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Translations of various devotional texts.

Sanchari bhavas - Madhurya Kadambini 7.2



Jagat - Fri, 01 Oct 2004 20:40:06 +0530
udyotamAne cAsmin
zyAmalimAnaM vraja-mahendra-nandanasyAGgAnAm eva,
AruNyaM tadIyAdhara-netrAntAder eva,
dhavalimAnaM tadIya-vadana-smita-candrikAder eva,
pItimAnaM tad-ambara-bhUSaNAder eva
leDhuM labdhvAsanna-samayam iva valitotkaNThaM
bhaktasya nayana-dvandvam azrubhir ajasram AtmAnam abhiSiJcet.


When bhava arises, the devotee’s eyes so long to relish
the blackness of Vrajendra-nandana’s limbs,
the crimson glow of his lips and eye-rims,
the white brilliance of the mild smile of his moon-like face
and the yellow glow of his clothes and ornaments,
that he feels they will be able to see them at any moment.
His eyes thus let flow such endless streams of tears
that his entire body is bathed in them.


gItaM tadIyaM muralyA eva,
ziJjitaM tadIya-nUpurAder eva,
saundaryaM tadIya-kaNThasyaiva,
nidezaM tac-caraNa-paricaraNasyaiva,
tat-kRtaM kam api svasyAvataMsIkartuM mRgyad iva
sthAne sthAne kSaNe kSaNe
zravaNa-dvayaM nizcalIbhavad unnamet.


The devotee's ears sometimes stand still and alert,
as if searching out here and there for Krishna’s flute song,
or the jingling of his ankle bells,
or for his voice giving some instruction to do a personal service,
or for even the most insignificant news of his activities;
it is as if they wish to decorate themselves with these sweet sounds.


evam eva kIdRzo vA tad-ubhaya-kara-kizalaya-sparzaH ?
iti tadaiva tam anubhavad iva gAtraM romAJcitaM bhavet.


Then the devotee wonders what it would be like
to receive the tender touch of the Lord’s lotus hand,
and his hairs stand erect as if he were directly feeling that touch.


tat-saurabhyaM labhyamAnam iva viduSyau
nAse praphulle kSaNe kSaNe zvAsaM gRhItvA paricicISetAm.


His nostrils open wide again and again
as if they can recognize Krishna's sweet fragrance with each inhalation.


hanta ! sA phenA kiM me svAdanIyA iti
tadaiva tAm upalabhamAneva
rasanApy ullAsaM dadhAnaivoSThAdharau lihyAt.


He wonders, “Ah, will I ever be fortunate enough
to relish the nectar of the Lord’s lips?”
And it seems to him that he can almost taste it,
and so licks his own lips ecstatically.


kadApi tadIya-sphUrtau taM sAkSAt prAptavad iva ceto hRSyet,
tan-mAdhuryAsvAda-sampattyA mAdyet,
tadaiva tat-tirobhAve viSIdet,
glAyed ity evaM saJcAri-bhAvair
AtmAnam alaGkurvad iva zobheta.


Sometimes he has hallucinations of Krishna
and thinks that he has directly attained him,
which fills him with uncommon pleasure,
intoxicating him with the rich taste of the Lord’s sweetness.
But on the disappearance of this sensation,
he is plunged into depression and lassitude.

Thus decorating his soul with all these transitory emotions,
the bhava bhakta takes on a splendorous appearance.


[Madhava, I don't think I'll format it like this, but in general I do like to break up long Sanskrit prose passages in this way. Sorry about that dry, scholarly language.]
Jagat - Fri, 01 Oct 2004 21:10:53 +0530
The point in the above passage is that the devotee on the stage of bhava is on the very edge; like a person who is in mid-air after tripping, but hasn't hit the ground yet.

Just imagining Krishna's taste, the saliva flows.
Satyabhama - Fri, 01 Oct 2004 23:43:25 +0530
So how long exactly does the falling take?