madhuram madhuram...etc - Krsna Karnamrta 93

madhuraM madhuraM vapurasya vibhor-
madhuraM madhuraM vadanaM madhuram/
madhugandhi mRdusmitametadaho
madhuraM madhuraM madhuraM madhuram//

My lord's figure is surpassing sweet,
and his countenance bears a sweetness
that again surpasses sweetest sweetness;
but, O! upon his lips the tender smile,
redolent of nectar, is more sweet
than sweetest sweetness that surpasses all sweetness!

(Krsna Karnamrta 93)

Sri Caitanya Das Goswami's Balabodhini tika

Beholding the exquisit sweetnes of Krsna's naturally charming limbs, after enjoying an amorous encounter with his beloved, the auther exclaims, "Ah! 'tis sweeter than sweet, made all the more relishable due to bearing the signs of tumultuous love sports ( bites, scratches etc.). Again marking the beautiful countenance with bruised and perforated lips etc., he proclaims, " Nay! 'tis a sweetness beyond sweeter than sweet!" That's the implication. But the gentle smile upon his lovely lips, redolent of fragrant nectar is more sweet, nay, sweeter than the sweetest sweet surpassing sweetness.

Sri Krsna Das Kaviraja's Saranga rangada tika

Experiencing Krsna's unlimited exquisit sweetness by way of anubhava or inner or intuitve perception, Sri Lilasuka expresses his great wonder and astonishment by exclaiming, " This my lords form or figure is certainly sweet surpassing sweet", then fixing his ardent gaze upon the face of the lord he marvels, "It is sweet surpassing sweet of sweetest sweetness". But beholding the gentle smile on his lips, Lilasuka shrieks for joy and points out with his finger and proclaims, " Nay, his tender smile is sweeter than the sweetest sweet surpassing sweetness!" How? The smile is redolant of fragrant nectar like a blooming lotus surcharged with richest odour. The nectar whereof is a most potent intoxicant; this is the implication. Or his smile is fragrant due to drinking in excess of honey-wine during amorous sports.

sri sri radha vallavi vallabhayo jayatah/

That's one of my favourite verses too. It has been going on through my mind all the time. Seeing it on the screen, as if, someone read my mind. Thanks for posting, Madanmohanji!

madhuraM madhuram

Waiting for more madhura verses, Madanmohanji!

Can't rush it, check tidal wave for the "kAla kalirbalina.." sloka

tat tvan-mukhaM katham ivAmbuja-tulya-kakSaM
vAcAm avAci nanu parvaNi parvaNIndoH |
taM kiM bruve kim aparaM bhuvanaikakAnta-
veNu tvad-Ananam anena samaM nu yat syAt || 97||

yadunandan: (in Bengali)

ohe kRSNa tava mukha-candra |
upamA dibAr nAi, padma-tulya kibA tAi,
indra-tulya kahi oti manda ||

proti amAvasyA pAile, candre jebA dazA phale,
se kathA kohite nAhi cAi |
sarva-kSaNa hoy sei, kAnti-lez (sh) tAte nai,
ei lAgi tulye nAhi gAi ||

candrer caraNAghAte, padma jAy adhaHpAte,
se padma kemon mukha-tulya |
ei lAgi jani Ami, kohilo sakal bANI,
taba mukha upamA atulya ||
……………….
e tomAr mukha oti, manohara sukha dyuti
bhubanera kamanIya ThAm |
tA’te beNu bilAsaye, sadA sudhA borishaye,
ei lAgi tulya nahe An ||

I like to quote this verse where lilashuka Bilvamangal Thakur says that the beauty of krishna’s face can neither be compared with moon nor with lotus. Why? Because we can perceive moon in it’s full form (16 kala –s) only when it’s Purnima and again it startes to diminish in every parva. Shri-krishna’s face remains in full form always.

At night time, the lotus closes or fades, but Krishna’s face remains ever-delighted. And if moon cannot be campared then being defeated by the beauty of His lotus-feet how can the lotus taken in account to describe his shri-mukha?
That shri-mukha along with the flute can only be observed in Vrindavan, not in any other incarnations.

Now I will leave it up to bhakta-kavi Madanmohanji to give the English version of the shloka.

Oh that's too much praise. I'm hardly either ( bhakta or kavi).
Does your edition have Yadunandana's padya?

O lord! To what may your radient countenance be compared?
A lotus? Nay, nor not the moon neither, for it diminishes
Day by day to nought. Hence, the exquisit beauty of your face,
Defies description in words for want of some object to compare.
How then can there be any comparisson to adequetly describe
The wondrous charm when you place the flute to your soft lips,
The singular and exclusive rapture to all the worlds?

Sri Kaviraja Goswami observes in the preamble of his Tika that Bilvamagala composed these slokas impromptu and his companions noted them down. So they are spontaneous outbursts of his bhava. He also notes that there is no prayer or supplication in the Mangalacaran, as is customary, because Bilvamangala had nothing to pray for. Quite fascinating,

Yes, I do. Actually, the book is not mine. I borrowed this book from Jagatji.

The translation is wonderful and uncomparable as well. Thank you, Madanmohanji!

Now I know what my next riddle will be.

Talk about bhava!