October Nectar! - Selected prayers and verses

Madhava - Thu, 03 Oct 2002 02:14:06 +0530

Another month of beautiful meditations...

Sri Hari - Sun, 06 Oct 2002 22:21:22 +0530

pada adha calato kholate punah beri
punah pheri cumbai duhu mukha heri
duhu jana nayane galaye jaladhara
roi roi sakhigana caloi na para
khone bhoye sacakito nayane nehara
galito basana phula kuntala bhara
nupura abharana acare nelo
duhu ati katore duhu pathe gelo
punah punah heraite herai na paya
nayanak lorahi basana bhigaya
calite heralo nikatahi geho
pita basone sab gopai deho
apada mastaka basane beyapi
alape alape cole pada juga capi
nija madire dhani ayali dekhi
gurujana bhaye puna sakita pekhi
turitahi paithali mandire majhe
sutali sudari apana seje
niti niti aicana duhuka vilasa
niti niti herabo balarama dasa
Sri Balarama dasa

" Krishna takes a half step towards home - then He turnes to give Radha a last kiss! Looking into each other's faces, a stream of tears glide down Their cheeks - the sakhis loudly cry, becoming motionless! Struck with fear, Radha-Krishna's eyes whirl, Their loose garments sag, and their flower garments dangle - all are a burden ! After removing Their ankle-bells and jingling ornaments, Radha and Krishna set off in distress, on differents paths. Each is drenched in tears as the others passes from sight! Approaching home, the gopis cover themselves with yellow chaddars in an effort to remaind unseen. Slowly tiptoeing ( as silently as possible ), Radharani and the sakhis enter Jatila's mandira; in fear of the elders, Radha's eyeslids flutter! Then, finally Radhika-sundari reaches Her own bed and falls asleep. The poet Sri Balarama dasa* concludes with a prayer: " As Radha-Krishna's pastimes regularly unfold let me see each lila at its prescribed time!"

*Balarama dasa is a nitya-parsada of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the disciple of Sri Jahnava-Isvari

Malatilata - Tue, 15 Oct 2002 01:58:30 +0530

"How beautiful! The lotuslike eyes of the loving Couple close of fatigue after lovemaking!
Their pupils look like four blackbees that are closed within the whorls of four lotusflowers when their petals (Their eyelids) close.
The divine Couple falls asleep.
Keeping Their feet still to her chest, the maidservant stares at Their sweet beauty without blinking.
With great concern she thinks:
'What will happen if They fall off the bed during Their sleep?'
What a blissful consciousness! What a blissful meditation for the practising devotees!"

(from the commentary to the verse 135 of Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi)

Madhava - Sat, 19 Oct 2002 22:23:30 +0530

dhig astu brahmAhaM vadana-pariphullAn jaDa-matIn
kriyAsaktAn dhig dhig vikaDa-tapaso dhik ca yaminaH |
kim etAn zocAmo viSaya-rasa-mattAn nara-pazUn
na keSAMcil lezo’py ahaha milito gaura-madhunaH || 8 ||
“Shame on those dull-headed men whose mouths are wide open in declaring ‘brahmAham’! Shame on those who are attached to works of this world! Shame on those engaged in stupid austerities! Also shame on the moralists and the ritualists! Why do we lament for the men who are like animals, intoxicated by the flavors of poison? Alas! They have not tasted even a fragment of the honey of Gaura!”

[ Prabodhananda's Caitanya Candramritam (8) ]

jagannathdas - Sun, 20 Oct 2002 00:26:53 +0530

In the Gaudiya Math version of Chaitanya Chandramritam, the verse above is #32 and begins KriyAsaktaAn..., second line begins Dhigastu...?

Madhava - Sun, 20 Oct 2002 00:39:02 +0530

There are editions with different systems of numbering the verses.

http://www.granthamandira.org/ggm/ggm.php?action=file&id=232

jagannathdas - Sun, 20 Oct 2002 01:44:57 +0530

TAVAIVASMI TAVAIVASMI
NA JIVAMI TVAYA VINA
ITI VIJNAYA DEVI TVAM
NAYA MAM CARANANTIKAM

I am Yours, I am Yours! I cannot live without You! Oh Devi! Knowing this, please take me to Your lotusfeet!

In great anguish Sri Raghunatha prays to Svamini's lotusfeet:
"How much longer can l live, cast away from Your lotusfeet? In this life l've never offered myself to anyone else's lotusfeet!
Understanding this, please quickly take this fallen maidservant to Your lotusfeet now!"
Hearing Raghunatha Dasa's anxious cries, all the creatures in and around Radhakunda are crying with pity. Srila Ragunatha Dasa has given up eating and sleeping and is constantly crying, his heart burning in the fire of separation. Although he has almost fainted, his lips can still tremble and say;
na jivAmi tvayA vinA - 'I cannot live without You!'

Srila Rasika-Candra Dasa sings:
jivane marane niti, tumi se AmAra gati,
Ami yw tomAri Ami tomAri!
tomA vinA e jivana, bujhilAm akArana,
bhAra mAtra bohi sadA phiri
"You are my goal, in life or in death, l am Yours! I understand that my life is useless without You! I simply wander around carrying this life as a heavy burden!"
ihA jani devi more, dAsi angikAra kore,
nija pAda padma dAo sthAne,
se snigdhana carana chAyA, kobe go judAbe hAya,
dAsira e tApita pArana?

"Oh Goddess, now that You know this, please accept this maidservant!" Grant me a place at Your lotusfeet! Alas! When will the pleasant shade of Your lotusfeet console the afflicted heart of this maidservant?"

Sri-Sri Vilapa Kusumanjalih, verse 96.
Commentary by Radhakunda Mahanta Pandita Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja.

anuraag - Thu, 24 Oct 2002 00:46:57 +0530

Nikunja Madhuri
of
Bilva Mangala Thakurji

Jaya Sri Radhey! Namaste.

rAdhAmohana mandirAdupagataz candrAvalIm UcivAn
rAdhe kSemamiheti tasya vacanaM zrutvAha candrAvalI |
kaMsa kSemamaye vimugdha hRdaye! kaMsaH kva dRSTastvayA
rAdhe kveti vilajjito natamukhaH smero hariH pAtu vaH ||

- Ujjvala nIlamaNi, 15.93

This verse was attributed to the Gopi-bhava Rasik Saint,
Sri Bilvamangala and quoted by Sri Roopa in U.N.
describing the sweet ecstasies of 'Maana Madhuri'.

After the rendezvous with Radharani in 'Radha-Mohana-Kunja',
Lord Krishna entered the near by secluded garden where His intimate Sakhi
Chadravali was awaiting for His loving association.
Having met Chandravali in her 'Kunj' Sri Krishna fondly greeted her,
"How are you, My dear Radhe? Hope you're well."

Hearing the name of 'Radha', her rival, Chandravali burned with
natural feminine jealousy and angered at the preoccupation of her Lover's
mind with the thoughts of His other girl-friends.
She cleverly retorted,

"How are you, dear Kamsa Maharaj? Hope you are fine!"

Lord looked at her surprisingly and replied,

"My sweet crazy girl, are you out of your mind, where do you see King Kamsa?
Why are you confusing Me with him? "

Chandravali Sakhi answered sharply,

"Beloved Krishna, why do You see Radhika here? Don't You know who I am!"

Having been defeated by her sarcastic words,
Sri Krishna realized His own mistake and
felt shy as He lowered His face with a rewarding smile.

May that Lord Hari with His enchanting smile protect us always!