But I can smell the aroma of her body.” The kiṅkarī: “O Nāgarendra! I am wearing her prasādī clothing and her aroma has clung to it. This is what you smell.” Considering the kiṅkarī’s words to be true, Kṛṣṇa felt dejected and said, “Alas, will that lightning in the form of Rādhā not beautify my cloud-like heart today?” When the kiṅkarī saw that Kṛṣṇa was beginning to slip into a swoon, she infused hope into his burning heart to reassure him. Śrī Rādhā’s kiṅkarī is shining a light of hope into the dark, despair-filled heart of an entity made of condensed transcendental joy. Such is the greatness of her kiṅkarī. She must infuse joy into the heart of the one made of joy, so how much power is in her heart? Mādanākhya-mahābhāva is the product of their hands, so great is the glory of Rādhā’s kiṅkarīs.

After reassuring Śyāma, the kiṅkarī brings him to Śrīmatī’s kuñja. Meanwhile, Śrīmatī is also delighted by Śyāmasundara’s aroma. She praises the wind: “O fragrance-bearer! What austerities have you performed that led you to touch the body of Śrī Gokulacandra? This is very rare. If I had known about these austerities, I would have tried performing them to obtain good fortune like yours.” In Śrī-Ujjvala-Nīlamaṇiḥ, 14.149, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmipāda has said that the powerful desire to take birth even in an inanimate form just to smell Kṛṣṇa’s aroma is a type of affection.(3) The kiṅkarī has succeeded in bringing the eager couple together and Śrīmatī is thoroughly pleased. Some reward must be given. Śyāmasundara places his chewed tāmbūla lovingly in Śrī Rādhā’s mouth. Śrīmatī scrunches up her face and says, “No way! I will not drink the nectar of your lips, which bear the remnants from a hundred lustful girls.” After glancing at her kiṅkarī, she placed that chewed tāmbūla on a leaf that had fallen into the bower house. This is rasa’s reward to rasa’s dāsī. tat-tat-prasādaṁ śrī-śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇayoḥ prasāda-nirmālyam abhitaḥ śīghraṁ prāptavyam ity arthaḥ. In this way, the kiṅkarī obtains rasa through Śrī Yugala’s prasādī garlands and so on. Or, prasāda could mean ājñā-sevā, or service based on an order. Śrī Yugala ask the kiṅkarī to perform various kinds of service out of affection for her. ājnāya āniyā kabe bibidha phulabara, bacana śunaba duṅhu miṭhi (Ṭhākura Mahāśaya). “When will I hear their sweet speech after bringing the flowers they requested.” The phrase saṁketa-kuñjam anu means “in each kuñja.” The pleasure-bed has been crushed. With an eye gesture, Śrīmatī directs the kiṅkarī to perform sevā: “Go make another pleasure-bed in the kuñja.” At Śrīmatī’s direction, the kiṅkarī again made a bed with soft leaves and sprouts. The rasika couple sported freely from bower to bower like an elephant king and his queen. Along with seeing the sweet pastimes, the kiṅkarī was blessed with śrī-yugala-sevā. Śrīpāda’s vision of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa has ended. Sobbing, he prays, “I wait here hoping to serve you; please make that tree of hope fruitful. O Rādhā! Without your mercy, it is impossible for my tree of hope to bear fruit. Therefore, śrī-rādhike mayi vidhehi kṛpā-kaṭākṣam: Cast your merciful glance on me.”

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1. Rendezvous with her lover

2. Sandalwood paste, saffron and betel

3. paraspara-vaśī-bhāvaḥ prema-vaicittyakaṁ tathā | aprāṇiny api janmāptyai lālasā-bhara unnataḥ | vipralambhe’sya visphūrtir ity ādyāḥ syur iha kriyāḥ ||

Śrī-Rādhā-Rasa-Sudhā-Nidhiḥ 31 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

 

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.

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Śrī-Rādhā-Rasa-Sudhā-Nidhiḥ 30 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

 

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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