My books are 15% off through July 4, 2025.

     My translations of Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā and Bhāvanā-Sāra-Saṅgrahaḥ are both 15% off through July 4, 2025. Use the code FIREWORKS15. Click on the book images on the right of the blog page. Applies to print copies only.

Śrī-Rādhā-Rasa-Sudhā-Nidhiḥ 39 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

 वेणुः करान्निपतितः स्खलितं शिखण्डं

भ्रष्टं च पीतवसनं व्रजराजसूनोः ।

यस्याः कटाक्षशरघात-विमूर्छितस्य

तां राधिकां परिचरामि कदा रसेन ॥ ३९ ॥

veṇuḥ karān nipatitaḥ skhalitaṁ śikhaṇḍaṁ

bhraṣṭaṁ ca pīta-vasanaṁ vraja-rāja-sūnoḥ |

yasyāḥ kaṭākṣa-śara-ghāta-vimūrchitasya

tāṁ rādhikāṁ paricarāmi kadā rasena || 39 ||

“When will I serve Śrī Rādhikā with love? A strike from her arrow-like sidelong glance has sent Śrī Nandanandana into a swoon, causing his flute to fall from his hand, his peacock-feather crown from his head and his yellow cloth from his shoulders.”

Śrī Rādhā’s Arrow-like Sidelong Glance

Rasa-Varṣiṇī-Vyākhyā: Śrīpāda’s heart has been captured by devotion to Śrī Rādhā. His mind never goes anywhere but Śrī Rādhā’s lotus feet. In his external state, he feels her absence intensely. Lacking a mystic vision, he offers his sorrow at Svāminī’s feet. “When will Śrī Rādhikā be pleased with me?” His heart has been afflicted with the pain of separation. This misery is not like the misery of the world. It is misery made of the most wonderful joy. Such pain has a superlative taste that is more praiseworthy than even the joy of meeting. As a result of Śrī Rādhārāṇī’s full mercy, Śrīpāda was able to feel her absence deeply. When viraha appears, everything is abandoned. There is no way to regain life except at Śrī Rādhā’s lotus feet. rādhā-kṛṣṇa dhana pāba, hiyāra mājhāre thoba, (tabe) juḍāibe e pāpa-parāṇa ityādi (Ṭhākura Mahāśaya). “I will obtain the treasure that is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. I will keep it in my heart, from which it will bring relief to this sinful life.” When Śrīpāda’s life was about to end because of the pain of separation from Śrī Rādhā, a vision of the līlā in the previous verse again appeared.

Śrīmatī is in great distress. In a state of madness, she floats on waves of joy, dejection, humility, anguish and other bhāvas. Seeing her anxious condition, Śrīpāda, in his kiṅkarī form, left to search for Śyāmasundara. Unable to find him, the kiṅkarī finally went to Sakhī-Sthalī(1) and located him in Candrā’s(2) bower engaged in conversation with her. Kṛṣṇa had been about halfway on his journey to Rādhā’s kuñja when the clever Padmā brought Candrāvalī to meet him. Then she took them both to Candrā’s kuñja. Seeing the situation, the kiṅkarī was brought to a standstill. After thinking for a while, she decided on a solution. She rushed to the entrance of Candrā’s kuñja, and with fearful eyes and voice, she said, “Śyāmasundara! Come, come quickly! One of Kaṁsa’s demon followers has attacked your dear Vṛṣabha.” Śyāmasundara understood everything: A follower of Kaṁsa had not attacked Vṛṣabha. This was a message that the love of his life had been consumed by the fire of separation. Otherwise, what was the purpose of this communication from Śrī Rādhā’s kiṅkarī? He said to Candrā, “Dear one, I will return at once after I kill the evil demon and rescue my friend Vṛṣabha.” Candrāvalī is simple; she is unable to understand such an intricate mystery. “Go then! I’ll wait for you, but come soon.” Kṛṣṇa replied, “Don’t worry if it’s a little late. Also, it’s possible my relatives may come there when I kill the demon. So if you see there’s going to be a further delay, go back home, just for today.” After saying this, he left immediately and quickly walked to Śrī Rādhā’s kuñja with the kiṅkarī. On the path, the kiṅkarī gave Kṛṣṇa a scolding: “Svāminī is in the meeting bower going crazy because of you. After you told her you were going there, you came here to Candrāvalī’s bower instead? Go! I will tell Svāminī everything you said today and arrange a suitable punishment for you.” The crown-jewel of lovers is pleading to Rādhā’s kiṅkarī with folded hands. “Please don’t let Śrīmatī know anything about this; otherwise, the rest of the day is lost.” There is no end to Śyāma’s flattery of the kiṅkarī. A characteristic of pure sweetness-filled vraja-prema is that it is devoid of even the scent of aiśvarya-jñāna. Everywhere else, prema is connected more or less with aiśvarya-jñāna. Vrajadhāma is the only place for pure mādhuryamaya-prema. Even in navadvīpa-līlā, which is a supplement to vraja-līlā, the sakhās, sakhīs and mañjarīs of Vraja have incarnated as associates of Mahāprabhu. Still, the love they have for Mahāprabhu is seen to be more or less mixed with aiśvarya. After taking darśana of Mahāprabhu in Nīlācala, Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmipāda was unable to go to the Jagannātha Mandira. He was staying in Śrī Haridāsa’s kuṭīra, hesitating due to his reverence mixed with awe and submission. But in the form of Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī in vraja-līlā, he prayed at the feet of Śrī Rādhārāṇī: “Please show me your compassion so that Śyāma will flatter me.”

karuṇāṁ muhur arthaye paraṁ, tava vṛndāvana-cakravartini |

api keśi-ripor yathā bhavet, sa caṭu-prārthana-bhājanaṁ janaḥ ||

(Cāṭu-Puṣpāñjalī 23)

Śrīpāda Rāya Rāmānanda is Viśākhā Sakhī in Vraja, so it is appropriate for him to be in a pure friendship with Mahāprabhu. Still, he said, ākṛte prakṛte tomāra īśvara lakṣaṇa, jībe nā sambhabe kabhu ei aprākṛta guṇa (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛtam, Madhya 8.43). “Your appearance and nature are divine characteristics. Such transcendental qualities are never possible in the jīva.” He was unable to take Mahāprabhu to his own home because the vaidika-brāhmaṇas had invited him to theirs. The sakhās of Vraja are riding on Kṛṣṇa’s shoulders, feeding him the remnants of their fruits, and so on. Therefore, if you want to taste pure mādhurya, you must take refuge in vraja-prema.

After hearing Śyāmasundara’s flattery, the kiṅkarī thought about Svāminī’s anxiety and said, “Go, I won’t say anything. But if she sees that you’re late and gets mad, what can I do? You tell me.” Talking with the kiṅkarī like this, Kṛṣṇa has arrived at Śrīmatī’s kuñja. As soon as her lover entered the pleasure bower, Rādhā’s heart was infused with both delight and natural contrariness. She pulled her veil over her lowered face and sat down.

abanata badanī nā kahe kachu bāṇī | 

paraśite tarāsi ṭhelai piya-pāṇi ||

sucatura nāha karaye anurodha | 

abhimānī rāi nā mānaye rodha ||

“Her face is lowered; she says nothing. Startled by his touch, she pushes her lover’s hand away. Cunning Kṛṣṇa pleads with her. Indignant Rādhā refuses and resists.” (Mahājana)

This vāmya-rasa (contrariness) is indescribable. The work of mahābhāva is to infuse happiness into Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s heart. Although all of the vraja-gopīs possess the function of mahābhāva in abundance, Śrī Rādhā possesses even more. Therefore, her every effort causes Śrī Kṛṣṇa indescribable joy. After he had filled Śrīmatī’s heart with rasa through his affectionate, poetic and captivating speech, he was preparing to touch her. Śrīmatī noticed this and cast an angry sidelong glance at him. The power of that sidelong glance has been expressed in this verse. The profound mystery here concerns the kind of influence mādanākhya-mahābhāva can exert on the heart of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the embodiment of condensed existence, thought and joy. Śyāmasundara’s swoon of bliss was awakened by the mere eye-arrow strike of Śrīmatī’s sidelong glance. If some valiant man happens to faint and fall in battle, his bow, arrows, helmet, clothing and ornaments all become scattered. In the same way, at the commencement of this battle of love by merely one eye-arrow, the flute of the transcendental young god of love has fallen from his hand, the peacock-feather crown from his head and the yellow cloth from his shoulders. A hero may kill hundreds of soldiers with his arrows, but then be stricken down by a greater hero. In the same way, the beautiful girls of Vraja are stricken and defeated by the arrows of Kṛṣṇa’s sidelong glance, and then that transcendental young god of love is thrown into a swoon by the sidelong glance of Śrī Rādhā. Because of the sweet sounds of his flute, hundreds of vraja-sundarīs toss about in torment like does pierced with arrows. Because of Śrī Rādhā’s sidelong glance, her swooning lover’s flute fell from his hand and rolled on the ground. His peacock-feather crown is the singular symbol of his pastimes in Vraja. When the Vraja girls see it on the head of the crown-jewel of playful lovers, their minds become infatuated. cūḍāṭi bāṁdhiyā ucca, ke dila mayūra puccha, bhāle se ramaṇī mana-lobhā. “Who gave the peacock feather that was tied atop his crown? The girls long to see such beauty.” (Jñāna Dāsa)

Because of the power of Śrī Rādhā’s sidelong glance, Kṛṣṇa’s peacock-feather crown has fallen in the dust. His yellow clothing is radiant like steady lightning on a new raincloud or a streak of gold on a touchstone. When the vraja-sundarīs see it, they relinquish the glory of their families.

kaṭi pīta-basana, rasanā tāhe jaḍā |

bidhi niramila ghāṭe kalaṅkera koṁḍā ||

“Around his hips he wears a yellow cloth and a string of bells.

Brahmā created within shortcomings the bud of scandal.” (Jñāna Dāsa)

Such is the power of Śrī Rādhā’s sidelong glance that even Kṛṣṇa’s yellow upper cloth has fallen. Pounded by the waves of mādana-rasa, he is submerged in nectarous joy. The nature of prema is to give joy to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. It is the highest stage of mahābhāva (the great love) and the zenith of mādana (delight). In various ways, Svāminījī causes Śrī Kṛṣṇa to taste happiness, though he is the embodiment of happiness. Outside of Vraja, everyone who loves God wants to be happy. Among the vrajavāsīs, prema’s only purpose is to give genuine happiness to Kṛṣṇa. All of the vraja-sundarīs’ endeavors are meant for Kṛṣṇa’s happiness. Remaining in the presence of the blissful one, without any desire for their own happiness, they absorb themselves in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa’s joy. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is above all. Mahāprabhu spoke in the mood of Śrī Rādhā:

kṛṣṇa mora jībana, kṛṣṇa mora prāṇa-dhana, kṛṣṇa mora parāṇera parāṇa |

hṛdaya-upare dharoṁ, sebā kari sukhī karoṁ, ei mora sadā rahe dhyāna ||

mora sukha sebane, kṛṣṇera sukha saṅgame, ataeba deha deṅa dāna |

kṛṣṇa more ‘kāntā’ kari, kahe ‘tumi prāṇeśvarī,’ mora haya ‘dāsī’abhimāna ||

“Kṛṣṇa is my life, the treasure of my life, the life of my life. I hold my hand upon my heart. I make him happy by rendering service and this is my constant meditation. My happiness is in service; Kṛṣṇa’s happiness lies in being with me. Therefore, I offer him the gift of my body. Accepting me as his lover, he says, ‘You are the goddess of my life.’ I consider myself his servant.” (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛtam, Antya 20.58-59)

Although there are many premikas (affectionate ones) in Vraja, Govinda’s only desire is to taste the sweet love of Śrī Rādhā. 

āmā haite rādhā pāya—ye jātīya sukha | 

tāhā āsvādite āmi sadāi unmukha ||

nānā yatna kari āmi, nāri āsvādite | 

sei sukha-mādhurya-ghrāṇe lobha bāḍhe citte ||

“I am always eager to taste the kind of happiness that Rādhā gets from me. Though having made various efforts, I have been unable to experience it. The scent of such sweet joy increases my desire for it.” (Śrī-Caitanya-Caritāmṛtam, Ādi 4.262-263)

Śrīman Mahāprabhu is the result of this eagerness. Needless to say, after becoming Gaura, he could completely understand the glory of Śrī Rādhā’s prema. He will relish it for eternity because gaura-līlā is also eternal. Śrī Rādhārāṇī is the embodiment of such prema. If one can offer himself at her lotus feet, his life is a success.

The arrow of Śrī Rādhā’s sidelong glance caused the embodiment of condensed joy to swoon. Śrīmatī is distressed. She is trying hard to drive the swoon of joy from the one who is full of joy, but is making no progress. Finally, Svāminījī acknowledges defeat and takes refuge in her maidservant of rasa. “I tried to make my dear one’s swoon go away, but I could not. You please try it once.” Now, the maidservant of rasa begins to worship rasa. To remove the swoon of joy from Kṛṣṇa, the kiṅkarī began to sing in a sweet voice. The song was about the god of love. To prepare her kiṅkarī for this sevā, Svāminī had taught the song to her in a secluded cave in Govardhana Hill. Such mysterious sevā is beyond the comprehension of even the sakhīs. This sevā is the exclusive treasure of the kiṅkarīs. By singing this song, the kiṅkarī revived Kṛṣṇa and worshiped the rasa of Rādhā. The sweet pastimes of the young couple have begun. What incomparable joy the kiṅkarī feels from the rasa of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes today! She thinks herself to be most fortunate. After their love-making ended, the kiṅkarī was blessed to offer them cool water, tāmbūla, garlands, fanning and other services. Or, “I will serve with rasa, with Śrī Kṛṣṇa, because raso vai saḥ—He is indeed rasa.” The kiṅkarī felt gratified by her loving service to the charming Śrī Rādhā-Govinda. Suddenly, the mystic vision ended. Filled with humility, Śrīpāda prayed, “When will I serve Śrī Rādhikā with love?”

   

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1. Literally, “the place of the sakhīs.”

2. Candrā = Candrāvalī 

My books are 15% off through June 20, 2025.

     My translations of Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā and Bhāvanā-Sāra-Saṅgrahaḥ are both 15% off through June 20, 2025. Use the code CREATORBOOKS15. Click on the book images on the right of the blog page. Applies to print copies only.