February Meditations - ...verses and poems of choice...

Rediscovered this verse today.

SoDazyAs tvam uDor vimuJca sahasA
nAmApi vAmAçaye
tasyA durvinayair muner api manaH
zAntAtmanaH kupyati |
dhig goSThendra-sute samasta-guNinAM
maulau vrajAbhyarcite
pAdAnte patite’pi naiva kurute
bhrU-kSepam apy atra yA ||

"O Padma, don't even mention the name of that woman. To speak of her is to destroy your intelligence. She is so badly behaved that even the sages would break their vow of silence to speak of her faults.

"Just look! Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaj, is the fountainhead of all virtue. He is worshiped by all the residents of Vrindavan, human, animal or other. He has fallen down at her feet, begging her to forgive him, and yet she won't even glance at him!" (Ujjvala-nIlamaNi, 9.49)

Anything I do here is a guilty pleasure, but Raganuga is all about guilty pleasures. Actually, Mandala Media is producing a beautiful calendar for the year 2003. It has twelve Yugalas in the Kanghra style by the artist B. G. Sharma. They asked me to find captions for each picture, which was not as easy as you might think. So I chose a few verses that I have always loved--

svidyan dRganta-capalAJcala-vIjito'pi
kSubhyan svakAnti-nagarAntara-vAsito'pi
tRpyan muhuH smita-sudhAM paripAyito'pi
zrI-rAdhayA praNayatu pramadaM hariR naH

Even though they fan each other
with the corners of their constantly moving eyes,
still their bodies are wet with perspiration;
although residing comfortably
in the abode of each other’s effulgence,
still they are agitated and restless;
and even though they are constantly drinking the nectar
of each other’s slightly smiling faces,
still they are disturbed by a sense of ever-increasing thirst.
May that eternally frolicksome Divine Pair
bestow upon us love for Them.

Vishwanath Chakravarti (Änanda-candrikä)

What a lovely verse there! [vV-V]

For Nisanta-lila...

atha prabudhyaiva vidhuya paksan
grivah samunniya cukujur uccaih
yat kukkutah panca sabaramadau
radha jajagara tad apta vadha

krsnanga samslesa visesa vadhinas
tan eva matveti sasapa sa rusa
are paretasu paretarat puram
tatraiva kum kujata no padayudhah

vislisya kincut priya-vaksasah sa
tusnim sthitams tan upalabhya sadhyah
samslisya kantam dara nidrayaiva
nisesyamana punar apyarajit
"On Vrinda's order the roosters woke up, craned their necks and flapped their wings. They cooed for about five or six times, thus awakening Sri Radha, who became very disturbed.

Seeing that the roosters stopped Her from embracing Krishna, Sri Radhika angrily cursed them, saying: 'O roosters, quickly go and coo in hell! Why are you cooing here?

Sri Radhika slightly slackened Her embrace of Sri Krishna's chest. Hearing that the roosters had become silent, She thought that they had gone to hell, according to Her curse. Then She tightened Her embrace of Her lover and fell asleep again."

- - Sri Krishna Bhavanamrta Mahakavya of Visvanath Cakravarti, 1.20-22 - -

payasA kamalaM kamalena ca payaH
payasA kamalena vibhAti saraH |
maNinA valayaM valayena ca maniH
maNinA valayena vibhAti karaH ||
zazinA ca nizA nizayA ca zazI
zazinA nizayA vibhAti nabhaù |
hariNA ca rAdhA rAdhayA ca hariH
hariNA rAdhayA vibhAti vanam ||

The water increases the beauty of the lotus
and the lotus increases the beauty of the water;
both the lotus and the water enhance the charms of the lake.

The bracelet is beautified by the jewel
and the jewels by the bracelet,
yet both combine to increase the beauty of the hand.

The night becomes more lovely when the moon shines,
the moon appears more beautiful at night;
when both are present together, the sky’s charm is heightened.

So it is with Radha and Krishna;
each of them increases each other’s beauty
and together they augment the glories of Vrindavan.

Where was the verse from, Jagat?

Vrindavana Mahimamrta:

ananya sri radha padakamala dasyaika rasadhi
hareh sange rangam svapana samaye na'pi dadhati
balat krsna kurpasakabhidi kim apy acarati kapy
udasrur meveti pralapati mamatma ca hasati

"The maidservants, that are exclusively devoted to the service of Sri Radha's lotusfeet, that are like an ocean of nectar, do not enjoy with Sri Hari even in their dreams. When Krishna forcibly pulls at their bodices, they cry out, 'No, no!', while my life and soul Sri Radhika watches and laughs."

It's in Manjari-svarupa-nirupana, but Kunja Bihari Dasji simply calls it "pracina sloka." It is not in fact in any recognizable Sanskrit metre.

rAdheti nAma nava-sundara-sIdhu-mugdhaM
kRSNeti nAma madhurAdbhuta-gADha-dugdham |
sarva-kSaNaM surabhi-rAga-himena ramyaM
kRtvA tad eva piba me rasane kSudhArte ||

Oh my greedy tongue!
Don’t you know that the name of Radha is like fresh new ambrosia
and the name of Krishna is like wonderfully sweet and thickened milk?
Mix them together, add the camphor scent of your attachment,
and then drink, drink eternally to your heart’s content.

Raghunath Das. Stavavali (Abhista-sucana, 10).

kvApy AnuSaGgikatayodita-rAdhikAkhyA-
vismAritAkhila-vilAsa-kalA-kalApam |
kRSNeti-varNa-yugala-zravaNAnubandha-
prAdurbhavaj-jaDima-Dambara-saMvitAGgIm ||

O Krishna!
If You hear the name of Srimati Radharani,
at any time at all, in any connection whatsoever,
You immediately forget Your own identity
as well as all Your clever innovations
for captivating young women.

O Radha!
As soon as the two syllables “krish” and “na” enter Your ears,
You become motionless and Your entire body
is overwhelmed by the symptoms of ecstatic love.

Rupa Goswami (Utkalika-vallari)

vinA kRSNaM rAdhA vyathayati samantAn mama mano
vinA rAdhAM kRSNo 'py ahaha sakhi mAM viklavayati |
janiH sA me mA bhUt kSaNam api na yatra kSaNaduhau
yugenAkSNor lihyAM yugapad anayor vaktra-zazinau ||

Dear friend, it pains my heart to see Radha separated from Krishna.
And when I see Krishna without Radha, I truly feel great suffering.
Oh beautiful one! I therefore pray that I may never take birth
in a place where I am unable to drink through my eyes
the beauty of the Divine Couple’s moon-like faces
as they create a joyful festival in the embrace of union.

Rupa Goswami, Ujjvala-nilamani (8.136).

rAdhA nAma sudhA rasaM rasayituM jihvAstu me vihvalA

pAdau tat padakAGkitAsu carataM vRndATavi vIthiSu

satkarmaiva karaH karotu hRdayam tasyAh padaM dhyAyatAt

tad bhAvotsavataH paraM bhavatu me tat prANa nAthe ratiH

(Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi- Sri Hita Hari Vamsha)

A Rasik Saint-Poet prays: [vV-V]

O My Radhe! O Queen of Vrindavan!

When will that most fortunate moment in my life will come?
When will I become restless for Your vision, tasting the Sweet Nectar of Your Names dancing on my tongue?
When will I roll on the grounds of the garden bowers, looking for Your Foot-Prints and run like a mad person?

Contemplating upon Your Lotus Feet in my heart, when will I utilize my hands and body for doing Your Loving Service?
Having dedicated forever my whole self to You, immersed in Your Devotional Ecstacies, when will I attain the self-less Love for the Lord of Your Heart and adore Him, just for the sake of giving pleasure to You alone?

O My Radhe! When will You make me eligible for Your Grace?

Only around here, it's Prabodhananda Saraswati and not Hita Harivamsh who wrote Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi. Didn't I send you those articles showing you the evidence...

"yamunA nikaTa taTa sthita
vrindAvana kAnane mahAramye
kalpa druma talabhUmau
caraNaM caraNopari sthApya
tishTaMtaM ghana nIlaM
sva tejasA bhAsayanta miha vizvaM
pitAmbara paridhAnaM
candana karpUra lipta sarvAGgam."

Lord Krishna is standing with one leg crossed over the other, under the wish-yielding Kalpa tree, in a most beautiful flowery bower in Vrindavana,
situated near the banks of the river Yamuna.

His complexion as a dark rain-ladden cloud, illuminates the
whole world with its Luster. He is dressed in yellow silk Garments and all parts of His transcendental body are anointed with the paste of sandalwood and camphor.

"Akarna pUrna netraM
kuNDala yuga maNDita zravaNaM
manda smita mukha kamalaM
sa kaustubho dAra maNi hAraM
valayAGgulIya kAdyA
nujjvala yantaM svalankArAn
gala vilulita vana mAlaM
sva tejasApAsta kali kAlaM."
His large captivating eyes seem to reach almost to His ears which are adorned with glittering earrings. A sweet, gentle, enchanting smile blooms from His lotus face. He is wearing jewelery made of precious stones, pearls and the celestial jem, Kaustubha.
The radiance of His transcendental Body enhances the splendour of the golden bracelets, rings and the other ornaments present on Him. As the vanamala (garland made of five heavenly fragrant
flowers) around His neck, is gently swaying to and fro,
His very brilliance and beauty drives away the sinful effects of the dark age of Kali.

"gunjAravAli kalitaM
gunjA puGjAnvite zirasi
bhuGjAnaM saha gopaiH
kunjAn tar vartinaM hariM smarata.

mandAra puSpa vAsita
mandAnila sevita parAnandaM
mandAkinI yuta padaM namata
mahAnanda daM mahA puruSaM."
The curly locks of His dark hair surrounded by the vines and fragrant flowers of the Divine bower, are attracting the intoxicated, noisy, bumble bees. Fondly remember and contemplate upon Lord Hari Who is frolicking in the bower along with His cowherd playmates and eating His midday meal joyfully.

Offering worship and prayers, meditate upon that Supreme Personality, Sri Krishna, the Bestower of the highest Bliss!
He is fanned by the gentle breeze, scented with the fragrance of heavenly 'mandAra' flowers, and His lotus feet are attended by the sacred celestial river, Ganges.

"surabhIkRta digvalayaM
surabhi zatair AvritaH paritaH
surabhIti kSapaNa mahA
sura bhImaM yAdavaM namata."
His Divine fragrance pervades all around as He is encircled by hundreds of blessed cows who are attracted by His captivating beauty and soul-stirring ethereal music pouring from His Flute.

Let us offer our humble obeisance to Beloved Lord, Sri Krishna, the Descendent of Yadu dynasty, Who even drives away the fears of heavenly gods by terrifying and conquering the demoniac forces with His Supreme Valor.
-'Prabodha Sudhakara'- Adi Jagadguru Sri Shankaracarya Bhagavatpada
Jaya, Jaya Sri Radhey!

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