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| Sunday, January 13th, 2008 | | 1:18 am |
Sri Sri Kesavastakam by Srila Rupa Goswami
1. I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja with His ears beautified with earrings made of fresh Kadamba buds, whose crown is brightened by blooming Malati flowers and around whose neck a wreath of slightly blooming Yuthika flowers is wound.
2. I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja, joyfully wandering amongst His surabhi cows, calling them by name: "Pisangi! Manikastani! Pranatasrngi! Pingeksane! Mrdangaªmukhi! Dhumale! Sabali! Hamsi! Vamsipriye!"
3. I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja. He is softened by deep love, enjoys sweet joking conversations and He is the abode of all playful enjoyments. He shines in many different dresses and laughs at the best jokes that His friends make along the way.
4. I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja. The leaves that were painted on His cheeks with mountain minerals are slightly washed away by drops of perspiration and His curly locks defeat the luster of a cluster of bees.
5. I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja. The cows that eagerly look at their bound up calves deeply carve the soil with their dancing hooves, and He withholds them with the soft playing of His flute.
6. I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja, beautifying the roads with His footprints, whose garland is made grey by the dust thrown up by His herd of restless cows and whose cloth, scarf and crown are moving along with the waves of the blowing wind.
7. I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja, where He gladdened the minds of all the cowherd girls at once with the playful and artful tunes of His Murali flute, which causes them to horripilate of ecstasy within their inner quarters, and who constantly gives joy to the heart of the queen of Vraja, Yasoda.
8. I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja, being worshipped by hundreds of dancing, playful glances and beautiful smiles of the beautiful girls ont he road, and the corners of whose bee like eyes move restlessly around their bud like breasts.
9. To anyone who nicely recites these eight prayers, that are a festival of bliss for all the cowherd girls, the friend of Visakha, Sri Krsna, will give firmly fixed attraction to His
lotus feet. Such a pure minded soul will attain all happiness.
End of Sri Sri Kesavastakam by Srila Rupa Goswami | | 1:15 am |
SRI GOVINDA-VIRUDAVALI by Srila Rupa Goswami
Translated by Kusakratha dasa
1 This book, Sri Govinda-virudavali, is very auspicious. When one reads it Sri Govinda becomes pleased.
2 O lotus-eyed Lord, when You wish to enjoy pastimes in the material world You appoint the demigod Brahma to create places for them and You also appoint the demigod Siva to eventually remove those places . The Viraja river, which is a moat surrounding the Vaikuntha worlds and which contains within its waters many millions of places where You enjoy pastimes, is like a small handful of water to You. O Lord, now that You have stopped enjoying pastimes in this world, what prayers shall the saintly devotees recite to glorify You?
3 May Lord Krsna's (the numberless waves of whose transcendental pastimes crushed the pride of the powerful demigod Indra) left hand, which lifted the king of mountains (Govardhana Hill) as if it were an umbrella, bring transcendental happiness to this world.
4 O Lord whose footsteps crush the pride of the elephant Airavata, O Lord whose charming bodily fragrance robs Your friends of their weariness, O Lord who crushes the strength and pride of the demons, O Lord who delights the hearts of the saintly devotees, O Lord who enjoys transcendental amorous pastimes without any check, O Lord whose arms are like two serpents, O Lord who wears flower-bud earrings, O Lord whose transcendental form is anointed with splendid sandal paste, O Playful and witty Lord, O Lord who defeated the Kaliya serpent, O Lord who gives the great favour (of liberation) to even the demons, O Lord whose charming smile removed the fears of the astonished demigod Brahma, O Lord whose affectionate (brother) Baladeva could guess (that you had expanded Yourself as the boys and calves), O Lord who was for an entire year separated from Your friends and calves, O Lord whose splendid voice defeats the roaring of thunder, O Lord who rebukes the envious demons, all glories to the sound of Your flute, which is a splendid moon that brings great tidal waves to the ocean of amorous desires of the beautiful girls in the heavenly planets, and which is an Agastya Muni drinking the ocean of peaceful composure of the very sober, responsible, and respectable girls of Gokula.
5 O lifter of Govardhana Hill, O protector of the surabhi cows, O friend of the cowherd boys, O helper of the devotees, O Lord Mukunda (Krsna), I pray that for You, who wear a great and splendid crown of peacock feathers, whose restless sidelong glances stun the wandering bumblebees, and who enjoys transcendental pastimes in a cottage in the forest by the shore of the Yamuna River, I may always feel the purest love.
6 O Lord whose garments are as splendid as lightning, O Lord whose broad arms are like slithering serpents, O Lord glorified by beautiful demigoddess maidens travelling in the sky, O Lord followed by a host of intelligent and dear friends intent on Your protection, O Lord who delights the charming and affectionate people of Vraja, O Lord from whose mouth come ever-new sounds that bring great happiness to the ear, O Lord who holds a beautiful blossomed lotus flower in Your hand, O Lord who removed the pride of the angrily bellowing bull-demon, O Lord who destroyed the angry demonic army in battle, O Lord decorated with golden tilaka, O Lord who tastes the nectar of love for the sometimes angry and sometimes satisfied young girls of Vraja, please reside in the loving hearts of Your devotees.
O Lord, O killer of the Agha demon, may we find happiness in the deep ocean of Your transcendental pastimes, where the great waves of Your smiles and laughter rock the universes, where the centre is always crowded with the many makharas of the surrendered souls, and where the swans of the great devotees drink to their full satisfaction.
7 O youthful, merciful Lord, O tamala tree decorated with gunja, flowering vines, and peacock feathers, O Lord decorating the gopas and delighting Rohini and Yasoda, the moon of Your glory, born from the ocean of Your Gokula pastimes, at one time illuminated this world.
8 O killer of Aristasura, O ornament of the devotees, O Lord decorated with sandal paste, O delight of the surrendered souls, O jubilantly restless Lord, O Lord who throws restless glances from the corners of Your glistening eyes, O Lord who wears swinging kadamba flower earrings, O Lord who enters a charming mountain cave, O Lord whose movements are more graceful than those of the most elegant great elephant, O handsome Lord who pleases a host of friends and relatives, please bring transcendental happiness now to the beautiful gopis in the great forest of Vrndavana.
9 O Lord who kills the demons, O Lord who kisses the murali flute, O Lord who bows down to offer respects to Your mother, O Lord who delights the gopis, all glories to you!
All glories to that person who is eternally in love with the lotuslike gopis, whose ever-fresh bodily fragrance attracts and intoxicates the bumblebees, who holds a charming lotus flower, who knows the deepest secrets and who enjoys pastimes like a regal elephant in the jungle by the Yamuna's shore.
10 O hero, all glories to You! All glories to You! O Hero of the mellows of transcendental amorous pastimes, O hero whose teeth defeat the thunderbolt, O hero who defeats the armies of the demons, O hero who enjoys pastimes with Your garlanded friends, O hero who wears a necklace of transcendental jewels, O enjoyer of the rasa dance, O hero with a blossoming smile, O hero splendidly anointed with fragrant powder, O hero whose forest-flower garland is glorified by hosts of bumblebees, O protector of the people of Vraja, O affectionate friend of the devotees, O hero whose glistening earrings swing on Your shoulders, O hero who attracts the swans with the musical sound of Your long flute, O hero who extinguished the forest fire, O hero who shines with love for Your affectionate friends, O hero whose voice is like thunder, O hero whose chest is anointed with kunkuma from the full breasts of the gopis, O hero who stopped the indra-yajna, O hero who at once lifted Govardhana Hill, all glories to You!
In Vraja's hero, who is beyond the rules of the Vedas, whose power and heroism is glorified in many beautiful songs, who is surrounded by His dear devotees, whose chest is now yellow, anointed with kunkuma, who enjoys pastimes in a newly constructed forest cottage, who wears a splendid golden sash, and who is a deep ocean of the nectar of love, may we place all our love.
11 O Lord whose curling locks of hair and whose splendid bimba-fruit lips are kissed by Your mother, all glories to You.
O Lord Krsna, O killer of the Mura demon, when the god of love saw the great flood of the splendour of Your toenails, a splendour far greater than the shining of hundreds of full moons, he became despondent and, abandoning all pride in his own handsomeness, became disembodied.
12 O Lord who punished a demon who made a great whirlwind of hard, sharp, dancing dust, O crusher of the demons, O protector of the devotees, O Lord whose unique transcendental qualities bring a great festival of happiness to Your friends, O Lord who, by lifting a mountain with one of Your transcendental arms, protected Your friends troubled by harsh thunder, O Lord who rebuked the king of heaven for his pride, O Lord to whom King Indra, his illusion now dispelled, offered prayers, O Lord who celebrated a great festival, O hero , O swan who plays in the Yamuna, all glories to the king of mantras: Your flute's fifth note, which bewilders the intelligence, drives away shyness, subdues the elephants of the fear of transgressing the rules of religion, and draws to it the transcendental forms of the beautiful-eyebrowed gopis.
13 O Lord who, with the sweet sound of Your flute, attracts the gopis to the forest, O Lord who is very pleased by intelligent Radhika, O Lord expert at delighting thousands of beautiful girls, O lover of a great multitude of affectionate gopis, O Lord please protect me.
May the arrows of Lord Krsna's sidelong glances, which are shot from moving eyebrow-bows more proud than the bow of the god of love, which pierce the hard armour of the pride of the most virtuous girls, and which become thunderbolts breaking the hearts of the most chaste young girls, bring transcendental happiness to you.
14 O Lord decorated with swinging vicalika flower earrings, O supreme ornament of all handsome men, O Lord who fought the king of the snakes, O Lord who removed the fear of the world, O Lord worshipped by Brahma and Siva, O Lord pleased by the brief prayers of Your servant, O Lord glorified by jubilant King Indra, O Lord expert at defeating the restless demons, O Lord whose motions defeat the most graceful elephant, O Lord whose neck is anointed with fragrant sandal paste, O Lord whose handsome arms are decorated with glistening armlets, O Lord who brings great happiness to Your friends, O Lord who wears jingling jewelled bracelets, O Lord who wears rangana flowers in Your moving hair, O Lord whose garments are splendid with kunkuma, O Lord whose bodily fragrance is very sweet, O Lord who brings transcendental auspiciousness to the home of King Nanda, O Lord handsomely anointed with colourful ghusrna, O Lord whose lotus soles are splendidly reddish, O Lord who increases the amorous desires of the young girls of Vraja, O Lord anointed with musk, please grant auspiciousness to me.
I pray that upon Lord Krsna, who is colourfully decorated with mineral pigments from Govardhana Hill, who is a spark to ignite the straw of the demons, who is a timingila fish sporting in the ocean of battling the demons, and who is the auspiciousness of Vraja, I may repose my love.
15 O handsome Lord accompanied by beautiful girls decorated with splendid necklaces, O ornament of the universe, O Lord whose splendour enchants the gopis, O hero, all glories to You.
The full moon (Lord Krsna) of Vrndavana, which shatters the darkness, delights the night blooming lotuses, and melts the candramani jewels of the devotees' hearts, shines with great splendour.
16 O Lord who displays all good qualities, O killer of Sakatasura, O Lord who carries a new stick, O Lord who wanders through the forest, O Lord who enjoys pastimes of dancing, O charming Lord, O Lord who fills the forest with a sweet fragrance, O Lord who protects the surabhi cows, O Lord who enchants the entire world with the music of Your flute, O Lord who has red lips, O youthful Lord, O Lord who has long arms, O Lord the slightest scent of whose mercy is as great as an ocean , O Lord who, expanded as Balarama, became like a baby elephant to squash the grasshopper (of Pralambasura), O Lord who holds a lotus flower, O Lord who associates with the great devotees expert at relishing the nectar of transcendental mellows, O thief of the yoghurt jar, O Lord who speaks very sweetly, O devoted lover of a multitude of beautiful and playful young girls, O hero, O Lord surrounded by beautiful doe-eyed girls, O Lord who enjoys pastimes like those of a male elephant enjoying with his many wives, O beloved of Tulasi, O Lord who made the demons' wives into widows and made them remove the part in their hair, O Lord, please be compassionate to me.
17 O Lord anointed with sandal paste, O fragrant Lord, O Lord whose cheeks are the dancing arena for swinging earrings, O Lord whose glistening neck is decorated with a splendid garland of blossomed jasmine flowers, O Lord gracefully decorated with asoka buds, O Lord whose handsome transcendental form is as splendid as black kajjala, O Lord who glows with love for Maharaja Nanda, O hero, all glories to the sweet sound of Your flute, the expert messenger that arouses the amorous desires of Srimati Radharani, pulls Her from Her home and takes Her into the forest.
18 O Lord, O auspiciousness of Nanda's wife Yasoda, O Lord who violently killed the demoness Putana and made her body fall to the ground, O Lord who harshly punishes the demons, O supremely powerful Lord, O Lord who becomes restless in adolescence, O Lord who hides in the porches of Gokula, O Lord who pleases the cows, land, and senses, O Lord who fills Srimati Radhika with intense transcendental bliss, O Lord who, by glancing at the blossoming madhavi creepers in the grove of vetasi trees, becomes inflamed with amorous passion, O delight of the doe-eyed gopis, O Lord who enjoys pastimes like a maddened elephant, O Lord who embraces the unembarrassed and affectionate gopis, O Lord whose neck is decorated with a flower garland that attracts a swarm of charming bees, O Lord eager to enjoy transcendental pastimes, O Lord whose great crown is decorated with many patali, kunda and madhavi flowers, O unlimited, Lord, O hero, please always protect me.
O Lord as handsome as a blossoming blue lotus flower, O root from which the most intense transcendental bliss has sprouted, O Govinda, please delight me with the fragrance of Your lotus feet.
19 O Lord whose teeth are like jasmine flowers, O Lord whose belt is carefully tied, O Lord dressed in golden garments, O Lord whose smiles and laughter are supremely charming, O husband of the goddess of fortune, may Your smile's transcendental splendour, which mocks the ocean of nectar, which is the most powerful aphrodisiac for the gopis, and which, to the eyes of the people of Vraja, is autumn moonlight that dispels the darkness of ignorance, give transcendental happiness to us.
20 O Lord who eclipses the splendour of the lustrous blue lotus flowers, O Lord whose expert dancing has removed the pride of the king of peacocks, O Lord more handsome than the newly blossoming blue lotus flowers, O Lord whose handsome yellow garments make You look like a dark monsoon cloud and a flash of lightning, O Lord who gracefully dances on the Yamuna's shore, O Lord whose dancing eyes have defeated a host of khanjana birds, O Lord whose arms are fragrant with haricandana, O Lord expert at pleasing the young gopis, O Lord whose playful sidelong glances are very sweet and filled with ever-new happiness, O Lord whose face is so fragrant that it attracts a swarm of restless bumblebees, O Lord whose handsome face is as splendid as an autumn moon, O Lord who wears charming, golden, shark-shaped earrings, O Lord whose arms are a cage to hold the parrot of the hearts of young girls, O Lord whose hair is gracefully decorated with many vicalika flowers, O Lord expert at kissing the moonlike faces of the beautiful and slender gopis, O Lord who violently crushes the pride of the demons in battle, O hero, O Lord Krsna, when You play Your flute the gopis tremble in ecstasy, disengage their hands from decorating their hair and, forgetting their husbands, at once run to the forest. When the demons hear the sound of Your flute they tremble in fear, throw away their swords and, forgetting their wives, flee into the forest.
21 O Lord who wears tilaka markings drawn in red kunkuma, O Lord who wears a garland of madhavi flowers, O Lord who wears many ornaments, O Lord whose neck is anointed with colour, O handsome golden drinking vessel where the bumblebees of the eyes of the doe-eyed gopis drink, O monarch of the pastimes of transcendental love, I glorify You, who are decorated with a host of auspicious ornaments.
22 O fearless Lord, O abode of pure transcendental love, O Lord who is inclined to Your dear friends, O Lord whose smile has defeated the conchshell, O musician who jubilantly plays clear, high notes, O Lord who happily dances, O Lord who stays with the affectionate deer, O Lord who wears swinging earrings of many red lavanga flowers strung together, O Lord who wounded a serpent with the waves of Your dancing, O Lord who becomes filled with transcendental amorous desire by the sight and sound of the waves of buzzing bees wandering among the blossoming flowers on the topmost branches of the tall trees, O Lord who has become the audience for the singing and dancing of the swarms of wandering bumblebees and the graceful waves of restless glances from the eyes of the happy does, O Lord who quickly glances from the corner of Your eye, O Lord who sits on the lap of Your gopi friend at Your secret rendezvous, O Lord whose face is glorified by the splendid moon, O Lord whose feet are like the lotus, all glories to You! O Lord, please be merciful to me, who am very poor and sinful.
O Lord whose garments are as splendid as the sunrise, O Lord expert in the arts of amorous battle, O Lord who, with the waves of Your restless sidelong glances, devours the thoughts of the gopis, O best of the gopas, please bring transcendental happiness to my eyes.
23 O Lord whose glistening forehead is decorated with fragrant kunkuma, O Lord who wears a softly jingling bell, O Lord whose complexion is more splendid then a mass of new monsoon clouds, O Lord whose flute produces waves of the most intense sweetness!
I pray that I may love the best of the gopas, who wears charming flower-blossom earrings, who is a cage where the cakora birds of the young gopis' eyes lie captive, and who, anointed with an abundance of fresh kunkuma, now displays a fair complexion.
24 O Lord whose hair moves in the wind, O splendid Lord, O Lord decorated with peacock feathers and five kinds of charming flowers, O Lord glorified by the demigod Brahma, O Lord whose sweet flute-music attracts the buzzing bees from the nearby hills and forests, O Lord who defeated a hostile serpent, O Lord made yellow by the fresh pollen carried by the breeze limping among the flowering vines, O Lord who extinguished the fire burning among the munja grasses, O Lord who is fond of gunja, O Lord who stays in the forest groves and on the hills, O Lord eager to enjoy transcendental amorous pastimes, O Lord whose hands are more splendid than a newly blossomed red lotus, O Lord who stopped torrential rains and great winds, O Lord who, with the tinkling sounds of Your ankle bells and the sweet fragrance of Your transcendental body, has brought to life a new god of love, O Lord who conquered the pride of the demigod Siva, all glories to You.
25 O Lord who enjoys the nectar mellows of transcendental amorous pastimes, O fragrant Lord, O Lord who enjoys the company of the young gopis, O Lord who has handsome long hair, O Lord decorated with flowers, O Lord who enjoys pastimes on Govardhana Hill!
O Lord whose dancing eyebrows are more wonderful than the bow of flowers held by the god of love, O lotus-eyed Lord, please decorate the lotus flower of my heart.
26 O Lord fond of carrying a stick, O Lord whose hair is decorated with peacock feathers, O Lord within whose cheeks is a smile that is the son of the crescent moon, O beehive filled with the honey of pure transcendental love, O moon-faced Lord, O lake filled with the nectar of transcendental amorous pastimes, O Lord who crushed the heads of a serpent, O Lord whose abdomen contains all the universes, O Lord whose anklebells tinkle melodiously, O Lord who fights very heroically in battle, O Lord whose arms are like two great elephant trunks, O Lord who kills all the violent and sinful demons, O Lord who with great learning defeats Your friends in a mock battle, O Lord fond of the bhandira tree, O Lord who broke the pots filled with yoghurt as white as new sea-foam, O Lord whose sweet flute-music stuns the cuckoos, O lover of the gopis whose beautiful necks are decorated with jewel necklaces, O hero who is like a powerful lion in battle, all glories to You! All glories to You!
O Lord whose very powerful arms are like the coils of great snakes, O Lord whose sandal tilaka marking is very glorious, O lotus-eyed Lord, please decorate my heart with the splendour of Your face, which eclipses a great host of rising moons.
27 O archer who moves the bows of Your eyebrows, which eclipse the pride of the bow carried by the god of love, O Lord who stays under the bhandira tree, O maddened elephant who stays by the shore of the Yamuna, O Lord surrounded by splendid lotuslike friends, all glories to You!
28 All glories to You! All glories to You! O slayer of the demons, O Lord who pleases the entire world with Your transcendental sweetness, O gentle hearted Lord, O Lord who is fond of Springtime, O Lord who has handsome white teeth, O Lord who casts restless glances from the corners of Your eyes, O Lord who is a continual flood of transcendental glory, O powerful companion of numberless friends, all the great liberated devotees are full of love for You. O Supreme Personality of Godhead, O son of Nanda, O source of all good qualities, O Lord whose transcendental form is as splendid as a dark monsoon cloud, O Lord whose teeth are like splendid jasmine flowers, O Lord whose abdomen contains numberless universes, O Lord whose hair is decorated with fresh mandara flowers that fill the forest of Vrndavana with a very sweet fragrance, O Lord worshipped by all the great demigods, O Lord glorified by the most eloquent poets, O Lord whose two feet rebuke the splendid lotus flowers and the glistening moon, O Lord whose pastimes delight the king of Nandisvara (Maharaja Nanda), all glories to You!
O Mukunda (Krsna), I pray that the lotus flower of Your face, which is filled with the flowing nectar of Your splendid smile and the sweet fragrance tasted by the great swanlike devotees, and which delights the bumblebees of the gopis' eyes may grow in the lake of my heart.
29 O Lord worshipped by the demigods flying in the sky, O Lord whose flute music defeats the gandharva musician Tumburu, O Lord surrounded by handsome-faced deer, O Lord dressed in yellow garments, please enjoy transcendental pastimes with the beautiful gopis on the charming kadamba flower filled shore of the Yamuna.
30 O Lord who dives into the nectar of transcendental mellows, all glories to You! O Lord who trembles with love, O Lord who brings auspiciousness to Your friends, O Lord who is very compassionate to those who bow before You with awe and trembling, O Lord whose hair is decorated with garlands of blossomed campa flowers that eclipse the splendour of lightning, O Lord whose face is glorified by earrings of blossomed kadamba flowers, O dear friend of the cowherd boys, O Lord whose face is like a splendid lotus flower blossoming wide with the rising of the sun, O Lord whose arms are very long and powerful, O Lord who is very bold in kissing the young gopis, whose lips are like bimba fruits and whose breasts like the bulging forehead of Ganesa, O Lord who is very eager to embrace the gopis, O Lord, please give auspiciousness to Your devotees. O Lord whose appearance mocks the splendour of a dark cloud and glistening lightning, O Lord to whom the demigod Siva bows down, O Lord who defeats the pride of Indra, who holds the powerful thunderbolt in his hand, O Lord, even though I am a debauchee at heart, please give to me a drop of Your perfect transcendental mercy.
O Lord who is like a maddened elephant in the blossoming forests and cottages of flowering vines by the shores of the Yamuna, O Lord whose splendid dark limbs condemn the glory of black anjana, please make me happy by splashing me with the waves of Your playful sidelong glance.
31 O Lord whose complexion mocks the splendour of blue lotus flowers, O Lord whose eyes are like two restless khanjana birds, O Lord who kisses the young gopis, O Lord who wears a kadamba flower in Your moving locks of hair, O Lord who, surrounded in the auspicious place of flowering vines by beautiful gopis restless wit love as they play love songs on vinas, jokingly plays the notes of mullara raga on Your flute, please make my eyes blossom wide open with the charming lightning flash of Your pastimes.
32 O Lord who, past the border of the great city of Vraja enters the grove of flowering vines filled with many small ponds and lakes, many crickets,and many beautiful malli, sivamalli and kumuda flowers, O Lord who enjoys the hallisaka dance, O Lord whose restless eyebrows have defeated the god of love, O Lord gracefully decorated with tilaka, O Lord as handsome as hundreds of demigods of love, O Lord who splashes in the lake of playful mock battles, O Lord whose transcendental pastimes are supremely auspicious, please protect us,
O Lord who, by moving the wonderful flowering vine bows of Your eyebrows makes the gopis tremble, O dear son of Yasoda, O Lord surrounded by the splendid surabhi cows and calves, please gloriously appear before us.
33 O perfect friend to play with the gopas, O Lord whose reddish lips are like newly blossomed sprouts, O Lord who is very submissive to Your beloved gopis, O Lord even a small drop of the intense sweetness of whose transcendental pastimes remains remote and difficult to attain for the great sages fixed in santa-rasa, O Lord who displays wonderful youthful prowess in pastimes of wrestling, O Lord surrounded by doe-eyed girls blossoming with happiness, O Lord the playful movements of whose eyebrows arouse their amorous passions, O Lord who bears the sweet fragrance of many jasmine flowers, O Lord whose sweet music enchants the deer, O Lord whose hair is circled by a garland of red hallaka flowers, O hero!
With great happiness I worship the Sri Krsna asoka tree, which, its shoulders embraced by the tendril hands of gopi vines, is now blossoming with transcendental bliss.
34 O Lord whose restless, reddish, merciful, handsome eyes have entered the hearts of the young gopis, O Lord who sometimes rests in a mountain cave, O shelter of the gopas, O Lord whose feet are like blossoming flowers, O Lord handsomely reddened with auspicious kunkuma, O Lord decorated with sandal paste, O Lord whose words are gladdening, O Lord who broke the cart demon, O Lord who punishes the fearful and arrogant demons, O Lord who is a festival of happiness for human society, O Lord who protects the surabhi cows, O Lord who carries a buffalo horn bugle, O Lord who defeated the Kaliya serpent, O Lord who lifted transcendental Govardhana Hill, O Lord whose eyes are very handsome, O Lord who walks as a graceful elephant, O abode of eloquent words that arouse the amorous desires of the gopis, O Lord who wears an elegant crown, O Lord who carries an asoka staff, O Lord whose hands are reddish, O Lord as powerful as a great horde of ferocious, roaring, eight-headed sarabha monsters, O Lord whose face is decorated with swinging earrings, O Lord whose complexion is as splendid as the dark waters of the jubilant Yamuna River, O Lord who wears a crown of forest flowers, O shelter of the gopas crying (in fear of the forest fire), O Lord surrounded by the surabhi calves, O Lord handsomely decorated with sandal paste, aguru, musk and kunkuma, O Lord decorated with splendid bracelets, O Lord whose pastimes are famous everywhere, O Lord, please grant auspiciousness to us.
I pray that in Sri Krsna, who is a scythe to cut down the demons, who is decorated with colourful mineral pigment, who fills the world with wonder, whose transcendental pastimes bring great bliss to the heart, and who is the gopis friend, I may place my love.
35 O Lord who, on the tall hilltop filled with wandering bumblebees, playfully makes waves of sound flow from Your buffalo-horn bugle, O hero, after turning the wives of the violent demons into widows, You filled the pundraka flower groves of Vrndavana forest with the beautiful girls of Vraja.
36 All glories to You! All glories to You! O Lord whose smile is handsome and charming, O Lord who used a great hill to defeat King Indra, O Lord who enjoys the nectar of transcendental amorous pastimes in the caves of Your own hill, O Lord who wears a jewel necklace, O Lord who is a grand palace of the jewels of transcendental virtues and talents, O Lord on whose chest the goddess of fortune rests, O Lord whose motions defeat the most graceful elephants, O Lord who is very affectionate to Your friends, O Lord who brings happiness to the demigod Siva, O Lord who wears tilaka drawn in sandal paste, O Lord worshipped by the demigod Brahma, O Lord whose forest of Madhuvana rebukes the charming sweetness of the celestial Nandana gardens filled with haricandana trees, O Lord pleased by the transcendental forest fragrant with many flowers, O Lord conquered by love, O Lord who wears earrings made of peacock feathers and bhandila flowers, O Lord whose splendid teeth defeat new white rice grains, O Lord expert in amorous battle, O Lord who plays jokes on the beautiful gopis, O Lord decorated with the gopis' nail scratches, O Lord bitten by the gopis' teeth, O hero, O handsome king of Vraja, we offer our respectful obeisances to You, who are delighted by the splendid gopis, whose virtues and talents embarrass Goddess Parvati and whose beauty makes goddess Laksmi revile the beauty of her own transcendental form.
37 O Lord who enjoys the different mellows of transcendental love, O Lord who is fond of the forest full of blossoming flowers, O Lord who enjoys amorous pastimes of dancing with the gopis, O Lord who stole the gopis' garments, O hero, O Krsna, may the sweet sound of Your flute, to which the Vedas and the six Vedangas respectfully bow down, which the demigoddesses of the Upanisads respectfully place upon their parted hair, and which the sacred syllable om respectfully glorifies with a happy heart, bring transcendental happiness to us all.
38 O moon shining in the family of Maharaja Nanda, O Lord who breaks the sleep of repeated birth and death, O Lord whose splendid teeth defeat the jasmine flowers, O Lord who kills the demons, O Lord who breaks the festival of the god of love, O Lord the narration of whose pastimes is as sweet as nectar, O Lord who enjoys transcendental amorous pastimes in the charming forest groves filled with blossoming jasmine flowers, flowering vines and humming bees, O Lord who stays in the company of Your charming friends, O Lord whose transcendental limbs glisten with happiness, O Lord who delights in transcendental amorous pastimes, O Lord whose sweet music is as charming as the singing of a maddened cuckoo, O fragrant Lord, O Lord delighted by the forest flowers, O Lord who tore apart the demon yaksa Sankhacuda, O Lord expert in battle, O Lord whose hair is handsomely decorated with a peacock feather, O Lord who crushes into powder the material desires of Your surrendered devotees, O hero, O Lord Krsna, please stand in my heart.
O Lord Krsna, Your flute overwhelms both friends and enemy alike. The one it charms with friendly waves of nectar, and the other it poisons with the most dangerous sound.
39 O Lord who leads the demons to liberation, O Lord who possesses limitless auspicious mercy, O Lord whose ankle-bells jingle like the twang of the bow held by the god of love, who shoots arrows of flowers, O hero.
May Lord Krsna, who tore apart the ferocious enemy (Kuvalayapida) sent by Kamsa, and who, by violently dancing in the arena, killed the tigerlike wrestlers, stay in the white lotus of your heart.
40 All glories, all glories to You, O Lord expert at playing the flute, O Lord whose restless, love filled eyes defeat the autumn lotus flowers, O Lord who steals away the peaceful composure of the wives of the Siddhas and Caranas, O Lord decorated with splendid jewel necklaces and earrings, O Lord who stays on splendid Govardhana Hill, which glistens with many pleasant lakes, O Lord whose transcendental form decorates Your decorations, O Lord who found and killed the bull-demon Aristasura, O Lord who wears a peacock feather in Your splendid, curling hair, O Lord whose face is more splendid than a host of moons, O Lord who enjoys amorous battle in a cottage in the forest grove, O Lord whose arms are two bold snakes eager to enjoy the nectar happiness of embraces, O Lord who is like a moving young tamala tree, O Lord who sincerely and expertly fulfils all the desires of the cowherd people, O Lord who holds a staff in Your right hand, O Lord whose splendour eclipses millions of suns and moons, O Lord who is decorated with handsome tilaka drawn with the yellow pigment gorocana, O Lord whose transcendental qualities delight Ananta Sesa, Brahma, Sanaka Kumara, and Sanandana Kumara, O handsome hero, please fill me with transcendental happiness.
O Lord, when the reddened, expanded sun of Your glory rises, the darkness of the demons flees to hide in caves.
41 O Lord who enjoys embracing the young gopis by the shore of the Yamuna, O Lord whose limbs glisten with the great waves of the nectar mellows of Your transcendental amorous pastimes, O hero, when the frightened demons headed by Arista, Vatsa and Kesi, saw Your kindness to the cows and other animals, they abandoned all pride and assumed the forms of animals.
42 O Lord with handsome hair, O Lord prayed to by Brahma, Siva, and Ananta Sesa, O Lord who has no material qualities, O Lord who has countless transcendental qualities, O hero of transcendental pastimes, O Lord who ferociously fought with the Kaliya serpent, O joy of Gokula, O Lord who dutifully bows down before Nanda Maharaja, O giver of intense transcendental bliss, O enchanter of the god of love, O Lord who drove away the pride of the young girls proud of their exquisite beauty, O graceful artist in the rasa dance, O Lord surrounded by fair-complexioned, buxom, beautiful girls, O Lord who stays with them in a hundred forest groves, O Lord who pleases the young gopis, O Lord worshipped by exquisitely beautiful Sri Radhika, O Lord who dallies with the shy gopis, O Lord whose crown is tilted, O Lord exhausted by enjoying many pastimes, O Lord whose eyes are filled with transcendental desire, O Lord whose eyes are red with anger, O Lord who grants liberation to the demons, O Lord to whom the whole world bows down, O protector of the gopas, O happiness of the poets, O abode of mercy, O hero, please protect me.
O Lord who wears a peacock feather crown, even though You defeat them, make them foam at the mouth with exhaustion, bind them, frighten them, and kill them, You still grant liberation to Your enemies.
43 O Lord whose sweet pastimes are filled with love, O Lord who is worshipped and served by the gopas, O Krsna, Your hair, decorated with a new peacock feather, and appearing as a wonderful sharp dagger carried by the god of love, who holds a bow of flowers, now agitates the doe-eyed gopis.
44 O Lord, seeing Your power in battle, the frightened demons pierced the coverings of the material universe and fled far away.
45 O Lord whose glance removes the pride of the proud girls, O sun that torments the owls of the demons, O Lord worshipped by the dindima playing demigods, O Lord who has two splendid bolts that are Your powerful arms, O Lord whose glance charmed the hearts of the young girls initiated for the sacrifice, O Lord who has a very gentle and splendid smile, O Lord who, by lifting the hill, destroyed the darkness of pride that had swallowed up King Indra, O Lord dressed in charming, splendid, colourful garments, O Lord who defeated the great power of the Kesi demon, O Lord who speaks very sweetly, O Lord who brings a great festival of happiness to the demigod Siva, O Lord whose flute is praised by the prayers of Brahma, O Lord who removed the earrings from Kamsa's wives, O Lord whose restless handsome eyes were tossed by waves of happiness in the dancing arena, O Lord made restless by the appearance of the god of love, O Lord who stole the gopis' garments, O Lord whose great festival in the dancing arena is glorified in the dramas of great poets, O slayer of repeated birth and death, please deliver me. O eternal hero, please glance upon me.
May Lord Krsna's armlet-decorated left arm, which is a thunderbolt chisel that broke the great stone of the horse-demon Kesi, and made its dreadful teeth fall out, make us expert in pure devotional service.
46 O Krsna, O Lord who is harsh to the demons, O Lord pleased by the young gopis, O Lord conquered by their charming fragrance, please appear before me.
O Lord even, though I have now come to the time of life that brings blindness and old-age, Your auspicious mercy has not yet come to me.
47 All glories to You, O Lord as splendid and handsome as a host of monsoon clouds, O Lord whose handsome and gentle smiles and laughter are like splendid and pure moonlight, O Lord who kisses the moon faces of the doe-eyed gopis, O Lord whose glistening eyes play like restless khanjana birds, O most expert tactician in the arts of amorous battle, O Lord who has been made into a jester by the great cleverness of affectionate Srimati Radhika, O Lord whose peerless flute music charms the young gopis, O Lord whose eternal sweetness delights the demigods, O Lord who wears a garland of peacock feathers in Your curling hair, O Lord whose jewelled, swinging, shark-shaped earrings dance about Your ears, O Lord who dances with great energy and enthusiasm, O Lord the splendour of whose teeth has conquered the white rice grains, O Lord who wears a beautiful dadimi flower in Your ear, O Lord whose leaf-flute has enchanted the restless calves with its sweet, soft sound!
May Lord Krsna, whose disarrayed hair is decorated with bunches of punnaga flowers and a crown of peacock feathers, whose complexion is as splendid as sapphires and who stands like a god of love in the forest by the Yamuna's shore, protect me.
48 All glories to You, O Lord who is dear to Garga Muni, O Lord glorified by the demigod Siva, O hero, O Lord who is submissive to the devotees who taste the nectar of eternal love for You!
O Lord Krsna, all glories to Your horn's sound, which can be heard from very far away, and which has become the initiating and instructing spiritual master of the demons' wives, teaching them how to follow the vows of widowhood.
49 O Lord whose hair is decorated with a multitude of flowers, O Lord whose nails have defeated the diamond mirrors, O Lord whose soldiers delighted the people with their prowess in battle, O Lord whose ferocious fighting is like the most graceful dance, O Lord whose feet crushed the angry Kaliya serpent, O shelter of all the cowherd people, O Lord whose happy eyes are charming and gladdening, O Lord who rests in the cave of a hill, O Lord who delights the young gopis, O Lord expert at fighting lovers' quarrels, O Lord who kills the troublesome demons, O Lord whose pure words full the world with nectar, O Lord whose soft, splendid, pure smile is a kumuda flower, O Lord whose charming face is a kamala flower, O Lord whose moving locks of hair are like black bees, O Lord who wears tilaka drawn in splendid kunkuma, O Lord who stole the hidden jar of yoghurt, O unconquerable Lord, O hero, please always splendidly display Your pastimes in my heart.
O Krsna, all glories to Your horn's thunder, which is the life and soul of Your cataka bird friends, the delight of the demigod peacocks, and the source of fear for the demon swans.
50 O Supreme Person, O hero, O Lord who stands on the wonderful shore of the Yamuna, O Lord whose flute-music floods the world, O Lord who likes to hear the lowing of the surabhi cows, O hero, all glories to Your powerful arms, which are the shelter of all the worlds, and which tore the demons apart with such ferocious violence that everyone thought all powerful Lord Nrsimhadeva had suddenly appeared.
51 O Murari (Krsna)! How wonderful it is that although the demons, who are always envious of the demigods, have failed to penetrate Your military phalanx, they have penetrated the region of mitra, the sun-globe.
Note: This translation is taken from Nectar of Devotion (page 195), where Srila Prabhupada explains: "The word mitra is used metaphorically. Mitra means the sun-globe, and mitra also means friend. The demons who opposed Krsna as enemies wanted to penetrate His military phalanx; but instead of doing this, they died in battle, and the result was that they penetrated the planet mitra, or the sun-planet. In other words, they entered into the Brahman effulgence. The example of the sun-planet is given here because the sun is ever-illuminating, like the spiritual sky, where there are innumerable illuminating Vaikuntha planets, the enemies of Krsna were killed, and instead of penetrating Krsna's phalanx, they entered into the friendly atmosphere of the spiritual effulgence. That is the mercy of Krsna, and therefore He is known as the deliverer of His enemies also."
52 O boat that carries the living entities across the ocean of sin, O Lord who enjoys wonderful transcendental pastimes, O protector of the innocent, O Lord who protected the Vidyadhara who had taken the body of a serpent, O protector in battle, O supremely purifying Lord, O scythe that cuts down the sufferings of material bondage, O Lord unlimitedly famous in all the worlds, O supremely intelligent Lord, O supremely strong Lord, O original spiritual master, O best of all, O gentle Lord, O Lord who never falls down, O Lord who is very far from the material mind, O Lord who in every pastime is always handsome and charming, O Lord who stays with Balarama, O splendid Lord, O Lord free from anger, O ornament of the universe, O glorious Lord, O killer of the Madhu demon, O Lord Hari, O enemy of the Mura demon, O limitless Lord who cannot be perfectly understood even by the demigod Siva, O eternal Lord, O playful Lord, O Lord who kills the enemies of the demigods, O Lord who plays in the waves of the Yamuna, O Lord who brought transcendental happiness to Garuda by exiling the Kaliya serpent to the ocean, O Lord who stays in the caves of the best hills, O Lord who goes to the rendezvous, O Lord who stays with Your beloved, O splendid Lord, O very handsome Lord, O peaceful Lord, O end of Your enemies, O killer of the demons, O unlimited Lord, O Lord who has very handsome teeth, O Lord who smiles and laughs from the corners of Your eyes, O king of spring, O Lord eternally worshipped and served by the devotees, O hero, I continually worship and serve You.
O Mukunka (Krsna), by drinking even a fraction of a drop of the ocean of Your transcendental handsomeness what pious girls will not become enchanted and filled with desire? May Your handsome smiles, the vigorous dancing of the flowering vines of Your eyebrows, the waves of Your playful sidelong glances, and all Your enchanting quality extend Your kingdom very far.
53 O Lord who enjoys the rasa dance on the charming shore of the river bank, O Lord who plays "soldiers" with the cowherd boys, O Lord dressed in yellow garments, O Lord who holds a lotus in Your hand, O killer of the demons, O Lord who enjoys transcendental pastimes in the forest, O best of heroes, O playful joking Lord, O Lord Krsna, all glories to You!
The elephant of my mind is drowning in the insurmountable waves of material illusion. Strongly held by the ferocious crocodile of the threefold miseries, it anxiously cries with fear in its heart. O Lord Hari (Krsna), please rescue it with Your glowing Sudarsana cakra, which cuts the sufferings of the demigods to pieces.
54 O Lord to whom the demigod Siva bows down, O Lord who angrily turned the wives of the demons into widows, O cowherd boy, O Lord dressed in elegant silk garments, O killer of Bakasura, O Lord decorated by the most expert artists, O Lord who pleases Nanda Maharaja with Your transcendental pastimes, O Lord who is an ocean of the nectar of intense transcendental love, O hero, O Lord who happily accepts the prayers, singing, music, and dancing offered for Your pleasure, O Lord a drop of the great waves of whose handsomeness captivates everyone, O Lord who delights the earth, O Lord who cripples the demons, O mountain that crushed the pride of the Kaliya snake, O benefactor of the surabhi cows, O Lord who is merciful to Your kinsmen, O Lord who lifted the king of hills, O Lord who enchants everyone with Your handsomeness, O Lord who stole the garments and left the young girls to stand in the water, O thief who stole the jewel of the most fortunate gopi's heart, O Lord who enjoys transcendental pastimes in the heart of that most fortunate gopi, O Lord whose garments are as splendid as lightning, O Lord who protects the devotees trembling in fear of the cycle of repeated birth and death, O Lord blossoming with happiness, O effulgent Lord, O hero.
May Sri Krsna, the king of the forest and the merciful physician who, in the mortar and pestle of single combat, crushed the demons causing pain to the cows and cowherd boys, and rolled them into a pill to cure the forest of Vrndavana, give transcendental happiness to you all.
55 O Lord whose glistening black hair is decorated with a peacock feather, O Lord whose handsome form is anointed with sandal paste, O Lord who broke the mystic powers of the demons, O Lord whose splendidly handsome form is decorated with ornaments, O Hero, O Lord who enlivens all the demigods , O Lord who liberates the demons, O Lord who brings a continual festival of transcendental bliss to the land of Vraja, O killer of the demon Mura, I glorify You.
56 O Mukunda (Krsna), may the moon of Your face, which is flooded with waves of nectar from Your very charming smiles, which brings violent waves to the ocean of the beautiful gopis' conjugal bliss, and which turns the candramani jewels of Your devotees' eyes into gushing mountain streams, bring transcendental happiness to us.
57 O eight-legged sarabha monster who playfully broke the neck of the arrogant Arista demon lion, O Lord dressed in exquisite silk garments that rival the splendour of new gold, O Lord whose stone chest is the kinsman of the mountain boulder, O Lord who expertly punished the Kaliya serpent, O Lord who charmingly plays with a toy ball, O Lord decorated with bhandila and vicalika flowers, O learned scholar in the science of fighting, O Lord who brings anguish to the fanged demons, O Lord who weakens the crooked and dishonest, O Lord whose handsome cheeks are decorated with glittering sapphire shark-shaped earrings, O Lord who delights Your friends with graceful and enthusiastic dancing in the great Bhandiravana forest, O Lord kissed by Nanda Maharaja, O Lord whose smile is like a jasmine flower, O fragrant Lord, O auspicious Lord, O Lord from whose abdomen a host of universes has come, O great garden tool that uprooted the thorn tree of Kamsa, the demonic king of the Bhojas, O Lord whose merciful sidelong glance is like a great sun that drives away the dense darkness of any misfortune that may afflict Your surrendered devotees, O Lord whose handsome face mocks the sweetness of the gentle and cooling autumn moon, O Lord who is the worshipable Deity of the great sages who consider great treasuries of precious jewels equal to a pile of dust, O beloved of the gopis, whose lips are very sweet and charming, O Lord worshipped by the demigod Brahma, O Lord who has given Brahma his post, O hero!
I pray that the monsoon clouds of Lord Krsna's transcendental handsomeness, which please the cataka birds of the gopis eyes, which continually wash the world with a flood of the nectar of liberation, which cover both sun and moon, and which are decorated with a charming peacock feather, may give transcendental happiness to us.
58 O Lord Krsna, O Lord who is always merciful, who scolded the demigod Varuna, who delighted Your father, whom the saintly devotees proclaim rescues the surrendered devotees from the illusory potency maya and has an eternal transcendental form as splendid as a dark monsoon cloud, who, Your transcendental glories described by the pious, and fearlessly killing the powerful demons, enjoys transcendental pastimes with Your loving devotees, whom, garlanded with flowers, enjoying transcendental pastimes, and enjoying a festival of transcendental amorous pastimes, celestials demigoddesses desire to attain, of whom, because You are a flood of transcendental prowess, because Your bodily splendour eclipses the sun, and because You are a powerful warrior, Your enemy is afraid, even when You are far away, who, splendidly handsome, the crown jewel of all existence, Your transcendental limbs effulgent, and Your restless eyes filled with sidelong glances, holds a flute in Your hand, and who, effulgent, splendidly smiling, charming, and playful, is the object of the auspicious love of the beautiful-eyed gopis, O fear of the demons, O Lord who is very kind and compassionate to whomever remains always steady in Your devotional service, O Lord who steals away all the fears of Vraja, O hero, all glories to You! All glories to You!
All glories to the auspicious, wave-filled river of Lord Krsna's mercy, a river the great swans of advanced spiritualists yearn to attain, a river where the cakravaka birds of the devotees splash and play.
59 O Lord delighted by the joking words of Your friends, O affectionate lover of Srimati Radharani, O blissful Lord, O hero, O Lord of Mathura, O sweet Lord, O husband of the goddess of fortune, O charming flutist, O enchanter of the god of love, please cheerfully crush the great illusion of my heart.
60 O infallible Lord, all glories to You! All glories to You, O Lord who is compassionate to the suffering, O Lord who stopped the sacrifice to Indra, O Lord who stopped the torrential rains, O splendidly handsome and playful Lord, O powerful and heroic Lord, O supremely opulent Lord, O Lord who is very merciful to the demigods, O Lord whose mercy is sometimes seen, just as the letter l is only rarely seen in the Sanskrit language, O Lord who remains invisible to those who have not received Your mercy, just as the letter l exists only theoretically and is never actually seen in the Sanskrit language, O Lord who makes the cowherd people prosper, O Lord as splendid as a host of moons, O splendidly powerful Lord, O Lord always free of anger, O Lord who has handsome broad shoulders, O Lord who has handsome broad shoulders, O Lord dressed in golden garments, O Lord who has bracelets on His hands, O Lord who broke the greatest demons, O Lord whose walking has defeated the most graceful elephant, O Lord whose turban and upper garment are anointed with kunkuma, O Lord fond of playing the flute, O Lord with restlessly moving flowering vine eyebrows, O Lord who cheated hundreds of pious gopis, O Lord prayed to by the demigod Brahma, O Lord decorated with shark-shaped earrings, O Lord who plays a leaf flute, O king who binds the earth to His instructions, O Lord whose moonlike face dispels the darkness of a host of clouds, O Lord who plays a large dhakka drum with the palm of Your hand, O Lord who lifted up the great hill with the small finger of Your left hand, O Lord whose restless eyes condemn the khanjana birds, O Lord who crushes the demons, O Lord who brings prosperity to the surabhi cows, O abode of happiness for Nanda Maharaja, O Lord whose feet are like lotus flowers, O Lord who was pleased by the prayers of the Kaliya serpent, O Lord who enjoys playing with Your friends, O lord with handsome curling locks of hair, O Lord decorated with a handsome garland, O Lord who carries a stick under His splendid arm, O Lord whose handsome face is like a lotus flower, O Lord who pleases the cowherd people with Your charming playfulness and expert intelligence, O Lord whose activities are the source of transcendental bliss, O Lord surrounded by bumblebees, O Lord who holds a lotus flower, O brother of Balarama, O Lord who possesses a great multitude of blissful transcendental qualities, O hero!
I pray that Lord Krsna, who wears a flower-bud on His ear, who is as handsome as the god of love, who makes the kila-kincita ecstasy sprout and bloom in His beloved gopis, who is an ocean of transcendental fame, and who in His youth, His anger multiplied millions of times, playfully leaped like a lion and brought great suffering to Kamsa, the king of the Kukuras, may grant our desire.
61 O Lord who walks by the shore of the Yamuna, O Lord who stole the garments of the fair-complexioned gopis, who had faithfully observed a vow to worship goddess Gauri, O Lord whose hands became two thieves, O hero, O Lord who moves in the marketplace of love, O Lord who cuts the throats of the harsh demon kings and soldiers, O Lord whose garment is anointed with kunkuma, please dance within my heart.
62 O Lord who with Your moving feet killed the Kakatasura demon, O Lord who killed the washerman (of Kamsa), O Lord who brought the enemy's army under submission, O Lord who dances on the splendid hill, O Lord who wears a new bracelet made of gold and emeralds, O Lord who pretended to cry, O Lord who with the soft soles of Your dancing feet broke the yoghurt pot, O Lord who made the Sakatasura demon become very heavy, O Lord whose broad hips are covered by a garment as splendid as a great mass of gold, O Lord who has curling hair, O Lord who gracefully dances in a banyan tree overspread with many branches and tender new shoots moving to and fro by the shore of the Yamuna, O Lord who cheats the young gopis, O hero, all glories to You!
O Lord who, with the tender new sprout of Your dancing, punished the formidable serpent demon Kaliya, O Lord surrounded by Your kinsmen in Vraja, O Lord who killed the demons who brought chaos to the earth, all glories to You!
63 O Lord whose anklebells jingle, O Lord whose nails are sharp, O Lord whose teeth have defeated the splendid sikhara jewels, I am drowning in the painful, fathomless whirlpool of repeated birth and death. O Lord, O friend of the shelterless, O effulgent moon of mercy, please, this one time, quickly extend Your hand to save me.
64 Now that we have become Your devotees, Your holy names have created a jubilant festival in out mouths. Your bodily splendour, like a dark rain cloud, has now become the black ointment of our eyes, and the music of Your flute has become the ornament of our ears. We no longer take pleasure in material desires. O Almighty Lord, material desires no longer appear beautiful to us.
65 May he who reads this Govinda-virudavali, vibrating it within his throat, become a perfect, faultless and staunch devotee of Lord Krsna.
66 Lord Vasudeva (Krsna) becomes very pleased when He is glorified by the recitation of this beautiful and delightful Govinda-virudavali, which is filled with the description of His transcendental qualities.
67 Lord Hari (Krsna) becomes very quickly pleased with a person who, residing in the district of Mathura, glorifies Him with this beautiful and delightful Govinda-virudavali. | | 1:13 am |
Sri Krsna Kundastaka by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur
tim tapas cakara tirtha-laksam aksayam pura
suprasidati sma krsna eva sad varam yatah
yatra vasam apa sadhu tat samasta-durlabhe
tatra krsna-kunda eva samsthitih stutastu nah
What austerities did the hundreds of thousands of eternal holy places perform to please Krsna and obtain from Him the benediction to live at Krsna-kunda, the rarest holy place? Let us glorify residence at Krsna-kunda.
yady arista-danavo pi danado maha-nidher
asmad-adi-durmatibhya ity aho vasiyate
yo mrti-cchalena yatra muktim adbhutam vyadhat
tatra krsna-kunda eva samsthitih stutastu nah
If even the Arista demon was able to enter Krsna-kunda, then crooked hearted persons such as us may also be able to live there. Let us glorify residence at Krsna-kunda which, on the pretext of death, grants a wonderful form of liberation.
go-vadhassya niskrtis triloka-tirtha-kotibhi
radhayety avadi tena ta harih samahvayat
yatra parsni-ghata-je mamaj ja ca svayam muda
tatra krsna-kunda eva samsthitih stutastu nah
When Radha said, "To atone for killing a cow (Aristasura) You must visit millions of holy places in the three worlds," Krsna called all the holy places and then happily bathed in the lake that sprang from His heel. Let us glorify residence at Krsna-kunda.
kvapi papa-nasa eva karma-bandha-bandhanad
brahma-saukhyam eva visnuloka-vasita kvacit
prema-ratnam atyayatnam eva yatra labhyate
tatra krsna-kunda eva samsthitih stutastu nah
At some holy places one becomes free from all sins, at others one becomes free from the bondage of karma, at others one attains Brahman happiness, and at others one attains residence in Visnuloka. Let us glorify residence at Krsna-kunda, where without any effort one attains the jewel of pure love for Krsna.
phulla-madhavi-rasala-nipa-kunja-mandale
bhrnga-koka-kokiladi-kakali yad ancati
asta-yamikavitarka-koti-bheda-saurabham
tatra krsna-kunda eva samsthitih stutastu nah
Krsna-kunda is surrounded by groves of mango, kadamba and other trees with many madhavis and other vines. There is the music of cakravakas, cuckoos, and bees. At night there are millions of inconceivable sweet fragrances. Let us glorify residence at Krsna-kunda.
dola-keli-citra-rasa-nrtya-giti-vadanair
nihnava-prasuna-yuddha-sidhu-pana-kautukaih
yatra khelatah kisora-sekharau sahalibhis
tatra krsna-kunda eva samsthitih stutastu nah
With gopi friends the two crowns of youth enjoyed many pastimes there. They rode on a swing, danced wonderful rasa-dances, sang, played instrumental music, and talked. In a secluded place They eagerly drank the nectar of a flower-battle. Let us glorify residence at Krsna-kunda.
divya-ratna-nirmitavatara-sara-sausthavais
chatrika viraji caru kuttima-prabha-bharaih
sarva-loka-locanati-dhanyata yato bhavet
tatra krsna-kunda eva samsthitih stutastu nah
With the beauty of its glistening jewel shores and the splendor of its canopies and mosaic pavements it brings auspiciousness to all eyes. Let us glorify residence at Krsna-kunda.
mathuram vikunthato pi janma-dhama durlabham
vasakananam tato pi panina dhrto girih
sri-hares tato pi yat param saro ti-pavanam
tatra krsna-kunda eva samsthitih stutastu nah
The district of Mathura, Krsna's birthplace, is more sacred and difficult to attain than Vaikuntha. The forest where He lived is more sacred still, and the hill lifted by His hand is more sacred than that. More sacred than that is Lord Hari's very purifying lake nearby. Let us glorify residence at Krsna-kunda.
krsna-kunda-tira-vasa-sadhakam pathed idam
yo stakam dhiyam nimajya keli-kunja-rajitoh
radhika-girindradharinoh padambu jesu sa
prema-dasyam eva sighram apnuyad anamayam
May he who reads these eight verses, which convince one to reside at the shore of Krsna-kunda, and who also plunges his mind in the lotus flowers of Sri Sri Radha-Giridhari's feet, quickly attain sincere love for Them. | | 1:12 am |
Sri Krsnadevastaka by Srila Jiva Gosvami
amita-bhava-davabdhau dahyamanam ciran mam
katham api kalayitva purna-karunya-murtih
nija-sahaja-janante svi-cakaresvaro yas
tam iha mahita-rupam krsnadevam niseve
Here in Vrndavana I serve Lord Krsnadeva whose form is glorified and worshiped (by the devotees). Lord Krsna percieved that I had been burning in the great forest fire of material existance for a very long time. Full of mercy He accepted me and placed me in the association of my brothers Sanatana Gosvami, Rupa Gosvami and the other devotees.
Text 2
nikhila-jana-kupuyam mam krpa-purna-ceta
nija-carana-saroja-pranta-dese praniya
nija-bhajana-padavyavartayad bhuriso yas
tam iha mahita-rupam krsnadevam niseve
Here in Vrndavana I serve Lord Krsnadeva whose form is glorified and worshiped by the devotees. Although I am considered very low in the estimation of all people Lord Krsnadeva His heart full of mercy led me to the tip of His own lotus feet and time and again directed me on the path of His own devotional service.
Text 3
asucim arucimantam santatam bhakti-yoge
vihita-vidita-mantum jantu-jatadhamam ca
akrpana-karunabhih pati mam patinam yas
tam iha mahita-rupam krsnadevam niseve
Here in Vrndavana I serve Lord Krsnadeva whose form is glorified and worshiped by the devotees. Although I am impure fallen sinful and the lowest of living entities and although I am never attracted to His devotional service Lord Krsnadeva protects me with His generous abundance of mercy.
Text 4
ati-muni-mati-vrndam vrndaka-kananiyam
nija-carita-sudhalim bandhu-hrt-sindhu-palim
vidhur iva vidhuram mam tam ca samvyajayad yas
tam iha mahita-rupam krsnadevam niseve
Here in Vrndavana I serve Lord Krsnadeva whose form is glorified and worshiped by the devotees. May Lord Krsna who is like the moon cause the nectar of His own pastimes in Vrndavana to appear on the shore of the ocean which is the hearts of the saintly devotees residing in Vrndavana. Srila Sanatana Gosvami and the community of learned Vaisnava scholars, and my distressed self.
Text 5
sva-pada-nakharam indum tapa-dagdhaya datte
mukuram ajita-bhaktya svam pariskurvate ca
api kim api kamitre yas tu cintamanim me
tam iha mahita-rupam krsnadevam niseve
Here in Vrndavana I serve Lord Krsnadeva whose form is glorified and worshiped by the devotees. He gives the (cooling(c)moons which are His toenails to me who am burned by the distresses of material existance and He gives the cintamani jewel of His devotional service to me who am full of material desires although I tries to cleanse the mirror of my heart by engaging in pure devotional service unchecked by any circumstance.
Text 6
akrta-mrtam ivamum mam prasadamrtantam
tam atha valita-balyam pada-padmavalambe
tad api kalita-laulyam sneha-drstyavrtau yas
tam iha mahita-rupam krsnadevam niseve
Here in Vrndavana I serve Krsnadeva whose form is glorified and worshiped by the devotees.
Text 7
aham atisaya-tapto yah krpapurita-glaur
aham ati-mati-sitah papmanam pavako yah
aham asama-tamasvan veda-dhama svayam yas
tam iha mahita-rupam krsnadevam niseve
Here in Vrndavana I serve Lord Krsnadeva whose form is glorified and worshiped by the devotees. I am greatly afflicted by the miseries of material existance and Lord Krsna is a moon full of mercy. Although I am very dull-witted Krsna is the purifier of the fallen souls and although I am very ignorant, Krsna is the reservoir of all knowledge.
Text 8
nija-guna-gana-dhamna vipra-muktan nirundhe
pranaya-vinaya-jalai rudhyate taih samantat
atha ca vipathapannam trayate mad-vidham yas
tam iha mahita-rupam krsnadevam niseve
Here in Vrndavana I serve Lord Krsnadeva whose form is glorified and worshiped by the devotees. With the splendor of His transcendental qualities He attracts the liberated souls. Full of a flood of the waters of love (for His devotees) He protects even those like me who have fallen from the proper path.
Text 9
ubhaya-bhuvana-bhavyam yah sada me vidhata
nidhivad api yadiyam pada-padmam nisevyam
akrpana-krpaya sva-premadah sarvada yas
tam iha mahita-rupam krsnadevam niseve
Here in Vrndavana I serve Lord Krsnadeva whose form is glorified and worshiped by the devotees. With His generous mercy He is always granting His own love of Godhead. He is like a great ocean which is granting to me His own worshipable lotus feet which are the most valuable thing in both the spiritual and material worlds. | | 1:10 am |
Sri Sri Kunjaviharyastakam by Srila Rupa Goswami
indranilamani manula varnah
phulla nipakusumancita karnah
krsnalabhir akrsorasi hari
sundaro jayati kunjavihari
Glory to Kunjavihari (Krsna), whose complexion is as beautiful as a sapphire, whose ears are adorned with blooming Nipa flowers and whose broad chest is adorned with a beautiful gunja garland.
radhika vadana candra cakorah
sarva ballabavadhu dhrticorah
carcari catura tancita cari
caruto jayati kunja vihari
Glory to Kunjavihari, who is like a Cakora bird who lives on the light of Sri Radhika's moonlike face, who steals the patience of all the cowherd brides and who is expert in nicely dancing the carcari dance.
sarvatah prathita kaulika parva
dhvamsanena hrta vasava garva
gostha raksanakrte giridhari
lilaya jayati kunja vihari
Glory to Kunjavihari who removed Indra's pride by destroying the sacrifice to Him, although this was a family tradition in all respects. Glory to Giridhari, who protected Vraja as a mere pastime.
ragamandala vibhusita vamsi
vibhramena madanotsava samsi
stuyamana caritah suka sari
srenibhir jayati kunjavihari
Glory to Kunjavihari who playfully called the gopis for Cupid's festival with His flute, that is decorated with a variety of beautiful colors, and whose character is praised by flocks of suka and sari parrots!
satakumbha rucihari dukulah
kekicandraka virajita culah
navya yauvana lasad vrajanari
ranjano jayati kunjavihari
Glory to Kunjavihari whose dress steals the luster of gold, whose hairs are adorned with a peacock feather crest, and whose fresh,youthful beauty pleases the ladies of Vraja.
sthasakikrta sugandhi patirah
svarnakandi parisobha katira
radhikonata payodharavari
kunjaro jayati kunjavihari
Glory to Kunjavihari whose body is smeared with fragrant sandal paste, whose waist is adorned with a golden belt, and who is the elephant that is tied up by the chains of Sri Radhika's raised breasts.
gairi dhatu tilakojjvala bhalah
keli cancalita campakamalah
adrikandara grhesvabhisari
subhruvam jayati kunja vihari
Glory to Kunjavihari whose forehead is decorated with a shining tilaka of mountain minerals, who sports a playfully swinging garland of campaka flowers, and who meets His beloved Sri Radhika, who has fair eyebrows, in the mountain caves.
vibhramoccala drg ancala nrtya
ksipta gopalalanakhila krtyah
premamatta vrsabhanukumari
nagaro jayati kunjavihari
Glory to Kunjavihari who upsets all the cowherd girls with the restless dancing of the corners of His eyes and who is the gallant who maddens Vrsabhanu's daughter with love.
astakam madhura kunjavihari
ksidaya pathat ..sh kila hari
sa prayati vilasat parabhagam
tasya padakamalaroa ragam
Anyone who recites this sweet Kunja Viharyastakam will attain the supreme goal which is attachment to the worship of His lotus feet. | | 1:09 am |
Sri Sri Lalitastakam by Srila Rupa Goswami
1. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. She worships the perspiration of Sri Sri Radha-Mukunda's lotus feet and acts boldly, out of intense feelings of friendship for Them.
2. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. Her face defeats the beauty of the ambrosial corona of the full moon, her eyes are like those of an alarmed deer and she is expert in the art of decorating Sri Radhika.
3. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. She wears a wonderful silk dress colored like a peacock with outstretched feathers, as well as a nice blouse, and her complexion defeats the golden splendour of gorocana.
4. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. She teaches Sri Radhika the art of a left-wing heroine saying: "Radhe! Firmly reject this shrewd son of the king of Vraja, O immoral girl! Listen! Don't be weak! I'm saying it for Your own good. Don't submit to Him!"
5. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. Her eyes become red with anger if she sees the son of the king of Vraja cheating Sri Radhika even slightly, then she will promptly embarrass Him with her clever words.
6. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. She is the abode of affection for the Queen of cowherders, Yasoda, she is the teacher of the art of friendship for all the sakhis and her love for Sri Radhika and Krsna is equal.
7. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. She requests every girl in Vraja to join the party of Vrsabhanu's daughter and who fulfills all desires of that girl (or of Sri Radhika).
7a. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. All her desires were at once fulfilled when she saw the path of Sri Radha in Vraja being blocked by a certain person.
8. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. She always enjoys the festival of Radha and Vrajendrasuta's meeting and she is the chief of all Radha's dear girlfriends in Gokula.
9. Anyone who recites these prayers praising Lalita's wonderful qualities with a pure vision will be lovingly counted amongst her own (friends or maidservants) by Sri Radhika, the brilliant desire vine of the family of the Lord of Kirtida (King Vrsabhanu). | | Monday, January 7th, 2008 | | 10:49 pm |
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| | Friday, December 7th, 2007 | | 2:47 am |
Lalita sakhi, by Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja
Lalita-devi was born in the village of Karehla, and later on her father brought her to Uccagaon. Uccagaon is known as the place of her pastimes. There are still many remains of her having lived there, like a rock containing the imprints of her lotus feet. There are also imprints of some small utensils she used when she and the other sakhis fed Lord Krsna, when He would come to visit them. When the sun-rays fall on the imprints of those pots and plates, they glitter and shine. All the sakhis used to play with Krsna and Lalita in Uccagaon, and there are many places there where you can see their footprints to this day.
On the hill there is a slippery rock showing where a specific pastime was enacted in a marriage arena. There, the gopis arranged a special kind of marriage between Lalita and Krsna. This should not be misunderstood as a real marriage, but rather a play marriage, like the marriage that was once enacted between Srimati Radhika and Krsna. This is technically known as a Gandharva marriage.
In that pastime, Krsna was sitting beside Lalita, and the sakhis began to play mischievously. Visakha and some of the other sakhis tied Sri Lalita's veil to Krsna's pitambara (yellow shawl). Then suddenly, on the indication of Srimati Radhika, Rangadevi and other sakhis started to sing wedding songs, while Tungavidya and others uttered wedding mantras. The remaining sakhis showered flowers on Sri Krsna and Lalita. When Lalita noticed that something tricky was being done to her, she tried to run away; but because she was tied to Krsna's pitambara she could not do so. All the sakhis then surrounded the couple and married them.
Even today, one can see the signs of the slide on the hill, as well as the markings of ‘alta’ (red lac) from the gopi's feet. Although this pastime took place 5000 years ago, you can still visualize these signs with your own eyes.
Lalita is 27 days elder than Radharani. [According to the ’tithi’ astrological calculation, Lalita-devi's appearance day falls on the day before Srimati Radhika's appearance day.] She generally used to have the same loving mood towards both Radha and Krsna, yet she is more inclined to Srimati Radhika.
Sri Lalita-astakam:
Composed by Srila Rupa Gosvami
radha-mukunda-pada-sambhava-gharma-bindu
nirmanchanopakarani-krta-deha-laksam
uttunga-sauhrda-visesa-vasat pragalbham
devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami
[I offer pranama unto the haughty Sri Lalita-devi who is charmingly endowed with many beautiful, sweet qualities (sulalita). She has natural expertise in all arts (lalita), thus her seva self-manifests. She wipes away the glittering drops of perspiration which appear upon the lotus feet of Sri Radha and Madhava when They meet; and she is perpetually immersed in the most elevated mellow of sauhrda-rasa, or undivided absorption in fulfilling the heart's desire of her intimate friend Srimati Radhika.
(Sri Lalitastakam, verse 1)]
There are four types of sakhis: svapaksa, vipaksa, tatastha and suhrt. Svapaksa means those sakhis who are totally favorably disposed towards Srimati Radhika. Vipaksa means those gopis who are totally favorably disposed towards Candravali and opposed to Radhika. Tatastha means those who are neutral towards Srimati Radhika and more favorably disposed towards Candravali. Suhrt means those who are more favorably disposed towards Srimati Radhika and neutral towards Candravali. Suhrt gopis never do anything unfavorable towards Srimati Radhika.
Lalita-devi and Visakha-devi are examples of gopis who are svapaksa to Srimati Radhika, Candravali is vipaksa, Bhadra is tatastha, and Syamala is suhrt.
The mood of Lalita is that she is always favorable towards the pastimes of Radha and Krsna, and she always tries to please Them. She engages in millions upon millions of endeavors to please Them, and to serve the droplets of Their activities. When Radha and Krsna meet and engage in amorous pastimes, Lalita wipes away the droplets of perspiration on Their lotus feet. This means that she is engaged day and night in the service of Their sweet pastimes.
There are two types of services in madhurya-rasa (conjugal rasa). One is in the mood of the manjaris and the other in the mood of the sakhis. Lalita always serves in the mood of a sakhi. One of her qualities is that she has some controlling nature. She can command both Radha and Krsna, but at the same time she is friendly disposed towards Them.
She is always immersed in the ocean of love. She is very beautiful and very sweet, but at the same time very sober and composed. Her heart is so sweet that she attracts the heart of all others, but at the same time she is pragalbha, which means she can speak harsh words and can thus control both Radha and Krsna.
raka-sudha-kirana-mandala-kanti-dandi
vaktra-sriyam cakita-caru-camuru-netram
radha-prasadhana-vidhana-kala-prasiddham
devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami
[I offer pranama unto Sri Lalita-devi whose beautiful face mocks the brilliance of the full moon, whose eyes are ever-restless like those of a startled doe, who is famous for her extraordinary expertise in the art of dressing Srimati Radhika, and who is the treasure-house of unlimited feminine qualities.
(Sri Lalitastakam, verse 2)]
This verse begins by describing Srimati Lalita-devi's beauty. She is so beautiful that her beauty surpasses the combined beauty of millions of moons. Her eyes are said to be so restless that they can defeat the restlessness of the eyes of a female deer. Her specific quality is that she is very expert in applying make-up, and especially in arranging the hair decoration of Srimati Radhika. Although all the eight principle sakhis are very famous in putting on the bodily decorations and applying the make-up of Srimati Radhika, Lalita and Visakha are the most expert. Moreover, of these two, Lalita is considered the most proficient.
The pastime of decorating Srimati Radhika by Lalita and the other sakhis is described in "Govinda-lilamrta", written by Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, and in "Krsna-bhavanamrta," written by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Those who want to serve Radha and Krsna in the mood of a manjari should seriously take help from these scriptures. Sadhakas (devotional practitioners) can find pastimes such as the above-mentioned in those books, and they can try to be absorbed in them at the time of their devotional practices.
With reference to the verse above, Lalita and the other sakhis tell Srimati Radhika, "When you go to meet with Krsna, this is how You should behave with Him." They want Sri Krsna to be totally under the spell of Srimati Radhika.
While they are applying kajal, black eyeliner, they remind Srimati Radhika of Her previous pastimes with Sri Krsna. For example, once, when She was going out to meet Krsna, She forgot to put kajal on one of Her eyes, and Krsna Himself put it on, upon Her arrival. Similar pastimes are brought to the attention of Srimati Radhika at the time of putting on Her make-up, and in that way Her mood of bringing pleasure to Krsna is enhanced. When the gopis put the tilaka mark on Her forehead, they recite the kama-mantra, which still further inspires Her in Her mood of service to Krsna.
All these pastimes are arranged by Lalita-devi, and therefore she is described as the fountainhead of various wonderful qualities.
lasyollasad-bhujaga-satru-patatra-citra pattamsukabharana-kanculikancitangim gorocana-ruci-vigarhana-gaurimanam devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami[I offer pranama unto Sri Lalita-devi whose body is adorned with a splendid sari as brilliant as the multi-colored tail-feathers of an ecstatically dancing peacock, whose breast is covered with an exceedingly attractive blouse (kanculi), whose hair part is decorated with shimmering red vermilion, and who wears various necklaces and other jeweled ornaments. Her golden complexion defeats that of even gorocana (a bright golden pigment that comes when rain-water from the svati-naksatra constellation hits the hoof of a cow) and she possesses innumerable good qualities.
(Sri Lalitastakam, verse 3)]
In this verse a resemblance is given with a peacock. At the commencement of the rainy season, the peacock becomes very happy. The peacock has been especially gifted by God to have beautiful colors on his feathers. He expresses his happiness on seeing the clouds by spreading his wings. Srimati Lalita-devi's dresses are so beautifully ornamented and colored, that they express the mood of a peacock showing his happiness by spreading his wings. Her sari, her various kinds of necklaces and all her ornaments brilliantly glitter, and all this glittering combined with the luster of her own body give a profound impression.
The word gorocana is also mentioned in this verse. In that connection there is a particular constellation called svati-naksatra. When rain water hits the hoof of a cow it becomes yellow, like the color of turmeric. This very special yellow color defeats even the shimmer of gold. The substance gorocana is also considered very costly.
This is the impression Lalita gives when she is serving Srimati Radhika with all her paraphernalia, ornaments and beauty.
dhurte vrajendra-tanaye tanu susthu-vamyam
ma daksina bhava kalankini laghavaya
radhe giram srnu hitam iti siksayantim
devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami
[I offer pranama unto Sri Lalita-devi, the charming treasure-house of all good qualities, who instructs Srimati Radhika in this way: "O Kalankini (unchaste one)! Radhe! Listen to my good instructions which are favorable for you! Vrajendra-nandana is very crafty (dhurta). Don't display Your mood of gentle submission (daksina bhava) to Him; instead, in all circumstances be contrary."
(Sri Lalitastakam, verse 4)]
radham abhi vraja-pateh krtam atmajena
kutam manag api vilokya vilohitaksim
vag-bhangibhis tam acirena vilajjayantim
devim gunaih sulalitam namami
[I offer pranama unto the abode of all good qualities, the supremely charming Sri Lalita-devi, who, upon hearing Sri Krsna speak even a few sly words to Srimati Radhika, immediately becomes furious and shames Krsna with her biting, sarcastic remarks, "You are so truthful and simple-hearted, and such a chaste lover!"
(Sri Lalitastakam, verse 5)]
Srimati Radhika is controlled by the extreme love of Lalita-sakhi. When She is with Lalita-sakhi, Lalita can even chastise Her: "When Krsna comes, You should remain very unsubmissive and enter a sulky mood." Radhika may reply, "What can I do? As soon as I see Krsna in the distance, My sulky mood goes away. I cannot maintain it." Then with a raised finger, Lalita says, "Don't give up your unsubmissive mood. You should chastise Krsna, for He has so many bad qualities. He is crooked and unchaste. He is a cheater. He will come to You early in the morning – and what will He do? He will hold onto Your feet and beg forgiveness. But don't believe anything He says. Don't become submissive. Instead, You should chastise Him!"
Sakhis are of two types and two moods: (1) daksina – right wing or submissive. This is called ghrta-sneha (like ghee), and it is a quality of Candravali's group. (2) vamya – contrary or unsubmissive. This is called madhu-sneha (like honey), and it is a quality of Radhika's group. [Ghee is wholesome, but without much taste, whereas honey is wholesome and also sweet]
Radhika's mood is called vamya (left-wing, contrary, or unsubmissive) and Candravali's mood is called daksina (right-wing, or submissive). Only those gopis in the mood of vamya can completely control Krsna. The two groups, that is, Radhika's group and Candravali's group, do not appreciate each other. Candravali criticizes Srimati Radhika and Her group, saying, "How can they dare to do maan (be in a sulky mood) towards Krsna? He is so sweet and lovely!" Srimati Radhika and Her group think, "Why does Candravali become so submissive towards Krsna!?" Srimati Radhika says, "One must apply a weapon to control Krsna. Why doesn't Candravali control Him like us? How can she serve Him if she is not like us?" Thus, both groups cannot appreciate each other's moods.
Lalita is the siksa-guru of all the gopis in Radhika's group, and also of Radhika Herself. Srila Rupa Gosvami writes: Lalita-devi sometimes chastises Radhika, saying, "Oh Kalankini, Oh unchaste one, [She will be called unchaste by Her in-laws, and for that reason She may try to be contrary, but Lalita-devi is telling Her here that ho matter what others say, She should still be contrary to Krsna.] don't become submissive to Krsna."
In this song, Srila Rupa Gosvami repeatedly offers his prostrated obeisances to Srimati Lalita-devi. If Sri Krsna approaches Srimati Radhika and uses some clever cheating words, Lalita-devi cannot tolerate it. In nisanta-lila, Srimati Radhika has been waiting all night for Krsna to come, and yet He doesn't come. He finally comes very early in the morning, with signs on His divine body that He has been with other gopis. Lalita-devi tells Him, "Don't come here. We don't want Your service. Where is Your beloved? You should go to her." His eyes are very red and other symptoms are there. Lalita then chastises Him, saying, "Yes, I know You, Krsna. You are very chaste, simple and honest." By her sharp and harsh words, she makes Krsna ashamed and causes Him to be shy. This is described in "Sri Krsna-bhavanamrta".
Krsna sometimes challenges the gopis in the forest: "Why have you come here? Don't you know I am Vrajendra, the King of Vrndavana? By picking flowers here, you are destroying My Vrndavana!"
At that time Lalita-devi says, "We know what kind of 'protector' You are. Actually you have never planted one seed or watered one tree. Instead, with Your hundreds of thousands of cows, it is You who destroys Vrndavana. We are the real owners of Vrndavana. We have planted every seed and watered every tree."
Krsna then says, "Don't you know who I am? I am a very religious person and I have never told a lie."
Then Srimati Lalita-devi says, "Yes, we know what type of religious person You are. We heard that when You were only seven days old, You killed a woman named Putana, who came as a mother to You. And which house in Vrndavana have You not stolen from? Are You the same religious person who stole all the clothing of the gopis? Are You the same religious person who performed rasa-lila with all the married gopis of Vrndavana?" Krsna then becomes ashamed.
vatsalya-vrnda-vasatim pasupala-rajnyah
sakhyanusiksana-kalasu gurum sakhinam
radha-balavaraja-jivita-nirvisesam
devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami
[I offer pranama unto the supremely charming Sri Lalita-devi, who possesses all divine qualities; who is also the recipient of Yasoda-devi's parental affection; the guru of all the sakhis, instructing them in the art of friendship; and the very life of both Srimati Radhika and the younger brother of Baladeva.
(Sri Lalitastakam, verse 6)]
Without the presence of vatsalya-rasa (parental love), the glories of madhurya-rasa (conjugal love) do not manifest. One example occurs when Srimati Radhika goes with all Her sakhis to Nandagaon to cook. Mother Yasoda is there, but there is no disturbance. When Srimati Radhika goes to Nanda-bhavana with Lalita and the asta-sakhis (Radhika's eight most intimate friends), Yasoda-devi exhibits intense parental love towards Her – not less than the parental love she has towards her son Krsna. She also shows great affection to all the other sakhis and manjaris, because of their relation with Her.
All the asta-sakhis have so many excellent qualities, and therefore Srila Rupa Gosvami writes, "Of all the gopis, the asta-sakhis are the topmost." For example, Srimati Tungavidya-devi can speak with all types of birds and animals. She understands their language and can communicate with them. What can be greater than performing services to Srimati Radhika under the guidance of Lalita and Visakha and the other asta-sakhis? Lalita and Visakha are the siksa-gurus of all the gopis in the group of Srimati Radhika.
Lalita-devi's life and soul is Srimati Radhika and Krsna. Srila Rupa Gosvami prays, "I offer pranama again and again unto Srimati Lalita-devi."
yam kam api vraja-kule vrsabhanu-jayah
preksya sva-paksa-padavim anurudhyamanam
sadyas tad-ista-ghatanena krtarthayantim
devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami
["I offer pranama unto the supremely charming Sri Lalita-devi, the treasure house of all good qualities. Upon seeing any young maiden anywhere in Vraja and discerning that she is inclined towards her priya-sakhi Srimati Radhika, Lalita immediately tells Radha that She must accept this person in Her own party (svapaksa). Radha obeys Lalita, who thus fulfills that maiden's desires."
(Sri Lalitastakam, verse 7)]
Lalita has many charming qualities. What is Her greatest quality – Her quality that is most favorable for the sadhakas of this world? If she sees in Vrndavana any gopi, or anyone who has even a slight touch of a scent of desire to serve Srimati Radhika, she immediately fulfills that gopi's desire and gives her the unlimited wealth of the service of Srimati Radhika's lotus feet. If one has a one-pointed desire to perform service to Srimati Radhika under the direct guidance of Srimati Lalita-devi, and furthermore under the shelter of Sri Rupa Manjari, that devotee may know that Lalita-devi's shelter is the only path by which one can achieve this.
radha-vrajendra-suta-sangama-ranga-caryam
varyam viniscitavatim akhilotsavebhyah
tam gokula-priya-sakhi-nikuramba-mukhyam
devim gunaih sulalitam lalitam namami
[I offer pranama unto Sri Lalita-devi, the embodiment of all divine virtues and the foremost of all the favorite sakhis of Gokula. Her primary task is providing pleasure for Sri Radha-Govinda by arranging Their meetings – this delightful seva surpasses the enjoyment of all the best festivals combined together.
(Sri Lalitastakam, verse 8)]
Without the mercy of Lalita-devi, Giriraja or Yamuna, it is not possible to enter rasa-lila. The first and greatest is Srimati Lalita-devi herself, the second is Giriraja Govardhana and the third is Yamuna or Visakha-devi.
Lalita is the same age as Srimati Radhika, or she is twenty-seven days older. [It may happen one way in one yuga (millennium) and one way in another.] Like Radhika, Lalita also has all the qualities of being a yuthesvari – able to control her own group of subservient gopis. Why is she qualified to be a yuthesvari? If Bhadra, Syamala or Candravali can become yuthesvaris, then what to speak of Lalita-devi? However, despite being the same age as Radhika and having the qualification of a yuthesvari, still, the only goal of her life is to serve Srimati Radhika and to facilitate the meeting of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. Her only happiness is the meeting of Radha and Krsna, and to achieve that goal, she never considers any amount of discomfort or suffering.
Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami prays,
padabjayos tava vina vara-dasyam eva
nanyat kadapi samaye kila devi yace
sakhyaya te mama namo 'stu namo 'stu nityam
dasyaya te mama raso 'stu raso 'stu satyam
[O Goddess! I shall never pray to You for anything but the excellent service of Your lotus feet. I offer my constant obeisances unto the idea of becoming Your friend, but I truly relish the idea of becoming Your maidservant.
(Vilap-kusumanjali text 16)]
"Oh, I offer my obeisances millions of times to the position of a sakhi of Srimati Radhika. But my only real desire, birth after birth, is to attain the service of Srimati Radhika in the mood of a manjari. I have no desire to become equal to Radhika, like the sakhis."
Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami also prays, "I will never leave the feet of Radhika to go to Krsna. Even if Krsna goes to Dvaraka and calls me there, I will not go. However, if out of some madness Radhika has somehow gone to Dvaraka, I will fly even faster than Garuda to serve Her there."
(Svaniyama dasakam, verses 3 and 4)
nandann amuni lalita-guna-lalitani
padyani yah pathati nirmala-drstir astau
pritya vikarsati janam nija-vrnda-madhye
tam kirtida-pati-kulojjvala-kalpa-valli
[If a person with a cheerful and pure heart recites this astakam in praise of Lalita-devi, he will be affectionately brought into Srimati Radhika's own group of sakhis. Lalita-devi is superbly ornamented with beauty, grace and charm, and, along with Srimati Radhika, is the effulgent wish-fulfilling creeper (kalpa-valli) of Vrsabhanu Maharaja's family that winds around the kalpa-vrksa of Krsna.
(Sri Lalitastakam, verse 9)]
In conclusion, Srimati Lalita-devi is the wish-fulfilling tree of the prema-seva (service in love) of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. Whoever chants this Lalita-astakam will make Radha and Krsna happy. Moreover, Lalita-devi herself will be happy, and all our desires will be fulfilled. | | 2:13 am |
Bhakti siddhanta ( Sri Devananda Gaudiya Matha, Navadvipa, India )
The subject matter of Sri Raya Ramananada samvada is the backbone, the most vital part of Sri Caitanya Caritamrta. This is where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu revealed his Rasaraja-mahabhava Svarupa, His form as Radha-Krishna combined, to Sri Ramananda Raya. Raya Ramananda stated there that one can only achieve gopi-prema under the guidance of the gopis: "Unless one follows in the footsteps of the gopis, he cannot attain the service of the lotus feet of Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja. If one is overcome by knowledge of the Lord's opulence, he cannot attain the Lord's lotus feet, even though he is engaged in devotional service" (Caitanya Caritamrta. Madhya-lila 8.230). And, in order to be under the gopis, one must be under the guidance of Srila Rupa Gosvami. There is a verse by Kavi Karnapura in glorification of Srila Rupa Gosvami:
priya-svarupe dayita-svarupe
prema-svarupe sahajabhirupe
nijanurupe prabhur eka-rupe
tatana rupe svavilasa-rupe
(Madhya-lila 19.121)
"Indeed, Srila Rupa Gosvami, whose dear friend was Svarupa Damodara, was the exact replica of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he was very, very dear to the Lord. Being the embodiment of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's ecstatic love, Srila Rupa Gosvami was naturally very beautiful. He very carefully followed the principles enunciated by the Lord, and he was a competent person to explain properly the pastimes of Lord Krishna. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu expanded His mercy to Srila Rupa Gosvami just so he could render service by writing transcendental literatures."
Krishna came to this world to taste three things. These are the three internal reasons for His appearance as Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and He tasted them in the Gambhira of Jagannatha Puri.
sri-radhayah pranaya-mahima kidrso vanayaiva-
svadyo yenadbhuta-madhurima kidrso va madiyah
saukhyam casya mad-anubhavataù kidrsam veti lobhat
tad-bhavadhyah samajani saci-garbha-sindhau harinduh
(Adi-lila 4.230)
"In order to understand and taste the glories of Radharani's love, in order to understand and taste the sweetness of His lila, venu, rupa and prema as only She can relish, and in order to taste the happiness She experiences in Her relishment of these four sweetnesses, Krishna took birth from the womb of Sacimata as Sri Sacinandana Gaura-hari."
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in Navadvipa and performed His pastimes there. It is said that after these pastimes were completed, He took sannyasa and went to Puri. Later He went to South India and met Srila Ramananda Raya, and revealed to him His form as Sri Sri Radha and Krishna combined. This Rasaraja-mahabhava, Rasaraja and Mahabhava, are also described in the Srimad Bhagavatam-as the pastimes of Radha and Krishna. Krishna is Rasaraja (the king of all tasters of transcendental mellows) and Radhika is Mahabhava Svarupa (the quintessence of loving emotions towards Krishna).
In Navadvipa Sri Gauranga performed sakhya-bhava pastimes with his friends in his naravat, human-like lila. It is said that after taking sannyasa in Navadvipa, He left and performed higher pastimes in Puri. After that, on the bank of Godavari, He met Ramananda Raya and learned how to taste Krishna in a still more intense mood of separation. It is not actually true, however, that Puri and Godavari are higher than Navadvipa, nor is it true that Sri Sacinandan Gaura-hari ever leaves Navadvipa.
It is said that Mahaprabhu was able to taste what He came to this world to taste-only after He met Raya Ramananda, who is Vishaka in Krishna-lila. He learned from him how to taste Radha-bhava. Do you know why He learned from Ramananda Raya instead of Srila Svarupa Damodar, who is Lalita devi in Krishna-lila? Lalita devi is the first expansion of Radharani, and Vishaka devi is the second expansion. But Visakha's birthday is the same as that of Srimati Radharani, so her nature is the same. She has practically the same qualities and the same form. Krishna could not be taught by Lalita devi because her mood is pragalba, impudent and bold. (There is no actual equivalent word in English for pragalba.) Srimati Radhika and Srimati Visakha, although also left-wing gopis, are the same as each other-madhya-nayika (heroines who are a mixture of pragalbha and mugdha [enchanted]). Therefore Mahaprabhu had to learn from Ramananda Raya how to taste Radha-bhava. And, because it was at Godavari where Mahaprabhu learned to taste that Radha-bhava, some may say that Godavari is higher than Navadvipa.
But this is not so. Navadvipa itself is the highest abode, and it includes Godavari and Puri. We can understand this by a comparative study of aisvaryamayi-lila and madhuryamayi-lila. ('Mayi' means 'consisting of '). What is the difference between aisvarya and madhurya? Aisvarya-lila are displays of opulence that cannot be performed by any human being. Madhurya-lila are those pastimes that appear human-like, even if there is a great display of opulence. If there is no opulence, then the activities are simply mundane. So there may be opulence, but the lila still appears sweet and human-like, and so it is called madhurya. Whether opulence is clearly present or not, in madhurya-lila there does not seem to be opulence.
As we see from Krishna's lila, there is more aisvarya in Vrindavan than there is in Vaikuntha, Dvaraka, or Mathura. However, it is covered by so much sweetness that the opulence cannot be tasted. [For clarification an example is given of salt and sugar: There are four cups. The first has 1 ounce of salt and no sugar. The second has 2 ounces of salt and 1½ ounces of sugar. The third has 3 ounces of salt and 3 ounces of sugar. And the fourth has 4 ounces of salt and 100 ounces of sugar. Although the fourth cup has more salt, one cannot taste it because of all the sugar.] In Goloka Vrindavana the opulence is covered.
Krishna's madhurya-lila includes aisvarya. When Krishna lifted Govardhana Hill the cowherd boys thought that He must be tired. They considered, 'We should also help to hold up Govardhana with our sticks.' Others thought, 'Because of Nanda Maharaja's austerities, Lord Narayana had entered Krishna's body. It is actually Lord Narayana who is holding Govardhana.' The gopis were glaring with crooked eyes upon Govardhana. They said to him, 'If you fall down on Krishna, we will curse you.' So these are human-like pastimes. When Krishna was a baby He showed His mother His universal form. Everything was there within His mouth-all incarnations, all universes, all elements, all senses, and so forth. Despite this, Yasodamayi could not conceive that her son was God.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna Himself, and His Dhama, Sri Navadvipa, is Vrindavan itself. In Navadvipa He is known as Saci-putra and Sacinandan, the son of Saci-Mata and Jagannatha Misra. He was also called Visnupriya-pati, the husband of Srimati Visnupriya devi. Practically no one knew He was the Supreme Lord. Two of His friends at that time were Jagadanananda Pandit and Svarupa Damodara. They were his fellow students when He attended the school of Gangadas Pandit, and they all performed their madhurya-lila there. As there are so many 'human' learned scholars or pandits, so the residents of Navadvipa considered Saci-putra to be Nimai Pandit, a very good human pandit. There is no aisvarya in this name Nimai Pandit. It is naravat. When Kesava Kasmiri, the Digvijaya challenging scholar, came to defeat the pandits of Navadvipa, they decided to make Nimai Pandit their representative. They considered Him just a boy. If he would lose, they could then say, 'He is just a boy'. And if he would win, they could consider it a great victory for Navadvipa that their boy-scholar was successful.
Being fellow students in Gangadasa Pandit's school, Jagadanananda Pandit and Nimai Pandit used to have friendly arguments about logic. Sometimes they would argue about the definition of mukti. Jagadananda Pandit would quote the verse beginning 'Atyantya dukha nivritti': 'Liberation means to be delivered from the miseries of maya'. But Nimai Pandit would say, "No. The real definition of mukti is: 'Mukti hitva anyata rupam, svarupena vyavastiti'. Mukti is that condition in which one realizes his own Svarupa and the Svarupa of Krishna, and he realizes his relationship with Krishna. Liberation from all false identifications is only possible when one knows his real identification. When one surrenders to the lotus-feet of Radha and Krishna and serves Them with one's transcendental body and senses, that is mukti. Otherwise mukti is only partial." So this is nara-lila-'human-like' friends arguing together.
In Jagannatha Puri, on the other hand, there were so many aisvarya, 'opulent', pastimes, which everyone knew could not be performed by a human being. For example, when Mahaprabhu jumped in the ocean and was caught in the fisherman's net, His body became elongated and all His joints were separated by eight inches. This is an opulence, and this is very deep and very hard to understand. After Mahaprabhu completed his talks with Ramananda Raya, He tasted their fruits in Gambhira. Only three-and-one-half persons were allowed to enter there-Sri Ramananda Raya, Sri Svarupa Damodara, Sikhi Mahiti, and his sister Srimati Madhavi devi.
Dvaraka is full of opulence. There are so many palaces, elephants, horses, and chariots. Similarly, in Puri there was so much veneration by all Mahaprabhu's devotees, and all were fearful to make proposals to Him. In Navadvipa, on the other hand, Kolaveca Sridhar would have arguments with Nimai Pandit-and Nimai would even steal his vegetables.
In Vraja, Sri Krishna is considered an ordinary cowherd-boy. In Navadvipa, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is considered as an ordinary brahmana's son. No one could conceive of Him being called 'Mahaprabhu' in Navadvipa. Only when He went to Puri did He begin to be called 'Mahaprabhu'. In Navadvipa He sucked the breast of Sachidevi. He played with the girls who were worshipping Siva-linga to get a good husband. He also sometimes behaved as a mischievous student. His lila, therefore, is called madhuryamayi-lila. Someone may object to this statement, considering that He manifested as Lord Nrsinghadeva and Lord Varaha in Navadvipa. This is true, but hardly anyone saw this. Practically all the devotees always thought He was simply Saci-putra. Only those few who were in the mood of worship, like Murari Gupta (who is Hanuman) or Srivas Pandit (who is Sri Narada Muni), understood Him as the Supreme Lord.
Comparing the three aspects
There is a comparison between the three aspects of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the three aspects of Srimati Radharani. There is an original Radhika. The complete and original form of Srimati Radhika is called Vrsabhanu-nandini Radhika. She never leaves Vrindavana, and she only feels short-term separation from Krishna-as when He goes cowherding for a few hours each day. Vrsabhanu-nandini Radhika is always experiencing Her nitya-lila or astakaliya-lila pastimes with Krishna, which take place twenty-four hours a day-from one early morning to the next. She is actually never separated from Krishna. There is only an abhiman, or self-conception, that they are sometimes separated.
Vrsabhanu-nandini has two manifestations. One is viyogini Radhika: Radhika feeling separation from Krishna at Uddhava Kyari when Krishna was in Mathura and Dvaraka. Her other manifestation is in Kuruksetra, and that is Samyogini Radhika. It is Samyogini Radha who meets with Krishna in Kuruksetra. Just as Dvarkadish-Krishna and Mathuresh-Krishna are always within Purnatam Brajendranandana Sri Krishna, so these other two manifestations of Vrsabhanu-nandini Radhika are included within Her original form.
Radhika's full, original form also feels separation, but only at certain times. For example, She may wake up one morning and think, " Oh, what a terrible dream I had. Krishna went to Dvaraka and He married so many queens." Also now and then some conception comes, "Oh, Krishna had left. No, Krishna is here after all." That sentiment or conception takes a sthula-murti, tangible form, in prakat-lila.
The three aspects of Srimati Radhika: Vrsabhanunandini, Viyogini, and Samyogini are defined in the Sanat Kumar Samhita. Just as She has three aspects, Sri Sacinandana Gaura-hari has three aspects. Sri Krishna Caitanya Radha Krishna nahi anya. Mahaprabhu is no one but Radha and Krishna combined.
When Srimati Radhika is speaking to the bumblebee at Uddhava Kyari, She is Viyogini Radhika.
madhupa kitava-bandho ma sprsanghrim sapatnyah
kuca-vilulita-mala-kunkuma-smasrubhir naù
vahatu madhu-patis tan-manininam prasadam
yadu-sadasi vidambyam yasya dutas tvam idrk '
(SB.10.47.12)
"O black bee, don't touch me. I know you are a representative of Krishna from Mathura and you are trying to make some compromise. But I will never compromise with that Krishna. I know that the red of your whiskers has come from the kumkum that came from the breasts of His beloveds. It was smeared on Krishna's garland when He embraced them, and then came on your mustaches."
This mood of transcendental madness is of Viyogini Radhika, and this is compared to Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Puri. Sri Caitanya Caritamrta explains that the mood of Srimati Radhika which was seen
by Uddhava was the constant mood of Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Gambhira.
'Vrindavana parityaja na padam ekam gacchati'. Krishna never leaves Vrindavana. Nandanandana is always in Vrindavana.Vrsabhanu-nandini also never leaves Vrindavana, and similarly, Sacinandana never leaves Navadvipa.
In Godavari, Caitanya Mahaprabhu manifested his Rasaraja-mahabhava svarupa. There in Godavari He discussed all tattvas: rasa-tattva, prema-tattva, and Radha-tattva. But who saw this? Only Ramananda Raya. This manifestation of Rasaraja-mahabhava was not an ordinary activity. No one else could have shown Himself as Radha and Krishna. Therefore it is an opulence, aisvarya, and it is not the highest lila.
Srimati Radhika's partial moods and forms are included within her original form, and this is also true with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In Mahaprabhu's lila, Puri is like Dvaraka. When He is in Gambhira He is experiencing Radharani's separation from Krishna at Dvaraka, in the mood of Viyogini Radhika. When Mahaprabhu is in Godavari, He is like Samyogini Radhika. This aspect of Srimati Radhika meets Krishna at Kuruksetra in order to bring Him back to Vrindavana. These two aspects of Mahaprabhu are included in Navadvipa.
In Jagannatha Puri no one accepted the names Sacinandana, etc. Everyone there had a reverential mood towards Mahaprabhu. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya realized, "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I've never seen such a person." Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Mad. 6, 9-13, states that while examining the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sarvabhauma saw that His abdomen was not moving and that He was not breathing. Seeing this condition, he became very anxious. He then took a fine cotton swab and put it before Mahaprabhu's nostrils. When he saw the cotton move very slightly, he became hopeful. Sitting beside Mahaprabhu, he thought: "This is a transcendental ecstatic transformation brought about by love of Krishna." Upon seeing the sign of suddipta-sattvika bhava, the Bhattacarya could immediately understand the transcendental ecstatic transformation in Mahaprabhu's body. Such a sign could take place only in the bodies of Krishna's eternally liberated associates like the gopis, and especially in Srimati Radhika. The Bhattacarya considered, "The uncommon ecstatic symptoms of adhiruddha-bhava are appearing in the body of Mahaprabhu. This is very wonderful! How are they possible in the body of a human being?"
Hidden Vrindavana
Navadvipa is gupta (hidden) Vrindavana. Although the twelve forests of Vrindavana are hidden in Navadvipa, they are in a different sequence. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has described this as acintya, inconceivable. He has explained that it is the specialty of this Dhama. It is hidden and crooked, and so it cannot be exactly in the same sequence. This is the nature of hidden prema.
Radha-kunda is not far from Devananda Gaudiya Matha. Because Govardhana is here, Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda must also be here. My Guru Maharaja, Nitya-lila Pravista om Visnupada Paramhamsa Sri Srimad Bhaktiprajana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja has fulfilled the innermost heart's desire of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaja and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura by establishing this temple in the valley or plain of Govardhana.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu sometimes stayed here and performed pastimes. One pastime, as explained in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, was when some young girls were making offerings to Siva-linga with fruits, flowers, and other worshipable paraphernalia. At that time Nimai Pandit forcibly stole the offerings and told the girls that they should not waste their time worshipping Lord Siva. He said, "I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You should worship Me. All the demigods and demigoddesses are my servants. If you do not worship Me I will curse you to all get ugly, old husbands who already have five wives." They were all joking in this way, but they did not believe that He was the Supreme.
All the Vrindavana pastimes are there in Navadvipa. Govardhana and Rasa-stali are present where we are now sitting, in Koladwipa-at the Devananda Gaudiya Matha.. Krishna is dancing here with the gopis. One may say that the highest place in Navadvipa is Yogapitha at Mayapur because that is where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared. But actually, Koladwipa is superior. We must consider the siddhanta (the conclusive truth). Comparing Navadvipa to Vrindavana, Mathura-Gokula is the place where Krishna appeared. He appeared simultaneously, as Lord Vasudeva in Mathura, and as a baby in Gokula. But this place in Koladwipa is Govardhana, where Krishna appeared in His original and most complete form, His kisora form, His Radha-Krishna yugala form. This is also where rasa-lila, the highest pastime, took place. It can be concluded, therefore, that this place is so much higher.
Srila Rupa Gosvami confirms in his Upadesamrta that, "The holy place known as Mathura is spiritually superior to Vaikuntha, the transcendental world, because the Lord appeared there. Superior to Mathura-puri is the transcendental forest of Vrindavana because of Krishna's rasa-lila pastimes. And superior to the forest of Vrindavana is Govardhana Hill, for it was raised by the divine hand of Sri Krishna and was the site of His various loving pastimes. And, above all, the super-excellent Sri Radha-kunda stands supreme, for it is over-flooded with the ambrosial nectarine prema of the Lord of Gokula, Sri Krishna. Where, then, is that intelligent person who is unwilling to serve this divine Radha-kunda, which is situated at the foot of Govardhana Hill?" | | 1:43 am |
Sri Gadadhara Pandita Goswami
Sri Gadadhar was the consant companion of Mahaprabhu from the time of their childhood. His father's name was Sri Madhva Misra and his mother's name Sri Ratnavati-devi. They lived very near the house of Sri Jagannatha Misra in Mayapura. Ratnavati-devi thought of Saci-devi as her own sister, and always used to visit her.
During their childhood, Sri Gaura Hari and Gadadhara would play together, sometimes at Mahaprabhu's house and sometimes at Gadadhara's house. They both studied together at the same school. Gadadhara was a few years younger then Nimai. Nimai couldn't remain without Gadadhara even for a moment and Gadadhara likewise couldn't stand to be separated from Nimai.
In the Gaur-ganoddesa-dipika, it is described that that person who in Vraja was the daughter of Sri Vrsabhanu Raja, namely Srimati Radharani, is now celebrated as Sri Gadadhara Pandita.
Srila Svarupa Damodara has written in his diary: avani sura bavah Sri Panditakhyo jatindrah / sa khalo bhavati Radha Srila Gauravataro.
Sri Vasudeva Ghosa Thakura has also written:
Agam agocar gora akhil brahma-par, veda upar, najane pasandi mati bhora Nitya-nityananda Caitanya Govinda Pandit Gadadhar Radhe Caitanya yugala-rupa kebol raser kup avatar sadsiva sadhe Antare nave-ghana bahire gaura tanu yugalrupa parkase Kahe Vasudeva Ghose yugal bhajan base janame janame rahu asa
"Lord Gaurasundara, who is beyond the perview of the scriptures, beyond the entire Brahman, and above even the Vedas, can never be known by the atheists whose intelligence is dull. Lord Nityananda is His eternal self. Lord Caitanya is Lord Govinda Himself and Pandita Gadadhara is none other than Sri Radha. The divine couple, who are present in Sri Caitanya, are a well of rasa. Advaita Acarya (Sadasiva) has prayed for His descent.
Within He is blackish but of a golden hue without, the manifestation of the divine couple. Thus Vasudeva Ghosa sings of the beauty of this divine couple - Sri Gaura-Gadadhara - in whose worship he has been completely subjugated. He prays that he will desire to serve them birth after birth."
In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta we likewise find:
Panditer bhav mudre kahan na jay gadadhar pran nath nam hoila jay panditer krpa prasad lehan na jay gadai gauranga kari sarvaloke gay
"The emotions and expressions of Pandita Gadadhara are not possible to describe. Another name of Lord Gauranga is the 'Lord of the life of Gadadhara.' Who can understand what mercy has been bestowed upon him? Their glories are sung by everyone as Gadai- Gauranga."
During the time when Sri Isvara Puri was present for a few months in Navadwipa at the house of Sri Gopinath Acarya, he taught Gadadhara from the book he had composed, Sri Krsna Lilamrta.
Gadadhara was from his very childhood very serene, patient, calm, quiet, fond of solitude and very renounced. Nimai Pandit during the time of His precocious youth would ask his fellow students meaningless, fallacious questions in logic. Gadadhara however, was not especially fond of this pastime, and therefore he sometimes used to remain at some distance from Nimai. But Nimai wouldn't allow him to get away. He would tell him - "Gadadhara! In a very short time I'll become such a Vaisnava that Lord Brahma and Lord Siva themselves will come to My door."
Sri Gadadhara Pandita was very affectionate towards Mukunda datta. Whenever any Vaisnava came to Navadwipa, Mukunda would inform Gadadhara and they would both go to have darsana. One time Pundarika Vidyanidhi came from Cattagram to Navadwipa and Mukunda invited Gadadhara to come along and meet him. Gadadhara was very excited to meet such a Vaisnava and thus the two of them happily set out together to take advantage of sadhu-sanga with the famous Pundarika Vidyanidhi.
However, when Gadadhara saw that Pundarika Vidyanidhi dressed and acted like a wealthy materialist, he lost whatever reverence he had previously felt even before speaking with him. Gadahara thought to himself, "How can a Vaisnava look and act as if he was so addicted to sense enjoyment?"
However, Mukunda knew the real character of Pundarika Vidyanidhi, and he could also sense the doubts in the mind of Gadadhara Pandita. Thus he recited some slokas from the Srimad Bhagavatam in a very sweet voice. When Pundarika Vidyanidhi heard his beautiful recitation of these slokas, in a fit of ecstasy he began to cry while calling, "Krsna, Krsna", and finally fainted dead away on the floor. [Chaitanya Bhagavat. Madhylila 7.78-79].
Gadadhara now felt very remorseful in his mind. He thought to himself, "Because I have ignorantly considered this highly advanced soul to be an ordinary materialist, what an offense I have committed! In order that I might be saved from the reaction of this offense, I think the only solution is to accept initiation from him."
Gadadhara Pandita submitted his proposal to Mukunda, who presented it to Pundarika Vidyanidhi with a full account of the pandita's high qualifications. "Hearing this proposal, Pundarik became very happy. 'Providence has bestowed upon me a great jewel; certainly I will accept him. You shouldn't have any doubt about that. It is the result of many lifetimes of good fortune that one gets a disciple like this.'" [Chaitanya Bhagavat. Madhylila 7.117-118]. On an auspicious day, Sri Gadadhara Pandita received the divine mantra from Pundarika Vidyanidhi.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, upon going to Gaya Dham, first began to manifest Krsna-prema. There he enacted the pastime of accepting the shelter of Sri Isvara Puri. After returning to His house He began to exhibit a new life.
Day and night He floated in the ocean of love of Krsna. Gadadhara, upon seeing the Lord showering of tears in love for Krsna, also began to cry in ecstatic love. From this time, Gadadhara Pandita was always at Mahaprabhu's side.
One day Sri Gadadhara brought some pan to Sri Gauranga, Who, in an exuberance of emotion asked him, "Gadadhara! Where is that beautiful blackish boy Who is dressed in yellow garments?" After asking this, He began to shed tears.
Gadadhara couldn't immediately think of what to say. He finally respectfully suggested, "He is in your heart." Hearing this, Mahaprabhu began to tear at his chest with his nails, but Gadadhara quickly grabbed his hands. Prabhu said to him, "Gadadhara! Let go of My hands. I cannot remain a moment more not seeing Krsna."
Gadadhara replied, "Just try to be a little patient and calm Yourself. Krsna will come any minute now." Hearing this, Mahaprabhu became somewhat composed.
Sacimata heard all this from a distance and then came running there. Being very pleased with Gadadhara, she declared, "Though He is just a boy, He is very intelligent. I am frightened to go before my son when He is in these moods. But Gadadhara has very cleverly pacified him."
"Sacimata told Gadadhar, 'Gadadhara! You must please remain with Nimai always. If you stay with Him then I won't have to worry."
One day, Sri Gadadhara, having heard that Mahaprabhu will speak Krsna-katha at Suklambara Brahmacari's house, went there and sat down inside. Meanwhile, Mahaprabhu arrived outside on the verandah and began to speak about Krsna to an audience of devotees there; Gadahara Prabhu listened from within the house. Soon Mahaprabhu became totally absorbed in the ecstacy Krsna-prema, which quickly spread to the assembly of devotees. For some time they continued to taste the mellows of love of Krsna together and then becalmed themselves.
Gadadhara, however, couldn't restrain his ecstacy. With his head bowed down, he continued to cry very loudly. Hearing his pitiful sobbing, Mahaprabhu inquired, "Who is crying within the room?" Suklambara Brahmacari replied, "Your Gadadhara."
Mahaprabhu exclaimed, "Gadadhara! You are so pious and virtuous. Since your very childhood you were so devoted to Krsna. My life has been wasted. Due to my previous evil activities I cannot get the association of the Lord of my life, Sri Krsna."
Saying this Prabhu embraced Gadadhara in great love.
When Mahaprabhu began His pastimes in Navadvipa, Gadadhara was his chief companion. Radha-Krsna of Vraja are now sporting on the banks of the Ganga as Gadai-Gauranga, and the cowherd boy-friends of Vraja are assisting in His pastimes of kirtana.
One day after roaming throughout the town of Navadwipa, Mahaprabhu came to a forest and seated Himself there. Then He began to remember His pastimes in Vraja. Mukunda began to sing the purva-vag (courtship) songs in a very sweet voice while Gadadhara collected some flowers from that forest and after stringing a garland placed it on Prabhu's neck. Previously, in the way that Sri Radha used to decorate Sri Krsna, Gadadhara began to dress Prabhu in that exact same manner. Some were singing beautiful songs, while others began to dance in a very graceful style. Then Sri Gaurasundara taking Gadadhara by His side seated Himself on a dias at the base of one tree, while Adwaita Acarya began to offer arati. Nityananda seated Himself on Prabhu's right side and Srivasa Pandita began to decorate everyone with flower garlands. Narahari was fanning that Divine couple with a whisk made from the tail hairs of forest cows. Suklambar decorated them all with sandalwood paste while Murari Gupta recited the premdhani. Madhava, Vasudeva, Purusottama, Vijaya, and Mukunda began to sing songs in the various ragas.
Then Prabhu closed his pastimes in Nadiya and as per his mother's request he took up his residence at Nilacala. Gadadhara also went there to live at this time. He engaged himself in the service of Sri Tota Gopinatha. Mahaprabhu would very often visit His dear friend Gadadhara and lose Himself in discussions on the topics of Sri Krsna. The temple of Sri Tota Gopinathji is located near the ocean at Yameshvar.
When Lord Caitanya traveled to Sri Vrindavana, Gadadhara, not being able to bear separation from Him, wanted to go also but Mahaprabhu reminded him of his vow of Ksetra-sannyasa (by which he was to remain constantly in Sri Ksetra in the service of Sri Gopinatha) and sent him back.
Sri Gadadhara Pandita would regularly recite Srimad Bhagavatam. Sri Gaurasundara, along with His associates, would listen.
Then one might ask a question, if Lord Chaitanya is Radha and Krsna combined, where is the necessity for the appearance of Gadadhara Pandit?
The answer to this is that it has been explained that Mahaprabhu is Krsna in search of the loving sentiment of Radha for Krsna. Sri Gadadhara Pandita represents that bhava personified, and thus he has appeared to be at the side of Mahaprabhu to assist him in his search. In this explanation, Gadadhara gives his unalloyed love to Lord Gauranga willingly.
It has also been explained that Krsna has stolen the bhava of Radha and appears as Mahaprabhu, Radha Krsna combined. Gadadhara represents that which is left of Radha after Krsna steals her bhava. The mood is that seeing that neither Sri Radha nor Sri Krsna appear on the purnima tithi (full moon), but when The Divine couple combine as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, this appearance in the world occurs on the Purima in Navadwipa.
Sri Gadadhara pandit appears on the new moon and leaves the world on the same day. New moon means no moon - dark moon or Amavasya tithi. He also appeared in a land that is desert-like, dry and vacant in contrast to the lush Ganga basin of Navadwipa.
All of this indicates the condition of the heart or nature of Sri Gadadhara. He is thus feeling empty, and lets everyone know about it too. It is said that what remains in him is the bhava of Rukmini, who is Radha's expansion in Dvaraka. Thus his surface mood in Gaura lila is like that of a dakshine (right wing) gopi rather than a vama (left wing) gopi (Vama type is little aggressive in nature, and fights with the lover). However, to prove Gadadhar's dedication as right-wing He is submissive to the extreme (daksina type tolerates everything whatever comes, only with a defensive attitude he stands. That is daksina path, that is as in Srimati Rukmini Devi. So when the spirit of Radharani of that opposing nature was drawn out by Mahaprabhu, then what remains is compared like that of Rukmini, as a passive seer, without any power to assert, only onlooker. Onlooker and bearing everything, a very pitiable condition. The idea is to awaken kindness and sympathy from everyone).
"What is he and what is she and what is her position now. And how her lover has taken up everything from her, looted everything from her, leaving her as a beggar wandering in the street. So much looted. Radharani when looted to such a degree by Krsna, that becomes Gadadhara, the pitiable figure. The wealth of course cannot go forever. She is the proprietor, owner cannot be far off. After a long time, that must come to her again, one day. And those that are helping her in her day of distress, they will get how much remuneration at that time. When she will get back all property."
Just as in Vraj Srimati Radharani is the Queen and proprioter of everything, so Gadadhara is master of everything, but still here He has given everything to His master, and thus in one sense He is empty. This mood of His being empty is unique, he is playing in such a way, as His part or play, as Gadadhara Pandita. His is the highest position of self-sacrifice.
"Nimai Pandita showed His character as an aggressor, impertinent, and an extraordinary genius. Gadadhara Pandita was just the opposite. He had some natural inclination, that was in His submission and total dedication towards Nimai Pandita. And Nimai Pandita also had some special attraction for Gadadhara Pandita. But Gadadhara Pandita could not face Nimai Pandita directly. Some sort of shyness He felt about Nimai Pandita. So, this is what we know about Gadadhara Pandita. Gadadhara Pandita had very intimate relationship with Mahaprabhu, in which the acaryas, Swarupa Damodara, Rupa, Sanatana, Kaviraja Goswami, Raghunatha Dasa, all of them, could see Radharani and Rukmini both in his personality, and according to that we can try to understand him."
It is true that Gauranga Mahaprabhu is Vrajendranandana Krsna, within Him, as is the case with svayam bhagavan Krsna, all of His expansions are present. Thus as Gaura-Narayana He consorts with Rukmini in Her appearance as Laksmipriya devi. Furthermore, just as Vrajendranandana Krsna never leaves Vrndavana, similarly Sacinandana Gaura Krsna never leaves Navadvipa Dhama.
Thus the lila of Mahaprabhu in Puri, which is representative of Dvaraka, is imbued with aisvarya (opulence) not found in Nadiya (Bengal). Indeed this aisvarya is said to have weighed heavily on Gadadhara Pandita and influenced His loving sentiment of bhava. Srila Krsna dasa Kaviraja Goswami says of Gadadhara in Puri Dhama that because He was influenced by aisvarya-jnana of Gauranga, He was, as Srila Prabhupada comments further, always submissive (daksina-nayiki). He could not be angered by Mahaprabhu even when Mahaprabhu tried to anger Him and see the mood of Radha (vama-nayiki) in Him.
Krsna dasa Kaviraja pointed out that even as Krsna in the form of Mahaprabhu tried to anger Gadadhara (Radha) He could not draw out this sentiment from Him because he maintained a temperament like that of Rukmini's (daksina-nayiki) due to the fact that Mahaprabhu had already stolen the vama-nayiki aspect of Radha from him. Indeed, Svarupa Damodara Goswami asked Gadadhara why He did not reproach Mahaprabhu and instead tolerated Mahaprabhu's criticisms of Him. To this Gadadhara replied, prabhu svatantra sarvajna-siromani tanra sane 'hatha' kari,--bhala nahi mani, "The master is independent. He is the topmost omniscient person. If I speak on an equal level with Him, this will not be good for Me."
"That which is left over after the bhava and luster of Radha has been plundered by Krsna is Gadadhara Pandita."
It is stated that no one loves Lord Gauranga more than Sri Gadadhara. Yet even though He takes much abuse and neglect from Gauranga, still He cannot leave Him. His necessity and dependency is very great. The understanding is that without Mahaprabhu She/He is transcendentally incomplete, thus He/She wants to get His/Her bhava back from Krsna to again become complete, the complete united whole Radha-Krsna. To unite Gaura with Gadadhara (Radha Krishna) is the highest ideal of Gaudiya Vaisnavism.
The worship of Gaura-Gadadhara is in madhurya-rasa so is not for the kanistha adhikari on the beginning stages of devotional service where one strives to follow the principles and avoid offences, rather this is for advanced devotees who are already steady (nistha) in Krsna consciousness and getting a genuine taste (ruchi). Then in transcendental view They are worshipped like Radha and Krishna. Thus Sri Gadadhara pandit is like Sri Radha standing next to the Gaura (Krsna) who has stolen Her/His bhava (love), and She wants it back. When They are united, then the divine couple Radha-Krsna/Gaura-Gadadhara are present. Sometimes the devotees will see them as Radha-Krsna, and sometimes as Gaura-Gadadhara according to that pure devotee's mood. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written an arati song for Gaura-Gadadhara describing Radha-Krsna. This is the internal reality. It is all very esoteric and not to be imitated. Who can understand such wonderful and intimate pastimes, thus we use ordinary terms to try to explain them but these mellows are not ordinary.
When Vakresvara pandita came to live at Puri, he would accompany Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Advaita Acharya and other devotees to Tota Gopinath to hear Gadadhara Pandit give discourses on the Bhagavatam.
One should hear the book Bhagavatam from the devotee Bhagavatam.
One who thinks, "I understand the Bhagavatam" does not really know the Bhagavatam's central meaning. On the other hand, an ignorant person who takes shelter of the Bhagavatam will directly perceive its meaning. The Bhagavatam is pure love, it is the incarnation of Krishna himself. It recounts Krishna's most intimate activities. After recounting the Vedas and the Puranas, Vedavyasa felt unsatisfied, but as soon as the Bhagavatam manifested on his tongue, his mind was immediately satisfied. (Chaitanya Bhagavat 3.3.514-8)
smara gaura-gadadhara keli kalam
bhava gaura-gadadhara paksa caram
srnu gaura-gadadhara caru katham
bhaja godruma-kanon kunja-vidhum
[Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura]
"Remember Gaura-Gadadhara during the time of Their pastimes, Meditate on Gaura-Gadadhar, the Divine couple, the par-excellence of beauty. Hear beautiful discussions on the topics of Gaura-Gadadhara, and worship them in the forest grove of Godruma, bathed in the light of the moon."
gadadhar pandit prabhu age bosi
pare bhagavat - sudha dhale rasi rasi [B.R. 3/107]
After enacting His pastimes on this planet for forty-eight years, it was seen by witnesses that Sri Gaurasundara entered into the body of Sri Tota-Gopinathji, who was the Deity in Puri on the Nilachala beach served by Sri Gadadhara Pandita.
nyasi siromani cesta bujhe sadya kar
akasmat prithini karila andhakar
pravesila ei gopinatha mandire
hoila adarsan, punah na aila bahire
[B.R. 8.356-357]
In the diary of one Orissan devotee, Mahaprabhu is said to have first went missing inside the Gundica Mandira. Then the devotees began to comb the four directions in search of their Beloved Lord. Finally, outside of Tota Gopinatha Mandira, at Yameswar, the outer garment of Mahaprabhu was found lying on the ground.
There's a story in connection with Sri Gadadhar Pandit that when He was very old and trying to render service to Tota-Gopinath that He couldn't any more reach to put the garland around the neck of the Deity. To reciprocate with His loving service the Deity knelt down to accept the flower garlands of His beloved Gadadhar, Who is none other than His beloved Srimati Radharani incarnate as mentioned previously.
To this day the Deity of Tota-Gopinath in the temple remains in a kneeling position to accept the eternal service of His beloved Gadadhar. A slight crack which is still to be found near the right knee of Sri Gopinathji is the spot where Mahaprabhu is said to have entered the Deity.
His appearance is on the amavasya (new moon) of the month of Vaisakha.
Sri Gadadharastakam by Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami
Text 1
sva-bhakti-yoga-lasinam sada vraje viharinam
hari-priya-ganagragam cacisuta-priyecvaram
saradha-krsna-sevana-prakacakam mahacayam bhajamy aham
gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned and exalted spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu, who appears very splendid, engaged in the Lord's devotional service. He always performs pastimes in Vraja, where he is very prominent among the gopis, who are very dear to Lord Hari. Lord Caitanya, the Son of Saci is the dear Lord of Gadadhara Prabhu, who is preaching the service of Radha and Krsna.
Text 2
navojjvaladi- bhavana-vidhana-karma-paragam
vicitra-gaura-bhakti-sindhu-ragga-bhagga-lasinam
suraga-marga-darsakam vrajadi-vasa-dayakam bhajamy
aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. He is expertly absorbed in meditation on the nine rasas of devotional service, beginning with ujjvala-rasa (conjugal love), and he dances in the waves of the amazing ocean of devotional service to Lord Caitanya. He preaches the path of raganuga-bhakti (spontaneous devotional service), and He is a fit person to attain residence in the transcendental land of Vraja.
Text 3
sacisutagghri-sara-bhakta-vrnda-vandya-gauravam
gaura-bhava-citta-padma-madhya-krsna-vallabham
mukunda-gaura-rupinam svabhava-dharma-dayakam bhajamy
aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. The best of those who are devoted to the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya, the Son of Saci-devi, offer respecful obeisances to him and treat him with great importance, and he is very dear to Lord Krsna, Who is seated in the middle of the lotus flower which is his heart, assuming His golden form of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He preaches that Lord Mukunda has assumed the golden form of Lord Caitanya, and he returns the living entities to their constitutional position as servants of the Lord.
Text 4
nikunja-sevanadika-prakasanaika-karanam sada
sakhi-rati-pradam maha-rasa-svarupakam
sadacritagghri-pankajam sariri-sad-gurum varam bhajamy
aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned and exalted spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. It is only because of him that the truth of the exalted devotional service performed by the intimate associates of Krsna in the forests and groves of Vrndavana has been revealed. He is preaching the ecstatic love attained by the gopis, and he is indeed a personification of the mellows of devotional service. The saintly devotees take shelter of his lotus feet, and he teaches the truth of spiritual life to the living entities.
Text 5
mahaprabhor maha-rasa-prakasanagkuram priyam sada
maha-rasagkura-prakacanadi-vasanam mahaprabhor
vrajagganadi-bhava-moda-karakam bhajamy aham
gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. He is very dear to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and it is as if he had sprouted from the manifestation of the Lord`s ecstatic love. He is always adorned with the garments of ecstatic love of Godhead, and He delights Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu by arousing in the Lord the ecstatic emotional love experienced by the gopis of Vraja.
Text 6
dvijendra-vrnda-vandya-pada-yugma-bhakti-vardhakam
nijesu radhikatmata-vapuh-prakacanagraham
asesa-bhakti-sastra-siksayojjvalamrta-prabam bhajamy
aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu, who expands the mellows of devotional service and whose lotus feet are worshipped by the kings of the brahmanas. Among his confidential associates, he reveals his actual form as Srimati Radharani. He distributes the nectar of the ecstatic mellow of the gopis conjugal love, strictly following the instructions of all the devotional scriptures.
Text 7
muda nija-priyadika-svapada-padma-sindhubhir
maha-rasarnavamrta-pradesta-gaura-bhaktidam
sadast-sattvikanvitam nijesta-bhakti-dayakam bhajamy
aham gadadharam supanditam gurum prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. With delight he is giving the devotional service of Lord Caitanya which reveals the nectarean ocean of the most exalted mellows of devotional service, along with the nectar flowing from the lotus feet of the gopis, headed by Srimati Radharani, who is most dear to Krsna. Gadadhara Prabhu is decorated with the eight transcendental ecstatic symptoms of sattvika-bhava,and he is distributing devotional service to his worshippable Lord Krsna.
Text 8
yadiya-riti-raga-ragga-bhagga-digdhamanaso naro `api
yati turnam eva narya-bhava-bhajanam tam
ujjvalakta-cittam etu citta-matta-catpado bhajamy aham
gadadharam supanditam guram prabhum
I worship the greatly learned spiritual master, Srila Gadadhara Prabhu. Even a conditioned soul, whose mind becomes anointed by the colorful waves of spontaneous devotional service as delineated by Srila Gadadhara Prabhu, quickly attains the highest level of devotional service. He becomes like a maddened bumble bee whose mind is anointed with the mellow of ujjvala-rasa (conjugal love).
Text 9
maha-rasamrta-pradam sada gadadhara-astakam pathet tu
yah subhaktito vrajaggana-ganotsavam
saci-tanuja-pada-padma-bhakti-ratna-yogyatam labheta
radhika-gadadharagghri-padma-sevaya
"These eight verses glorifying Srila Gadadhara Prabhu distribute the nectat of the most exalted mellow of devotional service, and they are like a festival for the gopis of Vraja. If one regularly reads these verses and serves the lotus feet of Srila Gadadhara Prabhu, who is an incarnation of Srimati Radharani, then he will become qualified to attain the jewel of pure devotional service for the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya,the son of Sacidevi." | | 1:20 am |
Ujjvala nilamani, Srila Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura
Nayak-vibhed (Different kinds of divisions amongst Heroes)
The crest jewel of all dramatic actors, Sri Krsna, is most perfect in Gokul, more perfect in Mathura, and perfect in Dvaraka - these are His three principal modes of acting. Each of these heroic actors can again be classified according to four distinctions: Dhirodatta, Dhiralalita, Dhiroddhata, and Dhirasanta.
The personality of Dhirodatta resembles Lord Ramacandra in terms of gravity, humility, His quality of always offering proper respect to fitting persons, and other such wonderful qualities which endear Him to everyone. The personality of Dhiralalita is like Kamadeb. He is submissive to His lover, free from care or anxiety, endowed with new youthfulness, and very witty or humorous. The personality of Dhiroddhata is similar to Bhimasena in terms of arrogance and impudence. He is a conceited braggart, possessed of intense and passionate anger and has the tendency to impose his will upon others even to the point of dissimulation and beguilement. The personality of Dhirasanta is exemplified by Yudhisthira. His predominant qualities are religiousness, mastery over his senses, and possession of knowledge of the scriptures.
The above mentioned four classifications are each further subdivided into two and again four other subdivisions. One subdivision is pati and upapati. These two divisions refer to svakiya and parakiya rasas, as pati means husband and upapati means paramour. The other subdivision consists of four types: 1) Anukul 2) Dakkin 3) Satha and 4) Dhrsta. Anukul means someone who is attached to only one lover whereas someone who behaves equally with many lovers is called Dakkin. That person who speaks agreeably and amiable before his lover but tries to do her harm in her absence is called Satha. Someone who comes before one lover, decorated with signs of love making from another lover, but who remains unafraid and tells lies on order to cover the real truth, is known as Dhrsta.
In this way, 96 different kinds of lovers can be described.
In Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu Bindu it has been described that the permanent mellow of the topmost pinnacle of all mellows (ujjval ras) is priyata rati: the mutual experience of ecstacies by Krsna and the gopis during remembrance of and meeting with each other. Priyata rati can be described as a kind of conceit or pride experienced in the heart of the gopis arising from the intense affection that they feel towards Shyamsundar, "amar pranpati" - "The Lord of my life and breath!" The dwelling place of this amorous attachment is in the lady-lovers of Krsna (the gopis). Therefore, they (the gopis) are known as the asray-alamban - the shelter and support of this sentiment. Because the hero (Krsna) appears as the object of this sentiment, He is known as the visoy-alamban. These sentiments are awakened by hearing, remembrance of the Qualities, Name, Fame, Form, etc., of the object, Sri Krsna.
So the crest jewel amongst all lovers, Sri Krsna, is the object; Sri Radhika and the other mistresses (gopis) are the shelter and support of these loving sentiments and the Qualities, Names, etc. which manifest or reveal these sentiments are known as uddipan-vibhab.
Nayika-vibhag (Division amongst female lovers)
The first twofold division amongst female lovers is: 1) Svakiya and 2) Parakiya. The gopis who worshipped goddess Katyayani and who were later married with Krsna according to the Gandharva rites of marriage are called sviya. Separate from them are the gopis headed by Dhanya who are parakiya. The more experienced gopis headed by Sri Radhika, who are very much beloved by Sri Krsna, are parakiya. Beside them there are some gopis in Gokul who though they are sviya, are actually parakiya due to the fear they feel in front of their superiors, like their mother and father. In Dvaraka, all of the queens, headed by Rukmini, are sviya.
Amongst these two types of lovers there are three other subdivisions: 1) mugdha 2) madhya & 3) pragalbha. Madhya is further divided into three, according to different types of feigned anger (man). That lover, who with irony, pun, innuendo and ambiguous expression sarcastically and with affected importance rebukes the hero, is known as Dhiramadhya: whereas Adhiramadhya simply uses harsh and unkind words due to being overpowered by anger. That lover who uses a mixture of both kinds of language is called, Dhiradhira madhya (Sri Radha).
The lover who conceals her anger yet is disinterested in being embraced by Sri Krsna, is called Dhira-pragalbha. Examples of this are Candravali, Palika and Bhadra. Those who severely scold Sri Krsna with the force of a raging storm, using language described as Karnotpal(?) are Adhira pragalbha. This nature is exemplified in the gopi, Shyamala. Lovers like Mangala however, who withhold their anger and only slightly reprimand the hero are called, Dhiradhira pragalbha.
There is only one type of mugdha. The personality who is controlled by this sentiment becomes so enraged and indignant that they don't say anything.
In this way, there are three kinds of madhya; three kinds of pragalbha (impudent, shameless, unabashed, forward, daring, intrepid, impertinent, insolent, saucy, pert, cheeky); and one kind of mugdha (stunned, bewildered, stupefied). In all, that makes seven. Then amongst these, some are sviya and some are parakiya which makes fourteen. There is also one more type which is similar to mugdha and is called kanyakao. Thus a total of fifteen different kinds of female lovers have been described.
Asta-nayika bhed (Eight divisions amongst lovers)
1) abhisarika 2) basaksajja 3) virahotkanthita 4) vipralabdha 5) khandita 6) kalahantarita 7) prositabharttrka 8) svadhinbharttrka.
That lover who causes Sri Krsna to make an assignation with her and who herself keeps that tryst with Krsna is called abhisarika. That lover who, desiring to enjoy with her beloved, prepares a bed within a makeshift room, constructed within the forest groves, and who decorates that place and prepares flower garlands and pan is called basaksajja. The lover who becomes anxious and impatient due to feeling separation when Krsna is late in arriving is known as virahot-kanthita. That lover who has intimated by hints and gestures, to meet her, yet is `stood up' by Sri Krsna is called vipralabdha. That lover who meets Sri Krsna in the morning, seeing His body decorated with signs of the previous night's love making with another gopi and who becomes very angry towards Him becomes known as khandita (or manavati - a woman in a fit of pique). That lover whose resentment has subsided and who then feels repentance is called kalahantarita. The lover who has become extremely miserable as a result of Sri Krsna's having gone away to Mathura is known as prositabharttrka. That lover, who after having enjoyed love making with Sri Krsna, asks Him to adjust her clothes, ornaments and hair is known as svadhin bharttrka. The previously mentioned fifteen different types of lovers, when differently affected by these eight emotions, can produce a total of one hundred and twenty different situations of affected and disaffected lovers. Again, all of these lovers can be classified according to uttam (best), madhyam (medium) and kanistha (least). Thus there are a total of three hundred and sixty divisions.
Amongst all of these lovers, the beautiful gopis of Braja, some of them, like Sri Radha and Candravali are nitya siddha, eternally perfected. Then, some of them are sadhan-siddha (perfected as a result of executing devotional service). Still others were in their previous lives, munis (sages), srutis (personified Vedas) and debis (demigoddesses).
Nayika ganer svabhava (Natures of lovers)
Among all of these aforementioned lovers, some of them have a very hot, sharp or acute nature (prakhara), like Shyamala, Mangala, etc. Some of them have a mediate nature, like Sri Radha, Pali, etc. While others are very gentle, supple and meek (mrdvi) like Candravali, etc.
Then, amongst the lady lovers of Sri Krsna, some of them are sapaksa (partisan), some suhrdpaksa (well-wishers), some tatastha paksa (marginal), and some are vipaksa (opposed).
Partial to Radharani are Lalita, Visakha, etc. Shyamala (who is herself the leader of a group of gopis), is not only partisan but a very close friend and companion of Sri Radha as well. Bhadra is neutrally situated, whereas Candravali is an opponent or adversary. Amongst these four groups some are bama (left wing) and some are right wing (dakkin).
[Left wing - Those who are very persevering n the matter of man (pique, feigned resentment out of love); who become angry if their pique is neglected, are impervious to the hero (that is, they are unyielding to Him) and whose language can be very stern.
Right wing - They are completely unforgiving in the matter of man; they present just and reasonable arguments before the hero but when solaced by the hero they become docile and submissive.]
Srimati Radhika is left wing; madhya; She wears a blue skirt or sari, with a red veil. Lalita is sharp; of a hot nature (prakhara) and wears cloth the colour of peacock feathers. Visakha is left wing; madhya; and wears cloth decorated with stars. Indurekha is left wing; prakhara (pungent and acrid) and wears cloth the colour of a sunrise. Rangadevi and Sudevi are left wing; their nature is acute (prakhara) and their cloth is red in colour. All of them have a golden coloured bodily complexion. Campaklata is left wing; madhya and wears blue coloured cloth. Citra is right wing; gentle by nature and wears blue cloth. Tungavidya is right wing, hot nature and wears white coloured cloth. Shyamala is left wing, generous and kind, hot nature and wears red cloth. Bhadra is right wing, gentle and wears cloth decorated with pictures (printed / multicoloured). Candravali is right wing, docile and wears blue cloth. Her friend Padma is right wing, yet hot tempered. Saibya is right wing and gentle. These two sakhis both wear red cloth.
[Madhya - that sakhi is known as Madhya, in whom sharpness and mildness are equally present. The balance of these two opposite qualities mollifies her intensity and thus she is known as madhya. Such a lover is equibalanced in terms of bashfulness and lust, her speaking can be slightly impertinent, yet the delivery of her words has a cadence and beautiful, musical quality about it typified by ecstatic emotion. Her nature is powerful and influential. In the matter of man (at the time of feeling piqued) she can be sometimes docile and sometimes cruel.]
Duti Bhed (Different kinds of messengers)
In the conjugal mellow there are two kinds of messengers. A lover, revealing her emotions and intentions, can act as her own messenger, otherwise she can take into her confidence one of her reliable followers, who, as a friend, carries out the duties of a messenger. Close companions who act as messengers fall into three categories: 1) amitartha 2) nisrstartha and 3) patraharini. The messenger who, without speaking conveys her messages by gesture and hints is called amitartha. The nisrstartha messenger accomplishes everything as she is instructed and takes personal responsibility for causing the meeting to take place. The messenger who sends her messages and executes her duties by way of letters is known as patraharini.
All of these messengers are fully conversant in the fine arts, able to predict one's fortune, celibate, expert at attending to one's needs, nursemaids and sylvan goddesses. In Braja, Sri Krsna has three messengers: Bira, Brinda and Bamsi. Bira is saucy in speech, Brinda is sweet-tongued and fair spoken, while Bamsi is the accomplisher of all deeds.
Sakhi Bhed (Different kinds of sakhis)
There are five types of sakhis: 1) sakhi 2) nitya sakhi 3) pran sakhi 4) priya sakhi and 5) paramprestha sakhi. Amongst them some are sama-sneha and some are visam sneha.
Those who are more affectionate towards Krsna are called sakhis. Some of the sakhis are Brinda, Kundalata, Vidya, Dhanistha, Kusumika, Kamada, Atreyi, etc. The nitya sakhis are more affectionate towards Sri Radha. Some of the nitya sakhis are Kasturi, Manojna, Mani-manjari, Sindura, Candanvati, Kaumudi, Madira, etc. The principal amongst the nitya sakhis are called pran sakhis. Some of the pran sakhis are: Tulasi, Kelikandali, Kadambari, Sasimukhi, Candrarekha, Priyambada, Madonmada, Madhumati, Basanti, Kalabhasini, Ratnabali, Malati, Karpurlatika, etc.
All of them are almost equal in beauty with the Queen of Brindaban, Sri Radhika. Malati, Candralatika, Guncura, Barangada, Madhavi, Candrika, Prem-manjari, Tanumadhyama, Kandarpasundari, etc. are amongst the tens of millions of beautiful Braja priya sakhis. The chief amongst them are the param prestha sakhis. Even though Lalita, Visakha, Citra, Campaklata, Rangadevi, Sudevi, Tungavidya and Indurekha are equally affectionate towards Radha and Govinda, still they are prejudiced towards Sri Radha.
Bayo Bhed (Age differences)
The Braja Gopis ages are divided into four groups: 1) bayah sandhi 2) navyayauvan 3) byakta yauvan and 4) purna yauvan. Kalavati, etc., has just come into adolescence (kaisor) - bayah sandhi. Dhanya, etc. are just in the prime of adolescence (kaisor / 10-15) navya yauvan. Sri Radhika and others are in the age group - byakta yauvan - the age at which the breasts become clearly defined, the belly is marked with three lines, and all of the bodily limbs have a glow and lustre about them. Candravali, Padma, etc. are in the age group purna yauvana - at this age the hips become wider, the waist is very thin, the body becomes very lustrous, the breasts become big and the thighs take on the appearance of banana tree trunks.
Uddipan vibhab (Different kinds of stimulation for ecstatic love)
There are many kinds of stimulation for ecstatic love; some of which are: Krsna's and the gopi's qualities, Their Names, ecstatic dancing, the music of the flute, milking of the cows, ornaments, (Krsna's and the gopis') songs (about Krsna and the gopis), the signs born on their lotus foot prints, peacock feathers, necklaces of gunja (a small red, hard berry with a black dot on it), ornaments for the head and ears, the sight of a dark rain cloud (which is the colour of Krsna's body), etc.
Anubhab (transformations produced in the mind and body due to experiencing ecstatic emotions)
There are many types of anubhab. Amongst them, bhav, hab, hela, sobha, kanti, dipti, madhurya, pragalbhata, audarya, dhairya, lila, vilas, vicchitti, vibhram, kilakincit, mottayita, kuttamit, bibbok, lalit and vikrta; have been designated by these figures of speech. The first transformation that is observed in an unaffected and composed state of mental equilibrium is called bhab. The condition which is indicated by bending of the neck and expansion of the eyes and eyebrows is known as hab. When the breasts throb, other ecstatic symptoms such a horripilation (standing of the hairs on end) take place and the belt and clothes loosen and begin to slip off - this is called hela. The bodily ornaments are described as sobha (lovely and lustrous) due to the influence of bodily beauty and physical enjoyment. Kanti is the grace or loveliness which becomes noticeable during the blooming of new youth. When kanti becomes even more enhanced due to certain times, places or circumstances then it is known as dipti (blazing, glittering radiance). When the body becomes languid due to fatigue from dancing or any other related physical exertion, this is called madhurya. Inverted physical enjoyment is called pragalbhata (boldness, intrepidity). During the time of intense anger, if the symptoms of humility are expressed it is called audarya. Even though there is the likelihood that one will be afflicted with sorrow if he (or she) remains steady in attachment and in love, then this is known as dhairya. Imitation of the activities of the hero is called lila. When the face becomes very cheerful and gay at the time of being together with one's darling, this is known as vilas (wanton dalliance).
Even though one is wearing less clothes and ornaments, when He (or she) still appears very charming and lovely this is called vicchitti. When going out to meet one's lover, as a result of being very busy in order to keep the tryst, when the flower garlands and necklaces decorating one's body become disarrayed this is called vibhram. During Radha and Krsna's pastimes, for instance, when Krsna blocks Radharani's path and simultaneously She is moved by the following emotions, namely, pride due to excessive mirth, intense desire, crying, laughing, jealousy, fear and anger, the aggregate of all of these simultaneously present symptoms is called kilakincit. By receiving news of one's lover, when the hairs stand on end and other ecstatic symptoms are present and intense desire is manifested, this is known as mottayita. When the lover's lips are being bitten and there is forcible attraction to her breasts which produces delightful pleasure yet she outwardly gives the appearance that she is being pained, this is called kuttamit. Though one greatly desires something, when he (or she) shows disregard towards that object due to being overly affected by pride, then this is known as vibbok. When one moves his eyebrows, makes various gesticulations and gestures and waves his hands and arms in order to shoo away a bumble bee, then this attempt is called lalit. Due to feeling shame, one sometimes may not admit to having done something, but when this deception becomes revealed it is known as vikirta. These are the twenty ecstatic embellishments.
Beside these, there are two more ecstatic symptoms. Even though one already knows something but pretends he doesn't and thus asks a question, this question is called maugdhya. When one feels fear due to seeing some bumble-bees in front of his (or her) most dearly beloved then this is known as cakit.
There are a few other ecstatic symptoms which will be only briefly referred to: negligence in binding one's belt, upper garment or hair; various gestures and gesticulations: yawning, slight shaking of the nose, breathing, etc.
Sattvik (Symptoms of existential ecstatic love)
Next are the eight symptoms of existential ecstatic love beginning with becoming stunned and perspiration, as well as their gradual development through the stages of smoking, burning, blazing and bright illumination.
Byabhicari (Further symptoms which express overwhelming ecstatic love)
Various emotional stages, beginning with dejection, indifference, etc. which help to establish the permanent mellow.
Bhavot pattyadi
Next there are four conditions which manifest themselves: 1) bhavotpatti 2) bhav-sandhi 3) bhav sabalya and 4) bhav santi. The appearance of an emotion in the heart is called bhavotpatti. When two emotions combine together it is known as bhav sandhi. When one emotion becomes defeated by another emotion that is called bhav savallya. When an emotion disappears it is called bhav santi.
Sthayi bhab (Permanent mellow)
In Ujjval Ras, the topmost pinnacle of all devotional mellows is madhur-rati (the conjugal attachment that the gopis feel for Krsna). This madhur rati is of three kinds: 1) sadharani 2) samanjasa and 3) samartha. The sadharani madhur rati found in Kubja is, like an ordinary gem, rare. The royal queens of Dvaraka, beginning with Rukmini, are possessed of samanjasa rati. This is compared to cintamani (touchstone). The gopis of Braja (Braja devis) are possessed of samartha rati. This is compared to the Kaustubha gem. Briefly, that attachment which has as its design and intent one's own personal enjoyment is called sadharani. That attachment which has as its purpose the enjoyment which accrues both to Krsna and one's self, from being His wife, is called samanjasa. That attachment which has as its intent, the exclusive pleasure of Sri Krsna, which He obtains by enjoying others' wives, is called samartha.
Now the fully mature condition of samartha rati is being described.
In the first stage the attachment is in the seedling stage. Pure love is compared to sugar-cane; affection is compared to sugar-cane juice; man (pique) is compared to molasses; then pranoy (intimacy) is compared to raw sugar; rag (deep attachment), characterized by an insatiable desire to have Krsna - even having obtained His association one wants Him even more - is compared to sugar; anurag (passionate devotion) is compared to highly refined sugar; and finally mahabhab (ecstatic love) is compared to rock candy.
As a result of feelings or tendencies acquired in previous births, or due to taking great delight in hearing and chanting of Krsna's pastimes, when the mind becomes so attached, that it's condition is described as contiguous or fastened to Sri Krsna, then this is called rati. Even though there may be impediments, when it is seen that rati doesn't wane or decline then it is known as prem. When the heart melts due to intense love it is called sneha. When this sneha acquires the quality of tadiyata bhab (the feeling that I belong to Krsna) as it does amongst Candravali and others, then it is called ghrita-sneha. When this feeling becomes even further transformed, due to being mixed with such fondness for the hero that it approaches over indulgence, then it becomes suras sneha. Amongst Sri Radha and some of the other Braja badhus, the further quality of madiyata bhab (Krsna belongs to me) transforms this affection into Madhu-sneha. Just as honey, when combined with another foodstuff imparts such a distinctive flavour and a savour to whatever it is combined with, rather than its own taste being particularly affected by the combined substance, similarly the affection felt by Srimati Radhika for Sri Krsna doesn't depend or rely on any other emotion but it's self. Thus it has become celebrated as madhu sneha.
Due to very excessive affection, when there is sufficient reasonable or insufficient, unreasonable cause, or because of anger produced from jealousy, or in the absence of any cause whatsoever, when the affections acquire some crooked aspect then it is called man. Amongst Candravali and the other gopis, sometimes this man is accented by a right wing nature and sometimes by a left wing nature. The feigned anger (man) of Radharani and Her followers is called Lalit man.
When man becomes further advanced and one believes that the body, mind and senses of her beloved have become united with her own, then this is known as pranoy. This is of two varieties - sakhya and maitrya.
When pranoy increases to the point that suffering which is in relationship to Krsna is experienced as happiness, then that is called rag. This is of two varieties - nilima and raktima. The rag of Candravali and her followers is nilrag. That rag which surrounds (or covers) a self-centred nature is called nilrag. When this type of rag (attachment) is perpetually desired or striven for, then it becomes known as shyam rag. Bhadra and her followers possess this type of attachment. Sri Radha and Her followers possess manjistha rag. This attachment is neutral and does not conceal any inner purpose. Shyamala and her followers possess kusumbha rag. Because there is some motivation for happiness it is considered to be somewhat inferior. The position of the attachment (rag) has to be understood in accordance with the qualities of the person who possesses that attachment. When one experiences at every moment, that her attachment to Sri Krsna appears to be newer and newer, ever fresh and extraordinarily wonderful, then that attachment is called anurag. In anurag one desires that non-living objects which have some relationship with Sri Krsna might take birth; even in the personal presence of Sri Krsna one feels separation; and when there actually is separation one feels His (Krsna's) presence. These kinds of actions are inspired by anurag.
Hereafter, mahabhab is being described. Mahabhab is of two kinds: rurha and adhirurha. Even while enjoying the happiness of Krsna's association one sometimes feels greatly aggrieved due to apprehension of some (imaginary) malady or distress (persecution). Then also, when one cannot tolerate not to see Krsna, even for the brief moment that the eyes involuntarily blink, these symptoms or conditions indicate the presence of rurha mahabhab. When, on account of one's emotional state, she cannot possibly even consider any comparison between the happiness obtained in tens of millions of universes with even a particle of the happiness that is produced by being in Krsna's association, and vice versa, can also not entertain any comparison between the suffering that comes from being bitten by a snake or stung by a scorpion with the pain the misery that comes from being separated from Sri Krsna, the state that generates this happiness and sorrow due to being either united with or separated from Sri Krsna, is known as adhirurha mahabhab.
Again there are two divisions of this adhirurha mahabhav: namely modan and madan. When due to a particular emotion, ecstatic transformations occur in a blazing state in the body of our heroine, and at the sight of these transformations Krsna and the gopis are amazed and given cause to feel greatly alarmed, then that particular emotion can be recognized as modan. This emotion (of modan) can only be found in Radharani's camp, not elsewhere. Modan is known as mohan when experienced during separation. When this emotion rises up in Srimati Radhika's heart during the agony of separation, then Sri Krsna, though He is lying in the embrace of the queens of Dvaraka, becomes unconscious. By the influence of this emotional state the entire universe is plunged in grief and even lower animals, such as birds, begin to cry. These are some of the effects of Mohan. Very frequently this Mohan makes its appearance in the "Queen of Brindaban." One variation of this state is called divyonmad in which are found the moods of ecstatic love called udghurna, citrajalpa, etc. When in mahabhab unlimited different moods and emotions take their birth, when in even the garlands of forest flowers there is found jealousy, in the untouchables like the Pulindas there is found pride and the fortunate position of even the malati creeper who is in union with the tamal tree is being described, that mahabhab then becomes known as madan. This is superior to all; that is, it is the topmost pinnacle of love and affection, equal to or above which nothing else is to be found. This is to be found only in Radha, nowhere else.
Now the shelter and support of these various emotions (bhab) is to be ascertained.
In Kubja, who possesses sadharani rati, the limit of prem is present. In the queens of Dvaraka, who possess samanjasa rati, the limits of anurag are to be found. Therein Satyabhama and Laksana correspond to Srimati Radharani. Rukmini and the other queens are the corresponding representatives of Candravali. The progression of the love for Krsna of the priya narma sakhas (cowherd boys of Braja) is up to anurag. The gopis of Braja (Brajasundori gon) who possess samartha rati, possess a deeper love of Shyamsundor, which is up to the limit of mahabhab. Amongst Subal and some of the other cowherd boys, the limits of their love can be found to also extend up to mahabhab. However, adhirurha mahabhavb is only found to be present in Sri Radha's camp, not within any other party group. Then mohan is only to be found in Sri Radha, Lalita, Visakha and their followers. And finally, madan is existent only in Sri Radha.
Sthayi bhab is of two varieties, differentiated according to separation and union. Separation (vipralambha) has four divisions: purbarag, man, premvaicittya and prabas. Before there is actual physical union, when one's attachment is characterized by over anxiousness and impatience then that is called purba rag. From this, different conditions or circumstances emerge: lalasa (longing), udbeg (anxiety), jagamon (sleeplessness), krsata (weakness), jarata (lethargy), byagrata (eagerness), byadhi (disease), unmad (madness), moha (fainting) and mrtyu (death). Man is of two types: sahetuk and nirhetuk. Nirhetuk is alleviated and mitigated on its own. Sahetuk is abated by sam (conciliatory speeches), bhed (separation), kriya, dan (presenting gifts), nati (bow, salutation, obeisances), upeksa (neglect) and rasantor (suddenly becoming fearful / ie. that Krsna may go away, etc.). Speaking sweet words is called sam, showing one's own opulences while proclaiming the heroine's worthlessness is called bhed, demonstrating some fear through the confidants is called kriya; presenting cloth and flower garlands is called dan; offering obeisances is called nati; exhibiting indifference and empathy is called upeksa. Rasantor means proposing the future bestowal of some fear or other type of suffering (threats). The sign(s) that man has been pacified are tears, smiling, etc.
Now prem vaicittya is being described.
This occurs when, even though Krsna is nearby, due to excessive anurag (attachment), one thinks that He is not there, then this separation is called prem vaicittya.
There are two types of pravas (sojourn) - kinciddur nistha and sudur nistha. When Krsna takes the cows out into the pasture that is called kinciddur nistha. When He goes to Mathura, however, that is called sudurnistha. In this instance the previously mentioned ten conditions become very predominantly manifest.
Sambhog (enjoyment in union) is also of four kinds. The union which takes place after purvarag, in which the lips are bruised with the nails, etc., because it is shortened, abridged or abbreviated is called sankipta (condensed) sambhog. The union which takes place after man, because it is mixed with words of jealousy, envy and anger, is called sankirna (limited). The union that takes place after Krsna returns from the pastures with the cows, because it is tangible, is called sampurna (complete). That union that takes place after Krsna returns from afar, because it is accomplished very apparently is called samriddhiman (thriving, flourishing). Seeing, touching, speaking, blocking the path, playing in the forest, playing in the water, stealing the flute, pastimes in a boat, playing hide and seek, drinking honey, etc. are just some of the unlimited varieties of sambhog (enjoyment in union).
For those who have not studied grammar, yet still are devoted to worshipping and serving the lotus feet of Sri Hari, may this Ujjval Nilamani Kiran show them the path. | | Thursday, December 6th, 2007 | | 12:53 am |
Sambhoga & Vipralambha
"The highest perfection of adhirudha affection in conjugal love involve meeting (madana) and separation (mohana). In the ecstasy of madana, meeting, there is kissing, and in the ecstasy of mohana, separation, there is udghurna and citrajalpa. As far as citrajalpa is concerned, in Srimad-Bhagavatam, there is a portion known as Bhramara-gita in which various kinds of citra jalpa are mentioned. Udghurna is a symptom of separation, and there is also a symptom called transcendental insanity. In that transcendental insanity one thinks that he himself has become the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In such an ecstasy, he imitates the symptoms of Krsna in different ways.
There are two kinds of dresses worn in that relationship of conjugal love, and they are called sambhoga and vipralambha. On the sambhoga platform, the dresses are unlimited, and on the vipralambha they are four in number. The ecstasy exhibited before the lover and beloved meet, the ecstasy experienced between them after meeting, the state of mind experienced by not meeting, and the state of mind experienced after meeting fearing separation are called vipralambha. That vipralambha serves as a nourishing element for future meetings. When the lover and beloved meet all of a sudden and embrace one another, they feel an ecstasy of happiness, and the state of mind they experience in that ecstasy is called sambhoga. According to the situation, sambhoga ecstasy is also known by four names: (1) sanksipta, (2) sankirna, (3) sampanna, (4) samrddhiman. Such symptoms are also visible during dreams.
The mental state experienced before meeting is called purvaraga. The obstacles which sometimes impede the meeting between lover and beloved are called mana, or anger. When the lover and beloved are separated, the mental state experienced is called pravasa. Feelings of separation which are present under certain conditions even when the lovers meet are called love anxieties (prema-vaicittya). Such love anxieties are exhibited in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.90.15) by the princesses who kept awake nights and watched Krsna sleep. They were afraid of being separated from Krsna, and they always talked amongst themselves about how they had been affected by Krsna's beautiful eyes and His smile." | | 12:49 am |
Radharani, Srimati
Srimati Radharani is fifteen years old and full of the luster of youth.
Yasoda-devi, the queen of the cowherds, is more affectionate to Radharani than millions of mothers can be. Radharani's father is King Vrsabhanu, who is as splendid as the sun.
Srimati Radharani's mother is Kirtida-devi, who is also known in this world as Ratnagarbha-devi. Radharani's paternal grandfather is Mahibhanu and Her maternal grandfather is Indu.
Her maternal grandmother is Mukhara-devi and Her paternal grandmother is Sukhada-devi. Her father's brothers (Her uncles) are Ratnabhanu, Subhanu and Bhanu.
Bhadrakirti, Mahakirti and Kirticandra are Radharani's materal uncles. Menaka-devi, Sasthi-devi, Gauri-devi, Dhatri-devi and Dhataki-devi are Radharani's materal aunts.
Radharani's mother's sister is Kirtimati-devi, whose husband is Kasa. Radharani's father's sister is Bhanumudra-devi, whose husband is Kusa.
Radharani's elder brother is Sridama and Her younger sister is Ananga-manjari. Radharani's father-in-law is Vrikagopa and Her brother-in-law is Durmada.
Jatila-devi is Radharani's mother-in-law and Abhimanyu is Radharani's so-called husband. Kutila-devi, who is always eager to find fault, is Radharani's sister-in-law.
Lalita, Visakha, Sucitra, Campakalata, Ranga-devi, Sudevi, Tungavidya and Indulekha are the eight dearest friends of Srimati Radharani. These gopis are considered the leaders of all the others.
Kurangaksi, Mandali, Mankiundala, Matali, Candralalita, Madhavi, Madanalasa, Manjumedha, Sasikala, Sumadhya, Madhureksana, Kamala, Kamalatika, Gunacuda, Varangada, Madhuri, Candrika, Prema-manjari, Tanumadhyama, Kandarpa-sundari and Manjukesi are among the millions of dear friends (priya-sakhi) of Srimati Radharani.
Lasika, Kelikandali, Kadambari, Sasimukhi, Candrarekha, Priyamvada, Madonmada, Madhumati, Vasanti, Kalabhasini, Ratnavali, Manimati and Karpuralatika are among those friends (jivita-sakhi) for whom Srimati Radharani is as dear as life.
Kasturi, Manojna, Manimanjari, Sindura, Candanavati, Kaumudi and Madira are among Sriamti Radharani's eternal friends (nitya-sakhi).
Srimati Radharani's Manjari Friends.
Ananga-manjari, Rupa-manjari, Rati-manjari, Lavanga-manjari, Raga-manjari, Rasa-manjari, Vilasa-manjari, Prema-manjari, Mani-manjari, Suvarna-manjari, Kama-manjari, Ratna-manjari, Kasturi-manjari, Gandha-manjari, Netra-manjari, Sripadma-manjari, Lila-manjari and Hema-manjari are among Srimati Radharani's manjari friends. Prema-manjari and Rati-manjari are both also known by the name Bhanumati-devi.
The Objects of Srimati Radharani's Worship
Srimati Radharani's worshipable deity is the sun-god, who enlivens the lotus flowers and acts as an eye for the entire world. Srimati Radharani's maha-mantra is the name of Lord Krishna. Srimati Radharani's benefactor, who brings Her all good fortune, is Bhagavati Paurnamasi.
Specific Description of Various Gopis
Lalita-devi and the other eight principal gopis, the other gopis and the manjari have forms that are for the most part like the transcendental form of Srimati Radharani, the queen of Vrindavan.
Vrinda-devi, Kundalat-devi and their followaers assist the divine couple in Their pastimes in the various forests of Vrindavan. Dhanistha-devi, Gunamala-devi and their followers remain in the home of Nanda Maharaja, the cowherd king and assist the Lord's pastimes from there.
Kamada-devi is the daughter of Srimati Radharani's nurse. Kamada is an especially close friend of Radharani. Ragalekha-devi, Kalakeli-devi and Manjula-devi are some of Radharani's maidservants.
Nandimukhi-devi and Bindumati-devi are the leaders of those gopis who arrange the rendezvous of Radha and Krishna. Syamala-devi and Mangala-devi are the leaders of those gopis who act as well-wishers of Srimati Radharani.
Candravali-devi is the leader of those gopis who are Srimati Radharani's rivals.
The talented musicians Rasollasa-devi, Gunatunga-devi,Kalakanthi-devi, Sukhanti-devi, and Pikakanti-devi delight Lord Hari by singing Visakha's musical compositions.
Maniki-devi, Narmada-devi, and Kusumapesala-devi serve the divine couple by playing drums, cymbals, string instruments like the vina, and wind instruments like the flute.
In this way we have described some of the sakhis (gopi friends), nitya-sakhis (eternal gopi friends), prana-sakhis (gopi friends who are as dear as life), priya-sakhis (dear gopi friends) and parama-prestha-sakhis (dearest gopi friends)
Srimati Radharani's Maidservants
Ragalekha-devi, Kalakeli-devi and Bhurida-devi are the leaders for those gopis who are Srimati Radharani's maidservants. Among these maidservants are Sugandha-devi and Nalini-devi (the two daughters of Divakirti-devi) and Manjistha-devi and Rangaraga-devi (the two daughters of Nanda Maharaja's laundry washers).
Palindri-devi serves Srimati Radharani by dressing and decorating Her. Chitrini decorates Radharani with various cosmetics. Mantriki-devi and Tantriki-devi are astrologers who reveal the future to Srimati Radharani.
Katyayani-devi is the leader of those gopi messengers who are older than Srimati Radharani. Bhagyavati-devi and Punyapunja-devi, the two daughters of Maharaja Nanda's sweeper, are also the maidservants of Srimati Radharani.
Tunga-devi, Malli-devi and Matalli-devi are the leaders of those girls descended from the uncivilized mountain tribe known as the Pulindas. In Vrindavan some of the Pulinda girls act as the friends of Srimati Radharani and some are the friends of Sri Krishna.
Also included among Srimati Radharani's servants are Gargi-devi and other very respectable brahmana girls, Bhringarika-devi and other girls from the cheti community, Vijaya-devi, Rasala-devi, Payoda-devi and other girls from the vita community, as well as the boys Subala, Ujjvala, Gandharva, Madhumangala and Raktaka.
Tunga-devi, Pisangi-devi and Kalakandala-devi always remain near Srimati Radharani to serve Her. Manjual-devi, Bindula-devi, Sandha-devi, Mrdula-devi and others, although very young still engage in Radharani's service.
Sunada, Yamuna and Bahula are the most important of Srimati Radharani's pet surabhi cows. Tungi is Her chubby pet calf, Kakkhati is Her old pet monkey, Rangini is Her pet doe and Charuchandrika is Her pet chakori bird.
Tundikeri is the name of Radharani's pet swan, who is fond of swimming in Radha-kunda. Madhuri is Radharani's pet elephant and Suksmadhi and Subha are Her two pet parrots.
The two parrots perfectly imitate Lalita-devi's playful jokes spoken to her master and mistress (Sri Sri Radha-Krishna). By this wonderful repetition the parrots astonish the gopis.
Srimati Radharani's Ornaments
Srimati Radharani's tilaka marking is named Smarayantra. Her jeweled necklace is named Harimohana, Her jeweled earrings are named Rocana and the pearl decorating Her nose is named Prabhakari.
Her locket which contains a picture of Lord Krishna, is named Madana. Her Syamantaka jewel is also known as Sankhacuda-siromani (Sankhacuda's crest-jewel).
The auspicious jewel She wears around Her neck is called Puspavan because it eclipses the simultaneous rising of the sun and moon (puspavan) with its splendor. Her anklets are called Chatakarava because their tinkling sounds resemble the warbling of chataka birds. Her bracelets are called Manikarvura.
Srimati Radharani's signet ring is named Vipaksamardini. Her sash is named Kancanacitrangi and Her ankle-bells, which stun Lord Krishna with their tinkling sounds, are named Ratnagopura.
Srimati Radharani's garments are named Meghambara. Her choli is red like a ruby and it is the favorite of Lord Hari. Radharani's ghaghra is the color of a blue cloud and it is Her own favorite.
Srimati Radhrani's jeweled mirror is named Sudhamsudarpaharana, which means "that which removes (harana) the moon's (sudhamsu) pride (darpa)."
Her golden stick for applying mascara is named Narmada, Her jeweled comb is named Svastida and Her private flower garden is named Kandarpakuhali.
In Radharani's garden is a vine of golden jasmine flowers that She has named Tadidvalli ("the vine of lightning"). Her private lake bears Her own name (Radha-kunda) and on the shore of that lake is a kadamba tree that is the site of very confidential talks between Her and Lord Krishna.
Her favorite ragas are mallara and dhanasri and Her favorite dances are chalikya and rudravallaki.
Srimati Radharani's glorious birth occured on the eighth day of the bright moon in the month of Bhadra. Although generally not full on that day, the moon appeared full to celebrate Radharani's appearance in this world. | | Wednesday, December 5th, 2007 | | 9:04 pm |
using analogy
There is an example of conjugal love and fraternal affection when Srimati Radharani said, “My dear friends, just see how Krsna is resting His hand on the shoulder of Subala, who is dressed up just like a young girl! I think He must be sending some message to Me through Subala.” The purport is that the superiors of Radharani do not like Krsna or His cowherd friends to associate with Her; therefore these friends sometimes clothe themselves in female dress so they can give Radharani a message from Krsna. In this example the whole is conjugal love and the part is fraternity.
(The Nectar of Devotion, p. 388) |
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