Radha Rasa Sudha Niddhi

S W D tiA fN j'D tfl
" T h e n e c ta r -o c e a n o f S r T R a d h a ’s f l a v o u r s "
B y S r ip d d a P r a b o d h a n a n d a S a r a s v a ti
With English commentary based on the Bengali commentary made by SrT

Madhusudana Dasa Adhikari, Prabhupada Srila Ananda Gopala GosvamT and Radhakunda
Mahanta Pandita 3rimat Ananta Dasa BabajI Maharaja. Bengali songs that follow the
commentaries are composed by Dr. Haripada Sila from Howrah.
This is the longest and most popular prayer to Srimatl Radharanl, which is sung by
different sampradayas (devotee-traditions) of sacred Vrndavana. The entire text hangs on the
wall o f the Seva Kunja-garden in Vrndavana, each verse inscribed in one separate marble slab.
Although this book appears to be full of erotic verses, the reader is reminded of the fact that
this is not material, but transcendental eros. Hearing and chanting of these transcendental
topics swiftly liberate the reciter and hearer from the heart's disease of lust, provided this
hearing and chanting is done with faith, faith that this is the transcendental exchange between
God (Kr$na) and His internal potency (His svarupa sakti). Instead o f becoming sexually
agitated, the faithful practitioner of this updsana (subject o f devotional meditation) will
become free from the disease of lust. 6rimad Bhagavata (10.33.40) states:
vihrTditam
• vraja vadhubhir idam ca visnoh
•• •
§raddhanvito 'nusniuyed alha vamayed yah
bhaktirii pararii bhagavatirit pratilabhya kdmarn
hrd rogam a$v apahinoty acirena dlurah
"Anyone who faithfully hears and chants the pastimes of Lord Visnu (Krsna) with
the women of Vraja attains the highest devotion to God. He will swiftly be cured from the
heart’s disease o flu st and he will become steady (pure and saintly)." Ed.
VERSE 1:
NINDANTAM PULAKOTKARENA VIKASAN NlPA PRASUNA CCHABIM

p r o r d d h Ik r TYA b h u ja DVAYAM h a r i h a r I t y u c c a ir v a d a n t a m m u hu h
NRTYANTAM DRUTAMASRUNIRJHARA CAYAIHSINCANTAM URVI-TALAM
GAYANTAM NIJA PAR$ADAIHPARIVRTAM SRlGAURACANDRAM NUMAH
9
2 Sri-Sri RSdha Rasa Sudhanidfii
nindcuitam - mocking; pulaka - goosepimples; ulkarena - with a multitude; vikasah - blooming;

mpa - Kadainba; prasiina - Powers; chabim - splendour; prorddhikrtya - raising; bhuja - arm;
dvayarii - two; hari hari iii - Hari Hari!; uccciih - loudly; vadantam - saying; midudi - repeatedly;
nrtyaniarh - dancing; druiam - quickly; a&ru - tears; nirjhara - cascades; cayaih - abundances;
sihcaniam - sprinkling; u n f - caitlr, talcuii - surface; gayantcim - singing; nija - own; parsadaili -
with associates; parivria/ii - surrounded; sn gauracandram munah - obeisances to Sri Gauracandra.
I offer my obeisances unto Lord G auracandra, who is surrounded by all His

associates and whose body is studded with goosepimples of ecstasy that mock the beauty
of blossoming Kadam ba flowers. He raises His arms, repeatedly and loudly crying ‘Hari!
H ari!' as He dances and sings, showering the surface of the earth with cascades of tears.
AUSPICIOUS INVOCATION:
Comments: SrTpada Prabodhananda Sarasvatl is the object of Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu's great mercy, so his mind and heart are always absorbed in the sweet pastimes,
attributes and sentiments of SrimatT RfidhSranT in Vraja. Now he begins his delicious book of
eager prayer named ’Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi’ out of compassion for the devotees who aspire
for the confidential service of SrimatT RadharanTs lotusfeet. In this verse he praises his
worshipable deity, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Vraja Vihari Sri Krsna accepted the mood and complexion of Sri Radha and became
Gaura to fulfill three desires: To understand the greatness of Radha’s love, the wonderful
qualities that She alone relishes in Him and the happiness She feels when She realizes the
sweetness of His love. In Vrndavana-/f/5, Krsna was the witness of the sweetness of Sri
Radha’s love of which He Himself was the object, and in Gaura-/f/<5 He accepted the mood and
luster of Sri Radha to understand the gravity of Her love. In the opening verse of his book
'Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi', SrTpada Prabodhananda Sarasvatl draws a beautiful picture of how
the full transcendental truth of Vraja (Sri Krsna) experienced the sweetness of Radha's
emotions. Here SrTpada follows the custom in the Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition to praise Lord
Gaura before commencing the description of Sri-Sri Radha-Madhava's sweet pastimes. This is
called 'Gaura candrika'. In his book 'Sri Caitanya Candramrta’ (88), SrTpada writes:
yalhd yathci gaura padaravinde vindeta bhaklim krla piuiya rcitih

tatlul taihoisarpaii hrdyakasmat radha padambhoja sudhdmbu rdsih
"When a very fortunate soul experiences devotion for Lord Gaura's lotusfeet, the
neclarocean from Radha's lotusfeet suddenly floods his heart.” Sri Gaurasundara has brought
an unprecedented torch of Vraja-7Wtf, whose bright effulgence shows the devotees the way
to the sweet bhajan of Sri Vrndavana, which is otherwise hard to see. And along with that
sweet transcendental Vraja-rcw;, Mahaprabhu introduced Himself to the devotees of this
world. Sri Vasu Ghosa sings:
yadi gaura na hoto, ki mene hoito,

kemone dharitam de
radhdra mahimd, prema rasa sTma,
jagate jaiiato ke ?
Srila Prabodhananda SarasvalT 3
"If Gaura had not come, how would the world have been? Who would have tought the
world the greatness of Radha and the limit of prema rasa!"
nuidhiira vrndd- vipina mddhurT,

pravesa caturT sara
varaja yuvati, bhdvera drati,
sakati hoito kdra?
"Who would have shown the way to enter into the sweetness of Vrndavana and the
anxious mood of the young girls of Vraja?" The only way to extinguish the burning sensation
of the threefold material misery (caused by the elements, one's own body or mind, or by other
creatures) with a nectar-stream of love for 3rI-SrI Radha-Govinda is the mercy of Srlman
Mahaprabhu.
In this verse Srlpada Prabodhananda describes the sdttvika ecstasies of Sri

*
Gaurasundara as He takes pleasure in performing kTrtana. SrTla Rupa GosvamI defines these
sdttvika ecstasies as follows in Bhakli Rasamrta Sindhnh (2.3.1):
krstia sambandhibhih sdksdt kincid vd vyavadhanatah

♦ • • • ♦ y »
bhdvaiS cittam ihdkrantam sdttvam ityucyate budhaili

sattvdd asmdt samutpanna ye ye bfidvas tu sdttvikdh
"When the heart is touched by emotions directly (in the form of the five basic
relationships of servanthood, friendship, parenthood etc.) or indirectly (in the form of the
seven secondary moods such as laughter, chivalry etc.) related to Kr$na, the wise call it
sdttva, and the emotions corning from that arc called sdttvika bhdvas." The Lord had accepted
the mood and lusire of Sri Radha and had become the main shelter for His own rati, therefore
the sdttvika and other bhdvas had become fully manifest in Him. This is confirmed in Caitanya
Caritamrta:
*
take mnkhya - rasdsraya, hoiydchen mahdsaya,

tdte hoy sarva bhdvodoy
"The Lord had become the main shelter of His own rasa, and so all ecstasies arose
in Him." Srlpada sweetly depicts how Sri Gauranga's body displayed the unrivalled ecstasies
derived from relishing the sweetness of Radha's rasa within Himself by saying: nindantam
pulakotkarena vikasan nTpa prasuna cchabim "His body was beautified by goosepimples that
mocked freshly blossoming Kadamba-flowers." Mahaprabhu's body manifested uddTpta
sdttvika bhdvas. Srila Rupa GosvamI says in Bhakli Rasamrta Sindhu (2.3.79):
ekadd vyaktim dpannah panca sail sarva eva vd

driidha paramoikarsam uddTpta iti kirtitah
"When five or six sdttvika ecstasies simultaneously arise to the greatest extent, they
are called u d d T p ta Again, Srlpada says prorddhTkrtya bhuja dvayam hari hanty uccair ’
vadantam imdiuh: "He lifts His arms and loudly chants "Hari! Hari!!" This is an anubhdva
called krosana. SrTla Rupa Gosvarm says in Bhakli Rasamrta Sindhu: anubhdvas tu cittastha
bhdvdndm avabodhakah "Activities that awaken ertain moods in the heart arc called
anubhCiva" When rati is relished within the heart it will be externally manifest. The echo of
Mahaprabhu’s loud chanting of Marinama immersed all the moving and nonmoving creatures
in the taste of love of Krsna. SrTla Haridasa Thakura revealed this secret of the loud chanting
of Hari nama :
4 Sri -Sri R adha Rasa Sudhanidhi
tumi yei koriydcho ucc.a sahkirtana; sthdvara j angamera sei hoyoto Havana
sunitei jahgamern samsura hoy ksaya; sthavare se sabda lage - late pratidhvani hoy
praddhvani nahesei - koroye kTrtana; iomdra krpdya ei akathya kathana
(Caitanya Caritamita Antya Ch.3)
"All the moving and nonmoving creaLures have heard Your loud chanting. Hearing it,
all the moving creatures were liberated from material existence, and after the nonmoving
creatures hear it there is an echo. It’s actually not an echo, it is the chanting of these
nonmoving creatures. All these indescribable things are possible by Your mercy." Mahaprabhu
dances with restless feet and sprinkles the earth with I-Iis tears. The padakartd (singer) Raya
Sckhara describes the sweet dancing of Sri Gaurasundara and His associates as follows:
madhura madhura gaum kisora madhura madhura nata

madhura madhura saba sahacara madhura madhura hata
"How sweet is Gaura KiSora (the youthful golden Lord Caitanya)! How sweet is His
dancing! How sweet are His associates!"
S#-
madhura madhura mrdahga bcijaia madhura madhura fan

madhura rase mdtala bhakata gdoye madhura gana
"How sweetly the drums are playing, how sweet is their rhythm ! How sweetly the
devotees are maddened by transcendental mellows and how sweetly they sing!"
madhura helana madhura dolarta madhura madhura gad

madhura madhura vacana sundara madhura madhura bhati
"How sweetly He moves, how sweetly He swings and how sweet are His steps! How
sweet are His beautiful words and how sweet is His radiance!"
madhura adhara jini sasadhara madhura madhura hdsa

madhura arati madhura piriti madhura madhura hhdsa
"How sweet are His lips and how sweet are His smiles, that defeat the sweetness of the
moon! How sweet is His eagerness, how sweet is His love and how sweet are His words!"
madhura yu gal a nay ana ratula madhura ingite cay

madhura premera madhura badare vancita sekhara rdya
"How sweetly His reddish eyes are making sweet hints! Unfortunately, Raya Sekhara
is deprived of this sweet love!" While Mahaprabhu dances His eyes manifest the sdttvika
ecstasy of asm. In Caitanya Caritamrta it is described how Mahaprabhu manifested this ecstasy
while dancing before the chariot of Lord Jagannatha :
/
jalayantra dhara yeno bone asrujala;

dsdpdsa loka yoto bhijilo sakala (C.C.)
"Tears were flowing from His eyes like fountains, sprinkling till the people that stood
around." This sattvika transformation is so wonderful that one may ask: "Does the Ganga-
water, that normally flows from His (Lord Visnu's or the selfsame SrTman Mahaprabhu's)
3rila Prabodhananda Sarasvail 5
lotusfeet now How from His eyes?" apaid kori asvadane, sikhdila bhaktagane,
prema cintdmaniraprabhu dhani (Caitanya Caritamrta) "The Lord not only taught the world
about prema, He also gave a splendid example of how to relish its flavours. The Lord is
the wealthy owner of the Cintamani-gcm of prema." The people of the world will be blessed
with initiation into the mantra of prema by voluntarily selling themselves to the lotusfeet of
that sweetly, blissfully dancing and chanting 3rl Gaura. Even the stones melt when they
remember how sweetly Lord Gaura dances and how He rolls on the ground like a golden
mountain!
jay a sn jagad ananda, jay a jaya gauracandra,

srl gauramandala sudhakara
vikasita rupa- prasuna cchabi aparupa,
pulake purnita kalevara
"All glories to &rl Gauracandra, who gives joy to the world, Who is the moon of
Gauramandala (the holy circle around NavadvTpa) and Whose body is studded with
goosepimples of ecstasy that are as wonderful as blooming Kadambaflowers!"
punah punah bdhu tnli, uccaih svare had ball,

ndee gora natana suthama
nirjhara nayana dhara, siheana koriyd gam,
abhmkta koild dharadhama
"How nicely Gora (Mahaprabhu) dances, repeatedly lifting His arms and loudly
chanting "Hari! Hari!!" A stream of tears Hows from Gora‘s eyes and sprinkles the surface of
the earth!"
saparsade gaurahari, kirtane darsana kori,
punah punah koriyd pranuma
srtpada prabodhananda, drambhila rasa grantha,
radha rasa sudhdnidhi ndma
"Thus Srlpada Prabodhananda SarasvatT begins his rasika book named 'Radha Rasa
Sudhanidhi' by offering his repeated obeisances to Lord Gaurahari and His associates and
witnessing His kfrtana-p&siimes"
mangaldcarana sloka, sravane srnarane sukha,

bhakta kori parama sampad
guru padapadma renu, bhusana koriyd tanu,
chanda kori gciya haripada
iirrv
This verse serves as the auspicious invocation of this book, it is the highest wealth of
all the devotees and it makes them happy by remembering and hearing it. Decorating his body
with the dust of his guru'a lotusfeet, Haripada sings these poetical songs."
VERSE 2:
YASYAIIKADAPI VASANANCALA KlIETANOTTIIA

6 Sri-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
DHANY ATI DHANYA PAVANENA KRTARTHA M ANI

YOGINDRA DURGAMA GATIR MADHUSUDANO'PI
TASYA NAMO'STU VR$ABHANU BHVVO DISE'PI
yasydh - whose; kaddpi - ever; vasana - garment; emeala - border; khelana - playful; uttha -
arising; dhanya - blessed; ati dhatiyci - very blessed; pavanena - by the wind; krtdrilia - fulfilled;
main - considers; yoglndra - king of mystics; durgama - hard to enter; galih - goal; madlutsudanah -
Krsna; apt - even; tasya - Her; natnah - humble obeisance; astu - let it be; vrsabhfmu bhuvah - the
daughter of Vr$abhanu; dise - in the direction; api - even.
Even Lord Madhusudana (Krsna), who is hard to attain even by the best of yogis,
feels Himself greatly blessed when He is touched by even the slightest playful breeze
coining from the tip of Sri Radhika’s garment, I offer my obeisances to any direction in
w hich I may find this daughter of Maharaja Vrâbhanu!
THREEFOLD AUSPICIOUS INVOCATION:
Comments: Srlpada Prabodhananda Sarasvati is the object of Oilman Mahaprabhu's

unlimited mercy, therefore he is conscious of the elevated ujjvala rasa (erotic sentiment) of
Vraja and thinks of himself as a maidservant of Sri Radha in the forest bowers (kunjas) of
Vraja. 3rlpada Kavi Karnapura has written in his book 'Gaura GanoddeSa Dipika1 that in
Krsna’s pastimes &rlpada Prabodhananda Sarasvati was Tungavidya-sakhl, one of Sri Radhika’s
eight chief girlfriends, but while reading his book ’Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi' we can see that,
by Mahaprabhu's grace, his heart was filled with the astonishing rasa of a maidservant, or
kinkari\ of Sri Radha. This is the most beloved practise of the Gaudlya Vai$navas, called
radha snehadhika or bhavolldsa rati. Srlia Rupa GosvamI explains in his 'Bhakli Rasamrta
Sindhu’ (2.5.128):
sahedn syat samond vd krsna-ratyah suhrd ratih
adhikd pnsyamdnd ced bhavolldsa itTryate
"When Radha’s girlfriends love Her as much as or less than Sri Krsna, then their
sahedri bhava is called krsna rati, but when they love Radhika more it is called bhavolldsa."
This bhavolldsa rati is the sthdyT bhava (permanent and chief mood) of Sri Radhika’s
maidservants, radha snehadhika means that they love Radha more than Krsna. This is what
the Gaudlya Vai$navas desire! In his ’Vraja Vilasa Stava (38)’, Srlia Raghunatha Dasa
GosvamI writes:
tdmbilldrpana pada mardana payo ddndbhisdradibhir
vrnddranya tnahesvarTm priyatayd yds tosayanti priydh
prana prestha sakhT-kulad api kildsahkocitd bhumikdh
keli blulrnisii rupa mahjarT miikhds td ddsikah samsraye
"By offering Her betelnuts, by massaging Her feet, by bringing Pier water, by
arranging for Her secret meeting with Krsna and by performing many other, services, the
maidservants lovingly please Sri Radhika, the great queen of Vrndavana. When Radha and
Krsna make love They don’t feel shy before these maidservants, although They do feel shy
before Their girlfriends, that are otherwise dearer to Them than life itself. I take shelter of
these maidservants that are headed by Sri Rupa Maryan."
Sri la Prabodhananda Saras vail T
This book 'Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi' consists of Srlpada’s prayers in both sddhaka avesa
- the more external consciousness of a practising devotee - and siddha avesa - the internal
consciousness in which he is aware of his eternal spiritual body as a maidservant and/or
girlfriend of &n Radha. Sometimes we will see him in the fortunate condition of having direct
transcendental communion with Sri Radhika, and sometimes we see him eagerly praying for
such a communion in his sadhakdvesa. But even in that sadhakdvesa there is a strong
vibration of his identity as Sri Radha's maidservant! By saying: "I offer my obeisances to any
direction where I may find Sri Radha", 3rlpada prays for a blessing upon all the sddhakas of
the world who meditate on Radha-Krsna's Vrndavana-pastimes. May their sacred desires be
fulfilled!
One may ask now: "Why does £rlpada call Krsna 'MadhusGdana' in this verse? Isn't
that indicating Krsna's divine prowess (aisvarya) and isn't that contrary to the sweet mood
(madhurya) of the Vrndavana-devotees? The answer to this is: "The name Madhusudana
also means madhu puspa-rasaih sudayati khandayatTti madhusudanah: Sri Krsna, Who drinks
the honey (madhu) from Radha's lotuslike lips, just like a bee". The pastimes of Radha and
Krsna are hardly perceived even by the kings of yogis like Mahadeva (Lord 3iva) and
Lord Brahma. Caitanya Caritamrta states; rddhd-krsnera lila ei ati gudhatara; dasya
vatsalyadi bhavera na hoy gocara / sabe eka sakhTganera iha adhikdra; sakhT hoite hoy ei
Ulara visldra "The pastimes of Radha and Krsna are very7 confidential. They are not even
perceived by Krona’s own servants and friends in Vraja. Only His girlfriends can enter into
it, and it is they who expand these pastimes."
Just as 3ripada thinks: "Will 1 be so fortunate to witness those sweet pastimes of

Madhusudana that cannot even be perceived by the kings of yogisT, a spiritual revelation
comes to him by Srlman Mahaprabhu's grace: He sees £ri-3ri Radha-Madhava playing Their
pastimes in a lonely bower of Vrndavana. After these pastimes 3rTmalT Radhika sits up on
the bed, looking like a flowergarland ravished by a bumblebee. Rasika 3iromahi (Krsna, the
crownjewel of reiishers) becomes compassionate when He sees how tired She is, but this is
not the kind of compassion a lover usually has for his girlfriend; that can be understood from
Srlla Krsna Dasa Kaviraja's commentary on the 18th verse of Bilvamangala Thakura’s
'Kr^na Karnamrta’ (tarunaruna karundmaya vipuldyata nayanam). There it is said: tanine
madana madodgariru svato madhupanena edrune ca vTjanadina tac chramapanodanarihaih
hrdyudgatva yd karund tad udgarim ca svato vipule dyate ca nayane yasya. "Sri Kr$na
personally fans 3rl Radhika to soothe Her fatigue and His lotuseyes, that are naturally reddish
because of drinking honey wine, become wide out of compassion upon Her." When ^rlmatl is
in a controlling mood, known as svadhma bhartrkd, She ordersNKrsna: "Quickly dress Me!
My girlfriends will ridicule Me when they see Me in this condition!" Understanding the
situation, the kihkans come and bring sandalwoodpulp, aguru (aloe), musk, collyrium, footlac
and other items. Rasika Siromani now becomes absorbed in dressing and ornamenting
Srimatl. Svaminl (Radhika) slightly smiles when She sees Rasika Nagara's absorption and
the kihkans giggle, covering their mouths with their veils. While dressing Srimatl, 3yama
repeatedly looks at Her face with tearfilled eyes. He cannot get enough of relishing that
sweet face of Hers! Srlla ViSvanatha CakravartTpada says: trsyan muhuh smita sudham
paripayito'pi "Although Krsna constantly drinks the nectar from Radhika's moonlike face, He
can never get enough of it. He always remains thirsty for more." While He paints collyrium
around Radhika's frisky eyes, Syama starts to sweat, svidyan drg anta capaldhcala vTjito'pi:
"Although He is fanned by Radhika's restless eyelashes, He still sweats." Therefore 3rl
Radhika orders Srlpada Prabodhananda, who stands by in his kihkarrtorm, to fan Krsna.
Krsna's swealdrops dry up because of her expert fanning, and then Srlpada thinks of a funny
prank: he begins to fan in such a way that Radhika's fragrance enters Syamasundara's
nostrils. Even Syiima considers Himself to be blessed by catching a whiff of the edge of
Radhika’s garment and He thinks to Himself: "O Wind! You are blessed! You are rightfully
called gandhavaha (carrier of scents)! Now You carry the scent of the precious musk on
SrimatT's breasts! I wish 1 was that lucky!" When the kihkari sees Syama's condition, she is
immersed in an ocean of transcendental bliss. One of SvaminI's names is gandhonmadita
madhava: She who maddens Madhava with Her fragrance.” Now Sripada has directly
experienced in the kingdom of Mas how suitable that name is. Suddenly his transcendental
vision stops and he laments: "Ha Radhe! Where is now that honeysweet play of Yours?"
Humbly he prays: "I offer my obeisances to that direction from where Sri Radha’s
fragrance, that maddens even Madhava, comes! O direction! Show me my PrSneSvarT, the
queen of my life!" At certain times Sri Radhika lives at Her in-laws' abode named Yavata
(which is halfway between Nandagrama and the present town of Ko£I) and sometimes She
stays with Her parents at Barsana, forty kilometers west of Vrndavana. The Vraja-devotees
that are fixed in smarana know exactly in which direction they can find Her, on what day
and what month. To that direction I offer my obeisances!
jaya jaya aparupd, gandhonmadita madhava

jaya jaya mahgala sri ndma!
madhavira parihita, vasane ki adabhuta,
alaukika gandha vartamana
"All glories to the wonderful Girl whose fragrance maddens Madhava! All glories to
Her auspicious, beautiful holy name! How wonderful is Her dress that carries the
extraordinary fragrance of Madhavl-flowers!"
radhara vasanaheala, sahcdlane parimala,

ye pavana koriya vahana
krsna ndsa randhra dhdma, sei gandha kore ddtia
dhanya dhanya sei to pavana
"Glorious, glorious is the breeze that carries the fragrance of the edge of Radha’s
garment! Glorious is the breeze that gives this fragrance to the abode of Sri Kr§na's nostrils!"
ore dik bolo kotha, tnora pranesvari radha,

kunje bhratne sri madhusudana
yogindra durgama gati, rai tanu gandhe mati,
vimohita madana mohana
"O Direction! 'Fell me in which kuhja the queen of my heart, Sri Radha, rambles with
Sri Madhusudana? Even Kr$na, who enchants even Cupid and who is hard to attain even by
the kings of yogis, is maddened by the fragrance of Rai’s (Radha's) divine body!"
ye kuhjete sri radhika, krsna keli aradhikd,

kr§na dhydne kr$na priyatamd
yei dike kuhjesvari; vrsabhanu sukutnari,
kr$na sang a koriya kdmana
sei dik ke bara bara, koti kofi namaskdra,

6 n l a Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 9
tube mora sukhera ullasa

srTpada prabodhananda, rasdla bhajanananda,
'sudhanidhi' korild prakasa
"I offer millions of obeisances again and again to dial kunja where Krsna's Dearmost
Sri Radhika, the tender daughter of king Vrsabhanu, the Queen of the kunjas Who worships
Krsna with Her loveplay, meditates on Krsna and desires His company. Then I will be very
happy. SrTpada Prabodhananda, who relishes the nectarean bliss of bhajana, reveals this 'Radha
Rasa Sudhanidhi'."
VERSE 3:
BRAHME&VARADI SUDURUIIA PADARAVINDA

SRlM ATPARAGA PARAMADBHUTA VAIBHAVAYAH
SARVARTHA SARA RASAVARSIKRPARDRA DRSTES
TASYA NAMO'STU VRSABHANU BHUVO MAHIMNE
brahma, Uvara - Brahma and Siva; adi - and others; suduruha - hardly attained; paddravinda -
lotusfeet; srlmat - beautiful; pardga - dust; parama - greatest; adbhuta - wonderful; vaibhavdydh - of
the power; sarrn - all; artha - purposes; sara - essence; rasa - flavour; varsi - showering; krpd - mercy;
ardra - melting; drsteh - of the glance; tasya - Her; namah - humble obeisances; astu - let it be;
vrsabhanu bhuvah - the offspring of Vâbhanu; mahimne - to the greatness.
I offer my obeisances to the glories of M aharaja Vr$ablianu's daughter (Sri

Radhika), the beautiful dust of Whose lotusfeet is hardly attained by Lord Bralima,
Lord Siva and others and whose merciful glance, which is endowed with the most
astonishing prowess, showers the nectar of the essence of all hum an pursuits (love of
God).
SRl RADHLVS GLORIES:
Commentary: In Caitanya Caritamrta it is said: citta drdha kori luge mahimd jnana
hoite "One's heart becomes fixed in faith when one is aware of God's greatness", and for this
reason SrTpada continues his auspicious invocation of 'Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi' by praising the
prowess of Sri Radha. Rasa (spiritual flavour) is built on the foundation of tattva (spiritual
truth). When that foundation is not there (when one disregards or does not know spiritual
truth) the rasa may seem to be mundane. In his commentary on verse 10.12.10 of the
Bhagavata Sr! JTva GosvamT writes: bhagavaths tavad asadharana svarupaisvarya madhuryas .
tattva vise$ah "God is the Supreme Truth, Who is full of extraordinary selfperfect prowess and
sweetness." In the 40th chapter of the 'Patala khanda' of Padma Purana, Sri Narada Muni
offers most respectful prayers to Sri Radha. Vrajadhama is the abode of sweetness and
Sri RadharanT is sweetness personified, therefore the Gaudlya Vaisnava acaryas show all
the devotees of the world who meditate on the Lord’s Vrndavana-pastimes the sweetness of Sri
Radha. But sometimes the GosvamTs also hint at Her great majestic aspect, which is the
foundation on which the palace of Her charming sweetness is built. Such is the case in this
10 Srl-SiT Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
and in the next verse. The dust of Sri Radha's lolusfeet has such divine power that it cannot
even be perceived by great gods like Lord Brahma. In Srlmad Bhagavata it is mentioned that
Lord Brahma was astonished at seeing the sweetness of Krsna's pauganda iTld (pastimes as a
5-9 year old boy) of having a picknick on the bank of the Yamuna, and that he offered many
prayers to Krsna, some full of sweetness and some full of reverence. For instance:
(ad bhuri bhdgyatn iha jannia kim apy atavyam

yad gokule'pi katamahghri rajo'bhisekam
yaj jivitam tu nikhilam bhagavan mukundas
tvadydpi yat prada-rajah sruti rnrgyam eva
(Srimad Bhagavata 10.14.34)
"I will be most blessed if I can take any kind of birth (even a subhuman one) in this
forest of Gokula, so that I can be sprinkled by the footdust of one of its inhabitants, whose
very life is the Supreme Lord Mukunda, Whose footdust is even now sought for by the
Vedas!" In his Sarartha Varsinl-commentary on this verse Sr! ViSvanatha Cakravartlpada
writes that Lord Brahma was so astonished by seeing Krsna's pastimes that he did not have
the courage to directly ask for the dust from the lotusfeet of the cowherdboys. Therefore he
prayed that he could birth as a tile or so outside the house of any low-caste person living on
the outskirts of Vraja, so that he can sprinkle his whole body with that person’s footdust. From
this it is easy to understand that it is very difficult for Lord Brahma to have a glimpse of the
dust from Vrsabhanu-nandinI Radha’s lotusfeet. The dust of the cowherdboys- and girls of
Vraja is also difficult to attain in Lord diva's abode Mt. Kailasa, so Lord Siva sought residence
in Vraja under the name of GoplSvara, hoping to attain some of that dust. But when Radha and
the gopTs saw Him, they prayed for the dust of His lotusfeet instead, hoping that in this way
they could attain &rl Krsna. Thus it is very hard for £rlman Mahadeva to attain Sr! Radha's
footdust also. The dust of Sri Radha's lotusfeet is called srimat, or filled with opulences,
here. Even for the goddess of fortune, LaksmI-devi, this footdust is very difficult to
attain. In Srlmad Bhagavata (10.16.36), the wives of the Kaliya-snake say that the goddess of
fortune gave up the side of Her divine husband Narayana by Her own will and took shelter
of Vrndavana to perform harsh austerities there, hoping for the footdust of Sri Krsna, but
that until now She has not been able to get it. Why not? In Caitanya Caritamrta (Madhya lllii,
chapter eight) it is explained: gopT anugati vind aisvarya jfidne; bhajileo nahi pay vrajendra
nandane / tdhdte drstdnta laksmT korild bhajana; tathapi na pdilo vraje vrajendra nandana
"If You worship the prince of Vraja in a reverential mood without following in the footsteps of
the gopTs You will not attain Him. LaksmI-devi is the best example of that. Although She did
worship Krsna as the prince of Vraja, She did not attain Him." The Lord’s greatest devotee,
Uddhava MahaSaya, was astonished when he saw the greatness of the gopTs’ love for Krsna
and he praised them, praying for a birth in Vraja even as a blade of grass, so that he could
get the gopTs' footdust on his head. This is written with golden syllables in the pages of Srlniad
Bhagavata (Canto Ten, chapter 47). From this it is clear how hard it is to attain the footdust of
Sri Radha.
brahmesvaradi can also be interpreted as meaning: the Lord of Brahma (Kr$na). Even
for Krsna the amazing footdust of Sri Radha is rarely attained! It is said that Kr$na personally
assumed the form of the poet Jayadeva to write the famous line dehi padapallavam
uddram "Give Me Your generous lotusfeet" of ’Gita Govinda’. The purport to the 201st verse
of ’Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi' is: One day Srlmatl is manim (angry out of jealousy) so with the
help of Her girlfriends Kr$na keeps Her feet on His head. Thus Her pique is soothed. Srimatl’s
lotusfeet are moist with sweat, so the red lac on Her footsoles sticks on &yama’s head, while
Srlla Prabodhfuianda Saras vatl 11
His peacockleather falls off. This does not make Krsna inferior; the signs of Radha’s mercy
rather increase His glories! This makes Him rasikendra mauli, the king of relishers, and
this is. the quintessence of Godhead. Therefore, simply to increase His own greatness, Krsna
always desires the dust of Sr! Radha's lotusfeet. And this, is not a fairytale, there is strong
scriptural evidence for this statement. Krsna Himself tells Uddhava in Srimad Bhagavata
(11.14.16): anuvrajdmyaham nityarn puyeyetyahghri-renubhih "I always follow My devotees
to sanctify Myself with their footdust." £ rim at Jiva GosvamI comments on this verse: tad
bhaktyani$krti dosdt pavitritah syam iti bhdvenetyarthah "Since I am not able to repay My
devotees for their devotional service (see Bhag. 10.32.22) I perform atonement by following
them to take the dust of Their feet for My purification." Since Sri Radha has the greatest
love for Kr$na, it is needless to say that He will always be most eager for Her lotusfeet.
This is the sweetest possible explanation for the rasika sadhakas of Vrndavana.
Then again it is said sarvartha sdra rasavar$i krpdrdra drste "The merciful glance of
Sri Radha showers the quintessence of all human goals of life". That quintessence is love of
Krsna and Sri Radhika showers it all around. Caiianya Caritamrta says (Adi 7):
krsna visayaka prema pancama piirusartha; yara age tma tulya cari piirusartha
paheama piirusartha premandndamrta sindhu; moksddi ananda yarn tiahe eka bindu
pancama piirusartha ei prema maha-dhana; krsnera rnadhurya rasa koraya dsvadana
prema hoite hoy krsna nija bhakta vasa; prema hoite pdi krsnera seva sukha rasa
"Love of Krsna is the fifth and highest goal of human life compared to which
religiosity, economical development, sense enjoyment and liberation (the other four goals)
are as insignificant as blades of grass. Prema, the fifth goal of life, is like an ocean of nectarean
loving bliss, compared to which the bliss of liberation and other goals of life are not even
one drop. The great treasure of love of God is the fifth goal of human life which makes the
devotee relish Krsna's sweet taste. Through prema Krsna becomes controlled by His devotees
and through prema the devotees relish the blissful taste of Krsna’s service." When Sri Radha
simply casts Her merciful glance, this love-rara is attained without any further endeavour,
and flows in innumerable directions. What to speak of Her merciful glance, simply by
seeing Sri Radharan! one attains the treasure of love of Kr$na without any separate endeavour!
In the Padma Purana, Patala khanda, chapter forty, it is described how Sri Narada attained
the audience of Sri Radha and how he spoke from his own experience: asydh sandarsanad
eva govinda carandmbuje; ya premdbdhir abhfit sa me bhiitapurva na karhicit "I have never
tasted such an ocean of love for Govinda's lotusfeet as after seeing Her (Radhika)." 3 rim ad
Sanatana GosvamI wrote in his Brhad Bhagavatamrta (2.5.233): sa radhika bhagavati
kx-acid Tksyate cet prema tadanubhavam rcchati murtiman sah. "When goddess Radhika is
ever seen, one sees love of God in very person and one gains experience of that love."
Especially in this present age of Kali (quarrel) the day has come to directly experience this,
for now Sri Gaurasundara has descended, accepting the mood and lustre of Sri Radhika
and blessing the people of the world who see His brilliant golden aura with prema. Such is
the prowess of Sri Radha's aura! The following verse (234) of Brhad Bhagavatamrta says:
4
cet krsnacandrasya mahavataras tadrg nija prema vitdnakarT

sydd vd kadacid yadi radhikayah premdnubhutim tad upaityathdpi
"When there is such a great descent of £ri Krsnacandra that can distribute love of
Himself, or when Sri Radhika manifests some descent, then (through His or Her audience)
that prema must be experienced." This verse speaks about Sriman Mahaprabhu.
12 SiT-SrT Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
SrT Radha's merciful glance showers the nectar of love of Krsna, which is the
K * » » • '
quintessence of all human goals. This means that love of Krsna is sweetened by love of
§fi Radha. She is Vrndavana's personified sweetness and She is the all-in-all of the
Vrndavana-pastimcs. In the 80th verse of this book Srlpada explains that the worship of Krsna
without the worship of Radha is only a drop of the nectarocean of divine love. Therefore, the
very life of love of Krsnacandra is love of 3rl Radha's lotusfeet. I offer my obeisances
unto the greatness of She whose merciful glance showers the nectar of love of Krsna,
through which we can attain His lotusfeet! Srlman Mahadeva has said:
gaura tejo vina yas tu sydmatejah samarcayet

japed vd dhybyate vdpi sa bhavet pcitakT sive
"O 3ivc (Parvati)! Anyone who meditations on Krsna, worships Him or does japa of
His holy name without worshipping Radha is a sinner!"
VERSE 4:
YO BRAHMA RUDRA SUKA NARAD A BI1I$MA MUKHYAIR

ALAK$ITO NA SAHASA PURUSASYA TASYA
SADYO VASlKAllANA CURNAM ANANTA SAKTIM
TAMRADHIKA CARANA RENUM ANUSMARAMI
yah - who; brahma rudra suka tidrada bhT$ma - Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Narada Muni,
Bhl$ma; mukhyaih - by the cliiefs; alaksita - not noticed; na - not; sahasd - suddenly; purnsasya - of
die man; tasya - whose; sadyah - suddenly; vaSTkarana - controlling; curnam - powder; ananta -
endless; Saktitn - power; tdm - Her; rddhikd-carana - Radhika's feet; retxum - dust; anusmardmi - I
constantly remember.
I constantly remember the footdust of SrT Radhika, whose unlimited power

instantly subdues even the Supreme Person (Sri Kr§na), Who Himself cannot be easily
seen even by the greatest devotees like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Sukadeva Muni,
N arada Muni and BhT$ma.
THE DUST OF SRI RADHA'S LOTUSFEET:
Commentary: In this verse Srlpada is in his sadhakavesa (external consciousness as a

male devotee of £ rim an Mahaprabhu), glorifying the greatness of 3ff Radha's footdust. One
may ask whether the word purusa in the verse docs not refer to Krona's purwjdvatdra Malta
Visnu, but the answer to this is that pure love of Govinda in the mood of Vraja is only
attainable on the strength of 3rl Radha's footdust. In the Brahma Saiiihita Krsna is also called
• • •
adi purusa or parama purusa (sriyah kdntdh kdntah parama punkah) in connection will) His
love alliances with the gopTs. Krsna's childhood-pastimes were still slightly perceived by
Brahma, 3iva and Narada, but His romantic pastimes in adolescence were not seen by them
nor by anyone else who identifies himself with his male body. Caitanya Caritamrta states:
sabe ek sakhlganera iha adhikdra; sakhl vind el iTldra any era nahi gati "Only Krsna's
Srfla Prabodhananda Sarasvad 13
girlfriends can enter into this, no one else." The worship in Vraja is one of pure sweetness
and those who worship Krsna in awe and reverence cannot attain Him in Vraja, for there He
is the God of divine sweetness: aisvarya jhdne nahi pay vraje vrajendra nandana / rdga
bhaktye vraje svayam hhagavdn pay; vidhi bhaktye paiyada dehe vaikunthe ydy "One who
worships Krsna spontaneously will attain Vraja and one who worships Him according to rules
and regulations will become the Lord’s associate in majestic Vaikuntha." Brahma, Siva, Suka,
Narada and Bhlsma are devotees of the latter kind, and by them the sweetness of Govinda is
barely perceived. The great power of Sri Radha's footdust easily controls that Supreme
Person, Sri Krsna. Srlla Thakura MahaSaya (Narottama Dasa Thakura) sings:
radhika carana renu, bhujana koriyd tanu,

andydse pdbe giridhdn
radhika carandsraya, ye kore se mahasaya,
tare mid ydu bolihari
"If you decorate your body with Radhika's footdust, you will easily attain Giridhafi.
I praise that great soul who takes shelter of Radhika's loiusfeet!"The only means to subdue
Sri Krsna is love and devotion. The Upanisads say: bhakdvasah purusah. The limit of love is
called mahabhava. Caitanya Caritamrta says: prema krame bdcli hoy sneha mana pranaya;
rag a anurdga bhava mahabhava hoy / premera parama sara mahabhava jdni; sei mahabhava
rupa radha thdkurdm "Prema gradually grows into sneha, mana, pranaya, rdga, bhava and
•*
mahabhava. The highest stage of prema is mahabhava and goddess Radha is the very form
of that maha-bhdva." Innumerable streams of the honey of maha-bhdva flow from SrT
Radhika's lotusfeet (see verse 94 of this book), therefore it is understandable that Kr$na is
wholly controlled by the dust of Her lotusfeet. Srlla Jlva GosvamI has written in his Bhakti
Sandarbha (187): prema tdratamyenaiva bhakta mahattdratamyath mukhyam "The more prema
you have the greater you are." In his ‘Ananda Candrika’-commentary on Sri Rupa GosvamTs
'Ujjvala NTlamani (Sakhl-prakarana, text 6)’, Sri ViSvanatha Cakravartlpada writes: sa ca
prema jatyd ananto'pi kvapi paramanu mdtrah kvapi parama mahan kvdpi mahdn
kvdpyapeksika nyunbdhikyamaya id catuh parimdnakah/ tatradyo'jata ratike$u bhaktesu tesu
prenmo durlaksyatvat bhagavato1dhinatvam api durlaksyam eva. dvitiyo vrnddvanesvaiyam
eva tatra premnah sampumatamatvena adhmatvam api sampurnatamatvam eva....atha trtTyo
vrajaloka eva tatra premno mahattvena ddhmatvani api sampurnam eva na tu
sampurnatamanr... atha caturtho naradadisu tesu tesu premdnurupam adhmatvam.
"Although there are unlimited varieties of love, they can be classified fourfold according to
their amount. The ordinary practitioners have an atomic amount of love, devotees like Narada
Muni and others have love in greater or lesser amounts, the people of Vraja have great love of
Krsna, and SrT Radhika, the queen of Vrndavana, has the greatest love. Naturally, therefore,
She also controls Him to the greatest extent."
When Srlpada says: tarn radhika carana renum anusmardmi "I constantly remember
Radhika's footdust", he aims at asta-kdlZna-lTld-sniawna, 24-hour meditation on Radha and
Krsna's daily pastimes. This is the main item of raganuga bhakti, or spontaneous devotion.
Without remembering God, the mind is lifeless and the dogs and jackals of lust and anger
can freely play in it. The sweetest meditation is that of 3rl-£rl Radha-Kr$na's pastimes. One
should not try to remember these pastimes according to a regular schedule. This is a dead
and stale practise. The experience must be spontaneous. An example is given hereby: One of
the most famous Gaudlya Vaisnava saints in recent history was SrT Krsna Dasa Babajl. He was
also called siddha baba (a saint who had attained perfection) and he lived in the town of
Govardhana in the 19th Century. One day a devotee came to him, crying. When Baba asked
14 Si'I-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
this devotee why he was crying, the devotee said: "Today I could not do any bhajana
(devotional practise)! In the morningtime I (mentally) put a ring on Srimatl Radhika's right
hand, but I became so absorbed in the sweetness of Her hand that I could not take my mind
away from it anymore for the rest of the day (although he was supposed to proceed in his
service according to the schedule of asta-kalTna-lTld-smarana)\'' Baba was very pleased and he
told the devotee: "Today you have really done bhajanal" This is called atmsmarana or
'constant remembrance'. A devotee who constantly practises smarana can gradually attain such
a condition. The Gaudlya Vaisnavas practise devotion internally by remembering the
transcendental pastimes of SrT-^rl Radha-Krsna and/or Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and
externally by hearing and chanting about these pastimes. Thus, at the time of death, they may
be able to enter into the Lord's eternal pastimes. This is the highest perfection of life.
vedavcikta padmasana, tantra-vakta pancanana,

suka, srT narada, blusma kori.
deva nara munigana, ye harira darasana,
sahasd nd paya dhyana kori
kintu ki dscarya suno, sei to purusottama,

nava ghana nandera nandana
radhikd carana nidhi, pardga ye siddhausadhi
yarn sire kore darasana
"Nor Lord Brahma, the speaker of the Vedas who sits on a lotusflower, nor the
five-headed Lord $iva, who speaks the occult Tantra scriptures, nor Sukadeva, the speaker of
Srimad Bhagavata, nor Sri Narada, Bh!$ma, the demigods, human beings or the wise men can
easily attain the Supreme Person, Lord Hari, within their meditations. But listen, how
amazing! On the head of that son of Nanda, who shines like a fresh raincloud, one can find
the footdust of 5ri Radhika, which is like a magic herb."
tahdra premete hari, dpana vikroy kori,

avicare vaslbhuta lion
ananta sakati puma, rddha padapadma cuma,
pardmrta paraina ratana
"Hari sells Himself to Her love and totally submits Himself to Her. The dust from
Radha's lotusfeet is full of unlimited power and is the highest nectar and the highest jewel."
bhane sri prabodhananda, radha pada makaranda,

darase parase bhdgya hma
kuhjesvarl krpa koro, padarenu nirantara,
smarana koribo anudina
"3ri Prabodhananda sings: I am so unfortunate because 1 cannot see or touch the

honey like feet of Radha! O Queen of the bowers! I constantly remember the dust of Your feet!
Be merciful to me!"
S nla Prabodhananda Sarasva(T 15
VERSE 5:
ADHAYA MURDHANI YADA PVRUDARA COPYAH

KAMYAM PADAM PRIYAGUNAIR API PICCHAMAULliH
ISHA VOTSA VENA DHAJATAM RASA KAMA DHENUI&
TAM RADHIKA CARANA RENUM A HAM SMARAM1
• •
adhaya - taking; murdhani - on the head; yadd - when; puruddra - very generous; gopydfj -
cowherdgirls; kdmyam - desired; padam - position; priya - dear; gunaih - by qualities; api - even;
piccha mauleh - of peacockfeather-crowned Krsna; bhava - emotion; utsavena - with a festival;
bhajatcuh - worshipping; rasa - flavour; kama-dhenum - wishyielding cow; lam - to Her; carana -
lotusfeet; reniwi - dust; aharh - 1; smardmi - remember.
I rem em ber the footdust of Sri Radhika, which is held on the heads by the very
generous gopTs of V raja who desire the position which, with ail its beloved attributes, is
even desired for by Kr$na, who wears a crown of peacockfeathers, and which is a wish-
yielding Kamadhenu-cow of rasa for all those who worship it with a festival of loving
emotions.
THE KAMADHENU-COW OF THE PERFECTION OF RASA :
Commentary; The gopls are called purudara, or most generous because their love for
Krsna is completely free from all desires for personal gratification. Such pure love is rare in
this world. The gopis have said goodbye to all mundane, traditional codes of morality and are
exclusively engaged in pleasing Krsna, at any cost. £rlpada 3uka Muni described their most
generous love for Krsna in 3rlmad Bhagavata (10.31.19):
yat te sujdta carandmburuham stanesu bhitah sanaih priya dadhunahi karkasesu

tendtavTm atasi tad vyathate na kirn svit kurpddibhir bhramati dhlr bhavad dyusam nah
After Krsna had left them during the Rasa-dance, the beautiful gopls suffered
separation from Him and prayed: "O Dearly beloved! Your feet are like beautiful tender,
nicely grown lotusflowers. We carefully place them on our hard breasts, afraid that they will
be hurt. Can You then even imagine how worried we are when You roam over the forestpaths
where there are so many sharp pebbles, thorns and bulbs? You are our very life and we feel
very disturbed when we think of that!" Usually a girl feels very for her own sake when she gets
the feet of her man on her breasts, but the gopTs don’t just feel such happiness when 3ri Krsna
places His lotusfeet on their breasts; they arc only concerned about His welfare. He is dearer to
them than millions of lives, so they are simply afraid that He will hurt Himself while He places
His tender lotusfeet on their breasts. Only the rasika devotees understand that there is
absolutely no desire for personal happiness in the gopTs’ hearts. But, although the gopTs have
no such desire, and actually because they have no personal desires, they are the most blissful.
Thus prema remains established as the highest goal of human life, since everybody naturally
looks for happiness. For the attainment of this goal one should follow in the footsteps of the
gopTs and particularly of Sri Radha.
16 $ri-3rl Radha Rasa SudMnidlii
Not only the gopTs desire the service of Sri Radha's lotusfeet, since She is the greatest
of them all, but even Sri Kr$na Himself desires this. Once, after enjoying loving pastimes with
Him, Sri Radhika proudly orders Him to redress Her before Her girlfriends will notice that
They have made love, and will ridicule Her. Srlpada, in his form as Radhika's maidservant,
brings all the items for Her dressing. Sfimatl orders Kr$na: "Anoint My feet with footlac!"
K?*$na places Nagarl-mani's (Radha, the jewel of ladyloves) feet on His chest and starts the
job. The kinkarT brings Him a brush and a cup with the liquid lac. Nagara holds the brush
and the kinkarT holds the cup. Nagara loses Himself when He beholds the sweetness and beauty
%
of Radhika's footsoles. Sometimes He holds them to His chest and sometimes He kisses them
while tears of love flow from His eyes. Srlmatl nervously says: "What are You doing? Put the
lac on! Quickly!" Nagara’s hands shiver of ecstasy, so SvaminI slightly smiles and tells Her
kinkarT: "Nagara cannot do it, you do it!", so the kinkarT softly pushes Kr$na away, saying:
"$y5ma, move up! You can't do it!" Nagara thinks: "Alas! When will I be so fortunate to serve
SvaminTs feet like this kinkarf! How can I become as qualified as her?" This shows how even
Krsna desires the footservice of £n Radha.
• • •
The Kamadhenu (desire-cow) was churned out of the Milkocean by the demons and the
demigods and she fulfills all desires. In the same way the dust of Sri Radhika's lotusfeet gives
Radhika’s maidservants the perfection of rasa. Within the mellow of service these kinkarTs also
relish the mellow of friendship. The writers of the rasa-sastras say that the parental mellow
(vatsalya rasa) is incompatible with the sweet conjugal mellow ([rnadhurya rasa), but in 3ri
Radhika’s storehouse of rasa there is no shortage of parental affection for Her maidservants.
The footdust of Stl Radhika is thus a wishyielding Kamadhenu-cow, that contains dasya,
sakhya, vatsalya and rnadhurya rasa.
jaya jaya radhdpada, renu-kana ye sampad,

tnahojjvala maharatna khani
carana paraga kana, sire dhari vrajangana,
manojna gunete hoila dhani
"All glories to the treasure of Radha's footdust, which is a mine of great brilliant
jewels! The gopTs have held specks of this dust on their heads to become blessed with its
enchanting attributes."
rupe gune dagamagi, prema pusta yoto gopT,
pihchamauli govinda vahehita
radhika carana renu, bhu$ana koriya tanu,
sevd sukha bhuiije avirata
"The gopTs' love is nourished when they become immersed in the forms and qualities
of this dust, which is also coveted by Govinda, the boy with a crown of peacockfeatiters. Even
He always enjoys Radhika's service and decorates His body with Her footdust."
nibhrta nikunja majhe, bhavotsave yard bhaje,

yugalera carana kaniala
sei sob sevd prana, dasT-gane sarvottama,
rasa kamadhenu niramala
0
Srila Prabodhananda Sanisvad 17
"This dust is like a spotless Kamadhenu-cow for Radhika’s best maidservants, for
whom this service is their very life, and who worship the Iotusfeet of R5dha-Kr$na in a
festival of loving emotions in a lonely bower."
radhikd carana renu, koti cintamani janu,

mane mora smarana vilasa
snpada prabodhananda, nigudha bhajanananda,
svasahkalpa korild prakdsa
"3rl Radhika's footdust is more valuable than millions of Cintamani-gems and my mind
relishes its remembrance. Thus Sri Prabodhananda, who finds pleasure in this intimate
worship, reveals His aspirations."
VERSE 6:
DIVYA ERA MODA RASA SARA NIJANGA SANGA

FI YUSA VICl NICA YAIR ABHISECA YANTl
KANDARPA KOTI SARA MURCHHITA NANDASVNU
SANJIVANIJA YA TIKAPINIKUNJADEVI
divya - divine; pramoda - joy; rasa - flavour; sdra - quintessence; nija - own; ai'iga -
bodily; sahga - company; plyusa - nectar; vfei - waves; nicayaih - by an abundance; abhisecayanti -
sprinkled; kandarpa - Cupid; koti - millions; Sara - arrows; murcchita - faints; nanda sumi -
Nanda's son; sanjtvanT - revives; jayati - glories; kdpi - some; nikufija - arbour; devi - goddess.
Glory to some nikunja devT (bower goddess) Who revives the son of Maharaja
Nanda (Kr$na), Who as fainted out of affliction caused by millions of Cupid's darts, with
the nectarwaves of Her bodily contact, which is the essence of divine blissful rasal
THE GODDESS WHO REVIVES SRI KR$NA:
Commentary; As long as a devotee is in the stage of practise, he feels that his usual
bodily consciousness is mixed with an awareness of his eternal spiritual body, but when he
reaches the stage of rati or bhava he becomes liberated. Sri Vigvanatha CakravarGpada writes
in 'Madhurya Kadambini': ahamta ca prdpsyamdne sevopayogini siddhadehe pravisantTva
sadhaka sanram prdyo jahdtTva virajeta. mamata ca taccaranaravinda makaranda eva
madhukarT bhavitum upakrameteti "In the stage of bhava the feeling of "F-ness has almost
entered the siddha deha (spiritual body) and has almost given up the material body. The
feelings of mineness have then become like bees that start to drink the honey of God's
Iotusfeet." In the stage of prema there is no end to the stream of lilas that one spiritually
witnesses and one is intensely absorbed in one's svarupavesa (identification with one's
spiritual body). Radha’s maidservants are in the category of maha-bhava, therefore their
absorption is the most intense. The devotees must be aware of their (the maidservants')
expertise in service, otherwise they cannot follow in their footsteps in their meditations, and
18 £ri-3ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
without following in the footsteps of the residents of Vraja (as Rupa Gosvami teaches) one
cannot attain perfection in the Vraja-rava,
SrTpada is absorbed in remembering Sri RadharanT's footdust and now he becomes

aware of another sweet pastime. It is the fullmoon night in spring (vdsantT purnima) and when
3rl Kr$na sees the full moon rising in the sky He remembers 3ri Radha’s face. In great secrecy
He comes to Vrndavana and starts playing His enchanting flute there to attract the hearts and
minds of the gopTs. Sri Radha and the gopTs meet VarhSIdharl (Krsna) on the broad bank of
the Yamuna and commence the Rasa-dance with Him. Sri Hari embraces some of them, kisses
some of them and enjoys with some of them. &r! Radhika then becomes proud and jealous and
leaves the Rasa dance. Not seeing Her, Hari becomes very upset and He leaves all the other
gopTs to search for Her only.
itas tatah bhrami kaha radha na pdiyd; visada koren kdma bane khinna hoiyd
sata koti gopTte nahe kdma nirvdpana; ihdtei anumdni sn radhdra guna (C.C.)
Sri Ramananda Raya told Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: "Hari could not find Radha
anywhere, although He wandered here and there looking for Her. Thus He began to lament,
being pierced by Cupid’s arrows. Even a billion gopTs could not extinguish His lusty
desires 1 From this I can understand Sri Radha’s glories!" Despite the presence of countless
gopis, Krsna was pierced by the darts of millions of Cupids, and wailing "Ha Radhe! Ha
Radhe!", He fainted. There is no material Cupid in Vrndavana, for there is nothing material in
that abode whatsoever. Therefore, when it is said that Hari was pierced by millions of
Cupids’ darts it is meant here that the eternally self-satisfied transcendental Supreme
Lord Sri Kr§na is always eager to accept the loving service of His devotees. §ri Kr$na
manifests His transcendental desires according to the amount of loving devotion His
devotees have for Him. Although the sweet and beautiful gopTs of Vraja all have an
abundance of mahd-bhdva for Kr$na, 3ri Radharani is the essence of mahd-bhdva
personified, so the other gopTs cannever satisfy Him like She can.
Sri Radhika proudly left the Rasa-dance, but when She saw the beauty of the
springforest She remembered Syamasundara. Srlpada, in his kinkarT-form, stays with Her and
serves Her. Seeing how eager her ISvarl is to meet Her- lover, the maidservant consoles Her
and goes out to find Him, She suddenly finds 5yamasundara in the Dhlra SamTra-garden, but
He is in a state of swoon. The maidservant decides not to tell Svaminl anything, but simply to
encourage Her to meet Krsna, saying:
vahati rnalaya sarnTre madanam upanidhaya; sphutati kusuma nikare virahl hrdaya dalandya
sakhi he! sTdati tava virahe vanamdll
dahati sisira mayCikhe maranam anukaroti; patati madana v'tsikhe vilapati vikalataro'ti
dhvanati madhupa sanulhe sravanam api dadhati; manasi kalita virahe nisi nisi rujam upayati
vasati vipina vitdne tyajati lalita dhama; luthati dharanT sayane bahu vilapati tava ndma
(Gita Govindam)
"0 Radhe! I came there and I saw that Vanamal! is greatly suffering out of separation
from You. The southern breezes, that carry the fragrance of vernal flowers, only increase
His agony! When He is touched by the corona of moonrays He almost dies, He laments
when He is pierced by Cupid’s cruel arrows, and when He hears the humming of the bees
He blocks His ears. Tonight He suffers even more from separation; He cannot tolerate to
Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 19
be without You for a single moment anymore! He gives up His abode of joy and rolls in the
thorny bushes for Your sake, singing Your names in great lamentation!" In this way the
maidservant encourages SvaminT, in order to extinguish the fire of $yama$undara'$ separation.
When SvaminT hears about Prananatha's pitiful condition She comes to the DhTra Samlra-
garden with Her maidservant and sees Her hero lying there in a swoon. Srlmatl is very upset
when She sees Her beloved in such a state, so She tries to revive Him by showering Him
with waves of the essence of the transcendental blissful rasa of Her bodily company: divya
pramoda rasa sdra nijahga sahga pTyusa vTci nicayair abhisecayanti. She kisses Him and
embraces Him with Her vine-like arms, reviving Him with Her nectarean flavours, scents
and touches, just as a heroic warrior who has fainted from the onslaughts of his enemy's
arrows is revived by a shower of cold water and some medicinal herb.
Then the divine Couple enters a private arbour which was furnished by the
maidservants beforehand, with a charming bed of flowers with a flowerpillow, a canopy made
of fragrant flowers and lamps that shine like the buds of (golden) Campaka-flowers. Here Sri
Krsna will worship His nikunja devT..... The word jayati in the text is in the present tense,
indicating that these pastimes continue eternally in Vraja.
madana mohana nama, sakjat navma kama,

rddhd vina kama koti sare
murachita yadi hoy, srT rddhikd se somoy,
nanda suta navma nagare
divyananda rasa sdra, ahga sahga sata bara,

amrta tarahga nisiheane!
so heno nagara vara, punah sanjivita kore,
anukida sukhada sevane
"Krsna is named Madana Mohana because He enchants Cupid. Indeed, He is the

youthful Cupid Himself! Still, when He is pierced by Cupid's millions of arrows when He is
separated from Radha, He faints. At that time 3rl Radhika sprinkles Nanda's.son a hundred
times with the nectarean essence of divine ecstatic rasa of Her bodily company, serving
Her hero favorably by reviving Him once more."
jay a srT kanaka dyuti, naola nikunja devT,

niruparnd navind tidgarT
bharte srTprabodhananda, vrsabhanu kula canda,
rasamayl rasera mahjan
"All glories to the shining goddess of the arbours, the incomparible youthful heroine!
3rl Prabodhananda says: "This moon of Vrsabhanu's dynasty is a bud full of rasal"
/ /
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VERSE 7:
TAN NAIIPRATIKSANA CAMATKRTA CARU U I A

LAV A M A MOHANA MAHA MADHURANGA BHANGI
RADHANANAM HI MADHURANGA KALA NIDHANAM
20 SiT-Srl Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
A VIRBIJA VISYA 77 KAOA RASA S1NDHU SARAM
(at - Her; nah - to us; prati - every; ksana - moment; camatkrta - astonishing; earn - beautiful;
Hid -pastimes; lavanya - elegance; mohana - enchanting; tnahd - great; madhura - sweet; ahga - body;
bhahgi - gestures; radlid ananahi - Radha's face; hi - certainly; madhura - sweet; ahga - body; kald -
arts; nidhdnam - abode; dvirbhavisyad - will appear*; kadd - when; rasa - flavour; siiuihu - ocean;
sdram - essence.
When will SrT Radha's moonlike face, that is like the matchless quintessence of the
ocean of nectar, and whose ever astonishing playful elegance causes Mohana (enchanting
Krsna) to stand in His sweet threefold bending form, become manifest to us?
SRl RADHA'S FACE IS THE QUINTESSENCE OF THE OCEAN OF RASA:
Commentary: In the previous verse 3ripada saw his ISvarl as the nikiuya devT. Devi
means 'the worshiped'. It is even more astonishing when Rasikendra Maull (Krsna, the king of
relishers) worships Radhika in the kuhja as when the sakhTs and mahjarTs do it. She is called
clevT because even rasika sekhara serves Her. When Radha and Krsna enter the kutija, Krsna
lovingly wants to serve Priyaji in different ways, so the maidservants bring Him a pitcher of
water. With the water from that pitcher Krsna washes Priyajl’s lotusfeet and dries them off
with His yellow dhoti. The maidservants understand Syama’s mind and they bring flowers,
Krsna offers a handful of flowers at Svamini's lotusfeet, chants jaya premamayi! and then
offers His obeisances while tears of love flow from His eyes, pada sparsa rasotsavam.
pranatibhih (verse 61): Touching RSdhika's feet and bowing down to them is like a festival of
rasa for Krsna. How beautiful Srimati's face is when She looks at Krsna’s face at that time!
• • • • • %
How many erotic pastimes Her beautiful face reveals! How enchanting are the movements of
Her eyes and Her eyebrows! Sri Rupa GosvamI explains the meaning of the word lavanya
which is used in the text, as follows in his 'Ujjvala Nilamani':
muktdphalesu chayayas taralatvam ivastara

pratibhdti yad. ahgesu Idvanyam tad ihocyate
"Lavanya is a luster that shines in the limbs as if it shines from within pearls." Streams
of luster gush from £rimati's face. How wonderful are the movements of Her eyes and
eyebrows. They show the bhdva bhusana (emotional ornament) called lalita.
vinydsa bhahgi rahganam bhru-vilasa manohard

sukumdra bhaved yatra lalitam tad udTritam
"The lalita alahkdra is shown by a tender girl who makes playful enchanting gestures
with the eyebrows and all Her limbs."
Just as the moon was churned from the Milkocean, Radha's spotless moonlike face was
churned from the ocean of transcendental love- mellows. These mellows are most precious and
powerful, and 3ri Radha's moonlike face is the quintessence of the entire ocean of them! This
face is not a material luminary, it glows with the taste of mahd-bhdva. It is useless to try to
compare Her face with the moon, Her eyes with lotusflowers and Her nose with
sesameflowers. £ri Radhika can be understood only through pure love, and not through any use
Srila Prabodhananda Saiasvail 21
of words! One can also read this verse in the following way: “When will the moonlike face of
Sri Radha, that causes even Syamasundara, Who is astonishing at every moment and Who
enchants the whole world, to stand in His beautiful threefold-bending form, be manifest to
me?" The maidservants have seen that Syamasundara’s elegance is astonishing at every
moment while He worships nikunja cievT Radhika. Syama's pastimes are most astonishing when
He submits Himself to SrimatT's service! All of Krsna's pastimes are sweet, but His erotic
pastimes with Sri Radha and extra special. The Ganga-fountain of the maidservants’ ecstatic
love flows in innumerable directions when they see how Syama submits Himself to SvaminI
during Their erotic sports.
Why does Syama show His threefold bending form? Because He is enchanted by seeing
the sweetness of Radha's face and He tries to touch the edge of Her skirt with His heel. lie
slightly bends down to the left, casting crooked glances. He stands in His threefold bending
form as if He is unable to bear the weight of lasting Radha's sweetness! The devotees can taste
Krsna's sweetness according to the amount of love they feel for Him. In Caitanya Caritamrta
Sri Krsna says:
amara madhutya nitya nava nava hoy;
sva sva prema anurupa bhakte asvbdoy
"My sweetness is everfresh and My devotees taste this according to their love for Me."
Since Sri Radha has the greatest love for Krsna, She can taste His sweetness to the utmost and
the more She loves Him, the sweeter He appears to Her.
The word kald nidhana (abode of arts) contains the syllables ka and la, the key to the
important kdnm-bTja (transcendental seed of desire, the invocatory sound of the kdma gdyatrT
and gopala mantras). The limbs of Sri Kr§na are present in each of the 24 and-a-half syllables
of the kdma gdyatn-mantra (in which Krsna is the transcendental Cupid) and they fill the
world with desire, just as the moonrays do. But by seeing Radha's moonlike face even Kr$na is
pierced by Cupid's arrows.
When Radha's moon like face rises, the ocean of lusty desires of Krsna, the
transcendental youthful Cupid of Vrndavana, swells up, just as the ordinary ocean makes
waves when the ordinary moon rises. After Sripada experienced all this in the abode of
pastimes, being absorbed in his siddha svarupa (transcendental identity), the revelation
disappears and in his sddhakavesa he prays: "When will we see Radha's moonlike face in this
way?’’, in other words: "When will I be blessed with the service of my beloved SvaminI?"
With the words tan nah (may we all, not only me, be blessed like this) Sripada shows his great
compassion.
radhdra vadana canda, sucandra candrika dhama,

lalita lavanya niketana
madhnrbfiga mahojjvald, akalanka sola kald
sudhanidhi sukhada madana
"Radha’s moonlike face is the abode of beautiful moonrays and tender elegancy. Her
sweet form is very effulgent like a spotless full moon, showing all its sixteen phases and giving
joy to Cupid with its treasure of nectar".
madfutre mohana mahd- madhurdnga bhahgi aha,

22 Sri-Sri Kiitlha Rasa Sudhanidhi
nimese
♦ nimese
• abhinava
anuksana camatkrta,
9 4 4 "
cdni Ilia adabhuta
darasane mug adha mddhava
"Her very sweet limbs are very enchanting and are fresh at every moment. When
Madhava sees Her wonderful, beautiful pastimes, that are astonishing at every moment. He
becomes enchanted."
bhane sri prabodhananda, he bhanukula canda,
kunjesvarT ei nivedana
hay hay! dm kobet bhdgye ki udoy hobe,
candra koti cam se dnana
"Sri Prabodhananda sings: "O Moon of Maharaja Vrsabhanu's dynasty! O Queen of the
bowers! I pray to you; 'Alas! alas! When will we be so fortunate to see Your face, that is more
beautiful than millions of moons, rise?"
VERSE 8:
YA T KINKARI$U BAHUSAH KHALV KAKUVANI

N1TYAM PARASYA PURUSASYA SIKH A ISDA -MA ULEH
TASYAIjl KADA RASANIDHER VR$ABHANUJAYAS
TATKELIKUNJA BHAVANANGANA M A R JA N lSYA M
yat - whose; kihkansu - in die maidservants; bahuSah - in many ways; khalu - certainly; kaku
vdnT - pitiful words; nicyam - eternal; parasya - of die supreme; purusasya - of the man; sikhanda
-peacockfeathcr; mauleh - of the crown; tasyah - whose; kadd - when; rasa - of flavour; nidheh -
vessel; vrsabhdnu-jdydh - Vrsabhanu's daughter; tat - Her; keli -play; kunja - arbour; bhavana - abode;
atigana - yard; marjam - broom; sydm - be.
When can I become the broom for sweeping the courtyard of the cottage in the
playgrove of M aharaja Vr$abhanu's daughter, Who is an ocean of rasa and to Whose
m aidservants the Suprem e Male Person, Who wears a crown of peacockfeathers, always
pitifully prays for H er audience?
TH E GREATNESS OF RADHA'S MAIDSERVANTS:
Commentary: In the previous two verses the sweetness of the V asanti Rasa (Krsna's
vernal Rasa-Uld) was revealed to Srlpada. &rl Krsna had abandoned all the gopTs that were His
heroines in the Rasa-dance and went to relish the sweetness of RaseSvarT's (Radhika’s)
moonlike face in a lonely bower. In the previous verse 3rlpada lost that vision, so He prayed
for the vision of Rfidha's sweet face. Now ^ripada’s heart floats once more on the waves of
prayer into the kingdom of transcendental pastimes. He gets the visions of these pastimes by
SrlmafTs grace, not through his own endeavours! His visions are spontaneous and in them it is
as if He directly faces Radha and Krsna.
S iila Prabodhananda Sarasvall 23
SrimatT revives the fainted transcendental youthful Cupid of Vrndavana, Sri Krsna, by
sprinkling Him with the nectar of Her own bodily company, playing erotic games in a
decorated bowerhouse with Him. Niigara (Krsna) becomes naughty when She becomes
naughty and SvaminT goes mad of love. She cannot get enough of playing with Krsna, who is
the erotic mellow personified. Syfuna also loses Himself when He is served by the
unprecedented ingredients of madana rasa (the topmost loving ecstasy of 3ri Radhika)! He is
like a beggar sitting in a palace, hoping to gel a meal. SvaminT is His art-teacher, who teaches
Her submissive hero the arts of srhgara rasay the erotic mellow. Sripada, in his form as a
maidservant, looks through the latticed windows of the kunja and is blessed by seeing these
sweet pastimes. How wonderful is the course of love! Suddenly SvaminT changes Her mind.
She mercifully remembers Her hundreds of girlfriends that were searching for Her and Krsna
in this Rasa-night and thinks: "Alas! How sweetly We are playing here! How sad that My
girlfriends cannot relish this!" The Ilia sakti (pastime potency) made SiTmatl change Her mind,
so that the pastimes of the Yugala KiSora could be enriched. How?
prema Ula viharanam samyag vistarika sakhT (Ujjvala Nilamani)
"Radha and Krsna's girlfriends fully extend and increase Their loving pastimes". The
sakhis sweetly tell Radha about Krsna's love for Her and tell Kr$na about Radha's great love
for Him when They are separated from Eachother, and thus they increase Their loving
attachment for Eachother. They help Them to meet Eachother, they cause the heroine to
become angry with the hero to increase the hero's eagerness for Her love, they make jokes,
encourage the Yugala KiSora, deceive Their superiors and help in increasing Their loving
pastimes in innumerable ways. Without the help of the sakhis these pastimes cannot cause
wonder.
When Kr$na, the jewel of rasikas, sees Radhika in this pensive mood, He understands
what is on Her mind and thinks to Himself: "Oh well! When She is so worried about Her
girlfriends, then there can be no more joy in Our loveplays together! I'd better go and look for
them!" She He goes out of the kunja in search of the sakhTs, but just after He left, the sakhis
come up from the other side and meet with Radhika. Seeing that Syama does not return,
Srlmatl thinks: "Tonight there is Rasa-dancing and the forests are filled with thousands of
beautiful V raja-g^/s! Surely that king of womanizers must have met some other heroine!
Thinking like this, Srimati becomes jealous and angry (mdninT). Sri Rupa GosvamI says in
’Ujjvala Nilamani' that this mana is a result of pure love only.
sneham vina bhayani na syan nersya ca pranayam vina

tasman numa prakaro 'yam dvayoh prema prakdsakah
"Fear cannot arise without affection and proud jealous anger {mana) cannot arise
without love. Therefore mana reveals the love of both hero and heroine." Srimatl engages Her
maidservants as gatekeepers and forbids them to allow 3 yam a to enter the kunja. When Krsna
returns to the gate of the kunja, unable to find the sakhTs, the kihkarls at the gate forbid Him
entrance, saying: "O King of womanizers! Where have You gone, leaving our mistress?
SvaminT is angry, You have no right to enter this grove! Go back to that girl where You have
been! Go away from this gate! If You stay here too long our SvaminT will rebuke us!" How
many pitiful and anxious prayers to come into the kunja peacockfeather-crowned ^yamasun-
dara then offers to Sri Radha's gatekeepers with folded hands! The kihkarls don't leave their
post Cor even a moment! Krsna's voice is anointed with humility as He prays with folded
hands: "Other than you maidservants I have no shelter! Make it clear to Your ISvari that She is
angry for no reason! I did not do anything wrong! Only to please Her I went out to look for
24 Sri-SrT Radha Rasa SudhSnidhi
Her girlfriends! Where should 1 go if you girls let Me down now?” Krsna is the Supreme Male,
God Himself, krsnah svaycuh samabhavat paramah puman yo (Brahma Samhita). Although all
the people of the world pray for His mercy, now He prays to Radha's maidservants with folded
hands! Blessed is the service of Radha! £ rim at Rupa Gosvami prays:
karunath muhur arthaye param tava vrndavana cakravartini

api kesi-ripor yayd bhavet sa cdtu prarthana bhdjanam janah
(Catu Puspanjall - 23)
”0 Queen of Vrndavana! I pray for Your mercy again and again: Let me be the object
of even KeSi-ripu's (Krsna’s) pitiful prayers!" This service of 3rl Radha is the special mercy of
3rlman Mahaprabhu. The kinkarls only like Krsna because He is 3rl Radha's lover, they don't
have independent love for Him. If Krsna makes any trouble they will kick Him out of the
kunja] Without the permission of Srimatl Rupa Manjari and her maidservants, Kr$na cannot
enter Radha's groves, what to speak of touching Her body. This is the indescribable greatness
of Radha's maidservants!
When the maidservants see how anxious Krsna is they allow Him to enter the kunja.
They don't need Radharanl's permission, because they know that, although She is angry with
Krsna, She is also anxiously waiting for Him. $yama$undara knows that Srimatl will soon give
up Her pique when He has pleased Her girlfriends and Her maidservants. Thus rasika siromani
(Krsna, the crownjewel of romantics) enters the kunja and dispels the unfavorable mood of
rasika mayi (Sri Radhika, the jewel of romantic girls), causing a slight smile to appear on Her
beautiful face like a thin sweet line. The king of romantics becomes absorbed in His loveplays
with His heart's beloved, holding Her in His jewellike heart Seeing this sweet pastime,
3ripada, who now appears as an adolescent girl, says rasanidher vrsabhdnujdyah "Sri Radha is
the jewel in Kr$na's heart'' (taken that the word rasa means Kr$na, Who is spiritual flavour
personified). Sri Radha’s sweetness and beauty is manifest to the uunost when She plays with
3ri Kr$na. 3rila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami writes in ’ViSakhanandada stotram':
kr$na manjula tdpincha vilasat svarna yuthikd

govinda navya pathode sthira vidyul latadbhuta
"Sri Radha shines like a golden Yuthika-vine entwining a beautiful black Tamala-tree
(Krsna) and as a wonderful steady lightningvine in the fresh Govinda-raincloud.''
The word rasanidhi in the text can also mean 'She Who is an ocean of rasa' In this
case Radhika makes Her lover happy by immersing Him in the waves of Her wonderful sweet
amorous rasa. Suddenly the transcendental revelation disappears and Sripada humbly prays:
"Am I at ail qualified for this precious position of service to 3ri Radha? Let Me at least
become the broom for sweeping the yard of Her playcotlage in the forestbowers of Vrndfwana,
as a service to those fortunate souls who are qualified to be Her maidservants! Of course, by
Her grace everything is possible! Let me sweep the dust that falls from merciful Sri Radha's
footsoles!"
VERSE 9:
Srila Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 25
VRNDANISARVA MAH AT AM APAH AY A DURAD

VRNDATAVIM ANUSARA PRANAYENA CETAH
SAT TARANl KRTA SUBHA VA SUDHA RASAUGHAM
RADHABHIDHANAMIHA DIVYA NIDHANAM ASTI
vrndani - groups; scirva - all; mahatam - great; apahaya - give up; durdt - from afar;
vrnddtavlm - Vrndavana; anusara - follow; pranayena - with love; cetali - mind; sat - saints, or Kr$na;
tdranT - redeemer; krta - doing; subhava - good mood; sudhd - nectar; rasa - flavour; ogham -
abundance; rddhabhidhdnam - named Radha; iha - here; divya -divine; tiidhdnam - jewel; asti- there is.
O Mind! Leave all great things (or persons) far from you and go to Vrndavana
with love, for there is a divine jewel, a nectarstream of good moods named Radha there,
Who redeems the sincere souls!
THE DIVINE JEWEL OF SRI VRNDAVANA:
Commentary: Transcendental greed is the very life-force of raga-bhakti. When a

devotee becomes greedy after the pure loving mood of the eternally perfect associates of Kr$na
in Vraja, he enters into the field of rdganuga bhakti. When a materialistic person becomes
greedy he becomes like mad and he forgets his body and every tiling related to it while
searching for his wanted object. This is mundane greed. But that greed which appears in the
heart at one moment and disappears again the next moment cannot be called real greed. £rl
Vi^vanatha Cakravartlpada writes in his 'Raga Vartma Candrika': atisayena pravrttih sydt
yathd kamarthinam kdmopdyesu "The rdgdnugd devotee is as absorbed in his desires for
devotion as a lusty man is in thinking of the fulfillment of his desires." Unless there is strong
eagerness, the sweetness of raga bhajana cannot be understood. The devotee always thinks:
"When will I get the service of my Beloved?" This eagerness is the lifeforce of raga practise.
3ripada thinks to himself: "How can I become so fortunate to be the broom to sweep
the yard of the kunjal O mind! Throw all other great efforts, such as worship of the demigods,
performance of fruitive activities, gathering of empirical knowledge, and the making of
extensive_ pilgrimages, far away! They are just stumblingblocks on the path of pure devotion!
Why should I go anywhere else than to RadharanT's abode Vraja? Why should I visit
innumerable places of pilgrimage?"
In the second volume of Haridasa Dasa's book 'Gaudiya Vai§nava JIvana (the lives of
Bengali Vaisnavas)' we can read that a pure devotee named 3fl Krsna Dasa BfibajI, who lived
in the village named Ranabarl (not far from the town of Chata in Vraja) once desired to visit
some other holy places in India, so He went to Dvaraka, the place where Krsna was married to
16,108 queens. When he returned to Vraja, though, Radharanl appeared to him in a dream and
told him: "Now you belong to the group of Krsna's queen Satyabhama! Go back to Dvaraka!".
Baba was so upset with this, that he burned himself up in the fire of separation from Vraja and
3rl Radha like a piece of firewood. In this way Baba gave up this mortal world, showing all the
devotees in the world how unfavorable it is for a devotee of £rl Radha to leave Vraja.
One may ask 3ri Prabodhananda SarasvatT: "O §ripada! What spiritual practise will you
perform to have your desires fulfilled then?" Srlpada says in this verse: vmdatavTm anusara
26 Sri-£ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
pranayena cetah "O Mind! Go lo Vrndavana with love! In the center of Vrndavana Syama
plays His enchanting flute: sarva dharmdn paritydjya mam ekam saranam vraja "Ohe! Give
up all forms of religion and take shelter of My lotusfeet!" Those whose hearts have been
purified by spiritual practise can hear the call of this flute. The hearts of such devotees are
absorbed in the mood of Vraja and they will go there with love, eager to meet their Beloved.
Knowledge of the impersonal brahman or the localised paramdtma and reverential regulated
devotion to the Supreme Lord will cast one far away from the path of tasting the sweetness of
Vraja. It is only pure, spontaneous love that brings us on the path to Vraja and it is that love
that brought the previous dedryas like Bilvamangala, Jayadeva, Candl Dasa, the six Gosvamis
and so many other great devotees to Vraja. Day and night these devotees are crying out:
hd hd kdhdh vrndavana, kdhd gopendra nandana,

kdhd sei vatitsT vadana
kdhd se tribhahga thama, kdhd sei venugdna
kdhd prabhu madana mohana
"O! Where is Vrndavana?! Where is Krsna, the cowherdprince, Who keeps a flute to
His mouth? Where is that threefold bending form? Where is that flutesong? Where is the Lord
Who enchants even Cupid?" Srlla Narottama Dasa Thakura sings:
sitala yamund jale, sndna kori kutuhole,

premdvese dnandita hoiyd
bdhu 'por bahu tuli, vnidavane kuli kuli,
krsna boli‘ bedabo kandiya
"I will bathe in the cool water of the Yamuna, overwhelmed by feelings of ecstatic
love. Raising my arms, I will wander around in Vrndavana, crying out Krsna’s name."
dekhibo sahketa sthdna, jutfabe tapita prana

premdvese gatfagadi dibo
kdhd radha prdnesvari, kdhd girivaradharl,
kdhd natha boliya dakibo
"I will soothe my burning heart by seeing Radha and Krsna's trysting-place and I will
roll on the ground there in loving ecstasy, calling out: "Where is Radha, the Queen of my
heart? Where are You, O Lord, lifter of Govardhana Hill?"
madhavT kunjeropari, snkhe bosi sitka sari,

gdibek rddhd-krsna rasa
tarn tale bosi tdhd, suni judaibe hiyd,
kobe snkhe goydbo divasa
"Above the bower of Madhavl-vines the male and female parrots blissfully sit and sing
songs about Radha and Krsna. I will sit at the foot of a tree there and soothe my heart by
hearing them. When will I pass my days in such happiness?"
Another reading of this verse can be: "O Mind, beware of random association with the
residents of Vraja! It is as difficult to associate with devotees in a purely Krsna-concious way,
without falling into frivolous and mundane talks, as it is to control the mind!" Many great
saints have therefore prefered a life of solitude in Vraja over a life full of social engagements
Srlla Prabodhananda Sarasvad 27
there. In this way they could easily catch that divine jewel named Radha, Who redeems Her
surrendered devotees with the nectarstream of Her good feelings (Ed).
The word sat tdram in the text can also mean that Radhika redeems Krsna, Who is sat
(real in all three phases of time). One may ask here: "Does Radha have to redeem Krsna at all?
He is, after all, not a conditioned soul, is He?" The answer is: "Kr$na is suffering from the pain
caused by Cupid's darts and Radha redeems Him by showering Him with the nectarstream of
Her bodily association." The rootverb div of divya nidhana means: ’play', which means that the
sweet erotic play of Radha, which makes Krsna happy, takes place in Vrndavana, and that is
why Sripada eagerly sends his mind to Vrndavana. Another explanation is that the sat Krsna
was eager to relish the love of Radha in Vraja and therefore descended to earth to become
relieved from the burning agony of that desire. That divine jewel named Radha is a stream of
nectar and simply by taking shelter of Her one will attain the rare love of Vraja.
VERSE 10:
KENAPINAGARA VARENA PADE NIPATYA

SASlPRARTHITAIKA PARIRAMBHA RASO TSAVAYA#
SA-BHRU-VIBHANGAM A TI RANGA-NIDHEH KADA TE
SR I RADIIIKE N A H IN A H ITIG IR A H SRNOMI
* 0 •
kendpi - by whomever; ndgara - man about town; varena - by the best; pade - at the feet;
nipatya - fallen; sathprdrthita - prayed for; eka - one; parirambha - embrace; rasa - flavour; utsavdya -
for a festival; sa - with; bhru - eyebrow; vibhatigam - gestures; ati - very; ranganidheh - of a happy
girl; kadd - when; te - You; nahi nahi - No! no!; iti - thus; girah - words; §rnomi - 1 hear.
O S ri Radhike! O jewel of play I When will I see You frowning Your eyebrows and
hear You saying ”no no!" (although You are actually very happy) when Kr$na, the best
of lovers, falls at Your feet and begs You for a delicious festival of embraces?
SR I RADHA, THE JEW EL OF PLAY:
Commentary: £ripada returns to his siddha svarupa. The more intense the
transcendental vision is, the sweeter it is. There is no way to put such visions into words, only
experienced devotees can understand that. By SrTmatT's grace, anxious Sripada becomes
conscious of another sweet pastime. He sees £ rimat! eagerly hurrying to a forestbower to meet
Krsna, but Krsna has not yet arrived on that appointed place yet. Just to please Krsna Radhika
begins to decorate the place, being sure that He will come soon. $rl Rupa GosvamI writes in
’Ujjvala NTlamani, (Nayika-bhcda Prak):
sva vasaka vasdt kante samesyati nijarri vapuh

sajjikaroti geharii ca yd sd vdsaka sajjikd
cestd cdsydh smara-kndd sankalpo vartma vikânam
saklu vinoda vartd ca muhur dutiksanadayah
28 S n-3rl Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
"The girl who goes out to meet Her lover and who decorates Her house (or bower) and
Her body before He arrives, is called vasaka sajjika. She plans to have erotic plays with Him,
looks down the road for Him to come, speaks about nice things with Her girlfriends and
constantly looks out for Her messenger girls to return." The poet Vidyapati colorfully
describes how Primal! plans the erotic play in the following way: "When He comes on My
yard, I will slightly smile at Him. When He enthusiastically grabs Me, I will try My best to
escape. When He tries to pull at My bodice, I will push His hands away and look at Him in a
squinted way, and when He tries to approach Me, I will turn My head away and say: "No!
No!" In this way many hundreds of waves of naughty plans flow in ^rlmalTs heart, which is
filled with passionate love for Krsna. Sripada, in his kinkarT-form, is engaged in 3rTmatTs
service. The jewel of lovers arrives in the bower and seeing Him, 3rlmail angrily gets up to go
back home, chastising Her kinkarT with Her glances: "Why did you bring Me here? Quickly
take Me back home!" Attracted to SrTmatl's sweetness Kr$na pulls at the edge of Her sari; but
SrlmatT tugs back and says: "Leave it! Don't touch Me! I’m a chaste housewife!" Her face is
illuminated with a slight, sweet smile mixed with feigned anger. How beautifully Her
sweetness swells up! Krsna, who is the very form of transcendental bliss, becomes obsessed
with desire for union with Her. All Her activities are caused by Her mahd-bhava, that's why
rasika sekhara is so enchanted. Srimat Rupa Gosvami has defined a bold ladylove as follows
in his 'Ujjvala NTlamani': bhuri bhavodgamabhijna rasenakranta vallabha "She is expert in
showing strong emotions and she attacks her lover with rasa." Sri JTva Gosvami writes in his
Locana Rocanl-commentary on this verse that rasa means the flavour of pure, selfless love.
Her activities are only meant to please Krsna.
3rl Kr$na, the jewel of lovers, is so overwhelmed by the sweetness of Radha’s moods
that He anxiously falls at Her feet and prays to Her for just one festival-like embrace. This
causes many more rasika feelings to arise in SrTmatl’s heart, and these moods come out
through Her beautiful face and Her beautiful eyes. Nevertheless She stubbornly says "No, no!",
enchanting Her lover with the sweet movements of Her eyebrows. Actually these gestures are
only Her pretenses. She would actually feel very happy if Krsna would touch Her and enjoy
Her. Srlpada, as a kinkarT, knows this and calls Her therefore ranganidhi, an ocean of
playfulness. Openly Svamini says "no! no!", but in Her heart She says: "Yes, yes!" There is no
"no" within that "no", it is as if a "yes" has swallowed the "no". She who is worshipping Kr$na
is named Radhika. No other beautiful girl of Vraja can worship and enchant Krsna as sweetly
as She can, therefore She alone is named Radhika in Vraja, nobody else, and therefore Srlpada
addresses Her in this verse as &*T Radhika. Then £ripada's transcendental vision stops and He
eagerly prays: "Ha £rl Radhike! When can I see these sweet gestures of Yours and when can I
hear You say "no! no!" to Your lover when He starts to embrace You?"
VERSE 11:
YAT PADAPADMA NAKHACANDRA MANI CCHATAYA

VISPHURJITAM KIM API GOPA VADHU$V ADARSI
PURNANURAGA RASA SAGARA SARA MURTIH
SA RADHIKA MA YIKADAPIKRPAM KAROTU
yat - whose; pada - feet; padma - lotus; nakha - nail; catidra - moon; trnni - jewel; cchataya. -
of the splendour; visphurjitarh - reflected; kim api - indescribable; gopa vadhusii - in the gopTs, adarsi -
Sffla Prabodhananda SarasvatT 29
visible; puma - full; anurdga - constant passion; rasa - flavour; sdgara - ocean; sdra - essence; mftrtih
- form; sd - She; radhika - Radhika; mayi - in me; kaddpi - ever; krpdhi - mercy; karotu - will give.
When will that Radhika, Who is recognisable amongst the gopTs by the effulgence
coming from the moonstone-like toenails on Her lotusfeet, and Who is the very form of
the essence of rasa and full passion, ever bestow Her mercy upon Me?
THE GLOWING OF SRl RADHA'S TOENAILS
Commentary: Once more 3rlpada becomes aware of Krsna's Viisantl Rasa, His vernal
Rasa-/f/a. Kr$na and the gopTs stand in a circle, gopT-krsna-gopT-krsna. Their effulgence is
illuminating Sri Vrndavana. Sn £uka Muni, the speaker of $rlmad Bhagavata, was enchanted
by this beauty and said:
tatrdti susubhe tabhir bhagavan devakT sutah
madhye manindm haimdndm mahd marakato yathd
(Srlmad Bhagavata 10.33.6)
"Lord Krsna, the son of Devaki, looked very beautiful between the gopTs, exactly like
an emerald locket in a necklace of jewels and gold." How sweetly the gopTs are dancing!
pada nydsair bhuja vidhutibhih sasmitair bhru vilasair

bhajyan madhyais cala kucapafaih kundalair ganda lolaih
svidyan tnuklxyah kavara rasand granthayah kryna-vadhvo
gayantas tam tadita iva ta megha-cakre virejuh
(Srlmad Bhagavata 10.33.8)
"With their playful steps, the motions of their hands, the playful movement of their
eyebrows, accompanied with graceful smiles, bending waists, shaking breasts and the fluttering
skirts of their garments, earrings swinging against their cheeks, perspiring faces, and their
braids and girdle loosened (because of their swift movement) and singing Kr§na's glories, the
gopTs, who are Krsna's actual brides, shone brightly like flashes of lightning in a mass of
clouds."
mandalTbandhe gopigana korena nartana;
madhye radhd saha rtdee vrajendranandana
(Caitanya Caritamrta)
"The gopTs danced in a circle and the prince of Vraja danced with Radha in the middle
of that circle" SrTpada, in his form of a kihkarl; sees how wonderfully sweet is Radha's artful
dancing and he (she) keeps his glance completely fixed on Her lotusfeet, that shine like freshly
blooming red lotusflowers, of which each toe is a petal and each toenail shines like a
moonstone. 3rlpada is enchanted by this vision. How sweet is the jingling of Radha's jewelled
anklebells and how wonderful Her jewel-like toenails shine with them! We have seen the
thundering lightning dazzling in our eyes and causing our hearts to tremble with terror, but the
lightning-like dazzling of Radhika's toenails, that tremble along like thundering lightningvines
while Her anklebells jingle along, pleases our eyes and makes our hearts play in the wonderful
30 Srl-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
waves of blissful rasa. In this way the maidservants experience that Sri Radha is the very form
of an ocean of the essence of the rasa of anuraga. When the ocean of ami rag a swells because
over-new waves of bhdva come up in it it is called mahdbhdva and Sri Radha is the
personification of that mahdbhdva. What to speak of Radhika’s other limbs, the maidservants
are already enchanted by the trembling of Her sweet jewel-like toenails, that outshine the
effulgence of all the other gopTs, that dance around Her in the great circle of the Rasa-dance!
Therefore Srlpiida says: ”1 see the wonderful trembling of Radha's toenails shining amongst the
gopTs." There is also another explanation of this verse possible: In the previous verse Krsna
anxiously fell at Radha’s feet in the presence of Her maidservants and prayed to Her for the
festival of just one of Her embraces. At that time Krsna's form, which is the essence of the
ocean of anuraga rasa, became beautifully reflected tenfold on Radhika's ten jewellike
toenails, much to the pleasure of the sakhTs and manjaris' eyes. Krsna is called the essence of
the ocean of anuraga rasa because it is this passion (anuraga) with which He anxiously prays
to Radhika for a festival of embraces. That is visible on His face, in His eyes and on each of
His limbs. The sakhTs and manjaris see Him as love of Radhika personified. His desires are not
fulfilled by falling at Radhika's feet alone, so He divides Himself in ten to lake shelter of Her
feet in this way! Another definition of anuraga is given in 'Ujjvala Nilamani’:
sadanubhutam api yah kuryan nava nava priyam

rdgo bhavan navanavah so'nurdga ituyate
"That love which makes one experience the beloved as being everfresh and which is
itself also fresh at every moment, is called a n u r a g a In the stage of anuraga the increase of
desire is so strong that the forms and qualities of the beloved appear as ever-fresh at every
moment. One can measure one’s taste by one’s thirst. A person who has no thirst will not even
enjoy drinking an ocean of nectar. How much desire Krsna shows for attaining one single
embrace of Srlmati’s! Anuraga causes the lover and beloved to control eachother* and therefore
Krsna can justly be called ’the ocean of the essence of anuraga rasa\ because He is controlled
by SrlmatTs love to the utmost! Suddenly the transcendental vision disappears and £rlpada,
returning to his sadhaka-level, humbly prays: sd radhika mayi kadapi krpam karotu "Will that
Radhika ever give me Her mercy?"
VERSE 12:
UJJRMBHA MAN A RASA VARINIDHES TARANGAIR

ANGAIR1VA PRANAYA LOLA VILOCANAYAIl
TASYAH KADA NU BHA VITA M AYI PUNY A DR$TIR
VRNDATAVlNAVA NIKUNJA GRHADHIDEV yA h
ujjrtnbhamdna - extending; rasa - flavour; vdrinidheh - of an ocean; tarahgaih - with waves;

ahgaih - with limbs; iva - just like; pranaya - love; lola - swinging; vilocandyah - eyes; tasydli - Her;
kadd nu - when; bhavitd - is; mayi - in me; punya - blessed; drstih - glance; vmddtavl - Vnidavana;
nava - new; nikuhja - arbour; grha - house; adhidevydh - presiding goddess.
paraspara vaslbhavah prema vaicittyakarii tatha; apraninyapi janmaptyai Idlasdbhara unnatali

vipralambhe'sya visphurtir ityadyah syur iha kriydh (Ujjvala Nilamani - Slhayibhava Prakarana)
Srila Prabodhananda SarasvatT 31
When will the auspicious glance of the young goddess of the bowercottage of
Vrndavana, Whose restless eyes are swaying on the waves of the swelling ocean of rasa>
K rsna's limbs, fall on me?
• • ♦ /
SRl RADHA, AN OCEAN OF EMOTIONS
Commentary: By ^rimatfs grace Sripada now sees another transcendental picture: He

sees Sri Radha passionately going out to meet Krsna in some bowcrhouse at noontime. This
lovejourney is really astonishing: On one hand She is eager to meet Krsna, on the other hand
She's afraid, and the course of Her journey is also very difficult. People say that love has a
tender taste and has an amazing power!
mdtha hi tapcma, tapata patha baluka,

atapa dahana vithdra
nonika putali tanu, carana katnala janu,
hari hari! premaka gati anivara!
kanu parasa rase, paravasa rasavati,
vichurala sakala vicara
“The sun shines on the head and burns the sand on the road, spreading itself in the sky
like a burning canopy. Her body is as soft as butter and Her feet are as tender as lotusflowers.
Hari! Hari! The course of love cannot be stopped! This amorous girl gives up all
considerations, desiring to be touched by Krsna!" Srimatl conquers all obstacles because Her
desire to serve Krsna is so strong, and so She easily reaches the trysting-bower. When eager
Syama sees Radha's moonlike face in the bower He becomes most happy. That moon causes
waves of beauty to swell on the matchless ocean of sweetness that is 6ri Krsna. Sri Kr$na is the
very form of all nectarean spiritual flavours. The Upani?ads say: raso vai sah "God is taste"
and anandahi brahma "God is bliss". A devotee can relish Krsna’s sweetness according to the
• v • ^
amount of love he has for Him, and Radha has the greatest love for Him, so She can also relish
His sweetness to the utmost. Seeing Krsna's sweet, beautiful smile and His playful eyebrows,
Srimatl is agitated with feelings of love for Him. How many sweet plays the glances of
Vilasini mani's eyes manifest! Her eyes are like fishes that swim in the waves of the ocean of
Nagara raja's beauty. How many beautiful pictures can She draw in Krsna's heart with Her
eyes!
Instead of prema lola vilocandya, Srip ada writes pranaya lola vilocanaya, because
when the love becomes very great the lover considers the beloved's body, mind and heart to be
nondifferent from his own body, mind and heart. (Such is the definition of the word pranaya)
Today Nagari-mani (Radha, the jewel of ladyloves) is very generous, She has given up Her
usual unsubmissive mood and allow Her gallant to control Her. Her eyes are restless out of
love. How many erotic moods She shows with that fickleness! With Her eyes She offers an
oblation of love to Her lover. How beautifully She walks, sits and uses Her face and eyes,
arousing amorous desires in Her lover! The maidservant understands that Radha and Krsna's
loveplay is imminent, so she goes out of the kunja. How beautiful is the yugala vilasal The
fortunate maidservant can watch it through the latticed windows of the bowerhouse. When the
loveplay is over, the maidservant comes inside the kunja and sees 3rlmati sitting on the
lovebed. It is as if streams of sweetness are gushing from Her limbs. Nagara is enchanted.
Through Syamasundara, the maidservant experiences that Srlmatl looks like the young
32 5 n -6 n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
presiding goddess of the kunja. The sweetness of Her limbs illuminate the kunja. The
enchanted Nagara insatiably relishes the sweetness of Srlmati's form.
In his sddhaka-consciousnoss, Srlpada humbly prays: "When will the favorable glance
{punya drsti) of 3ri Radha fall on me?" The word punya can mean ’beautiful', 'favorable' or
'auspicious'. "When will She redeem me from my wretched condition and take me to Her
auspicious kingdom of transcendental pastimes?"
sukhamoy vrndavane, naola nikunjavane,

katijesvarl krsna priyatama
rasabdhi tarahga sama, drsti bhang i ntanorama,
pranaya caticala vilocana.
sei HlamayT devT, punyadrsfi mora prati,

koribe ki kanitid svabhdve
deha mana itidnyadi, prema sevd upayogi,
hoibe ki dasipada labile
"When will this playful goddess, the bowergoddess of blissful Vrndavana's fresh
bowerhouses, Krsna's Beloved, Who is naturally full of compassion, cast a favorable glance at
me that is like of wave on the ocean of rasa, with Her loving restless beautiful eyes? When
will I become qualified for Her loving service as a maidservant, with body, mind and senses? "
eteko Idlasd /none, mad TsvarT sn carane,

krpamayi koro avadhdna
bhane srTprabodhananda, ohe bhatui kulacanda,
krpa vinu gati nahi ana
"This is the desire on my mind: O my merciful goddess! Please hear my prayer at Your
beautiful lotusfeet! Sri Prabodhananda says: O moon of king Vr$abhanu‘s dynasty! I have no
other shelter but You!"
VERSE 13:
VRNDAVANESVARITAVAIVA PADARAVINDA
PREMAMRTAIKA MAKARANDA RASAUGHA PURNAM
HRDYARPITAMMADHUPATEH SMARATAPAM UGRAM
NIRVAPAYAT PARAMA SlTALAM AS RA YAM I
vnidavaneivari - O queen of Vrndiivana!; lava - Your; eva - only; paddravinda - lotusfeet;

prema -love; amrta - nectar; eka - only; makaranda - honey; rasaugha - an abundance of flavour;
purnam -full; hrdi - the heart; madhupateh - the Kr$na-bee; smara - lust; tdpam - affliction: ugratii -
terrible; nirvdpayat - extinguishing; paratna - most; STtalam - cool; as rayami - 1 take shelter.
SrTIa Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 33
O Queen of Vrndavana! When Madhupati (Kr$na, the rasika bee) holds Your
most cooling lotusfeet, that are filled with the honey of nectarean love-taste, to His heart
He extinguishes the terible fire of His desire. I take shelter of these feet!
SRI RADHAS COOLING LOTUSFEET:
Commentary: Sripada suffers of separation from Svamini and humbly prays: "O
Svamini! Cast Your favorable glance on Your lowly maidservant!" One may ask: "Svamini’s
compassion is unlimited, how can She stay at ease while Her maidservant suffers so much?"
The answer to this question is: One must experience separation in order to increase the
happiness of union. Srila Rupa GosvamI teaches us:
na vina vipralambhena sambhoga pustim asnute

kasdyite hi vastradau bhiiyan rdgo vivardhate
(Ujjvala NTlamani, 3rhgara bheda)
"Just as one can remove the dirt from a cloth with alkali and thus can not only give it
its original colour back, but can even make its colour brighter than it was before washing it, so
also one cannot nourish the experience of meeting without first feeling separation." (The word
rdga means both ‘colour’ and 'love', Ed.) Not only that, the Gosvamls also say that the ecstasy
of separation is superior to the ecstasy of meeting, and that is why there is so much separation
experienced in the pure sweet pastimes of Vraja! The gopfs all have mahabhava, so they are
constantly feeling separation from Krsna, even when they are actually united with Him *. Even
the greatest saints feel themselves blessed when they can witness the gopTs’ love in separation.
When Uddhava MahaSaya came to Vraja, he told the Vraja-devTs: virahena mahdbhaga mahan
me'nugrahah krtah (S rim ad Bhagavata 10.47.27) “You have shown great mercy on me by
exhibiting your ecstatic love-in-separation, O greatly fortunate girls! If you had not suffered so
much out of separation, Kr§na would never have sent me here to console you, and I would
never have been able to see your astonishing love for Him!“
Feeling great separation Srlpada thinks: "There is no other recourse but to take shelter
of Sri Radha's most cool lotusfeet!" parama sltalam tavaiva padaravindam dsraydmi. Then a
new pastime suddenly appears before Srlpada's love-anointed eyes. He sees SrimatT sitting in a
trystingbower, agitated by feelings of separation from Krsna, Who is somewhat late for His
appointment. Srimati embraces Her girlfriends and laments as follows:
bandhura Idgiya seja vichdyalum gdhthiluhi phulera mala

tambula sdjalum dTpa ujaralwh mandira hoilo aid
soi, pache e sob hoibe anI
se heno ndgara, gunera sagara, kahe na milalo kdna
"I made the bed for My lover and strung a flowergarland for Him. I prepared
betelleaves and I lit the lamps. I made the bowerhouse very beautiful; but, O My friend, till this
will turn out differently! I will not meet My hero, Who is an ocean of attributes!"
sdsun nanade, vancand koriyd, dilurh gahana vane
This is called prema vaicittya.

34 Sn-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanldhi
bodo sadha mone, e riipa yauvane, milabo bandhura sane

path pane cahi, koto na rahibo, koto prabodhibo rnone,
rasa siromani, dsibo ekhoni,
f r
dlna candT dasa bhaihe
r • #
"I deceived My molher-in-lavv and My sister-in-law to come into the deep forest, and
with great effort I decorated My youthful beautiful body to meet My lover. I'm looking down
the road for Him to come, telling My mind that this crownjewel of rclishers will certainly
come now. Thus sings the wretched CandT Dasa."
As a maidservant, £ rip ada pacifies virahavati, separated Radha, saying: "Stay calm a
little] Your lover will come just now!" And indeed, after a slight delay Kr$na arrives. Although
Radhika blooms up of joy when She sees Her lover coming, She becomes proud because of
Her natural vamya svabhava (unsubmissive nature) which makes Her pull Her veil over Her
face and turn Her back on Her lover. Vidagdha raja (Krsna, the king of clever pranksters) tries
to pacify Her by using so many clever words. Sitting at Her beautiful feet, He prays to Her
with folded hands: "Lift Your face and look at Me, O Rail Give up Your pride and look at Me
once, then the darkness in My heart will be dispelled! Rail How much more will You test Me?
Take My flute if You want, as long as I can touch the dust of Your lotusfeet! You are the
ointment of My eyes, that are absorbed in staring at You, and You are the thief of My heart!
The creator has given You the most beautiful form, qualities and tender youthfulness in the
whole world! O beautiful girl! Why should You be miserly when You possess all this wealth
of beauty?"*
Today the jewel of lovers is not able to soften 5rlmatl's heart. His heart is burning
severely with lust as He thinks to Himself: "Let Me see what happens if I touch Her beautiful
feet just once?" When He thinks like that, a wave of bliss flows through His heart. Sri Radhika
sits on a jewelled throne, keeping Her feet on a footstool. Krsna tries to please Her and catches
these feet to place them on His head, but at the same time Srlmatl pulls Her feet back, so that
they end up on Krsna's chest. £rlmat Kavi Karnapura describes how beautifully ^rlmatl's
footlac then shines on § n Krsna's chest:
• • m
snvatsasya ca kaustubhasya ca ratnd devydsya garhdkaro

radha pada saroja yavaka raso vakyah-sthalastho hareh
baldrka dyuti mandalTva timirais chandena vandikrta
kalindyah payasTva plba vikacarh raktotpalam patu vah
"May the lac on Radha's lotusfeet, that sticks on Hari's chest and that defeats the beauty
of the &ffvatsa-sign, the Kaustubha-gem and the goddess of fortune there, that is praised by the
rising sun at the end of night, and that looks like a big blossoming red lotusflower in the water
of the Yamuna, protect You!"
Sri Hari has extinguished the burning fire of lust in His heart by keeping Her cool
••
lotusfeet to it. The word madhitpati in the. text means 'relishing bee'. A bee’s heart is soothed
by a cooling drink of honey, but this bee (Madhupati Krsna) is cooling Himself off by keeping
lotusflowers to His chest. These are extraordinary lotusflowers! Normally a lusty man feels
even more agitated by the fire of lust when he sees a lotusflower, which may remind him of his
beloved's feet, but Krsna extinguishes the strong fire of lust in His heart with the cooling touch
of &rl Radhika's lotusfeet, that are filled with the sweetest nectarstream of love. Nectar is both
cooling and intoxicating. The word makaranda rasa (honey juice) in the text can also indicate
* Inspired by a song of the famous Bengali poet JfiSna Dasa.

Srila Prabodhananda Saras vail 35
a love called madhu sneha, which is defined by $rila Rupa GosvamT in 'Ujjvala NTlamani* as
follows:
madTyatvdtisaya bhdk priye sneho bhaven madhu
svayam prakata madhuryo ndnd rasa samdhrtah
"Madhu sneha is that kind of selfmanifest sweet love that consists of different mellows
and that makes the lover think "Krsna is Mine!"
• A m
Candravall has ghrta sneha (love like clarified butter) and Radha has madhu sneha
(love like honey). Because Radhika's lotusfeet contain different mellows, they are called
rasaugha in the text. When sneha increases in intensity it is called tndna:
snehas tutkrstatdvdptya madhuryam mdnayan navam

yo dharayaty adakjinyam sa mana iti kTrtyate
(Ujjvala NTlamani)
"When sneha increases it shows an ever-fresh sweetness. It makes the beloved crooked
and unsubmissive and this is called mdna". Rasaraja (Krsna) soothes His heart by being
touched by this excellent sneha rasa. He manages to soothe Radha's pique by keeping Her feet
to His chest and $ rip ad a is so fortunate to relish the sweetness of Their amorous meeting.
Suddenly the vision slips away from 3ripada, whose heart then begins to bum in the fire of
separation once more. Desiring the shelter of Radha’s cooling lotusfeet to extinguish that
burning fire, he says: "Those same cooling lotusfeet, that extinguish the fire of Krsna's lusty
desires, are the only means to pacify the pain of separation that I feel!"
he vmdavanesvari! hari citta manohari,

nitya nava nayanabhirama
he bhanu kulacanda, tomara paddravinda,
premdmria makaranda dhama
"O Queen of Vrndavana! O enchanter of Hari's heart who gives ever new pleasure to
the eyes! O moon of Maharaja Vrsabhanu's dynasty! Your lotusfeet are the abode of the
nectarean honey of love!"
ugra smaranala tape, uttdpita hoy yabe,

sn harira sarvendriya gana
smara tapa nirvapane, hide dhare se carane,
madhupati vrajendra nandana
"When all the senses of the Hari-bee, the prince of Vraja, are burning in the horrible
fire of lust, He holds Your feet to His chest to extinguish that fire."
he radhe! duftpada, bhakta koti sampada,

sarva srestha sukha niketana.
9 •
bhane srTprabodhananda, sei se paramananda,

pada pad/tie loinu sarana
36 Srl-Srl Radha Rasa SudhSnidhi
"O Radhe! Your feet are the treasure of all the devotees and they are the highest abode
of bliss! Sri Prabodhananda takes shelter of these lotusfeet while singing this in topmost bliss!”
VERSE 14:
RADHA KARAVACITA PALLAVA VALLA HIKE

RADHA PADANKA VILASAN MADHURA STHALIKE
RADHA YASOMUKHARA MATTA KHAGAVALIKE
RADHA VIHARA VIPINE RAM A T AM MANO ME
radha kara - Radha's hands; avacita - touched; pallava - sprouts; vallanke - vines; radha. pada
- Radha's feet; ahka - prints; vilasat - beautified; madhura - sweet; sthalTke - places; radha yaSah -
Radha’s fame; mukhara - singing; matta - madly; khagavallke - the birds; vifmra - enjoyment; vipine -
in the forest; ramatdth - pleasure; manah -mind; me - my.
Let my mind find pleasure in the playforest of Radha, where the sprouts and vines
are touched by Radha’s hands, where the ground is sweetened by Radha’s footprints and
where the birds madly sing Radha’s glories!
SRI RADHA’S PLAYFOREST:
Commentary: Humbly Srlpada thinks: "£rl Radha's lotusfeet are very rarely attained,
where can I go to find them?" Suddenly the darkness of his despair is dispelled by a ray of
hope when he remembers the mercy of 3rl VrndSvana, 3nmatJ Radha's playground. 3rlpada is
the object of Sri Vrndavana's mercy. How he was showered by the mercy of Vrndavana can
be understood by reading his book ’Vrndavana Mahimamrta'. There he writes (3.94):
gaura syama sunagara divya kisora dvayani sada. yatra

nava nava keli vildsair viharati vmdavanam tad eva bhaja
"Worship only Vrndavana, where the divine youthful Couple, that have golden and
blackish forms, are always playing ever-fresh playful sports!" yathd hari rase manah svayarn
anankuse dhdvati " Here the mind is freely running after the mellows of Sri Hari".(V.M 3.51)
parantu yadi tad gatd sthira careen no kdya van manobhir aparadhita bhavati vadhita tattva
dluh "But if one commits offenses with the body, mind or words to either the moving or the
nonmoving creatures that live in Vrndavana, then one cannot taste this nectar of Hari-nzya."
By the mercy of Sri Vrndavana SrTpada sees a sweet transcendental picture before his
inner eyes: Srl-Srl Lila KiSora Yugala (the playful youthful Couple) are playing madhura vana
vihdra (sweet forest pastimes), admiring the beauty of the springforest with Their girlfriends.
Sripada is there in his kihkarT-form, engaged in Their service. The forest is filled with different
kinds of blooming flowers surrounded by humming bees. The cuckoos create a romantic
atmosphere by singing in the fifth note and Krsna, the young transcendental Cupid of
Vrndavana, sings along with Ratipriya Svamini (Radhika, Who enchants millions of Ratis) and
Srfla Prabodhananda Saras vatl 37
Her girlfriends and maidservants. How sweetly They play in the forest, embracing Eachother
like a male and a female elephant! The sakhTs sing sweet songs about the pastimes of the
Yugala KiSora, inciting erotic feelings in Their hearts. Sometimes Priyajl personally goes to
pick flowers to decorate Her Priyatama. The vinebuds bloom up when they are touched by
SvaminI's hands; they smile with their flowers, horripilate with their sprouts and cry streams of
tears with their trickling honey. How many jokes Srimati makes with Her girlfriends while She
picks flowers! Viâkha says: "Sakhi Radhe! Be careful! A greedy bumblebee (Krsna) is
coming up to You to drink the honey from Your moonlike face!" Srimati says: "Sakhi! Why
should a bumblebee come to Me, leaving behind the fragrant lotuslike faces of beautiful girls
like you and your friends? You said that My face is like the moon. Well, sakhi, the moon has
no fragrance, so why would the bee feel attracted to it?" Sripada, in his kinkari-form, sees radha
kardvacita pallava vallarike: How beautiful the vinebuds are horripilating when they are
touched by Sri Radha's beautiful hands! Through these pastimes he relishes Vrndavana's
natural beauty.
Sometimes £ rim at! wants to pick flowers from high branches, and Syama, seeing Her
stretched-out armpit, becomes attracted to Her and runs up to Her. SvaminT cannot reach the
flowers She wants, so Syama helps Her by pulling the branch down. Just as SvSminI catches
the flower, Syama lets go of the branch, so that tender RSdhika flies up along with the branch.
Fearfully She calls out: "Lalite! Lalite! Help!", while Syama loudly laughs and claps in His
hands. Lalita pulls the branch back down and takes care that SvaminT returns to the ground. In
his kinkarT-totm Sripada sees how beautiful Sri Radha's footprints have marked the earth of
Vrndavana: radha paddhka vilasan niadhura sthalTke. After picking flowers Srimatl sits down
on a jewelled platform and makes ornaments from different flowers with Her own hands to
decorate Syamasundara with. Syamasundara and the sakhTs are overwhelmed with ecstasy
when the birds begin to chirp of Srimatl's glories, radha yaso mukhara inatta khagavalike.
When the transcendental vision vanishes, Sripada thinks: radha vihdra vipine ramatam mono
me "O Mind! Find pleasure in Radha's playforest! If I cannot directly experience Radha and
Kr$na's loving pastimes, then let me remember Sri Vrndavana and mentally witness these
sweet nectarean pastimes!"
VERSE 15:
KR$NAMRTAM CALA VIGADHUM ITlRITAH AM

TAVATSAHASVA RAJAN lSAK H I YAVAD ETI
ITTHAM VIHASYA VR$AIiHANUrSUTA HA Ij U'SYE
MANAMKADA RASADA KELI-KADAMBA JATAM
krsna - black; amrtam - nectar; cala - go; vigddhum - plunging; iti - thus; irita - ordering;
aiiam - I; lavat - until then; sahasva - tolerate; rajanT - night; sakhi - friend; yavad - till then; eti -
comes; ittharh - thus; vihasya - joking; vrsabhdnu suid - Vr$abhanu’s daughter; lapsye - attaining;
manaril - honour; kadd - when; rasada - giving flavour; keli - play; kadamba - multitude; jdtam - born.
When I say: "Let’s go to Kr$namrta (the dark, nectarean Yamuna) to take a

bath!”, the daughter of Vr$abhanu jokingly replies: "O sakhil Just wait until the night
falls!" When will I ever get so much nectar-giving playful honour from Her?
38 S n -6 n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
THE HONOUR OF RADIIA'S MAIDSERVANTS:

•>
Commentary: This verse is sometimes also translated with reversed roles: SrimalT
says: "Sakhi! Let’s take a bath in the Krsnamrta (nectarean Krsna, or the black water of the
Yamuna)!”, and Sripada, in his kinkarT-form, replies: "Just wait until the night falls! Then
Your superiors cannot notice us and I will let You bathe in the Krsna-nectar as much as You
like! For that I will take You to a fresh bowerhouse in Vrndavana!" When Srimatl hears these
words, the ecstasy named rati appears in Her and, although She tries to hide the symptoms of
this mood from Her maidservant, She nevertheless shows a slight smile. The maidservant feels
blessed by relishing the sweetness of this smile. SrlmatT chastises Her maidservant with Her
glances, that are filled with a slight loving anger. In the morning the maidservants had brought
Kadamba-flowers to make floral ornaments and garlands for SrlmatTs decoration; the honey
was still dripping out of them because they had been brought so suddenly. SrlmatT takes one
such a nectar-giving Kadamba-flower and beats Her maidservant with it! The maidservant is
blessed by that beating and by seeing the beauty of SrlmatTs eyes and face at that moment. She
thinks: "How much honour merciful SrlmatT gives me by beating me with these honeyfilled
Kadamba-flowers!" Suddenly the transcendental vision vanishes and Srlpada humbly prays:
"When can I receive such honour from You?"
In some editions of this book the text says yavatTti instead of ycivad eti. In that case the
text can be explained in another sweet way. Today Madhava sent a message to Srlmatl that She
can meet Him in a grove of Keli Kadamba-trees, so She goes out to meet Him there at night.
Because Her body shines like lightning She smears Herself in with blackish musk and dresses
Herself with a blue sarf and a blue cape, hanging sapphire necklaces around Her neck and blue
bangles on Her wrists so that She will not be noticed by anyone. Thus She merges with the
dark night:
riilima mrgamade tanu anulepana mlima hdra ujora
nlla balaya gane bhuja yuga rmntfita pahirana mla nicola
sundari sakhi abhisaraka lagi
nava anurage gori bhelo syamari yamini bhoya lagi
&rTmalJ passionately arrives on the yard of the trystingbower and when Nagara hears
the jingling of Srimati's anklebells He eagerly takes Her inside the kunja. Their hearts melt of
love when They see Eachother.
baifhali rdi syama vamapasa; duhuh jana purala maria abhilaâ
"Rfii sits on Syama's left side. The desires of Them both are fulfilled."
SrTpada, in his kinkarT-form, is absorbed in her/his service. When the youthful Couple
begin Their loveplay, she goes outside and watches Their sweet pastimes through a hole in the
vines. For the kihkarl this is now the nectar-giving playgrove of Kadamba-trees (rasada keli-
kadamba kunja). The word kadamba also means 'an abundance'. The sweet nectar of Radha
and Kr$na’s loveplay gushes out of the bowercottagc. After the divine Couple have completed
Their loveplays, the maidservants enters the kunja to serve Them by fanning Them and
bringing Them cold, scented water and betelleaves.
5nmatl, who is called Vilasim-manf, the jewel of playful girls, has forgotten everything
out of ecstasy. Although Syama is with Her, She thinks that She is alone and She thinks that
the day is night, so She tells her maidservant: "Sakhi! Let's go to the Krsnamrta (the Yamuna,
to take a bath)!" The kinkarT replies: "But it is night now! Wait until the morning comes!"
3 n la Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 39
Understanding Her mistake, 3rimat! laughs slightly. The maidservants thinks that the sight of
this sweet smile is the greatest honour and the greatest reward, and when this vision vanishes
she prays: "When will I receive such honour?"
he radhe vinodini, karuna koriyd tumi,

dasTgane likhe morn ndma
premolldse snehabhare; ddesa koribe more,
colo,* krsnamrte
••• kori snana
"O Radhe Vinodini! Be so kind to count me among Your maidservants! When will You
affectionately and full of loving blis$order me: "Come on, let's go to the Krsnamrta to bathe!"
uttare bolibo ami, apeksa koroho tumi,

rajamte keli-kunja dhama
abhisdra koraiyd, krsnamayi krsnapriya, '
krsnamrte
• ♦• ♦ kordibo snana
«
"I will reply: Just wait, O Krsnamayi Krsnapriya, until the night comes! Then I will
bring You to the play bower and make You bathe in the Kr$na- nectar!"
sunarma vacana suni, ulldsa bharete dhani,

rasagandhi keli ye kadamba
ange niksepana kore, kobe mdna dibe more,
pulake purita hobe anga
"When You hear these joking words You become filled with joy and You throw a
fragrant nectarean play-Kadambaflower at my body. When will the hairs on my body stand
erect of joy when I receive all this honour from You?"
VERSE 16:
PADANGULlNIIilTA DR$TIM APATRAPI$NUM

DURAD UDIK$YA RASIKENDRA MUKHENDU BIMBAM
VlKSYE CALATPADAGATIM CARITABHIRAMAM
JHANKARA NUPURAVATIM BATA KARHIRADHAM
pdddngulT - toes; nihila - placed; drstim - look; apatrapisnum - shyly; durad - from afar;
udlksya - looking; rasika - relisher; indra - king; mukha - face; indu - moon; bimbam - globe; vTksye
-seeing; calat - moving; pada - feet; gatirii - steps; carila - character; abhirdmarii - enchanting;
jhahkdra - jingling; nupuravatwi - girl with anklebells; bata - alas!; karhi - when; radhcim - Radha.
When can I see Radha with Her charming character shyly looking down at Her
own toes when She sees the moonlike face of Kr$na, the king of relishers, from afar as
She steps along with jingling anklebells?
40 Srl-SiT Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
BASHFUL SRI RADHA:
Commentary: Syama hears from a parrot that Radha is going to the Yamuna to take a
bath, so after milking His cows He leaves His cowherboyfriends behind on the pretext of
wanting to admire the beauty of the gardens of Nandl^vara Hill, and goes to the bank of the
Yamuna. SvaminT sees Rasikendra’s moonlike face from a short distance. First She was excited
by waves of passionate feelings for Syamasundara when She saw the blackish water of the
Yamuna and now She even sees Her lover's moonlike face directly! Srlmati's limbs become
beautified by the twenty bhdvdlankaras (emotional ornaments), of which vildsa is one:
-ii-
gati sthdnasanddmdm mukha nejLrddi karmandm
tat kalikath tu vaisistyam vildsah priya sahgajam
(Ujjvala Nllamani)
"When the steps, sittingposture, face and eyes of the beloved become extra special
because she meets Her lover, it is called vildsa." SrTmatl timidly looks down to Her own
toenails. How sweetly She looks then! It is as if sweetness gushes out of Her! In Govinda
LTlamrta (9.11) it is described as follows:
purah krsndlokat sthagita kutilasya gatir abhut

liras clnarii krsridmbara darn vrtahi sri mukhatn api
calat tdram sphdram nayana yugam abhugnam iti sd
vilasdkhya svdlahkarana valitaslt priya made
"When Radha sees Kr$na before Her She is stunned and Her gait becomes crooked. She
bends Her head and slightly covers Her face with Her blue veil, the pupils of Her eyes move
about restlessly and Her eyes become wide and crooked. When She is thus beautified by the
bhdvalankdra named vildsa She gives Her beloved great pleasure." In Sri Caitanya Caritamrta
Sri Krsna says:
ei bhava yukta dekhi rddhdsya nayana;
sangama hoite sukha pay koti guna
"When I see these moods on Radha's face and in Her eyes, I get a million times more
pleasure than when I directly unite with Her." The duty of mahdbhdva is to make Krsna happy.
When anuraga becomes unlimited it becomes like the powerful sun, destroying the darkness of
personal desires in the cave of the heart and filling even the most subtle realms of the heart
with desires for Krsna's happiness. This is called mahdbhdva, and Sri Radha's very form is
composed of this maha-bhdva. It is therefore logical that all Her activities are meant for
Krsna's pleasure. Maha-bhava is as if gushing from Her transcendental body. The kinkari secs
how Srlmati's rasika anklebells jingle, twanging the strings of Syamasundara's heart with rasa.
She experiences how Srlmati is now caritabhirdma, enchanting the eyes and the minds of
Syamasundara and Her maidservants. Srlpada also considers his own eyes and mind to be
blessed by experiencing Srlmati's sweet behaviour and character. The maidservants then
accomplish the meeting of Srlmatl and Her Nagara, Who is eager to enjoy Her sweetness.
Srfla Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 41
VERS a 17:
UJJAGARAM RASIKA NAGARA SANGA RANGA lt!

KUNJODARE KRTA VA TINU MUDA RAJ ANY AM
SUSNAPITA HI MADHUNAIVA SUBHOJITA TV AM
RADHEKADA SVAPI$I MAT KARA LA LI TANGHRIH
ujjagararh - vigil; rasika - relisher; nagara - man about town; sanga - company; rangaih - with
pastimes; kunja - arbour; udare - in the middle; krtavatl - doing; nu - whether; muda - joyfully;
rajanydm - in the night; susnapita - well bathed; hi - certainly; madhuna - with honey; eva - only;
subhojita - eating; tvam - You; kada - when; svapisi - You sleep; mat - my; kara - hands; lalita -
fondled; ahghrih - lotusfeet.
O Radhe! After You blissfully spent the night enjoying pastimes with Your rasika
lover in a kunja I bathe You and serve You some honeysweet eatables. When will You
then fall asleep while I massage Your lotusfeet with my hands?
THE SERVICE ATTITUDE OF RADHA'S MAIDSERVANTS;
Commentary: After Radha and Kr$na meet, the maidservant gives $rlmatl a bath in
the Yamuna and brings Her back home, ^rlmatl is not just bathed in the stream of Krona's
sweetness, She is also actually bathed in tine cool blackish Yamuna-water which reminds Her
of Syama. Because She is bathed in both the Krsnamrtas, Snmat! is justly called susnapita, or
well bathed, here. The maidservant reminds Virahini SvaminT of 3yama by speaking sweetly
about Him while she brings Her home. Is it so simple to serve krsna prema pagalini (Radha,
Who is mad with love for Krsna)? Nobody knows how to serve Her with such full awareness
of Her feelings as the kihkans do 1
When SvaminT comes home Her girlfriends and maidservants complete Her dressing
and ornamentation. All this is actually done to serve Krsna. The sakhTs decorate Srimatl while
speaking about Krsna with Her, but the maidservants quickly finish their service so that they
can prepare something to eat for Srlmatl. Their love is marked with a strong feeling of
mineness* towards Svamini. A similar mine-ness can be found in 3rlla Govinda dasa,
Mahaprabhu’s faithful doorkeeper at the Gambhlra. Mahaprabhu, Who descended to sanctify
the age of Kali, sat in the Gambhlra, relishing the sweetness of Radha’s feelings of separation
from Kr$na. He did not sleep at night, and even when the morning had almost passed He was
still absorbed in devotional trance. His servant Srlla Govinda dasa was rolling in the dust on
the floor. Crying, he prayed to Sri Svarupa Damodara: “SrTpada Svarupa! Please bring the
Lord back to external awareness! The morning is almost over and I could not even make the
Lord drink some water!" This is the feeling of mineness of a servant who serves with all his
heart!
Srlmatl's dressing and ornamentation is completed, and Her girlfriends and Her
maidservants are now serving Her some sweetmeats. The maidservants know that HvarT
doesn't eat anything else but Krsna's remnants, so they mix some nectarean remnants from
Krsna's last meal with these sweets. It is as if Svamini directly tastes the nectar of Krsna’s lips
when She cats these sweets! madhunaiva subhojita. She doesn't know anymore whether She
tastes Krsna's lips or the remnants of His food! This is not at all astonishing, because when She
42 £ n -£ n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
is separated from Kr$na, She also feels as if She is actually with Him simply by constantly
meditating on Him.
After Sfimall eats this honey-sweet meal, She flushes Her mouth and holds court with
Her girlfriends. She becomes absorbed in speaking with them about Krsna while chewing
betelleavcs served to Her by Her maidservants. Srlpada, in his kinkari-form, thinks that
Svamini should take a little rest. After all, She's been up the whole night playing the most
ecstatic lovegames with Her rasika ndgaral The word ujjdgara in the text means that SvaminI
was up all night, making jokes and having funny romantic talks with Her lover, lying on a bed
of flowers with Him. 3yamasundara kept His head on a flowerpillow and SvaminI used
Sygma's left arm as Her pillow. Thus They lay facing Eachother, speaking romantic and funny
words to Eachother. Their hearts and minds floated in all directions on waves of lovenectar.
Their girlfriend nidra (the goddess of sleep) did not have any chance to serve Them that night
(They didn't sleep a wink) because They were so absorbed in Eachother's sweetness, therefore
Srlpada says: ujjdgara. The maidservant says: "Svamini! You've been up all night! Go and
sleep a little bit!" The sakhTs all praise this kinkari; saying: "O! You know how to serve! We
have completely forgotten that Radhika should take some rest! Go, sakhil Take a little rest!"
The kinkari holds ^rlmatTs hand and brings Her to a handmade bed of flowers. Srlmatl lies
down and Her maidservant covers Her with a blue cadara (a kind of sheet), whose colour
reminds Her of 5yama. Then Srlpada, as a kinkari, attains the good fortune of massaging
Srlmatl's lotusfeet. She maidservant places all the tenderness of her heart in her hands, so that
the massage will not be rough. The word Inland in the text means: affectionate service. The
maidservant is blessed by seeing the sweetness of Svamini's beautiful feet. Svamini has fallen
asleep. Sometimes the maidservant holds Her feet to her chest and sometimes she kisses them.
Their is no limit to the bliss of the fortunate maidservant! Suddenly the vision stops and in his
sddhaka-state Srlpada humbly prays for service: rdclhe kadd svapifi mat kara Idlitdnghrihl
VERSE 18:
VAIDA GDHYA S1NDHUR ANURAGA RASAJKA SINDHUR

VATSALYA SINDHUR ATI SANDRA KRPAIKA SINDHUR
LAV ANYA SINDHUR AMRTA CCHABIRUPA SINDHUH
SRI RADHIKA SPIIURATU ME HRDIKELISINDHUII
vaidagdhya - cleverness; sindhuh - ocean; anurdga - constant passion; rasa - flavour; eka -
only; vdtsalya - motherly love; ati - very; sdndra - deep; krpd - mercy; eka - only; lavanya - elegance;
amrta - nectar; cchabi - luster; rupa - form; sphuratu - may it be manifest; me - to me; hrdi - heart; keli
- play.
When will SrT Radha, Who is an ocean of cleverness, an ocean of anurdga rasa , an
ocean of motherly affection, an ocean of very deep compassion, an ocean of elegance, a
nectarocean of glistening transcendental forms and an ocean of play, be manifest in my
heart?
SRI RADHA EMBODIES THE SEVEN OCEANS:

Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati 43
Conmientary: Srlla Jlva GosvamI writes in his Prlti Sandarbha that, along with a
desire to please the deity, there is also a natural desire to have an intimate relationship with
Him and to attain Him. The devotee who is fixed in smarana attains direct association with his
chosen deity within his mind. Just as the devotees have discussions with eachother in this
world, so do the girlfriends and maidservants of Sr! Radha have them in the spiritual world!
upa means 'close by' and updsana means: sitting close by. The practising devotee can stay
close by them (the sakhls and mahjans) in his spiritual body (siddha deha) by constantly
practising smarana. This is beautiful sdsahga bhajana, devotion with spiritual attachment.
Now that Srlpada has returned to his sadhaka-consciousness he feels great separation
from Svamini and prays that She will be revealed within his heart once again. It is as if ISvarl
plays hide-and-seek with her maidservants. Sometimes She shows the sweetness of Her form,
attributes and pastimes and sometimes She withdraws this vision. When the devotees are
separated from Her they also see Her extraordinary sweet qualities. Sn Radha is as beautiful as
Sapta-sindhuvati Dharitri, the planet earth with her seven oceans. There are seven oceans in the
material world: one of salt, one of sugarcane juice, one of wine, one of clarified butter, one of
yoghurt, one of milk and one of sweet water. Sri Radha's cleverness, anuraga, affection,
compassion, elegance, forms and pastimes are compared with these seven oceans in opposite
order.
3 rim at! Radha is: (1) vaidagdhya sindhuh: An ocean of cleverness. This means rasa
panditya: She is learned in the science of taste. She even teaches rasika sekhara, the king of
relishers Sri Krsna, expertise in the erotic mellow. Sri Krsna Himself admits in ’Caitanya
Caritamrta': radhikdra prema - guru; ami - sisya nata; sadd dma ndna nrtye naedye udbhata
"Radhika's love is the teacher and I am the dancing pupil. She always causes Me to dance
different wonderful dances!" She is the teacher of arts. Srlla Rupa GosvamI writes in 'Ujjvala
Nllamani' (Radha Prakarana 21):
acarya dhatu citre pacana viracana cdturT earn cittd

vdg yuddhe mugdhayanti gurutn api ca girath panfitd mdlya gumphe
pathe sarT-sukanam patur ajitam api dyuti kelisu jisnur
vidya vidyoti buddhih sphurati rati kalasalini radhikeyatn
Kundalata told Gargi: "O devi! What more.can I say about the artful expertise of Sri
Radhika? She is the teacher by example of making pictures of mineral pigments (Sri
ViSvanatha Cakravartlpada writes in his ‘Ananda Candrika'-commentary on this verse: acarya
na tu kadacid api kasyacic chisya....evarii sarvatra jheyam "The word acarya means that She
did not learn this science from anyone, it was spontaneously manifest to Her"), She is expert in
cooking, She can stifle even Sri Kr§na in a verbal battle, She is very learned in stringing
flowergarlands, She is expert in teaching the s'dri and /u/ca-parrots how to recite beautiful
verses, She can defeat even the unconquerable Ajita in the dicegame, and She has a keen
intelligence." Because of Her cleverness, Srlmatl is compared here with the ocean of sweet
water (the seventh cosmic ocean).
Srlmatl is (2) the only ocean of anuraga. dnuraga means maha-bhdva. anuraga is ever-
fresh and ever-astonishing. Srlmatl thinks Kr$na's sweetness is ever fresh and She always has
more taste for His sweetness, so She always relishes it. Srlla Rupa GosvamI writes in His
'Ujjvala Nilamani' (Sthayibhava 104):
ko'yam krsna iti vyudasyati dhrtimyas tanvi kamam visan

rdgandhe kim idath sadaiva bhavati tasyorasi krldati
hdsyam md kuru mohite tvam adhuna nyastdsya haste mayd
44 Sn-SrI Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
satyam satyam asau drg ahganam agacl adyaiva vidyun nibhah
One day Sfimall Radhika and Her friends headed by Lalita met Sri Krsna. Krsna
became overwhelmed by Radhika's madana rasa and just to joke with Him, Srlmatl went to
see Her girlfriends in another bower. When the sakhJs there pronounced Krsna's name, 3ri
Radha told Lalita: "O KrSodari (slender girl)! Who is that, whose name you are pronouncing?1'
Lalita said: "Whoever it is, what's that to You?" Sri Radha said: "Sakhi! I have to know,
because I am worried about how to keep My vow as a chaste housewife after hearing that
name!" Lalita replied: "O Ragandhe (Girl blinded by love)! But You are always playing at His
chest!" Sri Radha said: "Sakhi! Are You joking with Me? I have never even met this boy!"
Lalita said: "O Mohite (bewildered girl)! Has Your knowledge been covered over by intense
desire? I have just handed You over to Him!" Sri Radhika then remembers and says: "Sakhi!
You speak the truth! In this lifetime He has appeared before My eyes today for one second,
just like a lightningflash!" This example shows how anuraga makes the anuragavati
(passionate girl) ever more thirsty after Kr$na's great and astonishing sweetness and thus
makes Her relish this sweetness more and more. With the statement that RadharanI is the only
ocean of anuraga rasa is meant that when anuraga increases, it becomes maha-bhava and that
when mahd-bhdva increases it is called tnddana maha-bhava. &n RadharanI is the only One
who has this madana mahabhdva and She is the fountainhead of all mahd-bhdvat just as the
ocean is the fountainhead of all the rivers and ponds. The other gopTs are Her phalanx that help
Her to complete Kr§na'$ relishing of transcendental mellows. Just as milk becomes thick ksira
(cream) when it is boiled down, anuraga rurns into maha-bhava when it becomes 'thick'
(intensified). Therefore the anuraga-ocean is compared to the sixth cosmic ocean, the ocean of
milk.
Sri Radha is (3) the ocean of vatsalya. Vatsalya means love for the poor'and the fallen.
Just as Sri Radha is an inexhaustible storehouse of erotic rasa .She is also a great ocean of
affection. The writers of the rasa sdstras (aesthetic scriptures) say that the vatsalya
rasa is not compatible with the madhura rasa, but RadharanI makes them compatible in some
situations. For instance, She gives the greatest bliss to Rasika Siromani (Kr$na) and Her
girlfriends and maidservants when She gives this 'motherly' affection to Kr$na while He takes
His meal. Sri Radha's vatsalya towards Her girlfriends is also most wonderful. She is always
controlled by their affection. Sri Rupa Gosvaml gives the following example in his 'Ujjvala
Nllamani' (Radha Prakarana 34):
upadisa sakhi vmde vallabendrasya sunuth kim ayatn iha sakhindm mam adhitiam dunoti
apasaratu sasahkam mandiran mdninindm kalayati lalitdydh kirn na sautirya dhatlrn
Sri Radha had a quarrel with Sri Krsna, but now She regrets it (this is called
kalahantarita bhdva). She is once more very eager to meet Him, but in order to show that She
is under the full control of Her girlfriends, She tells Vrnda: "O sakhi Vrnde! Tell this prince of
Vraja that 1 am controlled by My girlfriends! Why does He waste His words on Me? We are
proud girls, it is not proper for Him to stay in our abodes! Tell Him that He'd better fearfully
flee! Doesn't He know the prowess of My friend Lalita?" With these words sakhi vatsald Sri
Radha pleases Her girlfriends and gives a hidden instruction to Syamasundara to come and
meet Her at the same time. Sri Radha's vatsalya towards Her maidservants is incompatible!
The maidservants are always showered by waves from the ocean of Her 'motherly' affection !
She always keeps them by Her side, calling them "My Rupa Manjafi, My Rati Mahjafl", with
strong feelings of minencss. In the eighth canto of his 'Vrndavana Mahimamrta', Srlpada has
drawn a very sweet picture of how Sn Radha showers Her maidservants with the nectar of Her
compassion:
S n la Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 45
ksanam carana vicchedyac chrisvaiydh prana hdrinun

• • • ** ✓ • r • »
paddravinda samlagna tayaivaharnisam sthitam

prestha dvandva prasdda srag vastra bhusddi mohimm
maha vinaya sausilyddy anekascarya sad gundm
"Day and night the maidservants are staying at SrTSvarT's (Radhika’s) lotusfeet, for they
will die if they are separated from them for even a second. They are very enchanting as they
wear the leftover garlands, dresses and ornaments of the loving divine Couple and they are also
adorned with many amazing attributes such as great humility and good behaviour." Because
there is a lot of the essential part of affection in the vatsalya-ocMn, just as yoghurt is the
essence of milk, this ocean can be compared to the fifth cosmic ocean, the ocean of yoghurt.
Sri Radha is (4) the ocean of deep compassion, always showering Her devotees with
the nectarstream of Her mercy. Those who have been touched by the nectar of that
compassion, can testify. Srila Raghunatha Dasa GosvamT says: karund vidravad dehd "Her
body melts with compassion”. Normally, a person’s heart melts with compassion, but only in
Radharanl’s case the whole body melts with compassion. She always bathes in streams of
ambrosial compassion, and because Krsna accepted Her mood when He became Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu, Mahaprabhu is so merciful! Mahaprabhu does not consider who is qualified or
unqualified, who is from which caste or from which asrania. He gives prema (love of God)
without making such distinctions! That is 'a" body melting with compassion’! It is Radha's
storehouse of compassion, not Krsna’s! In Vraja-/f/a the storehouse of Radha’s mercy remained
hidden and closed, but when Mahaprabhu accepted the mood and complexion of Sri Radha, it
became manifest to the world! Mahaprabhu showed the people of the world how the body can
melt with compassion, because He assumed Sri Radha’s merciful mood. Because Radhika’s
body melts with compassion, it can be compared to the fourth cosmic ocean, the ocean of
clarified butter.
SrTmatT is (5): the ocean of lavanya. Srila Rupa GosvamT defines lavanya as follows in
his ’Ujjvala Nllamani’:
muktuphale$u chayayas taralatvam ivantard
pratibhati yad angesu Idvanyam tad ihocyate
"The luster that gushes out o f each bodily limb like the luster shining out from inside
pearls, is called lavanya." Srlmati is the ocean of lavanya, or elegance. The fishlike eyes of SrT
Kr$na, Who is called lavanya sara (the essence of lavanya, or elegance) in Srlmat Bhagavata
(10.44.14), never get tired of swimming in the ocean of Sri Radha’s Idvayya. Indeed, His
desire to swim in that ocean simply increases! Srlpada BilvamaUgala Thakura said in Krsna
Karnamrtam (3): Idvanyamrta vTci lolita drsath "Kr$na’s eyes billow on the waves of nectarean
lavanya" 3rila Krsna Dasa Kaviraja writes in his ’Saranga Rahgada’-commentary on this verse:
srT radhaya eva lavanydmrta vicibhir lolite satrsnlkrte drsau yasya tam "^rl Kr$na’s eyes have
become very thirsty after the nectarwaves of 3ri RadhS’s lavanya." Because Krsna is
intoxicated by seeing Radha’s lavanya and Her maidservants and girlfriends are intoxicated by
seeing Kr$na looking at Radhika like this, the ocean of lavanya is compared to the third cosmic
ocean, the ocean of wine. The practising devotees should also forget everything related to this
world or the next world and become intoxicated by worshiping the lotusfeet of that Sri Radha!
SrT Radha is (6) the ocean of amrta ccHabi rupa. She is the very form of glowing nectar
and Her form is like a vast ocean. She is mahabhdva personified and mahabhdva is compared
to nectar. It is the deepest possible love for Kr$na, and Radha’s form reveals this beauty and
tastefulness to the utmost, therefore She is the amrtacchabi rupa sindhu. Although SrT Krsna
inundates the world with a mere drop of His beauty, even He drowns in the nectarocean of
Radha’s form! Krsna says in ’Caitanya Caritamrta’ (Adi 4, 242-243):
46 SiT-Sri Radlva Rasa Sudhanidhi
koti kdma jini rupa yadyapi dmdra; asamordhva mddhurya sdmya nahi yara
mom nipe apydyita hoy tribhuvana; radhara darsane dmdra judaya nayana
eimata jagatera sufche ami hetu; radhikdra rupa guna amdra jivatu
"Although My form defeats millions of Cupids, is unrivalled in its sweetness and

pleases all the three worlds, My eyes are still pleased by seeing Radha....In this way I am the
cause of joy to the world. But Radhika's form and attributes are My very life!" Because the
ocean of Radha's form is so sweet it is compared to the second cosmic ocean, the ocean of
sugarcane juice.
Srimati is (7) the ocean of playfulness, which means Her frolicks with Her beloved
Syamasundara, She keeps Syamasundara immersed in the waves of the ocean of Her pastimes
when She meets Him. When the waves of mddana rasa swell in the ocean of Sri Radha's
pastimes even Sri Krsna, the transcendental youthful Cupid of Vrndavana, docs not dare to
place His boat-like heart on its surface, just as a boatman fearfully keeps his boat on the bank
of the Gahga when her huge waves meet the ocean. This ocean of play is compared to the first
cosmic ocean, the ocean of salt water, because although the very sight of this ocean destroys
all sins, a person who drinks it's water will die. Similarly, when one faithfully chants and hears
about the pastimes of Radha and Madhava one will become free from all sins and from the
heart's disease of lust, but when one tries to imitate these pastimes one will perish. This is
confirmed in the last verses of the Rasa-/f/a narration in £ rim ad Bhagavata:
naitat samdearej jatu manasdpi hy amsvarah

vindsatydearan maudhyad yathd rudro 'bdhijam visam
"Even in one's mind a non-God should not imitate these pastimes of Sri Kr$na. a fool
who does so will destroy himself. He can, after all, also not drink poison from the ocean of
Milk, as Lord Siva did!" Sripada Rupa GosvamI wrote in his 'Ujjvala Nilamani' (Haripriya
prakarana):
vatitavyarh samicchadbhir bhaktavan na tu kr$navat
ity evam bhakti sdstranam tatpaiyasya vinirnayah
"A person who desires auspiciousness should act like a devotee, he should never imitate
Krsna (in His erotic dalliances). This is the purport of all the scriptures!"
The darkness of despair in Sripada's heart over his own unworthiness is destroyed by
the light of Srimatl's sweet attributes. Sripada thinks: "Ha Svamini! I am completely unable to
serve You with expertise, how can I become qualified to join Your expert maidservants? You
are the ocean of cleverness, please make Me a qualified maidservant by teaching Me this
expertise in service! anurdga is also required with that expert service, otherwise that service
cannot make You happy. You are the ocean of anurdga, so please make me qualified by giving
me one drop of this anurdgal Although I am the most wretched of the wretched, You are the
shoreless ocean of motherly affection! Please sprinkle me with just one drop of that vdtsalya-
affeclion and keep me with Your lotusfeet! What an audacity! Although I am so unqualified,
still I have the courage to pray for Srimatl's service and Her motherly affection? She's not only
the ocean of vdtsalya, She's also the ocean of great mercy! She will surely bestow. Her mercy
on fallen souls like me!" When Sripada becomes aware of Srimatl's compassion, he forgets
about his own unworthiness and he prays for entrance into the oceans of Srimatl's Idvanya,
forms and pastimes. Such eager prayers will unlock the chains of Srimati's compassion, that is
the essential teaching for the devotees here.
Srlla Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 47
VERSE 19:
DR$TVAIVA CAMPAKALATEVA CAMATKRTANGl

VENU-DHVANIM KVA CA NISAMYA CAV1HVALANGI
SA SYAMASUNDARA GUIVAIR ANVG1YAMANAIH
PRITA PARI$VAJATU MAM VRSABHANUPUTRl
drstvd - having seen; eva - only; campakalata - vine of Campaka-flowers; camatkria -

astonished; angl - female body; venu - flute; dhvanirii - sound; kva - where; ca - and; niiatnya - heating;
ca - and; vihvalci - overwhelmed; angi - body; sd - she; Syamasundara gunaili - with qualities of Kr$na;
anugiyamdnaih - constantly singing; prltd - with love; parisvajatu - may embrace; math - me;
vrsabhdnu putrT - daughter of Vr§abh3nu.
May the daughter of Maharaja Vr§abhanu, Who becomes astonished like a vine
of golden Campaka-flowers when She sees Kr$#a, and Who becomes overwhelmed when
She hears the sound of His flute, embrace me with love while I constantly sing
Syamasundara's glories to Her!
SRI RADHA ASTONISHED WITH THE FLUTESONG:
Commentary: How sweet is the stage of devotion in practise, when one eagerly prays
for the service and the audience of the beloved deity! Even the eternally liberated associates of
the Lord pray for this taste and the Lord fulfills their prayers. Krsna told Sri Lilaûka: "I will
make you taste the bliss of living in Vmdavana in the body of a practising devotee!" The
devotee who feels the pangs of separation from the Lord, is in the same condition as a
housewife whose husband is on a journey. Such a faithful wife does not go to other people's
homes, doesn't attend public festivals, and doesn't make up her hair and dress nicely. She
simply sits at home, crying out of separation from her husband. In the same way, a devotee
who feels separation from the Lord gives up all sense enjoyment, his heart melting completely.
The sweetness and the beauty of RSdha's service is incomparible! SrTpada weeps: "May $rl
Radha, the ocean of qualities, be manifest in my heart!" Suddenly he gets a transcendental
vision. It is nightfall and SrTpada, in the form of a maidservant, is engaged in Srlmatl's service
while She stays at Her in-laws' place, Yavat. In a distant forest Syamasundara plays His flute.
This sweet flutesong is like a mantra which attracts everyone's minds. Sri Rupa Gosvaml says:
radha dhairya dharadharendra damane dambholir unmTlati "Sri Krsna's flute is like Indra's
thunderbolt that pulverises the mountain of Radha's patience." As soon as Sri Radhika hears
the flute She loses Her patience and She becomes stunned and astonished like a vine of
Campaka-flowers. astonishment is the result of rasa, rase saras carnatkaro yam vina na raso
rasah "The essence of rasa is astonishment. Without this, there is no real question of rasa."
(Alahkara Kaustubha, Kavi Karnapura). Because Sri Radha is stunned She will not be able to
run out and meet Krsna anymore. She is a Campaka-vine with very amazing attributes.
Although an ordinary Campaka-vine illuminates the forest with its golden beauty, the bee will
not land on it because its honey is bitter, but Sri Radha is an extraordinarily qualified
Campaka-vine. The Krsna-bee is very eager to drink Her honey, and therefore He calls Her
with His fluteplaying. But who will give Sri Radha, Who has lost all Her strength, although
She is the root power (mida sakti) of God, the strength back to go out and meet
Syamasundara? By Sri Radha's grace Her maidservants are most expert in this! They give Her
Her strength back by singing sweet songs to Her about Syamasundara's loving pastimes. With
48 Srl-^n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
the brush of love they first draw a picture of Syama's sweet pastimes on the slates of their own
hearts, and then they draw that picture on the slate of Radha's heart, reviving Her like expert
artists. Blessed are Radha's maidservants! How expert they are in their service! By describing
playful Syama's pastimes to emotional Radha it is as if they bring Him right before Her eyes.
Srlmati cannot tell whether She hears about Syama or whether She actually sees Him. Slowly
Her inertia disappears and She regains consciousness. 3ripada makes Sri Radha bloom with joy
by sprinkling Her with the sweet nectar of Krsna's pastimes and makes Her fit again to go out
and meet Him.
When Srlman Mahaprabhu, Who had taken 3rl Radha's mood, became overwhelmed by
feelings of separation from Kr$na, He was similarly revived by Ramananda Raya and Svarupa
Damodara. In the daytime the Lord could find some distraction by performing His regular
duties, but at nighttime the pangs of separation became very intense. Ramananda Raya then
recited verses to Him about Krsna's pastimes and Svarupa sang songs.
The maidservants are the best doctors to cure SrimatT's disease of separation from
Krsna. Srlmati has personally taught them till these expert services. SrTmatl's mind and body
were first unfit to go out and meet Kr$na, but because of the kihkans’ wonderful service She is
now able to go. Srlmati is very satisfied and She will give a reward by casting a merciful
glance at her with Her beautiful eyes and embracing her with love. The maidservant feels
completely blessed with such a reward. By embracing her, merciful SvaminI has given Herself
to Her maidservant. Who else can be so merciful?
bajdye mohana venu, vrndavane yabe kdnu,

nandera nandana syama rdya
suniyd venura dhvani, syama darasane dhani,
pagalini sei dike yay
"When Sri Radha hears Syama Raya (Kr§na), the son of Nanda, playing His enchanting
flute in Vrndavana, and when She sees Him, She becomes mad and runs to the direction where
She hears that flute."
sahasa stambha bhavodaye, camatkrtahgX ho'ye,
viparTta pulake piiritd.
camp aka latika sama, ahgalatd ninipama,
bhava bhusane vibhusita
• « •
"She at once becomes stunned out of astonishment, the hairs on Her body stand erect
and Her vine-like body resembles a Campaka-vine adorned with ornaments of ecstasy."
heno kale kobe hay, vihvalatigl radhikdya,

e kihkarl marama bujhiya.
sudha sanjlvanT ndma, hari lila gunagrama,
sunaibe klrtana koriya.
"O! When will this maidservant understand overwhelmed Radhika's heart and glorify
the names, pastimes and qualities of Hari, that are like a reviving elixer, to Her?"
prTta hoiya vinodini, mad isvan thakuram,

amare koribe alihgane
6 n la Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 49
eteko la lasa mone, pum a hobe koto dine,

srTpada prabodhananda bhane
"Vinodini Radha, My mistress, will then lovingly embrace me. Sripada Prabodhananda
says: When will this desire of my mind be fulfilled?"
VERSE 20:
SRI RADIIIKE SURATARANGINITAMBA BHAGE

KANCI KALAPA KALAHAMSA KALANULAPAIH
M AN jlRA SINJITA MADHUVRATA GUNJITANGHIU •
PANKERUIIAIH SISIRAYA SVA RASA CCHATABHI
SrT rddhike - O Radha!; suratarangi - Ganges river; nitamba bhdge - on the buttocks; kancl -
sash of bells; kalapa - amount; kalahamsa - swans; kaldnulapaih - with constant cooing; mahjlra -
anklebells; Siiijita - jingling; madhuvrata - bees; guiijita - buzzing; ahghri - lotusfeet; pankeruhaili -
with lotusflowers; s isiraya - cool off (imp.); -sva - own; rasa - flavour; cchatdbhih - with the splendour.
O SrT Radhike! The sash of bells on Your playful erotic hips warble like swans
and the anklebells on Your lotuslike feet buzz like bees. Please cool me off with the
effulgence of Your own rasal
SR l RADHA GOES OUT TO MEET SRI KR$NA:
Commentary: Srlpada's mind dwells in the kingdom of transcendental pastimes as he

witnesses Radha's rendez-vous in his siddha svarupa. He (she) quickly dresses SvaminT
properly before She rushes out. It is the service of prema pdgalini Radha, Who is mad with
love for Krsna. While speaking sweetly about Krsna, Sripada dresses and ornaments 3rimatl
properly. If Svamini would do it Herself, everything would turn out upside-down. She would
hang Her 'sash of bells on Her neck, Her necklace on Her ankles and Her anklebells on Her
waist an he would smear Her eyeliner on Her footsoles and Her footlac around Her eyes! How
sweetly Krsna calls Radha with His fluteplaying! How long can 5rIma(I still remain calm? She
loses Her patience and says:
ki kohibo re sakhi! iha duhka ora bdhsi nisasa garale tanu bhora
hatha saie paithaye sravanaka mdjha toikhone vigalita tanu mana laja
vipula pulaka pore puraye deho
"O sakhi] What misery! My body is filled with the poison coming out of Krsna’s flute!
This sound forces itself into My ears, making the bashfulness in My body and mind melt and
the hairs on My body stand on end!" While Sffmatl speaks, Her voice gets choked and She
becomes very unsteady out of desire to soothe Her heart with the sight of Krsna, the
enchanting fluteplayer. Seeing this, Sripada, in his kinkarl-fotm, says: "O Radhike! No one
knows how to worship Krsna like You! Make Your name Radhika useful by fulfilling the
50 Si'i-SiT Raciha Rasa Sudhanidhi
desires that Krsna so clearly expresses with the tune of His flute 1 What is the need of any
further delay? Quickly go out to meet Him! O suratarahgi nitamba bhdge\ Your buttocks
reveal so many erotic pastimes! You will not be able to proceed quickly with these large
buttocks, therefore I say: Hurry up! If You walk slowly, the bells on Your sash will sing like
the swans on the bank of the Yamuna and will announce the presence of Cupid!" rasatu
rasanapi tava ghana jaghana mandate ghosayatu manmaiha nidesam (Gita Govindam).
"Krsna will be astonished when He hears the bells jingling on Your large buttocks!"
radha sronir iyam sama na pulinaih satya kaver glr iyam

yad venT yamund tad eva pulinaih kahcT mardlT tatih
no cet tatra barer mano natavarah srT rasa Idsyam katharh
svabhir vrtti sakhi natibhir anisam kurvan na visramyati
(Govinda LTlamrta 11.60)
"The words of the poets that Sri Radha's buttocks are like the bank of the Yamuna are
true, because Her braid, that reaches down to Her buttocks, is like the black Yamuna-river, Her
buttocks are its banks and the sash of bells around Her buttocks are the swans. If not, then why
can the king of dancers, Hari's mind, that dances the Rasa there with the dancinggirls of His
desires, never grow tired of dancing?"
The maidservant says: "How sweetly You go on Your rendez-vous! How sweetly Your
anklebells are jingling while You walk on! They sound just like the humming of bumblebees,
that follow Your lotuslike feet, being attracted to their fragrance and their honey!
coloite caranera, sahge colu madhukara,

makaranda pdna kt lobhe
saurabhe unamata, dharanT cumbaye koto,
yahd yahd padacihna sobhe
(Padakarta Yadunatha dasa)
"Bumblebees are following Your lotusfeet, greedy for their honey, and after You
placed Your charming footprint somewhere they will come to kiss the earth!"
"O Sri Radhike! Soothe Your afflicted heart with the cooling splendour of Sri Krsna,
Who is rasa personified and Who shines like a fresh raincloud!" (sva rasa cchatabhih then
means the effulgence of Kr§na, Who is Yours - sva - and Who is rasa Himself) Another
meaning can be: "O Radhe! Please cool Krsna, Whose heart is afflicted, off with Your own
sweet rasa\" Or: "Please cool of the afflicted heart of this poor maidservant with the splendid
rasa of the vision of Your meeting with Syamasundara! Cool off my ears with the sound of
Your jingling bells, my eyes with the sight of Your beautiful buttocks, my tongue by making
me glorify the sweetness of Your rendez-vous, my nose with the smell of Your lotusfeet that
are followed by buzzing bumblebees, and my skin with the cooling touch of these lotusfeet!"
These prayers are so sweet because they are made during absorption in the siddha
svarupa. The practising devotees will also experience all this by SrlmalT's grace. There is
nothing sweeter than this in the whole world, and it makes the devotee think he is directly in
Srimati's company. His attachment to material life will decrease and his remembrance will
gradually become more intense. Slowly another revelation approaches. The stream of
transcendental visions flows on without interruption.
6rHa Prabodhananda SarasvatT 51
he radhe vinodini, keno va daraye turni,

agrasara hao vraja pathe !
he krsna kdntdmani,
• 4 • • '
kihkanra kathd sunk *
sighra cola govinde bhetite
"O Radhe Vinodini! Why are You standing there? Quickly proceed on the pathways of
Vraja! O jewellike lover of Krsna! Hearing these words of Your maidservants, quickly go to
give Yourself to Govinda!"
sukhada surata rahgi, nitamba bhdgete kdnci,

kalahamsa-gana kala nade
sumanjula manjlra, sihjita sumadhura,
bhramara guhjita padma pade
"The sash of bells on Your buttocks gives great joy during Your erotic sports, warbling
like swans, and Your elegant anklebells jingle sweetly like humming bees that follow Your
lotusfeet."
colite colite dhaniy sarasa chafdya tumi,
sTtala koroho ei dine
krpdmayi he radhike, sukhi koro e dasike
e rasa prabodhananda bhane
"O Radhe! Cool off this poor maidservant while You walk, with Your splendid rasal
Prabodhananda says: "O Merciful Radhike! Make Your niaidservant happy with this rasal”
VERSE 21:
SRI RADHIKE SURATARANGItfl DIVYAKELI

KALLOLA MALINILASAD VADANARA VINDE
S y a m a m r t a m m j n id h i SANGAMA TIVRA VEGI
NYAVART A NABHI RUCIRE MAMA SANNIDHEHI
$rT radhike - O Radha!; suratarahgini - Ganges; divya - divine; keli - pastimes; kallola -
stream; mdlini - fem.stringer; lasad - lovely; vadatxa - face; aravinde - lotus; kyama - Kr$na; amrta -
nectar; ambunidhi - ocean; sahgama - meeting; tivra - forceful; veginT - mover (fern); dvarta -
whirlpool; nabhi - navel; rucire - beautiful; mama - mine; sannidhehi - coming near.
O Sri Radhike! O enjoyer of erotic pastimes! O river of divine pastimes! O

Beautiful lotusfaced girl! O strong river meeting the nectarocean named Syama! O Girl
with the beautiful navel like a deep whirlpool! Please come closer to me!
THE COURSE OF RADHA'S LOVE:
Commentary: When Krsna plays His all-enchanting flute, Srlmati rushes out to meet '
Him as a forceful river goes forward to meet the ocean. Just as during the rainy season the
52 SrT-6ri R5dha Rasa Sudhanidhi
current of a river becomes very forceful and floods its own banks (dukula), similarly the
Gariga-river named Radha overflows the restrictions of Her dukula (two families, Her own and
Her in-laws' family) when it is filled with extraordinarily sweet waves of passionate love for
Kr$na, and forcefully Hows on towards the Krsna-ocean. That is why Sripada calls SvaminT
suratarahginX, the river of the Gods Gangs, here in this verse. This river of passion breaks all
dams of religious or traditional principles with its great force of desire for Kr$na, not caring
about the dangers that might occur on the way.
SrTpada, as a dedicated maidservant, follows 3rl Radha, helping Her to meet the
Syama-ocean, making Her taste the nectar of Syamasundara by addressing Her in the
abovementioned sweet ways: "5rl Radhike!" 0 Greatest worshipper of Krsna! You are called
Radhika because You fulfill all of Sri Krsna's desires! kr$na vanchapurti rupa kore aradhane;
ataeva radhika nama purane vakhane (Caitanya Caritamrta). 3ri Radhika diligently prepares
Herself for going out (abhisdra):
kanthaka gd(li kamala sania padatala manjlra cirahi jhampi

gdgari vari dhari kori pichala calatahi ahguli capi
hari abhisaraka lagi!
dutara pantha gatnana dhani sddhaye mandire ydmini jdgi
kara-yuge nayana mudi calu bhavini timira payanaka ase
mani kahkana pana phani mukha bandhana sikhai bhujaga guru pdse
gurujana vacana badhira sama manai an sunai koho an!
parijana vacane mugadhi sania hasai govinda ddsa paramatta
The poet Govinda Dasa sings: "To prepare Herself for walking over the thorny
pathways on the way to the trystinggrove at night, She strews thorns over Her yard in the
daytime and learns how to tolerate their pricks. She learns how to wrap Her anklebells into Her
cloth, so that She can run at night without making any sound, She throws water over Her yard
in the daytime to learn how to walk over slippery paths at night, She covers Her eyes with Her
hands in the daytime to learn how to walk in the dark at night, and She rewards a snake-
charmer with a jewelled bangle for teaching Her a mantra that will stifle the snakes that might
attack Her at night and that will protect Her from the attacks of wild beasts of prey. It is as if
She is deaf for the words of Her superiors and She simply smiles like a fool when She hears
the criticism and rebukes of Her relatives. For 5yamasundara's sake She takes even unlimited
misery to be like great bliss!"
*
The word suratarangini also means ’enjoyer of erotic play'. &rlpada says: "O Radhe!
The waves of these erotic enjoyments are playing on each of Your limbs! O Divine river of
pastimes! You are decorated with all the waves of transcendental pastimes in which You are
only interested in Syama's happiness!" How many sweet past sports of SvaminT $rlpada
remembers when He addresses Her like that!
"he lasad vadanaravindel O Girl with the beautiful lotuslike face! Your face is like a
beautiful lotusflower on top of the golden stem of Your body, shining on the current of the
Gahga and attracting the heart and mind of a bee (Madhusudana, the thirsty Kr$na-bee) who
becomes thirsty after Your honey!" £rl Rupa Gosvaml described Radha's face as 'transgressing
the beauty of a whole forest of fragrant blossoming lotusflowers' {mukholldsah phullarii
kamalavanam ullahghayatif Vidagdha Madhava). "Your navel is like an enchanting whirlpool
in the Gangs of rasa, and Madhava’s mind gets sucked into that whirlpool like a blade of grass
as soon as He secs it."
Srila Prabodhananda SarasvaU 53
syamamrtambunidhi sahgama tXvra veginl "You arc like the Ganga that forcefully
flows towards the nectarocean named Syama." This Ganga is as holy and blissfull to the sakhis
and mahjans as the Ganga on earth is to the Hindus, and they always bathe there. The minds of
the practising devotees also constantly bathe in the water of this very holy place to purify
themselves and to become qualified for the service of the Yugala KiSora. Srlpada is worried
about Svamini's welfare when he sees Her running so fast to meet Krsna, and he calls Her:
mama sannidhehi: "Stay close to me! Don't run so fast! There are many thorns and pebbles on
the road that will injure Your tender footsoles!" rddhe! pathi munca sambhramam abhisare!
cdraya caranamburuha dhXram sukumdrel (Gita Govindam) "I am running behind You! I
cannot walk so fast! Take me with You!" When Srlmatl hears these worried and anxious calls
of Her maidservant, She will certainly become merciful to hen
VERSE 22:
SATPREMA SJNDHU MAKARANDA RASA UGHA DHAIiA

SARAN AJASRAM ABHITAH SRAVAD A$RITE$U
SRI r a d h ik e t a v a KADA CARANARAVINDAM
GOVINDA JIVANA DIIANAM SI RASA VAHAMI
sat - true; pretna - love; sindhu - ocean; nmkaranda - honey; rasa - flavour; ogha - abundance;
dhdrd - stream; sdran - essence; ajasram - limitless; abhitah - towards; sravad - streaming; dSrTtesu -
in the surrendered souls; in radhike - O Radha!; tava - Your; kada - when; caranaravindam - lotusfeet;
govinda jlvana - the life of Govinda; dhanarii - treasure; Sirasa - with the head; vahami - carry.
O Sri Radhike! When can I carry Your lotusfeet, that contain a constant great
stream of honey-nectar that flows from the ocean of love toward the surrendered souls,
and that are the wealth of Govinda's life, upon my head?
SRl RADHA S LOTUSFEET, THE WEALTH OF GOVINDA S LIFE:
Commentary: SvaminI is mad when She rushes out to meet 3yama, and Her
maidservants feel intolerable distress when they think of how She must be hurting Her tender
feet on the way, just as the gopTs were very worried about 3ff Krsna's feet during the Rasa-/f/d:
yat te sujata carandmburuham starte$u bhTtah sanaih priya dadhTmahi karkase$u

tendtavim atasi tad vyathate na kith svit kiirpddibhir bhramati dhXr bhavad ayu$dm nah
($rlmad Bhagavata 10.31.19)
* "O dearly beloved One! We carefully place Your delicate lotusfeet upon our breasts,
being very much afraid that they will be hurt while You wander in the forest. Our hearts feel
very much pain when they think of how You must hurt Your feet while walking over the
thorns and pebbles on the forestpaths!" Because of their pure and selfless love for Krsna, the
gopXs are very worried about His comfort and happiness, therefore they carefully place His
54 Sn-SrT Radha. Rasa Sudhanidhi
lotusfeet upon their breasts. In the same way the sakhfs and manjaris, who are the leaves and
the flowers on the desirevine of love for Krsna, are very concerned about the welfare of Sri
Radha, Who is that desirevine Herself.
Sripada, absorbed in his mahjarT svariipa, anxiously says: "Ha Radhe! You have
forgotten Your body in the ecstasy of worshipping Krsna! But we, Your poor maidservants,
lose our minds when we think of how Your feet, that are more tender than Sirisa-flowers, may
be hurt when You are on Your way to meet Krsna!" How can a loving maidservant tolerate the
thought of any pain being felt by the tender lotusfeet of 3rimatl? She says: "Sri Radhike! Place
these lotusfeet on my head! Don't place them on the hard ground of Vraja! I will carry these
feet, that are millions of times dearer to me than my own life, on my head and bring You to
Your beloved Syamasundara! There is an unbroken stream of honey-nectar flowing from the
ocean of pure, selfless love that are these lotusfeet toward the surrendered devotees, that are
practising the mafijarT bhava updsana.
The word sat prema in the text can also mean 'love for Krsna, the Absolute Truth {sat)\
There is an endless stream of nectar flowing from the ocean of love of Krsna that is RSdhS's
lotusfeet, toward the surrendered devotees. $rila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvaml writes in his Sva
Sankalpa PrakaSa Stotram (1):
anaradhya radha padambhoja renum anasrltya vrtxddtavuh tat padahkam

asambhasya tad bhdva gambhTra cittan kutah syamasindho rasasydvagahah
"Without worshipping the dust of Radha's lotusfeet, without taking shelter of

Vrndavana, where Her footprints are, and without conversing with those devotees whose hearts
are grave with love for Her, how can one enter into the mellows of the Syama-ocean?" These
feet are govinda jlvana dhana, the wealth of Govinda's life. Sri Kr$na's senses are always
absorbed in Sri .Radha's form, taste, sound, touch and smell, hence He is named 'Govinda'.
Srila Rupa Gosvaml describes this in his 'Lalita Madhava (9.9)':
nirdhutamrta madhurTparimalah kalyani bimbadharo

vaktram pahkaja saurabhath kutiu ruta slaghabhidhas te girah
angam candana sitalam tanur iyaih saundarya sarvasva bhdk
tvam asvadya mamedam indriya kularh radhe muhur modate
Sri Krsna told Sri Radha: "O Kalyani (auspicious, beautiful girl)! Your lips, that are as
red as Bimba-cherries, defeat the sweetness of nectar, Your face is as fragrant as a lotusflower,
Your words crush the pride of the cuckoo’s songs, and Your body, that is the abode of all
beauty, is cooler than sandalwoodpaste! In this way all My senses are finding pleasure in
relishing Your sweetness and beauty!" Although Kr$na always desires Radha, goddess
yogamdya arranges that She is difficult to get for Him because She is married with another
man. kabhu mile kabhu na mile, daivera ghafana (C.C.). This paraklya rasa (extramarital
relationship) makes the mutual attachment of the hero and heroine deeper. Sometimes Radha is
angry with Krsna and Krsna will pray to Her 'Give Me Your generous lotusfeet' (dehi pada
pallavatn udaram, Gita Govindam), making His own head more beautiful by placing Radha's
lac-anointeded lotusfeet on it. Krsna sings: hiyara majhdre uthe rasera hilloli, yabe parasite
cahi tomara pdyera ahguli "A wave of rasa comes up in My heart when I want to touch Your
toes!" It is the quintessence of Divinity when God wants to accept the lotusfeet of prema (love
of God)’s utmost manifestation Sri Radha, as the wealth of His life. This does not make Him
inferior, rather it increases His superiority. That is the glory of Sri Radha, love personified!
SrUa Prabodhananda Sarasvati 55
Sripada says: "I will carry Your feel on my head, and in this way I will bring You to
Syamasundara. It won't be difficult at all, because Your limbs are as light as cottonwool, and
on top of that, I will be blessed with a shower of the honey of love that flows from Your
exquisite feet!" And if Sri Radha says: "I will know by Myself when I feel pain in My feet,
why should you worry about that?", then Srlpada answers: "You will be mad out of anxious
love for Krsna and You won't know a thing! You will go out to worship Govinda, but will You
see to it if the wealth of His life, Your lotusfeet, are pained or not? Place that wealth of
Govinda’s life on my head! That will make Govinda happy!" In this way 6rlpada shows
concern over Govinda’s happiness also by praying for Radha's lotusfeet on His head. In this
way there are hundreds of meanings of this verse. Blessed is this maidservant! Blessed is her
service!
VERSE 23:
' SANKETA RUNJAM ANU RUNJARA MANDAGAMI

NY AD A Y A DIVYA MRDU CANDANA GANDHA MALYAM
TV AM KAMA KELI RABHASENA RADA CALANTIM
RADHE 'NUYAMI PADA VIM UPADAR$AYANTl
safiketa kunjarii - trystingplace; anu kunjara - like an elephant; manda - slowly; gdmirii - girl
who walks; ddaya - taking; divya - divine; mrdu - soft; candana - sandalpaste; gandhq - perfumes;
mdlyam - garlands; tvath - You; katna - love; keli - pastimes; rabhasena - in the rush; kadd - when;
calantlrii - moving; radhe - O Radha!; anuyami - 1 follow; padavim - the way; upadar§ayantT- showing.
O Radhe! W hen can I follow You when You go to a trystingbower with the slow
gait of an elephant eager for loveplay, while I carry divine soft sandalwoodpaste,
perfum es and garlands with me, and I'm showing You the way?
GREAT EAGERNESS FOR LOVEPLAY:
Commentary: S n Radha's lusty desires outwardly appear to be the same as the lusty
desires in the material world, but factually these are pure desires to please Krsna’s senses.
3rlmat Rupa GosvSm! says in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu (2.4.284):
asdrh prema viseso'yamprdptah kdm api mddhurTm

tat tat krldd nidanatvat kdma ityucyate budhaih
"The love of the gopTs has a special sweetness, and because it looks just like ordinary
lust, the learned have also called it 'lust'" 3rlpada, in his kinkarT-form, runs behind Srlmall as
She rushes forwards to meet Kr$na, filled with 'lusty' desires, showing Her the way, keeping
Her alert and strong by telling Her sweet things about Krsna, and carrying different ingredients
for the Yugala-service, such as divine soft sandalpaste, perfumes and garlands, with her.
56 Sn-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
The anxious hero Krsna is out of His mind when He sees the rasika form of NagarT-
mani Radha approaching. The maidservant chastises Him with the gestures of her face and
with her words, saying: "You made SvaminT mad by playing Your flute and You're just quietly
sitting here in this kutijal You cannot imagine how much care I had to take to bring prema
pagalini sukumarT (tender Radha, Who is mad with love) here to You!" Then she hands her
SvaminT over to Kr$na and says: "Here! Take Your beloved!" How sweet is the mood of the
maidservants! Suddenly &ripada's spiritual vision stops and he anxiously prays to Svamini's
lotusfeet for another audience.
There is another reading possible of this verse: he radhe! sahketa kunjain anukuhjara
manda gamini aha hi divya mrdu candana gandha malyarn adaya tava padavim (padahkam)
upadarsayanti kamakeli rabhasena (vegena) calantwi tarn kada anuydmi (anugamisyami).
"Radhe! You are quickly going to see Syamasundara, being eager to play erotic games with
Him. When will I slowly follow you with the steps of an elephant, looking at Your footprints
in the ground as 1 carry soft sandalpaste, perfumes and garlands?" In the previous verse
Sripada prayed that he wanted to carry ^rlmaC's lotusfeet on his (her) head, so that She would
not hurt Her feet at the pebbles and thorns on the way. She had also tried to make SvaminT
walk a little bit slower. But how is 3rlmatl able to slow down while She is so irresistably
attracted to Syamasundara? Can a boat without helmsman that is carried away by the forceful
waves of a river be stopped simply by saying: "Stop! Wait!"? Svamim's body is like such a
uncontrollable boat, carried away by the powerful attractive current of Syamasundara's
fluteplaying. Nobody is able to stop that force! The maidservant is supposed to arrive at the
trystingplace together with SvaminT because she carries the ingredients of the Yugala-seva with
her, but alas! The paraphernalia are so heavy and SvaminT walks so fast that she is not able to
keep up with Her speed. Rather, she sees SvaminT going out of sight. Who will show this
maidservant the way now? Suddenly she sees the special marks of SffmatTs footsoles, like the
moonbeam, the barleycorn, the disk, the flowervine etc., on the ground and she follows that
track while her hairs stand on end of ecstasy.
When little Krsna stole yoghurt from the cowherd women, mother YaSodS was able to
find Him by following His yoghurt-smeared footprintsl, the people of Vraja anxiously
followed Krsna's footprints until they reached the K5liya-lake where they witnessed how He
defeated the Kaliya-snake, and when Radha and Krsna left the gopTs during the Rasa-dance,
the gopTs found Them back by following Their marked footprints. The practising devotees also
always remember the footmarks of the Lord to conquer the obstacles they meet on their
spiritual paths and are ultimately blessed with His direct audience in this way. Following
SrTmatT's footprints, the dedicated maidservant also arrives in the kunja and is blessed with the
sweet service of the Yugala Kigora. When this vision disappears Sflpada pitifully prays:
he kunjesvari srT radhe! kdma keli rabhasete,

sahketa kunjete ydbe tumi
premonmSde vinodini, abhisare ydbe tumi,
kuhja-pathe kuhjara gamini
suvasita prasddhana, divya malya candana,

sevdra satnagri kare kori
pasedte sahginT hoiya, ydbo ki patha dekhdiyd,
hari gunagane mugdha kori
3ffla Prabodhananda Saras vatl 57
"O 3rl R5dhe! Queen of the bowers! When You go to the trystingplace, overcome by
lusty desires and maddened with feelings of love, walking like an elephant, I will follow You,
holding perfumes, divine garlands, sandalpaste and other ingredients for Your service with me,
showing You the way and enchanting You by singing Hari’s glories to Your'
e bodo lalasa mone, piirna koro krpd gune,

mad TsvarT sn radhika tiarna
srT prabodhananda bhane, dra kobe vrnddvane,
vasati koribo kunjadhama
"SrT Prabodhananda says: O SrT Radhike! My mistress! Please fulfill this strong desire
on my mind: may I live in the kunja abode in Vrndavana!"
VERSE 24:
GATVA KALINDA-TANAYA VIJANAVATARAM

UDVARTAYANTYAMRTAM ANGAM ANANGA J1VAM
SRI RADHIKE TAVA KADA NAVA NAGARENDRAM
PASYAMIMAGNA NAYANAM STHITAM UCCA NIPE
gaivd - having gone; kalinda tanaya - Yamuna, the daughter of the sun; vijana - lonely;
avataram - descending; udvartayanti - massaging; amrtam - nectar; ahgam - body; anahga - Cupid;
jTvam - life; in radhike - O RadliS!; tava - Your; kada - when; nava - young; nagara - man about town;
indrarii - the king; paiydmi - 1 see; magna - immersed; nayanarii - eyes; sthitam - situated; ucca - high;
nipe - in a Kadamba tree.
O S n Radhike! W hen can I see Your young lover sitting in a high K adam ba tree,
watching You as You go down to a lonely place on the bank of the Yamuna, where I
massage Your am brosial limbs, that are the very life of Cupid?
A LONELY BATHINGPLACE OF THE YAMUNA:
Commentary: In a spiritual revelation, 3rlpada sees himselPstaying with 3rT Radha in

Yavat as Her maidservant. It is summertime and Sfimatl wants to take a bath in the Yamuna
this morning. Sripada and SvaminT go to a lonely bathingplace on the bank of the Yamuna,
without any of ^rTmatl's girlfriends or other maidservants. The maidservant’s heart is enchanted
by SvaminT's gestures. SvaminT looks all around, as if thinking: "I hope Sundara (beautiful
Krsna) is not noticing where I’m going?", beautifying the whole environment of Vrndavana
with Her glances. Meanwhile Sri Krsna is playing and milking His cows with His friends in
His own abode NandTSvara when He hears from a parrot that £rl Radha is going out to bathe in
a lonely place by the Yamuna, taking only one maidservant with Her. When Krsna hears this,
He tells His friends that He wants to admire the beauty of NandTSvara’s gardens on His own
and He goes to the place where He expects Radhika to bathe, climbs up into a nearby
Kadamba-lree and hides Himself in the thick foliage.
58 Sn-Sfi Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
Now Srlmatl arrives at the same place with Her maidservant. She is tired of walking
there with Her tender body, so She sits down on a jewelled staircase that leads down to the
Yamuna’s water. Her beautiful golden body illuminates the bathingplace near the Yamuna. The
blackish colour of the Yamuna-water reminds SvaminI of Syamasundara. Srlmatl is
overwhelmed by feelings of love for Krsna, She sees Krsna inside and outside of Her.
Syamasundara is admiring Her sweet form unhindered from the top of the Kadamba-tree. The
maidservant starts to massage Srimatl's beautiful body in this quiet and lonely bathingplace
near the Yamuna. First she opens Her braid, that looks like a huge black cloud, sprinkles Her
hair with fragrant oil and then combs it with a jewelled comb. Each of Svaminl’s hairs is dearer
to her than millions of lives! After combing Svaminl’s hair, the loving maidservant undresses
Her to massage Her with fragrant Narayana-oil. She reveals SvaminI's body, which is not even
seen by omniscient Syama, Who, for this purpose, has to climb into the top of a Kadamba-tree!
The maidservant knows how the touch of Syama’s hand feels and she massages SvaminI in
exactly the same way. SvaminI is absorbed. After the oilmassage the maidservant starts to
massage SvaminI with lotuspollen, while Syama is absorbed in staring at the sweetness of Her
uncovered limbs from the branch of the tree. It is as if a stream of sweetness gushes from
Svaminl’s sweet limbs. How amazing is the abundance of Her beauty! Her limbs are as if made
of nectar, which is freely drunk by Syama with the cups of His eyes, gaurange mraditna smite
madhurima netrancale drdghitnd vaksoje gdrimd (verse 75) "May I admire the softness of
Your golden limbs, the sweetness of Your smile, the largeness of Your eyes and the volume of
Your breasts?" This is how He experiences Her sweetness, gdtre kofi tadicchabi
pravitatancmdacchabi srl mukhe... (verse 99) "Her body shines like millions of lightningstrikes
and Her beautiful face is full of blazing ever-increasing bliss." Krsna relishes all this nectar
through His eyes. This is not heavenly nectar, it is the supreme nectar of maha-bhaval
Radhika's body is the very life of Cupid (ananga jivam). She revives the trancendental
incorporeal Cupid Krsna and gives Him a body again. The practising devotees try to give up
Cupid (lust) from the beginning of their spiritual lives, because lust is the root cause of all
selfish endeavours for sense gratification. Without pure love this cannot be accomplished.
Cupid is revived when Sri Kr$na, Who is Himself the transcendental youthful Cupid of
Vrndavana Who enchants the mundane Cupid, sees Sri Radha’s body, that is made of pure
causeless love. Thus the incorporeal Cupid regains his body and Sri Radha’s body is named
ananga jivam, the life of Cupid.
In Vrndavana there is no mundane Cupid, only the transcendental Cupid Srlman
Madana Gopala, the shelter of all material and spiritual Cupids. When Lord Brahma prayed to
Krsna in His Vraja-llla, he said: "We eleven demigods of the senses relish Your sweetness
through the senses of the people of Vraja, and in this way we are also blessed"*. Although the
material demigods cannot possibly reside in the senses of the transcendental eternal associates
of Sri Kr$na in Vraja, Lord Brahma simply gives an likeness. In the same way, although the
mundane Cupid cannot live in Sri Vrndavana, this metaphor with Sri Krona’s lusty feelings,
that arose when He saw Sri Radha's limbs, has been given and Her divine body has been called
ananga jivam. Sri Krsna can only be glorious as the transcendental youthful Cupid of
Vrndavana because of Sri Radha’s sweetness and beauty. Otherwise His glories are totally
baffled. Govinda Lllamrta (8.32) states:
radha sahge yadd bhati tada madana mohanah

anyathd visvamoho 'pi svayam madana mohitah
* Snmad Bhftgavata 10.14.33

SrTla Prabodhananda Saras vati 59
"When Krsna shines with Radha, He enchants even Cupid, but otherwise He Himself is
enchanted by Cupid." codi gopTra manorathe manmathera manamathe, nama dhare madana
tnohana (C.C.) "He mounts the chariots of the gopis' minds and stirs the mind of Cupid,
therefore He bears the name Madana Mohana." But Sri Radhika stirs even His mind, and
therefore She is called madana mohana mohinT, and Her body is called anahga jTvam, Cupid's
Iifegiver. Just as a dying person is revived by drinking nectar, similarly Krsna is revived by
contacting Radha’s divine body when He is about to die in the fire of lust. Suddenly the
maidservant sees Syamasundara sitting in the branch of the tree. With folded hands Krsna
prays to her: "Let Me enjoy this vision for a moment!" Seeing the situation, the maidservant is
absorbed in rasa.
VERSE 25:
SA T PREMARASISARASO VIKASAT SAROJAM

SVANANDA SlDHU RASASINDHU VIVARDHANENDUM
TAC CHRIMUKHAM KUTILA KUNTALA BHRNGA JU$TAM
SRI RADHIKE TA VA KADA NU VILOKA YISYE
sat - real; prema - love; rati - abundance; sarasah - lake; vikasat - blooming; sarojam -
lotusflower; sva - own; ananda - bliss; sldfm - nectar; rasa - flavour; sindhu - ocean; vivardhana -
extending; indum - moon; tat - Her; sri - beautiful; mukham - face; kutila - crooked; kuntala -
hairlocks; bhmga - bee; justam - endowed with; in radhike - O Radha!; lava - Your; kada nu - when;
vilokayisye - will see
O Sri Radhike! When can I see Your beautiful blooming lotusface that grows in a
lake full of true love (for Kr$na), that is full of honey that intoxicates Kr$na, that is like a
moon that causes the ocean of rasa to swell, and that is beautified by curly locks of hair
that are bluish like bumblebees?
A LOTUSFLOWER IN A LOVELAKE:
Commentary: 3rlpada is in his svarupdvesa from beginning to end. He does not have
to endeavour to get these visions - they come spontaneously! He floats on waves of prayer into
the kingdom of transcendental pastimes. In his kitikarf svarupa, 3rIpSda has now finished
massaging Srlmatl's limbs with oil. The maidservant knows what Srlmatl doesn't know -
Nagarendra (the king of womanizers) is admiring Her uncovered limbs from up in a tree!
Svamini is absorbed in thoughts when Her maidservant calls Her: "Svamini! Get up and take
Your bath!" Srlmatl is startled and says: "Who is it? are you smearing Me in with oil? I forgot
it was you! Your touch is just like Krsna's!" Blessed is this maidservant that she can touch
Svamini exactly as £yama does! She is an eternally perfect maidservant, from whom the
aspirants should learn their services. £rlla Narottama Dasa Thakura sings (in Prarthana):
priya sahacari sahge, sevana koribo range,

ange vesa koribek sadhe
rakho ei seva kaje, nija pada pahkaje,
60 3 rI-SrI RadliS Rasa Sudhanidhi
priya sahacan-gana mdjhe
"I will joyfully serve Radha and Krsna along with Their dearest maidservants by
dressing Their limbs. Please keep me at Your lotusfeet for such services, amidst Your dearest
maidservants!"
sugandhi candana, manimoya abharana,
kauîka vasana ndnd range
ei sab sevd yara, dasl yeno hao tara,
anuksana thdki tara sahge
"I will always stay with these maidservants as their maidservant, serving You in
different ways with fragrant sandalpaste, jewelled ornaments and silken garments." Without
even a liny drop of mercy from these eternally liberated maidservants, it is impossible to
experience and perform such services. Lord Krsna explained to Lord Brahma prior to the four
root-verses of the Bhagavata (2.9.32) what is the importance of grace from Above:
yd van aharh yathabhavo yad rupa guna karmakah

tathaiva tattva vijndnam astu te mad anugrahat
"O Brahma! May You will realize the full, actual truth about My forms, qualities and
activities by My grace." Without mercy it cannot be understood, therefore there is a
compassionate blessing here. The secrets of rdga bhajana can only be known through grace.
krsna tad bhakta kdrunya matra Idbhaika hetukd (Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu) "The only cause of
ragdnugd bhakti is the mercy of Krsna or His devotees". The dcdryas are most merciful, for
they left their experiences behind in their books. Srlpada Saras van's heart’s prayers are kept in
this 'Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi' (the nectarocean of Radha's rasa). An aspirant is blessed if he
can taste even one drop of this nectarocean. The maidservant has completed 3rlmati's bath and
starts to dress and ornament Her, but SvaminI has noticed an unnatural look in her eyes and
quickly covers Her limbs. Startled, She looks all around, thinking: "Is beautiful Syama maybe
behind Me somewhere?" 3 yam a is enchanted by the sweet gestures Srlmati makes at that
moment, and the maidservant feels blessed. When SvaminI sees Her maidservant looking at the
top of the nearby Kadamba-tree She understands that there is a secret hidden in one of the
tree's branches, and when She looks carefully She sees a bluish effulgence emanating from it.
Although Krsna tries to hide Himself, Srlmad catches Him with Her glance. At that moment
Her limbs are adorned with the bhava bhusana called vildsa, and' many intense emotions
become manifest in Her: shyness and opposition pull Her homewards, heedlessness urges Her
to perform Her duty of picking flowers (as if She was going to pick flowers after Her bath to
worship the sun with), and ecstasy and lusty desires enter deeply into Her body and mind,
causing an indescribable condition in Her. Syamasundara considers Himself to be blessed by
seeing Her sweet condition at that moment, ei bhava yukta dekhi radhasya nayana; sangama
hoite sukha pay koti guna (C.C) "When I see Radha's face and eyes in that mood I get millions
of times more pleasure than when I directly unite with Her." SvaminI chastises Her
maidservant with Her eyes, saying: "If You saw Him, then why didn't you say anything?" The
maidservant answers with her eyes: "I didn't see Him! I also saw Him just now!"
Actually, it was 5rimatl's innermost desire to see 3 yam a when She decided to bathe in
the Yamuna that morning: sndna chole bhetibo kdnail The jewelled temple of Her mind was
filled with the light of (hope for) the fulfillment of Her desire. How beautiful is Her face when
She shows the sweet moods of bashfulness, opposition, joy and desire! This verse describes
the sweetness of Her face at that moment. The poets try to compare Radha’s face to
S ola Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 61
lotusflowers or the moon, but can the transcendental prema svarupiril, Sri RadhikE, ever be
compared to any mundane object? There is no other way to understand premamayT Radha in
truth than through love, devotion and surrender. All Her emotions will then also be
understood, therefore it is said: sat prema rdsi saraso vikasat sarojam “Her face is a blooming
lotus in a lake full of love for Krsna, the Absolute Truth (sat).11 If 3rl Radha's face is not
compared to a lotus growing from an ordinary lake, but to a lotus growing from a lake filled
with the nectar of love for Krsna, it could be somewhat of a worthy comparison. Her face
blooms up with joy and desire when She sees Kr§na and becomes relishable like honey
(svananda sldhu). The words svananda sidhu may also mean svasya priyatamasya dnandasya
sac cid ananda rupa tvat sn krsnasya unmadaka sidhu svarupam; The sweetness of Radhika's
face intoxicates Kr§na, or: svTydnam sakhi mahjarinam ananda-sTdhu "Her face is like the
honey of bliss for Her girlfriends and maidservants when they see it." The practising devotees
are also intoxicated by ecstatic love when they remember the sweetness of Srlmatl’s face. How
sweet is that meditation!
3rlmatl has just bathed, and Her curly locks fall over Her face like thirsty bees
surrounding a honeyfilled golden lotus growing from a lovelake. $yamasundara slowly comes
down from the treebranch. Waves of desire swell in the ocean of His erotic mellows when He
sees Snmati's moonlike face, and with His eyes He prays to the maidservant to show Them a
nice bower on the bank of the Yamuna where He can unite with 6rlmatl. SvaminI is also very
eager to fullfil Krsna's desires. The maidservant arranges for the meeting of this anxious Pair
in a bower on the bank of the Yamuna and looks through the holes of the foliage to admire
Their sweet pastimes. Suddenly the transcendental vision disappears and 3ripada pitifully
prays: "When can I see these sweet pastimes?"
rdi mukha pad/na canda, sakala saundarya dhama,

madhurya tarahge jhalamala
madhurya sarovare, satadala sobhd kore,
.(ihala dhala srT mukha mandala
♦
"Rai's lotusface is the abode of all beauty, shining beautifully like a honeydripping
hundred-petaled lotus in a pond of sweetness full of glistening waves."
mukhapadme niramala, purnananda parimala,

sudha sara makaranda pum a
kufila kuntalavali, yeno bhrhga kore kelit
sarva netra sukhada sadana
"Her spotless lotusface is filled with the fragrance of full bliss and the sweetest
nectarean honey, and the curly locks surrounding it are like bees playing around this lotus, that
is the realm that delights everyone's eyes."
svananda ye sudhasindhu, vivardhane purna itidu,

sukhamoy radhara vadana
prabodhanandete koy, kobe hobe bhdgyodoy,
dekhibo ki ei candranana
"This full moon of Radha's blissful face increases the nectar-ocean of Self-bliss.
Prabodhananda says: "When will this fortune come to me that I can see this moonlike face?"
62 Sri-Sn Radha Rasa Suananidlii
VERSE 26:
I A VANYA SARA RASA SARA SUKHAIKA SARA

KARUNYA SARA MADHURA CCHABI RUPA SARE
VA IDA GDII YA SARA RATJKELI VIlASA SARE
RADIIABHIDHE MAMA MANO'KHILA SARA SARE
lavanya - pearllike beauty, or elegance; sdra - essence; rasa - flavour; sdra - essence;
sukha - joy; eka - only; sdra - essence; kdrunya - compassion; sdra - essence; madhura -
sweet; cchabi - luster; rupa - form; save - essence; vaidagdhya - cleverness; sdra - essence;
rati keli - love games; vildsa - enjoyment; sdra - essence; radha abhidhe - in the person named
Radha; mama - my; manah - mind; akhila - complete; sdra sdre - the essence of the essence.
My mind is completely absorbed in Sff Radlia, Who is the essence of elegance, the
essence of rasa, the only essence of bliss, the essence of compassion, the essence of all
sweet effulgent and beautiful forms, the essence of cleverness and the essence of erotic
playfulness!
SRI RADHA, THE QUINTESSENCE OF EVERYTHING:
Commentary: The word sara means 'the most enjoyable part of a substance', and Sri
Radha is the essential part of God's svarupa sakti (innate energy) called hladini. Lavanya sdra
means 'the quintessence of lustre'. The Bhagavata (10.44.14) describes Kr$na as lavanya sdram
asamordhvam ananya siddham. When one asks: "Is this lustre not present in other forms of
God also?", then the Bhagavata answers: asamordhvam. No luster is equal (asama) or higher
(urdhvam) than Krsna's. When one asks: "Where has Krsna's luster come from then?", then the
answer is ananya siddham: there is no other source than Krsna Himself, it is self-perfect!" But
Sri Radha is the essence of lavanya even in Kr$na's eyes! Sri Radha is the empress of lavanyal
Sri Kr$na says in 'Ujjvala NTlamani':
jagad amala rucTr vicitya radhe vyadhita vidhis tava nunam angakani
manimaya mukuram kurahga-netre kirana-ganena vifiatnbayanti ydni
"O Radhe! The Creator has collected the essence of all spotlessly beautiful things of the
world to make Your body! O Doe-eyed beauty! The rays that emanate from Your limbs defeat
even the splendour of mirrors made of jewels!"
Srlmatl is also rasa sdra sukhaika sdra: the most delicious happiness for the essence of
rasa. Who is the essence of rasal $rl Krsna. The Upanisads say of God: raso vai sah "He is
rasa", but Sri Krsna is akhila rasdmrta murti, the very form of all nectarean transcendental
flavours, and He contains unlimited sweetness. Indeed, He is sweetness personified:
mddhuryam eva nu (Kr§na KarnSmrta). His sweetness steals the hearts of all moving and
nonmoving living beings, He even enchants Himself with it! Govinda is the quintessence of
rasa, and Sri Radha is the quintessence of His happiness, krsnendriydhladi gunair uddra srl
rddhikd rdjati rddhikeva. "Sri Radhika can only be compared to Herself, and there is no one
else like Her, for with Her attributes She gives joy to all of Krsna’s senses!" (Govinda Lllamrta
11,118)
3rlla Prabodhananda Saras vatl 63
Or: 5rl Radha is the only essence of bliss and rasa in general! Srlpada Kavi Karnapura
says: rase saras camatkdro "the essence of rasa is astonishment!" The madana maha bhdva of
3rl Radhika is the most astonishing an the most relishable rasaf therefore She is the
quintessence of rasa and bliss. She even astonishes Govinda! Govinda is bliss personified, but
She makes even Him, as well as all the devotees, happy! sukha rupa krsna kore sukha asvadana;
bhaktagana sukha dite hlddini kdrana (C.C.) Thus 3ri Radha is the only essence of bliss.
She is also the essence of compassion. First one must realize what 'compassion' means
before we can understand what 'the quintessence of compassion' means. 3npada
Ramanujacarya writes in his commentary on Vedanta darSana: dayd hi nama svartha nirapeksa
para duhkasahi§nutd "Compassion means that one gives up all selfishness and one cannot
tolerate the suffering of others." These feelings are not possible towards dead matter, only
towards living beings. Although the soul is by nature transcendental, it is still under the full
control of time, karma, nidya, and God. Sri Jlva GosvamI writes about compassion in Prlti
Sandarbha: anukampa ca pur tie'pi svasmin nija sevadyabhilasam sampadya sevakddisu sevadi
saubhagya sampadika bhagavatas cittardratdmayT tad upakdreccha "Although God is
selfsatisfied, He still likes toaccept the service of His devotees and therefore He creates the
desire for devotional service in the hearts of the fortunate candidate-devotees. Thus His heart
melts with compassion and is filled with the desire to benefit the conditioned souls." The
greatest gift is devotion and love, hlddini dvaraya kore bhaktera posana (C.C) "Through His
pleasure potency, Krsna maintains the devotees", and that pleasure potency is Sri Radha. Now
Krsna has accepted the lustre and mood of Sri Radha and has descended as Gaura to bless all
the conditioned souls of the age of Kali with the most benevolent gift of rdganuga prema,
which was hidden in the storehouse of Vraja’s nikuhjas. Sn Radhika is the quintessence of
compassion, indeed!
Sri Radha is also the quintessence of sweet, beautiful forms tnadhura cchabi rupa sdra.
The word cchabi means: colour, lustre or beauty. Sri Rupa GosvamI writes in Ujjvala
Nilamani:
anganyabhusitdnyeva kenacit bhusanddina
yena bhu?itavad bhdti tad ruparn iti kathyate
"The natural beauty, or elegance of a girl who looks as beautiful without ornaments as
when she is ornamented, is called rupa."
nitarn te punar uktatdm bhramarakaih kasturikd patrakam

netrdbhydm viphallkrtam kuvalaya dvandvath ca karnarpitam
hdsas ca smita kdnta kdntibhir alam pi$tdnu pesTkrtah
kith radhe tava mandanena nitardm ahgair asi dyotitd
(Vidagdha Madhava, Act VII)
Sri Krsna said: "O Radhe! The musk-pictures on Your forehead repeat the beauty of
Your curly locks (when a word, subject or sentence is repeated in a Sanskrit story or book, it is
considered to be a fault named punar ukti doja, and the scholars or teachers encircle it with a
red pen to indicate the fault. In the same way, Radhika's curly locks encircle Her musk-
decorations to show that there is no more need for any more such bumblebee-black beauty on
Her forehead, because they, Her naturally growing bluish curly locks, are already there), the
blue lotusfiowers that decorate Your ears have become useless in the light of the natural beauty .
of Your eyes (Radhika's eyes are also blue, but more beautifully than even the famous blue
64 SrT-SiT Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Indlvara-lotusflowers), and the splendour of Your slight smile grinds the beauty of Your pearl
necklace. O Radhc! What is the use of putting on all these decorations of Yours when Your
limbs are already so splendidly beautiful?” In this verse Sri Rupa GosvamI describes Sri
Radha's abhirupatd, which means that SrT Radha's lustre is so wonderful that all objects of
comparison to it attain sdrupya, the same transcendental form, with it. There is a second
sweet meaning to the phrase madhura cchabi rupa sure, transcending the primary one. There is
nothing as sweet in the whole world as love, and that sweet love constantly gushes from
Radha's lustrous and beautiful transcendental form. Anyone who encounters this form of Sri
Radha will be blessed with prema without further endeavour. 3riman Mahaprabhu descended
to earth to bless everyone with this gift of prema. Sri Jiva GosvamI writes in his Krarna
sandarbha-commentary on the Bhagavata-verse 11.5.32 (kryna vamam tviydkrsnarn): t\>isa
(kdntyd) sva sobhd visesenaiva krsnopadestardm ca. yad darsanenaiva sarvesdm krsnah
sphuratltyarthah "Krsna will be revealed to everyone who sees His (Mahaprabhu’s) lustre, that
He took from Sri Radha."
Sri Radha is also the essence of cleverness and artful expertise (vaidagdhya). Even 3rl
Kr$na, the teacher of all arts, cannot swim across this ocean of Radha's artful cleverness!
Srlmat Rupa GosvamI writes in his Premendu Sudha Satra: vaidagdhi prathamdcarya cdru
cdturya carcitd "She is the first teacher of cleverness, and She is adorned with beautiful
expertise." Srlpada Baladeva Vidyabhusana writes in his commentary: vaidagdhmdm.
nrryadi kaldnam prathamdcarya tds tatravddau prakata ityarthaH "All cleverness and
artfulness, like dancing and so, originally comes from the primeval teacher, 3rl Radha. All
these arts are blessed in Her service." She is expert in all the arts of meeting with Krsna, such
as: seeing, speaking, touching, stopping the way, Rasa-/f/a, watersports, boating pastimes,
playing dice, drinking honey, pretending to sleep, pulling at the dress, drinking the nectar of
the cherry-like lips, and sexual intercourse.
And finally, Sri Radha is the quintessence of everything essential. Sri Govinda is the
essence of everything and £rl Radha is the quintessence of everything for Him. It is said that
Govinda is the life of life, because of His pastimes, forms, attributes, good fortune, erotic
pastimes and so on, and He is the essence of everything, but still Sri Radha is the life and the
essence of Govinda! Therefore £rlpada prays: radhabhidfie mama manah astu "Let my mind
dwell in the jewel of qualities named Sri Radha."
VERSE 27:
CINTAMANIH PRANAMATAM VRAJA NAGARINAM

CUDAMAN1H KULAMANIR VR$ABHANU NAMNA11
SA SYAMA KAMA VARA SANTIMANIR NIKUNJA
ISHUSAMANIR HRDAYA SAMPUTA SANMANIR NAH
cintdmanih - thought-jewel; pranamatdm - to the surrendered souls; vraja ndgarindm -

to the ladyloves of Vraja; cuddmanih - crownjewel; kula - family; manih - jewel; vrsabhdnu
ndmnah - named Vrsabhanu; sd - She; sydma - Syama; kdma - desire; vara - best; sdnti -
peace; manih - jewel; nikunja - arbour; bhusdimnih - decorating jewel; hrdaya - heart;
samputa - box; sat - good; manih - jewel; nah - to us.
SrJla Prabodhananda Sarasvad I 65
May Sri Radhika, Who is a Cintamani-gem for the surrendered souls, the
crownjewel of girls in Vraja, the jewel of Maharaja Vr§abhanu's dynasty, the jewel who
pacifies Syama's desires and the jewel who adorns the cottage in the playbower, be the
real jewel in the jewel box of our hearts!
SIX JEWELS:
Commentary: Just as a Cintamani-jewel fulfills all desires, 5ri Radhika is the prema-
cintamani, fulfilling the single desire of the surrendered souls: devotional service and love of
God. 3r1 Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Who had accepted Sri Radha’s sweet Cintamani-mood, said:
“Even if You don’t offer your obeisances unto Me, but blaspheme Me instead, I will still make
you offer obeisances and I will give you the treasure o fprema\"
more na manile sab loka hobe nasa;

ei Idgi krpdrdra prabhu korild sannyasa
sannyasi buddhye more koribe namaskdra
tathdpi khandibe duhka paibe nistdra
(Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi-/r/d chapter 8)
"All the people will perish if they don’t honour Me." Thinking like this, the Lord's heart
melted with compassion and He took sannyasa. "They will offer obeisances unto Me, thinking
Me to be a mere sannydsL Still, that will destroy their misery and save them." Sri Radha is a
storehouse of compassion for the surrendered souls. Cintamani also indicates the remembrance
practised by the devotees. She is like a jewel {mani) playing within the thoughts (cintd) of the
surrendered souls. When that remembrance becomes intense, then that Cintamani will be
visible inside out. The holy name is also Cintamani, and is appearing on the devotees’ tongues.
Srimat JTva Gosvaml writes: yat tattvarii M vigraha rupena caksur adavudayate tad eva ndma
rupena vdg dddviti sthitam "The deity-form of the Lord appears before the eyes, and the name-
form appears on the tongue and from the throat." In this way the devotees can feel this
Cintamani-gem in all of their senses and become blessed.
$ri Radhika is the crownjewel of millions of sweet Vraja-go/?ny of Sri Vrndavana that
are all endowed with mahdbhdva, and all the gopTs, even Candravali, are simply Her
expansions. Just as there is no difference between musk and its fragrance and fire and its heat,
so there is also no difference between God (Krsna) and His energy (Radha), but still, in the
kingdom of Ilia, Radha and Krsna have separated for the sake of playing sweet pastimes with
Eachother and with Their devotees. For this reason Krsna has made Radha the queen of
Vrndavana. This is confirmed in the Puranas: vrndavanddhipatyam ca dattarii tasyai pratusyatd.
3rl Radha is the jewel that brightens Vrsabhanu Maharaja's dynasty. 3flla Raghunatha
Dasa Gosvaml wrote in His Radhikastakam: vrajavara vrsabhdnoh puny a gfrbdna-vallT
"She is the blessed desire-vine of Maharaja Vrsabhanu, the best man of Vraja.” She greatly
increased the prestige of Maharaja Vrsabhanu's dynasty by taking Her birth in it. Srila
ViSvanatha CakravartI comments as follows on the verse rdjan patir gurur ala/h bhavatam
yadunam (5.6.18) from the Bhagavata: ’’When Mtiharaja Parlksit heard from Suka Muni about
his dynasty, the Puru-dynasty, he understood that the Lord had not descended in it, so he was
very disappointed. 3uka Muni could understand what was on the emperor’s mind and consoled
66 Sri-Sil Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
him by saying: "O King! God may not have descended into Your family personally, but Love
of God has certainly descended in it, and I cannot praise the dynasty in which prema has
descended, enough!" From this follows that the dynasty of Maharaja Vrsabhanu is even more
brilliant than the dynasty of Nanda Maharaja, because mahd-bhdva Herself has descended in it!
Maharaja Nanda's name and his family are certainly successful, because nandayati jagad iti:
"He who gives joy to the world, is named Nanda." Nanda Maharaja caught the Kr$na-bird in
the net of his own love and made the whole world most happy by making Him visible to their
eyes. But a life without love does not attract Krsna, Who is transcendental bliss personified,
therefore Maharaja Vrsabhanu gave Him PremalaksmT SrlmatT RadharanI, the goddess of love.
His name Vrsabhanu has thus become a success, vrsa means the astrological sign of Taurus
(April-May, a very hot time of the year in Vraja) and bhdnu means the sun. Maharaja
Vrsabhanu illuminates the cave-like hearts of all the people of the world with the sunrays of
his love! Who has a more glorious name and dynasty than him? SrlmatT Radha is the jewel of
that dynasty.
She is sydma kama vara sdntimanih, the jewel that instantly pacifies Syamasundara's
intensely burning lust, that leaves a poisonous scorching effect in his heart. In Sri Jayadeva's
Vasanta Rasa it was shown that apart from Sri Radha none of the Gopa Sundarls were able to
extinguish the poisonous fire of Rasika Siromani (Kr$na)'s lusty desires.
sata koti gopite nahe kama nirvdpana;

ihatei anumdni srT radhikdra gitna (C.C.)
"Billions of gopTs could not extinguish the fire of His lust; from this I can understand
Sr! Radhika’s glories."
On SrlmatT Radhika's mere sight or touch this vast Fire of lust is extinguished, sydma
kamavara means Syamasundara's greatest desire. This is not the desire of this material world,
which is base and is simply centered around personal sense gratification.
SrT Radhika is the nikunja bhusatnanih, the jewel of the bowers. The bowerhouses of
Vrndavana are the holiest places in existence, but when SrT Radha doesn’t appear in them, they
will die of misery. Our hero (Kr$na) will have an empty heart when He sees the empty bowers,
without Radha, and when He becomes agitated by feelings of separation from Her all the
moving and nonmoving beings of Vrndavana begin to weep along with Him. The darkness in
Syama's desperate heart will then also fill the bowerhouses, that thus lose all their beauty, as
soon as SrT Radha appears in the bowerhouse, She illuminates the cave-like hearts of Syama
and all the other moving and nonmoving beings that are present there. SrTpada knows all these
confidential pastimes, and therefore he calls SrT Radha nikunja bhuâmanih, the jewel
decorating the bowers.
Finally he says: "SrT Radha shines like a genuine gem in the jewel-boxes of our hearts!"
Just as nobody cares for a box without jewels, similarly a heart without the jewel-like Radhika
is empty. A great devotee of Radha can get that Radha-jewel in the box of his heart simply by
constantly remembering Her. Without Her, the hearts of these devotees are filled with
darkness, therefore SrTpada submits to SnmalTs lotusfeet: "May this glistening Radha-jewel
always illuminate the jewelboxes of our hearts!"
he prema pramodini, premamayi thdkurdni,

pranata janera cintamani
he vraja vildsini, giriguha grhinT,
varaja ndgari cuddmani
5 nl a Prabodhananda Sarasvati 67
"O delightful goddess of love! O Cintamani-jewel for the surrendered souls! O Enjoyer
of Vraja, housewife of the mountaincaves! 0 Crownjewel of Vraja's ladyloves!”
vraje maharaja khydta, nanda priya santa danta,

vrsabhdnu raja kulamani.
he syama sohag ini, syama-kanthe hemamani
kdmavara syama sdntimani
"O Jewel of the dynasty of king Vr§abhanu, the peaceful and wellbehaved friend of
Maharaja Nanda! O beloved of $yama! 0 golden locket around ^ySma's neck! O jewel that
pacifies Syama’s lusty desires!”
he kunja viharini, kunjesvan radharani,

nibhrta nikunja bhu?amani
sarasvati bole dhani, dmara TsvarT tumi,
hrdoya sampu\a mahdmani
”0 enjoyer in the bowers! O Radharani, queen of the groves! O jewel that decorates the
private bowers! Sarasvati says: You are my goddess and the great jewel in the box of my
heart!"
VERSE 28:
MANJU SVABHAVAM ADHl KALPALATA NIKUNJAM

VYANJANTAM ADBHVTA KRPA RASA PUNJAM EVA
PREMAMRTAMBUDHIM AGADHAM A VADHAM ETAM
RADHABHIDHAM DRUTAM UPASRAYA SADHU-CETAJJ
manju - lovely; svabhdvarn - nature; adhi - presiding; kalpalata - desirevine; nikurljam - arbour;
vyahjantam - reveals; adbhuta - wonderful; krpd - mercy; rasa - flavour; pufijam - abundance; eva -
only; prema - love; arnria - nectar; ambudhim - ocean; agadham - deep; avadham - unbridled; etarii -
this; radha - Radha; abhidharii - name; drutam - quickly; upafraya - take shelter; sadhu - saint; cetah -
mind.
O saintly mind! Quickly take shelter of sweet natured Radha, Who is like a grove
full of wishyielding vines, Who reveals a wonderful abundance of powerful rasika
compassion, and Who is a deep and unbridled nectar-ocean of love !
SWEET-NATURED SRl RADHA:
Commentary: In the previous verse 3flpada prayed in sadhakavesa to his most

coveted and beloved 3rl Radha to always illuminate the box of his heart as a shimmering
jewel. This prayer arises from his svarupa, hence it is so sweet. 3 rim at JTva GosvamT has
written: samprarthana anutpanna-bhdvasya. Idlasd tu jdta-bhdvasyeti bhedah (Durgama
Sang am am) "A devotee whose bhava has not yet awakened offers prayers and a devotee whose
bhava has awakened offers prayers full of yearning." 3npada dwells in the kingdom of
68 Sn-Sn Radii a Rasa Sudhanidlil
m ahdbhava , that is why his prayers are so full of yearning. Even in his external condition there
is a deep twanging of his status as Radha's maidservant. The nectar of Radha's lotusfeet is the
greatest support for the sadhakas. Those who have relished some nectar in their sddhana , be it
not much, may feel some want for 3ri Radha within the heart. The pangs of separation will be
felt and SvaminI's form, qualities and pastimes, as well as Her sounds and touch will be
experienced, in meditations, in dreams and in inner visions. These experiences will illuminate
the heart of the sadhaka with the light of hope. Those who arc siddha show clear signs of this
condition. The Gosvamls are nitya siddha parikaras , that is why they feel the pangs of
separation from Radha so urgently. The urge of Srlpada's heart can be understood through the
sweetness of his prayers.
In sddhakavesa Srlpada addresses his heart as follows: "O sadhu cetah (saintly heart)!
Quickly take shelter of the Supreme Truth named Radha!" a saintly heart is a heart that is
exclusively fixed in the beloved deity. Srlmat Jiva GosvamI said: "Those who give up all
cheating propensities, including liberation and surrender to the Lord’s devotional service, they
are sadhus. sadhubhih projjhita kaitavah moksa paryanta kamana rah itair ityarthah
(Bhagavata 9.4.46 Krama Sandarbha Vyakhya). §rlla Prabodhananda Sarasvatl, the blessed
author of this book, was first also a mukti-vadl, but by the boundless grace of Sriman
Mahaprabhu he was released from the grasp of the witch of the desire for liberation and began
to aim at Vraja-rara. Therefore it is very proper of him to address his heart as sadhu . He prods
his sadhu-htyaii to surrender to Sri Radha’s lotusfeet and to remain surrendered like this.
Surrender is the very life-force of devotion. When surrender is not nicely established within
the heart the Lord's lotusfeet cannot be worshipped. The devotee who desires devotion to God
surrenders exclusively to the lotusfeet of the Lord so that he can be released from the hands of
his many different anarthas (bad habits) and he can reach perfection in the loving service of
his beloved deity. Srlmat Jiva GosvamI has said: ananya-gatitvam ca dvidha darsyate.
asrayantasyabhdva kathanena, nati prajnaya kathaheid asritasyanyasya tyajanena ca (Bhakti
Sandarbha - 236) "Exclusive surrender reaches perfection in two ways: 1) Knowing no other
shelter than the lotusfeet of the Lord, that grant fearlessness and immortality 2) Although the
devotee had taken shelter of someone else, due to not being so wise (yet), he gives up that
shelter and takes exclusive shelter of the Supreme Lord anyway.” But the maidservants of 3rl
Radharanl cannot satisfy their hearts by simply being surrendered to the Lord's lotusfeet - they
are exclusively surrendered to 3rl Radha's lotusfeet. As a result of this surrender they will
attain the topmost perfection in relishing the variegated sweetness of the Lord's service. This
will be described in the proper places.
In this verse Srlpada gives some indications of the glories of this Supreme Truth named
Radha of whom he wants to take shelter. First of all he says that 5 n R5dha is rnahju svabhava:
She has a beautiful, charming nature. Towards Syamasundara, towards Her girlfriends,
towards Her maidservants, and towards all the people of the world. How sweet is Her
completely selfless love for Govinda! Lord Krsna says in Bhagavad Gita (9.29):
sam o’ham sarva bhutesu na me dveso'sti na priyah

ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya mayi te tesu capyaham
"I am equal in all living beings. I hate nobody and nobody is dear to Me, but he who
worships Me with devotion dwells in Me, and I dwell in them." In this way the Lord shows
how He is controlled by the love of His devotees. In the Gita, Krsna says that He bestows His
mercy according to the amount of the devotee's surrender: ye yathd mam prapadyante tarns
tathaiva bhajdmyaham (Gita 4.11), but sweetnatured Sri Radha gives love to the people of
the world without making any distinction! In this present age She has descended as Sn
Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Who accepted Her mood and complexion.
Srila Prabodhananda SarasvatX 69
adhikalpalata nikunjam means that Sri Radha is the wishyielding creeper of Vraja's
bowerhouses, fulfilling all the desires of Syamasundara and the devotees. One kalpalata can
fulfill all wishes, but Sri Radha is a bower full of such desire-vines, indiscriminately
showering the surrendered souls with streams of compassion. Srimad Bhagavata (10.38.22)
states:
na tasya kascid dayitah suhrttamo na cdpriyo dvesya upeksya eva vd
tathapi bhaktdn bhajate yathd tathd suradrumo yadvad upasrito'rthadah
"No one is dear to Krsna, no one is His dearest friend, no one is unwelcome, hateful or
treated with indifference by Him. Nevertheless He loves His devotees in the same way as they
love Him, just as a wish-yielding tree grants the desires of men only when approached by
them." The commentators on this Bhagavata-verse state that the kalpadruma tree is not
subservient to those who take shelter of him, but God is. Therefore the krsna-kalpadruma
gives much more, He even gives Himself to His devotee. $rimatl RadharanI's love for Her
devotees is even greater, therefore 3ripada says vyahjantam adbhuta krpd rasa punjam eva
"She reveals an abundance of wonderful mellows of mercy!" She is prema laksnii, bestowing
the topmost gift of love for Govinda. In the present age of quarrel She has appeared as
Gauracandra Mahaprabhu, Who showers torrents of prema like a golden cloud: hema jalada
kdya premadhara varisaya. Because He accepted 3ri Radha's mood, ^ rim an Mahaprabhu saw
His willpower overruled by the force of His compassion. This is confirmed by Sri Kavi
Karnapura in his 'Caitanya Candrodaya Natakam': yady api bhagavata icchadhmaiva karuna
tathapi karuna paratantratvahi tasyeti kadacit karunapi svatantra bhavatfti karunayd eva
sahayyena yad bhavati tad eva bhavisyatiti "Although God's mercy is dependent on His
willpower, still sometimes His compassion becomes so great that it may overwhelm His
willpower, which then becomes a mere assistent to the power of His grace.” ei dekhi
caitanyera krpd mahabala; tdra anusandhana vind koroye saphala (C.C.) "I see how powerful
Lord Caitanya’s mercy is! It becomes successful even without being aimed purposefully!"
Sri Radha is a deep and unbridled ocean of nectarean love (premdmrtambudhim

agadham avadham). Although that nectar flows eternally, the ocean never dries o u t Sri Radha
♦
is the shelter of all the innumerable devotees of Kr$na. The material oceans may dry up, but
the transcendental love-ocean named Radha is only increasing Her volume; not a single drop is
ever lost, therefore She is called agadha, or deep. In the material oceans there are dangerous
crocodiles and sharks, but in the nectarocean of Radha's love there are no crocodile and shark
like obstacles in the form of desires for personal enjoyment or liberation, and therefore this
ocean is called avadha, or unobstructed. 0 Saintly mind! Quickly take shelter of this Supreme
Personality named Radha!
Radhabhidha means: the holy name of Radha. O saintly mind! Take shelter of the holy
name of Radha! This holy name has an enchanting nature {mahju svabhava), and 3ri Radha
has directly descended in the form of the syllables of Her holy name, nam means 'to descend'.
This holy name will call down its bearer 3ri Radha to bring Her before anyone who sincerely
takes shelter of it. namayatiti nania. The holy name never gives up it's merciful nature, and
anyone who even once pronounces that sweet Radha-name cjm never give it up anymore,
rather, the devotee's desire to taste its nectar increases more and more! This holy name is a
grove full of desirevines (adhi kalpalata nikunjam), and it fulfills even all of Krsna’s desires.
The Brahma Vaivarla Purana states:
rd sabdoccaranad eva sphlto bhavati madhavah

dha sabdoccarata pascad dhavatyeva sasambhramah
70 Sii-^rl Radha Rasa Sudhunidlii
"When Madhava simply pronounces the syllable *ra', He blooms up with joy, and when
He simply hears the syllable 'dha' He blissfully runs after its pronouncer." Srlla Raghunatha
Dasa GosvamT praises the holy name of Radha as follows:
radheti ndma navel sundara sfdhu mugdharh krsneii tidma madhurddbhuta gadha dugdham
sarva ksatuuh surabhi rdga hirnena ramyarti krtvd tad eva piba me rasane k$udhdrie
"O tongue suffering from thirst! Take the charming fresh delicious nectar of Radha's
name and the amazingly sweet condensed milk of Krsna’s name, add the fragrant ice of pure
love and drink only that at every moment!’1 When a devotee takes full shelter of Sri Radha's
holy name he will surely attain Her most cherished service in the bowers of Vraja!
VERSE 29:
S R l RADHIKAM NIJA VITENA SAHALAPANTiM

SONADHARA PRASRMARA CCHABIMANJARIKAM
SINDURA SAMBALITA MAUKTIKA PANKTISOBHAM
YO BHAVAYED DASANA KUNDAVATIM SA DHANYAH
SrT radhikam - Radhika; nija - own; vifena - with the deceitful lover; saha - with; alapantim
- speaks; Sona - reddish; adhara - lips; prasrmara - streams; cchabi - luster; manjankdm - bud; sindura
- vermilion; sambalita - endowed with; mauktika - pearls; pankti - row; Sobhdrii - beauty; yah -
whoever; bhavayed - thinks of; da $ana - teeth; kundavatlrh - like Kunda-flowcrs; sa - he; dhanyah *
blessed.
Anyone who meditates on the sweet conversation between S n R adhika and H er

deceitful lover, in which the beauty that gushes from H er reddish sproutlike lips, the
sindura (vermilion) in H er p art that is beautified by a row of pearls, and H er teeth, that
are as white as Kunda-flowers, are seen, is fortunatel
SRI RADHA HAS TEETH LIKE KUNDA-FLOWERS:
Commentary: By SrlmatTs grace 3rlpada gels another transcendental vision. He sees

Sri Radhika sitting in a sweet bowerforest, being lovingly angry with Sri Kr$na, Whom She
left behind in the trystingbower. Just to please Her, Krsna sent a vita named Kadara to Her. A
vita is a helper of the hero, according to 'Ujjvala Ntlamani (Nayaka Sahaya)’:
vesopacdra kusalo dhurto gosthT visdradah

kamatantra kald vedi vita ityabhidhTyate
kadaro bhdratTbandhar ity adir vita Tritah
"A person who is expert in making dresses, who is bold, who is an expert talker, and
who knows all the arts of the kdma tantra is called a vita. The main vitas are named Kadara
• • «
and BharatTbandha." Kadara comes to Srimatl and reminds Her of the extraordinary ability of
Krsna’s flute in breaking Her pique, saying: "Radhe! Don't think that Syama is an ordinary
£ri1a Prabodhananda Saras vaa 71
boy! kala kridad vamsTsthagita jagati yauvata dhrtih: The unclear sounds of His flute destroy
the patience of all the young girls of the world! O Radhe! I pray to You with folded hands:
Don't give up Syamasundara! No doe-eyed girl in Vraja ever rejects my words!"
Radhika's anger is one of love, and when She hears Kadara's sweet romantic words She
smiles with satisfaction and gives up Her pique. How sweet are Her reddish lips then!
bimbosthe nava vidruma cchabi (verse 99) They are red like Bimba-cherries and shining fresh
coral. Even limitlcssly sweet and beautiful Krsna becomes very lusty when He sees Her.
sphurad arunadhara svadu sudhadhara krta hari manasa lobham (Sanglta Madhava). Her
moonlike smile showers nectar while She sweetly converses with Kadara. The maidservant is
enchanted by seeing all that beauty. The beautiful stripe of vermilion in SrlmatT's part looks
like the newly risen sun that makes friends with the dernse darkness of night. How beautiful is
the row of pearls on that part! It seems as if the stars were feeling cold and left their husband
the moon to take shelter of the red rising sun (the vermilion in Radha's part)! 3rlmatl is only
angry to please Kr$na. Only Her external form is angry, Her substance is most sweet; and the
substance is relishable, not the form! A snake made of sugar candy does not spit poison, rather
it is as sweet as sugar. Srlpada's heart is absorbed in ^fxmatTs beauty. Suddenly his
transcendental vision disappears, and, returning to his external consciousness and behaviour,
he says: "Anyone who meditates on Srlmatl Radhika's beautiful teeth, that shine like
Kundaflowers, is very fortunate!"
The word vita can also mean 'shameless, lusty cheater and womanizer'. How beautiful
3rimati looks when She converses with Her vita Sri Krsna! Srip ada in his kinkarT-fovm is
absorbed in her service and can hear Their sweet conversation. Each line of this verse clearly
describes how the ocean of SrlmatTs beauty swells when the moonlike face of Syamasundara
rises above it. The devotees should remember these sweet pastimes. Anyone who does so is
blessed indeed! The word dldpa used in the text means, according to 3rl Rupa GosvamT cdtu
priyoktir aldpah "The use of flattering loving words." Srlla CandT Dasa perfectly describes
^rlmatl’s flattering words in the following song:
bandhu! ki dra bolibo ami ?

jivane rnarane janame janame prdnandtha hoio tumi
totndra carane amara pardne bandhilo premera phdnsi
sab samarpiyd ekamana hoiyd niscaya hoildm dasT
bhaviyachilam e tina bhuvane dra mora keho ache;
radhd boli keho sudhaite ndi ddrabo kdhara kdche
e kule o kule dukule gokule dpana bolibo kdya
sTtala boliyd sarana loinu o dufi karnala paya
na thelaho chale abald akhale ye hoy ucita tora;
bhaviya dekhinu prdnandtha vine gati ye ndhiko mora
dnkhira nimise yadi ndhi dekhi tabe se pardne mari;
candTdasa kohe - parasa ratana galdya gdhthiyd pori
"Dear friend, what more shall I say? In life or in death, birth after birth, You are the
Lord of My heart! You have bound My heart to Your lotusfeet with the net of love. I have
completely surrendered Myself to Your service and I am determined to be Your maidservant. I
thought to Myself: Who else do I have in these three worlds? Nobody is asking about Radha.
With whom shall I stay? I will say that I belong to this family (My own family), that family
(My in-laws' family), or both these families in Gokula. Knowing them to be cool, I took shelter.
of Your lotusfeet! Don't kick Me or trick Me, I am a naive and weak girl! I have seen after due
72 §ri-6ri Radha Rasa Sudliankllii
deliberation that I have no other shelter than the Lord of My life! If My eyes don't see You for
even half a moment, then I will die!" CandT Dasa says: "I am wearing a touchstone that 1
bound around My neck!" One may ask: "Why should one try to flatter a deceitful womanizer?"
The experts say to this: "This kind of adultery is most relishable, and that is why the
extramarital relationship is accepted in Vraja." 3rl Vi£vanatha Cakravartlpada states in his
'Prema Samputa' (60):
prenm m budhir gunam ani khanir asya sdthya capalya jaihm yam akhilaih ramamyam eva
prem andm eva kila kamam ivahganasu sandarsayan svam udakarqayad eva yas tali
Sri Krsna, dressed as a goddess, tells Radha about Himself: "O Radhe! The prince of
Vraja is an ocean of love and a mine of jewellike qualities! His deceitfulness, naughtiness
and crookedness are all most enchanting! He makes His love appear like lust to the women to
make their love seem superior to His." If Krsna was not so deceitful, then the gopTs could
never show such rasika emotions like khandita, mana and kalahantaritd. It is therefore proper
for rasika sirom ani 5ri Radha to speak like that to Her deceitful hero.
Humbly Sripada thinks: "Alas! I am not qualified to see Radhika’s enchanting

Kundaflower-like teeth while She has a sweet conversation with Her deceitful lover, but
anyone who is able to see it, is certainly fortunate!"
nibhrta nikunja niajhe, rasam ayl rasaraje,

rasavese rasa ala pane,
rddhara adhara chata, dasana kaumudi ghatd,
rasaldpa ke kore varnane
"Whoever describes the tasty conversations of Rasamayl Radha and Rasaraja Kr§na in
the private bowers, the luster of Radha's teeth and the grandeur of Her teeth, that shine like
moonrays.... "
sindura sambalita, mukta pankti sobhayata,
yei hoye tdra garva mone.
heno radha sonadhara, kundadanta manohara,
kundavati ye kore dhydyane
".’...whoever proudly meditates on Sri Radha's part, that is beautified by a stripe of

vermilion and a row of pearls, on Radha's red lips, and Her beautiful teeth that shine like
Kundaflowers...."
e tina bhuvane bhai, tdhdra tuland nai,
dhanya tdra vildsa bhavana
prabodhanande koy, dhanya sei mahdsoy,
sukha sahga am dra prdrthand
".... O brother, there is no comparison to these items in all the three worlds! Blessed is
the meditation on such pastimes! Prabodhananda says: Blessed is that gentleman (who
meditates on this), and I pray for his blissful association!"
Srlla Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 73
VERSE 30:
PITARUNA CCHABIM AN ANT A TADILLATABHAM

PRAUDHANURAGA MADA VIHVAIA CARU MURTIM
PREMASPADAM VRAJA MAHIPATI TAN MAIIISYOR
GOVINDA VAN MANAS! TAM NIDADHAMJ RADHAM
pita - yellow; aruna - red; cchabim - luster; ananta - endless; tadid - lightning; lata - vine;
abham - splendour; praudha - advanced; anurdga - constant passion; mada - maddened; vihvala -
overwhelmed; earn - beautiful; murtih - form; prema - love; aspaddrii - abode; vraja mafupati - the
king of Vraja; tat - His; mahisya - of the queen; govindavat - like Govinda; manasi - in the mind; tarn -
her; nidhadhdmi - taking; radham - R5dha.
I place Sri Radhika, Whose effulgence is yellow and red like innum erable
lightning-vines, Whose beautiful form is overwhelmed by deep passion and W ho is loved
by the king and queen of Vraja, Nanda and Yasoda, as much as Govinda is, in my mind!
SRI RADHA IN NANDA'S ABODE:
Commentary: In the morning Sr! Radha is called by mother Yasoda to cook for Kr$na,
so She proceeds to Krsna's abode NandlSvara with Her girlfriends and Her maidservants.
3 rip ad a, in his kinkarT- form, follows Snmatl like Her shadow, holding a jug with water in her
hand. Because of a vow bestowed upon Her by Durvasa Muni, 3nmat! has become am rta pdni ,
nectar-handed. Whatever She cooks becomes as sweet and energising as nectar, and therefore
mother Yasoda, considering the welfare of her Gopala, orders Her every morning to come to
Her house to cook for Krsna. How beautifully Srlmatl walks there with Her girlfriends!
sundan sakhT sange koriche payana

ranga patam bare , jham palo sob tanu , kajare ujora nayana
dasanaka jyoti, rnoti naha samatula, hasaite khase tnani ja n i
kancana kirana, varana naha samatula, vacana jiniya pikavdnl
kat a p ad atala thala, kamala dalam na, m anjlra runu jhunu baje
govinda dasa kohe, ramani siromani, jita la m anam atha rdje
"Beautiful Radha walks along with Her girlfriends, wearing a colorful silk sari on Her
beautiful body and eyeliner on Her eyes. Pearls cannot compare to the splendour of Her teeth,
and jewels fall from Her mouth when She laughs. Golden rays cannot compare to Her bodily
complexion and Her voice defeats the songs of the cuckoos. Her footsoles and the palms of
Her hands resemble red lotuspctals and Her anklebells jingle. Govinda Dasa sings: 6rl
Radhika, the crownjewel of girls, defeated king Cupid!" When Radhika thus enters
Nandlsvara, 3yamasundara, who stands by the towngate, stares at Her without blinking.
Streams of sweetness gush out of SfimatTs beautiful limbs: pitaruna cchabim an an ta tadil
latdbham It is a mixture of yellow and red, that shines more brightly than innumerable
lightningstrikes. An ordinary lightningstrike gives pain to the eyes with its bright flashes, but
the effulgence of maha-bhdva is limitlessly sweet and pleasing to the eyes. ^rlmatTs body
becomes overwhelmed by symptoms of ecstasy when She sees Syamasundara standing by the
gate of Nandlsvara town {praudhdnurdga mada vihvala caru m urti), so She tells Her friends:
74 Si'I-£rI Radha Rasa Sudlianidhi
"Sakhi! I cannot walk on anymore! There are big pebbles on the road!" Her friends then giggle
and reply: "Sakhi! Are those pebbles on the road or in Your heart?" How beautiful is Her
body when ecstatic emotions like bashfulness, humility, ecstasy and desire meet in it! Syama is
absorbed in staring at this sweetness. Both of Them are now directly seeing the object of Their
meditations!
When Svaminl enters the house of Nanda Maharaja, mother YaSoda's heart blooms up
of joy. She rushes out to greet Srlmatl and firmly embraces Her with great motherly love.
Tears stream from her eyes when she kisses Radhika as if She is her young daughter-in-law.
Sri Radhika simply offers Her obeisances at her and Mother Rohints feet. Mother Yaiioda lifts
Svaminl up and embraces Her once more, smelling Her head, fondling and kissing Her again
and again. SrTpada says: "Yasoda loves Her as much as she loves Govinda." One of the 108
name Srfla Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami gave to Srlmatl is vrajendra grhinT kr$na prdya sneha
tiiketanam "She is the abode of love for the wife of the king of Vraja, just as Krsna is." Srimatl
melts because of mother YaSoda's motherly love and with faltering voice She says: "Ma! I am
yours!" Ma carresses SrimatTs head and blesses Her: "O moonfaced girl! May You live a
hundred years and may You always give joy to my eyes and my mind by coming to my
house!" Radhika's girlfriends and maidservants also offer their respects to mother's feet and are
treated by her with the same affection as Radhika. Sri Radha and Her entourage are thus
decorated with flowers from the wishyielding vine of mother YaSoda’s motherly love, after
3 rim at 1 cooked for Krsna, father Nanda also showers Her with as much parental affection as he
has for Krsna. Sripada humbly prays: "I will always carefully carry this Radha in my heart!"
VERSE 31:
NIRMAYA CARU MUKUTAM NAVA CANDRAKEtyA

GUNJABHIRARACITA HARAM UPAHARANTI
VRNDATAVI NAVA NIKUNJA GRHADHIDEVYAH
S R I r X d HIKE TAVA KADA BHAVITASMI DASl
nirmdya - making; earn - beautiful; mukutam - crown; nava -new; candrcikena - with
peacockfeather; gunjabhih - with gwrt/a-beads; aracita - strung; haram - necklace; upaharantT -
bringing;.vnidatavi - Vrndavana; nava - new; nikuiija - arbour; grha - house; adhi-devyah - of the
presiding goddess; lava - Your; kada - when; bhavita - become; asmi - 1; dasT - maidservant.
”0 Sri Radhike! You are the presiding goddess of the fresh bowerhouscs of
Vrndavana! When can I become Your maidservant and bring You a selfmade enchanting
crown of fresh peacock feathers and a string of giz/ya-beads ?
THE PRESIDING GODDESS OF THE NIKUNJA:
Commentary: Once, after Sri Radha and Krsna had made love, the maidservant enters
the kunja, and sees that Krona's peacockfeathers had fallen off and His pearl necklaces were
broken. Svaminl says: "Beautiful One (Sundara Krsna)! Just see what I've done to You! Just
wait, I'll dress You up again!", and goes out to pick some flowers to decorate Her Prananatha
with. Krsna fully submiLs Himself to SvaminI, who looks like the goddess presiding over the
kunja.
The maidservant hands SvaminI two sweet things: A string of guhja-bc'dds (berries of
mixed red and black colour) and a crown made of peacockfeathers. These items are not fit to
dress SvaminI with, they are meant to dress Her Pranapriya 3yama$undara with, and they are
just what SvaminI thought of. These dear things will be used for Syamasundara’s service. The
maidservant had entered Vrndavana to find fresh and very beautiful peacockfeathers and
gunjd- berries, and then she made a beautiful crown of the feathers and a beautiful wreath of
the berries, before bringing these wonderful items to SvaminI. When SvaminI sees that She
gets exactly the items that She thought of, She casts a merciful glance at Her maidservant. It is
as if the mercy gushes out through Her eyes! The maidservant feels herself very fortunate and
blessed, and SvaminI swims in oceans of bliss while She lovingly adorns Her Prananatha with
these sweet items. Suddenly the vision disappears from Srlpada, who then humbly prays: s rl
radhike tava kadd bhavitasm i dost] "3rl Radhike! When can I become Your maidservant?"
he rdi raja nandini! abhisara kori tumi,

naola nikuhja grhe yabe
sakhlra mandate dhani,
i * *
krsna kdnta siromani,
• • • • r
dekhibo ki kunjadevT rupe ?
"O Princess Rai! O crownjewel of Krsna's lovers! When can I see You as a bower-
goddess when You go out to meet Krsna in a fresh bowerhouse, surrounded by Your
girlfriends?"
sikhi piheha nava candre, mukuta koriya chande,
gunjamald koribo racand
nava nagarendra vare , sdjdite tuya kare,
kobe dibo krsna priyatam d
"I will fashion a crown of fresh peacockfeathers and make a string of gunja- berries. O
best of young ladyloves! O Krsna's dearmost beloved! When will I hand these things to You?"
piheha cuda gunjd hara, syama yogya up ah d r a,

sevara samagrT darasane
param a ananda mane, cahiya dm ara pane,
dasT kori rakhibe carane
"These peacockfeather-crowns and gunjd- necklaces are suitable for 3yama's

decoration! When will You look at me with a most blissful mind after seeing these items of my
service, and keep me at Your feet as a maidservant?"
ei vcinchd krpa kori, p u m a koro m ad TsvarT,

ap ara karundmayT nam a
prabodhanandera vatu, vrnddtavT kunjaranl,
ddsydmrta more koro das a
"O My most merciful levari! Please fulfill this desire! Prabodhananda says: O Queen of
Vrndavana's bowers! Please give me the nectar of Your service!"
76 SrI-SiT Uudha Rasa Sudhaiudhi
VERSE 32:
SANK ETA KUNJAM ANU FALLA VAM ASTARITUM

TAT TATFRASADAM ABHITAHKHALU SAMVARlTUM
TVAM SYAMACANDRAM AB HI SARA YITUM DHRTASE
SRI RADIIIKE MAYI VIDHEIIIKRFA KATA K$AM
sahketa - trysting; kunjam - arbour; arm pallavam - each leaf; astanturii - spreading out; tat tat
- that; prasadam - mercy; abhitah - near; khalu - certainly; samvaritum - accepting; tvam - You; syama
can dram - Kr?na, the blue moon; abhiscirayitum - going out to meet; dhrta - holding; ase - desire; tnayi
- in me; vidhehi - place; krpd - merciful; kataksam - glance.
O Sri Radii ike! I want to arrange Your meeting with moonlike Syama and make a
bed for You in the trystingbower. I want Your and Krona’s mercy, please cast a merciful
glance on me!
SRI RADHA’S MERCIFUL GLANCE:
Commentary: 3nmatl eagerly arrives in the bower where She had an appointment
with Syama. On SrTmatTs indication the maidservant made a blissful bed of fresh sprouts in the
bowerhouse, but until now Syamasundara did not show up I Srlmatl becomes anxious. Seeing
SvaminTs anxiety, the kinkarT goes to look for Syamasundara. Krsna is also overwhelmed by
feelings of separation from Radha and has lost the way to the trystingbower. Then the wind
carries Radha’s fragrance into His nostrils. Syama regains consciousness and starts to follows
it. The maidservant sees the anxious Nagara from a distance and she feels very happy when she
sees how eager He is to meet her SvaminT. She can see His eagerness on His face and in His
eyes. Suddenly Nagara's searching glance falls on our maidservant, and hope brightens up His
heart once more. With blooming heart He approaches her and says: "Sakhi! Where is your
goddess? I've lost the way to the trystingbower, and I'm very eager to see Her! I'm looking
everywhere for Her! Take Me to Her, wherever She is!” Nagara's anxiety is clearly visible on
His face and in His eyes. The maidservant likes to see Him a little bit more anxious, so she
says: "0 King of lovers! Today Your hope is in vain! Nagaramani is staying at home today!"
Anxious Nagara asks: "Will She not come into the forest today?" Maidservant: "Today Her
superiors engaged Her in housework! Jatila saw Radhika churning water instead of curd, and
she thought that She did that because She was overwhelmed with love for You, so she
chastised Her and kept Her at home for today!" Krsna: "But sakhi, I just caught the fragrance
of Her limbs!" Maidservant: "O Nagarendra! That’s not Her bodily fragrance, that is my
fragrance! 1 am wearing one of SvaminTs leftover garments that still carries Her fragrance!
That’s what You're smelling!" Nagara believes the maidservant's words and desperately says:
"Alas! Will My cloud-like heart not be illuminated by the Radha-lightning today?" Seeing
Nagara's heart filled with the darkness of despair, the maidservant compassionately sheds
some light on it by consoling Him. That is the greatness of Radhika’s maidservants! They must
give bliss to Krsna, Who is bliss personified! They are the instruments in mahd bhciva's hands.
After consoling Syama the maidservant brings Him to 3rImatTs kanja, where SrTmalT is
also overjoyed by smelling Syama’s fragrance. She praises the wind, saying: "O Gandhavaha
(carrier of scents)! What austerities did you perform to be able to touch the most precious
I
Srila PrabodhSnanda Sarasvau 77
fragrance of £rl Gokulacandra's beautiful limbs? I would also have performed such austerities
if I knew that I would attain such great fortune through it!" Sfila Rupa GosvamI writes in
’Ujjvala NTlamani':
p arasp ara vafibhavah prenia vaicittyakath tatha
aprdninyapi janm aptyai lalasabhara unnatah
"One of the signs of anuraga is that the lover so strongly desires to meet the beloved,
that he/she is willing to take birth even as a dead object." The maidservant has accomplished
the meeting of the eager Couple. Srlmatl is most pleased with her service and feels that She
should give her some reward. 3yamasundara lovingly puts some of His chewed betelnuts in
Radha's mouth, but 3iimatl makes a dirty face and says: "Yek! I will not eat the remnants of a
lusty boy who kisses hundreds of different girls!", and spits the remnants out on a leaf that is
lying outside of the bowerhouse. That is Her delicious reward for Her maidservant! ta t tat
p rasad am abhitah.
Another meaning of the word prasada in the text is: An order to do some service. The
divine Couple may lovingly order the maidservant to do some service, ajnaya dniyd kobe
vividha phulavara, vacana sunabo duhun tnithi (Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura) "On Their order
I will bring different excellent flowers, and I will hear Their sweet words." In the line sanketa
kunjam anupallavam , the word anu means: ’in every kunja'. The playbed is crushed, and
Srlmatl tells Her maidservant with a wink from Her eyes: "Make a new playbed in the grove!",
so on Svamirifs order the maidservant makes a new bed in the kunja with tender sprouts, in
this way the rasika Couple wanders from kunja to kunja , playing freely like a pair of
elephants, and the maidservant is blessed with serving Them wherever and whenever it is
required, while she can witness Their sweet pastimes at the same time. Now the vision
disappears and 3npada laments: "I am sitting here, desiring such services, please make the tree
of my desires bear fruits! O Radhe! Without Your mercy, the tree of my desires cannot bear
fruits! Therefore: srT radhike! mayi vidhehi krpa kafakjam "&T Radhike! Cast Your merciful
glance on me!"
m
VERSE 33:
DURAD APASYA SVAJANAN SVKHAM ARTHA KOTIM

SARVE$U SADHANA VARE?U CIRAM NlRA§AH
VAR$ANTAM EVA SAHAJADBHUTA SAUKHYA DHARAM
* $RI RADHIKA CARANA RENUM AH AM SMARAMI
• •
durad - from afar; apasya - giving up; sva - own; janan - people; sukham - joy; artha -
purposes; kotith - millions; sarvesu - in all; sddhana - practises; varesu - in the best; cirafa - forever;
niraSah - free from desire; varsantam - showering; eva - only; sahaja - natural; adbhuta - wonderful;
saukhya - of joy; dhararii - stream; carana - feet; renum - dust; aharii - 1; smarami - remember.I
I remember SrT Radhika's footdust, that showers torrents of natural, wonderful

bliss, and for which I gave up my friends and relatives, the best spiritual practises and all
desires for wealth and other personal happiness forever.
78 Sri-Sn Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
REMEMBERING SRi RADHA'S FOOTDUST:
Commentary: According to £rl Rupa GosvamI one of the symptoms of a bhava or rati
-devotee is that he is bound by firm hope. SrTpada Prabodhananda Sarasvatl lives in the
kingdom of tnaha bhava y so we cannot even imagine how strong his hopes are! Uddhava tells
SrT Krsna in $rlmad Bhagavata (3.4.15):
ko nv Tsa te p ad a saroja bhajarii sudurlabho'rtheyu catursvapTha

tathapi ndham pravm om i bhutnan bhavat paddm bhoja ni$evanotsukah
"O Lord! None of the four goals of human life (religiosity, economic development,
sense gratification and liberation) are difficult to attain by those who serve Your lotusfeet, but
nevertheless I do not desire them, for I am eager simply to serve Your lotusfeet!" This is the
nature of 3rl Kr$na's devotees, but Snpada Prabodhananda is a maidservant of 3rlmatl
Radharanl: he does not even desire Govinda’s service, what to speak of any other kind of
fulfillment! In this verse Srlpada says: var$antam eva sahajadbhuta saukhyadhararii sri
radhika carana renum aham smarami "I remember the lotusfeet of 3rl Radhika, that showers
torrents of natural, wonderful bliss." It is sahaja (natural), because there is not a whiff of
prowess or majesty (aisvarya ) in it. It is purely sweet. And adbhuta (amazing) does not mean
in a frightening way, but in such a blissful way that it causes a thrill. Then the spiritual world
is sweet, the material world is sweet, Govinda is sweet and £rl Radha is sw eet m adhura hoite
sum adhura, taha hoite sum adhura / taha. hoite ati m adhura apanara eka kana , vyape sab
tribhuvane , das a dike bohe yarn p u ra (Caitanya Caritamjta) "Krsna is sweeter than sweet, and
even sweeter than that, and even more sweet than that A single drop of that sweetness
pervades all the three worlds, flowing in all ten directions." An inquisitive person once asked a
great saint: "I have taken the footdust of many great souls upon my body, but still I did not
attain love for God!" The great saint slightly smiled and said: "You may have smeared that
dust on your body, but you should also smear some of it on your mind and on your heart!"
3rlpada Prabodhananda did the right thing, for he writes: sm aram i "I remember 6ri Radhika’s
footdust". Another meaning of smarami may be that Sripada vows to remember Radhika’s
footdust, or Her loving service, because he can not attain it directly. That is the best spiritual
practise.
VERSE 34:
VRNDATAVlp r a k a t a m a n m a t h a k o j i m u r t e h
KASYAPIGOKULA KISORA NI&AKARASYA
SARVASVA SAMPUJAMIVA STANA $ATAKUMBHA
KUMBHADVAYAM SMARA MANO VR$ABHANU-PUTRYA
vniddtavi - Vrndavana; prakata - manifest; manmatha - Cupid; koti - millions; murteh - of the
form; kasya - whose; api - even; gokula kifora - adolescent boy of Gokula; nisakarasya - of the moon;
sarvasva - containing everything; samputam - basket; iva - just like; stana - breasts; Satakumbha -
golden; kumbha - jugs; dvayarii - couple; smara - remember, mono - mind; vrsabhanu putrydh - of
Vr§abhanu's daughter.
Srfla PrabodhSnanda Sarasvatl 79
O mind! Remember the golden jug-like breasts of the daughter of Vr$abhanu,

that are the baskets containing everything for some moonlike adolescent boy of Gokula,
who shines in Vrndavana like millions of Cupids!
THE BASKETS THAT HAVE EVERYTHING FOR SRI K£§NA:
Commentary: How beautiful are Vrndavana's groves at the end of night! The divine
Couple lies sleeping in a bowertemple, tied in a firm embrace. Their maidservants wake up and
prepare their services, collecting their paraphernalia and admiring the matchless beauty of the
divine couple through the bower's latticed windows. On Vrnda's indication different parrots
begin to awaken the Couple by softly singing sweet verses. Slowly the divine Couple wakes up
and sits up in the bed, that seems to be keeping all the beauty of all the three worlds together.
How sweet and beautiful They look when They yawn! Their clothes and ornaments are
loosened and Their faces are as beautiful as opening lotusflowers at sunrise. One maidservant
hands them a glass of nectardrink to remove Their drowsiness, other maidservants wash Their
faces with scented water, others dry off Their faces, and others offer Them fresh betelleaves.
A jewelled lamp is burning. Srimatl orders Syamasundara: "Quickly dress Me, before My
girlfriends come here and ridicule Me!" Syama blissfully begins to dress His Priyajl. The
maidservants bring Him all the necessary items. Hari smears Rai’s body with vermilion, makes
tilaka on Her forehead, puts sindiira in Her part, braids Her hair and carefully draws pictures
of musk on Her breasts. Just then, REdhika’s girlfriends enter the bower, giggling and covering
their mouths with their veils. Krsna shamelessly begins to tell them about His previous night's
enjoyment with Radhika, making Radhika blush of embarrassment, radha sahge yada bhdti
tadd Tnadana mohanah / anyathd visvamoho'pi svayarii madana mohitah (Govinda Lllamrta
8.32) "Krsna enchants even Cupid when He is with Radha, but when He is without Her, He is
Himself enchanted by Cupid, although He enchants the whole world!" SnpEda Lllasuka writes
in 'Kr$na Karnamrta (3)':
cdturyaika niddna\m a capalapanga cchatd mantharam

lavanydmrta vlci lolita drsam lakjnu kataksadrtam
kalindlpulinangana pranayinaih kdmavatdrahkuram
bdlam nllam anu vayam madhurima svdrajyamdrddh numah
"We worship an adolescent boy of bluish complexion, Who is the limit of cleverness,
Who slows down Sri Radha with the luster of His restless eyes, that are swaying on the waves
of nectarean beauty, Who is honoured by the glances of the goddess of fortune, Who is loved
by the girls on the bank of the Yamuna, Who is the seed of all the descensions of Cupid and
Who is the emperor of sweetness." SrlpEda Krsna dasa KavirSja GosvamI writes in his Sarahga
Rahgada commentary on this verse: "The youthful transcendental Cupid of Vrndavana,
Syamasundara, is the root cause of all mundane and transcendental Cupids, Who is worshipped
in the Vedas by the Kama-gayatri mantra with the kdma bfja. He attracts all creatures in this
world and He is the limitless ocean of natural nectarean sweetness and beauty, always residing
in VrndEvana as Sfiman Madana Gopala." This transcendental youthful Cupid now
passionately draws pictures of musk on RadhikS’s golden jug-like breeasts, that are like
baskets that contain everything for Him, even His very life! A person who has a male bodily
consciousness, though, cannot enter into such confidential pastimes. Sri Jiva GosvamI says:
tatrdpi parama srestha srT radha sambalita Ulamaya tad bhajanam tu paramatamam eveti
svatah sidhyatu kintu rahasyallld tu paurusa vikdravad indriyaibt. pitr putra dasa bhavais ca
80 £ri-$ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidtii
nopasya svlya bhava virodhat (Bhakti Sandarbha 338 anu) "The highest subject of meditation
is the pastimes of Sri Radha and the playful Sri Kr$na. But those who feel masculine sensual
transformations or who are in the mood of father, son, or servant cannot practise this upasana.
It contradicts their own mood." One's mind must be melting with devotional mellows and not
be contaminated by lusty desires. One should think of oneself as a transcendental young girl of
twelve or thirteen years old, and then one can blissfully meditate on Sri Radhika’s breasts.
The name gokula nisdkara in the text means that Krsna's .senses (,gokula) are absorbed
in Radharanl. One of the 108 names Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvaml gave to Sri Radhika is:
vraja candrendriya grama visrama vidhu-fdlika "She is the restingplace (vidhu-salika) for the
senses of the moon of Vraja (Sri Krsna)". Unhindered, Krsna continues drawing muskpictures
on Radhika's firm breasts, while boldly telling Her girlfriends about His nocturnal enjoyments
with Her, causing Radhika to lower Her head in shame, kumbhadvayath smara mano
vr$abhanu putrydh "O Mind! Remember the golden juglike breasts of Vrsabhanu's daughter"
Remembrance of- these pastimes, chanting the holy name in sanklrtana and living in Vraja are
the most important items for the raganugd sadhaka.
VERSE 35:
SANDRANURAGA RASA SARA SARAIf SAROJAM

KIM VA DVIDHA MUKULITAM MUKHA CANDRABHASA
TANNUTANA STANAYUGAM VR$ABHANUJAYA1f
SVANANDA SIDHU MAKARANDA GHANAM SMARAMI
sdndra - deep; anuraga - passion; rasa - flavour; sdra - essence; sarah - lake; sarojam - lotus;
kimvd - or; dvidhd - twofold; mukulitafn - budded; mukha - face; candra - moon; bhasd - light; tad -
her; nutana - new; stana - breast; yugarii - couple; vrsabhanu-jayah - of Vr$abhanu's daughter; sva -
own; dnanda - bliss; si dim - nectar; makaranda - honey; ghanarii - cloud; smardmi - 1 remember.
I remember the youthful breasts of Vrsabhanu's daughter, that are like

lotusflowers in a lake of deep passionate rasa that have been divided into two buds by the
illumination of Her moonlike face and that resemble clouds filled with the nectarhoney of
Her own bliss.
A LOTUS IN A LAKE OF PASSION:
Commentary: One day Sri-Sri Radha-Syama are enjoying in a garden on the bank of
the Yamuna. None of Their girlfriends are around, so They can freely enjoy. 3ripada is there
alone with Them as a dedicated maidservant. Tired of iovemaking, the divine Couple sits on a
jewelled staircase that leads down to the Yamuna, Their golden and bluish splendour
illuminating both banks of the river. For the divine Pair's pleasure the Yamuna has made her
water and her shores very beautiful. Blissful swans are gliding over the glistening blackish
water between the different colored lotusflowers, and the wind carries some cool drops of
water inside the bowcrhouse to mitigate Radha and Krona's heated fatigue. Cuckoos sing in the
fifth note and peacocks are dancing on the shore. While having a romantic talk with Him,
Sflla Prabodhananda Saras vatl 81
SvaminT looks at 3yama's face and sees that His tilaka has been half wiped out during the
erotic battle, so She wants to brighten up His forehead once more. The maidservant
understands SvaminT's mind and brings a jewelled plate with haritala- pigment and a brush.
SvaminT becomes absorbed in making Krsna's tilaka . She frowns Her eyebrows of sheer
concentration with each drop that She paints on His forehead. When Syama sees SvaminT's
deep absorption He smiles slightly and suddenly throws the cup with haritala into the deep
Yamuna-water. SvaminT is surprised and says: "Oh! What did You do?" There are still about
four more spots to be put on. The maidservant says: "Radhe! There's no more h aritala left
over!" With great love SvaminT then lifts Her blouse, takes some of the haritala from Her
breasts with which pictures of dolphins were made on them, and finishes painting Krsna's
tilaka] In this way both 3yamasundara and the maidservant are blessed with seeing SrT
Radhika's marvellous breasts.
It is not possible for honey to ooze out of buds, but these amazing golden lotusbuds are
full of the nectarhoney of svananda, personal bliss. This honey is cool, intoxicating and
delicious like nectar. The gopTs, headed by £fl Radhika, are never after their personal
happiness, so the word sva means Krsna, Her {sva) beloved. The word ghana means 'cloud'.
This cloud is showering Krsna with torrents of nectarhoney to soothe His burning feelings of
separation. Then, when this transcendental vision vision disappears, 3npada prays "I remember
the newly grown golden lotusbud-like breasts of SrT Radha."
nava anuraga ghana, rasa sare paripurna,

radhara h r day a sarovare
sondra saroja dala, parim ale tjhala (ihala,
t
satadala satna sobha kore
"The lake of Radha's heart is filled with the quintessence of the rasa of fresh passion, in
which a fragrant golden hundred-petaled lotus beautifully shines."
ei niaha mahojjvala, praphulla saroja dala,

rdi mukhacandra candrikaya .
dvidha niukulita yeno, kaniala koraka sama,
du'ti stanarupe sobha pay
"This very effulgent blooming lotus is as if divided into two by the rays emanating
from Rai's lotusface, and now looks as beautiful as two lotusbud-like breasts."
athava svananda sidhu, m akarande puna sudhu,

miirta rupe nava stanadvaya
m onera sm arana prana, vaksoja yugala dhania,
sripada prabodhanandete koy
"Or these two breasts are filled with the nectarhoney of Her own bliss. 3rTpada
Prabodhananda says: "My mind thrives on the remembrance of this double abode of SrT
Radhika's breasts!"
82 $rI-Sn Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
KRlDA-SARAH KANAKA PANKAJA KUTMAlAYA

SVANANDA PURINA RASA KALPATAROH PHALAYA
TASMA1NAMO BHU VANA MOHANA MOHANAY A
$RlRADHIKE TAVA NAVA STANAMANDALAYA
krida - pastimes; sarah - lake; kanaka - golden; pankaja - lotus; kutmaldya - bud; sva - own;
ananda - bliss; puma - full; rasa - flavour; kalpataroh - of the desiretree; phaldya - the fruit; tasmai -
unto her; natnah - obeisances; bhuvana - world; rnohana - enchanter; mohandya - unto the enchanter;
in radhike - O Sri Radhika! tava - Your; nova - fresh; stana - breasts; mandaldya - circles
O S ri Radhike! I offer my obeisances to Your young breasts, that enchant the

w orld-enchanter Kr§na, th at are the ripened fruits of the wishyielding tree of blissful
rasa and that are like golden lotusbuds growing in a pond of pastimes.
TH E FRUITS OF THE DESIRETREE OF RASA :
Commentary: The divine Couple is enjoying in a secret bower on the bank of the
Yamuna, and the maidservant sticks to Sri Radha like Her shadow. Krsna freely enjoys the
sweetness of Her limbs. Only one thing can subdue Him: Sri Radha's endless beauty! Srlpada
says in Sanglta Madhava: sri vrndavana candra durtnada rnanas caurim kiforTrii smara "O
mind! Remember that Ki$orI, adolescent Radha, Who steals the uncontrollable mind of the
moon of Sri Vrndavana (£ri Kr^na)!1' The maidservant understands that the Divine Couple is
eager for loveplay, so she leaves the bower and looks inside through the holes of the foliage to
relish the sweetness of Their pastimes. She sees that Radhika's breasts resemble golden
lotusflowers growing in a pond of pastimes. Golden lotusflowers increase the beauty of a pond,
and 3rl Radha's golden budlike breasts increase the topmost beauty of Sri Kr$na’s pond of
pastimes. Nobody else but the sakhJs and manjaris know about these secrets. While the ecstasy
of the pastimes increases, the maidservants understand that Sri Radha's budlike breasts are the
fruits of the desiretree of rasa and self-bliss (svananda purria rasa kalpataroh phaldya). Self
bliss means the fulfillment of Sri Krsna’s erotic desires. These fruits are tasting delicious to
Syamasundara and they are completely enchanting Him, Who is Himself the enchanter of the
world. The world is mad after Kr$na's form, qualities and pastimes, and rupa dekhi apanara,
krsnera hoy camatkara, asvadite motie ufhe kama (C.C.) "Even Kr$na is astonished when sees
His own form, and He gets the desire to taste its sweetness H im self. Even inert creatures are
enchanted by His form: trailokya saubhagatti idam ca nirlksya rupam yad go dvija druma
mrgaf} pulakdnyavibhran (Bhagavata 10.29.40) "All the three worlds are enchanted by seeing
Kr§na's form, and the hairs of the cows, birds, trees and deer are all standing up of ecstasy!"
But the globes of Sri Radha's breasts are enchanting even Krsna! Sripada says: "I offer my
obeisances to those breasts, that enchant even bhuvana rnohana, the worldenchanter Krsna!"
VERSE 37:
PA TRA VA UM RA CA YITUM KUCA YOH KAPOLE

BADDHUM VICITRA KAVARIM NAVA MALLIKABHJH
ANGAM CA liHU?A YITUM ABHARAN AIR DHRTA$E

SR} RADHIKE MA YI VIDHEHIKRPA VALOKAM
patravalTrii - row o f leaves; racayitum - m aking; kucayoh - on file breasts; kapole - o n the
cheek; baddhurfi - b in d in g ; vicitra - w onderful; kavaririi - braid; nova - fresh; mallikdbhih - w ith
ja sm in e flow ers; ahgarii - body; ca - and; bhu$ayitum - decorating; abharanaih - w ith o rn am en ts; dhrta
- h o ld in g ; a$e - hope; mayi - in me; vidhehi - do; krpd - m erciful; avalokam - glance.
O Sn Radhike! I want to draw pictures of leaves on Your cheeks and breasts,

weave a garland of Jasmine-flowers in Your braid and adorn Your body with different
ornaments. Please cast a merciful glance on me!
DESIRE FOR SERVICE:
Commentary: In Srimad Bhagavata it is described that when Uddhava came to Vraja,

he entered into the assembly of gopTs, where they privately inquired about Krsna from him:
rahasya prcchdt (Bhag. 10.47.3). It is natural to ask: "How can you speak of privacy when
there arc millions of gopTs around?" In the Vai$nava To$anT-commentary it is said: rahasi
vijatiya bhdvagocare "It was not perceivable by people that had another mood towards Kr$na".
This is why the rdganugd devotees can only share such confidential with eachother, not with
devotees that have another mood.
After RSdha and Kr$na had made love with Eachother, Srlmatl tells Nagara: "Quickly
dress Me before My girlfriends come here and ridicule Me!" Nagara Sekhara is overwhelmed
when He sees Radhika’s sweetness. He tries to draw pictures of leaves on Her breasts with a
fragrant fluid, but His hands slacken and the hairs on His body stand up in ecstasy. Seeing
Syama's condition, Nagan-mani tells Her maidservant: "Quickly dress Me! My lover is out of
His mind! He cannot do it anymore!" The maidservant then gently pushes Kr$na away and
says: "Move up! You can't do it!" Nagara thinks: "Alas! How unqualified I am! I would be
blessed if I could attain the fortunate position of those maidservants!" The maidservant
expertly draws pictures of rows of leaves on Nagarlmani's breasts and cheeks, while Nagara
witnesses the maidservant's expertise in astonishment The maidservant ordens Svamini's
loosened-hair and weaves it into a braid along with a garland of fresh jasmines, and then She
decorates Srlmati's limbs with different ornaments. Seeing the maidservant's expertise, £yama
gets a strong desire also to attain such service. In the age of Kali He fulfilled this desire by
descending as Gaura and meditating on the nikufija Ifla of £rl-6rl Radha Madhava in His room
in Jagannatha Puri known as the Gambhlra. At that time, according to 'Caitanya Caritamrta',
He experienced the mood of the manjarls when the divine Couple's girlfriends asked Him to
pick flowers for them (see Antya lUa chapter 14), and when He watched the waterpastimes of
the divine Couple on the Yamuna's shore (Antya ch.18).
he radhe! raja nandini, gandharvika thakurdni,

kr$namayi krsna priyatama
nibhrta nikunje kobe, du'ti ganda kucayuge,
patravall koribo racana
84 S n -£n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
"O Princess Radhe! O Angelic goddess! O girl Who is full of Krsna! O Krona's
dearmost beloved! When can I paint rows of leaves on Your cheeks and breasts in a secret
bower?"
he cam candrdnane, navTna mallika dame,
bandhibo ki vicitra kabarl?
ahge ahge sayatane, ndnd ratna abharaye,
alahkrta koribo kisorT
9
”0 beautiful moonfaced girl! O Kisori! When will I weave a fresh garland of jasmines
in Your wonderful braid and carefully adorn Your limbs with different jewelled ornaments?"
bhusita koriyd ahga, bhusana bhu$ana ahga,

koto dine koribo darsane
bhane srTprabodhananda, he bhanukula canda,
krpa dithe caho mora pane
"When can I see Your decorated body, which is itself the ornament of ornaments? Sri
Prabodhananda says: "O moon of Vrsabhanu's dynasty! Please cast a merciful glance on me!"
VERSE 38:
SYAMETISUNDARA VARETIMANOHARETI
KANDARPA KOJI LAUTETl SUNAGARETI
SOTKANTHAM AHNIGRNATIMUHUR AKULAK
SA RADHIKA MAY IKADA NU BHAVET PRASANNA
§yama - S y am a; iti - thus; sundara - beautiful; vara - best; iti - thus; manohara - enchanter; iti -
th u s; katidarpa - C u p id ; koti - m illions; lalita - lovely; iti - thus; sunagara - g o o d lover; iti - thus; sa -
w ith ; utkantham - eagerness; ahni - the day; gniatT - passes; muhuh - repeatedly; akula - eag erly ; ak$T -
ey es; sa - She; radhika- Radhika; mayi- w ith m e; kada nu - w hen; bhavet - w ill be; prasaruia - pleased.
When will that Radhika, Who passes Her day constantly lamenting for Her lover
with anxious eyes, saying; "O Syama! O most beautiful One! O enchanter of My mind! O
You Who are as lovely as millions of Cupids! O Good lover!*1, ever be pleased with me?
ANXIOUS SRI RADHA:
Commentary; Once Sri Radhika anxiously escapes from Her house at noontime to
meet Krsna. The blazing sun has made the sand under Her tender lotusfeet burning hot, but no
obstacle can stop Rasavati Rai from meeting Her beloved Hari! SrTmati forgets everything out
of Her strong desire to please 6yama, but when She comes to the trystingbower She finds out
that Syama has not arrived yet The longer SvaminT waits, the more impatient She becomes!
With anxious eyes (akuldkst) She looks down the road for Hari to come. All the eagerness, in
Her heart to see Syamasundara has now taken shelter of Her eyes. While She anxiously looks
out for Syama to come, She remembers His form, His qualities and His pastimes, and sings: "O
3yama! Vrndavana is illuminated by the bluish luster of Your body, that shines like a fresh
raincloud! Who will not be enchanted by Your sweet luster, that enchants all the three worlds?
Which housewife will not lose Her patience and become mad about Your sweetness? O
Syamala! If I don’t see You I will die! Please save My life by showing Yourself to Me!" The
maidservant consoles 5rimatl, saying: "O RSdhe! Keep calm! Your heart's lover will come
right now!", but alas! What is the way to console Her burning heart? SrlmatT says: "O
Sundara! O beautiful One! My life is leaving Me because I cannot relish the sweetness of Your
beauty! My eyes are very eager to lick the nectar of Your sweetness! How can I stay calm
without seeing You? Oho! My maidservant did not understand My state of mind!"
any era ye duhka rnone, anya taha ndhi jane,

satya ei sdstrera vicara;
anya jan a kaha likhi, ndhi ja n e pranasakhi,
yate kohe dhairya dharibdre
"The scriptures speak the truth when they say that another person can never understand
the misery on another person's mind. What to speak of others, even My own girlfriends, that
try to console Me, cannot understand My sorrow!" £ri Radhika thrives on serving Kr$na.
Without serving Him, She suffers intolerable pain. She slowly goes mad and has a vision of
Krsna, Who tells Her: "O beloved One! Why are You sad? See, here I am! Where should I go
without You? You are My everything in life!" SrlmatT thinks: "This womanizer is coming from
Candravali's kuhja and now He's flattering Me!" Thus She takes the mood of a dhira m dnavati
(calm, but offended girl) and says: "O Manohara! You steal the hearts of all the girls of the
world, that is why You have to fulfill the desires of them all! All the beautiful girls of Vraja
want to have You, I'm not the only One! Go and fulfill the desires of all these girls!"
tvarh cumbako'si madhava loham aylnunarn ahgand ja tih

dhavati tatas tato'sau yato yatah krlfaya bhram asi
(Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu 2.1.168)
"O Madhava! You are a magnet and the girls are iron, therefore wherever You go to
play, they will run in that direction!" "Therefore, what is Your fault? That’s simply Your
nature!" This is called sollunfha vakya, or light sarcastic words used by a dhira mdnavati.
It is as if Madhava says: "O Manini! Why are You needlessly angry? I did not go
anywhere! I am always with You! Don't suffer from such needless anger! Give up Your anger!
I did nothing wrong! Be pleased with Me!" Hearing these words, Radhika becomes jealous and
accepts the mood of a dhira dhira mdnavati, saying: kandarpa koti laliteti "You are as elegant
as millions of Cupids!" srh g d rap racu ra cesfa yatra tdhi lalitam viduh "Lalita means that many
erotic gestures are shown" (B.R.S. 2.1.267). "All the V t^-g o p T s are under the spell of Your
form, that charms millions of Cupids! Therefore go quickly! There’s no need to delay! Quickly
show us that Your better than millions of Cupids by satisfying everyone! Freely come under
their control, don't worry at all, I am always pleased with You!"
dhlrddhira vakra vdkye kore upahasa; kabhu stuti kabhu ninda kabhu va udasa
(Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya 14)

86 SrI-Sri Radha Rasa Suclhanidtii
"A dhiradhira martini speaks joking words in a crooked way. Sometimes she praises
Krsna, sometimes she insults Him, and sometimes she is indifferent to Him"
* * * ' r
Seeing (in Radha's vision) that there is no end to Nagarimani's pique, Nagara sits by
Her footstool, holds Her feet and humbly says:
satyam evdsi yadi sudati mayi kopinl dehi khara nakhara saraghdtam
ghataya bhuja bandhanath janaya rada khanclanarh yena vd bhavati sukhajdtam
tvam asi mama jTvanam tvam asi mama bhusanam tvam asi mama bhava jalad h i ratnam
bhavatu bhavatiha satatam anurodhim tatra mama hrdayam ati yatnarn
(Gita Govindam)
"O Radhc with the beautiful teeth! If You are really angry with Me, then strike Me with
Your sharp nails, bind Me with Your rope-like arms and bite My lips with Your teeth! Do
whatever may pacify Your anger and may please You! You are My life, You are My
ornament, and You are the jewel in the ocean of My existence! Be pleased with Me, that is My
only desire in life!" Nagara becomes desperate when He sees that MSnini is still not pleased.
Now Srlmatl accepts the position of kalahantarita , a girl who is sorry after picking a quarrel,
and She cries out: "he sunagara] 0 My good lover! How much haven’t You been pleading to
this unfortunate girl, sitting at Her feet, and still I was not pleased with You? Alas! What a fool
I was! I carelessly threw away a jewel and now I’ve lost the treasure of My life! "Saying this,
Srimatl strikes Her head and Her chest with Her hands. "O su n ag ara ! Please come back and
forgive the offenses of this unfortunate girl! I have chastised You so much out of anger,
forgive Me My offenses! I am dying out of separation from You!" Sripada is very eager to see
these anxious moods of £rimatl and prays sa radhikd mayi kadapi bhavet p rasan n a "Will that
Radhika ever be pleased with me? If She is pleased with me, She will appear to me and make
me relish Her sweet emotional talks when She is separated from Kr$na!"
srT krsnera adarsane, vydkulita nayane,

kr$napatha kori nirlksana
he syam asundara vara, he mukunda m anohara,
ha ha mora m adana mohana
he rasa rasika vara, sukhamaya sunagara,
kdma koti lalita madhave
m adhura madhura ndtna, harilTld gunadhama,
utkanthdya bolite bolite
"When You are missing Krsna You look over the pathways with anxious eyes if You
can spot Him anywhere, eagerly pronouncing His sweet names, that indicate His qualities and
His pastimes: "O Most beautiful Syama! O enchanting Mukunda! O enchanter of Cupid! O
greatest relisher of the Rasa-dance! O blissful good lover! O Madhava, Who is as lovely as
millions of Cupids!"
he rdi vidhumukhi, adhira s rl dkuldk$T,
prasanna hoiya m ora p ra ti
prdnanatha mildite, bolibe go ihgitete ,
e Idlasd bhane sarasvati
5rila Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 87
Prabodhananda Sarasvatl says: "O Moonfaced Rai with Your restless, anxious eyes! Be
pleased with me! I hope You will give me a wink to help You meet the lord of Your heart!
That is my desire!"
VERSE 39:
VENUH KARAN NIPATITAH SKHALITAM SlKHANJpAM

BHRASTAM CA PITA VASANAM VRAJARAJA SUNOH
YASYAH KATAK$A-SARA GHATA VIMURCCIIITASYA
TAlk RADHIKAM PARICARAMIKADA RASENA
venuh - flute; karat - from the hand; nipaiiiah - falls; skhalitam - slips; sikhandam -
peacockfeather; bhrastam - falls; ca - and; pita - yellow; vasanarii - cloth; vraja raja sunoh - of the
prince of Vraja; yasydlx - whose; kataksa - glance; Sara - arrow: ghata - strike; vimurcchiiasya - faints;
tdm - to Her; radhikdrii - to Radhika; paricardmi - worshipping; kadd - when; rasena - withtaste.
When can I blissfully worship that Radhika Whose arrow-like glances cause the
prince of V raja to faint, His yellow cloth to fall off, His crown to loosen and His flute to
fall from His hand?
SRI RADHIKA’S ARROW-LIKE GLANCES:
Commentary: Just as a hero at war may faint and drops His bow and arrows while his
crown falls off and his clothes become disarranged when he is hit by an arrow, so also Krsna,
the transcendental youthful Cupid of Vrndavana, drops His flute while His peacockfeather-
crown falls off and His yellow dhoti becomes dishevelled when He is hit by Sri Radhika’s
arrow-like glance . An ordinary hero may slay hundreds of soldiers on the battlefield, but when
a great hero (tnahd vira) strikes him with an arrow, then even the ordinary hero will faint.
Similarly, Krsna can make hundreds of gopTs faint with His glances, but when the great
heroine Sn Radhika casts even one single arrow-like glance at Him, even He will faint!
Hundreds of gopls squirm like deer struck by arrows when they hear the song of Krsna's flute,
but when Radha casts one single glance at Kr$na, that same flute will fall from His hand! That
peacockfeather, that is the unique hallmark of the Vraja-pastimes and that enchants all the
beautiful girls of Vraja, rolls in the dust of Vraja, and that yellow cloth, that looks most
beautiful like a steady lightningstrike within a raincloud (Krsna’s body), or like a golden line
drawn by a whetstone, and that steals the pride of the beautiful girls of Vraja's families, is now
falling from Krsna's waist when Radhika casts one powerful glance at Him! The force of love
brings ecstasy to £rl Kr$na! 3rl Krsna, Who is the very form of transcendental bliss, has
fainted from one single glance of Sri Radha, and Srlmatl is very upset with that! She tries to
bring Him back to life in different ways, but to no avail! Finally SvaminI desperately takes
shelter of Her maidservant, saying: "O, I could not remove Priyatama's swoon, why don't you
see what you can do? Now the rasika service of the rasikd maidservant starts. In order to
revive Nagara, the maidservant sings a sweet lovesong that SvaminI once taught her in a cave
of Govardhana Hill. After the maidservant brought 3yama back to consciousness in this way,
88 6n-&rJ Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
ihe sweet pastimes of the divine Couple begin. How blissful that makes our rasika paricarikd
(maidservant)! After these love-pastimes the maidservant fans the divine Couple and serves
Them cold water, betelleaves and flowergarlands. The word rasena in the text can also mean:
'I will serve You together with Krsna, Who is transcendental mellows personified (the
Upanisads say raso vai sah , God is taste)'. Then suddenly the transcendental revelation
disappears, and £ rip ad a humbly prays: tarn rddhikam paricaram i kadd rasena "When can I
worship that Radhika with rasa?"
radhdra kataksapdte, sata sata saraghate,

m urachita ndgarendra niani
kara-cyuta hoy venu, ndhi ja n e nandasunu,
aparupa m ohana cdhani
"The jewel of lovers, £rl Krsna, the son of Nanda, faints when He is struck by hundreds
of Radha's enchanting arrow-like glances, so He doesn’t even know that His flute has slipped
from His hand.”
aro Juno adabhuta , m ayura candrika yoto ,
cuda hoite nipatita hoy
netrdneala ei sare, kiba m antra-Jakti dhare,
pltavasa khasiyd podoy
"And listen to another wonderful thing! All the peacockfeathers fall from His crown
and His yellow dhoti falls off! It is as if these arrows from Her side-long glances have some
special mamra-power!"
ydhdra katakja bane, m aram a dhariya tane,
stabdha kore m adana mohane,
so heno sri radhikaya, kobe va bhajibo hay,
anurage nikufija kanane
"Alas! When can I lovingly worship that Sff Radhika, Who stuns Madana Mohana by
striking His heart with Her arrow-like glances, in the forestbowers?"
VERSE 40:
TASYA APARA RASASARA VILASA-MURTER

AN AND A KANDA PA RAMADBHUTA SAUMYA IAK$MYAH
BRAHMADl DURGAMA GATER VR$ABHANUJAYAH
KAINKARYAM EVA MAMA JANMANIJANMANISYAT
tasyd - her; apdra - limitless; rasa - flavour; sdra - essence; vilasa - play; murteh - of the form;
dnanda - bliss; handa - source; parama - most; adbhuta - wonderful; saumya - gentle; laksmydh - of
the beauty; brahmddi - Brahma and others; durgama - hard to enter; gateh - of the goal; vrsabhdnu
jdydh - the daughter of Vr$abhanu; kaihkaryam - maidservice; eva - only; mama - my; janmani janmani
- birth after birth; sycit - whose.
SrTla Prabodhananda SarasvatT 89
Birth after birth, may I be the maidservant of king Vr$abhanu'$ daughter, Who is
the most gentle and wonderful goddess of fortune for Krsna, Who is Himself the source
of all transcendental bliss, Who is most difficult to attain even by Lord Brahma and
others, and Who is the very form of playful pastimes for Sri Kr$na, Who is Himself the
essence of unlimited rasa?
SRl RADHAS MAIDSERVICE:
Commentary: 3 rip ad a says: "Sri Radha is the apara rasa sara vildsa murtih, the form
of pastimes for the essence of unlimited rasa" Who or what else can that essence of unlimited
rasa be but Sri Kr$na? The Vedas may say raso vai sah, God is taste, and surely all the forms
of God have much taste, but Sri Krsna is called akhila rasdmrta miirtit the very form of all
transcendental rasas, by Srlla Rupa GosvamI (B.R.S. 1.1.1). He is rasikendra mauli, the king
of relishers, and no relationship can be as tasty as His extramarital relationship with the gopls
of Vraja. The word vildsa murti indicates that the pastimes (vildsa) He can have with Sri
Radha make Sri Kr$na, although He is transcendental bliss personified, hide in a comer of
Radhika's yard out of fear of Her old mother-in-law Jatila, or make Him eagerly look down the
road for Her to come to the bowerhouse where He is waiting for Her, making Him think that
each dry leaf that falls from the trees is Her coming His way. Although Govinda is truth
personified, He sometimes disguises Himself to be able to touch Sri Radhika! yogi bhogl
napitam tornara lagiyd dam, ojhd hoildm tomdra karane. "For Your sake I disguise Myself as
a yogi, a bhogi, a barbergirl, a taxcollector or a snakecharmer!" Although Krsna is full
knowledge Himself, He is nevertheless absorbed in bliss when He mistakes a golden vine for
Sn Radha: kanaka lata, dhari dlingaye, tuyd kalevara bhane, parase vaivasa, bhoi gelo
madhava, murache madana bane "He embraces a golden vine, thinking it to be Your body,
and being overwhelmed by its touch Madhava faints from Cupid's piercing arrows!"
Snmatl is also ananda kanda paramadbhuta saumya lakyml, the most wonderful and
gentle goddess of fortune for ananda kanda, Kr$na, Who is the source of all transcendental
bliss. The Upani$ads says dnandam brahma and anandam brahmano rupam, God is bliss.
ananyapeksi yad rupam svayarh rupah sa ucyate (Laghu Bhagavatamrta 1.12): "The form
which is not dependent on other forms is the original form." Srlmad Bhagavata (10.14.32)
states: yan mitram paramdnandam pumam brahma sanatanam "The friend of the Vrajavasls,
Sn Krsna, is the pinnacle of transcendental bliss, the full eternal brahman." And Sri Radha is
His saumya laksml, His gentle goddess of fortune. The majestic goddess of fortune in
Vaikuntha is famous as being cancald, restless, but Vraja's Prema-laksmI Sri Radhika is full of
sweetness and is gentle and steady, saumya. —
Persons like Lord Brahma, who worship Krsna reverentially in the mood of a servant,
cannot enter into the sweet flavours of Vraja. Lord Brahma could not understand Krsna's
pauganda Ilia (pastimes when He was a boy of five to ten years old) of tending the cows and
having picknicks on the bank of the Yamuna with His cowherdboyfriends, so he committed the
offense of kidnapping Krsna's calves and cpwherdboyfriends (See 3rlmad Bhagavata, Canto
Ten, chapters 13 and 14). It is therefore needless to say that he could not enter into Sri Krsna's
kisora Hid (adolescent pastimes) with the gopTs, and particularly His intimate nikuhja vihara
with Srlmatl Radharanl. Srlla Sanatana GosvamI writes in 'Brhad Bhagavatamrta (2.5.82-83)':
tddrg bhagavaii prema paramaiivarya drstitah sadd sampadyate naiva bhaya gaurava sambhavdt
kevalatH laukika prana suhrd buddhya sa sidhyati lokdlokoltaro yo'sdvati lokottaro'pi yah
90 Sri-Sn Radha Rasa SudhSnidhi
Sri Narada told Gopa Kumara who is eligible to enter into the mellows of Vraja:
"Those who see Krsna as the Supreme Lord and therefore always have feelings of awe and fear
towards Him, can never enter into the loving moods of Vraja, but those who see Kr§na as their
laukika sad bandhu , a good worldly friend, can reach perfection in the love of Vraja. Although
the love of the people of Vraja appears to be worldly it is actually totally transcendental, and it
is the great treasure of the greatest souls!" The highest loving mood in Vraja is the love of Sri
Radhika's girlfriends and maidservants, and it is clear that this is completely inacccsible to
Lord Brahma and Lord Siva and others: brahm adi durgam a gateh.
ap d ra rasera sara , srila vrajendra kumara ,

vitas a m urati radhdranl
saukhya sri param dnanda , padapera mula kanda,
adabhuta rasa cintamani
"Srila Vrajendra Kumara, the prince of Vraja, is the essence of unlimited relish, and
RadharanI is the form of His pastimes. She is the root of the tree of topmost bliss and the
wonderful Cintamani-gem of rasa."
radhikdra dasyananda, rupa guna iTlavmda,

brahm ddira atlva durgam a
heno radha m ad TsvarT, vrsabhdnu sukumarT,
janam e janam e nivedana
"The bliss of Radhika’s service, Her forms, qualities and pastimes are totally
inaccessible to Lord Brahma and other reverential devotees. Birth after birth I pray to the
tender daughter of Maharaja Vr§abhanu, my mistress Sri Radha!"
ra d h a ra kihkarT hoiya, nibhrta nikunje jaiyd,

bhajo tnui radhara carana
bhane sri prabodhananda, he bhanukula canda,
ei vanchd koroho pu rana
"Being Radha’s maidservant I will go to the secret kuhja and serve Her lotusfeet.
Prabodhananda says: "O Moon of Vr§abhanu’s dynasty! Please fulfill that desire!"
VERSE 41:
PURNANURAGA RASA MURTITADILLATABHAM

JYOTIH PARAM BHAGA VATO RA TIMAD RAHASYAM
YATPRADURASTIKJRPAYA VR$ABHANU GEHE
SYATKINKARlBHA V1TUM EVA MAMABHITA$AH
puma - full; anuraga - constant love; rasa - flavour; murti - form; tadit - lightning; lata - vine;
dbhdm - aura; jyotih - light; paratii - supreme; bhagavatah - of God; ratimat - love; rahasyam - secret;
yat - what; prddurasti - appears; krpayd - out of mercy; vrsabhdnu gehe - in Vr$abhanu\s house; sycit -
whose; kihkarT - maidservant; bhavitum - become; eva - only; mama - my; abhilasah - desire.
SrTla Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 91
I just desire to be the maidservant of that Supreme Effulgence Who is the very
form of full passionate love, Who shines like a vine of lightningstrikes, Who is the only
abode of the Lord’s intimate love and Who mercifully appeared in the house of
Maharaja Vr$abhanu.
9
DESIRING SRI RADHA’S MAIDSERVICE:
Commentary: Anxiously £ rip ada cries out sydt kihkan bhavitum eva m am abhildsah :
"My only desire is to become a maidservant! Let alone actually becoming a maidservant, even
if I simply carry the desire to become Your maidservant in my heart at the moment of death, I
will attain it!" How sweet and amazing is Sfipada's humility! Srlmatl Radhika's form is made
of m aha bhava. Srlla Raghunatha Dasa GosvamI says: tnahd bhavojjvala cintd ratnodbhavita
vigraham "Her form is made of the blazing thoughtgem of Maha bhava". kr$namayi kryna yam
antare bahire; ydha ydhd netra potfe taha kr$na sphure (C.C. Adi-llla, ch.4): "Sn Radhika’s
name Krsnamayi means that Krsna is within Her and without Her, Wherever Her eyes fall,
there She sees Krsna." In the same way, all of 6 rim all's dresses, unguents and ornaments are
made of transcendental love for Krsna, just as anything that falls in the salt water ocean
becomes salty (lavatidkdra nydya).
In ’Bhagavad Gita (11.40)’, Arjuna says: sarvath sam apnosi tato'si sarvah "Because
You pervade everything, You are also called sarva , or everything!" Therefore, because Krsna
pervades the world, He is also called visva (the world). Radhika’s name visvamohinT therefore
not only means ’enchanter of the world’ in its majestic aspect, but also ’enchanter of Krsna' in
its sweet aspect. In his famous book ’Kr$na Karnamrta’, Sri Bilvamangala Thakura has often
described Krsna as a jyoti, or light. Sometimes this light smiles and sometimes this light wears
a peacockfeather. It appears to be a light with form. The effulgence that Sripada
Prabodhananda describes here as ’shining like lightningvines of full passionate love’ is
enchanting even the light of Sri Bilvamahgala Thakura. Blissful Krsna is showered by the rasa
of ananda when He sees Sri Radhika’s golden effulgence, therefore Sripada says bhagavato
ratim ad rahasya , She is loved and desired even by God!
Generally the word bhagavan means ’the Personality of Godhead, Who is full of six
opulences like strength, wealth, beauty etc’, but even this Bhagavan is desiring to relish the
sweetness of Sri Radha! Transcendental sweetness has its foundation in tattva (spiritual truth)
and aiSvarya (the majestic aspect of God). Krsna’s sweetness and prowess are unrivalled, but
even He is enchanted by Sri Radha’s sweetness and beauty! bhaga srT kama mdhatmye ity
abhidhanat : The dictionary says that bhaga means "beauty, desire, and greatness", which
means that Bhagavan is the most beautiful Person. But even that most beautiful Person, Sri
Krsna, desires the sweetness and beauty of £rl Radhika! Sri Rupa GosvamI writes in ’Ujjvala
Nllamani’: vidhunayati radhike! trijagad eva rupotsavah "O Radhe! The festival of Your form
makes Me tremble along with all the three worlds!"
Sri Radha is called rahasya , a great mysterious secret, in the text In Srlmad Bhagavata,
Sri Suka Muni glorifies the greatness of Sri Radha in a hidden way. For instance in the verse
apy-ena-patny-upagata priyaya (10.30.11). Srim at JTva GosvamI writes in his Laghu T osanl-
commentary on this verse: athatreti vicaryate kdtn apy addya SrT bhagavan antarhita iti vyakti
bhavisyad api purvarii yan mumndrah svayafn na sphutam uktavdn tasydyam abhiprayah. satsv api
ndnd bhagavad dvirbhdvesu mama svayarii bhagavati SrT krsnakhya eva tasminn dgraha viSesa iti
tathd satsvapi ndnd tat tat parikaresu SrT vrajavasisveva sa iti. tathd satsvapi tesu SrT vrajadevTsveva
tato'pyadhikatarah sa iti rahasyarh sarve'pi jndtavantu eva. kinlu tdsvapi satTsu SrT rddhikdydm
evddhikatamah sa iti na jndtavantah. tad etan mad dgraha tdratamyarh ca tat tat utkarsa-taratamydd
eva. asydh parama rahasydyds tad etat tu sdksdj jndpayitum safikueali mac cittam. jndnakhalatabhiyd
92 $ri-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
vijhdpayitwn apicchati tasmad asydh sakfnnarit vacanat tatrapratitau ca pralipaksdndm api va can (id
vyanjanaiva vritya yathdvasararii madhye madhye prakatayi$yamah. yadi ca jatu svam apydvesa va&dt
prakatayisydmah ladd ndma tu uisydh sdkscin na vaksydma ili: "Although £rl Bhagavan took one
girl with Him when He disappeared from the Rasadance, the king of the wise 3ukadeva did not
directly say who that gopT was. He thought to himself: "Although different advents of God
have been described in the Bhagavata, I have a special liking for Sri Krsna, and of all His
associates I have a special liking for the people of Vraja. Of these people of Vraja, the
goddesses (gopTs) have die most intimate relationship with Him, and of all these devoted girls
5fi Radhika is again the greatest. Still, my heart hesitates to reveal Her topmost intimacy with
Krsna. On the other hand, if I don't do it I may be guilty of witholding knowledge. Therefore 1
will reveal Radhika's greatness through the words of Her girlfriends (spoken here in the text
apyena patny). Because people may not believe these girls, because they are partial to Radha, I
will also make Her rived-gopTs glorify Her sometimes. Although 1 may reveal all kinds of
things out of ecstasy, I will not directly reveal Her (Radhika's) name!" In this way Sri
Radhika's holy name is hidden in the scriptures.
The Lord told Arjuna in the end of Bhagavad Gita that surrender unto Him is the
greatest secret (sarva guhyatamam, Gita 18.64). The result of that surrender is love of God,
and the essence of that love is maha bhava. sei maha bhdva svariipd radha fhakurariT (C.C):
"Sri Radha is the very form of maha bhdva" Although She is such a great secret, Sri Radhika
nevertheless descended in the house of Maharaja Vr$abhanu out of great compassion upon the
people of the world, so that they can come to know of Her. If She had not come, She would
have remained an undiscoverable secret for the world. Snpada says: "0 Radhe! Give this poor
maiden just one drop of that mercy that urged You to descend in Maharaja Vrsabh3nu's home!"
VERSE 42:
PREMOLLASAD RASA VILASA VIKASA KANDAM

GOVINDA LOCANA VITRPTA CAKORA PEYAM
SINCANTAM ADBHUTA RA s A m RTA CANDRIKAUGHAIH
S R l RADHIKA VADANA CANDRAM AHAM SMARAMI
prema - love; ullasat - gladdened; rasa - flavour; vilasa - play; vikaSa - extended; kandam -
source; govinda locana - the eye of Govinda; vitrpta - unsatiated; cakora - bird; peyam - drink;
sincantam - sprinkling; adbhuta - wonderful; rasa - flavour; amrta - nectar; candrikd - moonlight;
oghaih - with great amounts; $n radhika vadana - Radlva's face; candram - moon; aharii - 1; srnardmi -
remember.
I remember the moonlike face of Sri Radhika, that causes the seed of Krona’s
blissful loving pastimes to grow, that is the elixir for Govinda^ unsatiated C akora-bird-
like eyes, and that showers wonderful moonbeams of nectarean rasa.
SRI RADHA S MOONLIKE FACE:

Snla Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 93
Commentary: Sri Radha eagerly runs to meet Krsna in a bower with Her girlfriends,
illuminating Vrndavana with the splendour of Her moonlike face. Sy2masundara had already
arrived on the trystingspot and is eagerly looking out for Radhika to come. When Svaminljl
passionately arrives on the spot and sees Krsna there, She shyly covers Her face with Her veil
and asks Her girlfriends: "Why have You brought Me here?" Nagara becomes unsteady when
He sees the sweetness of Her mood at that time. The sakhTs pull Sri Radhika inside the kuhja
and seat Her on Krsna's left side on a dais covered with flowers; they themselves sit down
beneath the divine Couple in order to hear Their sweet conversation and to see Their sweet
forms. Sri Kr$na glances at the sakhTs, asking them to remove Radha's unfavorable mood,
saying: "O you girls with eyes like Cakora-birds! What more can I say about My luck today?
Today I saw auspicious omens while I meditated on My Gmxi-mantra. I saw that today I was
going to see some chaste girls that illuminate all the directions with their bodily luster!" When
Vilasim-mani (the jewel of playful girls) Radhika heard these words, the pupils of Her eyes,
that extend up to Her ears, moved restlessly until their edges. The beauty of these crooked
glances stifled Syamasundara and She said: "No, we are very unchaste, and You are the
greatest sadhul You are engaged in remembering and worshiping Your most beloved Gaurl
(Radha's rival CandravaU) in this bower!" Sri Krsna said: "O sakhTsl Today an astrologer told
Me: "O king of lovers! Today a golden necklace will adorn Your chest!" When Sri Radha
heard this She made Syama speechless by making Her vine-like eyebrows dance. Then She
replied: "I don’t understand what You mean with that, but as long as My friends stay here I will
also stay here. I will leave this bower before them!" The sakhTs laugh and say: "0
Syamasundara! You are the son of the king, You have no shortage of golden creepers,
nevertheless You were so lucky to get a wishyielding Surataru-tree today!" Sri Kr$na replied:
"O sakhTsl You spoke the truth! Needless to say, I will be satisfied if I even get three syllables
of that word surataru today!" (the first three syllables form the word su rata , which means
sexual intercourse)
Hearing these words of Krsna, Radha smiles, making the teeth in Her moonlike face
shine like Kundaflowers or moonrays. Although She tries to hide this moonlike smile, which is
a symptom of the mood named rati, it nevertheless becomes slightly manifest This moonlike
smile is like an elixir for Hari's thirsty Cakorabird-like eyes and a fertiliser for the seed of His
blissful rasika pastimes! Just as this thirsty Cakorabird named Krsna cranes His neck to drink
that lunar nectar of Radhika's smile, Sfimatl stubbornly turns Her moonlike face to the left,
making a brilliant light shine on Her right cheek with the earring that hangs on it. Sri Krsna is
out of His mind of ecstasy. Sweet moonrays of sancan bhavas like pride, joy, bashfulness,
eagerness, restlessness and inertia shine from Sri Radhika's moonlike face and clash with
eachother. When our thirsty hero sees this moonlike face, the seed of His desire for blissful
loving pastimes begins to sprout and the hairs of His body stand up of ecstasy. This thirsty
Cakora-bird is never satiated, no matter how"much sweet nectar it drinks from this moonlike
face; rather, its thirst simply increases! The sakhTs and manjarTs are in ecstasy! How sweet and
brilliant are these pastimes! The nectar from this moon consists of m adana ra sa , the topmost
love of God that even intoxicates the transcendental Cupid Kr$na!
Just as the material moon destroys the darkness in the material world, remembrance of
Sri Radha's moonlike face destroys the darkness of ignorance in the devotees' hearts and makes
the wishyielding creeper of devotion grow there and bear the flowers of bhava and the fruits of
prem a. The extinction of the burning fire of the threefold material miseries is only a bycoming
benediction of this soothing moonlight. In this age of Kali, the moonlike face of Sn Radha's
moonlike face are mercifully diffused by Sri Gauracandra in a wonderful way.
Sri Govinda's senses have become absorbed in Radhika's sweetness. Seeing this,
Radhika covers Her face with Her veil and replies with faltering voice. With unclear words,
that work on Krsna like enchanting mantras from the Kfimarsastrasy She says: "O Forest-
94 Sri-3ri R&dha Rasa Sudhanidhi
elephant! The she-elephants in the forest will fulfill Your three-letter desires! I am a
wishyielding vine! Such vines only fulfill others* desires, not their own! I'm giving You these
girlfriends of Mine, they will fulfill Your diree-letter desires!" Hearing these words, Radha’s
playful girlfriends reply: "If You want to give Your own lover to us, then we forest-
elephantgirls will flee into the forest!" Saying this, they rush out of the kunja, and £ri Radha
wants to run along with them, but Krsna forcibly holds Her by the neck and brings Her back
into the kunja * The maidservant feels blessed by seeing these sweet bowerpastimes. Then
the vision disappears and Sripada humbly thinks that Sr! Radha's service is hard to attain, so he
says: "If I cannot be so fortunate that I can directly see Vilasini Mani Radha's moonlike face,
then let me at least always remember it!"
VERSE 43:
SANKETA KUNJA N1LAYEMRDUPALLAVENA

KLRPTE KADAPJ NAVA SANGA BHAYA TRAPADHYAM
ATYAGRAHENA KARA VAIURUHE GRHlTVA
NE$YE VITENDRA SAYANE VR$ABHANUPUTRIM
sahketa - meeting; kunja - bower; nilaye - in the house; mrdu - soft; pallavena - with leaves;
klrpte - made with; kadcipi - ever; nava - young; sanga - company; bhaya - fear; trapa - bashfulness;
adhyam - enriched; ati - very; dgrahena - with eagerness; kara - hand; variruhe - lotus; grhTtva -
having taken; nesye - 1 will take; vita - cheater; itidra - king; fayane - on the bed; vrsabhanu putnm -
Vr$abhanu’s daughter.
Will I ever become eager to take Vf§abhanul daughter, Who is shy and afraid of
Her new meeting with the king of debauchees, by Her lotuslike hand to bring Her to the
playbed in the trystingbower which is made of soft fresh sprouts?
THE BEGINNINGS OF LOVE;
Commentary: In this verse Sripada becomes aware of the eternal first meeting of the
divine Couple. Today the eternal jewel of adolescent girls (nitya kison m ani), Sri Radhika, is
mugdhd (innocent). £ri ROpa GosvamI writes in 'Ujjvala Nilamani (Nayika bheda 13)*:
mugdhd nava vayah katna ratau vdma sakhivasa

rati cestdsv ati vrida earn giidha prayatnabhdk
9
"A mugdhd heroine is very young, has little desire, is unwilling to make love, is
controlled by Her girlfriends and very shy in lovemaking, but at the same time secretly very
much endeavouring to be good at it!" Deep within Herself Srimatl desires Syama, but She is
shy and afraid to meet with Her lover because of Her youthful age. This is the sweetness of the
* This pastime lias been quoted from Srila ViSvanatha Cakravartlpad's ’Ananda Candrika'-conimeniary on
Ujjvala Nilamani (Radha Prakarana)'s verse tiryak ksipta, describing the quality of ’Suvilasa*
progressive prakata lTla> or manifest pastimes on earth, where there is question of growth in
Radha and Krsna and Their young associates. These eternally perfect young gopfs have given
themselves to Krsna from the time that they could think (jndnodaya means from the time of a
child's first awareness), but at that lime there was no chance of any erotic feelings arising in
them, although the potency of those feelings was fully present in them.
3rimatl was eager to meet Krsna to fulfill His adolescent desires, but She was innocent,
shy and afraid of the first union. Her girlfriends had already brought Syamasundara to the
trystingbower and with trembling hands £yamasundara had eagerly made a bed and a pillow of
soft leaves in the cottage of that kunja , sprinkling the bed with His tears of love. The sakhTs
carefully and slowly bring Srlmafi to the kunja on the pretext of going to pick flowers for
Surya pflja. Svamini thinks: "There must be some secret reason why My friends are taking Me
so far away today to pick flowers for worshiping the sun!" Then suddenly She sees
Syamasundara standing at the gate of the kunja and She shyly and fearfully turns back,
wanting to go back home quickly. Nagara is enchanted when He sees ^rimatl's mood and
gestures. $rlpada in his dasT-form asks Srlmatl to enter the kunja , but SvaminI answers: "O
sakhil I'm a very young girl! When I even see this boy, I tremble of fear! He’s like a
bumblebee wanting to land on a lotusbud (that is not ripe enough for enjoyment)!" The
maidservant holds fearful SrlmatTs lotuslike hand and says: "Dont worry, Svamini! Come
inside the kwijal Look just once at this rarely attained Vraja Raja Kumara, from Whom You
have felt so much separation all the time! Speak a little with Him! Don’t waste this
opportunity! Why are You afraid? I’m here! Nagara will not touch Your body!" .
In this way the maidservant carefully brings Svamini to the lovebed made of fresh
blossoms for the first union. How sweetly the divine Couple experiences this first union! How
much effort the sakhTs have done to arrange for this first meeting of the supreme brahm an and
the supreme love! The maidservant places îTmatl's hand into SySmasundara's hand and brings
The amorous Couple to the lovebed. Madhava eagerly looks at Rai’s face and places Her on
His lap. Rai is carefully and shyly looking at Him and She becomes startled when He first
touches Her breasts. She turns Her head away when Krsna wants to kiss Her, and then Kr$na
tightly embraces Her and drinks the nectar of Her lips (kisses Her).
Only the loving devotees can understand this. The word vitendra means *king of
paramours'. The word indra or king is used here to indicate that only Krsna can rightly be a
paramour, nobody else, because this gives Him the greatest loving pleasure, vraja vind ih ara
anyatra ndhi vasa. (C.C) "This kind of relationship with God cannot be had anywhere else but
in Vraja".
VERSE 44:
SAD GANDHA MALYA NAVACANDRA LAVANGA SANGA

TAMBULA SAMPUTAM ADHISVARI MAM VAHANTlM
SYAMAM TAM UNMADA RASAD A BH I SAMSARANT!
SRlRADHIKE KARUNAYANUCARIM VIDHEHI
sad - true; gandha - perfumes; malya - garlands; nava - fresh; candra - camphor; lavafiga -
cloves; sahga - along with; tdmbula - betelleaves; samputam - box; adiusvari - queen; matii - me;
vahantTm - carrying; Syamath - Kr$na; tarn - Him; unmada - enchanting; rasdd - from flavour;
96 Sri-Sri RadhE Rasa Sudhanidhi
abhisamsarantX - bringing You to Him; srt radhike - O Radha!; karunayd - with mercy; anucarith -
maidservant; vidhehi - make me.
O my goddess S ri Radhike! Will You kindly accept me as Your m aidservant as

You madly go out to m eet Syama, by allowing me to carry nice perfumes, garlands and a
box with fresh betelleaves mixed with fresh cam phor and cloves?
MADDENED RADHA’S RENDEZ-VOUS
Commentary: Srila RGpa Gosvami defines this unmada dasa, or state of madness, as
follows in his ’Ujjvala Nilamani (Srngara bheda 19)':
sarvdvasthasu sarvatra tanm anaskataya sada

atasmins tad iti bhrdntir unmada iti kXrtitah
"That bewilderment which causes one to be absorbed in thoughts of the beloved always
and everywhere, is called unmada." syama rupa jdgaye marame; kiba nisi kiba disi sayane
svapane "Day and night, in dreams or in wakefulness, the form of Syama appears in My
heart." Srila Candl Dasa (Srlman Mahaprabhu’s favorite poet) sings:
bandJiura lagiyd, yoginl hoibo, kurt(lala poribo kane ,

yabo dese dese, bandhura uddese, sudhaibo jan e jan e
"Just to see My lover I will become a yogini and wear an earring in one ear. I will go
from district to district, looking for My lover, and I will ask everyone about His whereabouts!"
viram ita ah ara , rang a vasa pore , ye/nata yoginJ p a ra "I will stop eating and put on a saffron
dress, just like a yogim ! In this way I will go to meet Syamasundara like a mad woman!"
These are the strong feelings of Srlmatl Radharanl, and this is how Srlman MahSprabhu
experienced it with Svarupa DEmodara and REmananda REya at Jagannatha Puri!
Srlla Rupa Gosvami colorfully depicts this purva raga dasa (beginnings of love) in his
play ’Vidagdha Madhava’. Sri ViSakha devl, seeing that Sri Radhika's mind is elsewhere, shows
Her a picture she made of SyEmasundara. The loving madness that Radhika entered into after
seeing this pictures is truly unrivalled in die kingdom of love! Seeing Sri Radhika’s condition,
Her grandmother Mukhara told the brahmana-givl Nandlmukhl:
kruranam alinarh kulair m alinayd krtyam na me malayd

balaham kim u narm anas tava padam durXbhava pranganat
ity adTni duraksarani p aritah svapne tathd jdgare
jalp an ti jalajeksana kjapayati klesena ratrindivam
(Vidagdha Madhava 2.1)
"0 Nandlmukhi! In dreams or in wakefulness, this lotuseyed RadhS constantly says: "I
don’t need this garland, which is stained by cruel bees! I'm a young girl, am I to be ridiculed by
you? Quickly get off My yard!" Speaking such bad words, She spends die days and nights with
£rila Prabodhananda Sarasvaii 97
great difficulty!" When Srlmati's two dearest friends, Lalita and Visakha, ask Her what's the
matter with Her, She replies:
vitanvdnas tanvd marakata rucindm ruciratam

patdn niskrdnto'bhut dhrta sikhi sikhando nava yuvd
(Vidagdha Madhava 2.3)
"O Friend! A young boy, Whose bodily luster is as beautiful as an emerald and Who
wears a peacockfeather on His head, came out of His own picture." SrimatT's voice chokes and
Her two friends are amazed and speechless. Srlmatl becomes calm again and says: bhruvam
tenaksipta kim api hasatonmadita mateh sasTvrtto vahnih param ahaha vahnir mama sasT
"When that young boy slightly smiled at Me and cast a glance at Me, I became mad and I felt
that the moon had become as hot as fire and that fire had become as cool as the moon!" The
sakhTs were amazed and asked: "Was this maybe a dream?" Srimatl answers:
kim svapnasya vilaksana gatir iyarii kith jagarasyatha vd

kith rdtrer upasattir eva rabhasdd ahnah kim ahndya vd
itthahi syamala candrikd paricaya syandena sandlpitair
antah kjobhakulair ahath parivrta prajhdtum ajhdbhavam
(Vidagdha Madhava 2.4) •
"O friends! Whether I saw it in a dream or in wakefulness, in the day or at night, I don't
know anything anymore! I am completely inundated by the streams of bluish nectar oozing
from this effulgent moon, and this has agitated My heart!" If 3rl Radhika was already
maddened simply by seeing a picture of Krsna, who can then describe how She will float on
the waves of rasika madness when She directly touching Kr§na's form, qualities and pastimes?
The maidservant follows prema pagalini (R5dha, Who is mad with love), carrying nice
perfumes, fragrant garlands of Jasmine-flowers and a box of betclleaves mixed with cloves and
camphor. Afraid that in the rush Srimatl will hurt Her feet, that are as soft as butter, the
maidservant says: "O AdhlSvari (my queen)! Don't leave me behind here! Go a little slower! I
am Your anucari (follower, or maidservant)! Go at such a speed that I'll be able to follow
You! Take Your pitiful maidservant with You! I cannot run so fast, carrying all these
paraphernalia for Your service with me!" radhe! pathe munca satnbhramam abhisare! caraya
carandmburuham dhiram sukumdre! (Gita Govindam)
VERSE 45:
SRIRADHIKE TAVA NAVODGAMA CARU VRTTA

VAK$OJAM EVA MUKULA DVAYA LOBHANIYAM
SRONIM DADHAD RASA GUNAIR UPA CIYAMANAM
KAISORAKAM JAY A TI MOHAN A CITTA CAURAM
M rddhike - O R adha!; tava - Your; nava - fresh; udgama - com ing up; earn - beautiful; vrtta
- ro u n d ; vakjojam - breasts; eva - only; mukula - buds; dvaya - couple; lobhamyam - desirable; Sronith -
98 £ n -S n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
h ip s; dadhad - gives; rasa - flavour; gunaih - w ith qualities; upadyamanam - w idened; kaUorakam -
adolescence; jayali - glories; mohana - enchanting; citta - heart; cauram - thief.
O S n Radhike! Glory to Your adolescence, which is beautified by Your newly

sprouted round, budlike breasts that steal the mind of enchanting Kr$na, and glory to
Your hips that are widened by rasika qualities!
SRI RADHA’S ADOLESCENCE;
Commentary: Eager Radhika now approaches the kufija were the prince of Vraja is
waiting for Her. $rimatl, Who is in the beginning of youth, says: "Sakhi! Don't take Me to that
kufijal I'm a young girl! I’m not ready yet to give pleasure to a man! I don’t have the right age
and the right mood yet!", but the maidservant encourages Srlmati and praises Her youthful
beauty and, knowing that £rlmatl is only interested in Krsna's happiness, she also glorifies
Krsna's enchanting youthful beauty. 3rlla Rupa GosvamI writes in ’Ujjvala Nilamani':
darodbhinna stanam kincic calaksam tiianthara smitam

manag abhisphurad bhavam navyath yauvanam ucyate
"During the age of fresh youth a girl's breasts are coming out slightly, she has restless
eyes and a slight smile, and little is to be seen of her moods." Knowing that Sri Radhika lives
only for Krsna's pleasure, the maidservant says: "O Radhe! Your fresh youthful beauty
enchants even the worldenchanter Krsna! Your beautiful freshly arising breasts are very much
desired by Syamasundara, and the beauty of Your hips is increased by Your tasty qualities!
They will crush the mind of rasamaya (Kr$na, Who is full of spiritual flavours)! Radhe, don't
be afraid! You are Krsna aradhikd (the worshiper of Kf$na), Your sweet heart and mind are
now linked to the sweetness of Your fresh youthful beauty! Go on to the kunja\ Let Your
adolescence be useful in the company of Your heart's lover! Let Your sweet adolescence reign
supremely!"
VERSE 46:
SAMLAPAM UCCHALAD ANANGA TARANGAMALA

SANK$OBHITENA VAPU$A VRAJA NAGARENA
PRATYAK$ARAM K$ARAD APARA RASAMRTABDHIM
SRI RADHIKE TAVA KADA NU &RNOMYAD URA T • •
sarhlapam - co nversing; ucchalad - sw elling; anahga - C upid; tarafiga - w ave; mala - garland;
sanksobhitena - being agitated; vapusd - w ith the body; vraja nagarena - by the h ero o f V raja; prali -
each; aksaram - syllable; ksarad - stream ing; apdra - lim itless; rasa - flavour; arnrta - nectar; abdhith -
ocean; ir j radhike - 0 R adha!; tava - Y our; kadci nu - w henever; Srnomi - 1 hear; adurat- from close by.
O S n Radhike! When can I hear Your talks with the gallant of V raja (Kr$na),
th at makes Your body sway on Cupid’s high waves, and from whose each syllable an
endless ocean of nectarean rasa emanates, from close by?
CONVERSATION W ITH SRI RADHA:
Commentary: In his manjari svarupa, 3ripada tells SvaminI: "Hey Radhe! Your sweet
youthful beauty steals even the heart of Krsna, Who steals everyone else’s heart! In this way
even the greatest Thief is robbed!" 3ripada writes in his 'Sanglta Madhava’: srT vrndavana
candra durtnada manas caunm kisorim smara "The mind of $yama, the moon of Sri
Vrndavana, is hard to control. He steals the hearts of everyone in the world, but Who will steal
His heart? Remember Kiôrlmani Radha, Who is most capable of doing that!" In this way the
maidservant encourages Snmatl to meet Kr$na and to enjoy with Him, although Radha is mahd
bhdva, the most anxious ecstatic love personified. That is what is so special about Radha's
maidservants! The maidservant sees that the beauty of the divine Couple is even victorious
over the blue and golden lotusflowers. Oceans of sweet nectar emanate from $rl Radha's
beautiful face and eyes, and enchant the prince of the cowherders. Through the holes in the
foliage of the kunja the mahjarT can see Their sweet forms and hear Their sweet words. The
aspiring devotee should also become absorbed in such nectarean meditations. Sfila Narottama
Dasa Thakura sings:
sadhana bhavibo ydha, siddhadehe pdbo tahd
raga pathera ei se updya
sadhane ye dhana edi, siddha dehe tdha pal,
pakkdpakka mdtra se viedra
apakke sadhana rTti, pakile se prerna-bhakti,
bhakati lakâna tattva sara
"Whatever I think of during my spiritual practise I will attain when I reach perfection.
This is the means of rdga bhakti. The treasure I desire as a practitioner I will get when I attain
my spiritual body; it’s just a question of being ripe or unripe. The unripe stage is the stage of
practise and the ripe stage is the stage of pure loving devotion. That is the essential truth about
devotional practise." As a result of deep meditation a devotee can hear each syllable of the
divine Couple's words.
Sripada, in his kihkarT-form, sees that 6a£imukhT (moonfaced Radhika) speaks with the
king of lovers with faltering voice of loving ecstasy. How sweet is that talk! Each syllable is
sprinkled with the taste of madana love. Oceans of nectarean rasa emanate from each and
every syllable! Krsna's body is swayed by the waves of increasing erotic desire when He hears
these rasika words! SrT Rupa GosvamI says in 'Ujjvala Nilamani': ukti pratyuktirnad vakyam
samlapa iti klrtate: "An exchange of special statements and counter statements is called
samlapa."
Sri Kr$na says: "O dearest One! Even the greatest misers are sometimes generous when
they see a suffering beggar, that can be seen in the world! Normally You are very sad when
You see someone else suffering, but still You will not give Me the nectar of Your lips now,
even if I pray to You for it! This is very amazing!" Srimatl replies: "O most shameless boy!
Unfortunately My girlfriends acted as My enemies today by bringing Me in Your hands! That
is not Your fault at all! A hunter wanders from forest to forest to catch deer, and when he
accidentally catches a golden deer, then that is a glorious moment for him! Similarly You have
now become so shameless to beg the housewives of Vraja for the nectar of their lips!" Hearing
100 S n -$ n Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
this, Krsna said: "O Gaurahgi! When a fresh raincloud holds the lightning to its chest it
becomes most beautiful and naturally becomes very proud of itself! The lightning should also
consider herself to be most fortunate that she can beautify the fresh raincloud by offering her
golden luster to it! Shouldn’t the raincloud and the lightning, now that they are no longer
separate, tightly embrace eachother?" 3rlmat! says: "O Gokulananda! We arc chaste
housewives! How can we give up our adherence to our family traditions? We have come so far
because we are obliged, according to our family traditions, to pick flowers for worshiping the
sun! Can You, as the prince of Gokula, now suddenly give trouble to us helpless housewives?"
In this way the sweet conversation goes on. From the churning of the celestial ocean of milk
only one pitcher of nectar came, but from each syllable of the divine Couple's blissful
conversation oceans of nectar emanate! The maidservant stands close by and swims in the lake
of nectar that is created by this sam lapa . Suddenly the divine vision stops and Sripada pitifully
prays: "When will I relish Your sweet conversations? You have thrown me so far away, take
me closer to You!"
he radhe! amara Tsvari!
aiijali mastake dhari, carane pranama kori,
nivedae torndra kinkarl
"O Radhe! My goddess! This maidservant prays to Your lotusfeet, folding her hands on
her head !"
ananga tarahga mala, ucchalane kori did,
k$obhita korilo ydra anga
so vrajanagara sange, eldiyd ange ange
varangTra rasera prasanga
"Varafigl (fairformed Radha)'s body is swayed and agitated by the rising waves of
Cupid's ocean while She speaks rasika words with the lover of Vraja and reclines on His
body."
yugalera kathamrta, aksare akjare koto,
rasdmrta kqare sata dhare
nikuhja alinde yaiya, sunibo ki dahddiya,
madhu kotha bhdsi prema ntre
"Hundreds of streams of nectarean rasa emanate from each syllable of the divine
Couple's nectarean talk. I will go to the yard of the nikunja and stand there to listen to this
honey-sweet talk while floating on the river of premal"
akhila bhuvane gdya, kunjesvari tumi rdi,

apdra karunamayi nama
bhane srlprabodhananda, ogo bhanukula canda,
puma koro mora manaskdrna
"O Rai! O Queen of the groves! All the worlds glorify You as the limitlessly merciful
One! Sri Prabodhananda says: "O moon of Vr$abhanu's dynasty! Please fulfill my desires!"
VERSE 47:
§ffla PrabodhSnanda Sarasvatl 101
ANKA STIilTE’Pl DA YJTE KIM API PRALAPAM

HA MOHANETIMADHURAM VIDADHATYAKASMAT
S YAMA NURA GA MADA VIIIVALA MOHANANGl
SYAMA MAiyiR JAYATIKAPINIKUNJA SIMNI
afika - lap; st/iite - sitting on; api - even; dayite - in the beloved; kirn api - indescribable;
pralaparh - speaking; ha mohana - O enchanter!; iti - thus; madhurafn - sweet; vidadhati - doing;
akasniat - suddenly; syama - Kr$na; anuraga - constant love; tnada - intoxication; vihvala -
overwhelmed; mohandhgX - girl with an enchanting body; Syama rnatiih - jewel of girls; jayati - glories;
kdpi - some; nikunja - bower; sXnuii - on the edge.
Glory to some Syama-jewel (Sri Radhika) on the outskirts of the nikunja, Whose
body is so much enchanted and overwhelmed by passionate love for Syama th at suddenly
She sweetly cries out: "O M ohana!” (out of separation from Him) even while sitting on
His lap!
SRI RADHA’S PREMA VAICITTYA:
Commentary: Forgetting everything because of absorption in thinking of the beloved

is called prema. Just as a poor man cannot stop thinking about the wealth he has lost after
suddenly gaining it, a person with prema cannot forget his beloved deity after having seeing
Him once. By surrendering to Radharanfs lotusfeet Govinda is automatically attained:
sarhsidclhanti yad dsrayena hi parath govinda sakhyutsukah (Verse 98).
By £rimatfs grace 3rlpada gets another transcendental vision: he sees 3ri-3ri Radha-
Madhava having Their pastimes in a forestbower. After the divine Couple has finished these
pastimes £rlpada, in his kiiikarl-ioim, enters the kuhja to fan Them to dry the sweatdrops of
fatigue on Their bodies, and to serve Them cool water and betelleaves. Then Svaminl becomes
so overwhelmed by ecstasy that, although She is sitting on 6yama's lap, She cries out: *'0
Mohana! Where are You?!", feeling great separation from Him. This is called prema vaicittya,
according to Srila Rupa Gosvaml.
priyasya sannikarse'pipremotkarsa svabhdvatah

yd visle$adhiyatis tat prema vaicittyarn ucyate
(Ujjvala NTlamani 3rhgara bheda 57)
"When, out of great love, one feels separation from the beloved even in his presence, it
is called prema vaicittya." 3rimati begins to lament like mad. Sflpada calls thatpralapa in this
verse. $ri Rupa Gosvaml says: vyarthalapa pralapa syat (Ujjvala Nilamani): "Useless,
meaningless talk is called pralapa". Srlla ViSvanatha Cakravartl comments as follows on the
abovementioned verse priyasya sannikarse'pi: "Prema vaicittya is the limit of eager loving
desire, which makes an often experienced object or person seem like it has never been
experienced before. It is just like a brahmana who is used to eating a lot and who thinks he
hasn't eaten anything yet, even after having eaten a lot. In the same way, an anuragi devotee
thinks he has never relished Krsna's sweetness before, although he may have relished it many
times before. A person who suffers from cholera may cry out: "water! water!" even after
having drunk his belly full of water already. The intelligence of a person with deep anuraga
may become so subtle that he cannot experience Sri Kr$na and the sweetness of His attributes
at the same time anymore. When he experiences Krsna, he cannot experience the sweetness of
His attributes, and when he experiences the sweetness of Krsna's attributes, he cannot
experience Sri Kr§na Himself anymore! Sometimes a hole in a cloth becomes so small that,
while stitching it, one cannot stick a needle in it twice anymore. In the same way, the devotee’s
intelligence becomes so subtle when he attains the stage of anuraga, that he forgets that Krsna
is standing before him, and he only thinks: ’’Here is Kr$na, Who is adorned with so many
attributes, like cleverness in speaking while He is engaged in making love with me", or
something like that. Then, the next moment the devotee thinks: "Hey, where is this unlimitedly
qualified lover of mine now?" Then he forgets about Krsna’s qualities and anxiously starts
searching for Him, without even seeing that He stands right before him!"
Sri Radhika anxiously cries out: ”0 Mohana! Where are You?", even while She's sitting
right on His lap! The most clever Krsna then lovingly consoles this jewel of Syama's, whose
body is overwhelmed with loving feelings towards Syama. The phrase mada vihvala is
mentioned in the text, and according to Rupa GosvamI the word mada means viveka hara
ulldso madah (Bhakti Ras. Sindhu 2.4.35): "That bliss that steals one's sense of discrimination
is called mada:" The Gosvamls teach that separation from Krsna is a greater and more
astonishing ecstasy than meeting with Him. That is why they call prema vaicittya a rasa. In
Srlmad Bhagavata (10.90.15-24) the prema vaicittya of Kr§na's Queens in Dvaraka is also
described. The prema vaicittya of Sri Radha, Who is the very form of mahd bhdva, is far
superior to that, though! The Syama-ladylove is described as follows:
sTtakale bhaved usnd griynakdle ca sTtala

padmagandhT mukham yasyah sd syama parikirtitah
"A lady who is warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and whose face smells of
lotusflowers, is called Syama." And Sri Radha is called syama mani, the jewel of Syama-girls,
in this verse. Srlpada, in his kinkarJ-ioim, glorifies Sri RadhS’s prema vaicittya in this verse.
Syama-mani Radha shines supremely! In this way the spiritual vision drips on.
kelikunja abhyantare, syamala sundara vare,

anke dhari sydma vinodini
hajhdt hari anurdge, vihvala hoiyd made,
viraha bhrantite unmadini
"While Syamasundara keeps Radhika Vinodini on His lap in the bower of His pastimes
She suddenly becomes mad of Hari-prema and imagines that She is separated from Him."
jaddiyd prananathe, sumadhura praldpetet

kohe rai madhura vacana
ha hd sydma gunamani, hd mohana kaha tumi,
hd hd kaha tnadana mohana
"Rai then embraces Her Prananatha and tells Him with sweet words: "O Syama! O
Jewel of qualities! O Mohana! Where are You, O Madana Mohana?"
jay a srl nikunjardnT, mohandngl syama mani,

jay a prema vaicittya ratana
£rila Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 103
bhane srTprabodhananda, jaya bhanukulacanda,

jaya jaya srT radhci ramana
"Glories to the victorious queen of the bowers, the jewel of 3yama-ladies with the
enchanting limbs! Glories to the jewel of Her mood named prema vaicittyal $rl
Prabodhananda says: "Glories to the moon of king Vr$abhanu's f&nily! Glory, glory to Sri
Radha's lover!"
VERSE 48:
KUNJANTARE KIM API JA TA RASOTSA VA YAII

SRUTVA TAD ALAPITA SINJITA MISRITANI
SRI RADHIKE TAVA RAH AH PARICARIKAHAM
DVARA STHITA RASA HRADE PATITA KADA SYAM
kuhja - bower; antare - inside; kim api - indescribable; jata - come to being; rasa - flavour;
utsavdya - to the festival; Srutvd - having heard; tad - that; alapita - talking; tinjita - jingling; mUritani
- mixed with; irl radhike - O RadhS!; tava - Your; raliah - secret; paricdrika - maiservant; aharii - 1;
dvdra - gate; sthitd - situated; rasa - flavour; hrade - in a lake; patitd - fallen; kadd sydm - when?
O SrT Radhike! W hen will I, Your confidential maidservant, fall in a pool of rasa
as I stand a t the gate of the kuhja, hearing the sweet jingling sound of Y our ornam ents
mixed with the sweet sound of Your conversation with Kr$na at the beginning of Your
rasa-festival?
A POOL OF RASA :
Commentary: Slowly Srimatl comes out of Her prema vaicittya-ecstasy and sees
Syamasundara standing before Her, so She becomes a little shy and lowers Her head.
3yamasundara is still absorbed in the ecstasy of witnessing Radhika's prema vaicittya and
keeps His eyes closed. When Sv5minl sees Syamasundara in this condition, She thinks of
playing a trick on Him, and with a slight smile on Her face She goes to hide in another kuhja
close by. The maidservant, seeing this prankish fun, covers her mouth with her veil and
giggles. With Her eyes SvaminI tells her maidservant not to say anything to 3yamasundara.
Slowly Krsna, the king of rasa, comes out of His trance of Radha-rasa and regains His normal
consciousness. When He opens His eyes and sees that His PriyajI is no longer there, He
anxiously looks for Her in all comers of the kuhja, and cries out: "O Radhe! Where are You?
Show Yourself to Me!" Sripada, as a maidservant, admires the sweetness of this scene, looking
in through the foliage of the bower. Kr$na laments: "O Priye! Where are You? Stop joking
with Me! When You are not with Me, cruel Cupid's arrows always hurt Me!" dehi sundari
darsanam mama manmathena dunomi "0 Priye! How much more will You joke with Me?
Cool off My heart that is burning in the fire of separation from You!" Out of great love
Nagara sees Radha everywhere. He even embraces a golden vine, thinking it is Her. Seeing
Syama's condition, the maidservant is out of her mind of pride. She is proud of SvaminFs
104 6ri-£ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
honour. He for whom millions of beautiful girls in Vraja are hankering, is now hankering for
3nmatl! When the maidservant appears before 3yamasundara, He prays to her with folded
hands: "O sakhil Tell Me, where is your ISvari? In which kuhja is She hiding to make fun of
Me? Quickly bless Me by helping Me find Her!"
The maidservant sweetly smiles and says: "O Rasika 3iromani! Don’t You know where
Your ladylove has gone after leaving Your lap? Just see how much She was suffering on Your
lap just one moment ago, crying out of separation from You! Won't You cry even a little out of
separation from Her now? She went back to Yavata with Her girlfriends! Just give up Your
hope for meeting Her again today!" Syamasundara can understand from looking at the
maidservant’s face that she's joking with Him, and that Srlmatl must surely be hiding out in
some nearby grove, so He shows the maidservant that He is most eager to meet Her. Seeing
Syama’s eagerness, the maidservant leads Him to the right grove, where He meets Srlmat! once
more. Both Radha and Krsna are overwhelmed by feelings of love when They see Eachother
again, and the maidservant feels blessed when she can witness Their sweet meeting.
kuhjdntare kim api jata mahotsavayah "The meeting of the divine Couple in the kuhja
is a real festival! Sri Radha showers Her Priyatama with nectar by speaking sweet words to
Him and making Her anklebells, sash of bells and other ornaments jingle along sweetly.
5rlpada, as Her confidential maidservant, stands by the gate of the kuhja and hears all these
sweet sounds. It is as if he had fallen in a pool of rasa and attained the pinnacle of bliss there.
Just as a pool is a limited amount of water, so the secret bower in Vrndavana is also bound by
limits. This pool of rasa cannot be found in any other holy abode, holy pastime or form of
God. It is the sole treasure of Vrndavana’s kuhjas. Even Lord Brahma, Lord 6iva and Uddhava
cannot enter into it, but by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's grace it has become revealed to the
suffering souls in the age of Kali. Those who take shelter of Vfndavana-dhama (if not
physically possible, then mentally) and lovingly engage there in hearing, chanting and
remembering the sweet pastimes of Srl-Srl Radha-Madana Gopaia, will surely find this secret
pool of rasa.
VERSE 49:
VliyAM KARE MADHUMATIM MADHURA SVARAM TAM

ADIIAYA NAGARA $ I ROMANI BHAVA ULAM
GAYANTYAHO DINAMAPARAMIVASRU VAR?AIR
DUHKAN
♦ NAYANTYAHAHA SA HRDI
• ME'STU RADHA
vmdrii - the lute; kare - in the hand; madhumatlm - named Madhumatl; madhura - sweet;
svardrh - voice; tarh - that; ddhdya - taking; ndgcira - lover; iiromani - crownjewel; bhdva - emotion;
Ilia - pastime; gdyanii - sings; alio - O!; dinam - the day; apdram - endless; iva - as if; a£ru - tears;
varsaih - with showers; duhkdt - out of misery; nayanty - passes; ahaha - O!; sd - Her; hrdi - heart; me
- my; astu - let it be; radha - Radha.
O! May that Radha, Who passes the seemingly endless day in great difficulty,
feeling separation from the crownjewel of gallants, crying showers of tears, singing of I*Iis
emotional loveplay and taking H er sweetsounding Vina named M adhum atl in H er hand,
appear in my heart!
VIRAHINl SRI RADHA:
Commentary: The word ndgara siromani means 'He who knows how to extinguish the
burning fire of His heroine’s feelings of separation by sweetly coming to meet Her, and Who
causes thousands of sweet flavours of astonishing mutual feelings of love by creating such
anxious situations of separation’. The word bhava Ilia means that $rl Radhika emotionally
sings about Krsna's sweet pastimes, or that Krsna’s pastimes are full of transcendental
emotions. Bhava means: being absorbed. Srimati is absorbed in singing about Syama’s sweet
pastimes without thinking of anything else. This is the only way that the beautiful girls of
Vraja can pass the seemingly endless day without dying. In the Bhramara Gita (song to the
bumblebee, &rimad Bhagavata 10.47.12-21) 3rl Radha says tad alam asita sakhyair dustyajyas
tat katharthah: "It’s useless to be friends with a dark-complexioned boy, but at the same time it
is difficult to give up speaking about Him!" She doesn't want to pronounce the name "Syama",
or "Krsna", but instead She says "Asita", someone who is not fair-complexioncd. Nevertheless
She tells the attendant bumblebee: "Ore! I can give up everything, even your friend (Kr$na),
but I cannot give up the treasure of speaking about Him! It's only by speaking about Him that
we gopfs can somehow survive. If we stopped speaking about Him, we would immediately by
burned to ashes by the fire of separation from Him!"
3ri Radha's Vina is called Madhumati, a girl who intoxicates the heart with honey.
3 rim at! is completely absorbed in singing about Rasaraja's emotional pastimes with an ever-so-
swcet voice. When 3riman Mahaprabhu was at Puri in Radharanl’s mood, His strong feelings
of separation could only be pacified by singing about the emotional pastimes of Krsna.
dine prabhu ndna sange hoy anya rnana;

ratrikdle badhe prabhura viraha vedana
rdmanandera kr$na kothd, svarupera gana;
viraha vedanaya prabhura rakhaye pardna
(Caitanya Caritamrta Antya 6)
"In the daytime the Lord could find some distraction in the company of different
people, but at night the pain of His separation increased. Ramananda Raya somehow saved the
Lord’s life by speaking about Kr$na to Him and Svarupa Damodara sang songs. In this way the
Lord could tolerate the pain of separation."
Svamiril cries to Her maidservant: "Alas! Where is Kr$na, that ocean of qualities, now?
Without Him, My whole world is empty and the day seems to be endless!" No worldly feelings
of separation can compare to the gopTs ecstatic feelings of separation from Krsna. anya ye
duhka nione, anya tdhd nahi jane "Whatever is on someone’s mind, another person cannot
know." anya jana kahd likfii, nahi jane prdnasakhi, ydte kohe dhairya dharibdre "Even My
Prana-sakhTs don’t know how to pacify Me, what to speak of others!" (C.C. Madhya 2)
SrTpada, in his rnahjan-form, becomes upset when she sees the suffering of 3rimatl,
and decides to go out to look for Syamasundara. She thinks: "If Kr§na is in the kunja of some
rival gopi like Candravali, and I won't be able to make it clear to Him how much Svaminl
suffers out of separation from Him, then what shall I do? But if He sees from the expression on
my face how much She suffers, then He will surely quickly come to see Her!" Since the sakhis
and mahjarTs exactly reflect 3rTmatI Radhika's emotions, Kr$na will see on the maidservant's
face exactly how much £rimatl is suffering out of separation from Him. What a wonderful
service these tnahjans perform by carrying the picture of Srlmatl’s bhava on their faces to
6yama$undara!
SrT-^ff Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
VERSE 50:
ANYONYA HASA PARIHASA VILASA KELI

VAICITRYA JRMBHITA MAHA RASAVAIBHAVENA
VRNDAVANE VILASA TAPAHRTAM VIDAGDHA
DVANDVENA KENACID AHO HRDAYAM MADIYAM
anyonya - with E achothcr; hasa - laughing; parihasa - jo k in g ; vilasa keli - play; vaicitrya -
varieg ated n ess; jrmbhila - extending; malm - great; rasa - flavour; vaibhavena - w ith the prow ess;
vrndavane - in V rndavana; vilasata - playing; apahrtarii - taking aw ay; vidagdha - clever; dvandvena -
by a couple; kenacid - by som e; aho - O!; hrdayam - heart; madTyam - m y.
Aho! Some clever Couple, that is playfully laughing and joking with Eachother in
Vrndavana, showing the power of greatly astonishing rasa \ has stolen my heart!’
THE POWER OF GREAT RASA :
Commentary: Srila JTva GosvamT has said that when real scriptural faith has arisen in
the heart of the sddhaka he gains a wonderful perseverance in bhajana and he will certainly
give up everything that is obstructing his devotion, jdtayafn (fastrfya) Sraddhaydfti siddhdv
asiddhau ca svania-siddhi lipsor iva sadd tad anuvrtti cestaiva sydt..... tasydrii svdrtha
sadhcmdnupravrttau ca dambha pratisthd-lipsadinmya cestd leso'pi na bhavati. na sutaram
jnanapurvakarii mahad avajnddayo'parddhaS cdpahanti virodhdd eva (B hakti S an d aib h a - 175 Anuli)
"W hen scriptural faith h as arisen in the heart o f the aspirant, regardless o f w h eth er he h as attained
p erfectio n o r not, a w onderful perseverance will always be seen in his worship, like th e svama
siddhi lipsa nydya* In him arrogance, endeavours for profit, adoration and distinction or
deliberate offenses to the great devotees are not seen."
Seeing the maidservant, the Nagara becomes overwhelmed by feelings of separation
from Sri Radha, and He prays for forgiveness again and again, explaining her why He did not
go to see Sflmatl earlier. The maidservant then consoles the Nagara and arranges for His
meeting with virahavati (separated) Radha. When Nagara arrives in the kunja7 Svaminl, who is
by nature of a v&ma character, immediately becomes proud and angry with Him, but the
maidservant takes Nagara’s side and uses different words to soften Nagarlmani's heart These
words are like the moon that cause the ocean of love in Her heart to swell. Srlpada is then
blessed by seeing the loving pastimes of the divine Couple, and his heart becomes filled with
such astonishment, that he says: "This clever couple of Vrndavana has stolen my heart!"
It is not that the devotee can decide himself when he can relish these pastimes. No, they
become manifest of their own accord to steal the heart of a fortunate practitioner! Then there
will not be any other vision left, day and night, but that sweet transcendental picture of the
pastimes of the Yugala KiSora. Such a fortunate person, who sees the sweet meeting of Radha
and Madhava, has attained perfection!
tnadhura srT vrndavane, nibhrta tiikuhja vane
Svarna siddhi lipsu is the means which is used to turn metals like copper into gold.
SrTla Prabodhananda Sarasvall 107
rai kanu kUora kisorl

donhara vicitra keli, amrta nichiya pheli,
hasya parihasa manohdri
"Rai-Kanu (Radha-Krsna) are showering nectar in sweet Vmdavana's arbour-forest

with Their wonderful and enchanting pastimes of joking and laughter."
rasamayT rasamaya, maharase vilasaya,

vaibhavete duito sarndna
prabodhanandete bhane, vidagdha vilasa gurie,
yugala harilo mora prana
Prabodhananda Sarasvatl says: "This Couple, rasamaya and rasamayT, has stolen my
heart with Their clever attributes and Their very rasika and powerful pastimes."
MAH A PREMONMILAN NAVA RASA SUDHA SINDHU LAHARl

PARIVAHAIR VI&VAM SNAPA YADIVA NETRANTA NATAN A I ff
TADIN MALA GAURAM KIM API NAVA KAI§ORA MADIIURAM
PURANDHRINAM CUDABHARANA NAVA RATNAM VIJAYATE
maha - great; prema - love; unmilat - opening; nova - new; rasa - flavour; sud/id - nectar;
sindhu - ocean; laharf - wave; parlvahaih - by carrying; vifvarH - the world; snapayad - showering; iva
- as if; netra - eyes; anta - comer; natanaih - by dancing; tadit - lightning; mala - corona; gaurarh -
golden; kim api - inescribable; nava - lfesh; katfora - adolescence; madhurarfi - sweet; purandhrmarH -
of the cowherdgirls; cuddbharana - crownjewel; nava - new, nine; rainarh - jewel; vijayate - victorious.
Glory to the new crownjewel of ladyloves, Who Inundates the whole world with
H er indescribable fresh youthful sweetness like a golden string of lightningstrikes with
the waves of the nectarocean of Her dancing sidelong glances, created out of g re a tpretnaX
THE DANCING OF SRI RADHA S SIDELONG GLANCES:
Commentary: The w'ords visvam snapayad iva not only mean 'as if showering the
world', but also 'as if showering $rl Kr$na\ How? When Arjuna beheld SrT Kr$na's universal
form, in the 11th chapter of Bhagavad Gita, he said sarvam samapnosi tato’si sarvah: "Because
You pervade everything, You are called sarva, or everything!" Similarly, because Krsna
pervades the whole world (visva)f He is also called vis'va. 3rlla ViSvanatha Cakravartipada
comments on this stanza: sarvam svakaryam jagad apno$i vyapnoji svarnam iva kataka
kundaladikam atas tvam eva sarvah: "Just as gold is siuated inside and outside of the earrings,
similarly You are inside and outside of the whole universe. Hence one of Your names is
sarva." Then visvam snapayad iva netrdnta natanaih means: "You shower Krsna with the .
dancing of Your sidelong glances, and inundate Him in the great swelling ocean of sweet
108 Sn-SrI Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
n e c ta re a n lo v e !" H o w m a n y w a v e s -o f-e m o tio n a re n ’t th e re o n th is o c e a n , c r e a tin g rasika

a g ita tio n s in th e h e a rt o f rasaraja Sri K r$na? Srlla R a g h u n a th a D a s a G o s v a m I h a s said:
yai prantadesa lavalesa vighurnitena baddhah ksandd bhavati krsna karitidra uccaih
tat khanjarTta jayi netra-yugam kaddyam sampujyayisyati janas tava kajjalena
(Vilapa Kusumafijali 42)
"O Radhe! With even the slightest blink from the corners of Your eyes You
immediately tie down the king of elephants Krsna tightly! When will this person worship those
eyes, that defeat the fickleness of wagtailbirds, with eyeliner?" Sri Radha's sweet loving
sidelong glance to Krsna inundates the entire world with streams of prema rasa. Srlla Rupa
GosvamI prays for the welfare of the whole world when he praises Sri RSdhika's kila kihcit
mood in the auspicious invocation of his play 'Dana Keli Kaumudi': radhdydh kila kihcita
stavakim dr$fih sriyam vah kriyat The purport to this verse is that, anyone who meditates on
Radhika's glance towards Krsna will be blessed with the treasure of love for the lotusfeet of the
divine Couple.
One may ask here - "These sweet glances may be able to infuse prema rasa in the
devotees' hearts, but what is the meaning of the saying that they also shower the whole world
with prema rasal In his Ujjvala Nllamani Srlla Rupa GosvamI has mentioned the anubhdva of
Sri Radha's mohanakhya bhava called brahmdnda-ksobhakaritva (agitating the whole world),
and has exemplified it by saying: purnanande'pyusitva bahir idam abahis cdrtam dsTd
ajdndam: the vapour of Sri Radha's prema wanders in all directions and gives great agony to
the living entities, even if they live there in full bliss. purnanande'pTti tat prema jater dnanda
svabhdvakatvat (Sri Jiva). "From the words 'full bliss' we can understand that the entire
universe is filled with prema". From this it is easily understood that the sweet glances of Sri
Radha inundate the whole universe with prema. This does not mean that everyone becomes
liberated, because in the universe where Sri Radha performs Her manifest pastimes all living
entities may be immersed in prema, when these pastimes become unmanifest innumerable
subtle (dormant) living entities from other universes will be generated there, along with their
fruitive activities.
Certainly in this age of Kali the time has come to inundate the whole world with the
truth about these matters. Sfiman Mahaprabhu has accepted Sri Radha's mood and complexion
and has inundated the whole world with the sweet rasa of Her loving glances:
uthalila premabonya - caudike beday; strl vrddha bdlak yuvd sabhare dubdy
sajjana durjana pangu joda andhagana; premabonydya dubailo jagatera jatia
(C aitanya C aritam rta Adi lHa)
"This flood of love expanded and inundated all the four directions, drowning everyone
- women, old folks, children and youngsters. Good people, bad people, the lame, the dull and
the blind - all the people of the world drowned in this flood of love."
Srlla Rupa GosvamI describes the nava kaisora madhuram, the fresh adolescent
sweetness of Sri Radhika, as follows in his 'Ujjvala Nllamani (Uddlpana Prak.)':
d$as te patiturii katdksa madhupo mandarii drg indivare

kincid vrlda visankurath mrgayate ceto mardlarbhakah
narmdldpa madhu cchalddya vadandmbhoje tavodxyate 4
satike sundari madhavotsava karim kxxncid dafdm aficasi

S n la Prabodhananda Sarasvati 109
Seeing the appearance of Radhika's adolescence, ViSakha jokingly told Her: "O
Sundari! Your glances are like bees that start to fall from Your eyes, that are like blue
Indlvara-lotuses, Your heart is like a young swan that begins to search for the lotussiems of
bashfulness, and the honey-like luster of joking words begins to shine from Your lotuslike
mouth. Therefore I think You have attained a condition that can give a festival of pleasure to
Madhava!" Sri Radhika is the crownjewel of all the gopikds, and She simply increases the
gopTs' beauty by Her beauty. The word nava ratna in the text can mean 'new jewel', or nine
jewels. In the last case, the following verse can be quoted:
nianikyarii parsnideSe vadana jalaruhe mauktikatH syat

prabalai4$tha:prante manasi harilath pujkararii dehavarne
vajrarii dantesu netre surapatimanir gomedakarh meda madhye
hyasthau garutmakarii tddrSci Surabhava yugam nanda sunor asangat
"In Sri Radha's heels are jewels, in Her lotusface pearls, in the corners of Her mouth
corals, in Her heart Harita-gems, in the luster of Her body rubies, in Her teeth diamonds, in
Her eyes sapphires, in Her marrow jacinth, and in Her bones emeralds. In this way Sri Radhika
shines in the playbowers of Vrndavana with Nanda's son."
nibhrta nikunja fhai, hari garavini rdi,

bhahgi kori netranta nartane
preniampta pdrdvara, raciya tarange tara,
plavita korilo dharadhatne
"In a secret bower proud Rai makes sly gestures to Hari with the dancing of Her
sidelong glances, creating waves on the ocean of nectarean love that inundate the abode named
planet Earth."
aha aha mari mariy hari citta rnanohdri,
kaisora sri mohana madhurT,
ahge ahge acancald, tarala tadita mala,
gauravarria tanu manohari
"Aho! The beauty of Her enchanting adolescence steals even Hari's heart, and Her
beautiful enchanting golden limbs shine like shimmering coronas of lightningflashes!"
bhane srTprabodhananda, ei dekho paramananda,

rasamaya nagara nagarT
nikhila purandhrXgana, cuddmani abharana,
navaratna navlna kisorX
"Sri Prabodhananda says: Look at this greatest bliss of the rasika hero and heroine!
This young KiSorl is the new jewel or the crownjewel of all the sweet cowherdgirls of Vraja!"
VERSE 52:
AM A NDAPREMANKA SLA THA SAKALA NIRRANDHA HllDAYAM

DAYAPARAM DIVYA CCHARIMADHURA LAVANYA LA LIT AM
AIAK$YAM RADHAKHYAM NIKHIlJl NIGAMAIR APYATITARAM

RASA MB HODIIEH SARAM KIM API SUKUMARAM VIJAYATE
amandarh - not bad; prema - love; ahka - mark; flatha - slackening; sakala - all; nirbandha -
duties; hrdayarh - heart; dciyd - mercy; apararii - unlimited; divya - divine; cchabi - luster; madhura -
sweet; Idvanya - pearllike beauty; lalitam - lovely; alaksyarii - unnoticed; rddhakhyarii - named Radha;
nikhila - all; nigamaih - by the Vedas; api - even; atitararh - more; rasa - flavour; ambhodheh - of the
ocean; sdram - essence; kim api - indecribable; sukumdram - tender; vijayate - victorious
Glory to the tender girl Who is the essence of the ocean of rasa, Who is inaccesible
to the Vedas, Who is the divine form of sweet elegant beauty and unlimited mercy, and
the signs of Whose unrivalled love for Kr$na made Her give up all moral decrees!
SRI RADHA’S DIVINE QUALITIES:
Com m entary: No one should think that Sri Radhika’s limbs are hard because they
were compared to nine jewels in the previous verse, because in this verse Srlpada says
sukumdram vijayati 'Victory to the tender girl!' She has given up all moral decrees because of
the signs of Her great love for Kr$na. And Sn Radhika is the crownjewel of gopikas, therefore
Her love for Kr$na is the purest* There are five considerations for a woman to love a man: 1)
Her own happiness 2) A feeling of his superiority and masterhood (aisvarya jhana) 3)
Considerations of his qualities, like beauty 4) Wanting to establish a ’safe' relationship with
him as a husband, and 5) Consideration of ’he is the lover and I am the beloved’, but Sri Radha
doesn’t make any of these five considerations, therefore it is natural that She will immediately
and fully give up all Vedic principles for the sake of His love!
3rlmatl is also dayapdra, a limitless ocean of mercy. She showers Her mercy on the
surrendered souls as well as on the ignorant. Not so long ago a man from Punjab wandered
through different holy places around Vrndavana, agitated by feelings of separation from his
wife. One night he was loudly crying for his wife in RadharanTs parental abode Barsana. His
wife’s name was KiSorT, so he loudly cried out ”0 KiSori! O KiSori!" Limitlessly merciful
RadharanI heard this pitiful crying and asked Her friend Lalita: "Lalite! Who is this great
devotee crying out for Me? Quickly bring him to Me!” Lalita said: ’’Radhe! This is not a
devotee, it's a hellish person who has gone mad over his wife who is also named KiSorl! He’s
not calling out for You!” Merciful RadharanI replied: ’’Lalite, I know that, but tell Me what
should I do? My heart melts when I hear those cries of love and I cannot stay calm anymore!
Everyone here calls Me Kisorl! Therefore take that person to Me with love and make him My
girlfriend!" In this way everyone, from the most fallen soul upto Sri Govinda Himself, prays
for Radharanl’s mercy! Even Sri Govinda considers Himself blessed when He is showered by
the nectar of Her mercy! The Lord always desires the mercy of His loving devotees, that is
said by the scriptures and the great saints. For instance, in Brhad Bhagavatamrta (2.7.38) Sri
Sanatana Gosvami writes that Sri Krsna told the Mathura brahmana Jana-Sarma: "Because of
your grace Me and My family arc now blessed! I’m always waiting for the moment when you
will bestow your mercy on Me!” Sri Radharanl’s love is the greatest, so Her mercy is also
most desired by Sri Kr$na.
jayasn nikunjadevT, rasam budhi sdranidhi,

kr.ynamayi krsna priyatama

nayanera abhirama, lalita lavanya dhama,
preme gada sondra pratimd
"All glories to the beautiful bowergoddess, Who is the quintessence of the ocean of
rasa, Who is full of Krsna and Who is Krona's Dearmost! Her elegant loving beauty is the
abode of joy to the eyes, and Her golden body is made of pure love!"
krsnasukha sampadane, dharnuidharma nahi jane,

teyagiya sakala vi$aya
nirbandha hrdaya yarn, ke jane mahima tdra,
nigatna nigiidha ydre key
"For the sake of Krsna's pleasure She doesn’t consider what is moral or immoral and
She gives up all sense pleasure. Who knows the greatness of Her heart's insistence? It is said
that this is unknown even to the Vedas."
he no radha sukumdri, nava gorocana gaurl\

nirantara keli kuhja mdjh
prabodhanandete bhane, satata syamera vdme,
sarvotkarse korena viraj
"That young tender Radha, Whose complexion is golden like fresh gorocana, always
plays within the kunja. Prabodhananda says: She always shines supremely on Syama's left
side!"
♦
♦
DUKULAM VIBHRANAM ATHA KVCATATE KANCUKA-PATAM

PRASADAM SVAMINYAH SVA KARATALA DATTAMPRANAYATAH
STHITAM NITYAM PARSVE VIVIDHA PARICARYAIKA CATURAlti
KISORIM ATMANAM KIM IHA SUKUMARIM NU KALAYE
dukularii - dress; vibhranam - w earing; atha - then; kucatate - on the nipples; kanenkapatam -
blouse; prasadarii - leftovers; svaminyah - o f Svam inI; sva - ow n; karatala - handpalm s; dattarh -
given; pranayatah - w ith love; sthitam - staying; nityarh - alw ays; pdr£ve - on the side; vividha -
d ifferen t kinds; paricarya - practical service; eka - only; caturarii - expert; kiforim - adolescent girl;
dtnia/iarii - m yself; kirn ilia - here; sukumdrTm - very tender; nu kalaye - will I see?
When can I see myself here as S n Radhika's tender adolescent maidservant,

wearing the leftover silken blouse and dress that my mistress lovingly gave me with H er
own hand, and always standing by Her side to assist H er with great expertise?
AWAKENING OF THE SPIRITUAL BODY:

112 Srl-Srl Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Commentary: How sweet it is to think "I am Radha’s maidservant!". How tender and '
delicious is the remembrance of one’s siddha svarupal Srlmad JTva Gosvami said in Bhakti
Sandarbha (304): asm tdvad bhajana prayasah kevala tadrsatvabhimanenapi siddhir bhavati
"Even if one does not perform any spiritual practise, one has attained perfection simply by
considering oneself to belong to God." The practising devotee takes the forms, qualities and
activities of the eternally perfect maidervants (nitya siddha manjari-gana) as his example to
nourish his self-identification of ’I am an adolescent maidservant with such-and-such qualities,
service and form. I am not this body, I am not this mind, and I am not these senses, but I am a
transcendental female individual, eternally endowed with adolescent beauty!' This is how the
aspirant shrugs off his bodily and mental consciousness. The Upanisads state:
ticiiva slrT na punidn esa na caivayam tiapurhsakah

yad yac charTram ddatte tena iena sa vaksyate
"The soul is not female, not male and not neuter, and he attains a body according to his
absorption in a partical thought." Srlpada not only thinks of himself as an adolescent
maidservant, but he also says: prasddarii svaminydh sva-kara-tala dattam pranayatah "I am dressed
with the leftover blouse and dress that SvaminT lovingly gave me with Her own hand when She
was satisfied with my service!" According to Srlla Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami, all of Srimatl
RadharanT's clothes and ornaments are made of transcendental emotions. Even a dried-up
heart will become filled with rasa by remembering SrlmatTs leftover blouses and dresses.
Uddhava MahaSaya says in Srlmad Bhagavata (11.6.46):
tvayopabhukta srag gandha vdso'lahkara carcitdh

ucchista bhojino ddsds tava mdydni jayema hi
"O Lord! By accepting the garlands, perfumes, dresses, ornaments and unguents that
have been enjoyed by You, and by eating the remnants of Your food, Your servants conquer
Your illusory energy may a ” This is all aisvarya bhava (a reverential conception), therefore the
conquest of mayd is mentioned here as the benediction, but in madhurya rdjyd, the kingdom of
sweetness, rasa is the benediction. The remembrance of Radhika's sweet pastimes is penetrated
by the remembrance of the blouse and dress that She mercifully gave with Her own hands. The
bodily fragrance of Radha and Kr$na is sweet prasada, and when the kinkarT smells it she feels
blessed. 3 rip ad a says in his 'Vrndavana Mahimamrta': prestha dvandva prasMa srag vastra
bhusadi mohinim "Sri Radhika’s maidservants enchant everyone’s mind by wearing the leftover
garlands, dresses and ornaments of the divine loving Couple."
kunje virahini rai. Radhika is alone in the bower, suffering out of separation from Her
lover, and Her maidservant goes out to look for Him, in order to save her KvarTs life. SvaminT
is most satisfied with her service, so She wants to reward her with something. With love She
pulls her small maidservant at Her chest, kisses her and gives her Her leftover garland, blouse
and ornaments with Her own hands. How many streams of mercy are pouring from Her
beautiful eyes upon Her maidservant! Such rasika rewards cannot even be imagined in the
abode of divine prowess {aisvarya dhama)\ Sri Radha's handmaids are expert in different
practical services {vividha paricatyaika caturam):
frTsvari tiksitafesa kalci kauSala sdlintm

• «
frisvarT drsti vag adi sarvehgita vicaksandm
(V rndavana M ahim am rta)

3rila Prabodhananda SarasvaU 113
,f3risvari Radhika personally taught them all these different artful skills, and by Her
grace they can perfectly understand all the hints She makes to them with Her eyes, words and
gestures." Then the divine Couple will draw the curtain from Their minds and reveal
everything to Their maidservants. Nothing will remain hidden from them anymore. Nobody
knows how to serve like Radha's maidservants!
VERSE 54:
VICINVANTIKESANKVACANA KARAJAIIJKANCUKAPATAM
KVA CAPYAMU§NANTIKUCA KANAKA D1VYAT KALA&A YOH
SUGULPHE NYASYANTl KVACANA MANI M ANjlRA YUGALAM
KADA SYAM SRI RADHE TAVA SUPAR1CARINYAHAMAHO
vicinvantT - separate; kefan - hairs; kvacana - sometimes; karajaih - with the nails; karlcuka
patarii - blouse; kva capi - sometimes also; amusnantT - taking away; kuca - breasts; kanaka - golden;
dXvyat - divine; kalafayoh - two jugs; sugulphe - nice ankles; nyasyantX - placing; kvacana - sometimes;
mani - jewelled; mahjXra - anklebells; yugalarh - couple; kada - when; sydm - that; frT radhe - 0
Radha!; lava - Your; suparicarim - good maidservant; aham -1; aho - O!
O Sri Radhe! When can I become Your good maidservant, sometimes separating
Your tangled hairs with my fingernails, sometimes placing a silken blouse on Your
golden juglike breasts and sometimes hanging jewelled anklebells on Your nice ankles?
SRI RADHA'S GOOD MAIDSERVANT:
Com m entary: The maidservant observes through the holes in the foliage of the bower
how Radha and Krsna are swimming on the waves of the ocean of Their loving pastimes. If
there are any obstacles in those loving pastimes, the playful Couple will not notice it out of
ecstasy. Sripada, in his kinkari-iotm, sees that Radha and Krona's pastimes got obstructed
because Their hairs got entangled, so she immediately enters the grove to disentangle them.
The playful Couple, seeing her, think she is the very form of Their playful ecstasy, so They do
not feel shy before her at all. The kinkari quickly disentangles the hairs with her fingernails
and goes out of the kunja again, so that the pastimes can continue without hindrance. Blessed
is this maidservant! Blessed is her service!
The &Krt/tf-pastimes are over now and the kihkarT once more enters into the kunja,
knowing that her time to serve has come. The hairs and dresses of the loving couple are
dishevelled and Their bodies are moist with sweatdrops of loving exhaustion. The hairs of the
maidservants stand erect of ecstasy, for the time of their service has now come! Some of them
fan the divine Couple, some rearrange Their dishevelled hairs and some put back Their tilaka
and sindura that had been washed away during Their wild loving pastimes. Some maidservants
throw Their old broken flowergarlands away and replace them with fresh ones, whose flowers
have not even been smelt by the bumblebees yet, some serve scented water and some serve
betelleaves with camphor to Their lotuslike mouths. What delicious loving services!
114 Sii-Srl Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Sripada looks what service he (she) can do. She sees that Srimatfs deep black curly
braids have been opened, tangled and dishevelled during the wild amorous pastimes, so she
carefully disentangles them with her small fingernails and makes a new braid. Srila Narottama
Dasa Thakura sings:
caudike sakhira mdjhe, radhikara ingite ,
drum loiyd kare dhari
kufila kuntala sab, vithariyd dncarava,
bondibo v id tra kavarT
"While I am surrounded by Her girlfriends, Sri Radhika gives me a wink, so 1 take a

comb in my hand and comb all Her curly locks to make them into a wonderful braid again!"
Srlpada sees that Srlm atts blouse is soaked by sweatdrops, so she takes it off Her golden jug
like breasts and replaces it with a dry, nicely perfumed and soft new blouse, and then she puls
Her jewelled anklebells, that had fallen off Her ankles during the lovesports, back on Her
ankles. In this way she expertly does all her services. The maidservant is enchanted when she
sees the beauty of Radhika's ankles, that are decorated with jewelled anklebells, but when she
places these feet on her chest, she loses the vision. Then Sffpada laments: "O Radhe! When
will I become Your suparicarika , Your good maidservant? Be merciful and allow me to put
jewelled anklebells on Your lotusfeet!" The acaryas have revealed the desire to become these
anklebells in order to always stay at these beautiful lotusfeet. 5nla Thakura MahaSaya sings:
ydbo go vrajendra pura, hobo gopikdra nupura,

lader caratie mcidhur madhur bajibo go1
"I will go to the abode of Nanda Maharaja to become the anklebell of a gopikd there
and always sweetly, sweetly jingle on her feet!"
VERSE 55: %
A TI SNEHAD UCCAIR API CA HARINAMANI GftNATAS

TATHA SAUGANDHADYAIR BAHUBHIR UPACARAHS CA YAJATAH
PARANANDAM VRNDA VAN AM ANUCARANTAM CA DADHATO
MANO ME RADHA YAH PADA MftDULA PADME NIVASATU
ati - very; snehad - out of affection; uccaih - loudly; api - even; ca - and; hari nanuini - Hie
name of Hari; grnatah - taking; tatha - then; saugandhadyaih - with perfumes; bahubhih - many kinds;
upacaraih - paraphernalia; ca - and; yajatah - worshiping; pardnandarfi - highest bliss; vnidavanam
anucarantajh - constantly wandering in Vrndavana; ca - and; dadhatah - to hold; manah - mind; me -
my; rddhdydh - of Radha; pada - feet; mrdula - soft; padme - in lotus; nivasatu - may reside.
May my m ind always dwell in R adha's tender lotusfeet as I loudly an d very

affectionately sing H ari's name to Her, serve H er with many perfum ed paraphernalia
an d most blissfully follow Her in V rndavana?
BHAJANA IN VRAJA:
S rl 1a Prabodhananda Saras vati 115
Com m entary: This verse is spoken in external consciousness Csddhakavesa). 3rila

Rupa GosvamI has mentioned the five most powerful items of devotion in his ’Bhakti Rasamrta
Sindhu (1.2.238,244)':
duruhadbhuta vTrye'smin Sraddhd dure'stu pancake
yatra svalpo'pi sambandhah sad dhiyam bhdva janmane
alaukika paddrthdnam acintya iaktir TdrfT
bhdvarii tad visayath cdpi yd sahaiva prakaSayet
"These confidential items of devotion (living in Vraja, worshiping the deity and
chanting the holy name) are so powerful that if an offenseless person practises them even a
little bit, even unconciously or without faith, bhdva will take birth in his heart. These five
extraordinary items of sadhana have such inconceivable powers that they simultaneously
reveal bhdva and its object (3ri Krsna) in the heart of the sadhaka." The holy name is the
greatly merciful avatdra of the Lord, appearing in the form of transcendental syllables. 3rila
JTva GosvamI writes avatdrantaravat paramesvarasyaiva varna rupendvataro'yam iti
(Bhagavat Sandarbha, 48). Srimat Rupa Gosvamlpada has written in his Sri Kr$na namastaka:
nikhila sruti mauli ratna-mala dyuti nTrdjita pddapankajdnta "The toenails of the holy name
are being worshipped by the luster that emanates from the jewel-strings of the crown-
ornaments of all the Vedic scriptures." From this we can understand that Sri Rupa did not see
the form of the holy name as mere syllables, but he perceived a sweet and beautiful form
endowed with hands and feet. &rim at JIva GosvamI has written: ataevananda rupatvam asya
mahad dhrdaya sakfikam yathd srT vigrahasya "The holy name is the embodiment of bliss just
like the original form of the Lord. This is the experience in the hearts of the great saints." ndma
kirtana pracara bhdvenaiva parama bfiagavat pardyariatva siddhir dar&itd (Bhakti Sandarbha, 274):
"Preaching the glories of the holy name perfects one’s surrender to the Lord." The holy name
should be chanted with affection and attention, as Srila Jiva GosvamI explains in his Krama
Sandarbha Tika on Srimad Bhagavata (6.2.20): irf bhagavanndma grahartarh khalu dvidha
bhavati, kevalatvena sneha samyuktatvena ca, tatra purvenapi prdpayatyeva sadyas tallokath tan
ndma. parena ca tat sdmJpyam api prapayati. tnayi bhaktir hi bhutanam amrtatvdya kalpate. distyd yad
asm mat sneho bhavatindm mad dpana iti tad vdkydt "The holy name can be chanted in two ways:
Ordinarily or with affection. The ordinary, offenseless, chanter will reach the divine abode of
the Lord, but the affectionate chanter attains the proximity of the Lord and thereby His
personal service. When Sri Krsna came to Kuruk$etra (S.B. 10.81.31) He told the gopTs: "O
Vraja-sundaris! Devotion to Me bestows immortality to the living beings, and your affection
for Me has forcibly attracted Me to you and brought Me here." Srimat Jiva GosvamI has
written: ndma kirtanam cedam uccair eva prasastam "Loud chanting is the best." And he
explains it with scriptural evidence: te ca prani-matrandm eva paramopakartdrah kim uta svesdrn
yathoktarii ndrasimhe 6rl prahladena - te santah sarva bhutdndrh nirupadhika bdndhavah ye nrsirhha
bhavan ndma gayantyuccair muddnvitdh iti (Bhakti Sandarbha 269) "Those who chant loudly do not
only benefit themselves but also all other living entities. Sri Prahlada tells Sri Nrsimhadeva in
the Nrsiihha Purana: "O Lord! Those who blissfully and loudly chant Your holy name are
known as the causeless friends of all living entities!" In his 'Brhad Bhagavatamrta (2.3.167)
Srimat Sanatana GosvamI says:
namnas tu sahkirtanam dlibharan meghatn vind prdvrsi catakdndm

rdtrau viyogat svapate rathdhgi vargasya cdkroSanavat pratlhi
"Just as the Catakabirds in the rainy season anxiously cry for rainwater and the
CakravakI-birds anxiously cry for their husbands at night, the devotees anxiously cry out loud
for their Lord during the Hari ndma sankTrtana. " A devotee who sings the name of the Lord
with such loving anxiety will very swiftly attain love of God. In this verse Sripada also shows
116 £n-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
the desire to lovingly worship the deity with different fragrant paraphernalia. Just as the
devotee accepts the syllables of God's name to be His avatara (descension), so he also sees the
deity as a merciful avatara. Caitanya Caritamrta states: pratima nahe tumi saksat vrajeruira
nandana "You are not a statue, You are directly the prince of Vraja!" When a devotee has
such love and faith in the deity He will surely be blessed. Srimat JIva GosvamI writes in Bhakti
vSandarbha (286): paramopdsakas ca saksat paramesvaratvenaiva tam pasyanti bhedasphurter bhakti
vicchedakatvat tathaiva hy ucitam "The highest worshipers see the statue of the Lord as being
directly God Himself. Their devotion will be broken if they would consider the deity to be
different from the Lord."
narna vigraha svarupa tina eka rupa;
tine blieda nai - tina cid dnanda rupa
"The name, the deity and the constitution of God are all One. There is no difference
between them, they are all transcendental." There are so many brilliant examples in history
of how the deity directly ate the food offered to Him by the devotee, how He spoke with the
devotees, or went to different places with them just to please them. For the sake of His devotee
Lord Gopala walked from Vrndavana to Vidyanagara in South India, and out of love for His
great devotee King Purusottama deva of Orissa, He came from Vidyanagara to Kataka. When
the Queen saw SrT Gopala, she became desirous to place a valuable pearl in His nose and
thought:
thakurera ndsate yadi chidra thdkito;
tabe ei ddsT mukta ndsate poraito
eto cinti namaskari geld svabhavane;
ratri tiese gopala tare kohena svapane
bdlaka kale mdta mora ndsd chidra kori;
mukta poraiydchild bdhu yatna kori
sei chidra adyapi mora dchaye ndsate;
sei mukta pordho - ydhd cdhiydcho dite
(Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya 5)
"If there was a hole in the Lord's nose, this maidservant could have hung a pearl in it."
Thinking like this, the Queen offered her obeisances to the deity and returned to her palace, but
at the end of the night Gopala appeared to her in a dream and told her: "When I was a child,
My mother Yasoda made a hole in My nose and carefully hung a pearl in i t That same hole is
still in My nose; put the pearl you wanted to offer in there".
Finally, Srlpada expresses the desire to live in Vrndavana. It is most blissful to

conciously live in Vraja, thinking "I am living in £rl Radha’s playground" Srlla Thakura
MahaSaya has sung:
hari hari! kobe mora hoibe suditia
phala rnula vrndavane, hhaiyd diva avasane,
bhramibo hoiyd uddsina
"Hari! Hari! When will that blessed day come that I can wander around in Vrndavana,
indifferent towards material circumstances, and eating only some fruits and roots in the
evening?"
tit ala yamund jale, snatia kori kutuhole,
premdvetie dnandita hoiyd
bdhur upor bdhu tuli, vrndavane kuli kuli,
SrTla Prabodhananda vSaiasvatl 117
krsna boli beddbo kbhdiya
"In great loving ecstasy I will bathe in the cool Yamuna-water, and I will wander
around in Vrndavana, raising my arms and crying out "Krsna!"
dekhibo sahketa stliana, jaddibe tdpita prana,

pretndvese gaddgadi dibo
kaha rddhd prdne&vari! kdihd girivaradhdri!
kaha ndtha! boliyd ddkibo
"I will soothe my burning heart by seeing Radha and Krsna’s meetingplace and I will
roll around there in great loving ecstasy, crying out: "O Radha! O Queen of my heart! O Lord
Girivaradharl! Where are You?"
mddhavi kunjeropari, sukhe bosi suka Sari,

gaibek radha-krsna rasa
tarn mule bosi tdhd, suni judaibe hiya,
kobe suklie gowdbo divasa
"The Suka and Sari-parrots sit in the Madhavlgrove and sing songs about Radha and
Ki'sna's love. I will soothe my heart by hearing them sing, sitting at the foot of a tree. Thus I
will blissfully spend the time."
Sripada says: "Let my mind always stay with the soft lotusfeet of Sri Radha, practising
these three items of devotion (rtatna kirtana, arcana and vraja vdsa). So far for the
sadhakavesat external prayers, of Sripada. There is also an internal meaning to this verse
(siddhavesa): Sripada, as a kinkarl, is serving Sri Radha in Yavata. Sri Radha's agony of
separation from Her lover simply increases and when She finally faints, the maidservant
revives Her by loudly singing Hari's names in Her ears. Srila Rupa GosvamI writes in Ujjvala
Nilamani (Srngara bheda,46):
murccham dpnuvatTpravitiya madhupair gltarh kadambdtavTm

nama vydharata hareh priyasakhi vnidena sandhuksitd
"When Radhika enters a Kadamba-forest on the bank of the Yamuna, where

bumblebees are singing, She faints, but Her girlfriends revive Her by loudly singing Hari's
name to Her." The kinkarls chant the sixteen-word, 32 syllable Hare Ki^na-mantra to Sri
Radhika, of which there is the following sweet word-for-word explanation:
ekadd krsna virahat dhydyantTpriya satigamam

mono vdspa nirasartham jalpatTdarfi muhur muhuh
hare krsna hare krsna kr$na krsna hare hare
hare rania hare ratna rama rama hare hare
"Once Sri Radhika tried to stop the tears She cried out of separation from Kr$na by
meditating on Him and constantly repeating these names of Him: hare kr$iya hare kr$na kr$na
kr$na hare hare; hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare" hare nama sravana matrena
mama mono harasi: "Hare! You steal My mind when I simply hear’Your name.1' krsna va/im
vadyena grhad vanath mamdkarsasi "Krsna! By playing Your flute You attract Me from My
house into the forest." hare lajjd dhairyadhikam harasi "Hare! You steal My shame and My
patience!" kr$na sahga saurabhyena mamdkarsasi "Krsna! You attract Me with Your bodily
fragrance!" kr$na sahga lavanyena pralobhya mamdkarsasi "Kr$na! With Your bodily luster
118 £ri-3rl Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
You attract Me and make Me greedy!" krsna sarvadhikanandena pralobhya mamakarsasi

"Kr$na! With Your supreme bliss You attract Me and make Me greedy!" hare sva bahu
nibaddham mam puspa-sayyam prati nayasi "Hare! You bind Me in Your arm and take Me to
a bed of flowers!" hare tatra nivesitayd me antarlyam balat harasi "Hare! There You take off
My undergarments!" In this way there is also a very relishable and confidential meaning to the
hare rdma- half of the mantra. The kinkarls try to soothe Sr! Radhika's burning pain by singing
these names to Her and by offering Her cooling substances such as sandalwoodpulp, camphor,
lotusstems and so. When Radha’s girlfriends notice that She still does not regain
consciousness, they send the kinkarls out to find Krsna Himself. Only His bodily touch can
revive Her! That can be another meaning of the phrase paramanandam (Sri Kr$na)
vrndavanam anucarantam vrnddvane viharanasila in the text: "I’m getting Krsna, the
pinnacle of transcendental bliss, for You from Vrndavana!" Sri 3uka Muni also said in Sflmad
Bhagavata (10.14.32): yan mitrath paramanandam purnam brahma sandtanam: Krsna, the
friend of the VrajavasTs, is the most blissful Supreme Brahman! The kinkarls disguise Krsna as
a girl and bring Him to 3rlmat! in Yavata. Then, when He touches Her, She finally regains
consciousness. What a great service these kinkarls are performing!
VERSE 56:
NIJA PRANESVARYA YAD API DAYANIYEYAMITI MAM

MUHUi CUMBATYALINGATISURATA MADHVYA MADAYAT1
VICITRAAf SNEHARDDHIM RACAYATITATHAPYADBHUTA GATES
TAVAIVA SR l RADHE PADA RASA VILASE MAMA MAN AH
nija - own; prdneivaryd - of the beloved girl; yad - what; api - even; dayanlya - worthy of pity;
iyam - this; iti - thus; mam - me; muhuh - repeatedly; sneha - affection; rddhirit - wealth; racayati -
makes; tathdpi - nevertheless; adbhuta - wonderful; gateh - of the goal; tava - Your; eva - only; frl
rddhe - O Radha!; pada - feet; rasa - flavour; vilase - in pastimes; mama - my; manah - mind.
Although Kr$na may softly kiss me, embrace me, and intoxicate me with the wine
of eros, showing a wonderful treasure of affection towards me, knowing me to be the
object of the Queen of His life’s (Radha's) mercy, still SrT Radhe! My mind dwells in the
wonderful flavours of Your lotusfeet!
HOW THE MANJARI IS FIXED IN HER FEELINGS:
Com m entary: Once, Srl-£rl Radha-Syama are enjoying Their pastimes in Sri
Vrndavana, and SrTpada, in his kiiikarl-form, is engaged in the service of Radha's lotusfeet, as
if he is Her shadow. Today 3 rim at! is very satisfied with the kinkarl’s service and with Her
eyes She gives a hint to Kr$na to embrace her and kiss her. The king of lovers, 3fl Kr$na,
knows that the maidservant is exclusively devoted to Radha's lotusfeet and that she is dearer to
Radha than even Her girlfriends, but still, simply to reveal the special mood and attitude of the
maidservant, He wants to make her drunk with the wine of eros by kissing and embracing Her,
showing her a great treasure of astonishing affection. Astonishing, because the maidservant
§rila Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 119
does not desire to meet Sri K?*$na herself! Srimad JTva GosvamI writes in his 'Madhava
MahoLsava (7.131)':
bakaripu parirambhdsvdda vaiicha viraktim vratam iva sakhi kartT svdli saukhyaika trsnd
phalam alabhata kasturyadir dlih sakhmdih harivana varardjye sificate tdm yad adya
The sakhis (or maidservants) like Kasturi, who have taken the vow to renounce the
desire to relish Kr$na's embrace, and who only want to see Radha happy by seeing to it that
She meets Sri Krsna, have attained the results of their vow in the great kingdom of Harivana,
Vrndavana!" siddhasya iaksanam yat syat sadhanam sadhakasya tat "What are the
characteristics of a siddha is the practise of the sadhaka." Following this principle the rnanjarT
bhava sddhakas should only desire the service of the Sri Yugala while they practise their
sadhana. An example is given in Thakura MahaSaya’s pa da 'radha-kr$na prana mora yugala
kisora'.
Another sweet explanation of this verse is possible: Once Sri Radhika goes out to
rendez-vous with Krsna, and Srlpada, in his kihkari-form, follows Her like Her shadow. On the
way SrlmatTs tender feet become struck with exhaustion, so they are no longer fit to enjoy
pastimes with Krsna anymore. The kihkarT understands SrlmatTs mind and massages Her
lotusfeet in such a way that they become fit for these pastimes once more. SvaminI is very
happy and pleased with the kihkarfs service, so She decides to reward her by kissing her and
embracing her. Srlmatl, remembering Her emotional pastimes with Krsna, is drunk with the
wine of eros, and the radiation of that drunkenness makes the maidservant also drunk. This
intoxication causes the maidservant to urge Radhika to meet Kr$na even sooner. The kihkarT
feels blessed with getting such a treasure of affection from SvaminI. She stares at Her lotusfeet
and thinks: "O Sri Radhe! You are the wonderful goal! The taste of Your playful lotusfeet is
indeed wonderful! O PraneSvari! Please let me never forget the ecstatic flavour of Your
devotional service!"
VERSE 57:
PRlTIM KAi\f API NAMA MATRA JANITA PROOD AM A ROMODGAMAM

RADHA MADHA VAYOIISADAIVA BHAJATOfI KAUMARA EVOJJVALAM
VRNDA RA NYA NAVA PRASUNA NICA YANANlYA KUNJANTARE
GUDHAM SAI$AVA KHELANAIR BATA KADA KARYO V1VAHOTSAVAH
prTtirH - love; kdm - someone; api - even; ncima - name; matra - only; janita - coming forth;
prodddma - prominent; ronm - horripilations; udgamarh - coming up; radha mddhavayoh sadd -
always; eva - only; bhajatoh - worshiping; kaumara - childhood; eva - only; ujjvaldm - splendid, erotic;
vniddranya - Vrndavana; nava - new; prasuna - flower; nicaydn - abundance; atiiya - bringing; kunja -
grove; antare - inside; gudhath - intimate; Satfava - childhood; khelanaih - with games; bata - alas!;
kadd - when; kdrya - duty; vivdha - marriage; utsavah - festival
W hen can I pick flowers in S ri V rndavana and bring them before R adha and
M adhava, Who are playing intim ate children's games called 'm arriage festival' in a
playbower, always worshiping brilliant childhood love and getting big goosepimples of
astonishing love-ecstasy on Their skins when They simply pronounce Eachother's names?
120 £ri-Sri R adha Rasa SudM nidhi
SR l RADHA-MADHAVA'S M ARRIAGE FESTIVAL:
Com m entary: While 3rlpada floats on the waves of prayer, a sweet picture comes
before his eyes by SrTmatT's grace. He sees a bowerforest in a moonlit night, where Sri-Srl
Radha-Madhava are playing with Their girlfriends. 3flla Narottama Dasa Thakura sings:
rai kanu vilasai range

kibd rupa lavatxT, vaidagadha khani dhani,
manimaya dbharana ange
radhara dakyina kara, dhari priya giridhara,
madhura madhura coli yay
age pdche sakhTgana, kore phula varifana,
kon sakhT edmara (Ihuldya
parage dhusara sthala, candra kore susTtala,
manimaya vedlra upore
rai kanu kara-jodT, nrtya kore phiri phiri,
parase pulaka ahga bhare
mrgamada candana, kore kori sakhTgana,
varikhaye phula gandharaje,
sramajala bindu bindu, sobha kore mukha indu,
adhare muralT ndhi baje
hdsa vilasa rasa, sarasa madhura bhdsa,
narottama manoratha bharu
duhuka vicitra veto, kusume racita keto,
locana tnohana Ilia koru
"Radha and Kr$na enjoy Their pastimes. How beautiful are Their forms! Radhika is
like a mine of cleverness and Her limbs are decorated with jewelled ornaments. Giridhan holds
Radha's right hand and sweetly walks on with Her. Some of Their girlfriends walk before and
behind Them, showering flowers while others fan Them with yaktailfans. Rai-Kanu are
dancing hand in hand, turning around and around on a jewelled platform which is greyed by
dust and cooled off by moonrays. Their limbs are studded with goosepiraples of ecstasy arising
from Eachother’s touch. The sakhls take musk and sandalpaste in Their hands and shower
fragrant flowers. Sweatdrops of fatigue adorn Kr$na’s moonlike face and He stops playing His
flute. Narottama's wishes are fulfilled when He relishes Their joking pastimes and Their sweet
rasika words. He makes a wonderful dress for both of Them with flowers and arranges Their
hair while They perform Their eye-enchanting pastimes." After such pastimes Kr$na and the
gopis enter a kuhja where they sit down on a jewelled throne to relax a little. The sakhTs sit on
the floor, facing Radha and Krsna, while the dedicated maidservants serve delicious water,
garlands, sandalpaste and betelleaves. Everyone can relish Radha and MSdhava's sweet
exchange of love, which is called kdm api, or astonishing in the text. There is no comparison to
this love and it cannot be expressed with words either. Srila Jiva GosvamI writes in Bhakti
Sandarbha: anyanya priyatd sudhd parimalas tamonmaddbhih "Radha and Madhava's mutual
love is always intoxicating Them like a fragrant enchanting unguent like nectar or vermilion."
When They simply hear Eachother's names They get goosepimples of ecstasy on Their skins.
The sakhTs know this and sing Their sweet names :
yoto sakhT mahjarT, dohara madhun heri,

boloto gheri gheri jaya radhe sydma!
§rfla Prabodhananda SarasvaU 121
yoto sahacarfgana, kore phula varisana,

radha radha ramana boli gay avirama
"All the sakhTs and mahjarTs, seeing the sweetness of the divine Pair, twirl around and
around, singing "Jaya Radhe Syama!" All the sakhTs shower flowers and constantly sing:
"Radha-Radha Ramana!" Both RSdha and Krsna become ecstatic when They hear Eachother's
names and while these names enter Their ears, the bearers of these names slip in along with
m
Them and cause Their hairs to stand erect of ecstasy. The great acaryas describe how Radha
and Krona's mutual love increases during Their piirva raga (first love) condition. At that time
Srimatl had never met Syarna directly, She had simply heard the two syllables of His name,
sya-ma. As soon as these syllables entered Her ears they also entered Her heart. That sweet
name didn't give Her any time to think, it immediately attracted Her heart and made Her
surrender at Rasamaya Syamasundara's lotusfeet. She had no idea Who He was, where He
was living, or what His character was like. She had become mad simply by hearing His name,
and Her passionate love drew Her unto the forestpath. She could not go, because She is a
housewife, but She could also not stay at home, so She remained helplessly repeating the two
syllables ’3ya-ma’, while goosepimples stood on Her skin like blossoming Kadamba-flowers
and tears streamed from Her eyes like torrents of rain. Seeing 3rimatT’s condition, Her
girlfriends asked Her what was the cause of all this ecstasy, so She affectionately held their
hands and said:
sakhi! ke va sundilo sydma ndmaf
kanera bhitora diya, marame pasilo go,
akula korilo mora prana
na jani koteko madhu, sydma name ache go,
vadana chddite ndhi pare
japite japite ndma, avasa korilo go,
kemone va pasaribo tare
9
"Dear friend! Who sang the name of 3yama? As soon as it entered My ears it entered
My heart and agitated My heart! I don’t know how much honey there is in the name 5yama, I
cannot give up chanting it! I've become overwhelmed by repeating this name, how can I forget
it?" In the same way £yama, who is bliss personified, was immediately overwhelmed by
ecstasy as soon as He first heard the name ‘Radha’ from the mouths of Her girlfriends, and He
told them:
sakhi! radha ndma ke kohile ? £uni mama prana jutfaile
koto ndma achaye gokule, heno hiyd na kore dkule
ei name ache ki madhuri, sravane rahalo sudhd bhari
cite niti murati vikasa, amiyd sagare yeno vasa
ankhite dekhite vikasa; e yadunandana mana kahda
"Sakhi! Who spoke out this name Radha? As soon as I heard it, My heart was pleased!
How many girls’ names are there not in Gokula? None of them can agitate My heart (like this
One)! How much sweetness is there in that name, filling My earholes with nectar? When Her
form becomes manifest in My heart, I feel like floating in an ocean of nectar! I feel fulfilled
when I behold Her form with my eyes. Thus Yadunandana weeps."
The words kaumara evojjvalam in the text appear to be contradictory, because kaumfira
means ’childhood' and ujjvaldm means ’erotic mellow (srngarah sucir ujjvalah)'. Erotic
mellows cannot be experienced during childhood, they begin at adolescence (kaisora). It can
be concluded, therefore, that the words saisava and kaumara, both meaning ’childhood’, mean
adya kaisora, or beginning adolescence. Because Radha and Krsna's bodies are still so tender
at this age, They arc called saisava and kaumara in this verse. Srlla Kr$nadasa Kaviraja has
given the same explanation for the frequent appearance of these words in the book 'Krsna
Kamanina' of Bilvamangala Thakura, in his 'Sarariga Rartgada'-commentary on this book. In
some tdntrika scriptures the age of kaumara is said to last upto sixteen, so that could also be a
fitting explanation. Some people quote the following verse from the Bhavisya Purana in this
connection:
bdlye'pi bhagavdn krsnas taruna rupam dSritah
rente vihdrair vividhai priyaya saha rddhaya
"Although Lord Kr$na was still in His childhood, He assumed an adolescent form to
play different loving pastimes with His dearest Radha". But Sfila Rupa Gosvami and the
Gaudlya Vai§nava Acaryas who follow in his footsteps do not agree with this, for these kinds
of miracles are not compatible with the purely sweet and human nature of Krsna's pastimes in
Vraja. SrTla Rupa Gosvami wrote in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu (2.1.335):
bdlye'pi nava tdrunya prakafyam sruyale kvacit

tan ndti rasavdhitvdn na rasajnair uddhrtam
"The knowers of transcendental mellows do not accept these statements, that Krsna
reveals His adolescence during His childhood, as being a pure mellow." Sri Jiva Gosvami
writes in his commentary: tanndti rasavdhitvdd id krama yogenaiva rasah sampadyate netarathed
bhavah "The sweetest mellow is the purely humanlike one, in which Kr$na attains adolescence
in the proper course. Other courses of growth are not very relishable."
Today the sakhXs have thought of a prank: While the loving Couple sits on a jewelled
throne, deeply in love with Eachother, one sakhT comes up to Them from behind and binds
Their garments together, as if They are a newly married couple. Radha and Madhava are so
deeply absorbed in Eachother's sweetness that They don't notice i t The sakhTs then give a hint
to the manjarls to go and pick flowers and make flowergarlands. Some sakhTs then hang these
garlands around Radha and Madhava's necks while making the ulu dhvanit some sakhTs
perform arati to Them and others throw flowerpetals at Them, while laughing and rolling
against eachother of ecstasy. Sri Radhika, Who is absorbed in relishing Madhava's sweetness,
becomes a little doubtful when She sees the behaviour of Her friends and thinks: "There must
be some hidden reason why they’re having so much fun!" She looks all around, beautifying the
kuhja with Her beautiful glances, but when She gets up Her clothes are pulling at Her. She sees
that Her garments are bound to Syamasundara's garments and says with an angry expression on
Her face: "Oh! That's why you arc laughing so much!" Who has ever seen Her so angry with
Her friends? "O Foulfaced girls!”, She says, "Is this how you show your desire to have a
marriage-festival with this cowherd-debauchee? Allright, come! I will arrange the marriage of
each of you! I will be the priest for the fulfillment of your desires!" How beautiful is SrimatTs
angry face! Nagara is absorbed in the sweet mellows of that face, and that is exactly what the
sakhTs wanted to accomplish with this prank of theirs. Therefore, the 'marriage festival in
childhood play' mentioned in the text is not an actual marriage. In Sri Vrndavana only the pure
parakTya rasat the extramarital relationship, exists. Although the marriage is not real, some
people call it a marriage according to the Gandharva-way, a marriage proceeding entirely from
love or the mutual inclination of a youth and a maiden, without ceremonies and without*
consulting relatives. parakTya bhave ad rasera ulldsa; vraja vitid ihdra anyatra ndhi vdsa
(C.C.): "The extramarital mood is more blissful and more tasty and it does not exist anywhere
else but in Vraja."
S n la Prabodhananda SarasvaU 123
VERSE 58:
VIPANCITA SUPANCAMAM RUCIRA VENUNA GAYA T A

PRIYENA SAHA VINAY A MADHURA GANA VIDYANIDHIH
KARlNDRA VANA s a n m i l a n m a d a k a r i n y UDARA KRAMA
KADA NU VR$ABHANUJA MILATU BHANUJA RODHASI
vipaficitci - a lute; supancamarii - nice fifth note; rucira - beautiful; venund - with a flute;
gdyata - singing; priyena saha with the beloved; vTnayd - with the lute; madhura - sweet; gdna -
songs; vidydnidhi - ocean of arts; karmdra - king of elephants; vana - forest; sammilat - meeting; mada
- maddened; karinT - female elephant; uddra - beautiful; krama - course; kadci nu - when; vr$abhdnujd -
Rad ha; milatu - may She meet; bhanujd - Yamuna; rodhasi - on the shore.
W hen may the daughter of king Vr$abhanu, Who is expert in playing the vlna
an d singing sweetly and whose gait is as charm ing as th a t of a she-elephant in ru t, meet
the king of elephants SrT Krsna, Who plays His celebrated flute so nicely in the fifth note
th a t it resembles the sound of a Vipandta-VTna , on the bank of the Y am una?
THE CALL OF THE RASA:
Com m entary: In this verse 3iipada gets a swdst vision of the Rasa dance, the
crownjewel of all of Krsna's pastimes. The blazing mellows of the Rasa Ilia enchant even the
Lord Himself. £rl Kr$na says: na hi jane smrte rase mano me fadrsarn bhavet "I cannot express
the feelings that arise in My heart when I remember the Rasa dance" In Bhakti Rasamrta
Sindhu (2.1.210) Uddhava MahaSaya says:
barer api camatkrti prakara vardhanah kintu me;

vibharti hrdi vismayam kam api rdsallla rasah
%
"My heart is greatly astonished when I remember the mellows of the Rasa Ilia, that
increased even the astonisment of Sri H a ri!" Caitanya Caritamrta (Madhya 8) states:
«•
samyak sdra vasand krsnera rdsa-lila;

rdsallla vdsandte rddhikd iriikhala
lahd vinu rdsallla tidhi bhdy cite
"Krona's desire in the Rasa Ilia is complete, and Sri Radhika is the binding link in that
desire." "Without Her, He does not like the Rasa-/f/d." Therefore Rasa-rasika (Krsna, Who
enjoys the Rasa dance) plays His flute with new expertise to call RaseSvarl (Radha, the Queen
of the Rasa dance). He plays His flute in the fifth note, so that it sounds like a vlna. Why does
Krsna play His flute like a Vina? 3rlpada says priyena saha vTnayd madhura gdna vidyanidhih:
"The Vina is the reservoir of all sweet songs, that plays duets with Syamasundara's sweet
fluteplaying." There is no other abode than Vrndavana where the Rasa-/f/a takes place and
where Sri Radha, Who is the reservoir of all sweet songs, appears. All the dancing and singing
in the Rasa Ilia is a product of the gopTs' rnahd bhdva. When RaseSvarl hears Krsna’s flute
sounding like a vlna, She becomes desirous to match Her sweet Vina playing with Krsna's.
fluteplaying. Very eagerly Rasesvarl thus meets fluteplaying Rasa Viharl (Krsna), Who is
124 * Stf-Sn Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
dearer to Her than millions of lives, on the bank of the Yamuna. How sweet is Their meeting!
"How pleased arc Their eyes when They see Eachother’s blessed moonlike faces! It makes
Them feel satisfied like a Cataka bird drinking rainwater, or like a Gikorabird drinking lunar
nectar! 3yama shines like an Atasi-flower and Radhika like a golden Campaka-flower, and
when They meet, They look like the moon hiding in a fresh raincloud! Their clothes loosen,
Krsna’s hair falls out from under His peacockfeather crest and Radhika's bluish veil slips from
Her head."
A loving mother likes more to see the face of her child, even if it is dumb, than the
moon, because she feels love lfer the child and not for the moon. Love makes the ugly look
beautiful. Who can then describe the ecstasy felt when the greatest and most beautiful Lovers
meet Eachother? The Yamuna (who is called bhanuja, the daughter of the sun) swells up of
ecstasy when she sees Vr$abhanuja, the daughter of Maharaja Vr$abhanu, meeting
Syamasundara on her banks and freely playing with Him like an intoxicated she-elephant with
the king of elephants. All the moving and nonmoving creatures of Vrndavana are shivering of
ecstasy, while Radhika, the ocean of artfulness, plays Her vina, outsounding £yamasundara’s
flutesong. By serving the divine Couple the kihkarl is blessed with the sweet vision of Their
pastimes.
VERSE 59:
SAH ASA VARA MOHANADBHUTA VILASA RASOTSAVE

VICITRA VARA TAiypAVA SRAM A JALARDRA GANDASTHALAU
KADA NU VARANAGARIRASIKA SEKHARAU TAU MU DA
BHAJAMl PADALALANAL LALITA VljANAM KURVATl
salidsa - with laughter; vara - excellent; mohana - enchanting; adbhuta - wonderful; vihlsa -
pastimes; rasa utsave - in the Rasa festival; vicitra - wonderful; vara - excellent; tandava - dance;
Sratnajala - sweatdrops; ardra - wet; gandasthalau - on the cheeks; kada nu - when; vara ndgarT -
great ladylove; rasika - relisher; Sekharau - king and queen; tau - both; muda - joyfully; bhajdmi - I
worship; pada - position; Idlandt - desiring; laliia - lovely; vljanarh - fanning; kurvatl - doing.
W hen will I joyfully serve the best ladylove, SrT Radhika, and the best of lovers,
S n Kr$na, Whose cheeks became moistened with sw eatdrops of fatigue from Their
incom patible dancing during the wonderful enchanting Rasa-festival, which is full of
laughter, by massaging Their feet and nicely fanning Them ?
M ANJARI-SERVICE IN TH E RASA-DANCE:
Com m entary: Now the Rasadance has begun. The gopis dance in a circle and Radha
dances in the middle with Vrajendranandana. How sweetly Rasaraja and the Rasa-heroines
smile at eachother with budding lips when they see cachother's sweet dancing, which is born
from the mood called ratil How much they are enchanting and how much are they astonishing
eachother with their song and dance! The Rasa-/f/<5 enchants not only Syamasundara (as was
shown in the previous verse), but also the gopis. When Krsna had left them to go to Mathura
(sudura pravdsa), the gopis asked Uddhava the following question:
S rila Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 125
tah kim niSah smarati yasu tadd priyabhir vnidavane kumuda kunda SaSdhka ranvye
rente kvacic carana nupura rasa gosthydm asmdbhir Tdita manojna kathah kadacit
(S rim ad B h ag av ata 10.47.43)
"O Uddhava! Your Lord must have forgotten us gopist but has He also forgotten the
nights that He danced the Rasa with us? We become mad when we remember those enchanting
nights, that were whitened by the pleasing rays of the full autumn moon inundating the surface
of mother earth! The whole natural scenery of Vrndavana smiled at us with its white Kunda
and Jasmine-flowers. Although she is called Kr$na, or the Black One, the Yamuna became as
white as milk because of all the blossoming white lotusflowers and lilies floating on her
surface, and the sand on her banks became as soft, white and fragrant as ground camphor. On
top of that, the demigods have strewn many white flowers on the arena of the Rasadance! O
Best of the Yadus! The dancing of the gopis made their sashes of bells, the bangles on their
wrists and the anklebells on their feet jingle sweetly, sounding even more beautiful than the
different musical instruments that they played! Does Your Lord remember that most blissful
Rasadance now?"
The word vilasa in the text means that the gestures of the faces and the eyes of the hero
and heroine are extra special, gad sthdndsanadindm mukha netradi karmanam; tat kdlikath tu
vaisitfyath vilasah priya sarigajam (Ujjvala Nilamani).
In Srlmad Bhagavata (10.33.8) Sri Suka Muni perfectly drew the following beautiful
picture of the Maha Rasa:
pdda nydsair bhuja vidhudbhilt sasmitair bhruvildsair
bhajyan madhyaiS cala kucapataih kundalair gandalolaih
svidyan mukJiyah kavara rasandgra granthayah krsna vadhvo
gayantyas tarn tadita iva td megha-cakre virejuh
"With their measured treads, the motions of their hands, the playful movements of their
eyebrows accompanied with graceful smiles, bending waists, shaking breasts and fluttering
skirts of their garments, earrings swinging against their cheeks, perspiring faces and their
braids and girdles loosened because of their swift movements, and singing His glories, the
wives of Kr$na shone brightly like flashes of lightning in a mass of clouds."
SiTpada, in his kihkail-{oxmy sees vicitrayvara tandava sratna jalardra gandasthalau
"RaseSvan's and Rasika Sekhara's cheeks have become moist of sweatdrops of fatigue from
Their sweet dancing", so she sweetly fans Them. The sadhaka should also remember himself
serving in this way, but this remembrance cannot come as long as one is in external, mundane
consciousness. &npada describes the sweet Rasa Ilia as follows in his poem 'Sanglta Madhava':
pravahad amrla rasa krta parihdse; Siva vidhi suka ndrada janitdSe
rcidhd madhava keli vildse; viSatu mdno mama prema vikdSe
vrndavana vana sahaja nivase; tiava rasa bhavita mad pradbhase
dkta tankrta mukd vitane; hari caranojjvala bhdva niddne
pradpada jrmbhita madatia vikdre; parama rasdmrta sdgara sdre
thutkrta vidhi-pada humivara glte; tuccha triguna jada prakrdm atlte
♦
rddhd priya parijana kalamye; vidiia nigama-vara sariivaranlye

anta rahita tnahad akalita pare; bahu-vidha bhangima prema prasdre
ad rasa lola sarasvatlgdtie; kuruta hrdayam ilia parama nidlidne
"This pastime is bearing the nectarean rasa of laughter and is desired for by Sukadeva,
Brahma, Siva and Narada. May the playful pastimes of Radha and Madhava enter my mind
126 S n -£ n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
and increase my love. These pastimes only take place in the Vrndavana forest and are reflected
in the hearts of those who are absorbed in this fresh rasa. This rasa makes the taste of mukti
seem bitter and finds it shelter in the glistening feet of £rl Hari. The erotic transformations
increase at every moment in this ocean full of the quintessence of nectarean rasa. These
pastimes are beyond the three modes of material nature and are sung by the greatest sages, who
spit even on the position of Lord Brahma. This pastime can only be seen by Radha's dear
devotees and is not disclosed even to the Vedas. Even the great souls cannot find the end to all
the different kinds of loving gestures made in this Rasa festival. O devotees who are very eager
for rasal Always keep your hearts absorbed in the supreme jewel of Prabodhananda Sarasvatl’s
song!"
Now the Rasa dance is over. Radha and Madhava enjoy a little rest, sitting on a
jewelled throne and 3rlpada, as a maidservant, blissfully massages Their lotusfeet. The word
lalana in the text means ’keeping with affection’. The maidservant forgets all sense of time
while she eagerly relishes the sweet taste of massaging these lotusfeet. The lotusfeet of the
divine Couple are tired of dancing the Rasa, and Radha and Madhava keep Their eyes
halfclosed while They enjoy the soft and affectionate massage of the maidservant. There's no
limit to the maidservant’s ecstasy then! Then, when this transcendental vision vanishes, 3 rip ad a
pitifully prays: "When will You bless me with the services of fanning You and massaging
Your feet?"
VERSE 60:
VRNDARANYA NIKUNJA MANJULA GRHE$V ATMESVARIM MARGAYAN

HA RADHE! SAVIDAGDHA DARSJTA PATHAM KIM YASINETYALAPAN
KALINDI SAU LE CA TAT KUCATATI KASTURIKA PANKILE
SNA YAM SNA YAM AHO KUDEHAJA MALAM JAHYAM KADA NIRM ALAtf
vpidaranya nikunja - the bowers of Vrndavana; manjula - lovely; grhesu - in the houses; atrna
TSvarim - my goddess; margayan - searching; ha rddhe - O Radha; sa - with; vidagdha - clever; dartita
- shown; pathath - path; kirii - why; ydsi - you go; na - not; iti - thus; dlapan - uttering; kdlindl -
Yamuna; salile - in the water; ca - and; tat - that; kucatatl - nipples; kasturikd - musk; pahkile -
muddled; snayarh - bathing; aho - O!; kudeha - bad body; ja - coming from; malarii - dirt; jahydrii -
giving up; kadd - when; nirmalah - spotless.
When will I search for my mistress in the lovely bowerhouscs of Srf Vrndavana,
saying: "O Radhe! Why don’t You tread the path shown by me with Your clever lover?”,
and when will I become spotlessly pure by washing my dirty body in the water of the
Yamuna, which is muddled by the musk from Sri RadhikiTs nipples?
KALINDI'S PURIFYING WATER:
Commentary: In the previous verse 3rlpada had a vision of the Rasa dance. Now that
this vision is gone, he laments: "Alas! Will I, a servant of my lusty desires, ever be so fortunate
to see these loving pastimes? How can I purify this dirty perishable body of mine, consisting of
S rila Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 127
blood, flesh, stool and urine?" Thinking like this, Srlpada remembers the greatness of Srimatl
Yamuna, and he joyfully says: "My contaminated mind will surely become purified by bathing
in the Yamuna!" Srila Rupa GosvamI has written in his 3ri Yamunastakam (3):
sTkarabhimrsta jantu durvipaka mardini nandanandanantaranga bhakti pura vardhini

tira sangamabhilasi mahgalanubandim mam punatu sarvaddravinda bandhu nandinl
"May the daughter of the friend of the lotusflowers (Yamuna), a drop of whose water
destroys the sinful reactions of all creatures, who increases the stream of intimate loving
devotion for Nanda's son, and who brings auspiciousness to anyone who desires to live on her
banks, always purify me." £rila Baladeva Vidyabhusana comments as follows on the part
nandanandanantaranga bhakti pura vardhitu: nandanandanantaranga bhakti pure
ragatmikam bhakti-dharam vardhayatlti sa "This intimate devotion to Nanda's son refers to
raga bhakti" In other words, anyone who touches even a drop of Yamuna's water becomes
eligible to practise rdgdnugd bhakti, and the highest kind of rdganugd bhakti is mahjarl bhava,
5ri Radha's personal service. Why is the Yamuna's water so black? Sri-Sri Radha Madhava
play Their eternal pastimes in her most purifying water, and in the course of these pastimes the
musk that sticks on Radhika’s breasts gets washed off and muddles the water. Obtaining these
remnants of maha bhdva, Yamuna considers herself most blessed! Because she carries that
musk on her heart Yamuna was called Kr$na, the Black River. £ripada thinks: "Yamuna is
already such a purifying river, and on top of that she is muddled by the musk from Svaminl's
breasts! Let me lose my identification with my material body by bathing in her most delicious
water, then I can recognize myself as Radha's dedicated maidservant, and I can search for my
mistress RadhSram in the beautiful bowers of Vrndavana! O Radhe! Where are You?! Show
Yourself to me! Here is that beautiful kuhja where You always play sweet pastimes with Your
lover! All the scriptures and all the saints (vidagdha jana) say that Your bowerpastimes are
eternal (and they show us the way to those kuhjas sa vidagdha darsita patham), but I cannot
see these sweet pastimes! In which kufija arc You hiding? Show Yourself to Me! Won't You
travel on the path shown by the great saints (savidagdha)?" In this way I'll anxiously cry and
search for his mistress in each and every kuhja of Vrndavana! When will that state be mine?"
How sweet are these prayers of 3ripada in his external consciousness! Vrndavana is the place
that reminds one mostly of 3rl-£ri RadhS-Madhava's sweet pastimes. Naturally, a devotee
cannot remain careless when he stays in Vrndavana. In Sri Narottama dasa Thakura's
'Prarthana' it is seen:
hari fiari! ara kobe palatibe da$a ?
e sab koriya vdme, yabo vrndavana dhartie,
ei mone koriydchi a§a
dhana jana putra dare, ei sab koriya dure,
ekdnta hoiyd kobe yabo
sab duhka parihari, vpiddvane vdsa kori,
mddhukan magiyd khaibo
yamunara jala yeno, amrta samana heno,
kobe pibo udara puriyd
kobe rddhakunda jale, sndna kori kutuholi,
fyamakunda rahibo podiya
"Hari! Hari! When will I reach the stage in which I can give up everything and go to
Vrndavana? This is what I desire in my mind! When can I leave my money, my friends, my
son, my wife and all this misery far behind me and live in Vrndavana, eating only what I beg
as alms? When can I drink the water of the Yamuna, which is just like nectar, until my belly is
full? When can I blissfully bathe in Radhakunda and jump in 3yamakunda?"
128 £ri-S n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Apart from this external prayer, there is also an internal explanation of this verse. £rl-
Sri Radha-Madhava are sitting on a jewelled throne, tired of dancing the Rasa, and the
maidservant is busy serving Them. Nagara becomes overwhelmed with ecstasy from relishing
3ri Radha's niadana rasat and, just to give Him pleasure with Her sweet cunning pranks,
SvaminI decides to hide Herself in another kuhja. A little later, Nagara regains consciousness
and He becomes very upset when He cannot see His beloved anymore, so He asks the
maidservant: "Where is your mistress?" The maidservant knows where SvaminI is, but she
pretends not to know, so that she can also witness Nagara’s sweet anxiety. Nagara and the
maidservant go out to look for SvaminI and they come to a charming bower (mahjula nikuhja),
where Nagara looks all around to find Her. The kuhja becomes beautiful simply by Nagara
looking around in it. After some time the maidservant reveals to Kr§na where SvaminI is
hiding out, and thus accomplishes the sweet meeting of the divine Couple. After They made
love just like a mad elephant couple, Radha and Madhava want to play in the water of the
Yamuna, but They lose the way out of ecstasy, so Sffpada shows Them the way and says: "O
Radhe! Why don't You and Your clever lover follow the path I show You? (ha radhe
savidagdha darsita patham kith yasi tiety alapatri).’’ Now the rasika Couple come to the bank
of the Yamuna and meet the other gopis there. All the gopTs now have a tumultuous watertight
with Radha and Madhava, and Srlpada, in his kihkarT-form, sees that the clear water of the
Yamuna becomes muddled by the musk melting from Svamirifs breasts. After the watertight
Radha and Madhava enter a jewelled temple to be dressed. Suddenly the transcendental vision
disappears and Srlpada laments, while the sweet picture of this pastime still floats before his
eyes: "When will I wander from kuhja to kuhja in Vrndavana, searching for my mistress?
When will I show Her and Her lover the way to the Yamuna, where They can have a
watertight? Alas! When can I be so fortunate? When can I give up my identification with this
body, that is made of five material elements, and recognize myself as Sri Radha’s
transcendental handmaid?"
VERSE 61:
PADA-SPAR$A r a s o t s a v a m p r a n a t i b h i r g o v in d a m i n d i v a r a
S YAMAM PRARTHAYITUM SUMANJULA RAH Aff KUNJAM& CA SAMMARJITUM
MALA CANDANA GANDHAPURA RASAVAT TAMBUIA. SATPANAKA
NY ADA TUM CA RASAIKADA YINI TAVA PRE$YA KADA SYAM A HAM
pdda - feet; sparfa - touch; rasa - flavour; utsavarh - festival; pranatibhih - by offering
obeisances; govindam indivara - the blue lotus Govinda; sydmath - bluish Kr$na; prdrthayilurii -
praying; sumahjula - very lovely; rahah - solitary; kunjam - bower; ca - and; sammdrjitum - sweeping;
maid - garland; candana - sandalpaste; gandhapura - fragrant substances; rasaval - delicious;
tdmbularh - bctclleaves; sat - nice; panakani - drinks; adatum - taking; ca - and; rasa - flavour; eka -
only; dayini - giver; tava - Your; presya - engaged; kadd - when; sydtn - lliat; aham - 1.
O Only bestow er of rasa (Sri Radhikc)! W hen will You engage me by praying to
the blue lotusflower Govinda, Who experiences a festival of rasa by bowing dow n to Your
feet and touching them ? W hen can I sweep Your very lovely solitary kuhja an d bring
garlands, sandalpaste, perfumes, tasty betelleaves an d drinks to You?
Srila Prabodhananda Saras vatT 129
SRI RADHA'S DRESSING AND ORNAMENTATION:
Com m entary: By SrTmatT's grace Sripada regains the vision of the previous sweet
pastime. After playing and bathing in the water of the Yamuna, the divine Couple goes to a
jewelled temple with Their girlfriends and maidservants. SvaminT orders SrTpada to sweep the
jewelled temple and after that She gives a hint with Her eyes that She wants Krsna Himself to
dress Her. The maidservant understands SvaminT's hints, ISvarT cannot hide anything from her.
3 rip ad a writes in Vrndavana Mahimamrta: srlsvarT dr§ti vag adi sarvehgita vicaksanam: "The
maidservant expertly understand all the hints SrlsvarT makes with Her glances and with Her
words." The' maidservant therefore speaks her thoughts out: "Who will dress levari today?"
Nagara says: "If you give Me permission, then I will dress Her today!" The maidservant gives
her consent with a gesture of her eyes. Nagara is very eager to dress SvaminT, Who also gives
Her consent by slightly smiling at Him. It is as if She gives Herself away by accepting
Nagara's service. On Svaminl's order SrTpada brings flowergarlands, sandalwoodpulp, musk,
vermilion, perfumes, delicious betelleaves and sweetly scented water.
In this text SrTpada calls SvaminT rasaika dayini, or 'the only giver of rasa1. To Whom
is She the only giver of rasal To Syamasundara! Syama is absorbed in dressing SvaminT and
the maidservant is absorbed in watching Him. It is as if Syama becomes even more deeply
bluish from touching Radhika's limbs, therefore SrTpada calls Him Indlvara SyEma, bluish like
an IndTvara-lotus, in the text. It is as if each of Krsna's senses are absorbed in SrT RadhE’s form,
sound, touch, taste and smell, therefore Snpada calls Him Govinda, He Whose senses feel
pleasure, in the text. Govinda wants to decorate Radhika with floral ornaments, so He
measures each of Her limbs before He makes the ornaments. SvaminT slightly smiles when She
sees Syama's absorption. It is as nectar drops from Her smile. Nagara takes care that none of
this nectar is wasted, so He catches it with the cups of His lips (He kisses Her). This is why the
maidservant addresses SvaminT with rasaika dayint
SvaminT's dressing is finished and Syama is out of His mind when He sees the
sweetness of Her form. She looks just like a bowergoddess! Syama thinks: "My life will be
successful when I can sell it to Radhika's lotusfeet!", and He offers His obeisances to Her
lotusfeet. The mere.touch of these lotusfeet is like a festival of rasa to Him! Waves of rasa
move through the ocean of transcendental bliss (Kr$na) when He is touched by mahd-bhava
SrT Radha)! The maidservants make their fish-like eyes swim on the waves of this rasa.
Merciful SvaminT lifts SyEma up and seats Him on Her right side on the jewelled throne.
Nagara is overwhelmed by Her tender sweet touch. The hairs on His body stand erect of
ecstasy, and streams of loving tears flow from His eyes. The maidservant then brings some
tasty syrup. First PriyajT drinks and then She hands the cup to Priyatama, Who can thus drink
the flavour of Her beautiful lotuslike mouth. Because the syrup is now mixed with prema it is
called sat panaka, a good drink. After this, the maidservant serves delicious betelleaves. SrT
Rupa GosvSmT wrote in 'Catu Pu$panjalT':
kada bimbosthi tdmbulam mayd tava mukhdmbuje

arpyamdnarii vrajadhTSa sunur acchidya bhoksyate
"O Radhe! Your lips are as red as Bimba-cherries! When will the prince of Vraja
snatch the betelleaves out of Your lotuslike mouth and eat them, after I had offered them to
You?" The betelleaves were relished by both SvaminT and Syama, and therefore they are most
delicious now! SrTpada experiences that in these sweet pastimes. Suddenly the transcendental
vision disappears and SrTpada pitifully prays: "O rasaika dayinil O SrT Radhe! Bless this fallen
soul with the nectar of Your devotional service! On Your order I will sweep the solitary bower
130 SrI-SrI Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
and bring garlands, perfumes, betelleaves, sandalpaste, dresses and ornaments! When will You
thus mercifully engage me?"
VERSE 62:
iA v a n y a m r t a v a r t a y a j a g a d i d a m s a m p l a v a y a n t I s a r a d
RAKA CANDRAM AN ANT AM EVA VADANA JYOTSNABHIR ATANVATI
S lti VRNOA VAN A KUNJA MANJU GRHINIKAPY ASTI TUCCHAM AHO
k u r v a n A k h il a s a d h y a s a d h a n a k a t h a m d a t t v a s v a d a s y o t s a v a m
lavanya - pcarllike splendour; amrta - nectarean; vartaya - with words; jagad - the world; idarh
- this; sariiplavayantT - inundates; sarad - autumn; rdkd candram - full moon; anantam - endless; eva -
only; vadana - face; jyotsndbhih - with lights; atanvati - spreads; M vmdavana kunja -' bower of Sri
Vmdavana; manju - lovely; grhinT - housewife; kapi - some (fem.); asli - there is; tuccham -
insignificant; aho - O!; kurvann - doing; akhila - all; sadhya - goals; sadhana - practise; katham - talks;
dattva - having given; sva - own; dasya - service; utsavam - festival.
Sri Radiiika, the lovely Queen of Vnidavana's bowerhouses, makes all spiritual
goals and practises insignificant when She bestows the festival of Her service. She
inundates the whole world with the news of Her nectarean beauty and Her face shines
like innumerable autumnal moons!
SRI RADHA, THE LOVELY GIRL OF THE BOWERS:
Com m entary: How powerful are the words of the acdryas who are exclusively
dedicated to Sri Radha's lotusfeet! Each syllable crystallises their feelings. They are not
syllables, they are 3rl RadharanI's vahmayT murfi (verbal form)! By SrlmatTs grace 3npada
sees another transcendental picture before his love-anointed eyes: Sri Radhika waits for Kr$na
to come in Her bower iyasaka sajjika). Knowing for certain that He's going to come, Sri Radha
personally decorates Her bower and makes a bed of flowers there. She lights bright lamps and
prepares delicious betelleaves with camphor, but still Her loving ecstasy makes Her feel as if it
was not well done yet.
Today 3ripada sees 6rl Radha as Vrndavana's manju grhinT, lovely housewife,
decorating the kunja as if it was Her house. The lovely hands of the lovely housewife decorate
the bower in a lovely way - everything is manju, or lovely. While Srlmatl decorates the bower,
a wonderful golden luster gushes from Her beautiful form. This nectarean beautiful news of
elegance {lavanyamrta varta) inundates the whole world, in other words: what to speak of
those who were so fortunate to see this luster of pure love, even those who heard about it are
inundated by the flood of divine love! Sr! Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted the mood and luster
of Srimatl Radha to inundate the whole world with a flood of divine love. In the external
world, rivers may inundate the land during the rainy season, but Srlman Mahaprabhu's rivers
of love inundate the inner cores of everyone's hearts with floods of divine love!
gahga yamund prayaga ndrilo dubdite:

prabhu dubdilo krsnapreniera bonyate
(Caitanya Caritamfta Madhya 19)
"The Gahga and Yamuna could not inundate Prayaga (Allahabad), but Mahaprabhu
managed to inundate the place with a flood of love for Krsna." That is because He accepted 3rl
Radha's bodily luster. The maidservant secs that the rays emanating from Nagarimani's
moonlike face spread a luster as beautiful as innumerable autumn moons. This is a divine light
of passionate love, not a material luminary. The maidservant’s heart and mind are illuminated
by this light of passionate love. Suddenly this vision disappears, and 3rlpada laments: "When
will the lovely housewife of Vrndavana's bowers bless me by bestowing Her service upon
me?" How Sr! Radha is the ultimate goal of life, making all other human goals insignificant, is
elaborately explained in Caitanya Caritamrta (Madhya-/f/a, chapter eight), where Ramananda
Raya and Lord Caitanya have a lengthy discussion about it and come to this conclusion: ihara
madhye radhara prema - sadhya siromani; yahara mahirnd sarva sastrete vdkhdni "Of these,
the love of Radha is the crownjewel of all goals of life, which is glorified by all the scriptures."
VERSE 63:
DRSTYA YATRA KVACANA VIHITAMREDANE NANDA SUNOH

PRATYAKHYANA CCHALATA UDITODARA SANKETA DE&A
DHURTENDRA TV AD BHAYAM UPAGATA SA RA^HO NIPA VATYAM
NAIKA GACCHET KITAVA KRTAM JTYADISET KARHI RADHA
drstya - by seeing; yatra - wherever; kvacana - at which place; vihita- done; amredane -
repeatedly; nanda sunoh - by the son of Nanda; pratyakhyana - refusing; cchalata - on the pretext of;
udita - arising; udara - beautiful; sanketa deia - trysting place; dhurta - cheater; indra - king; tvad -
Your; bhayam - fear; upagatd - coming near; sa - she; rahah - solitary; nipa - Kadamba; vatydrii - in
the garden; na - not; ekd - alone; gacchet - goes; kitava - cheater; krtam - done; iti - thus; ddi&et -
ordering; karhi - when; radha. - Radha.
W hen will S ri R adha order me to accompany H er and to tell N anda’s son, after
He repeatedly hinted to H er with His glances, and She seemingly rejected His proposal,
b u t still indicated this beautiful trystingplace to H im , "O king of cheaters! M y mistress
will not go alone into th a t secret garden of K adam batrees, because She is afraid of
Y ou!” ?
✓
SRI RADHA’S ANXIOUS SEPARATION:
Com m entary: 3ri RadhikS anxiously waits for Syama to arrive at the trystingplace.
Thus She is known as vasaka sajjika:
K.
andgasi priyatame cirayaty utsukd tu yd; virahotkanthita bhdva vedibhih sd samirita.

asyds tu cestd hrttdpo vepathur hetu tarkanam; aratir vdspa mok§a§ ca svdvasthd kathanddayah
I
(Ujjvala Nflamani, Nayi ka bheda 43)

132 Sn-SrI kadlul Rasa Sudhanidhi
"When the innocent lover docs not show up for a long time, the heroine becomes very
anxious and impatient. She feels heartache, shivers, speculates why he is not coming, feels
sick, sheds streams of tears and tells Her girlfriends about Her feelings." Sr! Cand! Dasa sings:
bandhura lagiyd, Seja vichdilum,

gdmthinu phulera mala
idmbula sdjdlum, dipa ujdralum,
mandira hollo did
soil pdche e sob hoibe an!
se heno ndgara, gunerasagara,
kdhe nd milalo kdn
SdiSurTnanade, vafichandkoriya,
dilurii gahana vane
bodo sddha mone, e rupa yauvane,
milabo bandhura sane i
pathapdne cdhiy koto na rohibo,
koto prabodhibo monet
rasa Siromani,
« r asibe ekhoni-
dina candT
»• ddsa bhane
"For My friend I made the bed, strung flowergarlands, prepared betelleaves, and lit the
lamps to beautify the place. Friend, all this will turn out otherwise! I did not meet Krsna, My
lover, Who is an ocean of qualities! I deceived My mother-in-law and My sister-in-law to
come into the deep forest, and I decorated My youthful form to meet My friend! How many
times didn't I stare down the road and how many times didn't I address My own mind?" The
lowly Cand! Dasa says: "The crownjewel of relishers is coming now!"
Siipada, in his kinkan-form, sits at SrlmatTs feet and consoles Her. This maidservant
always stays with Her, in joy and in sorrow! How sweet is Radhika's service! The maidservant
thinks: "Your deepest feelings will be revealed in my heart!" The kinkarVs heart and purpose
are one with SrlmatTs. Svaminl says: "Give your whole mind to Me! First be Mine, and then
serve Me!" We cannot understand these things as long as we identify ourselves with our
material male or female bodies. We must become gopls. 3rila Narottama D5$a Thakura sings:
kobe vrsabhdnupure, ahirT gopera ghare, tanayd hoiya janamibo "When will I be born as a
daughter in the house of a cowherder in Vrsabhanupura (Varsana)?" The heart must become
scented with this desire! One can only become freed from bodily consciousness by sincere and
pure devotion. One drop of Radha-Madhava’s sweetness can madden the mind. Srlla Rupa
Gosvami says: yuvayor guna mddhun navd janatn unmadayatiha kath na vdl "Who will not be
maddened by Your (Radha-Govinda's) everfresh sweetness?" Devotees should discuss these
heart's prayers of the Gosvamls with eachother, because these prayers are filled with their
transcendental experiences.
The maidservant sees how much Srimatl suffers from separation, and begins to search
for Syama to soothe Her pain. Although she looks in every forest of Vrndavana, she cannot
find Krsna anywhere, so she becomes very worried. How can She save SvamiriFs life unless
she quickly brings Syama to Her? The kinkan thinks: "Let me just look in Candravali’s bower
once and see if I can find Syama there maybe!" And lo! When she comes to Candravali’s kunja
she sees &yamasundara there, absorbed in a rasika discussion with His hostess! The kinkarl
thinks: "How can I take 3yama from here into our kim jaV Just then the wind blows the
maidservant's fragrance into Syamasundara's nostrils. Syama immediately remembers Radhika,
m
because the maidservant’s clothes are the merciful leftovers of her Svaminl. They have been
worn by Her before and are thus invested with Her divine fragrance! Syamasundara is
astonished and thinks: "Surely Sri Radha or one of Her girlfriends must have come here to
S rila Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 133
look for Me!" Seeing Syama in such a startled condition, Candravall asks Him: "Why are You
so disturbed?" 3yama replies: "Dearest one! My mother told Me to do something for her, but I
forgot it out of eagerness to come and meet You! I have to go now to do that duty!" Naive
Candravall believes 3yama and says: 'Tm waiting here for You, full of desire! Come quickly
back!" Syamasundara goes out of CandrS’s kunja and sees Radha's maidservant there, with
whom He walks along to Radha's kunja. On the way, the maidservant chastises £yamasundara:
"O Crownjewel of cheaters! SvaminT is suffering so much out of separation from You, and
You're just having a good time here, forgetting Her completely? Rascal! If You desire
Candravall, then why did You make an appointment with my SvaminT?" Syamasundara
replies: "I don't know where your meetingplace is! Why are you so much oh My case?" The
maidservant frowns her eyebrows and says: "O rogue! When You prayed to SvaminT for the
fulfillment of Your desires with Your glances, She pretended to reject You, but She still gave
You a clear indication to meet Her in the beautiful Manohara kunja, didn't You get that hint?
Why didn't You show up to meet Her yet?" £yamasundara says: "Sakhi, I didn't understand, I
thought that Radha rejected Me! I didn't know that She told Me to go to the Manohara kunja !"
The kinkari replies with her glances: "You understood everything! Everybody knows how
smart cheaters can be! It is normal for You to cheat innocent girls! You cheated my mistress
and went to the grove of the enemy! Come along, I'll tell everything to SvaaminT, and She will
decide what punishment should be meted out to You!" How sweet is Radhika's service! The
maidservant can freely chastise Kr$na. She is Radha's maidservant as well as Her friend.
Syamasundara relishes the chastisement by the gopis even more than the reverential hymns
offered to Him by the great sages and the Vedic literatures. 3rT Krsna told Uddhava in the
'Lalita Madhava (4.29)':
gokula kula jaratinatii paru?a vag api yatha pramodayati

stutir api maha muntnath madhurapadd math sakhe na tathd
"O Friend! I do not get so much pleasure out of the sweet hymns of the munis as I get
from the harsh chastisements of the old women of Gokula!" If the chastisements of the old
women of Gokula are so sweet to Him, what then to speak of the indescribable nectar of the
sakhTs' and manjarTs' chastisements? The maidservant says: "Svamints afraid of Your cheating,
so She won't go into the kunja alone! No well-mannered girl would dare to go to a lonely place
with a guy like You, anyway! Who could imagine the mishap brought about if She had not
taken me, Her maidservant, along today?" Nagararaja relishes the maidservant's sweet words
and prays to Her with folded hands: "Sakhi, I really didn’t understand Svamiril's hints! I
thought She was rejecting Me and I became so agitated by feelings of separation from Her that
I came here to search for Her. Just after I met Candravall here, you came along! Sakhi! Never
tell Radha that you found Me in Candra's bower! Tell Her that I was wandering in the
Kadamba-garden, chanting Her name 'Radhe, Radhe!' and that You brought Me back to My
senses and brought Me here!" The maidservant replies: "O Ma! Just see! Should I say that? O
Crownjewel of liars (dhurta siromane)l Come along with Me to see 3rimatl, and there You’ll
hear what I will tell Her and what I will not tell Her! It's good for cheaters like You to get a
good punishment once in a while!" Speaking such nectarean words, the maidservant takes
Krsna to NagarTmani’s kunja.
In 'Ujjvala NTlamani', Srila Rupa GosvaraT has given definitions of two kinds of
cheaters: the safha and the dhrsta. The dhurta has not been defined. Because SrT Krsna is
akhila rasdrnrta m uni, the form of all nectarean transcendental flavours, all definitions apply
to Him, but still Srila Rupa GosvamT did not define the dhurta, because Rasacarya Bharata
Muni did not do so. nokto dhurtddi bhedas tu muneh sammaty abhdvatah.
134 £ri-£ri Radha Rasa Sudlianidhi
VERSE 64:
SA ISHRUNARTANA CATURI NIRUPAMA SA CARU NETRANCALE

LILA KHE LANA CATURl VARATANOS TADRG VACO CATURI
SANKETAGAMA CATURI NAVA NAVA KRIDAKALA CATURI
RADHAYA JAY A TAT SAKHl-JANA PARIHASOTSAVE CATURl
sd - she; bhrii - eyebrow; nartana - dancing; cdtun - dexterity; nirupamd - matchless; sd - she;
earn - beautiful; rietra - eye; ancale - comer; lild khelana - playfulness; cdturl - dexterity; vara -
excellent; tanoh - of tlie body; tddrg - similar; vacah - words; cdtun - dexterity; satiketa - trystingplace;
dgama - coming; nava nava - ever-fresh; kridd - play; kald - arts; radhdyd - of Radha; jay a * victory;
tat - Her; saklu-jana - girlfriends; parihdsa - joking; utsave - festival.
Glory to the incomparible dexterity of Radlia's dancing eyebrows, the dexterity of

the corners of. Her beautiful playful eyes, the verbal dexterity of this beautifully formed
girl, Her dexterity in coming to the trystingplace, Her dexterity in everfresh artful
pastimes and Her dexterity in having a festival of laughter and joking with Her
girlfriends!
SR l RADHA S SIX KINDS O F DEXTERITY:
Com m entary: 3 rip ad a has a clear experience of his service. In his kinkarT-form he
brought Syama out of Candra's kuiija into the bower of 3ri Radha, Who waited for Him,
suffering greatly out of separation from Him. Rasikendra Mauli (Krsna) behaves in a deceitful
way only to create waves in the ocean of £rl Radha’s sweet love for Him, and to show the
whole world the greatness of Her love for Him. When the kinkarT comes to Radhika's bower
with Syama, she decides not to tell Svamini anything, so that She will not become angry and
remain submissive to Him (dakyina). duhun doha darasane ulasita bhelo; dkula amiyd sdgare
dubi gelo "They became very happy when They saw Eachother, and They eagerly immersed in
an ocean of nectar." When Krsna arrives, Srimatl pierces Him with Cupid's sharp flowerarrows
by making Pier incomparible eyebrows dance. The youthful Cupid of Vrndavana is completely
enchanted by it. What a wonderful service Srimatl is doing with Her beautiful eyebrows! The
kinkarT sees: "These are not eyebrows, these are black snakes that bite Krsna's heart and make
it burn with desire!
The aspirants should think: "Let me meditate on how You overwhelm Your lover with
the dancing of Your eyebrows!" The kidkarT glorifies the expert dancing of these eyebrows.
The playful glances Svamini expertly casts at £yama from the corners of Her eyes are even
more amazing! 3yama is enchanted and stares at Her without blinking, thinking: "Aha! How
beautiful are Your eyes!" He cannot find any comparison, although He searches for it. Srila
Krsna Dasa Kaviraja has written:
nayana yuga vidhdne rddhikaya vidhatra jagati madhura sdrah sahcitdh sad gund ye
bhuvi patita tad amsais tena srstdny asdrair bhratnara mrga cakordntbhoja mmotpaldni
*..
(Govinda Ulamrta 11.100)
"To make Radhika’s eyes the Creator collected the most beautiful and qualified things
in the world, and the non-essential things that were leftover fell down on earth to become the
blackbees, the deer, the Cakorabirds, the fishes and the blue lotusflowers." Nagara is enchanted
by these playful glances and He becomes stunned of ecstasy, although He is transcendental
ecstasy personified, ada naydne, T$at hasiyd, vydkula korolo more "Her squinted eyes and Her
slight smile agitate Me!" The maidservant glorifies the dexterity of Srlmatl's hundreds of sweet
playful glances.
Varatanu (fair formed) Radha's verbal dexterity is also amazing. Srimad Rupa GosvamI
writes in Ujjvala Nilamani (Radha Prakarana 29): kandarpagama siddha mantra gahandm
ardhath duhana giratn "She speaks unclear words that are as inscrutable as the perfect mantras
from the Kama-Sastras." Sr! Vigvanatha Cakravartlpada writes in his Ananda Candrika-
commentary on this verse: kandarpasydgarna iasire ye siddha mantra vafikaranoccdtanonmadana
mohanddi dharmanas tair gahandrii kalilatii vydptdm iti ydvat "The grave words Radhika speaks to
Krsna are coming forth from the Vedic mantras from the kama sdstra, such as vasTkarana
(bringing under control), uccdtana (agitating), unmadana (maddening) and mohana
(enchanting)." Varatanu Radha's words are all sprinkled by the rasa of maha bhdva, and that is
why they have so much influence on ananda ghana vigraha (Krsna, the very form of intense,
condensed transcendental bliss). How cleverly She quarrels with Him over the tax on clarified
butter (the dana tild) or about the ownership of Vrndavana's flowers (the puspa cayana lTld)l
Srlla Rupa GosvamI says in Ujjvala Nilamani vdg yuddhe mugdhayanti gurum api ca giram
"With Her verbal quarrels She enchants even Sr! Kr$na, the teacher of the goddess of speech!"
Sr! Radha's dexterity in going to meet Kr$na in the trystingbower is also very special!
Today She has given SySmasundara a hint to come and meet Her, while pretending to reject
His avances. She casts Her arrow-like glances at Him and tells Him with a slight smile: "Ohe!
Until now I knew You as the king of rasikas, but now I understand that You're completely
arasikal Couldn’t You understand the hints I made with My eyes?" How many obstacles are
there for a housewife to meet Her paramour! Obstacles at home, obstacles caused by others,
obstacles in the mind and obstacles in the forest! But anurdga (continuous passion) is so
powerful that it tramples all obstacles underfoot and helps Snmatl to meet Her PrHnaballabha
in an expert way. The maidservant glorifies £fimatl's dexterity in coming to the trystingplace.
Syamasundara is enchanted when He sees the many expert ways in which 3rl R5dha meets
Him. The rasa ocean of the divine Couple's pastimes swells up, and the maidservant discretely
leaves the bower. Radha and 5yama now become immersed in a nectarocean of loving
pastimes. The maidservant relishes the everfresh sweetness o f these expert and artful pastimes
while looking through the holes in the bower's foliage, and she glorifies that artful dexterity in
loveplay. After the pastimes are over, the maidservant enters the bower, knowing that her time
to serve has come. The maidservant now also shows various kinds of dexterity, expertise in
devotional service. The aspirant should glorify 3npada's dexterity in devotional service. Now
Lalita, Vigakha and different other girlfriends enter the bower, covering their mouths with their
veils while they giggle about Radhika and Madhava’s naughty pastimes. Glories also to the
rasa of laughter and joking of $rl Radhika and Her girlfriends!
VERSE 65: «
UNMILANMITUUNANURAGA GAKIMODARA SPHURANMADHURI

136 Sn-SiT Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
OHARA SARA DHURINA D1VYA IALITANANGOTSA VAIH KHELATOH

RADHA MADHAVAYOH PARAMISHAVATU NAS CITTE CIRARTl SPR$OH
KAVMARE NAVA KELl SIIJ>A LAHAR1 S I A D I OlK$A RASAH
unnnlat - opening; mithuna - mutual; anuraga - constant love; garinia - great; uddra -
beautiful; sphurat - blooming; mbdhurT - sweetness; dhdrd - stream; sdra - essence; dhurJna - great;
divya - divine, beautiful; Icilita - lovely; ananga - Cupid; utsavaih - with festivals; khelatoh - pastimes;
radha madhavayoh pararii - the supreme Radha Madhava; bhavatu - let it be; nah - us; citte - in the
heart; cira - long time; arti - desired; sprfoli - touch; kaumdre - in childhood; nava - new; keli - play;
Silpa - architecture; laharT - waves; tiksa - instruction; adi - and so; dlksd - initiation; rasali - flavour.
May o u r hearts find ultim ate perfection in the waves of the essence of rasa of
R adhika and M adhava's childhood pastimes, the effulgent sweetness of which is like a
veritable stream of an abundance of fully blooming m utual passion, in which They are
always buffering because They cannot get satiated by E achother's touch, and in which
They play a festival of divine delicate sports in which They instruct an d initiate
Each other.
TH E LIM IT O F PERFECTION:
Com m entary: In the previous verse Snpada, in his kinkarT-form, saw 3rlmati
Radhika’s six kinds of dexterity during Her loving pastimes, and glonfied them. Just as the
reverential love and respect of Lord Vi$nu's associates in Vaikuntha increases when they see or
remember His six kinds of opulence, so the sweet love of the kirikaris for Radhika increases
when they see or remember Her six kinds of dexterity, with which She gives the highest savour
and the highest joy to 3rl Kr§na. Sflpada is the greatest receptacle of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu's grace, and therefore he always relishes the sweetness of the highest form of
raganuga bhakti called mahjarT bhdva. In his sadhakavesa, he first says: "The love of Radhika
and Madhava is able to carry the stream of the essence of the sweetest passionate lo vc-rasa". It
is a mutual love constantly increasing in sweetness and passion, &rlla Rupa GosvamI defines
anuraga as follows in his ‘Ujjvala Nilamani':
sadanubhiitam api yah kuryan nava navam priyam

rdgo bhavan nava naval} so’nurdga itTryate
"Anuraga is a love that is experienced by the lovers as being everfresh at every

moment." Therefore it is also wonderfully variegated at every moment. In the eyes and the
mind of the lover the beloved is always new and fresh, and the mutual love of Radhika and
Madhava has that everlasting nature. SrT Rupa GosvamI gives the following example in his
'Dana Keli KaumudI (71)’:
prapannam panthdnam harir asakrd asman nayanayor

apurvo'yath purvam kvacid api na drsto rnadhurima
pratTke'py ekasya sphurati muhur ahgasya sakhi yd
sriyas tasydh pdtwh lavam api samarthd na drg iyani
Seeing £rl Hari standing by the tollstation on Govardhana Hill, Sri Radhika told
Vrndadevi: "O friend! Sri Hari has crossed the path of My eyes many times before, but I have
never seen Him with such unprecedented sweetness before! My eyes are not able to relish even
an atomic fraction of the sweetness of a single one of His limbs!" These are the great glories of
anurdga. This anurdga is called udara, which means ’noble, beautiful, great, or generous', and
is completely free from any desire for personal gratification. These loving pastimes are divya,
transcendental, and lalita, erotic. $ri Rupa GosvamI says: irhgara pracura cesta yatra tarn
lalitarh viduh "Lalita means an abundance of erotic activities" (B.R.S. 2.1.267). It is cirdrti
sprsafy, which means: It is full of grief because it can never be satiated. As much thirst as there
is, that much savour there will be, and as much savour there is, that much thirst there will be.
With this constant yearning in their hearts, the gopTs sing:
janama avadhi ham, rupa nehdrinu,

nayana nd tirapita bhelo
Idkho lakho yugaf hiye hiye rakhalum,
tabu hiya judano nd gelo
"I have seen His form ever since I was born, but My eyes never became satisfied. I kept
Him in My heart for hundreds of thousands of eras, but still my heart is not soothed."
vacana amiya rasa, anukhanapiyalum,

sruti pathe parasa nd bhelif
koto rnadhu ydmini, rabhase goyainu,
nd bujhinu koichana keli
\
"I constantly drink the nectar of His words, but it seems that nothing has touched My
ears yet! How many vernal nights didn’t I spend with Him, and still I did not understand His
pastimes!"
Again, Radha and Madhava's first adolescence (the word kaumara is read in this way,
see verse 57 and commentary) reveals the initiation and instruction in waves of artful dexterity
in everfresh pastimes. Sri Vrndadevi told Kr$na in Bhakti RasSmrta Sindhu (2.1.333):
kanidkarrii saklu-janena vijane duti stuti prakriyd

patyur vancana cdturl gunanika kunja prayane niii
badhiryam guruvaci venu virutdv uikarnateti vratan
kaiiorena tavadya kr$na gurund gaunganah pdthyate
"O Kr$na! Your beginning adolescence acts as a guru for the Gauris (gopTs) of Vraja,
teaching them how to whisper in eachother's ears, how to offer prayers in secret, how to cheat
their husbands, how to find a chance to go out at night to meet You in the bowers, how to be
deaf for the words of their superiors, and how to keep their ears open for Your flutesong!" Sri
Radhika is also known as the guru of Sri Kr$na. Kr$na Himself says in ’Caitanya Caritamrta':
radhikara prema - guru, ami sisya - nafa; sada amd ndnd nftye ndcaya udbhafa "Radhika's
love is the guru, and I am the disciple-dancer. She always makes Me dance different dances."
This is sik$d and dikya in rasa. In the material world we first get dik$d and sik$d before we
begin bhajana, but in the spiritual world dik$d and fik$d are themselves rasa. Sripada says:
"May our hearts attain the highest perfection: consciousness of Radha and Madhava’s sweet
forms, qualities and pastimes."
138 &n-&n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
VERSE 66:
KADA VA KHELANTAU VRAJA NAGARA VITHI$U HRDAYAM

IIARANTAU SRI RADHA VRAJAPATIKUMARAU SUKRTINAH
AKASMAT KAUMARE PRAKAJA NAVA KAI&ORA VIDHAVAU
PRAPASYAN PURNAQf SYAM RAHASI PARIHASADI NIRATAU
kadd - when; vd - or; khelantau - two are playing; vraja nagara - the villages of Vraja; vithiju -
on the pathways; hrdayarh - the heart; harantau - two take away; £n radha vrajapati kumarau - Radha
and the prince of Vraja; sukrtinah - fortunate souls; akasmdt - suddenly; kaumdre - in childhood;
prakata - manifest; nava - new; kaUora - adolescence; vibhavau - dual prowess; prapasyan - seeing;
pumah - fulfilled; sydm - this; rahasi - privately; parihdsa- joking; ddi - and so on; niratau - engaged.
)
When will I have my heart's desires fulfilled by seeing the playful enjoyment of
Radha and the prince of Vraja, Who are absorbed in making intimate jokes with
Eachother as They go down the pathways of the towns of Vraja? Their sudden
manifestation of adolescence in childhood steals the hearts of the fortunate souls!
ADOLESCENCE IN CHILDHOOD:
Com m entary: Now Srimatl and Her girlfriends are staying at Varsana, Her parental
home, for a while. This is a very happy time for them, for there is less control over them here
as there is in YSvata, the abode of RadhS’s mother-in-law. In Varsana it is easier for Radhika to
meet Kr$na and to enjoy pastimes with Him. Everybody experiences Kr$na in his own way,
but nobody can see Him in all His aspects. For the older women of Gokula He is like a small
child, for Putana and other demons He is all-devouring time, for His mother He is her child,
and for the young girls of Vraja He is the most romantic lover. God is the aggregate of all
rasas, and everyone has a rasa with Him according to one’s individual mood. S n Suka Muni
described in Snmad Bhagavata (10.43.17) how Kr$na entered the arena of king Kamsa as
follows:
mallanam asanir nrnath naravarah strindm stnaro miirtimdn
gopdnam svajano'satdrit kfiti-bhujam sasta sva-pitroh sisuh
mrtyur bhojapater virad avidu$am tattvam parath yoginam
vr$ninam para-devateti vidito rangarh gatah sdgrajah
"O King! When Krsna entered the arena with His older brother Balarama He looked
like a thunderbolt to the wrestlers present there. People in general saw Him as the best of men,
the young girls saw Him as Cupid, the cowherders saw Him as one of their own people, the
wicked kings saw Him as the chastiser, His parents saw Him as Their child, king Kamsa saw
Him as death personified, ignorant people thought Him to be an ordinary human child, the
mystics saw Him as the Supreme Truth and the members of the Yadu-dynasty saw Him as the
Supreme Godhead." Srimat SiTdhara SvamI writes in his commentary on this verse: tatra ca
srhgaradi sarva rasa-kadamba murtir bhagavdn tat tad abhipraydnusarena vabhau na
sdkalyena sarvesam ityaha - mallanam iti "Lord &rl Krsna is the aggregate of all
transcendental mellows, like the erotic mellow, and everyone sees Him according to his own
mood. This aggregate of flavours is not seen by everyone's eyes." Therefore, when the older
women of Vraja, who have feelings Of motherly love, see Radha and Madhava playing on the
Sola Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 139
pathways of Vraja, they think Them to be a small boy and a small girl. Enchanted by Their
sweet forms, they will say: "Aha! Blessed is the Creator, who has made such a beautiful boy
and girl! Not only did he create Them, but he also showed Them to the people of the world!"
The sweetness of Radhika and MSdhava illuminates the pathways of VarsanS, and the villagers
are enchanted when they see how sweet this Couple is. This form steals the minds of the
fortunate souls (puyyatma). This punya or sukrti does not mean the result of performing
mundane pious fruitive activities, but the mercy of God. No amount of pious work can
guarantee a person the sweet vision of Radhika and Madhava, only pure devotion can. Srila
Jiva Gosvami writes in his commentary on Bhag. 10.12.10: krta punya punjah iti lokoktih.
vastutastu krtanam caritanath bhagavatah parama prasada he tut vena puny as caravah punya
ye$am te ityarthah. punyas tu carvityamarah "The words 'the cowherdboys performed many
pious activities to get Krsna as their friend' is only a popular saying. Actually, that punya
consists only of the greatest mercy of God. The word punya, according to the Aunara Kosa,
also means beautiful." The fortunate souls mentioned are also the eternal associates of Radha
and Krsna.
• • •
Although the fortunate villagers of Vraja can see Radha and Krsna playing as children,
the sakhis and manjans see Them in Their full glory of adolescence. £rlpada, in his kinkarT-
form, also witnesses these pastimes, and desires to arrange for Their secret meeting somehow.
On the pretext of playing games she takes SrimatJ to a garden on the outskirts of Varsana and
gives a hint with her eyes to SySmasundara also to come there. Who else can be so expert in
service? The maidservants are only interested in RadhikS's happiness. An aspirant should not
try to remember these sweet pastimes just to please His own mind, for there is not a whiff of
personal desire in the hearts of the people of Vraja, and as long as there is even the subtlest
personal desire within the heart, one cannot become a 'VrajavasT'. One should do bhajana,
following in the footsteps of the gopis of Vraja. Only by mercy from Above one can become
free from all personal desires. After the divine Couple have met in the garden, They become
absorbed in laughing and joking with Eachother, but meanwhile Their eyes show eagerness for
a romantic meeting. The maidservant sees this and covers her face with her veil, giggling and
saying: "O Ma! What is this? How has adolescence suddenly taken place in Your child-like
bodies?" This is the confidential explanation of 3ripada’s words akasmat kaumare prakata
nava kaisora vibhavau in the text The maidservant remembers how the older people of Vraja,
out of parental love, praised the Creator for making such beautiful children. The word
parihasddi in the text means 'joking and so on'. Thi^ 'and so on* includes the erotic meeting of
the divine Couple, and the word rahasi (in secret) indicates that only the maidservants can
witness these confidential pastimes, nobody else. They are verily the sukrtina, the fortunate
people.
vrajendra kumara hari, srT radhika nava gaun,

madhura srT varaja nagare
pathe pathe sadharana, balaka balikd sama,
khela kore sobdra gocare
"Just like an ordinary boy and girl Hari, the prince of Vraja, and the youthful golden
$ri Radhika play on the pathways of the beautiful villages of Vraja, visible to everyone."
%
aparera agocare, navina yugala vare,

parihdsa vildse nirata
nigudha rahasya Ilia, madhura madhura khela>
*s
avagata antaranga yoto
"But invisible to others, this greatest of youthful Couples is engaged in laughing and
joking and playing sweet intimate games with Eachother. Only the confidential devotees know
this."
sukrtiganera man, hare sarvendriya gana,
ilia tarn srT radha madhava
kaumara boyose nava, kaisora vilasa yoto,
prakafa korila adabhuta
"The playful forms of £rl Radha and Madhava steal all the senses and the minds of the
fortunate souls as They show wonderful teenage pastimes, while appearing to be in childhood
age."
yugalera ahga bhari, uchalita se madhurT,
hay! kobe dekhibo nayane
ananda tarahge puma, hoile hoibo dhanya
srlpada prabodhdnanda bhane
3ripada Prabodhananda laments: "Alas! When will I see the sweetness increasing on
Their bodies? Then I will be blessed and satisfied, floating on waves of bliss!"
VERSE 67:
DHAMMILLAM TE NAVA PARIMALAIR ULLASATPHULLA MALTA

MALAMBHALA STHALAM API LASAT SANDRA SINDURA HINDU
DIRGHAPANGA CCHABIM ANUPAMAM CARD CANDRAM&U HAS AM
PREMOLLASAM TAVA TUKUCAYOR DVANDVAMANTAff SMARAMI
dhammillarii - hairstyle; te - Your, nava - fresh; parimalaih - with fragrances; ullasat -

beautified; phulla - blooming; mallT - jasmines; nialarii - garland; bhdla sthalam - forehead; api - even;
lasat - beautiful; sdndra - deep; sindura - vermilion; bindu - spot; dirglia - long; apahga - glance;
cchabim -.effulgence; anupamarii - incompatible; earn - beautiful; candrdMu - moonbeams; hasa -
smile; premollasarii - loving joy; tava - Your; tu - but; kucayoh - both breasts; dvandvam - couple;
antah - wiUiin; smarami - 1 remember.
O SrT Radhe! I remember the beauty of Your breasts, the blissful fresh fragrant
blooming Jasmine garland in Your braid , the bright spot of sindura that beautifies Your
forehead (and Your part), Your incompatibly effulgent sidelong glances and Your
beautiful loving blissful moonlike smile!
REMEMBRANCE OF RADHAfS SWEETNESS:
Commentary: Although Sffpada relishes the sweetness of the divine Couple, his
feelings of mineness are really meant for 3rl R5dha. She likes $y5ma because He is R5dha‘s
£rila Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 141
lover, not for any other reason! SrimatT Radha’s hair is not a mundane physical transformation,
it is made of loving thoughts about Krsna that grow out of Her head. What can it be compared
to in this world? Sri Kr$na Dasa Kaviraja writes in Govinda Lllamrta (11.116):
4
vilasa visrastam avekpya radhika srl kesapasarii tiija puccha pinchayoh

nyakkaram asahkhya hriyeva bhejire girith camaryo vipinam sikhantfinah
"When they see 5rl Radhika’s hair dishevelled after Her amorous pastimes, the deer flee
into the mountains and the peacocks flee into the forest, afraid of embarrassment." The
maidservant winds a freshly fragrant Jasmine-garland in this braided hair and then rolls it up
into a knot How brilliantly beautiful that Jasmine-wreath looks when it is half falling out of
this knot because Kr$na touched it during amorous moments. The maidservant is so fortunate
to relish this beauty through the doings of 6yamasundara. Her heart and mind are stolen by this
vision. How beautiful is that spot of sindura on Radhika's enchanting forehead! It defeats even
the beauty of the rising sun in a cloudy sky. Bodu Candl Dasa sings:
kesapdse sobhe tdra surahga sindura

sajala jalade yehna uilo navasura
How beautifui that spot of sindura becomes when Radhika meets with Kr§na! Srlla
Raghunatha Dasa Gosvaml said:
sindura rekhd slmante devi ratna salakaya

maya yd kalpita kith te sdlakahchobhaylyyati
(Vilapa Kusumanjali - 25)
"O Devi! When can I draw a line of sindura on Your part with a jewelled pencil? That
will beautify His (Krsna's) hair also! There is something more for us to attain than the natural
beauty of Radhika’s form: During some special pastime the sindura from Her part can stick to
His (Kr$na’s) hair. It seems then that the decoration I had made has been spoiled, but actually
that is the crowning of my work: when I can see it spoiled in this way. Sripada directly
experienced the deep redness of that spot of sindura during such pastimes, but now he thinks:
"Alas! Where is now that forehead, beautified with that deep red spot of sindura? If I cannot be
so fortunate to see it directly, that let me at least remember it!"
#
Sri Radhika’s glances are filled with mahd bhava and are able to fully control
3yamasundara, who otherwise plays freely in Vmdavana, like a wild young elephant £rlpada
writes in verse 189: sphuran madhuri sdra sphara rasambu rasi sahaja prasyandi netrancale
"The corners of Her eyes naturally emit streams of sweetness coming from the ocean of
transcendental erotic rasa." That stream of sweetness is able to make Syamasundara, Who is
bliss personified, to faint I pray, that I may remember the beauty of these glances!"
The splendour of Radhika's moonlike smile is easily victorious over the splendour of
ordinary moonbeams. The pleasant moonlight may be able to soothe and illuminate the
external world, but the moonbeam-smiles of £ri Radhika can illuminate also the darkness in
Krsna’s desperate heart and make it smooth, vadati yadi kihcid api danta ruci kaumudi harati
dara timiram ati ghoram (Gita Govindam). Krsna sits at proud Radha’s feet and prays: "If You
even say a few words, the moonlike splendour of Your teeth removes the deep darkness of My
heart!" This smile is so splendid because it shines with prerna. Nobody but Her can create
142 Sn-Sn RSdha Rasa Sudhanidhi
such waves of ecstasy in Krsna, Who is ananda ghana vigraha, the personification of
transcendental bliss. Sfipada wants to remember the brightly white moonbeams of Radhika's
smile.
Finally Sfipada says: "I remember Your very sweet breasts, that arc the baskets
containing everything for Syamasundara". During Her amorous pastimes, Svamini Firmly
holds Syamasundara to Her breasts and His bluish luster becomes reflected in Her shining
golden jug-like breasts. I remember these breasts with that bluish luster!" The aspirant should
train his mind in remembering these things. If he is doing it properly, he will directly
experience these pastimes and the proper services to do. When he is completely absorbed, he
becomes free even from the ego, that tells him "I am remembering transcendental pastimes".
he sri radhe herna gauri, nitui nautuna herit

tomara ei dhammilla vinyasa
parimale udbhasita, malliddme susobhitd,
dekhi rnugdha syama pTtavdsa
"O Golden beauty Radhe! T see You eternal youthfulness! When Syama Pltavasa
(Krsna, Who wears a yellow dhoti) sees the fragrant effulgent jasmineflower-garland
beautifying Your braid, He becomes enchanted."
bhdlete sindura bindu, mukhachabi jini indu,

apangera amala madhurT
smita kanti anupama, sucaru candrikd dhama
tribhuvane yao bolihan!
"The three worlds glorify the beauty of the drop of sindura on Your forehead, the aura
of Your moonlike face, the spotless sweetness of Your glances and the matchless luster of
Your smile, that is the abode of beautiful moonbeams."
premolldsT manalobha, kucayuga madhya sobha,

madana mohana manohdrl
bharie srf prabodhananda, rai ahga rasa kanda,
satata smarana yeno kori
"Your beautiful blissful loving breasts steal the heart of Madana Mohana. Sri
Prabodhananda says: "Rai's body is the source of all rasa. Let me always remember that."
VERSE 68:
LAK?Ml KOJI VILAK$A LAK$A(fA LASAL LILA KlSORl SATAIR

ARADHYAM VRAJA-MANDALE'TI MADHURAM RADHABHIDHANAM PARAM
JYOTIIji KINCANA SINCAD UJJVALA RASA PRAG BHAVAM AVIRBHAVAD
RADHE CETASIBHURIBHAGYA VIBHAVAI# KASYAPYAHO JRMBHATE
laksrni- goddess of fortune; koti - millions; vilak$a - embarrassed; laksana - characteristics;

lasat - beautiful; lila - pastimes; kitori - adolescent girls; sataih - by hundreds; aradhyarii -
S o la PrabodhSnanda Sarasvau 143
worsliipablc; vraja mandate - in the circle of Vraja; ati - very; madhurarii - sweet; rddhd - Radha;
abhidhdnam - name; param - Supreme; jyotih - light; kincana - jsome; siiicad - sprinkles; ujjvala -
splendid; rasa - flavour; prak bhcivam - source; dvirbhavad - appears; radhe - O Radha!; cetasi - in the
heart; bhuri - abundant; bhagya - fortune; vibhavaih - with prowess; kasya - whose; api - even; aho -
Ol; jrmbhate - extends.
Aho Radhe! It is only by great fortune that someone can be absorbed in

meditating on Your sweet holy name 'Radha1 that sprinkles a transcendental light of
erotic rasa, that is worshipable by hundreds of young girls of Vraja-mandala, Whose
extraordinary beautiful pastimes are again embarrassing millions of goddesses of
fortune!
THE SW EET RADHA-NAME:
Commentary: The Padma Purana says abhinnatvan nama naminoJy. "There is no

difference between God and His holy name", and Sri Jlva Gosvami has written: yat tattvam srT
vigraha ruperia cakjur adav udayate tad eva ndma ruperia vdg adav iti sthitam "The Supreme
Lord appears before the eyes of the devotees, that are anointed with the salve of love, and He
reveals Himself on the tongues that are made of loving devotion in the form of His holy
name." Therefore the selfmanifest holy name of SiT Radha is automatically manifest in the
hearts and on the tongues of the most fortunate great souls whose eyes are anointed with the
salve of love.
According to the authors of the rasa sastra, there are three levels of consorts of Krsna,
according to the amount of their selfless love: sadharam rati, samanjasa rati and samartha
rati. Ujjvala Nilamani (Sthayi 30) teaches us:
natisandra hareh prayah sakfdd darsana sambhava

sambhogecchd nidaneyarh ratih sadharam matd
"The love that arises from directly seeing Hari, which is not too deep and which is the
abode of the desire for personal enjoyment, is called sadharam, or ordinary, rati." For
example: As soon as Kubja saw Kr$na, she thought: "Let me be united with this most beautiful
jewel of men! Let me make He who made me happy by showing Himself to me, happy for
some time with my service." This rati arises from the desire for personal enjoyment, and thus
it is called ordinary love.
patrit bhdvdbhimandtmd gunddi sravanddija
kvacid bhedita sambhoga trsrid sandra samanjasa
(U.N. Sthayi 33)
"The love in which the lady thinks herself the beloved's wife, which arises from hearing
about the beloved's qualities and so, and which is sometimes mixed with desires for personal
happiness, is called samanjasa rati, or proper and reasonable love." This love appeared in the
hearts of RukminI and other consorts when they heard about Krsna's glories from persons like
Narada Muni. These samanjasa consorts sometimes think: "Kr$na spends more time with some
other Queen who apparently loves Him more, and He spends less time with me. If I could
behave with the same loving expertise as that queen, then I could also capture Kr$na like she
does!" When that thought arises, the love is mixed with a desire for personal enjoyment and
. loses some of its depth.
144 £ri-$rl Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
kaficid visesamaydntya samhhogeccha yayabhitah

ratya tad atmyam dpannd sa samartheti bhanyate
(U.N. Sthayi 37)
"Then there is one very special love, which is fully united with rati, and which consists
of a pure desire to please Krsna in union. That love is called samartha, or capable love." This
love is not dependent on first seeing Kr$na or hearing about Him! makes the consort forget all
about her honour, her family and her patience, and cannot be mixed with any personal desires.
iyam eva ratih praudha mahabhdva dasdrh vrajet: When the love becomes deeper, it becomes
maha-bhava. The word eva here means that the appearance of maha-bhdva in the sadharam
and samahjasa ratis is unthinkable. This samartha rati is the exclusive property of the
beautiful girls of Vraja. That is why this text says laksml koti yilaksa laksana lasal lUd-kiforT
§atail\ "Millions of goddess of fortune are embarrassed by the extra special attributes of the
playful, adolescent girls of Vraja." But even these extra-special gopTs worship the holy name
of Radha. vind radha prasadena kr$na prdptir na jayate "Without Radha's mercy, Kr§na
cannot be attained." Therefore, even the beautiful girls of Vraja always worship the holy name
of Radha to attain the jewel named Kr$na. SrTpada writes in verse 95: yaj jdpah sakrd eva
gokulapater akar$akas tat-ksandt: "Even the Lord of Gokula, 3 n Krsna, is immediately
attracted by the repetition of the holy name of Radha." When Krsna hears someone chanting
the name of Radha, He does not only save that person from going to hell at the time of death
(as He did when Ajamila chanted the name of his son NarEyana), but He even runs after the
chanter to give Himself completely to him. When the gopTs chant the holy name of Radha,
Krsna comes to hear it and tells them:
• • • !
;
sakhi! radha ndma ke kohile; suni mama prana judaile

koto ndma dchaye gokule; hern hiya na kore dkule
ei name ache ki madhuri; sravane rahalo sudha bhari
cite niti murati vikdsa; amiya sdgare yeno vdsa
dnkhite dekhite kore sadha; e yadunandana mana kahda
"My dear sakhil Who chanted Radha’s name? When I heprd it My heart was soothed!
How many names are there not in Gokula? None of them can agitate My heart like this one.
How much sweetness is there in this name, which fills My ears W[ith sweetness and causes Her
form to crystallize in My heart! It is as if I reside in an ocean of nectar! Yadunandana weeps:
All my desires will be fulfilled when I see with my very eyes." By worshiping Radha's holy
name, the gopTs become the objects of Kr$na’s complete love. SjHa Narottama Dasa Thakura
laments for those who have no love for chanting Radha’s name:
jay a jaya radha ndma, vmdavana yarn dhama,

kr$na sukha vilasera nidhi, '
heno radha guna gdna, na sunilo mora kdna,
vanchita korilo more vidhi
"Glory, glory to the holy name of Radha, that resides in Vmdavana, and that is the
jewel of Krsna’s pastimes! Fate has deprived me by not letting-me hear the glorification of
Radha! tt
tdra bhakta sahge sada, rasa Ilia prema kathat
ye kore se pay ghanasyama
ihdte vimukha yei, tdra kabhu siddhi nai,
nahi yeno suni tara nama
"Anyone who associates with Radha's devotees and speaks about Her rasa, Her
pastimes and Her love, will attain Ghana£yama (Kr$na), but anyone who is against this will
never attain perfection. Let us not even hear these people’s names." Sri Radha's holy name is
ati madhuram, very sw eet God's name is naturally sweet and full of rasa, because that is God's
nature, but a tongue that is afflicted with the disease of jaundice cannot relish the sweetness of
rock candy. In the same way a person who pollutes his heart by committing offenses cannot
taste the sweetness of the holy name. Sri Kfsna's name is the sweetest name of God, but Sri
Radha's sweet name attracts even Sri Kr$na! The book Rasa Sagara says:
mrdvTka rasitd sitd samasitd sphXtam nipltam payah

svaryatena sudhapy apayi katidha rambhadhara khanditah
satyam bruhi madiya jTva bhavata bhuyo bhave bhrdmyata
radhety aksarayor ayarii madhurimodgarah kvacil lak$itah
"O Living entity! You have wandered through the material world so many times, and
thus you have sometimes relished sugared grapejuice or condensed milk, and sometimes you
went to heaven and relished nectar, or the lips of the heavenly damsel Rambha. But tell me
truly - did you ever experience the sweetness of pronouncing the two syllables 'Ra-dha'?"
Anyone who brings the Light of Radha's name in his heart will be showered by countless
streams of sweet erotic rasa. The word prdg bhdva means the seed'. Just as a seed contains a
huge tree, so the holy name of Radha also contains all the items of manjari bhdva sadhana.
Snpada says: "This unlimited sweetness will be automatically revealed in the hearts of thpse
greatly fortunate souls who attain the mercy of the great souls that are dedicated to the worship
o f Snmatl Radharani."
VERSE 69:
TAJ JIYANNAVA YAUVANODAYA MAHA LAVAfiTYA LILA-MAYAM

SANDRANANDA GHANANURAGA GHATITA SRlMURTISANMOHANAM
VRNDARANYA NIKUNJA KEULALITAM KASM IRA GAURA CCHABI
SRiGOVINDA IVA VRAJENDRA-GRHINIPREMAIKA PATRAM MAH A ll
tad - that; fiyad - may it be supreme; nava - fresh; yauvana - youthfulness; udaya - arising;
mafia - great; lavanya - elegance; lUamayarh - playful; sdndrdnanda - deep bliss; ghana - intense;
anuraga - constant passion; ghatita - made of; 6rl miirti - beautiful form; sammohanam - fUlly
enchanting; vmddranya - Vpida's forest; nikunja - bowers; keli - play; lalitarii - elegant; ka&mira -
saffron; gaura - golden; cchabi - luster; Jrf govinda iva - like £n Govinda; vrajendra - king Nanda;
grhim - wife; prerna - love; eka - one; pairaril - object; mahah - light.
Glory to the sweet saffron-golden light that is full of very elegant, freshly arising
youthful playfulness, that enchants Kr$na and enflames Him with passion, although He is
anyway the very form of intense and deep transcendental bliss, that plays lovely games in
Vrndavana's bowers and that is loved by the queen of Vraja (Yasoda) as much as S n
Govinda is.
146 £ri-£n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
SAMMOHINI SRl RADHA:
Commentary: Every morning, at about seven o'clock, Svamiril sets out from Her
parental home, or from Yavat, the house of Her would-be husband Abhimanyu, to cook lor
Kr§na in His abode Nandl$vara. Mother YaSoda daily asks Srimall to come to her home to
cook for Krsna, because She had gotten the boon from Durvasa Muni that whatever She would
cook would increase the lifespan, health and taste of the one who eats it. Thus She has become
Amrta Pani, one whose hands turn everything into nectar. Arriving at NandlSvara, Srimatl
bows down to Her superiors and enters into the kitchen Ma Yasoda sprinkles Srimatl with
tears of love and blesses Her: "O Moonfaced One! May You live a hundred years and always
give pleasure to my eyes! O Radhe! You are the goddess of fortune Herself! You always
glance mercifully on my house, so my storehouse is filled to the brim! There is no shortage of
any ingredient in my unlimited storehouse! Whatever You need for cooking You can take!"
Srimatl is very happy to get that order from Queen Yasoda. Mother RohinI also blesses Sri
Radha, saying: "O daughter of mine! You are a very good cook, cook whatever You like!"
Hearing RohinTs words Svamiril bows Her head down in shame. Affectionately mother RohinI
seats Srimatl close to the stove on a golden chair covered with a white sheet The fire is
burning on cedar, aloe and pinewood and all the ingredients are lying before SvSmim, handed
to Her by a maidservant whenever She needs any. Sometimes Svamiril checks whether the fire
is burning well or not, sometimes She lifts the lid from the cookingpot to see if the preparation
is cooked, sometimes She adds some spices and sometimes She stirs the preparation with a
spoon. While She does that Her three-lined belly, breasts, arms and shoulders are moving
along and cause Her to shine with unrivalled sweetness.
Meanwhile Syamasundara finished His bath and had Himself dressed and now He sits
down in His bhajana kutTra (meditation room) to repeat the name of Radha and to meditate on
the Radha -mantra. Premamayl Radha is always His desired deity, and by doing japa of Her
name She will appear in person. His heart becomes stirred with desires to see Her. He can not
tolerate any delay anymore, tuya patha edi, *raV 'rdi' boli gadgada vikala pararia; k?ana eka
kotl; kotiyuga mdnato, hariballabha paramdna "He looks down the road for You, saying "Rai'
'Rai' with faltering voice. He considers each moment to be millions of ages." Kr$na becomes
eager to see the object of that contemplation and He goes to the kitchen. When He peeps
through the kitchen-window He sees Srimatl cooking there. Aha! Such sweetness! She does
not have Her veil on straight, and Her dress and ornaments are loosened because of the hard
work: nava yauvanodaya maha Idvanya iTlamayam. Her face shines with a reddish glow
because of the burning fire (kasmTra gaura cchabi) and Her cheeks are beautified by pearl-like
sweatdrops. Syama can not move His feet anymore (padau padarti na calatas tava pada-mulat)
as He beholds the object of His meditation. His eyes are widened of ecstasy from seeing Her.
Suddenly Svamiril sees Syama. Out of shyness She cannot pull the veil on Her head straight
and She chastises the maidservant with a blink from Her eyes: "Didn't you see Him? Why
didn't you tell Me He is watching Me?" Sripada, as a kinkarl, replies with her eyes: "I also
didn't see Him, I was absorbed in grinding paste!" Actually she had seen Kr$na before, but our
Hero has silendy requested her not to tell Svamiril that He was watching Her. How wonderful
is Svamini's sweetness! 'sandrattanda ghananurdga ghafita srT murti samnohanam Here
sandrananda means Sri Krsna, the embodiment of bliss, and His form (srT murti) is made of
passionate attachment to Radha, and Sri Radha’s sweet form enchants that Sri Kr$na-murti.
The Vaisnava To$anT TIka on Srimad Bhagavata 10.14.32 says: paramanandarii yat tad eva
yesdrii mitram svdbhdvika bandhu janocita premakartu tadr&a prema vi§aya$ ca ityarthah
......manoramarii suvarnam idarH kundalarfi jdtam itivat "The embodiment of bliss is naturally
acting in a loving manner towards them (the Vrajavasls), as it behooves a friend, and He is the
S rila PrabodM nanda Sarasvati 147
object of their love. This formless bliss has assumed a form and has become their friend, just
like a beautiful golden earring." And He has again been made of passionate attachment to
Radha, just as a golden earring is often studded with diamonds. Krsna thinks: "Aha! How
much trouble She's taking to cook for Me! Her face has gotten a reddish glow from being close
to the fire (kafmlra gaura cchabi)! Her maidervants are wiping Her face, that is adorned with
sweatdrops!" Radhika's and Syama's eyes meet and with Her glances Svamini tells Kr$na: "Ma
Rohini is here, go now!" Krsna asks with His eyes: "Will I not see You anymore?" Svamini
blinks: "Yes!"
After Svamini finishes cooking, the kinkarTs change Her clothes, wipe Her hands, feet
and body with a wet towel and begin to fan Her while Dhanistha brings a glass of syrup:
"Priyasakhi, drink a glass of syrup mixed with nectar!" While Svamini enjoys the drink mixed
with nectar (from Krsna's lips) She closes Her eyes. Then the kinkarTs serve Her a pan.
Then Krsna and His relatives sit down to eat Svamini pulls Her veil over Her forehead
and hands mother Rohini the different dishes meant to be served. Kr$na is enchanted when He
sees Svamini, and mother Yaôda becomes worried when she sees that He seems to lose His
appetite. She encourages Him to eat by saying: "See Gopala! Ma Rohini and Sri Radhika have
cooked such delicious dishes for You! I have brought Sri Radhika here especially to cook for
You! But if You don't eat, Rai (Radha) will not come anymore!" So for Rai's pleasure, Kr$na
fills Himself up to the neck with Her preparations.
Svamini shyly enters the dining room, with lowered head. BalarSma and mother
Yaioda are there, after all. Srimad blushes out of shyness (the kihkarl experiences this as
kasmTra gaura cchabi) and Her bangles and anklebells jingle softly while She brings the full
trays in and takes the empty trays back out again. In an unseen way SySmasundara finds ways
to look at SvaminI's face, and Svamini similarly finds ways to peek at Syama's face, past
mother Rohini, while handing her the trays with food. "Aha! How beautiful is My Priyatama!'
Krsna's bliss knows no bounds. Through the rice and vegetables He gets the taste of the touch
of Sri Radha’s hands.
radhikara hasta sparse sarvdnna vyanjana; bhojane korena krsna amrta dsvddana
svadu pdiya nija netra bhrnga pdthaiya; rdi mukha padma madhu piye hrfla hoiyd
rddhikaho nija netra katdkfa pranall; pdfhdiya piye krsna lavanya sakali
krsna mukha madhurimd dekhi suvadani; harise vydkula citte kichui na jdni
Srila Yadunandana Thakura
"Kr$na relishes the rice and vegetables cooked by Radhika as if it is nectar and He
blissfully sends His bee-like eyes out to drink the honey of Rai's lotuslike face. Sri Radhika
also sends the drains of Her glances out to catch the nectar of Kr$na's beauty. Seeing the
sweetness of Kr$na's face, fair faced Rai does'nt know anything anymore out of blissful
eagerness!" While looking at Eachother They remember Their previous night's pastimes in the
forestbowers of Vrndavana (vrndaranya nikunja keli lalitam). In that one second Their beelike
eyes drink all the honey from Eachother's lotuslike faces. While Their four eyes meet, They
pray to Eachother (for love and another blissful meeting). Krsna had lost His appetite, but after
having been consoled, He begins to eat again. Svamini has pacified Him.
After Krsna and His friends finished their meal, mother Yasoda touches Svamini and swears
Her to sit down and eat: "Why don't You eat a little? Do You think that I'm different from
Your own mother? You can laugh, joke, sleep and eat in my house just as You can do in Your
own mother Klrtida’s house! For whom should You be shy?" Mother Yasoda then sits close to
Sri Radhika and personally feeds Her. Sri Radhika does not eat anything else but the nectarean ♦
remnants from Krsna's meal, so Dhanistha has secretly mixed that in the dishes that mother
148 £ ri-3 n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
YaSoda lovingly serves Her. Afler Svamini has flushed Her mouth and prepares Herself for
returning to Her hometown Yavata, ma YaSoda anxiously tells Her:
o niora bachani dhani, satlkula tiromani,

ksaneka
• » viSrama koro sukJie
rid hoye uchara beld, saklugana koro khela,
karpura tdmbula ddo mukhe
"O my precious little girl, 0 crestjewel of chaste girls, happily take rest for a while. It
is not so late, so play a little with Your friends and enjoy some betelleaves with camphor!"
rupa gima kdja tora, pardna nichani niora,

Siitiyd svapane dekhi sada
torna hetio guna nidhi, amare nd dild vidhi,
hrdaye rahiyd gela sadhd
"Your form, qualities and activities soothe my heart and I always dream of them when I
sleep. My heart feels pain when I wonder why Fate did not bestow a ocean of virtues like You
upon me."
dhdlara mdthdye baja, ye heno koriya kdja,
amare bhafigild kibd dose
bdehara vivaha tare, heno ndri ndhi pure,
cahiyd nd pai kon de$e
"Let a thunderbolt fall on the head of the Creator (Fate) for doing this! What wrong
have I done to be devoid of a daughter like You? I cannot find any girl in the whole area as
suitable to marry to my boy as You!"
yaJodara visdda kothd, Suni vr$abhdnu sutd,

vadane vasana diyd hose
pulake puralo gd, mukhe ndhi sare ra,
bhasilo ndnra sneha rase
Hearing YaSoda's sad words, Vrsabhanu's daughter laughed naughtily, covering Her
• smile with Her veil. Both were floating in the nectarstream of female affection, their bodies
studded with goosebumps and their mouths unable to make any sound out of ecstasy M o th er
Ya£oda sprinkles Srlmatl with a stream of loving tears and nectarean breastmilk. A golden
effulgence gushes from SffmaG's limbs while She is thus sprinkled by the nectar of mother
Yaioda’s motherly love. 3ripada in his kinkari form experiences how mother Ya£oda loves
Svamini as much as she loves Govinda: Sri govinda iva vrajendra grhim premaika pdtrarii niahah.
As the transcendental vision vanishes, Srlpada enters his external consciousness and says: "All
glories to that golden light named Sri Radha!"
kdsmTra srT gaura cchabi, kunje jyotirmoyi devT,

murtirupe vraje virajita
pararna ananda ghana, sei vrajendra nandana,
tdra anuraga sughatita
"An effulgent goddess, shining with a saffron and golden luster, dwells in the bowers
of Vraja in a transcendental form, making the prince of Vraja, Who is intense transcendental
bliss personified, very attached to Hen"
yauvanera navodaya, saundaryera sarndsraya,

lalita Idvanya lllamaya
nibhrta nikunja keli, amrta nichiyd pheli,
keli-kunja kore madhumaya
"The arising of fresh youthfulness is the shelter of all beauty, full of lovely and
beautiful pastimes, and such intimate bowerpastimes spray nectar all around and fill the
play bower with honey."
radhikara kiba guna, gokule govinda satna,

vrajendra grhinf prema pdtra
bhanaye srT sarasvatl, rdi rupe diva rati,
varaja mandala udbhasita
"Radhika is so qualified in Gokula that the Queen of Vraja loves Her as much as
Govinda. 3rl Sarasvatl says: "Rai’s form illuminates Vrajamandala day and night!"
VERSE 70:
♦
PREMANANDA RASAIKA VARIDHIMAHA KALLOLA MALAKULA

VYALOLARUNA LOCANANCALA CAMATKARENA SANCINVATl
KINCIT KELI-KALA MAHOTSA VAM AHO VRNDA TA VIMANDIRE
NANDATY ADBHUTA KAMA VAIBHA VAM A YIRADHA JAGAN MOHINl
prema - love; ananda - bliss; rasa - flavour; eka - one; varidhi - ocean; mafia - great; kallola -
waves; mala - string; dkuld - agitated; vydlola - swinging; aruna - reddish; locana - eyes; ancala -
sidelong; camatkarena - with astonishment; saficinvatT - thoughtful contemplation; kincit - slightly; keli
- play; kald - art; mahotsavam - great festival; aho - O!; vpiddtavT - Vrndavana; mandire - in a temple;
nandati -blissfully dwelling; adbhuta - wonderful; kdma - lust; vaibhava - prowess; mayi - full of;
rddha jagat - the world; mohinl - enchantress.
Worldencliantress Radha, Who Is filled with erotic prowess, Whose beautiful

restless reddish sidelong glances indicate a festival of astonishing clever pastimes of
thoughtful contemplation that are like the agitated waves of an ocean of most blissful
love-rasa, blissfully dwells in a temple in Vrndavana.
SRI RADHA, THE OCEAN OF ECSTATIC LOVE-RASA;
Commentary; After cooking for Kr$na in NandlSvara, and seeing Kr$na heading for
the forest to tend His cows, ^rlmati returns to Yavata with Her girlfriends. There, Kundalata
hands Radha back over to Jatila and says: "O Venerable lady! I have brought your daughter-
in-law back, take Her! I protected Her so carefully that even Krona’s shadow could not touch
Her. And see how many valuable ornaments queen YaSoda has given Her after seeing Her
expert cooking!" Jatila becomes very happy when she hears Kundalata's words and orders her
daughter-in-law to prepare Herself for going to Suryakunda to worship the sungod there for the
economical benefit of her son. All the gopTs are very happy to receive that order and they go
home to take a little re st Sfipada is blessed there with the personal service of Srlmatl. Sri
Krsna now wanders in the forest, tending His cows, and remembers Sri Radha's stunning
beauty while admiring the beauty of Vrndavana. Just to attract Sri Radha to Her lake (Sri
Radhakunda) Krsna begins to play His enchanting flute. That flutesong enchants all the
moving and non-moving creatures of Vraja and appears before Srlmatl as VarhSldharts
crystallised form. Srlmatl then holds affectionate ViSakha's hand and laments as follows:
saundaryamrta sindhu bhafiga laland cittadri sampldvakah

karndnandi sa narma ramya vacanah kotTndu sltangakah
saurabhydmrta samplavdvrta jagat plyusa ramyadharah
in gopendra sutah sa karsati balat pancendriydny dii me
(Govinda Lnamjta 8,3)
"O Friend! The waves of the nectarocean of Kr$na's beauty are inundating the gopTs'
mountain-like hearts, His beautiful and joking words please their ears, His limbs, that are
cooler than millions of moons, soothe their burning limbs, and the nectar-stream of His
fragrance and the ambrosial taste of His nice lips inundate the whole world! In this way the
prince of Vraja attracts all of My five senses!" Seeing how unsteady Srlmatl is, Her girlfriends
arrange for Her abhisdra (rendez vous). While Srlmatl rushes out, floating on the waves of
deep passionate love for Krsna, Sfipada, in his kinkan-fovm, follows Her like Her shadow.
Wherever Srlmatl casts Her glances in the forest, She remembers Kr$na. krsnamayT -kr$na
■N _ _
ydra antara bahira; ydha yaha netre potfe taha kr$na sphure (C.C) "Krsnamayl means that She
sees Krsna on the inside and on the outside. Wherever Her eyes fall, there She sees Kr§na"
Here Srlmatl is called premananda rasaika varidhi mahd kallola mdldkuld: How many waves
of prema rasa aren't there, playing in this great ocean of loving ecstasy? This ocean of loving
ecstasy is an ocean of mahd bhava9 and the word eka means madana mahd bhdvat which is
the exclusive treasure of Sn Radha. How many waves aren't there playing in the ocean of
mddana rasa that is Snm atfs heart? When She sees a young Tamala-tree entwined by a
golden Yuthika-creeper, with a peacock dancing before it, She thinks: "That's Kr$na!". Her
eyes then roll of jealousy and She asks Her friend Dhani$tha: "Dhani$the! What's that?"
Dhanisdia replies: "What, where?" "Look before you! What's that, in the forest?" Dhanistha
says: "Just forestcreatures, nothing else!" Srlmatl says: "Look! There is the crownjewel of
cheaters, dancing, can't you see? O Cheater! Are your eyes closed?" Srlmatl thinks that the
Tamala-tree is Kr$na, the golden creeper is some other gopT and the dancing peacock is
Kr$na’s crown. This is one of the wonderful waves on the ocean of loving ecstasy. Finally
Her sakhTs explain Her that She's in illusion and they continue on their way to meet Kr$na.
Kr$na, meanwhile, has left His friends behind, telling them that He wants to admire
the beauty of the forest, and He goes off to Radhakunda with His best friends Madhumahgala
and Subala. When He sees the kuyda. He remembers His beloved Priyajl and He becomes
still more eager to meet Her, Because of Vimda's clever mediation He swiftly sees Sri Radha.
Seeing that ocean of loving ecstasy Sri Radha, Sri Krsna, Who is bliss personified, thinks to
Himself:
kith kanteh kula-devata kim uta vd taruriya laksmir iyant
sampad vd kim u mddhurX tanumati lavanya vatiyci nu kim
kim vananda tarangim kim alhava pTyiisa dhara £rutill

kdntdsav uta vd mamendriyagatidhlddayantyagatd
(Govinda LllSmrta 8.109)
"Is this the family goddess of luster, or the goddess of youthful beauty? Is it the
personified wealth of sweetness, or is it a flood of elegance? Is it a river of bliss, or is it a
stream of nectar? Or is it maybe My lover (Radha), Who has come to please all of My
senses?" Seeing the extraordinary sweetness of Her lover, Sri Radha is also bewildered and
thinks to Herself: "Is this Cupid? No, that cannot be, because Cupid has no body. Is it then a
nectar-ocean of rasal No, because an ocean is very vast. Is it then a blooming wishyielding
tree of love? No, because that does not move. Is it then my beloved? Alas! Could I ever be so
fortunate?" The divine Couple is thus very agitated by seeing Eachother in this way. All the
emotional ornaments like vilasa, lalita and kila kincita appear on Her limbs, in Her eyes and
on Her face, stirring the ocean of Her niahd bhava. Here the words kdrna vaibhava, the
opulence of lust, refer to 3r! Radha's unique madanakhya prema. Srlla Rupa GosvamI teaches:
dsdrii prema vitie$o'yarii praptah kam api madhurim

tat tat krida niddnatvat kdtna ityucyate budhaih
"This particular love is the cause of an indescribable sweetness. That is the cause of these
pastimes, the wise men say." (Bhakti Rasamfta Sindliu 1.2.284)
After this, the divine Couple enters a lovely bower which is known as the most blessed
abode of Cupid {rnanrnatha maha-tTrtha) How does the kifikari experience SfimatTs sweetness
by calling Her Jaganmohini? Because Kr§na creates the world, He is called jagat (world), and
because Radha enchants even Him She is called jaganmohini. Caitanya Caritamrta (Adi 4)
states:
jagata mohana kr$na tdhdra mohinT;
ataeva samastera para thdkurariT
"Krsna enchants the world, but Radha enchants even Him. Therefore She is the
Supreme Goddess." Radha is also jagajjTva mohinT, enchantress of all the people of the world,
who become enchanted by hearing and chanting about Her sweet Vrndavana-pastimes.
VERSE 71:
VRNDARANYA NIKUNJA SlMANINAVA PREMANUBHAVA BHRAMAD

BHRU-BHAtiGlLAVA MOHITA VRAJAMANIR BHAKTAIKA CINTAMANIIJ
SANDRANANDA RASAMRTA SRAVAMAN1#PRODDAMA VIDYUL LATA
KOT1JYOTIR UDETIKAPI RAM A#! CUDAMANIR MOHINI
vmddranya - Vrndavana; nikuhja - bower; simani - outskirts; nava - new; prema - love;
anubhdva - awakening; bliramad -wandering; bhru - eyebrows; bhangi - movements; lava - slightly;
mohita - enchanting; vraja-manih - the jewel of Vraja; bhakta - devotee; eka - only; cintdmanih -
thoughtstone; sdndrcinanda - deep bliss; rasa - flavour; amrta - nectar; srava - flows; mani - jewel;
prodddma - prominent; vidyut - lightning; lata - vine; koti - millions; jyotih - light; udeti - arises; kapi
- some (fem.); ramanT - woman: cuddmanih - crownjewel; mohinT - enchantress.
152 Sri-Sii Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
The crownjewel of women, Who enchants the jewel of Vraja (Kr§na) with even
the slightest love-awakening movement of Her eyebrows, Who is the only wishyielding
touchstone for Her devotees, Who is like a gem from which a stream of nectarean, very
blissful love-rasa flows, and Whose effulgence outshines millions of Iightningvines,
appears on the outskirts of the bowers of Vrndavana.
SRI RADHA, THE ONLY WISHYIELDING TOUCHSTONE OF HER DEVOTEES:
Commentary: One may ask here: The flashes of a lightning vine hurts the eyes,, and if
the aura of Radhika's limbs shines like millions of Iightningvines, then what will happen with
our eyes? The answer is sandrananda rasamrta srava manih: "She is also a gem that emits
streams of very blissful nectarean rasa." The light that emanates from Her is very pleasant,
like nectar. Siila Rupa Gosvaml has written in 'Ujjvala Nilamani (Sthayi 84)':
tJvrarka dyuti dipitair asilatd dhara karaldsribhir

martandopala mandalaih sthapufite'py adres tate tasthusT
pasyanti pasupendranandanam asav indlvarair astrte
talpe nyasta padambujeva mudita na spandate radhika
Seeing Sri Radha from afar, Lalita tells Her girlfriends: "Look, friends, look! Radhika
keeps Her lotuslike feet on top of sunstones that are as sharp as swords and that have become
as hot as fire because of the midsummer sun shining on it. They feel to Her as soft as blue
Indlvara-lotuses because She feels very happy to see the prince of cowherders (Krsna) standing
on that mountain!" $nla V&vanatha Cakravartipada comments on this verse that Radhika did
not feel any pain from the hot and sharp stones, but just as a sleeping person feels no pain
while he's being bitten by mosquitos, he can see the bites on his body when he awakens, the
sakhTs should have seen the blisters on Radhika's footsoles afterwards. Why didn't they see any
blisters afterwards? Because Sri Radhika's feet are as light and soft as cottonwool, and
cottonwool cannot be damaged even by a sharp sword. One may then argue that a sharp sword
may not damage cottonwool, but fire can, and the sunstones that Radhika stood on were as hot
as fire. The answer is given in this verse of 'Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi': sandrananda rasamrta
sravamanih Her feet emit streams of very blissful nectarean rasa, and nectar posssesses the
quality of coolness. This is why the burning sunstones felt to Radhika as if they were blue
Indlvara-lotusflowers. The streams of cool nectar that come from Srimatl's lotusfeet also
extinguish the burning fire of the conditioned souls, that suffer from the three kinds of material
miseries. Then 3 rip ad a calls Radhika nova premanubhava bhramad bhru-bhangi lava mohita
vrajamanih "The slightest movements of Her eyebrows, that awaken new love, can enchant the
jewel of Vraja. The jewel of Vraja can steal the hearts of millions of Vraja gopis, but even the
slightest movement of Radhika's eyebrows can capture Him. Kr$na tells Radhika in 'Lalita
Madhava (Act X ) ':
satitu bhramyad apdtiga bhangi fchuralT kheld bhuvah subhruva
svasti syan madirek$ane ksanam api tvam antard me kutah
taranarii tiikurambakena vrtaya Miste'pi somabhaya
nokdte vrsabhatiujafii Sriyam rte nispadyate svacchatd
"0 restless eyed girl! There may be many girls in the world with beautiful eyebrows
who can expertly play archery with their glances, revealing different moods, but just as the
moon, that may be surounded by many beautiful stars at night, cannot stay before the powerful
»
S o la Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 153
sun in the month of June, similarly no other girl but You can remain in My heart!" Kr$na
means to say that Radhika, who is compared to the sun in June here (vrsabhanuja means 'the
daughter of Vr$abhanu, Sri Radhika, or the sun in the month of June), has much more
influence on Him than Candravall, who is compared to the moon (candra means moon) here.
SrTmatl is the only wishyielding gem of the devotees, and is constantly playing in their hearts.
The word eka means that She throws all other thoughts but Her out of Her devotees' minds.
The word eka also means that the Gaudlya Vai$navas primarily think of Sri Radha and
secondly of Sn Krsna, the sakhfs, the VrajavasTs, etc. Simply by thinking of Sri Radhika, love
of Kr$na is attained {vina radha prasadena krsna praptir na jayate). She is the ramanX
cuddmanih, the crownjewel of women. Snmad Bhagavata states sruti mdtre'pi yah strXndm
prasahyakarsate manah: "Simply by hearing His name, all the women become attracted to
Krsna." But Radhika attracts that same Krsna with the slightest movement of Her eyebrows,
and that is why She is ramanX cuddmanih. SrTpada says: "May that Radhika appear on the
outskirts of Vmdavana's bowers!"
VERSE 72:
ULAPANGA TARANGITAIR UDABHA VANN EKAIKA$A$ KOTISAH

KANDARPA&PURU DARPA TANKRTA MAH A KODANDA VISPHARJNAH
TARUiyYA PRATHAMA PRAVE&A SAM AYE YASYA MAHA MADHURI
DHARANANTA CAMATKRTA BHAVATU NAH SRI RADHIKA SVAMINI
Ilia - playful; apanga - glances; tarangitaih - with waves; udabhavan - created; eka ekasah -
one by one; koti&ah - by the millions; kandarpah - Cupid; puru - great; darpa - pride; tahkrta -
twanging; mahd - great; kodanda - bow; visphdrinah - by trembling; tdrwyya - youthfulness; prathama
- first; praveto - entrance; samaye - in the time; yasyd - whose; mahd - great; madhurX - sweetness;
dhdrd - stream; ananta - endless; camatkrta - astonishing; bhavatu - let it be; nah - us; in radhika
svdmini - our mistress.
May S n R adhika, Who creates millions of Cupids with H er restless playful

glances, that are like the very proud twanging of a big trem bling bow, Who is in the first
beginning of H er youth and Who is an astonishing endless stream of sweetness, be our
mistress.
SRI RADHA'S PLAYFUL GLANCES:
Commentary: There are plenty of people who know how to take something from
Kr$na, but how many people know how to give to Him? Only the people of Vraja, who are
love personified, know it! Giridhari lifts Govardhana Hill, but mother YaSoda does not forget
about His meals! She tells Nanda Maharaja: "Oho! Why don't you hold this mountain for a
while, so that I can breastfeed My Gopala a little!" Sri Radha thinks: "O Creator! How much
you have blessed me by making it necessary for Priyatama to carry this mountain, so that I can
see Him constantly!", and She prays to Giriraja: "Don't be too heavy for this tender boy to
carry!" Even though Kr$na clearly shows His divine prowess during this pastime, the
VrajavasTs experience only His sweetness. They have forgotten everything about wanting and
taking, and are only absorbed in thoughts of giving. One accepts the mood of the gopTs in
order to be able to give up thoughts of taking and asking and to learn how to think only about
how to give. Sr! Radha only thinks of Kr$na's happiness, and the maidservants think only of
the happiness of the divine Couple.
■ In the previous verse Sripada, in sddhakavesa, experienced the sweetness of Srimatl's
knitted eyebrows, and in this verse he sees the sweetness of Her sidelong glances. One single
glance can enchant Krsna completely. Sri Radhika’s glance has the power of the arrows of
millions of Cupids and agitates even Kr$na, Who is Himself the transcendental youthful Cupid
of Vmdavana (vrndavane aprdkrta navTna madana; kdma gayatrT kdnia bTje ydhdra upasana,
C.C.). How sweet is Srimatl's puberty! Sri Rupa GosvamI teaches us rupam kirn apy
anirvacyath tanor mddhuryam ucyate (U.N. Uddlpana 21) "Madhurya means some
indescribable physical appearance". How many streams of astonishment are caused by
Srimatl's indescribable sweetness as She enters the first stage of youth! Along with
adolescence, the powerful king Cupid enters Her childlike body, making Her buttocks and Her
breasts grow and Her waist become slender. Her eyes become naughty and Her steps become
restless. If the beginning of Srimatl's adolescence is already so astonishing, then what to
speak of Her full adolescence? All these things can only be experienced in svarupavesa,
absorption in consciousness of one's eternal spiritual body, and not as long as one is in gross
or subtle bodily consciousness. Astonishment equals rasa, according to Srlla Kavi Karnapura
(rase sdras camatkdro yam vina na raso rasah, Alahkara Kaustubha). Some people ask: "Why
do the followers of the Gaudlya Vai$nava-tradition not call Radharam 'mother'? If She is Lord
Krona's consort, then She must be the mother of the world; what's the harm in calling Her
'mother'? The answer is as follows: There are two ways of seeing God: One way is called
tattva, or spiritual truth, and the other is called rasaf or spiritual flavour. From the tattva-
point of view, Krsna is everything. He's all-pervading, and He is truth and knowledge
personified. From the rasa point of view He is full of love, full of nectar and full of pastimes.
From the tattva point of view He is blissful in Himself, has all His desires fulfilled, is without
hunger and thirst, and from the rasa point of view He is always hungry and thirsty for the
love of His devotees. Although these characterists seem to contradict eachother, they become
compatible because of the Lord's inconceivable potency. One can relish the rasa based on the
firm foundation of tattva. The Lord's manifestation in Vmdavana is the form of all nectarean
mellows, and rasa is mostly experienced there. Rasa is like the moss that covers a vast lake of
tattva. In Vraja the devotee forgets Kona's divine prowess and considers Him the laukika sad
bandhuy the good worldly friend, son, or lover, and Kr$na reciprocates with these feelings. The
Gaudlya Vai$navas strongly prefer the loving service of Radha over that of Kr?na and want to
serve Her as manjariSy spiritual handmaids. Although Caitanya Caritamrta includes statements
like sarva pdlikd sarva jagatera mdta (Radha is everyone's protectress and She is the mother of
the whole world), the parental relationship is not compatible with the amorous relationship,
and therefore the words 'mother Radharam’ cannot be heard from the mouths of the Gaudlya
Vaisnavas. With the melting heart of an associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, £ rip ad a says
bhavatu nah sn radhikd svdmim: "Let RadhikS be our mistress."
VERSE 73:
YA T PADAMBVRUHAIKA RENU KAiyiKAM MVRDHNA NIDHATUM NAH I

PRAPUR BRAHMA SIVADAYO'PYADH1KRT1M GOPYEKA BHAVASRAYAH
SAPIPREMA-SUDHA RASAMBUDHINIDHIRADHAPI SADHARANl-
BHUTA KALAGATIKRAMENA BA LINA HE DAIVA TUBHYAM NAMAtf
yat - what; padambumha - lotusfeet; eka - one; renu - dust; kanikdm - speck; murdhnd - on the
head; nidhdturii - keeping; nahi - not; prapuh - attain; brahma sivadaya - Brahma, Siva and others; api
- even; adhikrtirh - eligibility; gopT - cowherdgirl; eka - only; bhava - mood; atrayah - shelter; sd -
she; api - even; prema - love; sudhd - nectar; rasa - flavour; ambudhi-nidlu - ocean; radhapi - even
Radha; sadharanlbhuta - easily attained; kala gati - the course of time; kramena - gradually; balina -
by the powerful; he - O!; daiva - fate; tubhyatii - unto you; namah - obeisances.
O Fate! I offer my obeisances unto you! In the powerful course of time I have
attained the nectarocean of love-rasa, Sri Radha, Who is only attained by those who take
exclusive shelter of the mood of the gopls. Even the great demigods like Lord Brahma
and Lord Siva are unable to keep even a speck of dust from Her lotusfeet on their heads!
SRI RADHA, WHO IS ATTAINABLE IN DUE COURSE OF TIME:
Commentary: Sri Radha is sweetness personified. God's sweet aspect covers over the
knowledge of His actual position and His prowess. Snraat Jiva GosvamI has written in his
commentary on Bhag. 10.12.10: varidhaviva tatra nirmathya mddhurydmrta samudbhava
kartrkatvam ca sva prfti madhurya krta tad vaslbhavatvarii ca drsyate "Just as nectar came
forth from the churning of the cosmic ocean, so the devotees who worship God in His sweet
aspect chum the ocean of Krona's divine prowess with the pivot of love and attain the nectar of
His sweetness." This book 'Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi* is like a monsoonflood of divine
sweetness. Although sweetness is the quintessence of Godhead, it is built on the foundation of
God's innate prowess. Unless there is an underlying divine prowess, Krsna's sweet form,
pastimes and qualities will appear to be mundane. Therefore Snpada is sometimes hinting at
SrlmatTs great divine prowess also, for the perfection of his book's sweetness. Now, in his
external consciousness, he particularly praises the present age of Kali, saying: "That ocean of
love-nectar, Sri Radha, is gradually attained, in due course of time, by those who follow in the
footsteps of the gopls." "In due course of time" means: "now that the age of Kali has come, and
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has appeared". Srlmat Jiva GosvamI comments on the Bhagavata
verse kr$na varriam tvi$akr$nam (11.5.32): tad evam yad dvdpare in krsno'vatarati tad eva kalau
iri gauro'pyavataratlti svdrasya labdheh in kr$ndvirbhava visesa evayam in gaura ityayayati tad
avyabhicarat "In one day of Lord Brahma, which contains fourteen Manu-eras, in the 28th
fourfold era (catur-yuga) of the Vaivasvata Manu-era (one -Manu-era consists of 71 catur-
yugas), at the end of Dvapara-yuga, the Lord of Goloka, Sri Kr$na, descends to earth to play
His manifest Vmdavana-pastimes. After each of these Kr$na-descensions, in the following
Kali-age, is a descensions of a special avatara named S n Gaura, Who wants to relish the
sentiments of Sri Krsna's topmost devotee, Sri Radha." Sri Ramananda Raya tells Mahaprabhu
in Sn Caitanya Caritamrta (Madhya 8) rtija gudha karya tomara prema asvadana;
anusange pretnamoy koile tribhuvana "Your own private reason to descend was to relish
Radha's feelings of love, and as a bycoming factor You filled the three worlds with love of
God." The love that Mahaprabhu came to bring was unnatojjvala rasa, the elevated erotic
mood towards Krsna. This gift is anarpita carim drat, not given for a long time. Thus Sri
Radha's friendship and service, has become attainable 'in due course of time' by those who take
shelter of the mood of the gopls.
156 3ri-Sri R&dha Kasa Sucihanidhi
cari veda tantravakta, jagatera hitakarta,

siva brahma devcidi vasave
koto kori aradhana, radhapada renukana,
nd pdrilo mastake dharite
"No matter how much they worshiped Sri Radha, the benefactors of the world, like
Lord Siva, the speaker of the tantras, and Lord Brahma, the speaker of the Vedas, could not
get Her footdust on their heads,"
premasudha rasambudhi, tahara manthana nidhi,

sarva laksrnTmayl radhikaya
kalera prabhave bhdve, gopT-bhdvasraye labhe,
he daiva prariarni tomdya!
"O Fate! Obeisances unto you! In the powerful course of time those who take shelter of
the gopis can churn the rasa-ocean of love-nectar and will attain the aggregate of all goddesses
of fortune, Sri Radhika."
radhara rasada dasya, manjan rupete sadhya,

rahasya sadhana keva jane
sevapara dasT kunje, ei sevasukha bhunjet
sripada prabodhananda bharie
"Who knows that esoteric practise by which one can get the nectarean service of Sri
Radha in the form of a mahjarfl Snpada Prabodhananda says: "The dedicated maidservant
enjoys the bliss of devotional service in the kunja"
VERSE 74:
DURE SN1GDHA PARAMPARA VIJA YA TAM DURE SUHftN MANDAU

BHR.TYAH SANTU VIDURATO VRAJAPATER ANYAHPRASANGAHKUTAH
YATRA SRI VR$ABHANUJA KRTA RATUj KURjODARE KAMINA
DVARASTHA PRIYA KINKARIPARAM AHAM SRO$YAMI KANCIDHVANIM
dure - far away; snigdha - affectionate; parampara - tradition; vijayatdrh - let them be
victorious; dure - far away; suhrd - friends; mandalT - circle; bhrtydh - servants; santu - let them be;
vidurata - especially far away; vrajapateli - of Kr§na, the Lord of Vraja; anyah - others; prasahgah -
speaking; kutah - where; yatra - where; in vrsabhdnuja - Vr?abhanu’s beautiful daughter, krta - makes;
ratih - love; kunja - bower; udare - inside; kdmind - with lusty Krspa; dvdra - gate; stha - standing;
priya - beloved; kinkarT -maidservant; pararn - highest; aharh - I; 4ro$yami - will hear; kdfici - sash of
bells; dhvanim - sound.
Let Krona's parents and all elders of Vraja stay at a distance, all glories to them!
Let the circle of Krona's friends keep some distance! Let the servants of the Lord of
Vraja, Kr§na, stay especially far away, what to speak of others! Let them all stay away
from the kufija- gate where I stand as a loving maidservant, hearing the sash of bells of
V r$abhanu’s beautiful daughter jingling as She makes love with H er lusty lover!
THE SECRET BOWERS OF VRAJA:
Commentary: Snman Mahaprabhu taught Sri Rupa GosvamI in Caitanya Caritamrta

(Madhya 19, 138-148):
brahmdnda bhari ananla jiva-gana; caurasi lakja yonfte koroye bhramana

tarn madhye sthavara jangama dui bheda; jangame tiryak jala sthalacara vibheda
tdra madhye manu$ya jdti ati alpatara; tdra madhye mleccha pulinda bauddha sabara
veda nistha madhye ardheka veda middle mane; veda nisiddha papa kore dharma nahi gone "
dharmdcari madhye bahuta karma nistha; ko\i karma nistha madhye eka jnam $restha
koti jnam madhye hoy ek jan mukta; kofi mukta madhye durlabha ek krsna bhakta
"There are innumerable living entities in the universe, that reincarnate in 8.4 million
different species of life. There are two different kinds of them - the moving and the nonmoving
species. The moving species are divided into animals and fishes. Out of them, the human
species is very few, and amongst humans, there are all kinds of barbarous races. Amongst
humans, there are just a few who follow the Vedas and half of them offer only lipservice to
them, but commit sins that are forbidden by these Vedas, and are thus not counted amongst
religious people. Amongst religious people there are many fruitive workers and out of
millions of fruitive workers, there may be one great wise man. Out of millions of wise men
one is liberated, and. out of millions of liberated souls one person may be a devotee of Kr$na."
Of all the devotees of Kr$na, a devotee in the Vraja-mood is even more rare. More rare than
them are those who attain the mood of the sakhTs, Srimatl Radharanl's girlfriends, and most
rare are the devotees who attain mahjarT bhava, the personal service of SvaminT Radhika. In
the previous verse Srlpada described how Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and all great sages and
demigods can hardly enter into the confidential truth about Sri Radha, and in this verse he
explains how also Kr$na‘s own servants, friends and parents in Vraja cannot enter into His
confidential pastimes with the gopis in the forestbowers. First of all, he says: dure snigdha
parampard vijayatarii "The elderly cowherders as well as Kr$na's own parents stay for away
from the nikufija" For them Kr$na is always a mere child, and the parental relationship is
incompatible with the amorous relationship. For mother Yaôda Kr$na is always the child that
still needs her breastmilk. Once, during Radha and Madhava's purva rdga (beginnings of love)
Syamasundara saw Sri Radha's sweet face as He drove His cows back to His village in the
afternoon (uttara go$fha), and He became very eager to meet Her. He couldn't sleep the whole
night, and He meditated on Her form while bathing in His own tears. In the morning mother
Yaôda lovingly awakened Him, saying: "O my child, my blue jewel! Get up! Eat some butter,
the sun has risen! O, what is this? O Gopaia, why are Your eyes so reddish? Tears are
trickling from Your eyes! Have You been swimming so much in the Yamuna with Your
friends yesterday?" Mother quickly goes into the house and brings a yellow piece of cloth. She
gives the cloth to Gopaia and says: "Here, hold this to Your eyes, that will soothe them!"
Seeing the yellow cloth, Madhava strongly remembers Sri Radha and He sheds some more
tears in front of His mother. There's no end to mother YaSoda's worries, so she asks
Kundalata, Kr$na’s niece-in-law, what is to be done. Kundalata jokingly replies: "O Ma!
Gopfda's disease will not be cured by a yellow piece of cloth! You’d better arrange for His
marriage!" When mother YaSoda hears this suggestion, she bursts into laughter, and pays no
heed to Kundalata's words. Gopaia is her milkmouth, where is there any question of Him
158 £ri-£ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
getting married? "Even now He still desires my breastmilk! What is Kundalata speaking about?
My Gopala doesn't understand all this!", ma thinks. She's not aware that Gopala has grown out
of childhood and has entered into adolescence. Although she sees that Gopala finds more
pleasure from romantic incitements like the Malayan breezes, the moonlight and the fragrance
of the flowers than from sitting in her lap, still she does not see it. Those who worship Krsna
in the parental mood cannot enter into His confidential bowerpastimes with Radha and the
gopls. Primal JTva GosvamI writes in his 'Bhakti Sandarbha' (338): rahasya Ilia tu paurusa
vikdravad indriyai pitr putra dasa bhdvais ca nopasya - svTya bhdva virodhat "Persons whose
senses feel masculine sensations, or who worship Krsna in a parental mood or a servant's
mood, cannot enter into His confidential pastimes." Srlpada then says: dure suhrn mandalT:
"The friends stay far away." Kr$na has four kinds of friends:
suhrdai ca sakhayaS ca tathd priya-sakhah pare

priyanarnia vayasydk cety uktd go$the catur-vidha
"In Gokula, Krsna has four kinds of friends: suhrt, sakhd, priya sakhd, and priya
norma sakhd (in order of intimacy)." Of these four, only the priya narnia sakhas, like Subala
and Madhumangala, can slightly enter into the confidential Aim/a-pastimes of Radha and
Madhava. This is confirmed by Sri Rupa GosvamI:
priyanarnia vayasyds tu purvato'py abhito varah

dtyanlika rahasye$u yukta bhdva vtfesinaJi
(B.R.S. 3.3.43)
"Of the aforementioned classes of friends, the priya norma sakhas are the b e st They
are able to enter into Kr$na's very intimate pastimes and have a special mood (sakhT bhdva)."
The suhpi mandalT mentioned in the verse refers to the suhrd, sakhd and priya sakhd.. In the
'Ujjvala Nllamani’ (Nayaka Sahaya) the cefa, vita, vidiijaka and pithamarda - friends are
mentioned are mentioned as assistants in Gopinatha and the gopls1amorous pastimes, but here
the special eligibility is given to the priya norma sakhas, for they know all the secrets and have
taken shelter of the mood of the sakhls:
dtyantika rahasyajnah sakJu-bhdva samdSritah

sarvebhyah pranayibhyo'sau priya-narma sakho varah
(Ujjvala Nllamani, Sahayabheda 7)
Srlmat JTva GosvamI writes the following commentary on this verse: sakhibhavah srl
krsna tat preyasydh paraspara melatiecchd tath samdSrita iti tena Iosya purusa bhdvaS cavrta iti
bhavah "The desire to help Sri Kr$na and His girlfriends to meet eachother, is called
sakhlbhava, and that covers over the masculine feelings of those who take shelter of that
desire." The greatest of the priya narma sakhas is named Subala, and an example of his good
fortune is given below:
pralydvarlayati prasddya lalanarii krldd kali prasthitarii
sayydrh kimja-grhe karoty aghabhidah kandarpa lilocitdm
svinnath vijayati priya hrdi parisrastdngam uccair amurii
kva srlmdn adhikdritarii na subalah seva vidhau vindati
(Ujjvala Nllamani, Sahaya bheda 8)

Sola Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 159
Sri Rupa Manjari told her girlfriend Bhaktimati: "O sakhil What service of. Krsna is
there that Srlman Subala cannot enter into? When Krsna ends up in a quarrel with His
girlfriends and they walk out on Him, Subala pleases them with different words and brings
them back to Him. He makes a wonderful playbed for them in the bowerhouse and he fans
Them when They are tired of lovemaking and They recline on bed of flowers.” Sri
ViSvanalha CakravartTpada comments as follows: svinnath vTjayatlti bahih sthitvd yantra
vyajaneneti jneyam "Although Subala took shelter of the mood of the sakhTs, he fans the
exhausted lovers from outside of the bower with a ceiling fan attached to a rope. He does not
come right before them." This means that even a priya narma sakha like Subala cannot enter
into the intimate position of the sakhTs and manjans, because he is still 'covered by a
masculine consciousness'. Then Sripada says: bhrtyah santu vidurato "Krsna's servants in
Vraja stay far away from the pastimes in the lovebowers. They do not have the reverential
mood that the Lord's servants in other divine abodes (like Dvaraka or Vaikuntha) have, their
love is more sweet and intimate. They consider the prince of Vraja to be very qualified and
intelligent, and in this way they have respect for Him. Sn JTva GosvamI writes in Priti
Sandarbha (208): sa ca akruradinam aifvarya jhdna pradhdnah §rimad uddhavadXndm tat tat sad
bhdve'pi madhurya jhdna pradhdnah 6ri vrajasthdnarh tu madhuryaikamaya eva athapy e$arfi prlter
bhaktitvarii §n gopardja kumdra parama guna prabhavatvadinaivddara sad bhavat "Servants like
Akrura have a predominant feeling of majestic respect for Krsna, and Uddhava and others have
a predominant feeling of sweetness, although the awareness of Krsna’s prowess is also in them,
but Krsna's servants in Vraja have purely sweet love for Him, thinking the beautiful prince of
Vraja to be most powerful and qualified." Nevertheless, these servants stay far away from
Kr§na's intimate nikuhja-pastimes, because the (male) servant mood is incompatible with the
romantic mood.
If Krona’s parents, friends and servants stay far away from His bower-pastimes, then
what to speak of others (anyah prasahgah kutah)? With others is meant 'other devotees' here,
for other than devotees nobody can enter into the kingdom of God and His service. When
Radha and Krsna are lying asleep in Vmdavana early in the morning, the Suka and Sarika-
parrots, on Vmda's order, must wake Them up and remind Them of the fact that Their parents
will find out about Their secret rendez vous unless They quickly return home. Syamasundara
has forgotten all about His mother and has the greatest difficulty in getting up from bed and
going home, leaving His Priyajl. After the amorous rasa, the parental love is the greatest, and
of all devotees in the parental mood, mother Ya$od5 is the greatest If Krsna forgets even about
her because of RadharanI, then what to speak of other elders, friends, servants, or devotees
from other divine realms?
ye sthdna hoite dure, nidtd pita adi kore,

yoto krsna-priya sakhdgana
bhpyagana ati dure, atiya jana kon chare,
rahasyamaya nikuhja bhavana
"Krsna's mother and father, all His dear friends, His servants, what to speak of others,
stay far away from the secret bowerhouse."
radha se kuhja bhavane, kdtni srT kronera sanet

keli range hoile pramatta
priya dasi ami tara, rahi sei kuhja dvara,
Ula dekhi hoibo unmatta
I
"In that bowerhouse Radha is maddened by the lusty sports She enjoys with lusty Sri
Kr$na. I am Their dear maidservant and I will stay at the gate of the bower, maddened by
seeing these pastimes."
karnanandi kdhci dhvani, kobe va sunibo ami,

kanja dvare hoiyd kihkarl,
prabodhanandete bhane, e Idlasd mora nione,
piirna koro dmdra TsvarT
"When will the sounds of Her jingling sash of bells give bliss to my ears, being a
maidservant standing by the gate? Prabodhananda says: "O ISvari! Please fulfill this desire on
my mind!"
VERSE 75:
GAURANGE MRADIMA SMITE MADHURIMA NETRANCALEDRAGHIMA

VAK?OJE GARIMA TATIIAIVA TANIMA MADHYE GATAUMANDIMA
SRONYAM CA PRATHIMA UHRUVOHKUJIUMA BIMBADHARE SONIMA
SRlRAD H E HRDITE RASENA JApiM A DHYANE'STU ME GOCARAH
gaurdhge - in the golden body; mradimd - softness; smite - in the smile; madhurimd -
sweetness; netra - eye; ancale - in the comer; draghimd - longitude; vakjoje - in the chest; garima -
vastness; tatlid - and then; eva - only; ianimd - slenderness; madhye - in the middle; gatau - in the
steps; mandimd - slowness; ironyarii - in the buttocks; ca - and; prathima - broadness; bhruvofy - in the
eyebrows; kutilimd - crookedness; bimba - cherry; adhare - in the lip; fonimd - redness; irf radhe - O
Radha!; hrdi - heart; te - Your; rasena - with flavour; jadima - numbness; dhyane - in meditation; asm
- let it be; gocarah - perceivable.
O Sri Radhe! May the softness of Your golden body, the sweetness of Your smile,
the wideness of Your eyes, the volume of Your breasts, the thinness of Your waist, the
slowness of Your steps, the wideness of Your hips, the crookedness of Your eyebrows,
the redness of Your cherry-lips and the numbness of Your rasika heart be manifest in
my meditation. .
SRI RADHA’S TEN KINDS OF SWEETNESS:
Com m entary: Of the five kinds of meditation, dhydtia is one. 3ri jiva GosvamT writes
in his ’Krama Sandarbha': visesato rupcidi cintanadi dhydnam "DhySna means specific meditation
on a particular form and so." How sweet, tender and effulgent is SrimatTs golden body!
Tenderness is one of the physical qualities, te vayo rupa lava/iye saundaryam abhirupatd
mddhuryam mdrdavddyai ca kdyikah kathitd gundh (Ujjvala NUamani): "Age, form, elegance,
beauty, abhirupatd (pleasantness), sweetness and tenderness are the physical qualities."
mdrdavath komalasydpi sariisparSdsahatocyate (ibid): "Mardava means that one cannot even
tolerate the touch of something soft." In Ujjvala Nllamani (Uddlpana 21), Srlla Rupa Gosvami
gives a beautiful example of the extraordinary tenderness of Radha's golden body:
abhitiava nava malikd nmyarii sa Dayana vararii niH rddhikadhittfye

na kusuma-patalarii dardpi jaglau tad anubhavdt tanur eva sabranasTt
£rl Rupa Manjarl told £rl Rati Manjarl: "O Friend! Last night Sri Radhika lay on a nice
bed of fresh Jasmine-flowers, but the astonishing thing is that, although the flowers have not
whithered even slightly, Her tender body has become bruised by their touch!" Aha! How sweet
is Sri Radhika's slight smile! The budding smile on Her cherry-lips enchants even enchanting
Syamasundara! Sflla Kr$nadasa Kaviraja Gosvami writes:
amusyah srT nasa tila kusuma tuno ratipater adho vaktrarfi purnah kusuma visikhais citra mrgayoh
mukha dvara tasmat smitacaya mi$at te nipatitah saravyatvarii ye$am alabhata hares citta harinah
(Govinda Lllamrta 11.98)
"Sri Radhika's nose is like Cupid's quiver, filled with arrows of sesameflowers. When
Her lowered face smiles, the hunter Cupid shoots his arrows from this quiver to pierce the deer
of Hari's mind." This moonlike smile brightens up the darkness of Syama's desperate heart
Srlpada says: "If I'm not so fortunate to see that sweet smile directly, then let me at least
meditate on it. That is my desire." Of all the limbs, the eyes are the most beautiful. Sn
Radhika's wide eyes are even more fickle than the wagtailbirds. One of the 108 names Sfila
Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami gives to Sn Radhika is saubhagya kajjalahkakta netra nindita
khahjana. "Her eyes, that defeat the wagtailbirds in fickleness, are anointed with the eyeliner
of good fortune." Sfila Raghunatha Dasa also says (Vilapa Kusumaiijali 42): "Even the
slightest movement of Your wide eyes, that defeat the wagtailbirds, tightly binds up the
Kr$na-elephant When can I be so fortunate to fully worship these eyes by anointing them with
eyeliner?"
Srlpada says: "May the big breasts of Sri Radha be visible in my meditation". GiridhaiT
has no problem in carrying the vast Govardhana Hill on His left little finger, but as soon as His
eyes fall on Sri Radha's breasts, His hands begin to shiver and perspire. The cowherders don't
understand. They think that Giridharl is becoming tired of lifting the hill and they try to help
Him to keep it raised. Only the sakhTs and manjans know the greatness of these breasts, others
cannot Srlpada says: "May the thinness of Radha's waist be visible in my meditations." kesari
jin i krsa majhakhani, muthe kori ydy dhara "Her waist as a thin as that of a lion, and can be
held even with the fist" The loving maidservants can have the best view of that thin waist,
that carries a heavy burden (the breasts) and topples a vast area (the buttocks) also. When
Radhika walks, the maidservants are afraid that Her waist will break because of this
unproportional situation, so they hold Her waist. Gatau mandima. "Let me meditate on Radha's
steps, that are slower even than that of an elephant". Even $rl Kr$na, Who also walks as slow
as an elephant (see Krsna Karnamrta 57: niada gaja sldghya vilasa sthitih) is enchanted by
Radhika's gait sronydm ca prathima "I want to meditate on £ n Radha's wide buttocks". Sfila
Krsna Dasa Kaviraja writes:
radha sronir iyam samdna pulinaih satya kaver gTr iya/h

yad vem yamuna tad eva pulinam kahci maralitatih
no cet tatra barer mano nafavarah srT rasa Idsyath kathath
svabhir vrtti sakhi natlbhir anisath kurvann na visramyati

162 Sri-Srl Radha Rasa SudhSnidhi
"Aren't the words of the poet, who says that RadhS's buttocks are like the bank of the
Yamuna, true? (Surely they are!) Her braid is like the Yamuna and Her sash of bells sings like
the swans that swim in the Yamuna. If not, then why would Kr$na's mind, the best dancer, or
His mind's girlfriends, the dancing girls of His desires, always dance the Rasa there, without
ever resting?" 3ri Radhika's eyebrows are crooked and cast arrow-like glances that enchant
even Syamasundara, the transcendental youthful Cupid of Vrndavana. How many emotions
She reveals with the trembling of Her eyebrows! Govinda Dasa sings:-
ydhd ydhd bhafigura bhanga vilola;

tdha taka, uchalai kalindi hillola
"Wherever the subtle trembling of Her glances are manifest, there waves of emotions
arise, like so many waves of the Yamuna." (Radhika's eyes are as blue as the water of the
Yamuna is). £ rip ad a wants to meditate on these sweetly knitted eyebrows. Sri Radhika's lips
are as sweet as red Bimba-cherries, and even Krsna is enchanted when He sees them. How
could Krsna be so enchanted by them unless their red luster represents Her passionate love for
Him (red is the colour of passion)? Sripada desires to meditate on these ruddy lips. Finally
Sripada says: "I also want to experience the numbness of Radha's heart!" Loving Radhika is
always numb out of ecstatic love for Kr$na. Nothing of this will remain hidden for the
sensitive maidservants. "Let this numbness of Your heart be manifest in my meditations!",
Sripada prays.
In his siddha svarupa Sripada desires this tenfold vision in another way. Once 3rl
Radha goes out to meet Kr$na at noontime (divabhisara). With great passion Radhika arrives
at the trystinggrove, while Sripada follows Her like Her shadow. Anxious Nayaka-mani
(Krsna, the jewel of gallants) waits for Her inside the grove. As soon as He hears the jingling
of Her anklebells, He comes running out and takes SvaminI into the grove with the greatest
care and respect. While He holds Her, He feels the softness of Her golden body, that becomes
reddish because of the perking sunrays. £yama seats Kvari on a bed of flowers and fans Her
with soft leaves or wipes Her off with His yellow dhotL Through 3yamasundara the
maidservants also relishes the softness of SrimatTs golden body. SvaminI smiles slightly when
She notices £yama’s great love for Her. How wonderfully sweet is that smile! Syama is
enchanted and thinks: "This is the greatest nectar! I have to drink this with the cups of My
lips!" Srimatl then casts a glance at $y5ma, which makes Him experience the wideness of Her
eyes. Full of desire, He places His hand on Her breasts, so that He experiences their
plumpness. SvaminI pretends to be a little offended, so She gets up from bed and walks away.
In this way Syama sees the thinness of Her waist, the slowness of Her steps, and the wideness
of Her buttocks. He pulls at SvaminTs dress to keep Her inside the grove, but She beats Him
with the trembling of Her knitted eyebrows. How wonderful is the beauty of these eyebrows!
Syama is enchanted and forcibly drinks the nectar of SvaminTs lips. In this way the
maidservant relishes the redness of SvaminTs lips - through $yamasundara. Now the divine
Couple becomes overwhelmed by Cupid and They commence Their lovegame. Kr$na tightly
binds SvaminI in the ropes of His embrace, rasena means here ’with Krsna, Who is flavour
personified'. While Kr§na lovingly embraces SvaminI, the maidservant experiences the
numbness of Her ecstatic heart. Suddenly the vision disappears, and Sripada humbly prays -
he madhurya kadambini, nibhrta nikunja rani;

apara karundmayi radhe!
gaurdngi tomara tanu, rasera pasara janu,
dhyanera gocara ki hoibe
Srlla Prabodhananda Sarasvati 163
"O Cloudbank of sweetness! O queen of the secret nikunja] O limitlessly merciful

Radhe! Your golden body is a storehouse of rasa] When will I become conscious of that in
my meditations?"
gaura kanti jhalamala, kalevara ki komala,
b>Tna kati sronfra vistara
madhuryera pardvadhi, vaksoja garimd nidhi,
kobe sphurti hoibe amdra
"When will I become conscious of Your tender body, that shines with a golden luster,
Your thin waist, Your wide buttocks, and Your big jewellike breasts, that are the limit of
sweetness?"
smita kanti madhurima, bimbadhare ye soninia,
bhrii yugale kufila bankimd
manthara gatira fobha, rnadana mohana lobha,
heribo ki krsna priyatamd 1
"O Krsna's beloved! Will I see Your sweet luscious smile, Your reddish cherry-like
lips, Your crooked eyebrows and Your beautiful slow steps that enchant even Madana
Mohana?"
ye rasete bharapura, radhikara antah pura,
heno prema jafiimd ratane
smarana sampad sara, kobe hobe sdksatkara,
srlpada prabodhananda bharie
"Sri Radhika’s heart is filled with rasa and stunned with love, like a jewel. Srlpada
Prabodhananda says: "When will I directly see that essence of the wealth of smaranaV
VERSE 76:
PRATA&pI tapatamkada vyapanayamyanya M ukasyarpana T '
KUNJE VISMRTA KANCUKJM API SAMANETUMPRADHAVAMIVA

BADHNlYAM KA VARlM YUNAJMIGAUTAM MUKTA VALlM ANJA YE
NETRE NAGARIRANGAKAIS CA PIDADHAMYANGABRANAM VA KADA
prdtah - in the morning; pita - yellow; patarii - cloth; kada - when; yyapanaydmi - 1 take away;
anya - other; artiSukasya - of a garment; arpandt - giving; kunje - in the grove; vismrta - forgetting;
kancuklrii - blouse; api - even; samanetuih - taking; pradhdvdmi -1 will run; vd - or; badhriiydth -
binding up; kavanrii - braid; yunajmi - string; galitarii - fallen; niuktavalim - row of pearls; atijaye -
paint eyeliner; netre - around the eyes; ndgari - ladylove; rangakaih - with colored pigments; ca - and;
pidadhami - cover over; anga - limbs; branarh - bruises; vd - or; kada - when?
O Nagari (ladylove)! When can I take Kr$na's yellow cloth, that You mistakenly
took with You in the morning, from Your body and give You another garment? When
can I run out to bring the blouse that You forgot in the lovebower at night's end? When
can I bind Your hairbraid, restring Your broken pearl necklace, paint eyeliner around
164 $ n -$ n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Your eyes and cover up the bruises caused by Krona's lovemaking on Your body with
colorful substances like musk or vermilion?
THE MAIDSERVANTS1EXPERTISE:
Commentary: It is the end of the night, and Radha and Kr$na are fast asleep in a
bowerhouse. A soft Malayan breeze blows, carrying the fragrance of the blooming flowers
from the vines and the trees inside the grove. Intoxicated bees buzz around the honey-filled
flowers and Vrndavana's birds are singing softly and ever-so- sweet. The maidservants wake
up and collect the paraphernalia for their service, the hairs on their bodies standing up in
ecstasy when they see the matchless beauty of the divine Couple through the holes of the
bower’s foliage. VrndadevI then engages her parrot-couples in awakening the divine Couple
with sweet and softly recited verses. When Radha and Kr$na rise Their eyes are still filled
with sleep and Their hairs and clothes are still dishevelled from making love. SiT Radhika has
Krsna's yellow cloth on Her, and Kr$na has Radhika’s blue cloth on Him, but They don't
notice it. The maidservants now enter the kunja and begin with their blessed services of giving
water and betelleaves and arranging the divine Couple’s hairs and clothes. 3rlpada, in his
kinkarX-foim, is also blessed with one of these services. She awakens Srlmati by saying: "O
Nagari, You are so expert in loveplay! Don't lose Your attention because of this deep
absorption! Your girlfriends can be here at any moment and they'll make fun of You when
they see You dressed and ornamented like this. Be especially careful that Your parents and
family-members will not see all the signs of Krsna's lovemaking on Your body!" In this way
she tries to keep SrlmaG's attention with their dressing and omamenting-service. How fortunate
are these maidservants! The aspirants should learn this expertise in service from them and
become similarly fortunate. Sripada is so fortunate to get the service of making up Snmatl's
hair, that has become dishevelled like ia spread-out peacocktail during Her amorous pastimes.
The maidservant cleverly disentangles Sflmatfs big bunch of cloud-blue curly hair with her
nails, combs it with a jewelled comb and braids it with a garland of blooming jasmine-flowers.
She collects all the pearls that have fallen off SrlmatTs necklaces, that had broken during the
loveplay, restrings them, and hangs the necklace back around Her neck. Then she paints
collyrium around Her eyes. Just then, SvamiriTs girlfriends enter the kunja, covering their
mouths with their veils and giggling, making wave after wave of laughter and joking. Hearing
the sweet words of the sakhTs and seeing their ecstatic behaviour, Radha and Krsna forget
about going home. Then, on Vmda’s indication, the old she-n|onkey Kakkhatl encourages
Them to go home by making hints about Jatila, Radhika's mothejr-in-law. How pitiful is then
Their vidaya lild (pastime of separation):
nija nija tnandire, yaite puna puna, duhufi dohah vadana nehari
antare uyalo, prema payonidhi, nayane galaye ghana vari
madhava! hdmari vidaya pdye tora
tohari prema sane, puna coli dobo, aba darasana ndhi mora
katare nayane, neharite donhe donha, uthalalo prema taranga
murachala rai, murachi padu madhava, kobe hobe takara sahga
lalitd 'sumukhV, 'sumukhi' kori phukdrato, raiko kore agora
sahacarX ’kdnu','k d n u k o r i phukdrato, (lharakata locane lora
"Now it is time for Them to go to Their own homes. Th^y stare at Eachother's faces,
causing an ocean of love to arise in Their hearts and streams of tey s to trickle from Their eyes.
i
Sifla Prabodhananda Sarasvati 165
Madhava! We have been left by You, but on the strength of Our love We will meet again!
Now I can not see You!" They look at Eachother with anxious eyes as waves of love swell up.
Rai has fainted and Madhava has fainted. When will They meet again? Lalita exclaims:
"Sumukhi, Sumukhi!" and takes Rai on her lap. The safchfs exclaim 'Kanu, Kami!’ while tears
stream from their eyes.
The sakhTs then take Radha home and Krsna also slowly goes His way. Suddenly
SrimaLT remembers that She had forgotten Her blouse in the kuhja. She's too shy to ask Her
friends to go and get it, so She gives a hint with Her eyes to 3ripada, in his kinkarT-form, to go
and get it. The maidservant quickly goes back to the kuhja, finds the blouse and secretly gives
it to SvaminI, Who is very happy to get it back. Then She returns to Her house in the village
of Yavat with Her friends, and goes back to bed. In the momingtime, Mukhara enters
3nmatl's bedroom and says: "O Radhe! O Granddaughter! Where are You?" The sakhTs also
help Srlmatl to wake up, when Mukhara suddenly notices Krona’s yellow scarf on ^rlmatTs
body. Angrily, Mukhara says: "Vi$akhe! What is this? I saw; this splendid yellow cloth on
Krsna yesterday, and now I see it on Radha's limbs! Alas! What kind of behaviour is this for a
housewife with an unblemished reputation?" ViSakha is startled by Mukhara's words, looks at
Ridha, and thinks: "Oh no! What is this!? It is Krsna's yellow cloth!" Then she quickly gets
herself together and says: "O Bewildered blind old lady! Just see! It is the sunrays pouring in
through the window that make our sakhl's blue cloth look like a yellow one!" While Mukhara
looks at the window, £npada, in his kihkati-form, exchanges the yellow cloth for a blue cloth
so quickly that nobody notices it. When Mukhara looks at Srimatl again, she sees that she
made a mistake and shyly goes off. Then Sffpada sees that Svamirifs limbs are all bruised by
Kr$na when He made love to Her, so she quickly conceals these marks with colored substances
like haldiy musk and kuhkuma, so that £nmatl’s family members will not see it.
VERSE 77:
YAD VRNDA VAN A MATRA GOCARAMAHO YAN NA SRVTIKAM SIRO'

PYARODHUM A M ATE NA YAC CHTVA $UKADINAM TU YAD DHYANAGAM
YATPREMAMRTA MADHURI RASAMAYAM YANNITYA KAI&ORAKAM
TAD RUPAMPARIVESTUMEVA NAYANAM LOLAYAMANAMMAMA
yad - what; vpidavana mdtra - only in Vrndavana; gocaram - visible; aha - O!; yad - what; na
- not; SrutTkam - of the Vedas; Sirah - on the head; api - even; arodhurh - lifting; ksamate - able, na -
not; yat - what; liva Sukadinarti - of 3iva and Suka; tu - but; yat - what; dhydna - meditation; gam -
attainable; yat - what; prema - love; amrta - nectar; madhurl - sweetness; rasamayafn - full of flavour;
yat - what; nitya - always; kaiforakarh - adolescent; tad - that; rupath - form; parivetfum - searching;
eva - only; nayanarh - the eyes; loldyamanath - restlessly; mama - my.
My eyes restlessly search for the eternal nectarean sweet adolescent loving form of
S n Radha, that is only visible in Vrndavana, that cannot be described even by the Vedas
and that is not even perceived by Lord Siva or Suka Muni in their meditations!
THE SWEETNESS OF SRI RADHA’S ADOLESCENCE:

166 Sn>&n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Commentary: In Srlmad Bhagavata, Canto Ten, chapter 82, it is seen that the gopTs
were not happy to see Krsna as a warrior at Kuruksetra. They remembered His sweet pastimes
in Vraja and prayed to Him to return to Vraja with them. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted
that mood of 6ri Radha and the gopTs while He danced before the chariot of Lord JagannStha.
Srtla Krsna Dasa Kaviraja depicted His mood as follows in Caitanya Caritamrta (Madhya 13):
anyera hrdaya - mon; amara mon -vrndavana,

mone bone ek kori jdni
tahd tomara padadvaya, kordho yadi udaya,
tabe tomara pum a kfpd rndni
"For others the heart may be the mind, but My mind is Vrndavana. I consider that
forest and My mind to be one. If Your lotusfeet could appear there, I would consider that to be
Your full mercy." j
prdnandtha! suno mora satya nivedana
vraja amara sadana; tdhd tomara sangama;
nd paile nd rahe jTvana
\
"O Lord of My life! Listen to My earnest prayer: Vraja is My home, and if I cannot get
Your association there I cannot remain alive!"
purve uddhava dvare; ebe sak$dt amare,

yoga jndnera kohile updya
tumi vidagdha krpamoy, jano amara hrdoya
more aiche kohite nd juydy
"Previously You instructed us in yoga and jndna through Uddhava, and now You are
personally teaching us this again ("Just see Me everywhere. There’s no need for My personal
presence", and so). Your are clever and merciful, You know My heart. You should not speak
to Me like that."
.................... vrndavana govardhana, yatnuna pulina vana,
sei kunje rdsddika Ula
sei vraje vrajajana, matd pita bandhugana,
bodo citra! kemone pasarila?
"Vrndavana, Govardhana, the forest on the banks of the Yamuna, the kufijas, Our
pastimes such as the Rasa-dance, Vraja, the people of Vraja, Your mother, Your father and
Your friends —How amazing! How could You just forget about them?"
.............
tomara ye anya vesa, anya sanga anya desa,
vrajajane kabhu nahi bhay
vrajabhumi chd(lite ndre, tornd nd dekhile more,
vraja janera ki hobe updy ?
"Now You wear a different dress, You have other friends, and You live in another
country, but this never appeals to the people of Vraja. They will not leave Vrajabhumi, but if
they don’t see You then they will die. What should they do now?” Even when Krsna stayed at
Mathura, only seven miles from Vrndavana, the gopTs did not go to see Him there, although
they were burning in a fire of separation from Him. The sight of His majestic form in Mathura
Srfla Prabodhananda Saras vati 167
could not pacify them. Therefore, anyone who wants to see Snmatl RSdha, must take
exclusive shelter of Vmdavana. She cannot be found anywhere else.
Then 3ripada says: yan na srutlkam siro'py aro^hum ksamate: "The Vedas and
Upanisads are unable to keep Radha’s sweetness on their heads." Sri Radha is the greatest
secret. The Vedas teach fruitive activities and the Upanisads teach wisdom. Loving devotion
is a great secret and is described in a very hidden way. Sri Radha is the highest love
personified, so how can the Vedas and Upanisads describe Her sweet form? At some places,
the Upanisads (Gopala Tapani) describe Sn Radha's majestic aspect (tasyadya prakrti radhika
nitya nirguna yasyarhse laksmf durgadika saktayah: "Radhika is the Lord's first nature, or
energy. She's eternally transcendental to the material psychic modes, and energies like Lak$ml
and Durga are Her mere fragments"), but Her sweet aspect is not revealed. In the present age
of Kali, 3rlman Mahaprabhu, Who has accepted £ n Radha's mood and complexion, has
especially come to give this transcendental sweetness, therefore the acdryas that are
empowered by Him have described Radha's sweetness in their books. Then $rlpada writes na
yac chiva sukadinath tu yad dhydnagam "Sri Radhika's sweetness is not revealed in the
meditations of Lord Siva and Suka Muni". In his 'Brhad BhagavatSmrta (1.7.158)*, Srlmat
Sanatana GosvamI explained why Sri Suka did not mention the gopTs' names in the Bhagavata:
gopTnarii vitatddbhuta sphutatara premdnaldrci cchata dagdhanarh kila ndma klrtana krtdt tasarii
vi&esat smrteh tat tiksna jvalanocchikhdgra kanikd sparfena sadyo rnaha vaikalyarh sa bhajan kadapi
na mukhe namani kartum prabhuh "If the speaker of the Bhagavata, S n Suka Muni, would
pronounce the names of the gopTs, he would remember them specifically. Then the sparks from
the high flames of their amazing fully blooming love would bum him, and he would become
agitated with pain. He would not have been able to complete his speaking of the Bhagavata,
so he did not pronounce any of their names." Then Snpada says: yat premdmrta madhuri
rasamayam yan nitya kaisorakam: "S n Radha's eternal adolescence is full of sweet nectarean
love" Sri Radha's every limb is made of nectarean love: premera svarupa deha prema vibhavita;
krsnera preyasi frestha jagate vidita (C.C.) Finally, Snpada says: tad rupath parivetfum eva
nayanath lolayamanam mama "My eyes are greedily searching for that sweet form." Intense
greed is the means to attain ragdnugd bhaktL Snla Jiva GosvamI writes in Bhakti Sandarbha
(310): tatra vi$ayinah svabhaviko vi$aya sarhsargecchatisaya mayah prema rdgah yathd
caksurddTnath saundaryadau tadrsa evdtra bhaktasya srl bhagavatyapi rdga ity ucyate "Just as
materialists naturally love the sense-objects, so the devotees naturally like to see the beautiful
form of the Lord and so. This is called the devotees' rdga (attachment) to the Lord."*Snpada's
attachment to seeing SiTmatfs beautiful form is natural, and that is why his eyes greedily
wander around, searching for that sweet form.
kandarpera kdrukrti, suracita ye murati,

vrajaraja kumdra vallabhaya
bahu punya punjaphale, vrajete darsana mile,
keli kunje yugala krpdya
"As a result of many pious acts, and by the grace of the divine Couple, one may attain
the audience of the ladylove of the prince of Vraja ($fi Radhika), Whose beautiful form was
made by a craftsman named Cupid, in the playgrounds of Vraja."
srutigana sirobhdga, upaniyad rddhdnurdga,

aparupa varnite aksama
siva suka munigana, koto kori aradhana,
dhyane-o na pay darasana
168 Sri-3n R3dha Rasa Sudhanidili
"The Upanisads, the greatest sruti-scriptures, are unable to describe Radha's

extraordinary love, and Lord Siva and Suka Muni are not able to attain Her audience in their
meditations, no matter how much they try."
nit}'a nava kaisora, madhura hoite sutnadhura,

premdmrta rase sugathita
syama bhogya rai ahga, mahd mahotsava rahga,
sambhoga cihnete alankrta
"Her eternally fresh adolescence is sweeter than sweet and is saturated with the
nectarean flavours of divine love. This Rai is enjoyable for £yama in a great festival of play, in
which She becomes marked with the signs of His enjoyment."
ei rupa ratarta dhana, sadd cay darasana,

mora ei malina nayane
hay hay ara kobe, e lalasa pum a hobe
srlpada prabodhananda bhane
"My contaminated eyes always want to see that jewel-like form. Srlpada
Prabodhananda says: "Alas! Alas! When will that desire be fulfilled?"
VERSE 78:
DHARMADY ARTHA CATU$TAYAM VIJAY AT AM KIM TAD VJffTHA VARTAYA

SAIKANTESVARA BHAKTI-YOGA PADAVl TVAROPITA MURDHANI
YA VRNDA VAN A SIMNIKACANA GHANA &CARYA KISORl-MAiyiS
TATKAINKARYA RASAMfLTAD IHA PARAM CITTE NA ME ROCA TE
dharma - religiosity; adi - and so; artha - pursuits; catustayarii - four; vijayatarh - victory; kim
-why; tad - that; vriha - vainly; vdrtaya - with topics; sa - he: ekanta -exclusively; Uvara - God; bhakti
yoga - transcendental devotion; padavT - tide; tu - but; aropitd - raising; murdliani - on the head; yd -
who; vrnddvana swini - on the border of Vfndavana; kdcana - someone; ghana - intense; dJcarya -
astonishing; kilorT - adolescent girl; mani - jewel; tat - that; kaihkarya - maidservice; rasa - flavour;
amrtdd - from Uie nectar; iha - here; pararii - higher; citte - in the heart; na -not; me -my; rocate -
delight
All glories to the four human pursuits like religiosity, increase of wealth, sense
enjoyment and liberation! Why should we vainly speak about them? Let my exclusive
devotion for the Supreme Lord ornament my head (viz: I donft care for it)! Nothing else
can please my mind but the nectar-rasa of the maidservanthood of some most amazing
jewel of adolescent girls from the outskirts of Vrndavana!
THE NECTAREAN FLAVOUR OF RADHA’S MAIDSERVICE:

§rila Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 169
Commentary: In sadhakavesa Srlpada shows his one-pointed loyalty to Sri Radha's

maidservice, which for him is the supreme goal of life. First of all he says - dharmady artha
catustayam vijayatam kirii tad vrthd vartayd "All glories to the four pursuits of human life,
namely religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. Why should we
vainly speak about them?. Purus5rtha means the desired goal {artha) of a purusa (living
entity). In this world we find different people with different likings: bhinna rucir hi lokdh.
Therefore it is natural that there are innumerable different desires of the living entities. But,
according to the reveaved scriptures and the saints, all these desires can be strung together on
one thread, and that is: happiness, sukhafn me bhuyat duhkath mdbhut "Let me be happy, and
let me not be unhappy." For the surveyability the great philosophers have divided all these
desires in four: dhartna (religiosity) artha (economic development) kama (sense-gratification)
and mukti (liberation). These are called the four purusarthas.
The living entities that are deluded by mdya consider sense-gratification to be their
natural happiness. Some people don't make any distinction between the different kinds of gross
sensual enjoyment, nor do they care about laws, rules, morality and social considerations. They
are simply engaged in bestial sense-gratification. Their purusartha is called kama (lust). Others
have some consideration for rules and proper conduct in their quest for sense-gratification.
Those who consider morality and society while gratifying their senses need money, and their
purusartha is called artha, economic development. Again others desire not only happiness in
this life, but also in their next birth, preferably on the heavenly planets. They invest in this by
means of offering charity, being compassionate, performing sacrifices and following the rules
of the caste-system. Others again give up their desires for temporary happiness and strive for
liberation by treading the path of jhdna, or knowledge and wisdom. Their purusartha is called
moksa, or liberation. Srlla Rupa GosvamI teaches:
rddhd siddhi vraja vijayitd satya dhartna samadhir

brahmanando gurur api camatkdrayatyeva tdvat
yavat premnath madhuripu va&kdra siddhausadhindm
gandho'py antah kararia saranipanihaldfn na praydti
(Lalita Madhava 5.2)
"As long as not a whiff of love, which is like a perfect herb to control 3rl Kr$na, has
travelled on the road to the heart, one may become very astonished and happy from the
attainment of mystic perfection, the religion of truth, samddhU or absorbtion in the bliss of
the undifferentiated brahm anm andg eva prarudhayarii hrdaye bhagavad ratau purusarthas lu
catvdras tmdyante samantatah (Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu 1.1.33) "When love of God has even
slightly appeared in the heart, the four human pursuits become as insignificant as blades of
grass." As far as exclusive devotion for the Supreme Lord is concerned: This refers to
reverential, regulated worship of God. Reverential feelings towards a majestic Godhead
decrease the feelings of deep, intimate love, so £rlpada says: "Let it remain on my head".
According to £n Baladeva Vidyabhu$ana, there are two kinds of devotion: svanistha and
ekdntL svanisthdh sarvesu rupesu sarna prltayah "The svanistha devotee loves all the forms of
God equally, ekdntinah visama prltayah....rupa vitesabhisakta cittatvena hyekantinah
sddhdranebhyah svani$thebhyah jyaisthdh bhavanti (Govinda Bha$ya): "The ekantT-devotees have
a preference and an attachment for one particular form of God, and they are better than the
ordinary svanistha devotees." The best of all ekantT-devotees are the devotees of Kr$na in
Vraja (Vrajcndranandana), according to Sfila Rupa GosvamI:
tatrapyekdntindm Srestha govinda hrta mdnasdh \

yesdrii Srtta prasddo'pi mano hartum na Sahnuydt
170 Sri-Sii Radha Rasa Sudhanidtii
"Of all the efoinh-devotees, the devotee whose heart is stolen by Govinda is the best.
Even the mercy of Lord Narayana cannot steal away his mind." (Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu 1.2,58)
But the hearts of £ri Radha's devotees cannot even be taken away by Govinda. SrTmat
Raghunatha Dasa GosvamI said: larii cet krpdm mayi vidhdsyasi naiva kim me prariair vrajena ca
varoru bakdrindpi (Vilapa Kusumanjali 102) "If You (Radhika) are not merciful to me, then
what is the use of my life, of Vraja, and even of Kr$na to me?" Thus 3rl Radha's devotees are
the crownjewels of ekdnti devotees.
dharmarthira ye prdrthana, catustaya se kamana,

dharma artha kama moksa dhana
ei rnora suniscoy, td sabdra hok joy,
se kothdy ndhi prayojana
"All glories to the four human pursuits; religiosity, wealth, sense enjoyment and
liberation. Everybody's praying for them, but I don’t need them!"
ananta aisvarya sphurti, ekanta Tsvara bhakti,

se padavTra koribe pranama
vmddvane ghanascarya, krsna priyatamd drya,
vrajamani 'radha' ydra nama
se rddhara ddsyamrta, amrta hoite pardmrta,
atulana akhila bhuvane
ei rasamrta bhinna, morn mone ndhi anya,
Sflpada Prabodhananda says: "I will offer my obeisances unto reverential devotion to
the limitlessly opulent Supreme Lord. My mind does not like anything else but the most
delicious nectarean maidservice of Sri Radha, the jewel of Vraja, Who is Kr§na's most
astonishing beloved in Vmdavana, and who cannot be compared to anyone in this world."
VERSE 79:
PREMNAH SANMADHUROJJVALASYA HRDAYAMSRNGARA LILA-KALA

VAICITRl PARAM A VADHIR BHAGAVATA# PUJYAIVA KAPISATA
ISAN l CA SACiMAHASUKHA TANUH SAKTIH SVATANTRA PARA
SRI VRNDAVANA NATH A PAJTA MAH1$I RADHAIVA SEVYA MAMA
premnah - with love; sat - true; madhura - sweet; ujjvalasya - of the brilliant; hrdayaih - heart;
ini gara - erotic; Ilia - play; kald - arts; vaicitrT -varieatcdness; parama - highest; avadhi - limit;
bhagavatah - of Godhead; pujya - worshipable; eva - only; kapi - some woman; Tiata - controller (fcm.)
of the Lord; TidnT - Goddess Durg5; ca - and; iacl - Goddess £acl; mahd - great; sukha - bliss; tanuh -
body; iaktih - power; svatantra - independent; para - Supreme; in vniddvana ndtha - the Lord of
Vmdavana; patfa - enthroned; mahisi - queen; rddhd eva - only Radha; sevyd - to be served; mama -
mine.
Only Sn Radha, the entlironed Queen of the Lord of Vrndavana, Who is the very
heart of all sweet erotic artful lovepastimes, Who causes the limit of astonishment, Who
is even ordering the Lord Himself, Who is fully independent, and of Whom goddesses
Parvati and Sac! are mere energies, is to be served by me.
SRi RADHA, THE ENTHRONED QUEEN:
Commentary: As soon as the aspirant has gotten a little taste for Sri Radha's service,
his heart does not desire anything else anymore. Lord Brahma prayed to Krsna as follows:
tdvad ragadaya stenas tdvat kdragrharfi grham

tdvan moho'nghri nigado yavat krsna na te janah
"O Krsna, as long as people are not attached to You, their attachments will act on
them like thieves, their homes will be prisons and their illusions will be their chains." In the
'Vaisnava Tosani'-commentary on this verse it is written: tatra nirupadhi premaspadasydtmano'py
dtniatvena tvam eva rdgasya svabhavika parama yogyasrayah. atas tal lak$ana nija svdminam
anupalabhyaiva bhramann asau jandnam §ubha vdsand ruparii tvad bhajana samagritfi harariif caura
eva tatas tad anuvartino'pi tadrfah "O Lord! You are the abode of everyone's causeless love.
You are the Self of Selves, and therefore You are naturally the most worthy shelter of
everyone's love. Everyone is wandering around, looking for You, and when they do not find
You, their own master, to love, their love will act like thieves on them, stealing their holy
desires and the items of their worship, and greed and illusion will follow." In this verse Srlpada
sees Sri Radha as the regal queen of Sri Kr$na. paffa means 'throne', and paffa mahi$T could
therefore mean ’Kr$na's queen RukminI, Who was officially married with Kr$na and crowned
as His queen, qualified to occupy the royal throne1. Srlpada, however, calls this queen premriah
san madhurojjvalasya... £n vrndavana natha patta mahisT "The sweet brilliant loving queen of
Vrndavana"
pareddya bhave ati rasera ullasa;
vraja vina ihara anyatra ndhi vdsa (C. C. Adi 4)
"The extramarital mood has more flavour and joy, and does not reside anywhere else
but in Vraja." 3rlla Rupa GosvamI teaches in ’Ujjvala Nflaraani (Kr$na Vallabha 24)‘:
gopair vyudha api hareh soda sambhoga lalasdh

parodhd vallabhds tasya vrajanaryo'prasutikdh
"Although the gopTs are officially married with cowherders, they always yearn for
sexual union with Krsna. These ever-adolescent girls are called paraklya nayikas (extramarital
heroines)." The goddess Yogamaya is able to make the impossible possible; she has arranged
for these ’unreal' marriage with the cowherders to create some extra difficulties for the heroines
in meeting Kr$na. Without these obstacles, they could not reach the stage of maha bhava. Sri
Jiva GosvamI writes in his 'Locana Rocarif-commentary on this verse: duhkasya parama kd$thd
kulavadhunarii svayarn api parama maryaddnarH svajandryapatiiabhya/fi bhraritfa eva nagnyddir na
ca maranam. tatas ca tat kdritaya pratito'pi Sri kr§na sambandhah sukhdya kalpate cet tarhyaiva
rdgasya parameyattd. tatai ca tam dSrityaiva pravrtto‘nurdgo bhdvdya kalpate. saedrambhata eva
vrajadevisv eva drfyate patta mahisfsu tu sambhdvayitum api na sakyate. "To accept the greatest
172 Sn-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
misery for the sake of Krsna's pleasure, and to consider that suffering to be blissful, is called
rdga. For a chaste wife it is easier to jump into the fire and embrace death then to fall from the
path of chastity and morality. But for the beautiful girls of Vraja it is very easy to give up
these vows of chastity (for Krsna's sake), and so their love has reached the stage of maha
bhdva. This stage is unattainable for RukminT and the other enthroned queens of Krsna in
Dvaraka." In the Padma Purana it is stated that Krsna, being pleased with Radhika's matchless
sweetness, made Her the queen of Vrndavana: vrnddvanadhipatyam ca dattam tasyai prasldata
Following 3nla Rupa GosvamI, who described this pastime in his one-act play 'Dana Keli
KaumudT, his 'RSdhastakam' in the verse atula niahasi vrndaranya rajye’bhisiktam, and in his
108 names of RSdhika (radha krsnavanadhl$a), 3nla Raghunatha Dasa GosvamI briefly
described it in his 'Mukta Caritra', Vraja Vilasa Stava (verse 61) and ’Vilapa Kusumanjali'
(verse 87) and later Sri Rupa GosvamI, not being fully satisfied yet, ordered Sn Jiva GosvamI
to write a big poetry book about it, named 'Madhava Mahotsava'.*
VERSE 80:
RADHA DASYAMAPASYA YAHPRAYATATE GOVINDA SANGASAYE

SO'YAMPURNA SUDHA RUCEH PAR1CAYAM RAKAM VINA RANK?ATI
KIM CA SYAMARATIPRAVAHA LAHARlBIJAM NA YE TAM VIDUS
TE PRAPYAPIMAHAMRTAMBUDHIM AHO DINDUM PARAM PRAPNUYUH
radha dasyam - Radha's service; apdsya - giving up; yah - who; prayatate - endeavours;
govinda sahga - Govinda's company; aSaye - desiring; sali ayafn - that person; purria - full; sudha
raceh - moon; paricayam - acquaintance; rdkarii - fullmoon night; vind - without; kdhk$ati - desires;
kith - what; ca - and; fyama rati - love for Kr$na; pravdha - stream; laharT - wave; bijath - the seed;
na - not; ye - who; tdth - Her, viduh - knows; te - they; prapya - attaining; api - even; maha - great;
amrta - nectar; ambudhim - ocean; aho - O!; bindum - drop; pararh - highest; prdpnuyuh - attain.
Anyone who gives up the service of Sn Radha, desiring Govinda's personal

company, is like someone who wants to enjoy the full moon without the fullmoon night,
and anyone who does not know (that Radha is) the seed of Syama's pleasure is like
someone who only gets a drop of the great ocean of nectar that is available to him!
THE BIRTHPLACE OF LOVE FOR KR$NA:
Commentary: The Lord is subdued by devotion, that is His nature. The Siddhanta
Ratna states: bhaktau khalu bhagavan svayam eva vaslbhuta tifthati, tamarasa kose madhupa
iva rasika yuvatyam rasika yuveveti sruti smrtebhyah pratTyate. "God is certainly controlled by
devotion, as a bee is caught by the lotuswhorl and a romantic youngster is captured by a
romantic young girl. This is said by the sruti and smrti-scnptutes." The Lord is mostly
captured by the sweet love of the people of Vraja. Srlla BilvamaAgala Thakura said to 3fi
Krsna:
• t *
* Wc refer to this writings for a full description of this pastime. Ed.

5rfla Prabodhananda Sarasvati 173
gopdldngana kardamesu viharan vipradhvare lajjase

bruse go vrsa hunkrtaih stuti Satair maunahi vidhatse Satam
ddsyam gokula puriiScalTsu kuruse svaymam na dantatmasu
jrldtarii krsna tavdgghri parikaja-yugarfi premaika labhyarii muhuh
"O Krsna! You play in the mud on the yards of the cowherders, but You are hesitant to
appear on the pure sacrificial altars of the noble brahmanas\ You cry out when You hear the
mooing of the cows and bulls of Vraja, but when the great sages offer hundreds of reverential
prayers to You, You remain silent. You become the servant of the cowherdgirls in Vraja while
You don't even want to be the master of the austere ascetics. O Kr$na! Thus I know that Your
lotusfeet can only be attained by ecstatic love!" Sri Radhika is the greatest devotee of Vraja, so
it is needless to say that to desire Govinda's company without Her is like desiring the full
moon without the fullmoon night. Why is Kr$na, after all, called 'Govinda’? Because all of His
\ senses are pleased by £ n Radhika. SrT Kr$na personally tells Her:
\
i
\
»
nirdhutamrta madhurl parinialah kalyani bimbddharo

vaktram pahkaja saurabham kuharita Sldghabhidas le girah
ahgam candana STtalam tanur iyam saundarya sarvasva bhdk
tvam asvadya mamedam indriya-kulam radhe muhur modate
(Lalita Madhava 9.9)
"O Kalyani (beautiful, auspicious girl)! Your lips defeat the redness of Bimba-cherries
and the sweetness and the fragrance of nectar, Your face is more fragrant than the lotusflower,
Your voice is sweeter than that of the cuckoos and Your limbs are cooler than
sandalwoodpulp. Your body is the vessel of all beauty. In this way, O Radhe, My senses are
always gladdened by relishing Your sweetness!"
Therefore, the best way to make Kr$na relish this sweetness is to serve $ n Radha.
Those who were so fortunate to relish Krsna's upswelling beauty by serving Sri Radha have
understood that it is completely useless trying to relish it by giving up that service. All the
different items of spiritual practise performed in Vrndavana by a rasika devotee are useless
unless he sees Sri Radha lovingly entwining the dark Tamalatree Syamasundara, like a golden
vine that bears fresh sprouts and leaves in the form of Her girlfriends and maidservants.
Why? Because Sri Krsna's sweetness is enhanced by the presence of SrT Radhika and the
gopTsl Srlla Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami offers the following examples of how Krsna's beauty
is enhanced by Radhika’s in his 'ViSakhanandada stotram (51-62)':
govinddnahga rdjTve bhdnu Srlr varsabhanavT; krsna hrt kumudolldse sudhakara kara sthitili
krsna mdtiasa hamsasya mdnasi sarasT vara; krsna cataka jlvatu navambhoda payah sruti
krstia manjula tapinche vilasat svarna yuthika; govinda navya pathode sthira vidyul latadbhutd
grisme govinda sarvdnge candra candana candrika; Site syarna Subhdngesu pita patta lasat pat!
madhau krsna tarulldse madhu snr madhurakrtih; mariju mallara rdga srih prdvrsi Syama harsinl
rtau saradi rdsaika rasikendram iha sphutam; varTtuth hanta rasa Srlr viharantl sakJu-Srita
hematite stnara yuddhdrtham atantarii rdjanandanam; paurusena pardjetum jaya Snr murti dharinl
"Sri Radhika, the daughter of Vrsabhanu, is- the beautiful sun that shines on the
lotusflower of Govinda's amorous desires and She's like the moon that shines on the heart of
Krsna, that is like a Kumuda-flower (Kumuda-flowers thrive on the moonlight). She is the
excellent Manasl-lake where the swan of Krsna's mind swims (swans go to this lake once a
year to mate) and She is the fresh cloud that keeps the Kr$na-Catakabird alive. She is a
174 £ri-Sri RSdha Rasa Sudhanidhi
splendid golden Yulhikaflower on the beautiful Tamala-tree named Kr$na, and She is a
wonderful steady lightningslrike in the fresh raincloud named Krsna. In the summer She is
soothing camphor, sandalpaste and moonlight for all of Govinda's limbs and in the winter She
is a glistening yellow silk garmant on Sygma’s handsome limbs. In the spring She is the sweet
form of the vernal goddess of fortune that gladdens the Krsna-tree, and in the rainy season She
is the lovely MallSra-melody that delights Syama. In the autumn She selects Rasaika
Rasikendra (Kr$na, the only king of relishers of the Rasa-dance) as Her husband and enjoys the
Rasa-dance with Him, accompanied by Her friends. In the Hemanta-season She wanders
around with prince Krsna to fight erotic battles, in which She assumes the form of Jaya-Sri
(the goddess of victory) and defeats Him in a masculine way (taking the masculine role during
lovemaking)." O Surasika Bhavuka-vrnda (All the senstive rasika devotees)! In this way Sri
Radha is the beauty of Krsna's pastimes. From this we can easily understand how little savour
there is in Sri Kr$na's company without Sri Radha. Just as it is futile to desire the moonlight in
the second or the third night of the light quarter, because there is only a fragment of moonlight
available then, so also there is only a fragment of that happiness available from Krsna's
sweetness alone, compared to the sweetness of Sri-Sri Radha-Krsna together.
Then again, 3 rip ad a says: kith ca syama-rati pravaha laharl bijam na ye tarn vidus te
prapyapi mahamrtambudhim aho binduth pararh prapnuyuh "Those who do not know that
Radha is the seed of the tidal wave of love for Syama, has only gotten a drop of the great
ocean of nectar he has reached." Sri Radha is the origin of God's pleasure potency, and She
infuses all the ecstasy of love of God into the hearts of the devotees, tasyah hladinya eva kapi
sarvanandatisayim vrttir nityath bhaktavrndesveva niksipyamana bhagavat prityakhyaya
vartate. (Priti Sandarbha 65; Jiva GosvamI) She is indeed the birthplace of love for Krsna (ka
krsnasya pranaya janibhiih? snrnatT radhikaika (Govinda Lllamrta 11,122) By taking shelter
of Her, Kr$na's sweetness becomes really relishable, and those devotees who worship Krsna
without taking shelter of Her, get only a drop of that nectar, although they may have arrived
at the shore of a great ocean of nectar. Previously it had been said that those who leave the
service of Sri Radha to aspire for Sri Krsna's company are like wanting to know the fullmoon
night without the full moon. Someone may now think: "But on the thirteenth or fourteenth
night of the rising moon the moon shines just as if full, doesn't it? To remove such
conceptions, he finally says that Sri Kr$na's company without Sri Radha is useless, like tasting
only a drop of a great ocean of nectar. Hence Srila Raghunatha Dasa GosvamI has written in
his 'Sva Niyama DaSakam (Ten vows)':
sada radha-krjnocchalad atula kJ\eld sihala yujath vrajarii sarhtyajyaitad yuga virahito'pi trutim api
punar dvaravatyarii yadupatim api praudha vibhavaih sphurantarfi tad vacapi hi nahi calamikjitum api
gatonmadai radha sphurati harina §li$ta hrdaya sphutam dvdrdvatydm iti yadi Srnomi Sruti-tate
taddharfi tatraivoddhata mati patdmi vrajapurat samuddlya svdntddhika gati khagendrad api javdt
"Even if the greatly opulent Lord of the Yadus (Krsna) would Personally invite me to
come and see Him in Dvaraka, I will not leave the land of Vraja, the eternal matchless
playground of Radha and Krsna, for even a moment, even if I have suffered separation from
the Divine Couple there for ages! But if I hear even with my earlobe that, out of loving
madness, Radha has gone to Dvaraka, where She is Clearly manifest and where Hari is holding
Her to His heart, then with a jubilant heart I will immediately fly from Vraja faster than even
Garuda, who flies with the speed of mind and blissfully land in Dvaraka!" Then Srila
Raghunatha Dasa GosvamI says:
anddrtyodgitatn api muniganair vainika mukhaih

pravlnarii gandharvdm api ca nigamais tat priyatamam
yd ekatii govindam bhajati kapatl dambhikatayd
S n la Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 175
tad abhyame sTrne k$anam api na yatni vratam idam
"Not even for a moment will I go near that impure place where a proud hypocrite
worships Govinda alone without worshiping His most expert lover Sri Gandharva (Radha),
whose glories are sung by the Vedic scriptures and great sages like Narada Muni, who carries
the vTna. That is my solemn vow!"
ajande rddheti sphutad abhidhayd sikta janaya-naya sakarii krsnarh bhajati ya ilia prema namitah
param prakfalyaitac caratia kaniale taj jalam aho mudd pttvd Jasvac chirasi ca vahanii prati dinam
"But if anyone in the world, bowed down with love, worships Sri RSdha, Whose sweet
name showers mankind, along with Sri Kr$na, Aho! I will wash that person's lotusfeet and
joyfully drink the water, carrying it on my head every day!"
radha dasya parihare, ye jana lalasd kore,

eka matra govindera sahge
paumamasJ vyatlta se, purnacandra abhildse,
dhik dhik tara buddhi manda
"Curses, O curses on the fool who wants to give up Radha's service, only to accompany
Govinda. He's like someone who desires the full moon without the full moon night." *
sola kala puma vind, asampurna se candramdy

svalpa prabha k$Tna se mddhurT
radha sanga vine hay!, nandakula candramdy,
govindera aiche dasa heri
"The Lord's sweetness is incomplete and feeble without Radha's company, just as the
moon is incomplete and dim without all of its sixteen phases. Alas! Why should I see Govinda,
the moon of Nanda's clan, in such a state?"
tribhuvane aparupa, syama rati pravaha rupa,

amrta laharT blja dharna
radhara karund vind, yebd cdhe kr$na prema,
suno bhai tara parindma
"$rl Radha is the seed of the stream of love for Krsna, that is unrivalled in all of the
• • • *
three worlds. If anyone desires to love Kr$na without Her grace, then, O brother, I will tell you
what's the result:"
pdiyd amrta sindhu, labha kore eka bindu,
krsna prema kori anve$ane
prabodhdnandete koy, ei mora suniscoy,
sarva labhya rddhika carane
N
"He only gets one drop of the great nectarocean of love for Kr$na that he searches for!
Prabodhananda says: I know for sure that everything is attained at the shelter of Radhika's
feet."
176 £rl-£n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
VERSE 81:
KAI&ORADBHUTA MADHURTBHARA DHURINANGA CCHABIM RADHIKAM

PREMOLLASA BHARADHIKAM NIRA VADHIDHYA YANTI YE TAD DHIYAH
TYAKTAlj KARMABHIR ATMANAIVA BHAGAVAD DHARME'PYAHO NIRMAMAH
SARVASCARYA-GATIM GATA RASAMAYIM TEBHYO MAHADBUYO NAMAH
kaifora - adolescence; adbhuta - wonderful; mddhurT - sweetness; bhara - filled; dhuruia-

ample; anga - bodily; cchabirii - luster; radhikarh - RSdhika; prerna - love; ullasa - joy; bhara - full;
adhikam - more; niravadhi - constantly; dhydyanti - they meditate; ye - who; tad - that; dhiyah -
consciousness; tyaktdh - giving up; karmabhih - with activities; atmand - with the self; eva - only;
bhagavad - of God; dharnie - in religion; api - even; aho - O!; nirmamdh - without possessiveness;
sarva - all; drearya - astonishing; gatirii - goal; gatd - passed; rasamayitii - full of taste; tebhyo - unto
them; mahadbhyo - great souls; namah - obeisances.
I offer my obeisances unto those great souls who even mentally renounce all
attachm ent to fruitive activities and regulated devotion to God to dedicate themselves to
the m ost astonishing goal: always to m editate on S ri Radhika, Who is the wonderful
form of adolescent sweetness and Whose body is adorned by the pinnacle of ecstatic love.
THE MOST ASTONISHING AND DELICIOUS GOAL:
Commentary: Here is a description of the great souls who always meditate on Sri
Radha. The word dhydna in the text refers, according to Sri JIva GosvamI, to the third stage of
meditation, in which one specifically meditates on forms and pastimes (vise$ato rupadi
cintanam dhydnam). 3ri Rupa GosvamI calls dhydna constant meditation on forms, qualities,
pastimes and devotional service dhyanath rupa guna krida sevadeh su$fhu cintanam
(Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu 1.2.178) £ n Narottama Dasa Thakura says: yugala vilasa smrti sara
"The best subject to meditate on is the pastimes of Radha and Krsna". What to speak of
physically, even mentally these great souls renounce the desire for the results of fruitive
activities. Sri Rupa GosvamI teaches in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu (1.1.11):
anydbhildsita Sunyatii jhdna karniddy andvrtam

dnukulyena krsndmtfilanarh bhaktir uttamd
"The highest devotion is favorable to Krsna, and is devoid of desire for fruitive results
and empirical knowledge." Srlmat JIva GosvamI writes in his commentary on this verse: karma
cdtra smrtyddy uktarii tiitya naimittikddi na tu bhajanlya paricaryadi tasya tad anuiilana rupatvdt
"The word karma here refers to fruitive activities propounded by the smrti-scriptures, not to
daily duties performed in devotional service, such as serving TulasI, picking flowers, stringing
garlands and so on." Even in raganuga bhakti these items (TulasI etc) should not be given up.
Srlla ViSvanatha Cakravartlpada writes in Raga Vartma Candrika (1.11): tdni vind
vrajalokanugatyadikam kim api na sidhyet "Without following the process of hearing,
chanting, deity worship etc. one cannot perfectly follow in the footsteps of the people of
Vraja." When all fruitive activities arc renounced, one arrives at pure devotion in the wake of
the people of Vraja. There are two kinds of sadhand bhakti (devotion in practise): vaidhT and
raganuga. SrTla Rupa GosvamI teaches in 'Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu (1.2.5): vaidhT raganuga
ceti sa dvidha sadhanabhidha. Vaidhi bhakti, or regulated devotion, is performed out of fear of
scriptural injunctions and raganuga bhakti is performed purely out of the desire in the heart to
do so. When the raganuga devotees think of Radha and Krona's sweet transcendental pastimes,
the boats of their bodies rock in the great waves of Their sweetness throughout the day.
Along with taking shelter of the lotusfeet of Sri Guru the sadhaka who enters the Gaudlya
Vaisnava Sampradaya also gains acquaintance with his tnanjarl svarupa as a maidservant of
£rl Radha. This is the sadhaka's pdrsada deha. There are innumerable transcendental forms in
the spiritual sky and on the strength of his meditation 3ri Gurudeva knows which of these
forms is accepted by the Lord for his disciple, and he reveals this to his disciple. This is not a
concoction, but an eternal truth. Srlla Vigvanatha Cakravartlpada writes in his 'Ananda
Candrika'-commentary on Ujjvala Nilamani (Krsna vallabha 31): atra kramah: rdgdnugiya
samyak sddhana niratayotpanna premne bhaktaya sdk$dt sevdbhildfa mahotkarithayd bhagavata
saparikara svddartanam seva prdptyanubhdvakam alabdha snehadi prema bhedaydpi sadhaka
dehe'pi svapne'pi saksdd api sakrd dlyata eva. tataS ca vrnddvaniya prakata prakdfe krsna parikara
pradurbhava samaye saiva tanur yogamdyayd gopikd garbhddy udbhdvyate ukta nydyena snehadi
prema-bheda siddhyartham. “Although the devotee gradually develops a very strong desire for
direct devotional service as a result of his awakening love, he can not attain the types of love
like sneha and so on in his material aspirant's body. Still Kr$na at least once mercifully grants
him the blessed audience of Him and His associates, either directly or in a dream. Then, when
the devotee leaves his material body, Kr$na will give him a transcendental gopikd-body.
Yogamaya will arrange for this devotee to take her birth in the earthly Vrndavana, where
Krsna plays His manifest pastimes at that time. Only in that body the devotee can attain the
higher sentiments like sneha and so on, and in the company of the eternally liberated gopis,
she will attain the stage of mahd-bhava, the pinnacle of loving ecstasy, and the eternal bower-
service of the youthful divine Couple."
varaja kisorT mani, rdi ahge kibd jdniy

adabhuta kaisora madhurl
nitya nava nautuna, premolldse paripurna,
nirupamd navlna ndgarT
gaurahgTra divya chabit yei jana niravadhi,
dhyana kore divasa rajam
tarn nitya kamya karma, veda vidhi ydra marnia,
ghuce ydy apana dpani
t
"The desire for performing Vedic fruitive activities will go away by itself from a
person who meditates day and night on the divine luster of Radhika’s golden body. She is the
jewel of amazingly sweet adolescent girls of Vraja, She is full of ever-fresh ecstatic love, and
She is the matchless Young Ladylove!"
mahdbhava svarupim, srl radhikd thakuram,

sphurti hoy ydhdra antare
bhagavata dharme tara, mamatd thdke nd dr a,
keli kore sukhera pathare
"Anyone who sees £ff Radhika, the goddess of topmost loving ecstasy, in his heart,
feels no more attachment to ordinary religiosity. Rather, he plays in an ocean of bliss!"
se sab mahdnta yoto, sarvdscarya sukha-prada,

178 Sri-£rf Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
rasamayT gati prapta hoy,

prabodhanandete bhane, pranami se dhanya gone,
krtdrtha hoibo suniscoy
"All these great souls attain the most astonishing, ecstatic and delicious goal.
Prabodhananda says: "I offer my obeisances unto those blessed souls. In this way I will surely
also be blessed."
VERSE 82:
LIKHANTIBHUJAMULATO NA KHALU SANKHA CAKRADIKAM

VICITRA HARIMANDIRAMNA RACAYANTIBHALA-STHALE
LASAT TULASIMALIKAM DADHATl KAiyTHA-PITHE NA VA
GUROR BHAJANA VJKRAMATKA IHA TE MAHABUDDHAYAH
likhanti - they write; bhuja mulatah - on the shoulders; na - not; khalu - certainly; iatikha -
conchshell; cakra - disc; adikafii - and so; vicitra - wonderful; hari tnandira - tilaka; na - not;
racayanti - make; bhdlci-sthale - on the forehead; lasat - beautiful; tulasi mdlikarh - garland of Tulasl-
beads; dadhati - make; kantha-pithe - around the neck; na - not; vd - or; guro/i - of the teacher;
bhajana - worship; vikramat - from the power, ka - who; iha - here; te - they; rnahd - great; abuddhaya
-unintelligent.
Who in this world are those unintelligent #persons who do not mark their
shoulders with the signs of the disc and the conchshell of Lord Vi$nu, who do not make a
wonderful temple of Lord Hari (tilaka) on (twelve parts of) the body, or who do not wear
beautiful Tulasi-beads around their necks through the power attained by serving their
guru?
RAGA MARGA ATTENDED BY REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES:
Commentary: In the previous verse $npada offered his obeisances unto all the great
souls who are fixed in £ n Radha’s lotus feet, desiring to attain Her service by their grace, and,
revealing their steadiness in bhajana, said: "They may be attached to fruitive activities or may
have given them up, and they may not have shown attachment to bhagavad-dharma, or vaidhi
bhakti." Are such pure rdgamarga vaisnava mahatmas then not following regulative principles
such as wearing tilaka and Tulasi-beads? The answer to such a question is given here.
The worship of Gaudlya Vaisnavas is called ’raga mdrga attended by regulative
principles', vaidhi bhaktir bhavet Sdstrath bhaktau cet sydt pravartakam, raganuga syac ced
bhaktau lobha eva pravartakah (Raga Vartma Candrfka). "The orders of the scriptures
inaugurate vidhi bhakti and sacred greed inaugurates raganuga b h a ktilo b h o tp a tti-ka le
sdstra-yuktyapeksd na sydt satyam ca tasyath lobhatvasyaivasiddheh (ibid.) "At the time that
sacred greed awakens there is no need of scriptural injunctions or evidence whatsoever, for
wherever there is the need of scriptural injunctions there is no possibility of sacred greed." It is
certainly true that there is no dependence on scriptural injunctions or evidence when sacred
£rHa Prabodhananda Sarasvati 179
greed awakens, but as soon as the sacred greed has been born one must certainly follow
scriptural injunctions:
sravanotkirtanadmi vaidhi bhaktyuditdni tu
yanyahgani ca tdnyatra vijiieydni mam$ibhih
"All the items of vaidhi-bhakti, such as hearing and chanting etc., are also suitable or
supporting for raganuga bhakti This is what the wise and learned say." Srimat JTva GosvSmT
comments on this verse as follows: vaidhi bhaktyuditdni sva sva yogyamti jheyam "One must
accept those items of vaidhi bhakti that are favorable to the execution of raganuga bhakti,'' It
is necessary to know here which items of vaidhi bhakti are favorable to the execution of
raganuga bhakti and which ones aren't.
To make this easily understandable for the sadhakas Srlla ViSvanatha Cakravartlpada
has divided the items of devotion in five categories: svdbhTtfa bhdvamaya (filled with the
desired feeling), svabhlfta bhava sambandhT (related to the desired feelings), svabhT$ta
bhavanukula (favorable to the development of the desired feelings), svabhista bhavaviruddha
(not contrary to the desired feeling) and svdbhftfa bhava viruddha (contrary to the desired
feeling), dasya, sakhya and living in Vraja are amongst the items that are filled with the
desired feelings; they are certainly both sadhana (practise) and sddhya (goal). Taking shelter
of a guru, service to the guru, japa, meditation, the nine kinds of devotion such as hearing and
chanting the glories of the names, qualities and pastimes of the beloved deity according to
one's own feelings, fasting on EkadaÎ, vows such as those taken in the Kartika-month, eating
the prasada which was offered to the Lord and wearing the Lord's prasadT garlands are
amongst the items that are related to the desired feelings. Of them some are the material cause
to the attainment of prema, and some are the instrumental cause. Wearing a TulasT-m^/a
around the neck, tilaka on the forehead or the names of the Lord on the various parts of the
body, serving TulasI, circumambulating a holy place or temple and offering obeisances are
items of bhajan that are favorable to the desired feelings. Offering respects to the cows,
Banyan- or Dhatrl-trees and brdhmanas are items of bhajana that are not unfavorable to the
desired feelings. Service rendered to the Vai$navas is included in all these four categories. All
these items of vaidhi bhakti should thus be practised by raganuga sadhakas, 'Worshipping
oneself as the Supreme Lord, practising breathing-exercises or tnudras (ritualistic gestures with
one's hands), meditating on Kr$na's pastimes in Dvaraka or His pastimes with His Queens there
are items that are unfavorable to the development of the desired feelings and should therefore
be given up by the raganugjya sadhakas. Hence the wearing of Tulasl-beads, tilaka and the
holy names of the Lord should certainly be practised by the raga-sadhakas, since they are
favorable to the development of the desired feelings. Those who give up the wearing of tilaka
and neckbeads, thinking them to be items of vaidhi bhakti alone are not wise, rather they arc
very unintelligent. For them the perfection of prema is far away.
It is the Vai$navas' eternal duty to wear strings of Tulasl-beads around the neck, for she
is Visnu-priya, Lord Visnu's beloved, ddne la-dhatur uddisto Idsi math hari vallabhe;
bhaktebhyas ca samastebhyas tena mala nigadyase (Skanda Purana) "Of the two syllables ma
id the syllable md means wealth and Id means donation. O Male! You are blessed by donating
the wealth of love of God to the sadhakas, hence you are named mdldl" On the other hand it is
said that giving up one's mala is a great fault: dharayanti na ye malath haitukah papa
buddhayah. narakan na nivartante dagdhah kopagnina hareh (Garuda Purana) "Those selfish
and sinful people who do not wear a Tulasl-mdld around their necks are always burned in the
fire of Lord Hari's wrath and never return from hell." What to speak of the Vaisnavas, any
human being who gives up the Tulasl-m5/a is an enemy of Lord Visnu! Therefore just as all
brahmanas wear their sacred thread, regardless of whether they are following the regulative
principles of their caste or not, similarly all human beings who desire the love of Lord Vi$nu
should wear TulasT-beads around the neck. yajnopavTta baddhdrya kanthe tulasT malika;
ksana-mdtram parityagdt visnu-drohT bhaven narah.
Just like the wearing of Tulasl-beads we can see that the wearing of Sri Hari Mandira
tilaka is also an eternal injunction, nasadi kesa paryantam urdhva-puntfram susobhanam;
madhye chidra samayuktam tad vidydddhari mandiram (Padma Purana). "That which
beautifies (the forehead) from the nose upto the hair in a vertical way and has a blank passage
inbetween is known as Hari Mandira." According to their own indivual tradition all devotees
are obliged to wear this Hari Mandira tilaka. mat priyartham subhdrtham vd raksdrthe
caturanana; mat puja homa kale ca sdyath prdtah samdhitah. mad bhaktah dharayen nityam
urdhva pundram bhaydpaham (Padma PurSna) The Lord said: "O Brahma! When My devotees
worship Me in puja and homa both morning and evening they always wear tilaka that destroys
their fear, either out of love for Me, for their own welfare or for their protection." In the same
way it is written that the marks of the Lord (mudrd) are also always to be worn: ahkitah
sankha cakrdbhydm ubhayor bahu mulayoh samarcayeddharim nityam nanyatha pujanarh
bhavet (Sraiti) "One must always worship Sn Hari wearing His marks like the conch and the
disc on one’s shoulders, otherwise the worship will not fructify." Vaisnavas either wear the
footprints of Lord Visnu or the syllables of His name as mudras. In his Bhakti Rasamrta
Sindhu Srila Rupa GosvSmi has mentioned the wearing of Vaisnava-marks as one of the 64
item s of devotional practise and has proven its ctemality from the Padma Purana:
%
ye kanfha lagna tulasT nalindksa mala, ye bahu mula paricihnita sankha cakrah
ye vd lalata-phalake lasad urdhva pun<jrds te vai§nava bhuvanam asu pavitrayanti
9
"Those Vaisnavas that wear strings of TulasT, AmalakI or lotusbuds around their necks,
who wear the marks of conch, disc and so on their shoulders and whose foreheads are
beautified by vertical tilaka, swiftly purify the world."
Many people think that wearing tilaka and neck beads is just an external sign of
Vai$navism, and it has nothing to do with transcendental practise. Others, that are a little bit
more wise, say that the wearing of a sadhu-dress has its usefulness, because when one sits on a
chair, wearing a hat, coat and pants one adopts a passionate consciousness, whereas when one
wears neck beads, tilaka and the names of the Lord on the body and sits on the floor on a
KuSasana a more virtuous mood awakens. But alas! None of them know that these things are
items of Vai$nava-practise that should not be given up, because they are a profound cause of
the Lord’s satisfaction and are thus absolutely necessary in spiritual practise. Just as the
brahmanas wear the sacred thread to worship the Lord of the brahmanas, similarly the
Vaisnavas also wear neckbeads, tilaka and other signs of Vaisnavism in order to worship &ri
Vi$nu. Wearing the Vaisnava-signs is a physical way of serving the Lord. Just as it is an
offense to commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the Holy name of the Lord it as
also offensive not to wear the Vaisnava-marks, thinking oneself in this way to be a rdgdnuga
devotee. The wearing of Vaisnava-marks is a practise that nourishes the desired feelings; this is
the opinion of the wise that we are quoting here. On the other hand, if this is an item of
devotion that should not be renounced, then giving it up is an insult to devotion and Bhakti
devl will not be pleased with such a sddhaka, as a result of which he will be deprived of the
results of his devotional practise. Hence Srlpada says: "Who is such a great fool? What is such
an unintelligent person like?" Thus SrTpada reprimands such an unintelligent sddhaka. Such an
explanation of this verse is reasonable as far as the sddhaka bhaktas are concerned, but apart
from that there is also an explanation in connection with the siddha bhaktas.
Srila PrabodhSnanda Saras vatl 181
If those whose bhajana is heavy and deep, that are siddha mahatmas that have offered
their minds to £n Radha and that are always floating on an ocean of constant meditation, arc
by chance not wearing neckbeads or tilaka then they should still be considered highly
intelligent on the strenght of their total worship of Srlmatl Radhika. Because of their complete
loving absorption in their beloved deity they may be so bereft of external consciousness that
they do not put on Vaisnava-marks, but that will not impede their progress. Rather, if anyone
even mentally disrespects such a great devotee he will inevitably commit a gross offense
(vai$navaparadha). This verse shows that it is an absolute duty of an ordinary sadhaka to
follow these items of devotion. It is said that even if the siddha mahatmas, as a result of their
constant internal absorption, do not wear tilaka and neckbeads1 it will not harm them even
slightly. Contrary to this, we can understand that if a sadhaka purposefully fails to do these
things he faces a great obstacle to his spiritual progress.
krsna priyatamd, radharpita mana,

yei jana bhumandale
se sab mahdnta, mahabuddhimanta,
vede bhdgavate bole
bhuja-mule sahkha, cakradi ye cihna,
yadi nd dhdrana kore
laldfe vicitra, sri hari mandira,
tilaka nd yadi kore
nd porile tdrd, ati manohara,
\ kanthete tulasT dama.
radhara carane, gariffha bhajane,
cutfdmani dharadhama
se sab cihnita, %
rasika bhakata,
premavanta tribhuvane.
ki bolibo drat mahimd apdra,
prabodhanandete bhane
"Prabodhananda sings: 'How can I glorify the greatest loving rasika devotees of the
three worlds, who have offered their minds to Kr$na's beloved Radha and who are called most
intelligent by the Vedas and the $rlmad Bhagavata, even if they do not wear the signs of a
conchshell and a disc on their shoulders, wonderful Sri Hari Mmdim-tilaka on their foreheads,
or very enchanting strings of TulasT-beads around their necks? Those who worship the
lotusfeet of Radha are the crownjewels of the planet earth!”
VERSE 83
KARMANISRUTIBODHITANINITARAM KURVANTU KURVANTU MA

GUPHASCARYA RASA# SRAG A P I VISA Y A N GRHNANTU MUNCANTU VA
KAIR VA BHAVA RAHASYA PARAGA MATIH §RI RADHIKA PREYASAH
• •
1 In the second part of Uie ’Gaudlya Vai$nava Jivana’ Siila Haridasa dSsa describes the life of Siddha Srila
GaurakiSora dasa B&baji Maharaja as follows: "Sometimes he wore a strand of Tulasl-beads around his neck and
he held a strand of Tulasl-beads in his hand to count his japa and a copy of Srila Thakura MahaSaya's 'Prarthana'
and ‘Prema Bhakti Candrika', and sometimes he had no beads around his neck, and he held a string of clothes
with knots in it in his hands to count his japaywhile even his loincloth was untied."
182 £ri-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidni
K1NCJJ JNAIR ANUYUJYATAM BAHIR AHO BHRAMYADBHIR ANYAIR API
karmani - of fruitive activities; fruti - Vedas; bodhitdni - taught; nitardm -constantly; kurvantu
- they may do; Kurvantu md - they may not do; gudha - secret; dScarya - astonishing; rasdh - taste; srak
- garlands; adi - and so; visayan - enjoyable tilings; grhnantu - they may accept; muhcantu - they may
renounce; vd - or; kail) - by whom; vd - or; bhdva - mood; rahasya - secret; pdraga - efficient; matih -
consciousness; tfrf radhikd preyasah - beloved of Sri Radhika; kincit - little; jfiaih - by those who
know; anuyujyatarii - reproached; bahih - outside; aho - O!; bhrdmyadbhih - by those who wander;
anyaih - by others; apt - even.
Aho! Which ignorant soul who wanders after external tilings will reproach Sn
Radhika's dearmost devotees, who are absorbed and initiated into Her confidential
moods? S n Radhika's beloved servants may or may not always follow the prescribed
Vedic activities, they may or may not accept very tasty articles like garlands and so on,
but they cannot be compared with anyone (they are the topmost devotees)!
THE INCONCEIVABLE BEHAVIOUR OF SRI RADHIKA'S GREAT DEVOTEES:
Commentary: In sddhaka-consciousness Sripada attains a vision of the glories of the

devotees who worship Sri-$rl Radha-Madhava. In the previous verse he showed how the
rdganugd-sddhakas never give up their neckbeads and tilaka, that are prescribed in the vidhi-
mdrga, and how the siddha bhaktas are not impeded even if they sometimes give up these
items out of great ecstatic absorption. In this verse he gives another indication to save ordinary
people from misjudging the confidential behaviour of such sadhaka- and siddha bhaktas.
Those who have attained faith in the Lord through the scriptures are not even interested in
liberation, the goal of the jhdnis, anymore, what to speak of enjoyment in the heavenly planets,
which is coveted by attached fruitive workers? Even if he is doing bhajana a sadhaka will not
attain prema as long as he still covets sense enjoyment or liberation.
bhukti mukti vanchd yadi mane hoy;

sadhana korile-o prema ulpanna nd hoy
(Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya Chapter 19)
bhukti mukti sprhd yavat ptfaci hrdi variate

tdvad bhakti sukhasyatra katham abhyudayo bhavet
"How can the bliss of devotion ever awaken within the heart as long as the witch-like
desires for sense enjoyment and liberation remain there?" &rl Jiva Gosvami comments on this
verse as follows: atra yadyapi bhaktd api sarhsarato muktd bhavantyeva tathapi tad ariife tu tesdrfi
tdtparyarii na bhavatyeva kintu bhakteh prabhdvenaiva sa syad iti. "Although the devotee naturally
attains liberation on the strength of his devotional service, the desire for that still does not
awaken within his heart." The great relish of devotion removes all other desires than the loving
service to the Lord from his heart. Liberation is just a concomitant result of bhakti (even if it is
not coveted). Srila LTlaûka said in Kr$na Karnamrta (107)
Snla Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 183
bhaktis tvayi sihiratara bhagavan yadi sydd daivena ndh phalati divya ki&ora murtih
muktih svayarii mukulitdnjali sevate'srndn dharmartha kdrna gatayah samaya pratlksah
"O Lord! If we become steady in our devotion to You we may by chance perceive Your
divine adolescent form, liberation herself will stand before us with folded hands and
religiosity, economic development and sense gratification will wait for us to serve us." In this
way human purposes as religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation
become very insignificant to a devotee who relishes the sacred flavours of pure devotion.
When a sadhaka even becomes qualified for such a state of relish through vidhi b h a k tr, then
what to speak of rdga bhakti, which has sacred greed as its cause! But those who worship the
lotusfeet of Sri Radha, and thus take shelter of the gutfhascarya rasa (secret, astonishing
flavour) that is mentioned in this verse, humbly consider themselves unqualified for devotion
just to conceal their own glories, and may therefore sometimes follow the rules of varnasrama
dharma as they are prescribed by the Vedic scriptures, just like ordinary karnus (fruitive
workers), or sometimes they may give up these rules, but in no case should one find fault with
them. The words gudhascarya rasdsrita means that it is the nature of devotion to conceal itself.
Although priti (love of God) is an emotional phenomena, Srlmat Jiva GosvamT has compared
her with a jewellike ladylove of the Lord. A rupa-rasavati rarnarn (woman who is beautiful
and juicy) is naturally able to attract the mind, and when she is also decorated she is even more
attractive. In this way the GosvamT has described one of these ornaments of bhakti, the
enchantress of the Lord: bhakta krtatma rahasya sahgopana gunamaya rasana. One of the
ornaments that decorates priti is the Candrahara-necklace that causes the devotees to conceal
their own greatness. Pnti's sweetness increases as the devotees try to conceal their own
elevated position. Beyond that is the most confidential devotion in Vraja and beyond them all
is the service of Sri Radha. These devotees' hearts;' attachment is focused on the lotusfeet of Sri
Radha. But if it is seen that they act like ordinary karnus just to conceal their elevated moods
they should not be ignorantly considered as such.
Again sometimes a devotee may act like a karnu just to please or serve the Lord. A
good example is Maharaja Yudhisthira. He also acted like an ordinary karnu by performing the
Vedic sacrifice named Rajasuya, but through this performance He was able to keep His
beloved Lord Kr$na, who was surrounded by innumerable associates in Dvaraka and who was
always busily engaged in all kinds of duties, in his palace for long to serve Him. Through his
performance of the Rajasuya sacrifice he wanted to obtain the same opulence that existed in
Dvaraka, so that he could serve Kr$na and make Him happy with similar riches. Therefore,
although the behaviour of Maharaja Yudhi$thira resembled that of ordinary karmls, this kind of
karma is considered to be the highest result of devotion. Hence the activities of the devotees
are most difficult to comprehend.
Again, the devotees who are practising the most tasteful worship of Sri Radha may or
may not accept enjoyable articles like garlands and sandalwoodpulp, but that brings no loss to
them. They may stay at home or they may be wandering mendicants, to them that is neither
loss or gain, for their minds are constantly flowing towards the (Kr$na-)ocean like the current
of the Ganga. And even those who have not been able to conquer the senses completely will
not be overwhelmed by the sense-objects! Srlmad Bhagavata (11.14.17) states:
badhyamane'pi mad bhakto visayair ajitendriyah

prayah pragalbhaya bhaktya visayair nabhibhuyate
Bilvamafigala Thakura wrote this verse in Uie mood of a vidhi bhakta.

184 §ri-$ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
"Although My devotee may not be in control of his senses and he may not be able to
give up sense gratification, because of his bold devotion he will not be overwhelmed by the
sense objects." £rila JIva GosvamT comments on this verse in his Krama Sandarbha-tlka: tad
bddhdydrii sri bhagavati sva dainya tiivedana sparsat. yatah pragalbhayd samartha prabhdvayd
bhaktya s'arandgati-mdtrdtmikayd "The devotee criticises himself while enjoying the sense-
objects he is unable to give up, and humbly prays to the Lord for His mercy. The Lord, being
attracted to the devotee's humility, will then swiftly help him to transcend his attraction to
material enjoyment and give him the nectar of His service." Sri ViSvanatha CakravartT writes
about this verse in his Sarartha Dar£inl-tlka: atra visayair badhyamano’p i visayair ndbhibhuyata
ityubhayatrapi vartamdna nirdesdt visaya vadhyatva-dasayam api vi?ayabddhyatvarii biiakti sad
bhdvdtyathd vairi krta kiiicic chdstraghdtam prdptasydpi na parabhavisnutd saurya sad bhdvad iti
yathd vd pita jvaraglma mahauyadhasya tad divase dyato'pi jvaro badhako'pyabadhaka eva tasya
vinasyad avasthatvdtt dindntare ca samyafi nasiibhdvitvdc ca "Although a devotee may be
hampered by the sense objects he will not be overwhelmed by them. This confirms the fact that
by the force of devotion one is unhampered by sense-objects even in the stage of sensual
obstruction. Just as a great heroic warrior may be pierced by arrows when he is about to win
the battle, but he will not accept defeat and he will swiftly defeat his enemies, or just as a sick
man may get some medicine administered to him that needs a few days or weeks to work, but
he will surely get cured, in the same way a devotee may be seemingly hampered by
attachments to sense enjoyment, but he will swiftly be victorious over them on the great
strength of his devotion." So if a devotee struggling with the sense-objects is not overwhelmed
by them, what to speak then of a devotee in the renounced order!? And when such a devotee
accepts enjoyable things like garlands and sandalwoodpulp then it is not for sense gratification,
for he is a servant of the Lord, so he accepts everything as the Lord's merciful remnants. It is
known to be the opinion of great mahdjanas such as Uddhava that tndya can be conquered in
this way . A person in the renounced order who is not very learned should not become proud
and look down on householder-devotees. The majority of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's personal
associates were householders, and their footdust is prayed for by all the renounced devotees.
These householder devotees were and are always absorbed in the great secrets of the service of
Sri Radha's lotusfeet, and they should never be compared to ordinary fruitive workers, jhdnls
or yogis. Rather, such elevated souls always renounce the association of such people and are
immersed in the flavours of meditation on Srl-Sri Radha-Madhava's devotional service.
anyera parata yeno, nahe kadacit heno, ihate hoibe sdbadhdna *
rddha-krsna noma gdtia, ei se parama dhyana, dra nd koriho paramdria

karml jndnl mi£ra bhakta, na hobe tdya anurakta, fuddha bhajanete koro mon
vraja janera yei rnota, take hobe anurata, ei se parama tallva dhana
(Prema Bhakti Candrika)
"Be careful not to be (socially and mentally) touched by others. Singing the
holy names of Radha and Krsna is the highest meditation. Don't seek any other truth. Don't be
attached to the association of devotees who mix their devotion with fruitive work or yoga, just
think of pure devotion. Be attached to the opinion of the people of Vraja, for this truth is the
greatest treasure."
This verse can also be explained in such a relishable way that it pertains to the siddha
bhaktas. The behaviour of those who have attained the supreme perfection in the worship of
the rasika lotusfeet of £ri Radha is difficult to comprehend even for scidhaka bhaktas, what to
speak of the karmls, jhariis and yogis. Even if they do not follow all the prescribed rules and
3 One may consult the BliSgavala iloka (11.6.46) 'tvayopabhukta srag gandha\ spoken by Uddhava.
£rlla PrabodhSnanda SarasvatJ 185
regulations in connection with hearing, chanting, worshipping the deity and praising the Lord
that are enjoined by the scriptures and that should be followed by all the devotees, they should
still not be disrespected in any way, because they are always floating in an ocean of
dhruvdnusmrti (constant meditation) and their behaviour is difficult to comprehend by an
ordinary person. Therefore the scriptures and the great acaryas teach us that the sadhaka
bhaktas should not imitate their activities. 3nla ViSvanatha Cakravartipada writes in his
’Ananda Candrika-tlka1 to Ujjvala Nilamani's verse vartitavyath samichadbhih (Kr$na-
Vallabha-prakarana 12): nanu bhaktanam siddhanarii sadhakanarh vdcdro'nusaranTya? nadyah
siddhdndth prayah srl krsna tulyacdratvat; tathdhi (bha: 10.33.34). yat pada pafikaja pardga
ityatra 'svairarti caranti' iti. napi dvifiya, sadhake?u madhye durdcara api ganitah, 'api cet
sudurdcdro bhajate mdrii ananya bhak’ ityddibhih. maivarii vartitavyam iti tavyapratyayena bhakti
sdstrokta ye vidhayas tadvanta evatra bhaktd bhakta sabdenoktdh. It is said that the sadhakas
should follow in the footsteps of the great devotees, but are it the siddha devotees or the
sadhakas that should be followed? The behaviour of the siddha devotees should not be
imitated, because in them we can see independent behaviour like that of £ n Kr$na Himself4 ,
and the ill-behaved class of sadhaka bhaktas should also not be imitated5. The behaviour of
the sadacarTs (devotees of pure conduct) that follow the injunctions that are laid down in the
devotional scriptures should be followed in all respects." No one should find faults in the
behaviour of those great devotees who may or may not as a rule accept the Lord’s leftover
garlands and sandalwoodpulp, for they are wandering in the bhava-rajya (the kingdom of love
of God). These siddha mahatmas have transcended all rules and prohibitions and their hearts
are immersed io the flavours of Radha-Madhava's lotusfeet. They move in whatever
direction the waves of bhava steer them, bhdva has become the conductor, and not them.
Hence the words kurvantu kurvantu ma and grhnantu muhcantu va have been used in this
verse. The acaryas are also wandering in the bhava-rajya and they are even nitya siddha
parikarast eternal associates of the Lord, but they acted properly as sadhaka bhaktas in order
to establish the proper example for the neophytes. Their examples should be followed by the
sadhaka bhaktas just like the pole star. If, however, we see some siddha. mahatma acting
beyond the Vedic injunctions, then they should not be imitated and one must also not find fault
in them - that is the gist of this purport.
radha pade anurakta, ye sab rasika bhakta,

srutira vidhana karma-kanda
japa sandhyd vandanadi, kore hi nd kore yadi
tathapiho parama mahanta
"Those rasika devotees who are attached to Radha’s lotusfeet may or may not follow
the karma kanda of the Vedas, and they may or may not do japa, say their gdyatrl and offer
their praises; still they are the greatest saints!"
bhagavan nirmalya earn, ahgete grahana koru,

kim va tydga tdhara korile.
alpajha ganera dvdra, sata anuyoga tdra,
grastha hoile ei bhumandale
"They may accept the beautiful garlands leftover by the Lord, or they may renounce
them, and they may be reproached a hundred times by the ignorant people of this world."
4 Srila Cakravartipada refers here to Srlmad Bhagavata 10:33:30-34. Ed.

5 Srila Cakravartipada quotes Bhagavad Gita 9.30 here.
kintu bhdi radhapada, yarn dhana sampada,

sei sab niahd bhagavata
radha priyatama harira, bhava rahasya sugabhlra,
sarvapekya grahane pdraga
"But, O brother, those great souls whose only wealth is Radha's lotusfeet are most
capable of understanding the grave moods of Sri Hari, Radha's priyatama."
• •
radhdra sevikd prati, krsnera adhika priti,

snehadhikya sakala somoy
radhara caranasraya, ye kore se mahdsaya,
srlpada prabodhanande koy
"Kr$na always feels greater love for Radha’s maidservants. Hence SiipSda
Prabodhananda says: Those who take shelter of Radha’s feet, are the greatest souls 1"
VERSE 84:
ALAM VISAYA VARTAYA NARAKA K O fl VlBHATSAYA

VfLTHA SRUTIKATHA-SRAMO BATA VIBHEMl KAIVALYATA#
PARE&A BHAJANONMADA YADI $UKADA YAP KIM TATA#
PARAM TU MAMA RADHIKA PADA-RASE MANO MAJJATU
alarii - what is the use; visaya - sense objects; vdrtaya - through topics; naraka - hell; kofi -
millions; vTbhatsaya - disgusting; vrtha - useless; Sruti kathQ - Vedic topics; Bramah - endeavour; bata
- alas! vibhemi - I fear; kaivalyatafi - oneness with the Absolute; pareto - Supreme Lord; bhajana -
worship; unmada -maddened; yadi - if; Sukadaya - Suka and others; kith - what; tatah - then; pararii tu
- but; mama - mine; radhika. pada rase - in the flavour of Radhika’s feet; manah - mind; majjatu - may
it be absorbed.
W hat’s the use of speaking about sense enjoyment? I t’s as disgusting as millions of
hells! Speaking about the Vedas is a waste of labor. Alas! I ’m afraid of oneness with the
Absolute! W hat’s the use of going m ad in worship of the Supreme Lord like Sukadeva
an d others? Let my m ind be absorbed in the flavour of R adhika’s lotusfeet!
FIXATION IN THE FLAVOUR OF SRI RADHIKA’S LOTUSFEET:
Commentary: Sripada's utterances in sddhaka-consciousn&ss are also very enchanting.

They are as beneficial to the sadhaka as a reviving elixir. How instructive for the world of
sddhakas are the words he speaks in the ecstasy of separation from Sri Radharanl! The inner
beauty of his bhajana is revealed in these verses. In this verse he declares his one-pointed
fixation in Sri Radha. His mind never leaves the lotusfeet of Sri Radha, and this is how the life
of sddhana should naturally be. The mind and heart will not yearn for anything else but the
lotusfeet of the beloved deity. When just a little savour of bhajana has been cherished all the
SrUa Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 187
things of the world can be forsaken. The mind of a chaste wife who is separated from her
husband is completely focused on him; she has no idea how the day passes and how the night
passes. In the same way the devotee also considers the world to be empty out of separation
from the beloved deity. How can the mind wander to other objects? Srlla Narottama Dasa
Thakura sings:
maranda bhramarci yeno, cakora candrikd teno,
pativratd-janera yeno pati
anyatra nd cole maria, yeno daridrera hema,
eimata premabhakti rlti
"The devotee does not think of anyone else but the Lord, just as the bee is fixed in the
honey, the Cakora-bird in the moonlight, the chaste wife in the husband and the poor man in
gold. Such are the ways of devotion." The devotee is constantly absorbed in thinking of his
beloved deity, how can his mind go elsewhere? pararh tu mama radhika padarase mano
majjatu "I will not mix with the world. Even hearing about the flavour of sense gratification, in
which most of the people are immersed, is as disgusting as millions of hells. In the yoga-
sdstras Mahar$i Patanjali has mentioned four stages of renunciation of sense gratification -
yatamdna, vyatireka, ekendriya and vasikara. In the yoga-sastra the vasikara stage means full
renunciation. Yogis reach this vaslkdra-stagt after long and arduous practise, but such
renunciation need not be separately endeavoured for by a devotee, jndna vairdgya bhaktira
kabhu nahe ahga; yama niyamadi bule krsna bhakta sange (C.C) "Wisdom and renunciation
are never items of devotion. All these things are automatically accompanying the devotee of
Kr$na." The devotee practises devotional items like hearing and chanting. When the sweetness
of the Lord is only slightly relished through this process of hearing and chanting the stage of
myffozra-renunciation, that is attained by yogis after so much endeavour, at once awakens
within the consciousness. In the Gita the Lord said: vi$ayd vinivartante niraharasya dehinah. rasa
varjatH raso'pyasya pararh drstvd nivartante "A person who refrains from sense gratification may
have renounced the sense objects, but he did not give up the desire for their relish in his mind."
Srlla ViSvanatha Cakravartlpada comments as follows on this verse: pararh paramdtmanarh
drstvd vi$ayesvabhilaso nivartate id na lakjana vyabhiedrah "When one perceives the
paramdtma there will be an end to the desire for sense objects, there is no transgression of this
symptom." This goes for the yogis. In a similar way the devotees have their meeting with the
Lord by savouring His sweetness. Without savouring His sweetness you may be face-to-face
with the Lord and yet you are still not face-to-face with Him. Sri Kr$na is the embodiment of
transcendental sweetness Himself and that sweet flavour is manifest in His names, attributes
and pastimes. Therefore when a devotee attains the sweetness of the Lord's holy names,
attributes and pastimes through the process of hearing and chanting, all sense objects become
despicable for him Jike millions of hells. 3rlmad Bhagavata describes the character of Rajar$i
Bharata as follows:
yo dustyajddara sutati suhrd rajyarh hrdi sprtah
jahau yuvaiva malavad uttama-floka lalasah
(3nmad Bhagavata 5.14.43)
"Although he was still young, king Bharata gave up his wife, son, friends and kingdom,
things that are hard to renounce, just like stool, because he desired the Lord, Who is praised
with the best verses." £rl ViSvanatha Cakravartl writes in his Sarartha Dar&m-commentary on
this verse: malavad iti yathd malasya tydga eva nirvrtih tydgabhdve kastarh tyaktasya tasya
smarane'pi ni§thivanopadgamas tathaiveti tydge'pyanyebhyo vailak§anydd utkarsah. tatra heluli
uttamah sarvotkrstah. riipa guna Ilia madhuryaiSvaryasya sambandhl floko ya$o yasya tasmin lalasah
darfatidd autsukyarii yasya sah "Just as it is blissful to pass stool and it is miserable to be unable
188 $ri-3n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
to do so (because of constipation or so), and one feels disgusted even by remembering the
stool, king Bharata considered the things he renounced to be just like stool. This shows that his
renunciation of sense objects was distinct from the renunciation of jhanls and yogis, because he
had developed a yearning for £ri Govinda, who is the abode of sweet names, forms, pastimes
and attributes.” SrTpada had already become detached from sense gratification in his life as a
sannydsT, and on top of that he had reached the nectar-ocean of 3fi Radha (radha rasa
sudhanidhi) by the grace of Srlman Mahaprabhu. By diving into this nectar-ocean his body,
mind and life-airs had become wholly nectarean. Therefore it speaks for itself that to him the
sense objects were as disgusting as millions of hells.
Someone may say: "Sripada! If you think sense objects are so disgusting, then just
study the Veda and Vedanta! Isn't there transcendental bliss in that?" To that he answers: vrtha
sm ti kathd sramah "What a waste of labor it is to discuss the Vedic scriptures!" In the Vedic
scriptures there are elaborate descriptions of karma kanda (fruitive activities) and jnana-kanda
(wisdom), but to the pure devotee this is: jnana kanda karma kanda kevala vi$era bhayda
(Thakura MahaSaya) like a storehouse of scorching poison. Therefore a devotee also stays far
away from anyone who has any attachment for this.
jnana karma kore loka, ndhi jane bhakti yoga, nana mate hoiya ajndna
tarn kathd ndhi Suni, paramdrtha tattva jdni, prema bhakti bhaktagana prana
jagata vyapaka hari, aja bhava ajndkdrl, madhura miirati lila-kathd
ei tattva jane yei, parama uttarna sei, safiga koribo sarvatha
(Prema Bhakti Candrika)
"People practise jnana and karma because they do not know about bhakti yoga. In this
way they are ignorant in different ways. Knowing the highest truth, we do not listen to their
talks.Loving devotion is the very life of the devotees. How sweet are the topics of the
pastimes of £fi Hari, who pervades the universe and who gives orders even to Lord Brahma
and Lord Siva! I will always associate with those who know this supreme ultimate truth!"
As far as all the topics of the Supreme Lord that are discussed in the Vedic literature
are concerned: §rlmad Bhagavata, which is itself the essence of the Vedanta, tells us even to
give up the endeavours of collecting this knowledge -
jhdne prayasam udapasya namanta eva jlvanti san mukharitam bhavadiya vdrtdm
sthdne sthitah fruti-gatarii tanu vdfi-mcmobhir ye prdyaiojita jito'py asi tais trilokydm
Lord Brahma tells 3rl Kr$na in his praises: "O invincible One! Those who do not make
even the slightest endeavour for understanding Your constitutional position, Your prowess and
Your glories but who live in the association of Your devotees, simply hearing from them about
Your divine names, forms, attributes and pastimes, and who spend their lives worshiping these
topics with body, mind and words, will be able to conquer You, although You cannot be
conquered by anyone from the three worlds!" Therefore even the collection of all the book
knowledge that exists about the Lord’s gloiies in the Vedic literatures is a waste of time, veda
vidhi agocara, ratana vediropara, sevo niti kisora kisort (Prema Bhakti Candrika) "Nicely
serve the adolescent boy and girl of Vraja, Who are not to be found in the pages of the Vedas,
as They sit on a jewelled altar!" Srlpsda is himself an enjoyer of this relishable subject. He
does not just say that because he has read it in some book. One day when he was immersed in
the mellows of studying Veda and Vedanta Srlman Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead who is the embodiment of the Vedas, made these things clear to him, and by His
grace his mind and heart became absorbed in great Radha-rasa. Therefore he has the right
§rfla Prabodhananda Sarasvati 189
understanding of the words vrtha sruti katha-sramah. Intelligent persons can understand how *
much more useful are these words when they come from Vedantika Siromani Sripada
(Prabodhananda Sarasvati, the crownjewel of Vedanta-scholars) then from someone who has
never even heard the Vedas.
And if someone says: "Sripada! If you think that discussing the Vedas is a waste of
labor, then won’t you accept liberation, which has been promulgated by the Vedas, as your
goal?", Sripada answers: vibhemi kaivalyatah "I'm afraid of oneness with the Absolute!"
These words of 3 rip ad a are also fully justified. He who once considered liberation to be the
highest goal in life has now begun to dread liberation, having attained the relish of bhajati. To
a devotee the topic of liberation is also dreadful. Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami said in his
'Manah Sik$a’ katha mukti vydghra na srnu kila sarvatma gilamh: "O mind! Don't listen to the
words of the tigress liberation, for she will swallow your whole self!" That Sripada has begun
to dread liberation is also the result of £ rim an Mahaprabhu's grace. MuktivadI Srila
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya once seated £ rim an Mahaprabhu before him to teach Him the
muktivada of the Vedanta, but ultimately, by Sriman Mahaprabhu’s grace, he even changed a
sloka that contained the word mukti and replaced it with the word bhakti, When Mahaprabhu
inquired why he did so he told the Lord:
bhattacarya kohe - mukti nahe bhakti phala; bhagavad vimukhera hoy datida kevala
kr$tiera vigraha yei satya ndhi mane; yei ninda yuddhadika kore tdra sane
sei duiyera datida hoy - brahma sayujya mukti; tdra mukti phala nahe - yei kore bhakti
sdyujya $unite bhaktera hoy ghrna bhoya; naraka vanchaye tabu sayujya na lay
mukti Sabda kohite motie hoy ghrna trdsa; bhakti Sabda kohite motie hoyto ulldsa
yei bhattacarya pade padaya maydvade; tdra aiche vakya sphure caitanya prasdde
lohake ydvat sparSi hema ndhi kore; tdvat spar&amani keho cinite na pare
(Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya chapter 6)
"Liberation is not the result of devotion, it's just a punishment for those who are averse
to the Lord. Those who do not believe that Krsna's form is a transcendental reality, and who
thus blaspheme Him, are punished by becoming one with the Lord, along with those who are
killed by Him in battles. But devotees will never get such results from their devotional service.
When a devotee even hears the word mukti, he becomes filled with hate and dread. He would
rather go to hell than to merge with the Lord! When I say the word mukti my mind is filled
with dread and hate, but when I say the word bhakti my mind feels very happy. It is by Lord
Caitanya’s grace that the same Bhattacarya that read and taught mayavada is now uttering such
words. No one can recognize a touchstone until it touches iron and turns it into gold!"
Someone may then say: "6ripada! I understand you are afraid of merging with the
Absolute! You have attained the relish of devotion! We have read in the Bhagavata that Sri
Sukadeva, the son of Vyasa, was also a brahmavadi muni, and later he attained the rasa of
devotion and became exclusively immersed in the ecstasy of worshipping the Supreme Lord.
You must also have become immersed in the ecstasy of worshipping the Supreme Lord like
that?" To this Sripada answers: "Let Sukadeva and his kind be immersed in the worship of the
Supreme Lord as much as they like! I will just dive into the nectarocean of Sri Radhika's
lotusfeet! I pray that my mind will always be immersed in that ocean!"
vXbhatsa vi$aya rasa, ananta naraka bhoga,

ku-visaye kibd prayojana ?
190 S n-S n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
paiuia-srama sruti katha, sravana korai vrtha,

alocana na kero kokhort
"What is the use of this disgusting taste of evil sense pleasures, that cause us to suffer
in innumerable hells? Never discuss or hear topics of the Vedas, for that is just futile."
monete koriya yakti, muktike korechi sukti,

e mukti b hay era karana
sukadi munXndra yoto, ye bhajane unmadita,
paresa bhajane nahi mana
"I have decided within my mind to cast off liberation, for it is the cause of dread and I
can also not be attracted to the way in which Suka and other great sages gel ecstatic in
worshipping the Supreme Lord!"
ki bolibo anukjana, inora sarvendriya mana,

radha pada rase nimagana
bhane srf prabodhananda, radha pada sevananda,
ei to pranera nivedana
"What else can I say? My mind and all of my senses are immersed in the nectar of 6n
Radha’s lotusfeet! Sri Prabodhananda says: "The ecstasy of serving Sri Radha's lolusfeet, this is
what my heart is craving for!"
VERSE 85:
TAT SAUNDARYAM SA CA NAVA NAVO YAUVANA-Sr IPRAVESAH

SA DEG BHANGI SA CA RASAGHANASCARYA VAK$OJA KUMBHAH
SO'YAM B1MBADHARA MADHURIMA TAT SMITAM SA CA VANl
SEYAM LlLAGATIR API NA VISMARYATE RADH1KAYA#
tat - that; saundaryarh - beauty; sa - he; ca - and; nava navo - ever-new; yauvana - youth; ^rf -
opulence; prave&a - entering; sa - she; drk - eyes; bhatigi - gestures; sa - he; ca - and; rasa - flavour;
ghatia - intense; drearya - astonishing; vaJqoja - breasts; kumbhah - jugs; sa - he; ayarii - this; bimba -
cherry; adhara - lips; madhurimd - sweetness; tat - that; smitarh - smile; sa - she; ca - and; vatu -
words; sa - he; iyarh - this; Hid - playful; gatih - steps; api - even; na - not; vismaryate - forgetting;
rddhikdyah - of Riidhika.
I cannot forget Radhika's beauty, the opulence of Her newly entering youth, the
movements of Her eyes, Her very amazing delicious juglike breasts, the sweetness of Her
Bimbacherry-like lips, Her smile, Her words and Her playful gait!
SR l RADHA'S UNFORGETTABLE SWEETNESS:

SiTla Prabodhananda Saras vatl 191
Commentary: 3npada, in his kinkan-ioim , is engaged in SrlmatTs service in Yavata,

when Syama suddenly plays His enchanting flute in a nearby forest. Although everyone is
attracted to Kr$na*$ soft fluteplaying, Sri Radharanl is mostly attracted, like a snake that is
enchanted by the mantras of a hunter. Srlmatl rushes out of the house, flying up like a
bumblebee after catching the delicious fragrance of Syamasundara. The maidservant, who
follows Her like Her shadow, pacifies Her with sweet topics of Kr$na.
dekho dekho! anupama duhu mukha itidu

duhuka daraSa rase, bhava laharl saie,
uclialola premaka sindhu
duhuka alokane, duhu pulakayita,
locatie dnanda lora
"Just see, just see, how many waves of ecstatic rasa are coming up in the ocean of Their
love when They see Eachother’s moonlike faces! Their hairs stand on end and tears of ecstasy
stream from Their eyes!" How much SrTmati's beauty increases when She sees SyHmasundara!
It is as if beauty gushes out of Her body! The fish-like eyes of 3yamasundara and the
maidservant swim on the waves of that nectar-ocean of beauty and sweetness, that is adorned
with emotional ornaments like hdva and bhava. This beauty is unforgettable. Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu sings:
ek bdra yarn nayatie lage, sada tara htdoye jage,
krsna
• • • tatiu /yeno amra atha
•
ndrlra nion potie hay! yatne nahi bahiray, '
tanu nohe - seyakulera kdhtd
(Caitanya Carit5mrta, Antya 19)
"Once Krona's beautiful body, that is like the glue of a mangotree, appears before the
eyes, it always rises within the heart. Alas! When it enters the minds of the women, they
cannot get it out anymore even with the greatest efforts! It's not a body, but the thorn of a Seya
berrytree!" But even that SySmasundara, Who enchants all the women, cannot forget Radhika's
sweetness! During purva raga Ilia (first love) He says:
aparupa rupa nayane majhu lagi, anukhana madhurl marama hi jagi
"When this wonderful form appeared before My eyes, its wonderful sweetness
constantly arises in My heart!" (Govinda Dasa) The kihkan sees: How wonderful is the
entrance of youthful beauty into Radhika's body! In this age the breasts slightly begin to grow,
the eyes become a little restless, a mild smile appears on the mouth and the mind becomes
somewhat stirred by amorous desires. This newly entering youthful beauty is not a thing to
forget, and the acaryas have blessed the neophyte devotees by recording their experiences in
their books, like Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi. These topics cannot be fully understood, though, as
long as one is in material bodily consciousness.
What a wonderful gestures Srlmatl makes with Her eyes while casting delectable
glances at Syamasundara, beautifying the whole of Vrndavana and enchanting Syamasundara!
The maidservant experiences £yama's savour in her own heart. Krona's eyes are said to be
cooling (jTtalam drs tipate, Krsna Karnamrta 64), but 3rlmatl Radhika's glances soothe even
His afflicted heart! Enchanted Kr$na casts a glance at ^rlmatl's golden, juglike breasts, and the
maidservant also admires their sweetness through the agitated state of the divine Couple's
minds.
192 &ri-£ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Syama is immersed in ecstasy, as if He is bewitched by some mantra, and He slowly

approaches the golden statue-like Radha, saying: "O beautiful girl! Who are You? Have You
appeared on the pathways of Vrndavana to illuminate the whole of Vrndavana with Your sweet
form, that enchants all the three worlds? Are You the family-deity of luster, or the goddess of
youthful beauty herself? Are You a new treasure of sweetness, a flood of elegance, a river of
bliss, or a stream of nectar? I think You are none of those, because even all of these things
together cannot be equal to You! I’m very eager to become acquainted with You! O Kalyani!
auspicious, beautiful girl! Please introduce Yourself to Me!” Hearing Syamasundara’s words,
SrTmatT shows a slight, nectarean smile on Her sweet Bimbacherry-like lips. The maidservant
floats on the sweetness of that smile along with Syamasundara. Slightly smiling Srlmatl says:
"Why do You want My acquaintance? I'm worshipping the sun, and I came here to pick
flowers! Can nobody save innocent housewives from Your free and wicked wanderings here in
Vrndavana? Why are You coming to a place where women are supposed to walk freely?
Quickly go away!" Our hero is enchanted by these sweet words: "The light that shines from
Her teeth cannot be compared to pearls, the rays that shine from Her body cannot be compared
to gold, and Her voice cannot be compared to that of a cuckoo." Full of desire, Syama tries to
catch the edge of Srlmatfs cloth, but Srimatl flees away. How sweet and unforgettable are
these pastimes! Srlpada prays: "May these unforgettable pastimes find a suitable sittingplace in
my heart!"
VERSE 86:
y a l l a k $m I
S uka n a r a d a d i p a r a m a S c a r y a n u r a g o t s a v a ih
PRAPTAM TVAT KRPAYAIVA HI VRAJA-BHRTAM TAT TATKI&OIU GANAIH TAT
KAINKARYAM ANUK$ANADBHUTA RASAM PRAPTUM DHpTASE MAY I
SRlRADHE NAVA KVNJA NAGARI K$PA-D#$JIMKADA DASYASI
yat - what; laksml - the goddess of fortune; iuka - Sri Suka Muni; narada - Narada Muni; ddi -
u uso forth; parama - greatest; dScarya - astonished; anurdga - constant love; utsavaih - with
u
festivals; prdptaih - attained; tvat - Your; krpaya - by grace; eva - only; hi - surely; vraja bhrtarii - that
come from Vraja; tat tat - each and every one; kifori - adolescent girls; ganaih - by groups; tat - Uiat;
kaihkaryam - maidservice; anuksana - every moment; adbhuta - wonderful; rasarfi - flavour; prdpturH -
attained; dhrta - held; d§e - desire; mayi - in me; in rddhe - O Radha!; nava - new; kunja - bower;
ndgari - ladylove; krpd - mercy; drstirii - glance; kada - when; dasyasi - you give
O SrT Radhe, young ladylove of the arbours! I desire the most astonishing rasa of
Your maidservice, which is a festival of constant love at every moment for Lak$mI-clevT,
Suka Muni, Narada Muni and others, and 'which is attained by each of the adolescent
girls of Vraja by Your grace alone! When will You cast a merciful glance on me?
THE NECTAREAN FLAVOUR OF EVER-WONDERFUL MAIDSERVICE:

Com m entary: Snpada thinks: "When the divine Couple reveals Its hundreds of
delicious artful plays, this maidservant will be required to fulfill all of Their desires!"
rati-rane sj'ama-yuta, ndgari tidgara,

mukha-bhari tambula yogaya
malayaja kunkuma, mrgamada karpura,
militahi gata lagaya
"When NagarT and Nagara are tired of lovemaking, I will fill Their mouths with
betelleaves and anoint Their bodies with soothing sandalpaste, vermilion, musk and camphor"
apariipa priya-sakhT premia1

.
nija praria koti, * ^ dei niramanchai,
•
naha tula lakho bdna hema
"How wonderful is the love of the dear girlfriends! They worship Them with their own
hearts, that are purer than gold molten a hundred-thousand times!" That’s why I say: "O Radhe!
O Young ladylove of the arbours! Please take me to Your lotusfeet! I sit here hoping for the
nectarean flavour of Your maidservice!" Although this service is very rarely attained, 3rlpada
cannot give up hoping. Such a strong hope is a sign of jata rati or bhdva bhaktiy according to
Rupa GosvamI, and is caused by the extraordinary sweetness of SrlmatTs forms, qualities and
pastimes.
The goddess of fortune Laksmi, the queen of Vaikunjha, wanted to associate with
Krsna just like the gopTs, so she gave up the chest of Her husband, Lord Narayana, and went
to Vrndavana to perform harsh austerities (see Bhag. 10.16.36). Still, even now her desires are
not fulfilled, because She did not adopt the free mood of the gopTs. She still has not given up
her austerities and has not returned to Vaikun|ha yet. What to speak of the goddess of fortune,
even Kr$na’s chief queen in Dvaraka, Rukminldevi, is praising the spontaneous mood of the
gopTs!
yd bhartr putradi vihdya sarvarh loka dvaydrihdnanapek$yamdjidh
rdsddibhis tddr&a vibhramais tad rityd’bhajaihs tatra tam enam artdh
ato hi yd nau bahu sadhanottamaih sadhyasya cintyasya ca bhdva yogatah
mahaprabhoh prerna vi$e$a pdlibhih sat sddhana dhyatia padatvam dgatali
(B|had Bhagavatamjta 1.7.82-83)

«
RukminldevT said: "The gopTs have given up their husbands, children and all hopes for
this life and the next life to serve Sri Krsna in the great Iovefestival of the Rasa dance. They
have attained a special intimate love for Lord Krsna that is always to be remembered by us
Queens in our highest spiritual practises such as meditations." £uka Muni’s great love for 3rl
Kr$na and the gopTs can be clearly seen in the way he described the RTisa-lTla in 3rim ad
Bhagavata, particularly in 3rl JIva Gosvaml's Laghu Tosani-commentary on the verse apy ena
patny upagata (10.30.11). Out of great love, £n NSrada bathed in Narada-kunda (near Kusuma
Sarovara, between Radhakunda and Govardhana) to attain the trancendental form of a gopTt so
that he could be blessed with the direct audience of £rl-3n Radha-Krsna and the gopTs, and
taste the sweetness of their love. The word ddi indicates that also other great souls, like
Uddhava, had attained such great love for Radha and the gopTs. Uddhava’s praises of the gopTs
have been written in the pages of the Bhagavata (Canto Ten, chapter 47) with golden letters.
No one but him, who was a neutral spectator of these loving affairs, being in a mixed
relationship of friendship and servanthood with Krsna, has so brightly made the victoryflag of
the gopTs' love flutter in the sky. The gopTs had attained their great love by the mercy of
194 SrI-SrT Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Srimati RadharanT, and those who attain Srimati RadhSrani's personal service (manjarT bhava)
must be considered to be especially blessed, that is the purport of this verse.
VERSE 87:
LABDHVA DASYAM TAD ATI KJRPAYA MOHAN A SVADITENA

SAUNDARYA SRI RADA KAMAlAYOR LALANAIH SVAPITAYAII
SRI RADHAY A MADHURA MADHUROCCHI$JA PlYU$A SARAM
BHOJAM BHOJAM NAVA NAVA RASANANDA MAGNAfI KADA SYAM
labdhvd - having gotten; ddsyarii - service; tad - Her; ati - very much; krpayd - by grace;
ntohana - Kr$na; svaditena - by tasting; saundarya - beauty; in - opulence; pada - feet; kamalayoh - of
two lotusflowers; Idlanaih - by fondling; svdpitayah - of a sleeping lady; in rddhdya - of Sri Radha;
madhura madhura - ever-so-sweet; ucchi§ta - remnants; plyusa - nectar; sarafii - essence; bhojarii
bhojarii - eating on and on; nava nava - ever- fresh; rasa - flavour; ananda - ecstasy; niagna -
immersed; kadd sydm - when.
I will be im m ersed in ever-new ecstasy when, by H er mercy, I attain S ri R adhika's

service, massaging H er beautiful lotusfeet while She sleeps and relishes M ohanafs
(enchanting Kr$na’s) sweetness. When will I be absorbed in relishing ever-new blissful
rasa by eating and eating the rem nants of S ri R adha's meal, which is the essence of
nectar?
SRI RADHA’S AMBROSIAL REMNANTS:
Commentary: In a selfmanifest transcendental revelation Sripada sees how, after the

nocturnal Rasa-/f/a, the divine Couple bathes and plays in the Yamuna and then enters a
jewelled temple to have a picknick. The writers of the rasa sdstra say that the amorous
relationship is not compatible with the parental relationship. Srila Rupa GosvamI teaches in
Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu (4.8.53): j anayaty eva vairasyarii rasdnath vairind yutih sumitfa
pdnakddmdih k$ara tiktadina yathd "When incompatible mellows are combined a bad flavour
is created, just as the taste of sweet water is spoiled when alkali and bitter are added to it" But
Sri Radhika keeps all rasas combined in Her storehouse, for Krona's pleasure. Sri Jiva
GosvamI says in his 'Gopala Campu' that the R3sa dance contains all five chief rasas and all
seven secondary rasas. Sri Radhika and Her girlfriends feed Kr$na with great motherly love.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu transcendentally witnessed the picknick of Radha and Kr$na as
follows, while He was drawn out of the Indian Ocean by the net of a fisherman (see Caitanya
Caritamrta, Antya hla, chapter 18):
vniddvane iaru lata, adbhuta tdhara katha,

bdro mas dhare phula phal
vniddvane devT-gana, kunja dost yoto jan,
phala pari dniya sakal
%
5rila Prabodhananda SarasvaU 195
"The vines and trees of Vrndavana are wonderful, because they bear fruits and flowers
twelve months a year. Vrndavana’s sylvan goddesses and bower-maidservants bring all these
fruits in."
uttarm sariiskara kori, *
bodo bodo thdli bhari,
• • *
ratna mandira pinddra upore

bhakjanera krama kori, dhariyache sari sari,
age asan koribdra tare
«
"They clean the fruits in the best way, filling big plates with them and placing these
plates on a platform in the jewelled temple. They place the foods in orderly rows and make a
sittingplace in front of it." '
eka narikela 'nana jati, eka dmra natid bhdti,
*•
kola koli - vividha prakara
panasa kharjura kamala, narariga, jama santara,
drdkjd bdddm meoyd yoto dra
kharamujd khirinl tala, ke&ara, pdniphal, mrnala
bilva pilu dadimbddi yoto
kon defe kdro khydti, vnidavane sob prdpti,
sahasra jati, lekfid ydy koto ? m
"There were different kinds of coconuts and mangos, bananas, berries, jackfruits, dates,
tangerines, oranges, blackberries, grapes, peanuts-and buttermilk. There were cantaloupes,
khirims, palmfruits, kesaras, waterfruits, lotusfruits, baelfruits, pilus, pomegranates and many
other fruits. Some of them are variously known in different places, but in Vrndavana they are
always available in so many thousands cjf varieties. Who can write them all down?"
; »
gangdjala, amrta keli, pTyCqa granthi karpura keli,

sarapupi, amrta, padmacini
khanda k$iri sara vrksa, ghare kori nana bhaksya,
radhd ydhd kr$na lagi dni >
I
"Sri RSdhika had made different kinds of sweets at home, such as Gangajala (Ganges
water), Amrta-keli (nectarplay), Plyu$a-granthi (knot of nectar), Karpura-keli (play of
camphor), Sarapupi, Amrta, Padmacini (lotussugar), Khianda-kslra-sara-vrk$a (sugarcandy
trees), for Krsna to enjoy."
• •
/ •
bhakpyera paripdfi dekhi, kr§na hoild maiid sukhT,

bosi koilo vanya bhojana
sange loiya sakhTgana, radhd koila bhojana,
dufihe koila mandire Dayana
"Seeing the nice arrangements of food, Krsna became very happy. He sat down and
enjoyed a picknick. Then Radha took Her friends along and also ate. After this Radha and
«
Kr$na lay down in the bedroom." After feeding Kr$na, Svamiril and Her girlfriends enjoy His
nectarean remnants (mohana svaditena). How enchanting these remnants are the maidservants
can see on SvamiriTs face, mouth 'and eyes. When the divine Couple lies down, the
maidservants serve Them in various ways: keho kore vTjana, keho pada samvahana, keho
kordya tambula bhak$ana (C.C.) "Some maidservants fan Them, some massage Their
lotusfeet, and some serve Them betelleaves." Sripada, in his kinkan-loim, is blessed with the
service of massaging Radhika's lotusfeet, while some other maidservant massages
Syamasundara's lotusfeet. The lucky girl is absorbed in the sweetness of these lotusfeet and the
enchanting divine marks on them. Tears of love stream from her eyes as she holds these feet to
4
I
196 £ri-£ri RadM Rasa Sudhanidhi
her chest, smells them and kisses them. Siipada does not call it massaging, but lalana, which
means affectionately fondling. The aspirants should also relish some of this divine flavour.
Srila Jlva Gosvami has said in Prlti Sandarbha (110): tatra lllaparikara eva tasya saram
anubhavanti antarangatvat. pare (sadhakah) tu yat kiheit eva bdhirahgatvdt. yadyapyevath
tathdpi tad anubhavamayath rasasaram svdnubhavamayena rasenaika tayd vibhdvya pibata
"Although the Lord’s associates in His divine pastimes relish rasa since they are ’insiders', still
the samavdsana sadhaka (practitioner with similar aspirations) thinks his own relish of rasa to
be identical to the relish of the essence of rasa experienced by the insiders." Through bhdva
sadharanya the rasa which is relished and experienced by the Lord’s eternal associates will be
automatically manifest within the spotless hearts of the samavdsana sdmajika. In the matter of
relishing rasa the practise of bhdva sadharanya or sadharam karana* can be accepted as a
kind of sddhana. Thus an equality is reached between the feelings of a parikara bhakta
(eternal associate of the Lord) and the sadhaka, as a result of which the relish of the parikara
is infused into the sadhaka. In his kihkarT-svarupa Srlpada is engaged in massaging 3ri Radha's
most beautiful feet, and as a result of hearing, chanting and remembering this the sadhaka
becomes tanmaya (absorbed) and attains the relish of rasa. Then the sadhaka no longer thinks
that he is hearing, chanting or remembering this pastime anymore, but he is directly relishing
the sweetness and beauty of these lotusfeet and actually feels he is massaging them. This
process of sadhdratii-karana is far greater than any independent endeavour at relish. Srila
Rupa Gosvami has written:
alaukikya prakrtyeyaih suduruha rasa sthitih
yatra sadharanatayd bhdvah sadhu sphurantyami (B.R.S. 2.5.101)
"Because of its transcendental nature this rasa extract is certainly very precious and
rare, but through vibhava and rati and so they are perfectly visible to both the older and the
younger devotees." If there is so much transcendental bliss in relishing this within the mind,
then what to speak of the direct experience?
In his kihkan rupa Srlpada massages the lotusfeet of Radha, while another sakhT
massages the lotusfeet of Syamasundara. The divine Couple is absorbed in an intimate sweet
conversation as They lie facing Eachother. Slowly They close Their eyes out of loving fatigue,
and the pupils of Their eyes disappear under their eyelids, like bees disappearing under the
petals of a closing lotusflower in the eveningtirae. The divine Couple fall asleep. How
beautiful They look! The maidservants fill up their hearts with the savour of this beauty and
sweetness. Then they carefully let these lotusfeet off their laps and get up to relish the ever-so-
sweet nectarean remnants of Radharanl's meal. First it was relished by Mohana (Kr$na) and
after that by Mohini Radhika, that is why it is sweeter than sweet for the maidservants! The
maidservants are immersed in ever-fresh delicious ecstasy, tasting ever-new flavours in these
nectarean remnants.
VERSE 88:
YADISNEHAD RADHE DlSASI RATI LAMPATYA PADA VIM

GATAMME SVAFRE$fHAM TAD API MAMA NHfJHAM $RNU YATHA
KATAK$AIR ALOKE SMITA SAHACARAIR JATA PULAKAM
s a m a S l i $ y a m y VCCAIRATHA CA RASAYE TVATPADA-RASAM
4
The practise of identification wiUi a transcendental role-model, very much like the spectator of a play.
3rUa Prabodhananda Sarasvaa 197
yadi - if; snehdd - out of affection; radhe - O Radha!; difasi - You order; rati lampatya - of the
womaniser; padavTm - position; gatarii - going; me - to me; sva - own; prestha - beloved; tad - that; apt
- still; mama - my; nistha - vow; iniw - listen!; yathd - as such; kataksaih - with glances; ufofe -
looking; smita - smiles; sahacaraih - along with companions; jdta - arising; pulakaAi - goosepimplcs;
sama§li$ydmi - embracing; uccaih - tightly; athaca - but still; rasaye - relishing; tvat - Your; pada -
feet; rasam - flavour.
O Radhe! Although You may affectionately order me to go to Your beloved

Kr§na, Who takes the position of womaniser, still You should hear my vow: I will tightly
embrace Him, smile and glance at Him with goosepimples of ecstasy on my skin, but still
I will mostly relish the flavour of Your lotusfeet!
THE VOW OF THE MANJARI:

. •
Commentary: Tonight is Saubhagya Purnima, the fullmoon night in August, a most

auspicious night for an extramarital tryst! Tonight all the gopTs are looking out for
3yamasiindara, and the party of Radha's enemies, the friends of Candravall, will do everything
possible to stop Sri Radha from seeing Sri Kr$na tonight. The great sweetness of S n Radha's
madana rnahd bhava creates these moods between the 'own party' and the 'enemies' party', just
for Kr$na's pleasure. SrTla Rupa GosvamI teaches in Ujjvala Nllamani (Hari vallabha 35):
ndMo'py anyaira radhaydh premadi guna sampadam

rasenaiva vipak§adau mithah samyam ivarpyate
i
"Even a fragment of Radha's wealth of love and attributes cannot be found elsewhere,
but rasa itself created Her 'enemies' parties' for its own nourishment, and makes these 'enemies'
think that they are equal to Her." dvau sva pak$a vipaksau bhedav eva rasa-pradau (ibid)
"Both the own party and the enemies' part give rasa (to Kr$na)". Tonight Sflpada, in his
kinkarT-form, by Radha's grace, managed to deceive Candravall and her party and arranged for
Radha's own meeting with $yamasundara. 6 n Radha is most satisfied with Her maidservant's
expert service, and She wants to reveal this maidservant’s greatness during the Saubhagya
Purnima. ISvari knows how pure the maidservant's attitude is. She is completely loyal to Her,
and does not desire Kr$na's company for herself. A bee enjoys a blooming flower (3rl Radha
or any grown up gopT), not the buds (imanjarls), although these buds increase the beauty of the
flower by growing near them, and thus increase the bumblebee's (Syama's) desire. When Krsna
pulls at her blouse, the tnanjan will cry and say: "No, no!", while Radha witnesses it all and
laughs. Sri Radhika's girlfriends sometimes enjoy with Krsna (although they are happier when
they see Radha meeting with Kr$na), but the dedicated manjans only think: "I have offered my
body to Sri Radha's lotusfeeV'. They are beautiful and sweet enough even to be yuthesvarls
(gtfpr-groupleaders), but they do not desire this position at all. When Krsna still approaches
them, just to witness the sweetness of their reaction, they will making Him float in oceans of
bliss by saying: "Mndhava! I offered this body to $n Radha! I can give You my life, but not
my body!"
Tonight, on Saubhagya Purnima, SvaminI proudly says: "O Priyatama! Today My
maidservant saved You from the grip of Candravall and her friends, and brought You to My
arbour! You should first unite with her to reward her for her service!" Krsna will be enjoying
the pure mood of the maidservant, therefore the words rati lampatya padavTm in the text'mean
that He becomes greedy for the taste of His devotee's loving service, and that He must give her
a fitting reward. Hearing SrimatTs words, Nagara rushes forward to meet the maidservant, but
the kinkarT comes to Radha with goosepimples on her skin, holds Her tightly, and says with a
slight smile: "O Radhe! Save me from the hands of Your bold lover! O Svamini! I take shelter
of You!" The divine Couple is in great ecstasy seeing the purity of the maidservant's attitude
and the sweetness of her fearful condition. The maidservant looks at Srlmatl’s lotusfeet and
says: "Svamini! I have no one else but You, in life or in death! The sweet nectar of Your
lotusfeet is my life-sustaining elixer! Why are You ordering me to go to Your lover like this?"
VERSE 89:
KR?NAH PAK$0 NAVA KVVALAYAM KR$NA-SARAS TAMALO

NILA m b h o d as t a v a r u c ip a d a m n a m a r u p a is ca k r ? n a
KR$NE KASMAT TAVA VIMUKHATA MOHAN A &YAMA MURTAV
ITY UKTVA TV AM PRAHAS1TA MUKHIM KIM NU PASYAMIRADIIE
krsnah - dark; paksah - lunar quarter; nava - fresh; kuvalaya - blue lotusflower; krsnasarah -
black antelope; tamalah - Tamala tree; riXla - blue; ambhodhah - cloud; tava - Your; ruci - liking;
padarit - abode; nama - name; rupaih - with forms; ca - and; krsnd - the black Yamuna; krsne - in
Kr§na; kasrndt - from where; tava - Your; vimukhata - aversion; mohana - enchanting; Syarna - bluish;
murtau - in the form; iti - thus; uktva - having said; tvarii - You; p rahasita - smiling; mukhlm - face
(fern.); kirh nu - why; patyami -1 see; radhe - O RSdha!
O Radhe! Will I see Your smiling face when I tell You: MFrom where has Your
aversion to Kr§na's enchanting bluish form come, while You’re so attracted to the dark
q u a rte r of the moon (kr$na pak$a), the fresh Kuvalaya-flower (a kind of blue lotus), the
black antelope (kp$na sara), the Tamala tree (that has the same hue as Kpîria), the blue
raincloud and the Y am una-river, who is also nam ed Kf$na, and whose w ater is blackish
like Him?
HOW MUCH SRI RADHA LOVES THE BLUE:
Commentary: Svamini is in a controlling mood (svadhma bhartrka) and orders 6 yam a

to decorate Her, so Syama goes out to pick flowers for this purpose. When He returns to the
arbour He sees that SiimaG has somehow become angry with Him and has turned Her back on
Him, refusing to speak with Him. asya pranaya eva syan niartasya padam uttamam (U.N.)
"Pranaya is the highest stage of mana." Causeless pique is the vilasa vaibhava (manifestation
of prowess) of pranaya. ddyatii mdnath parinamarii pranayasya jagur budhah. dvitfyarfi punar
asyaiva vilasa-bhara vaibhavahu budhaih pranaya manasya e$a eva prafdrtitah (ibid) "The learned
call pique with a cause the culmination of prariaya and causeless pique the manifestation of
pranaya's prowess. The learned call causeless pique pranaya mana." Pique with a cause can be
pacified through sama (conciliation or appeasement), bheda (antagonism), kriya (exertion),
nati (bowing down), dan a (giving presents), apek$a (indifference) and rasdntardsraya (taking
shelter of another mood), but causeless pique must go over by itself.
kunja dvari nivistayos taranija tire dvayor eva nau

tatranyonyam apatyatoh sakhi mudhd nirbandhatah klantayoh
liante drag atlta dddimTphalam abhinyaste mayd nistalaih
rdidhdm udbhidura smitarii parihasan phulldhgam dlirigifam
(Ujjvala Nflamani 3rrigara Bheda - 46)
Krsna told Vi&ikha: "O sakhi\ Radha and Me were staying in a secret bowerhouse on
the bank of the Yamuna when We suddenly became averse to Eachother, sat with Our backs
towards Eachother and became determined not to speak to Eachother anymore. We were both
suffering from this useless pique and I could not remain calm anymore, so I cast My glance at
a round pomegranate, which caused a slight smile to sprout on Radha's face. Then, when I
picked up that fruit and held it, She began to smile fully. I said: "Priye! You were the first One
to laugh, You broke Your determination first! You are defeated!" £rl Radha replied: "No, You
were the first One to break Your determination by picking up this fruit! You are defeated!"
The course of pique is crooked like the course of a snake, and thus pique may appear with a
cause or without a cause:
aher iva gatih premnah svabhava kutild bhavet
ato hetor aheio$ ca yunor mafia udancati (U.N.)
Today SvaminI is angry for no reason, and 3yamasundara requests the maidservant
with His glances to help Him break that pique. 3npada, in his kinkari-form, tells SvaminI:
"RHdhe! Why are You so averse to 3yamasundara Himself, while You are so fond of
everything that is blue, like the fresh raincloud, the Tamaia-tree, the Yamuna, the blue
lotusflower and the black antelope, objects that are related to Him either by name, colour, form
or attributes?" The dark lunar fortnight has the same name as Kr$na, and, although people in
general prefer the light fortnight, SnmaG loves the dark fortnight more. She is Radhika,
Krona's topmost worshiper, so it is inevitable that She has to go out in the dark moonless nights
to meet Kr$na. The dark fortnight does not only have the same name as Kr$na, it is also the
easiest time for Her to secretly go out to tryst with Him. The Kuvalaya-lotusflowers have the
same colour, softness, loveliness, sweetness and fragrance as Krsna, therefore they are very
dear to 3rlmatl, and She always decorates Her ears with them. The Krsnasara is a kind of black
antelope that has the same name and the same complexion as Krsna. Their name can also be
interpreted to mean: 'they take Kr$na to be the quintessence of everything', therefore they are
very dear to Sri Radhika. Srlmatl thinks: "How blessed ar6 these .deer, that they can give up
everything when they hear Krsna playing His flute in the forest and they can freely come close
to Him to listen to His fluteplaying and admire His enchanting form with goosepimples of
loving ecstasy on their skins! Even when the does offer their loving tears as oblations to Kr$na,
. their husbands wil not become envious. On the contrary, they are very pleased to see that
Kr$na is made happy with it!" The Tamala-tree is very dear to 3 rim all because their luster
reminds Her of Kr$na. She says in Caitanya Caritamrta: kr$na alingana pdinu janama saphale;
sei sukhe magna rahe vrksa kori kole "I consider My birth to be a success when I can be
embraced by Kr$na, and I am immersed in that bliss when I embrace a Tamala-tree." When, by
chance, Srlmatl sees a fresh raincloud, She remembers £yama's bodily luster and She eagerly
desires a pair of wings so that She can fly up to embrace it: ah kith vd kathamyam anyad asite
daivan navambhodhare drste tarii parirabdhum utsuka matih pak$a-dvayTm icchati (Vidagdha
Madhava). The Yamuna-river is also named Krsna for its dark blue waters. She is just like
Kr$na in name and complexion, and therefore she is very dear to $rl Radhika. Her girlfriends
always dress Her in a blue sari and decorate Her with bluish bangles, eyeliner, muskdrops and
so. But the course of love is so wonderful! When Radhika becomes angry with Krsna, She
200 Sri-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanitfhi
doesn't want to hear or speak out His name, nor does She want to see any blue object that may
remind Her of Him!
'ka' bol boloite, kunai na parody kravana mudaye dui pdni

jaimini jaimini, puna puna phukdrai, bajara kabada sama mdni
tuyd guna nama, kravane nahi kurtaye, tuyd rupa ripu sama jdni
tuya nija jana saye, sambhdsa nd koroye, koiche milaobo dni
nJla vasana vara, ntla cudi koro, pohtika mala utari
kari-rada cudi-kara,
9 r
moti mdldvaray pahirana arunima kadi
asita citra kara, ura para dchilo, mitdilo candana lagai
mrgamada tilaka, dhoi drgaficala, kuca mukha candane chapdi
edru cibuka para, eka tila dchilo, nindi madhupa suta kydmd
tnie agre kori, malayaja railjana, sabahu chdpdyali ramd
jaladhara heri, candrdtape jhdmpalo, kydmari sakhi nahi pdka
tamala tarugane, cune lepayala, kikhi piku dure nivdsa
madhukara dara dhanl, campaka tarn tale, locatie jala bharipura
kydma cibuka heri, mukura kore patakala, tuti’ bhoi gelo kata cura
"When She hears the sound 'ka\ She blocks Her ears with both hands and cries out
'Jaimini Jaimini' (the name of the sage who protects from thunderbolts), feeling that the sound
hit her like a thunderbolt She does not listen to topics about Your attributes and names,
although She may hear them, She knows Your form to be Her enemy! She doesn't speak with
Your friends anymore, so how shall I bring Her here to meet You? She takes off Her blue sari,
Her blue bangles and Her sapphire necklace (all which remind Her of You through their
colour) and changes them for ivory bangles, a pearl necklace and a red sari. She rempves the
blue musk-pictures that were drawn on Her breasts, the musk-tilaka drawn on Her forehead
and the blue eyeliner painted around Her eyes, and replaces all these with decorations of white
sandalpaste. On Her beautiful chin is a drop of musk which resembles a sleeping blackbee.
This beautiful girl paints some sandalpaste over it with the end of a straw. When She sees a
cloud, She puts up an umbrella, and She will not go to see Her girlfriend £yamala (whose
name reminds Her of Kr$na) anymore. She whitewashes the Tamala-trees and She stays far
away from the peacocks (whose feathers remind Her of Kr$na's crest). Seeing a blackbee at the
base of a Campaka-tree this fortunate girl becomes scared and Her eyes become filled with
tears. Seeing the black spot of musk on Her chin She smashes the mirror, which then breaks
into a hundred pieces"
When there is a cause for pique (and such pique is hard to break), then Radhika may
show such feelings of remorse, feeling miserable when She sees objects that remind Her of
Kr$na, but today She's angry for no reason, so She sits down, feeling aversion towards Kr$na
alone. The maidservant says: "O Radhe! Why are You so averse to Mohana (Syama), while
You’re so fond of everything that reminds You of Him?" The maidservant purposefully
uses the name 'Mohana' to remind Svamini of the fact that She's always enchanted by His
sweetness and beauty. "Svamini! How long can You maintain Your pique towards Mohana?"
Actually, these feelings of mana simply serve to increase and to renovate rasamaya Govinda’s
sweet love for Radhika and vice versa. SrUa Rupa Gosv3mi defines mana as follows in Ujjvala
NTlamani (Slhayi 71):
snehas tulkrstatdvdptya madhuryarii manayan navam
yo dfiarayaty addksinyarh sa mana iti klrtyate
"When sneha becomes more advanced and shows everfresh sweetness and crookedness,
it is called mana." This crookedness is actually a very desirable thing, just as a snake that is
made of sugarcandy does not emit any poison, but tastes very sweet instead. When Svamini
Srfla PrabodhSnanda Sarasvatl 201
hears Her maidservant’s words, She shows a slight, budlike smile. Her pique is gone. Now the
maidservant can relish the sweet meeting of the divine Couple.
he srl krsna praniodini, kr$na pakja ye rajanl,

kr$na kdnti nava kuvalaya<
kr$nasara mfga chabi, taruna tamale dekhi,
tuyd ruci dekhi atisaya
"O Sri Krsna Pramodini (Radhika, Who gives pleasure to Kr$na)! I see that You very
much like to see the dark moon night, the bluish luster of the fresh Kuvalaya-flower, the
shining of the Krsnasara deer and the young Tamala tree!"
yamunara namantara, kr$nd ei du akhara,

prltyaspada se krsndra vdri
kr$na-varna dyuti yatha, eka dithe tumi tathd,
ceye thdko navTna ndgari
"You love to hear the two syllables kr§-na that form one of the names of the Yamuna,
and You love her darkblue waters. O youthful ladylove! You stand there staring at the blackish
splendour of the water!"
mohana sydmala murti, sutanu kr$nera prati,
tabe keno vimukhata dekhi,
prabodhanandete bharie, ei nartna vdkya sune,
dekhibo ki tomd srnita mukhT
"Then tell me, why do I see that You're so averse to Kr$na's own blackish form?"
Prabodhananda says: "Will I see Your smiling face after You hear these joking words?"
VERSE 90:
ULAPANGA TARANGITAIRIVA DI$0 NILOTPALA SYAMALA

DOLAYAT KANAKADRIMANDALAMIVA VYOMA STANAIS TANVATIM
UTPHVLLA STHALA PANKA JAM IVA BHUVAlif RASE PADA NYASATAH
$RIRADHAMANUDHAVATUd VRAJA-KISORINAM GHATAMBHAVAYE
Hid - playful; apdiiga - glances; tarangitaih - in waves; iva - just like; di§ah - directions; mla -
blue; utpala - lotus; Syamala - bluish; doldyat - dangling; kanaka - golden; adri - mountain; mandalam
- circle; iva - just like; vyoma - sky; stanaih - with breasts; tanvatTrii - extend; utphulla - blooming;
sthala - land; pankajam - lotusflowers; iva - just like; bhuvarfi - the earth; rase - in the Rasa dance;
pada - steps; nydsatafi - placing; £rT radham - Sri Radh3; anudfiavatlrh - running after; vraja kiforTndrii
- of the adolescent girls of Vraja; ghatdrh - multitude; bhdvaye - 1 tliink.I
I meditate on the adolescent girls of Vraja that run after SrI Radha. The waves of
their playful glances paint all the directions blue like Nllotpala (blue lotus-)flowers, the
circular reflections of their swaying breasts beautify the sky like golden mountains, and
202 £n-6rl R3dha Rasa Sudhanidhi
the steps of their feet make the whole ground where the Rasa Uld takes place as beautiful
as a blooming landlotus!
TH E SWEETNESS OF THE GOPIS ON A TRYST:
Commentary: The following four verses describe the Rasa-/f/<2, the crestjewel of all of
the Lord's pastimes. By Krona's inconceivable potency the entire environment becomes at once
fit for dancing the Rasa. The Bhagavata-verse rdsotsavah sampravrtto (Bhag. 10.33.3)
indicates that the Rasa-dance began spontaneously, and the verse tatfodurajafi (Bhag. 10.29.2)
indicates that the full moon rose in the sky as soon as Kr$na got the desire to enjoy with the
gopTs (vikjya rantufn nianas cakre, Bhag. 10.29.1). When Kr§na saw the rising moon, He
remembered Rad ha's shining face (iramananabharii, Bhag. 10.29.3) and went straight to
Vrndavana's VamSlvata-tree to lure the gopfs with His enchanting flutesong. This unclear,
sweet flutesong sounds just like an all-attractive mantra that causes the kama bTja to vibrate
(jagau kalam vama-drsam manoharam, Bhag. 10.29.3). &ri Jlva GosvamI comments on this
verse as follows: sle$ena kamabljam jagau iti rahasyam "The word kala (unclear sound) refers
to the first two syllables of the kama bTja, the invocatory syllable of the Kama-gdyatrT
mantra. " It is as if one arrow of Cupid after the other comes out of the holes of Madana
Mohana’s Murall-flute while He calls the gopTs for the Rasa dance. £rl Rupa GosvamI writes in
’Ujjvala Nilamani': abhTrendu mukhT smardnala sikhotseke sa lUanilo radha dhairya
dharddharendra damane dambholir unmilati "Krsna's fluteplaying resembles Indra's
thunderbolt that smashes the mountain of Radha's patience, or the wind that fansthe flames of
the moonfaced gopTs lusty desires!"
Srlpada, in his mahjan svarupa, sees how the beautiful gopTs rush out to meet Kr$na,
leaving the milk or the porridge boiling on their hearths, leaving their husbands, their parents
and their homes to go and see Kr$na, Who calls them with His flute, that sings: "Come, come
here!" In the Bhagavata, Sri Sukadeva mentioned that the gopTs were independent lovers of
Krsna, but it is not so that he did not mention the presence of sakhTs, attending girlfriends,
there. In the verse apy-ena patnyupagatah (Bhag. 10.30.11) he clearly described the sakhT
bhava. The mahjarTs are also a kind of sakhT. In the pre-Mahaprabhu era, poets like Candl
Dasa, Vidyapati, Jayadeva and Bilvamangala described the mood of the sakhTs, but the exact
difference between sakhTs and mahjarTs only became revealed after the descension of 3 rim an
Mahaprabhu, by the deary as that had surrendered to His lotusfeet. For instance, 3rila Rupa
GosvamI has clearly described mahjarT bhava and manjan seva during the Rasa dance, and
how it is superior and more confidential than sakhT bhava, in his 'Utkalika Vallari’-stava (verse
42).
Sripada, in his kinkarT-form, sees the wonderful passion of the gopTs when they rush
out to rendez vous with Kr$na, forgetting their bodies, their homes and their moral codes, and
he paints a beautiful picture here of their sweet passion. This is not some fancied story, but a
record of genuine spiritual experience. There is nothing as beautiful and as sweet in the whole
world as this. It is so sweet that it can control even 6ri Govinda Himself. The gopTs' glances
paint the sky blue like blue lotusflowers, because their eyes are so beautifully blue, and there
are many millions of such beautiful gopf-eyes in Vraja. It is as if the waves of their playful
glances are wandering around, looking for VariiSidhari, their heart's thief. It is as if some
unknown thief suddenly steals the jewel of their minds from the houses of their hearts, and
runs away, and now the waves of their eyes act like searchlights looking for Him. When the
most valuable tiling has been stolen from his storehouse, a householder becomes very disturbed
and runs out of the house, trying to find his lost treasure. In the same way, the gopTs become
S n la PrabodhSnanda SarasvalT 203
totally bewildered when the jewel of their love for Kr$na is stolen from the storehouse of their
hearts, and they run around frantically, trying to find the thief. Their oscillating breasts defeat
the beauty of so many golden mountains dangling in the sky, and every step they make
beautifies the earth like a landlotus.
ydha yahd padayuga dharai; tahi tahi saroruha bharoi

ydha yahd jhalakoto anga; tahi tahi bijurl taranga
ki herilum aparupa gori; paithalo hiyd mahd mori
yaha ydha nayana vikasa; tahi kamala parakdsa
yahd yahd hdsa sancdra; tahi tahi.amiya vithara
ydha yahd kufda katakh, tahi madana sara lakh
(Vidyapati)
"Wherever Her footsteps are, there are lotusflowers blooming, and wherever Her body
glistens there are waves of electric lightning. What wonderful golden girl I saw that entered
My heart? Whenever She opens Her eyes, the lotusflowers become manifest. Wherever She
smiles nectar is distributed, and wherever She casts Her crooked glances, Cupid shoots
thousands of arrows." How incompatible is the sweetness of these gopis that follow 5 n Radha!
By following Radha, their beauty and sweetness even increases!, yeno cdndake gheri candera
mala "Like a row of moons surrounding a moon". All of them arrive on the bank of the
Yamuna in the circle of the Rasa-dance. How wonderful is the beauty of the Yamuna-bank,
where beautiful Jasmine-, Malatl-, Jati-, Yuthi-, Kunda- and Mandara-flowers are blooming! A
soft breeze carries drops of Yamuna-water and the fragrance of these flowers and scents the
whole forest, making it even more delectable than the celestial Nandana-gardens of heaven;
The bees are agitated by the fragrance of these flowers and sweetly buzz around them, drinking
their honey to their hearts’ content. Beautiful blooming lotusflowers, lilies and Kahlara-flowers
float on the Yamuna's surface, and the full moon shines in the sky, showering Vmdavana with
his nectar. 3rlpada sees millions of landlotuses growing in the circle of the Rasa-dance. These
are moving lotuses though, in the form of the gopis' shuffling lotusfeet Then the vision, that
was like a bright lightningstrike of Radhika's mercy, disappears, and Sripada humbly prays:
"Alas! When will I be so fortunate to see the gopTs' sweet Rasa-tryst ?"
rasabhisare rai safige, goplra gamana range,

llldpahga taranga hillole
{ihala $hala sydmala, mlotpale bharala
da§a disi pum a parimale
\
"When the gopis are on their rendez vous with Rai, their playful wave-like glances
billow like dripping bluish lotusflowers, filling all the ten directions with the stream of their
fragrance."
vegabhare kuca-yuga, aha kibd aparupa,
ramamya sobhate prabala
gagcine doldyamana, yena svarnacala dhama,
parivydpta korilo sakala
"Aha! How wonderful is the charming beauty of their breasts, that oscillate because of
their forceful running! Their reflections pervade the sky like dangling golden m ountains."
204 £ri-£ri Radha Rasa SudhSnidhi
rnaha rase gopT kanya, dhararn korilo dhanya,

pada sancdlane prema bonyd
vigalita prthvftala, ati sukomala sthala,
praphulla pahkaje paripurria
"During the great Rasa-dance, the cowherd daughters bless the earth with a flood of
love by moving their feet on her, covering her soft surface with blooming lotusflowers."
rupe gune niruparnd, yei sab vraja rarnd,

srT rasa mandala viharim
• •
prabodhanandete bhane> sei vrajabdla gane,

premanande bhajibo ye ami
"The forms and attributes of all these Vraja-gopw who thus enjoy in the Rasa-circle are
beyond comparison. Prabodhananda says: I will worship these gopTs with ecstatic love!"
VERSE 91:
D{iSAV TVAYI RASAMBUDHAU MADHURA MINAVAD BHRAMYATAH

STANAU TVAYI SUDHA SARASY AHAHA CAKRAVAKAVIVA
MUKHAM SURATARANGINI TVAYI VIKASIHEMAMBUJAM
MILANTU MAYI RADHIKE TAVA KRPA TARANGA CCHATA&
drlau - in the eyes; tvayi - in You; rasa - flavour; ambudhau - in the ocean; madhura - sweet;
nunavad - like a fish; bhramyatah - wandering; stanau - in the breasts; tvayi - in You; sudhd - nectar;
sarasl - in the lake; ahaha - alas!; cakravakau - in the two red geese; iva - just like; mukfiath - the face;
suratarahgini - Gangcs-river, or lady enjoying love; tvayi - in You; vikasi - blooming; henia - golden;
ambujath - lotusflowcr; milantu - may they meet; mayi - in me; radhike - O RSdha!; tava - Your; krpd -
mercy; taratiga - wave; cchatdh -aura.
O S ri Radhike! Your eyes are like sweet fishes th at swim around in an ocean of
rasa! Ahaha! Your breasts are like two Cakravaka-flam ingos in the nectarlake of Your
body! O Suratarahgini (Ganga-river of love)! O enjoyer of loveplay! Your face is like a
blooming golden lotusflower! May the waves of Y our splendid mercy meet in me!
SURATARANGESa RADHA:
Commentary: The verbal root radh means to worship, so Radhika means 'the girl who
is the greatest worshiper of Sri Krsna'. Without RaseSvarl (Radha, the Queen of the Rasa-
dance) the Rasa dance cannot give pleasure to Kr$na (tdhd vina rasallld nahi bhdy citet C.C.).
But even just two people cannot make a festival complete. For a festival you need many
people, so Krsna played His enchanting flute to invite millions of gopTs to the Rasa-circle. It is
said: radha saha krJdd rasa dsvada kdrana; dra sab gopTgana rasopakarana Radha is the
cause for Kr$na's savouring the flavour of His pastimes, and all the other gopTs are serving as
Srila Prabodhananda Saras vati 205
additional ingredients for that savour." (Caitanya Caritamrta) Radha is certainly worthy of
Her name, meaning ’supreme worshiper', because She makes Rasa Rasika (Kr$na) relish all the
mellows of the Rasa dance by going to meet Him in the company of all the different kinds of
gopTs: sva pakya (Her own party) vipaksa (Her rivals), suhrt paksa (Her friendly party) and
tatastha paksa (the neutral party).
The word suratarangiifi in the text refers to 3ri Radha, Who is like the river Gaiiga,
flooding both Her banks (dukula means banks of the river, or du'= two, and kula = families,
both Her own family and the family of Her legal husband) with Her powerful stream, that has
become even more forceful by being filled with the monsoonrains of nectarean passion for $rl
Kr$na. In the Gaftga there are no lakes and oceans, but in this S.urataranginI Radha there are
both oceans and lakes. Her eyes are like fishes that restlessly swim in the ocean of ecstatic love
for Kr$na. While She goes out, Her eyes look around restlessly: Where is £yamasundara? Her
breasts are like two reddish CakravHka-flamingos that stand in the nectariake of Her
transcendental body. All these things can be understood only when one gives up one’s
identification with the material body and accepts the transcendental mood of the gopls.
SrTpada prays: milantu mayi radhike tava krpd tarahga cchatah "O Radhike! May the waves of
Your splendid mercy meet in me!”
VERSE 92:
KANTADHYA&CARYA KANTA KULA MANIKAMALA KOTl KAMYAIKA PADA-

MBHOJA BHRAJAN NAKHENDU CCIiABI LAVA VIBHAVA KAPY AGAMY A KI$ORl
UNMARYADA PRAVRDDHA PRANAYA RASA MAHAMBHODHIGAMBUIRA U LA
MADHURYOJjpMBHITANGi MA YI KIM API K$PA RANG AM ANGIKAROTU
kanta - lover; adhya - emperor; aScarya - astonisliing; kanta - ladyloves; kula - group; mani -
0
jewel; kamala - goddess of fortune; kofi - millions; karnya - desired; eka - one; pada - foot; ambhoja -
lotus; bhr&jat - shining; nakha - nail; indu - nail; cchabi - luster; lava - slightest; vibhava - prowess; ka
- Brahma; api - even; agamyd - inaccessible; kiSori - adolescent girl; unmaryada - free from dignity;
pravrddha - increasing; praiiaya - love; rasa - flavour; rnahd - great; ambfiodhi - ocean; gamblura -
deep; Hid - pastimes; mddhurya - sweetness; ujjrmbhila - gladdened; angi - fern, body; mayi - in me;
kim api - indescribable; krpd - mercy; rangam - pastime; angikarotu - may She accept.
May some Indescribable adolescent girl, Who is the astonishing jewel of ladyloves,
Who meets with Her lover (Sri Kr$na), a drop of the splendour of Whose single moonlike
toenail is desired for by millions of goddesses of fortune, Whose limbs are gladdened by
the deep swelling ocean of sweet passionate love full of ever-increasing dignity, whose
prowess is inaccessible even to Lord Brahma, accept me by giving me Her mercy!
RASESVARI, THE QUEEN OF THE RASA DANCE:
Commentary: The rasa nayikas (the heroines of the Rasa-dance) meet with Rasa
Rasika (Krsna, the taster of the Rasa-dance), speaking, laughing and joking with Him with
great love, after which they commence the Rasa-dance: natair grhita kanthmdm anyonydtta kara
206 £rl-$ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
Sriyam; nartakindrii bhaved rciso mandallbhuya nartanam "The Rasa dance is a sweet dance in
which the male and female dancers stand in a circle, holding hands." The poet Jiiana DSsa
sings:
vraja ramanigana, heri harasita matia, ndgara natavara raja
natana vildsa, ulasa hi nimagana, caudike ramanx samdja
yuthe ytithe mili, kare kara dharadhari, mandalT raciyd suthana
bdjata vTnd, updtiga pakhowdja, mdjha hi madhava kdna
sdrada sudhakara, gaganahi niramala, kdnane kusuma vikdda
kokila bhramara, gaowe ati sutidara, arnala kamala parakxtfa
heri heri, phiri phiri, bdhu dharadhari, ndcata rahgim mili
jiiana dasa kohe, ndgara rasamoya, kore koto kautuka keli
"The girls of Vraja see the king of dancers, their lover, with blissful minds. They are
absorbed in the blissful pastimes of dancing, surrounding Him on all sides. They meet in
groups, holding eachother’s hands and forming a nice circle around Madhava, playing VTnas,
upahgas and pakhawdjas (different stringed instruments). The clear sky is filled with the
autumnal full moon and the flowers in the forest are blossoming. The cuckoos and the bees
sing very beautifully and the spotless lotusflcwers are opening. Looking and looking, turning
and turning, holding eachother’s arms, these playful girls dance together. Jnana Dasa sings:
"How many blissful pastimes Rasamaya Nagara (Kr$na, the lover who is full of flavour)
performs!"
Srlpada, in his kinkarT-form, sees that the Rasa-circle is pervaded by limitless beauty:
gopT-kr$na-gopl-kr$na. How astonishing is the meeting of the naturally sweet gopTs with
enchanting Syamasundara! They are bhdva, pretna, rasa and beauty personified. Srlpada fixes
his (her) mind on RadharanI: mancjali-bandhe goplgana korena nartana; madivye radha saha
ndce vrajetidra-nandana. (C.C.) "The gopTs dance in a circle, and in the middle of that circle the
prince of Vraja dances with Radha." &npada cannot find any comparison to Radharanfs
beauty, that covers over the beauty and sweetness of all the other assembled gopTs. Then he
looks at Radharanfs moonlike toenails and thinks: "even a drop of the beauty of these toenails
cannot be attained by the other gopTs, what to speak of millions of goddesses of fortune from
Vaikuntha?"
* •
£ rip ad a sees that: unmaryada pravrddha pranaya rasa mahambhodhi gambhlra Hid
mddhuryojjnnbhitdfigT: Her body is gladdened by the sweet pastimes coming from a deep ocean
of great love called pranaya rasa, that is constantly flooding its own shores." The word
pranaya rasa means anuraga. In the stage of prariaya the lover and beloved cannot see
anymore difference between eachother's bodies, minds, intelligence and hearts, and thus Radha
dances the Rasa with Kr$na without hesitation. This pranaya rasa is not possible with
Candravall and her group. £rila Rupa GosvamT teaches in ’Ujjvala Naamani’ (Sthayi 66):
nijam agharipundriise nyastam dkrsya savyarii bhujam iha nidadhanad aksam asroksitakjT
pada-yugam api bahkaiii Saiikayd viksipantT prati yuvati vayasyarh smeraydmdsa gaurt
"Candravall carefully takes Her left arm from Krsna’s shoulder while they are dancing
in the Rasa-festival, and embraces Him with her right arm instead. Carefully and crookedly she
moves both her feet, being afraid she will hit Krsna’s feet while they dance. Seeing this,
Radha’s friend Gauri smiles." Nobody can really please Krsna with such careful and respectful
behaviour, anuraga, or deep thirst for prema-rasa, is amply present in the very sweet and tasty
Rasa-festival.
saddnubhutim api yah kurydn nova navath priyatn
rdgo bhavan nava navah so'nuraga itTryate
SrTla Prabodhananda Sarasvati 207
(Ujjvala Nflamani, Sthayi 102)
"When the thirst for the beloved becomes so deep, that he becomes ever more dear at
every moment, although that is already constantly experienced, it is called anuraga'1
unmaryada can also mean that Radhika is endowed with the greatest honour, which is
constantly increasing. $nla Rupa GosvamT describes that in his invocation of ’Dana Keli
KaumudT' (2):
vibhur api kalayan sadabhivrddhirh gurur api gaurava caryayd vihTnah
tnuhnr upacita vakrimapi suddho jayati muradvi$i radhikanuragah
*
"Although Radhika’s love for Murad is already allpervading, it is still always

increasing; although it is vast, it is free from all reverence and dignity, and although it is
crooked, it is always pure. All glories to that love!" Because of the inconceivable potency of
that love, all kinds of contradictory qualities can take shelter of i t £rl Radhika's limbs are
always gladdened by the waves of this sweet and deep ocean of anuraga, and She always
keeps Rasaraja (Kr§na, the king of relishers) swimming onthe waves of that ocean of ecstasy.
sakhTgane parivrta, vr$abhanu raja sutd,

rasesvarT radha thdkurdm
yugala madhura rupa, kdma ratigana bhiipa,
kdnta saha kdnta kulamani *
“When She’s surrounded by Her girlfriends, Vr$abhanu’s princess Radha is the Queen
of the Rasa dance. She is the jewel of all ladyloves as~ She forms a sweet couple with Her
gallant Krsna. Together They look just like Kama (Cupid) and his wife Rati."
pramoddra padapadma, padma kofi sampad,

padanakhe kofindu vilasa
ydhara kaumudl kana, ndrdyanera priyatarna
lakjmT kofi kore abhilaja
"Pramoda's (Radha’s) lotusfeet are a treasure of millions of lotusflowers, and millions

of moons play in Her toenails. One drop of moonlight from these toenails are desired for by
millions of goddesses of fortune, the wives of Lord Narayana."
*
madhavTra manohara, hema kanti kale vara,

pravrddha pranaya rasdmbudhi
nigudha gambhira lila, mddhurya tarahge ala,
sarva keli kaldra avadhi
"Madhavl’s enchanting golden shining body is an expanding ocean of pranaya rasa

(loving flavours). She’s the limit of all loving playfulness, swimming in the waves of sweet
intimate and deep pastimes.’’
he varaja kisorT mani, mahd subha k$ana tumi,

Ilia rahga hoite eka barn
prabodhanandete bhane, rnora prati nija gune,
krpd ranga koro anglkdra
208 Sii-Sfi Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Sri Prabodhananda says: "O Jewel of Vraja's adolescent girls! at one auspicious
moment You should once accept me in Your merciful pastimes, with Your own qualities."
VERSE 93:
KALINDA GIRI NANDINl PUUNA MALATl MAN DIRE

PRA V1$TA VANAMAUNA LALITA KELl LOLIKRTE
PRATIK$ANA CAMA TKRTADBHUTA RASAIKA LILA NIDHE
NIDHEHI MAY! RADHIKE NIJA KRPA TARANGA CCHATAM
kalinda giri - the Kalinda mountain; nandinl - the daughter; pulina - shore; mdlatl - flower;
mandire - in a temple; pravista - entering; vanamalina - with Kr$na; lalita - lovely; keli - play; lollkrie
- stirred; prati - each; ksana - moment; camatkrta - astonished; adblxuta - wonderful; rasa - flavour;
eka - one; lUd - play; nidhe - ocean; nidhehi - place; mayi - in me; radhike - O Radha!; nija - own; krpd
- mercy; taranga - wave; cchatd - luster.
O Radhike! O You who are eager to play lovely amorous pastimes with YanamalF
(Kr$na), entering a temple in a MalatTgrove on the bank of the Yamuna! O em bodim ent
of love-pastimes for the ever-astonishing personification of rasa Sri Kr$na! O Ocean of
pastimes! Aim the glowing wave of Your mercy a t me!
SRI RADHA, THE OCEAN O F PASTIMES:
Commentary: In Srlmad Bhagavata (10.33.20) it is described that after taking a short

rest, Krsna enjoyed the gopTs in the bushes on the banks of the Yamuna: krtva tavantam
atmdnarii ydvatXr gopa yo$itah reme sa bhagavarhs tabhir dtmaramo'pi lllayd "After having
performed His pastimes so far, the Lord expanded Himself in as many forms as there were
cowherdwomen, and enjoyed with them in His pastimes, although He is self-satisfied." The
Vai$nava To$ani comments: lllayd Srngara rasa khelayd rarama reme "The words reme and
lllaya indicate that Krsna enjoyed erotic sports with the gopls". bhagavan iti tad eva
bhagavatta sara madhurya sarvasva prakatanam iti bhavah "The word bhagavan means that
Kr$na revealed the quintessence of Godhead through these sweet erotic pastimes." tad
ramanam ca ppthak prthak tatraiva nikafa nikanjadifu "He took as many forms as there were
gopls and enjoyed each of them in a different arbour."
On the bank of the Yamuna there is a lovely temple of Malaff-vines, decorated by
maidservants who exactly know the mood of the divine Couple. When the loving Couple
enters this arbour, They immediately desire to make love. The maidservant then discretely
leaves the arbour and witnesses these lovely pastimes from a distance. The word lalita in the
text means Srngara pracura cesta yatra tam lalitarh viduh (B.R.S. 2.1.267) "Lalita means that
condition in which there are many erotic gestures." vinyasa bhangl rahgandih bhru vilasa
manohara sukumara bhaved yatra lalitam tad udlritam (U.N.) "Lalita-gestures consist of
enchanting knitting of the eyebrows, making playful gestures and being very tender." It is this
lalitar or loveliness, that the maidservant can witness in the arbour. This is not an ordinary
mundane erotic meeting, but the limit of transcendental love, that cannot be fathomed by a
Srfla Prabodhananda Sarasvati 209
person who is in bodily consciousness. The line pratiksana camatkrtadbhuta rasaika lllanidhe
('O ocean of rasika pastimes that is astonishing at every moment’) indicates the limit of loving
ecstasy, which can turn into a reversion of roles in lovemaking (prcma vildsa vivarta).
The word vanamdlina means: ’with Krsna, Who wears a garland of forestflowers’.
Srlmatl personally picked flowers in the forest for stringing this garland and hung it around
Krsna’s neck before Their loving pastimes began. She also adorned Him with different other
decorations. By decorating Eachother like this with deep concentration, the feeling of
difference between Radha and Krsna disappeared. The word lolikrte means that now Radha
assumes the masculine role in the lovegame. This is the ultimate result of Their ever-increasing
loving desires. 6fl JTva GosvamI writes in Gopala Campu (PGrva, 33.3) yad api paraspara
milanath hari gopinath ciran na vichinnam. tad api na tr$na santd svapnika pane yatha
pipdsunam "The gopTs' desires for Hari cannot be slightly pacified, even if they meet Him
personally, just as a thirsty person cannot quench his thirst by drinking water in a dream". srT
radhayath tu sutardm anirvacariiyam eva sarvam (ibid). "Therefore, all these indescribable
conditions are present in Sri Radha."
The word rasa in the text {rasaika lllanidhe) may refer to Kr$na, since the Upanisads
state raso vai sah (He is rasa). Then the sentence pratiksana camatkrtadbhuta rasaika
lllanidhe means: "O You Who plays ever-amazing love pastimes with Krsna." Krsna is ever
fresh in the eyes of a loving devotee, as the Bhagavata states (ianusavabhinavam), therefore He
is ever-astonishing rasa, and the only ocean of His loving pastimes is Sri Radha {rasaika
lllanidhe). Srlpada humbly prays: nidhehi mayi radhike nija krpd tarahga cchatah ”0
Radhike! Aim the glowing waves of Your mercy at me!"
VERSE 94:
YASYAS TE BATA KINKARl$U BAH USAS CATUNI VRNDATAVI

KANDARPAHl KURUTE TAVAIVA KIM API PREPSUff PRASADOTSAVAM '
SANDRANANDA GHANANURAGA LAHARINISYANDA PADAMBUJA
DVANDVE S/e7 V#$A BHANUNA NDINISADA VANDE TAVA SRI PAD AM
yasydh - whose; te - their; bata - alas!; kinkarTsu - in the maidservants; bahuSah - manyfold;
catuni - flatterings; vnidatavl kandarpah - Vpidavana’s Cupid (Kf§ua); kurute - does; tava - Your; eva -
only; kirn api - indescribable; prepsuh - desiring; prasada - mercy; utsavam - festival; sdndra - deep;
ananda - bliss; ghana - deep; anuraga - passion; lahari - waves; nisyandi - streaming; pcida - feet;
ambuja - lotus; dvattdve - couple; Sri vr$abhanunandini - Vrsabhanu’s daughter; sada - always; vatide -
praise; tava - Your; in padam - divine feet
O Beautiful daughter o f king Vr$abhanu! V rndavana’s transcendental Cupid

(Kr$na) always flatters Y our maidservants in so m any ways, desiring the festival o f Your
indescribable mercy! I praise Your beautiful feet, from which waves o f very blissful
constant passion always flow!
T H E FESTIVAL OF SRI RADHA'S MERCY:

210 §n-£rl RSdhS Rasa Sudhanidhi
Commentary: Once Srlmatl Radhika eagerly waited the whole night for Kr$na in Her
seifdecorated arbour, but He did not show up. Only at daybreak He came before Her with clear
signs of Candravali's lovemaking on His body. With eyes reddened of anger, Srlmatl then told
Him:
tdm eva pratipadya karna varadarii sevasva devttii sadd
yasydli prapya mahd prasddam adhuna damodaramodase
padalaktacitam siras tava mukhatU iambula 6e?ojjvahuH
kaiithas cdyam uroja kutmala suhrti nirmdlya nmlyankitah
(Ujjvala NUamani - Nayikabheda 23)
"O Damodara! Just surrender to that goddess, who fulfills all Your desires and by
whose mercy You will become happy, and serve her, whose footlac colours Your head, whose
chewed betelnuts illuminate Your mouth, and whose spotless flowergariand, that first adorned
her bud-like breasts, now beautifies Your neck!" Srlmatl now assumes the mood of a
dhlradhTra nayika, who chastises her unfaithful lover with crooked words. No amount of
humble words can soothe the pique of such a heroine. Srlpada, in his kinkari-form, is engaged
in Svaminl's service, following Her like Her shadow. When SvaminI is sad Her maidservants
are sad, and when SvaminI is happy they are happy, for they have no separate desires from
SvaminI. 3yamasundara helplessly takes shelter of this maidservant, and appeals to her with
folded hands and flattering words. Blessed are these maidservants! The greatest mystics, gods
and devotees pray to Lord Kr$na for His audience, without attaining it, but this selfsame Kr$na
prays to Radha’s maidservants for Her audience: "I am praying for the mercy-festival of your
mistress, but that depends on your mercy! Please make me qualified to receive Her mercy!"
The maidservant sees the Culprit standing before her with folded hands, and tells Him: "Your
offense is not small! How many obstacles our tender princess Radhika did not have to
overcome to meet You here in this trystingplace?! How miserably She has spent the night here,
all alone?! And a womanizer like You cannot understand the pain She feels when You go to
some other girl's arbour, and come to Her only the next morning to strew salt in Her wounds
by showing Her the lovemarks of another girl on Your limbs? Go! We don't want to see You
here anymore!" Sri Kr$na then says: "Who else but you can bring Me to Her? Who shall I turn
to when you let Me down?" The maidservant replies: "Your offense was very grave, and I want
You to suffer for it! Go and suffer for Your deeds! I cannot pray to SvaminI for Your sake!"
Then, in order to please the maidservant, Kr$na pitifully prays to her in so many ways. Seeing
Kr$na's eagerness, the maidservant says: "Allright, if You are so pathetic, I will try to do
something for You. But never do it again! Will You always remember how much You suffered
this time?" Nagara answers with folded hands: “Surely I will remember! Please go to your
SvaminI and try to please Her for My sake! I will never commit such an offense again!" The
maidservant says: "I don’t believe You! You're such a liar and womanizer! When the tender
golden body of my SvaminI must unite with You, it will burn to ashes! I should protect Her
from associating with people like You!" These chastisements of the maidservants give Krsna
inconceivable happiness. Sri Kr$na, Who is an ocean of love and a mine of jewellike qualities,
is always eager to relish the sweet nectar of £fi Radhika's mana, and the maidservant helps by
chastising Him like this. The maidservant consoles Syama by saying: "Sit down here for a
while, I’m going in first to see what I can do!" She approaches Srlmatl and sees that Her pique
has cooled off somewhat. SvaminI breathes deeply, so the maidservant thinks: "I think that if I
start glorifying Syamasundara’s sweet attributes a little bit now, She will give up Her pique."
Then she says out loud: "O Vrsabhanu-nandini! I know that You are angry, but over there
Vrndatavi's Cupid is so eager for Your mercy that He considers the whole world to be void!"
The maidservant wisely does not pronounce Kona's name, but simply calls Him ’Vmdavana's
Cupid', so that SvaminI will remember all of His attractive attributes, like His fluteplaying, His
S o la Prabodh*5nanda Saras vatl 211
sweetness and His beauty, and She will understand that it is useless to maintain Her pique. She
realizes that if She does not become pleased now, She will feel sorry for it later, and She will
have to send a dull to search for Krsna again. The maidservant understands, by looking at
Svaminl's face, that it is a good time now to bring Nagara before Her lotusfeet. If He will fall
at Her feet now and beg for forgiveness, then She will give up Her pique. The maidservant
thus returns to Nagara and tells Him: "Look, I think that Her pique has come down somewhat.
If You go to Her now and beg for forgiveness You can get Her mercy!" By saying this, the
maidservant creates a wave of rasa in Nagara’s heart. With great passion Syama Nagara stares
at Svaminl’s lotusfeet. ManinI sits' down in a pensive mood, holding Her lowered head in Her
left hand. Her feet are moistened by sweatdrops that look like drops of honey trickling from a
lotusflower. Seeing Syama Nagara’s passionate glance, the maidservant thinks: "It is as if
Krsna’s passion trickles from these lotusfeet like honeydrops in the form of these sweatdrops!"
This is why she says: sandrananda ghandnurdga laharT nisyanda padambuja dvandve
"Streams of deep passion flow from Her lotusfeet". Now SySma falls at these long-cherished
lotusfeet and begs for forgiveness. Sfimatl gives up Her pique and from this proceeds a new
meeting for the divine Couple, which is hot and sweet at the same time, like boiling sugarcane
juice.
he srT kr§na pranayini\ vrsabhanu rajanandini,

tomara prasada rnahotsava
Idlasdya catu vakye, stud kore kinkarike,
vrajera kandarpa srT madhava
"O Princess of Vr$abhanu! O beloved of Sri Kr$na! In order to get the great festival of
Your mercy, Vraja’s Cupid Sri Madhava flatters Your maidservant with praises!"
he srT radhe! ghanananda, anuraga rasa ranga,

tarahga nisyartdi padambuja
prabodhanandete bhane, prati dina pradakjine,
bando mui srf pada pahkaja
"O Sri Radhe! Intense bliss and passionate rasika pastimes are flowing like waves from
Your lotusfeet! Prabodhananda says: "I praise Your divine lotusfeet and circumambulate them
every day!"
VERSE 95:
YAJ JAP AH SAKRDEVA GOKULAPA TER AKAR$AKAS TAT K?AN AD

YA TRA PREMA VA TAM SAMASTA PURU?ARTHE$U SPHURET TUCCHA TA
YAN NAMANKITA MANTRA JAPAN A PARAH PRITYA SVAYAM MADHAVAH
SR l KR$NO‘PI TAD ADBHUTAM SPHURATU ME RADHETIVARNA-DVAYAM
yat - whose; jap ah - repetition; sakrt - once; eva - only; gokula pateh - of the Lord of Gokula;
akarsakah - attracter; tat ksanat - immediately; yaira - wherever; premavatdrii - full of love; samasta -
all; purusdrthesu - in all goals of life; sphuret - is revealed; tucchatd - insignificance; yat - whose;
narna - name; afikita - marked; mantra - formula; japana - repetition; parah - other; prityd - with love;
212 £ri-$ri Radha Rasa Sudhaniclhi
svayam - Himself; madhava - Lord Vi$nu; M krstia api - even $n Kr$na; tat - that; adbhutam -
wonderful; sphuratu - let it be revealed; me - to me; radha iti - known as Radha; vama - syllables;
dvayam - couple.
May the two wonderful syllables ’Ra-dha', that immediately attract the Lord of
Gokula (Sri Kr$na) after even one single utterance, th at makes all goals of hum an life
seem futile when love is developed for it, and th a t m ark the mantra that is lovingly
repeated by Lord M adhava (Vi$nu) and even by S n Kr$na, become manifest to me!
GLORIFICATION OF RADHA'S NAME:
Commentary: In the following three verses Srlpada, in external consciousness, praises

the holy name of §rl Radha, which makes all the four goals of human life seem trifle.
Religiosity leads to finincial gain, financial gain leads to sense enjoyment and sense enjoyment
leads (through frustration) to liberation. All these goals are selfish purposes, but loving
devotion to Kr$na is the selfless, fifth goal of human life. Beyond that (in the dimension of
rasa) is the service of 3fl Radha. The great dedryas have preferred that even over the service of
3rl Kr$na (see Vilapa Kusumanjali, verse 102, and Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi, verse 80 and
elsewhere). The Brahma Vaivarta Puraiia relates how Sri Kr$na is at once attracted by a single
utterance of Radha’s holy name: ra sabdoccarandd evq sphTfo bhavati madhavah dhd
sabdoccarata patiedd dhavaty eva sasambhramah "When Madhava only hears the syllable 'Ra’,
He immediately becomes happy, and when He hears the syllable 'Dha', He eagerly runs after
Her (or after the pronouncer of the syllable, to reward him)." 3flpada then says yan namankita
mantra jdpatia parah prltya svayam madhavah srf kr$no'pi "Not only Madhava (Lord
Narayana of Vaikuntha) but even £rl Kr$na Himself (who is Narayana's arim, or origin) chants
these syllables 'Ra-dha' with great love!" 3rl Kr$na is called ‘the origin of Lord Vi$nu' because
of His unrivalled sweetness. The girls of Mathura praised Him for this in £rTmad BhSgavata
(10.44.13): gopyas tapah kim acaran yad amu$ya riipam lavanya saram asamordhvam ananya
siddham "O Friends! What austerities did the gopTs perform that they could always see the
form of Kr$na, which is unrivalled in sweetness, and which is the essence of beauty?" The
word asamordhva {asarna + urdhva) in this verse means: no form is equal to or greater than
Krona's, and ananya siddha means ’exclusively perfect’, or 'most perfect’. These words clearly
indicate that Kr$na's form is superior in beauty to that of Lord Visnu. It is written with golden
letters in Sflmad Bhagavata that Krona’s form enchanted even Lord Vi$nu (Canto Ten, chapter
89) and His consort, Goddess Lak$mi (Canto Ten, chapter 16 and 47).
For Gopfda’s welfare, His father and mother had Him initiated in Narayana-mantra by
Bhaguri Muni, and after He is bathed and dressed in the morning, they tell Him to go to the
templeroom of Lord Narayana to practise His mantra there. But when Krsna goes to the
temple, He thinks to Himself: ama hoite anandita hoy tribhuvana; amdke dnanda dibe aiche
kon jana?. dmd hoite ydra hoy sata fata guna; sei jana ahlddite pare ttwra mon. dma hoite
gum bo(Io jagate asambhava, ekdli radhdte taha kori anubhava (Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi Ilia
chapter four) "All the three worlds are ecstatic because of Me, but is there anyone who can
make Me happy? Only someone who is a hundred times more qualified than Me, can make Me
happy. It is impossible for anyone in this world to be more qualified than Me. Only in Radha I
experience that." That is why He chants the mantra which is marked by RadhS's holy name in
topmost loving ecstasy. Srlpada says: "Let that wonderful holy name of Radha be manifest on
my tongue." The holy name is self-manifest, and a person who chants it with a service-attitude
£rfla Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 213
will see Kr$na directly and spiritually. 3nla Rupa GosvamI teaches in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu
(1.2.234): atah sri krsna namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih; sevonmukhe hi jihvddau
svayam eva sphuraty adah "The holy names, forms, qualities etc. of Sri Krsna cannot be
grasped through the material senses, but when one serves Him with a service-attitude, starting
with the tongue, they will be automatically manifest."
radhd ei du 'ti vama, rasamrta paripurna,

jagajana dhladaka ndma
gokula patira maria, name kore akarsana,
sumadhura rasdyana dhama
"The two syllables of Radha’s name are filled with sweet nectarean rasa. They give
bliss to all the people of the world, and attract the Lord of Gokula."
>
japite japite radha, ndma mahd mantra sadd,

name kore premera udoy
purusdrtha yoto hoy, apadartha mone loy
radhd ndma heno madhumoy
"When one always repeats the mantra with the holy name of Radha, one will certainly
attain love for Her. The name of Radha is so full of honey, that it makes the four goals of life
seem insignificant."
radha ndmdhkita mantra, mantra cu<jdmani tantra,

japa kore prTte SrT madhava
prabodhanandate bhane, sphurti hauk mora inone,
radha ndma paratna sampad
"The mantra which is marked with the name of S n Radha is the crownjewel of all
mantras, and Sri Madhava repeats it for Himself with love. Prabodhananda says: "May that
name be manifest in my mind. The name of Radha is the greatest treasure."
VERSE 96:
KALINDl TAJA KUNJA MANDIRA GATO YOGINDRA VAD YAT RADA

JYOTIR DHYANA PARA# SADA JAP ATI YAM PREMASRU PURNO HAIUH
KENAPYADBHUTAM ULLASAD RATI RASAN AN DEN A SAMMOHITAH
SA RADHETI SADA IIRDISPHURATU ME VIDYA PARA DVYAK$ARA
kdlindT - the Yamuna; tala - the bank; kufija - arbour, tnandira - temple; gatah - gone; yogi -
mystic; indra - king; vat - like; yat - whose; pada - feet; jyolih - light; dhydna - meditation; parah -
supreme; sadd - always; japati - repeatedly mutters; yarii - whose; prema - love; a$ru - tears; puma -
full; hari - Hari; kena - by whom; api - even; adbliutam - wonderful; ullasad - joyful; rati - love; rasa -
flavour; dnandena - with joy; sammohitah - enchanted; sd - She; radhd iti - named Radha; sadd -
always; hrdi - in the heart; sphuratu - may be manifest; me - to me; vidyd - power; para - supreme; dvi-
- two; aksard - syllables
214 £ri-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
M ay the two suprem ely astonishing, blissful, rasika, erotic an d enchanting

syllables ’Ra-dha*, that fulfill all desires, that are m uttered by S n H ari W ho sits in a
bow erhouse on the bank o f the Yam una as the king o f yogis, m editating on the effulgence
o f H er lotusfeet with eyes filled with tears o f love, always be m anifest in m y heart!
SR I RADHA'S W ISHYIELDING H O LY NAME:
Commentary: Because the holy name is non-different from its bearer, the name of
Radha also contains all of Her personal sweetness. Indeed, even $fl Krsna, Who is sweetness
personified, mutters this holy name with the greatest love in a secret bowerhouse on the bank
of the Yamuna, meditating like the king of yogis on the light shining from Her divine lotusfeet.
TimirabhisSrika Sri -Radha. Tender Radhika rushes out at night to meet Krsna,
overcoming all possible obstacles, just to come to see Him in a trysting-arbour. Srlpada, in his
kinkarl-form, follows Her like Her shadow. The forest of Vmdavana is so dark at night, being
also covered by overhanging trees and vines, that a person cannot even see his own stretched-
out hand, but the most tender princess, Sri Radhika, considers this darkness to be a great
advantage for Her secret tryst. All obstacles take shelter at Anurdgints (passionate Radha's)
lotusfeet.
When Srlmatl arrives at the trystingplace She sees that Syamasundara has still not
arrived, and She becomes very upset. The maidservant understands this and goes out to search
for Syama. It is so dark in the forest that Kr$na could not find the trystingplace, and He sits
down in another kunja nearby. The maidservant finds Nagara in that arbour on the bank of the
Yamuna, meditating on the aura of Radha's toenails. By RadhSram’s grace, the maidservant
knows what is going on in Kr$na's mind. Nagara first of all thinks: "Aha! How can My tender
Radhika come over this dark forestpath all alone?", but then He remembers the bright light that
shines from Her toenails, and He thinks: "Surely She can proceed when the moonrays shining
from Her toenails are lighting up the way for Her!" as soon as Rasaraja (Kr$na, the king of
relishers) remembers the effulgence of Premamayl's toenails, He becomes absorbed in its
sweetness, like a great yogi absorbed in samadhi. Just as the great yogis sit in a solitary
mountaincave to meditate on the supreme brahman-lighu so also Sri Kr$na, Who is the
Supreme brahman Himself, meditates on the effulgent toenails of Sri Radha. Even the
worshipable truth of the greatest yogis is absorbed in worshipping prema, personified by Sri
Radha. Although the greatest mystics want to attain liberation by meditating on His bodily
luster, He Himself meditates on the effulgence of R&dhika's lotusfeet to become liberated from
His lusty feelings. Just as the cave-like hearts of the great yogis are illuminated by the
brahtnajyotiy the cave-like heart of Sri Kr$na, Who is brahman personified, is illuminated by
the light emanating from Sri Radha's lotusfeet. The brahmajyoti of the yogis is formless and
devoid of attributes, but the light that is worshiped by the Supreme brahman Sn Krsna has
forms and attributes, and plays innumerable sweet pastimes. While He meditates on the light
shining from Her lotusfeet, Kr$na repeatedly mutters Her sweet holy name 'Radha', while the
hairs on His body stand on end of ecstasy, and a stream of loving tears flows from His eyes.
Premamaya Kr§na is gladdened by rati rasdnanda (the delicious ecstasy of love) when He
meditates on the light shining from Sri Radha's feet and He chants Her sweet name, and He
becomes totally enchanted. The maidservant is so happy to see Madhava thus meditating on
Her SvaminI's lotusfeet and chanting Her holy name, that she loses herself in topmost ecstasy,
and thinks: "I should show this once to my Svamiril!" Quickly she runs back to SvaminI and
says "Ogo! That crownjewel of heroes, for Whom You are so eagerly waiting, is sitting in a
5rfla Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 215
nearby kunja, meditating on the light emanating from Your toenails and repeatedly chanting
Your holy name!"
There is also another reading of the words rati rasanande sammohitd. When SvaminT
hears the words of Her maidservant, She also becomes enchanted by the delicious ecstasy of
love* She had already given up hope for meeting Krsna that night, and Her heart had become
dark like the new moon night of despair. Now She suddenly hears from Her maidservant that
Madhava is sitting in a nearby kunja, meditating on Her in a favorable mood, so She also
becomes enchanted by rati rasananda. After all, Her madana mahd bhava causes Her to
become happy even if lethal obstacles are standing in Her way to meeting Kr$na. The
maidservant speaks sweet words about Kr$na to revive Her SvaminT, and brings Her to the
kunja where Her Nagara is staying. There 3rimatl sees Nagara immersed in meditation, a
stream of sweet nectarean Radha-nama flowing from His lotuslike mouth. Seeing this sweet
situation, SvaminT becomes immersed in the ecstasy of rati rasananda, and Her hairs are
standing on end. With a sweet voice, the maidservant says: "O YogTraja! Open Your eyes and
see! The treasure of Your sadhand has come before You! Be blessed by enjoying the fruits of
Your sadhandl The powerful name of Radha has attracted the deity Radha to come here
personally, and the lotusfeet You meditated on have come before You! Bless Your eyes by
beholding their sweetness directly!" Hearing the words of the maidservant, the king of yogis
slowly opens His eyes and becomes filled with rati rasananda by seeing the deity of His
meditation before His very eyes. The maidservant relishes the sweetness of the divine Couple,
and when this vision disappears, SrTpada humbly prays: "May these two para v/Jya-syllables
’Ra-dha' be manifest in my heart!" vidyate sarva katnaptis tasmat vidyd para matd: "She by
Whom all desires are fulfilled, is called para vidyd" In this transcendental vision the
maidservant has personally experienced how the chanting, of $rl Radhika’s holy names fulfills
ail desires. By the power of the japa of Radhika's holy names, and meditation on Her lotusfeet,
SyHmasundara has attained His long-desired goddess. £fi Radha's service is the most cherished
treasure of Her maidservants, therefore 3 rip ad a says: "May these two para vidyd syllables ‘Ra-
dha' always be manifest in my heart!"
sukhada kalindi tire, keli-kunja abhyantare,

ratana mandire diva rati
radhapada jyoti sudhd, dhyana kore hari sadd
nirajane yogindra yemati
"In a blissful playbower on the bank of the Yamuna, in a jewelled temple, Hari
meditates in solitude on the nectarean light that emanates from Radha's feet, day and night, just
like the king of yogis."
ati adabhuta rati, rasera dnande mati
viniohitd ye devi radhike
se radhara nama rupa, du 'akhdra aparupa,
jape §ydma premdsru pulake
"3yama's hairs stand on end of ecstasy, and tears of love flow from His eyes when He
repeats the two wonderful syllables that form the name of goddess Radhika, Who is enchanted
by a very wonderful rasika bliss of rati."
hari japa radha ndma, para vidyd rasadhdma,

madhura madhura sudhakara
bhanaye prabodhananda, sri ndrna paramdnanda,
216 Sri-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidtii
hrde sphurti hauk nirantara
“The name of Radha, that is even practised by Hari, is the wish-yielding abode of rasa
and an ever-so-sweet moon. Prabodhananda says: This holy name is full of ecstasy! Let it
always be manifest in my heart!"
VERSE 97:
DEVANAM ATHA UHAKTA MUKTA SUHftDAM ATYANTA DURAM CA YAT

PREMANANDA RASAM MAHA SUKHAKARAM COCCARITAM PREMATAJH
PREMNAKARNAYATE JAPATYATHA MUDA GAYATYATHALI$VAYAM
JALPA TYASRUMUKHO HARIS TAD AMRTAM RADHETI ME JIVAN AM
devdndrh - of the demigods; atha - and; bhakta - devotees; mukta - liberated; suhrdam - friends;
atyanta - very much; durarn - far; ca - and; yat - whose; prema - love; dnanda - bliss; rasarh - flavour;
maha - great; sukhakararh - making happy; ca - and; uccdritarii - pronouncing; prematah - love;
premnah - with love; dkamayaie - hearing; japati - muttering; atha - then; mudd - joyfully; gayati -
singing; atha - then; alisu - amongst the girlfriends; ayarii - this; jalpati - speaks; a$ru - tears; muklia -
face; harih - Hari; tad - that; amrtarii - nectar, radha iti - this Radha; me - my; JTvanam - life.
The nectarean name of S ri Radha, th at is rarely attained even by the demigods,

the regular devotees, the liberated souls and Kr$na's friends, th at is listened to and
lovingly repeated even by Lord Hari, th at is loudly sung by Him to H er girlfriends and
9
described by Him with tearfilled eyes, and that is the very form of prema, rasa and
dnanda, is my very life!
THE RARELY ATTAINED NECTAR OF SRI RADHA’S HOLY NAME:
Com m entary: When a devotee chants the holy name He can relish the forms,
attributes and pastimes of God also. The holy name of Sri Radha contains all Her divine love.
The lotusfeet of the holy name of Kr$na are worshiped by the jewels that shine on the heads of
all the Upani$ads, but even that same Kr$na is absorbed in relishing the sweetness of Sri
Radha's holy names! Such are the limitless glories of these holy names! Sripada became aware
of the greatness of the holy name by the mercy of that holy name, and in external
consciousness He says: "That nectarean holy name of Sri Radha is my very life! Just as the
body is useless without the soul, so the body of my bhajana is also lifeless without the holy
name of Radha. That holy name always keeps me alive! I'm suffering so much out of
separation from Sri Radha that I would die without chanting Her holy name!" There is nothing
more delicious in this world than nectar, but Sripada says: "Even the demigods, who enjoy this
nectar in heaven, are far removed from the nectar of Sri Radha's holy name". The demigods
cannot fully engage in God's worship because there is too much intoxicating enjoyment in their
celestial abodes. Those who desire liberation, or those who worship God in awe and reverence,
like Dhruva, Prahlada and king Ambarlsa, can also not taste this sweet nectar, what to speak of
S n la Prabodhfmanda Sarasvatl 217
the materialistic demigods. Only those who worship Radha and Kr$na in the sweet mood of the
Vraja-devotees can fully appreciate this nectar. Lord Siva told Narada Muni:
brahmddindm rnahdradfiyarii duratah sevate surah

tdm rddhikam yo bhajate devarse tam bhajeniahi
"O Devarsi Narada, I worship those who worship Sri Radhika, Who is served from a
distance by the demigods and who is most worshipable for Lord Brahma and others!"
Also Krsna’s cowherdboyfriends, like Mandalibhadra, Subhadra, and Vijaya are far
removed from the nectar of Sri Radha's holy name. Only Kr$na's most intimate friends, like
Subala and Madhumangala, are slightly aware of Sri Radhika's glories. Srlpada says mahd
sukhakaram coccaritam prematah: "One can attain ecstatic love of God by loudly chanting this
holy name", and one must be aware of offenses, that will bar a person from entering into such
ecstasy. Only an offenseless chanter can taste this nectar of the highest love, and thus become
blessed.
By the grace of Sri Radha's holy name another sweet pastime is revealed to Srlpada. He
sees Nagara sitting in a kunja, eagerly waiting for Srlmatl to arrive. When Srlmati arrives, She
wants to witness and test Krona's love for Her, so She goes to a nearby arbour and hides
Herself there, sending some of Her friends inside the kunja where Kr$na is waiting for Her.
Seeing the sakhTs, Kr§na eagerly asks them: "O Sakhis! Where is PriyajI?" The sakhTs reply:
"Syamasundara! Her superiors have forbidden Her to leave the house today." Syama says: "But
why do I smell Her bodily fragrance then? Tell Me the truth! She must be hiding in some
nearby grove, just to make fun of Me!" The sakhis reply: "Syama! Our clothes carry Radhika's
fragrance, because we're always close by Her! We tell You the truth: Today She really couldn't
come along with us!" When N5gara hears these words He becomes very upset and says: "Tell
Me, how can I still meet Her?" The sakhTs then advise Him: "Look, just stay here for some
time, and be fixed in chanting Her honeysweet name, and She will surely show up, being
attracted to Your chanting!" On the sakhTs' advise, Syama lovingly starts to chant Radha's holy
name, but after some time He asks them: "O sakhTs! I've chanted for so long now, but still
Your friend didn't show up!" The sakhTs reply: "Look, along with the chanting You should
also do some hearing! We will chant the holy name of Radha, and You listen!" premnd
akarnayate: The sakhTs are chanting Radha’s name, and Syama is listening with love and
attention. Becoming more and more attracted to Radha by this practise of hearing, Syama says:
"O sakhTs\ Now I have also listened to the holy name of Sri Radha, but still She has not shown
up yet!" One sakhT then jokingly replies: "Look Syamasundara! I think that You’re committing
offenses to the chanting of the holy name, and that’s why You don't get any result! Have You
maybe gone to CandravaH’s grove today?" Sitting aside in hiding, and hearing Her friends’
jokes, SvaminI laughs. Snpada, in his kinkarT-form, sticks to Her like Her shadow and floats in
oceans of bliss. The sakhTs now tell Kr$na: "Look, just clap Your hands and chant the holy
name out loud. Then You will get rid of Your offenses, and the holy name will be pleased with
You!" Then NSgararaja in great loving ecstasy, and with tearfilled eyes, joins the sakhTs in
ecstatic Radha nama sankTrtana. Seeing the ecstasy, Srlmatl can no longer stay in hiding, so
She enters the kunja and blesses Nagara with Her audience. "This holy name of Sri Radha",
says Srlpada, "is my very life!”
ki amrta radha nama, madhura madhura dhama,

sarvdnanda sukhera avadhi
ei nama cintamani, paramrta sikharinT,
devera durlabha rasa nidhi
218 Sri-£rl Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
"How sweet is Radha-nama! It is the abode of all sweetness, and the limit of all
transcendental bliss! The Cintamani-jewel of the holy name is a most nectarean beverage, an
ocean of rasa which is rarely attained even by the demigods!"
bhukti mukti karnu jnanT> yoteko sadhaka sreni,

santa citta sad antah karana
ta sabay namamrta, bahit dure avasthita,
nikunjera nigudha ratana
"The nectar of Radha's holy name, which is the secret jewel from the bushes of
Vrndavana, remains far away from all the peaceful-minded and saintly sadhakas, like the
jndm s and kartnls that desire liberation and enjoyment."
sumadhura radha nama, rasandya avirdma,

preme yadi uccdrita hoy
mahd sukhakara premay lakho bdna yeno hetna,
rasananda hoyto udoy
"If the tongue constantly vibrates this very sweet name of Radha loudly and with love,
one will get a rasika ecstasy which is as pure as gold molten a hundred thousand times."
nijdnande nanda suta, ei radha namamrta,

prema riire korena sravana
giridharf gopi sane> rddha nama uccdrane,
nrtya kore koriyd klrtana
"Nanda’s son hears this nectarean name of RadhE while His eyes are filled with tears of
love. Together with the gopis, Giridhan loudly chants the holy name of Radha, and dances
along with It"
vadanete 'radhe r a d h e v i n o d a nagara jape,
, sydma ahge premera vikdra
prabodhdnandete koy, ananta mahimamoy,
radha nama jlvdtu dmra
"When Nagara blissfully chants 'Radhe, Radhe!', transformations of ecstatic love

appear on His limbs. Prabodhananda says: This limitlessly glorious name of Radha is my very
life!"
i VERSE 98:
YA VARADHAYAT1PRIYAM VRAJAMAN1MFRAUDHANURAGOTSAVAIII
SAMSIDHYANTI YAD ASRAYENA HIPARAM GOVINDA SAKHYUTSUKAH
YATSIDDHIH PARAMA PADAIKA RASAVATYARADHANAM TE NU SA
S ill RADHA &RUTI MAUL! &EKHARA LATA NAMNI MAMA PRIYATAM
yd - who; vd - or; arddhayati - worships; priyam - beloved; vraja manirii - the jewel of Vraja;
praudha - great; anurdga - constant passion; utsavaih - with festivals; sariisidhyanti - perfection; yad -
SrUa Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 219
whose; asrayena - by taking shelter; hi - certainly; param - supreme; govinda sakhi - girlfriend of
Govinda; utsukdh - eager; yat - what; siddhih - perfection; paramd - greatest; pada - position; eka -
one; rasavati - vessel of flavour (fem.); drddhanarh - worship; le - they; mi - whether; sa - she; 4rT
radha - Sri Radha; Sruti - Upanisads; mauli tekhara - crown; lata - vine; ndmm - named; mama - my;
prTyatdm - establish love.
W hen will that vine named S ri Radha, th at adorns the crest of the Upanisads, that
always serves Her beloved Vrajamani (Kr$na) with festivals of great constant passion,
whose girlfriends are very eager to take H er shelter so th at they may become Govinda's
girlfriends, who is the only Rasavati (rom antic am orous girl), and whose worship is the
attainm ent of the highest perfection, give me H er love?
SRI RADHA, THE VINE THAT CROWNS THE UPANI§ADS;
Commentary: Sri Radha is called yd aradhayati, She who worships Krsna, in the
beginning of this verse, and this is indeed the meaning of the name Radha. The verbal root
radh means to worship, and in this way Radharanfs name is mentioned in Srimad Bhagavata
(10.30.28):
anaydradhiio nunarh bhagavdn harir Isvarah
yan no vihdya govindah prlto yam anayad rahah
The gopTs told eachother: "Lord Hari was worshiped (dradhita) by Her, that's why
Govinda left us all and lovingly took Her to a lonely place." She's the greatest worshiper of
Krsna, and thus She has the greatest control over Him (Vai$nava To$anI) The word priyatama
means: priyatama eva varamyo bhavati "Without being beloved, there can be no astonishment
in one’s worship." When the Priyatama (beloved) is also unrivalled in sweetness and beauty,
and the heart of the lover (Radha) is filled with the pinnacle of love, then that worship is no
doubt the most astonishing, that is easily understood. This is why Sripada calls Kr$na "priyam
vrajamanimr the beloved jewel of Vraja" here.
Then Sripada says sanisidhyanti yad asrayena hi parath govinda sakhyutsukdh "Those
who are eager to reach perfection by becoming Govinda’s girlfriends take shelter of 3rl
Radha". Srila Rupa GosvamI writes in 'Ujjvala Nllamani (sakhi 60)’:
vayam idam anubhuya Siksayamdh kuru cature saha radhayaiva sakhyam

priya sahacari yatra bddham antar bhavati hari pranaya pramoda lakfmTh
Mani Manjarl taught one neophyte sakhi: "O Clever girl! We have personally
experienced this, therefore we are instructing you as follows: Make friends with Sri Radha! If
you think to yourself: "What's the use of making friends with Sri Radha instead of with Hari?
She also desires Him, just like we do!", then listen, I'll tell you: When you have established a
deeply loving relationship with Sri R5dha, then the treasure of love for Hari will come to you
automatically!" Sri ViSvanatha Cakravartlpada comments on this verse as follows: "Mani
Manjarl means to say that if you have a perfect friendship with Sri Radha, then Sri Krsna will
think: "Oh, she's the friend of My beloved girlfriend’, and will love you even more than
otherwise. Sri Krsna will make friends with you to get His beloved Sri Radha, Who is more
difficult to get because of Her proud nature and the obstructions to caused by Her superiors.
Therefore, you will easily become Krsna's girlfriends by making friends with Sri Radha!” This
line can also mean: "By taking shelter of Sri Radha you can easily become a male friend of
20 SrI-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
jovinda, like Subala and so. By RadharanTs grace the priya narma sakhds (Krona's dcarmost
:owherdboyfriends) have become eligible to perform many different services to Krsna during
-lis amorous sports with Her and/or oilier gopis.
Then Srlpada says: yat siddhih paramd padaika rasavatyaradhanam te "She Whose
worship is delicious, bestows the highest perfection." That perfection is manjari bhava. The
experienced devotees know how delicious is that mood of: ”1 am Radha's maidservant", and
that it is much more delicious even than the service of Govinda. The word eka indicates that
manjari bhava is the highest perfection.
Srlpada then wonders: "When will Sn Radha, Who is like a vine crowning the
Upanisads, ever establish a loving relationship with me?" The Gopala Tapani Upani$ad calls
Radha ’Gandharva' and the Rk Veda Pari$i$ta calls Her ’Radhika'. Her secrecy is proven by the
fact that Her name is practically absent in the Vedas. The Upanisads are blessed by carrying
the truth about Sri Radha on their heads. In the Vamana Purana it is seen that some of the
m
presiding gods of the Upanisads desired to serve Kr$na in the mood of the gopis, and prayed
for this to Sri Krsna's lotusfeet:
kandarpa koti lavanye tvayi drste manariisi nah

kaminl bhdvam dsadya smara k$ubdhdny asat)i£ayah
yathd tal loka vasinyah kdma tattvena gopikdh
bhajanti ramanarh matvd ciklrsajani nas tathd
"O Lord! Seeing Your form, which is more beautiful than millions of Cupids, we have
become agitated like lusty girls! We want to worship You in exactly the same loving way as
the gopis have done, knowing You to be our lover." Hearing the Upanisads' prayers, Sri Krsna
replied:
durlabho durghalai caiva yusmdkani sumanorathah
maydnumoditah samyak satyo bhavitum arhati
"Your desires are very ambitious and are rarely fulfilled by Me, but I have agreed, so
they will come true." Following Krona’s permission, some of the gods that preside over the
Upanisads took birth as gopis in Vraja and were blessed by attaining Sri Kr$na's personal
service there. Srlla Rupa GosvamI confirms this in 'Ujjvala Nilamani (Krsna Vallabha - 30)':
4
samantdt suk$ma dartinyo mahopani§add'kJiildh

gopuidih vlfqya saubhagyam asamordhvarh stmsmitdh
taparhsi Sraddhayd krtvd premadhya jajnire vraje
vallavya iti pauranl tathopani$adIprathd
"The highly intelligent Upanisads were amazed when they saw the unrivalled beauty of
the gopis, so they faithfully performed penance, after which they took birth in Vraja as gopis.
This is described by the Puranas and the Upanisads." The Upanisads thus attained perfection
by following in the footsteps of the gopis, and therefore Sn Radha is called ’the vine that
crowns all the Upanisads' here. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Venkata Bhatta in Rahgaksetra
(C.C. Madhya 9):
tiruti sab goplganera anugala hoiya; vrajetivarf suta bhaje goplbhdva loiyd
vyuhdntare gopl deha vraje yabe pdilo; sei dehe krsna sange rasa krlda koilo
"The Upanisads followed in the footsteps of the gopis while they worshiped the prince
of Vraja. Later, they took birth as gopis in Vraja and could dance the Rasa with Krsna there."
S o la Prabodhanatida SarasvatJ 221
SrTpada wonders: "When will Sri R5dha establish a loving relationship with me?" In other
words, when will She give me the maidservice of Her lotusfeet?"
VERSE 99:
GA TRE KOTI TADICCHABIPRA VITA TANANDA CCHAB1 SRI MUKHE

BIMBOSJHE NAVA VIDRUMA CCHABI RARE SAMPALLA VAIKA CCHABI
HEMAMBORUHA KUJMALA CCHABI KUCA DVANDVE'RA VINDEK$ANAM
VANDE TAN NAVA KUNJA KELIMADHURAM RADHABHIDHANAM MAH AH
gdtre - in the body; koti - millions; tadit - lightning; cchabi - splendour; pravitatd - extending;
dnanda - bliss; cchabi - splendour; §ri mukhe - beautiful faced girl; bimba - cherry; o$(he - lips; nava -
fresh; vidruma - coral; cchabi - splendour; hare - hands; sampallava - leaves; eka - one; cchabi -
splendour; herna - golden; amboruha - lotus; kutmala - bud; cchabi - splendour; kuca - breasts; dvandve
- couple; aravinda - lotus; Tksanarii - eyes; vande - praise; tat - Her; nava - new; kunja - grove; keli -
pastimes; madhurarii - sweet; rddha abhidhdnarii - named Radha; niahah - light.
I praise the sweetness of the new bowerpastimes of Sri Radha, whose body shines
like millions of iightningstrikes, whose beautiful face shines with ever-expanding ecstatic
bliss, whose Bimba-cherry-like lips shine like new coralstones, whose hands shine like
fresh twigs, whose breasts shine like the buds of golden lotusflowers and whose eyes shine
like blue lotusflowers!
SRI RADHA'S SWEET NEW BOWERPASTIMES:
Com m entary: Kunjabhisarika 3rl Radha passionately goes to meet Kr$na in an arbour,
and SrTpada, in his kinkarT-form, follows Her like Her shadow. Nagara is already eagerly
waiting in the arbour for Radha to arrive, so eagerly that His heart blooms up of joy when He
hears dry leaves falling from the trees, thinking that they are Her footsteps. Suddenly
Radhika's bodily splendour illuminates the kunja and fills the whole of Vrndavana with a
golden light Syamasundara‘s nose is maddened by Her bodily fragrance, His eyes are pleased
by the golden aura of Her divine body, and His ears are gladdened by the sweet sounds of Her
anklebells and waistbells. Still, it is not external physical beauty that can stir the heart of the
Lord. Sri Kr$na Himself tells Garuda in ROpa Gosvami's 'Lalita Madhava'-play (act 5): sakhe
bhavatu kim etena yad e$a rupa matrena na haryo harih "O Friend! She (RukminI) may be as
beautiful as you say, there's no more need to continue your description! Hari's heart cannot be
stolen simply with physical beauty!" It is only the love that comes along with the beauty that
can capture Hari. Sff Radliika has the greatest love, so She can capture Krsna completely.
When Radhika arrives, Kr$na carefully takes Her inside the kunja, personally washes Her feet
and dries them off with His yellow dhoti. 3rimat! then seats Kr$na next to Her and says: "You
love Me so much? There are so many qualified girls waiting for You, and I'm so unqualified. I
cannot freely serve You, I have so many shortcomings!" While 3rimatl speaks like that, the
luster of millions of Iightningstrikes gushesout of Her body. Lightningstrikes normally give,
pain to the eyes, but the luster of Radhika's body is a sweet, transcendental, soothing light of
222 Sii-Sn Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
love. Only those who have tasted this sweetness by Her grace can understand this, others
cannot. Where is an insignificant living entity, and where is Radhika's topmost love?
Srlmatl asks Krsna: "Tell Me, what have You gotten from Me (that You love Me so
much?)" Syamasundara cannot answer that question, He lacks explanations. He is so
intoxicated by Her, that He simply stares at Her beautiful face with tearfilled eyes. He tries to
speak, but He remains speechless out of ecstasy. When Syama stares at SrimatTs beautiful face,
the beauty of Her face simply increases, therefore £ripada says pravitananda cchabi srT mukhe.
The maidservant enjoys the sweetness of that face through Syamasundara's savour. Srlmatl
touches speechless Syama’s chin and says: "Can’t You find any explanation?" When She says
that, the luster of Her Bimba-cherry lips becomes manifest. The maidservant thinks SvaminT's
lips look just like fresh coral. Her teeth are not visible while She smiles, only Her slightly
blooming lips can be seen, bimbosthe nava vidruma cchabi. This beauty blows Nagara’s mind.
With love Srlmatl wipes Nagara’s tear-drenched face with Her veil, and the maidservant sees
kare sat pallavaika cchabi "Her hands are as soft and splendid as Banyan-leaves". Because of
relishing Radhika's sweetness Syama Nagara becomes eager to enjoy with Her, and sweet
Radha serves Him with the different ingredients of niadana rasa. The maidservant then
relishes the sweet sight of Radhika's breasts, that shine like golden lotusbuds. Just as a teacher
punishes a pupil who forgets his lessons, Silmatl punishes £y5ma for forgetting His erotic
games by piercing Him with Her arrowlike glances. How beautiful and sweet are Her eyes,
they shine like blue Indlvara-lotuses! Srlpada says: '! praise the sweetness of Radha’s new
bowerpaslimes!"
VERSE 100:
MUKTA PANKTI PRATIMA DAYANA CARU BIMBADHARO?THI

MADHYE K$AMA NAVA NAVA RASAVARTA GAMBHlRA NABHIH
PINA SRONIS TARUNIMA SAMUNME$A LAVAtfYA SINDHUR
VAIDAGDHINAM KIM API HRDA YAM NAGARI PA TU RADHA
muktd - pearl; pahkti - row; pratima - form; daSana - teeth; cam - beautiful; bimba - cherry;
adharo$thI - lips; madhye - in the middle; ksdmd - thin; nava nava - ever-tfesh; rasa - flavour; dvarta -
whirlpool; gambhTra - deep; nabhi - navel; pma - big; ironi - buttocks; tarunima - youthfulncss;
samunmesa - fully opened; lavanya - elegance; sindhuh - ocean; vaidagdfundrii - of clever girls; kirn api
- indescribable; hrdayarii - the heart; ndgari - ladylove; patu - may protect; radha - Radha.
May SrT Radha, whose teeth shine like rows of pearls, who has beautiful lips th at
are as red as Bimba-cherries, who has a slender waist, who has a navel like a deep
whirlpool of everfresh rasa, who has big buttocks, whose adolescence is like a swelling
ocean of elegance, and who is the very life.of all clever ladyloves, protect us!
TH E JEW EL OF LADYLOVES, SRI RADIIA:
Commentary: After Their loveplay, Radha and Madhava sit on Their bed of flowers,
completely absorbed in the sweetness of Eachother's forms, qualities and pastimes, and
floating on the waves of a nectarean conversation. Srlpada, in his kinkarbioxm, is engaged in

fanning Them, Sri Radha is happy when Kr$na is happy, Kr$na is happy when Radhika is
happy, and the maidservants are happy when Radhika comes out as the greatest. How beautiful
is Her smile! Her teeth shine like a row of pearls! isat hasiya taranga hillole rnadana muracha
pay "Even Cupid faints because of the waves of Her slight smile!" The moonlight of Radhika's
teeth removes the darkness of despair in Syama's heart whenever She is angry with Him.
vadasi yadi kincid api dantaruci kaumudi dara timiram ati ghoram (Gita Govinda). How
beautiful are Her lips! The sweetness of Her splendid Bimbafruit-like lips is most desirable for
Syamasundara. Kr$na says: sphurad adhara sidhave tava vadana candrama rocayati locana
cakoram "The nectar oozing from the lips in Your moonlike face pleases My eyes, that are like
Cakora birds!" (Gita Govinda) (Cakora-birds subsist only on nectar oozing from the moon).
Syamasundara's savour is endless: koto caturanana, mori mori jaoio, na tuwa ddi avasana
"How many Brahmas are dying while I am still not finished with relishing Your sweetness!"
(Each Brahma lives for billions of years) These transcendental pastimes are timeless. In this
way the Rasa-/f/5 could continue for the duration of one night of Brahma (millions of years).
While Srlpada is aborbed in serving the divine Couple, Their girlfriends enter the arbour,
covering their mouths with their veils and giggling. Radhika’s clothes and ornaments are
dishevelled, so She shyly takes some distance from Syamasundara and covers Herself with Her
veil. While SrlmatT gets up from bed to take some distance from Krsna, the maidservant sees
how large Her sweet buttocks are and how slender Her sweet waist is. How many waves of
joking and laughter are coming up now on the ocean of Radhika’s blooming youthful beauty!
This shows that Radhika is the very life of all clever and artful ladyloves of Gokula. The
maidservants are very happy to see Her supremacy.
VERSE 101:
\
SNIGDHA KUNCITA NILAKESi VIDALAD BIMBO$THI CANDRANANE

KHELAT KHANJANA GANJANAK?!RUCIMANNA s A gr A MUKTAPHALE
PiNA-SRONI TANUDAR1STANATAJI VjtTTA CCHAJATYADBHUTE
S r i r a d h e b h u j a v a l u c a r u b a l a y e s v a m r u p a m a VI$KURU
snigdha - glossy; kuncita - curly; tula - blue; keti - girl with hair; vidalad - split; bimba -
cherry; otfhi - girl with lips; catidranane - girl with moonlike face; khelat - playing; khanjana -
wagtailbird; ganjana - defeating; aksT - eyes; rucimat - beautiful; nasdgra - tip of the nose; muktaphale
- girl with a pearl; pTna - big; §rotu - buttocks; taniidari - girl with a slender waist; stana - breasts; tail -
borders; vrtta - round; cchata - aura; ati - very; adbhute - wonderful girl; bhuja - arm; vallT - creeper;
earn - beautiful; balaye - girl with bangles; svarh - own; riiparii - form; aviskuru - please reveal.
O Sri Radhe with the glossy curly blue hair, the pierced Bimbafruit-like red lips,
the moonlike face, the eyes that defeat the playfulness of the wagtailbirds, the nice pearl
at the tip of the nose, the big buttocks, the wonderful round breasts and the beautiful
vine-like arms beautified by bangles! Please reveal Your beautiful form to me!
TEN NAMES OF SR! RADHA:

224 £ri-&il Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Commentary: &ripada prays to Sri Radhika to reveal Her form when She has
completed Her lovegame, saying snigdha kucita mlakesi "O girl with the curly, glossy, bluish-
blackish hair! How beautiful Your braid looks when Kr$na opens it during Your lovesports! It
looks much more beautiful than when it would be nicely braided!" The rasika devotees can
understand such statements, but for others the door to such realizations remains shut, Srila
Krsna dasa Kaviraja has said: jaihmyarh kese drsi taralatd nifthuratvarii kuce'syah vaheha
purtyai prabhavati sadamusya radhaiva ndnya (Govinda Lllamrta 11.122) "Her hairs are
crooked (curly), Her eyes are restless, and Her breasts are hard, for the sake of fulfilling all of
I-Iari's desires. No one else but Radha can fulfill these desires." Crookedness, restlessness and
hardness are generally considered to be faults, but because Radhika possesses such qualities at
strategic places, She alone manages to satisfy all of Hari's desires and make Him most happy.
Then 3 rip ad a says: he vidalad bimbosfhi\ "Your Bimbafruit-like lips are pierced". Just
as a bee pierces a red Bandhuka-flower to get the honey out of it, so Hari pierces 3ri RSdhika's
red lips with His teeth when He makes love with Her. The maidservants love to witness that
scene! he candranane! Sri Radha's face is generally compared to a spotless moon, but here it
must be understood to be a spotted moon. Why? £yamasundara thinks Her eyes are very
beautiful, and He kisses them, so that Her blackish eyeliner sticks on His lips. When &rlmati
sees this, She smiles. It is as if nectar trickles from that smile, and Syama drinks that nectar
with the cups of His lips, so that the eyeliner sticks on Radhika's cheek. In this way Radhika's
face looks like a stained moon, and this is why £ripada calls Her Candranane. In some special
pastimes, the rasika devotees can see how Snmatl's eyes defeat the fickleness of wagtailbirds,
how big Her buttocks are, how a pearl hangs from the tip of Her nose, and how slender Her
waist is. Since all this must be spiritually experienced and cannot be expressed with words,
£ rip ad a prays svam rupam dviskuru "Please reveal Your transcendental form to me!"
VERSE 102:
LAJJANTAHPAJAMARACAYYA RACITA SMAYA PRASUNANJALAU

RADHANGENAVA RANGA DHAMNILAUTA PRASTAVANE YAUVANE
SRONIHEMA VARASANE SMARA NRPENADHYA SITE MOHANAM
LILAPANGA V1CITRA TANDAVA KALA PANDITYAM UNMlLATI
• * • •
lajjd - bashfulness; antah patam - curtain; dracayya - extending; racita - made; srndya - smile;
prasfma - flower; anjalau - handful; rddhange - on Radha's body; nova - new; ranga - pastimes;
dhdmni - abode; lalila - lovely; prastdvane - in the beginning (of a play); yauvane - in youth; ironi -
buttocks; hema - golden; varasane - on a throne; smara - Cupid; nrpena - by the king; adhyasite -
sitting; molianarh - enchanting; Ula - pastimes; apanga - glances; viciira - wonderful; tandava - dance;
kola - art; pandityam - scholarship; unmUati - opens.
Sri Radha's glances show wonderful expertise in dancing to please the mind of
king Cupid, who sits on his royal golden throne, Her buttocks. She hangs a golden
curtain of bashfulness over the dancingstage of Her young body where She scattered
handfuls of flowers in the form of Her smile, and where She uses Her youthful charms as
an introduction (to Cupid's play).
Srfla Prabodhananda SarasvaU 225
SRI RADHA'S ARTFULLY DANCING GLANCES:
Commentary: Uttara go$tha (Sri Kr$na returns with His cows from the forest in the
afternoon). The beautiful girls of Vraja are very eager to see Kr$na coming by. Without seeing
Him they consider one moment to be like a million years, no words can describe how much
they suffer when they’re separated from Him. Sri Sanatana GosvamI writes in Brhad
BhSgavatamrta: "When Krsna returns to Vraja in the afternoon, the gopTs disregard all the
obstacles in their way and come running and stumbling towards Him as soon as they hear the
mooing of His cows and the sound of His flute. Some of the gopTs become stunned like trees,
some faint and fall to the ground, and others have to be dragged along by their girlfriends with
tearfilled eyes. The gopTs mount the moontower, a turret named the Candra&Uika, and show
RadharanI: "O sakhi, look! Here comes Nandanandana!" Krsna doesn't notice them, so
SvaminT stares at Him fully, soothing the pain of Her separation from Him in the daytime by
fully drinking the sweetness of His form with the cups of Her eyes. The sakhTs and manjarTs
relish this scene unhindered. Hundreds of beautiful gopTs worship Kr$na with the paraphernalia
of their eyes, but His eyes are wandering around like Cakora-birds, eager to enjoy the nectar
oozing from Her moonlike face. When Syama looks at Her SvaminT shyly covers Her face
with Her veil. In an enchanted mood Kr$na stares at Her big buttocks. The golden luster of
Radhika's buttocks, that are like Cupid's golden throne, comes streaming out through Her thin
blue s a r i Madana Mohana is enchanted! SvaminT turns away a little, and then looks once
more, a restless glance from the comers of Her wagtailbird-like eyes. The king of dancers of
Her roving glances performs a very artful, enchanting dance on the stage of Her youthful body,
on the order of king Cupid, who sits on the golden throne of Her buttocks. It is the custom that
the dancers comes on the stage from behind a curtain, and that curtain is RadhE's bashfulness,
that hangs over the stage of Her body. How sweet and beautiful is Her shy appearance! Srlmatl
is like bashfulness personified, strewing Her smile-like flowers over the stage of Her body, just
as flowers are strewn over the stage of an amphitheater at the beginning of a play. One may
ask: "What is the introduction (prastavana ) of this play?" To this SrlpEda answers: "The
prastavana is the loveliness of Radhika's youth." SrTIa Krsna DEsa KavirEja writes in Govinda
Lllamrta (19.92-93):
SrT rddhikdpdfiga vilohane$und sarhspr$ta marma sa yathakulo’bhavat

nanyangand Sreni kataksa patribhih sadibhinna sarvavayavo'py asau tathd
yadvat sunirvrtim avdpa sa rddhikdyd vaktrendu rtianda hasitamrta lefa sekdt
tadvan na gopa sudrfdrh vadanendu vrnda prodyat smitdmrta jhara prakardvagdhdt
"One of Sri Radhika's arrow-like glances could agitate Kr$na's heart more than all the
other gopTs' arrow-like glances together, and a single ray of Radhika's slightest nectarean
moonlike smile could give more pleasure to Krsna than a veritable stream of nectar-like smiles
oozing out from all the other fair-eyed gopTs' moonlike faces." SrT ViSvanatha CakravartTpada
writes in 'Kr$na Bhavanamrta (16.34)':
tato nispanddngam rasika mithunarii tat priya suhrd

gano varlmaprdntddi tarajana Sankakula manah
vikrsyardt tat tat pura saranim druya rabhasdt
prabuddharii pratyasdsita hrdam akarsTt patimabhih
"The rasika mithuna (romantic couple) became stunned and motionless, and Their
friends, afraid that outsiders would notice it, consoled Them, saying: "Tonight You will meet
Eachother again." (Krsna was consoled by friends like Subala and Radha by girlfriends like
226 Sn-Srl RSdha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Lalita and Vi&ikha). Srlpada, in his kinkarT-torm, sticks io SvaminI like Her shadow, his heart
absorbed in relishing the beauty of the glances Sri Radhika casts at Sri Kr$na.
VERSE 103:
SALAVANYA CAMATKRTIR NAVA VAYO RUPAM CA TAN MOHANAM

TAT TATKELIKALA VILASA LAHARlCATURYAM ASCARYA BHUIjl
NO KINCIT KRTAM EVA YATRA NA NUTIR NAGO NA VA SAMBHRAMO
RADHA MAD HA VA YOH SA KOTISAHAJAH PREMOTSAVAff PATU VAH
sa - She; Idvanya - beauty; camatkrtih - wonderful; nava - fresh; vayah - age; rupath - form; ca
- and; tat - that; mohanam - enchanting; tat tat keli - that play; kala - arts; vilasa - pastimes; laharT -
wave; caturyam - cleverness; dicarya - astonishment; bhuh - source; na - not; kincit - slightly; krtam -
difference; eva - only; yatra - where; na - not; nutih - obeisance; na - not; agali - offense; na - not; va -
or; sambhramah - reverence; radha mddhavayoh - of Radha and Madhava; sa - She; kdpi - anyone;
sahajah - natural; premotsavah - festival of love; pdtu - may protect; vah - you (plural).
May the unrivalled natural love-festival of Radha and Madhava, in which They
astonish Eachother with the beauty of Their young enchanting adolescent forms, that
carries waves of amazing cleverness in artful loveplay, and where there is not even the
slightest breach, reverence, offense, or awe, protect you all!
THE FESTIVAL OF RADHA AND MADHAVA S NATURAL LOVE:
Commentary: By praying for a benediction upon everyone in this verse, 3rlpada

shows how he melts with compassion for the people of the world, but at the same time He is
most blissfully absorbed in Radha-Madhava's prema rasa, £rlmat Jiva GosvamI has mentioned
that the mercy of a saint is the main cause of the attainment of the Lord, atha bhagavat krpaiva
tat sdmmukhya prdthamikarii kdratiam iti ca gauriant sa hi sadisara durantdnanta sanldpa
santaptesvapi tad vimukhe$u svatantra na pravartate, tad asambhavat,....... atah sat krpaivdvaîsyate.
santo’p i tadarurti yadyapi sathsara duhkair na spriyanta eva, tathapi labdha-jagardh svapna
duhkavattve kaddcit smareyur apTtyatas te$arii safhsarike'pi krpa bhavati yathd £rl ndradasya
nalakuvara manigrlvayolu.....tasmat yd krpa tasya satsur vartate, sd sat sahgavahanaiva va sat
krpdvdhanaiva va satT jlvdntare sariikramate na svatantreti sthitam (Bhakti Sandarbhah 180 Anu)
"Although the primary cause of the conditioned soul to turn towards Godhead is ihe mercy of
God Himself, this is still secondary. The main cause is the grace of the devotees. The pitiful
and humbly cries of the suffering conditioned souls, pierce the layers of mdyd and reach the
Lord, who is enjoying Himself with His innumerable associates in the spiritual sky, but they
cannot create a vibration of compassion in His heart The mercy of die Lord cannot reach them
independently, only the great saints can understand this. Although material miseries cannot
touch the heart of die great saint, dieir hearts still melt of compassion. Just as a person who has
awoken from a dream can still remember die false miseries felt in the dream, similarly the
great saint can understand what material miseries the conditioned souls go through, however
false they may be. Thus he showers his mercy on the condidoned souls, just as Sri Narada
bestowed his grace on Nalakuvara and Manigrlva. Thus the grace of the Lord diat causes them
5 n la Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 227
to turn to theLord resides in the great souls. This is infused into other living beings through the
media of association with the saint of the mercy of the saints, not independently."
This festival of love is natural. When they were sitting in front of Haridasa ThSkura's
cottage on the beach at Puri with 6rlman Mahaprabhu, Srlla Ramananda Raya asked StT Rupa
GosvamI what definition he gave of natural love. Rupa GosvamI then quoted his own play
’Vidagdha Madhava (Act V) to illustrate it:
stotrarii yaira tatasthatam prakatayac cittasya dhatte vyatharii

nindapi prarnadath prayacchati parihdsa Sriyam vibhrati
dosena ksayitdm gunena gurutdm kendpy andtanvati
premnah svdrasikasya kasyacid iyarh vikndati prakriyd
"When the lover is praised he reacts in a neutral way, but inside he feels pain. When he
is blasphemed he takes it as jokes and is very happy. Faults of the beloved do not diminish his
love and the beloved's qualities do not increase it. Such are the pastimes of natural love."
Radha and Madhava’s love is natural and has nothing to do with material sentiments, that are
merely transformations of sensual incitements. These are the loving pastimes of sac cid
ananda (Kr$na, transcendence personified) and maha bhava (Radha, the supreme love
personified), and Their attainment is the highest goal of life. Sfipada says in this text no kincit
krtam eva yatra. According to the MedinI Ko$a dictionary, the word krta means ’breach' (krtarii
tu ve$tite chinna). 5fila Ramananda Raya then asked 3rl Rupa GosvamI to show how there is
no breach in Radhika and Madhava's natural love, and £rl Rupa said:
frutva nisthuratdrh mamendu vadarid prematikurath bhindatT

svdjite Sdntidhurdtii vidhaya vidhure prdyah paranci$yali
kirii vd paniara kdma karniuka paritrastd vimoksyatyasun
ha maugdhyat phalim manoratha lata mrdvl mayonmulitd
9
(Vidagdha Madhava 2/59)
$n Kr$na, after ignoring Sri Radha in tine beginning of Their love, laments: "Alas! The
seed of moonfaced Radhika's love for Me may be broken after hearing about My cruelty (viz.
She may give up Her love for Me), and She may find peace in Her heart by rejecting Me.
Maybe She will even give up Her life out of fear of the terrible twanging of Cupid’s bow! O!
What a fool I was to uproot the tender creeper of Her desires!” From this verse it is understood
that, although Kr$na externally showed indifference towards Radhika, His love for Her was
unbroken. When Radhika heard from Her girlfriends that Kr$na rejected Her love, She
lamented as follows:
yasyotsaiiga sukhdSaya Sithilitd gurvi gurubhyas trapa
prdnebhyo'pi suhrttamah sakhi tathd yiiyarii parikleMtah
dhartnah so'pi niahan mayd na gatiitah sddhvJbhir adhyasita
dhig dhairyarii tad upeksitdpi yad aharii jivdmi pdpiyast
(Vidagdha Madhava 2/60)
"O sakhil Desiring Krsna's company, I gave up My shyness before My superiors, I gave
so much misery to You, My girlfriends, who are dearer to Me than life, and I gave up all moral
codes that are highly estimated by all the chaste women! Curses on My patience that I still
maintain this sinful life, although Kr$na rejects Me!” This example shows how Radhika's love
cannot be broken, although She was rejected by Krsna.
228 Sri-$rt Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Then &rip ad a says: yatra na nutih "In this love there are no respectful obeisances or
prayers offered." In the first quoted verse from Vidagdha Madhava it was already said that
honours are simply giving pain to the lover's heart. Therefore there are no respectful
obeisances wanted in natural love. In Caitanya Caritamrta (Antya 4) it is seen that Jagadananda
Pandita was chastised by Lord Caitanya for advising Sanatana Gosvami to go to Vrndavana,
and Sanatana Gosvami was praised. Sanatana Gosvami was hurt by these praises and told the
Lord:
suni paye dhari sanatana prabhuke kohilo; jagadanandera saubhdgya dji se jdnilo
dpandra daurbhdgyera aji hoilo jndna; jagate nahi jagadananda sama bhagyavdn
jagaddnande piydo dtmlyatd sudhddhdre; more piydo gaurava stud nimba nisindd sdre
djiho tidhilo more atnnyatd jndna; mora abhagya, tumi svatantra bhagavdn
"Hearing these words, Sanatana clasped the Lord's feet and said: 'Now I understand the
great fortune of Jagadananda. Now I know how unfortunate I am. No one in the world is as
fortunate as Jagadananda is. You are making Jagadananda drink the nectar of affectionate
relationhips, and You make me drink the bitter juice of honorable praises. Today I could again
not be accepted as one of Your intimate associates! How unfortunate I am! Anyhow, You are
the independent Lord!" This shows that reverential praises are absent in natural love, yatra
nago means in this natural love that there is no offense, or respect offered out of fear. Sri
PaurnamUsl devi tells Nandlmukhl in ’Ujjvala Nilamani (Sthayi 98)':
dhatte drag anupddhi janma vidhind kenapi nakampate

sute’tydhita sancayairapi rasarh te cen mitho lambhakah
rddhith sancinute camatkrtikaroddama pramodottardrii
rddhd mddhavayor ayarii nirupamah premanubandhotsavah
"O d e v i! The natural love of Radha and Madhava is free from all personal motivations
and is not instigated by any principles of duty. Although They may be afraid of Their superiors
and They may face different problems, this does not increase Their disturbance, rather it
increases Their savour of transcendental rasa and the ecstasy of Their astonishing festival of
love."
O Sripada! Now that we know what this festival of natural is not, tell us now what it is
then! 3ripada says: sa lavanya camatkrtir nova vayo rupam ca tan mohanam, "In this festival
Radha and Madhava enchant Eachother with Their natural beauty and with Their astonishing
forms and youthful age." To illustrate that, there is the following song which describes how
enchanted Sri Radhika was when She first dreamt of Kr$na’s enchanting form:
kaisora boyos koto vaidagadhi (ham; murati marakata abhinava kdma

prati atiga kon vidhi niramilo kise; dekhite dekhite koto amiyd borise
aruna adhara mrdu manda manda hdse; cancala nayana kone jatikula nd§e
dekhiyd vidare buka duti bhuru bhafigT; di ai kothd chilo se ndgara rangX
"How clever is His form when He attains adolescence! His emerald form resembles a
youthful Cupid! Which Brahma has created His different limbs? How much nectar is showered
over Me when I see it! His red lips are softly smiling and the comers of His restless eyes
destroy My moral principles! When I see His two knitted eyebrows My heart breaks! O
Mother! Where was this playful hero?"
This love festival is also tat tat keli kald vilasa laharf caturyam dscarya bhuh "wave
after wave of astonishing artful and clever love-pastimes". When this cleverness increases, the
hero and heroine even forget their own identities and become as if one. This prema vilasa
§rila Prabodhananda Saras vati 229
vivarta is one of the astonishing waves in this ocean of pastimes. Sfila Ramananda Raya
described this to Mahaprabhu, who covered his mouth out of great ecstasy:
eto kohi apana krta gita eka gdilo; preme prabhu sva haste tdra mukha acchadilo
tathd hi gTtam.
pahilei raga nayatia bhahga bhelo; anudina badhalo - avadhi nd gelo
nd so ramana nd ham ramani; duhuti mona manobhava petiala jdni
e sakhil se sob prerna kdhini; kanu thame kohobi bichuraho jdni
nd khonjalu/ii dull, nd khonjalum an; duhhu keri milane madhya to*pancabdna
ab sohi virago, tunhu bheli dutT; su purukiia premaki aichana riti
(C.C, Madhya 8)
"Saying this, Rama RSy sang a selfmade song, and out of love the Lord covered his
mouth with His own hand. "First attachment appeared through the gestures of Our eyes. This
attachment increased and found no lim it He is not the lover and I am not the lady love. I know
Our minds were squashed by Cupid. O Sakhi! This is all a love story. Tell this to Kr§na, I
know He has forgotten! No messenger searched for Us, nor did anybody else. Cupid was Our
mediator! Now during Our separation, you must be Our messenger. That's how it goes when
You fall in love with such a nice man."
$ripada says: "May the indescribable love festival of Radha and Madhava protect you!"
VERSE 104:
YE?AMPREK?AM VITARATINAVODARA GADHANURAGAN

MEGHA tYAM O MADHURA MADHURANANDA MORTIR MUKUNDAH
VRNDAfAVYAM SUMAHIMA CAM A TKARA KARINYAHO KIM
TANI PREK?E'DBHUTA RASA NIDHANANI RADHA PADANI
ye$arh - whose; preksarii - glance; vitarati - distributes; nava - new; uddra - generous; gadha -
deep; anurdga - passion; megha - cloud; &yamah - blue; madhura niadhura - ever-so-sweet; atianda -
bliss; murtih - form; mukunda - Kr$na; vniddtavydih - in Vrndavana; sumahimd - greatness; camatkdra
- astonishing; karim - fem.performer; aho - O!; kirii - what; tani - whose; prek$e - sight; abhuta -
wonderful; rasa - flavour; nidhanani - treasure; radha padani - Radha's feet.
When will I be able to see S n R adha's wonderful footprints, th at a re like a

treasure of rasa, whose greatness causes great astonishm ent in Vrndavana, and th at are
searched for with great generous new and constant passion by doudblue, ever-so-sweet
M ukunda?
SRI RADHA'S WONDERFUL RASIKA FOOTPRINTS:
Commentary: £ri Radhika anxiously waits for Krsna in the trystingbower. Syama is
too late again and SvaminT laments and speculates about his delay in different ways. Sripada,
230 £ri-Sn Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
in his kinkarX-form, is close by Her and pacifies Her. She is always with Her SvaminI, for
better or for worse. Hearing SvaminI's pitiful lamentation, the maidservant decides to set out
and look for 3yamasundara, who had gotten lost somewhere in the other side of the forest,
looking for Srimatl. When Syama sees the moon rising in the sky, He remembers Radhika's
moonlike face and becomes even more upset and desparate. Suddenly He sees Radhika’s
special footprints on the sandpath of Vmdavana, and He becomes overwhelmed by ecstatic
feelings. Just at that time the maidservants sees Him, and she becomes very proud of Her
SvaminI’s influence on Kr$na. She sees a cloudblue luster gushing from Syamasundara’s limbs
because of His ecstasy. It makes Mukunda’s cloudblue form sweeter-than-swcet. Because of
seeing these footprints, Krsna shows ever-new feelings of intense generous passion, pathi
pathi madana madakula gokula-candra kalita padamulam (Sanglta Madhava) "$rl
Gokulacandra is intoxicated by lusty desires, and He rolls in the footprints of 3ri Radha”. It is
as if He has found a new treasure, and His thirst for it cannot be quenched. His appearance
becomes sweeter and sweeter as He smears the dust of £ri Radha's footprints over His whole
body. That is how His anurdga is generous. The maidservant hides herself to witness Syama’s
ecstatic absorption and thinks: "Aha Svamini! How sweet Your Syama is, and how much
sweeter He becomes because of His devotion for Your footprints!" No one can relish that
better than a kinkarX, who is radha snehadhika, partial to R5dha. Ecstatically, the maidservant
steps out in the open, and SySma thinks: "Just see how great these footprints are! By their
grace suddenly a diitT (messenger from RadhikS) came here!” In this way the maidservant is
able to bring Syama to SvaminI's kunja.
Regarding the glories of Radhika's footdust, the following story is there in Haridas
dasajTs "Gaudlya Vaisnava Jivana”: Sri Jagannatha Dasa BabajI Maharaja once begged a rufi
(bread) as aim from the sweepers of Vrndavana, and when the leading Vai$navas asked him
why he did so, he blissfully answered: "They are always serving the dust of Vraja, therefore
they are most fortunate! They're not mere sweepers - they are most fortunate munis and rsis
that took birth in outcaste families simply to serve the dust of Vraja-dhamal"
VERSE 105:
BALAN NlTVA TALPE KIM API PARIRABHYADHARA SUDHAM

NIPlYA PROLLIKHYA PRAKHARA NAKHARENA STANA BHARAM
TATO NiVlM NYASTE RASIKA MARINA TV A T KARA-DIIRTE
KADA KUNJA CCHIDRE BHAVATUMAMA RADHE'NUNAYANAM
baldt - by force; nJtva - having taken; talpe - on the bed; kim api - indescribable; parirabhya -
having embraced; adhara - lips; sudhdrh - nectar; niplya - drinking; prollikhya - marking; prakhara -
sharp; nakharena - by the nails; stanabharam - breasts; tatah - and then; mvirti - underwear; rasika -
rclishers; manina - by the jewel; tvat - your, kara - hands; dhrte - held; kadd - when; kunja - arbour;
cchidre - in the hole; bhavatu - let it be; mama - my; rddhe - O Radha!; anunayanam - following with
the eyes.
O Radhe! When will my eyes follow through a slit in the ku n ja -wall how the jewel
of lovers (Kr$na) forcibly takes You to bed, embraces You and drinks the nectar of Your
Ups (kisses You), scratching Your breasts with His sharp nails and placing His hands on
Your underwear?
T H E SWEETNESS OF THE YUGALA VILASA:
Com m entary: The maidservant brings the eager hero to the arbour where 3 rim at! is
waiting for Him, but the mood of the nayika (heroine) becomes reversed when She sees Her
long-awaited lover coming, and in a vamya mood She turns around and goes out of the kunja.
This unfavorable mood causes the Nagara's eagerness for union with Her to increase, and as a
real rasika mani (jewel of relishers) He takes Srimatl by the hand and drags Her to the bed.
Rasika Siromani swims on the ocean of vamyabhavavati's (averse, unsubmissive Radhika’s)
enchanting activities. Understanding that the yugala vilasa is going to take place, the
maidservant leaves the kunja and looks through the holes of the foliage to admire the sweet
sight of these amorous pastimes. Seeing Srlmatfs very attractive gestures Nagara becomes
agitated. He becomes intoxicated by drinking the nectar from Her lips (kissing Her) and He
marks Her breasts with the scratches of His nails. Rasika-mani places His hands on Her
underwear, and Srimatl tries to stop Him with Her hands. The maidservant can freely relish
this sight and makes the fishes of her eyes swim on the ocean of rasa. The Gosvamls said:
anuraga evasamordhva camatkarenontnadako mahdbhdvah: "When anuraga displays some
matchless astonishment which maddens the transcendental youthful Cupid Sri Syamasundara,
then it is called mahabhdva."
VERSE 106:
KARAM TE PA TRALIM KIM API KUCA YO& KARTUM UCITAM

PADAM TE KUNJE$U PRIYAM ABHISARANTYA ABHISfTAU
DRÂUKUNJA CCHIDRAIS JAVA NIBHRTA KELIM KALAYITUM
YADA VlK$E RADHE TAD API BHA VITA KIM &UBHA DINAM
kararii - hand; te - Your; patrdlirH - leaves; kim api - indescribable; kucayoh - on the breasts;
kartum - done; ucitaih - fitting; padarh - feet; te - Your; kunjeju - in the arbours; priyam - Your
beloved; abhisarantyd - arranging rendez vous; abhisrtau - following; drfau - eyes; kunja - arbour;
cchidraih - through the slits; tava - Your; nibhrta - private; kelirii - pastimes; kalayiturh - seeing; yadd
- when; vTkse - seeing; tad - that; api - even; bhavita - becoming; kith - whether; §ubha - auspicious;
dinarn - day.
O Radhe! When will that blessed day come when my hand can paint leaf-pictures
on Your breasts, my feet can follow You on Your way to the trystingbower, and when my
eyes can witness Your intim ate pastimes, looking through the slits in the foliage of the
arbour?
T H E DESIRE FOR RADHA'S MAIDSERVICE:
Commentary: By ^rimafi's grace 6ripada has a transcendental vision: He sees himself

engaged in Her service at Yavat, as Her maidservant. Just then Syamasundara plays His.
enchanting flute from afar. Hearing this, SrimalJ becomes upset and restless, and She madly
232 SrI~SrI Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
wants to rush out to meet Syama, but the maidservant pacifies Her by sweetly speaking about
Krsna and dressing Her nicely and properly before She runs out. The loving maidservant draws
leafpictures on Her breasts, that are like baskets that contain everything for Kr$na, and then
completes the rest of Her dressing and ornamentation. Svamiril then rushes out and the
maidservant follows Her like Her shadow, encouraging Her and making Her fearless. SvaminT
arrives at the gate of the trystingbower, where Syamasundara anxiously waits for Her. When
anxious Radha and Kr$na meet and commence Their lovegame, the maidservant goes out of
the arbour and looks through the holes of the foliage to catch a glimpse of these pastimes.
What a privilege! In this way the maidservant makes her hands, her feet and her eyes useful in
the service of the Yugala-kiSora.
he srl radhe vinodini, ramanl mukufa tnani,

krsriamayi kr$na priyatamd
drnara karete kohe, tomara ei kucayuge,
citravali koribo racana
"O Sri Radhe Vinodini, crownjewel of ladyloves! You are absorbed in Kr$na and You
are His dearmost girlfriend! When can my hands serve You by painting leaves on Your
breasts?"
he hari garavini, keli kunje yabe tumi,
abhisdre govinda bhefite
morn ei duti pada, hobe ki go abhisrta,
se somoy tomara sahgete
"O You Who are proud before Hari! When You go to the playbower to meet Govinda,
then my two feet will follow You."
yugala sambhoga Ilia, aparupa kelikala,

rasera bddara koto dinet
kunja chidra patha diyat dekhibo ki haripriya
srlpdda prabodhananda bhane
"Your wonderful, artful dual pastimes of enjoyment in union are like a storehouse of
rasal Snpada Prabodhananda says: "O Beloved of Hari! When can I watch them through the
holes in the kunja-foliagel"
VERSE 107:
RAHO GO$THiM SROTUM TAVA N1JA VITENDRENA IJLL1TAM

RARE DHRTVA TV AM VA NAVA RAM AN A TALPE GHATAY1TUM
RATAMARDA SRASTAM KACABHARAM ATHO SAMYAMA YITUM
VIDADHYAH SRI RADHE MAMA KIM ADHIKAROTSAVA RASAM
rahali - private; gosthlrii - talk; irotum - hearing; lava - Your; nija - own; vitendretia - with the
king of debauchees; lalitdm - lovely; kare - in the hand; dhrtvd - having held; tvarii - You; va - or; nava
- new; ramana - lovemaking; talpe - on the bed; ghatayitum - for meeting; ratamarda - during amorous
S o la Prabodhananda Sarasvatl / 233
clashes; srastarh - dishevelled; kacabharam - hair; athah - then; sarhyamayiluth - arrange; vidadhyah
- giving; SrTrddhe - O RadhS!; mama - my; kirn - what; adhikara - eligibility; utsava - festival; rcisam -
taste.
O S n Radlie! When will You give me the festival of qualification to listen to Your
tender intimate talks with Your king of debauchees (Vifendra Sn Kr$na), to take You by
the hand to the fresh lovebed and to rewind Your braid that was loosened during Your
loveplay?
A FESTIVAL OF QUALIFICATION:
Commentary: The Yugala KiSora finishes Their loveplay in the arbour, and the
maidservant, knowing that her time to serve has come, enters the playbower. ^ffmatl’s clothes
are dishevelled, and it looks as if the sweetness of Her youthful form is gushing out through
them. The fish-like eyes of Nagararaja swim in the ocean of SrlmatTs sweet limbs, and the
maidservant is immersed in an ocean of bliss. How beautiful is ^rimati's loosened braid! The
maidservant lovingly rewinds this braid, of which each single strand of hair is dearer to her
than millions of lives. Without ^rlmatl's grace no one can serve as expertly as the maidservants
can. Snmatl loves Her maidservants more than Her own life, and gives Herself completely to
them. With a soft towel the maidservant lovingly wipes SnmatTs face, that is moistened by
sweatdrops of fatigue from lovemaking, and fans Her. Then she serves Her sweet water and
betelleaves to remove Her fatigue, and finally she serves Her with garlands, eyeliner and
footlac. Sfimat Jiva GosvamI has said: "The Lord wants the living beings to attain an existence
full of service. Let them learn that happiness lies in devotional service and that everything else
is miserable. Hence the merciful Lord first gives them the desire to serve and then blesses them
with the fortune of devotional service, anukampa ca purne ‘p i svasmin nija sevddyabhild$ath
sampadya sevakadi$u sevadi saubhagya sampadika bhagavatas cittardratamayT tad
upakareccha (Prlti Sandarbhah 84 Anu)
While speaking intimately with Her king of debauchees, Srlmatl chews the betelleaves.
This intimate discussion is not to be heard by Her girlfriends, but 5rlmatl is not at all shy to
speak these sweet and nectarean words to Her lover in front of Her maidservants. The
maidservant floats in an ocean of bliss when she hears SvaminI's blissful discussion with Her
Nagara. Her eyes are pleased by seeing these pastimes, her ears are pleased by heating these
romantic discussions, her sense of touch is pleased by touching the Yugala’s limbs, her nose is
pleased by smelling Their divine fragrance and her tongue is pleased by relishing SvaminI’s
prasadl betelleaves. In this way all of her five senses are pleased. Why is Krsna called
vitendra, the king of debauchees? Other than Him, nobody can be a paramour. Other men that
play the paramour simply create rasabhasa, a semblance of rasa. This is confirmed by 3rlla
Rupa GosvamI in his ’Ujjvala Nilamani (Nayaka bheda 16)*
laghutvam atra yat proktarii tat tu prakrta ndyake

9
na krsne rasa niryasa svaddrtham avatarim
"The (moral) lightness that is ascribed to a paramour, counts only for the mundane
hero, not for Kr$na, who is the avatarT (the fountainhead of all divine descensions who preach
religious principles) who descends for the sake of queezing out the divine juice (rasa) from
His own transcendental pastimes." About the vitendra Ujjvala Nilamani says: vesopacdra
kusalo dhurta gosthT visarada kama-tantra kald vedi vita ityabhidhlyate "A vita is a shameless
234 Sn-SrI Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
man, who is expert in dressing and talking and in all the arts of the kama t a n t r a Although He
has many v/to-helpers like Kadara and BharaGbandha, who accomplish His meeting with the
beautiful gopTs, Krsna is Himself the king of vitas, vitendra. The maidservants are well aware
of this.
The savour of this blissful conversation makes the Yugala desirous for loveplay once
more. The maidservant understands Their minds and makes a lovebed for Them with stemless
flowers. This bed is strong enough to tolerate the motion of Their lovemaking, and therefore it
is called ramana talpa. The maidservant takes SrTmatl by the hand and takes Her to the new
lovebed, where the Yugala becomes intoxicated by lovemaking once again. The maidservant is
very fortunate to relish those sweet pastimes. Then the vision disappears, and SrTpada,
returning to external consciousness, humbly prays: "O Svaminl! When will You give me the
festival of qualification to always witness these pastimes and to serve You in them ?"
he srT radhe nidhuvane> vallabha vitendra sane,

sukhada ye rasa aiapana
madhura hoite sumadhura, raha gotfhi rasapura,
dr kobe koribo sravana ?
"O Sri Radhe! When can I hear Your sweeter-than sweet, joygiving intimate rasika
conversation with Your vifendra in the Nidhuvana-arbour?"
he kelikunja rani, gandharvikd thakurdnl\

manorania mdnini radhike
tomdra karete dhari, ramaria talpete pyarT,
sayana ki korabo tornake
"0 Queen of the play-arbours! O Goddess Gandharvika! O Enchanting, proud Radhike!

Can I then lead You by the hand to the lovebed and make You lie down on it?"
vilase mardita kesat punaki ki koribo vesat

he devi earn candranane
ei seva utsave, adhikdra dibe kobe,
srlpada prabodhananda bhane
"O Beautiful moonfaced goddess! When can I rearrange Your loosened hair and Your
dishevelled clothes after You made love? Prabodhananda says: "When will You give me the
festival of that qualification?"
VERSE 108:
VJgNDATAVYAM NAVA NAVA RASANANDA PUNJE N1KUNJE

GUNJAD BHRNG1KUIA MUKHARITE MANJU MANJU PRAHASAI#
ANYONYA K?EPANA N1CA YANA PRAPTA SAMGOPANADYA1H
KR1DAJ jlYAD RASIKA MITHUNAM KLRPTA KELIKADAMBAM
5rll a Prabodhananda Saras vati 235
vrndatavydm - in Vrndavana; nava nava - ever-fresh; rasananda - delicious bliss; punje - in a

multitude; nikimje - in an arbour; gunjad - humming; bhrhgT - bumblebee girls; hula - groups;
mukharite - singing; maiiju rnanju - ever-so-lovely; prahasaih - by joking; anyonya - mutual; kjepcina -
throwing; nicayana prdpta sangopanadyaih - hide-and-seek; krlciat - playing; jlydt - glories; rasika -
relishing; mithunarii - couple; klrpta - performing; hell - pastimes; kadambam - abundance.
All glories to the Relishing Couple, that is always engaged in many loveplays like
playing ball and hide-and-seek, joking with Eachother in an ever-so-lovely manner in the
ever-fresh blissful playgroves of Vrndavana where groups of bumblebees are humming!
PLAYING BALL AND HIDE-AND-SEEK:
Commentary: Springtime has come to sweet Vrndavana, and the sweet trees and vines
are full of blooming flowers. All the moving and nonmoving creatures of Vrndavana are
shivering of ecstasy when they are touched by the sweet fragrance of these flowers, that are
carried by a soft Malayan breeze. Groups of sweetly humming bees surround these clusters of
flowers, and cuckoos cause great erotic incitements with their sweet singing. Naturally
beautiful Vrndavana arranges for the perfection of all of the Yugala's blissful vernal pastimes,
and today the Yugala is eagerly entering into the ocean of these pastimes. They throw a golden
ball at Eachother and catch it. How sweetly Svamirif s bangles are jingling when She throws
the ball at 5yama! 5yama is enchanted and is unable to catch the ball, so SvaminI claps in Her
hands and exclaims: 'You're defeated! You're defeated!'. How sweet are Her glances, that
resemble Cupid's arrows! 5yama regains His consciousness and says: "Throw the ball again! If
I cannot catch it now then I will accept defeat!" With a wonderful gesture SvaminI throws the
ball, showing the beauty of Her sides and Her breasts. 5yama is out of His mind when He sees
it and fails to catch the ball again. SvaminI laughs loudly, claps Her hands and says: "You're
defeated! You're defeated!" Nagara loses Himself in ecstasy when He sees 5rimatl's sweet
laughing and sweet gestures, and SvaminI orders Her maidservant to humiliate 5yama a little
further. The maidservant tells 5yama: "Ohe! Why don't You go to herd Your cows? What
pleasure does a cowherdboy (rdkhdl) like You find in these games? Don't come here again to
challenge my victorious mistress!" 5rlmatl says: "Sundara (beautiful Krsna)! I can't play this
game with You! You'd better practise a little more! Listen, I know another game: You hide
Yourself, and I will go and look for You! But if I hide You won't be able to find Me without
the help of My sakhls and nianjarTsl" 5 yam a says: "Surely I will!" SvaminI says: "Accha,
Then You hide first!" In this way They begin the game of hide-and-seek. 5yama$undara hides
Himself in a forest of dark Tamala-trees, and it seems as if He merges with that forest. 5rlmatl
begins to search for Him with the help of Her maidservant How cleverly SvaminI ascertains
5yama's whereabouts!
yad galita marandath variate £ak}\\-vrndafn milaii ca yad alabdha premaghurna khagali
tad iha tia hi iikhandottahisim sd pravista nikhila bhuvana cetd harinl kdpi vidya
(Vidagdha MSdhava, Act VI)
5rlmatl says: "If there is no honey oozing from the trees here, and the birds are not
dizzy from ecstatic love and are thus able to meet eachother, then I can understand that
peacockfeathcr-crowned Krsna, who steals the hearts of all the three worlds, did not enter this
place." Then, when She goes to a Tamala-forest, 5 rim all speculates:
236 Sn-Sn RadM Rasa Sudhanidhi
vighurnantah pausparii na madhu lihate’nu niadimlihah

suko'yarh nddatte kaiita jadinm dddima phalam
vighumd pamagrcuii carati harimyarii na haritarii
pathanena svanu tad ibhavara gamt dhruvam agat (ibid.)
"When the bees are so dizzy that they don't even drink the honey from the flowers
anymore, when the parrots are so stunned that they cannot eat the ripe pomegranates anymore
and when the does are so dizzy that they cannot eat the green grass anymore, then I understand
that My master must have come this way, walking like the best of elephants!" Svamim enters
the Tamala-forest, and the maidservant follows Her like Her shadow. SvaminT is totally
bewildered when She sees the Tamala-tree; She sees Krsna everywhere. SrlmatT passes the
Tamala-tree without noticing Syamasundara, who secretly laughs and gives a hint to the
maidservant not to tell Her. The maidservant relishes the sweetness of &yamasundara's smile.
SvaminT sees that bumblebee-girls come from another side and fly towards the Tamalatree,
being attracted to Krsna's bodily scent. SvaminT follows the beegirls and and in this way
catches Sri Syamasundara, saying: "I got You! I got You! You’re defeated! You're defeated!"
The maidservant covers her mouth and giggles. Syama says: "What do You mean 'defeated'?
Now You must hide, and if I find You, then We have a tied score! If I can’t find You, then I
accept defeat!" Svamim says: "Accha! Sit down here, I will hide Myself now!" prapta
samgopanadyaih: She hides Herself completely. How? By standing between a number of
golden statues that beautify a nearby arbour. The statues become as beautiful as Srimatl
Herself as they are illuminated by Her golden luster (this is called abhirupya). Syamasundara
enters that kunja, but He cannot ascertain which form is Radhika's form, so He decides to find
out by touching each one of them. When 3 yam a touches Radhika She becomes stunned of
ecstasy, so He continues His search without recognizing Her. &imat3 smiles slightly, and the
maidservant relishes the sweetness of that smile. Finally, 3yamasundara catches Her with the
help of Her maidservant Syama is defeated (because He was supposed to find Her without the
help of the maidservants), and the bliss of the maidservant knows no bounds. In this ecstatic
state, the maidservant says jTyad rasika mithuncuh klfpta keli kadambam: "Glories to the
pastimes of the Relishing Couple!"
VERSE 109:
RUPAM SARADA CANDRA KOTI VADANE DHAMM1LLA M ALLISRAJ AM

AMODAIR VIKALi-KRTALI PAT ALE RADHE KADA TE'DBHUTAM
GRAIVEYOJJVALA KAMBUKANTHIMRDU DOR VALLICALAT KANKANE
VlK$E PAJTA DUKULA VASINI RAN AN MANjiRA PADAMBUJE
ruparh - form; iarada - of autumn; candra - moon; koti - millions; vadatie - face; dhammilla -
braid; mallT - jasmines; srajdm - garland; amodaifi - with pleasures; vikalikrta - agitated; ali - bees;
patale - groups; radhe - O R5dha!; kadd - when; te - Your; adbhutam - wonderful; graiveya - necklace;
ujjvala - blazing; kambu - conchshell; kanlhi - neck; mrdu - soft; doh - ami; valll - vine; calat -
moving; kaiikane - bangle; vikse - seeing; patta - silken; dukula - dress; vdsini - dressed; ranat - jinling;
manjlra - anklebells; pada - feet; ambuje - lotus.
O Radhe with the beautiful face that shines like millions of autumn moons, whose
hair is braided with a jasmine-garland that agitates hosts of bumblebees, whose
conchshell-Iike neck is brightened by a Graiveya-necklace, whose soft vine-like arms are

adorned with moving bangles, who wears a two-piece silken dress and who has jingling
ankiebells on the lotusfeet! When will I see Your wonderful form?
THE SWEETNESS OF RADHA'S WONDERFUL FORM:
Commentary: In the sixth act of his 'Vidagdha Madhava'-play, Sri Rupa GosvamT
describes Sri-Sri Radha-Madhava's hide-and-seek pastimes. At the end of this game
Syamasundara says: uO Vilasini! There's no more need for this game, that causes Us to suffer
separation from Eachother! Come! Let's blissfully take rest for a while in this Saptapama-
grove, that is beautified by fragrant flowers!" In the same way, Syamasundara now takes Sri
Radhika’s hand and says: "Come, let's take some rest in this nearby kunjal" At that moment Sri
RSdhik's face blazes like millions of autumnal moons. Syama is enchanted by this sweet
soothing luster and thinks: "How beautiful is the luster of Your face!" He cannot find any
object of comparison, but the kinkarl, who knows Kr$na's heart, expresses it somewhat by
saying he tarada koti candra vadane "O You whose face defeats millions of autumn moons!",
and all the other addresses in this verse.
When Krsna pulled at Svamim's hand Her braid fell slightly loose out of ecstatic love,
and the garland of fresh jasmines that the maidservant wound in it, almost fell o u t How
beautifully that looks! Krsna, who is rasa raja, is enchanted in a rasika way when rasa itself
renews the decoration that was originally made by the maidservant Thirsty bees now come
flying towards Radhika's braid, being not only attracted to the fragrance of the jasmine-
garland, but even more to Radhika's fragrant lotuslike face. When 3yama sees this, He gets a
strong desire to enjoy again with 3rimatl and drags Her in a nearby kunja by the edge of Her
silken sari. SvaminI resists, and pulls the end of Her cloth out of £yamasundara's hands again.
How sweet is Her mood! Seeing this, the maidservant calls Her he paffa dukula vasitii "O Girl
Who wears a two-piece silken sarT\" This unfavorable mood gives millions of times more joy
to Syama than when He directly unites with Her. (ei bhava yukta dekhi radhsya nayana;
sahgama hoite sukha pay kofi guna, C.C.) How brightly Her Graiveya-necklace shines on Her
conchshell-like neck when Kr$na pulls Her scarf off! How sweetly Her bangles are jingling!
The ecstasy of the manjarl knows no bounds when she sees this sweetness, and she says he
graiveyojjvala kambu kanthi! he mrdu dor vallT calat kahkanel When Syama sees Srimatfs
matchless sweetness, He becomes eager to enjoy with Her again, so He unites with Her in a
nearby kunja, and the maidservants makes her eyes successful by witnessing these sweet
pastimes through the arbour’s latticed windows. How sweetly ^rimatl's ankiebells are jingling!
Hearing it is the fulfillment of the maidservant's ears.
he sarada candranani, paffa dukula vasini,

toniara se kavarira mallikd rnaldya
saurabhete bhmgakula, hoiydche ati akula,
kanfhadesa ujaliia cikera prabhdya
"O Girl whose face shines like the autumn moon and who wears a silken two-piece
dress! The bees are attracted to the fragrance of Your jasmine-garland and Your tightly fitting
Gnuveya-necklacc pprks brightly!"
238 Sn-Sri Radha Rasa SudhSnidhi
bhujalatd sancdlane, mukharita kankane,

srl carane jhahkrta manira nupura
adbhuta rupa mddhurT, dekhibo nayana bhari,
prabodhanandera ei dsd pum a koro
"Your bangles jingle sweetly when You move Your vine-like arms and Your jewelled
anklebells jingle sweetly on Your lotusfeet. Please fulfill Prabodhananda's desires by filling his
eyes with this wonderfully sweet vision!"
VERSE 110:
ITO D ll AY AM ITAS TRAPA KULAMITO YASAIf $RIR ITO

HINA STYAKHILA SRNKHALAM API SAKHI NIVASAS TV AY A
SAGADGADAM UDIRITAM SUBAHU MOHANAKANK$AYA
KATHAM KATHAM AYISVARI PRAHASITAIH KADA MREDYASE • ♦
itah - here; bhayam - fear; itah - here; trapd - shyness; kulam - family; itah - here; yalah -
fame; §rJh - fortune; itah - here; hinasti - having heard that; akJiila - all; fnikhalam - chains; api - even;
sakJn nivdsa - Kr$na, who lives amongst His girlfriends; tvaya - by You; sa gadgadam - with faltering
voice; udiritam - spoken; subahu - many; mohana - Kr$na; dkdhksaya - with desire; katham katham -
how is that?; ayi - OS; Uvari - goddess; prahasitaih - with jokes; kada - when; mredyase - ordering.
O Radhike, my Isvari! W hen will You repeatedly ask me ’how? how?* with a
smile th a t indicates Y our desire for Mohana (enchanting Kr$na) and a faltering voice as I
tell You ’Kj;§na has given up all shame and fear, His family-traditions, His opulence and
all m oral shackles for You only!1
SRI RADHA'S PIQUE:
Commentary: Proudly SvaminI sits in a sweet arbour of Madhavl-vines. Nobody

knows why She is angry, so Syama takes shelter of the sakhfs in an attempt to pacify Her. The
sakhTs then engage the kinkarls in the duty of soothing ^rimatTs manaf knowing that they are
very expert in this. Sripada, who gets their order in his kinkari-iorm, thinks to herself: "I can
soften Radhika’s heart by singing Kr$na's sweet attributes to Her and telling Her how He,
although He is a mine of all jewellike qualities, gave up everything for Her sake and is
exclusively attached to Her!" Then she openly says: "O Sri Radhe! Although
Vrajendranandana is a mine of all jewellike qualities, He is so subdued by Your love that He
give up all shame, fear and family tradition to meet You! Look how this tender prince has
come into the deep forest in the middle of the night, just to meet You! He is the very life of
His family and His relatives! They cannot live for even a moment without seeing Him, but Pie
doesn’t even care what they will say when they will not find Him at home in the middle of the
night! He always comes to see You in the forest which is full of wildlife! O Sri Radhe! Krsna
is the jewel of Nanda Maharaja's spotless and famous dynasty, but He loves You so much that
Pie doesn't even care if Plis family loses its good reputation because of His adultery with You!
Srfla Prabodhunanda Saiasvatl 239
Sakhi Nivasa (Krsna, who lives amongst His girlfriends) has broken all moral shackles because
of You, and now You are making Him sad by being angry with Him for no reason!” The clever
kinkarT calls Krsna sakhT nivasa because Kr§na now stays amongst the sakhTs, being rejected
by Radhika and the sakhTs will be very pleased when She makes up with Him again. The
kinkarT knows that SvaminI is bound by the love of Her girlfriends,, and therefore She calls
Krsna sakhT nivasa here.
» « •
When proud Radhika hears from Her maidservant how Kr§na is subdued by Her love
(this is His greatest attribute), She strongly desires Him again and gives up Her proud huff. A
budlike smile sprouts on Her mouth and with a faltering voice of desire She asks the manjarl:
'How's that? How's that?', wanting to hear from her again and again how Kr$na has given up all
shackles for Her. There is no end to Her thirst for hearing about Krsna's qualities, and the
clever maidservant draws a sweet picture of Krsna's sweet attributes on the slate of Radhika’s
heart, like an expert artistgirl. Srlla Raghunatha Dasa GosvamI says: krytia nam a yarn
sravdvatathsollasi kamikam "Krsna's names, attributes and fame are decorations for Radhika's
• « * • •
ears." Srlmatl’s ears and mind are unsatiated while She hears Her maidservant glorifying
Krsna's sweet attributes, and She asks her more and more. The maidservant, seeing Svaminfs
great taste for this nectar, goes on and on glorifying Her beloved.
VERSE 111:
SYAME CATV RUTANIKURVATISAHALAPANPRANETRIMAYA

GRHNANI CA DUKULA PALLAVAM AHO HUNKRTYA MAM DRAK$YASI
VIBHRANE BHVJAVALLlM ULLASlTAYA ROMA SRAJALANKRTAM
DR$TVA TVAM RASA LINA MURTIM A THA KIM PASYAMIHASYAM TATAH
*
tiydme - O Syaina!; catu - flattering; rutani - words; kurvati - does; saha - with; aldpan -
speaking; pranetrT - extend; mayo. - by me; grhnani - taking; ca - and; dukula - two piece cloth;
pallavam - leaves; aho - O!; hunkrtya - roaring; marii - to me; drakjyasi - You look; vibhrdtie -
holding; bhuja - arm; vallTm - vine; ullasitayd - gladdened; roma - hairs; sraja - garland; alahkrldfn -
decorated; dr$tvd - having seen; tvaril - You; rasa - flavour; ITna - merged; murtim - form; atha - then;
kirii - what; patyami - 1 see; hdsyarii - laughing; tatah - then.
O Syame (RadJhe)! Once when You are speaking with me, Kp$na comes to flatter
You, grabbing Your garments, so You yell a t Him and look a t me (as if saying: who does
this boy think He is?). Then, when Syama holds Your vine-like arm , You become
adorned with a garland of goosepimples of ecstasy. When will I see You thus smiling,
Y our form merged in rasa ?
SR! RADHA’S FORM MERGED IN RASA:
Commentary: The sakhTs now understand that Radhika's proud huff is over, so they
send Nagara mani (Krsna) back to 3rlmatl. Nagararaja is eager to meet Radhika, and for this
purpose He flatters Her, but 3rlmatl pretends not to see Him and not to hear Him and continues
talking with Her maidservant. Such an emotional ornament (<bhavalahkara) is called vivvoka.
240 & n - S n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
The heroine then proudly pretends to ignore the attentive gallant although She inwardly desires
Him. Sn Rupa GosvamI gives the following example in 'Ujjvala Nilamani (Anubhava 75)’:
sphuraty agre tisthan sakhi tava mukha ksipia nayanah

pratlk$dm krtvdyarii bhavad avasarasydghadamanah
drfoccair gdmbhirya grcUhita guru helagahanayd
hasantlva kslbe tvam iha vanamalarii racayasi
One day Sri Radha strung a flowergarland for Kr$na, and continued doing this even
when Kr$na appeared before Her, pretending not to see Him. Then Syamala-M&/if told Her:
"Sakhi! Aghadamana (Krsna) is waiting for You and is staring at Your lotusface! O
Bewildered girl! How amazing! Still You keep on stringing this garland of forestflowers with a
smile on Your face! How inconceivably grave is Your mood of indifference!” This
indifference is a very elevated way of serving Kr$na. Sri Kr$na is most attracted to such a
sweet indifferent girl! In a transcendental vision Srlpada sees Radhika speaking with him (her),
pretending not to see and hear Syama, who stands before Her and flatters Her. Nagara is so
eager to enjoy Radhika’s sweetness that He pulls at Her scarf, but Srlmatl yells and stares at the
kinkari in wonder, as if telling her: "Save Me from the hands of this rascal!" How many
streams of sweetness are gushing from this mood! Syama greedily pulls at Srlmatl's vine-like
arm, causing Nagarl-mani to smile and Her hair to stand up in ecstasy because of His touch. It
seems to the kinkarT as if Srimatl's form merges in rasa, meaning 'the savouring of rasa'.
Srlmatl is savour personified, but now She merges with the relished rasa Herself, becoming
One with it. The kinkari relishes all this through Syamasundara, and thus there is no limit to
her transcendental bliss!
he radhe! tomdra hari, koto anunoy kori,

catu vakye bolibe yokhon
se sab rahasya kathd, vrjabhdnu raja sutd,
nianoyoga na kori sravana
"O Radhe! How much is Your Hari flattering You with His words! But Vr$abhanu's
princess pretends not to hear all His initimate words at all!"
rasarnayl mora sane, koribe go dlapane

rahga dekhi vrajendra kumdra
tomdra dukulancala, dhare yadi se sydmald,
aho boli koribe hunkara
"O Rasamayi (Radha)! When Syamala, the prince of Vraja, sees You speaking with me,
He pulls at the edge of Your cloth and You cry out 'aho!"
cdhiya amdra pane, bolibe go netra konet

he kinkari! koro nivdrana
heno kale giridhdrl, koto na ddara kori,
bhujavalll koribe dharana
"You then look at me from the comers of Your eyes, as if saying: 'O kinkaril Stop
Him!' At that time Giridhari holds Your vine-like arm with so much care and respect"
*
Srfla Prabodhananda Sarasvall 241
syatna sparsa adabhuta, romdhca pulaka koto,

ange ange hoibe udgama, ^
prabodhanandete koy, hasyamayl se somoy
rasamurti koribo darsana
"When Syama touches You wonderful goosepimples of ecstasy will arise on Your
limbs. Prabodhananda says: 'O Hasyamayi (smiling Radhe)! When will I then see Your rasika
form ?"
VERSE 112:
AHO RASIKA SEKHARAH SPHURA T1 KO'PI VJgNDATA VI

NIKUNJA NAVA NAGARIKUCA KISORA K ELIPRIYAH
KAROTU SA KflPAMSAKH1 PRAK AfA PURNA N ATY UTSAVO
NIJA PRIYATAMA PADE RASAMAYE'DADHAD YAIJ &IRAH
alio - O!; rasika - relisher; tekhara - chief; sphurati - appears; ka - who; api - even; vnidafavT-
Vrndavana; nikunja - arbour; tiava - new; nagarT - ladylove; kuca - breast; ki£ora - adolescent; keli -
play; priyah - dear; karotu - may do; sa - he; krpafn - mercy; sakhi - girlfriend; prakata - manifest;
puma - full; tiati - obeisance; utsava - festival; riija - own; priyatama - dearmost; pade - in the
position; rasamaye - full of flavour; adadhad - taking; yah - who; Sirah - the head.
Alio! The master of relishers, Who is fond of playing with the breasts of His
adolescent ladyloves in the nikunjay appears in Vrndavana, experiencing the act of
offering obeisances to His girlfriends to be like a festival and carrying the lotusfeet of His
beloved on His head. May He mercifully give me a place at these delicious lotusfeet too!
DELICIOUS BEAUTIFUL LOTUSFEET:
The kinkans worship Sri Krsna to attain Sri Radha, they don‘t worship Him
independently. The dasTs know very well that:
vino, radharii kr$no na khalu sukhadah sd na sukhada

vina krsnarh dvdbhydm api bata vindnya na sarasah
vina ratrim nendus tam api na vina sa ca rucibhak
vina tabhydm jrnibhafh dadhali kunwdinyo'pi na tardm
(Alankara Kaustubha 8.193)
"Without Radha, Kr$na certainly does not give happiness and without Krsna, Radha
also does not give happiness, just as the night is not beautiful without the moon, the moon is
not beautiful without the night, and the Kumudini-flowers are not beautiful without either of
them!" The mahjan bhdva updsakas taste the full nectar of delicious sweetness simply by
worshiping Sri Radha. The beauty of their hearts cannot be understood by those who simply
242 $ n -$ n Radha Rasa Sudlvanidhi
worship Sri Bhagavan. Without £rlmatl their world is dark, and even the Lord's mercy cannot
illuminate that darkness.
3fi-&rl Radha-Madhava are enjoying Their pastimes in an arbour in the company of
Their girlfriends. sli$yati kam api cumbati kam api (Gita Govinda): "Krsna kisses one girl and
embraces another one". The kinkari stays with Svamini like Her shadow and is surrendered to
Her service. After enjoying Radhika’s submissive mood (ddkyinya rasa) Madhava now wants
to relish the sweetness of Her unsubmissive mood (vdma svabhdva). After all, He is rasika
sekhara, the master relisher. priya yadi nidna kore koroye bhartsana; veda stuti hoite hare sei
mora mon (C.C.) "When My beloved is angry with Me and rebukes Me, that takes My mind
away from the reverential praises the Vedas offer Me". That is His own realisation. Sri Krona’s
mastership in relishing mellows is fully manifest when He is with 3rl Radha and the gopTs, for
in the presence of such associates Sri Kr$na's forms and qualities appear in a special way. Srlla
Jiva GosvamI confirms this in his Durgama Sahgamani-tlka of Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu 1.1.1:
tairdpi rasa vUesa vifista parikara vaMistyanavirbhdva vaifistyarh drfyate ataevadi rasa vMesa vifista
sambandhena nitardm. In the Bhagavata (Canto Ten, chapter 60) it is seen that Krsna joked with
His principal queen RukrainI in Dvaraka to relish the sweetness of her mdna (proud huff), but
Rukminl was not in such a playful mood. She took Kr§na's jokes seriously and fainted and
fearfully fell to the ground like a banana tree knocked over by the wind. The VrajasundarTs,
though, bless Kr$na by making Him relish flavours that He Himself couldn’t even have
imagined! They are always ready to fulfill even His most subtle erotic desires; indeed, their
bodies, minds and hearts are made for this purpose! 3rl Radhika has that ability to the utmost.
In order to relish die sweetness of Sri Radhika's maria, Kr$na tells Her: "He priye
c a n d r a and then, after speaking this half sentence, pretends to realize His mistake. Sri
Radhika assumes that Krsna accidentally wanted to address Her rival Candravall, so She
becomes silent out of proud anger. Kr$na now continues his broken-off sentence and says:
"Priye Candranane (Dear lotusfaced girl)! Why are You now angry with Me?" Radhika angrily
frowns Her eyebrows and says: "Ohe! Can You conceal the loud sounds of a thunderclap? The
granddaughter of Karala (Candravall) always plays in Your heart! Don’t try to hide Your
mistake by suddenly changing the word into Candranane! O Lord! I offer My obeisances unto
You from a distance! Go to that girl that Your heart desires!" Thus Svamini frowns Her
eyebrows and falls silent Kr§na is very attracted to ^rlmatl's enchanting beauty at that time
and thinks to Himself:
samaroddhura kdma karmuka M r vijayi bhru-yugam dkuldksi padtmrn

vidiiurikrtam apy ati krudhagre mama rddhd vadanarh mano dhinoti
(Vidagdha Madhava)
"Radha's beautiful face, that is afflicted by feelings of anger, whose eyebrows defeat
the beauty of Cupid's bow, that is victorious in the erotic battle, and whose eyes defeat the
lotusflowers in beauty, is pleasing My mind!" Kr$na tries all kinds of means to pacify
Radhika’s anger, but to no avail, so finally He takes shelter of the sakhTs. He offers obeisances
to them, and not just in a dry way, just to get His desires fulfilled, no! These obeisances are
like a veritable festival of joy for Him! How beautiful and relishable Nagara is when He takes
shelter of the sakhTs! The madana mahdbhava of 3rl Radhika is in the sakhTs' hands, that's why
rasika sekhara finds so much relish in offering obeisances unto them. When rasika sekhara
offers obeisances to the sakhTs and flatters them with folded hands, they console Him and bring
Him before Srlmatl to ask Her why She is angry with Him. When they hear Srlmatl’s
explanation, the sakhTs, who are on Syama’s side, make Her understand that She is angry
without reason: Krsna would never make such a verbal mistake, calling Her Candravali! 'Now
SrTla Prabodhananda Sarasvall 243
He is humble, now's the right time to give up Your pique and become pleased with Him again!
If You continue Your huff He will leave, and You’ll greatly regret that later!' Hearing the
sakhTs' arguments, Srlmati thinks: They are right! How many times didn’t Nagara call Me
Candrfuiane?' Looking at Her face, the sakhTs understand that Srlmatl's huff has diminished and
that She will forgive Nagara everything if He comes now to apologize to Her. They return to
Syama and say: "Look, we think that Her anger is subsiding, but simply by offering Your
obeisances to us You cannot please Her. You must now bow down to Manamayl (proud
Radhika) Herself and beg forgiveness from Her! Only in this way You can get Her mercy!" An
ocean of bliss swells in Krsna's heart when He hears that the sakhTs give Him permission to
apologise to Radhika. Rasika Sekhara floats in an ocean of rasa when He falls at rasamayT’s
lotusfeet and She gives up Her mana and forgives Him. Now the blessed sakhTs and manjarTs
can relish the sweetness of the Yugala meeting! The manjarTs pray to Kr$na here instead of to
Radha, because He is very dear to them, being fully controlled by Svamim's love for Him. In
their eyes He is only beautiful when He is completely under Svamim’s control. They pray:
"May He cause us to float in oceans of bliss by showing us how He is fully under our
SvaminTs control!"
Another reading of this verse is nija priyatama pade rasamayo dadatu sthitam. In that
case 6rimatl's mana subsides because of the sakhis* own endeavours, and the sakhTs arrange for
the Yugala’s reunion. Then the kinkarTs float in oceans of bliss when they see how dear Srlmatl
is to Syama after She gives up Her anger towards Him. Srlpada prays: "May Rasika Sekhara
Syamasundara always grant me a place at the delicious lotusfeet of His dearmost PriyajI!"
*
VERSE 113:
VICITRA VARA BHU$ANOJJVALA DUKULA SA T KANCUKAIH

SAKHlBHIR ATIBHUSITA T1LAKA GANDHA M ALY A IR API
SVAYAM CA SAKALA KALASU KU $AU K#TA NAIfKAD A
SURASA MADHUROTSAVE KIM A P I VE§AYET SVAM INI
vicitra - wonderful; vara - excellent; bhuqatia - ornaments; ujjvala - blazing; dukula - two-
piece cloth; sat - good; kahcukaih - with blouses; sakhibhih - by girlfriends; atibhusitd - nicely
decorated; tilaka - tilaka; gandha - perfumes; malyaih - with garlands; api - even; svayarh - personally;
ca - and; sakala - all; kalasu - in arts; kulalTkrta - blessing; nah - us; kadd - when; surasa - good taste;
madhura - sweet; utsave- in the festival; kim api - indescribable; velayet- may enter; svamim - mistress.
When will our queen Radha, who is adorned by Her girlfriends with various
excellent ornaments, a splendid two-piece dress, tilaka , perfumes and garlands, and who
is Herself expert in all arts, enter the indescribably sweet and beautiful festival of the
Rasa-dance?
SRI RADHA IN THE SWEET AND BEAUTIFUL RASA-FESTIVAL:
Commentary: It is nightfall, and tine full moon is rising in the sky. Suddenly Syama's
enchanting flutesong becomes audible, and the VrajasundarTs, becoming attracted to it, rush
244 Srl-Sn Radha Rasa Sudh3nidhi
out of their houses to meet Him. Syama sings Radha's name through His flute. Although He
invites all the gopls for a nocturnal tryst, He specially calls RaseSvarl Radhika, the Queen of
the Rasa dance, tahd vina rasallld ndhi bhdy cite (C.C.): "Without Her, He does not like the
Rasa-dance."
The waves of the flutesong respectfully invite RaseSvarl to attend the sweet and
beautiful Rasa-festival. Women normally dress and ornament themselves nicely before they go
to attend a festival, and the sakhis have done the same with SvaminI, seeing how eager She
was to heed Krona's flute-call. Although SrlmatT was already sufficiently decorated with the
twenty bhdvdtafikdras (emotional ornaments) simply by thinking of the Rasa-festival, still Her
girlfriends want to dress and ornament Her nicely also on the outside. Although SvaminI is
personally very expert in all arts, She becomes so mad after hearing Kr$na’s flute-call that She
would have placed all Her ornaments at the wrong place if She had personally dressed Herself.
She would have hung Her hand-ornaments on Her feet and Her footornaments on Her hands,
Her waist-ornaments on Her neck and Her neckornaments on Her waist. Instead of that, the
sakhTs crystallise Kr$na before kr$na pretna pdgaiinl (Radhika, who is mad with love for
Kr§na) by sweetly speaking about Him, and in this way they keep Her calm enough to nicely
decorate Her with different excellent ornaments, garlands, perfumes, a blazing two-piece sari
and an enchanting blouse. After decorating Her like this, they keep a big mirror before Her and
say: "Look how we decorated You!" SvaminI is overwhelmed when She sees Her make up,
and thinks to Herself: "Even when I'm not decorated He goes mad, let alone now!"
Sri Radhika is like a river of love, floating strongly towards the trystingplace, followed
by thousands of girlfriends. Knowing that Vrndavane£varl is coming to attend the sweet Rasa-
festival, the natural scenery of Vrndavana extends its beauty. The rays of the full moon
illuminate Vrndavana, many flowers start blossoming, attracting sweetly buzzing bees, and
the pleasant Malayan breezes cause all the moving and nonmoving creatures of Vrndavana to
horripilate of joy upon being touched. The lotusflowers, lilies and Kahlara-flowers on the
surface of the Yamuna start blooming, and the moonrays play on the blue waves of the
Yamuna, that floats towards the ocean as if wanting to announce the gopls’ sweet abhisara
(love journey). In this way the Vraja-slraantinls {gopTs) come to Rasa-rasika (Kr$na) for tire
Rasa festival, drawn by His sweet fluteplaying. But without RaseSvarl the Rasa dance cannot
commence, so awaiting Her arrival Rasika 3ekhara makes the gopTs go through different
emotions like anger and so on by using different playful words. The Rasa festival takes place
so that Kr$na can relish Radhika's madana mahdbhdva, which is the best ingredient for the
whole event. Without Radhika's presence the Rasa Ifla cannot satisfy Hari; the other gopikds
are only meant to nourish the rasa of Radha-Kr$na‘s prema keli. Radhika is the foundation of
the Rasa-dance, and without Her presence everything is useless. Now RaseSvarl arrives in the
circle of the Rasa-dance with Her girlfriends. Syamasundara sees that Her bodily splendour
illuminates the Rasa-mandala. There’s no end to Rasa Vihari’s (Krona’s) bliss as He respectfully
brings Her inside the Rasamandala. Seeing this, the kinkans hearts are filled with pride of
Radhika's honour.
rasesvarT rdclharam, nafimra sirotnani,

kaldvati para thakurdm
snehdmrte paripuma, he srT krsna priyatamd,
krsnamayl dmara svdrnini
Srfla Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 245
"O Queen of the Rasa dance, O Radharani! O Crownjewel of dancinggirls! O Artful

maiden, O supreme Goddess! O $fl Krsna's dearmost beloved, who is filled with the nectar of
affection! O Kr$namayi, my Svamini!"
he caru candrbnane, nibhrta nikunja vane,

dukula tilaka kanculikdya,
gandha malya dbharane, nija priya sakhigane,
vibhusitd korile tomdya
"O Beautiful moonfaced girl! Your beloved girlfriends will decorate You in a secret
arbourforest with a two-piece dress, tilaka, ornaments, perfumes and garlands".
mahojjvald hemdhgini, kanind koriyd tumi,

sundara madhura rasa-bhume
naola nafim vese, koribe go pravese
rasotsave korite nartane
"O Greatly effulgent golden limbed girl! You will then kindly enter the beautiful and
sweet grounds of the Rasa-dance dressed in a new dancing-outfit to dance in the Rasa-festival."
ei to lalasd mone, mad Tsvari sn carane,

kobe hobe heno subha dine
rddhara sevikd mone, bhdvdvisfa abhimdne,
snpada prabodhananda bhane
"Sripada Prabodhananda says: "When will I be absorbed in the ecstasy of thinking of

myself as Radhika's sevikd (maidservant), and when will that blessed day come that I can attain
My U varl's lotusfeet?"
VERSE 114:
KADA SUMANIK1NKINI BALA YA NUPURA PROLLASAN

MAH A MADHURA MAI^DA JADMIUTA VILASA RASOTSAVE
API PRANAYINO BRHAD BHUJA G$HlTA KANTHO VAYAM
PA RAM NIJA RASESVARJ CARAblA LAK$MA VIKSYAMAHE
kadd - when; sutnani - jewelled; kinkini - sash of bells; balaya - bangles; niipura - anklebells;
prollasat - blissful; mafia - great; madhura - sweet; mandala - circle; adbhuta - wonderful; vildsa -
play; rasotsave - in the Rasa festival; api - even; pranayinah - beloved; brhat - great; bhuja - arin;
grhita - taking; kantha - neck; vayatit - We; parath - supreme; nija - own; raseSvari - the queen of
flavour; carana - feet; laksma - marks; vTksydmahe - we see.
Although we are embraced around the neck by the strong arm of our beloved
Kr$na in the very sweet and wonderful circle of the Rasa-festival, wearing jewelled sashes
of bells, armlets and blissful anklebells, we will only look at the marks on our Rasesvari’s
lotusfeet on the ground!
246 $ri-$n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
SRI RADHA’S FOOTPRINTS IN TH E RASA-CIRCLE:
Commentary: Sri Krsna says in the Puranas: mad bhaktanath vinodartharh karomi
vividha kriydb "For My devotees1 pleasure I play different pastimes", and Sri Jlva GosvamI
comments on the first verse of the Rasa-Ilia in the Bhagavata (10.29.1) as follows: sarvatisayl
premavatTnam srT-vrajasundannam manoratha paripiiranam eva priya matra sukhartham
sarvam kurvatah srT bhagavato mukhyatara prayojanam "The main reason for Sri Krona's
dancing the Rasa-dance is to please and satisfy the beautiful girls of Vraja, who are His
greatest lovers." The Rasa-Ilia is such a wonderful pastime because Kr$na and the gopTs are
both totally dedicated to pleasing eachother. The Rasa-circle is sweetened by the sounds of
nice jewelled waistbells, bangles and anklebells. Sn Suka Muni described die Maha Rasa as
follows in Srimad Bhagavata (10.33.6):
balayanarii nupurandrii kinkimnarii ca yo$itam

sapriyandm abhuc chabdas tumulo rasa mandate
"The Rasa circle was filled with the tumultuous sounds of the bangles, anklebells and
waistbells of the Vraja-girls and their beloved Krsna."
kare Kara mandita mandalT mdjh; tiacala nagan nagara-rdja

bdjata koto koto yantra sutana; koto koto rdga mana karu gdna
kafikana kifikitu balaya niSana; aparupa ndcata radha kan
janu nova jaladhare bijurika bhdii; koho madhava duhuh aichana kdnti
(Padamrta Madhuri)
"The gopTs decorate the Rasa circle by dancing hand in hand with Nagarl Radha and
Nagara raja Kr§na. How many musical instruments are nicely played, and how many beautiful
tunes and songs are sung! The bangles, waistbells and anklebells jingle and Radha-Kr$na are
dancing wonderfully, looking like a fresh raincloud embraced by a lightningstrike." How
sweedy Radhika’s anklebells, bangles and waistbells jingle along with the rhythm of the dance!
runu runu runu rimu, jhununu jhununu jhunu

kara kankana rana raniya
jham jham jhamak, ghaghara kati kifikitu
m
kafikana jhumura dhani dhaniyd
dagamaga dagamaga, dampha dimiki dimi
pipt venu niSane
dhalata citra gati, nartana pada ati
madhava iha rasa gone
Even Madhava's mind is enchanted by the sweet jingling of all these ornaments,
especially by Radhika's ones. This makes the maidservants very proud of their very own ISvafi.
The word pranayi means that Radha's girlfriends can dance with Krsna without any hesitation.
They don't see any difference between Krona's hands and feet and their own hands and feet,
and they don’t keep any reverential distance from Kr$na during the Rasa dance, as Candravali
and her friends Padrna and Saibya do. The glances of the sakhis, that are dancing with Krsna,
as well as the manjans, that are engaged in fanning them, are all fixed on Radhika's footprints
on the ground of the Rasa-circle. Why?
§ n la Prabodhananda Sarasvall 247
nana chole kr$ne preri sangama kordy; dtma krsna sahga hoite koti sukJia pay (C.C.)
"Even if Radhika sends the sakhTs to unite with Krsna through different tricks, they are
still millions of times more happy when they can make Radhika meet with Him than when they
personally unite with Him." During the Rasa dance the kinkarTs' glances are fixed at Radhika's
lotusfeet. How beautiful are the marks of these feet on the camphor-soft white sand of the
Yamuna-bank! The kinkarTs' bliss knows no bounds when they see the nineteen specific
footmarks of Radhika's left and right foot in the sand. The Rasa-/f/a is the aggregate of
transcendental astonishing rasa . All the Vrajasundarls create wonderfully sweet rasa, but 6rT
Radhika is the RaseSvari, the presiding goddess of transcendental mellows. The maidservants
experience that in this pastime. When the maidservants look at these beautiful footprints, they
realize that the sweet nectarean prema rasa that oozes from Srlmatfs lotusfeet sprinkles the
transcendental dust of the Rasasthali. The aspirants should similarly fix their minds on the
nineteen signs on 3rl Radhika's footsoles, that is the essential teaching of this verse.
VERSE 115:
YAD GOVINDA KATHA SUDHA RASA HRADE CETO MAYA JRM M H TAM
YAD VA TAD GUNA KiRTANARCANA VIBHU$ADYAIR DINAM PRAPITAM
YAD YAD PRlTIR AKARI TAT PRIYAJANE$V ATYANTIKI TENA M E
GOPENDRATMAJA JIVANA PRANAYINI SR I RADHIKA TU$YATU
yad - what; govinda kathd - topics of Govinda; sudhd - nectar; rasa - flavour; hrade - in a lake;
cetah - consciousness; niaya - by me; jrmbhitath - expanded; yad - what; vd - else; tat - His; guna -
qualities; kTrtana - glorification; arcana - formal worship; vibhusddayaih - with ornaments; dinatii -
day; prapitam - passing; yad yat - what; prltih - love; akdri - doing; tat - His; priya - beloved; janesu -
in the persons; dtyantikj - greatly; tena - by him; me - mine; gopa - cowherders; indra - king; atmaja -
son; jTvana - life; pranayim - beloved; 3rT radhika - Sn Radhika; tusyatu - may be satisfied.
May Srf Radhika, who is the lifegiving beloved of the prince of cowherders (S ri
Kr§na) be satisfied when I expand a nectarlake of rasika talks about Govinda within my
consciousness, and when I spend my days glorifying His qualities, formally worshipping
Him with different ornam ents and establishing loving relationships with His devotees.
THE RESULT OF W ORSHIPING GOVINDA:

y
Commentary: With the words yad govinda kathd sudha rasa-hrade ceto mayd
jrm bhate ("A nectarlake of delicious talks about Govinda is expanded by me in my
consciousness") 3rlpada refers to lild smarana, the practise of remembering the pastimes of
Radha-Kr$na. This is the main limb of ragdnuga bhakti , and practising devotees should take
care that this does not become a drag as a result of making artificial habits and schemes of
remembrance. The remembrance must occur spontaneously. The rule should not lord it over
the savour, rather the savour should lord it over the rule.
248 Sn-Sn Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
kTrtana. or glorification (chanting) must be done without committing offenses, if the

practitioner wants it to bear fruit. Offenseless chanting means: amdnina manadena klrtamya
sada harih "Offer all respects unto everyone, and never expect any honour for yourself'. Also
one must try to visualise the subject of one's kTrtana instead of just habitually singing like a
parrot. This requires concentration and sincerity. The pastimes of Govinda will spontaneously
manifest themselves in the pure heart of a sincere chanter. Srlman Mahaprabhu met such a
sincere chanter of the Bhagavad Gita when He was travelling through South India. It was a
practically illiterate brahmana , who was having a clear and spontaneous vision of Sri Kr$na
and Arjuna sitting on their chariot while he was trying to chant the verses of the Gita, without
understanding their purport.
arcana. or formal worship must be done in a similar lively way. The devotee should
think pratim a nahe tumi, sakjdt vrajendra nandana : "You are not a statue, You are directly the
prince of Vraja!" The result of ail this practise should be tena me gopendratmaja jTvana
pranayim srT radhika tu$yatu that SrT Radhika, who is the heart’s beloved of the prince of
cowherders, Sri Govinda, will be pleased with me. Someone may say: "Srtpada! The ultimate
goal of worshipping Govinda is love for Govinda. Why do you desire love for Radhika?"
SrTpada answers: "Sri Radhika is Govinda’s beloved lifeforce! Govinda will be even more
pleased with me when Sri Radhika is pleased with me! There's no need for any separate
endeavour!"
srT govinda katha sudha- rasa hrade citta sada,

ndedinu sada sarva kjana
bhusita koriya tanu , govinde arcana koinu,
ndma gdna korinu kTrtana
"I have always made my mind dance in the nectarlake of delicious topics about Sri
Govinda, I decorated Govinda's deity-form with different ornaments and I always sang His
holy name in kTrtana"
govindera priya jane , bhdviyd bandhava mone ,
korilo ye prTti pradarsana
se sab sevara phale, mad TsvarT padamule
kdtarete kori nivedana
"I always went to visit Govinda's beloved devotees in a loving and friendly mood. As a
result of all this devotional service I now anxiously pray to the lotusfeet of my ISvan:"
he govinda pranayini, govinda jTvana dhani,

gopendra nandana priyatamd
prabodhanandete bhane, kevala karuria mone,
mora prati hdo suprasanna
"O beloved of Govinda, O very life of Govinda! O dearmost beloved of Gopendra-

nandana! Prabodhananda says: Be pleased with me! Your mercy is every tiling to me!"
VERSE 116:
RAHO DASYAM TASYA# KIM API VRfABHANOR VRAJAVARI-

YASAH PUTRYAHPURNA PRANAYA RASA MURTER YADILABHE
TADA NAP KIM DHARMAIH KIM U SURAGANAIH KIM CA VIDHINA
KIM ISENA SYAMA PRIYA MILANA YATNAIR API CA KIM
rahah - confidential; dcisyam - service; tasydh - Her; kim api - indescribable; vrsabhdnoh - of
Vr$abhanu; vraja vanyasah - the chief of Vraja; putryah - of the daughter; puma - full; pranaya - love;
rasa - flavour; murteh - of the form; yadi - if; labile - attain; tada - then; nail - us; kirii - what;
dhamiaih - religious principles; kim u - what; sura - demigods; ganaih - with the hosts; kim - what; ca -
and; vidhina - with regulated devotion; kim - what; tiena - with the Lord; Syama - Kr$na; priya -
beloved; milana - meeting; yatnaih - with endeavours; api - even; ca - and; kim - what.
If we can attain the confidential service of the very form of complete lo xe-rasa, Sri
Radhika, the daughter o f the chief of Vraja Maharaja V]*§abhanu, then what is the use of
religious principles, the demigods, regulated devotion to the Supreme Lord or even
endeavours to associate with Syamasundarafs dear devotees to us?
SRI RADHA’S CONFIDENTIAL SERVICE:
Commentary: This is not ordinary service, but confidential (rahah) service. No one
else but £ri Radhika's kinkarls can enter into the confidential kuhja lUa of Radha and Krsna.
For a person who attains such a high savour, what will be the use of following worldly
religious principles, that will only result in rewards of material enjoyment like that of the
demigods in the heavenly planets? The devotee has firm faith that krytie bhakti koile sarva
karma krta hoy: "All material duties are performed by being devoted to Krsna." The devotees
of £rl Radhika are not interested in attaining the luxurious position of a god in heaven. Lord
Sankara told Devi in ^ rim ad Bhagavata (6.17.28):
nardyana parali sarve na kutascana bibhyati

svargapavarga narake$v api tulydrtha dar&inah
"The devotees of Narayana are never afraid, and they look equally upon heaven,
liberation or hell". If the devotees that reverentially worship Lord Narayana think like that,
then what to speak of raganuga bhaktas that have the superior taste of Sri Radhika's dasyal
*
The words kith ca vidhina can mean different things: 1) What's the use of the position
of Lord Brahma (vidhi) to us? When Gopa Kumara, the hero of Sanatana Gosvaml's Brhad
Bhagavatamrta, attained the position of Lord Brahma, he became very disturbed about the
entanglement in the innumerable duties of creation and maintainance of the material creation.
2) What’s the use of following the Vedic principles of varnasrama, the caste- and position-
system to us? Sri Narottaraa Dasa Thakura sings: veda vidhi agocara, ratana vedfra para,
sevo niti kisora kisorf "Nicely serve KiSora and KiSorT, who sit on a jewelled throne, and Who
are not perceived by merely following the Vedic principles!" 3) What's the use of regulated
devotional service, vidhi bhakti to us, when we feel spontaneous (madhura) love for Sri
Radhika? These regulations are simply hampering our spontaneous feelings!
250 -Sri RSdha Rasa Sudhanidlii
Finally, SrTpada says: "When we have the superior savour of Radhika's confidential
service, then what is even the use of making friends with Kr$na's devotees to us? Without Sri
Radha, their mercy is of no avail to us". Srila Raghunatha Dasa GosvSmi vows: ya ekam
govindam bhajati kapafi dambhikatayd tad abhyarne sTrne kyanam api na yami vratam idam
"It is my firm vow never to associate with those hypocrites who worship only Govinda,
without worshipping Sri Radhika!"
VERSE 117:
CANDRASYE HARINAK$I DEVI SUNASE SONADHARE SVSMITE

CILLAK$MI BHUJAVALLIKAMBURUCIRA GRJVE GIRlNDRASTANI
BHAJYAN MADHYE BRHAN NITAMBA KADALIKHANDORU PADAMBUJA
PRONM1LAN NAKHA CANDRA MAN&AU KADA RADHE MA YARADHYASE
candra - moon; asye - face; harina - deer; aksT - eyes; devi - goddess; sunase - girl with a
beautiful nose; Sonci - red; adhare - lips; susmite - nice smile; cillakjnu - beautiful; bhuja - arm; vallT -
vine; kambu - conchshell; rucira - beautiful; grive - neck; giri - mountain; indra - king; stani - breasts;
bhcijyat - thin; rnadhye - middle; brhad - great; nitamba - buttocks; kadalT - banana; khanda - piece; uru
- tliigh; pada - feet; ambuja - lotus; pronmTlat - blazing; ncikha - nail; candra - moon; mandali - globe;
kada - when; radhe - O R5dtva!; mayo. - by me; aradhyase - worsliiped.
O Moonfaced girl! O Doe-eyed girl! O Goddess! O Girl with the beautiful nose,
tiie red lips, a sweet smile, beautiful vine-like arms, a neck as beautiful as a conchshell,
mountainlike breasts, a slender waist, big buttocks and banana-like thighs! You are
adorned with blazing moonlike nails! O Radhe! When will You be worshiped by me?
SRI RADHA'S WORSHIP:
Commentary: Candrasye means ’moonfaced girl'. The material moon cannot even be
partially compared to $ n Radha's beautiful face. SrTpada Llla&ika tells Sri Kr$na towards the
end of his ’Kr$na Karn5mrta': "The present and the previous poets have habitually compared
Your face to the moon, but this moon can be at best used as a lamp for offering to You in
arati". If even that Syamasundara is astonished by seeing $ n Radha's face, then how can that
face ever be compared to the moon? Nevertheless, after deep consideration, the maidservant
still compares Radhika's face to the moon: "If the Cakora-bird named Syama is absorbed in
drinking the nectar of Your face, then we get the desire to compare it to the moon! I alone can
save Him from the swoon He will fall in after drinking that nectar! Then my worship will be
required. I will bring Your hero back to life by singing the glories of Your sweet form and
sweet qualities! Give me therefore Your devotional service, so that Your enjoyment will not be
hampered!"
"he harinakfi: "O Doe-eyed girl! When You go out to meet Kr§na in the moonlit night
You will be afraid that someone will notice You. Out of fear and shame Your eyes will move
restlessly here and there, defeating the beauty of the eyes of an alarmed doc. O HarinSk$i! Who
£ iila Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 251
will pacify You then and encourage You to meet Your lover? Then my service will be
required, so please give me Your devotional service, so that I can help You!"
"He devi! devi kohe dyotaniand, parama sundan; kimva kr$na pujya krTtfara- vasati
nagari "Devi means effulgent and most beautiful girl, or the playful girl who lives in the town
that is worshiped by Kr$na." Her Supreme love makes Her the most beautiful girl, attracting
even Kr$na, Who Himself attracts all the beautiful girls of Vraja. I will be required for fanning
You and serving You cool water and betelleaves when You madden Your Nagara during and
after Your loveplay, so please take me to Your lotusfeet!"
he sunasel Your nose defeats the sesameflower in beauty, and I want to hang a pearl on
it, fixed on a golden string! Who will do it if I, Your lowly maidservant, am not there? Who
will madden the Madhusudana-bee with the honey-like pearl hanging from Your flowerlike
nose unless I am here? Just see how much You need me! Please quickly take me to You
therefore!"
he soriddhare! he susmitel Your lips are naturally reddish, but still I will smear them
with lipstick! O Susmite! You will smile beautifully and say: "My lips are naturally reddish,
why do you still smear this red liquid substance on them?" Then I will reply: "Because this
liquid red will look beautiful on a bluish spot (Kr$na’s cheek)!" By speaking in this way I will
make You very happy. You need me badly for this kind of service, so please take me to Your
lotusfeet!"
he cillak$mT bhujavallil How beautiful and lovely are Your vinelike arms! Their
flowerlike beauty agitates even the Madhusudana-bee! Your fallen maidservant will decorate
them with jcwelstudded armlets. Seeing this, Madhusudana will fall at Your feet and pray to
Your for a festival of embraces, and You will shake Your arms and exclaim: "No, no!" How
beautiful are Your arras! Your Nagara will tell You: "My heart is broken! Give Me some
pleasure!" How succesful will then be the name of Your armets ahgada, which means that She
who wears them on Her arms will give Her body (ahgada) in charity to MadhusQdana."
"he kambu rucira grTve! Your neck is as round as a conchshell and is endowed with
three lines. I will hang beautiful necklaces on it and Kr$na will then specifically worship Your
neck by placing His arms around i t "
"he ginndrastani! bhajyan tnadhya brhan nitambe! Your waist is thin, and during the
Rasa-dance it has to keep the heavy weight of Your breasts and Your buttocks together. You
madden Your lover with Your artful movements when You dance, but Your fallen maidservant
is very much worried that Your slender waist will break, so she’s holding it for You! In this
service I am especially required, so quickly take me to Your lotusfeet!"
"he kadalT khandoru! he udbhasita pada-nakha candra-mandala bhu$ite! Your lover
faints of ecstasy when He sees the beauty of Your golden banana-like thighs, so You will need
this fallen maidservant for bringing Him back to life by singing a lovesong to Him, and when
You becoming tired of dancing the Rasa, You will need this fallen maidservant to make them
fit for other pastimes again. The splendour of Your moonlike nails Will illuminate the cave-like
heart of this maidservant while she massages Your lotusfeet! O Radhe! When will You bless
this little maidservant with all these services?"
VERSE 118:
RADHA PADA SAROJA BHAKTIM ACALAM UDVlKgYA NI$KAITAVAM

P R lT A fl SVAM B H A JA TO TI NIRBHARA MAHA PREMNADHIKAM SARVA$AH
A U N G A T Y A T H A CUMBATISVA VADANAT TAM Bl/LAM ASYE'RPAYET
KANTHE
*• SVAM VANAMALIKAM A P I MAMA NYASYET KADA M OHAN A H•
252 £n-£rl Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
radha pada saroja - Radha's lotusfeet; bhaklim - devotion; acaldm - unshaken; udvikqya -
seeing; niskaitavdth - free from cheating; pritah - loving; svdrii - own; bhajatah - devotees; api - even;
nirbhara - confidence; mafia - great; prenuia - with love; adhikarii - greater; sarvafali - in all respects;
dlingati - embraces; atha - then; cumbati - kisses; sva - own; vadanat - from the face; tambulam -
betellcaves; dsye - in the mouth; arpayet - offering; kanthe- around the neck; svarii - own; vanamdlikdm
- forest garland; api - even; mama - my; nyasyet - places; kadd - when; mohanah - enchanter.
When will Mohana (Kr$na), seeing my sincere, unshaken devotion for S n Radha’s
lotusfeet, embrace me and kiss me with more love even than He shows for His own
devotees, offer me his chewed betelnuts from His mouth into mine, and hang His garland
of forestflowers around my neck?
UNSHAKEN DEVOTION FO R SRI RADHA’S LOTUSFEET:
Commentary: 3rlpada has a spiritual vision of himself, sitting in a sweet nikunja vana
in his kihkarl svarupa, stringing a flowergarland in a kunja kufira (arbour cottage). When
Kr$na comes there, He thinks to Himself: "Aha! How sweet is the mood of these maidservants!
They don’t know anything else but Her service! They don’t care about My bodily company,
which is coveted by all the women of the world, at all, because they are exclusively dedicated
to Radhika's lotusfeet!" Being charmed like this, Kr$na comes before the manjan and says:
’’Sakhi! How lonely this place is! I am greatly afflicted by lusty desires! Come and enjoy with
Me in this kunja and make Your life a success!" Hearing Syama's words, the maidservant
replies: "O Nagararaja! King of lovers! Surely Your bodily association is desired by all the
women of the world, but we maidservants get much more ananda from seeing Your pastimes
with Sil Radhika and from serving You after and during these pastimes than from personally
associating with You! Therefore I pray that You will always keep me immersed in the nectar-
ocean of Your service and You will always allow me to witness the sweetness of Your union
with our SvaminI!" NSgara replies: "Sakhi! You will surely have those desires fulfilled in time,
but even those who enjoy a greater pleasure are interested in different other kinds of enjoyment
also! This is a lonely place, nobody will find out! I am also very much suffering out of
separation from Sri Radha, but you, as Her maidservant, are nondifferent from Her; therefore,
make Me happy with your bodily company!" The kinkarT replies: "Nagararaja! I offered this
body of mine to Sri Radha's lotusfeet. I can give You my life if that makes You happy, but I
cannot give You my body! Come along! I will soothe Your pain of separation by helping You
to meet Sri Radha!"
The maidservant then takes Syamasundara with her to Sn Radha’s kunja.
Syamasundara is so pleased with the sincere and unshaken devotion of Radharanl's
maidservants that He loves them even more than His own devotees. Therefore Snpada says
pritah svath bhajato'pi in this text. When the maidservant makes Radha and Kr$na meet,
Syamasundara tells Radhika: "Radhe! I had lost the way when I was coming to meet You
because I was overwhelmed by feelings of separation from You, but this maidservant helped
Me to find Your kunjal What a wonderful service she rendered to Us! I'd like to give her some
reward, any reward You think is fitting! Tell Me, what should I give her?"
Srlmatl is also most pleased with Her maidservant and just to show Her girlfriends the
greatness of Her maidservants, She says: "Mohana! All the beautiful girls of Vraja desire You;
today I want You to personally reward this maidservant by kissing her and embracing her!"
Hearing this, Nagara begins to kiss and embrace the maidservant with great love. Although
Krsna is selfsatisfied, He reciprocates with the love of His devotees, and for this reason He
SrUa Prabodhananda Saras vati 253
enjoys all kinds of pastimes with them. The gopTs' love for Him is the greatest, and therefore
He also plays the most intimate pastimes with them in particular. The manjarTs' loving
devotion is also described here as being niskaitava , without any cheating propensity and pure
as molten gold. When Krsna begins to embrace the maidservant, she protests by exclaiming;
"No, no!", and runs away. How happy the Yugala Ki$ora are to see her pure mood! 3rlmatl
tells 3yamasundara: "Put some .of Your chewed betelleaves into her mouth!", and when 3yama
wants to do this by force, the maidservant closes her mouth and runs away. She will not accept
anything else but Radha's prasada ; that is her ni$tha (vow). Next Svamini tells 6yama to take
off His garland of forestflowers and to hang it around the maidservant’s neck, but when He
tries to do that, the maidservant puts her hands on her head in order to stop Him from hanging
the garland around her neck. She will only accept SvaminTs prasadZ garlands, and not those of
Krsna alone. In this way the Yugala Ki$ora completes Their examination of the pure attitude of
the kinkarZ. The fortunate maidservant has passed the test!
VERSE 119:
lAVAiyYAM PARAMADDHUTAM RATI KALA CATURYAM A TYADBHUTAM

KANTIH KAPl MAHADBHUTA VARATANOR ULAGATIS CADBHUTA
DRG BHANGIPUNAR ADBHUTADBHUTA TAMA YASYAH SMITAM CADBHUTAM
SA RADHADBHUTA MURTIR ADBHUTA RASAM DASYAM KADA DASYATI
lavanyam - elegance; pararna - supreme; adbhutam - wonderful; rati - love; kala - art;
cdturyam - cleverness; ati - very; adbhutam - wonderful; kantih - luster; kapi - any; ttiaha - great;
adbhuta - wonder; vara - excellent; tanoh - of the body; lila - playful; gatih - gait; ca - and; adbhutam -
wonderful; drg - glance; bhatigT - gestures; punah - again; adbhuta adbhutatamd - more wonderful than
wonderful; yasyah - whose; smitam - smile; ca - and; adbhutam - wonderful; sd - She; radha adbhuta
murtih - Radha's wonderful form; adbhuta - wonderful; rasam - flavour; dasyam - service; kadd -
when; ddsyati - gives.
When will SrT Radha, Who is wonder personified, whose elegance is wonderful,
whose loving artful cleverness is wonderful, whose luster is very wonderful, whose playful
gait and body are wonderful, the movements of Whose eyes are wonderful and Whose
smile is most wonderful, give me the wonderful rasa of Her service?
TOE WONDERFUL FLAVOUR OF SRI RADHA’S SERVICE:
Commentary: The maidservant has passed the test of love (bhava parTkja), but she
thinks to herself: "Syama! You can bless this poor maidservant by wanting her life. A fitting
reward for me is the savour of Your sweet meeting with Priyajl and some fitting service that I
may do then. Let me float in an ocean of bliss by witnessing Your mutual embrace, and thus
bless me!" How incompatible is the beauty of the dasts heart!
Now the Yugala have blessed the maidservant by giving her the desired reward, and
They commence Their vilasa. In the abode of union the great ocean of Krona’s lavanya causes
254 S n-§n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
the ocean of SrTmatfs lavanya to swell. The maidservant cannot find any words to describe
these wonderful ocean, so she simply says lavanyam paramadbhufam: $rl Radha's elegance is
most wonderful; this lavanya is astonishing even Govinda, who is called lavariya sdra (the
essence of elegance) in 3nmad Bhagavata. The reason is that Sri Radha is vara tanu. This
varatanu is made of the blazing cintamani jewel of maha bhdva {mahdbhava cintamani
radhara svariipa, C.C.). The: maidservant feels her life is successful when she sees how
Govinda's fish-like eyes swim in the ocean of her Svaminl's lavanya.
Vilasa has begun, and the maidservant leaves the kunja to peep in through the holes of
the foliage to relish the sweetness of these intimate pastimes. How wonderful is Radhika's
cleverness in artful lovemaking! Even 3yamasundara, who is the teacher of all rasika arts, is
stunned by it! In Vidagdha Madhava, Vmdadev! praised Radhika's dexterity in lovemaking as
follows:
cikrTda yd rajasi ranjita sutrandddha gokarna mdtra cikura nava viddha karna
seyam kutah pravara vibhrama kaidalani radhadhyaglsta bata yair ajilam jigdya
"How amazing! From whom did this Radha, who was still playing in the dust with Her
girlfriends a short time ago, with red ribbons in Her hair and Her earlobes newly pierced, learn
all these arts of lovemaking, so that now She can even defeat the unconquerable Ajita
(Krsna)?" Syamasundara doesn't know what to do when He's defeated in the lovegame by
clever Radhika. The maidservant floats in shoreless oceans of bliss, being very proud of her
Svaminl's honour! Knowing that She was able to fulfill desires that Syama Himself could not
even imagine, 3rlmatl is so happy that it looks as if Her golden luster gushes out of Her body.
Therefore, the maidservant says kantih kapi mahadbhuta "3rl Radha's luster is highly
astonishing". Sri Rupa GosvamI teaches in Ujjvala Nilamani: sobhaiva kdntir dkhyata
manmathdpyayanojjvald "When the limbs become more splendid because of absorption in
erotic sports, such luster is called kdnti" Seeing Sri Radhika's wonderful kdnti, Krsna once toid
His friend Subala:
prakrti madhura murtir bddham atrapy udancat tarunima nava laksml lekhaydlingitdfigl
vara niadana vihdrair adya talrdpy uddra madayati hrdayarii me nmdhati radhikeyam (U.N.)
"O Friend! This Radha is the very form of natural sweetness, and then She is also
embraced by the stripe of youthful beauty. Moreover, I see that Her beauty is even increased
by performing erotic pastimes. In this way She maddens Me and captures My heart!"
Suddenly 3rxmatfs mood changes and She enters into the prerna vaicittya mood, in
which She feels separation from Her lover even while sitting on His lap. Saying: "O Mohana!
Where are You?", She begins to cry. Her intelligence has become so subtle that She can only
feel the vilasa (loveplay) and no longer the presence of vildsl (the love-enjoyer Kr$na). Thus
She laments and cries: "Where is that vildsl, Whose vilasa is so beautiful?" Nagararaja is
astonished when He sees this sweet mood of &nmatTs. Finally, in order to become free from
the fire of separation, Srlmatl becomes HlamayT (filled with Krsna’s pastimes).
priydnukaranath Ilia ramyair vesa kriyadibhih: "Lila means that one imitates the beloved's
beautiful dress and pastimes." How wonderful is 3rimatl's llldgati (the course of Her
imitations)! Nagara and the maidservant are absorbed in relishing SrlmatTs wonderful llldgati.
Once Sri Rati Mahjarl saw 3nmatl engaged in this llld, and told her friends:
mrgamada krta carca pita kauSeya vasd rucira fikhi Sikhandabaddha dhammilla pa&a
anrju nihitam arftse varfrtam utkvdnayantl krta madhuripu veto maliriipatu radha (U.N.)
"May 6rl Radha, who dresses Herself like Madhuripu (Krsna), anointing Herself with
musk (so that She attains His complexion), putting on a yellow silken dhotiy tying a beautiful
Srila Pratiodhananda Sarasvatl 255
crown of peacockfeathers in Her hair and playing a flute while keeping Her shoulders in a
crooked way, protect us!" This is one of the many waves of bhava'arising in Sri Radha. ksane
ksane uthe premdra taranga manta; jiva chara kaha tarn paibeka anta (C.C) "At every
moment there are endless waves of love arising. Which insignificant soul can find their end?"
Srlmatfs girlfriends carefully enter into the kunja, and Sri Radhika's prema vaicittya
mood ceases. Srimatl sees Her Nagara again before Her, and waves of parihdsa rasa (the
mellow of laughter) are arising while Syama boldly tells the sakhfs about Radhika's expertise
in lovemaking. How beautiful are Her glances then, filled with moods like bashfulness, anger,
joy, and pride! The maidservant see that these glances are not only wonderful, they are even
more wonderful than wonderful! The Nagara is also immersed in an ocean of adbhuta rasa
(the mellow of wonder). Sri Rupa GosvamT teaches in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu (4.2.12-13)
♦
apriyadeh kriya kuryan nalaukikyapi vismayam

asadharmy api manak karoty eva priyasya sd
priyat priyasya kim uta sarva lokottarottard
ity atra vismaye prokta raty anugraha madhurT
"When there is no love, even extraordinary activities cannot cause wonder in a person,
but even a drop of the same activities can cause great wonder in the heart of a person who
loves. How much more that counts then for a devotee who loves Kr$na! His pastimes, that are
most extraordinary, will cause the greatest possible wonder in him! The wise men say that this
wonder is caused by the sweet mercy of rati (transcendental attraction)." How much more that
even goes for a devotee of 3ri Radhika, for it is She who astonishes even Krsna with Her sweet
form, qualities and pastimes. Astonishment is the essence of rasa, as Kavi Karnapura teaches
(rase saras camatkaro yam vind na raso rasah). Astonishment nourishes all rasas and makes
them so relishable. This verse of Sripada proves that very nicely, and Sripada closes off by
praying: sd radhadbhuta murtir adbhuta rasath dasyam kada dasyati "When will that very
form of wonder, Sri Radha, bless me by giving me Her wonderful service?"
VERSE 120:
BHRAMAD BHRUKUTISUNDARAM SPHUR1TA CARU BIMBADHARAM

GRAHE MADHURA HUNKRTAM PRANA YA KELIKOPAKULAM '
MAHA RASIKA MAUUNA SABHAYA KAUTUKAM VlK$ITAM
SMARAMl TAVA RADHIKE RATI KALA SUKHAM $RI-MUKHAM
bhramad - wandering; bhrukuti - eyebrows; sundararii - beautiful; sphurita - manifest; earn -

beautiful; bimba - cherry; adharam - lips; grahe - emitting; madhura - sweet; hmkrtam - screams;
pranaya - love; keli - play; kopa - anger; akulam - agitated; mate - great; rasika - relisher; maulina - by
the king; sabhaya - with fear; kautukam - joy; vlksitam - seen; smardmi - I remember; tava - Your;
radhike - O Radha!; rati - love; kola - arts; sukham - bliss; $n - beautiful; mukham - face.
O Sri Radhike! I remember Your beautiful face, full of the joy of loving arts,
fearfully but eagerly looking at the great king of relishers (Kr§na) with loving playful
anger, and making sweet rebukes with Your beautiful Bimba-chery-like lips and the
sweet movements of Your eyebrows!
256 Sn-3n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
SRI RADHA'S KLLA KINCITA :
Commentary: This verse brings to mind £ri Radhika’s kila kincita bhava, that She
showed during the Dana-Ilia (tax pastimes near Govardhana Hill) She played with Krsna. Sri
Rupa GosvamI describes this bhava in the opening verse of his book 'Dana Keli Kaumudi':
amah smeratayojjvala jalakand vyakXrna paksmahkura

kincit patalitancala rasikatotsiktd purah kuhcati
ruddhayah pathi mddhavena madhura vydbhugna tarottard
rddhdyah kila kincita stavakinl drstih iriyam vah kriyat
"May the sight of Sri Radha's kila kincita bhava, which is like a bouquet, bring good
fortune to you! When Madhava blocked Her way to the Dana GhaS, there was a bright smile in
Her heart, and Her sweetly curved eyes grew bright and were filled with tears that were
scattered over Her eyelashes. Her eyes grew slightly pinkish, being sprinkled by Krsna's
cunning behaviour, but they shrank when Hari came before Her!" Sn ViSvanatha CakravarG
comments on this verse as follows: sriyam prema sampattim kriyat karotu "Sri Rupa GosvamI
prays that the kila kincit bhava will bring the devotees the good fortune of prema.
garvdbhildsa mdita smitasuya bhaya krudham, sahkarl-karanaih harsad ucyate kila kincitam
"Sn RQpa teaches in Ujjvala Nilamani that the kila kincita bhava is a mixture of pride, desire,
weeping, smiling, envy, fear and anger." stavaka pakse antahi smerata antar Tsat phullata "In
the case of the object of comparison, the bouquet, we find that Radha's internal smile
represents the internally slightly blooming flowers", antah smeratayeti har$ottam smitam "The
slight (internal) smile is a sign of joy (one of the seven moods listed in the above quoted verse
from Ujjvala Nilamani), jalakaneti ruditam avahitthottham "The teardrops are a sign of crying,
born from negligence), pakse makarandodgamah "In the case of the bouquet, it represents the
honey oozing from the flowers" kincit patalitam sveta raktTkrtam ancalath yasydh sa iti sTtinma
smitam arunyena krodhah "The slightly pinkish colour is a combination of red and white,
white standing for Radhika's smile and red for Her anger." pakse svetdruna varna
dvayodgamah "In the case of the bouquet, the pinkish colour is a rose, or white and red
flowers." rasikatayd utkarsena siktety abhildsah pakse madhura rasodgamam "Sprinkled by
Madhava’s cunningness* indicates Radha's (hidden) desires, coming forth from the madhura
rasa (conjugal mellow), kunceti sahkucita rupeti bhayam. pakse kuhcanam korakata. "The
shrinking of the eyes are a sign of Radha's fear, and in the case of the bouquet it means that the
flowers are still in a budding stage." madhura vyabhugneti garvasuya pakye madhuryam
kutildkrtitvam ca "The sweet curves in Radha's eyes are a sign of Her pride and envy, and in
the case of the bouquet it means that the flowers are sweet, but crooked."*
he srT radhe vinodini, sakhTra nmku\a mani

sakhi sahge rasera prasahge
heno kale vanamalT, vrajera rasika mauli,
parasile tomdra sn ange
"O Sri Radhe Vinodini! O crownjewel of all the sakhTsl When You are blissfully
talking with Your sakhTs, Vanaraall, the king of Vraja's relishers, comes and touches Your
beautiful limbs."
ki tomdra adabhuta, netre kila kincita,
* Comment inserted by Editor.

bhramyamana bhrukuti sundara

Tsat madhura smita, bimbadhare jyotfndm rta
m adhura hunkara m anohara
"How wonderful is the kila kincita bhava that manifests in Your eyes, Your wandering
beautiful eyebrows, Your sweet slight smile, the nectarean effulgence of Your Bimba-cherry-
like lips and Your sweet enchanting screams!"
pranaya kelite cita, antarete lalasita,

bahye kopakula acarane
rasika nagara pane, sabhaya kautuka tnone,
salalasa locana Iksane
• •
i
"In this lovegame there is inner desire in Your heart, that externally acts in an angry
way. When You look at Your rasika nagara , there is anger, joy and desire seen in Your eyes."
ratikald rasdyana, sukhada ye srf vadana,

sakala madhurya ratnakhani
prabodhanandete bhane, nirantara nirajane,
srl mukha sm arana kori ami
"Your beautiful face is a joygiving elixer of love-arts, and a jewelmine of all sweetness.
Prabodhananda says: "I always remember Your beautiful face when I'm in lonely places."
VERSE 121:
UNMILANMUKUTA CCHATA PARILASAD DIK CAKRABALAM SPHURAT

KEYURANGADA HARA KANKANA GHATA NIRDHUTA RATNA CCHABUf
SRONIMANDALA K1NKINIKALARA VAM MANJIRA MANJU DHVANI
SRIMA T PA DA SARORUHAlti BHAJA MANO RADHABHIDHANAM MAH AH
unnulat - manifest; mukuta - crown; cchatd - splendour; parilasad - beautiful; dik cakrabalarii -
horizon; sphurat - illuminated; keyura, afigada - armlets; hara - necklaces; kahkana - bangles; ghata -
a multitude; nirdhuta - defeating; ratna - jewel; cchabi - luster; Srotu-mandala - buttocks; kirikim -
waistbells; kalaravam - jingling; mafijlra - anklcbells; manju - lovely; dhvani - sounds; irimat -
beautiful; pada - feet; saroruhani - lotus; bhaja - worship; manah - mind; radJia abhidhanam - named
Radha; niahah - light
O Mind! Worship the lotusfeet of that transcendental light named Radha, Whose
splendidly manifest crown beautifies all directions, stretching to the horizon, whose
bangles, necklaces and armlets defeat the splendour of jewels and the sash of bells on
whose buttocks softly jingle along in a lovely way with the anklebells on Her feet!
SRI RADHA IN THE RASA LILA:

w
258 Sri-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhaiiidhi
Commentary: Sripada returns to the Rasa-/f/5 here. It is the full moon night and
Vrndavana bursts out in its wonderful natural beauty, creating tfie desire for a sweet Rasa
dance with the Vraja-sundarls in Rasa Viharl's heart. In order to invite the gopTs to the Rasa
dance He plays His enchanting flute:
*
krsna vaktrendu nisthyutam muralT ninadamrtam

uddipananarh sarvesaiii madhye pravaram Tryate (U.N.)
A
"The nectarean flutesong that comes forth from Krsna's moonlike mouth is known to be
the greatest of all amorous incitations" £rlla Candl Dasa sings:
Sydmera banyan diipure dakdti saravasa hari nilo

hiya dagadagi pardria pagali ketio va ernati koilo
emati ye bhava nd bujhi tahara pirili tahara sane
gopata koriya kenona rakhilo bekata korilo kene
khaite Suite ana ndhi cite badhira korilo bafiST
sab parihari korilo bauri mdnaye yemotia dost
ktdera karania dhairaja dharama sararna marama phahsi
candTdasa bhane ei se kdrone kanu saravasa bdiiSi
* • • 9
"Syama's flute plays at midday, taking everything away from us, burning our hearts and
making us mad! Why is He doing like that? And if at all, then why is He not doing it secretly,
but openly? I cannot think of anything else but this flutesound anymore; whether Tm eating our
sleeping, this flute has made me deaf. It makes me give up everything and it makes me mad,
thinking myself to be a maidservant The noose of Kana's flute has trapped my family
traditions, my patience, my moral principles and my shame. Candl dasa says: "This is all
because of Kanu's flute!" The sound of Kr$na's flute attracts hundreds of loving gopT-nvors and
causes them to run towards the Krsna-ocean. The m anjans carefully dress and ornament pretna
pagalim Rai and help Her to meet VamSldhari. Even if all the gopTs have arrived, the Rasa
festival cannot commence without the auspicious arrival of RaseSvan Rai. Rasa Rasika (Krsna)
may cut some jokes with the gopTs before RaseSvari Radha arrives. This is Sanatana GosvamT's
explanation of 3ri Krsna's upeksd vam (words of dismissal) in the first chapter of the Rasa in
£rimad Bhagavata. As long as 3ri Radha had not arrived, Kr$na was merely joking by
pretending to reject the gopTs that had come to Him for the Rasa-dance (see Bhagavata
10.29.17-28). As soon as Sri Radha had arrived, Syamasundara had the Rasa dance started.
tabhih sametabhir udara cestitah (Bhag. 10.29.43) It is written in the Brhad Vaisnava Tosanl-
tlka on this verse: yad va ma Sobhd parama saundaryam tayd safia vartyate iti samd parama sundarT
SrT radha tayd itabhih praptabhilu etena prathamam ukti pratyukti samaye tasdm madhye SrT radha
nasTt, kintu krsnasydvahitthdvagame jata eva sa militetL "After the gopTs heeded Krsna's flute-call
and came to Him for dancing the Rasa, Krsna tested their love by pretending to reject them,
speaking unfavorable words of indifference to them. This broke the gopis' hearts and made
them offer humble prayers to Him (Bhag. 10.29.31-41), but all this happened before Sri Radha
had come. As soon as Radhika came, Krsna smiled and commenced the Rasa dance. He could
» » « «
not reject Radhika in the same way as He rejected the other gopTs. sametabhih in the
Bhagavata verse is therefore separated as follows by Sanatana GosvamI: sa (with) ma (the
supreme goddess of beauty Sri Radhika) and itabhih (having attained Her, He commenced the
Rasa dance). As soon as Radha arrived Krsna gave up His feigned indifference, began to laugh
and met with all the beautiful girls of Vraja. Today Krsna is joking in the same way with the
gopTs, but as soon as a great light begins to shine on the horizon Syama’s hairs stand up of
ecstasy. Syamasundara immediately understands: "Here, RaseSvari is coming! This is the
effulgence of Her crown!" He respectfully gets up to welcome the empress of the Rasa-rasa,
Srila Prabodhananda Saras vatl 259
eagerly looking in the direction wherefrom Her effulgence comes. His eyes become attracted
to Her shining armets, necklaces, waistbells and anklebells. TheJe ornaments have become
filled with mahabhava due to the touch of tnaha-bhava personified, 3rl Radha, therefore
£rlpada says tliat their luster defeats the splendor of jewels, nirdhuta ratna cchabih. Along
with Syamasundara, the maidservant relishes the luster of $nmatl's ornaments. Slowly, slowly
the sweet sounds of 3rl Radhika's jingling anklebells and waistbells become audible, appealing
like a stream of nectar to Nagara's ears. These lovely sounds cause Kr$na to float in an ocean
of rasa. RaseSvari has come and 3yamasundara most respectfully takes Her along inside the
circle of the Rasa dance. Now 6nmatfs sweet Rasa dancing can begin! The maidservant keeps
Her eyes fixed on Her lotusfeet. srunat pada saroruham bhaja mono radhabhidhanath mahah
"O Mind! Worship the beautiful lotusfeet of this transcendental light named Radha!"
ei dekho sri vnidavane, sobha rasavagahane ,

rasa niandalite ase rai
• •
dasa disi maitdala , niram ala jhalaniala,

unmilita mukuta cchataya
"Look at the beautiful ocean of rasa called 3n Vrndavana, where Rai enters the Rasa-
mandall, Her crown illuminating the ten directions with its splendor!"
keyura angada hdra, kankanddi balayara,

ghatate nirdhuta ratna cchabi
srotute ki abhinava, kinkirura kalarava,
srutimule rasa sudhanidhi
"The splendor of Her armlets, necklaces and bangles defeats that of pearls and the
sounds of the new bells on Her buttocks are like a nectarocean of rasa for the ears!"
padapadme niahjlra, niahju dhvani sutrtadhura,

kalanada sudhu sudhamoy
heno radha nania dhara, jyotike bhajana boro,
sripada prabodhananda key
t
"How sweetly the anklebells on Her lotusfeet are jingling, it’s pure nectar! 3npada
Prabodhananda says: "Worship that transcendental light named Radha!"
VERSE 122:
SYAMA MANDALA MAULIMAtfDANA MAN1H SYAMANURAGA SPHURAD

ROMODBHEDA VIBHA VIt X k RTIR AHO KASMIRA GAURA CCHABI#
SATfVONMADA KAMAKELI TARA LA MAM PATU MANDA SMITA
MANDARA DRUMA KUNJA MANDIRA GATA GOVINDA PATTESVARf
syania - the most beautiful girl; niandala - circle; niauli - crown; mandana - decorating; nianih
- jewel; Syanidnuraga - passionate love for Kr$na; sphurad - manifest; ronia - goosepimples; udbheda -
breaking through; vibhavita - incitements; dkrtih - form; aho - O!; kaSnura - saffron; gaura - golden;
i*
260 £ n -$ n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
chhabih - luster; sd - She; atlva - greatly: unmada - maddened; katna - lusty; keli - sports; tarald -
restless; mam - me; pdtu - may protect; manda - slight; srnita - smiling girl; mandara drunia - Mandara
trees; kunja - grove; mandira - temple; gata - having gone; govinda patteSvarl - Govinda’s enthroned
Queen.
May Govinda’s enthroned Queen, Who is the crown ornamenting all the most
beautiful girls, Who is adorned with goosepimples of ecstatic love for Syama, Whose
body shines like kunkurna and gold, Who is very restless due to Her very intoxicating
erotic playfulness, and Who smiles sweetly when She arrives in Her cottage in the grove
of Mandara-trees, protect me!
GOVINDA’S ENTHRONED QUEEN, SRI RADHA:
Commentary: Sri Krsna takes all the Vrajasundaris with Him and commences the
Rasa-dance with them. gopT-krsna-gopT-krsna, thus the Rasa-circle is adorned, with Rasa
Rasika (Kr§na) and Rase$vari (Radhika) dancing in the middle. $ripada, in his kinkan-form,
sees how her levari is the crown adorning all the Syama-girls. The Syama-girls are the best
heroines. Slta kale bhaved usna gnsme ca sukha STtald. padma gandhi mukharii yasyali sd Syama
parikTrtita "The Syama-heroine is cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and a lotusscent
emanates from her face". All the beautiful girls of Vraja are adorned with these qualities, and
they are now all dancing in the Rasa-circle. Vrsabhanu-nandinI outshines them all in luster,
attributes, beauty, love and in the art of dancing, and the maidservant’s heart is filled with pride
of that!
The maidservant sees that Svamirifs beautiful limbs are adorned with a golden-
vermilion splendour and goosepimples of ecstatic love as She sees Her numberless girlfriends
satisfying Krsna in the Maha Rasa-festival. Just as Krsna resembles a green emerald when His
cloudblue luster contacts the golden luster of Sri Radhika and Her friends, similarly Sri
Radhika's golden luster assumes a vermilion shade when She contacts cloudblue Krsna. How
sweet is Their wonderful meeting! The kihkarts heart is absorbed in this vision.
After the Rasa-dance Syamasundara sits down to take rest with His heroines, and
Sripada, in his kinkarl-iovm, fans Them. After taking a short rest Krsna enjoys His heroines in
separate different kunjas on the bank of the Yamuna. Sri 3uka Muni describes this pastime as
follows in Srimad Bhagavata (10.33.20):
krtva tdvantam atmanam ydvatir gopa yositah

rarama bhagavanis tabhir dtmaramo'pi Maya
"Although Lord Krsna was Self-satisfied, He expanded Himself in as many forms as

there were gopTs and enjoyed them." The Vai§nava TosanI says on this verse: p au n ar uktam
idam visrdma samaya eklbhutatvat "When He took rest, Krsna assumed One form again (He
had expanded Himself previously for dancing the Rasa with the gopTs). tad ram anam ca prthak
prthak tatraiva nikata nikuhjadisu iti "Then He expanded Himself into many again to enjoy
each gopT separately in one separate kunja."
The blessed maidservant can now relish the sweet sight of Radha and Krsna’s amorous
pastimes through the holes in the Kalpalata-vines, and she sees that £ri Radhika has become
very restless because of amorous excitement. She is so expert in such pastimes that Krsna feels
like a beggar in a palace, overwhelmed and flabbergasted by SrimatTs tnadana mahabhdva.
When 6rimati sees His condition, She smiles slightly and decides to teach Him all the arts of
&rfla Prabodhananda Saras vatl 261
lovcmaking. Our hero is submissively following Her lead. The maidservant understands that
Her time to serve has come, so she enters into the arbour and blissfully serves the Divine
Couple cool scented water and betelleaves with camphor, and she fan them with a whisk. After
this SvaminI sits down on a jewelled throne with Her submissive Nagara, so that She appears
to the maidservant like Govinda's enthroned Queen. 3npada prays: "May this pattesvarl
(enthroned Queen) of Govinda.protect me!"
VERSE 123:
UPASYA CARANAMBUJE VRAJABHRTAM KISORI GANAIR

MAHADBHIRAPIPURU$AIR APARIBHAVYA BHAVOTSAVE
AGADHA RASA DHAMANISVA PADAPADMA SEVA VIDHAU
VIDHEHl MADHUROJJVALAMIVA KRTIM MAM AD HIS VARI
upasya - worshipable; caraiia - feet; anibuje - lotus; vraja bhrtam - from Vraja; kiion -
adolescent girls; ganaih - by the host; mafiadbhih - by the great; apt - even; purusaih - by m en;
paribhavya - inconceivable; bhava - em otions; utsave - in the festival; agadha - deep; rasa - flavour;
dhamani - abode; sva - own; pada padnia - lotusfeet; sevd - service; vidhau - in the way; vidhehi - give;
madhura - sweet; ujjvalam - brilliant; iva - as if; krtim - order; mama - mine; adhTsvarl - M istress.
O My Is van! Your lotusfeet are worshipped by the adolescent girls of Vraja and
even the greatest souls cannot understand the festival of Your emotions! Please instruct
me in the service of Your sweet and splendid lotusfeet, that are the abode of deep rasal
SRI RADHA’S SWEET AND SPLENDID SERVICE:
Commentary: The word adhTsvarl means 'most capable', She who is most capable of
bestowing devotional service to Her maidservants. The maidservant says: "This fallen girl has
sold her heart to Your lotusfeet! What will happen to her if You reject her?"Of the four parties
of ndyikas (Krsna's heroines), there are two openly favorable to Sri Radha: the suhrt pakya (the
friendly party) and svapaksa the own party). The tatastha pak$a is neutral and the vipaksa is
inimical. Sri Rupa GosvamI teaches dvau svapaksa vipaksau ca bhedav eva rasa-pradau
(Ujjvala Nllamani): "The own party and the enemies' party give the most rasa". This means
that the party of Radhika’s enemies, consisting of Candravall, Saibya and Padma are more
sweetly worshipping Radha than even the neutral sakhTs like Bhadra and the friendly sakhTs
like Syamala. This is because they cause Radhika's tnana (pique) by snatching Krsna away
from Her, making the sweetness of Radha's love for Krsna increase manyfold. It is rasa itself
that has given sakhTs like Candravall a position equal to that of Radha's, although Radha is
definitely the supreme gopika. In this way the worship of $rl Radhika by Candravall is extra
special. Srlla Rupa GosvamI teaches in Ujjvala Nllamani (Harivallabha 28):
Trsddtn sva parivdrdn yoge sva prestha tastaye

ataeva hi vislese snehas tdsdm prakdsate
%
262 £ri-£n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
"For Krsna's pleasure, and for nourishing the transcendental rasa , Krsna’s dear friend
sm gara rasa has made Radha and Candravall jealous of eachother when they are united with
Krsna, but when they are both separated from Him, he shows that they are very affectionate
towards eachother." In this way all the gopTs, either visibly or invisibly, worship 3ri Radha.
Even the greatest souls like Narada Muni cannot understand these moods. Persons who have a
male consciousness or who have feelings of parental or fraternal love cannot perceive the
topmost pastimes of Sr! Govinda with Sr! Radha. Snla JTva GosvamI writes in Bhakti
Sandarbha ‘(338): atrdpi parama srestha sn rddhd-sambalita Ulamaya (ad bhajanam tu
paramatamam eveti svatah sidhyatL kintu rahasya-llla tu paurusa vikdravad indriyaih pitr putra dasa
bhavatf ca nopasya - svTya bhava virodhat.
Srlpada prays: "Ha Radhe! Please bless me and give me the sweet and splendid service
of Your lotusfeet, that are the abode of deep rasa\" One may ask: "Govinda's lotusfeet are
called 'the abode of sweet rasa' in the Vedas (vi$noh pade param a madhvah utsah: The feet of
Visnu are the source of the highest nectar), how can You call Sri Radha’s feet the abode of
deep rasa then?" The answer may be given that although Krsna’s feet are the abode of rasa ,
the savour of that rasa is fully dependent on prem a . The demons also saw Krsna's lotusfeet,
but instead of loving them, they hated them and were afraid of them. Therefore Sri Jiva
GosvamI says Krsna madhuryasya prem aika svadyatvat "Krsna’s sweetness is only relishable
by those who love Him." Sri Radha is the presiding goddess of love, prem a lakjmT, so Her feet
must be the abode of the deepest rasal Sripada prays: "O AdhlSvan! 0 Presiding goddess of
love! Bless me with the sweet and brilliant devotional service of Your lotusfeet!"
VERSE 124:
ANAMRANANA CANDRAM IIUTA DRGAPANGA CCHATA MANTHARAM

KINC1D DARSISIRO VAGUNTHANA PATAM LILA VILASA VADHIM
UNNIYALAKA MANJARHIKARA-RUHAIR AIAKSYA SANNAGARA
SYANGE'NGAM TAVA RADHIKE SACAKITALOKAMKADA LOKAYE
dnamra - lowered; anana - face; candram - moon; Trita - moving; drg - look; apdnga - glance;
cchata - luster; mantharath - slow; kincit - slightly; darfi - looking; tiraJi - head; avagunthana-patam
- veil;./!/a - pastime; vildsa - lovesports; avadhim - the limit; unniya - lifting; alaka - hairs; manjarih -
bud; kara-ruhaih - with the fingers; alaksya - unseen; sat - good; nagarasya - of the hero; arige - on Uie
body; afigarti - the body; tava - Your, radhike - O Radha!; sa - with; cakita - startled; alokam - looks;
kadd - when; lokaye - will I see.
O Radhike! When can I see Your lowered mooniike face moving with its slow and
splendid eyes, Your head slightly covered by Your veil, which is the limit of loving
pastimes, as You keep Your body on Krona’s body? Your eyes wil be startled when You
see me lifting Your bud-like hairs from Your face with my ringers!
THE CLIMAX OF A SPECIAL PASTIME:

5rIIa Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 263
Commentary: Sripada assumes the transcendental form of a m ahjarl and sees SrI-SrT
Radha-Madhava enjoying Themselves in a sweet nikuiija, as she ’looks through the latticed
windows. Gradually the Yugala Ki£ora become so absorbed in this pastime that They feel They
have become One with Eachother and They forget everything else but Eachother's happiness.
In this way They gradually exchange their sexual roles. These things can be done purposefully,
but then it cannot be called pretna viiasa vivarta, the ecstatic spontaneous exchange of roles.
For instance, in £rl ViSvanatha CakravartTs 'Krsna Bhavanamrta’, Radha and Krsna
purposefully exchange Their roles in the Rasa-dance. Radha called Kr$na and the gopfs for the
Rasa-dance by playing on Krsna’s flute, and Krsna and the gopls responded to it. Although this
purposeful exchange of roles is also very relishable, it cannot be justly called prerna vildsa
vivarta. The spontaneous forgetfulness of roles, resulting into a feeling of Oneness, is the limit
of £rl-3rl Radha-Madhava's trancendental pastimes. This is confirmed in £n Caiianya
Caritamrta Mahakavya: pretm d'tikdstha pratipadanena dvayoh paraikyathpratipadyavadTt
This Oneness is not to be compared with the Oneness jnanTs (those treading the path of
wisdom) attain. The Oneness meant here is a Oneness of loving feelings. 5nla Ramananda
Raya also said na so raniana na ham ramanl: "He is not the lover and I am not the ladylove"
(C.C. Madhya 8). Identities are not lost, but the identification with one’s sex has disappeared.
The man acts as a woman and the woman acts as a man. The maidservant can see that, as
Radhika takes the leading role, Her beautiful bud-like hair is disturbing Her (hanging before
Her eyes), so she quickly enters the kuhja and lifts these beautiful hairs, so that mahabhava
personified can see Krsna again. Blessed is this maidservant! Blessed is her service! She has
attained the vision-of the most beautiful transcendental pastimes! Not everything about these
pastimes can be revealed here, but the rasikas (connoisseurs) will be able to understand all the
sweet intimate details that are kept from the paper here. The devotees that practise m ahjarl
bhava can thus always float in oceans of transcendental rasika bliss, being fully engaged in the
devotional service of the divine adolescent Couple of Vraja.
he rddhe anamranand, he srl krsna priyatamd

nivedana kori tuyd paya
tomara alakavall\ kobe diya karahgullt
unnamita kori dibo taya
"O Radhe! O Lowered faced Girl! O Krsna's dearmost beloved! I pray to Your feet:
When can I lift up Your hair with my fingers?"
nagarera ahgopari, ahga sathsthapana kori,

vipanta vilase nitnagana
candranana manohan, T$ad avanata kori,
mugdha heri rnadana mohana
"You place Your body on Kr$na’s body and become absorbed in reversed pastimes.
Madana Mohana becomes enchanted when He looks at Your slightly lowered enchanting
moonlike face."
kdntd sironiani rai, kdnta mukhapdne cait
preme dhala dhala sei-ksana
i • • ♦ •
se apahga cchata sudha, manthara se manolobha,

ei madhurT ke kore vamana
m
V
264 §ri-3ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
"Radha is the crownjewel of ladyloves, and when She stares at Her lover's face, the
nectar of prem a trickles from Her slow, mind-enchanting eyes. Who can describe that
sweetness?" s
mastake avagunthana, sacakitdvalokana,
dekhe aiche irf radha ramane
sacakita netre kobe, dekhibo ki sei riipe,
kavi srT prabodhananda bhane
"Sri Radha Ramana (Krsna) is startled when He sees Radhika's head covered with Her
veil. The poet Sri Prabodhananda says: "When will I also see this form with startled eyes?"
•#
VERSE 125:
RAKA CANDRO VARAKO YADANUPAMA RASANANDA KANDANANENDOS

TAT TADRK CANDRIKAYA API KIM API KANA MATRA KASYANUTO'PI
YASYAH SONADHARA SR l VIDHRTA NAVA SUDHA MADHURI-SARA SINDHUH
SA RADHA KAMA-BADHA VIDHURA MADHUPATIPRANADA PRlYATAMNAH • •
rdka candrali - full moon; varakah - insignificant; yad - what; anupama - incompatible;
rasdnanda - relishable bliss; kanda - source; anatia - face; indoli - of the moon; tat - that; tddrk - tills
way; candrikayd - of the moonbeam; api - even; kirn api - indescribable; kand - drop; matra - only;
kasya - whose; anutah - atomic; api - even; yasydh - whose; §ona - red; adhara - lips; M - beauty;
vidhrta - carried; nava - new; sudha - nectar; mddhun - sweetness; sara - essence; sindhuh - ocean; sa -
She; radha - Radha; kdnia - desire; vadhd - obstructed; vidhura - distressed; madhupati - the Kr§na-
bee; pranadd - lifegiver; priyatam - pleased; tiah - with us.
May Sri Radha, Who gives life to Madhupati (the Kr$na-bee) Who is very
distressed when there is some obstacle to the fulfillment of His desires, Whose
incomparible moonlike face, which is the source of delicious transcendental bliss, makes
the full moon seem insignificant because its nectarean rays do not even give an atomic
drop of the ambrosial effulgence of Her moonlike face, and whose red lips carry an ocean
of fresh-nectar that is the essence of sweetness, be pleased with us!
SRl RADHA, THE LIFE-GIVER OF MADHUPATI:
Commentary: 3ripada’s heart is immersed in relishing transcendental visions. In the

previous verse he relished the sweet mellow of Sri Radha enjoying reversed pastimes and when
the vision vanishes he considers the world to be void without the sweet relish of SvaminT's
form and attributes. The bliss of the relish of the transcendental Supreme Lord is so great that
if the aspirant experiences it once he always remains immersed in such relish and he loses taste
for any other subject than Krsna. After crossing the stage of anartha nivrtti (cessation of bad
habits) the stage of asakti (transcendental attachment to the Lord) appears and the Lord's
pleasure-potency starts her work of providing the transcendental relish. As a result of sincere
devotion niscaydtnuka buddhi (firm determination) appears, and as a result of bhajana the
£rfla Prabodhananda Sarasvati 265
aspirant becomes free from bad habits and gradually advances to the'stages of ruci (relish) and
dsakti (attachment). This firm determination has been beautifully described by Srlla
Vi6vana tha Cakravartlpada in his Sarartha DarSinl-commentary on Bhagavad Gita (2.41):
mama in gurupadistam bhagavat kTrtana smarana carana paricaranadikam etad eva mama sadhanam
etad eva mama sddhyam etad eva mama jlvatuh sadhana sadhya daiayos tyaktum aiakyam etad eva me
kdmyam etad eva me kdryam etad anyarn na me kdryam napyabhilasamyam svapne'pityatra sukham
astu duhkam vdstu samsaro naiyatu vd na naiyatu tatra mama kapi na ksatir ityevath niicayatmikd
buddhir akaitava bhaktdv eva sambhavet "The devotional practise of glorifying the Lord,
remembering Him and serving His lotusfeet, as it has been instructed to me by my spiritual
master is my goal and my life. It is impossible for me to give this up under any circumstance.
This is what 1 desire and this is my duty. I have no other duty than this and I don't desire
anything else, even in dreams! It may make me happy, it may make me unhappy, it may
liberate me from material existence or it may not - that makes no difference to me at all" - such
firm determination is possible in unadulterated devotion." Unadulterated devotion means
devotion which is filled with the desire to please the beloved and which is completely devoid
of any desire for personal happiness. This finds its culmination in the service of Sri Radha.
Because there is such firm determination in the service of 3rl Radha, a swift cessation of
unwanted habits and deep realisations in bhajana are guaranteed. The aspirant experiences it as
if 3ri RadharanI takes him/her along by the hand. The transcendental visions of Sripada
Prabodhananda, who is completely fixed in the lotusfeet of 3ri Radha, is even more vivid than
a direct meeting with the beloved. Bereft of any experience, his heart is unsteady and aches of
separation. Then Srlpada has another transcendental vision of a pastime.
Sripada, in his kinkari-form, accompanies Radha when She goes out to meet Krsna.
Meanwhile, Syamasundara was intercepted by Candravall and her girlfriends Padm5 and
$aibya while He was on His way to meet £rl Radhika. Candravall was hiding between the
vines and the trees and as soon as she heard the jingling of Krsna's anklebells she came out of
hiding, held His hand and said:
ei pathe niti, koro gatayati, nupurera dhvani iuni

radha safige bdsa, dmare nairdia, ami vatici ekdkini
bajidhu he! chadiya ndfiiko dibo
hiydra mdjhdre, rdkhibo lomdre, saddi dekhite pabo
iutio sakhigana, koriyd yatana, lo‘ye cole niketane
djakdra niii, radhika rupasi, vancuka ndgara vine,
eteko kohiyd, korete dhariya, loiya colilo bdsa
radha bhaye hari, kampe tharahari, bhane dina candlddsa
"You came walking down this path so nicely! I heard the jingling of Your anklebells! I
was desparate about Your association with Radha and felt deprived! O Friend! I won't let You
go! I will keep You in my heart and thus I can always see You! Listen, O sakhTsl Carefully
take Him to my abode! Tonight we will deprive beautiful Radhika of Her Nagara's association!
After Candravall spoke thus, her sakhTs took Krsna by the hand and brought Him to her abode.
The fallen Candl Dasa sings: Hari shivered out of fear of Radha."
5 rimat! Radhika thus spent the night in great distress, and when Her hero finally
showed up in the morning with all the signs of CandravalTs lovemaking on His body, she
adopted the mood called khandita. £rila Rupa GosvamI defines this in Ujjvala Ntlamani:
ullanghya samayath yasydh preyan anyopabhogavdn

bhoga laksmdrikitah pratar agacchet sd hi khandita
k
266 Sri-SrT Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
esa tu rosa nihsvasa tu$riimbhavadi bhag bhavet
"When the lover shows up too late at the trystingspot and he wears the marks of another
girl's enjoyment on his body, the beloved assumes the mood called khandita. She then breathes
deeply out of anger and becomes silent." Snraatl sarcastically welcomes Her Nagara back,
saying:
bhdlo Iioilo are bandhu dild sakale, prabhdte dekhilum muklia dina ydbe bhale
bandhu, tomdra fukhdyeche mukha, ke sdjale heno saje fieri basi dukJia
bandhu tomdra bolihari ydi, phiriya daddo tomdra cafida mukha cai
di ai podyache mukhe kdjarera fobha, bhale se sindura bindu muni manolobha
khara nakha dafanete ariga jara jara, bhale se karikana ddga hiyara upora
mlapatera fatl kohcara balani, ramanl ramana hoiyd vancila rajam
surahga ydvaka rahga ure bhdlo saje, ekhon koho monera kathd dild kibd kdje
cari pane cahe nagara, ahcale mukha moche; gopdla ddsera laja duile na ghuce
"Very nice that You have come this morning, my friend! My day will be very good
now that I saw Your face in the morning! O Friend! Your face has dried up! Who has
decorated You like this? Seeing it makes Me feel very unhappy! All glories to You, My friend!
Turn around, so that I can see Your moonlike face! Alas! Who has beautified Your face with
eyeliner? The beauty of that spot of vermilion enchants the minds of even the great sages!
Your body is bruised by scratches of sharp nails and bites of sharp teeth, and there is a distinct
mark of a bangle on Your chest! Have You spent the night as a woman, although You are a
man? I see You are covered by a blue sartl This beautifully coloured footlac looks nicely on
Your chest! Now tell Me frankly, for what have You come here? The Nagara looks in all four
directions, covering His face with His scarf. Gopala dasa says: "Although He tries to wash off
His shame, He cannot clean it up."
3rlmatl becomes angry, and Nagara tries everything to please Her, but to no avail.
Finally He breaks down crying, seeing that all His hopes are frustrated. Snmatl also covers Her
lowered head with Her veil and starts crying softly. Then one sakhi comes and tells Her:
"Radhe! You don’t have to cry and cover Your head anymore! Syamasundara has also left,
crying! I don’t think He’s going to come anymore. You’d better calm down and go home!” As
soon as Srlmatl hears: "Kr$na is gone, He won’t come back!", She becomes startled. Feeling
regret (this is called kalahantarita) She drops Her veil and anxiously says: "Sakhi! What are
you saying? Is He gone? He who loves Me so much has left after such a trifle pique of Mine?
Sakhi, 1 was such a foolish girl to be angry with Him, why did You let Him go? Quickly go
and bring Him back, otherwise I cannot maintain this body anymore!" The sakhi replies:
"Radhe! You won’t get Him anymore! He was crying so much at Your lotusfeet, like a great
offender, but still You remained angry with Him! Now who knows where He has gone, feeling
miserable, offended and agitated? Even if we search for Him now, where will we find Him?"
Hearing the sakhfs words, 6nmatl becomes unlimitedly agitated and sad, and says: "O friend,
what did I do? I callously threw away a jewel from My own apron! You were right here,
couldn't You stop Me from doing all these foolish things? Oho! I have callously thrown away
My life's treasure!" Saying this, She strikes Her head and Her breasts with Her hands, and
laments:
andhalo prema, pahile nahi heriluh, so bahu vallabha kdna
adara sddhe, vada kori ta' saha, aJiar ni£a jvalata parana
sajani! tohe koho maramaka daha
kdnuka dokhe, yo dhanl rokhai, so tapariljaga maha
yo hdma mdna, baliuta kori mdnalurh, kdnuka minati upekhi
so aba manasija- fare bhelo jara jara, tdkara darafa na dekhi
dhairaja laja, mdna sane bhdgalo, jlvane rahato sandeha
govinda ddsa, kahoi sati bhamini, aichdna kcuiuka leho

?
"Love is blind, therefore I could not see at first that this Krsna is a womanizer. I
' • • •
quarreled with Him and this makes My heart bum day and night O sakhi! I will tell you of my
burning heart! Any girl in the world who becomes angry at Krsna for His faults will suffer and
regret it! I have been very angry with Him, even when seeing how He plaintively tried to
pacify Me! Now He is being pierced by Cupid's arrows and I cannot see Him. Along with My
pique My patience and shame have also fled and My life is uncertain. Govinda dasa says: "O
chaste but temperamentful woman! Such is the love for Krsna!"
This burning sensation is a well-known feature of love for Krsna: Although you see His
faults you cannot become angry with Him. Rather, it is a fault to become angry with Him, and
the lover will have to repent. She cannot find consolation with Her girlfriends, because they
return the fault to Her, saying:
sundari! toikhone koholam toya
bharamahi o sane, leho badhdabi,
» •
janama gohdbi roya
vinu gutia parakhi, parakha rupa Idlase, kafie sorhpali ttija dehd
dine dine khoyasi, iha rupa lavani, jlvaite bhelo sandeha
yo tuhun hrdaye, prema tarn ropali, Syatna jalada rasa die
so aba nayana riira, dei sihcaho, kohotahi govinda ddsa
"Sundari! We told You not to reject Kami! You were so bewildered to increase Your
love for Him - now You will have to spend Your life weeping! You wanted to touch this boy,
who has no good qualities and offer Your body unto Him. You have wasted day after day on
His external charms and there is doubt whether You are still alive. You planted a love-tree in
Your heart for Him and now You hope that a blackish cloud (Krsna) will shower it (So that it
will grow)." Govinda Dasa says: "Now You can just sprinkle its roots with Your own tears."
The maidservants see SvaminI suffering the pangs of separation and go out to search
for Syamasundara. After a long search they find Him on the bank of the Yamuna, greyed by
the dust of frustrated desires and totally morose because of His separation from ^rimatl
Radhika. Although the name Madhupati suggests that Krsna is a blissful rasika bee, He is still
found to be unhappy here. How is that possible? He thrives on the loving service rendered to
Him by madana mahdbhdva, personified by 3rlmatl Radhika, and if He does not get it, His
life-airs will come up to His throat. Seeing the distress of the Nagara, the maidservant keeps
SvaminT's honour fully intact and takes Him back to Her kunja, saying: "When You come in,
just clasp Svamirifs feet and beg for forgiveness!"
dutira vacana £uni, rasika Siromani, dola lakara sdtha,

dura soi fieri, soi vara nagarT, avanata kori rohu mdtha
kara jodi sadfiaye kdna
hdma tuya kihkara, padiye carana tala, tyajo dfiani daruria mana
eto kohi nagara, aniara garagara, dharaki dharaki podu lora
heri sudhdmukhl, akula bhelo ati, so nuddia heri vibhora
chala chala naydne, Sydma kara kitolaya, dhari kohe gadagada bhasa
jalade gopana vidhu, yaiche udoy bhelo, ' koho yadunandana ddsa
"When Krsna, the crownjewel of relishers, heard the messenger's words, He came along
with her. Seeing the best of ladyloves from afar He lowered His head.Kana (Krsna) folded His
hands and said with tearfilled eyes and an aching heart: "I am Your servant and I have fallen at
Your feet! Please give up Your cruel pique! Seeing Syama's anxiety, Sudhamukhl (nectarfaced
Radhika) stared at His face, held His sproutlike hands and spoke broken words to Him.
2(58 ‘ §n-£ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Yadunandana dasa sings: "It looked as if the moon (Radhika's actual love for Krsna) broke out
of the clouds (Her pique), where it was hidden."
i
Thus £rimatl gives up Her pique. Her moonlike face shines with a bright smile and Her
red lips resemble an ocean filled with the essence of fresh nectarean sweetness. When a
Cakora-bird drinks this nectar he will be revived, and the maidservant understands that 6rimatl
can provide this elixir to the £yama-Cakora. She thinks: "How can the poets compare Sri
Radhika’s'moonlike face with the shining of the material moon? Nothing can compare to Her
face! The full nectarean moonrays could not equal even an atomic drop of Her face's aura!
This sweet nectarean moon saves Madhupati’s life, whereas the material moon simply increases
His lusty affliction! May that Sn Radha save our lives also!"
anupama rasdnanda, sakala madhurya kanda,

radhikara earn candranana
dhik paurnamasT can , hare tara garva mdna
dnana candrika eka kana *
»* * •
"Radhika's beautiful moonlike face gives incompatible delicious bliss and is the source
of all sweetness. Curses on the full moon, whose pride is stolen by even one drop of this
shining moonlike face!"
sonadhare srTyuta, vidhrta madhura smita,
abhinava sudha sdra sindhu
kama vadha vidhura, madhupati madhavera
pranadd frT rai nuikha indu
"Her red leps cany a sweet smile that resembles an ocean that is filled with the essence
of fresh sweet nectar. Rai's moonlike face revives Madhupati Madhava, Who suffers from
unfulfilled desires."
heno krsna priyatamd, hoibe ki suprasanna,
mora prati dra koto dine
tabe to hoibe sukha, anande bharibe buka,
"Srlpada Prabodhananda says: "When will that dearmost beloved of Krsna's be pleased
with me? Then my heart will be filled with joy and everything will be blissful!"
VERSE 126:
RAKANEKA VICITRA CANDRA UDITAH PREMAMRTA JYOTI$AM

VlCIBHIH PARIPURA YED AGANITA BRAHMANDA KOTIM YADI
VRNDARANYA N1KUNJA SIMANI TAD ABHASAH PARAM LAK$YASE
BHAVENAIVA YADA TADAIVA TULAYE RADHE TAVA SRIMUKHAM
rakd - full moon; aneka - many; vicitra - wonderful; candra - moon; uditafi - rising; prema -
love; amrta - nectar; jyotisah - light; vicibhih - with waves; paripurayet - filled up; aganita -
innumerable; brahmatida - egg of Brahma; kotifh - millions; yadi - if; vrnddranya - Vmdavana; nikunja
- arbours; sTmani - borders; tad - its; abhasah - semblance; param - supreme; laksyase - defined;
bhdvena - with the mood; eva - only; yada - when; ladd - then; tulaye * equating; tava - Your; §n -
beautiful; mukham - face. ;
O Radhe! If millions of universes would be filled with the waves of the ambrosial
love-effulgence of many simultaneously rising wonderful full moons, it w'ould only
slightly resemble the beauty of Your face, that is visible of the arbours of Vrndavana. I
can only make a comparison with an idea!
SRl RADHA’S INCOMPARIBLE FACE:
Commentary: Sripada thinks to himself: "Just as the moon in the sky is reflected in the
pools and lakes on earth, and the reflection has inherited some of the original’s illumination, so
also is the material moon a mere reflection of its original source: pretna laksnu (the goddess of
love) Sri Radha's shining moonlike face, that showers the neciarean ambrosial light of divine
love. This moonlike face, that is the source of all the nectarean moonrays of love, is especially
ornamented with countless deep emotions after seeing Syamasundara. This is indicated by the
words 'it is arising on the outskirts of Sri Vrndavana's arbours”.
Someone may ask: "If Sri Vrndavana is so incompatible, then why Sripada willingly
and knowingly compared Sri Radha's face with the moon?" The answer will be: "Simply with
a bhava I have made the comparion with the moon. In the Vaisnava-scriptures there are many
explanations of the word bhava. One of them is svabhava (custom). Sripada says: "Poets are
accustomed to comparing Sri Radha's face to the moon, and that’s why I made this
comparison". Bhava can also mean dvesa (absorption) "I was so absorbed in making these
descriptions that I made no discrimination. Without considering anything, I ecstatically
compared Radhika's face with the moon." Or 3 ripada may say: "It does not look nice just to
write down 'face*. The use of the words 'Lotusface' or 'moonface' nourishes the beauty of the
expression, although these things can indeed not equal Radha's beautiful face. The ambrosial
light shining from Sri Radha's face destroys the darkness of despair in Syamasundara's heart
and revives Him, what can it be compared with? There is no comparison to the incompatible
face of Sri Radha!"
he radhe! he kryna priyatamd!

kiba rasananda khani, tava se vadana khani,
koti candra naheko upama
"O Radhe! Kr$na's dearmost beloved! Your face, that is a mine of delicious bliss,
cannot be compared even to millions of moons!"
arunadhara saundarya, sudha madhurl dhurya,

kdtna vadha visanna krynera
jTvana dayini tumi, vrsabhdnu nandirii\
krpd dithe cdho go modern
270 Sn-SriR adha Rasa Sudhanidhi
"Your beautiful red lips are like an abundance of sweet nec|ar that revives Kr$na, who
is suffering from unfulfilled desires. O Vrsabhanu nandini! You are the life-giver! Please cast a
merciful glance on me!" :
«
VERSE 127:
KALINDlKULA KAIJPADRUMA TALA NILAYA PRO LIASATK ELIK AN D A

VRNDATAVYAM SADAIVA PRAKATATARA RAHO B A LIA V IB H A V A BHAVYA
BHAKTA n AM IIRTSARO JE MADHURA RASA SUDHA SYANDI PADARAVINDA
SANDRANANDAKRTIR NAIJ SPHURATUNAVA NAVA PREMA LA M IR AMANDA
kalindl - Yamuna; kfda - bank; kalpadruma - wish-yielding tree; tala - foot; nilaya - abode;
prollasat - full of bliss; keli - pastimes; kanda - source; vrnddtavyam - in yrndavana; sada - always;
eva - only; prakatatara - manifest; rahah - private; ballavT - gopis; bhdva - mood; bhavya - meditating;
bhaktdriarii - of the devotees; hrt - the heart; saroje - in the lotus; madhura - sweet; rasa - flavour;
sudhd - nectar; syandi - sbeaming; padaravinda - lotusfeet; sandra - deep: ananda - bliss; akrtih -
form; tiah - to us; sphuratu - may be manifest; nava nava - ever-ffesh; prenta - love; lakjnuh - goddess
of fortune; amanda - great
May the ever-young form of the excellent goddess of fortune of sacred love (prema
lak$mt), who is always visible in the abode at the foot of a desiretree on the bank of the
Yamuna, who is the source of all blissful pastimes, who is lovingly meditated upon
through the mood of Krona's secret lovers, the vine-like cowherdgirls in Vrndavana,
whose lotusfeet pour sweet (or erotic) nectarean rasa on the devotees' Iotuslike hearts and
who is the very form of deep bliss, be manifest to us!
THE YOUNG PREMA LAK§MI:
.. Commentary: The wonderful transcendental subject matter of Sri Radhika’s prema

rasa cannot be described with words, and if it could be, it would not be understood by worldly
persons who do not perform any sadhana. Nevertheless, when Snpada writes down these
words glorifying Sri Radhika and Her loving service, even the material syllables he uses carry
some wonderful power of astonishment in them! A person who develops the proper faith in
this subject matter will be able to relish it according to the level of his personal purity
(sincerity).
The base of a desiretree in a sweet arbour on the bank of the Yamuna is a very suitable
place for the ’adulterous' gopfs to meet their 'paramour' Kr§na. Sometimes Krsna comes to
meet them there in the daytime and personally makes a bed of flowers for them, staring down
the path, eagerly waiting for them to come. The gopis at once heed Krsna's flute-call and leave
their moral principles and their family members behind to meet Him there and to dance the
Rasa with Him. The words raho ballavT mean that the gopTs secretly come to meet Kr$na,
because they are, by Yogamaya's arrangement, married with other cowherders. Sri ROpa
GosvamI writes in 'Ujjvala Nilamani (Krsna Vallabha 5)':
£rila Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 271
gandharva rityasvikarat sviyatvam iha vastutah

avyaktatvad vivahasya susthu pracliataia kdntata
"Actually the gopTs that worshipped goddess Katyayam to get Krsna as their husband,
were accepted by Him in the Gandharva-type of marriage, and were thus His own wives, but
this marriage was unknown ta their and His parents, so their conjugal love was still well
hidden" All these hidden lovers of Kr$na worship Radha in their own way (raho ballavT bhava
bhavya). They are divided into four groups; svapaksa (Her own party) vipaksa (Her enemies1
party) suhrt paksa (Her friendly party) and tatastha paksa (the neutral party). Some groups are
openly serving Radha, and others invisibly. Without Radha's lotusfeet their world is dark, but
Radha showers the nectar from those lotusfeet onto their hearts: bhaktanam hrt saroje
madhura rasa sudha syandi padaravindd. Experienced devotees can feel that sweet
nectarstream floating towards their hearts as they meditate on Her lotusfeet. If even Sri
Govinda meditates on Radhika's lotusfeet to feel this sweet nectar-stream, then undoubtedly
the practising devotees of Sri Radha should do so!
The words amanda prema laksnu mean that Sri Radhika is the goddess of fortune of
sweet love, not of reverential and respectful love like the LaksmI from Vaikunthaloka.
Caitanya Carilamrta states aisvarya jnanete hoy sahkucita prTti "Reverential devotion dims the
spontaneous ecstasy of love". Sripada Prabodhananda prays: "May that amanda prema lakjmT,
the goddess of fortune of sweet ecstatic love, always be manifest in my heart!"
VERSE 128:
SUDDHA PREMAIKA LILANIDHIR A HAH A MAH A TANKAM ANKA STHITE CA

p r e s t h e VIBHRATY ADABHRA SPHURADATULA KRPA SNEHA MADHURYA MURTIH
PRANALIKOTINIRAJITA PADA SUSAMA MADHURIMADHAVENA
SRI r a d h X m a m a g a d h a m r t a r a s a b h a r i t e KARHIDASYA 'BHI$INCET
tuddha - pure; prema - love; eka - one; llldnidhih - ocean of play; ahaha - O!; mafia - great;
aiat'ikam - afraid; ahka - lap; sthite - situated; api - even; pre$ihe - beloved; vibhrati - carries; adabhra -
plentiful; sphurad - clearly; alula - matchless; krpa - mercy; stieha - affection; madhurya - sweetness;
murlih - form; prana - heart's; ali - girlfriends; koti - millions; mrdjita - worshipped; pada - position;
susamd - beauty; madhun - sweetness; madhavena - by Kr$na; frf radha - Sri Radha; mam - me;
agddha - deep; amrta - nectar; rasa - flavour; bharite - filled; karhi - when; dasye - service; abhi§incet
- constantly sprinkles.
Aho! When will Sri Radha, who is the only ocean of pure love-pastimes, who is
very much afraid of being separated from Her beloved Kr§na, even though She sits right
on His lap, who is the very form of clear, matchless sweet mercy and affection, whose
beautiful sweet feet are worshipped by millions of Her heart's friends as well as by
Madhava Himself, shower me with the full condensed deep nectar of Her service?
THE FULL DEEP NECTAR OF SERVICE:

k
272 SrT-Sn Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Commentary: Sweet Radha and Madhava enjoy sweet sylvan pastimes (vana vihdra)
in sweet Vrndavana together with Madhumangala, Lalita and* ViSakha. Sylvan goddess
VrndadevI, understanding the loving Couple's desires, awakens the flowers and vines of Sri
Vrndavana:
smitam vitanu madhavi prathaya malli hasodgamarii
mvtda vikasa patale purata yuthi nidrani tyaja
prasTda totapatrike bfiaja lavahga valli Sriyam
dadhatu saha radhayd harir ayatii vihdra sprhdm
(Vidagdha Madhava, Act V)
"O Madhavi! Smile softly! O Mallike (jasmine)! Show your smile! O Roses! Bloom up
nicely! O golden Yuthika-flowers! Give up your drowsiness! O Lotusflowers! Be happy! O
Clove-vines! Show your beauty! You should all create a desire in Radha and Hari to sport in
the forest!" As soon as Vrnda gives the order all the flowers begin to bloom, attracting the bees
with their fragrance and their honey. Peacocks blissfully dance with raised tails and the
cuckoos and other birds fill the Vrndavana forest with their chirping. The deer increase the
beauty-of the forest with their presence and all other forest-creatures are filled with ecstasy. 3rl
Krsnasays:
sevante tarn gehinah sumanasdrfi vnidair tnadhu syandibhir
yatrotphulla lata vadhubhir abhitah safigatya bhrhgatithtn
sarimtd pasubhis tathd khaga kulaih kheladbhir avydhatani
na syat kasya sitkanthi seyam adhikanandaya vrnddtavT (ibid.)
"O Sukanthi (sweet voiced) Radhe! The trees in Vrndavana and their wives, the vines,
are like householders that serve their guests, the bees, by giving them their honey. The birds
and animals give up their natural enmity and freely play with eachother. Who will not become
happy in Vrnda's forest?"
harinl vidambayasi netra khelaya lalitair latdh pika kularii kaloktibhih

sikhirias ca kuntala kaldpa vibhramair iti te purah kim iva me vana sriya (ibid.)
"With Your playful eyes You defeat the beauty of the does, with Your body You defeat
the beauty of the vines, with Your sweet voice You embarrass the songs of the cuckoos and
with Your hair You make the peacocks think their spread-out tails are useless. O Radhe! What
is the beauty of the forest in front of You?" Then Vmda-devI gives Kr$na two white
playlotuses and two red ear-decorating lotuses, and Krsna decorates Radhika's ears with the red
lotuses; Then a bee, that was hiding in one of Krsna’s playlotuses, flies up to Radhika's face,
being attracted to Her sweet fragrance and the fragrance of the red lotusflowers that decorated
Her ears, and makes Her fearfully flap Her vine-like arms around and embrace Kr$na, seeking
His shelter. Madhumangala then chases the bee away, saying: "O Radhe! Madhusudana (the
bee) is gone, You won't see Him anymore!" Thinking that Madhumahgala was speaking about
Madhusudana Krsna, Radhika becomes very upset and laments:
samajani davad vitrastanarii kim drta-ravo gavam

mayi kim abhavad vaignnyarii va nirankufam Tksitam
vyaraci nibhrtam kith vahutih kayacid ablnstaya
yad iha sahasd mam atydksid vane vanajeksanah (ibid.)
"Alas! Have the cows called out for His help, being caught in a forestflre, or has He
found some fault in Me? Maybe He was taken elsewhere by another gopP. Otherwise, why
would lotus-eyed Krsna suddenly leave Me?" How amazing! Although 3n Radhika is still
3rHa Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 273
embracing Krsna, She already fears separation from Him! This'ecstasy is called prema
vaicittya (and is elaborately described in the purport of verse 47).f£n Radha is the ocean of
pure loving pastimes that creates innumerable waves of ecstasy. £n Krsna is astonished when
He sees £rlmatl'$ prema vaicittya and secretly forbids everyone present to break ^rlmatl’s
illusion, so that He can witness Her wonderful expressions of love for Him. $n Radhika
laments:
vasantibhir ayarii na me kaca-bharah kariisdrinottahmtas
tasyorah-sthala cumbi campaka cayair ndgumphi mdlydm mayd
malllbhif ca nirargalam parihasanndyam baldt taditah
prdrambhe'dya vanotsavasya viraha-cchadma davah prodagat (ibid.)
"Alas! Krsna could not decorate My hair with Madhavl-flowers, nor could I string a
garland of Campaka-flowers to kiss His chest, or beat Him with jasmine-flowers for fun! Alas!
Today, at the beginning of Our sylvan pastimes, a forestftre broke out!" How wonderful is this
beautiful prema vaicittya-ccsiasy of Radhika, that causes Madhava and the sakhTs, who are
dearer to Her than millions of lives, to worship Her lotusfeet! Anyone who feels the wonderful
waves of this very astonishing prema rasa, must worship £nmatTs beautiful lotusfeet with the
heart. There is no other ingredient with which She can be worshipped.
3rimatT$ prema vaicittya now subsides and She can see Krsna before Her once more.
The fire of Her separation from Krsna is extinguished, but Syama is enchanted by what He
saw. He sees Her as the very form of sweetness, the sakhTs see Her as the very form of
sweetness and affection, and the maidservants see Her as the very form of affection, mercy and
sweetness. Thus everyone sees Her according to their own mood. Snpada prays: "May
Radhika sprinkle me with the full and deep nectar of Her maidservice!"
VERSE 129:
VRNDARANYA NIKUNJA SIMASU SADA SVANANDA RANGOTSA VA1R

MADYANTYADBHUTA MADHAVADHARA SUDHA MADHVIKA SAMSVADANAIH
GOV1NDA PRIYA VARGA DURGAMA SAKH1 VRNDAIR ANALAKSITA
DASYAM DASYATI ME KADA NU KRPAYA VRNDA VANADHISVARI
• «
vnidaranya - Vrndavana; nikahja - arbours; sTmasu - on the borders; sadd - always; svdnatida -
own bliss; range - play; utsavaih - with festivals; madyanti - maddens; adbhuta - wonderful; madhava
- Krsna; adhara - lips; sudhd - nectar; madhvika - honey; samsvadanaih - by relishing; govinda priya
varga - Govinda's devotees; durgama - hard to enter; sakJu - girlfriend; vrndaih - by groups; andlaksita
- unseen; dasyarh - service; dasyati - gives; me - to me; kadd - when; nu - whether; krpayd - with
mercy; vmddvanddhifvarl - the presiding goddess of Vrndavana.
When will Sn Radha, the presiding goddess of Vrndavana, who becomes

intoxicated after relishing the wonderful honey of Madhava's nectarean lips during
festivals of erotic pastimes with Him in the outskirts of the arbours of Vrnda's forest,
kindly engage me in Her service, which is hardly attainable by Govinda's devotees or
even by Her own girlfriends?
274 3 n-£ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
RADHA'S SERVICE NOT SEEN BY THE SAKHlS:

♦
Commentary: After Radha showed Her prema vaicittya-zcstasy, the divine Couple go
out for vana vihara. The natural beauty of the forest creates strong amorous desires in Them,
so Laliia and the sakhTs leave Them on the pretext of picking flowers. The maidservant stays
with SvaminT as if she is Her shadow, and when the divine Couple enters into a sweet kunja to
make love she goes out and looks in through the latticed windows to witness these sweet
pastimes. Today SvaminT is maddened by Cupid's festival. This is not just an ananga
rahgotsava (festival of erotic bliss), but a svananda rangotsava (a festival of personal
happiness). SvaminT takes the lead in this love-festival, and Syamasundara follows. There are
three kinds of erotic festivals: in the first one Syama takes the lead and Svaminl follows, in the
second one SvaminT leads and 3yama follows, and in the third one both lead. Even in the
beginning of the festival Svamim becomes intoxicated by fully drinking the honey from
Syama's lips, that maddens all the gopTs and that constantly fills up the holes of His all-
attractive flute. In the GambhTra, 3 riman Mahaprabhu, accepting Srimatfs mood, also tasted
this intoxicating nectar, and sang as follows:
nagara! funo tomara adhara carita

mdtaya ndfira mono, jihva kore akarsaria,
vicarite sob viparTta
"O Hero! Listen to the pastimes of Your lips! They intoxicate the womens' minds and
attract their tongues, turning everything around."
achuk nanra kaja, kohite basiye Idja,

tomara adhara boro dhrsta raya
puruse kore dkarsana, apana piyaite mon,
anya rasa sob pasardya
"It is still understandable that Your shameless lips will attract the women, but it is
embarrassing to say that they also attract the men and even Your flute itself, which is also
male. It likes to drink .the nectar of Your lips and thus it forgets all other flavours."
sacetana rohu dure, acetatia saceiana kore,

tomara adhara bodo bajikdra
tomara venu suskendhana, tara janmdya indriya mana,
tdra apana piyaya nirantara
"What to speak of conscious beings, even unconscious beings are made conscious by
Your lips, that are like great magicians! Your flute is a dry piece of wood, but Your lips give it
a mind and senses and constantly makes it drink its own nectar".
adhardmrta nija svare, sanedriya sei bole,

akarsaya trijagatera mana
, amara dharma bhoy kori, rahi yadi dhairya dhari,
tabe arndya kore vidambana
"The nectar of Krsna's lips, combined with the vibration of His flute, attracts all the
people of the three worlds. But when we remain calm out of fear of moral principles, then the
flute mocks us!"
mvi khasaya guru age, lajja dharma kordy tydge,

ke$e dhari yeno loiya jay
ani kordya tomdra dasT, Suni loka kore hasi,
ei mata narTre nacdya
"He makes our girdles slacken in front of our superiors and makes us give up all shame
and morality. It is as if he takes us by the hair and makes us Your maidservants. When the
people hear this, they laugh. In this way the nectar of Your lips makes women dance." Svamini
becomes fully intoxicated by the sweet nectar of Madhava's lips. Knowing that the time for her
service has come, the maidservant enters into the kunja and makes intoxicated Svamini fit for
enjoyment in Cupid's festival once more, by bringing Her back to sobriety. How expert is this
blessed maidservant! This service is not entered into by Govinda’s friends, and not even by Sri
Radhika's girlfriends like Lalita and Viâkha. The mafijarTs are more important and prominent
than the sakhis here, because they can enter into the most confidential situations and serve
there. Srlpada prays ddsyam dasyati me kada nu krpaya vmdavanddhTsvarT: "When will the
presiding goddess of Vrndavana be so kind to give me Her service?"
*
VERSE 130:
M ALU DAM A NIBADDHA CARU KAVARAM SINDURA REKHOLLASAT

SIMANTAM NAVA RATNA CITRA T1LAKAM GAtfpOLLASATKUNDALAM
NI?KA GRIVAM UDARA HARAMARUJÂM VIBHRADDUKULAAf NAVAM
VIDYUT KOTINIBHAM SMAROTSA VA-MAYAM RADHAKYHAM lK?E MAH AH
malll - jasmine; ddma - wreath; nibaddha - bound; earn - beautiful; kavararh - braid; sindura -
vermilion; rekhd - stripe; ullasat - blissfull; sTmantath - part; nova - new; ratna - jewel; citra -
wonderful; tilakarii - tilaka; ganda - cheek; ullasat - blissful; kundalam - earring; ni$ka - medalion;
grivam - neck; uddra - beautiful; hdra - necklace; arunatH - red; vibhrad * wearing; dukulafn - two-
piece dress; navam - new; vidyut - lightning; koti - millions; nibharh - splendour; smara - erotic; utsava
- festival; mayam - full; radhdkhyam - named Radiia; Tkse - seeing; mahah - transcendental light
I see the transcendental light of millions of new lightningstrikes nam ed

R adha, absorbed in C upid's festival. H er nice braid is bound by a garland of jasm ine-
flowers, She wears a stripe of nice sindura in H er p a rt and tilaka made of new (or nine)
jewels. H er cheeks are beautified by earrings, She wears a great necklace with a gold
m edal around H er neck and a red sdn on H er waist.
A TRANSCENDENTAL LIGHT ABSORBED IN CUPID'S FESTIVAL:
Com m entary: How expertly this transcendental light named Radha is dressed and
decorated! During Cupid's festival Her braid, which is bound with a jasmine-garland, is
slightly loosened. Only the maidservants know how sweet that looks. The maidservant says:
"During Your erotic festival Sri Hari opens Your bala (braid) in the same way that He loosens
the bondage of the bala (conditioned souls) that become devoted to Him. How happy I am to
276 SrT-Sn Radii5 Rasa Sudhanidhi
see that Your make-up is a success! The sindura stripe in Your part looks like the rising sun in
the deep dark night of Your curly locks and Your forehead is brightened by tilaka that is made
of nine colours of unguents like sandalwoodpulp, musk, vermilion and so on, that match the
colours of the nine chief jewels: muktd (pearls), mdnikya (jewels), vaidurya (cat's eyes),
gomeda (topaz), harit, vidruma (coral), padmaraga (rubies), marakata (emeralds) and
nllakanta (blue sapphires). Your cheeks are brightened by shining earrings and Your neck is
brightened by a gold medalion. Surely Vrndavana's transcendental Cupid will go mad after
Your form, which looks like Cupid’s festival! Rasa itself has decorated You, that’s why Your
form is so sweet! rddhakhyam Tk$am rnahah: I see that light named Radha!"
VERSE 131:
PREMOLIASAIKA SIMA PARAMA RASA CAMATKARA VAICITRYA SIMA

SAUNDARYASYAIKA SIMA KIM API NAVA VAYO RUPA LAV ANY A SIMA
LILA MADIIURYA SIMA NIJA JANA PARAMAUDARYA VATSALYA SlMA
SA RADHA SAUKHYA SIMA JAYATIRATI-KALA KELI MADHURYA SlMA
prema - love; idIdsa - bliss; eka - only; simd - limit; pararna - supreme; rasa - flavour;
camatkara - astonishment; vaicilrya - being wonderful; simd - limit; saundaryasya - beauty; eka - only;
simd - limit; kim api - indescribable; nava - new; vayah - age; rupa - form; lavanya - elegance; simd -
limit; ITld - play; mddhurya - sweetness; simd - limit; nija - own; Jana - people; parama - most;
auddrya - generous; vdtsalya - motherly love; sTmd - limit; sd - She; radha - Radha; saukhya -
happiness; sTmd - limit; jayati - all glories!; rati kald - artistry in lovemaking; keli - play; mddhurya -
sweetness; sTma - limit.
All glories to S ri Radha, who is the only limit of loving bliss, the lim it of the
highest astonishing rasay the only limit of beauty, the limit of indescribable adolescent
elegant form s, the lim it of sweet pastimes, the lim it of generosity and m otherly love
tow ards H er m aidservants, the limit of happiness and the limit of sweet artful loveplays!
SR l RADHA’S SUPREMACY:
Com m entary: Prema is also called ananda cinmaya rasa, a transcendental flavour, and
when that rasa increases it becomes parama rasa, or rnaha bhava. The madana maha bhdva is
the sole property of Srimatl Radhika. £rila Rupa GosvamI teaches in Ujjvala Nflamani (Sthayi
160):
yoga eva bhaved e$a vicitrah ko'pi madanali
yad vilasd virdjante nitya lila sahasradhd
"When Sri Radhika is united with Kr§na, She shows the wonderful mood named
madana, in which She plays thousands of kinds of pastimes." SrUa Visvanatha Cakravarilpada
comments as follows on this verse: "When the sthayi bhdva named madana becomes manifest
in Radha, She experiences different feelings of separation even while She enjoys with Him,
kissing Him and embracing Him and so on. This is a special feature of madana rnaha bhdva.
One may ask: "How can one feel separation and consequently speak very anxious words while
at the same time enjoying union?" The answer is: "That is the amazing feature of madana
maha bhaval During'thousands of kinds of enjoyments there can be thousands of kinds of
feelings of separation and the consequent anxious words at the same time!" One may then ask:
Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvad 277
"It is said that in the stage of anuraga the lover enjoys a vision of blissful meeting with Kr$na
even while being separated from Him. If during anuraga meeting and separation also take
place simultaneously, then what is still so special about rnadana mahd bhdvaV The answer is:
"During anuraga the beloved gets a vision of the lover while she is separated from him, and
that vision, in which the beloved attains the lover's embrace, ends the feelings of separation.
But in madana mahd bhdva these feelings of separation and union continue to hold on
simultaneously, and that makes it more astonishing even than anuraga" In this way $r!
Radhika is the topmost limit of most astonishing rasa, (parama rasa camatkdra vaicitrya
sTmd).
3rl Radhika is also the limit of adolescent beauty and elegance (nava vayo rupa
lavanya swia). In the course of life, adolescence produces the most beautiful bodily
appearance. This is named vayah sandhi, the link between childhood and youth. Sri Radha's
form enters eternity during adolescence, and this is Her most beautiful manifestation. In
Vidagdha Madhava it is said that as soon as Kr§na fell in love with Radha, Madhumangala
noticed it and said: "O friend! There are so many beautiful girls in Vraja, why are You so
attracted to Radhika especially?" Krsna replied: sakhe radhayam asadharani kapi madhuri "O
Friend, in Sri Radha there is a special sweetness."
tasydh kdnta dyutitii vadane mahjule cdksi-yugme

tatrdsmakam yad avadhi sakhe drstir esd nivistd
satyarh brunias tad avadhi bhaved indum indfvaram ca
smdrarii smdram mukha kutilatd-kdrinlyarh hnnyd
(Vidagdha Madhava, Act II)
"O Friend, I tell you truly: As soon as I saw Radhika's beautiful face and Her
enchanting eyes, I make a crooked face and spit on the ground of disgust as soon as I
remember the moon or a blue lotusflower!" Krsna's heart is like a whetstone that tests the
beautiful transcendental forms that are created by pure love. He cannot become attracted to
merely physical beauty that is not bom out of love. Sri Radha's form is thus the limit of natural
beauty. The Lord's human-like pastimes in Vraja are supreme in beauty and flavour, and Sri
Radhika's love for Him is the highest love in Vraja.
Sri Radha is the topmost limit of generosity (auddrya) and motherly love for Her
maidservants. Srila Rupa GosvamI defines the word auddrya as follows in Bhakti Rasamrta
Sindhu (2.1.269): atmadyarparia kdritvam auddryam iti kirtyate: "audarya is that generosity
that cause one even to give oneself away". Srimatl is love personified, so if She gives Herself
away to Her devotees, She gives them the highest premal Sriman Mahaprabhu accepted Her
mood and complexion and distributed that highest love of God to everyone, without
considering who is a friend and who is an enemy. He gave prema even to dull and inert
creatures like trees and vines. Who can be more generous?
Sri Radha is also the pinnacle of motherly love for all of Her maidservants. She is
always subdued by the love of Her girlfriends and Her maidservants. In short:
yarn guna-ganera kr$na nd pana para,

tdra guna ganibe kemone jlva chdra?
"If even Krsna cannot count Radha's divine qualities, then how can an insignificant
living entity do it?" (Caitanya Caritamrta)
278 £n-Sn Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
s
VERSE 132:
YASYAS TAT SUKUMARA SUNDARA PADONMIIAN NAKHENDU CCHATA

LAVAlfYAIKA LAVOPAJIVISAKALA SYAMA MANI-MANDALAM
SUDDHA PREMA VILASA MURTIR ADHIKONMILAN MAH A MADHURI
DHARA SARA DHURlNA KELI VIBHAVA SA RADHIKA ME GATIIJ
yasydh - whose; tat - that; sukumdra - tender; sundara - beautiful; pada - feet; unmilat -
blazing; nakha - nails; indu - moon; cchata - splendour; lavatiya - elegance; eka - only; lava - slight;
upajivi - giving life; sakala - all; fyamd mani - jewellike girls; mandalam - circle; suddha - pure; prerna
- love; vildsa - pastimes; murtih - form; adhika - more; unmilat - illuminating; maha - great; mddhufi -
sweetness; dhdra - stream; sara - essence; dhurlna - abundance; keli - play; vibhava - prowess; sd -
She; radhika - Radhika; me - my; gatih - shelter.
Sri Radhika, who gives life to all the jewellike Syama-girls (the most beautiful
girls) with a mere drop of the elegance of the blazing moonlike nails on Her tender
lotusfeet, who is the personification of pure loving pastimes and who is like a great
stream of the essence o f great sweetness, is my shelter!
SRI RADHA, THE VERY FORM OF PURE LOVING PASTIMES:
Com m entary: In his external consciousness (sadhakdvesa) £ripada now praises

Radha's greatness. Sri Radhika is worshipable by all the Vraja-gopfs who are endowed with
maha bhdva, and without worshiping Her, no devotee can attain mahd bhava. Endless streams
of nectarean mahd bhdva emit from Her lotusfeet, and those who cannot catch even a single
drop of that stream in their hearts can never attain the perfection of gopi bhdva. Sri Radhika is
the crownjewel of all Syam as (gopls), who defeat the most chaste women headed by Arundhatl
and the goddess of fortune, that are also called Syama-heroines, but that do not possess the
gopts' sweet, passionate and blissful! love for Krsna. Srlla Rupa GosvamI teaches in Ujjvala
Nilamani (HaripriyE 7):
ragolldsa vilafighitarya padavT vifrantayo'py uddhura
Sraddhd rajyad arundhatl mukha satl-vrndena vandye hitdh
aranyd api mddhufiparimala vyaksipta laksnu Sriyas
ids trailokya vilaksana dadatuh vah krsnasya sakhyah sukham
PaurnamasI-devI told Nandlmukhl and GargI: "May Krsna’s girlfriends, that are very
special within the three worlds, that have given up the path of morality and chastity because of
their blissful) passionate love for Kr$na, but that are still faithfully praised by the most chaste
women like Arundhatl, and that are more beautiful than even the goddess of fortune, although
they are just forestgirls, make you happy!" But even these crownjewels of Syama-girls, the
gopTSy are only kept alive by the boundless ocean of beauty that streams from the beautiful and
tender blazing toenails of Sri Radhika! The maidservants can experience this vividly, therefore
Srlpada prays: sd radhika me gatih "That Radhika is my only shelter!"
VERSE 133:
KALINDA G1RINANDINISALILA BINDU SANDOHA'BHRN

MRDUDGA T1RA Tl-SRAMAM MITHUNAM ADBHUTA KR1DA YA
AMANDA RASA TUNDILAMBHRAMARA VRNDA VRNDATAVl
NIKUNJA VARA MAND1RE KIM API SUNDARAM NANDATI
kalinda giri - the Kalinda-mountain; natidim - the daughter (Yamuna); salila - water; bindu -
drops; sandoha - abundance; bhrt - carries; mrdu - soft; udgati - touch; rati - loveplay; Sramam -
endeavour; mithunam - couple; adbhuta - wonderful; kndaya - by playing; arnanda - great; rasa -
flavour; tundilarh - increase; bhraniara-vrnda - bees; vrnddtavl - Vrndavana; nikunja - arbour; vara -
excellent; mandire - in an abode; kirn api - indescribable; sundaram - beautiful; nandati - enjoys.
Some indescribably beautiful loving young Couple, that is nourished by great

mellows, enjoys wonderful pastimes in a nice bowerhouse in Vrndavana that is full of
humming bees and where the soft breeze carries drops of Yamuna-water inside to
remove Their amorous fatigue.
A WONDERFUL ENJOYING COUPLE:
Com m entary: In external consciousness &ripada now praises Srl-Sii Radharani’s

sweetness, and by Her grace He attains a vision of a wonderful pastime: In his kinkari-form he
sees the wonderful natural beauty of Vrndavana, Radha and Madhava's free playground,
where there are many flowers blooming on the trees and the vines, whose sweet fragrance is
carried by the wind and makes all the forest-creatures mad with ecstasy. The bees, that are
attracted to the sweet fragrance of these flowers, are all over Vrndavana, buzzing around the
honeyfilled flowerbushes, and birds like the cuckoos blissfully sing in the fifth note. On the
bank of the Yamuna in sweet Vrndavana is a nice kunja mandira (bowerhouse) surrounded by
a deep forest of trees and vines, where the rasika yugala is immersed in relishing Eachother’s
sweetness. How sweet is the time, place and circumstance for Them! £ripada is deeply
absorbed in his manjarl service in this mandira, seeing that the Yugala's pastimes are arnanda
rasa tundila, nourished and extended by very high ecstatic rasa. It is as if the flavour of Their
pastimes has taken a form and They constantly cause Eachother’s love, beauty and passion to
increase. Their hearts and minds are floating in innumerable directions on a gradually
increasing tidal wave of beauty, sweetness, love and passion, and die maidservant also floats in
an ocean of rasa. Anyone who has tasted even a single drop of this, even in a dream, can
testify of this experience. The sweetness of this arnanda rasa tundila- enjoyment of the Yugala
cannot be explained otherwise. It is as if mukdsvddanavatt relishable for the dumb. Those who
have experienced this sweetness cannot find words to reveal it to the outside world. Sripada, in
his kinkari-form, relishes this sweet scene through the latticed windows of the arbour-cottage.
The divine Couple is now tired of Their wonderful pastimes, but the wind refreshes
Them by carrying drops of Yamuna-water inside through the windows. The wind, the sky, the
water, the sun and the moon of Vrndavana are all servants in Radha-Madhava’s pastimes, but
in such a way that the sweet atmosphere is not mixed with awareness of Kr$na*s magical
prowess. The wind knows that it increases the Yugala’s enjoyment by carrying the refreshing
drops of Yamuna-water in, and thus feels very happy and satisfied.
280 $ n -£ rl Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
sukhamaya vrndavane, sukhada nikufija vane,

ratana mandira rnanohara
abhyantare rai kanu, atnanda rasera tanu,
aparupa yugala kisora
"In a blissful grove in blissful Vrndavana there is an enchanting jewelled temple

wherein Rai-Kanu (Radha Krsna), the wonderful adolescent Couple that is great rasa
personified, dwell."
rasika mithuna bhupa, se yugala aparupa,
parama ananda rasabhare
mrdudgata rati-Irame, rati-kala prakafane,
adabhuta surata samara
"This Couple, that are like the monarchs of rasa, are absorbed in the pinnacle of
ecstatic rasa as They reveal Their wonderful artistic endeavours during Their erotic battle."
rasera bddara kuhje, madhukara punje punje,

mukharita madhura gunjane
jhankara koriya ali, gdya yeno rasa-keli,
se utsava kori darasane
"Hosts of bumblebees sweetly buzz in that rasika kunja as if they sing about this rasika
game and they witness this festival."
yatnuna salile sikta, samirana hoiya snigdha,

manda bohe yugala sevane
locana ananda llld, sunile-o gole sila,
srJpada prabodhananda bhane
"The soft breeze serves the Couple by carrying refreshing drops of Yamuna-water
inside the cottage. Sflpada Prabodhananda says: "Even hearing this story, which gives joy to
the eyes, is like a stone around the neck."
VERSE 134:
VYAKOSENDlVARA VIKAS1TAMANDA HEMARAVINDAM

$RlM AN NISYANDA RATI RASANDOLA KANDARPA KELT
VftNDARANYE NAVA RASA SUDHA SYANDTPADARAVINDAM
JYOTIR DVANDVAM KIM API PARAMANANDA KANDAM CAKAST1
vyako§a - blossoming; indivara - blue lotus; vikasita - blossoming; amatida - nice; hema -
golden; aravindarh - lotus; Inman - beautiful; nisyanda - streaming; rati - love; rasa - flavour; andola -
moving; kandarpa - Cupid; keli - game; vmdaranye - in Vrndavana; nava - new; rasa - flavour; sudha
- nectar, syatidi - streaming; padaravindarii - lotusfect; jyotih - light; dvandvarh - couple; kim api -
indescribable; parama - highest; ananda - bliss; kandarh - source; cakdsti - exists.
There is an indescribable, most blissful, transcendentally effulgent Couple that

looks like blossoming golden- and blue lotusflowers from which the honey of dynamic
erotic plays trickles in Vrndavana, and from whose lotusfeet fresh delicious nectar flows.
TWO LOTUSES IN A LAKE OF RASA:
Commentary: No words can actually describe the transcendental pastimes of Srl-SrT

Radha-Krsna, but 5rlpada gives an example to help the neophytes in their visualisations. The
divine Couple, he says, resembles a delicious pair of lotusflowers in a lake of rasa. Once Sri
Kr§na came to RadhikS in the disguise of a goddess, and RSdhika told Him:
ekalmamha rasa purriatame'ty agadhe ekasu sahgrathitam eva tanu davyam nau
kasmithfcid eka sarasTva cakasad eka ndlottham abja yugalath kJialu riila pTtam
(Prema Samputa -108)
"Just as a single lotusstem in a lake blooms forth two flowers, one blue and one yellow,
similarly Our One soul manifesting within the lake of rasa sprouted forth Our two bodies blue
and yellow." Although Radha and Madhava's beauty and sweetness is unlimited, some help is
given here to conceive of it. When the gopis were separated from Kr$na during the Rasa dance
in Srlmad Bhagavata, they compared even one single eye of Kr$na's to a lotusflower:
§arad udasaye sadhu jata sat sarasijodare tiri-musa dr$d

suraia ndtha te’fulka ddsikd varada nighnato neha kith vadhah (10.31.2)
"O Lord of eros! O bestower of blessings! With Your eye, that is as beautiful as an
autumnal lotusflower blooming in a nice lake, You are taking the lives of Your unpaid
maidservants. Isn't this murder?" If Krsna's one eye is so beautiful, then what to speak of
Kr$na's whole body, 6 n Radha's body, and the ever-increasing beauty of Their union? Who
can make a comparison with that?
Then Srlpada reveals the sweetness of Radha-Kr$nafs qualities by saying: nisyandana
rati rasandola kandarpa keli "They are swaying, making the nectar of erotic play trickle and
drip." Just as honey drips from swaying, freshly blooming lotusflowers, transcendental honey
made of ecstatic loveplay trickles from these incomparible golden and bluish lotusflowers.
Kandarpa keli means that They try to make Eachother happy with Their erotic endeavours.
When a mundane love-couple thinks "Why isn't our loveplay not also called kandarpa kelil
We also unite to make eachother happy!", then the scriptures and the saints will reply as
follows: "This is possible when God, Who is the Supreme Truth and the Self of Selves,
becomes the object of that love. Without knowing about the transcendental existence of the
Supreme Self within the lover or beloved real love is not possible and the love will be
mundane. The blessed Upanisads teach us: na vd are patyuh kdmaya patih priyo bhavaty atmanas
tu kdmaya patih priyo bhavati na vd are jaydyai kdmaya jdyd priyd bhavaty atmanas tu kdmaya jdyd
priyd bhavati (Brhad Aranyaka Upani$ad 2.4.5) The great sage Yajnavalkya said: "O Maitreyi!
The wife does not love the husband because he is the husband, but because he is the atma (the
Self), and the man does not love his wife because she is his wife, but because she is the dtrnay
the Self." na vd are sarvasya kdmaya sarvarh priyarh bhavaty atmanas tu kdmaya sarvam priyam
bhavati; dtma vd are drastavyah Srotavyo mantavyo nididhyasitavyo maitreydtmano vd are darkmena
282 S n -§ n RadM Rasa Sudhanidhi
Srcivanena maiyd vijnatienedam sarvarii viditam (Brhad Aranyaka Upaiii$ad 4.5.6) "In this way no
one in the world is loveable or desirable because of his individual self. It is the Supreme Self
only that is loveable. That Self is to be seen, to be heard, to be thought of and to be meditated
upon after due consideration. As a result of that, the Self shall be found and experienced."
Sripada in his kinkarT-form sees that not only the honey of transcendental erotic
flavours trickles from these lotusflowers, but also a nectarstream of ever-fresh rasa streams
from Their lotusfeet. This honey and this nectar have both the qualities of coolness and
tastiness, and thus Snpada is absorbed in meditating on these two sweet lights that are the
source of the pinnacle of transcendental bliss.
parania dnatida kanda, srT radhika srT govinda,

pramodini sane pltavdsa
yugala kisora vara, hema ntla kantidhara
aparupa jyotifi parakdsa
%
"Sri Radhika and Sri Govinda are the source of the pinnacle of transcendental bliss.
The adolescent Couple named Pramodini (joygiving Radhika) and Pltavasa (yellow-robed
Krsna) carry a golden and bluish luster, that manifests a wonderful light".
ei dekho keli saydya, hema gaufl sydma rdya,

nandasuta bhanu sutd yuta
rasika mithuna meli, koriyd kandarpa keli
rati rasanande moha prapta
"Look at the rasika Couple Hema Gaun (golden Radha, Vrsabhanu's daughter) and
Syama Raya (Krsna, Nanda's son) on Their playbed, playing Their love games and becoming
completely enchanted by ecstatic rasa."
ni$panda hoiyd duhu, ndgan nagara pahu

se ananda ke koribe ora
yugala padaravinde, jhare yei tnakarande
navarasa sudha sumadhura
"This heroic couple is stunned of ecstasy. What more can they do? The honey that
trickles from their lotusfeet is full of fresh and sweet nectarcan taste."
rasananda keli dhama, nija jane kore dana,

navTna yugala kunjavane
mdnase darsana kori, se vilasa sumddhuri\
snpada prabodhanande bhane
£ripada Prabodhananda says: "In the bowerforest this youthful Couple gives Their
devotees the chance to mentally see Their sweet ecstatic rasika pastimes."
VERSE J135:
Srlla Prabodhananda Sarasyati 283
TAMBULAM KVACID ARP A Y AM I CARANA U SAMVAHA YAMIKVACIN

MALYADAIH PARIMANDA YE KVACID AHO SAM VljA YAMl KVACIT
KARPURADI SUVASITAlif KVA CA PUN AH SUSVADU CAMBHO 'MRTAM
PAYAMYEVA GRHE KADA KHALU BHAJE $RI RADHIKA MADHAVAU
tambularii - betelleaves; kvacit - sometimes; arpayanti - I offer; caranau - both feet;

sathvahaydmi - massage; kvacit - sometimes; mdlyddaih - with garlands and so; parimanâye -
decorating; kvacit - sometimes; alio - 0!; sathvijayami - 1 fan; kvacit - sometimes; karpura - camphor;
ddi - and so; suvasitam - scented; kva ca - and; putiah - again; susvadu - delicious; ca - and; ambho -
water; amrtarii - nectar; payami - making drink; eva - only; grhe - in the house; kadci - when; khalu -
certainly; bhaje - serving, in radhikd madhavau - Sri Radhika and Madhava.
Aho! W hen can I serve S n R adhika and M adhava in the bow erhouse by
som etim es offering T hem betelleaves, som etim es m assaging Their feet, som etim es
adorning Them w ith garlands and som etim es fanning Them and serving Them delicious
cam phor-scented nectarw ater?
SR I-SR l RADHA-MADHAVA’S DELICIOUS SERVICE:
Com m entary: Sff Yugala is now tired of lovemaking, and the maidservant enters the
kuhja to begin her service. The loving Couple sits up in the bed, breathing deeply, Their bodies
moist with perspiration. The maidservant starts fanning Them with a palmleaffan, wanting to
remove Their fatigue by causing Their bodily fragrance to enter into Eachother's nostrils.
Sometimes she fans in such a way that 3 n Radhika’s scarf slips off slightly, making Her
Nagara very eager to enjoy Her again. Blessed is this maidservant, that she can make Kr$na
always relish 3rl Radhika’s sweet form and fragrance simply by fanning Her!
The sweatdrops of the loving Couple have now dried up, so the maidservant wipes
Their faces with a cloth drenched in scented water and serves Them water mixed with
delicious camphor, susvadu ambho’mftarh means "Delicious nectar-water". Water is also called
nectar, why then is there a separate mentioning of the word nectar required? 3rlmatl hands
Syamasundara the glass with camphor-syrup and Syamasundara takes it, relishing its fragrance
that was caused by the scent of Priyajfs lotuslike mouth. When £nmatl sees this She smiles
slightly, making nectar, that is millions of times more delicious than the camphor-syrup, trickle
from Her mouth. 3 yam a takes that nectar with the cups of His lips (i.e. He kisses Her). 3rlmatl
casts a loving glance at 3yama’s face, takes the glass from His hands and personally makes
Syama drink the syrup, which is mixed with nectar. 3rlmatl closes Her eyes out of ecstasy.
Srlpada does not know whether Srlmatl relishes the nectarean drink, or whether She directly
relishes the taste of Krsna’s lips, since all the qualities of His lips have been infused in the
drink: adharera guna ihd sob sahcarilo (C.C.).
After Radha and Krsna have drunk the syrup, the maidservant serves Them betelleaves
with camphor. Kr$na is called rasikendra mauli, the king of relishers, Radhika is called rasikd
siromani ndyika (the queen of relishing heroines) and the maidservant is called sevd rasa murti
(the very form of the mellow of service). All the taste is there in these betelleaves. Srlla Rupa
GosvamI prays in Catu Pu$panjalT (21):
i
kadd bimboslhi tambulatii mayd tava mukhdmbuje
arpyamanarh vrajadhUa sunur dcchidya bhoksyate
284 &T-SrI Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
"O Bimbosthi! Your lips are red like cherries, so there's no need to color them even
more by serving You pan\ But I will serve You the pan in such an attractive way that Your
Syama will become greedy, and He will snatch it from Your lotuslike mouth and eat it
Himself! When will I float in an ocean of rasa when I see You relishing these delicious
betelleaves?" How much sweetness is there in such services!
Now the maidservant will string flowergarlands. Sri Rupa GosvEml teaches in Ujjvala
NTlamani (Uddlpana 31) caturdha mandanam vaso-bhu$d inalydnulepanaih "There are four
kinds of manfana (decorations), namely: dresses, ornaments, garlands and unguents." But
during wonderful pastimes these four kinds of decorations may become spoiled, so the
maidservants expertly redress the divine Couple with yellow and blue garments, as well as
blouses and scarfs. They pick fragrant flowers and string garlands of them to hang around
Their necks, and ihcy anoint Their limbs with fragrant unguents like musk, sandalpaste, aloe
and vermilion.
Then, seeing that the eyes of the young Couple begin to show signs of exhaustion, the
maidservants take Them to a beautiful bed, where They lie down facing Eachother. When the
maidservants begin to massage the feet of the Yugala Kigora, Their eyes slowly close of
fatigue. How sweet is this intimate service!
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 bliidring. 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!
VERSE 136:
PRATYANGOCCHALAD UJJVALAMRTA RASA PREMAIKA PURNAMBUDHIR

LAVAiyYAIKA SUDHA-NIDHI&PURUK$PA VATSALYA SARAMBUDHIH
TARUNYA PRATHAMA PRAVESA VILASA N MADHURYA SAMRAJYA-BHUR
GUPTAH KO'PIMAHA-NIDHIR VIJAYATE RADHA RASAIKAVADHIH
♦ #
prati - each; anga - limb; ucchalad - flowing; ujjvala - splendid, or erotic; amrta - nectar; rasa
- flavour; prerna - love; eka - only; puma - full; ambudhih - ocean; lavanya - elegance; eka - only;
sudhdnidhih - nectar-ocean; puru - great; krpa - mercy; vatsalya - motherly love; sara - essence;
ambudhih - ocean; tarunya - youthfulness; praihama - first; pravefa - entering; vilasat - beautiful;
mddhurya - sweetness; samrajya - kingdom; bhuh - ground; guptah - hidden; ka - who; api - even;
mahd - great; nidhi - jewel; vijayate - glories; radhd - Radha; rasa - flavour; eka - only; avadhih -
All glories to SrT Radha, who is the zenith of rasa, from whose every limb blazing
(erotic) nectarean rasa is flowing, who is the only ocean th a t is filled with love, who is the
only nectar-ocean of elegance, who is an ocean containing the essence of motherly
compassion, who is the birthplace of a kingdom of newly entering youthful sweetness and
who is a great ocean of mysteries!
£ n la Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 285
SR I RADH A, THE G R E A T M Y STER IO U S O CEAN:
Com m entary: 3ripada sees Sri Radha as a great mysterious ocean, although it is
shoreless, it is nevertheless hidden. The truth about Radha is described in a hidden way in the
Vedas, and in the essence of all the Vedanta, Srlmad Bhagavata, Sri Suka Muni also describes
Her in a hidden way. Just as the soul is undeniably present in the body and can be felt as such,
but can still not be located, similarly Sri Radha's name is not literally written down anywhere
in the Bhagavata, but Her presence can be felt throughout this holy book by an experienced
devotee. This mysterious ocean is not material, it is made of transcendentally blissful sweet
love. Just as different oceans meet in the Pacific Ocean, so also different oceans meet in the
great ocean of love named Radha. pratyahgocchalad ujjvalamrta rasa premaika piirnambudhih
"Each of Her limbs emit the splendid erotic flavour of love, that floats into the Pacific ocean.
The maidservants of Sri Radha can understand that better than anyone else. Streams of
emotional erotic ornaments (bhdvalankdra) like hava, bhdva, held, vildsa and kila kincit emit
from Her every limb to satisfy all of Syamasundara's desires and to make Him very happy. The
maidservants can witness that every time when She meets Syama. Another ocean that enters
into the Pacific Ocean of maha bhdva is lavanyaika sindhu, the only nectar-ocean of elegance.
The word eka or 'only' is used in this respect to show that nothing in this world can be
compared to this ocean. The waves of this delectable nectar-ocean of elegance can even steal
Govinda's heart; the maidservants can witness how His heart and mind are struck by the waves
of this ocean of lavanya whenever He meets Srlmatl.
Another ocean that meets with the Pacific Ocean of maha bhdva is puru krpd vatsalya
sarambudhih "The ocean of the essence of great motherly compassion". The only
compassionate gift to the conditioned souls in the material world is prema, or love of God.
This is the great treasure and the great gain of mankind. The most fortunate soul can
immediately become submerged in the great nectarean ocean of sweetness of Radha and
Kr$na*s love simply by once seeing SrT Radhika, and the maidservants are always sprinkled by
the waves of SiT Radhika’s motherly love. Sri Radhika sees Her maidservants as being
nondifferent from Her. There is also a great kingdom in the Pacific Ocean: The very wealthy
island of Radhika's newly entering youthful beauty. Just as there are many enjoyable objects in
a wealthy kingdom, there are also many enjoyable items of RSdhika's adolescent sweetness in
the vast ocean of Her body. The maidservants are fortunate enough to witness how enjoyable
this is to Krsna when the divine Couple meets.
The word maha nidhi can may ‘great jewel’ or ’great ocean'. In this case it is a
virodhalahkara, a metaphor of contradiction, gafigale kamala janme - sabhdra subodha; kamale
gahgdra janma atyanta virodha. iha visnu pddapadme gangdra utpatti; virodhalatikdra ihd maha
camatkrti (C.C. Adi Ch. 16) "Everyone knows that lotusflowers are bom from the Ganga, but
that the Gartga is born from a lotus is highly contradictory. Now the Gariga is born from the
lotusfeet of Lord Visnu - this is a highly astonishing ornament of contradiction." Everyone
knows that jewels come from the ocean, but in this case the great oceans of Radha's nectarean
erotic love, Her nectarean beauty, Her great mercy and Her motherly love come from the great
hidden jewel of Sri Radha's form. She is the great indescribable and supreme jewel of love!
VERSE 137:
YASYAH SPHURJAT PADA-NAKHA MANIJYOTIR EKA CCHATAYAH

SANDRA PREMAMRTA RASA MAHA SINDHU KOTIR VILASAH
2S6 §ri-Sri RSdha Rasa Sudnanidhi
SA CED RADIIA RACAYATIKRPA DR$TI-PATAM KADACIN

MUKTIS TUCCHl-BHAVATI BAHUSAH p r a k r t a p r a k r t a s r I h
yasydh - whose; spliurjat - manifest; padanakha - toenails; numi - jewels; jyotih - effulgence;
eka - only; cchatdydh - of the luster; sdndra - deep; premdmrta - love-nectar; rasa - flavour; maha -
great; sindhu - ocean; kotih - millions; vildsa - play, or revelation; sd - She; cel - if; rddhd - Radha;
racayaii - makes; krpd - mercy; drsii-patarii - glance; kaddcit - ever; muktih - liberation; tucchl-bhavati
- is insignificant; bahutoh - many kinds of; prdkrta - material; aprdkrta - spiritual; in/i - opulence.
If Sri Radha, w hose effulgent jew ellike toenaiFs single ray o f lu ster m anifests
m illions o f deep nectar-oceans o f love-rasa, casts H er m erciful glance o n m e, then
lib eration and all m ateria! and spiritual opulences becom e m eaningless to m e!
T H E PO W E R OF SR ! RADHA*S M ER C IFU L G LANCE:
Com m entary: How deep oceans can emanate from a single lightray cannot be
understood by people who simply stand on the shore, trying to find reasonable explanations for
everything. It is said visvase rnilaye kr$na tarka bahu dura: "Kr$na is known through faith, and
He stays far from people who argue and discuss." In the previous verse Sripada compared £n
Radha with the Pacific Ocean, but now he repents, saying: "Alas! What have I done? Even
from a single lightray of Her toenails millions of nectar-oceans emit! What an offense an
unfortunate soul like me committed by diminishing Her glories and comparing Her whole
body with a single ocean?" The word sdndra means deep. These oceans are deep with tnahd
bhava, the pinnacle of divine love that is possessed only by £ n Radhika and the most elevated
gopls. Sripada says: sd ced rddhd racayati krpd drsti-pdtarii kaddcin muktis tucclu-bhavati bahutoh
prdkrtraprdkrta 6rlh "If this Radha casts Her merciful glance on me, then liberation and all
material and spiritual opulences become meaningless to me." SrUa Rupa GosvamI teaches:
rddhd siddhi vraja vijayitd satya dharmd samadhir

brahmdnando gurur api camatkarayaty eva tavat
yavat premndm madhuripu vaSIkdra siddhausadhmdm
gandho'py antah karana saranTpdnthatarii na praydti
(Lalita Madhava Act V)
"As long as a whiff of the great medicinal herb of love for Krsna has not entered the
heart, the opulence of mystic perfections, samadhi, the religion of truth, or the bliss of
brahman can still cause astonishment." Not only that, but even transcendental opulences, like a
position in the Lord's abodes of Vaikuntha, Ayodhya, Mathura or Dvaraka cannot attract the
maidservants of Sff Radhika. Indeed, even a relationship with Kr$na in Vraja without being
related to 3ri Radhika is insignificant for them! The beautiful gopTs have offered their bodies,
minds and hearts to the sweet feet of Sfiman Madana Gopala, and are floating in oceans of
bliss when they sing: akhilera ndtha, iumi ye kdliya> yogtra dradhya dhana; gopa gowalinl, ham
ati dmd, rid jdni bhajana piijana / plriti rasete ddli, tanu mana diydchi tomdra pay. tumi tnora pati,
tumi mora gatif prana ana tidhi cay "You, 0 Krsna, are the Lord of all, the worshipable treasure
of all the great mystics! We are very wretched cowherdgirls, we don’t know any tiling about
devotion or formal worship! I poured the love-nectar from my heart and my mind out before
Your feet. You are my lord, You are my goal! My heart does not want anything else!" But
when that ever-so-sweet $riman Madana Gopala spontaneously appears before the
maidservants, wanting to give Himself to them, then the maidservants pray:
pranipatya bhavantam arthaye pasupalendra kumdra kdkubhih

vraja yauvata mauli mdlika karund patram imarii janarii kuru
(Utkalika Vallari - 19)
"O Prince of Vraja! I offer my obeisances unto You and I anxiously pray to You: Be so
merciful to me that I may become the object of the mercy of the crowning garland of all the
young girls of Vraja, 3ri Radhika." This is the sweet and beautiful result of attaining 3ri
Radhika's grace.
VERSE 138:
KADA VRNDARANYE MADHURA MADHURANANDA RASADE

PRIYESVARYAIf K EU BHA VANA NA VA KUNJANIMRGA YE
KADA SR I RADHA YAlf PADA KAMALA MADHVIKA IAHAR1
PARTYAHAIS CETO MADHUKARAM ADHIRAM MADA YITA
kadd - when; vrnddraiyye - in Vrndavana; madhura madhurananda - ever-so-sweet bliss;

rasade - giving joy; priyeSvarydh - of the beloved goddess; keli - play; bhavana - abode; nava - new;
kunjani - in the arbours; mrgaye - searching; kadd - when; Sri radhaydJi - of Sri Radha; pada kamala -
lotusfeet; mddhvTka - honey; laharl - stream; panvdhaih - by the currents; cetah - consciousness;
madhukara - bumblebee; adhira - unsteady; madayita - maddens.
W hen will I search for the play-cottage of PriyesvarT, Kr$na*s d ear mistress, in the
new arbours of sweet V rndavana, th at bestow all sweet ecstatic rasa? W hen will the
stream of honeywine which flows from S n R adha’s lotusfeet intoxicate my bee-like m ind
and m ake it unsteady?
THE HONEYSTREAM FROM SRI RADHAfS LOTUSFEET:
Com m entary: Sripada’s mind is absorbed in the rasa of 3rl Radha's merciful glance.
How wonderful are the sweet form, qualities, pastimes and compassion of 3ri Radha! Sri JTva
GosvamI says tad evath svarupa gunabhydrh parama brhattamah sarvakar$aka anandah kr$na Sabda
vdcya iti jneyam “The name Kr$na means that His nature and His qualities are most attractive
and blissful". Srila Bilvamahgala says:
tnd yatah panthah pathi bhTma-rathya dig ambaratfi ko'pi tamala riilah
vinyasya hastarh nitamba birnbe dhurto samdkarsati cilta vittam
"O traveller! Don't travel so fast over that road! There is a rake standing there with a
complexion like a Tamala-tree, holding His hand on His buttocks, taking the wealth of the
288 Srl-Sn Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
minds of all the travellers away!" But Sri Radha steals even the mind of this Kr$na with Her
form and Her attributes! Even 3yama, who is transcendental bliss personified, becomes mad
when He simply sees Her once! One dutl tells Sri Radha during purva rdga:
§uno lo rdjdra jhi,

tore - kohite asiyachi-
kdnu heno dhana, paratie vadhili
e kdja korili ki?
beli avasdna kale; kobe giyachili jale
tahdre dekhiyd, isat hdsiya
dharili sakhira gale
dekhdyyd vaydna cdftde, tare - phelili visarna phande,
tuhu - turite doli, lakhite narilo,
oi oi kori kdnde
hrdaya darati thori, koili tdra tnana cori,
srl kavi ranjana, kohiche sundari,
kdnu jiydyabi mori
(Kavi Ranjana)
"Listen, O princess, I have come to tell You something. You have pierced a treasure
like Kanu (Kr$na) in the heart. What kind of behaviour is that? At the end of the day You went
to fetch water. There You saw Him and You smiled at Him slightly while embracing one of
Your girlfriends.Revealing Your moonlike face You cast a dangerous net! You came so
suddenly - 1 couldn’t see what's going on! Oi, oi! I exclaim, bursting into tears! You slightly
showed Him Your breasts and thus You stole His mind. Sri Kavi Ranjana says: "Listen, O
beautiful girl, You must save Kami's life!"
Srlpada laments: "Alas! When will I search for that Radha in the arbours of ever-so-
sweet, blissful Vmdavana? Srlpada was the object of Vrndavana’s great mercy, that is clear
from reading his monumental praise 'Vrndavana Mahimamrta', that became manifest simply by
the grace of VmdavamW/ia/?itf. The devotees become blessed when they relish this book, that
gives them the proper spiritual insight about the transcendental position of sweet Vmdavana.
niahd madhura gulmaka drurna lata tnaha niadhurT

dhurtna dharam-talarii sumadhurali pit son mrgam
niahd niadhuratd dhuroddhura saraJi sarid bhudharath
mahd niadhura bhavadarii niadhurimaiva vpxddvanam
(Vrndavana Mahimamrta 5.34)
"Sri Vrndavana, the abode that gives very sweet love, shines like sweetness itself with
it’s very sweet bushes and trees, its very sweet vines that adorn the ground, very sweet bees,
birds, deer and lakes, rivers and hills that are made of the essence of sweetness." How sad it is
when someone comes to Vraja and fails to recognise that transcendental sweetness! There is
nothing material or mundane in Vmdavana, everything is transcendental, and by Sri
Vrndavana's grace a neophyte will gradually be able to see that with his own eyes. Then the
devotee can begin his blissful life of spontaneous devotion!
Srlpada says: "When can I search for my Hvarl in the sweet play-kunjas of evcr-so-
sweet Vrndavana?" For this the raganuga-bhakta comes to Vraja: not for peace, but for
becoming mad with ecstatic passionate love! Where are You, O Radhe? Where is Your vilasa
kuiijal Here, this is Vrndavana, look at beautiful Radhakunda! This is Your sweet playground!
£ nl a Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 289
Your pastimes are eternal, so even now You are enjoying here with Your Prananatha! Alas!
But my eyes are blinded by maya\ I cannot see Your sweet pastimes!" The Gosvamis had the
same mood when they were in Vraja:
he radhe vraja devike ca lalite! he nanda suno kutah

Sri govardhana kalpa padapatale kalindl vatiye kutah
ghosantdv iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair mafia vihvalau
vande rupa sanatanau raghu yugau £rljTva gopdlakau
"I offer my obeisances unto the Six Gosvamis, namely £ n Rupa, Sri Sanatana,
Raghunatha dasa, Raghunatha Bhatta, Sri JIva Gosvaml, and Gopala Bhatta Gosvaml, who
were anxiously crying all over Vraja: "O Radhe! Goddess of Vraja! O Lalite! O Son of Nanda
(Krsna)! Where are You? Are You at the foot of a desire-tree near Govardhana Hill or are You
in the forest on the bank of the Yamuna? Where are You?" They are our examples. The
raganuga-bhakta should develop similar anxious feelings of ecstatic love.
VERSE 139:
RADHA K E U NIKUNJA VfTHI$U CARAN RADHABHIDHAM UCCARAN

RADHAYA ANURUPAM EVA PARAMAM DHARMAMRASENACARAM
RADHA YA§ CARANAMBUJAM PARICARAN NANOPACARA1R MUDA
KARH1SYAM SRUTISEKHAROPARICARANN ASCARYA CARYAM CARAN
radhd keli nikuhja - RadM's playbowers; vtihi$u - on the pathways; caran - moving;
rddhdbhidhdtn - named Radha; uccaran - pronouncing; radhdyd - of Radha; anurupam - accordingly;
eva - only; paramarii - supreme; dharmafu - duty; rasena - with taste; acaran - behaving; rddhdyah - of
Radha; carananibujaril - lotusfeet; paricarati - worshipping; ndnd - various; upacaraih - with
paraphernalia; muda - joyfully; karhi - when; sruti - Vedas; fekhara - crown; upari - on top; caran -
moving; a§carya - wonderful; carya - behaviour; caran - moving.
W hen will I w alk over the crow n o f the V edic scriptures, behaving in a very
am azing way w hile w andering over the pathw ays o f Radha's playbow ers, lou d ly singing
R adhafs nam e, perform ing R adha’s highest duty w ith great taste and blissfully serving
R adhafs lotusfeet w ith d ifferen t paraphernalia?
WALKING OVER TH E CROWN O F THE VEDAS:
Commentary: Snpada humbly prays: "When will the blessed day come that I can walk
over the pathway of Radhika's keli kunjas, clearly experiencing what pastimes She plays there
with Her Prana Vallabha? 1 will get goosepimples of ecstasy on my skin when I meditate on
these sweet pastimes and as a result everything will become clearly visible to my eyes." In
Brhad Bhagavatamrta, Sola Sanatana Gosvaml describes how Narada Muni told Gopa Kumara
in Urdhva Dvaraka to go to Purusottama (Puri), although Gopa Kumara was more eager to see
his sweet beloved Oilman Madana Gopala (Kr$na) in Vraja. Uddhava therefore told Narada:
290 $n -£n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
"O Devarsi! Don’t let him wander around anymore, send him straight to the terrestrial
Vrndavana!"
tatraivotpadyate dainyam tat premapi sada satdm
tat tac chunyam ivdranya sarid giiyadi pasyatdm
sada hdha ravakrdnta vadandnam tatha hrdi
maha santapa dagdhdnath sva priyahi parimrgyatam
“O Devar$i! The great souls become very humble when they come to the terrestrial
Vraja and they always develop love for Krsna there. It seems to them as if the saints, the forest,
the YamunS-river and Govardhana Hill are all empty, and thus they search for their beloved
Lord with a burning heart, constantly lamenting: ’Alas! Alas!" Gopa Kumara’s heart was
completely pure, and when he came to Vraja, following Uddhava's order, he swiftly attained
the mercy of his beloved Siiman Madana Gopala.
Srlpada says here: "When I wander through Vrndavana my mouth will always loudly
sing Radha's name". Narottama Dasa Thakura sings: jay a jaya radha nama, vrndavana yarn
dhatna, krsna sukha vilasera nidhi "Glory, glory to Radha’s name, whose abode is Vrndavana,
the ocean of Kr$na's happiness!" All the savour of Radha is present in Her name also. " I will
get goosepimples of ecstasy on my skin when I chant that sweet nectarean Radha-nawa, and
my tongue will become overwhelmed! Alas! When will I search for my beloved RadhSjl,
wandering from kunja to kunja, loudly crying out Her holy name? When will that day be
mine?"
Then Srlpada prays: radhayd anurupam eva paramam dharmam rasenacaran "When
will I perform Radha’s highest duty with great relish?" Srlmad Bhagavata (1.2.6) defines the
highest duty (parama dharma) as follows:
sa vai pumsarii paro dharmo yato bhakiir adhoksaje

ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasTdali
"The highest duty for mankind is devotion to the transcendental Lord. This devotion is
causeless, knows no impediments, and gives full bliss to the Self." Sri JIva Gosvami
comments: yato dharniad adhoksaje bhakti tat katha sravanddi$u rucir bhavati "The highest
religion is that devotional practise which gives us taste for hearing and chanting." Srlpada says:
"I will perform the highest duly by always hearing nectarean Radha-katha from the mouths of
rasika devotees, and I will chant Her sweet glories and remember them. Rdganugd-bhakti is
called mano dharmay the mental religion: mone nija siddha deha koriya bhdvana; ratri dina
kore vraje kr$$era sevana (C.C.) "Think of Your own spiritual body and, in that spiritual body,
serve Krsna in Vraja day and night". The neophyte should take care, though, that his smarana
does not become a habitual drag. The pastimes should be remembered spontaneously as much
as possible. Then the perfection of love can swiftly be attained.
Srlpada then says radhayas caranambujam paricaran ndnopacarair muda "I will
blissfully perform Radha's formal worship with different paraphernalia, such as Tulasi-leaves,
flowers, incense and perfumes. Surely I will feel it when She is pleased with my service, if I
serve Her with attention and attachment! Then I will automatically become happy also, and
serve Her with even more joy. In this way I will serve Sn Radha with all of my senses!" karhi
syam sruti sekharopari carann ascarya caryam caran "When will I thus make an astonishing
walk over the crowns of the Vedic scriptures?" Radharam's service completely transcends the
limits of the Vedic principles. 0sabda-brahmdtivartate, Gita) The service of the divine Couple
is a secret that is hidden in the Vedas and the Vedas consider themselves to be blessed if they
can keep this service on their crowns, veda vidhi agocara, ratana vediropara, bhajo niti ktfora
kisorl (Narottama dasa) "Nicely worship Ki$ora and KiSorT, who are sitting on a jewelled
$ n la Prabodhananda Sarasvail 291
throne and who are not perceived by the Vedas". The word sruti in the text can also mean
'Upanisads1. Sripada’s old Vedantik friends may ask him: "Srlpada! Why did you give up the
study of Vedanta to become enchanted by the attributes of a mere cowherdgirl? Just see how
weak your heart is!” Srlpada anwers to this: “The service of Sri Radha is glorified as being a
secret of the srutis and as dancing on their heads. The truth about this cannot be understood
without Sri Radha's personal grace!"
140:
YATAYATA SATENA SAN GAMI TAYORANYONYA VAKTROLLASAC

CANDRALOKANA SAMPRABHUTA BAHULANANGAMBUDHI K?OBHA YOH
ANTAH KUNJA KUTIRA TALPA GATAYOR DIVYADBHUTA KRIDAYO
RADHA MADHA VA YOH KADA NU SRjyUYAM MANJIRA KANCIDHVAN1M
yaldyata - going and coming; satena - hundreds of times; saiigami - meeting; tayoh - of both;
anyonya - eachother; vaktra - face; ullasat - joyfully; candra - moon; alokana - seeing; safnprabhuta -
creating; bahula - much; anafiga - erotic; ambudhi - ocean; ksobhayoh - agitated; amah - within; kunja
- grove; kutTra - cottage; talpa - bed; gatayoh - both going; divya - divine; adbhuta - wonderful;
krTdayo - playing; radha nmdhavayoli - of Radha and Madhava; kadd nu - when; fniuyarii - hearing;
manjira - anklcbells; kdncl - sash of bells; dhvanim - jingling.
W hen can I h e a r the jingling of R adha and M adhava's anklebells and waistbells
during T heir am azing divine pastimes in the bed in a bowerhouse where They met
E ad io th er after a lot o f coming and going, searching and waiting, and where the oceans
of Their erotic joy swells up when They see Eachother’s moonlike faces?
RADHA AND MADHAVA’S WONDERFUL DIVINE PASTIMES:
Commentary: At noontime, Srimatl goes out in the sweltering heat to meet Her
Priyatama, forgetting Herself completely:
niatha hi tapana, tapata patha baluka,

dtapa dahatia vithara
noonika putali tanu, carana karnala janu,
dina hi koyola abhisdra
"When Sn Radhika, whose body is as tender as a puppet of butter, goes out to meet
Krsna at noontime the sun shines on Her head and the burning sand scorches Her soft
lotusfcet."
hari hari! premaka gati anivdra!
kdnu paras a rasa, paravasa rasavatT,
bichurala sabahu vicara
"Hari! Hari! The course of love cannot be stopped! This rasika girl is overwhelmed by
the rasa of Kisna’s touch and has given up all sense of discrimination!" Srlpada, in his kinkan-
form, follows Svamin! like Her shadow as She passionately reaches the kunja. When SvaminI
arrives She discovers that 3yamasundara has not come yet, so She becomes very upset and
292 3n -3n RSdha Rasa Sudhanidhi
impatient. The maidservant consoles 3rlmatl and goes out to search for 3yamasundara. When
she cannot find Krsna anywhere, the maidservant finally comes to NandlSvara where she sees
Kr$na between the people. Here she has no opportunity to tell Him how eagerly SvaminI is
waiting for Him, so she gives Him a hint with her eyes without anyone noticing it, and returns
to Srlmatl’s kunja. Syiimasundara is late, and $rlmatl tells Her maidservant: "You consoled
Me by telling Me that Syama is coming, but I don't see Him coming at all! Quickly go and
bring Him here, otherwise 1 cannot stay alive anymore!" Once more the maidservant sets out
to bring Krsna, again she cannot find the opportunity to speak to Him personally, again she
gives Him a hint with the eyes from afar, and again she returns to SvaminI empty-handed. All
this coming and going causes the ocean of SrlmatTs eagerness to swell. In order to increase the
eagerness of the divine Couple, Yogamaya arranges for Their love to be bahu-vdiyaman (full
of obstacles), pracchanna kamatd (a hidden love) and sudurlabhd (precious). This causes the
highest loving ecstasy, according to the rasa Rostra:
bahu varyate yatafy khalu yatra pracchanna kamukatvam ca

yd ca mitho durlabhata sd manmathasya parama ratify
(Ujjvala Nllamani, N3yaka 15)
Sri Jlva Gosvami writes in his 'Prlti Sandarbha (279)': "Someone may think that the
different obstacles increase the gopTs' love for Kr$na, but that is not so. Their love for Him is
naturally the highest. This is confirmed by the Queens of Dvaraka in $flmad Bhagavata
(10.83.43 vraja striyo yad vanchanti) and Uddhava (Bhag. 10.47.58 vdnehanti yad bhava
bhiyo). The Queens and Uddhava could not attain the level of the gopTs because their love for
Him was 'legal' and therefore unobstructed. Because the love of the gopTs was so strong they
were able to overcome the different obstacles, and therefore Uddhava praised them in verse
10.47.61 yd dustyajarh svajanam aryapatham ca hitvd. When a mad elephant storms into a
fortress it only shows his strength, it is not causing that strength. In the same way, the
obstructions caused by their superiors is not causing, but only showing the supremacy of the
gopTs' love."
Anyway, finally the maidservant managed to make it clear to Syamasundara that He
should immediately come to Svaminl's kunja, and thus she establishes the Yugala-meeting.
How sweet is that meeting after such an anxious separation! The ocean of Radha and Krona's
erotic desires swells when They see Eachother’s moonlike faces. The word ananga should be
understood to mean ’a pure desire to make Eachother happy' here; this desire is boundless like
many vast oceans. The maidservant understands that Radha and Krsna's loveplay is about to
commence, so she leaves the arbour while the divine Couple goes to the wonderful divine
(transcendental) lovebed. The fortunate maidservant can now witness Radha and Kr?na's
transcendental love pastimes through the holes in the vines of the arbour after doing so much
effort to establish Their sweet meeting. She can hear the sweet jingling of Their anklets and
Their waistbells while They make love, and by the sound of these bells she knows exactly
when the loveplay is over and when it is time for her to enter the kunja again to assist Them
with her service. In this verse 3ripada prays that he may be so fortunate to attain such services.
VERSE 141:
AHO BHUVANA MOHANAM MADHURA MADHAVIMANDAPE

MADHUTSAVA SAMUTSUKAM KIM API N llJl PITA CCHABI
S n la Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 293
VIDAGDHA MITHUNAM MITHO DIlDHATARANURAGOLLASAN

MADAM MADAYATE KADA ClRAT ARAM MADlYAM MANAIf
aho - 0!; bhuvana - world; mohanam - enchanter; madhura - sweet; mddhavT mandape - in a
Madhavl-pavillion; madhu - honey/ spring; utsave - in a festival; samutsukarh - enthousiastic; kim api -
indescribable; nila - blue; pita - yellow; cchabi - luster; vidagdha - clever; miihunarii - couple; milhah -
mutual; drdhatara - very firm; anurdga - passion; ullasal - blissful; madam - intoxication; tnadayate -
maddens; kada - when; ciratararfi - swiftly; madiyam - my; manah - mind.
A ho! W hen w ill this w orld-enchanting C ouple, that is eager to play the vernal
festival (H oli) in the sw eet pavillion o f M adhavT-flowers, that have indescribable bluish
and yellow com plexions and that are intoxicated by firm m utual attachm ent, enchant my
m ind forever?
TH E DRINKING FESTIVAL O F RADHA AND MADHAVA:
Com m entary: After enjoying Their turbulent noon-pastimes Radha and Madhava and
Their girlfriends enter into Lalita's arbour on the shore of Radhakunda, where They enjoy the
pleasure of relaxation for a while. VrndadevT, understanding Their desires, brings the glasses
with honey wine.
gata-Srame'smin sagane sakhibhih padabja samvahana vijanadyaih
madhvika purnarii casakath purastat tayoh samamya dadhdra vrndd
(Govinda Lilamrta 14,80)
The maidservants are engaged in fanning the divine Couple and massaging Their
lotusfeet, and 3ripada, in his kinkarT-form, is also blessed with some service.
addya ninye casakath baldnujah pibeti kdnid vadandbja sannidhim

tiryah-mukhi tad dayitdpi lajjayd karena jagraha tiijena tat karat
(Govinda Lilamrta 14.85)
“Ramanuja (Krsna) takes the wineglass and says: "O dearest One! Drink!", and when
He brings the glass to Radhika's mouth, She shyly lowers Her head and takes the glass over
from Him. Nectarfaced Radhika covers Her mouth with Her veil, smells the wine once, scents
the wine with Her lips (by drinking it) and returns the glass to Her Priyatama".
priyatavT vrk$a latodbhavarh priyath priyadhara sparsa su-saurabharii madhu

nija priydli parihdsa vdsitam priydrpitath sasprham apapau priyah
(Govinda LTlamita 14.87)
"This honey wine is very dear to Kr$na because it is made from the grapes of His •
beloved forest Vrndavana, because it is touched and made fragrant by the lips of His PriyajI,
because it is scented by the joking words of Her girlfriends, and because it is handed to Him by
PriyajI Herself. Because of these reasons Kr$na eagerly drinks the honeywine." Krsna scents
the wine with the fragrance of His own lips and hands the glass back to PriyajI, who also
294 Sn-SrI Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
drinks then. After that, Vmdadevi and KundalatH. blissfully make all the sakhls also drink the
nectar of Radha and Krona's lips by passing the glass on to them. The word madhutsava
(honey-festival) in the text shows that such drinking is not done with just one or two persons,
but with many. All the sakhls most blissfully attend this festival.
mddhvika bhedan vividhan savmda vrndatha vrndavana nathayoh sa

nand vidariisaih sahitdn purastat samarpayamdsa tatha sakhlndm
(Govinda LflSmrta 14.95)
"Vrnda and her sylvan goddesses bring different kinds of snacks and different kinds of
honey wines before the king and queen of Vrndavana and Their girlfriends, and everyone
becomes completely drunk."
uktau lohalata gatau skhalitata ketiamsuke srastatd
netrdnte'runata mukhe surabhita netre tathodghurnata
narmoktau sphutatd dr$i bhramitata tat tat krtau dhrtfata
yd yaslt sudrsahi tadd trisarakotpannadhinot sa priyam
"The gopls voices falter, they stumble as they walk, their hairs and garments fall loose,
the comers of their eyes become red, their mouths become fragrant, their glances become
restless and their actions become bold. With all these activities the gopls, who are drunk from
the wine made of flowers, brown sugar and the trees, give great pleasure to Krona’s mind."
Although Radha and MSdhava are naturally very attracted to Eachother, Their
drunkenness makes Them even more mad after Eachother:
ahkahki skhalanam kardkari manah samvada samvedanath

karndkarni vrtha kathasu yugapac cumbah satam gandayoh
skandhaskandhi bhujau mukhdmukhi niuhur mddhvika pdnakrame
radha madhavayor madhau madhu rnada krlda ja rl jrmbhyate
(Alafikara Kaustubha 5.51)
"Radha and Madhava fall from Eachother's laps and tell Eachother what is on Their
minds by touching Eachother’s hands. They speak useless talks in Eachother’s ears and kiss
Eachother on the cheeks a hundred times over. They place Their arms on Eachother's shoulders
and begin to make Eachother drink honeywine. All glories to Their drunken pastimes in the
spring!"
ha kastarh dyauh papatati katharfi hanta ghughurriate bhur
dlambe tvarii dhadhadha patitd kampate gdtra-yastih
ittham trdsad adhika hrasitair ak$arair vydharaniau
dhrtvdnyonyarii madhumada jitau riaumi radha mukundau
(Alahkara Kaustubha 5.61)
"What a disaster! Is the sky fa-falling down? Is the earth tu-turning? My body shivers,
I'm falling, ho-ho-hold Me!" I offer my obeisances to Radha-Mukunda, who hold Eachother
when They are drunk and who are speaking broken words out of false fear caused by
intoxication!" After witnessing all this, the fortunate maidservant begins to serve the divine
Couple according to the time and the need. 5rlpada prays "When will I gladden my mind
forever by witnessing the vernal festival of this clever Couple?"
VERSE 142:
RADHA NAMA SUDHA-RASAM RASAYITUM JIHVAS TUME VIHVALA
PADAU TAT PADAKANKITASU CARATAM VRNDAJAVI VITHI$U
TATKARMA1VA KARAHKAROTUHRDAYAM TASYAHPADAMDHYAYATAT
TAD BHAVOTSAVATAH PARAM BHAVATUME TAT PRANANATHE RATIH
radha nama sudhd rasaiii - the nectarean flavour of Radha’s name; rasayitum - may it relish;
jihvdh - the tongue; tu - but; me - my; vihvald - overwhelmed; padau - the feet; tat padakankitasu -
Radha’s footprints; caratani - walking; vrnddtavT - Vrndavana; vTthisu - on the pathways; tat karma -
Her work; eva - only; karah - my hands; karotu - may it perform; hrdayam - the heart; tasyah - Her;
padarii - position; dhyayatat - meditating; tat - Her; bhdva - mood; utsavatah - festival; paratii -
supreme; bliavatu - let it be; me - me; tat prdna-nathe - in Her heart’s Lord; ratih - love.
M ay m y tongue becom e overw helm ed by relishing the nectarean flavou r o f

R adha's holy nam e, m ay m y feet w alk over Vrndavana*s pathw ays that are m arked w ith
H er footprints, m ay m y hands be engaged only in H er m enial service, m ay m y h eart
m editate on H er lotu sfeet, and m ay I develop love for the Lord o f H er life (K r$na)
through H er festival o f em otions.
DESIR ING R A D H A ’S W O RSH IP:
Com m entary: First of all 3rlpada, who is, just like in the previous verse, in
sadhakavesa (external consciousness), says: radha natna sudhd rasam rasayitum jihvas tu me
vihvald "May my tongue become overwhelmed by relishing the nectar of Radha’s holy name!”
The best way to attain prema is nama sahkirtana. Actually, when the tongue becomes
overwhelmed by chanting the holy name, all the other senses also become overwhelmed by its
sweetness. This is what Sanatana Gosvami says in Bfhad Bhagavatamrta (2.3.162):
ekasminn indriye pradurbhutafii ndmdmrtarfi rasaih

dpldvayati sarvdmndriydni madhurair nijaih
%
Furthermore, Sanatana Gosvami says nijaih svafdyaih svabhavikair va "The holy name
naturally contains all of its own sweetness". &rl Rflpa Gosvami writes in his 'Krsna nama
stotram':
ndrada vmojjivana sudhormi tiirydsa madhurJpiira
tvarH krsna nama kamarii sphura me rasane rasena me
"O Holy name of Krsna! You are the very life of Narada Muni's Vina and the stream
of Your sweetness is the quintessence of nectar! Please always give that savour to my tongue!"
But even Krsna is overwhelmed when His tongue relishes the nectar of Radha’s name! When
you love somebody, it is natural that you love that person's name also. 3rlla Rupa Gosvami
i
296 £rT-SrI Radii a Rasa Sudhanidhi
writes in Act VI of 'Vidagdha Madhava' that when Krsna was burning in the forestfire of
separation from £rl Radha, his comrade Madhumahgala consoled Him by writing the two
syllables Ra-dha on a leaf and showing it to Him, saying: "O Friend, accept Your Radha!"
Krsna was very happy when He saw the syllables on the leaf and said: "O friend! You fully
satisfied Me with this gift!" Because:
kramcit kaksdm aksnofy parisara bhuvarii va sravanayor

matidg adhydrudharh pranayi jana ndmaksara padam
k'am apy antas to$arii viiarad avilambad anupadarh
nisargad vi&vesath hrdaya padavTm utsukayati
"Who will not be happy when the name of one's beloved comes to the edges of the eyes
or the ears? The hearts of all the people of the world are naturally always eager for this!"
Offenders cannot taste the natural sweetness of the holy name, but the holy name destroys the
offenses of a surrendered chanter and becomes self-manifest on his tongue. When a devotee
does not experience any taste, he should humbly pray: "O Holy name! O Cintamani-jewel! O
Lord! O form of topmost bliss! Reveal Your spotless, blissful form on my tongue! You are the
most merciful descension in the form of syllables! Please bless this fallen soul with a little taste
of Your endless sweetness!" Thus the sincere devotee will surely be blessed with some sweet
taste (sevonmukhe hi jihvddau svayam eva sphuratyadhah).
Then 3ripada says: padau tat padakankitasu caratam vmddfavT vTthisu "Let my feet
walk over the pathways of Vrndavana, that are marked by Her lotusfeet! May I experience the
fact that my Kvarl always walks here! Each speck of Vraja’s dust is sprinkled with the honey
of Her supreme love, and even great devotees like Uddhava prayed for a shower of that dust
over their heads! When I remember this I will surely be blessed with a life full of bhajana in
Vraja!"
tat karmaiva karafy karotu: "May my hands be engaged in Radha’s service. My hands
and feet have been serving so many persons. Let them become stunned now and become solely
engaged in Sr! Radha's service."
hrdayarh tasydfy padam dhyayatdt "May my heart meditate on Sr! Radha's lotusfeet, as
well as on Her whole form, Her pastimes and Her qualities. My mind is always restlessly
wandering away from it's sweet meditation on Sri Radha! If it could only aquire some taste for
Her lotusfeet, then it would remain calm and fixed there! Not only the tongue, the hands, the
feet and the mind should be engaged, but all the other senses as well! Let my eyes look at
beautiful Radhakunda and at Radha’s devotees, let my nose smell the incense offered to Her,
and let my ears hear the singing of Her holy names, pastimes and attributes!"
Someone may say: "Snpada! Why don't You worship Govinda while living in
Vrndavana? " As an answer he says: "tad bhdvotsavatafy par am bhavatu me tat prananathe
ratify When I surrender exclusively to Sn Radha's lotusfeet, my worship of Govinda will
automatically be more successful! Knowing me to be the greatest object of Sr! Radha's mercy,
Govinda will automatically come to me and give me even more mercy than He gives to His
own devotees {prTtafy svath bhajato'pi, verse 118)! Rather, since Sn Radha is hard to attain
even for Him, Sn Govinda will always need me in order to get Her mercy also! I will not need
Him, but He will need me!" Here the word bhavotsava means mahjarTbhdva, a preference for
Sr! Radha over £ri Krsna (bhdvolldsa rati), and a strong feeling of mine-ness towards Her. The
manjans love Kr$na only because He is connected to Sri Radha. £r! Rupa GosvamI concludes
his 'Catu Puspanjall' by praying:
kaninam muhur arthaye parath tava vrndavana cakravartini

api kesiripor yaya bhavet sa catu prarthana bhajanam janah
"O Queen of Vrndavana! I pray for Your mercy again and again, so that I may once
become the object of Krsna's flattering prayers! I will be Your maidservant and when You are
angry with Kr$na He will have to flatter me by saying: "O Sundari (beautiful girl) O merciful
one! (daydvati)\ Please please Your SvaminI for Me, so that the fire of My separation from
Her will be extinguished!" Then I will take Him by the hand and bring Him to You!11 Such
will be our love for Govinda in the festival of Radha's bhaval This is the greatest aspiration for
a Gaudlya Vaisnava!
VERSE 143:
MAND1KRTYA MUKUNDA SUNDARA PADA DVANDVARA VINDAMALA

PREMANANDAM AMANDAMINDU TILAKADY UNMADA KANDAM PARAM
RADHA KELI-KA THA RASAMBUDHI CATA D VICIBH1R ANDOLITAM
VRNDARANYA NIKUNJA MANDIRA VARALINDE MANO NANDATU
mandXkrtya - making insignificant; mukunda swidara pada dvandvaravinda - Mukunda's

beautiful two lotusfeet; arnala - spotless; premanandam - loving ecstasy; amandam - good; indu tilaka
- moon-crested Siva; adi - and others; unmdda - madness of ecstasy; kandatii - source; param -
supreme; radha keli kathd - topics of Radha's pastimes; rasdmbudhi - ocean of flavour; calad - moving;
vTcibhih - with waves; andolitarii - oscillating; vpidaranya - Vrndavana; nikunja - grove; mandira -
temple; vara - excellent; alinde - on the terrace; manah - mind; nandatu - may rejoice.
M ay my mind rejoice on the terrace of V rndavana’s arbour-tem ple, oscillating on

the waves of the nectar-ocean of topics of R adha's pastimes, that belittles even the pure
ecstatic love that great devotees like Indu-tilaka (Siva, who wears the moon as His crest)
feel when they serve M ukunda's beautiful lotusfeet!
T H E O SC ILLA TIN G W AVES O F TH E N EC TA R O C EA N O F R A D H A -K A TH A :
Com m entary: As a reaction to $ rip ad a1s previous prayer, Krsna's devotees may say:
"Sripada! You have even given up the bliss of brahman, considering it to be insignificant!
Now serve Mukunda's lotusfeet! Why are you showing such eagerness after £rl Radha? Isn't
She also worshipping Mukunda?” £ripada answers that question in this verse, saying: "Even
Candra Bokhara Siva is mad of ecstasy over the lotusfeet of Mukunda, that is described in
different places in Brhad Bhagavatamrta! When Narada, who was looking for the objects of
Kr§na's mercy, came to Sivaloka, he saw that Lord Siva was mad of ecstatic love:"
bhagavantarii haram tatra bhdvdvistataya hareh; nrtyantam klrtayantafti ca krta sahkarsandreanam

bhrfarii nandUvarddmis ca slagharnanarh nijdnugdn; prltyd sa jaya tsabdani glta vadydni tanvatah
devTm comarii praSarHsantam karatdlTsu kovidam; durad drstva munir hrsto'namad vTndrh ninddayam
(B|*had Bhagavatamrta 13.1-3)

"When Narada came to diva's planet, he saw from afar that Siva was ecstatically
worshipping Saftkarsana, offering prayers to him with the utmost devotion and dancing in
topmost ecstasy. His followers, like Nandlgvara, were praising Him, saying jaya! jaya! and
UmadevT (Parvatl) increased His joy by clapping Her hands and giving the rhythm to His
dance. When Narada saw Srlman Mahadeva in such devotional ecstasy, he blissfully offered
his obeisances unto Him.” And furthermore, when Gopa Kumara came to Muktiloka and saw
Lord Vi§nu's associates of Vaikuntha engaged in sankTrtana there, he also saw the ecstatic love
of Lord Siva:
tarii Snilva paramananda sindhau magno mahefvarali;
niahd prerna vikdrdttah pravrtto nartiturii svayam
pativratottamd sa tu devl nandyddibhih saha
prabhum utsdhctydmdsa vddya safddrlanadibhih (B.B. 2.3.75-76)
But, despite all the ecstasy of Siva, Parvatl and Nandi over Mukunda's beautiful
lotusfeet, Srlpada Prabodhananda himself, representing the devotees who are fixed in Sri
Radha’s lotusfeet, considers even this to be insignificant. In Vrndavana Mahimamrta (1.54) he
says: radha ndgara keli sagara nimagnalT drSdtii yat sukhath no tal lesa lavayate bhagavatah sarvo'pi
saukhyotsavali "Even the greatest festival of ecstasy in the kingdom of God is insignificant
compared to the ecstasy felt by the gopTs when they can immerse their fish-like eyes in the
ocean of pastimes of Radha and Krsna!"
VERSE 144:
RADHA NAMAIVA KARYAM HYANUDINA MILITAM SADHA NADHI&A KOTIS

TYAJYA NIRAJYA RADHA PADAKAMALA SUDHAM SATPUMARTHAGRA K O n H
RADHA PADABJA LILA BHVVI JAYATI SADA'MANDA MANDARA KOTW
$RlRADHA KINKARINAM l u t h a t i CARANA YOR ADBHUTA SIDDHI k o t i h
radha ndnia eva - only Radha’s name; karyarh - duty; hi - certainly; anudina - every day;
militarh - attained; sddhanddhtfa - the king of spiritual practises; kotih - millions; tydjyd - rejectable;
rurdjya - formal worship; radha pada katnala - Radha's lotusfeet; sudhdrii - nectar; sat - genuine;
pumdrtha - goals of human life; agra - front; kofih - millions; radha paddbja - Radha's lotusfeet; Hid -
pastimes; bhuvi - ground; jayati - glories; sadd - always; amanda - good; manddra - wishyielding tree;
kotih - millions; Sri radha kihkarlndih - of 3rl Radha's maidservants; luthati - rolls; caranayoh - both
feet; adbhuta - wonderful; siddhi - perfections; kotih - millions.
By daily sin gin g only the holy nam e o f SrT R adha, m illions o f th e b est spiritual
practises becom e rejectable, by w orshipping th e nectar o f S r i R adha's lotu sfeet, m illions
o f th e best hum an goals of life are abandoned because there are m illions o f great
w ishyielding trees in the playground of S r i R adha's lotusfeet, S r i V rndavana, and
m illion s o f perfections roll at the feet of S ri R adha's m aidservants (uncared for)!
T H E POW ER O F R A D H A ’S N EC TA R EA N W O R SH IP:
S o la Prabodhananda Saras vatT • • • 299
Com m entary: Srlpada, still in his sadhakavesa, shows here how fixed he is in his
devotion to Sri Radha. He says: "Simply by daily chanting the name of Radha, millions of
great spiritual practises become rejectable." Sanlirtana is the emperor of all sadhand, and
gives prema to everyone who surrenders to it, without discriminating. This item of devotion
should never be given up, for it purifies the mind and heart and thus helps one to enter into
smarana. These millions of spiritual practises that become rejectable do not include the vital
items of devotional practise, like hearing, chanting, remembering, worshipping the deity, etc.
The text does not say bhajanadhlsa kotis tyajyd, that all devotional practises become
rejectable, but sddhanadhisa kotis tyajyd: practises like deliberate austerities, cultivation of
book-knowledge, following ordinary religious principles and so on, become rejectable. Sfipada
Sanatana GosvamI writes in his opening of Brhad Bhagavatamrta: jayati jayati namananda
ruparit murdrer; viramita nija dharma dhyana pujadi yatnam "All glories to the ecstatic holy name
of Murari (Krsna), that stops all endeavours like dharma, puja and yoga-meditation!"
Sanatana GosvamI writes in his own commentary: nija dharma vamdframdcdrds tesu tadvatarh tat
ta anusthdnena yad duhkam tad anadaretia bhaktim dSritdndm api dhydne dumigraha mano
niyamddind yad duhkam pujaydm api pavitra sad dravya sampadanddina yad duhkam adi fabdena
fravanadisvapi vaktrapeksadind yad duhkam sydt viramitam nirakrtafn tat tad yena tat tidma
safiklrtana mdtrenaiva tat tat phala siddheh: "The results of the miserable process of following
the rules and regulations of the caste-and dsrama-system, the difficulty of fixing one's mind
during efforts to meditate or to listen attentively to a lecturer, or the miserable process of
collecting pure paraphernalia for puja (formal worship) will easily be awarded simply by
taking shelter of the holy name". Although love for Kr$na is the fifth goal of human life,
transcending religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation, still the
service of Sri Radha is more attractive and relishable and causes Radha's devotees to give up
even the devotional service of Krsna, which leads to love for Kr$na. This is the meaning of the
words mrajya radha padakamala sudhdm sat pumarthagra kotih "Millions of the greatest (sat
mean that which is eternal and transcendental, like liberation or devotion to God) goals of
human life worship the nectar of Radha's lotusfeet."
The statement that 'millions of wishyielding trees always grow on the playground of Sri
RadhE's lotusfeet' does not indicate aisvarya prakafa, a manifestation of opulence and prowess
like in Vaikuntha. Caitanya Caritamrta states: kalpavrkya lata yaha sahajika vana; pu$pa
phala vina keho na mage any a dhana "The forest of Vmdavana is a very natural scenery. The
people don't ask anything else from the wishyielding trees and vines but fruits and flowers."
The word amanda indicates that the people of Vraja need not even ask or pick the fruits and
flowers; these generous trees give them spontaneously.
Finally, Srlpada says: sri radha kinkarmam luthati caranayor adbhuta siddhi kofih
"Millions of wonderful perfections roll at the feet of Radha’s maidservants". The maidservants
do not even cast a sidelong glance at all the mystic perfections that lie at their feet, ready for
their command. Anyone who has tasted even a drop of Krsna's sweetness considers sense
gratification, liberation and mystic perfection to be insignificant, so it is easily understandable
that millions of perfections roll at the feet of the maidservants of £n Radhika, who consider
even devotion to £ n Kr$na to be insignificant!
The word adbhuta means that these mystic perfections are enchanting all the great
sages, but all these siddhis are simply rolling at the feet of $rl Radhika's maidservants. 5npada
means to say: "When I attain the maidservanthood of Sri Radhika, then I lose my taste for
everything else."
300 Sri-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhunidhi
V ER SE 145:
MJTHO BHANGIKOT1PRAVAHAD ANURAGAMRTA RASOT-

TARANGA BHRU-BHANGA K$UBH1TA BAH1R ABHYANTARAM AHO
MADAGHURNAN NETRAM RACAYATI VICITRAM RATI-KAlA
VILASAM TATKVNJE JAYATINAVA KAISORA M1THUNAM
mithah - mutual; bhangi - gestures; koti - millions; pravahad - streaming; anurdga - constant
passion; amrta rasa - nectar-flavour; uttaranga - high waves; bhrii - eyebrows; bliafiga - gestures;
k$ubhita - agitating; bahih - outside; abhyantaram - within; aho - O!; madaghuman - rolling wildly;
netrarii - eyes; racayati - doing; vicitrarii - wonderful; rati kald - love arts; vilasarii - pastimes; tat -
Her; kurije - in the arbour; jayati - glories; nava - fresh; kaifora - adolescent; milliunam - couple.
All glories to th e playful adolescent C ouple, W ho are agitated both in tern ally
and externally by the m illions o f m ovem ents o f E achotlier's eyebrow s, th at are like
flow ing w aves of nectarean passionate rasa, w hose eyes are rolling w ith in toxication and
w ho play so m any d ifferen t artistic erotic pastim es w ithin the arbour!
TH E NECTAREAN FLAVOUR O F TH E DIVINE COUPLE:
Com m entary: Today the maidservant has arranged for the loving Couple to meet in
the playbower. Because Radha and Krsna face so many difficulties in meeting Eachother
(although They are One truth) They become intoxicated with joy when They meet. The sakhls
and mahjarfs are very happy when they can extinguish the fire of The divine Couple's
separation by arranging for Their meeting. Sri ViSvanatha Cakravarti writes in Prema Samputa
(109-110):
yat sneha pura bhrta bhajana rajitaika; varty agra varty amala dipa-yugarii cakasti
tac cetaretara tamo'panudat parokjam; anandayed akhila parfva-gatdli saddlih
yady apated viraha maruta etad dtta; kamparh bIlaved yugapad eva bhajec ca murccham
vyagra sadaly atha tad dvarane yateta; tat susthayec ca sukha sadnia gatarii vidhdya
Sri Radha told the disguised Krsna about the yugala prema, saying: "We are like a
single wick which is split at the top into two, standing in a vessel filled with the oil of love,
forming two spotless flames which illuminate the darkness of eachothers’ shadows and give
joy to all the nearby standing sakhls. When the strong gale of separation starts blowing and
causes the two flames to flicker and almost go out, then our girlfriends anxiously come closer
to give us shelter from the wind and to bring us to the abode of Our happiness." That the
waves of the oceans of Radha and Kr$na's nectarean anurdga rasa swell is seen in the way
They make Their eyebrows dance with Eachother. The word anurdgamrta rasa indicates
an increase of desire. Sri Jiva GosvamI compares this to a feeling of never becoming satiated,
like a person who cannot quench his thirst simply by drinking water in a dream {svapnika
pane yathd pipasundm). The pinnacle of that thirst is found in Sri Radhararil. (srf radhayam
tu sutaram anirvacanTyam eva sarvam, Gopala Campuh). The word vilasa in the text refers to
special gestures of the heroine with the eyes, the gait, the sitting postures, the abode and
the face. Srila Rupa GosvamI gives the following example in Ujjvala Nilamani:
adhydsmam amum kadamba nikate krfda kutTra sthallm

dbhTrendra kumdram atra rabhasad dlokayantyah purali
Srila Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 301
digdhd dugdha samudra mugdha lahari Idvanya nisyandibhih

kdlindi tava drk tarangita-bharais tanvangi gangdyate
"Vrnda, seeing the movements of Radha’s eyes when She saw Kr$na, said: "O Slender
beauty! When You see the prince of cowherdcrs sitting before You in that arbour close to the
Kadamba-tree, the waves of Your stares, that flow from the milk-ocean of elegance, turn the
Yamuna into the Gahga (giving it a white colour like the Ganga)". In the same way the loving
Couple becomes stirred by the movements they make at Eachother with Their playful
eyebrows today. The maidservant sees that They are stirred inside out, Their minds being
moved by desires for union. The maidservant goes out of the kunja and stares in through the
holes in the vines to witness the wonderful loving pastimes of 3rl Radha and Krsna, saying tat
kunje jayati nava kaisora mithunam "All glories to the adolescent Couple in the arbour of
Vrndavana!"
madhUra &fi vmdavane, nibhrta nikunja vane,

rdi kanu kaisora mithuna
koti ko\i bhahgTmdy, anurage dujanaya,
rasdmrta pravahe magana
<
"The adolescent Couple Rai-Kanu are immersed in a stream of nectarean rasa in a

lonely arbour in sweet 3ri Vrndavana, making millions of gestures to Eachother"
nandera nandana hari, nava gorocana gauri,

bhrubhangT koriya paraspara
uttala tarange yeno, viksobhita tanu mana,
donhakdra bahya abhyantara
"Nanda's son Hari and golden Gauri Radhika, who shines like fresh vermilion, play
with Eachother with the high waves of Their eyebrows, agitating Eachother's minds and
bodies inside out
madhupane duhu matta, madaghuma dutT netra,

rati kald racana koriya
vicitra vilase ati, donhara samana rati,
yaiche hari taiche hari priyd
"They are both intoxicated from drinking and Their eyes are rolling of madness while
They show Their skill in lovemaking. Their attraction is equal during this wonderful
variegated pastime. As is Hari, so is Hari-priya (Radha). “
manasija manoharT, rasa-range keli kori,

jaya yukta navma yugala
hrdaye hoile sphurti, prakdsaye sarasvati
yugala vilasa swnahgala
"All glories to this youthful Couple that plays rasika pastimes that enchant even Cupid!
Thus the auspicious pastimes of the divine Couple are revealed within Prabodhananda
SarasvatTs heart!"
302 5 rl-£ n Radha Rasa SudhSnidhi
V ER SE 146:
KACID VRNDAVANA NAVALATA MANDIRE NANDA SUNOR

DliPYAD DOSKANDALA DRDHA PARIRAMDHA NISPANDA GATRl
DIVYANA NT ADDHUTA RASA-KALAH KALPAYANTYAVIRASTE
SANDRANANDAMRTA RASAGHANA PR EM A -M UR T ill KI&ORI
• •
kacid - one; vnxdavana nava lata - fresh vine of Vrndavana; matidire - in a temple; tianda
sfinoh - of the son of Nanda; drpyad - proud; do$kandala - arms; drdha - firm; parirambha - embrace;
nispanda - motionless; gdtrT - body; divya - divine; ananta - endless; adbhuta - wonderful; rasa -
flavour; kald - art; kalpayanti - making; dvirdste - appearing; sandrdnanda - deep joy; atnrta - nectar;
rasa - flavour; ghana - deep; prema - love; miirtih - form; ktforl- adolescent girl.
T here is an adolescent girl in the new vine-cottage in V rndavana, w ho creates

endless w onderful love-arts, w hose body is m otionless w hen She is tightly em braced by
the proud arm s o f N an d a’s son, and who m anifests H erself as the em bodim ent o f deep
eternal bliss, rasa and prema.
T H E EM BO DIM ENT O F LO V E A N D FLAVO UR:
Com m entary: Anyone who even once tasted the nectar of devotion to Kr$na can
never forget that, what to speak then of anyone who has even once relished the nectar of Sri
Radhika's maidservice! The eagerness for this sweetness will increase more and more in the
heart of a sincere devotee, and the devotee will feel that Radhika's forms, pastimes and
qualities are always new again, every time. Srlpada, who is in the kingdom of maha bhava,
clearly experiences the sweetness of the divine Couple when he is absorbed in his manjarT
bhava. The new youthful Couple is engaged in ever-new pastimes in a temple made of
evergreen vines in ever-new Vrndavana. The poet Vidyapati sings:
nava vrndavana, nava nava tarugana, nava nava vikasita phula

navala vasanta, navala malaydnilat mdtala nava alikula
viharai navala kisora
kalindl pulina, kufija nava sobhana, nava nava prema vibhora
navala rasala, mukula madhu matiya, nava kokila kula gay a
nava yuvatT-ganat cita umatayi, nava rase kanane dhaya
nava yuvardja, navala nava ndgarl\ milaye nava nava bhdti
niti niti aichana, nava nava khelana. vidyapati mati mati
"In new Vrndavana the new trees bear newly blooming flowers. The new spring
brings a new southern breeze that maddens the new bees. The new youthful Couple enjoys on
the bank of the Yamuna in a beautiful new arbour, being immersed in feelings of ever-new
love. The honey from the new mango-pits intoxicates the new cuckoos, who sing sweet new
songs. The hearts of die new young girls are maddened as they run to the new rasika forest.
The new prince meets the new ladyloves that shine with an ever-new splendour. In this way
they play nice new games that madden the poet Vidyapati's heart".
3rfla PrabodhSnanda Sarasvall 303
The new adolescent girl is embraced by the proud, strong arms of Syamasundara in the
new vine-temple that is made of new flowers and buds. Why are His arms so proud? Because
these arms killed the powerful demons KeSl and Arista? Snla Raghunatha dasa GosvamI
wrote: aritfa-jayind kadd tava varoru bhusavidhir vidhasyata iha priycuh mama sukhabdhim
atanvata (Vilapa Kusumanjali 76) "O nicely thighed Radhe! When will You increase the
ocean of my bliss when I see the victor over Ari$ta (Kr$na) pick flowers to decorate and dress
You with? Even a hero like Ari$tajayi cannot remain calm when He decorates and dresses
You! He will perspire, horripilate and shiver of ecstasy when He touches Your divine body,
that is made of pure love!" In this pastime Svaraini experiences once more how proud Krsna's
arms are. Her body becomes motionless because of Krsna's tight embrace. Only the rasika
devotees can understand these transcendental pastimes, that have nothing to do with the
mundane lusty dealings between ordinary boys and girls of this world. It is only
transcendental supreme love that can intoxicate 3rl Krsna, the Supreme being, and the
maidservants can directly witness that. Even Krsna, who is called ananda ghana vigraha, the
form of deep transcendental bliss, faints when He remembers these pastimes. Snla Rupa
GosvamI writes in 'Ujjvala Nilamani':
rama cchayac churita jaladhau mandire dvarakaya

rukminyapi prabala pulakodbhedam alingitasya
visvam payan masrna yamund lira bdntra kunje
radha keli bhara parimala dhyana murccha murareh
"Once a sannyasinl (female recluse) came to Vraja from Mathura, entered the assembly
of gopfs, blessed them all and said: "May Murari (Kr$na) who faints when He even slightly
remembers His pastimes with Radha in a cane-grove on the glossy bank of the Yamuna,
although He was already studded with goosepimples of ecstasy because of Rukmini's tight
embrace in the ocean-temple of Dvaraka, that is shining with jewels, protect you!" In his
commentary on this verse, Sri ViSvanatha Cakravartlpada compares Radha with a wishyielding
vine that fulfills all of Kr$na's desires with Her sweet nectarean pastimes, hence the word
parimala bhara. In his spiritual vision Sri Prabodhananda can see the loving power of Radhika
over Kr$na.
vmdavana nova latat sri mandire bhanu sutd,

krsnamayT krsna priyatama, 1
govindera darpita, bhujargale parivrta
ghanananda premera pratima
"In a beautiful new vine-temple in Vrndavana, Vr$abhanu's daughter, who is full of

Kr$na, who is the very form of love and who is Kr$na‘s most beloved, is embraced by
Govinda's proud and strong arms."
syamanga parasa pdiyat ananda nd dhare hiyd,

ange dra nahiko spandana
ananta adbhuta kala, racandya vraja bald,
ananda kelite nitnagana
"When She was touched by Syama She could not hold Her heart anymore out of
ecstasy, but She was not able to move Her body anymore. This girl from Vraja knows
innumerable arts of love and is always absorbed in ecstatic games."
304 S n -S n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
el dekho vijayinl, vrajera kisorunani,

syama sahge sundan radhika
sarasvatT bole bhdit dmara TsvarT rai,
nandasuta sukha sagarika
"O Look! The jewel of adolescent girls of Vraja is the victor! How beautiful Radhika
looks in Syama's company! Sarasvati says: "O Brother! My goddess Rai is an ocean of bliss for
Nanda’s son!"
VERSE 147:
NA JANITE LOKAM NA CA NIGAMA JATAM KULAPARAM-

PARAM VA NO JANATY AH AH A NA SATAM CAPICARITAM
RASAM RADHAYAM ABHAJATIKILA BHAVAM VRAJA-MANAU
RAHASYE TAD YASYA STHITIR API NA SADHARANA GATIH
na - not; jdiute - knowing; lokarn - people; na - not; ca - and; nigama - Veda; jatam - birth;
kula parampararii - family lineage; va - or; na - not; jandti - knowing; ahaha - O!; na - not; satam -
saintly; ca - and; api - even; caritam - behaviour; rasarii - taste; radhayam - of Radha; abhajati -
worship; kila - certainly; bhavam - mood; vraja rnanau - in Vraja's jewel; rahasye - in a secret; tad -
that; yasya - whose; sthitih - situation; api - even; na - not; sadhdrana - ordinary; gatili - destination.
Those people w ho secretly w orship the m ood and love o f S ri R adha, th e jew el o f
V raja, do not know social custom s, the truth o f the V edas, their fam ily lineage or saintly
behaviour, but aho! Still th eir course is extraordinary!
TH E CO URSE OF R A D H A ’S DEVOTEES:
Com m entary: The devotion to $rl Radha that is unknown to even the great souls like
BhTsma, Narada, Brahma and Lak$mldevi, and even to Krona’s servants, friends and parents in
sweet Vraja, is the unique gift of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to the fallen souls of the age of
Kali. Even Radhika's own girlfriends cannot enter into the most intimate pastimes of Radha
and Krsna the way the manjarTs can! Only the manjarls can enter into the bower-pastimes of
the jewel of Vraja, 3rl Kr$na, who is full transcendental bliss personified, and £ n Radha, who
is full divine love personified. Kr$na can be identified with the word rasa in this text and
Radha with the word bhdva. Relishing rasa creates bhdva and experiencing bhdva causes rasat
and so the ecstasy and wonder always increases. £rl Jfva Gosvaml writes in Prlti Sandarbha:
dlibhih paripdlitah prabalitah sdnandam dlokiiah

pratydsarii sumatiah phalodaya vidhau sdmodam asvdditah
vnidaranya bhuvi prakasa madhurah sarvdtisdyt &riya
radha madhavayoh prarnodayatu mam ulldsa kalpadrumah
Sri la Prabodhananda Sarasvati 305
"May the wishyielding tree of Radha and Madhava’s joy, which is reared and raised by
the gopTs and ecstatically looked upon by them, hoping that it will bear the fruits and flowers
of the fulfillment of their desires, that they can relish in due course of time, and which sweetly
manifests itself in Vrndavana in a most beautiful way, make me happy." If those who are
always absorbed in their siddha svarupa (state of innate perfection) as Sri Radhika's
maidservant, do not know about worldly morality, the Vedic scriptures, their family lineage or
saintly behaviour, they still have an extraordinary course of life. They may not behave in an
exemplary way, but still their nature is like fire, which consumes all dirty things that are placed
in it, but never becomes contaminated by it. Criticising such great devotees is a great offense,
but imitating them will also not be good. The six Gosvamls always behaved in the purest and
most saintly manner, and they should be taken as examples for the practising devotees.
*
This verse can also be interpreted as follows: Those devotees who fully worship 3rl
Radha's rasa and mood cannot be noticed amongst the people, their descriptions cannot be
found in the Vedas or in family traditions, and the great saints that worship God in awe and
reverence can also not understand their ways. They cannot understand that nobody in Vraja
sees Kr$na as the Supreme Lord and Radha as His divine consort The people of Vraja see
Them as being just two of their own (most lovable) people!
VERSE 148:
BRAHMANANDAIKA VADAH KATICANA BHAGAVAD VANDANANANDA MATTAJJ

KECID GOVJNDA SAKHYADYANUPAMA PARAMANANDAM ANYE SVADANTE
SRI RADHA KINKARlNAM TVAKHILA SUKHA CAMATKARA SARAIKA SIMA
TAT PADAMBHOJA RAJ AN NAKHA MANIVILASAJJYOTIR ERA CCHAJAPl
brahmdnanda - the bliss of brahman; eka - one; vada - followers; katicana - some; bhagavad -
of God; vandana - praising; dnanda - bliss; mattdh - madly; kecit - some; govinda sakhya - Govinda's
friendship; anupama - unrivalled; paramananda - topmost bliss; anye - others; svadante - relish; &rT
*radha kirikarmdrh - of Radha's maidservants; tu - but; akhila - all; sukJia - joy; camatkara -
astonishment; sdra - essence; eka - one; sTmd - limit; tat - Her; padambhoja - lotusfeet; rajat - shining;
nakJia - nail; niani - jewel; vilasat - manifest; jyotih - light; eka - one; cchata - luster; api - even.
Som e people preach the bliss o f oneness w ith brahman, others are mad o f ecstasy
w hile praising the Suprem e Lord, and again others feel the greatest bliss in an unrivalled
relationship o f friendship or parenthood w ith G ovinda, b u t the lim it and the essence o f
blissful astonishm ent certainly lies in the m aidservants o f S ri Radha, when they attain
even a single ray o f the effulgent jew ellike nails on H er lotusfeet!
TH E LIM IT OF BLISSFU L A STO N ISH M EN T
Commentary: In his comment on 3 rim ad Bhagavata 1.2.11 $rlla Cakravartlpada

writes that brahma can be compared to the moonlight in the daytime, because there is no sakti
in it, paramdtmd is like the moonlight on the first day of the light quarter because some sakti is
there and bhagavan is like the full moon because He manifests all transcendental potencies.
V ER SE 149:
NA DEV AIR BRAHMADYAIR NA KHALU HARIBHAKTAIR NA SUHRDA-

DIBHIR YAD VAI RADHA MADHUPATIRAHASYAM SUVID1TAM
TAYOR DASIBHUTVA TAD UPACITA KELIRASAMAYE
DURANTAH PRA TYASA DARI HARI DR$OR GOCARA YITUM
• »
na - not; devaih - by the demigods; brahmadyaili - like Brahma and so; na - not; khalu -
certainly; hari bhaktaih - by the devotees of Hari; na - not; suhrdddibhih - by friends and others; yad
vai - who; radha madhupati rahasyarii - the secret about Radha and Kr§na; suviditam - well known;
tayoh - by both; dasTbhutva - attaining maidservanthood; tad - that; upacita - accumulation; keli -
pastimes; rasamaye - full of taste; durantdh - unlimited; pratydsa - firm hopes; hari hari - O!; drioh -
the eyes; gocarayitum - becoming visible.
Hari! Hari! I have unlimitedly strong hopes to see the intim ate pastimes of Radha
an d M adhupati, th at are not known even by demigods like Lord Brahm a, by the devotees
of L ord H ari or by G ovinda's friends, as a maidservant!
UNLIMITEDLY FIRM HOPES:
Comm entary: Sripada is still in his external consciousness and humbly expresses his
firm hopes for devotional service here. The devotees are so humble that they think themselves
to be burdens for mother earth, although they are actually her ornaments. 3npada Sanatana
GosvamI says in Brhad Bhagavatamrta (2.5.222):
yenasadharanasaktadhatna buddhih saddtmani

sarvoikarsdnvite 'pi syad budhais tad dainyam isyate
"That extraordinary attribute, which makes a person think himself to be a most

wretched fellow, although he is actually the most elevated person, is called ’humility' by the
wise men." Srila Rupa GosvamT says that when a devotee has developed rati he shows signs of
firm hope, as is expressed here by Sri Prabodhananda (duranta pratydsa). The more elevated
the love of a devotee is, the firmer his hope will become. This shows how elevated devotees
like Raghunatha dasa GosvamI, whose hopes became as great as a whole nectar-ocean
(<asdbharair amrta-sindhu-mayaih, Vilapa Kusumanjali 102), and Prabodhananda SarasvaG
(<duranta pratydsa) are. And the greater the love is, the greater the humility is also! Although
these hopes often clash with equally strong feelings of despair the resulting pain is still
glorious. The soothing drops of hope extinguish the fire of despair and keep the devotee alive.
3 rip ad a vainly tries to subdue his hopes, and therefore he says duranta pratydsa here.
Someone may ask: "Sripada! The Lord is a wishyielding tree for His devotees! He
always fulfills their desires! Why are you then suffering so much, desperately desiring the
vision of Radha and Krsna’s bower-pastimes?" Sripada replies: "What I desire is extremely
rarely attained! Even the great demigods like Lord Brahma, the great devotees of Lord Hari
and even Kr§na's boyfriends do not know it!" Lord Brahma, the greatest of the gods, came to
see Krsna's sweet boyhood pastimes in Vrndavana, like His picknick on the bank of the
Yamuna, but, not being able to understand the sweetness of these pastimes, he became a great
§rila PraboclhSnanda Saras vatl 307
offender by kidnapping Kr§na’s calves and cowherdboy friends. He tried to relish the
sweetness of Krona’s Vraja-p astimes, but because a reverentially worshiping person (aisvarya
jnanT bhakta) like him cannot appreciate the sweet, spontaneous mood of the people of Vraja,
he got exactly the opposite result (by seeing the great show of Krona’s prowess when He
showed all the Visnu-forms of the calves and the boys). By doing so Lord Brahma, who was
born from the Lord’s lotuslike navel, taught a good lesson to the whole world: the sweet
pastimes of Radha and Madhupati cannot be seen by those who worship God in awe and
reverence.
This includes the hari bhaktas that are mentioned in the verse. The great devotees of
Lord Had, like king Ambarlsa, Prahlada, Akrura and Uddhava, whose greatness is described in
3 rim ad Bhagavata, all had an attitude of awe and reverence towards Him, through which they
could not enter into the intimate mood of the maidservants of 3rl Radhika. 3rlpada laments:
"Hari! Hari! (Alas, alas!) Will it ever be possible for me to attain that position that is not even
attained by Radhika's girlfriends, what to speak of Govinda's friends, parents or servants?"’
VERSE 150:
TVAYISYAME NITYA PRAN1YINI VIDAGDHE RASA-NJDHAU

PRIYE BHUYO BHUYAH SUDEDHAM ATIRAGO BHAVATUME
ITIPRE$TIlENOKTA RAMANA MAMA CITTE TAVA VACO
VADANTlTI SMERA MAMA MANASIRADHA VILASATU
tvayi - in you; frydme - beautiful girl; nitya - ever; prariayini - beloved; vidagdhe - clever girl;
rasanidliau - in the ocean of flavour; priye- O beloved girl!; bhuyo bhuyah - again and again; sudrdham
- very firmly; atirdga - very attached; bhavatu - let it be; me - 1; iti - thus; pretfhena - by the beloved;
ukta - spoken; ramana - O lover!; mama - my; citte - in the heart; tava - your, vacah - words; vadanti -
speaks; iti - thus; smera - smiling; mama - my; manasi - mind; radha - RadhS; vilasatu - may appeal*.
M ay SrT R adha, who smiles as She tells Kr$na: "O R am ana (lover)! Y our words
are also on My mind!*', after He told Her: "O Syame! O ever-beloved girl! O clever girl!
O dearest One! Let Me always be firmly attached You, the ocean of rasaV \ play in my
mind!
ATTACHED RADHA AND MADHAVA:
Com m entary: SrT Radha worships Syama with the pure paraphernalia of maha bhava,
and thus Her service is incomparible. 3yamasundara is showered by the waves of the ocean of
this maha bhava and realizes that Sri Radhika is the ocean of rasa, rasanidhu He thinks to
Himself: "I don't have this passionate love with which She serves Me; how can I reciprocate
with Her?" In Srimad Bhagavata (10.32.21) it is described that Kr$na was unable to reciprocate
with the go pis' selfless service to Him during the Rasa-Ilia, and He accepted His unpayable
debt:
na pdrayeham niravadya samyujdrii sva sddhu krtya vibudhayusapi vah
yd mdbhajan durjaya gelta Srfikhalah sarixvr&cya tad vah pratiydtu sddhuna
308 §rl-£rl Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
"Even if I got the lifespan of Brahma I could not repay you for Your pure loving
service to Me! Your connection with Me is spotlessly pure and you are completely fixed in
Me! Even in dreams you don't touch anyone else but Me! The cowherders were never able to
touch your love-filled bodies, so both your bodies and your minds are completely pure; your
passionate eager love for Me is indeed incompariblc! You have given up all moral principles to
please Me, and thereby you have forsaken your chances for happiness in this life and in the
next! 1 have lovers elsewhere also, and therefore My love for you is incomplete, but your love
for Me is complete. I am forever unable to repay My debt to you girls and thus I will remain a
debtor of love to you." Today Syama is again astonished when He sees Radhika’s love for Him
during Their kunja ITla. Radha and Syama are sitting up on the bed in the kunja after They
made love and Srlpada, in his kihkarl-form, serves Them water and betelleaves and fans Them.
Syama passionately prays to SrimatJ: "O Syame! O Nitya-pranayini (ever-beloved)! O
Vidagdhe (clever girl)! O Priye (dearest one)! Please make My attachment to the ocean of
Your rasa always increase!" There is a secret meaning to each of these four names. Syame
means 'O crownjewel of Syama's lovers!1The Syama-girl is defined as follows:
Sitakale bhaved usna grisme ca sukiia Sitala

padmagandhi mukharii yasyah sa fyamd pariklrtita
akdle vatljulo yasyaii padaghatena puspati
mukhasavaif ca bakulah sa sydmd pariklrtita
"A Syama-heroine is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. A lotusfragrance
emanates from Her face, and when She hits the ASoka-flower with her foot or lets some of her
saliva drop on the Bakula-flower, these flowers bloom untimely." Kr$na says: "O Radhe! I am
similarly always happy when Your body touches Me, and I come completely under Your
control! When We play hide-and-seek You accidentally hit the ASoka-flower and it starts to
blossom! I can easily follow and find You then because of the nice scent that emanates from
Your face! Your qualities constantly cause My passionate love for You to increase!"
'nitya prarmyini means one of the three kinds of Krsna's consorts in Vraja: tas tridhd
sadhana para devyo nitya priyds tathd (Ujjvala NUamani) "The gopts who attained perfection
after performing spiritual practise, the demigoddesses ordered to assist Krsna in His Vraja-
pastimes by Lord Brahma (see Bhagavata Canto 10, chapter 1), and the eternal lovers (nitya
priyd). And amongst these nitya priyds Candravall and Radha are the best: radha candravall
mukhydh proktah nitya priyd vraje, kr$navan nitya saundarya vaidagdhyadi guna&rayah
(U. N.) "Of the eternal lovers in Vraja, Radha and Candravall are the foremost Just like Kr$na,
they are endowed with all His eternal attributes like sweetness and cleverness." Of these two,
£ n Radha is again the greatest: tayor apy ubhayor madhye radhika sarvathadikd media bhava
svarupeyam gunair ati varlyasl (U.N.) "Of the two, Radhika is the greatest She is the very
form of maha bhava and Her attributes are the veiy best"
Krsna says: "O Radhe! In how many ways didn’t You serve Me? The ocean of Your
passionate love for Me always increases, but I don’t even have a drop of such love Myself!
That’s why I say: "O anuragavati (passionate girl)! May my anuraga for You always increase!
O Vidagdhe (clever girl)! You always defeat Me in dice, playing Vina and lovemaking,
because Your expertise is adorned with Your anuraga for Me! I pray to You for just a drop of
that anuraga\u
"O Priye (dearest One)! I am purchased with even an atomic fraction of love, and Your
love is the greatest of all! Please help Me to accept all Your love with a similar love! You are
£rila Prabodhananda Sarasvati 309
an ocean of rasa, and I'm drowning in that ocean of Your love. Please help Me to cross that
ocean!"
tuyd anurdga prema, samudre (lubyachi ami,
amare tuliya koro pare
yogi bhogT napitanl, tornara lagiya darn
ojhd hoilam tomdra kdrane
"I am drowning in the ocean of Your passionate love! Please pick Me up and help Me
to cross it! Just to meet You I became a yogi; a bhogT, a manicure-girl, a taxcollector or an
exorcist!"
tuyd anurage more, loiya phire ghore ghore,
tuya lagi korilum dokdne
rdkhala loiya bone, soda phire dhenu sane,
tuyd lagi bone vanacdrl
"For Your love I wander from house to house, for You I have opened a shop (of pearls,
see Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami's 'Mukti Caritra') and for meeting You I wander from
forest to forest with My cowherdboyfriends, tending My cows! Still, even when I do all that I
feel that I'm not properly reciprocating with Your love! That's why I say: "O Premamayi!
Please make My love for You increase!"
When Premamayi hears these love-anointed words from 3yamasundara's mouth a slight
smile appears on Her mouth, and She replies: "O Ramana (lover)! You always keep Me
immersed in indescribable ecstasy with Your beauty, Your sweetness and Your love! Just
before You spoke all these words to Me I was planning to tell You the same! I also always
think that I could not serve You properly, therefore I also pray to You that My love for You
may always increase! Just as I wanted to tell You this You told Me the same thing!"
Sripada humbly prays: "If I cannot directly see this smiling ocean of rasa, 6fl Radha,
then may She always play in my heart!"
VERSE 151:
SADANANDAM VRNDAVANA NAVALATA MANDIRA VARE-

SVAMANDA1H KANDARRAKONMADA RATI KALA KAUTUKA RASAM
K1SORAM TAJ JYOTIR YUGALAMATI GHORAMMAMA BHAVAM
JVALAJ JVALAM SITAIH SVA RADA MAKARANDAIIJ SAMAYATU
saddnanarii - constant bliss; vrndavana navalatd - fresh vines of Vrndavana; mandira - temple;
varesu - in the best; amandaih - by the good; kandarpaka- erotic; unmada - maddened; rati - love; kald
- art; kautuka - fun; rasam - flavour; kiSoram - adolescent; tat - that; jyotih - light; yugalarfi - Couple;
ati - very; ghorarii - terrible; mama - my; bhavam - material existence; jvalat jvdlaiii - burning fire;
Sitaih - with coldnesses; sva - own; pada - feet; makarandaih - with the honey; Samayatu - may it
mitigate.
May the two ever-blissful adolescent transcendental lights, that are intoxicated by
eager erotic pastimes in the best of Vrndavana’s vine-cottages, extinguish the burning
310 § n -£ n Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
fire of my very horrible material existence with the very soothing honey that drips from
Their lotusfeet!
TWO TRANSCENDENTAL LIGHTS:
Com m entary: Snpada humbly thinks: T f I cannot see Radha and Krsna's sweet
pastimes directly, then let me see them in my mind at least!" In Brhad Bhagavatamrta it is
described that SrlpEda Pippalayana, one of the nine Yogendras of Tapoloka, advised Gopa
Kumara to see his beloved deity Srlman Madana Gopala in samadhi (mystic trance), but the
loving devotee Gopa Kumara was not satisfied with this advise. He wanted to see his beloved
deity before his external eyes also. Srlmatl Radha plays before £fl PrabodhEnanda's inner eye
and outer eye, but still he is not satisfied. In order to keep on increasing Her devotees’ ’thirst’
after Her, Svamimjl plays a transcendental game of hide-and-seek with them. One time She
reveals Herself, and then She disappears again.
SrlpEda humbly thinks: "I am burning in the terrible fire of material existence! This is a
great fire of birth, death, old age and disease in which the sinners are transported to hellish
world and everyone must transmigrate from body to body. What is the means of extinguishing
this fire?" Then he remembers the soothing honey that trickles from $r! Radhika's lotusfeet,
that gives divine love and extinguishes the burning fire of material existence as a mere side-
effect The two transcendental lights mentioned in this verse are not devoid of attributes like
the brahman effulgence; they are two qualified lights, that play innumerable funny and sweet
transcendental sports in the sweet kunjas of Vmdavana, where the bees are humming, the birds
are chirping, the parrots are singing and where the soft southern breeze blows through the
vernal surroundings. These two transcendental lights have colours also: One is golden, the
other One is blackish-blue, and They are maddened by divine love for Eachother.
The words bhavantyasmad iti bhavam, indicating the burning fire of material misery,
can also pertain to the burning fire of separation from Sri RadhE, which is incomparible and
intolerable. Startled by this fire of separation 3npada Raghunatha Dasa GosvamI lamented:
devi te carana-padma-ddsikdm viprayogabhara ddvapdvakaih

dahyamanatara kayavallanrii jivaya ksana nirTksandmrtaih
(Vilapa Kusumafljali -10)
"O Devi Radhe! The vine-like body of this fallen maidservant is scorching in die
forestfire of separation from You. Please revive me with a nectarean, momentary glance!"
VERSE 152:
UNMILAN NAVA MALL1-DAMA VILASAD DHAMMILLA BHARE BRHAC

c h r o n L m a n d a l a m e k h a l a k a l a r a v e s i n j a t s u m a n j i r i lyi
KEYURANGADA KANKAtfAVALl LASADDOR VALLlDIPT! CCHATE
I1EMAMBHORUHA KUTMALA STANIKADA RADHE DRSA PlYASE
m *
S o la Prabodhananda Saras vail 311
unmilat - blooming; nava - fresh; malli - jasmines; damn - garland; vilasat - shining; dhammila
- braid; bhdre - in the weight; brhat - big; from mntidala - buttocks; mekhala - sash of bells; kalarave -
soft sounds; Sinjai - jingling; sumanjTrini - anklebells; keyura angada - armlets; kankanavali - bangles;
lasat - beautiful; doh - arms; valli - vines; dlpti - shining; cchate - luster; hema - golden; ambhoruha -
lotus; kutmala - buds; stani - breasts; kada - when; radhe - RadhS; dr$d - eyes; pTyase - quenching
thirst.
O Radhe with the garland of freshly blooming jasmine-flowers in Your braid, the
softly jingling sash of bells on Your broad buttocks, the jingling anklebells and the
shining armlets and bracelets on Your beautiful vine-like arms and with the golden
lotusbud-like breasts! When will You quench my thirst for Your audience?
THE NECTAREAN FLAVOUR O F SRI RADHA'S BEAUTY:
Commentary: Sri Radha is the kunjabhisarikd (secretly going out to meet Kr§na in an
arbour), very eagerly running to meet Her heart's beloved. The devotees should meditate on
Her beautiful eagerness to meet Syania, and should take it as an example. When a living entity,
by some indescribable stroke of good fortune, becomes eager to attain the mood of RSdhika’s
maidservants, and when the divine Couple sends a message to the doorstep of the heart of such
a raga sadhaka (practitioner of spontaneous devotion), then the devotees hope blossoms and he
runs quickly towards Sri S n Radha Madhava. That is the jTvdbhisdra, the lovejoumey of the
living entity. That living entity leaves his mundane existence far behind him and considers
even liberation to be as insignificant as an empty oyster shell. He leaves the reverential
worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead far behind him, and he considers all the
different obstacles that appear on his way to be simply steppingstones that help him to ascend
to the platform of the beloved's lotusfeet and only increase his passionate love. Just as one
easily arrives at the desired destination in the deep darkness of the new moon night with the
aid of a brilliant torch, so is this example of the sadhaka's abhisara towards 3 n Radha-
Madhava's lotusfeet a burning torch that leads the aspirant through the dense darkness of his
material desires towards the lotusfeet of his beloved Lord.
6rimatl goes on abhisdra, and 3ripada, in his kinkarT-form, follows Her like Her
shadow. Waves of constant passion gush from Her every limb. Nobody but a Vraja premika (a
lover of Vraja) can understand this transcendental extra-marital love. The GosvamTs have done
so much effort to conceal these secret pastimes from unqualified persons! For this reason 3nla
Rupa GosvamI wrote the play 'Lalita Madhava', in which he described how the gopls were
married to Krsna in Dvaraka, and Sri Jiva GosvamI described the pastime of Radha and
Madhava’s marriage in his book 'Gopala Campu’, so that unqualified persons would not
commit offenses at Radha and Krsna's lotusfeet, not being able to understand the
transcendental nature of Their extra-marital sports, ydra lagi kohite bhoy se yadi nd jane;
iha boi kibd sukha ache tribhuvane (Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi Ilia) "What greater happiness
can there be in all the three worlds than that those people, before whom I am afraid to speak,
will not know this?"
There's no end to the sweetness of 6fl Radhika's abhisaral This verse consists of only
addresses. With each address the kinkan touches Svamim with $yama rasa (Krsna-mellows),
and so she serves Her in both ways: paricarya (practical service) and prasahga (hearing and
chanting), while following Her on the way. How expert these maidservants are! Nobody can be
as expert as them! The maidservant is afraid that SvaminI will hurt Her tender feet while She
312 S ri-£n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
rushes down the road, so she sweetly calls Her: he unniilan nava mailt datna vilasat dhammilla
bharel "O You whose braid is adorned by a garland of freshly blooming jasmine-flowers! If
You walk too fast Your braid will loosen and the jasmine-garland may fall out! Walk a little
slower! Just as the bumblebees have become intoxicated after smelling these jasmines, so
Madhusudana will also become ecstatic after smelling Your sweet fragrance! Your form is like
a jasmine-flower and Your love is the fragrance that emanates from it! This is what will attract
the rasika bumblebee Madhusudana! Don't spoil this wonderful make-up by running too fast!
he brhac chronT-manfiala mekhala kalaravel "The bells on Your sash as jingling softly on
Your large buttocks! It is difficult for You to move so fast with these big buttocks! Walk
slowly! Don't worry about Syama losing His interest in You if You come a little too late! He
will become only more eager to meet You, and that increase in eagerness will make Your
meeting even sweeter! The jingling of Your waistbells will sound like a stream of nectar to
Your love-thirsty hero, and He will become pacified and happy even by hearing Your
waistbells jingling from a distance (He's not going to leave the trysting place if You don't show
up exactly in time)!" The maidservants are more concerned about Radhika's safe arrival then
about Kr$na's anxious waiting for Her. They love Radha more than Kr$na. This special mood
is called radha snehadhika or bhavolldsa rati. Srlla Rupa GosvamI writes in 'CJjjvala Nilamani
{sakhTprakarana 58)':
tadvyatdbhimdninyo yah sneharii sarvadaSritdh
sakhydm alpadhikam krsndt sakhT snehddhikds tu tdh
"Those girlfriends who think W e belong to Radha' and who are always more
affectionate towards Her than towards Kr?na are called sakhT snehadhika.
viramatu tava vrtide dutya caturya caryd sahacari vinivrtya bruhi gosthendra sunum
vi$ama vifadhareyarii farvarTprdvrsenya katham iha giri kuiije bhTrur esd praheyd (ibid.)
"Once Kr$na engaged Vrnda in bringing Sri Radha to a certain arbour of Govardhana
Hill in a stormy night, but one manjart stopped her and said: "Q sakhi Vrnde! Stop Your clever
mediations! Go back to Vrajendranandana and tell Him that it is raining like anything and
there are many poisonous snakes crawling around! How can He send for Her in these horrible
circumstances? He has defeated the Kaliya-snake, He's not afraid of snakes! Let Him come
here then instead of Radhika having to go there!"
The maidservant says he sihjat sumahjlrinil "Your lotusfeet are very tender, and if You
injure them by walking so fast over the piercing pebbles, You will feel pain and come too late!
You will not be able to make Your lover happy anymore, therefore radhe pathi munca
sambhramam abhisdre edraya carandmburuhath dhTram sukumare (Gita Govinda) "O Radhe!
Don't run so fast! Walk carefully, for Your lotusfeet are so tender! he keyUrafigada
kahkanavali lasad dor-valli dJpti cchate! "Your vine-like arms are illuminated by Your blazing
armlets and bangles, with which You can remove the darkness of despair in Your lover's heart!
Move slowly! he hemambhoru kupnala stanil "Your breasts are as beautiful as golden
lotusbuds, and they are the best paraphernalia in Your worship of Kr§na! Walk slowly, so that
You will not hit any of the tree-roots!" In this way the maidservant sweetly runs after her
Svaminl. radhe drsa kada pTyase "Radhe! When can I drink the nectar of Your beauty with the
cups of my eyes?"
VERSE 153:
Srila Prabodhiinanda SarasvaG 313
AMARYADONMILAT s u r a t a r a s a p iy u $a j a l a d h e s
TARANGAIR UTTUNGAIRIVA KIM API DOLA YITA TANUH
SPHURANTI PREYO'NKE SPHUTA KANAKA PANKERUIIA MUKHI
SAKHlNAM NO RADHE NAY AN A SVKHAM ADHASYASIKADA
amaryada - boundless; unmTlat - swelling; surata - erotic; rasa - flavour; piyusa - nectar;
jaladheh - of an ocean; tarahgaih - by the waves; uttuhgaih - high; iva - as if; kim api - indescribable;
doldyita - swaying; tanuh - body; sphurantl - manifest; preya - beloved; alike - on the lap; sphufa -
blooming; kanaka - golden; pankeruha - lotus; rnukhl - face; saklunarii - girlfriends; nah - us; radhe -
Radha; nayana - eyes; sukham - bliss; ddhdsyasi - establish; kada - when.
O Radhe! Y our body is swaying on the high waves of the boundless, swelling
ocean of neetarean erotic flavours in an indescribable way as You sit on the lap of Your
beloved with Your blooming golden lotusface. W hen will You thus give pleasure to the
eyes of us, Your girlfriends?
A GOLDEN LOTUS IN A BLUE LAKE;
Com m entary: The aim of devotional service is not to enjoy the bliss that comes along
with it, but the service itself. The aifvarya devotee Daruka cursed his own ecstasy when it
obstructed his devotional service of fanning Dvarak5natha £ri Krsna.
nija premanande krsna sevananda badhe

se anandera prati bhaktera hoy maha krodhe (C.C.)
"The devotee becomes very angry at his loving ecstasy when it obstructs his ecstatic
devotional service." Of course one cannot become angry at ananda itself, for that ananda is the
natural goal of everyone’s life, but if that ananda hampers the devotee’s service, he becomes
very angry at it.
$rlpada, in his kinkarl-form, follows Primal! on Her way to the trystingplace, where the
jewel of lovers anxiously waits for her. Although millions of gopTs desire Krsna, Kr$na is mad
after RadharanI, and Her maidservants are very proud of that. How sweet is the Yugala-
meeting! The nectar-ocean of Their erotic eagerness swells up when They meet and the
maidservant leaves the arbour so that They can make love. 3fimatl gives Her hero full bliss in
vipanta vilasa (reverse pastimes) in which Her golden vine-like body sways in the strong
current of eros. Finally She becomes tired and lies down on Syamasundara's chest. 3yama is
out of His mind of ecstasy when He sees Her beautiful form at that time, and He says:
Ilia ante sukhe ihdra ye ahga madhun,

tahd dekhi sukhe ami apand pasari (C.C.)
"When I see the sweetness of Her form after Our love-pastimes, I forget Myself of
ecstasy!" £nmatl also floats on an ocean of bliss when She sees how happy She made 3yama.
The maidservant thinks that SrlmaG looks just like a golden lotusflower resting in the bluish
lake of 3yama*s chest. Her slender vinclike body is like the stem of that lotus and Her face is
the blooming flower from which the honey of sweet beauty trickles. While she performs her
service the maidservant is immersed in relishing the beauty of ^rlmaG's lotuslike face.
314 $ ri-5 n Radha Rasa SudhanJdhi
Suddenly Sripada's spiritual vision disappears and he humbly prays: "O Radhe! When will You
give joy to my eyes? O golden lotus that blooms in a blue lake! Bliss takes a form before my
eyes when I see how sweet You are! We are Your girlfriends! Surely Your heart will be
touched when You hear how much we suffer out of separation from You and You will takes us
to the kingdom of bliss-for-the-eyes!"
VERSE 154:
K$ARANTIVA PRA TYAK$ARAM AN UPAM A PREMA JALADHIM

SUDHA-DHARA VR$TIR IVA VIDADHATI SROTRA PUTAYOff
RASARDRA SANMRDVlPARAMA SUKHADA SITALATARA
BHAVITRlKIM RADHE TAVA SAHA MAYA KAPISUKATHA
ksaranti - oozing; iva - as if; prati - every; akjaram - syllable; anupama - matchless; prema -
love; jaladhirii - ocean; sudhd - nectar; dhard - stream; vr$tih - shower; iva - as if; vidadhaii - gives;
srotra - ears; putayoh - the cups; rasa - flavour; ardrd - moist; sat - real; mrdvl - soft; parama - most;
sukhadd - delighUng; sitalatard - cooler; bhavitrl- will be; kirii - if; rddhe - O Radha!; iava saha - with
You; mayd - by me; kdpi - any kind; sukathd - nice talk.
O Radhe! When will I have an indescribably nice talk with You, from each
syllable of which a matchless ocean of love emanates, that showers the cup-like ears like a
stream of nectar which is melting with rasa, being mild and cool and giving the highest
bliss?
A NICE TALK WITH SRl RADHA:
Com m entary: Sripada now becomes absorbed in his siddha svarupa again and prays
to ^rlmatl's lotusfeet: "Please take me to the kingdom of Your pastimes!" Then the rest of the
previous verse's pastime becomes revealed to him: Nagara becomes overwhelmed by ecstasy
when His mind is immersed in Srimatl's form, qualities and pastimes. Seeing Her Nagara in
this condition, Nagarimani decides to joke with Him, so She leaves the kunja and hides Herself
in another kunja, taking only one maidservant with Her. Seeing that SvaminI is absorbed in
relishing Syama-rasa (remembering Her pastimes with Him) &ripada, in his kinkan-form, uses
the opportunity to ask SvaminI some questions about Her love-pastimes with Syama. How
wonderful is the relationship of this maidservant with Sri Radha! Although she is an intimate
girlfriend she is also a maidservant! There is an incompatibly sweet relish in this relationship
of friendship mixed with maidservanthood. The maidservant says: "O Svamini! O Radhe!
There is nobody here in this lonely arbour! Bless this maidservant by telling her something
about Krsna's love for You!"
• • *
The maidservant asks questions and Svamini gives nectarean answers. How sweetly
these nectarean words ooze from mahd bhava's mouth and heart! It is as if an incomparible
ocean of love streams from each syllable of Her words! "O sakhiV\ She says, "Krsna thinks of
Me day and night! If He could, He would rip open His own chest to place Me in His heart and
3rlla Prabodhananda Saras vati 315
keep Me there! When He meets Me, He feels as if He has found a jewel after great effort and
He does not know where to keep it! He personally makes a pan for Me with camphor and
places it in My mouth, and He smiles and laughs when He holds My chin and brings My
mouth close to His. He dresses Me and ecstatically takes Me on His lap; tears of love stream
from His eyes when He takes a lamp in His hand to look at My face, and He holds My feet so
that He can smear footlac on their edges!"
These are the sweet words 3rImaG speaks to Her maidservant. Such nectar cannot be
relished anywhere else! Each of SrimaG's tender words are sprinkled with sweet nectarean
Krsna-rajfl, and the more 3rlmaG speaks, the more the maidservant’s thirst for Her words
increases. The cool nectar of SvaminT’s words cool off the maidservant’s afflicted heart, just as
Kxsnz-katha
•• • heard from the saints cools off the afflicted hearts of the conditioned souls in the
material world. 3rimad Bhagavata (2.2.37) states:
pibanti ye bhagavata atmanah satarH kathamrtarti fravana putesu sariibhrtam

punanti te visaya vidusitaiayarii vrajanti tac carana saroruhantikam
"The hearts of people who are contaminated by material desires are purified when they
drink the nectar of topics on the devotees’ beloved Lord through the cups of their ears. These
fortunate people swiftly attain the lotusfeet of the Lord." This sweet krâ-katha is called
’indescribable' because no words can express its sweetness. Meanwhile Nagara comes back to
His senses and, not finding PriyajI in the kunja anymore, starts searching for Her and finds Her
in the other grove. It is as if the sweet words He hears Premamayi speak take shape before
Him.... While 3npada sees that, the vision disappears and, returning to his external
consciousness, he prays: "O Radhe! When will You speak such nice words to me?"
%
he radhe tomara katha, ak§are aksare yathd,

anupama premaka jaladhi
sukhadd sTtalatard, sudha vr$ti sata dhara,
karnapufe since niravadhi
"O Radhe! Each syllable of Your words is like an incomparible ocean of love,
constantly showering the cups of the ears with hundreds of delightful, soothing streams of
nectar. ”
kathamrta sumrduld, amrta tarahge aid
kiba jdni ki mahima tdra
katha sudha sanjivam, suniadhura visravim,
parama dnanda sukha sdra
"These sweet and tender words are like waves of nectar. Who can describe their
greatness? They are like a reviving elixir that emit the sweet essence of topmost transcendental
bliss."
kobe krsna priyatamd, koribo ki alocana,
rasala sukathd tomd sane
ei vanchd morn mone, purna koro krpd gune,
sfipada prabodhananda bhane
"O Krsna's dearest beloved! When can I have such a delicious talk with You? Please
fulfill this desire of mine, Sfipada Prabodhananda says.“
VERSE 155:
A NUL1KH YANA NTAN API SAD APARADHAN MADHUPA TIR

MAHA PREMAVISJAS TAVA PARAM A DEYAM VIMR$YATI
TAVAIKAM SRI RADHE GRNATA IHA NAMAMjtTA RASAM
MAHIMNAH KAH SlMAM SPR$ATU TAVA DASYAIKA MANASAM
• • •
anulikhya - not counting; anantan - innumerable; api - even; sad - saints; aparadhdt - from
offense; madlxupatih - the Kr$na-bee; mahd - great; premdvistah - love-ecstasy; tava - Your; parama -
highest; deyarii - gift: vimrfyati - considers; tava - Your; ekarii - only; irf rddhe - O Radha!; grnata -
takes; ilia - here; ndma - name; amrta - nectar; rasarh - juice; mahimnah - glories; kah - who; sTniarii -
limit; sprfatu - may it touch; tava - Your; ddsya - service; eka - only; manasam - thinks.
O Sri Radhe! Madhupati cancels innumerable offenses committed to saints of

anyone who even once relishes the nectarean flavour of Your holy name, and in great
ecstasy He considers bestowing Your highest gift (Your personal service) on such a
person. Who can then imagine the limits of the greatness of anyone whose mind is fixed
only on Your service?
THE NECTAREAN FLAVOUR OF SRI RADHA*S HOLY NAME:
Commentary: When $ripada loses his vision (in the previous verse), he humbly
thinks: "Alas! I must be committing many offenses, that’s why I lost this beautiful vision!
Alas! Will Radharanl ever bestow Her mercy on this offender?" Then he suddenly remembers
$rl Radha's holy name, that purifies the fallen souls, and a spark of hope illuminates the cave
of His heart, that is darkened by feelings of despair. "O Radhe! Madhupati cancels even
hundreds of offenses of anyone who sings Your nectarean holy name even once, and He
ecstatically considers giving this person Your highest gift, namely Your personal service!"
Offenses are the main obstacle to spiritual advancement, but offenseless persons are not even
dependent on the preamble of sraddha (faith), tenant tu sraddhadi bhumika navasyam
apeksamyeti bhavah (3flla Vigvanatha) For an offenseless person there is no delay in attaining
the Lord, niraparadlidjiam tu bhagavat prdptau ndsti vilambas tesarii hi bhagavan ndma grahanahi
vaikuntharohatiarii ceti dve eva bhumike yatha ajamilddmam..... yalhd ndmabhasa balendjamilo
durdcaropi vaikuntham prapitas tathaiva smartadayah sadacdrdh âstrajrid api bahufo ndma
grahitio'pyartha-vdda kalpanddi namaparddha-balena ghora sathsdram eva prapyante (Bhag. 6.2.9-10
Sarartha Var$Uu-|lka, Sn ViSvanatha) "Simply by chanting Lord Visnu's name offenselessly the
great sinner Ajamila attained Vaikuntha, but even the greatest scholarly brahmana or the
greatest puritan will remain in this hellish material world if he commits offenses like artha-
vdda and hari narnnd kalpanam (considering the glorification of the holy name to be
imagination or an exaggaration). Even if he is doing intense bhajana, a devotee cannot attain
love of God if he has committed offenses in this life or in previous lives. Only when he
offenselessly worships the Lord, all his offenses will be destroyed and he will attain prema".
3ri Hari is so pleased with anyone who chants the holy name of 3rl Radha that He
cancels all that person’s offenses and considers giving him Radha’s personal service: the
highest gift. Sri Narottama dasa Thakura sings: jaya jaya radha ndma, vmddvana ydra dhamat
kr$na sukha vilasera tiidhi "All glories to Radha’s holy name, that resides in Vmdavana, and
that is the jewel of Krsna's pastimes!" If some offense is committed to Krsna, then the chanting
of His holy name will destroy such offenses, and when an offense is committed to both Krsna
and His holy name, then loud chanting of Radha's holy name will not only convince Krsna to
forgive these offenses, but also to give that devotee Radhika's greatest gift: Her personal
service. But what if anyone commits offenses to the holy name of Radha, that attracts even
Krsna? For offenseless persons the holy name of Radha is full of nectar, that is why the text
says radha ndmdmrta rasa. Offenseless chanters will swiftly attain Sri Radha's personal
service, and offenders will only attain it if they sincerely continue chanting, otherwise not.
Who can touch the limits of the glories of Sri Radha's holy name? No one can imagine.
Lord Brahma prayed to Kr$na (in Bhagavata, esath ghosa nivasinarh 10.14.33): "You granted the
position of a nurse even to the witch Putana, who tried to murder You by poisoning her
breasts. Who can then imagine what You will give to the Vrajavasis, who have given up
everything to serve You? Our minds become bewildered when we try to conceive of that, for
there is no higher attainment in this world than You!" And when a person just once chants the
holy name of Radha, then Krsna becomes overwhelmed by ecstasy, immediately cancels all the
offenses that person has committed, and gives him Radha's highest gift: Her personal service.
But even Krsna becomes bewildered when someone actually fixes his mind on becoming
Radha's maidservant! Who can touch the limits of the glories of such a great soul?
he radhe srT vmdavane, tomdra madhura name,

yei jan korilo dsraya,
radha name dtma hard, namera sddhaka yard,
bhdgyavan set mahasay
"0 Radhe! That great soul who takes shelter of Your holy name in Sri VrndSvana and
who goes out of his mind of ecstasy is very fortunate!"
sata sata aparddha, korile-o mahdbhdga,

na kore ganana sydma rdya
madhupati rasamoy, premavitfa hoiya koy,
tahdre adeya kichu ndi
"3yama Raya does not count hundreds of offenses such a great soul has committed. The
rasik bumblebee Madhupati will ecstatically say: "There's nothing I will not give to such a
person!"
radha pada ddsydmrta, sadd cdhe ydra cita,
tdhdra nichanl tribhuvane
td sabara ye mahitnd, ke varnibe tara sTma,
sripada prabodhananda bhane
SrTpada Prabodhananda says: "Who can then describe the limits of the glories of any
person within the three worlds who always thinks: 'I want the nectarean service of Radha's
lotusfeet'?"
VERSE 156:
318 Sri-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhctnidhi
LUUTA NAVA IAVANGODARA KARPURA PURAM

PR1YATAMA MUKHACANDRODGIRtfA TAMBULA KHAtfpAM
GHANA PULAKA KAPOLA SVADAYANTl MAD ASYE1
RPA YA TU KIM API DASI-VATSALA KARHIRADHA
lulita - lovely; nava - fresh; lavanga - cloves; uddra - beautiful; karpura - camphor; purarh -
filled; priyatama - dearmost; mukha candra - moonface; udgirna - coming out of; tdmbula -
bctelleaves; khandam - piece; gliana - deep; puldka - goosebumps; kapola - cheeks; svadayanti -
relishing; mad - my; dsye - in the mouth; arpayatu - may She offer; kim api - indescribable; dasX
vatsald - merciful to the maidservant; karhi - when; radha - Radha.
W hen will indescribable Radha, w ho is affectionate to H er m aidservants and

w hose cheeks are adorned w ith big goosebum ps o f ecstasy, give m e the betelnuts w ith
lovely fresh cloves and m uch cam phor th at cam e ou t o f H er lover’s m oonlike m outh,
p u ttin g it in m y m outh after having relished it H erself?
TH E LEFTOVER BETELLEAVES O F TH E DIVINE COUPLE:
Commentary: Sri Radha anxiously waits for Her lover in a trysting-kunja, while
3 rip ad a, in his kinkarT-ioxm, is engaged in Her service. Seeing how much Srimati suffers, the
maidservant consoles Her and sets out to search for Syamasundara. After a long search she
sees that the ominiscicnt Lord has lost the way to the kunja out of loving ecstasy, and is
searching for &rim at! in the wrong direction. Behold the prowess of Radha’s service! It is the
same Radha-ecstasy that caused 3 rim an Mahaprabhu to lose the way to Vraja after He took
sannyasa ,and made Him wander around in the Radha district of Bengal, mistaking the Gahga,
that emanates from His own lotusfoot, to be the Yamuna! The maidservant relishes the sweet
sight of Nagara's loving anxiety. How eager Radha is to serve Krsna and how eager Krsna is to
relish Her service! How eager They are to make Eachother happy! Sri Radha cries out of
separation from Sri Kr$na. How can Premamayl tolerate the distress of not being able to please
Kr$na with the innumerable ingredients of Her madana rasa! What if Kr$na, the
transcendental youthful Cupid of Vrndavana, is deprived of its savour? Kr$na can also not
quickly come to fulfill Her desires for service, because He has lost the way, although the way
is wellknown to Him! Both 'full transcendental bliss (Kr§na)' and 'full transcendental love (Sri
Radha)' are overwhelmed by feelings of separation, but Their maidservants are most expert in
serving Them, and they manage to fill the void. That is the wonderful power of surrender to
the lotusfeet of Premamayl!
The maidservant brings the bewildered Nagara back to His wits and leads Him to Sri
Radha's kunja, thus extinguishing the fire of separation burning in Radha and Madhava's
hearts, and making Them completely happy once more. The desire of the premika devotee is:
"Be happy! I will be happy by seeing Your happiness!"
The expert maidservant iyugala-seva sudaksa) places a delicious pan with fresh cloves
and lots of camphor in Krona's mouth, but it was not meant for Him alone! Kr$na understands
the desires in the maidservant's heart and puts His chewed pan in Radha's lotuslike mouth
while He kisses Her, causing big goosebumps of ecstasy to erupt on Radhika's cheeks. 3riman.
Mahaprabhu, in Radha's mood, experienced it as follows:
S n la Prabodhananda Saras vatJ 319
krsna ye khay tambiila, kohe tdra ndhi mula,

take dra damblia paripdtl
tdra yebd udagdra, tare koy amrta sara
gopTra mukha kore dlabdtl
(Caitanya Caritamrta Antya 16*132)
"I cannot describe the value of the betelleaves that were chewed by Kr$na. They are
also most proud of being called ‘the essence of nectar* and being able to use the gopTs' mouths
as spittoons." With the greatest love Premamaya (Krsna) puts the chewed betelleaves, that
were sprinkled with the nectar of His lips, in Priyajl's beautiful mouth while He kisses Her, and
the savour of that sweetness causes Radhika's hairs to stand up in ecstasy. DSsI-vatsala Radha
thinks: "How wonderfully My maidservant has served Us by bringing Us together here today!
How much effort She has done! This delicious pan is a suitable reward for her!" Then dasl
vatsala Radha lovingly pulls the maidservant towards Her, kisses her and puts Her chewed
betelleaves in her mouth. The maidservant is very happy with this reward. Then suddenly the
transcendental revelation disappears. Snpada does not have anything in his mouth anymore,
and he anxiously prays: "When will dost vatsala £n Radha put Her chewed betelleaves in my
mouth?"
VERSE 157:
SA UNDAR YAM ft.TA RASIR ADBHUTA MAHA LAV AIM A LILA-KALA

KALLNDI VARA VlCI DAMBARA PAR1SPHURJA T KA TAK$A CCHABIff
SA KAPISMARA KEL1KOMALA KALA VAICITRYA KOTI SPHURAT
PREMANANDA GHANAKRTIR DI&ATU ME DASYAM KI$ORlMA&IH
saundarya - beauty; amrta - nectar; ra$ih - abundance; adbhuta - wonderful; mahd - great;
lavanya - elegance; Ilia kala - ait of play; kalindl - Yamuna; vara - excellent; vlci - waves; dambara -
defeating; parisphurjat - manifest; katdksa - glances; cchabih - luster; sd - She; kdpi - indescribable;
srnara - Cupid; keli - pastimes; komala - tender; kala - arts; vaicitrya - varieated; koti - millions;
sphurat - manifest; premananda - loving ecstasy; ghanakrtih - deep form; disatu - may give; me - to
me; dasyarh - service; ki$on - adolescent girl; mariih - jewel.
May the indescribable jewel of adolescent girls, KisorT-mani R adha, who is an

abundance of nectarean beauty and wonderful very elegant love-arts, whose glances
defeat the (bluish) luster of the excellent waves of the Y am una-river and who is the very
form of condensed loving ecstasy and millions of variegated, tender, artful erotic
pastimes, bestow H er service on me!
THE JEW EL OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS:
Com m entary: When the Gaudlya Vai$nava sadhakas forget their bodily condition due
to deep meditation they attain the self-esteem of a Radha-dasTy and then they can experience.
some of 3rImatTs wonderful elegance, sakhlgana ganandte, amdra likhibe tdtet taba-hi purabo
320 £n-£n Radi)5 Rasa SudhSnidhi
ahhilasa (Prema Bhakti Candrika): "When You count me among the sakhis and write me down
as such, my desires have been fulfilled." SrTpada re-enters into the spiritual pastimes. In his
kinkari-iovm he sees that Radha and Madhava commence Their lovegame, and looks inside
the kunja through the holes in the vines to admire the transcendental sweetness of these
pastimes. Svamim's beauty increases (saundarydmrta rasih) when She understands that he is
able to give indescribable happiness to Her lover during these pastimes, and the fish-like eyes
of Syamasundara and the maidservant swim on the swelling waves of this nectar-ocean of
beauty. The maidservant sees how wonderful is Radha's great loveliness (adbhuta maha
lavanya) and artfulness in loveplay (ITla kala). Great beauty, luster and sweetness that can be
compared to the luster ( lavanya) that shines out from pearls, and that is able to enchant even
world-enchanting Govinda, gushes out from SrlmatTs limbs.
In his kinkari-foim Srlpada sees that during Her erotic pastimes Srlmatl casts a
succulent glance at Syamasundara. How wonderfully sweet that glance is! It defeats the beauty
of the most excellent waves of the Yamuna-river and controls even the most powerful hero Sri
Krsna, causing Him to faint of ecstasy, although He is ecstasy personified. These things cannot
be experienced as long as one thinks: "I'm a great scholar, I'm a brahmana, I'm a great
bhajananandll" One should simply think: "I am Sri Radha's wretched and poor maidservant!
Please don't keep me in the ditch of maya !" nija padapadme koro anucarfl "Make me a
maidservant of Your lotusfeet! (Narottama Thakura MahSSaya)
Srlmatl is called premananda ghanakrti: "The condensed form of ecstatic love", who
makes Syamasundara enjoy a variety of millions of artful tender erotic lovegames. Snpada, in
his kinkarl-form, directly experiences that and has tried to put it into words in this book.
The love pastimes are now finished and the maidservant enters the kunja to begin her
service. Suddenly the transcendental vision disappears, and Sflpada anxiously prays: disatu me
ddsyath kison manih "May the jewel of adolescent girls give me Her service! O Radhe! No
one can please Krsna like You, You are the jewel of all the gopTs\ You will need my help in
fulfilling Krsna's desires! Radhe! Understanding Your need, please give me Your service!"
VERSE 158:
DUKULAM ATI KOMALAM KALAYAD EVA KAUSUMBIiAKAM

NIBADDHA NAVA MALLIKA LALITA MALYA DHAMMILIA KAM
BRHATKATI-TATA SPHURANMUKHARA MEKHALALANKRTAM
KADA NU KALAYAMJ TAT KANAKA CAMPAKABHAM MAHAH
dukulam - two piece cloth; ati - very; komalarii - tender; kalayad - accepting; eva - only;
kausumbhakarii - crimson; nibaddha - binding; nova - fresh; mallikd - jasmine; lalita - lovely; malya -
garland; dhammillakam - braid; brhat - big; kafi-tata - hips; sphurat - manifest; mukJiara - jingling;
mekhald - sash of bells; kadd nu - when; kalayami - 1 see; tat - Her; kanaka - golden; campaka - flower;
dbham - luster; mahah - light
W hen can I see that transcendental ligh t th at shines like golden C am paka-flow ers,
that w ears only a tw o-piece soft crim son garm ent, w hose braid is bound w ith an elegant
garland of fresh jasm ine-flow ers and w hose broad hips are adorned w ith a sash o f
jin glin g bells?
TH E TR A N SC EN D EN TA L G O LD EN L IG H T O F C A M PA K A FLO W ER S:
Com m entary: 3rlla Jiva GosvamI has said that when the relationship of servanthood is
attained all items of bhajana are endowed with a feeling of majesty: tad etad dasya
sambandhenaiva sarvam api bhajanam mahattaram bhavati (Bhakti Sandarbha 305), and he
defines the nature of dasya as follows: namah stuti sarvakarmarparia paricaryd carana smrti
katha fravanatmakarh ddsyam "Dasya consists of offering obeisances, praises, offering all
activities, worshippping the deity, remembering the Lord’s lotusfeet, hearing and chanting etc."
This is all aisvarya-katha. In the pure madhurya of Radha-d&sya, however, heart-pouring
devotional service is prominent In the following three verses £rlpada gets transcendental
visions of the Rasa lild, which is sarva lila mukuta mani> the crownjewel of all transcendental
pastimes. In this pastime akhila rasamrta murtih rasikendra mauli kisora sekhara gopt jana
vallabha 3rl Kr§na is the hero and the prema ghana murtih maha-bhdva chabi VtaforsundarTs
are the heroines. Of them again Rase^varl Sri Radha is the root support There are many
instruments played durin the Rasa dance, but two instruments are predominant: the Bheri-drum
of Hari's cleverness and the DundubhI-drum of Radha's beauty and fortune:
rasa Ilia jayaty esd yaya sathyujyate 'nisam

barer vidagdhata bherya radha saubhagya dundubhih
When Rasa Viharl 3rl Krsna saw the full moon shining, He remembered the face of
Rama, the supreme goddess of fortune Radha {d^tva kumudvantam akhanda mandalarh
ramdnandbharh nava kuhkumdrunam, Bhag. 10.29.3) and played His flute, being eager to
enjoy the Rasa dance with Her. bhagavatd saha saha ramate tam ramayati yd va saiva ratna
"She who makes love (ramaiya) with God is named Rama (Lak$m! or Radha)."
As soon as Rase^varl heard the attractive flutesong of $yamasundara, the ocean of Her
love for Kr$na swelled up in Her heart and a luster as golden as a Campaka-flower began to
gush from Her transcendental limbs, emitting rays of mahd bhdvcu Kr$na especially called
RaseSvarT with His flute, for without Her the R5sa dance cannot be accomplished. 3nm atl
became very eager to attend the Rasa festival when She heard the flutesong, and the
maidservant properly dressed anuragim for this festival. She dressed SvaminI in a very soft
crimson dress that will not hurt Her by scouring against Her when She hurries to reach the
Rasa-circle or when She dances the Rasa with Kr$na. The red colour of the dress shows Her
passionate feelings for Syamasundara. How the heart's mood is shown externally is explained
by Sri Jiva GosvamI in 'Gopala CampO':
itnau gauri sydmau manasi viparTtau bahir api

sphurat tadvad vastrdv iti budha-janair niscitam idam
sa ko 'py accha prema vilasad ubhaya sphurtikatayd
dadhan murtibhavam prthag aprthag apy avirud abhut
"This golden and bluish pair are reversed both internally and externally. Internally
They live in Eachother's hearts, and externally They wear cloth the color of Eachother’s
complexion. Observing this, intelligent persons have ascertained that some kind of
indescribable expression of the purest love has decided to manifest as two inseparable forms to
enjoy loving pastimes together." In this way Radhika’s red dress is a sign of Her passionate
feelings of love for Kr§na. The maidservant bound a garland of jasmine-flowers in SvaminI’s
braid, knowing that the sweet honey dripping from these fresh flowers will make
322 £n-$n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Madhusudana, the Kr$na-bee, drunk with love. Then she hung a jewelled sash of bells around
Svamim's broad hips so that our hero's mind will become maddened by their sweet jingling
during the Rasa dance. The maidservant loses herself while she stares at these blazing
ornaments in admiration.
VERSE 159:
KADA RASE PREMONMADA RASA VILA SE 'DBHUTAM A YE

DftSOR MADHYE BHRAJANMADHUPATI SAKHl-V$NDA BALAYE
MUDANTAH KANTENA SVA RACITA MAH A LASYA KALAYA
NI$EVE NRTYANTIM VYAJANA VARA TAMBULA $AKALAIff
kada - when; rase - in the Rasa dance; premonmada - maddened by love; rasa - flavour; vildse
- in pastimes; adbhutamaye - full of wonder; drSoh - of the eyes; rnadhye - between; bhrdjat - shining;
madhupati - the Krsna-bee; saklu-vmda - girlfriends; balaye - in a circle; muda - happy; antali - heart;
kdntena - with the lover; sva racita - selfmade; rnaha - great; lasya - dance; kalaya - by the art; tiiseve -
serving; nrtyantTrii - dancing; vyajana - fanning; vara - excellent; tambula - betellcaves; Sakalaih - with
pieces
W hen can I serve S ri R adhika by fanning H er and serving H er n ice fresh

betelleaves w hile She blissfully dances H er self-m ade artful dances in th e R asa festival,
w hich is full of astonishing rasika pastim es and the intoxication o f ecstatic lo v e, w ith H er
lover M adhupati in th e circle o f H er girlfriends?
RASESVARTS SW EET DANCING :
Com m entary: £rlmafi has gone mad after Rasa Rasika played His flute and She
passionately goes out to meet VaihSldharT. The Rasa dance takes place every night in
Vrndavana, even now. The sakhfs are standing in a circle and Radha dances in the middle of
that circle with Vrajendranandana, who at the same time embraces each sakhT in the circle.
Through His inconceivable potency Krsna makes each gopT think that He is dancing with her
only. How amazing is this Rasa-dance!
nartakTbhir anekabhir mandate vicarisnubhih

yatraiko nrtyati natas tad vai halllsakam viduh
tad evedam tala bandha gati bhedena bhuyasa
rasah syan na sa ndke 'pi vartate kim punar bhuvi
"When there is one male dancer dancing in a circle with many rotating dancinggirls, it
is called a halltiaka. And when there are again different tunes, rhythms and steps, it is called a
rasa-dance. Such dances do not exist even in heaven, what to speak of the earth?" In his
narration of the Rasa dance in $rlmad Bhagavata, paramahafiisa siromani (the crownjewel of
swan-like saints) &n 3uka Muni used the phrases yogesvarena kr$nena (...with the king of
mystics, Kr§na...) and mahd marakato yathd (Kr$na looked like a great emerald) to indicate
Sffla Prabodhananda Sarasvati 323
that Kr$na was present in a single form when He danced the R5sa with the gopTs, but that He
simultaneously assumed innumerable forms. Sndhara SvSmI explains that this is not at all
astonishing, for the word yogesvara already indicates that Kr$na is the greatest mystic and for
Him nothing is impossible. This explains the word adbhuta (wonderful) in the text. But £n
Sanatana Gosvaml and Sri VigvanStha Cakravartlpada thought that this conception too much
shows Kr§na's aisvarya (divine prowess) and say that actually Kr$na was present in a single
form in the Rasa-dance, as the aforementioned phrases indicate. He was like the central whorl
of the circle of gopTs and He only expanded Himself within the circle of gopTs for a fraction of
a moment, dancing with steps lighter even than a firebrand.
Srldhara SvamI writes in his commentary on the Vi$nu Purana that when a number of
men dance hand in hand in a circle with an equal number of women, accompanying their
dancing with singing, that is called a Rasa dance. This is confirmed by the Alankara
(metaphoric) scriptures. (natair grhita kanfhTnam anyonyatta kara sriyam; nartakmam bhaved
rdso tnandalibhuya nartanam) One may ask here: this is quite normal, isn't it? It is known that
the HalllSaka dance is performed in the heavenly planets also!" To this 3ripada answers with
the words premonmada rasa vilase: "It is a rasika pastime in which everyone is intoxicated by
love." The main ingredient for the Rasa dance is Sri Radha’s transcendental mad ana maha
bhava; it is not a mundane affair. $n Rupa Gosvaml also says that rasa is a transcendental
substance: rasasya svaprakdsatvam akhanfatvarh ca sidhyati (Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu
2.5.112). The Rasa is the aggregate of all transcendental rasa according to Jiva Gosvaml {rasa
parama rasa kadambamaya). The limit of prema rasa is Rad harants maha bhava, and all
astonishing rasika pastimes come to their perfection during the Rasa dance.
How beautiful Madhupati dances in the circle of sakhTs, while RaseSvari shows Her
artful self made dances! She is the dcdrya of dancing arts, She did not learn them from anyone
else. All dancing arts emanate from Her alone. In the Sahglta Sara it is written:
tdvanta eva raga syur yavatyo flva jatayah

te§u §o$a$a sdhasrf pura goptkrta, vara
"There are as many ragas as there are living entities, and the gopTs played the sixteen
thousand best of them." Madana Mohana is enchanted by Srlmatfs wonderful, selfmade
dances, and the maidservants become very proud when they see that. Sweatdrops appear on
SrlmatTs face, like pearls on a golden mirror, and the maidservant picks up a fan and starts
fanning her, Then she serves fresh betelleaves to the dancing divine Couple, and she’s out of
her mind of ecstasy when she sees Them continuing the dance while chewing the pan she
served Them.
VERSE 160:
PRASfLMARA PAJAVASEPREMA SIMA VIKASE

MADHURA MADHURA HASE DIVYA BHU$A VIlJ.SE
PULAKITA DAYITAMSE SAMBALAD BAHU PASE
TAD ATI LALITA RASE KARHIRADHAM UPASE
prasrmara - extending; patavdse - silken dress; prema - love; sirna - limit; vikase - expanding;-
madhura madhura base - ever-so-sweet smile; divya - divine; bhusa - ornaments; vilase - pastimes;
324 Sn-£ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
pulakiia - honipilating; dayita - beloved; anise - on the shoulder; sarhbalad - joined; bahu - anus; pdse
- the ropes; tad - that; ali - very; lalita - lovely; rase - in the Rasa dance; karhi - when; rddham -
Radha; upase - worshipping.
W hen can I serve S ri Radha in the R asa-dance, w here She w ears an extensive
silken dress, in which She is the lim it of blossom ing love, She sm iles ever-so-sw eetly, She
show s divine ornam ents and places Her rope-like arm on the horripilating sh ou ld er o f
H er beloved?
S R I RADHA IN TH E LO VELY RASA DANCE:
Com m entary: 5ripada, in his kirikarT-form, sees how Radha and Madhava are dancing
restlessly on the waves of the ocean of sweetness and beauty. One sakhT shows her the
enchanting sweetness of the loving Couple's dancing:
m anfita hallT$aka mantfanam nafayan radhatii cala kundalcim

nikhila kald sampadi paricayTpriya-sakhi pasya nafati murajayT
muhur andolita ratna balayath sanayana calayana kara kifalayam
gati bhangibhir avasikrta fas'T sthagita sanatoria Sankara vasT
"O sakhi, look how Murari, the teacher of all dancing arts, dances the beautiful
HalU$aka with Radha, whose earrings are swinging along! His jewelled bangles constantly
sway and His restless sprout-like hands and eyes move along with the rhythm. Seeing His
enchanting dancing-gestures, the moon stops its course in the sky and the eternal mystic Lord
5iva becomes stunned of astonishment"
During the Rasa dance the maidservants strew fragrant powder (pafavdsa) over the
Rasa-circle, filling the air with sweet fragrance, and the astonished demigoddesses strew
flowers and fragrant powder from their airplanes. &rl Suka Muni says in the Bhagavata
(10.33.11):
kr§na vikrifitaih vTk$ya vyamuhyan khecara striyah
kamarditah sasahkas ca sagano visniita’bhavat
"When the demigoddesses in the sky saw Kr$na's Rasa-dance they became
overwhelmed by lusty desires and even the stars and the moon became astonished." The
Vai$nava To$am-tIka on this verse explains: kamena bhagavad vi$ayakena pTditah satyo
vyamuhyan: "The lusty bewilderment of the demigoddesses was also pure love of God." The
word patavdsa can also mean 'silken sdrV. (pafavasa patamayam sap sataka iti, Sabda
Ratnavali) When the gopfs make a quickly rotating dance then their dresses go up so high that
they were turning around their waists in a horizontal fashion, revealing their petticoats under
them. The words prema sTma vikdsa indicate Radhika’s madana maha bhava, the pinnacle of
love with which She expertly pleases Kr$na during the R3sa dance, with the help of Her
girlfriends. The Rasa festival is the great festival of Radhika's loving expertise. &n Suka Muni
also constantly describes how expert the gopls and Krsna are in loving eachother (see Bhag.
10.33.10-15) The Rasa-circle is always adorned with ever-so-sweet laughter and joking; it is a
festival of ecstasy. There's no comparison to this loving, emotion-laden laughter. Sri Suka
Muni said: sa smitair bhrii vildsaih "There were smiles and there was playing with the
eyebrows" In this way the gopls and Krsna lovingly enchanted eachother. Then divya bhu$a
vilase, Sri Radha and the gopTs show their sweet transcendental {divya) ornaments. The great
poet Karnapura writes in 'Ananda Vrndavana CampO’: madhurya sindhutn adhi yasya bhaven
nipatas tat kevalam madhurimanam urikaroti: "Whatever falls into the ocean of sweetness
becomes sweet." The Rasa-circle is filled with the divine jingling of these ornaments. Then
pulakita dayitaritse sambalat bahu pase "She places Her ropelike arm on Her beloved's
shoulder". Priya and Priyatama keep Their arms on Eachother's shoulders while They dance
the Rasa. (anyonya baddha bahubhih, 3 rim ad Bhagavata). mahd bhava's (Radha's) shoulder is
studded with goosebumps of ecstasy when it is touched by anandamaya's (Krsna's) arm and
vice verse.
That's how lovely this Rasa-fr/a is! There's no end to its loveliness, that is bom out of
pure godly love. Even the Supreme Absolute truth goes mad after relishing this loveliness.
Krsna says nahi jane smrte rase mono me kfdrsath bhavet "I don't remember how My mind felt
during the Rasa dance!"
VERSE 161:
YADI KANAKA SAROJAM KOJ1CANDRAMSU PURNIAM

NA VA NAVA MAKARANDA SYANDISAUNDARYA DHAMA
BHAVATILASITA CANCATKHANJANA DVANDVAM ASYAM
TAD API MADHXJRA HASYAMDATTA DASYAMNA TASYAH
yadi - if; kanaka - golden; sarojarii - lotus; koti - million; candraMu - moonrays, or camphor;
purtiam - full; nava nova - ever-fircsh; makaranda - honey; syandi - trickles; saundarya - beauty;
dhama - abode; bhavati - is; lasita - dancing; cancat - restless; khaitjana - wagtailbird; dvandvatn -
couple; dsyarii - whose; tad - that; api - even; madhura - sweet; hdsyarh - smile; datta - given; ddsyath -
service; na - not; tasyah - Her.
Even if ten m illion full moonbeams and ever-fresh honey would trickle from a
golden lotusflower, then SrT Radlia’s sweet smiling face with its frisky dancing
w agtailbird-like eyes, th a t is the abode of beauty, could not even m ake it H er se rv a n t
SRl RADHA'S SW EET FACE:
Com m entary: 3ripada, in his sadhakavesa, humbly coniders himelf to be unfit for
Radha's service, and the sky of his heart is covered with the clouds of despair. Then the sweet
picture of Radhika's face begins to shine before his mind’s eyes, removing the darkness of his
despair. SrTpada sees that Radha's sweet face resembles a freshly grown golden lotusflower,
wherefrom the honey of sweetness drips. Srila Rupa GosvamI writes in 'Vidagdha Madhava':
mukhollasah phullarh kamalavanam ullanghayati ca: "Her blissful face defeats the beauty of
an entire forest of blooming lotusflowers". How can Her face then possibly be compared to a
single lotusflower or to any object from this material world? Radha's face is the quintessence
of beauty, and Her transcendental form will spontaneously manifest itself before a fortunate
326 &n-Sn Radha Rasa Sudhzinidhi
devotee who worships Her in the Vrndavana-mood. Anyone who tasted a single drop of this
beauty, even in a dream, knows that no words can properly describe it, and he can understand
3rl Sarasvatlpada's efforts to describe it with the above metaphor. Sripada says: "Radha's face
can be somehow compared to a golden lotusflower, if it is filled with millions of moonrays. In
this world the lotus does not match with the moon, because as soon as the moon rises, the
lotusflowers close their petals, but in the transcendental world the golden lotus of Radha's face
is filled with millions of moonrays! Srlpada has made this comparison because Radha’s face
and a lotusflower have their splendour, their softness, their loveliness, their deliciousness and
their sweet fragrance in common.
There is another secret in Srlpada's comparison: SrTmatl's golden lotusface shines

beautifully when She is embraced by the moon-like Kr$na during the Rasa-dance, and Her
naturally sweet face looks even more sweet because of Krsna's beautiful face being near. This
is another reason why the comparison was made with the golden lotus and the moonbeams.
The moonrays greatly increase the savour of a golden lotus, therefore £rlpada says
nava nava niakaranda syandi saundarya dhama; "Honey constantly trickles from Radha's
lotusface, which is like an abode of beauty and sweetness." The qualities of lunar nectar, such
as sweetness and coolness, are then combined with the intoxicating quality of the honey
(wine). The moonlike Krsna will become drunk by and by, just by relishing the sight of
SrimatTs beautiful face.
Two frisky wagtailbirds are playing on this golden lotus, standing for Sri Radha's frisky
eyes. How sweetly these loving wagtailbirds dance! How sweetly £rimati smiles! The
moonrays of Her smile illuminate Her beautiful face. "I think this sweet lotusface will
mercifully bestow devotional service on anyone who sees it", Sfipada says. In this way the
darkness of despair is removed from Sripada's heart by the light of sweet hopes.
VERSE 162:
SUDHAKARA MUDHAKARAM PRATIPADA SPHURAN MADHURI

DHURlftA NAVA CANDR1KA JALADHITUNDILAM RADHIKE
ATRPTA HARILOCANA DVAYA CAKORA PEYAM KADA
RASAMBUDHISAMUNNATAM VADANA CANDRAM IK$E TAVA
sudhakara - moon; mudhakararii - making futile; pratipada - always; sphurat - manifest;

madhuri - sweetness; dhunna - great; nava - new; candrikd - moonbeams; jaladhi - ocean; tundilatH -
increasing; rddhike - O RSdha!; atrpta - unsatisfied; hari locana - Hari's eyes; dvaya - couple; cakora -
bird; peyath - drink; kada - when; rasambudhi - ocean of rasa; samunnatarii - rising from; vadatia -
face; candram - moon; Tkse - seeing; tava - Your.
O SrT R adhike! W hen will I see Y our m oonlike face, that m akes the m aterial
m oon seem useless, w hose new, alw ays shining m oonbeam s m ake the ocean o f sw eetness
sw ell, th at is th e sooth in g drink for HarTs unsatiated C akora-bird-like eyes, and th at
rises from the ocean o f rasa?
Sri! a Prabodhananda Sarasvati 327
SRI R A D H A ’S M O O NLIK E F A C E - FRO M A RASA-OCEAN:
Com m entary: £ n Radha's face cannot be compared to a material luminary like the
moon or an ordinary waterflower like the lotus. Just as the material moon comes from the
ocean of milk, the incomparible moonlike face of Sri Radha comes from an ocean of
transcendental rasa as its essence. If even a single ray from this transcendental moon enters
into the heart, it removes the darkness of all the material desires there. This moon is therefore
called sudhakara mudhakara, he who makes the ordinary moon futile. Even the endlessly
sweet moon of Gokula, S n Krsna, is soothed by this moon, although 3rlpada LflaSuka said:
rurajana kramadhurarii bhavad ananendor nirvydjam arhati cirdya sasl pradipam (Kr$na
Karnamrta 98): "After a long time, the moon (or a camphorlamp) has become qualified to serve
as a lamp to offer to You (Krsna) in arati, but after the arati it is just thrown away, like any
other offered lamp (in other words: it is useless to compare Your beautiful face to the moon).
3rl REdha's moonlike face makes even Gokulacandra (Kr§na, the moon of Gokula) happy!
krsnendriyahladi gunair uddra srT radhika rajati radhikeva; sarvopamdnavali mardi sTlany-
angani vdhgani ca bhanty-amii$ydh (Govinda Lflamrta 11.118) "With Her beautiful qualities
Sri Radhika pleases all of Krsna's senses. £rl Radhika shines like Sri Radhika only. She
destroys the pride of all objects of comparison, like the moon and the lotusflower. Sri
Radhika’s limbs are as beautiful as Sri Radhika's limbs only!" Although the moon gladdens the
demigods by providing them nectar, no material form and taste can please the transcendental
senses of Bhagavan Sn Krsna. Only pure love, and mostly the pure loveof SrT Radhika, can
make Him happy.
Some editions of this book give the reading sudhakara sudhakara, which means that
Radhika's moonlike face gives its nectar even to the nectar-giving moon in the sky. The nectar
of the ordinary moon is only a drop compared to the ocean of nectar oozing from Radha’s face.
Just as the ordinary moon causes the ordinary ocean to swell, so Radhika's moonlike face
causes the ocean of the essence of sweetness to swell. £yamasundara personifies that ocean of
the essence of sweetness: mddhurya bhagavatta sdra (Caitanya Caritamrta), and that ocean of
sweetness constantly increases: anusavdbhinavam (3fimad Bhag.). This ocean of sweetness
makes high waves of different erotic transformations when He sees $n Radha’s moonlike face:
radha vadana vilokana vikasita vividha vikara vibhahgam

jalanidhim iva vidhu mandala darsana tuhga tarahgam
(Gita Govinda)
Although the moon pleases everyone, it especially pleases the Cakora-bird. Sri Radha's
moonlike face is the nectarean drink for the unsatiated Cakorabird-like eyes of Hari: atrpta
hari locana-dvaya cakora peyam. He who steals everyone's heart with His beauty and His
sweetness is 'Hari', but even Hari is never satiated with the nectarean beauty of Radha's
moonlike face, janama avadhi ham rupa neharinu, nayana nd tirapita bhelo "From My very
birth I have seen Her form, but My eyes are still not satisfied." Although this Cakora-bird
always drinks, it's thirst can never be quenched: tr$na santi nahe trsnd badhe nirantara
(Caitanya Caritamrta). 3npada prays: "Ah RHdhe! When can I see Your moonlike face, that
comes from the ocean of transcendental rasaT
he srT rddhe premamayit tomara vadana ayi,

akalahka sola kala nidhi
madhurima mahimaya, gaganera cahda haya,

dekhi tarn vrthd avasthiti
"O Premamayi Radhe! Your face is like a spotless full moon. Alas! When I see the
sweetness of Your face, I think that the moon hangs in the sky for nothing!"
srl vadana manohara, sudha bhard sudhdkara,

anudina nava candrikaya
sva inadhurya paravare, ananta amrta dhare,
ucchalita kore sarvadaya
"Every day fresh moonbeams emanate from Your enchanting, nectar-filled moonlike
face, that always causes the limitless nectar-ocean of Your own sweetness to increase."
ei candranana sudha, panete atrpta sada,

govindera cakora locane
o canda vadana dekhi, kobe judaibo dnkhi
"Govinda's Cakorabird-like eyes are never satisfied with drinking the nectar from
Radha's moonlike face. They keep on drinking and drinking! £ripada Prabodhananda says:
"When will my eyes be soothed by seeing this moonlike face?"
VERSE 163:
ANGA PRATYANGA RINGAN MADHURA TARA MAHA KlRTIPlYU$A SINDHOR

INDOH KOJIR V1NINDAD VADAN AM A TIMADALOLA NETRAM DADHATYAH
RADHAYA$ SAUKUMARYADBHUTA LAUTA TANOH KELIKALLOLININAM
ANANDA SYANDINlNAM PRANAYA RASA MAYAN KIM VIGAHE PRAVAHAN
anga pratyanga - each limb; ringat - movement; niadhuratara - sweeter; rnahd - great; kTrti -
fame; pTyu$a - nectar; sindhoh - of an ocean; indoh - of the moon; kotih - millions; vinindat - mocking;
vadanam - face; ati - very; mada - drunkenness; alola - restless; tietrarii - eyes; dadhatyah - making;
rddhdyah - of Radha; saukuniarya - tenderness; adbhuta - wonderful; lalita - lovely; tanoh - of the
body; keli - pastimes; kallolimnatfi - of the waves; ananda - bliss; syandimnarii - of what trickles;
pranaya - confidential love; rasamaydn - full of flavour; kith - will; vigdhe - entering into; pravdhdn -
sUeam.
W hen will I d ive into the celestial G ahga-stream o f rasika lovesports o f S ri

R adha’s w onderful, tender and gentle form that has frisky eyes, a face m ocking the
splendour o f m illions o f m oons and w hose every lim b is an ocean o f very sw eet, blissful
great fam e?
A BLISSFUL STR EA M O F PASTIM ES:

Com m entary: The Maha Rasa-chapter of Srimad Bhagavata (canto Ten, chapter 33)
opens with sn badarayanir uvaca (Sri Sukadeva said). About this it is written in the Vai$nava
TosanT-comment: atha mule irT badarayanir uvaceti vakfyamdna maha mahinmah prasarigasyasya
balat tad idarii lambhayati badarika&rame maha tapaS carandt bhagavdn iri badarayanah. tac ca
tapah 6ri krsnopdsaita laksanam eva sarvajriasya tasya paramottame tasminn eva vyavasayaucityat.
tasya ca tadrSa tapah phala rupa putra iti sarvajhatva SrT bhagavat prema-rasa-mayatvadikarii
tatradhikath yadyapi sphurati tathapi tan ndma nirukter mdhdtmyaparyavasdnam atraiva jat aril tatas
tadr&a bhaktair evaitac chrotavyam iti vyarijitam “At the opening of the description of the most
confidential pastime, the Rasa llld, the speaker, S n Suka, is called Sn BSdarayani, indicating
that the omniscient Lord Vyasadeva performed severe austerities at Badarika&ama for the
worship of Lord Krsna, as a result of which he got a very austere son named S n Sukadeva. For
this reason Sukadeva is also sometimes named Sri BSdarayani, and his (Suka’s) omniscience
and his love of God are self-evident. Just as the speaker speaks the Rasa-/f/a with a heart
purified by love of God, the audience should also listen to it with hearts purified by devotion."
The word pranaya in the text refers to a confidential kind of love, which makes the lover feel
that His hands and feet and so are non-different from the same limbs of the beloved. This is
not the same experience as that of Oneness with brahman, according to S n ViSvanatha
Cakravartlpada. This pranaya rasa is wonderfully shown by Sri Radhika and Her girlfriends
during the Rasa-dance. Srlla Rupa Gosvami describes in his 'Ujjvala Nllamani' that Candravall
and Her girlfriends take good care not to kick Krsna accidentally while they dance with Him,
but Sri Radhika and Her friends (are so intimate with Kr$na that they) don't care for th at
In the material world a river loses its existence as soon as it enters into the ocean, but
the river of Radha’s pastimes is so wonderful that a great ocean comes forth from it, a nectar-
ocean of great fame. When Sri Suka Muni describes the Rasa-dance, he says that the gopTs
dancingsteps were light but quick and that they showed endless artful cleverness in their sweet
dancing. Their vine-like arms wonderfully sway like the leaves on vines that are swaying in the
wind, and when they cleverly turn around, it is as if their slender waists almost break. All these
movements make their scarves fall off and their braids loosen, making the fresh jasmine-
garlands fall out of them. In this way they are like sweetness personified. All these gestures are
best made by RadharanI, and that’s why She is a great nectarean ocean of fame. Even fame
itself cannot describe the sweetness of Her movements! krsna yarn anta nd pay a jlva kon
chara (C.C): "Even Krsna cannot find the end to Her glories, what to speak of an ordinary
creature!" The eyes, ears, tongues and minds of Syamasundara, the sakhTs and the manjans are
like fishes that swim in that great nectar-ocean of Her glories in great bliss!
The essential lesson for the aspirants is that by hearing and chanting about these
pastimes one becomes immortal, one swiftly becomes concious of one's spiritual identity, the
highest form of devotion is attained and the disease of lust is removed from the heart.
vikrfditarii vraja vadhubhir idarii ca visnoh Sraddhanvito'nu Smuyad atha vamayed yah
bhaktirii pararii bhagavati pratilabhya kdmarii hrd rogam asv apahinoty acirena dhXrah
Sri Eva Gosvami comments on this verse: atra tu hrd rogapahanat purvam eva parama
bhakti prdplih tasmdt parama balavad evedarii sddhanam iti bhavah "The text first mentions that the
highest form of devotion to God is attained, and then that the heart's disease of lust is
destroyed. That shows that this devotional practise of hearing and chanting about the Rasa is
the most powerful sadhana."
330 Sri-$ri RSdha Rasa Sudhanidhi
From this nectar-ocean of Radhika’s great fame Her moonlike face, that shines brighter
than millions of material moons, rises. Her moonlike face is most beautiful when She look at
Her lover's lotusface and Her eyes dance in a frisky fashion while She dances the Rasa with
Her lover. Sripada, whose mind is absorbed in beholding the sweetness of RaseSvarl, anxiously
prays: "When can I dive into the loving streams of the lovely and tender Radha-river?"
ei dekho nikunja vane, prati anga sancdlane,

keli kore rdi kamalim
madhura hoite sumadhura, mahd kTrti sudhapura,
apara jaladhi svarupinT
"Look! In this nikunja-forest Rai KamalinI (the Radha-lotus) plays, moving all Her
limbs. She is like a shoreless ocean filled with the nectar of great fame, which is sweeter than
sweet!"
kofindu vilasa jini, o ednda vadana khani,
madalola netre nirupamd
saukumdrye sulalitd, vffabhanu raja suta
rasamayl rasera pratimd
V
"The luster of Her moonlike face defeats many millions of material moons, and Her
madly rolling eyes are incompatible! Maharaja Vâbhanu's tender and lovely princess is the
very form of transcendental rasa and She is filled with that rasal"
premananda nisyandim, rdi keli kallolimra

rasamrta praruiya prabhave
anudina kori snana, kobe jutfaibo prdiia
SrTpada prabodhananda bhane
"Ecstatic love constantly flows from the playful river of nectarean rasa named Radha.
£ rip ad a Prabodhananda says: "When will I soothe my heart by daily bathing in that powerful
stream of love?"
VERSE 164:
MATKAiyTHE KIM NAKHARA SIKH A Y A DA1TYA-RAJO 'SMI NAHAM

MAIVAM PlDAM KURU KUCA-TATE PUTANA NAHAM ASMI
ITTHAM KlRAIR ANUKRTA VACA& PREYASA SANGATAYAff
PRATA&SRO?YE TAVA SAKHIKADA KEU-KUNJAM M pjANTI
mat - my; kanthe - around the neck; kith - why; nakhara iikhayd - with the nail; daitya-raja -
the king of demons; asmi - am; na - not; aharii - 1 am not; rna - don’t!; evarfi - thus; patfarii - hurt; kum -
do; kuca-tafe - breasts; putand - Putana; na - n o t; aham - 1; asmi - am; itthafh - thus; karaifi - by the
parrots; anukrta - imitated; vacah - words; preyasa - beloved; safigatdyah - in the company; prdtah - in
the morning; iro$ye - hearing; tava - Your; sakhi - O Mend!; kadd - when; keli - play; kuhjarh - arbour;
mrjanta - cleaning.
3 rila Prabodhananda Sarasvall 331
O sakhil W hen can I hear parrots im itate these w ords You spoke to Y our lover
♦
♦
"W hy are You scratching M y neck with Y our sharp nails? I am not th e king o f dem ons!
D o n ’t h u rt m y nipples like that! I am not the w itch P utana!", as I clean up Y our play-
kufija in the m orning?
DEEPLY RELISHING THE PASTIMES AT DAWN:
Com m entary: After dancing the Rasa, Radha and Madhava enter the arbour named
Hemambuja Kunja and take rest on a jewelled sofa there. How wonderful is the beauty of
Hemambuja Kunja at dawn! The pleasant southern breeze blows softly, making the blooming
flowers on the vines dance, carrying their fragrance through the air, and attracting the
bumblebees who come to drink their honey. The maidservants slowly wake up and begin their
usual services of sweeping the yards of the arbours and preparing scented water, betelleaves,
flowergarlands and different unguents. The sakhTs look through the holes of the vines to
witness the astonishing beauty of the divine Couple at daybreak and swim in oceans of bliss.
When Vrndadeva wakes up she engages the parrots in awakening Radhika and Madhava with
soft and sweet verses and songs. V
While Snpada, in his /cmtain-form, sweeps the play-kunja at daybreak goosepimples of

ecstasy erupt on her skin as she hears the sweet songs of the parrots. While the divine Couple
was making love at night, the learned parrots had memorised Their joking romantic words, and
now, at daybreak, they are giving the sakhTs and manjans indescribable happiness by repeating
these words. The parrots, the cuckoos, the bees and the peacocks - all are Radha and Krona’s
assistants in Their loving pastimes. The parrots serve Them and Their girlfriends and
maidservants in a marvellous way by reminding them sweetly of Their past sports. During
Their most intimate pastimes Syamasundara tightly embraced Snmati and placed His hands on
Her breasts, making Her jokingly say: ’’Why are You striking My breasts with Your nails? I
am not the king of demons! O Kr§na! When You were a baby You scratched the neck of the
Trnavarta-demon, who lifted You up into the air, thus destroying him! Do You want to kill Me
in a similar way by scratching My breasts? And, O VidagdharEja (king of clever pranksters)!
Why do You hurt My breasts like that? I am not Putana, the witch You killed by sucking the
life out of Her breasts! You're not going to kill Me like that, are You?”
There is another humorous meaning to this verse: krsna-ke Tsvara nahi jane vrajajana
(C.C.): "The people of Vraja do not know that Kr$na is God”. When they see Krona’s prowess
while He kills some demon they lovingly think that Lord Narayana, being satisfied with Nanda
Maharaja's worship, has empowered Krsna to do this. This is also how they interpret Garga
Muni’s words narayana sanio gunaih (this child is equal in qualities to Lord Narayana) to
Nanda MahSraja in the Bhagavata (10.8.19). $rl Radhika thinks in the same way: "During
Your natural baby-sports You played with Putana's breasts, and when Lord NarHyana’s power
entered You, You killed her! The same happened when the Trnavarta-demon lifted You up in
the air! Now You have reached adolescence, why are You hurting My breasts like that? This is
dreadful! What if Lord Narayana's powers enter You once more and You kill Me?”
The parrots have memorised all these joking words, and when the maidservants sweep
the yard of the kunja they repeat them, making them relish a stream of nectar and causing
goosepimples of ecstasy to erupt on their skins. Blessed are these maidservants! They can
relish Radhika's sweetness like no one else!
332 S n -£n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
suno he nagara, syamala sundara, rasamaya rasaraja

mora kanthe ekit nakhaghata dekhi, ami nahi daitya raja
"Listen O lover, O Syamasundara, O king of rclishers! What is this? I see that You're
scratching My neck! I'm not the king of demons!"
punah putiah boli, ohe vanamdli\ vidagadha cudamani

kuca-tate heno, pida koro kenot putana nahi ye ami
O Vanamali! O Crownjewel of clever pranksters! I tell You again and again: Why do
You hurt My breasts like that? I am not Putana!"
hdsya parihase, priya pTtavase, emati bolile dhani

rajanT vihdra, rasera pathara, suka sari duhuh suni
w
"The Sari and Suka heard Radhika speak these joking words during Her nocturnal
pastimes with Her dear Pltavasa (Kr$na), that are like an ocean of rasa."
vilasa kunjera, dadimba tfalete, sukhe bosi Suka sarT,

yugala alapa, gaibe yokhon> rasera badara kori \
"The Suka and San blissfully sit on a branch of the pomegranate-tree that stands in the
play kuhja, and they repeat these words of the loving Couple in song to increase the ocean of
rasa."
prabhate suniyd, (lagamagi hoiya, marjana koribo kuhje
heno dina kobet hoibe amara, bhane sn prabodhananda
"Sri Prabodhananda says: "When will that morning come that I can be absorbed in
listening to these prattlings while I sweep the knnjaV
VERSE 165:
JAGRAT SVAPNA SUSUPTI$U SPHURATUME RADHA PADABJA CCHATA

VAIKUWTHE NARAKE'THAVA MAMA GATIR NANYASTURADHAM VINA
RADHA KEUKATHA SUDHAMDUDHI MAH A V1CIBHIR ANDOUTAM
KALINDI TATA KUNJA MANDIRA VARALINDEMANO VINDATU
jdgrat - wakefulness; svapna - dreaming; susupti$u - in deep sleep; sphuratu - may be

manifest; me - to me; radha paddbja - RSdhS's lotusfeet; cchatd - luster, vaikurithe - in Vaikuptha;
narake - in hell; atlxava - or; mama - my; gatih - shelter; na - not; anya - other; astu - may be; rfidharii
vind - without RSdha; radha keli kathd - topics of Radha's pastimes; sudhambudhi - nectar-ocean; maha
- great; vTcibhih - by waves; andolitarii - swung; kdlindi - Yamuna; tata - bank; kunja - grove; mandira
- temple; vara - excellent; alinde - on the terrace; manah - mind; vindatu - may find pleasure.
M ay the luster o f Radha's lotusfeet be m anifest to m e, either in w akefulness,

dream s or in deep sleep! Let there be no other shelter for M e than S n R adha, eith er in
V aikuntha or in hell! L et my mind sw ay on the great w aves o f the nectar ocean of

R adha-topics on an excellent terrace o f a bow erhouse on the bank o f the Y am una!
FIXA TIO N IN RADHA:
Com m entary: In this verse $n Prabodhananda shows how exclusively fixed he is in

Sri Radha: "Let me be aware of the luster of Radha, either in wakefulness, dreams, or deep
sleep!" Conditioned souls have three kinds of consciousness: wakefulness, dreaming and deep
sleep, and they cannot experience anything else. But beyond that is the fourth stage: turlya or
transcendence. Although the cit kana jfva (the spirit soul) is itself a drop of transcendence, it
cannot experience this because of being bound up by the ropes of trnya (illusion). Only
persons who practise yoga (jnana, raja, or bhakti) can reach the fourth stage of consciousness.
In the 'wakeful* state the conditioned soul enjoys material objects through the material senses
and his mind is always absorbed in thinking of these material things like wife, children and
wealth, thinking that these temporary things are real, and, according to his activities in this life
the soul accepts another body after death, in which he can enjoy his favorite sense-objects
again. In this way the stream of karma flows on. Dreams are only an imagination of the mind.
In wakefulness the senses are awake and active and think that all material objects around them
arc real, but in dreams the five senses are unconscious, so that impulses from the brains are
more easily received. The mind is no longer subject to all the different impulses that enter into
it during the sensuous state of 'wakefulness', and it enters into the subtle kingdom, becoming
calmer. Dreams are simply negatives of the photo-like thoughts of wakefulness, but during the
dream these negatives appear to be real and are also creating negative feelings of misery or
positive feelings of joy during sleep.
Dreams are the manifestations of the samskdra (cultivation) of the mental world. The
subtle forms that are created in the mind during 'wakefulness' by the three psychic modes
sattva (goodness) rajah (passion) and tarnah (indolence) take solid forms during dreams. We
can also dream of things we have never seen before in our lives. These things should be known
as impressions from our previous incarnations ('lives' or 'births'). The transcendental forms of
God or the holy places that the devotees dream of are all real and supernatural. £ n Raghunatha
dasa GosvamI hardly slept at all, but if he slept, he dreamt of Radha and Krsna: cari danda suti
thake, svapne radha-krsna dekhe, ek tila vyartha nahi yay (Sucaka Klrtana).
In the state of deep sleep the gross senses and the subtle identifications like the mind,
the intelligence, consciousness and ego are all sleeping, and no thoughts take place (sarvasya
sthula suksmopadheh karanopadhau linatvath sujuptitvam). The MSndukya Upanisad says:
yatra supto na kancana karyarn kamayate na kancana svapnath pasyati tat su$uptam: "Su$upti
is that state in which a sleeping person does not desire, think or even dream anything
anymore." For example, one night fourteen people may be playing cards with eachother; ten
people in an outer circle and four people in an inner circle, a light burns in the middle to
illuminate everything, after playing for a long time, the ten outer people fall asleep, but the
inner four people continue playing, after some time these four also fall asleep and only the
central light keeps on burning. The five active senses and the five knowledge-aquiring senses
are the ten outer cardplayers, and if they stay awake along with the four inner players, the
mind, intelligence, consciousness and ego, this state is called 'wakefulness'. When the ten
senses fall asleep, but the four inner players stay awake, that state is called 'dreaming', and ■
when even the inner four players fall asleep that is called 'deep sleep'. Baladeva Vidyabhu$ana
334 3ri-£ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
writes in his Govinda Bha$ya on the Vedanta (L3.42): susuptau tdvat prdjhendtniand
samparijvakto na bahyam kincana veda ndntaram iti "In the state of deep sleep the jTva (spirit
soul) has merged with brahman, but is not aware of it."
Srlpada says: "Let Radha’s lotusfeet be manifest to me in wakefulness, dreams and in
deep sleep. When I am awake, let RadharSn! always play in my mind, instead of all the illusory
tricks of the perishable material world that come in through my senses at that time. O Radhe! I
am Your maidservant, 1 have an eternal relationship with You! Let me not mix with this
external world! Make my mind strong, so that it will not be distracted by external matters that
have nothing to do with You! Let me not remember anything else but Your names, forms,
qualities and pastimes! Let Your lotusfeet always stay even in my prdjha caitanya
(consciousness merged in deep sleep). Just as a person who awaken from deep sleep thinks
sitkham aham asvapam iti, "I had a blissful sleep', let me think: "Aha! How wonderful is the
sweetness of Radha's lotusfeet!" when I awaken from deep sleep!" How beautiful is that
consciousness! Even to think of such a state is so blissful, what to speak of actually having that
consciousness?
Then Srlpada says vaikunthe narake 'thava matna gatir ndnyastu radham vina "I have
no other shelter but Radha, either in Vaikuntha or in hell". The sweet Vraja-devotees never
desire to go to Vaikuntha, and even if they go there the majestic vision of the Lord can not
obstruct their sweet thoughts. Gopa Kumara, the hero of Sanatana Gosvaml's ’Brhad
Bhagavatamrta', is the best example of that. The majestic vision of Lord Visnu in Vaikuntha
could not mitigate his feelings of separation from his beloved 3riman Madana Gopala (Krsna
of Vraja). Sripada says: "Even if I go to Vaikuntha, sweet RadharanI will play in my mind!
The vast luxury of Vaikuntha will not be able to cover over my sweet remembrance of Sri
Radhika!"
Then Snpada says: "Even if I go to hell I will not have any other shelter than Sri
Radhika." actually, a person engaged in spiritual practice never goes to hell. The Padma
Purana says: na karma bandhanath janma vai$navanam ca vidyate. The Lord may desire that
the devotee takes birth again, but that is only for the sake of His service or for the further
development of love for Him. $nmad ViSvanStha CakravartI comments as follows on Bhag.
6.2.9-10: niraparddhandm api keqcmcit prema vtfesa sifadhisunarh bhagavat praptau kiticid
vilambo'pL yathaivddi bharatasya janma trayam abhut. kirit ca sdparddhandth madhye yadi kecid
bhajanabhydsabJiavad akflna prdcuia pdpdh kriyamdna papa namaparadJidJ ca syus tad api tair deha
tyaganantarath narake§u na gantavyani sva puruqam abhivlksya paSa-hastarii vadati yamah kila tasya
kartiamule. parihara madhusudana prapanndn prabhur aham anya nrnaiii na vai$navdnam iti "Even
offenseless devotees who want to relish love of God may have to wait a little until they attain
the Lord. For instance, Bharata had to take another three births. Even offensive devotees that
may have some sinful reactions left over in them because they do not regularly practise
bhajana, will not go to hell after they leave their bodies. Yamaraja, the king of death, orders
his messengers: "Don’t bring Madhusudana's devotees to me, for I punish only the
nondevotees, not the Vai$navas." Although he is an eternal associate of the Lord, Srlpada
humbly thinks, though: "As a result of my karma it is inevitable that I will have to go to hell.
O Radhe! Please, if I go to hell then let me not forget Your lotusfeet there! May the luster of
Your lotusfeet illuminate the dark cave of my heart there also! I may suffer in hell, I may
enjoy in heaven or I may be dwelling in the Lord’s blissful Vaikuntfia-abode; I don’t mind, as
long as my mind does not waver from Your lotusfeet!"
Finally, Sripada says: "radha keli katha sudhambudhi maha vlcibhir andolitarn kalindl
tata kunja mandira varalinde mono vindatu My body may be anywhere, but let my mind
always oscillate on the great waves of the nectarocean of Radha-talks on a lovely terrace of a
bowerhouse on the bank of the Yamuna, where Radha and Krsna play Their wonderful
pastimes."
VERSE 166:
ALINDE KALINDl TATA NAVA LATA MANDIRA GATE

RATAMARDODBHUTA SRAM A-JALA BHARAPURNA VAPUSOH
SUKHA SPAR$ENAMILITA NA YANA YOfl SIT AM A TULAM
KADA KURYAM SAMV1JANAM AH AHA RADHA MURABHIDOJH
alinde - on the terrace; kalindi tata - the bank of the Yamuna; nava - fresh; lata. - vines;
mandira - temple; gate - gone; ratamarda - erotic sports; udbhuta - resulting from; sramajala -
sweatdrops; bhard puma - full; vapuqoh - bodies; sukha - blissful; spar&ena - by touching; anulita -
closed; tiayanayoh - the eyes; Sltarn - cold; atularh - incomparible; kada - when; kuryarh - doing;
sanmjanam - fanning; ahaha - ahol; radha murabhidoh - Radha and Kr§na.
W hen can I fan R adha and Kr$na after T hey started sw eating from the great
endeavour o f lovem aking, m aking Them blissfully close T heir eyes w hile T hey enjoy the
cool breeze I create on th e terrace o f a new vine-cottage on the bank o f the Y am una?
FANNING RADH A A N D M URARI:
Com m entary: In the spring Vmdavana's naturally beautiful trees and vines are filled
with sweetly smiling, freshly blooming and sprouting flowers. What an amazing beauty
Vasanta Lak$mi (the goddess of vernal beauty) creates!
sisiraka antare doye vasanta; phufala kusurna sab kdnana anta

srT vrndavana pulinaka ranga; bhorala madhukara kusumaka sanga
nava nava pallave sobhita $idla; sari suka pika gdoye rasala
"At the end of the winter the spring comes, making all the flowers in the forest blossom
again, all the bumblebees of Vrndavana come to relish the open flowers again, and the Sukas,
Saris and the cuckoos sing sweetly on the freshly sprouting branches of the mango trees." How
beautiful the bank of the Yamuna is when the spring arrives! On the bank of the Yamuna is a
new cottage made of vines, where Radha and Kr§na are enjoying Themselves. Snpada, in his
kinkari-form, looks in through the holes in the vines to admire the sweetness of these pastimes.
The divine Couple feel very inspired to make love when They see this romantic place at this
romantic moment, and the eyes of the maidservant become like fishes that blissfully swim in
the ocean of these wonderful pastimes.
After They made love, the divine Couple comes out of the kunja and sits down on a
jewelled throne on the outside terrace. They breathe deeply and Their bodies are adorned with
sweatdrops of fatigue, so the maidservant starts fanning Them in such an expert way that
Radha and Murari can smell Eachother's fragrance and The sweatdrops on Their bodies are
dried up. With the corners of Their eyes They lick the nectar of Eachother’s forms, with Their
skins They sense Eachother's nectarean touch and with Their noses They smell Eachother’s
336 Sri-SrT Radlia Rasa Sudhanidlii
fragrance. After this, the maidservant, who is devotional service personified, serves cool sweet
syrup and betelleaves. The divine Couple pleases Eachother’s ears by sprinkling them with
eachothers ncctarean talks and satisfy Their tongues with the delicacies served by the
maidservant. In this way They enjoy all of Their five senses, and They close Their eyes out of
bliss and satisfaction. What a wonderful service! How sweet are the forms of the divine Couple
to behold for the maidservant! How blessed she is!
VERSE 167:
K$AiyAMMADHURA GANATAH K?Ah?AM AMANDA H1NDOLATAH

KSAÂM KUSUMA VAYUTA& SURATA K E U SILPAIH K$AftAM
AHO MADHURA SAD RASA PRANAYA K EU VRNDAVANE
VIDAGDHA VARA NAGARIRASIKA SEKHARAU KHELATAH
ksanarii - moment; madhura - sweet; gdnatah - singing; ksanarii - moment; amanda - nicely;
hindolatah - swinging; ksanarii - moment; kusurna - flower; vdyutaJi - by the wind; surata - erotic; keli
- pastimes; Silpaih - with expertise; ksanarii - moment; aho - 01; madhura - sweet; sad - real; rasah -
flavour; pranaya - loving; keli - pastimes; vrnddvane - in Vrndavana; vidagdha - clever; vara -
excellent; nagarl - heroine; rasika - relisher; Sekharau - monarchs; khelatah • playing.
A ho! In V rndavana the king and queen o f clever relishers play sw eet p astim es of
p u re selfless love; one m om ent They sing sw eetly, on e m om ent T hey sw ing n icely, one
m om en t They enjoy a breeze that carries the fragrance o f flow ers and one m om en t They
d iligen tly m ake love.
T H E PLAY O F T H E M O ST C L E V E R CO UPLE:
Com m entary: The words sad rasa means ’the pure, selfless desire to make Krsna
happy’, and the sweet amorous way in which the Vrajasundarls do this is called pranaya keli in
the text. The most fitting place for this pranaya keli is £fl Vrndavana. In Their endeavours to
make Eachother happy, the Yugala Kigora think They are One soul. SiT Jiva GosvamI
described this eager pranaya keli as follows in his ’GopSla Campu (Purva 33.4)':
anyo 'nyath rahasi prayati milati Mi§yaty alarii cumbati

kndaty ullasati braviti nidUaty udbhu$ayanty anvaham
gopT-krsna yugarii muhur bahu vidhath kintu svayarh nohate
sasvat kirn nu karomi kith nv akaravath kurvl$a kith vety api
"A gopT and Kr$na lovingly took Eachother to a lonely place, met there, embraced
Eachother there, kissed Eachother, gladdened Eachother, spoke erotic words to Eachother,
gave Eachother orders like ’dress Me!', and dressed Eachother. although they were engaged in
many different kinds of loving exchanges, they forgot about questions like: "what am I doing?’,
’what did I do?’ and 'what can I do?'
Srfla Prabodh3nanda Sarasvatl 337
In his kihkarT rupa £ripada sees that Radha and Kr$na are sweetly singing and dancing
in Vrndavana like a pair of young elephants, keeping Their arms on Eachother's shoulders.
Naughty Syama makes His left hand hang over Svamirifs left shoulder, so low that He can
touch Her left breast, but SvaminT slaps Him on the hand to stop Him. How sweetly clever
£yama and clever SvaminI are singing! SvaminI holds Her head on 3yama's chest, making
3yama indescribably happy. The maidservants follow the divine Pair like Their shadows.
Sometimes SvaminI picks some flowers and personally decorates £yama with them, and
sometimes £yama picks flowers to decorate ISvari with them. Freely playing in the forest in
this way, They arrive at the monsoon forest
How beautiful is the monsoon-forest! The Yuthika-flowers smile like society-girls,
attracting the bumblebees from the laps of their wives, the jasmines, with their fragrance. The
earth smiles with her beautiful blooming Malati-flowers, the forests erupt with goosepimples
of ecstasy in the form of their opening Kadamba-blossoms, and the clouds shed streams of
loving tears as £ri-3fi Radha-MSdhava arrive in the monsoon forest. How nicely is the
forehead of the dig vadhu (the bride of the firmament) beautified by the rainbow! The darkness
is like her hair, the lightningstrikes that illuminate the darkness are like the golden Ketakl-
flowers that beautify that hair, and the ducks flying over the clouds are like her pearl necklace
(the ducks) that hangs on her breasts (the clouds and breasts are both called payodhara). In this
way the dig vadhu steals the hearts of Radha and Madhava. In the monsoon forest (varsci
har$a vana) the Yugala blissfully climbs on a softly rocking jewelled swing and begin to swing
on it. k$anam arnanda hindolatah. Rasika 3ekhara Kr$na increases the speed of the swing,
making £rimatl afraid. Seeing that her SvaminI is afraid, the maidservant forbids Syama to
increase the speed, but £yama pretends not to hear her and keeps on swinging. How sweet
Radhika looks when Her braid loosens, Her veil slips from Her head and Her ornaments
become dishevelled! With Her hands She tries to keep Her sdn from blowing up, so that Her
underwear will not become visible, but then She is no longer able to hold on to the ropes of the
swing. Seeing this, Syama laughs and simply increases the speed of the swinging, causing
3rlmatl to fearfully embrace Him around the neck. The maidservants are blessed with this
sweet vision. Now the youthful Couple comes down from the swing and enters into the
springforest where the wind pleases Their nostrils by carrying the fragrance of fresh flowers.
The beauty of spring increases the young Coupled amorous desires, so They enter into a kunja
where They commence Their amorous pastimes. The maidservants looks into the kunja
through the holes in the vines and admires the Couple's wonderful expertise in lovemaking.
The practising devotee will notice that his attachment to material life slackens when he
faithfully hears and describes these transcendental pastimes.
tnadhura pranaya, keli sudhamaya, sukhamaya vmdavane

caturd ndgan, khelata kisort, rasika sekhara sane
"In blissful Vrndavana, which is filled with nectarean sweet loveplays, the clever
adolescent heroine plays with the king of relishers."
aho ki ananda, madhavT mukunda, sumadhura gana kori

ratana hindole, anande doliya, jhulata govinda gauri
"O! How blissfully MadhavT (Radhika) and Mukunda sing Their sweet songs, and how
blissfully Gauri and Govinda sway on Their jewelled swing!"
kokhon kusuma, sugandhi pavana, sevane yugala pahun

338 Sn-Sn Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
kania keli kala prakafa koriya surata vihare duhun
"Sometimes the loving Couple is served by the wind carrying the fragrance of flowers
and sometimes They show Their expertise in playing erotic pastimes."
nitui nautuna, lila rasdyana, darsane paramananda

yugala vilasa, korila prakasa, sripada prabodhanatida
"SrTpada Prabodhananda thus reveals the Couple's pastimes, personally seeing these
ever-fresh nectarean sports in topmost bliss."
VERSE 168:
ADYA SYAMA KISORA MAUUR AHAHA PRAPTO RAJANYA MUKHE

NlTVA TAM KARAYOIf PRAGRHYA SAHASA NIPAJAVIM PRAV1SAT
SRO$YE TALPA MILAN MAH A RATIBHARE PRAPTE'PI SITKA RITAM
TAD VICISUKHA TARJANAM KIM U HAREH SVA &ROTRA RANDHRASRITAM
adya - today; Syama kiSora - adolescent Krspa; maulih - crown; ahaha - O!; prdpta - attaining;
rajanyd - of the night; mukhe - opening; nltva - having taken; tarii - Her; karayoh - in the hands;
pragrhya - catching; sahasd - suddenly; liipa - Kadamba; afavlrii - the forest; pravifat - entering; frosye
- hearing; talpa - bed; milat - meeting; mahd - great; ratibhare - absorbed in lovemaking; prapte -
attained; api - still; fitkaritarh - screaming; tad - that; vTcl - wave; sukha - blissful; tarjanarh - rebuking;
kim u - what; hareh - of Hari; sva Irotra - my ears; randhra - hole; alritam - taking shelter.
Aho! This evening Syama, the jewel of adolescent boys, takes R adha by the hand
a n d suddenly brings H er to a K adam ba-forest, where He lays H er on the bed to become
absorbed in m agificent lovesports with H er. W hen can I h ear how R adhika's blissful
shrieks of chastisem ent en ter H ari’s earholes like waves?
LOVING INARTICULATE SHRIEKS:
Com m entary: In the evening 3rlmatl stays at YSvata, and 3ffpada, in his kinkari-
svarupa, is absorbed in Her service. Suddenly they hear Syamasundara playing His flute in the
forest. How attractive! The flute is not played in the forest, but in Svamini's mind! 3rimatl
cannot stay at home anymore, She is irresistably attracted to this magical flutesound! Not
caring about morality or the vigilance of Her superiors, 3rimatl rushes out on abhisara, and
Sripada follows Her like Her shadow.
VamSIdharl eagerly waits for SrimaG at the foot of a Kadamba-tree, when suddenly a
golden light illuminates the whole of Vmdavana. Syama eagerly rushes forward to sec Sffmatl,
but when She sees Him, She assumes Her natural vamya svabhdva (unsubmissive mood) and
wants to go back home. The anxious hero then takes Her by the hand and brings Her into the
Kadamba-forest.
Syamasundara is called kisora mauli here, or the crownjewel of all adolescent boys.
This appearance is the crownjewel of all eternally manifest forms of God (in terms of
attractiveness) and in this form He perfects His romantic dealings with the beautiful gopTs,
headed by Sri Radha, which is called rasa niryasa, or 'squeezing out the essence of delicious
transcendental flavours'.
The eager young Couple thus enters the Kadamba-forest and becomes absorbed in
lovemaking on a bed in a bowerhouse there. The maidservant stands outside and hears
Srlmati's loving screams and blissful chastisements. Only the maidservant can understand how
happy Hari feels when these loving screams enter into His earholes! Kr$na is named 'Hari'
because He steals everyone's hearts with His sweetness and beauty, but ^rim atfs amorous
shrieks and blissful rebukes steal even Hari's heart, and She knows it. The maidservant can
clearly relish this like a stream of astonishing nectar. Even now these loving screams resound
in Srlpada's earholes. Here he prays: "O Radhe! When can I hear these inarticulate shrieks that
give Hari so much pleasure?"
adyai prado$e, parama hari$e, sydmala kisora mauli,

he radhe tomdra, karate dhariya, rasera prasahga tuli,
*
kadamba kanane, pravesa koriya, koto rid korile keli,

keli talpa mdjhe, rdi rasaraje, koto na korile keli
%
"O Radhe! This evening the bluish jewel of adolescent boys, Pltavasa Vanamall, most
blissfully holds Your hand and takes You into the Kadambaforest, where He plays who-
knows-how-many lovegames with You on a playbed."
r
rasera pdthdre, maharati bhare, ye sukha tarjana hollo

sitakdre tahd, paririata hoiya, hari karne sudhd dhale
"Your loving shrieks and blissful rebukes during this intense lovegame, which is like an
ocean of rasa, streams into Hari's ears like nectar."
heno kaladhvani, Sunibo Id ami, vr$abhdnu kulacanda

dkuti koriya, kore nivedana, srTpada prabodhananda
"3ripada Prabodhananda prays: "O Moon of Vr$abhanu's family, when will I eagerly
hear these inarticulate sounds?
VERSE 169:
SRIMAD RADHE TV AM ATHA MADHURAM $ R l YA$ODA KUMARE

PRAPTE KA1&ORAKAM ATI RASAD VALGASE SADHU-YOGAM
ITTHAM BALE MAHASIKATHAYA NITYA LILA VAYAH SR l
JATAVESA PRAKATA SAHAJA KINNUDftSYA KISORI
Srimad radhe - O beautiful Radha!; tvani - You; atha - and; madhurarii - sweet; £ri yafodd
kumdre - in the son of 5n YaSoda; prdpte - attaining; kaiSorakam - adolescence; ati - very much; rasdt
340 £n-6ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
- from flavour; valgase - beauty; sadhu yogarn - fit for meeting; ittharii - thus; bale - in childhood;
niahasi - tender; kathaya - by speaking; nitya - eternal; Ilia - pastimes; vayah - age; tin - beauty;
jaiavetia prakata - manifesting; sahajd - naturally; kinnu - whether; drtiya - seeing; kitiorl - adolescent,
girl.
O SrTmati Radhe! You and S n Y asoda’s lad have attained sw eet adolescence due
to the strong influence o f rasa, and thus You have becom e fit for rom antic pastim es!
W hen I say this, You becom e very attracted to young tender Kr$na. W ill th at K ison
(ad olescen t girl) R adhika, who thus suddenly and naturally attained th e beautiful age fit
fo r playing eternal pastim es, becom e visible to me?
SADHU YOGA:
Com m entary: Srlpada now has a sweet vision of £ri Radha's first meeting with Sri
YaSoda Kumara. Sffmafi very eagerly came to the trysting-place with Her maidservant, but
She is mugdhd, shy, afraid and inexperienced. When the maidservant takes Her inside the
kufija, She says:
parihara e sakhi! tohe parandm!; ham nahi yaobo so ply a tham
vacana cdturT ham kichu nahi jdno; ihgita na bujhiye na janiye mana
sahacan meli bandyata vesa; bdndhite nd janiye apana kesa
kabhu nahi suniye surata ki bat; kaichane milabo madhava sdtha
so vara nagara rasika sujdna; ham abald ati alapa geyan
vidyapati kohe ki bolbo toy; abke milana samucita hoy
"O sakhil I offer My obeisances to Him! I'm not going there to meet Him! I don’t know
how to speak clever words, how to make clever gestures, or how to keep My honour! I dress
Myself with the help of my maidservants; I do not know how to bind up My own hair (after He
opens My braid)! I have never heard anything about lovemaking, how can I meet this
Madhava? He is a very experienced rasika lover, but I’m a weak maiden, I don’t know
any tiling (about love)!” Vidyapati says: "What can I tell You? Now is the right time to meet
Him!"
The eternal tiling is now new, the eternal meeting becomes a first meeting. Everything
is always made new again by the transcendental illusory potency Yogamaya: the young
Couple's looks, Their love and Their meeting. No matter how much the maidservant tries it,
she cannot convince shy Radhika to meet Madhava. She says: "O Srnnatl Radhe! Now that
Yaioda Kumara has attained adolescence, are You still a child? You are His prakafa sahajd,
You took birth at almost the same time as Him (one year and two weeks after Krsna, according
to Sri Jiva Gosvaml), and girls' bodies are always ripe before the boys' bodies. You have now
attained sweet and tender adolescence, just like Kr$na!" When one becomes fit for relishing the
quintessence of rasa (rasa niryasa), attaining the beginning of adolescence, it is called sadhu
yoga.
The maidservant says: "O Radhe! A girl's youth is wasted if She cannot enjoy with a
nice boy, and You are most fortunate that You can get such a rasika lover as Kr$na! There's no
such a beautiful boy like Him in the whole world, and everyone in Vraja loves Him! Therefore
don’t be shy! You are the most beautiful and qualified girl for Him!"
3rila Prabodhananda Saras vatl 341
As Srimatl hears this, the age fit for eternal pastimes manifests in Her. adolescence is
the original age of Radha and Kr$na, Their paugaruja (childhood) and kutnara (babyhood) ages
are only secondary 'expansions' of that original age. During His baby-age Krsna merely
relishes the love of His mother, during His pauganda-age the love of His parents and His
cowherdboyfriends and during His kis'ora-age the love of His parents, His boyfriends and His
girlfriends. This kisora-age is therefore the aggregate of all rasas and causes Kr$na to enjoy to
the fullest extent. What a wonderful service the maidservant executes by causing the ’eternal
age' to manifest in Sri Radhika! While she takes SvaminI inside the kuiija, she warns
Syamasundara:
suno suno kanu koroye dhanl bhJta;
kabahuh na janai surata ki rTta
rabhasa korobi bujhi vidagadha ray;
yaiche sukumdri dukha nahi pay
"Listen, O Krsna! This is girl is very much afraid! She has never made love before and
She doesn't know anything about it! O King of clever pranksters! I've handed this tender girl to
You now, be careful so that She will not feel any pain!" Just as the maidservant says this, the
transcendental revelation disappears, and Srlpada prays: "O Radhe! You are an innocent
maiden! When will adolescence appear in You as I speak encouraging words to You? When
will I arrange for Your sweet meeting with Syamasundara? When will You become visible to
my eyes like that?"
yasoda kumara srila madana rnohana;

madhura kaisore koile subha padarpana
he rdi raja nandini apana prabhave;
nava anurage tumi milibe madhave
alapa vayase radhe hema kamalim;
pntipurna kathd turn mora mukhe £uni
nitya llld vayafy-sn apani asibe;
ahge ahge kaisora sri prakafa hoibe
dra kobe tdson rupa dekhibo nayane;
snpdda prabodhananda sarasvatT bhane
“Sweet and beautiful adolescence has made its auspicious appearance in YaSoda's lad
Madana Mohana. O Princess Rai! On the strength of Your own new love You will meet
Madhava! O Golden lotus Radhe! Your age is very tender when You hear my love-filled
words. The beautiful age of the eternal pastimes will come by itself, and the beauty of
adolescence will become manifest on each of Your limbs! Sripada Prabodhananda Sarasvatl
says: When will I see that adolescent form with my own eyes?"
VERSE 170:
%
EKAM KANCANA CAMPAKA CCHABIPARAM NILAMBUDA SYAMALAM

KANDARPOTTARALAM TATHAIKAM APARAM NAIVANUKULAM BAHIH
KIM CA1KAM BAHU MAN A BHANGI RASA VAC CA TUNIKUR VA T PARAlif
PASYA KRIDATIKUNJA SIMNI TAD AHO DVANDVAM MAHA MOHANAM
£ri-£ri RadhS Rasa Sudhanidhi
ekarii - one; kdncana - golden; campaka - flower; cchabi - luster; pararii - the other; nllambuda
fydmalarii - blue cloud; kandarpa - lust; uttaralarii - agitated; tathd - then; ekam - one; apararii - the
other; na - not; eva - only; anukularii - favorable; bahih - externally; kirii ca - or; ekarii - one; bahu -
much; mdna - honour; bharigi - movements; rasaval - relishable; cdtuni - flattering; kurvat - doing;
pararii - the other; patya - look!; krTdati - plays; kurija - arbour; sirnii - on the outskirts; tad - that; alio
- O!; dvandvarii - couple; mahd - great; mohanam - enchanter.
Aho! W hen can I see a very enchanting young C ouple playing on th e ou tsk irts o f a
pXzy-kunja, O ne shining lik e a golden C am paka-flow er, the other like a blue clou d , O ne
agitated by lusty desires, the other externally unw illing, O ne very proud an d th e oth er
sp eak in g flattering w ords?
A VERY ENCHANTING COUPLE:
Com m entary: 3 rip ad a, in his kihkarl-rupa, comes to the outskirts of the play-kurija
where Radha and Madhava shine like a golden Campaka-flower and a blue cloud. Of course,
Their transcendental luster cannot be compared with any such material objects, but still the
poets try to give an indication with the help of some attractive material object. Sripada sees
that the blue cloud is agitated by lusty desires, although even Cupid himself becomes
enchanted when Kr$na inundates the land of Vrndavana with His nectarean bodily luster and
His nectarean smile:
tfhala (ihala kancdt arigera Icivani, avanT gadiya ydy
T$at hasibOy tarariga hillola, madana murachd pay a
Now even Vrajendranandana is eager to meet Radha and drink the nectar of Her prema,
but She is naivanukularii bahih. externally unfavorable. She's naturally proud and
unsubmissive, although inwardly She strongly desires to unite with Kr$na. How sweet is Her
mood! She says: "Go away, You cheater! Keep Your clever pranks to Yourself! 1 understand
Your deceitful words! You know very well how to smile sweetly, how to speak tender words,
how to cast playful glances, and how to shower Me with the nectar of Your loving ways! If I
don’t get out from here soon, the people will ridicule Me!" Saying this, Srimatl proudly pulls
Her veil over Her head, and the impatient hero tries to flatter Her with the following words:
rdmd he! ksema aparddha moral

marama vedanaf na ydy saliana, Parana loinu tora
o cdiida mukhera, madhura hdsani, sadai marame jage
mukha tuli yadi, phiriyd nd caho, amara fapathi lage
tomdra angera, parade dmara, cirajTvi hau tanu,
japa tapa tuhufi, sakali amdra, karera mohana venu
deha geha sdra, sakali dmara, tumi se naydtia tard
tila ddlxa ami, tomd nd herile, sob bdsi andhiyay
eto parihdra, koriye tomdre, mone nd bhdviho ana
kabaja likhiyd, leho ye amara, ddsa kori abhimatia
jridna ddsa kohe, fanoho sundari, e kon bhdva yugati
kdnu se kdtara, saday hoiyd, keno nd koroho pnti
"O Girl! Forgive My offense! I cannot tolerate My heartache anymore! I take shelter of
You! The sweet smile on Your moonlike face keeps on rising in My heart! I swear You that !
S iila Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 343
will die if You do not lift Your face and look at Me! Your bodily touch increases My lifespan!
You are My japa and My tapa, You are the enchanting flute in My hand! You are the essence
of My body and My house, and You are the pupil of My eye! Everything is dark for Me if I
don’t see You for even half a moment! I can give up everything for You, and I don't think of
anyone but You! Take this note I wrote to You and accept Me as Your servant! Jnana dasa
says: "Listen, O beautiful girl! What kind of attitude is that? Krsna is so eager to meet You!
Be kind to Him! Why don't You give Him Your love?"
Still Srlmatl does not give up Her proud mood. Although Her PriSnaballabha, Her
heart's lover, is so anxiously praying to Her, She maintains Her external pose of rejection and
replies with a grave voice: "Don't say anything anymore, O Madhava! What's the use? It won’t
work! I come from a spotless family, just give up Your deceitful behaviour! I know Your
character well enough!"
6rlmatl is only pretending to be angry, to make Krsna relish the sweetness of that mood
of Hers and to make Him more eager to meet Her. The hero becomes desperate when He sees
that all His efforts to please RadhikS are futile, and He finally takes shelter of Her
maidservants, who manage to pacify their Svaminl. The maidservants are then rewarded with
the beautiful vision of Radhika and Madhava's loving pastimes, that take place on the outskirts
of the bower, pasya kridati kuhja simni tad aho dvandvath maha mohanant.
VERSE 171:
VICITRA RATI VIKRAMAM DADHAD ANUKRAMAD AKULAM

MAHA MADANA VEGATO NIBHRTA MANJU KUNJODARE
AHO VINIMAYAN NAVAM KIM API NiLA PIT AM PA TAM
MITHO M IUTAM ADBHUTAM JA Y A TI PI t A-NILAM MAH AH
vicitra - wonderful; rati - loving; vikramarh - power; dadhad - doing; anukramdd - gradually;
akularit - anxious; maha - great; madana - erotic; vegatah - urge; nibhrta - lonely; manju - lovely;
kimja - arbour; udare - inside; aho - O!; vinimayati - exchanging; navarii - new; kim api - indescribable;
riila - blue; pitarii - yellow; patarii - cloth; mithah - mutual; militam - meeting; adbhutarii - wonderful;
jayati - glory; pita - yellow; nllarh - blue; mahah - light.
AH glories to the wonderful meeting of a yellow and a blue effulgence, who are
very eager to progress in C upid's great, wonderful urges in a lovely solitary grove in
which They exchange T h eir indescribable new yellow and blue garments!
TH E SW EET M EETING OF TWO LIGHTS:
Com m entary: Sripada, in his form as a maidservant, looks inside the grove through
the holes in the vines to admire the sweetness and beauty of the intimate pastimes of the young
Couple, who are gradually becoming more and more absorbed in lovemaking. There are erotic •
pictures hanging in this solitary grove, that incite lusty feelings, the southern breeze carries the
344 3 n -5 n Radha Rasa SudlrSnidhi
fragrance of flowers inside, making the bumblebees drunk, and the cuckoos sing in the fifth
note. This is a mahju kunja, a lovely place. Radha and Kr$na become more and more eager to
please Eachother in these love-pastimes. In Ujjvala Nilamani 3rila Rupa Gosvami writes about
this pure and selfless enjoyment:
dar&analinganadmam dnukulydn nisevaya
yunor ulldsam drohan bhavah sanibhoga Trsyate
"When a couple sees and embraces Eachother favorable, solely for eachother’s
pleasure, it is called sanibhoga." $rl ViSvanatha Cakravart! gives the following beautiful
example: maha prasadam sevate bhakto yathd tadvad ity arthah. It is just like the devotees'
taking mahd prasada. although it seems that they are enjoying themselves, they are actually
serving, honouring and worshipping the remnants of what the Lord has enjoyed Himself.
Knowing that the food has made the Lord happy, they also become happy. Krsna and the gopTs
are absorbed in their loveplay in a similar way. They are only happy when they know that the
partner is happy. The word anukrama in thej text means that one time the hero, and the other
time the heroine show their erotic force during the loveplay. The maidservants float in an
ocean of rasa when they see this!
The sadhaka should get this relish while awakening his svarupa. The scriptures say
about the deity-worship of the Lord: nadevo devam arcayet, and devo bhutva devam yajet
"Without becoming a god (attaining a spiritual identification) one should not worship God.",
and "First one must become a god himself before worshipping God." Hence the scriptures have
prescribed bhuta suddhi (assumption of a spiritual identification). About this Snm at Jiva
Gosvami has written: tatra bhuta-suddhir nijdbhilafita bhagavat sevaupayika tat parqada deha
bhdvand-paryantaiva tat sevaika purusarthibhify karya nijanukulyat (Bhakli Sandarbha 286)
"Those for whom the service of the Lord is the supreme goal of life should think of themselves
in the form of an associate of the Lord, having a spiritual body which is suitable for the Lord's
service. This will be most favorable for that service, and this is their bhuta suddhi." This is also
the siddhanta of Slim ad Bhagavata (3.9.11): yad yad dhiya ta urugdya vibhdvayanti tat tad
vapuh pranayase sad anugrahaya, and is confirmed by 5iTla ViSvanatha Cakravartipada in his
Sarartha DarSim-commentary on this verse: te sadhaka-bhaktah sva sva bhavanurupam yad
yad dhiya bhdvayanti tat tad eva vapus tesdth siddha deham pranayase prakar$ena tan
prapayasi aho te sva bhakta paravasyam iti bhavah "Whatever the sadhaka bhaktas meditate
on, according to their own feelings, the Lord will make them a siddha deha accordingly, which
they will attain. Aho! This is how the Lord is subdued by His devotees!" <
£ffpada, in his kihkarT rupaf sees that the young Couple forgets everything, even T heir
own identities, in the ecstasy of lovemaking. In this way Syama accidentally puts Radhika's
blue sari on and Radhika accidentally puts Syama's yellow dhoti on. Thus They play on like
transcendental blue and yellow lights.
manjula kunjodare, manimaya srT mandire,

nila pita navma yugala
ali adabhuta rati vikrama vilase mati
madana vegete veyakula
"In a jewelled temple in a lovely grove, a young blue and yellow Couple engages in
wonderfully powerful amorous sports, being greatly agitated by erotic urges."
vilasa tarahga mdjhe, rasamayT rasaraje,

w
Sola Prabodhananda Saras vatl 345
na jani ki sukhe ageydn

pita nila suvarana, nija nija ye vasana,
vinimaye koila paridhana
"The king of rasikas and rasamayi Radha forget Themselves of bliss while They float
on the waves of Their pastimes, and They accidentally exchange Their blue and yellow
garments."
nirajane nandasuta, vrsabhanu suta yuta
sphuranete darasana kori
srTpada prabodhananda, se vilasa rasakanda
prakasa korild chanda kori
"5ripada Prabodhananda shows the desire to see these intimate pastimes of Nanda's son
and Vrsabhanu's daughter, who are the source of all rasa, in a transcendental revelation."
VERSE 172:
RARE KAMALAM ADBHUTAM BHRAMA YA TOR MITHO 'MSARPITA

SPHURATPULAKA DOR LATA YUGALAYOH SMARONMATTAYOH
SAHAS A RASA PESALAM MAD A KARINDRABHAJNGLSATAIR
GATIMRASIKAYOR DVAYOH SMARATA CARU VRNDAVANE
* •
kare - in the hand; kamalam - lotus; adbhuiam - wonderful; bhraniayatoh - twirling around;
mithah - eachother; ariisa - shoulders; arpita - placing; sphurat - clear; kanaka - golden; doh - arm; lata
- vine; yugalayoh - the couple; sniaronmatlayoh - intoxicated by lust; sahdsa - with laughter; rasa -
flavour; pesalarii - beautiful; mada - mad; karindra - king of elephants; bhangT - gesture; Sataih - with
hundreds; gatirii - course; rasikayoh dvayoh - of both relishers; smarata - remembering; earn -
beautiful; vrnddvane - in Vmdavana.
Ju st rem em ber the hundreds o f gestures o f the rasika C ouple in b eau tifu l
V rndavana, th at resem ble those o f in toxicated elephants th at en joy the rasa o f laughter,
w ho are intoxicated by feelings o f love, w ho keep their vin e-lik e arm s, th at are eru p tin g
w ith goosepim ples o f ecstasy, on E ach oth er’s shoulders and w ho tw irl w onderful
lotusflow ers around in T heir hands!
THE MOVEMENTS OF TWO RELISHERS:
C om m entary: The rasika pastimes are completed, so the maidservant enters the kunja
to serve delicious syrup and betelleaves and to fan the exhausted young Couple. After a short
rest the young Couple wants to ramble in the forest, so They walk out of the kunja, with Their
arms on Eachother's horripilating shoulders, to behold the beauty of Vrndavana. Sff JTva *
GosvamI says there is more bliss in such sportive pastimes than in the actual sexual union:
vidagdhanam lu yatha vanitanurdgasvadane vdneha na tatha tat 'sparsadav api (Pnti
Sandarbha). "The exchange of feelings between amorous lovers is more relishable than the
t
*
3 16 3 n - S n R adha R asa S udhanidhi
touch (kissing, embracing etc.)." Radha and M adhava relish thisfom antic mood while They
walk around admiring the beauty o f the forest:
bhrhgaih kvapi vanapriyah kvacid ime casais ca dhumyafaka

datyuhaih sikhi catakas tata ito hariisadayah sarasaih
kirah kvapi kikhf kulair ilia bharadvajais ca haritakah
gayantiva mudatra varii guna yasah prertmd ruvantah sada
(Govinda Lllam rta 12.47)
"Somewhere the bees sing with the cuckoos, somewhere the Casa-birds (golden
Catakas) sing with the forktailed passerine-birds, somewhere the galluiines sing with the
peacocks and the Cataka-birds, somewhere the cranes sing with the swans, somewhere the
parrots sing with the Kikhl-birds and somewhere the larks and Haritakis always blissfully and
lovingly sing of Your qualities and Your fame!
.. • ?
.-lyam astindara twirls His playlotus around in His right hand, 3rlm atl twirls Her
playlotus around in Her left hand and both are twirling Eachother's minds around with these
lotuses. There are no sakhls around here, so the young Couple can freely enjoy Their
forestwalk like two elephants intoxicated by lusty desires. How many hundreds o f beautiful
movements They make! The m aidservant follows Them like Their shadow and is engaged in
Their loving service. Sometimes the romantic Couple sings sweet lovesongs, describing the
sweetness of Eachother’s love and Eachother’s forms. The whole of VmdSvana is illum inated
by the luster o f Their sw eet forms and inundated by the nectarflood o f T heir joking and
laughter, all the creatures of the forest are enchanted! Sometimes the young Couple picks
flowers and decorates Eachother with them, sometimes They listen to the prattlings o f the male
and female parrots in the branches of the trees and sometimes They enjoy a cool breeze that
carries the fragrance of flowers. 3rlpada prays: "May I remember Radha and M adhava’s
fascinating walk through the Vrndavana forest!"
sucaru srT vm davane rasika rasikd;

sajala jalada ara svam a pahcalika
Ilia padtna dolaiya pararna anande;
samarpiya bahu lata paraspara skandhe
. » s
sata sata rasa-bhangT vistara koriya;
• * • koto hasya rase ydy heliya duliya
smaronmatta rasamayT rasika nagara;
sata sata matta kanndra madahara
he mon! smarana koro se gati suiidara!
bhane srTprabodhananda kavya manohara
"In beautiful Vrndavana, rasika Krsna looks like a full raincloud and rasikd Radhika
• * • • 4
looks like a golden statue. In topmost bliss They tw irl playlotuses in Their hands, placing Their
vine-like arms on Eachother's shoulders. They make hundreds of rasika gestures and so many
jokes, leaning and swaying against Eachother. This rasika hero and heroine is intoxicated by
lust and thus destroy the pride of hundreds of mad elephants. O Mind! Rem em ber Their
beautiful gait! Thus $rl Prabodhananda beautifully rhymes."
VERSE 173:
KHELANMUGDHAK$1 MlNA SPHURAD ADHARA MANI VIDRUMA $RONI BHARA

D VIPA YAMOTTARANGA SMARA KALABHA KATATOPA VAK$ORUHAYAH
GAMBHIRAVARTA NABHER BAHULA HARIMAHA-PREMA PIYUSA SINDHOH
SRlRADHA YAHPADAMBHORUHA PARICARANE YOGYATAM EVA GE$E
khelat - playing; mugdha - innocent; aksi - eyes; nuna - fish; sphurat - clear; adhara - lips;
mani - jewels; vidruma - coral; sroni - hips; bhara - weight; dvipa - island; dydma - long; utlarafiga -
extraordinary; smara - Cupid; kalabha - elephant; kata - trunk; atopa - pride; vaksoruhdyah - of the
breasts; gamblura - deep; avarta - whirlpool; tiabheh - of the navel; bahula - many; hari - of Hari;
mafia - great; plyusa - nectar; sindhoh - of the ocean; in radhdydh - of £ri Radha; paddmbhoruha -
lotusfeet; paricarane - worshipping; yogyatam - qualification; eva - only; gese - searching.
I desire the privilege to serve the lotusfeet of SrT R adha, who is a great nectar-
ocean of love for SrT H ari, in which H er innocent playful eyes are the fishes, H er red lips
are the coralstones, H er big buttocks a long island, H er breasts the temples of m ad baby-
elephants and H er navel a deep whirlpool.
THE GREAT NECTAROCEAN O F LOVE FO R HARI:
C om m entary: How sweetly Radha and Madhava stroll through the forest, while the
birds sing Sri Radha's glories and Their arms are erupting with goosebumps of ecstasy! It
seems as if Sri Radha is a great ocean of love for Hari, in which Her restless eyes, with which
She casts restless glances at Syamasundara, are the playful fishes, that are swimming most
blissfully in the nectarean waves. The ocean is an abode of jewels, and SrT Radha's lips are the
coralstones that give dignity to the nectar-ocean of Hariprema. Radha's large buttocks are like
islands in this ocean, on which the mad-baby elephants of Cupid reside. Sripada mentions this
because he remembers that Hari becomes very lusty after He sees Radha's big buttocks. 3ri
Radha's breasts are like the trunks of Cupid's baby-elephants, and Her navel is one of the deep
whirlpools one often Finds in a vast ocean. The boat of Krsna’s mind is always sucked into that
deep whirlpool of rasa. Moreover, £ n Radha's feet are lotusflowers that float on this vast
ocean, Her thighs are the stems of these lotusflowers, and the honey that trickles from these
lotusflowers is the prema rasa that is always so eagerly relished by the devotees' bee-like
minds and that extinguishes the burning fire of desire in Krsna's heart
VERSE 174:
VICCHEDABHASA MATRADAHAHA NIMISATO GATRA V1SRAMSANADAU

DIPYAT KALPAGNIKOTIJVALITAMIVA BHAVED BAHYAM ABHYANTARAM CA
GADHA SNEHANUBANDHA GRATHITAM IVA YAYOR ADBHUTA PREMA MURTYOH
S R l RADHA MADHA VAKHYAM PARAM IHA MADHURAM TAD DVA YAM DHAMA JANE
m
viccheda - separation; dbhdsa - semblance; matrat - only; aha fif - O!; nimisata - a moment;
gdtra - body; visramscma - movement; adau. - and so; dipyat - blazing; kalpagni - fire of destruction;
koti - millions; jvalitam - burning; iva - as if; bhaved - is; bahyam - externally; abhyantare - inside; ca
- and; gadha - deep; sneha - affection; anubandha - bonds; grathitam - bound; iva - as if; yayoh - of
them; adbhuta - wonderful; prerna - love; murtyah - of form; in radha madhavdkhyam - known as
Radha and Madhava; param - supreme; iha - here; madhuram - sweet; tad - that; dvayam - couple;
dhdma - effulgence; jane - 1 know.
Aho! I know the sweet effulgent Couple named Radha-M adhava, who are the
wonderful forms of love, who are bound to Eachother with the tight knot of m utual
affection and who experience a moment of supposed separation to be more burning than
million of blazing fires of destruction in Their bodies, Inside and outside!
THE SUPREME EFFULGENCE RADHA-MADHAVA:

.t •«
Com m entary: 5ri-3ri Radha-Madhava are making love in a lovely grove in

Vrndavana. It is as if They are tightly bound by a knot of sneha. Srila Rupa Gosvaml defines
sneha as follows in his 'Ujjvala Nilamani (Sthayi 57)':
arnhya paramam kastham premd cid dtpa dJpanah

hrdayam dravayann esa sneha ityabhidhTyate
atrodite bhavej jatu na trptir darsanadisu
"When prema reaches its pinnacle it begins to illuminate the transcendental object of
love and it causes the heart to melt. This is known as sneha. When that sneha arises, the lover
is never satisfied even if he sees or touches the beloved." 3fi Radha has the madiyata-altitiidt
towards Krsna, thinking ’You are Mine1. This most elevated feeling is called madhu sneha. It is
sweet of itself, it is a collection of different transcendental flavours, it is warm and intoxicating
and it is very firm (gadha). This is $n Rupa Gosvamts teaching:
madiyatvatisaya bhak priye sneho bhaven madhu

svayam prakata madhuryo nand rasa samahrtih
mattatosmadharah sneho madhu samyan madhiicyate (ibid, 61)
jSnpada says: "£n Yugala is tightly bound by the knot of mutual sneha in the kunja."
In the devotional scriptures different explanations have been given of the word anubandha,
and all of them are applicable here. One meaning is 'attachment'. The lovers cannot get enough
of touching and seeing Eachother, and Their attachment to Eachothers forms, qualities and
natures always increases. Poet Vidyapati sings:
hataka darapana mdthaka phula; nayanaka anjana mukhaka tambula

hrdayaka mrgamada gitnaka hara; dehaka saravasa gehaka sara
pakhlka pdkh mlnaka pani; jlvaka jTvana ham tuhu jani
tuhu koise madhava koho tuhu may; vidyapati koho- duhun doho hoy
*
"O Madhava! You are the mirror in My hand, the flowers in My hair, the eyeliner
around My eyes, the betelleaves in My mouth, the musk on My breasts, the necklace around
My neck, the all-in-all for My body and the best thing in My house. You are the life of My
life, as a bird needs its wings and the fish needs water. O Madhava, tell Me, what am I to
You?'* Vidyapati says: "They both belong to Eachother." Like two flowers, Radha and
Madhava are bound to the string of strong attachment to Eachother. another meaning of the
word anubandha can be abhinivesa. The knot of love is the result of deep absorption in tild-
rasa, the flavour of pastimes coming from this deep affection, also then one is unsatiated and
very thirsty for love. No one has as much of this divine thirst as Radha and Madhava. The
word anubandha also means bandhana (bondage), agraha (eagerness), paripdti (expertise) and
even more, all these meanings are applicable to this verse. The bondage of the young Couple’s
natural love is very firm and genuine, full of wonderful expertise and eagerness and ties Them
together like two flowers on the string of love. When there's even the slightest thought of
separation, the young Couple feels a burning sensation which is even hotter than millions of
fires of universal cataclysm. No material words can describe this feeling. Even a fraction of a
moment of separation is intolerable. Sri Suka Muni says: yat preksane dr$i$u patyma-krtam
sapanti (Bhag. 10.82.40) "When the gopTs saw Krsna, they cursed the Creator for making
eyelashes on their eyes, so that they could not constantly stare at Him." This mood is manifest
to the utmost in Radha and Madhava. When They are united They don’t even accept
sandalpaste or garlands on Their bodies, for that will interrupt Their mutual touch. cTra
candana ure hdra na dela (Vidyapati). hiyaya hiyaya lagibo lagiya candana nd mdkhe ahge
(Jiiana dasa). Even when the gopTs, who have an extra-marital relationship with Krsna, meet
with Him, they experience separation from Him, and that mood is manifested to the utmost in
Sri Radha's madanakhya rnaha bhdva.
premakunje prema murti, radha kr$na prana-pati,

yukta bhdve yugala ratana
gadha snehe rdi kanu, abaddha grathita janu,
aparupa madhura milana
"Radha and Krsna, the forms of love, the two jewels Rai-Kanu, are bound in a knot of
deep mutual affection as They sweetly meet Eachother in a wonderful arbour of love."
nimise vicchedabhasa, pramodim pltavdse,

anubhave radha damodara s
kalpanta anala sama, virahete dahe yeno,

donhakara bdhya abhyantara
"When Pramodini (blissful) Radha and Pltavasa Damodara are feeling separated from
Eachother for even a fraction of a moment, They are burning inside out in the fire of universal
destruction."
tribhuvane vidagadha, srT radhika sri niadhava
madhura madhura rasa-dhama
srTpada prabodhananda, maha ratna Sloka cchanda,
yugala madhuri kore gana
"Radhika and Madhava are the most clever lovers of the three worlds and They are the
ever-so-swcet abodes of rasa. With great jewelled verses and rhymes SrTpada Prabodhananda
sings of the sweetness of this Couple."
350 3 ri-3 il Radha R asa Sudhanidhi
VERSE 175:
KADA RA TYUNMUKTAM KA CA-BHARAM AH AM SAM YAMA YITA

KADA VA SAMDHASYE TRUTITA NAVA MUKTAVALIM API
KADA VA KASTURYAS T1LAKAM API BHUYO RACAYITA
NIKUNJANTAR VftTTE NAVA RAT1RANE YAUVATA MANEH
kadd - when; rati - loveplay; mmuktarii - loosened; kaca-bharam - braid; aharh - 1;

samyamayitd - rebind; kadd va - or when; sariidhasye - restring; trutita - broken; nava - new;
muktdvalim - pearl necklace; apt - even; kasturydh - of musk; tilakam - tilaka; api - even; bhuyali -
again; racayild - making; nikuhja - arbour; antali - inside; vrtte - engaging; nava - new; rati rane -
amorous fight; yauvata - youngster; maneh - of the jewel.
W hen can I serve the jewel o f young girls (R adha) by arranging H er h air, w hich
w as loosened during H er erotic fight in the groves? W hen can I collect and restring the
new pearls that fell from H er broken necklace, and w hen can I p ut the musk-tilaka back
o n H er forehead?
H EA R T ’S SER V IC E:
Com m entary: The maidservant admires the beauty of the ever-fresh amorous battle of
the Yugala KiSora, looking through the holes of the vines, her fish-like eyes blissfully
swimming in the ocean o f these sweet pastimes* &Ha RaghunEtha dasa GosvamI anxiously
prayed:
smara vilasita talpe jalpa Ulamanalpdm; krama krti parihTnarfi vibhrati tetia sardham
mitha iva parirambhdrambha vrttaika varsma; ksariam api mama radhe netram anandaya tvam
pramada madatia yuddiia srantitah kdnta kftna; pracura sukhada vak$ah sphdra talpe svapantl
rasa mudita visakhd vljitaddha samrddhd; fcsanam api mama radhe netram anandaya tvam
(Prema Purabhidha Stotram 4 and 5)
"O Radhe! Without interruption You are having different joking discussions with Kr$na
on the bed of amorous pastimes and You embrace Him so firmly that it seems as if Your two
bodies have become One. Please delight my eyes for even a moment! O Radhe! When You
become tired of a passionate amorous battle You sleep on the great, blissful bed of Your
beloved Kr$na's broad chest, being blissfully fanned by ViSakha. Please delight my eyes for
even a moment!" When KiSorlmani is victorious in the erotic battle, the maidservant becomes
• *
very proud. Just like a jewel, the beauty of adolescent Radhika is ever-fresh and imperishable,
and even more so, and this makes the erotic battle also ever-fresh.
Now the erotic battle is finished and the young Couple sits on Their playbed. The
maidservant, understanding that the lovemaking is over, enters into the kunja. rasa personified
(Krsna) personally starts making up Svamim. Her hair was loosened during the erotic battle,
Her pearl necklace was broken, Her sweatdrops washed away the musk tilaka on Her forehead,
and Her ornaments were all disarranged. The maidservant is out of her mind of ecstasy when
she sees the sweet form of her victorious SvSminl. The two lovers breath deeply and stare in
Eacholher's eyes. Streams of sweetness gush from Their limbs when They understand that
They were able to make Eachother happy. First, the maidservant dries up Radha and
SrUa PrabodhSnanda Sarasvatl 351
Madhava’s sweatdrops by fanning Them, and then she serves Them water and betelleaves. She
re-arranges SvaminI's loosened hair and rewinds it with a garland of fresh jasmine-flowers.
She collect the pearls from Radhika's necklace, that were strewn all over the kunja after 3yama
broke it during Their love-sports, and restrings it into a new necklace, and she makes a new
tilaka of musk on Svamirifs forehead, after the old tilaka was washed away by Her profuse
perspiration.
VERSE 176:
KIM BRUMO'NYATRA KUNTUIKRTAKA JANAPADE D H A M N YA P I SR I VAIKUNTHE

RADHA MADHURYA VETTA MADHUPATIR ATHA TAN MADHURIM VETTIRAD H A
VRNDARANYA STH ALIYAM PARAMA RASA SUDHA M ADHURlNAM DHURINAM
TAD DVANDVAM SVADANIYAM SAKALAM A P I DADAU RADHIKA KINKARINAM
kirii - what; brumal} - saying; anyatra - elsewhere; kunthikrtaka - limiting; janapade - in the
area; dhdmni - in the abode; api - even; £n vaikurifhe - in 5ri Vaikuntha; rddhd madhurya - Radha’s
sweetness; vetta - knowing; madhupatih - the Kr$na-bee; atha - then; tad - His; madhurl - sweetnes;
vetti radhd - Radha knows; vmddranya - Vpndavana; sthallyam - this place; parama rasa - the liighest
taste; sudhd - nectar; mddhunnarii - of sweetnesses; dhunndrii - of great amounts; tat - that; dvandvarii -
couple; svadamyarfi - relishable; sakalam - all; api - even; dadau - giving; radhika kinkanndm - of
Radhika's maidservants.
Only in Sri Vpidavana, which puts to shame even S n Vaikunfha, what to speak of
other places, Madhupati knows Radha's sweetness and Radha knows His sweetness. Sri
Vrndavana, the sweet nectar-ocean full of supreme rasa , gives Radhika's maidservants
all of Their relishable sweetness.
THE AREA WHICH LIMITS EVEN THE UNLIMITED ABODE:
Com m entary: The area of Vrndavana limits even the glories of Lord Vi$nu’s unlimited
abode 3 n Vaikundia. The Padma Purana states: aho madhupun dhanya vaikunthac ca garTyasT
"O How blessed is the area of Mathura! It is even greater than Vaikuntha!", and $rlla RQpa
GosvamI writes in 'UpadeSamrta' vaikunfhdj janito vara madhupuri: "Mathura is greater than
Vaikuntha." There is no sorrow in Vaikuntha, everyone is blissfully engaged in the Lord’s
service there, that is why it is called vai (without) kuntha (sorrow). But the opulence of Vraja
limits (kui}tha) even the opulence of Vaikuntha. In Caitanya Caritamrta it is said:
vmddvane sahajika ye sampad sindhu; dvarakd vaikuntha sampad tdra ek bindu

parama purusottama svayarti bhagavan; krsna yaha dhanf taha vrndavana dhama
cintamanimaya bhumi, ratnera bhavana: cintamani-gana dost carana bHumana
kalpavrksa lata yaha sahajika vana; puspa phala vina kelio nd mage anya dhana
ananta kdma dhenu yaha care vane vane; dugdha mdtra dena keho nd mage anya dhane
"The opulence of Dvaraka and Vaikuntha is only a drop compared to the ocean of
Vrndavana’s natural opulence. The Supreme Person, 3ri Krsna, is the opulent proprietor of that
352 £ n -£ n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
abode of Vrndavana. The earth as well as the anklets of the maidservants are made of Cinta-
gems and the houses are made of jewels. Nobody asks anything else but fruits and flowers
from the wishyielding vines and trees of this natural forest Innumerable wish yielding cows
graze from forest to forest, but nobody asks anything else but milk from them." This is why
Vrndavana is called an 'area' or 'district' {janapada) in this verse. It is the most suitable ground
for the human-like pastimes of Sriman Madana Gopaia and His parents Nanda and Ya£oda and
the cowherders. The happiness of a Vraja-devotee will be reduced (kwtfha) if he were to be
transferred to Vaikuntha. The best example is that of Gopa Kumara in Brhad Bhagavat&mria.
Even Narada Muni was astonished to see that Gopa Kumara was not even attracted to Lord
Visnu after He had assumed the form of Kr$na in a sweet garden somewhere in Vaikuntha, and
Laksmi had turned into Radha. Gopa Kumara was only interested in Madana Gopala's
(Krsna's) sweet pastimes in Vrndavana.
Then ^ rip ad a says: radhci madhurya vetti madhupatir atha tan madhurirh vetti radha.
The rasika Kr$na-bee Madhupati knows Radha's sweetness:
"Sakhi ! When He sees the lightning-like luster of the jewel of Vraja-girls, Madhupati
loses His patience and He goes mad! Her teeth shine like pearls and Her smiling face shines
like the moon! Her sweetness comes forth from mahd bhdva, and that is why it enchants the
transcendental Cupid of Vrndavana like that" (Cantf! dasa)
Kr$na is Madhupati, the emperor of sweetness, and no one can relish His sweetness like
Sri Radha, who reigns over the kingdom of mahd bhdva. Srlla Jnana dasa sings:
kene geldm jala bharibare,

yaite yamunara ghate, sekhane bhulilo bate
timire gardsilo more
"Why did I go to the bathingplace by the Yamuna to fetch water? I forgot everything
after I was swallowed by the darkness (of Kr$na’s luster)."
rase tanu dhara (ihara, tahe nava kaisora,

ara tahe natavara vesa
ciidara talani vame, tnayura candrikd fhame
lalita lavanya rupa se?a
"Nectar drips from His adolescent body and He is dressed like the best of dancers. His
crown of peacockfeathers slightly tilts to the left and His lovely form is the limit of elegance."
lalafe candana pdhti, nava gorocand bhati,

tara mdjhe punamika cand
alaka balita mukha, tribhahga bhahgima sukha
kamim janera mana phanda
"The spots of sandalpaste on His forehead shine like fresh gorocand pigments, and in
their midst (between His eyes) is a full moon (spot of sandal). Lovely curly locks flank His
face and He poses in a blissful threefold bending form, that works like a net to catch the minds
of all the girls."
loke tare kalo koyr sahaja se kalo noy,
mlamani mukutara panti
3rila PrabodhSnanda Sarasvatl 353
cahani cancala banka, kadamba gachete fhekd,

bhuvana rnohana rupa bhdti
"The people call Him kalo (black boy) but actually He isn’t black. He is like a sapphire
with a row of pearls. His form enchants the whole world as He stands under a Kadamba-tree,
casting restless glances around."
Such songs show what a sweet area £rl Vrndavana is. Even if Radha and Kr$na would
meet Eachother outside of Vrndavana They would not feel happy. Rather, They would feel
very sad! Sri Radha told Kr$na in Kuruksetra (in Caitanya Caritamrta):
sei tumi sei ami se nava sangama; tattepi dmdra mon hare vrndavana
ihd lokdranya hdthi ghodd ratha dhvani; tahd puspdranya bhpiga pika nada suni
ihd raja vesa sab saiige k§atriya-gana; tahd gopagarxa sange murali vadana
vraje tomdra saiige yei suldm dsvddana; se sukha samudrera hoiya ndhi eka kana
"This is You and this is Me, and this is the same new meeting of Ours. Nevertheless,
My mind is still stolen by Vrndavana. Here is a forest of people, and I hear elephants, horses
and chariots. There (in Vraja) is a forest of flowers where I hear bees and cuckoos. Here .You
are dressed like a king, and You're surrounded by warriors, and there You play Your flute with
the cowherders. Here I cannot get even a drop of that ocean of happiness I had when I was
with You in Vraja!"
Sripada concludes by saying: tad dvandvam svadanlyarii sakalam api dadau radhika
kihkarmdm "The abode of Vrndavana gives the maidservants of Sri Radhika everything to
relish the full nectar of Her devotional’service." Anyone who earnestly comes to Vraja to take
shelter of Sri Radhika’s lotusfeet, will be blessed with Her nikunja seva.
VERSE 177:
LASAD VADANA PANKAJA NAVA GABHiRA N ABH IBH RAM A

NITAM BA PULINOLLASAN MUKHARA KANCIKAD AM BINI
VISUDDHA RASA VAH1N1RASIKA S1NDHU SANGONMADA
SADA SURATARANGINl JA Y A T IK A P I VRNDAVANE
lasad - beautiful; vadana - face; paftkaja - lotus; nava - new; gabhTra - deep; ndbhT - navel;
bhrama - resembling; nitamba - buttock; pulina - riverbank; ullasat - beautified; muklxara - jingling;
kdncl - waistbells; kadambinT - swan; vifuddha - pure; rasa vahim - river of nectar; rasika - Kr$na, tine
relisher; sanga - union; unmadd - mad after; sada - always; suratarafiginT - Gaftga; jayati - glories;
kapi - some; vmdavane - in Vrndavana.
All glories to some SurataranginT (Radha, a Gariga-river of erotic love) in

Vrndavana, that is always eager to meet the ocean of rasikas (Kr$na), whose face is its
lotusflower, whose navel is like its deep whirlpool, whose buttocks are like its banks and
whose waistbells are its cooing swans!
0 $
THE GANGA-RIVER OF VRAJA:

354 Srl-Srl Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
Com m entary: It is evening and SrTpada, in his kinkan-form, is engaged in SnmatTs

service in Yavat. The moon rises in the sky, the Malayan breezes are blowing, and the
moonrays increase SnmatTs eagerness to meet §yama. Just then Syama plays His enchanting
flute in a trystingplace, and Rai madly rushes out to meet Him (abhisara). “Although the night
is as dark as a mass of collyrium, the path is slippery and there are snakes coiling all over the
dark forest, these things cannot stop Her passionate course. All the tigers, bears, buffaloes and
wild boars flee when they see passionate Rai approaching, and when She sees a snake with
effulgent jewels on its hoods She fearlessly covers these jewels with Her hands, so that they
will not betray Her presence to Her superiors. O Rai! What can I say about Your passionate
love for Madhava?”
The maidservants follow Siimatl like Her shadow, seeing Her as a Ganga-river of
passionate love speedily flowing towards the ocean of §yama. Suratarahginl can mean sura-
tar angim, the river of the gods (Ganga) or surata-rariginT, a woman who enjoys erotic
pastimes. Just as both the banks of a river (du kuld) are flooded during the rainy season, this
girl also forgets Her two families {du kuld), Her own family and Her husband’s family, as She
swiftly flows towards the ocean of Her paramour. The maidservant sees that Radha is a pure
ra ^ -riv e r iyisuddha rasa vahint) of love. Pure means: having no desire for personal
satisfaction, but having only a firm desire for satisfying Krona's senses. This pure love can
never be compared to the love of a wordly heroine for her paramour. Radha’s love is the
essence of the transcendental, selfless love of Vraja. She’s very anxiously thinking: ”How
eagerly My rasamaya prariakdnta must be waiting for M el”, always carrying the eager king of
transcendental erotic rasa, 3 n Kr$na, in Her heart.
Srlmati’s beautiful face is like a blooming golden lotusflower that floats on this pure
loveriver, from which the honey of pure love for Kr$na drips, and Her navel is like a deep
whirlpool of rasa in this strong river, which constantly sucks up the blades of Krona’s grass
like thoughts and desires, nipatita madhava mugdha mano mrga nabhi sudhdrasa kupam
(Sanglta Madhava) "The deer-like mind of enchanted Madhava falls into the nectar-well of
REdhika’s navel, and cannot come out anymore.” Just as lordly swans are sweetly cooing and
playing on the banks of the Gaftga, so the waistbells of 3 n Radha sweetly jingle on Her bank
like buttocks as She rushes towards the Krsna-ocean. The maidservant glorifies this Ganga of
passionate love while she follows Her.
jaya sura taranginl, amrtera mandakim

vrndavane sadd vartamdna
hasya yukta srT vadana, praphulla paftkaja yeno
nitya nava nayanabhirama
"All glories to the celestial nectar-Gafiga of love (S n Radha) that always stay in
Vrndavana, and whose smiling face is like an everblooming lotusflower that delights the eyes!”
sugabhlra nabhi sobha, rasdvarta manolobhd,

darasane hare mana prana
nitamba pulina jani, kanci-dama kadambim\
mukharita amrta samana
"Her deep, beautiful navel is like a whirlpool of rasa whose sight steals one’s mind, and
Her buttocks are like the banks of this river, that carry a nectarean jingling swan-like sash of
bells.”
S o la PrabodhSnanda Sarasvati 355
prabodhanandete koy, rasamayi radhaname,

niraniala tafini agadha,
namera taranga tule, yeno umnadim cale,
syatnambudhi sahgame sarvada
Prabodhananda says: "The nectarean name of Radha is a spotless and deep river, that
always madly flows towards the Syama-ocean!"
VERSE 178:
ANANGA NAVA RANG INI RASA TARANG If/I SANGATA

DADHAT SUKHA SUDHAMAYE SVA TANU NIRADHAU RADHIKA
AHO MADHUPA K A K A U MADHURA MADHA V i MAND APE
SM ARA KSUBHITAM EDHATE SURATA SIDHU M ATT A ik M AH A H
anatiga - Cupid; nava - new; ranginT - cnjoyer, rasa tarahgini - river of mellows; sangata -
meeting; dadhat - making; sukha - joy; sudhdmaye - full of nectar; sva tanu - own body; mradfiau -
oceans; rddhika - Radhika; aho - O!; madhupa - bumblebee; kakall - buzzing; madhura - sweet;
madhavT mandape - in a pavillion of Madhavl-flowers; smara - erotic; ksubhitam - agitation; edhate -
increasing; surata - erotic; sTdhu - nectar; mattarii - intoxicated; mahali - effulgence.
Aho! Bearing the union with the waves of the new eijjoyer of erotic rasa , Sri
Radhika, accepting Her flow into His own body, the nectarflHed ocean of joy, a
transcendental light (Kr$na) dwells in a MadiiavT-pavillion with sweetly humming
bumblebees, intoxicated by nectarean erotic desires.
THE RIVER MEETS WITH THE OCEAN;
Com m entary: Sripada, in his kinkarT-form, follows passionate Radhika on Her

abhisara, 3rimati lost all sense of direction and the maidservant, running behind Her, tells Her
what is the way. Meanwhile Syamasundara eagerly waits for Her in a sweet pavillion of
Madhavl-flowers. How beautiful is this pavillion of Madhavl-flowers! The vines and trees bear
many blooming flowers, whose fragrance attracts the thirstily buzzing bumblebees, and the
drunken cuckoos fill all the directions with their sweet songs. All the forestcreatures are
shivering of ecstasy when they are touched by the pleasantly blowing soft breeze. The
peacocks blissfully spread their feathers and start to dance sweetly, bucks and does walk
happily walk around and different birds are chirping. This wonderful natural beauty creates
strong erotic feelings in Sri Kr$na, for it reminds Him of Silmatl Radha; the transcendental
Cupid of Vrndavana becomes agitated Himself. The southern breezes, the fragrance of the
flowers, the buzzing of the bees, the singing of the cuckoos and the dancing of the peacocks
are like Cupid's five cruel arrows that pierce the tender prince of Vraja and make Him helpless.
In a very agitated state He then prays to Cupid:
pdnau ma kuru ciita fayakam amurii ma cdpamaropaya

356 £n-$rt Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
krtdd nirjita visva murcchita janaghatena kirii paurusam

tasya eva mrgT-drfo manasija prehkhat kafaksafuga
$reni jarjaritarii mandg api mano nadyapi satiidhuksaie
(Gita Govindam)
" 0 Cupid! Don’t hold that mangobud-arrow in your hand and don’t place it on your
bow! You are easily capable of conquering the whole world, so how can you show your
prowess by piercing a person who has already fainted? A hero like you will simply be
criticised for that! And if you ask Me: W hy did You faint?’, then listen, I will tell you: some
doe-eyed girl (out of ecstasy Krsna could not pronounce Radha's name) has already aimed Her
arrow-like glances at Me from the bow of Her eyebrows!’’ Although Kr$na is the
personification of bliss, such are His feelings of separation. When He hears the bees buzzing
around the blooming Madhavi-flowers, He becomes so agitated by lusty feelings that He
blocks His ears with His hands, dhvanati madhupa samuhe sravanam apidadhati (Gita
Govinda). Then the afflicted hero sees that the whole of Vmdavana is illuminated by a golden
splendour and He hears the jingling of waistbells and anklebells. These delightful impulses
make Him rise from death once more. Snmati is also very anxious when She sees a bluish light
illuminating the MadhavT-pavillion. She is very agitated when She sees the ocean of nectarean
ecstatic rasa, Sri Syamasundara, the transcendental Cupid of Vrndavana, and Syama is also
very happy when He secs the ananga nava rangirii (young girl who enjoys erotic sports) rasa
tarahgim (river of mellows) Sri Radha.
duhufi dofihd daraiane ulasita bhelo; akula atniya sagare dubi gelo
duhun jana nayana hoyala sab thira; duhuh mukha duhu heri dharakata nlra
kare dhari rai loi bosaolo varne; pitavdse rnochai rai mukha ghame
aparupa radhd kdnu vildsa; anande nirakhai govinda dasa
“They are very happy to see Eachother. It is as if They anxiously float on an ocean of
nectar. When Their eyes become steady They can see Eachother’s faces and Their eyes become
filled with tears. He takes Rai by the hand and seats Her on His left, wiping the sweatdrops
from Her face with His yellow cloth. Govinda dasa blissfully beholds Radha and Kr$na’s
wonderful pastimes.” Thus the Radha-river meets with the Krsna-ocean. Just as the ocean
swells when a river merges into it, so 3yama’s heart blooms up with amorous desires when He
holds the Radha-Ganges-river to His chest
VERSE 179:
ROM A l l M IH IRA TMAJA SU LA U TE BANDHUKA BANDHU PRABHA

SARVANGE SPHUJA CAMP AKA CCHABIR AH O NAB H i SARAH SOBHANA
VAK$OJA STAVAKA LASAD BHUJA-LATA S IN JAP A TAJ JH A N K R T Iff
SR I RADHA HARATE MANO MADHUPATER ANYEVA VJgNDATAVl
romali - hairs; mihira - the sun; atmaja - daughter; sulalite - very lovely; bandhuka bandhu -
friend of the Bandhuka-flower; prabha - luster; sarva - all; afige - on the body; sphuta - blooming;
campaka cchabi - luster of the Campaka-flower; aho - 01; ndbhi - navel; sarah - lake; Sobhana -
beauty; vaksoja - breasts; stavaka - bunch; lasad - beautiful; bhuja - arm; lata - vines; Sinjapatat - bees;
3rfla Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 357
jhankrtih - jingling; $n radha harate - Sn Radha steals; manah - the mind; madhupateh - of the Kr§na-
bee; anya - other; iva - just like; vmdatavT - Vrndavana.
Just like Vpndavana Sri Radha steals Madhupati's mind with the hairlines on Her
body, that look like the streams of the Yamuna-river, Her bodily aura that shines like
Bandliuka-flowers, Her limbs that shine like Campaka-flowers, Her lake-like navel, Her
bouquet-like breasts, Her vine-like arms and Her ornaments, that buzz like bees.
SRI RADHA IS VRNDAVANA
Com m entary: 5npada's transcendental vision continues. After Radha and Madhava
made love in the MadhavT-pavillion, the fortunate maidservant can fan Them and serve Them
fresh betelleaves and scented water. After a short rest Radha and Madhava set out to admire
the beauty of the vernal forest. Even when Radha is not with Him, this vernal forest can cause
Krsna to become pierced by Cupid's arrows, but now He can relish the beauty of the forest
together with Her:
kusuma bhare nava pallava dola; madhu pibi madhukarT madhukara rola
take nava kokila pahcama gaya; duhun jana drati candana vdya
punamika rati mohana rtu-raja; vaidagadhi vidagadha milalo samaja
naha nilamani varana sufhdrna; rdi rnukura kancana dasa bdna
donhe donhd heraite duhun bhelo bhori; rdi bhelo sydma, sydma bhelo gon
dlihgana koroite upajala hdsa; o rupa bolihdn balarama dasa
"The branches of the trees are filled with flowers and fresh sprouts surrounded by
buzzing and drinking bumblebees. There the young cuckoos sing in the fifth note and the wind
performs drati to the young Couple by carrying the scent of sandalwood. It is the fullmoon
night of the enchanting king of seasons (spring) and the clever hero meets the clever heroine.
Krsna's body shines like an emerald and Rai's body like a golden mirror melted ten times.
When They look at Eachother, They become absorbed in Eachother: Rai became $yama and
Syama became Gaurl (Radhika). When They embrace Eachother They start to laugh. Balarama
dasa glorifies this vision!” Radha and 3 yam a keep Their arms on Eachother's shoulders and
wander through the vernal forest, admiring its beauty in the light of the full moon. All the
creatures of the forest shiver of ecstasy when they see the sweetness of the Yugala. A devotee
who remembers this feels as if he directly experiences the slight smiles, the glossy golden and
bluish complexions and the unrivalled beauty of the Yugala Kiôra. Sometimes goosebumps
erupt on his skin when he hears Their voices or the jingling of Their ornaments, and sometimes
he humbly thinks: “Alas! When will I see this youthful Couple face to face and serve Them
directly?”
After touring the vernal forests, the divine Couple sits down on a moonlit jewelled
platform on the bank of the Yamuna, being fully enchanted by Eachother's sweetness. The
maidservant follows Them like Their shadow and fans Them. Krsna tells Radhika: "O Priye!
You look like another form of Vrndavana to Me! The erect hairs on Your body are like the
waves of the Mihiratmaja (Yamuna) because of their blackish luster, Your lips shine like the
Bandhuka-flowers that grow all over Vrndavana, Your bodily luster shines like the golden
Campaka-flowers in the forest and Your beautiful navel is like one of the many beautiful lakes
in Vrndavana. O Priye! There is no shortage of comparisons between You and Vrndatavl!
358 Sri-&ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
Your arms are like its fresh vines in spring,Your breasts are like itrs big bunches of flowers,
and the jingling of Your ornaments is like the buzzing of the bees! When I wander through
Vrndavana, I see that You have given this forest all of Your personal beauty. With Your sweet
beauty You steal My heart, just as VrndatavT does!" No gopT can steal Krsna’s mind as Sri
Radhika does. The great poet Karnapura has written: dsdrh madhye sakala ramam niauli inani
mdleva vaidarbhT rTtir iva madhuryojah prasadadi sakala gunavati sakalalahkdravatT
rasabhdvamayX ca, kanaka ketaldva premdramasya tatfin mahjariva madhurirna jaladharasya
kanaka rekheva saundarya nika$a-pdsanasya kaumudTvananda kumuda bdndhavasya...sara
srXr iva lavanya jaladheh hdsa lakyrmr iva madhumadasya akarabhur iva kala kaldpasya
khanir iva gunamani ganasya kdpi srT radhika ndma (Ananda Vrndavana Campu 1.167) "Sri
Radhika is like a garland of crownjewels on the heads of all the cowherdgirls. Just as the
Vaidarbl-poetry is endowed with all qualities of embellishment as nmdhurya (sweetness), ojah
(power) and prasada (grace), She is also adorned with jewellike qualities like madhurya, ojah
and prasada. She is like a golden Ketakl-flower in a garden of love, a lightningbud in a cloud
of sweetness, a golden stripe on the whetstone of beauty, the moonlight of ecstasy, the
essential wealth of an ocean of beauty, the beautiful proud smile of spring, and a mine of all
arts and all jewel-like qualities". The heart of the maidservant is absorbed in the sweet rasa of
Krsna's comparisons between 3ri Radha and Vrndatavl while she prepares a bed of soft flowers
for the young Couple, where They can become absorbed in Their amorous pastimes. While the
maidservants fan Them and massage Then feet, Radha and Madhava fall asleep. The blessed
maidservants then also fall asleep at Their feet, being absorbed in tasting Their sweetness;
VERSE 180:
RADHA MADHAVAYOR VICITRA SURATARAMBHE NIKUNJODARE

SRASTA PRASTARA SANGATAIR VAPURAIANKURVE'NGA-RAGAIfIKADA
TATRAIVA TRUTITA& SRAJO NIPATITAH SANDHAYA BHUYAff KADA
KANJHE DHARAY1TASMIMARJANA KRTE PRATAH PRAVI$TASMY AHAM
radha mddhavayoh - Radha and Madhava; vicitra - wonderful; surata - erotic; arambha - in the
beginning; nikunjodare - in a grove; srasta - dishevelled; prastara sangataih - bed of flowers; vapuh -
body; alahkurve - decorate; ahga-rdgaih - with body make up; kadd - when; iatra - there; eva - only;
trutitah - broken; sraja - garland; nipatitah - fallen; sandhdya - restringing; bhuyah - again; kadd -
when; kanthe - around the neck; dharayistdsmi - 1 wear; mdrjana - cleaning; krte - doing; prdtah - in
the morning; pravi$tdsmi - I enter; aham - 1.
When will I decorate my body with the unguents that stuck on Radha and
Madhava's lovebed, having fallen off at the beginning of Their wonderful loveplay in the
n ik u n ja l When will I restring the broken garlands that fell off Their bodies and wear
them around my neck when I enter the n iku n ja in the morning to sweep it up?
SWEET COSMETICS EM THE ARBOUR:

5 rila Prabodhananda SarasvaU 359
Com m entary: Sripada, in his kinkarT-ioim, has fallen asleep while massaging Radha
and Madhava's lotusfeet. Meanwhile, daybreak is coming. How beautiful is the daybreak in
sweet Vmdavana!
vikasita kusuma jharai makaranda;
sab vatia pavana pasdralo gandha
madhu pibi dhavai madhukara punja;
gdvai bhrami bhrami keli nikimja
kujai kokila madhukara ndda;
suni Suni manamatha mana unamada
data diSa puralo khaga mrga gone;
balardma janalo niSi avasdne
"Honey oozes from the blooming flowers, whose fragrance pervades the whole forest.
The bumblebees come quickly to drink their honey and they buzz around all over the
playgrove. The cuckoos sing so sweetly that even Cupid's mind becomes intoxicated when he
hears it. The ten directions are filled with the songs of the birds and the deer, so that Balarama
dasa knows that the night has ended." The maidservants wake up and become engaged in their
usual sweet loving services. Some pour scented water from golden pitchers, some make
enchanting garlands and some prepare sweet water and betelleaves. The maidservants are all
love personified. The aspirants should pray to the eternally perfect maidservants like
Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was praying: %•
man manasonmilad aneka sahgama prayasa kuhjodara labdha sangayoh

nivedya sakhy arpaya math sva sevane vTtTpradanavasare vrajeSayoh
"O Friend (Rupa Manjari)! The king and queen of Vraja, who are always manifest in
my heart, have met in the kunja after great endeavour! Please submit me to Their service while
You offer Them betelleaves!" (Abhi$ta-sucana stava - 4) Through the holes in the grove's foliage
the sakhTs and mahjaris relish the sweetness of the young Couple with the cups of their eyes. It
is as if all beauty of the world is lying before them on a bed of flowers in the form of Radha
and Kr$na's bodies. Their clothes and ornaments have fallen off and the lamps that burn in the
comers of the kunja make Them look like a blue lotusbud and the golden bud of a Campaka-
flower. They have fainted of ecstasy from Eachother's touch and They are lying next to
Eachother, heart-to-heart, Krona’s right foot reaching up to Rai Kteori's left thigh. The sakhTs
and mahjaris are staring at this gorgeous sight without blinking and float in oceans of blissful
rasa as they discuss this sweet vision with eachother. On Vrnda's indication a male and female
parrot begin tosing an awakening song to Krsna: "Hari! Hari! Wake up, O hero! The rascal
Creator is giving You so much misery by causing the night to end! The Queen of Vraja is
eager to churn curd!" When our clever hero hears these words He becomes worried and
slightly opens His eyes, but when He sees His Priya He closes them again, while His hairs
stand on end of ecstasy. He brings a jewelled lamp closer by and holds the chin of His beloved.
Tears stream from His eyes while He beholds Rai's moonlike face and both Radhika and Him
shiver of ecstasy.
When the loving Couple sits up on the bed, the maidservants serve Them scented water
and betelleaves, and straighten out Their clothes and ornaments before They get up from the
bed and sit on a jewelled throne on the terrace of the kunja. Just then the sakhTs enter the kunja,
giggling, covering their mouths with their veils, and making hundreds of waves of jokes and
laughter. 3ripada, in his kinkarl-form, floats in an ocean of bliss while he hears these sweet
jokes and sweeps the kunja. She sees that the bed of flowers was destroyed by the powerful
motion of the amorous Couple's erotic battle and the flowers were scattered here and there.
360 £ri-£ri Rudlia Rasa Sudhanidhi
The word prastara means ’flowerbed1: pallavadyair viracite sayanlye tu sambharah; pras tarah
prastiras ceti prastaro’p i ca kutracit. (Sabda RatnEvali). The maidservants decorate their own
bodies with the cosmetics that have come from Radha and Madhava's bodies onto the bed of
flowers. The garlands have become sweetened by the young Couple’s sweet love and the hairs
of the maidservants stand up of ecstasy when they remember that. The flowers of tills garland,
that was broken during the erotic battle, were scattered all over the kunja, and the maidservants
collect them and restring them into new garlands that they then hang around their own necks in
boundless bliss. Suddenly the spiritual vision disappears and 3rlpada humbly prays to the
lotusfect of his beloved deity if he can attain this good fortune once again.
VERSE 181:
SLOKAN P R E SJH A YASO'NKITAN GRHA SUKAN ADHYAPAYET KARHIC1D

GUNJA M ANJULA HARA BARHA MUKUTAM N IR M A TI KALE KVACIT
AL1KHYA PRIYA MURTIM AKULA KUCAU SAMGHATTA YED VA KADA
PYEVAM VYAPRTIBHIR DINAM N A Y A T I M E RADHA PRIYA SV A M IN I
ilokan - verses; p restha - beloved; ya£ah - fame; ahkitan - marked; grlia - pet; iukdn - parrot;
adhyapayet - teaching; karhicit - sometimes; guhja - berries; mahjula - lovely; hdra - wreath; barha -
peacockfeather; mukutam - crown; nirmdti - makes; kale - in time; kvacit - sometimes; alikhya -
drawing; priya - beloved; murtim - form; akula - anxious; kucau - on the breasts; sariighattayed -
massages; va - or; kadapi - whenever; evarii - thus; vyaprtibhih - with activities; dinath - the day; nayati
- passes; me - to me; radha priya svamim - dear mistress Radha.
My d ear m istress R adha sometimes spends H er day teaching H er pet p a rro t

verses glorifying H er beloved, sometimes by m aking lovely strings of fresh gz«7/a-beads
an d a crown of peacockfeathers for Him, and sometimes by draw ing a picture of H er
beloved and then anxiously rubbing it to H er breasts as if She wants to experience His
em brace!
VIRAHINI RADHA'S ACTIVITIES:
Com m entary: It is afternoon and Snpada, in his kinkarT-iorm, is engaged in SrlmatTs

service in Yavat. $nraatl suffers very much out of separation from Her Priyatama and Her
girlfriends try to pacify Her by saying: "O Radhe! Don’t be so upset! Vrajendranandana will
come by just now with His cows, when He returns home with them (uttara gojfha). He will
surely extinguish the fire of separation that rages in Your heart by giving You His sweet
darsanal" Alas! But is there any way to console Snmatl at all? She thinks that a single moment
without Krsna is like millions of ages! Anxiously She asks Her girlfriends:
avitatham asau kirii draghiydn gamisyati vdsarah

sumukhi sa nUdrambhah kirii va samesyati mahgalah
smita mukha saST godhulibhih karambita kuntalah
ksapayati drfdm drtirii yatra vrajefvara nandanah (Ujjv Nflam)
Srfla Prabodhananda Sarasvatl .361
"O Fairfaced friend! Will this long day pass in vain, or will that most blessed
afternoon, in which the burning feeling in My eyes will be extinguished by seeing the smiling
moonlike face of the prince of Vraja, which is flanked by His curly locks that are greyed by
the dust thrown up by the hooves of the cows, finally come?" The sakhTs then soothe ^rimatl's
pain somewhat by saying: “0 Radhe! That most desired time will come now! Be a little
patient!" Some of this anxiety has been drawn into this sweet verse of Sripada's also. 3rimati
teaches Her pet parrot verses about the spotless fame of Sri Krsna, so that the burning fire of
Her separation can be somewhat extinguished. The sakhTs are very upset when they see how
much Srimatl suffers out of separation from Krsna, and while they wonder how they can save
Her life, Srimatl Herself finds the remedy by teaching Her pet parrot verses about Kr$na. In the
bhratyvara gTta (song to the bumblebee, Srlraad Bhagavata 10.47.12-21) it is described that
Srimatl, who suffered out of separation from Kr$na, Who had left for Mathura, took a
bumblebee that was buzzing around Her feet to be one of Krsna's messengers, and She
glorified Kr$na in many ways by revealing Krsna’s many faults to the bee. Premamayl Radha
imagined that the bee replied with his natural humming drone: "O Goddess! If my Lord has so
many faults, then why are You always speaking about Him? Is He such a good person that You
always have to speak about His faults?” 3 n Radha then replies dustyajas tat katharthah: "Ore!
Although I don't need any non-white friends, still I am unable to stop speaking about Them!
When your friend was still in Vraja everybody was speaking about Him, and now that He's not %
here anymore, everyone is constantly crying over Him! I'm only speaking about Him to save
My own life! I can renounce everything, even your friend, but I cannot give up speaking about
Him! Talking about Him is My only support in life now, if I stop speaking about Him for even
a moment I cannot stay alive!
While $rlmatl teaches Her pet parrot verses about Kr$na in this way, Her mood
suddenly changes. She thinks: "Alas! Am I only trying to make Myself happy by trying to
mitigate My own pain of separation, forgetting My service to Him? How unfortunate I am!"
Then She calls Her maidservants and tells them to start making a string of fresh gunja-bz&ds
and a peacockfeather-crown for Kr$na. Remembering how happy these items will make Her
beloved, &rimatl feels some relief from Her anxiety.
And sometimes, when the fire of separation from Her beloved increases, She draws a
picture of Him and embraces it (a picture of Kr$na is nondifferent from Him, the selfrealized
souls know this) to extinguish this fire, rubbing it against Her breasts. The maidservants are
very upset when they see their beloved SvaminT suffering like that, that is why £ripada calls
Her priya svaminT in this verse.
nija grhe rddharanl\ svaminT mukuta rnani,

hari yase purria slokavaU
apani srT haripriya, nija suke siksd diyd
premera tarahge kore keli
"£ri Haripriya RadharanT, the crownjewel of mistresses, teaches Her pet parrot verses
filled with Hari's fame and glory, while playing on the waves of prema."
kokhon vd kunjesvafT, vr$abhanu sukumarT,

kdnta tare krsna priyatama
nava guhjd mahju hdra, rnohana mukuta dra
sikhi pinche koriche racand
"And sometimes Vrsabhanu's tender princess, the queen of the kunjas, makes new
strings of gufijd-beads and an enchanting crown of peacockfeathers for Her beloved Krsna."
kokhono el m m atl; prana priyatama murti,

preinajale kori vilikhana
dlikhye akula prune, koto kori nivedane,
kuca-yuga kore sarhghafana
"And sometimes Snmati draws the form of Her heart's beloved with Her loving tears
and rubs this picture on Her breasts with an anxious heart."
eirupe nitya soda, hari virahirit radha,

grhe kore divasa yapana
dhanya sn prabodhananda, dhanya dhanya Ilia kanda,
dhanya dhanye se Lila darsana
"In this way Radha, being separated from Hari, always spends Her days at home.
Blessed is Sri Prabodhananda, blessed are these pastimes, and blessed is the vision of these
pastimes!"
VERSE 182:
PREYAH SANGA SUDHA SADANUBHAVINIBHUYO BHAVAD BHAV1NI

LILA PANCAM A R A G W RATI-KALA BHANGI &ATODBHA VINI
KARUNYAD DRAVA BHAVINI KATITATE KANCJKALA-RAVINI
SRlRADHAIVA GATIR MAMASTU PADA YO& PREMAMRTA SRA VINI
preyah - beloved; sanga - company; sudha - nectar; sadd - always; anubhavini - experiencing;
bhuyah - repeatedly; bhavad - future; bhdvinX - thinking of; lila - pastimes; pancama - fifth; raginl - in
the tune; rati kald - the art of love; bhangT - movements; fata - hundreds; udbhdvim - coming up;
kdrunydt - from grace; drava - melting; bhdvim - emotional girl; katitate - on the flips; kdncT -
waistbells; kaldraviru - making soft sounds; in radha eva - only £n Radha; gatiJi - shelter; mama - my;
astu - let it be; padayoh - feet; prema - love; amrta - nectar; sravinf - streaming.
May th a t S ri R adha, who always experiences the nectarean com pany of H er

beloved, who always thinks of H er future duties, who playfully sings in the fifth note,
who can make hundreds of erotic artful gestures, who is so emotional th a t She melts of
compassion, whose sash of bells jingles softly and from whose lotusfeet spring fo rth rivers
of nectar, be my only shelter!
SRI RADHA W ITH SEVEN ATTRIBUTES:
Com m entary: Sripada's transcendental vision of Krona's uttara gostha Ida continues in
this verse. Krsna now comes walking past Yavata, and Radhika's girlfriends take Her to a
S in a Prabodhananda Saras vatJ 363
flowergarden on the pretext of picking flowers, in order to enable Her to freely look at Kr§na
from there. The thirst of the gopTs' Cakorabird-like eyes is quenched when the moon of
Nanda's family (vrajendra kula candrama) rises in the sky of their hearts. Radha and Madhava
are immersed in the ocean of ecstatic love when They see Eachother, and the pain of Their
separation is mitigated. But Subala and the cowherdboys quickly take Krsna away from there,
afraid that Radhika's superiors will notice something, and Lalita and other sakhTs also take
Radhika home out of precaution, promising Her: "Soon You will meet Him again". SripSda, in
his kinkarT-form, follows 3rim at! like Her shadow and is fully engaged in Her service. At
home Srimatl is preyah sanga sukha sadanubhdvim always thinking of Her beloved's blissful
company. She tells Her friend Vi£akh5: "O Vigakhe! This shameless rake is forcibly attacking
Me on the road, wanting to put His dirty hands on My girdle! Have you seen that? I'm crying
loudly, but still He doesn’t want to let Me, the most chaste girl, go! O sakhil Quickly go home
and tell this to aryd Jatila!" The heroine feels Her lover's presence even more intensely when
she is separated from him then when she is together with him:
sangama viraha vikalpe varam iha viraho na sahgamas tasya

ekah sa eva safige tribhuvanam api tanmayatH virahe
(Padyavali, Rupa Gosvaml) %
"Separation is preferable over union, because when I am together with My beloved I

see Him alone, but when I'm separated from Him I see that all the three worlds are full of Him
alone!" Maddened by these feelings of separation, Srimatl then tells Her friends: "O Friends,
where is My beloved? W hat am I doing on this road? Am I in the flowergarden or inside the
house, tell Me! Is it evening, morning, or night? Am I sleeping or am I awake?" Hearing this,
the sakhTs reply: "O Lotusfaced girl! You have come back from the garden into the house!
Your beloved, the moon of Vraja, has returned home after playing different love pastimes with
You! After removing the distress of His parents by showing Himself to them He will return
here and make Your lotuslike eyes bloom up once more!" After this 3rimatl will hear about
Krsna's cowmilking pastimes from Her friend Induprabha, who also makes Her very happy by
telling how eager Kr$na is to meet Her tonight in the trystingplace in Vrndavana. This makes
3rimatl bhuyo bhavad bhdvini; constantly thinking about Her future pastimes with Kr?na.
Srimatl, who is very eager to meet Kr$na, then eats the nectarean remnants from Kr§na's meal
and lies down to rest. Later in the evening Syama plays His enchanting flute and 3 rim at!
immediately runs out to meet Him, followed by Her maidservants.When Snpada sees this, he
experiences it as llld pancama ragirit, or iTlaydrfi yat pancamam surata vyaparath tasmin rdgo
yasyah sd The fifth rag a, or erotic passion is in Radhika during Her pastimes. She's
passionately anticipating Her future pastimes with £yamasundara in the greatest ecstasy.
While She remembers this, the waves of mahd bhava play in Her limbs. By 3nm atfs grace,
3 rip ad a understands it all like this. Srimati cannot hide anything from him (her).
tanu tanu milane upajala prerna; marakata yaichana betfalo hema

kanaka lataye janu taruna tarndla; nava jaladhare janu vijurT rasala
katnale niadhupa yeno paola sanga; duhuh tanu pulakita prema tarahga
duhuh adhardmrta duhu karu pdna; govinda ddsa duhuka guna gdna
"When Their bodies meet, love arises, like gold embracing an emerald. She looks like a
golden vine embracing a young Tam ala-tree or a delicious lightningstrike embracing a fresh
raincloud. He is like a bumblebee meeting the lotusflower. Both Their bodies erupt with waves
of goosepimples of ecstatic love. They drink the nectar of Eachother's lips while Govinda dasa
364 Sri-Sri R adha Rasa Sudhanidhi
sings Their glories.11 The young Couple becomes absorbed in intimate amorous pastimes and
the kinkari sees through a hole in the kunja that 3rimati is rati-kala bhahgi satodbhavini, the
source of hundreds of artful erotic gestures. All these erotic arts come forth from Her rnddana
mahd bhavay and cause the transcendental youthful Cupid of Vrndavana to go out of His mind.
Srim atfs waistbells jingle to show how wonderful is Her expertise in these arts of love.
Through these sounds the maidservant experiences the meaning of the words kafi-tate kdncT
kalaravim.
The amorous pastimes are now over and the maidservant enters the kunja to be blessed
with different devotional services. $rimaG is very pleased with the maidservant when She sees
how expertly she is doing her service, and a stream of compassion gushes out of Her eyes,
streaming towards Her maidservant. Srila RaghunStha dasa GosvamI says that not only
SrimaG's heart melts of compassion, but Her whole body as well: karuna vidravad deha.
Finally the maidservant becomes so fortunate to massage 3rimaG's lotusfeet, and when she sees
the beauty of these feet, she understands why the words padayoh premamrta srdvini (die nectar
of love flows from Her feet) are fully justified. When a bee-like devotee catches even a single
drop of this nectar,’he always remains Fixed at these lotusfeet, forgetting everything else. Sri
radhaiva gatir matndstu: "May 3ri Radha be my only shelter".
VERSE 183:
KOTiNDU CCHABI HASINi NAVA-SUDHA SAMBHARA SAM BHA$INl

VAK$OJA DVITAYENA HEMA KALASA SRlG ARVA NIRVASINI
C1TRA GRAMA NIVASINI NAVA NAVA PREMOTSAVOLLASINI
VRNDARANYA VILASINI KIM U RAHO B HUY A N MAMOLLASINI
koti - millions; indu - moons; chabi - luster; hasini - laughing girl; nava - fresh; sudhd - nectar;
sarhbhara - quantity; sambhasinl - speaking girl; vakjoja - breasts; dvitayena - with the pair; henia -
golden; kalasa - pitchers; Sri - beauty; garva - pride; nirvasini - destroyer; citra - wonderful; grama -
village; nivasirii - resident; nava nava - evcr-fresh; prema - love; utsava - festival; ulldsini - rejoicer;
vrtiddranya - Vrndavana; vildsini - cnjoyer; kim u - whether; rahah - private; bhuyan - repeatedly;
mama - my; ulldsini - giver of delight.
W ill S n R adha, th e sportress o f Vjrndavana, w hose sm ile sh in es lik e m illion s o f

m oon s, w h ose speech is lik e an abundance o f fresh n ectar, w h ose b reasts d estroy th e
p rid e o f th e b eau ty o f golden p itch ers, w ho liv es in a w onderful v illa g e an d w ho
exp erien ces ever-new jo y from the festival o f love, d elig h t m e again an d again?
A N O T H E R SE V E N A T T R IB U T E S O F S R I R A D H A :
C om m entary: Sripada has no other shelter but Radharanl. Without Her die world is
empty for him. In die previous verse Sripada described seven of Her attributes and in this verse
he introduces another seven, gune kore rnana pagala "You madden my mind widi Your
qualities"
SrUa Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 365
6rl-&ri Radha-Madhava lie face to face on a lovebed and Srlpada, in his kinkan form,
sits at the end of the bed, massaging Their lotusfeet. The rasika Couple is engaged in joking
with Eachother and 6yamasundara relishes 5rImatTs sweet smile. It is as if He floats to some
unknown direction on the stream of this sweet smile. The maidservant realizes how much
Syamasundara enjoys. The luster of Svaminl's smile drives Him mad! The maidservant cannot
find a proper comparison to this sweet smile. It is made of rnaha bhava, after all! Nevertheless,
she decides to compare it to millions of moons: kotindu cchabi hasirii. Sri Radhika's words are
so nectarean that Nagara pretends not to hear them properly, so that She will keep on speaking
on His request (kohilo kdhim puchaye koto beri, Kavi Ranjana). Even though She repeats the
same topics again and again, it appear to be ever-fresh to Krsna. The maidservant experiences
*
the same and therefore adresses SvaminI here with nava sudhd satnbhara sambhajim: She
whose words are filled with an abundance of fresh and sweet nectar. This can be tasted in each
syllable She pronounces! The young loving Couple can spend ages speaking and laughing with
Eachother in this way.
During the young Couple's beautiful pastimes the maidservant realizes that Radhika’s
breasts defeat the pride of golden pitchers in beauty: vaksoja dvitayena hema kalasa srT garva
nirvasint The jewels of Krona's desires are hidden in these golden pitcher-like breasts, and
they are everything to Him, so ordinary golden pitchers are most insignificant compared to
these breasts.
The maidservant also realizes that 3rlmatl is nava nava premotsavollasiril, one who
takes delight in ever-fresh festivals of love. Nothing else but pure selfless love is able to
control Krsna, and the love of the gopTs is the greatest. 3rl Radha is again the greatest among
the gopTs, and Her indescribable love controls Krsna completely. During special pastimes the
maidservant realizes that Krsna can freely float on the blissful waves of the ocean of Radhika’s
ever-fresh love for Him.
3rl Vrndavana is the most suitable playground for such love-festivals, therefore 3rlmatl
is called vmdaranya vildsinT here. Vrndavana is the crownjewel of all holy places, where the
sweet ocean of Kr$na’s erotic pastimes constantly swells. £npada says:
kasydpi divya rati manmatha koti rupa dhdrna dvayasya kanakdsita ratna bhasali
aty adbhutair madana keli vildsa vrndair vniddvanarii madhurimambudhi magnam lk§e
(Vrndavana Mahimam|ta 1.20)
"I desire to see the sweet ocean named Vrndavana, where there is an effulgent jewellike
Couple shining more beautifully than millions of golden Ratis and blackish Kamadevas,
engaged in very wonderful erotic pastimes."
The night has come into its small hours and the young Couple, tired of lovemaking,
slowly close Their eyes, that are like bumblebees being gradually closed into the lotuspetals at
dusk. The maidservant relish the sweetness of this sight and then also fall asleep out of
exhaustion. Then the dawn approaches and the young Couple, afraid of being embarrassed by
outsiders, return home. How heartbreaking is the scene of Their forced separation!.
pada adha coloto khalato puna beri; puna pheri cumbaye duhufi mukha heri
duhu jana nayane goloye jaladhara; roi roi sakhTgaria coloi nd pdro
ksane bhoye sacakita nayane neharo; golita vasana phula kuntala bhdra
nupura abhararia dcare nelo; duhu ati katare duhu pathe gelo
puna puna heroite heroi nd pare; nayanaka lorahi vasana bhigaya
"After walking half a step, the young Couple return, look at Eachother's faces and kiss
Eachother again. Streams of tears flow from Their tears, and the sakhis also cry, unable to
366 § n -S n R adha Rasa Sudhanidhi
move. For a moment They look anxiously into Eachother's eyes while Their clothes loosen and
the flowers fall from Their hair. They take off Their anklets and other ornaments and go Each
Their own way, in great distress. They look at Eachother again and again until They cannot see
Eachother anymore. Their clothes become soaked by Their tears." The sakhTs and manjaris are
all very much afraid that someone will notice their tender princess, but actually there is nobody
on the road at that time of the day. The maidservant then begins to breathe steadily and realizes
that Sri Radhika lives in a marvellous village: citra grama nivasini. Actually, all the people of
Vraja are Krsna's eternal associates and they always assist Him in His pastimes.
coloite heralo nikatahi geho; pita vasane sob gopaye deho

a pada mastaka sab vasane veydpi; alape alape cole pada-yuga capi
nija mandire dhani doli dekhi; guru-jana grhe puna sacakita pekhi
turitahi paithali mandira rndjhe; baifhalo sundari dpana seje
niti niti aichatia duhuka vildsa; niti niti herabo balarama dasa
"Approaching home, the gopis cover themselves from head to toe with yellow
garments, trying to hide themselves, and they walk very slowly. When beautiful Radha enters
Her house She looks around fearfully if none of Her superiors are around, and then She
quickly lies down on Her own bed. Balarama dasa prays that he may always see these
pastimes." Similarly, Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvatl prays: May this vrndaranya vildsim Radha
be my only ulldsini (giver of delight)!"
VERSE 184:
KADA GOV1NDARADHANA GALITA TAMBULA SAKALAM

MUDA SVADAM SVADAM PULAKITA TANUR ME PRIYA SAKH l
DUKULENONMlLAN NAVA KAMALA KINJALKA RUC1NA
NIVlTANGI SANG1TAKA NIJA KALAH &IK$AYATI MAM
kadd - when; govinddradhana - worship of Govinda; galita - coming from; tambula -

betelleaves; Sakalarii - portion; mudd - joyfully; svadarh svadarii - relishing; pulakita - horripilating;
tanuh - body; me - my; priya - dear; sakJiT - girlfriend; dukulena - with cloth; unniilat - opening; nava -
new; kamala - lotus; ki/ijalka - whorl; rucina - with the luster, nivitangi - body wrapped in; sangitaka -
song; nija - own; kaldh - arts; Siksayati - teaches; mam - me.
W hen w ill m y d ea r sakhi R adha, w h ose bod y eru p ts w ith goosep im p les o f ecstasy
w h en S h e relishes the betelleaves leftover from H er w orsh ip o f G ovin d a, and w h o w ears a
sari as beautiful as th e w horl of a freshly opening lo tu sflo w er, teach m e H er o w n arts o f
so n g an d dance?
SR I R A D H A , T H E T E A C H E R O F SO N G A N D D A N C E :
C om m entary: These are not ordinary songs that &ri Radha teaches Her maidservant.
Their subject is Her own love for Syama, and it is the duty of the maidservant to sing these
S rila Prabodhananda SarasvatJ 367
songs to 6yama after He has fainted out of erotic ecstasy and even SvaminI Herself is unable to
bring Him back to life. If the maidservant does not learn these songs there will be obstacles in
Radhika’s unique service to Kr$na. These songs are of such an intimate nature that SvaminI
does not teach them even to Her personal girlfriends like Lalita and ViSakha. If they hear these
songs, they may make jokes about them in front of Her, but SvaminI fully trusts Her
maidservants, so they get the privilege to learn these extraordinary songs. Even SvaminI is
astonished when She hears the maidservant sing these songs! SvaminI personally takes the
Vina at hand to teach Her maidservant. How sweet is Her nectarean voice and how sweet is
Her song! How wonderfully She twangs the strings of the Vina! It all sounds so wonderful that
Krsna hears it from a distance. 3yama, curious to hear what songs SvaminI teaches Her
maidservants, enters the kunja and sits down next to Svamim like someone who is enchanted
by a mantra. The maidservant serves Syama some delicious betelleaves and 3yama puts these
chewed leaves again into SvaminTs mouth while He kisses Her. When SvaminI receives this
nectar Her body erupts with goosebumps of ecstasy. Knowing the desire of Her Prananatha,
Srimatl, whose limbs are concealed by a sarT which is as beautiful as the whorl of a fresh
lotusflower, begins to teach Her maidservant Her songs.
Then the maidservant is to be examined, so SvaminI tells her: "Let My Nagara hear
how you have learned My songs!" On SvaminTs order the maidservant takes the Vina in the
hand and begins to sing. How wonderful is the prowess of this maidservant, who is
nondifferent from her SvaminI! It is as if the song takes shape before the audience! This song
makes the divine Couple become desirous to enjoy love-pastimes, so the maidservant leaves
the kunja and looks in through the holes in the vines to witness these beautiful pastimes.
Blessed is this maidservant!
VERSE 185:
LAS AD DAS AN A MAUKTIKA PRAVARA KANTIPURA SPHURAN

MANOJNA NAVA PALLAVADHARA M AN ICCHATA SUNDARAM
CARAN MAKARA KUNDALAM CAKITA CARZJ NETRANCALAM
SM ARAM ITAVA RADHIKE VADANA M ANDALAM NIRM ALAM • ♦
lasat - beautiful; daiana - teeth; mauktika - pearls; pravara - excellent; kdnti - luster; piira -
filled; sphurat - manifest; manojna - beautiful; nava - new; pallava - sprouts; adhara - lips; rnani -
jewel; cchatd - luster; sundaram - beautiful; caran - dangling; makara kundalarfi - earrings; cakita -
startled; caru - beautiful; netra - eyes; ancalam - comers; smarami - 1 remember; tava - Your; rddhike
- O RadhikS!; vadana mandalarii - face; nirmalam - spotless.
O R adhike! I rem em b er Y our spotless face w ith th e b eau tifu lly p erk in g p ea rllik e
teeth , th a t are b eau tified by the jew ellik e rad ian ce o f Y ou r fresh sproutU ke lip s, w ith th e
d a n g lin g M ak ara-earrin gs and the beautiful c o m e r s o f Y ou r restless eyes!
SR l RADHA’S SPOTLESS FACE:

368 S ri-S n R adha Rasa Sudhanidhi
C om m entary: Srlpada’s transcendental vision in the previous verse continues here.

When Syama sits next to SvaminT, examining the singing of the kinkarl, He realizes that
Svamim’s face is completely spotless, freed from the stains of distress, useless pride and worry.
Her face glows with the bright beauty of delight as She softly smiles at Her lover and speaks
intimate words with Him, and Her teeth shine like pearls, making the boat of the world-
enchanting Kr$na float in all directions on a stream of luster.The maidservant relishes all this
through &yamasundara. SflmalTs beautiful fresh sproutlike lips glitter wonderfully like rubies,
revealing the enchanting beauty of Her splendid face and Her pearllike teeth, and Her earrings
dangle along while She laughs and speaks with 5yama, enhancing the beauty of Her face. With
the corners of Her restless eyes She licks the beauty of Her lover's face and sometimes
anxiously stares at Him. W hat if one of Her girlfriends or anyone else would show up? How
beautiful is that startled look! With enchanted eyes S y to a relishes the beauty of that face of
3rimatTs. In the beginning of Their love (purva raga) He becomes overwhelmed by beholding
the sweetness of Her face:
ratana manjari dhani, Idvani sayara,
adharahi bdndhull rahga
daSana-kirana koto, damiriTjhalakata,
hasaite amiya tarcuiga
sajani/ ydite pekhalun rdi!
mujhe heri sundari, bhciramahi cancala,
cakita camaki coli ydi
pada dui edri, coloi vara ndyarT,
rahala nimikha Sara jori
kutila kafakha, kusunia Saravarikhane
saravasa leyolo mori
rnajhu mana yaSa guna, sudhi mati sadhasa
lei cololo saba bald
govinda ddsa, kohoi aba madhava
japatahi tuyd guna-mdld
'This fortunate girl is a jewel crown, an ocean of elegance and Her lips are colored like
Bandhull-flowers. The rays of Her teeth shine like so many lightningstrikes. When She smiles
She creates waves of nectar! O sakhi\ I went and saw that RSi! This beautiful girl saw Me and
became restless of delusion. In a startled way She walked away. After this excellent heroine
walked two or four steps She stopped for a while and showered Me with the arrows of Her
crooked glances, that were like Cupid’s glances. Thus She stole everything from Me - My
mind, fame, attributes, virtues and intelligence. After taking all this, this Girl went away.
Govinda Dasa says: "Now Madhava is doing japa on the mala of Your qualities!"
The spotless sweetness of SfimatTs face causes the ocean of Syamasundara’s beauty to
swell, and the sweetness of Syama also causes waves on the ocean of the beauty of Sri Radha’s
face. Although the maidservant constantly relishes the sweetness of this beautiful Pair, still her
eyes, that are like Cakora-birds, can never become satiated by drinking the nectar oozing from
6ri Radhika’s moonlike face. In that state 6npada prays: "I will never be so fortunate that
merciful 3fimatl will once give me Her indescribable darsana!" smarami tava radhike vadana
mandalam
•« nirmalam
VERSE 186:
9
C A IA T KUTILA KUNTALAM TILAKA SOBHIBHALA-STHALAM

TILA PRASAVA NASIKA PUJA VIRAJIMVKTA-PHALAM
KALANKA RAHITAMRTA CCHABISAMUJJVALAM RADHIKE
TAVATlRATIPESALAM VADANA MANDALAMBHAVAYE
calat - restless; kutila - crooked; kuntalarh - locks; tilaka Sobhi - beautiful tilaka; bhdla
sthalam - forehead; tila prasava - sesame-flower; nasika - nose; puta - end; virdji - stays; muktdphalam
- pearl; kalanka - contamination; rahita - without; amrta cchabi - moon (luster of nectar); samujjvalarh
- glistening; radhike - O Radhika!; tava - Your; ati - very; rati - erotic; peMarii - abundance; vadaria
mandalarii - face; bhavaye - 1 tliink.
O S n R adhike! I m editate on Y ou r very sp len d id an d b eau tifu l am orous fa ce, th at

is lik e a sp otless am b rosial m oon w ith a sesam e-flow er in th e form o f Y our n ose, from
w hich a pearl h angs, an d a forehead b eau tified by tilaka an d flan k ed by restless cu rly
locks.
SR I R A D H A ’S A M O R O U S FA C E:
C om m entary: In external consciousness £rlpada thinks he is totally unqualified to

behold Sri Radha's beautiful face, but nevertheless he desires to see that sweet face. After They
examined the maidservant's singing, the rasika Couple becomes absorbed in an intimate erotic
battle. The maidservant looks inside the arbour through the holes in the vines to admire the
mindstealing sweetness o f these pastimes. In the course of these pastimes 3nm atl takes the
leading (masculine) role, and it is in this condition that 3ffpada likes to see Her sweet and
radiant face. How beautiful is that bent-down shining moonlike face, flanked by curly,
downhanging locks! It looks like a golden lotusflower surrounded by some thirsty bumblebees
(the curly locks) that want to drink its nectar. What a beautiful fz /a ^ m a rk 3rlmatl wears on
Her forehead and what a sweet pearl hangs from that nose!
SvaminT becomes victorious in Cupid’s battle and Her beautiful face turns into an ocean
of delight when She notices that She gives Her lover inconceivable ecstasy. The fish-like eyes
of the maidservant are swimming on the waves of that ocean while she witnesses these
extraordinary pastimes. The Gosvamls say that these pastimes can only be truly relished when
one discusses them with experienced and advanced rasika devotees. 3rila Rflpa GosvamI says:
rasika sanga ranginam "It can be joyfully experienced in the company of rasika saints", and
3 n Jiva GosvamI says: tad anubhava-mayath rasa-saram svanubhava-mayena rasenaikataya
vibhdvya pibatah (Prlti Sandarbha) "The essence of rasa can be tasted and drunk together with
experienced rasika devotees."
VERSE 187:
PURINA PREMAMRTA RASA SAMULLASA SAUBHAGYA SARAM

KUNJE KUNJE NAVA RATI-KALA KAUTUKENATTA KELT
UTPHULLENDlVARA KANAKAYOQ KANTICAURAM KI&ORAM
%
370 S ri-3n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
JYOT1R DVANDVAM KIM API PARAMANANDA KANDAM CAKASTI

?
puma - full; prema - love; amrta - nectar; rasa - flavour; samullasa - delighting; saubhagya -
fortune; sdrarii - essence; kunje kunje - from grove to grove; tiava - new; ratikala - love-arts; kautukena
- with great joy; atta - intense; keli - pastimes; utphulla - blooming; indfvara - blue lotus; kanakayoh -
m
golden; kanti - luster; cauraifi - tliief; ktiorarh - adolescent boy; jyotih - light; dvandvath - couple; kim
api - indescribable; paramananda - pinnacle of bliss; kandarii - source; cakdsti - there is.
i
T here is an indescribable, m ost blissful effulgent adolescent P air th at is full o f

nectarean blissful love-rasa, that is the essence o f good fortune, th at is engaged in new
funny love-gam es in every kuitja and th at shines like bloom ing golden and blue
lolusflow ers!
T H E T W O M O ST BLISSFU L LIG H TS:
Com m entary: 5rl-3ri Radha Syama are engaged in Their pastimes of enjoyment in
Vrndavana, and 6rlpada, in his kinkarl-form, is engaged in Their service. For the pleasure of
Radha and Madhava, Vrndavana extends the beauty of its six seasons (winter, spring, summer,
monsoon, autumn, and Hemanta) throughout its forests, so that They can enjoy Their artful
erotic pastimes in different seasons and different kunjas according to Their liking. These
transcendental pastimes are the limit of good fortune because they are full of the delightful
nectar of love. Krsna is only controlled by the love of His devotees and the more they love
Him, the more He desires to accept their loving service. Sri Radhika’s love is the greatest and
it's sweetness completely maddens Krsna. The loving devotee feels very fortunate when He can
serve Krsna, and Krsna feels very fortunate when He can receive that loving service. No
wonder that Govinda feels Himself most blessed when He can receive Sri Radhika's most
delightful nectarean loving service! Both Radha and Madhava think that They have attained
the essence of good fortune while They enjoy in every seasonal kunja of Vraja, and the
maidservant thinks she is most fortunate that she can witness these pastimes. This
consciousness is the great gift of Srlman Mahaprabhu to the fallen souls of the age of Kali,
someftiirig which is not bestowed even upon the most elevated souls in the most holy ages! Just
as the water in a stream is fresh at every moment, so the funny artful pastimes of the divine
Couple in the kunjas of Vraja are also ever-fresh. Their golden and bluish auras become
brighter and brighter the more They know that They're making Eachother happy with these
loving pastimes. This world-enchanting KiSora and Kigori are thus stealing the luster that is
hidden inside the leaves of blossoming blue and golden lotusflowers that grow in deep lakes.
This young adolescent Couple spreads its spotless luster in all directions, defeating all possible
objects of comparison. Their luster is not hurting the eyes, like the blazing sunlight, but is
soothing the eyes, because it is paramananda kanda, the source of the greatest bliss. The
devotees who remember this can also attained the pinnacle of transcendental bliss.
kunje nava yuva dvandva, parama ananda kanda,

vinodinl vrajendra kumara..
paripurna premdmrta, rasollase ucchalita,
saundarya saubhagya sukha sara
Srfla Prabodhananda Sarasvau 371
"In the arbours Vinodini (Radha) and the prince of Vraja (Krsna), who are the essence
of beauty and good fortune personified, enjoy the highest bliss, wffich full of love-nectar that
ever increases in taste."
utphulla indlvara, kanakera kanti caura,
nlla pita syatna herna gauri
kunje kuhje ei yugale, rati kald kutuhale,
keli kore kiba manoharl
"Bluish Sy5ma steals the luster of a blossoming blue Indlvara-lotus and golden Gauri
(Radha) steals the luster of a blooming golden lotus. How funny and enchanting are the artful
erotic pastimes of this Couple in the kunjas of Vraja!"
savisesa rasa jyotih, yugala madhura murti,

advitlya akhila bhuvane,
darasane ye ananda, dhik dhik brahmarumda,
"3rlpada Prabodhananda says: These two qualified, specifically delicious sweet forms
are unrivalled in this world. When I see them, my ecstasy curses the bliss of brahmanl"
VERSE 188:
YAYONMlLAT KELI VILASITA KAJAK$AIKA KALAYA

KRTO BANDl VRNDA-VIPINA KALABHENRO MADA KALAH
JAplBHUTAHKRIDA-MRGA IVA YADAJNA LAVAKRTE
KRTINAH SA RADHA SITHILAYATUSADHARANA GATIM
yayd - by whom; unmllat - opening; vilasita - playful; kataksa - glance; eka - one; kalayd - by a
fraction; krtah - doing; band! - binding; vrndavipina - Vnidavana; kalabhendra - king of elephants;
madakalah - mad; jadibhiitah - controlling; kridamrga - toy-animal; iva - just like; yad - whose; djna -
order; lava krte - slightest; krii - doing; nah - our; sa - She; radha - Radha; tithilayatu - may slacken;
sadharana - ordinary; gatih - course.
May that SrT Radha, who binds up the mad elephant of V rndavana (Kr$na) with
even a fraction of H er playfully opening sidelong glance, and who controls Him a if He is
H er toy-animal, with even the slightest order, slacken our ordinary course of life!
THE POW ER OF RADHA’S SUPREME LOVE:
Com m entary: SrTpada’s vision continues. He still sees the sweet pastimes of the sweet
Pair in the sweet arbours of sweet Vrndavana. The raganuga-sadhakas should first find some
easy means to fix their minds on the forms, names, qualities and pastimes of the divine Couple,
and as soon as the mind is sufficiently attracted, this sweet experience will act like a magnet oh
the iron-like mind. When, after dhyanat or meditation, dhruvdnusmrti, constant and steady
%
372 S n -$ n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
remembrance, is attained, the transcendental pastimes will directly take place before the mind's
eyes. This is the teaching of Sfi Ramanujacarya: bliavati ca smrter Bhavana prakarsad darsana
rupata. In a transcendental revelation 5ripada realizes how powerful the influence of even
&rTmatTs slightest glance is. Even the slightest fraction of this glance can tightly bind up the
mad elephant of Vrndavana, for it is colored by the highest love madana rnaha bhava. In
Srlmad Bhagavata (10.61.4) it is shown that the most intimate glances and the most enchanting
playful movements of the eyebrows of the Lord’s 16,108 Queens in Dvaraka, that act like the
best mantras and arrows of Cupid, could not agitate the Lord's mind or senses:
smdyavaloka lava dar&ila bhava hdri bhru mandala prahita saurata mantra faundaih
palnyas iu sodasa sahasram anahga banair yasyendriyarfi vimathitum kuhakair na Sekuh
The Vaisnava TosanI comments on this verse: evarfi vrajadevmdm tatra parama
Suddhotkrstam prema pratariisanadabhyah sarvdbhyo'pyadhikyam sucitam "When he described the
Rasa-/fi§, Sri Suka Muni explained how the goddesses of Vraja (the gopTs) fully controlled
Kr$na with their supreme pure love, and here it is shown that the Queens of Dvaraka could not
enchantjJIim even with all the amorous means at their command. This proves the loving
superiority of the gopTs over the Queens.” Nothing else but pure, selfless love can control and
bind up the mad elephant of Vrndavana, Sri Krona; and the madana mafia bhava of Sn Radha
is like a powerful goad that can drive this mad elephant wherever She wants it. Snla
Raghunatha dasa GosvamI has written (Vilapa Kusumanjali 42):
yat prdnta de&a lava le§a vighumitena baddhah ksanad bhavati krsna karindra uccaih
tat khahjanta jayi netra-yugath kadayam sampujayisyati janas tava kajjalena
"With even the slightest blink from the comers of Your eyes You immediately tie down
the king of elephants Krsna tightly. When will this person worship those two eyes, that defeat
the fickleness of the wagtailbird, with eyeliner?" The Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose
audience is coveted by millions of sages and mystics, who are engaged in meditation and
austerities age after age, is now ready to fulfill even the slightest order of this cowherdgirl
Radha and feels Himself greatly blessed when He can be engaged in Her service! The word
sadharana gatih means ’ordinary moods'. ’May She slacken our ordinary moods' means, 'may
She cause me to forget any other consciousness but manjan bhava, the mood of Her
surrendered maidservants!'
VERSE 189:
$ R l GOPENDRA KUMARA MOHAN A MAHAVIDYE SPHURAN MADHURI

SARA SPHARA RASAMBU RASISAHAJA PRASYANDINETRANCALE
KARUNYARDRA KA TAK$A BHANGIMADHURA SMERANANAMBHORUHE
HA HA SVAMINIRADHIKE MAYIKRPA-DRSTIM MAN AN NIK$IPA
SrT gopendra knmara - the prince of cowherders; mohana - enchanting; mahdvidye - O great
illusory potency!; sphurat - evident; mddhun - sweetness; sdra - essence; sphara - extending;
rasdmbu-rdî - ocean of rasa; sahaja - natural; prasyandi - flow; netraheale - comers of the eyes;
karunya - compassion; ardra - melting; kataksa - glances; bhahgT - gestures; madhura - sweet; smera -
smile; dnana - face; ambhornhe - lotus; ha ha svamini radhike - O my mistress Radhika!; mayi - to me;
krpd - mercy; drstirfi - glance; manak - slightly; niksipa - cast
SrTla Prabodhananda Sarasvad 373
O m y m istress Radhike! O G reat illusory potency that enchants the prince o f

Vrajat O You w hose eyelids are a naturally flow ing vast o c e lli o f the essence o f sw eet
rasal O G irl w hose glances are m elting w ith com passion! O Girl w ith the sw eetly sm ilin g
lotusface! Please cast a slightly m erciful glance on me!
SRI RADHA S GREATLY ENCHANTING M ERCIFUL GLANCE:
Com m entary: In external consciousness $npada humbly considers his own

unworthyness for attaining Sff Radhika's mercy, feeling unable to slacken his 'ordinary moods'.
He thinks: "I'm not fixed in worshipping &rl Radha's lotusfeet with determination! How can I
attain this most precious devotional service?" Suddenly the remembrance of 6n Radhika's
mercy lights up His heart, which is darkened by despair. The aspirants should be absorbed in
hoping for the Lord's mercy in a similar way. £ n Radha is compassion personified, even Her
body melts out of compassion] When a devotee remembers Radha and Madhava’s compassion
he forgets how unqualified he is. Sffla Rupa GosvamI shows this in his 'Karpanya Pahjika
Stotram (11-13)':
yogyatd me na kdcid vam krpd labhaya yadyapi
rnahd krpalu maulitvat tathapi kurutam krpdm
ayogye sdparadhe'pi drSyante krpayakuldh
mafia krpalavo hanta loke lokesa vanditau
bhakter vam karuna hetor lefabfidso'pi ndsti me
mafia lileSvarataya tad apy atra prasTdatam
"O Radha Madhava! Although I am not worthy of Your mercy, You should still be
merciful to me, for You are the crowns of all merciful persons. O You who are worshiped by
the masters of the world! Merciful persons are merciful even to the unworthy and the
offenders! Although I don't have even the faintest shadow of devotion, which is the cause of
Your mercy, still, because You are the masters of all great pastimes, please be merciful to me!"
When a devotee remembers his unworthyness he becomes desperate, sad and anxious, but
when he remembers the Lord’s mercy, he becomes filled with joy, hope and prayer. This is a
desirable stage of devotion, and in this mood Srlpada prays: "Alio Svamini Radhike! Please
cast a slight merciful glance on me! I don’t have anyone else but You in this world! If You are
not merciful to me, then where will I be? You are named Radhika, Krsna's aradhikd
* r • * «
(worshipper)! You will need this maidservant during Your worship of Kr$na, so please take
this wretched girl with You!"
"O Great illusory potency that enchants even Sri Gopendra-kumara! PrejeSanandinI
Durga enchants Lord Siva's mind with Her ten mafia vidya illusions, but You can enchant the
Original Personality of Godhead, Sn Krsna, in innumerable ways! What to speak of Lord
Mahadeva (see Canto Eight of the Bhagavata), Krsna can enchant even the Bhuma Purusa,
Lord Narayana (see Canto Ten of the Bhagavata), and even Himself ([vismapanam svasya ca
saubhagardheh, Bhag. Canto Three)! rupa dekhi apandra, kr$nera hoilo camatkdra (Caitanya
Caritamrta) "Even Krsna was amazed when He saw His own form! But Sn Radha can enchant
even the all-enchanting Sri Krsna: srT gopendra kumara mohana maha vidya
Sri Radha is known as koti dasT vatsaid, She who is full of motherly affection for all
Her millions of maidservants. The corners of Her eyes melt with compassion when She looks
at Her maidservants, and the maidservants feel very happy and blessed when She smiles and
looks at them in this sweet way: karunyardra katdksa bhangi madhura smeranandmboruhel
374 0
Sfi-Sn Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
he svamini radhdram, vrnddvana vilasini,

?
govinda mohana mahavidye
madhurya rasabdhiyara, netrancale paracara,
padma-mukhTpramodim radhe
m
"0 My mistress RadharanI, who sports in Vrndavana! O great enchantress of Govinda!

O Lotusfaced source of delight, O Radhe! The movements of Your eyelashes are like oceans of
sweetness!"
he gaurahgi bodo rangT, kdrunya kataksa bhahgT
madhura madhura smitanana
srT prabodhananda bhane, krpd dithe rnora pane,
caho rai krsna priyatama
9
Sri Prabodhananda says: "O Golden limbed girl with the sweetly smiling face! O Rai,
Kr$na's.beloved! Please cast Your merciful glance on me!"
VERSE 190:
OSTHA PRANTOCCHAL1TA DAYITODGIRNA TAMBULA RAGA

r A g a n u c c a ir n i j a r a c it a y a c it r a b h a n g y o n n a y a n t I
TIRYAG GRIVA RUCIRA RUCIRODANCAD AKUNCITA BHRUH
PREYAH PARSVE VIPULA PULAKAIR MANDITA BHATI RADHA
* v •
os{ha - lips; prdnta - comers; ucchalita - moving up; dayita - beloved; udgirna - coming out;
tdmbula - betelleaves; raga - colour; raganuccaih - loudly singing; nija - own; racitaya - composition;
citra - wonderful; bhafigya - with gestures; unnayantT - elevating; tiryak - bent; grtva - neck; rucira -
beautiful; udaiicad - raised; akuhcita - contracted; bhruh - eyebrows; preyah - beloved; parfve - by the
side; vipula - great; pulakaih * with goosepimples; manditd - decorated; bhati - shines; radha - Radha.
S n R adha shines on H er lover’s side, adorned w ith big goosepim ples o f ecstasy,
H er lips tainted w ith the red pan from H er beloved's m outh as She loudly sings H er ow n
selfm ade songs, accom panying H erself w ith H er V ina nam ed C itrabhahgi, H er bent neck
and H er raised, yet contracted eyebrow s looking sw eeter than sw e e t
S R l R A D H A 'S SELFM A D E SO N G S:
C om m entary: Snpada, in external consciousness, very humbly prays for Radha's

merciful glance. He thinks: "I am deprived of SrimatTs mercy, but let me at least beg for Her
merciful glance, following the yacaka rlti (that is, a beggar may desire to receive a lot, but he
still prays for a little out of despair or humility)."
Sr! Sri Radha Madhava are enjoying in a grove and Snpada, in his kinkarT-form, is
engaged in Their service. Syamasundara tenderly holds SrlmatTs face and pushes His chewed
betelleaves into Her mouth while kissing Her, staining the edges of H er lips with their juice.
Because it is given with so much love, the edges of Srlmatl's lips become so beautiful. The
nectar of SrlmatTs lips is the very life sustenance for the Cakoratfird named 3yamasundara.
Without this nectar He will die, and now it has become even more delicious because His
leftover betel leaves are staining these lips. In this way the colour of love sticks on
transcendence (personified by Krsna). The red colour of passion (Her love for Krsna) is now
clearly visible on Srlmatfs lips in the form of these leftover betelnuts.
Syamasundara says: "Priye! Now You have to sing a completely new song with all new
tunes and rhythms, that will astonish Me with its sweetness!" SvaminI understands Sundara’s
desire, so She begins to sing a sweet song with new selfmade tunes and rhythms,
accompanying Herself with Her CitrabhangT-VTna. Syama has never heard such an
extraordinary song before! Although Krsna is the art-teacher of all the worlds, even He is
astonished, and He repeatedly praises Radhika for Her selfmade new song, Her nectarean
voice, the coquettish movements She makes with Her eyes, Her face and Her neck, and the
sweet way in which She glorifies His form, names, qualities, and pastimes. Krsna once told
sage Narada how much He likes His devotees' glorification of Him:
nahath vasami vaikunthe yoguiam hrdaye na ca

mad bhaktah yatra gayanti tatra tisthami narada
"O Narada! I don’t reside in Vaikuntha, nor in the hearts of the mystics, but wherever
My devotees sing My glories, there I reside!" Narada personally testified that to the great sage
Vyasa in Srlmad Bhagavata (1.6.33):
pragayatah sva vTrydni tTrthapadah priyasra vah

ahuta iva me sighram darsanam ydti cetasi
"When 1 sing His glories, the Lord, who likes to hear His own glorification (priya
srava) and who is Himself the aggregate of all holy places (tlrtha pada) swiftly reveals
Himself in my heart!" It is therefore needless to say how much bliss Krsna will feel when He
hears the sweet voice of premamayT RadharanI glorifying His qualities with new tunes and
rhythms! All sattvika ecstasies become manifest in Srimatl when She sees how happy Her
beloved is when He hears Her song. Her skin becomes beautified by goosepimples of ecstasy,
and Her mind becomes so much filled with the remembrance of Her beloved that She bends
Her neck and contracts Her eyebrows each time She gives the rhythm. This beautiful and sweet
vision steals the hearts of Syamasundara and Her maidservants. How sweetly this bhavcunayT
gdyikd (emotional girlsinger) stays with Krsna in the kunjay extending endless sweetness.
prana koti priyatama, prana kdnta mukhodgTrna,

tdtnbulera ucchalita rage
osthddara suranjita, vrsabhanu raja sutd,
svaracita sangita aldpe
%
"While Her lips are tainted with the red pan-spots that come from the mouth of Her
Priyatama, Whom She loves more than millions of lives, Vrsabhanu's princess sings Her
selfmade songs."
pahcama rdgete pyarlf urdhve bhru kuncita kori,
bhangT kori grivd phiraiya
ballabl vallabha pdrsve, vipula pulaka harse,
sobha kori sukhe hari priya
376 § n -£ rl Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
"She lifts Her crooked eyebrows while She sings in the fifth note, turning Her neck in a
bent way. Big goosepimples of joy erupt on Hari Priya's (RadhVs) body as She blissfully
stands next to VallabI Vallabha (Krsna, the lover of the gopTs)."
aparupa bhavavail, dekhi rai rasavatl

rasamaya nagarendra vdme
nikunja rahasya Ilia, chanda kori prakasila,
srlpada prabodhananda name
"I see Rasavatl Rai, the wonderful Bhavavatl, standing on Rasamaya Nagarendra’s left
side. Thus Srlpada Prabodhananda reveals the intimate pastimes in the nikunja in verse."
VERSE 191:
KIM RE DHURTA PRAVARA NIKATAM YA SIN A ff PRANA-SAKI1YA

NUNAM BALA KUCA-TATA KARA SPARSA MATRAD VIMUHYET
ITTHAM RADHE PATHIPATHIRASAN NAGARAM TE 'NULA GNAM
KSIPTVA BHANGYA HRDAYAM UBHAYOH KARHISAMMOHAY1SYE
kirn - what; re - O!; dhurta - shameless one; pravara - best; nikatam - close by; ydsi - You go;
nail - our; prana sakhyd - our heart’s ftiend; nunarh - this; bald - young girl; kuca - breasts; tata - edge;
kara - hand; sparfa - touch; mdtrat - from the mere; vimuhyet - bewildered; ittharh - thus; radhe - O
Radha!; palhi pathi - on the road; rasdfindgara - hero of relishers; te - You; anulagnani - following;
ksiptvd - casting; bhaiigya - with a gesture; hrdayam - the heart; ubhayoh - of both; karhi - when;
sammohayisye - 1 will enchant.
O Radhe! When will I totally enchant You and Kr$na by following You down the
road, pushing Your rasika lover away from You and telling Him: "O most shameless
boy! W here are You approaching o u r h e a rt’s friend, who is enchanted like a little girl
when You simply touch the borders of H er breasts?”
• ♦
•* * #
TH E CLEVER WORDS O F RADHA’S MAIDSERVANTS:
Com m entary: Snpada’s sweet vision of ecstatic Radhika singing Her selfmade songs
continues. When the heart of an aspirant who meditates on these sweet pastimes becomes ripe,
then love will arise in it and the devotee can specifically experience the forms, qualities and
pastimes of the beloved deity. The sweetness of the divine Couple becomes automatically
manifested in a heart purified by pure love. This is the opinion of 6rl Jiva GosvamI, and
Srlpada personally experiences this.
Srlmati stops Her singing now and a new wave of emotions swells in Her heart When
She sits next to Syama and sees Her own reflection in His brilliant body, She thinks that it is
some other girl, so She becomes angry and She scurries out of the kuhja in a proud huff. How
indescribably relishable is Radhika’s loving anger! It makes Her form, Her qualities and Her
activities a thousand times more attractive to Nagara Mani, so He begins to follow Her with
increased eagerness. Sripada, in his niahjarT-form, follows SrimaG like Her shadow, and, just
to increase the ocean of Syama's eagerness, she chastises Him by slying: "O King of cheaters
(dhiirta raja)l Why are You following our prana sakhX Radha like that? Get lost!" mukham
padma dalakaram vacah piyiisa sTtaldh; hrdayam kartari tulyam trividham dhiirta laksanam:
The dhiirta has three characteristics: his face is as beautiful as a lotuspetal, his words are
soothing like nectar and his heart is as sharp as a razorblade." The maidservant says: "O
greatest of dhurtasl You are maddening our dearest friend with Your sweet and beautiful face
and with Your clever words, and then You break Her heart by going off with some other girl!
This is giving great distress to my friends and me! It's better that a dhiirta like You stays far
away from us! You are ruining the reputation of all the chaste housewives of Vraja, everybody
knows that! Our prana sakhi is widely reputed for Her chastity, so don't come following Her!
What will the people say when they see this? A womaniser like You should not run after chaste
girls like our friend! Go away!"
How sweetly the maidservant chastises 3yama, without any hesitation! Although she is
a maidservant she is also SrimatTs friend! How much relish she gives to Syamasundara with
these sweet chastisements! Blessed is Radha's service!
$yama becomes only more enthusiastic by seeing 3rimatTs sweet form and hearing the
rebukes of Her maidservant, so He comes up to SrlmaG and tries to touch Her. Seeing this, the
maidservant stops Him and says: "Dhurta! My friend SrlmaG is a tender young girl! She will
even faint when You touch the borders of Her breasts like this! Don’t touch Her!" Both Radha
and Syama are enchanted by these clever words of the maidservant and SrimaG forgets Her
proud huff completely! Now Radha and Syama both become very eager to meet Eachother
somewhere in private and to make love together.
he dhiirta pravara, navina nagara, nandera nandana suno

amadera prana, sakhira nikate, ebe yaitecho keno
"O Greatest dhiirtal O Young lover! O Son of Nanda! Listen! Why are You going to
our heart's friend now?"
ei sukumari, tnoha prapta hoy, kuca-tate kara sparse

e minati kori, dure ydo hari, hita katha paramarse
"This tender girl is completely bewildered when You touch the borders of Her breasts!
I ask You for Your own sake, O Hari: go far away!"
s
rasera avese, pathe pitavase, anulagna radhanathe

rasa bhahgunaya, vacana boliya, parihasa koro kobe
"When can I make such rasika joking remarks while Radhanatha Pitavasa follows
Radhika down the road in rasika ecstasy?"
yugala kisora, vdg vyavahara, mohita koribo ami

sarasvati bhane, e lalasa prone, ogo radha vinodini
SarasvaG says: "When will I enchant the Yugala Kigora with these clever words?" O
Radha Vinodini! This is my heart's desire!"
W
378 3n-3n Radha Rasa Sudhaiudlii
VERSE 192:
t
KADA VA RADHAYAH PADAKAMALAM AYOJYA HRDAYE
DA YESAM NIHSE$AM NIYA TAM IHA JAHYAM UPA VIDHIM
KADA VA GOVINDAH SAKALA SUKHADAH PREMAKARANAD
ANANYE DHANYE VAISVAYAM UPANAYATE SMARA KALAM
kada - when; vd - or; radhayah - of Radha; pada kamalam - Iotusfect; ayojya - holding; hrdaye
- to the heart; dayeSarii - the merciful Lord; niteesam - endlessly; niyatam - constantly; iha - here;
jahyam - giving up; upavidhim - endeavours for meeting; kada vd - and when; govindah - Govinda;
sakala - all; sukhada - giving delight; premakaranat - loving service; ananye - exclusively; dhanye -
blessed; vai - certainly; svayam - personally; upanayate - taking me close by; srnara - erotic; kaldm -
arts.
When can I give up all the petty regulations of this world and enshrine Sri
Radha's lotusfeet in my heart? When will Govinda personally take this exclusively
blessed person to Him and show her all the arts of love, being pleased with her loving
service?
THE EXCLUSIVELY BLESSED MAIDSERVANT:
Com m entary: 3n Govinda personally asks 3rlmatl what kind of reward He should
give to the maidservant for her loving service, and 3rlmatl, who likes to show Govinda how
exclusively dedicated her maidservants are to Her lotusfeet, hints at Him with Her eyes: "She
likes You to teach her the arts of love by embracing her and kissing her and so on."
3yamasundara understands 3ffmatfs desire and shows the maidservant the arts of love by
kissing her and pulling at her blouse. Sri Govinda is sakala sukhada, the delighter of all, but
the maidservants do not desire His bodily association. That is the difference between the sakhTs
and the manjarTs. The maidservant fearfully flees when she sees what Govinda is trying to do,
and says "O Merciful Radhe! Please save me from the hands of this womaniser!", and SvaminI
laughs in amusement when She hears the anxious appeal of Her maidservant The maidservants
are so exclusively to Her lotusfeet that they give up even the most desired treasure of the
gopTsr^Krsna's bodily association! This is the result of Radhika's personal grace upon these
girls, that are always immersed in the service of the young Couple's lotusfeet. In this case the
word upavidhi can mean 'the maidservants' endeavours to arrange for Radha and Krsna's
meeting are their main purpose (mukhya vidhi)t and personal enjoyment (with Govinda) is a
secondary purpose (upavidhi)1.
ara koto dine, vpidavana dhame,

kunjete vasati kori
radhara komala, carana kamala,
apana hrdaye dhari
"When will I live in an arbour in Vrndavana, keeping Radha's tender lotusfeet to my

heart?"
sakala sukhada, srT go vinda de va,
Siila Prabodhananda Sarasvall 379
rasikendra cudamani,
ananya dhanya, more seva prana,
' radhara kinkarTjani
"Sri Govinda deva, the crownjewel of relishers, delights all, and he knows that I am
Radha's exclusively blessed maidservant, whose very life is Her service."
se chalandmaya, kuhje sydma raya,

sniara kala premananda
prakasa korile, tahd parihdra,
koribe prabodhananda
"That trickster 6yama Raya shows the arts of eros in great loving bliss, but
Prabodhananda avoids this."
VERSE 193:
KADA VA PRODDAMA SMARA SAMARA SAMRAMBHA RABHASA

PRARUDHA SVEDAMBHAH PLUTA LULITA CITRAKH1LA TANU
GATAU KUNJA DVARE SUKHA MARUTISAMVIJYA PARAYA
MUDAHAM SRI RADHA RASIKA TILAKAU SYAM SUKRTINI 9
kada va - and when; proddama - great; smara - erotic; samara - light; sadirambha rabhasa -
powerful urge; prarudha - elevated; svedambhah - sweatdrops; pluta - drenched; lulita - slackened;
citra - wonderfully; akhila - completely; tanu - body; gatau - having gone; kunje - in the arbour; dvdre
- in the gate; sukha - joy; rnaruti - wind; sanmjya - fanning; parayd - by another; niuda - joyfully;
aliarii - I; in radha rasika tilakau - 5ri Radha and the greatest relisher; Sycim - being; sukrtinl -
fortunate girl.
W hen will I, having gone to the gate of the kuiija, be such a fortunate girl th a t I
can biisfully fan Radha and Rasika Tilaka (Kr$na, the greatest relisher), whose
weakened wonderful bodies are drenched in perspiration of exhaustion from T heir
intense and powerful erotic battle?
FANNING RADHA AND RASIKA TILAKA:
Com m entary: After rewarding Their maidservant, the young Couple becomes
overwhelmed by lusty desires, seeing Eachother's form and qualities, so They enter into a
kunja to make love with Eachother. The maidservant peeps into the kunja through the holes in
the vines and thus fulfills her long-cherished desire to witness the sweet amorous pastimes of
the divine Couple. Their passionately powerful erotic battle causes Their bodies to become
moistened by sweatdrops, Their limbs grow weak and Their bodies carry a wonderful beauty
with Their loosened clothes and ornaments and Their washed-off unguents. How desirable the
sweet vision of Radha and Madhava engaged in Their erotic battle is for the maidservants!
380 3rI-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
When the great hero BhTsmadeva lay on his bed of arrows, he prayed for Krsna's audience as
follows:
yudhi turaga raja vidliumra visvak kaca lulita srama varyalankrtasye
mama ni&ita far air vibhidyamana tvaci vilasat kavace'slu krsna dtmd (S. B. 1.9.34)
’’May my mind be fixed on Krsna, the Supreme Self, whose hair was flowing as it was
greyed by the dust thrown up by the hooves of the horses, whose face was adorned by
sweatdrops, and who enjoyed being pierced by my sharp arrows!" In the same way, the
maidservants like to see the divine Coupled weakened bodies moistened by sweatdrops, Their
clothes and ornaments dishevelled after They finished Their erotic battle.
To relieve Their fatigue, Radha and Rasika tilaka sit near the gate of the kunja and the
maidservant dries up Their sweatdrops by blissfully fanning Them. When the beautiful Couple
is thus enjoying the cool breeze They lean against Eachother and close Their eyes, while Their
natural sweetness gushes from Their limbs. When the maidservant performs this service she
considers herself to be the most fortunate girl (sukrtim).
VERSE 194:
MITHAH_PREMAVESAD GHANA PULAKA DOR-VALLIRACITA

PRA GADHA $LE$ENO TSA VA RASABHARONMILITA DRSAU
NIKUNJE KLRPTE VAI NAVA KUSUMA TALPEBHISAYITAU
KADA PAT SAMVAHADIBHIR AH AM ADHISAU NU SUKHAYE
miihah - mutual; premdvefat - out of loving ecstasy; ghana - big; pulaka - goosebumps; doh -
arm; valli - vines; racita - making; pragadha - intense; dflesena - by embracing; utsava - festival;
rasabhara - full of flavour; wimllita - opened; drfau - eyes; nikrnje - in the grove; klrpte - making; vai
- certainly; nava - new; kusuma - flower; talpe - on the bed; abhifayitau - lying on; kadd - when; pal -
feet; satiivahadibhih - by fanning and so on; aharh - I; adhUau - the king and queen; nu sukhaye -
delight.
*
W hen will I delight my king an d queen (Radha-Kr$na) by massaging T heir feet

and perform ing other such services, while They are lying in a tight em brace on a fresh
bed of flowers in the nikunja, T heir eyes wide open because o f absorption in am orous
mellows, and Their vine-like arm s studded with goosepimples of ecstatic love for
Eachother?
MASSAGING TH E FEET OF MY KING AND QUEEN:
Com m entary: Snpada, in his kinkari-form, has removed the young Couple's fatigue by
fanning Them and now she makes Them lie down on a bed made of fresh stemless flowers that
she had made just before. There the divine Couple tightly embrace Eachother with Their
horripilating, vine-like arms. They are eagerly crying for the touch of each of Eachother’s
limbs and They keep Their eyes wide open, so that They will not fall asleep and be deprived of
Srfla Prabtxihananda Sarasvati 381
the bliss of Eachother's loving embrace. The fortunate maidservant is now ordered to massage
the feet of this young loving Pair. All the softness of the maidservant's hands become manifest
on her handpalms, so that she can delight her beloved king and queen to the utmost by
massaging Their tender lotusfeet. The aspirants should mentally sit by the side of this
maidservant to learn these services from her. ei sab seva yara, dasT yeno hon tara, anuksana
thdki tara sahge (Prarthana). The maidservant holds these precious lotusfeet to her heart while
she drinks the great sweetness of the forms of her king and queen, Who are tightly embracing
Eachother, with the cups of her eyes. What a blissful condition! The maidservant has no idea
how much time passes in this way, because the influence of material time is completely absent
in the spiritual realm.
VERSE 195:
MADARUNA VILOCANAM KANAKA DARPAKAMOCANAM

MAHA PRANA YA MADHURI RASA VILASA NITYOTSUKAM
LAS AN NAVA VAYAH SRI YA LALITA BHANGILILAM A YAM
HftDA TAD AHAM UDVAHE KIM API HEM AGAURAM MAH AH
niada - intoxicated; aruna - red; vilocanam - eyes; kanaka - golden; darpakamocanam -

stealing the pride; niaha - great; pranaya - loving; madhuri - sweetness; rasa - flavour; vilasa -
pastimes; nitya - always; utsukam - eager; lasat - beautiful; tiava - new; vayah - age; Sriyah - beauty;
lalita - lovely; bhahgi - movements; lilamayam - full of sports; hrda - the heart; tad - that; afiam - 1;
udvahe - keeping; kim api - indescribable; herna gaurafn - golden; mahah - light.
I keep some Indescribable golden light, that has red intoxicated eyes, that destroys
the pride of gold, that is always eager for very sweet romantic lovesports and that is full
of lovely playful gestures and tender age, in my heart!
MEDITATING ON A GOLDEN LIGHT;
Commentary: 3rlpada experiences the sweetness of the divine Couple in his

transcendental visions. When They are very close to Eachother, the divine Couple increases the
oceans of Eachother's sweetness, and the hearts of the maidservants float along in all directions
on the waves of this ocean, rupam kim apyanirvacyath tanor madhuryam ucyate (Ujjvala
Nilamani) "When a body is indescribably beautiful it is called madhurya, or sweetness." This
can only be experienced by an advanced devotee, it cannot be expressed with words. SrUa
Rupa GosvamI has written (B.R.S 2.5.132): vyatftya bhavand vartma yas camatkrti bhara
bhuh hrdi sattvojjvale badham svadate sa raso matah "That which transcends the mental
conceptions of a human being, which is the cause of great astonishment, and which is
experienced in the hearts of those who are enlightened by visuddha sattva, or pure goodness, is
called rasa". Krsna is sweetness Himself, but 3rl Vrsabhanu's daughter drowns even Him in
the ocean of Her sweetness. The sweetness of Her love ever increases when She is with Him...
yadyapi nirmala radhara sat prema darpana;

*
382 Srl-Srl Radha Rasa Sudhanidiii
tathapi svacchata tarn badhe ksane ksana

amara mddhuryera nahi badhite avakfife;
e darpanera age nava nava rupa bhdse
man madhurye radha prema dohhe hoda kori;
ksane ksane badhe dohhe keho ndhi hari (C.C.)
"Although the mirror of Radha's true love is spotless, its clearness increases at every
moment. There is no end to the increase of My sweetness, but in front of that mirror it assumes
always new forms. My sweetness and Radha's love thus always increase eachother, and no one
suffers defeat." When the devotee experiences the sweetness of this loving Couple, his prema
a ls o in c re a s e s : mddhu rycidydsrayatvena krsnadims taitute ratih tathdnubhuyatnands te vistimdhi
kurvate ratim (Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu 2.5.98) "rati takes shelter of sweetness and so, and thus
reveals Krsna and so, and when this is experienced, rati also increases again." Srlpada, in his
kinkarT-iotm, has attained the great fortune of tasting that sweetness, and that savour has
extended ^*•* the ocean of his prema. When he sees ^ffmatTs lovely movements, he says lasan
nava vayah sriya lalita bhahgi tildmayam "Her tender age is so beautiful and Her playful
movements are so lovely!"
•
vinyasa bhahgi rahgdnahi bhru vilasa manohara

sukumara bhaved yatra lalitath tad udlritam (U.Nflam.)
"When a tender girl makes playful gestures with Her limbs and enchanting movements
with the eyebrows, it is called a lalitalahkara. (the emotional ornament named lalitaY The
maidservant sees these lovely movements in ail of Svaminl's pastimes.
^ rim ad is called maha pranaya madhun rasa vilasa nityotsukam, She who is always
eager to play very sweet loving pastimes." Srlpada realizes that when he sees the divine Couple
locking Eachother in a tight embrace. 3 n Jiva GosvamI says that pranaya creates a sense of
nondifference between the two divine lovers, a feeling of oneness in mind, heart, body and
intelligence, according to Snla Vi$vanatha Cakravartlpada.
^rlmatl's naturally beautiful eyes are slightly reddish out of amorous intoxication, and
the luster that gushes out from Her body because She knows that She was able to please Her
beloved, defeats the pride of gold. Srlpada always holds that indescribable golden light in his
illuminated heart.
kelikuhje dyotamdnd gorocand gaurl; premamaylpramodinTparama sundarT

madaruna vilocand madana m ohinikanakera darpa hare rai kamalim
mahojjvala prema-rasa pranaya madhurl; vilase autsuka sada navfna ndgarT
nava vayah sriya nava hema gaura jyotih; sulalita bhahgT-maya lilamaya dev!
tdrunya vaibhava murti satata smarane; hrdaye bohona kori sarasvatl bhane
"Srlmatl is shining in the play-kunja as Gorocana (vermilion-complexioned girl) Gaurl

(golden complexioned girl) Premamayl (a girl full of love), PramodinT (giver of delight and
amusement) and Parama SundarT (the most beautiful girl). Rai KamalinI (Lotuslike Radha)'s
eyes are red of amorous intoxication, She enchants Cupid and She destroys the pride of gold.
The love of our Navlna NagarT (youthful heroine) is sweetened by the very brilliant flavour of
love and She is always eager to enjoy amorous pastimes. This new golden light is beautiful
because of Her tender age and Her lovely, playful gestures. This is why She is also called devT
(playful and splendid). Sarasvatl says: I always keep this opulent youthful form in my heart
and in my mind."
&nla Prabodhananda SarasvaU 383
VERSE 196:
MADAGHURNANNETRAMNAVA RATIRASAVESA VIVASOLr

LAS AD GATRAM PRANA PRANAYA PARIPA TYAM PARA TARAM
MITHO GADHASLESAD VALAYAMIVA jATAMMARAKATA
DRUTA SVARNA CCHAYAltf SPHURATU M1THVNAM TAN MAMA HRDI
m «
mada - intoxication; aglutmat - twirling; netram - eyes; tiava - new; rati - love; rasdvesa -
ecstasy of rasa; vivato - overwhelmed; ullasad - gladdened; gdtram - body; prana - life; pranaya -
love; paripatyam - expertise; parataram - higher; mithah - mutual; gadha - tight; atlesa - embrace;
valayam - bracelet; iva - like; jaia - becoming; marakata - emerald; dnita - molten; svarna - gold;
cchdyam - luster; sphuratu - may it manifest; mithunam - couple; tat - that; mama - my; hrdi - heart.
M ay that transcendental C ouple (R adha-K r$na), that is colored like m olten gold
(R adha) and em erald (K r$na), that is absorbed in alw ays new rati (m utual attraction ),
w hose eyes tw irl o f am orous intoxication and w ho becam e like a bracelet by tightly
em bracing E achothers beautiful bodies, being m ost expert in the a rt o f lovem aking, be
m anifest in m y heart!
T H E A M O R O U S E X PE R TISE O F RADHA A N D M A D H A V A :
Com m entary; nava rati rasdvesa vivasollasad gdtram mean that the limbs of the
divine Couple are thrilled by amorous rapture which is ever new, just like the water flowing in
a brook. The divine Couple's limbs are overwhelmed because They seem to be unable to bear
the weight of this amorous rapture. The maidservant is fully absorbed in relishing the
unprecedented beauty of this amorous Couple; her heart is also unable to bear the weight of
this savour.
prana pranaya paripatyam parataram means that the expertise of their heart’s love is
unrivalled. 3ri Radha is the transformation of Sn Krona's love, radha-krsna pranaya vikrti,
says Sri Svarupa Damodara. The word vikrti means the boiled-up essence, just as the boiled
up essence of milk is kslra (sweet rice) or barphi (milksweet). As a result of this 'boiling' two
bodies grow from the deep lake of one soul, strung together in one heart again. ekatmanTha
rasa-purnatametyagadhe ekdsu samgrathitam eva tanu-dvayam nau (Prema Samputa).
Although They are strung together in one heart Sriman (beautiful Krsna) is priya (lover) and
Srlmatl (beautiful Radhika) is priya (beloved), for the sake of relishing transcendental rasa:
radha-krsna eka dtmd dui deha dhari; anyonye vilase rasa asvadana kori (Caitanya
Caritamrta, Adi) The great poet Karnapura wrote in Alankara Kaustubha (5.33):
preydnis te'ham tvam api ca mama preyasXti pravadas

tvath me prana aham api tavasmlli hanta pralapah
tvam me te $ydm aham iti yat tac ca no sadhu radhe
vydhdre nau na hi samucito yusmad asmat prayogah
"Anyone who says that I am Your beloved or You are My beloved is just raving.
Alas! Anyone who says that You are My life and I am also Your very life is speaking
nonsense! It is also not nice to say that I am Yours and You are mine. 0 Radhe! All such
«•
384 3rl-6ri Radha Rasa Sudlianidlu
statements are improper, for they indicate a difference between the two of Us! Words like
'You and Me’ are only an illusion!" *
VERSE 197:
PARASPARAM PREMA-RASE NIMAGNAM A$E$A SAMMOHANA RUPA KELl

VRNDA VANANTAR NA VA KUNJA GEHE TAN NILA PIT AM MITHUNAM CAKASTI
paraspararii - mutually; prema rase - in the flavour of love; nimagnatii - immersed; aJesa
- endless; sammohana - enchantment; rupa - form; keli - pastime; vnidavanantara - in Vmdavana;
riava - new; kunja - grove; gehe - in a house; tad - that; mla - blue; pltarii - yellow; mithunarii - couple;
cakdsii - exits.
-.• v •
There is an enchanting blue and yellow Pair immersed in the flavour of

Eachother’s love, showing innumerable enchanting forms and pastimes in a bowerhouse
in Vmdavana.
m
ENCHANTING PASTIMES:
Com m entary: In his 'Gopala Campu' (Purva 33.6), 3rl Jiva GosvamI describes how
the divine Couple is enchanted by Their own amorous pastimes:
rddha’jdndd asai'ige danuja vijayinah safigamdrad asangarii

sange caivatn samantdd grha samaya snkfia svapna sltddikhni
etasya vrttir esajani sapadi yaddnyad vicitrarfi tadaslt
kantakanta svabhdvo'pyahaha ya anayor vaipantyaya jajne
- -'When Radha is with Krsna She feels separated from Him, and when She is separated
from Him, She feels united with Him. She thinks Her home is the forest and the forest is Her
home,.a moment is an age and an age is a moment, sleeping is wakefulness and wakefulness
is sleep, cold is heat and heat is cold, joy is sorrow and sorrow is joy. Why, She even thinks
that She is Her lover and Her lover is She Herself!" That is the ultimate result of Their
absorption in prema rasa. The maidservant is a direct witness of this divine, delusion of the
divine adolescent Pair. Actually, not only Radha and Madhava are enchanted by this prema
rasa, the whole world is enchanted by it! Not only the sakhTs and manjaris are enchanted by it,
but also the practising devotees when they hear and chant about these pastimes. Even a
neophyte sees that the heart's disease of lust is swiftly driven out of his heart when he sincerely
and offenselessly hears and chants about these pastimes.
VERSE 198:
AS ASYA DASYAM VRSABHANU JAY AS TIRE SAMADHYASYA CA BHANU JAYAII

&rlla Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 385
KADA NU VRNDA VAN A KUNJA VITHISVAHAM NU RADHE HYATITHIR BHAVEYAM

»
asasya - of the aspiration; dasyam - servanthood; vrsabhdnu jayah - of Vr$abhanu's daughter;

tire - on the bank; samadhydsya - sitting; ca - and; bhdnu - the sun; jayah - of the daughter; kada tin -
and when; vmddvana kunja - Vmdavana's groves; vlthlsu - on the pathways; ahant - 1; nu rddhe - O
Radlia!; hi - surely; atithih - guest; bhava - being; iyam - this.
O Radhe! When will I become a guest on the pathways of Vrndavana's groves,

sitting on the bank of the Yamuna, aspiring for the service of Vrsabhanu’s daughter?
»
A G U E ST IN VRAJA'S GROVES:
Com m entary: The Yamuna river is the daughter of the sun (bhanu) and Radhika is the
daughter of Vrsabhanu, the sun in the sign of Taurus, and thus they are sisters. Bound by the
ropes of firm hopes, Srlpada Sarasvatl prays to Srlmatfs lotusfeet: "O Vrsabhanu-nandini!
When will I, who sits on the bank of the Yamuna, hoping for Your service, become a guest
on the pathways of Vrndavana's groves?
yasya na jnayate riania tia ca gotrani tia ca sthitili

akasmad grham aydti so'tithih procyate budhaih
"The wise call that person, whose name, family or residence is not known, and who
suddenly comes to one's house, an atithi or a guest" It is a great fault of a householder not to
receive a guest because:
atithir yasya bhagnaSa grhat prati nivartate
sa tasniai duskrtim dattva punyam addya gacchati
"A guest whose hopes are frustrated because he is sent away from the house he comes
to, gives the inhospitable householder all his bad karma and takes the householder's good
karma with him as he leaves." Even if the host has no food to offer to his unexpected guest he
should at least offer him a restingplace, a sittingplace some water or some sweet words. There
is never any shortage of that:
trnani bhumir udakam vak caturthT ca sunrta
• * *
etdnyapi satarii gehe nocchidyante kadacana
"O Radhe! You are Vr$abhanu’s princess, the Queen of Vrndavana, and an ocean of
compassion! You cannot reject this wretched guest of Yours! Please forget my unworthiness
and fulfill my desires for Your nikunja-sQrvice! When You go out to meet Your beloved in
Vrndavana's groves this wretched maidservant will be waiting for You, sitting on the pathways
on the bank of the Yamuna! If You don't bestow Your mercy on me then I will not leave this
seat, that is my firm vow! Surely You will bestow Your mercy on this fallen maiden when You
see her sitting there! You are Krsna’s aradhikd (worshiper) and I can be of great help to You!
O Premamayi! Will You not bless this maidservant with Your loving devotional service? O
VERSE 199:
«
KALINDl TATA KUNJE PUNJIBHUTAM RASAMRTAM KIM API

ADDHUT A KELINIDHANAM NIRAVADHIRADHABHIDHANAM ULIASATI
kalindl - Yamuna; tata - bank; kuiije - in a grove; puhjlbhutam - abundant; rasamttam -

nectarean flavour; kirn api - indescribable; adbhuta - wonderful; keli - pastimes; nidhdnam - reservoir;
niravadhi - constantly; radhabhidhanam - named Radha; ullasati - dwells.
-A n indescribable reservoir of great nectarean flavours and wonderful pastimes

named R adha always dwells in the groves on the bank of the Yamuna.
S R l R A D H A , TH E A B O D E O F W O ND ER FU L PA STIM ES:
Com m entary: Snpada, in his kinkan svarupa, sits on the bank of the Yamuna,
anxiously hoping for SrimatTs service as she sees that Vrndavana is suddenly illuminated by
a golden aura. The maidservant immediately gets up and ecstatically sees that Sri Radhika
has come to the bank of the Yamuna to meet Her beloved. All of Svamiiu's limbs are playing
on the waves of the desire to meet Her beloved while She enters the trysiing-kunja. The
maidservant follows Her inside and sees that She is the very form of a great abundance of
indescribable nectarean flavours. It is as if the formless abundance of prema rasa assumes the
form of Vrsabhanu's princess.
Knowing for sure that Her beloved is going to come, Snmatl blissfully decorates the
trystirig kunjay and the maidservant hands Her the necessary soft flowers and sprouts.
Different wonderful flower-like bhavas (ecstatic emotions) erupt on SrlmatTs vine-like body
when She remembers all the artful, rasika pastimes She played with Her Nagara, and this
causes the maidservant to think of Her as the wonderful keli nidhana, the reservoir of
pastimes. 3rimatl can make Her Nagara relish pleasure that He couldn’t even dream of, and
this makes Her enjoy great happiness at every moment: niravadhi radhabhidhanam ullasati.
VERSE 200:*
* The great poet Vidyapati prays to Sri Kr$na in his song yatane yoteko dhana, papa batoraloh: "If
someone comes to the door of a householder in the evening, begging fpr alms, then shame will come
upon the householder if he disappoints the beggar. In the same way I am a beggar at Your door in the
evening of my life, begging for Your grace. If You let me down shame will come upon Your name of
Dayamaya (the benign One)."
Srila Prabodhananda Saras vat! 387
PRITIRIVA MURTIMATI RASA-SINDHOIf SARA SAMPAD IVA VIM ALA

VAIDAGDHINAM HftDAYAMKACANA VRNDAVANAlfHIKARINIJAYATl
prltih - love; iva - just like; murtimati - the veiy form; rasa sindhoh - of the ocean of flavour;
sara - essence; sampad - opulence; iva - like; viniala - spotless; vaidagdlunam - of clever girls;
hrdayam -heart; kdcana- some; vrndavanddh ikarin i - empress of Vrndavana; jayali - glories.
All glories to the queen of V rndavana, who is the heart of all the clever girls, who
is like love personified and who is the spotless treasure of S ri Kr$na, Who is Himself the
essence of an ocean of rasa !
SR I R A D H A , LO V E PERSO NIFIED:
Commentary: Srimatl has finished decorating the ixystlng-kuhja and now simply waits
for Krsna's arrival. When the appointed time passes and Krsna still did not show up, the ocean
of Srimatfs anxiety increases. Finally She is unable to remain patient and She pitifully
laments:
kathita samaye 'pi harir ahaha na yayau variant
mania viphalam idam alam api rupa yauvanam
yami he kam iha saranarh sakhTjana vacana vancita (Gita Govinda)
"AlasI Hari did not show up in the forest on the appointed time! If I cannot serve Him,
then all My youthful beauty is useless! Alas! Of whom shall I take shelter now, now that I’ve
been deceived by My friends’ words?"
The maidservant sees Sri Radha as love personified. Sri Jiva GosvamI says in Priti
Sandarbha: hladim sdra vrtti visesa svarupa bhagavatT priti "Love of God is the essence of
God's energy of bliss", and Caitanya Caritamrta says:
hlddinlra sdra - prema, prema sdra - bhdva

bhdvera paramakdsthd - noma mahdbhava
mahd bhdva svarupa - radha thakurdnl
"The essence of the pleasure-energy is prema, the essence of prema is bhdva, and the
highest stage of bhdva is named mahdbhava. Goddess Radha is the very form of that mahd
bhdva." tatra tdsdm kevala iakti-mdtratvendmurtdtidfii bhagavad vigraJiadyaikdlmyena sthitih.
adhisthdtn rupatvena murtdndm lu tad avaranatayeti dvi rupatvam api jneyam (Bhagavad
Sandarbhah) "The energies like hladinl are one with God’s form in a formless way, but they
assume forms as their presiding goddesses and appear externally as the Lord’s consorts
(Lak$ml, Slta, RukminI, Radha and so on)."
rasa sindhoh srf krsriasya vimald sdra rupa sampad iva "She is the spotless essence of
the ocean of rasa. Who is that ocean of rasal Sri Krsna. She is the very wealth of Krsna's
heart, as Kr$na Himself admits in Gita Govinda:
tvam asi mama jlvanam tvam asi mama bhusariahi

tvam asi mama bhava jaladhi ratnam
w
388 Sri-£n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
bhavatu bhavatlva rnayi satatam anurodhim

tatra mama hrdayam ati yatnan?
»
"You are My life, You are My ornament, and You are the jewel in the ocean of My
desires. May You always stay in My heart!" When someone in the material world finds a
jewel, he will sell it to buy things for sense gratification that will contaminate his mind, but
the mind of anyone who finds this transcendental jewel of love of God will surely become
purified and be filled with the same love.
The word sampad or opulence in the text can also mean £ri, goddess Laksml. Laksml,
the goddess of wealth, may have come from the ocean of milk, but Prema Laksml Radha has
been churned up from the ocean of rasa and is therefore superior to the goddess of fortune.
6rImatT is the very heart of all clever girls (vaidagdhinam hrdayam), or the very heart of
all cleverness. The maidservant personally sees how cleverly 5rlmaff came to meet Krsna and
how cleverly She decorated the kunja. When the cuckoos, the bees, the birds, the trees, the
vines and the deer of Vrndavana see how pitifully SrlmatJ is separated from Her beloved,
they all-very along with Her, feeling the same anguish. Seeing this, the maidservant calls Her
vmdavahadhikarinT, the queen of Vrndavana. Suddenly a bluish aura illuminates the kunja.
The maidservant, who suffers along with her Svaminl, rushes out of the kunja and sees that
3yamasundara has arrived. Seeing how the fire of Srimatfs anguish is extinguished by the
ecstatic shower of Her blissful meeting with Syama, the maidservant says kacana
vmddvanddhikarinT jay ati: "All glories to the indescribable queen of Vrndavana!"
VERSE 2 0 1 :
RASAGHANA MOHAN A MURTIM VICITRA KELIMAHOTSA VOLLAS1TAM

RADHA CARANA VILODHITA RUCIRA SIKH AND AM HARIM VANDE
* • • •
rasa - flavour; ghana - thick; mohana - enchanting; murtirii - form; vicitra - wonderful; keli -
play; mahotsava - great festival; ullasitam - gladdened; radha carana - Radha’s lotusfeet; vilodhita -
rolling; rucira - beautiful; Sikhandam - peacockfeather-crown; harim - Hari; vande - obeisances.
I offer my obeisances unto Hari, who is the very form of deep rasa, who is
gladdened by a great festival of amazing pastimes, who wears a beautiful crown of
peacockfeathers and who rolls at Radha's footsoles!
H A R I IS TH E VER Y FO RM OF DEEP RASA:
Com m entary: When Syamasundara arrives at the trystingplace, He understands that

He is too late, so He is a little afraid. The course of love is most amazing: although îimatl
made all the creatures of Vrndavana cry along with Her when She was separated from Krsna,
now that Krsna has arrived She suddenly becomes angry! Mana is a culmination of sneha or
pranaya. In Ujjvala Ntlamani (Sthayi 83) it is described how pranaya and mana are
interactive:
janitvd pranayah snehat kutracin mdnatdm vrajet

snehdnmanah kvacid bhutva pranayatvam athaJhute
kdrya kdraimtdnyo 'tiyam atah pranaya nianayoh
"Sneha comes forth from prayaya, and thus mdna is attained. Sometimes also mdna .
comes forth from sneha and culminates into pranaya. Hence pranaya and mdna are
interactive." Srimafi pulls Her veil over Her head and turns Her back on Hari as He enters the
kunja. He who steals the hearts of everyone in the whole world with His unrivalled beauty
and sweetness is named 'Hari1. Different forms of the Lord are named Hari, but Krsna is so
* « • •
attractive that He even enchants the mind of Lord Visnu, who is also named Hari.
» • *
ye madhuri urdhva ana, ndhi ydra samana,

s
paravyome svarupera gone
yeho sab avatan, paravyome adhikdrT,
e madhurya ndhi nardyane
"There is no sweetness greater than or equal to that of Krsna. He is the origin of all
the forms of Visnu that descend from Vaikuntha, and His sweetness cannot be found in Lord
Narayana!"
tate saksf sei ramd, nardyanera priyatamd,
pativratd ganera upasyd
teho ye madhurya lobhe, chadi sob kama bhoge
vrata kori korilo tapasyd
"That can be clearly seen in Lord Narayana's beloved Rama (LaksmI), who is
worshiped by all the chaste women. Strongly desiring Krsna’s sweetness She gave up all
sense gratification, took firm vows and performed severe penance."
sei to madhurya sarat anya siddhi ndhi tdra,

tinho - madhuryadi guna khani
dra sab prakase, tdra datta guna bhase,
ydha yoto prakase kdrya jani
(C.C. Madhya 21)

*
"Krsna is the quintessence of sweetness and there is no other perfection above i t He

is a jewelmine of all qualities like sweetness. He has given His qualities to all other divine
manifestations. In this way we know all the activities of the divine manifestations." But Radha
steals even the heart of Hari, He who steals the hearts of everyone in this world! No matter
what Kr$na tries to please His angry beloved, nothing helps, so He decides to take shelter of
the means called nati, or offering obeisances. Sri Rupa GosvamI writes in Ujjvala NUamani:
sdrna bheda kriya dana natyupeksa rasdntaraih "The seven means to break the pique of the
beloved are: appeasement, separation, worship, giving a present, offering obeisances,
ignoring, or taking shelter of another mellow." kevalam dainyam alambya padapato natir
mata (ibid.) "Humbly falling at the beloved feet is called nati." Hari holds the feet of His
beloved on His head and humbly prays: "O Premamayi! Please forgive Me!" The maidservant
sees how the peacockfeathercrown of the universal enchanter rolls at SvaminTs lotusfeet Aha!
What an enchanting beauty! How sweetly Transcendence falls at the feet of the Pinnacle of
Love! The maidservant is completely enchanted. The maidservant calls Hari rasa ghana
mohana murtiht the very form of deep rasa. The Upani$ads say raso vai sah: "He (the
4
390 £n -£n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Supreme) is rasa", and Krsna is again the rasa ghana mohana murti, the form of condensed
rasa. Rasaraja Sri Krsna is most enchanting when He falls at Radha?s lotusfeet. This sweetness
cannot be relished, though, unless one accepts the mood of Sri Radha's maidservants (tnanjarl
bhava). Although sugarcane is naturally sweet, that sweetness cannot be lasted unless the sweet
juice is squeezed out. A toothless baby or a toothless old man cannot chew the sweet juice out
of the cane, only a young person with strong teeth can. In the same way a person who has no
love and devotion for Krsna cannot relish His sweetness. An aspirant should therefore have a
sincere desire to love Krsna. Sri Radhika can squeeze all the sweet juice out of Krsna with the
mill of Her pure love, and those who take shelter of Her and Her girlfriends and maidservants
can also relish that sweetness according to the amount of love they develop. This is the
extraordinary greatness of the shelter of SrlmalTs lotusfeet
i
With His loving cleverness Hari managed to break SrlmatTs pique. Seeing Her hero
sitting at Her feet, Srimatl starts crying, pulls Him up and embraces Him. In this way Hari
becomes gladdened by a great festival of wonderful love-pastimes (yicitra keli
mahotsdvolasitatn). The maidservant looks into the kunja through the holes in the vines to
witness-that ecstatic festival of love. Being grateful to Hari for allowing Her to relish that
sweet sight, the maidservant offers obeisances unto Him, saying rucira sikhandath harirh
vande "I offer my obeisances unto Hari, who wears a beautiful crown of peacockfeathers!"
VERSE 202:
KADA GAYAM GAYAM MADHURA MADHU RITYA MADHUBHIDAS

CARITRANI SPHARAMRTA RASA VICITRANIBAHUSAH
MRJANTI TAT KELI BHAVANAM ABHIRAMAM MALA YAJA
CCHATABHIH
♦ ♦ SING ANTI RASA HRADA NIMAGNASMIBHA VITA
kada - when; gayarii gayam - singing; madhura madhurTtya - sweeter than sweet; madhubhidah
- of the Kr§na-bee; caritrani - pastimes; sphara - great; amrta - nectar; rasa - flavour; vicitrdni -
amazing; bahuSah - many ways; mrjantT - sweeping; tat - Their; keli - play; bhavanam - house;
abhiraniam - enchanting; malayaja - with sandalpaste; cchatabhih - with luster; sincantl - sprinkling;
rasa - flavour; hrada - pool; -nimagna - immersed; asmi - I am ; bhavitd - being.
W hen w ill I drow n in a pond o f rasa w hile I sw eep S r i R adhika's beautiful

playground, sprinkling it w ith liquid sandalw oodpaste w hile sin gin g o f th e
sw eeter-than-sw eet abundance o f nectarean rasa o f M adhubhid's (K r$na's) w onderful
character and pastim es?
T H E PL A Y G R O V E T H A T EN C H A N TS T H E EYES:
C om m entary: In today's wonderful great festival of loveplays, the maidservant sees

Krsna as madhubhit. What is the inner meaning of this? madhu bhinantTti madhubhit: "He who
killed the Madhu-demon is named Madhubit". This is the aisvarya-explanation, but there is
also a sweeter explanation that fits in the mood of Vraja. tnadhu then means honey, and bhit is
£rila Prabodhananda Sarasvati 391
the bee who separates (bheda) that honey from the flowers. Today the rasika bhramara
(relishing bumblebee) Kr§na has taken so much honey from Radhfka's lips by kissing them,
that He has become wholly intoxicated. Ecstasy Himself has fainted of ecstasy!
The love-pastimes are now over and the tired Couple gets up and sits down on the
kunja's terrace to catch some cool breeze. The maidservant enters into the kunja and begins
to sprinkle and sweep the floor with fragrant liquids like sandalwater. How beautiful the
kunja appears to the maidservant! Broken flowergarlands are lying around, the bed of flowers
is kicked apart and pearls from broken necklaces, as well as chewed pan and used unguents are
lying all over the place. The sadhaka should also mentally sweep the kunja and relish its
beauty. When this remembrance becomes very deep the self-manifest beauty of the kunja will
appear before the mind's eye of the sadhaka. This beauty is also relishable through the process
of hearing and chanting.
While sweeping the kunja the maidservant loudly sings about the nectarean pastimes
of Madhubhit with a wonderfully sweet voice. No subject is as sweet as the Vraja-pastimes of
Krsna with Radha, which are filled with the nectarean rasa of transcendental eros. With self-
* • V '
made songs the maidservant sings of how Hari's peacockfeathercrown rolls at Radha's lotusfeet
when He tries to soothe Her pique, how sweetly Radha and Madhava meet Eachother, how
Hail drinks the honey of Radha's lips and how He becomes intoxicated. Goosepimples of
ecstasy erupt on Radha and Madhava's skins when they hear these sweet songs and They
glance at Eachother full of renewed desire. The maidservant drowns in a pool of rasa when she
sings these sweet songs, sweeps the kunja and stares at the sweet forms of the Yugala Kifora.
sri rnadhusudana Hid bodoi madhura; Ulara vistdra yeno rasamrta pura
vicitra caritamrta manera ananda; kTrtana koriyd kobe sulalita chande
kelikuhja bhavana ki koribo marjana; malaya candana vari koriyd sihcana
bhane sri prabodhananda e lalasa hrde; nimagana hoibo ki soda rasa hrade ?
"3rl Madhusudana's pastimes are very sweet, and when they extend they are filled with
nectarean rasa. When can I blissfully glorify His wonderful nectarean pastimes with lovely
tunes? When can I sweep the cottage in the playgrove and sprinkle it with water scented with
sandalpaste? 3ri Prabodhananda says: "This is the desire in my heart: When can I thus always
drown in a pool of rasaV
VERSE 203:
UDANCAD ROMANCA PRACAYA KHACITAM VEPATHUMATlM

DADHANAM SRI RADHAM A TI MADHURA ULAMAYA TANUM
KADA VA KASTURYA KIM API RACAYANTY EVA KUCAYOR
VICITRAMPATRAUM AHAM AHAHA VlK$E SUKRTINI
udahcat - coming up; romahca - goosepimples; pracaya - host; khacitarh - studded; vepalhu
- shivering; matim - endowed with; dadhdndm - making; §ri radham - Sri Radha; ati madhura -
very sweet; lllamaya -playful; tanum - body; kadavd- or when; kasturyd - with musk; kimapi -t
392 Sn-6ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
indescribable; racayanti - making; eva - only; kucayoh - the breasts; vicitrarii - wonderful; patralim -
leaves; aham - 1; ahaha - O!; vikse - seeing; sukrtini - lucky girl. *
4
*
Aho! W lien will I be such a lucky girl that I can see S ri R adha's very playful sw eet
shivering body studded w ith goosepim ples o f ecstasy w hen I m ake Kr$na paint
indescribably w onderful m usk-pictures o f leaves on H er breasts?
A LUCKY GIRL:
Com m entary: When the maidservant sings a sweet song about Their love-pastimes,
the divine Couple feels like making love again. Understanding Their desire, the maidservant
quickly: makes a new lovebed for Them in the kunja. The lovely Couple is overcome by
amorous, desires, so They enter into the kunja and become absorbed in Their love-pastimes
there. The maidservant witnesses these pastimes, standing on the terrace of the kunja, and
after the pastimes are over, the maidservant re-enters the kunja and serves the divine Couple
there by fanning Them and giving Them scented water and betelleaves.
During the amorous pastimes Radhika's dress and ornaments have become dishevelled,
so the maidservant says: "Madhava, just see what You've done with Svaminl's dress and
ornaments! Quickly straighten everything out, before Her girlfriends come here and ridicule
Her!" Hearing these words, Madhava starts to paint musk-pictures of leaves on Radhika’s
breasts, and the maidservant assists Him by handing Him a small brush and holding a cup
with liquid musk before Him. While Nagara draws the musk-leaves on His beloved's breasts
His hands shiver and the lines of musk on the breasts become crooked. When the maidservant
sees this she covers her mouth with her hand and giggles. When SvaminT is touched by
3yama's hands She shivers and the hairs on Her body stand erect of ecstasy. How many
romantic words rasikendra speaks while He draws the leafpictures on His beloved's breasts,
causing Sri Radha's face and eyes to become decorated with bhava bhusana, ornaments of
loving ecstasy! The maidservant sees how Svaminl's body is filled with sweet pastimes, and
seeing these ornaments of love on Her body, Krsna also floats in oceans of rasal The
maidservants considers herself to be a sukrtini, a lucky girl. The word sukrtini can mean that
the maidservant is doing good (szz) work (krtya) by serving the divine Couple. She causes
amorous feelings in Their hearts by singing sweet songs and after the amorous pastimes she
engages ;$yama in drawing the leafpictures on Svaminl's breasts; in this way she makes Them
both very happy. She is also a sukrtini, or very fortunate girl, because she can always relish the
sweetness and the beauty of the divine Couple. It is only as the result of great fortune, the
great fortune of divine grace, that an aspirant becomes greedy after the sweetness of the divine
Couple force. Without attaining that great fortune of mercy this cannot be attained even in
millions of births! Srila Rupa GosvamI teaches:
krsna bhakti rasa bhavita matih kriyataih yadi kuto’p i labhyate

tatra mulyarn api laulyam ekalam jannia koti sukrtair na labhate
"When taste for devotion to Krsna can be purchased anywhere, then the price to be paid
for that can only be laulyam (sacred greed). It cannot be attained even by millions of births of
sukrti (good works)." The service of Radha and Madhava is the most precious attainment of
all, and especially in this age of quarrel Sriman Mahaprabhu has made it available to everyone,
through the agency of the deary as.
Sola Prabodhananda Sarasvati 393
VERSE 204:
K§ANAM SlTKURVANA K$ANAM ATHA MAHA VEPATHUMA TJ

K$ANAM SYAMA SYAMETY AMUM ABHILAPANTl PULAKITA
MAHA PREMA KAPIPRAMADA MADANODDAMA RASADA
SADANANDA MURTIR JAY ATI VR$ABHANOH KULAMANIH
ksanarii - moment; titkurvana - screaming; ksanarn - moment; atha - then; maha - great;
vepathu-malim - shivering; ksanam - moment; Syama syama iti - Syama! Syama; amum - thus;
abhilapanti - exclaiming; pulakita - horripilating; maha - great; prema - love; kapi - some girl;
pramada - blissful; madana - erotic; uddama - great; rasadd - giving relish; sadananda - real delight;
murtih - form; jayati - glories; vrsabhdnoh kulaniani - the jewel of king Vrâbhanu’s dynasty.
All glories to the real, blissful jewel of king Vr$abhanufs dynasty, who Is a great
bestower of blissful erotic love-rasa, who sometimes shouts, sometimes greatly shivers
and sometimes calls out 'Syama! Syam a!', while H er hairs stand on end of ecstasy!
THE BESTOW ER OF GREAT BLISSFUL EROTIC RASA :
Com m entary: When the vision subsides great agony arises in Sflpada’s heart Humbly
he thinks in external consciousness: 'As a result of some indescribable sukrti I attained the
great fortune of the relish of the Yugalz-madhurT, now again I am suddenly deprived of this
fortune as the result of some powerful duskrti (bad work)!"
Syama has now dressed Sri Radha, and Radha has, with the help of Her maidservant,
also dressed Him. Both are absorbed in relishing Eachother's sweetness. Seeing how Her
Nagara is absorbed in admiring Her beauty Svamiiu smiles gently, causing nectar to drip from
Her lotuslike mouth. The greedy Nagara impatiently draws Svaminl's face close to Him and
starts drinking this nectar with the cups of His lips (by kissing Her). This causes Srimatl to
make inarticulate sweet shrieks, with which She gives great joy to Syamasundara and Her
maidservants. Ecstatic symptoms like shiverings and standing on end of the hairs become more
and more visible on Somali's transcendental body while She relishes Syama's sweetness,
and sometimes She sweetly cries out 'Syama! Syama!'. The word alapantT in the text is
derived from the word dlapa. It is said: catu priyoktir aldpah "Sweet flattering words are
called aldpa" Srimatl flatters Syama as follows:
tomara preme band! hoilam suno syatna rdya

tonia vine mara cite kicfiui nd bhaya
sayane svapane ami tomara rupa dekhi;
bharame tomara rupa dharamte lekhi
gurujana majhe yadi thdkiye bosiya;
parasange nania suni daraboye hiya
pulake puraye ange ankhe bohe jala;
taha nivarite ami hoiye vikala
nisi disi bandhu tomara pasarite nari;
candl-ddsa kohe hiyaya rakho sthira kori
394 Srf-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
"Listen, O Syama! I am bound up by Your love, and I d^n't care for anyone else but
You! In sleep and in dreams I see Your form, and in delusion I draw Your form in the earth.
Sometimes, when I sit between My superiors, I accidentally hear Your name and My heart
becomes startled. My body is studded with goosepimples and tears stream from My eyes, and
I am eager to stop these emotions. O Friend! Whether it is day or night, I cannot forget You!
Candl dasa says: "I decide to keep you in my heart!" Sri Krsna replies in a suitable way:
sundari! amare kohicho ki?

tomdra pirTti, bhdvite bhdvite, vibhora hoiydchi
thira nahe mon, sada ucatana, soydtha ndhiko pai
gagane bhuvane, dasa diga gone, tornare dekhite pai
tomdra lagiya, bedai bhramiyd, giri nadi bone bone,
khdite suite, an nahi cite, sadai jagaye mone
suno vinodini, premera kdhim, parana roiyache bandha
ekai parana, deha bhina bhina, jndna kohe gelo dhandha
V % '
"O beautiful girl! What are You saying to Me? I have become absorbed in
remembering Your love! My mind is not calm, it is always disturbed, and I cannot find relief!
I see You in the sky, on the earth and in all ten directions! For finding You I’m wandering
over the hills, across the rivers and through the forests! I don't think of anyone else but You;
whether I eat or sleep, I always think of You! Listen to this love-story, O Vinodini! We are
One soul in two different bodies! Jiiana dasa says: 'Gone is the duality (between Them)!"
When 3rlmatl hears $yamasundara's words a golden luster gushes out from Her limbs, that
are adorned with so many different ornaments of ecstatic love (bhavdlahkara). Radhika is
overwhelmed by feelings of loving ecstasy; pramada madanoddama rasadd means: She gives
the rasa of great erotic felicity. This madana is the youthful transcendental Cupid of
Vrndavana, Sri Krsna. 3rlmatl gives indescribable (kdpi) erotic rapture to Him, and the
maidservant always experiences that, therefore she says: sadananda murtir jayati vrsabhdnoh
kulamani, "the jewel of king Vrsabhanu's dynasty is the form of real (transcendental) bliss!”
VERSE 205:
~ YASYAH PREMA-GHANAKRTEH PADA-NAKHA JYOTSNABHARA SNAPITA

SVANTANAM SAMUDETIKAPI SARAS A BHAKT1S CAMA TKARINl
SA ME GOKULA BHUPA NANDANA MANAS CAUR1KISORIKADA
DASYAM DASYATISARVA VEDA SIRASAM YAT TAD RAHASYAM PARAM
yasydh - whose; prema - love; ghana - condensed; akrteh - of the form; pada - foot; nakha -
nails; jyotstiabhara - moonrays; snapita - bathed; svantanam - of the hearts; samudeti - arising; kdpi -
some giri; sarasa - with flavour; bhaklih - devotion; camatkdrim - astonisher; sa - She; me - unto me;
gokula bhupa - the king of Gokula; nandana - son; manah - the mind; caun - thief; ki$on - young girl;
kadd - when; dasyarfi - service; ddsyati - giving; sarva - all; veda - Vedas; Sirasdrii - the crown; yat -
what; tat - that; rahasyam - secret; param - greatest.
When will Kison, the adolescent girl who steals the mind of the prince of Gokula,
and who creates an astonishing feeling of rasa -laden devotion within our hearts with the
3rlla Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 395
nioonrays emanating from Her toenails, that are made of condensed love, give me Her
most confidential service, which is the crownjewel of the Vedas?’
RADHA'S SERVICE HIDDEN IN THE VEDAS:
Com m entary: Although the prince of Vraja steals everyone's mind, KiSori Radha
steals even the jewel of His mind, and therefore She is named maiias caufi in this verse. The
maidservants are very proud of their KiSoiimani, who is also known as the prenia ghanakrtih,
the very form of condensed love, mahabhava cintamani radhara svarupa "Radha's form is
made of the blazing Cinta-jewel of m a h a b h a v a And thus there are innumerable streams of
condensed nectarean love-r<mr emanating from Her blazing reddish moonlike toenails,
sprinkling the devotees’ hearts and filling them with astonishment (camatkdrini), astonishment
experienced in Her personal service. This confidential, astonishing service of 3ri Radha is the
great gift of 3nman Mahaprabhu to the fallen souls of the age of Kali. For example:
hd devi kakubhara gadgadayadya vaca yace nipatya bhuvi dcuidavad udbhatartih

asya prasadam abndhasya janasya krtva gandharvike nija gane gam nam vidhehi
"O Goddess! I pitifully pray to You with a faltering voice of distress, falling like a rod
on the ground: "O Gandharvika! Please be kind to this fool and count him as one of Your own
associates!"
tvam pracchadena mudira cchabina pidhaya manjira mukta caranam ca vidhaya devi
kahje vrajendra tanayena virajamane naktam kadd pramuditdm abhisarayisye
kuhje prasuna kula kalpita keli talpe samvistayor madhura narma vildsa bhdjoh
loka trayabharanayos carandmbujdni sariivdhayLyyati kadd yuvayor jano yam
tvat kunda rodhasi vildsa parisramena svedambu cumbi vadanamburuha sriyau vdm
vmddvanesvari kadd taru tnula bhdjau samvijayami camari caya camarena
(Srila Rupa Gosvami's ’Gandharva Prarthanastakam' verses 2,4,5,6)
"O goddess, when, covering You with a veil as splendid as a monsooncloud, and
removing Your anklebells from Your feet, will I blissfully bring You to a kuhja at night where
the prince of Vraja is waiting for You? When, as You, the two ornaments of the three worlds,
recline on a play bed of flowers and enjoy pastimes of sweet joking words, will this person
. massage Your lotusfeet? O Queen of Vrndavana, when, the two of You staying under a tree by
the shore of Your lake, Your beautiful lotusfaces kissed with perspiration from the fatigue of
Your pastimes, will I fan You both with a camari whisk?" This confidential service of £rl
Radha resides on the crest of all the Vedas, but by 3aman Mahaprabhu’s grace it is now given
to all the fallen souls of the age of Kali!
prema ghandkrti radha, pada nakha tnani sadd,

kotindu vildsa dyuti hare
heno jyotsnamrta bhare, ksane kjane satadhdre,
yei jana nitya sndtia kore
dhanya dhanya sei jana., punya sloka mahajana,

3 96 Sri-£ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
rnaha bhagavata mahasaya,

rasdld bhakati rani citta cam&tkarim,
tarn hrde samudita hoy
"Glorious and blessed are those great souls who always bathe in the hundreds of
nectarstreams that emanate like moonbeams from the toenails of Sri Radha, the very form of
condensed love, that steal the splendour of millions of moons! Their hearts will be astonished
when the delicious goddess of devotion arises in them!"
srT radhika thdkuranl varaja kisori mani,

vrajendra nandana manas caurT
nivedae sarasvati sarva veda rasanidhi
raho dasya dibe krpa kori
. _"The goddess SrT Radhika, the jewel of all adolescent girls of Vraja, is the She-thief
who steals Vrajendranandana's mind. Sarasvati prays: "Please give me Your intimate service,
which is the jewel of rasa of all the Vedas!"
• • . . .
RAM AM TULIKAYA KAREN A HARINA YALAKTAKAIR ANKITA

NANA KELI VIDAGDHA GOPA RAMANl-VRNDAIS TATHA VANDITA
YA SAMGUPTATAYA TATHOPANISADAlkHRDYEVA VIDYOTATE
SA RADHA CARAiyA-DVAYlMAMA GATIR LASYAIKA U LAM AYI
kamarn - desire; tulikaya - with a brush; karena - with the hand; harina - by Hari; yd - who;
alaktakaih - with footlac; afikitd - marked; nand - various; keli - pastimes; vidagdha - clever; gopa
rarnanl - by cowherdgirls; vrndaih - by groups; tatha - thus; vanditd - praised; yd - who; sathguptatayd
- concealed; tatha - thus; upanisadani - Upani$ads; hrdi - in the heart; eva - only; vidyotate - shining; sa
- she; radha carana - Radha's feet; dvayl - pair; mama - my; gatih - shelter; lasya - dancing; eka - only;
ITlamayT- playful girl.
Sri Radha's lotusfeet, that are willingly marked with lac with a brush by HarTs
own hand, that are praised by the cowherdgirls that are very clever at different
loveplays, that are hidden in the heart of the Upani$ads and that are full of dancing
playfulness, are my only shelter!
SR l RADHA S LOTUSFEET:
0
Commentary: In the same way as Hari submissively draws musk-pictures of leaves on

Radhika’s breasts (see verse 203), He also paints red lac around Her lotusfeet. Rasika mani
holds ^rimatl's lotusfeet to His chest and applies the red lac to their soles, becoming fully
absorbed in their beauty. Ecstatic symptoms like pulaka (standing on end of the hairs) and
kampa (shivering) become manifest on the limbs of transcendental bliss personified (Krsna), as
He smells the fragrance of these feeL Seeing that 3yama has even forgotten where He kept
PriyajTs feet, the maidservant covers her mouth with her veil and Jiggles. Seeing the situation,
Srlmatl says: "What are You doing? Quickly put that lac on! My girlfriends will come soon
and they'll make fun of Me if they see Me like this!" Although Nagara hears these words, He
doesn't listen and He remains in a trance-like state of greed after the sweetness and beauty of
these feeL The word kamam in the text means that Hari slowly applies the lac, as slowly as He
wants it. And sometimes: ghasiyd ghasiya paya, dlta Idgaya taya, nirakhi nirakhi avirdma
racaye vicitra kori, carana hrdoye dhari, tale lekhe apandra nama (Mahajanas) "I rub and rub
the lac on tliese feet, constantly staring at them and making them look very wonderful. Holding
these feet to My heart, I write My own name on their soles." The maidservant is very proud
when she sees that the great love of her mistress creates a beauty that steals the heart of even
Hari, who Himself steals everyone's heart with His unlimited sweetness and beauty. All the
clever cowherdgirls of Vraja, that are expert in the different arts of love, praise these lotusfeet,
that are their very life. 3rila Raghunatha dasa GosvamI writes in ViSakhanandada stotram
(praises that delight ViSakha) visdkha prana dipall ninnancha nakha candrikd: "The moonlight
of Radhika's toenails are worshiped by the lamp of ViSakha's very life." The truth about
Radha’s lotusfeet is difficult to find out by reading the Upanisads, for they are described in a
very hidden way there. Therefore Srlpada writes yd samguptataya tathopanisaddm hrdyeva
vidyotate. "Their secrets are hidden in the hearts of the Upanisads". 3rl Radha's lotusfeet are
lasyaika llldmayi, playfully dancing. Actually, all the steps of the Vrajavasis are like sweet
dancing steps. Brahma Samhita says gamanam nrtyanu Love is sweet, and Radharani's love is
supreme, so Her playful dancingsteps are the sweetest and most astonishing. What to speak of
seeing these dancingsteps, even remembering them makes the devotees' hearts and minds
dance in jubilation! Sripada says: "These lotusfeet are my shelter!"
VERSE 207:
SANDRA PREMA RASA UGHA VAR$INI NA VONM I LAN MAH A MADHURI

SAMRAJYAIKA DHURlNA KELI VIBHA VA T KARUNYA KALLOLINI
SRI VRNDA VANA CANDRA CITTA HARINl BANDHA SPHURAD BAGURE
SRIRADHE NAVA KUNJA NAGARITAVA KRlTASMIDASYOTSAVAIH
sandra - deep; prema -love; rasaugha - an abundance of rasa; varsini - she who showers forth;
nava - new; untmlat - opening; maha - great; mddhurT - sweetness; samrajya - empire; eka - only;
dhunna - the best; keli - play; vibhavat - prowess; kdrwiya - compassion; kallolini - river; in
vmddvana candra - Kr§na, the moon of Vmdavana; citta - heart; harim - deer; bandha - binding;
sphurad - evident; bagure - snare; in radhe - O Radlia!; nava - new; kunja - grove; ndgari - heroine;
tava - Your; knta - purchased; asmi - 1 am; dasyotsavaih - by the festivals of service.
O S n Radhe! O Show er o f deep love rasal O m ost playful river o f com passion in
th e em pire o f freshly arisen m ost pow erful pastim es o f great sw eetness! O snare that
binds the deer-like m ind o f the m oon o f V rndavana (Kr§na>! O Y oung ladylove o f the
nikunjal I am sold to the festival o f Y our service!
SR I R A D H A ’S SLAVE-G IRL:
%
398 £ ri-S n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Com m entary: If Sri RadharanI asks: "What payment do you ask Me for serving Me?",
then this maidservant will reply: "The joy that comes automatically from Your loving service
is sufficient! I don't want any reward! Your service is a festival of bliss that exceeds the joy of
sense gratification or merging with the impersonal brahmanl Indeed, the bliss of Your personal
service dances on the heads of all other kinds of divine felicity!" In this verse Snpada
addresses Svaminl in different beautiful ways: he nava kuhja ndgari! "You are most expert in
playing new pastimes in the arbours! You will need my help in these beautiful pastimes, in
which You worship Krsna most expertly! Please bless this maidservant with the festival of
Your service!" It is as if $rl Radha is never satiated with Her love and asks: "Vrndavana candra
(Krsna) is most difficult to attain, and so are the loving pastimes with Him in the kunjal How
will your aspirations for this kunja-service be fulfilled then?" To this the maidservant replies:
he vrndavana candra citta harinJ bandha sphurad bdgure: "You are the noose that catches the
deer-like heart of Vrndavana-candra! Your enchanting beauty and sweetness is like the
enchanting song of a hunter that lures the deer-like heart of Vrndavana-candra and ensnares
Him! The hunter spreads the net out in an unseen way, and the deer innocently gets ensnared in
it, but Your obvious beauty is like a snare that makes the deer-like heart of Krsna fall into the
trap knowingly and willingly!" And when SrTmatl asks: "The only thing that causes Krsna's
heart fd be trapped voluntarily is pure love, but I don't have such love. How can He be bound
up by Me?", then the maidservant replies: "You are the sandra pretna rasaugha varfmi, the
fountain of deep love and rasa\ Your love is most powerful and is filled with the prowess of
die best pastimes in the empire of great everfresh sweetness! You can fulfill all the erotic
desires of Krsna, who is smgara rasa, erotic flavour, personified, for You are the empress of
keli tnadhun, sweet amorous pastimes. You can bless Kr$na by fulfilling desires that He
couldn't even have dreamt of Himself!" And when Srlmatl asks: "What is your qualification for
attaining My service during such confidential ra7:«rc/a-pastimes? Why do you desire such a
priceless thing?", then the maidservant replies: "Actually I have no qualifications whatsoever,
but You are a river of compassion; indeed, You are compassion personified! When I remember
Your compassion, I forget how unwordiy I am and the light of hope illuminates the darkness
of my heart, which is filled with despair! Therefore, please forget my lack of qualification and
bless me with Your confidential service!"
VERSE 208:
SVEDAPURAH KUSUMA CAYANAIR DURATAH KANTAKANKO

VAKSOJE SYAS TILAKA VILAYO HANTA GHARMAMBHASAIVA
0$THAH SAKHYA HIM A PAVANATAH SABRANO RADHIKE TE
KRURASVEVAM SVAGHATITAMAHO GOPAYE PRE$THA SANGAM
sveddpurah - moistened by sweatdrops; kusuma - flowers; cayanaih - by picking; duratah -

from afar; kantaka - thorns; afika - signs; vaksoje - on the breasts; asyah - Her; tilaka - tilaka; vilayalx -
disappeared; hanta - alas!; gharmambhasah - of sweatdrops; eva - only; osthah - lips; sakhyd - of the
girlfriend; hitna - cold; pavanatah - by the wind; sabranah - with bruises; radhike - O Radha!; te -
Your; krurasu - amongst the cruel; evarii - thus; sva ghatitam - done by You; aho - O!; gopaye - hiding;
prestha - beloved; sangatn - union.
Srfla Prabodliananda Sarasvati 399
O Radliike! W hen will I hide the signs of Your am orous union with Y our beloved
from Your cruel superiors by saying: '!My friend was picking flowers far away from
here, and on the way H er breasts were bruised by thorns, H er tilaka was washed from
H er forehead by perspiration, and H er lips were bruised by the cold wind!"
TH E CLEVER SERVICE OF RADHIKA'S MAIDSERVANTS:

t
Com m entary: In the afternoon, Srimatl sits at home In Yavata, suffering separation
from Her beloved Krsna. The pain of separation increases to such an extent that Srlmatl cannot
tolerate it anymore, and She goes out alone, on the pretext of picking flowers and fetching
water for Her puja, hoping to meet Syamasundara on the way. £rlpada, in his kiiikarl-form,
follows Her like Her shadow. Through the great power of the Ilia sakti, the mystical pastime
potency, anxious 3rimatl automatically comes to the forest where Krsna dwells. What a
wonderful service Vrndavana's wind is then rendering to SvaminI by carrying Krsna's bodily
fragrance into Her nostrils from afar! Like a thirsty bumblebee-girl 3rlmatl quickly follows
this aroma, and when She sees 3 yam a from a distance She pretends to pick flowers, decorating
Herself with bhava bhusana (ecstatic ornaments) like lalita and vilasa. She pretends to be shy
and afraid when She sees Syama, and acts as if that She has just come there to pick flowers for
Her puja. 3yamasundara and the maidservant drown in the rasa of topmost bliss when they see
Srlmatl's sweet mood at that time!
The jewel of lovers, Krsna, becomes so attracted to this sweet mood that He comes up
to Srimatl and says: "Who are You? Why are You ruining the beauty of My garden by picking
flowers here, breaking all the tender sprouts?" Hearing these joking words of restless-eyed
Krsna, 3rimatl softly says: "I'm picking flowers for My puja, why are You stopping Me!?",
and hides out among the blooming Malll-vines at some distance. Kr$na comes up to Her again
and says: "I am engaged as a gardenkeeper here by king Cupid! Every day flowers are stolen
from this garden, and now I understand that You are that thief! Today I caught You, and I
won’t let You go!"
Srimatl says: "O Lotus-eyed One! I am a housewife, don’t touch Me! Look, the sun is
slowly going down! I have a lot of work to do at home, so let Me go!" Krsna says: "O Golden
beauty! Show Me all the wealth that You have stolen from king Cupid! How many flowers
have You hidden in Your braid and in Your bodice? Come here and I will personally
investigate! After that You can go home!" Sriraatl then says with false anger: "O Shameless
guy! What Cupid are You speaking about? You are the Cupid of Vmdavana! I have a friend
named Vmda, and this garden belongs to her, therefore it is named 'Vmdavana'! Everybody
• knows this! What right do You have to stop us from picking flowers in our own Vmdavana?
Quickly get out of the way, I'm going home!" Krsna says: "O Slender beauty! Don't speak like
that! King Cupid has a very angry nature, and can He cast the young girls in great waves of
terror! If You want to save Yourself from his grip, then quickly enter into My bowerhouse,
which is protected by intoxicated, heroic bumblebees!"
When 3rlmatl hears these joking words of Her beloved, She becomes filled with
delightful erotic desires that cause Her veil to falls off and Her braid to loosen slightly. She
gives Krsna the greatest pleasure with Her stammering emotional words. The maidservant then
arranges for Radha and Madhava's amorous meeting in a nearby bowerhouse, after which
£rimatl quickly returns home, terrified of a possible punishment meted out by Her cruel
superiors. When Srimatl returns to Her husband's home, Her suspicious sister-in-law Kutila
sees the signs of Krsna's lovemaking on Her body and starts to chastise Her. How can the
maidservant, to whom SvaminI is dearer than millions of lives, tolerate this? She cleverly
w
400 3rf-£n Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
conceals these erotic signs on 3rlmatfs body by saying: "O Kutile! Why are you uselessly
chastising this innocent, chaste and tender-natured girl? She went to pick flowers and fetch
water for Her puja9 but on the way Her breasts were bruised by thorns, Her sweatdrops caused
Her tilaka to be washed from Her forehead, and the chilly wind on "the bank of the Yamuna
dried and bruised Her sprout-like lips! These are not signs of an erotic meeting with some
paramour!” What a wonderful service the maidservant renders to Her Svamiril by using such
clever words! Sometimes 3rlmatl also personally conceals these erotic signs from Her enemies:
nanaditu rasa vinodinT, o tora kubola sahitdm nari

gharera gharant; jagata mohirn, pratyuse yamundya geli
held avatosa, nisi pa raveto, kise vilamba korili
pratyusa befidne, kamala dekhiya, puspa tulibare gelum
bela udane, kamala mudane, bhramara damtone moilum
katnala karitake,
• * *
visarna
* sankatef
•' karera kankana gelo
kankana herite, duba dite dite, .dina avatosa bhelo
*
sihthera sindura, nayanera kajala, saba bhasi gelo jale

»
hero dekho morn, afiga jara jar a, daruni padmera nali
"O sister-in-law! I cannot tolerate your slanderous insults anymore!" (Jatila questions:)
"Why does a world-enchanting housewife like You go every morning to the Yamuna, and why
do You return home so late, only at nightfall?" (Radhika retorts:) "In the morning I saw a
lotusflower which was nice to give to My mother-in-law, so I went out to pick i t In the
daytime the lotusflowers are swarming with bumblebees and they have bitten Me (explaining
Krsna's bitemarks). The thorns around the lotusflowers scratched Me and thus I lost My
bangles. I went into the water to look for them, and in this way the whole day was lost Just
see, My whole body is bruised because of this one lotusflower (Krsna)!"
VERSE 209:
PATAMPATAM PADA KAMALA YO# KR$NA-BHRNGENA TASYA f f

SMERASYENDOR MUKULITA KUCA DVANDVA HEMARA VINDAM
PITVA VAKTRAMBUJAM A Tl RASAN NUNAM ANT AH PRA VE$TUM
ATYAVESAN NAKHARA SIKHAYA PA TYAM AN AM KIM IK?E
• r . •—
, upatarii patarii - falling; pada kamalayoh - on the lotusfeet; krsna-bhrhgena- by the Kr$na-bee;
tasyah - Her; smera - smile; asyendoh - lotusface; mukulild - sprouting; kuca dvandva - breasts; henia -
golden; aravindam - lotus; pitvd - having drunk; vaktrarnbujam - the lotusface; ati rasat - from great
savour; nunam - this; antah - the heart; pravestum - entering; ati - very much; avetot - out of ecstasy;
nakhara - nails; Sikhayd - by the peak; pdtyamanam - pierced; kim - when; Tkse - seeing.
W hen w ill I be so fortunate to see how the Kr$na-bee is intoxicated by drinking

the honey from S ri R adhika's lotuslike m outh w ith great relish, piercing H er golden
lotusbud-like breasts, that are sprouting in the beam s o f H er sm iling m oonlike face, as if
H e w ants to enter in to them , and landing on H er lotusfeet again and again?
H O W TH E K R SN A -BEE RELISH ES HONEY:

Com m entary: With beautifully rhyming words and m eters'sweet metaphors and in a
very sweet spontaneous mood 3iipada expresses his transcendental Experiences in the verses of
'Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi'. Just as a really beautiful woman does not require any jewelry or
make-up to be beautiful, and looks attractive even when she wears treebark, in the same way
the transcendental beauty of 6rl Radhika becomes spontaneously manifest in devotional verses
of praise and is able to attract the reader even if the meters, the grammar and the metaphors are
not used (properly). This book 'Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi' shines with an abundance of ecstatic
love and is also written with incomparibly beautiful meters and metaphors!
In this verse 3ripada sees himself as a maidservant, taking SvaminI on abhisara

(love-journey). 3yama is anxiously waiting for Her to come to the trysting kunja when He
suddenly sees a golden light illuminating all the directions. Krsna, who is ecstasy Himself,
becomes ecstatic when He sees SvaminI, and takes Her into the Xrys\lng-kuhja. Today the
natural vdmyavatT (girl in opposition) is most generous. The sweet enchanting meeting of the
divine Pair cannot be properly described with words, but still the great saints, like 5ri Candl
dasa try it:
radhikara antare ullasa,
hard nidhi painu boli, loilo hrdoye tuli,
rakhite na sahe avakdsa
milalo duhu tanu kiba aparupa
cakora pdilo cdnd, patiyd piriti phand
kamalim paolo madhupa
rasabhare duhu tanu, tharathara katnpai
jhampai duhu dohd dvesa bhora
duhuka milane dji, nibhdyala anala,
pdola virahaka ora
ratana palahka'pora, baithala duhu jana,
duhuh mukha herai duhu dnande
harasa salila bhare, herai na parai,
animise rahala dhanda
dji nialaydnila, mrdu mrdu bahata,
niramala cdnda parakdsa
bhdva bhare gadagada, camara dhulayata
pose rahi candi dasa
"Radhika's heart is filled with delight She feels as if She has found a lost jewel, which
She takes to Her heart and keeps there without interval. How wonderful is Their meeting.
Krsna
■• • is like a Cakora-bird who attains the moon and He falls into the snare of love,' like a
bumblebee coming to a female lotusflower. Their bodies are filled with rasa and They shiver
of ecstasy when They meet Eachother. Today the fire of Their separation is extinguished. They
sit on a jewelled throne, blissfully looking at Eachother's faces, but They cannot see Eachother
anymore through the tears in Their eyes, so They constantly remain bewildered. Today the
southern breeze is softly blowing and the full moon shines clearly. Candl dasa stays by the side
of the divine Couple, fanning them with a yaktail fan, and sings with a voice faltering out of
ecstasy."
How sweet is Their meeting! Understanding that the young Pair wants to make love,
the maidservant goes out of the kunja. When she looks inside through the holes of the vines,
she sees that Nagara is thirstily drinking the nectar from PriyajTs lips. The more He relishes,
the more thirsty He becomes and the more thirsty He is, the more He relishes. 6yama gradually
gets drunk from drinking all this nectar. This nectar cannot be compared to the taste of an
*
402 S n -§ ri Radha R asa Sudhanidhi
ordinary girl's lips; the lips of 3rlmatl Radhika are full of madana rasa, the highest nectar of
transcendental love. Just as a drunkard constantly falls down and g5ts up again, so the drunken
Krsna-bee constantly lands on the lotusfeet of Srlmatl and gets up from them again after
drinking their love-laden honey. Just as a bee scratches at the petals of a closed lotusflower,
thinking: "Surely there must be more inside there for me!”, Syama also sratches at the golden
lotusbud-like breasts of SvaminI, that are sprouting in the beams of Her moonlike face, trying
to piercing them with His nails. How cleverly 3rlpada describes these sweet pastimes!
VERSE 210:
AHO TE'MlKUNJAS TAD ANUPAMA RASA-STHAU lM W A M

GIRIDRONl SAIVA SPHURATIRATI-RANGE PRANAYINI
NA VIK$E $RIRADHAM H A R lH A R l KUTO'PITI SATADUA
VIDIRYETA PRANESVARI m a m a k a d a h a n t a h r d a y a m
• •
aho - 01; te - they; ami - all; kunjah - groves; tad - Their; anupania - incompatible; rasa
sthalam - place of the Rasa dance; idarii - this; giri dronl - mountain cave; sa - he; eva - only; sphurati
- appears; rati range - in love plays; pranayim - beloved; na - not; vikse - seeing; in radhdm - SiT
Radha; hari hari - O! Alas!; kuto’p i - anywhere; iti - thus; Satadha - a hundred ways; vidiryeta - tearing
apart; pranefvan - queen of my heart; mama - my; kada - when; hanta - alas; hrdayam - heart.
A ha, Q ueen o f m y heart! AH these kuiijas, the Incom patible place w here the
R asa-dance takes place, and the cave o f G ovardhana H ill w here Y ou play Y our loving
pastim es are all still here. Hari! Hari! B ut if I cannot see S n R adha anyw here, m y h eart
will break in to a hundred pieces!
TH E PAIN O F SEPARATION:
Com m entary: Sffpada wanders through Vraja, feeling great separation from SvaminI
for long, and laments: "O PraneSvari! Here are the nikuhjas of Vraja, where Your sweet
pastimes always take place! Alas! How unfortunate I am that I cannot see these sweet
pastimes! Just see! Here is the incomparible site of the Rasa-dance, where You astonish Your
Rasa rasika (Kr$na, the relisher of the Rasa-dance) by sweetly dancing with Him with the help
of Your millions of girlfriends! This is the place where the sweetness of Your love and of
Your pastimes is manifest to the utmost! Vmdavana, the bank of the Yamuna, the full moon
night - everything is here, and Your Rasa-Ula eternally takes place here, but alas! I am so
unfortunate that I can not see these sweet pastimes!" The sight of the Rasa-sthali reminds
3rlpada strongly of Radha and Madhava’s sweeter-than-sweet Rasa-/f/5, and that remembrance
increases his painful feelings of separation. Snpada laments: "Alas! The divine pastimes
eternally take place here, but why does everything look so empty to me? Other than the sight
of Your lotusfeet, nothing can fill up that void!" This feeling of emptiness is a ripened stage of
divine love. Srt RadharanT experiences this emptiness also when She is separated from
Govinda:
suna bhelo mandiray suna bhelo nagarT,
suna bhelo dasa disa, suna bhelo sagari
"The houses are empty, empty are the villages, the ten directions are empty, and
everything is empty." $riman Mahaprabhu, accepting Sri Radhika’s mood, also spoke in such
an anxious way:
. govinda virahe iunya hoilo tribhuvana;
tusanale pode yeno nd ydy jlvana
"The three worlds are empty when I am separated from Govinda; although I'm burning
in a slow lire, My life will not leave Me." The aspirants should also come to Vrndavana to
experience this emptiness. In Brhad Bhagavatamrta, Sri Sanatana GosvamI writes that NSrada
Muni wanted to send Gopa Kumara from upper Dvaraka to Purusottama Ksetra (Puri), but that
Uddhava Mahagaya requested Narada to send Gopa Kumara to the earthly Vraja instead, so
that he could experience its ’emptiness1:
tatraivotpadyate dainyam tat premapi sadd satdm; tat tac chunyam ivdranya sarid giryddi pafyatdm
sada ha ha ravakrdnta vadandnarii tathd hrdi; maha santdpa dagdha/idrh sva priyatii parimrgyatdm
(Br. Bhag. 2.5.242-243)
"O Sage! When he comes to Vraja, he will become very humble, and his humility will
create prema. This prema will make Him see that the forests, the rivers and the mountains of
Vraja are as if empty. He will constantly cry out: "O! Alas!" and his heart will severely burn
with anguish when he searches for his beloved (Krsna)!'' "Alas! A person like me may dwell in
Vraja, the ’empty kingdom', but he's so absorbed in bodily conciousness and desires for profit,
adoration and distinction that he does not experience any emptiness! It must be the result of
offenses committed to the great saints that I cannot make advancement towards this
consciousness! I should be ashamed of myself!" 3ripada wanders in Vraja like a maidservant
separated from her mistress, and when he comes to the base of Giriraja Govardhana, he
remembers the gopTs' words in Srimad Bhagavata (10.21.18):
hantdyam adrir abald haridasa varyo yad ratna krsna carcuia sparsa pramodah
manam tanoti saha go ganayos tayor yat panlya suyavasa kandara kanda mulaih
"O friends! This mountain is the best of Hari's servants. Being delighted by the touch of
Balarama and Krsna’s feet, he respectfully gives Them and Their cows drinkingwater, luscious
grass, the shade of his caves and palatable fruits and roots!" Sripada thinks: "Alas! How many
hundreds of intimate pastimes Radha and Madhava aren’t playing here and by ManasI Ganga,
Radhakunda, and £yamakunda? I am blinded by maya, so I cannot see these enchanting
pastimes!" In the same way 3ripada laments when he visits NandlSvara Giri, Yavata or other
pastime places. "Alas! Can I not find my beloved Couple anywhere? O Queen of my life! If I
cannot see You, my heart will burst into a hundred pieces! Why has the Creator made this
body, to suffer all this intolerable pain, bom from separation? O ISvari! When will my heart
burst into a hundred pieces?" In this way Sripada's tender, vine-like body bums in the forestfire
of separation from his Svaminl. Such feelings simply do not belong to the material world! The
six GosvamTs all lived in Vraja in this mood, as Srinivasacarya describes in his famous prayers
to them:
he radhe vraja devike ca lalite he nanda suno kutah
srT govardhana kalpa padapatale kalindi vanye kutah.
gho§antdv id sarvato vrajapure khedair maha vihvalau
vande rupa sanatanau raghu yugau srljlva gopdlakau
404 S n-S ri Radha Rasa Sudhaiiidhi
"I offer my obeisances unto the six Gosvamls, namely RGpa, Sanatana, Raghunatha
dasa, Raghunatha Bhatta, Sri Jiva and Gopala Bhatta GosvamT, who were anxiously crying out
all over Vraja: "O Radhe! O Goddess of Vraja! O Lalita! O Krsna! Where are You? Are You
at the foot of a wishyielding tree near Govardhana Hill, or are You in the forest near the
Yamuna? Where are You?!" This is the best example for the devotees of how to live in Vraja.
The hard hearts of the aspirants will melt when they are heated by this fire of separation and
thus they will be blessed with prema.
VERSE 211:
IHAIVABHUT KUNJE NAVA RATI KALA MOHAN A TANOR

AHO ATRANRTYAD DAYITA SAHITA SA RASANIDHIH
IT l SMARAM SMARAM JAVA CAR1TA PIYU$A LAHARiM
KADA SYAM SRI RADHE CAKITA IHA VRNDAVANA BI1UVI%
ilia - here; eva - only; abhut - happened; kurije - in the grove; nava - new; rati - love; kala -
arts; mohana tanoh - of enchanting Radha; aho - Ol; atra - here; anrtyad - danced; dayita - beloved;
sahitci - with; sd - She; rasa nidhih - the ocean of rasa; iti - thus; smarath smdrarh - remembering; tava
- Your; carita - pastimes; pTyusa - nectar; lahanm - stream; kada - when; sydrii - it is; in radhe - O
Sri Radhe!; cakita - startled; iha - here; vrndavana bhuvi - in Vmdavana.
O Sri Radhe! When will I anxiously live in Vrndavana, remembering the

nectarwave of Your pastimes, thinking: "Aho! It happened in this ku n ja \ Here Sri
Radha, with Her enchanting form, played new artful lovesports, and here She, the ocean
of rasa , danced with Her beloved!"
ANXIOUSLY LIVING IN VRNDAVANA:
'C om m entary: Bereft of transcendental visions virahT S rip ad a wanders around in Sri
Vrndavana, searching for his heart's beloved Srimatl. Not being able to see Sri Radha
anywhere, Sripada showed the great anguish of love-in-separation he felt in the previous verse,
lamenting: ”0 Pranegvari! When will my heart burst into a hundred pieces because I cannot see
You?" These are all words emanating from his most intimate self. Weeping and weeping, he
becomes overwhelmed and submits his heartache in these verses. "O Radhe! I don't have
anyone else in tills world but You! Please look at me once when You hear me weeping thus!"
This weeping is the best means of attaining one's Beloved. Suffering such anguish is the
greatest sadhana. This kind of exclusive absorption in the beloved deity is even a greater
treasure than the direct vision of the beloved, hence merciful Hvari sometimes grants Her
transcendental audience to the devotee and then vanishes again. When Sri Krsna vanished from
the gopTs during the Maha Rasa and then revealed Himself again to the Vraja-sundaris, that
were afflicted by feelings of love-in-separation, who had given up everything to come and
meet Him in the deep forest in the dead of night, considering His lotusfeet to be the essence of
life, He had caused them to suffer so much anguish of love-in-separation. The Vraja-sundaris
wanted to know why, on the pretext of questioning Him about love in general, and Krsna made
it clear to them that this kind of exclusive absorption in Him, caused by harsh separation, is
absolutely required for attaining Him and relishing His service. *
»
naharii tu sakhyo bhajato'pi jantun bhajamy anusam anuvrtti vrltaye

yathadhano labdha-dhane vinaste tac cintayanyan nibhrto na veda (S.B. 10.32.20)
%
£ri Bhagavan said: "O sakhTsl Just as a poor person who has once gained wealth and
then lost it again can ‘never stop thinking about his loss, similarly the devotees who have once
seen Me will never stop thinking about Me when I (temporarily) vanish from their vision.
Therefore I do not always reveal Myself, not even to the devotees who perform bhajana,
simply to increase their eagerness." Therefore, in order to make the meditation of His devotees
unwavering and uninterrupted the Lord does not always immediately grant His darsana to
them.. SvaminI is even more merciful! When she secretly hears the viraha vilapa (lamentations
out of separation) of Her maidservants She says to Herself: "How will you attain Me unless
you cry your heart out like that for Me?" Srimatl knows very well how draw Her maidservants
completely to Her lotusfeet by making them so eager and anxious. The beloved deity is the
enjoyer of bhakti rasa. Taking £yamasundara with Her SvaminI secretly hears the viraha
vilapa of the virahT dost bhaktera prenia cesta dekhi krsnera camatkara (C.C.) "Even Krsna
Himself is astonished when He sees the loving feelings and activities of His devotees!" Only
when this eagerness becomes very intense the relish of the beloved comes. The relish of
Srimatl’s beauty, sweetness, sweet pastimes and sweet attributes within transcendental
revelations awakens this great agitation within Sripada's heart.
Sripada wanders from kuhja to kunja in Sri Vrndavana, searching for his beloved
Hvari. The natural beauty of Sri Vrndavana strongly remind virahT Sripada of SrI-Sri Radha-
Madhava's Ilia rasay and he thinks: "In this kunja my Mohanangl Radha has played hundreds
of ever-fresh artful pastimes with Her dearmost Syamasundara!" The word Mohanangl is
understood to mean ’Her body becomes beautified by mahd bhava, and that enchants
Syamasundara, the sakhTs and mahjans. Sripada remembers the previously seen sweetness of
Mohanangl's new artistry in lovemaking. The remembrance of this honey-sweet love-artistry
expands a great relish in Sripada’s heart, that was burning in the fire of love-in-separation.
During smarana SvaminI infuses unlimited coolness within the heart of Her kihkarl, that is
burning in the fire of separation, by giving her the relish of Her own pastimes.
Once more Sripada comes to the bank of the Yamuna and thinks: "How sweetly my
rasanidhi Radha danced here with Her beloved Syamasundara!" The remembrance of this
sweet dancing-pastime of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava infuses boundless bliss into the heart of
Sripada.
In lila smarana a consolation can be gotten. When stmraria becomes intense one thinks
himself to be directly witnessing the lila. On the level of prema the Ilia stnarana becomes so
intense that it gives birth to the intuitive experience that one has a direct vision. Sripada is in
the kingdom of mahd bhava, and therefore the flavour of his smarana is very deep. It is as if
he then directly takes part in those transcendental pastimes, and he prays: "When can I thus
anxiously live in Vrndavana, remembering the nectarstream of Your sweet pastimes?"
The essential teaching for a practising devotee is that when stnarana becomes intense,
he attains an unbroken stream of lila rasa in which it seems that the devotee directly witnesses
the lila. Sometimes it looks as if this is the result of intense remembrance, and not a direct
experience. Therefore even at that time there will be great eagerness for direct contact, and the
devotee will think: 'It won't be long before I attain my deity directly!" The devotee then
406 3ri-S ri R adha Rasa Sudhanidhi
anxiously looks all around to see his deity directly and thinks: JI understand I'm getting it
now!" This is a sweet picture of how anxiously a devotee lives in Vraja. If it is so blissful to
hear about such a condition, how blissful must it be then to directly attain that stage? The
devotees will be blessed if they follow in £ripada Prabodhananda's footsteps!
SRIMAD BIMBADHARETE SPIIURATI NAVA SUDHA MADHURI SINDHU KOTIR

NETRANTAS TE VIKIRNADBHUTA KUSUMA DHANUS CANDA SAT KANDA KOTIH
S R l VAK$OJE TAVATI PRAMADA RASAKALA SARA SARVASVA KOTIH
SRI RADHE TVATPADABJATSRAVATINIRAVADHIPREMA PIYU$A KOTIfl
* . */
Jrlmad - beautiful; bimbadhare - on the cherry-like lips; te - Your; sphurati - manifest; nava -
fresh; sudhd - nectar; madhun - sweetness; sindlxu - ocean; kotih - millions; netrdntah - comers of the
eyes; te- Your; vikTnia - casting; adbhuta - wonderful; kusunia - flower; dhanuh - bow; canda - fierce;
sat - real; kcmda - arrows; $n - beautiful; vaksoje - on the breasts; tava - Your; ati - very; pramada -
blissful; rasa - flavour; kala - arts; sara - essence; sarvasva - all-in-all; kotih - millions; kn radhe - O
Sri RadM!; tvat - Your; paddbjdt - from the lotusfeet; sravati - streams; niravadhi - constantly; prerna -
love; plyusa - nectar; kotih - millions.
O S n Radhe! M illions o f fresh sw eet nectaroceans com e from Y our opulent

cherry-like lips, m illions o f C upid's w onderfully sharp flow erarrow s com e from the
corners o f Y our eyes, m illions o f oceans w ith the essence o f artistic delightful rasa reside
in Y our opulent breasts, and m illions o f great stream s o f nectar em anate from Y our
lotusfeet!
S R l R A D H A 'S W O N D ER FU L SW EETNESS:
•Com m entary: Although Sflpada has attained Sri Radha's nectarean pastimes in his
remembrance he still looks all around, anxiously desiring SrlmatTs direct darsana. Suddenly a
sweet vision appears before his spiritualised eyes: Premamayl Radha passionately goes out to
the Yamuna on the pretext of fetching water, anxiously desiring to see 6yamasundara. 6npada,
in his kinkarl-Horm, follows Her like Her shadow. Suddenly $nraatl sees a cloudblue form
standing under a NTpa-tree on the bank of the Yamuna. $rlmatl is enchanted by that bluish
effulgence and thinks: "This is why My friends stopped Me from fetching water from the
Yamuna one day!"
radhe! nd ydio yamunara jole, taraya kadamba mule,
cikana kala koriyache thdnd
nava jaladhara rupa, munira ntona rnohe go
tei jole yete kori mana
"Radhe! Don't go to the Yamuna-water, for there is a glossy blackish light shining there
at the foot of a Kadamba-tree. That fresh monsoon-cloud-form enchants even the minds of the
sages, therefore we forbid You to go and get water there!"
%
Srila Prabodhananda Saiasvatl 407
tribhang a bhahgimd bhati, rahgiya madana jiti,

cdnda jiti nialayaja bhale*
bhuvana vijayT mala, meghe saudatnim kald, ;
sobhd fcore syama candera gole
"He defeats Cupid in playfulness as He stands in His threefold bending form, the spots
of sandalpaste on His forehead defeat the moon in luster, and a garland that is victorious in the
whole world hangs around His moonlike neck like a lightningslrike in a monsoon cloud!"
nayana kataksa bane, hiyara bhitore hone,

dr a take muralira tana
suniya muralTra gana, dhairaja na dhare prana,
nirakhile hdrdbi pardni
"He shoots arrows at Your heart with His glances and with His flute-song. When You
hear that flutesong Your heart cannot stay calm anymore and when He looks at You He will
take Your life!"
kanada kusunia jini, syamera varana khani,
heribe nayanera kone ye ♦
dvija candT ddsa bhane, cdhiya govinda pane,

parane bandhibe sakhT he
Dvija CandT dasa says: "Govinda's complexion defeats that of a blue lotusflower and
when He looks at You from the corners of His eyes, O sakhi, then who will save Your life?"
Radha and Madhava are enchanted by Eachother's sweetness and beauty and the maidservant
arranges for Their meeting in a nearby solitary grove:
duhuh donha darasane ulasita bhelo;

akula amiya sagare dubi gelo
duhuh jana nayana hoyala yaba thira;
duhuh mukha duhu heri dharakata nira
kare dhari rdi loi bosaolo vdme;
pTtavase mochai rdi mukha ghatne
""They were delighted to see Eachother and They eagerly drowned into an ocean of
nectar. When Their eyes became steady and They saw Eachother's faces, They began to
perspire. PItavasa (Krsna) took Rai (Radha) by the hand, seated Her on His left and wiped the
sweatdrops from Her face." Wliile this goes on the maidservant serves Radha-Madhava by
fanning Them. The transcendental youthful Cupid is out of His mind of ecstasy when He
relishes the sweetness of Radharants form and love. How beautiful are Snmatl's cherry-like
lips when She softly smiles at Kr§na and speaks with Him! It is as if millions of fresh sweet
nectar-oceans stream from these lips, that resemble Bimba-fruits! Syama relishes that endless
sweetness with the cups of His lips, and the maidservant tastes it with Him. Sripada speaks
from experience! Actually there are no words in Sarasvatl's storehouse to describe this beauty,
so Srip ad a only gives a hint in this verse.
Krsna, who is ecstasy personified, becomes overwhelmed by ecstasy after relishing the
sweetness of ^rimati’s lips, and while He tastes that nectar 6rimatl casts a luscious glance at
Him, that pierces Him like millions of Cupid's sharp flower-arrows. The maidservant sees how
the transcendental young Cupid of Vmdavana is Himself suffering from the sharp arrows of
Srimatl's glances, and by 3 rim all's grace she can gauge the inner feelings of the loving Couple.
408 Sn-Sri Radha R asa Sudhanidhi
Seeing the expertise of the maidservant, that conies forth from her pjire love, the divine Couple
give Themselves completely to her. Syama becomes eager to enjoy with SvaminI, so the
maidservant goes out of the kimja and looks inside through the holes in the vines to see how
sweet Srimail's breasts are; they are as beautiful as the essence of millions of ecstatic rasa-arts!
The maidservant floats along on countless waves of this rara-ocean as she looks through the
holes in the kimja. Without being free from bodily consciousness and without following in the
footsteps of the gopTs, no devotee can really enter into this.
After the amorous pastimes are over the fortunate maidservant enters into the kimja and
engages herself in the service of her beloved Pair by fanning Them, massaging Their feet and
serving Them cool scented water and betelleaves. The maidservant drowns in oceans of bliss
when she takes Radhika's lotusfeet to her chest and starts massaging them, feeling how
millions of fresh and sweet nectaroceans emanate from them. This nectar is far more relishable
and intoxicating than the nectar that oozes from the moon and from lotusflowers!
VERSE 213:
SANDRANANDONMADA RASAGIIANA PREMA PIYU$A MURTEH

SRI RADHAYA ATHA MADHUPATEH SUPTAYOH KUNJA TAUPE
KURVANAHAM MRDU MRDU PADAMBHOJA SAMVAHANANI
$A YYANTE KIM KIM API PATITA PRAPTA TANDRA BUA VEYAM
sandra - deep; ananda - bliss; unniada - intoxicated; rasa- flavour; ghana - deep; pretna - love;
pTyusa - nectar; murteh - of the form; in rddhaya - of Sri Radha; atha - and; madhupateh - Madhupati;
suptayoh - sleeping; kunja - grove; talpe - on the bed; kurvana - doing; aharii - 1; mrdu mrdu - softly;
paddmblioja - lotusfeet; samvahanani - massaging; sayyanta - at the end of the bed; kim - whether; kirn
api - indescribable; pa lita. - fallen; prapta - attained; tandra - sleep; bhava - existence; iyam - this.
. When will I somehow fall asleep a t the end of the bowerbed of R adha and
M adhupati, who are the very forms of very blissful intoxicating nectarean love-rasa
while I softly massage Their lotusfeet?
«
TH E RASIKA SLEEP OF RADHA’S MAIDSERVANTS;
• • 0
Commentary: The boat of Sripada's consciousness has sunk in the nectarocean of the
sweetness of His beloved Radhika's lotusfeet. Radha and Madhava are lying face-to-face on
Their bed of flowers, speaking romantic words to Eachother. They don't even notice anymore
that the maidservant is massaging Their lotusfeet! The fortunate maidservant now directly
experiences how Radha and Madhupati are the very forms of condensed blissful rasa and the
nectar of prema. Krsna's name Madhupati means here ’the very form of endless savour', or the
«
unlimitedly sweet and beautiful Dhlra Lalita-hero who is fully subdued by Radha's love.
Although Krsna maddens the whole world, either through the different sense-objects, or
through His own attractiveness, He Himself is mad after Sri Radha's sweet love! The
maidservant personally sees that while sitting at the feet of this supreme Pair. The words
prema piyusa murtiti mean that Radha's form is made of the unique nectar of completely
S ola Prabodhananda Sarasvati 409
selfless love, which culminates in maha-bhava. Sff Rupa GosvamI says varamrta svarupa srth
svam svarupam mono nayet, the highest nectar, maha-bhava, is the opulence that takes one
back to one's svarupa (constitutional position). Sri ViSvanatha Cakravartlpada writes in his
'Ananda Candrika'-commentary on this verse: varamrtasyaiva svarupa §rir yasya sah. laukikesu
svadamya vastusu madhye'mrtadhikani param ndsti tathaivalaukikesu prema viSesesu maha-
bhavaditiblidvafL manah svam svarupam nayet mahd-bhavdtmakam eva manah sydt. mahdbhavat
parthakyena manaso na sthitir ity arlhah. tenendriyanam manovrlti rupatvad vrajasundarlnam
manasddi sarvendriydnam mahabhavarupatvdt tat tat vyapdraih sarvair eva srl krsnasydtivafyatvarii
yukti siddham eva bhavet. "This mahabhava is a very lovely thing, it is as delicious as the
sweetest nectar. That is its constitutional wealth. Just as in the material world there is nothing
tastier than nectar, similarly there is no prema more relishable than maha bhava. Anyone who
takes shelter of this mahabhava regains his constitutional position. The minds of the girls who
have mahabhava consist of mahabhava, and have no separate existence from mahabhava. Just
as tiie senses are directed by the mind, so the gopTs' senses are also directed by their minds, and
therefore their senses are also made of mahabhava. It's therefore logical that Kr$na is fully
controlled by all the senses of the mahabhavavatls, the beautiful girls of Vraja." Sri Radhika's
whole being is made of maha bhava9 as Srlla Raghunatha dasa GosvamI teaches: maha
bhdvojjvala cinta ratnodbhavita vigraham "Her form comes forth from the blazing Cintamani
(thought-jewel) of maha bhava" While the maidservant softly massages Their lotusfeet, the
divine Pair, being tired of Their rara-pastimes, slowly close Their eyes and fall asleep. How
enchanting is Their beauty! The pupils of Their eyes are like restless blackbees that become
locked within Their lotuspetal-like eyelids. When the maidservant sees this, she becomes
overwhelmed by sleep also and she falls asleep at the lotusfootsoles of the divine Couple.
sandrdnanda rasanidhi, prema pTyusa cchabi,

rai kanu madhura murati,
manimaya srT mandire, nidrita hoile pore,
kunja talpe radha madhupati
heno kale mrdu mrdu, pada samvdhane duhu,

vyahjanadi koriya sevane
sayyd prante tandrdlase, rahibo ki padadese,
"Rai and Kanu (Radha and Krsna) are like a rasa-ocean of intense delight and the luster
of love-nectar, They are sweetness personified! When Radha and Madhupati fall asleep on
Their bed in Their beautiful jewelled temple I will softly massage Their lotusfeet and serve
Them by fanning Them." 3 rip ad a Prabodhananda says: "When will I then fall asleep of
exhaustion at the end of the bed and thus stay at Their lotusfeet?"
VERSE 214:
RADHA PADARAVINDOCCHALITA NAVA RASA PREMA PIYU?A PUNJE

KALINDIKULA KUNJE HRD1KAUTA MAHODARA MADHURYA BHAVAH
SRI VRNDARANYA VlTH l LALITA RATI KALA NAGA RIM TAM GARlYO
GAMBHIRAIKANURAGAM MANASIPARICARAN VISMRTANYAH KADA SYAM
radha padaravinda - Radha's lotusfeet; ucchalita - streaming; nava - fresh; rasa - flavour;
prema - love; plyusa - nectar; puiije - abundance; kalindl - Yamuna; kula - bank; kunje - in the grove;
hrdi - heart; kalita - accepting; mahd - great; udara - generous; mddhurya - sweetness; bhdvah - mood;
in vrndaranya - Vrndavana; vithl - pathways; lalita - lovely; rati - love; kala - arts; ndgaririi - heroine;
tarn - Her; garTyah - great; gambhira - grave; eka - only; anuragam - contant passion; manasi -
mentally; paricaran - serving; vismrta - forgetting; anyah - other; kada sydm - when.
When will I forget everything else while mentally serving that heroine who is
expert in all the arts of lovemaking, who is seen on the lovely forest paths of S n
Vrndavana and who has deep passionate feelings? Accepting a very sweet and devoted
mood in my heart I will dwell in a ku n ja on the bank of the Yamuna that is filled with an
abundance o f the fresh nectar o f love rasa th at flow s from S n R adha’s lotusfeet.
SW EET MENTAL SERVICE:
C om m entary: Raganuga practise is of two kinds: bdhya antara iliara dui to sadhana;
bdhye sadhaka dehe kore fravana kirtana, mone - nija siddha deha koriya bhdvana; ratri dine kore
vraje krsnera sevana (Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya 22) "There are two kinds of practise -
external and internal. Externally by hearing and chanting in one's external, material body, and
internally (mentally) by flunking of one's own siddha deha (spiritual body), in which one
serves Krsna in Vraja day and night" Although smarana, or remembrance of Radha Madhava's
pastimes and one’s own service therein, is the main limb of raganuga bhakti, still the external
practise of hearing and chanting should not be neglected. The external practise of hearing and
chanting nourishes the internal remembrance of the desired service, and the internal
remembrance also nourishes the external practise of hearing and chanting. An effort to give up
hearing and chanting untimely, and only to continue the mental service, will not be successful.
Rather, the mind will gradually dry up and become contaminated by sensual thoughts. Both
external and internal practise must be done therefore.
What a wonderful mental service 3fipada aspires for in this verse! It is a brilliant
example for all practitioners of raganuga bhaktil An everfresh abundance of prema rasa
streams; from Radha's lotusfeet into the kunja on the bank of the Yamuna where 3rlpada serves
3rl Radha-Madhava. Although Radha and Madhava eternally play their transcendental
pastimes-in sweet Vrndtivanz-dhdma, this is not visible to the eyes of the ordinary man. The
word mahodara, very generous, in the text means: 'that pure love which is free from any kind
of desire for personal sense gratification1. A person who serves Radha and Madhava with such
pure love will gradually become purified and become aware of his siddha svarupa, his actual
eternal transcendental identity.
Srlpada says: "When will I forget everything while accepting this sweet
mahodara-mood and mentally serve that jewel of grave, yet passionate heroines (ndgaruh tam
garTyo gambhTraikdnurdgam) that is so expert in the arts of love?" Although She is as grave as
millions of oceans, Srlmatl passionately goes out to meet 3yama in a grove on the bank of the
Yamuna, followed by Her maidservant. Passionately, Srimati looks all around, thinking:
"Where is My Prananatha?", beautifying the whole of Vrndavana with Her glances. When
Madhusudana (the rasika Krsna-bee) catches Nagarl-mani’s bodily fragrance He becomes
attracted to Her and approaches Her on the forestpath, but grave Radhika shows signs of
opposition. She gives great relish to Her hero by showing this opposition, because that simply
increases His amorous eagerness. The whole kunja is inundated by the flood of Sri Radha’s
Srlla PratxxJhananda Sarasvatl 411
prema rasa as She gives indescribable ecstasy to Her lover with Her artful lovemaking.
SrTpada thinks to himself: "When will I be so fortunate that I cafl mentally serve that sweet
romantic Pair in the bushes on the bank of the Yamuna?"
VERSE 215:
ADR$TVA RADHANKE NIMISAM API TAM NAGARA-MANIM

TAYA VA KHELANTAM LALITA LALITANANGA KALAYA
KADAHAM DUHKABDHAU SAPADIPAT1TA MURCCHITAVATI
NA TAM ASVASYARTAM SUCIRAM ANUSOCE NIJA DA£a M
adrstva - not having seen; radhaiike - on Radha's lap; nimisam - a moment; api - even; tam -
Him; nagara - lover; martini - jewel; tayd - with Her; va - or; khelantam - playing; lalita - lovely;
anahga - erotic; kalaya - with arts; kada - when; aharii - I; dulika - misery; abdhau - in an ocean;
sapadi - suddenly; patitd - falling; murcchitavatl - fainted girl; na - not; tam - Her; dsvasydrtam -
consoling; suciram - long time; anufoce - constantly lamenting; nija - own; dasdm - condition.
W hen will I fall in an ocean of misery, fainting and constantly lam enting over my
condition of being unable to console S n R adha when She does not see H er jeweliike lover
on H er lap for even a moment, showing expertise in playing lovely erotic artistic games
with Her?
SERVICE IS TH E KINKARTS VERY LIFE:
Com m entary: §rl-3ri Radha and Madhava are enjoying in a kunjay showing Their
expertise in the arts of eros. After making love, They sit up on the bed and £ri Radha nestles
Herself on Her hero's lap. The maidservant then enters into the kunja and serves the divine
Couple betelleaves and cool water. Krsna has enjoyed His union with £ n Radhika for long,
and now He wants to relish Her feelings of separation, by hiding out and watching Her from a
hidden place. It is said na vitia vipralambhena sambhogah pustirn asnute (U.N.) "Without
separation, union cannot be nourished." Separation is not just nourishing union, it is relishable
as a separate rasa as well! Indeed, the acaryas have said that the rasa of separation is even
more relishable than the rasa of union! 3rl Viivanatha Cakravartlpada has written the
following commentary on the abovementioned verse from ’Ujjvala NTlamani': nanu tad api
sambhoga posakatvena sambhogdfigam astu na tu partfiakyena raso bhavitum arhatlti cet satyam na
kevalam vipralambhah sambhoga posaka eva, kintu rati prema snehddi sthdyibhdvavalor nayakayor
mithah smarana sphurtyavirbhavair manasa caksusa kdyikalihgana cumbana samprayogadXnam
pratyuta niravadhi camatkdra samarpakatvena sambhoga punjamaya eva "One may ask: If
separation simply nourishes the union, then it should be counted as a mere limb of the rasa of
union. Why is it then also called a rasa, although it gives so much misery and pain? The
answer to this is that separation is not a mere nourishcr of union. When the hero and the
heroine go through the stages of rati, prema and sneha they remember, see and experience
Eachother in the respective media of the mental, the visual and the physical, in which they
respectively embrace, kiss and sexually unite with Eachother. This astonishes Them so much
412 S rl-^rl Radlia Rasa Sudhanidhi
that Their separation, (luring which this all occurs, can even be called sambhoga pufijamaya,
an abundance of union." That is why there is so much separation in the mood of Vraja,
especially in the amorous rasa. *In order to increase the rasa of Their meeting, Nagara
suddenly vanishes from SrimatTs lap, making Snmatl exclaim: "O Lord! Where are You?",
and causing Her to lament in an enchanted state. The maidservant, who is in a sense
nondifferent from Srlmatl, feels the same pain of separation. She drowns in an ocean of sorrow
and faints, experiencing ail of SrimatTs pleasures and pains equally.
c
After enjoying the sight of Radhika’s ecstatic separation from Him, Nagara-mani comes
out from His hiding and delights SfimatT by returning to Her. As soon as SvaminI blooms up
of joy, the maidservant also awakens from her swoon and blooms up with joy:
radhara svarupa - krsna prenia kalpalata; sakhtgana hoy - tara pallava puspa paid
krsna IXlamrta yadi latake sincaya; nija seka hoite pallavadyera koti sukha hoy (C.C.)
"Radhika is a wishyielding vine of love for Krsna and Her girlfriends are this vine’s
sprouts, flowers and leaves. When the vine is sprinkled with the nectar of Krsna's pastimes this
makes the sprouts and flowers millions of times more happy than when they would be
personally sprinkled."
✓
The maidservant laments for long that she could not serve Radhika all the time because
she was in a swoon. If she had been able to tolerate the weight of her own misery (and stay
conscious) she could have consoled Srlmatl during these miserable moments. The devotees are
not happy when their ecstasy obstructs the execution of their devotional service. Srlla ROpa
GosvamI teaches in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu (3.2.62):
ahga stambharambham uttuhgayantam premanandam daruko nabhyanandat

kamsardter vTjane yena saksad aksodlydnantarayo vyadhdyi
"Once Daruka was fanning the Lord of Dvaraka (Krsna), but the ecstasy of this
devotional service caused him to become stunned. Daruka did not welcome this ecstasy,
because it obstructed the direct execution of His devotional service."
nija premanande jrsna sevatianda badhe;

se anandera prad bhaktera hoy maha krodhe (C.C.)
"The devotee is very angry at his own loving ecstasy when it stops him from
ecstatically serving Krsna." Devotional service is the very life of the mahjarTs, and they greatly
lament when they swoon out of ecstasy, for that stops the execution of their service.
mad Than rai krodhe, lava nimisera tare,

adartone nagarendra rruuii
lalita nagara sahga, lalita lalitanahga
rahga keli nd dekhiya ami
duhkera saimidra jale, podiya murcchita hoile,

dhik mano se mora dasaya
he krsna priyatama, koro anusocana
dsvasitd nd kori tomaya
"If I do not see the jewel of amorous heroes sitting on the lap of my ISvari Rai for even
a moment, playing His lovely erotic games with Her, I fall in an otean of sorrow and I faint.
Curses on that condition of mine, O Beloved of Krsna, for then I cannot console You when
You are constantly lamenting!"
gaura parikara gane, sripada prabodhananda,

mahdbhagavata cuddmani
ye korilo prarthana, divya cintafnani sond,
bhajane catura cuddnxani
"3npada Prabodhananda is the crownjewel of all the great souls in the entourage of
Lord Gaura. He is the crownjewel of clever petitioners who offer divine golden and
Cintamani-jewellike prayers."
VERSE 216:
J1HUYO BHUYAH KAMALA NAYANE KIM MUDHA VARY ATE'SAU

VAN MA TRE'PI TVAD ANUGAMANAM NA TYAJANTY EVA DHURTA&
KINC1D RADHE KURU KUCA-TATI PRANT AM ASYA MRADIYAS
CAK$UR DVARA TAM ANUPATITAM CURNATAM ETU CETAH
bhuyo bhuyah - repeatedly; kaniala nayane - lotuseyed girl; kith - why; mudha - vainly; varyate
- stopping; asau - him; vdk - words; matre - only; api - even; tvad - You; anugamanatii - following; na
- not; tyajanti - giving up; eva - only; dhurtah - trickster; kincit - slightly; radhe - O Radhal; kuru - do;
kuca-tatT - the breast; prantam - edge; asya - his; mradtyah - tender, caksuh - eye; dvara - through; tam
- Him; anupatitani - constantly falling; curnatam - crushing; etu - let it go; cetah - mind.
O Lotuseyed Radhe! It's no use trying to stop Him (Kr$na) again and again!
Simply with words You can't stop this trickster from following You! Just show Him a
glimpse of Your breasts, then His soft mind will come out through His eyes and will be
crushed as it constantly falls on them!
THE MAIDSERVANT’S LUSCIOUS JOKES:
Com m entary: Within a moment 3yama has entered the kunja and the fire of ^nmati's
separation is promptly extinguished, but now another wave arises on the ocean of Her love.
Now She becomes angry that Nagara raani has left Her so suddenly, and She proudly walks
out of the kunja. The Nagara follows Her, eager to relish the sweetness of Her proud anger
(mana). Snmatl forbids Him to follow Her, thinking: "Surely this cheater must have left the
kunja because He was attracted to some other girl!" The Nagara is totally enchanted when He
sees £ rim all's sweet mood at that time. No gopT is as expert in making Nagara-mani float in an
ocean of sweet rasa with Her erotic attributes as Radharani is, therefore She is the crownjewel
of gopTs. Although 3nmatJ repeatedly forbids Him to do so, Krsna keeps on following Her. In
§rlmad Bhagavata (10.9.9) 3ri Suka Muni describes the Damodara-pastime as follows:
414 S ri-3ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
tarn alia yastim prasamiksya salvaras tato’varuhyqpasasara bhitavat

gopy anvadhdvan na yam apa yoginafn ksamarti pravesfurh lapaseritam manah
"The yogis who try to merge with the impersonal brahman are running after the
Supreme Truth by performing harsh austerities, but they cannot catch Him, yet mother Ya$oda
managed to catch that Supreme Truth, &n Krsna, after she chased Him with a stick and He
fearfully ran away from her!" This Supreme Truth is now running after mahd bhavavatl Sri
Radha, eager to touch Her, and does not stop even after She forbade Him! That is the
intoxicating power of madana mahd bhava over the Supreme Truth!
The maidservant jokingly says: "O Radhe! It‘s no use trying to stop this trickster from
following You simply by using words! O Lotus-eyed girl! Listen, I know a way in which You
can finally stop Him! (the maidservant cleverly agitates Krsna even more by addressing
SvaminI in the most attractive way, saying kamala nayane, lotus-eyed girl). Open Your blouse
and slightly show Him Your breasts! Then You will see that his tender mind will strongly
come out through His eyes, will fall on Your breasts, and will become crushed to powder!
Then He won’t be able to follow You anymore!"
Because Srlpada is not only Radhika's humble and obedient maidservant but also Her
girlfriend, she is not at all shy to make such jokes. In a very clever way the maidservant
increases Radha and Madhava’s mutual attraction by speaking such naughty words. Nobody
knows how to serve the divine Couple more cleverly than this maidservant; she has learned all
this expertise in arts from Her own ISvarl. In his ’Vrndavana Mahimamrta’ 3ripada has
described this: srlsvarl siksitasesa kald kausala salimm. By SvaminI's grace, her artful
expertise is greatly astonishing.
The clever joking words of the worthy maidservant create a great erotic appetite in the
divine Couple, so the maidservant arranges for Their private meeting in the kunja and becomes
blessed by relishing the sweetness and the beauty of these pastimes.
VERSE 217:
KIM VA NAS TAIH SU-SASTRAIH KIM ATHA TAD UDITAIR_ VARTMABHIH SADGRHITAIR
YATRASTIPREMA-MURTER NAHIMAHIMA SUDHA NAPIBHAVAS TADIYAH
KIM VA VAIKUNTHA LAK§MYAPYAHAHA PARAMAYA YATRA ME NASTI RADHA
KINTVASAPYASTU VRNDAVANA BHUVI MADHURA KOTI JANMANTARE’PI
kirii va - what more; nah - to us; taih - by them; sirfastraih - holy books; kim atha - what more;
tad - from them; uditaih - coming up; varimabhih - by the paths; sad - by the saints; grfutaih -
accepted; yatra - where; asti - there is; prema - love; murteh - of the form; tiahi - not; mahima -
glorification; sudha - nectar; na - not; api - even; bhdvah - mood; tadlya - of Her; kith va - or what;
vaikuntha laksmya - by Vaikunpia's luxury; api - even; ahaha - O!; paramaya - by the supreme; yatra -
where; me - my; na - not; asti - is; radha - Radha; kintu - but; a$d - hope; api - even; astu - let it be;
vrndavana bhuvi - the land of Vrndavana; madhurd - sweet; kali - millions; janma - births; anlare -
after; api - even.
What is the use to us of holy books, or the paths that they show, even if they are
followed by great saints, if they don’t carry the nectarean glorification and description of
Sri Radhika, who is love personified? Ahaha! What’s the use of all the luxury of
Vaikuntha to us if my Radha is not there? Just let my sweet aspirations for Sri Radha's
playground Vrndavana remain with me, even after millions of births!
4
SWEET ASPIRATIONS:
Com m entary: Sripada’s relish of his transcendental visions is very wonderful. His
experiences are as deep as a personal meeting with his beloved. When the transcendental vision
breaks he feels anxiety and eagerness and he laments. His relish causes his strong desire to
attain his beloved constantly to increase. In this verse he is in his sadhakavesa, in which his
humility awakens and he draws a sweet picture of his deep and sweet aspirations by offering a
prayer. When his transcendental vision disappears strong feelings of humility awaken in his
heart and he finds Sri Radha's lotusfeet most difficult to attain. Realizing how difficult it is to
get what he is craving for he weeps intensely. His old mayavadi-fnends may tell him:
"Sripada! Although you were such a great scholar of Vedanta you gave up that study and
became a devotee - that is why you are now feeling so miserable and restless! Therefore, pick
up the study of Vedanta again and you will regain peace of mind. The disturbances in your
heart will cease!" To this he answers: "O friends! I have no need to study those holy books that
do not speak of the nectarine glories of Sri Radha and Her ecstatic love!" Once Sripada was a
famous Vedantavadl. In the assembly of sannyasTs in KaST (Benares) he asked premavatara
Sriman Mahaprabhu -
sannyasf Jioiya koro nartana gayana; bhavuka sab sange loiyd koro sanklrtma
vedanta pathana dhydna sannydsTra dharma; tdhd chadi kene koro bhavukera karma
prabhdve dekhiya toma saksdt narayana; hmacara koro kene ki ihara karana?
"You are dancing and singing in congregation with all kinds of emotional people,
whereas You are a sannyasL The duty of a sannyasT is to study the Vedanta and to meditate.
Why have You given that up to engage in all these emotional activities? Beholding Your
prowess, I know You are Lord Narayana Himself! Why are You then performing such low
activities?" That crownjewel of Vedantists, Sripada Prabodhananda, has now been touched by
3 rim an Mahaprabhu’s grace and does not want to study or hear any book anymore that does
not describe the glories of Sri Radha or Her love. He does not even feel any need for the
reverential way in which great devotees like Sri Narada and Prahlada worship the Supreme
Lord. The plural word nah, or 'us', in the text indicates that not a single Gaudlya Vaisnava has
taste for this the study of books that do not glorify Sri Radha and Her ecstatic love or for
following the path of reverential worship of the Supreme Lord. Actually, it is seen that as soon
as one becomes involved in the pure sweet taste of Vraja, which is devoid of even a whiff of
awe and reverence, one automatically loses taste for reverential worship of the Supreme Lord.
The story of Gopa Kumara in Sri Brhad Bhagavatamrta offers a very beautiful example. By
Sriman Mahaprabhu's grace Sripada has become involved in the service of Sri Radha, which is
in its turn again the highest transcendental flavour in Vraja, therefore it is needless to say that
the path of reverential worship has become rejectable for him.*
* If a devotee of Sri Radha does not read any other books than those who describe Radha's glories, theii
should he not read Srimad Bhagavata, the holy book that does not cany Radha’s holy name even once,
anymore? The answer is that Srimad Bhagavata does mention Radha's name! In verse 10.30.28 the
416 Sri-£ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Reverential worshippers may then say: "Sripada! If you worship the Lord with awe and
reverence you will attain all the opulences of Vaikuntha! Don't you desire this? " To this
Sripada replies: "Ohe! There may be unlimited opulences in Vaikuntha, but my Radha isn't
there, is She? What is the use of all these opulences if Sri RadharanT is not there?" In other
words, I have no taste for all these endless opulences without RadharanT. In Brhad
Bhagavatamrta it is described that Sri Gopa Kumara was very distressed when he could not see
Sriman M adana Gopala (Krsna) in Vaikuntha, so Lord Narayana appeared before him as
Sriman Madana Gopala and the goddess of fortune became Sri RadharanT. But Sri Gopa
Kumara’s mind could not find bliss when he saw Lord Narayana in the greatly opulent sphere
o f Vaikuntha, not even when He assumed the form of S rim an Madana Gopala and Sri LaksmT-
devT played the role of Sri Radha. We have already elaborately discussed this before.
And if someone asks: "Sripada! You consider Sri Radha to be most difficult to attain
adn yet you also do not desire the worship o f the Supreme Lord or the opulences of Vaikuntha.
Then what do you want?'', then Sripada replies: "What I want? I want my sweet aspirations for
Sri Radha's playground Sri Vrndavana always to increase!" Then it may be asked: "Sripada! If
you do not attain that precious Sri Radha, then what is the use of you nourishing an aspiration
for Her playground?" To this Sripada will answer: "Even if I could ju st die holding the sweet
aspiration for Sri Vrndavana within my heart that would be the highest attainment. N ot just in
one lifetime - may the light of that aspiration keep on shining in the jew eled abode o f my mind
for millions of births! I will gladly tolerate the pain of birth and death millions o f times in
topmost ecstasy, carrying the aspiration to taste the sweetness of Sri Radha’s playground
constantly in my heart!" W hat a sweet aspiration! The relish of this aspiration should also
awaken within the heart of the sadhakas. These words of Sripada are the culm ination of the
topmost humility. Otherwise, there would be not even the slightest delay in such a pure
devotee's attainm ent of his aspirations. In Caitanya Bhagavata it is seen that M ahaprabhu
announced that He would not grant His audience to His singer Sri M ukunda anym ore because
he had slighted the path of devotion. M ukunda then asked Mahaprabhu through Srivasa how
long it would take before he (Mukunda) could attain the Lord. The Lord replied:
prabhu bole dra yadi koti janrna hoy;

tabe mora daraSana paibo nitcoy
hinilo 'ni§coy prapti' prabhura M-mukhe;
. mukunda sincila hoild pardnanda sukhe
.... y paibo paibo boli kore mahd-nrtya;
premete vihvala hoild caitanyera blirtya
"If you take another ten million births you will surely receive My audience! Hearing
from the Lord's beautiful mouth 'he will surely get it', M ukunda was showered by the pinnacle
of bliss. He danced frantically and said "I will get it! I will get it!" Such is the ecstatic love o f
Lord Caitanya's servants!" The Lord was then pleased with M ukunda and had him brought
before Him. Seeing the Lord, M ukunda offered prostrated obeisances unto Him, and the Lord
mercifully told him:
gopTs say anaydrddhito nunam bhagavdn harir Ifvarah: "By Her, the Supreme Ruler Hari, has been
worshiped." The word arddhiia means "Radha". The Vedas are also mentioning Radha’s name; in the
appendix of the Rg Veda it is said radhayd madhavo devo madhavenaiva rddhika "Radha shines with
Madhava and Madhava shines with Radhika." The Upani$ads also carry'Sri Radha's holy name; in the
Gopala Tapani Upani$ad, RadharanT is called Gandharva, one of Her favorite names. An intelligent and
advanced devotee sees Her everywhere! (Advaita das)
3 n la Prabodhunanda Sarasvatl 417
prabhu bole ulho utho mukunda arnara; tildrdheka aparddha ndhiko tontdra
koti janrne pdbo heno bolildm ami; lildrdheke sab tdKd ghucdile tumi
pvyartha amdra vakya tumi se jdnila; tumi amd sarva kala hrdoye bandhila
"Get up, get up, My Mukunda! You did not commit even the slightest offense! When I
said 'He will attain Me after ten million births' You wiped out even the slightest offence You
had committed. You know that My words always come true. You have captured Me in your
heart forever/'
In the same way 3rtpada humbly holds the desire for relishing the sweetness of Radha’s
playground Vrndavana in his heart, even in millions of births, even if he will not directly attain
3rl Radha, and while he reveals such an aspiration 3nmatl mercifully revealed Herself. In the
next verse we will see how £rlpada sees his bhagyadevatd (goddess of fortune or destiny)
lilanidhi (ocean of playful sports) Srlmatl within his relish.
VERSE 218:
SYAMA SYAMETY ANUPAMA RASAPURNA VARNAIR JAPANTI

STHITVA STHITVA MADHURA MADHUROTTARAM UCCARAYANTl
MUKTA STHULAN NAYANA GALITAN A&RU BINDUN VAH ANTI
HRSYAD ROMA PRATIPADA CAMATKVRVATIPATH RADHA
Syama Syama iti - Syama! Syama!; anupama - incomparible; rasdpurna - filled with flavour;
vaniaih - with syllables; japantl - mutters; sthitvd sthitva - remaining; madhura madhura -
ever-so-sweet; uttdram - voice; uccdrayantl - pronounces; mukta - pearls; sthulat - big; nayana - eyes;
galitdn - streaming; asru - tears; bindun - drops; vahanti - carrying; hrsyad - out of joy; romd - pores;
pratipada - at every step; camatkurvatT - astonishing; patu - may protect; radha - Radha.
May that Radha, who constantly repeats the incomparible, rasa-laden syllables
'Syama! Syama!', with a voice that is sweeter than sweet, from whose eyes big pearllike
teeth trickle, whose body erupts with goosepimples of ecstasy and who is astonisliing at
every step, protect us!
VASAKA SAJJIKA SRI RADHA:
Com m entary: In his external consciousness 3npada showed great humility in the
previous verse. He considered himself unqualified to see Sri Radha directly, and therefore He
carried the desire in his heart to relish the sweetness of Vraja, even for millions of births. By
RadharanI's grace that entire era (millions of births) is crossed within a second, because She
personally appears to Him at once. In his kinkarMona Sripada sees a sweet bowerforest before
her eyes, which 3ri Radha has personally decorated and in which She waits for 3yama to come
and make love with Her. (In this role She is called a vasika sajjikd, see Ujjvala NTlamani,
Nayika-bheda 42) In order to keep the fire of Her separation burning low, Snmafi loudly sings
the sweet names of Krsna: £yama! $yama!" These are not ordinary worldly syllables, they are
%
the most merciful and delicious descent of Sri Krsna, the akhila rasamrta murti (the
9 • 9 * 9 ^
embodiment of all nectarine flavours). A devotee whose tongue ana mind are contaminated by
offenses cannot relish the sweetness of these names and cannot develop love for Kr$na, but an
offenseless chanter will gradually become free from all his anarthas (bad habits) and will
spontaneously be able to relish all the nectar that the holy names contain. Although the descent
of love, 3nman Mahaprabhu, was well aware of the glories of the holy name, He nevertheless
inquired about it in front of Haridasa Thakura's straw hut on the beach of Puri, and He became
wholly enchanted when Sri kupa GosvamI recited the following glorification:
tunde tdndavini ratim vitanute tunddvall labdhaye

karna krodha kadambim ghatayate kaniarbudebhyah sprhdm
cetah prdhgana sangim vijayate sarvendriyanam krtirii
no jane janita kiyadbhir amrtaih krsneti varna dvayT
(Vidagdha Madhava, Act I)

. V
"O! 1 don’t know how much nectar the two syllables ’Krs-na’ contain! When that name
dances on the tongue, we desire many tongues, when it enters into the earholes we desire
billions of ears, and when it appears on the courtyard of the heart, it conquers all of the
senses!" &rl Yadunandana Thakura has made the following sweet padyanuvcidaf Bengali song-
translation:
middle loite krsna ndma,
• • • f
nace tunda avirama • •
draft baddya atisaya

ndma sumddhurTpdiyd, dharite na pare hiyat
aneka tundera vanchd hoy
"When the mouth takes Krona’s names, the tongue constantly dances and my eagerness
greatly increases. My heart cannot remain calm when I catch the sweetness of that name, and
thus I desire many mouths!"
ki kohobo ndmera mddhurl!
kemon arniyd diya, ke jani gadilo iha,
kr$na ei du' akhara kori
"How can I describe the sweetness of that name? I don’t know how much nectar there is
in theses two syllables ’KTs-na’!"
-
* . .
dpana mddhurl bhane, ananda baddya kane,

tdte kale anknra janame
vanchd hoy lakho kan, yabe hoy tabe nama,
mddhurl koriye asvadane
"When I sing that sweet name, then my ears expand of joy and and I desire to have
thousands of ears, so that I can fully relish the sweetness of that Kr$na-name!"
krsna du ’akhara dekhi, juddy tapata ankhi,

ahga dekhibdre ankhi cay
yadi hoy koti ankhi, tabe krsna rupa dekhi
ndma ara tanu bhinna noy
5rfla Prabodhananda Sarasvaii 419
"Seeing the two syllables 'Krs-na', my eyes are pleased and desire to see Krsna's body
as well. When I have millions of eyes then I can see Krsna’s form*, for there is no difference
between Krsna’s name and His body."
citte krsna ndma yabe, pravesa koroye tabe,

: vistarite hoite hoy sadha
sakala indriya gana, kore ati ahladana,
name kore prema unamada
"When the name of Kr$na enters into my heart it expands my consciousness and all my
senses are greatly delighted, intoxicated by prema\"
ye kdne parase ndma, se tejaye an kdma,

sab bhdva koroye udoy
sakala madhurya sthana, sab rasa krsna ndma,
e yadunandana koy
"Any ear which is touched by the holy name will give up all other desires, and the holy
name and will cause all bhavas to appear. Yadunandana says: All sweet transcendental flavours
reside in the holy name of Krsna!" The more love a devotee has, the more he can savour the
nectar of Krsna’s holy name. RadharanI's love is the greatest, so naturally She savours this
sweetness to the utmost! The poet Dvija Candi dasa sings about RadharanI’s first love (purva
rdga) as follows:
soi! kevd sunailo syama ndma ?
kanera bhitora diyd, marame pasilo go,
dkula korilo mora prana
"O Friend! Who sang the name of Syama? Through my ears it entered into My heart
and agitated Me!"
nd jdni koteko madhu, syama name ache go,
vadana chadite nahi pare
japite japite ndma, avasa korilo go,
kemone va pasaribo tare
"I don't know how much honey there is in Syama’s name, and my mouth cannot give it
up! When I repeat this name I become overwhelmed! How can I forget it?"
m
SrimaG does japa of the incompatible rasa-laden syllables of Syama's name and
sometimes loudly sings Syama’s name in klrtana with a very sweet voice, while big pearl-like
tears of love trickle from Her eyes. Her mind is fixed on Syama's arrival. When She hears the
wind rustling through the dry leaves on the trees She thinks that She hears Krsna's footsteps
and Her hairs stand on end of ecstasy and astonishment The maidservant can fully relish the
sweet sight of anxiously waiting vasaka sajjikd. Radha, who is decorated with different
transformations of ecstatic love.
VERSE 219:
420 Sri-3ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
TADRNMURTIR VRAJAPATISUTAHPADAYOR ME PATITVA

DANTAGRENATHA DHRTA TRNAKAMKAKUVADANBRA VlTI
NITYAM CANUVRAJATI KURUTE SANGAMA YODYAMAM CE-
TYUDVEGAM ME PRANAYINI KIM A VEDA YE YAM NU RADHE
tadrk - tills kind of; muriili - form; vraja pati sutali - the prince of Vraja; padayoh - the feet; me
- mine; paiitvd - having fallen; dantagrena - with the edge of the teeth; aiha - then; dhrta - holding;
kakuvdddn - anxious words; bravlti - speaking; nityath - eternally; ca - and; anuvrajati - following;
kurute - doing; safigamdya - for the sake of union; udyamam - endeavours; ca - and; Hi - thus; udvegam
- anxiousness; me - my; pranayini - lover; kim - when; avedaya - relay; iyarh nu - this; radhe - O
Radha!
O Pranayini (ladylove)! Once, when You are angry with Kp?na, He falls at my
feet, holding a straw between His teeth, and prays to me with many pitiful words,
constantly following me to ask me to arrange for His meeting with You. O Radhe! When
will I become upset with that and submit His plea to You?
N ^ •
THE ANXIETY OF RADHA1S MAIDSERVANT:
Com m entary: Vasaka sajjika Radha vainly waits for Her gallant the whole night,
burning in the fire of separation, and when He finally shows up at daybreak with clear signs of
Candravall's lovemaking on His body, She becomes khandita:
uUanghya samayath yasyah preydn anyopabhogavdn

bhoga laksmyankitah pratar agacchet sd hi khandita
esa tu rosa nihsvdsa tusnlmbhavadi bhdg bhavet
(Ujjvala NTlamani, Nayika bheda 85)
"When the hero spends the night with another sweetheart in the kunja and appears
before-the heroine with the love-signs of that girl at daybreak, the heroine attains the state of
••
mind named khandita. The activities of such a khandita heroine consist of anger, deep
breathing and remaining silent" Snmatl angrily says: "Your lotus-eyes look tired from staying
up the whole night, You have spots of some other girl's lipstick on You, Her eyeliner sticks on
Your red lips and a spot of Her footlac sticks on Your forehead. O Madhava! Give up Your
false excuses! Your artful girlfriend was not at all opposed to Cupid's battle! Her nails have
scratched open Your chest and have taken the jewels of Your love out of it! Which girl will
still put Her faith in a man who is now deprived of the treasure of His love? You've become
like a necklace without a string!"
Thus SvaminI becomes maninL Nagara tries different ways to try to appease Her, but
nothing helps, so finally He takes shelter of the maidservant He calls StTpada, in his
kinkan-ioim, out of the kunja and pitifully prays to her: "O sakhil Today your mistress is
angry with Me for no reason! I am burning in Hie fire of separation from Her, please help Me
and please Her for Me!" The maidservant replies: "What did You say? SvaminI is angry with
You for no reason? Cheater! Aren't You ashamed of speaking such lies? You told SvaminI to
meet You here at this trystingplace, but instead You went to the camp of Her enemies and
spent the whole night there, leaving ray mistress burning in the fire of anguish! 1 know it very
well, because I was here the whole night! On top of that, You have\io w come to Svaminl after
all, strewing salt in Her wounds by shamelessly wearing the love-signs of the enemy on Your
person! And then You tell me that She’s angry for no reason?” Syama says: "Look, I tell you
the truth, She's really angry for no tiling! I wandered around in the forest the whole night,
unable to find the way in the dark, and because of staying up the whole night My eyes have
turned red. The thorny bushes in the dark forest have bruised My skin and the chilly wind has
broken My lips. And these spots of eyeliner and chewed betelnuts are My own spots, not those
of another lady! Please please your ISvarl for My sake and quickly establish Our meeting! My
heart breaks because of My separation from Her!" The maidservant replies: "Look, we are
Radha's dasTs, we can understand Your tricks well enough! You don't have to say any tiling
anymore! Quickly get out of here, because if Svaminl or one of Her loyal friends see me
speaking with You there will be no more place for me in Her kunjal" When Nagara hears these
words of the maidservant He falls at her feet, holding a straw between His teeth, and starts
speaking so many pitiful words to her! Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the
greatest sages and mystics cannot even catch a single speck of His footdust in their ardent
meditations, but this Selfsame Krsna now humbly holds a straw between His teeth and falls at
the feet of a small girl, praying to her with pitiful words! This is the extraordinary greatness of
Radhika's maidservice! The maidservant runs away from pitifully praying Kr$na, but He
eagerly follows her with folded hands. Seeing Nagara’s eagerness, the maidservant decides to
help Him, so she keeps Him in a nearby kunja, goes into SrlmaG's kuhja and tells Her: "O
Pranayini Radhe! The prince of Vraja knows that You're angry with Him, so He fell at my feet,
holding a straw between His teeth, speaking so many pitiful words to me, and followed me all
over die place, asking me to appease You for Him! Please forbid Him to harrass me like this!"
The maidservant cleverly addresses Svaminl with die word pranayani (ladylove) to remind
Her that She's actually nondifferent from Krsna and that She can never really be against Him
for a long time. "If You don't fulfill Krsna's desires soon, You will be sorry for it later!"
Blessed is this maidservant! Blessed is her clever service of slackening Svamim's proud huff!
VERSE 220:
CAIAL ULAGATYA KVACID ANUCALAD DHAMSA MITHUNAM

KVACIT KEK1NYAGRE KRTA NATANA CANDRAKY ANUKRTI
LATASU$TAM SAKUIPRA VARAM ANUKURVAM KVACID AHO
VIDAGDHA DVANDVAM TAD RAMATA IHA VRNDA VAN A BHUVI
calat - moving; Ula - playful; gatya - with steps; kvacid - sometimes; anucalad - following;
hanisa - swan; mithunarii - couple; kvacit - sometimes; kekinl - peahen; agre - in front; krta - doing;
natana - dancing; candraki - peacock; anukrti - imitating; lata - vines; dflistam - embracing; iakhi -
tree; pravaram - best; anukurvam - imitating; kvacid - sometimes; aho - Oi; vidagdha - clever,
mithunarii - couple; dvandvam - couple; tad - that; ramata - rambles; iha - here; vmdavana bhuvi - in
die land of Vmdavana.
Aho! Somewhere this clever Couple imitates the gait of a pair of swans with
playful movements, somewhere They imitate a peacock dancing before a peahen, and
somewhere They imitate the best of trees embraced by a vine. In this way They ramble
here in the land of Vmdavana.
THE DELICIOUS FORESTGAMES OF A CLEVER PAIR:

t
Commentary: After SrimaG has made Syama relish the sweetness of Her proud huff,
She goes with Him for vana vihdra, forestsports. Knowing the desire of the clever Couple, the
natural environment of Vrndavana makes itself especially beautiful. The trees and vines make
their flowers bloom so brightly that their fragrance maddens the bumblebees, their ripened
fruits cause their branches to bown down low to the ground, as if offering obeisances to the
beautiful youthful Couple, and the pomegranates burst open, causing their harsh to ooze out.
The parrots and cuckoos sing delightful songs and the soft breeze causes all the forestcreatures
to shiver of ecstasy. Somewhere peacocks are sweetly dancing, and the birds and deer forget
their natural enmity and freely ramble together in the forest. The whole Vrndavana-forest is
illuminated by the golden and bluish aura that emanates from the divine Couple, making the
beautiful forest even more sweet.
Radha and Syama dive into the ocean of Vrndavana’s natural beauty, keeping Their
arms on Eachother’s shoulders, while the maidservant follows Them like Their shadow. The
clever- Couple feels as if They have never seen the beauty of the forest before, and They show
Eachother its different features, sometimes singing about Eachother’s sweet attributes. When a
pair of swans hears the clever Couple approaching, they become startled and slowly walk
towards a nearby pond, and the clever Couple imitates them and walks behind them upto the
shore of the pond. When the swan-couple swims in the pond and feel very happy while facing
eachother, the clever Couple on the shore laugh and imitate their activities. When the
maidservant sees this, her swan-like mind swims in a pool of bliss.
At some other place the clever Couple sees a peacock spreading out his feathers and
proudly dancing before a peahen, so Syamasundara imitates the peacock by sitting on His
knees, taking the end of His dhoti in His hands, spreading it out like the peacock’s feathers, and
imitating the peacock’s dancing. When the surrounding peacocks see Krsna's sweet dancing
they begin to dance even better than before, and Syama again imitates their wonderful
enthusiastic movements.
Again, at another place, SrimaG imitates a golden vine embracing a Tamala-tree by
holding on to Krsna and tightly embracing Him. The maidservant considers herself blessed that
she can witness all these sweet pastimes of the clever amorous Couple in Their unrivalled
playground Sri Vrndavana!
VERSE 221:
VYAKOSENDIVARAM ATHA RUCA HARI HEMARAVINDAM

KALINDIYAM SURABHIM AN I LAM S1TALAM SEVAMANAM
SANDRANANDAM NAVA NAVA RASAMPROLLASATKELI-VRNDAM
JYOTIR DVANDVAM MADHURA MADHURAM PREMAKANDAM CAKASTI
vyakosa - blooming; indivaram - blue lotus; atha - and; rued - beauty; hari - stealing; hema -
golden; aravindam - lotusflower; kdlitidl - Yamuna; iyahi - this; surabhim - fragrance; anilarn -
fragrant; Silalam - coolness; sevamanam - served; sandra - deep; dnandahi - bliss; nava nava -
ever-fresh; rasam - flavour, prollasat - delightful; keli vmdam - pastimes; jyotih - light; dvandvafti -
couple; madhura madhurarii - sweeter than sweet; prema - love; kandaih - source; cakasti - there is.
£rila Prabodhananda Saras vat! 423
There are two sweet transcendental lights that are the~ source of ever-so-sweet
love, that play many blissful ever-new rasika pastimes and1 that steal the luster of
blooming blue and golden lotusflowers that are served by a cool breeze that blows from
«■
the Yamuna.
TWO PLAYFUL LIGHTS:

t
Commentary: The pastimes of Radha and Madhava, who ramble in the forest like an
intoxicated pair of elephants, is the culmination of divine love. Their pastimes are just like the
ripples on a deep ocean of love. If it were not so, then how could the Self-satisfied Supreme
desire to make love, how could the Omniscient Supreme become stupefied and bewildered,
and how could the Unlimited become so small? More than any other form of God,
Vrajendranandana Krsna is subdued by the love of His devotees. It is astonishing to see how
the non-dual Absolute Truth floats in all directions on the waves of Ilia rasa. Sri Suka Muni
comes to that point while he describes the Rasa-/f/d in Srimad Bhagavata (10.30.34) reme taya
svdtmarata atmaramo'pyakhanditah "Although Krsna is self-satisfied, he still made love with
her (Radha)." The Vaisnava Tosanl-commentary says: tac ca priya-jana prema-vasyatvam
tasya mahan eva guna iti.......tad evam tasyd etadrsah pretnd yena tadrso'py asau vaslcakre
tasya caitadrsah yena tadrsatmaramatapi tiros cakre. "The greatest quality of Krsna is that He
is controlled by the love of His devotees.... Sri Radha has the greatest love for Him, making
Krsna so indebted that the Lord even chastises His own quality of atmaramata (being
self-satisfied), and shows how He is supremely subdued by Her love."
Now, in the course of Their tour through the forest, the divine Couple has come to the
bank of the Yamuna where They want to rest a little. They sit down on a staircase leading to
the Yamuna and enjoy the blissful touch of a cool breeze that carries drops of Yamuna-water
to Them. The Yamuna's waves dance in ecstasy when they see the sweet forms of the divine
Couple, and they rush towards the ocean, carrying a collection of that sweetness with them.
Many blooming lotusflowers, Kahlara and Kumuda-flowers float on the surface of the
Yamuna, attracting thirsty buzzing bumblebees that become drunk from drinking their honey.
Ecstatically Radha and Syama describe the sweetness and beauty of the Yamuna's water and
shores to Eachother, while the maidservant is absorbed in Their service. She opens her thick
braid of curly and fragrant hair and lovingly starts wiping the grey dust from Their lotusfeet
with it. Other maidservants fan Them with a fan made of soft sprouts and others serve Them
fresh betelleaves and cold water. When the maidservant hears Radha and Madhava glorifying
the blooming lotusflowers that are floating on the Yamuna, she says: "Your faces and Your
limbs easily defeat the luster of all blossoming blue and golden lotusflowers! What's the use of
Your praises of these lotusflowers around here? Still, when I hear Your mouths praising these
things like that, I think that they are blessed that they have become the objects of Your praise!"
vrajardja mlatnani, syama ange sulavani,

indivara nindi sukotnala
rai ange jha la mala, kanaka kamala dala,
apariipa navlna yugala
"The limbs of the king of Vraja's blue jewel (Kr$na) are beautifully blue and their
tenderness mocks the Indlvara-lotus while Rai’s wonderful, youthful and glistening body shines
%
424' Sri-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
like the petals of golden lotus."

?
* ei riila pita varna, nava nava rase pum a,
ghanfbhuta parama ananda
rasdnande ucchalita, keli vrnde prollasita,
' madhura madhura premakanda
"This condensed supreme blue and yellow bliss is full of ever-fresh rasa. They are the
source of all ever-so-sweet ecstatic love and of all the joyful love pastimes that are created by
surabhi sTtalanile, sevane kalindl-kule,

jyotih punje srT radha govinda
prabodhanandete koy, ei dyuti rasamoya,
nirupama nayana ananda
• -^The brightly effulgent Sri Radha-Govinda are served by a cool and fragrant breeze
that comes from the bank of the Yamuna. Prabodhananda says: "This delicious effulgence
gives incompatible delight to the eyes!"
VERSE 222:
KADA MADHURA SARIKA# SVARASA PADYAM ADHYAPAYAT

PRADAYA KARATALIKAHKVACANA NARTAYATKEKINAM
KVACIT KANAKA VALLARI VRTA TAMALA ULADHANAM
VIDAGDHA MITHUNAM TAD ADDHUTAM UDETIVRNDA VANE
kada - when; madhura - sweet; sdrtkdh - female parrot; svarasa - own taste; padyam - verses;
adhydpayat - recites; pradaya - giving; karatalikd - clapping the hands; kvacana - somewhere; tiariayat
- dancing; kekinam - peacocks; kvacit - sometimes; kanaka - golden; vallarT - vine; vria - entwined;
tamdla - Tamala tree; Ilia dhanarn - whose treasure is play; vidagdha - clever; mithunaih - couple; tad
- that; adbhutam - wonderful; udeti - arises; vmddvane - in Vmdavana.
V i '-
A wonderfully clever Couple, that sometimes teaches verses to their pet female
parrots with sweet voices, that somewhere makes the peacocks dance by clapping Their
hands and at some other place plays like a Tamala-tree entwined by a golden vine,
appears in Vrndavana.
A WONDERFULLY CLEVER COUPLE:
Commentary: After resting for a while on the bank of the Yamuna, the divine Couple
continues Their vana vihara (forest tour), while Snpada, in his kinkarT-form, folows Them like
Their shadow. At some place the clever Couple teaches Their pet sdnfca-parrots how to recite
verses with sweet voices, so that these verses can give Them great pleasure later. All the
parrots, peacocks, trees and vines in Vrndavana are transcendental assistents in Radhika's and
Madhava's pastimes, not only in the unmanifest Vmdavana, but also in the manifest
Vrndavana! There is no dead matter whatsoever in Vraja, and if orife cannot see it in this way,
one’s bhajana will not be successful. :
With sweet voices Radha and Syama teach the female parrots Their own verses and
songs, and at the proper moment these parrots will delight the young Couple and Their
girlfriends by repeating these verses. In the 13th chapter of 'Govinda Lllamrta' it is described
how the suka and sarikd-panots delight the divine Couple while They ramble through the
autumnal forest, by pouring these nectarean verses into Their ears. Siila Yadunandana Th&kura
has made a beautiful padydnuvada (Bengali verse-translation) of this, and we could not resist
the temptation of writing down a portion of it below. May the saints forgive me!
sudhasama mista phala tarute bosiya; kandola koroye suka sarTte miliya
tahadera rasa-kathd sravana lagiyd; tara tale sabe sukhe bosilen giyd
"The male and female parrots met on the branches of a tree which carried nectarean
sweet fruits, to quarrel with eachother, and everyone blissfully sat down at the base of that tree
to hear their rasika talks."
suka bole sdrT-gana anya vane ydo; amadera vane bosi keno phala khao
vedantadhyapaka dvija amadera gone; nan spr$ta phaldhare modern patana
amadere vanesvara diyachena vana; ddsT hoiya koro keno e phala bhojana?
"The male parrot- said: "O jaris! Go to another forest! Why are you eating the fruits
from our forest? We are twice bom (birds or brahmanas) students of the Vedanta! When we
eat the fruits touched by women we will fall from our caste! The Lord of our forest has given
us this forest, why are you maidservants eating these fruits?"
sari kohe ohe prabhu dvesTpraja sab; rddhikara vana ei nahi anubhava
radha vrndavanesvarT puranete koy; ei smrti kdro kabhu anddrta noy
"The san said: "O! You're all envious of the Lord! You don't understand that this is
Radhika's forest! The Puranas say 'Radha is the Queen of Vmdavana', and nobody should ever
disregard these statements from the smrti -scriptures!"
suka kohe - krsnavana gdya sruti-gana; sruti vdkye smrti-vakye hoy nirasana
govindera vrndavana jane sarva jane; sruti smrtite-o ache pramdna vacana
"The suka said: "The Upanisads call this forest Krsnavana, and the srutis have more
authority than the smrtis! Everybody knows that Vrndavana belongs to Govinda. That is
proven by the words of both sruti and smrti!"
sari kohe vana amadera srf radhara; sudhu sva svamitva svatva matra nahe tara
rai kdnti, vrndavana bhdri virajita; ahgahgitva prcundria dekhaho cdri bhita
gopala todera krsna, kutila antara; samana na hoy tara bahira bhitara
bdhira tahdra matra ati manorama; avijhata pakka mdkdlera phala sama
"The sdrT said: "The forest belongs to our Sri Radha, and not just to Your master.
Vrndavana is filled with Rai's luster. Look all around you how the forest is the reflection of
Her body! Your Gopala Krsna is crooked within, but His external appearance does not match
%
426 SrirSii Radha Rasa Sudlianidhl
with His internal mood. He looks very beautiful, but only on tfie outside! He is like an
unknown ripe Makala-fruit (rotten inside).” *;
%
suka kohe - gopi yeno ndrikela phala; drdha mdna asthi prerna vamata balkal
sa sasya sarasantara hoile ki hobe; durbhedya balkalasthite dcchadita hobe
dmadera krsna hpn drakya phala sama; antare bahire rasa-maya anuparna
m
"The suka said: "The gopTs are like coconuts; their love is covered with a hard shell of
opposition and has a backbone of pride. What is the use of the juicy pulp within if it is hard to
pierce through the tough shell that covers it? Our Kr$na is just like a grape: incomparibly juicy
within and without."
sari kohe - tdhd nahef iksu daridakara; dharstya o kautilya - parva balkala tdhara
mdna nispidani vind rasa nahi ksare; ataeva ki hoibe rasamayantare
The sari said: "Not true, He is like a sugarcane stick, covered with a bark of
crookedness and deceitfulness! Without squeezing Him with the press of pride You cannot get
any juice out of Him. Therefore, what's the use of Him being full of juice on the inside?"
suka kohe - java-puspa sama gopi-gana; saurabha ndhiko mdtra ujjvala varana
krsna nilotpala tulya - madhura komala; sukdnti saurabhanvita sundara sakala
"The suka said: "The gopis are just like Java-flowers: they have no fragrance, they only
look nice! Krsna is just like a blue lotusflower: sweet and soft, full of luster, fragrance and
beauty."
sutii sdn kohe suke parihasa kori; mahjisthd latara praya dmdra isvari
antare bahire sada hoy eka raga; ke kohite pare eka radhara sohaga
sphatika manira sama tomdra isvara; nava nava sange bhinna raga nirantara
"Hearing this, the sari jokingly told the suka: "My ISvaiT is just like a Manji$tha-vine;
She always has the same raga (color of love), inside and outside. Who can describe Radha's
love? Your master is just like a crystal; He always show different ragas (colours or moods)
whenever He has some new associate."
•
*• • "
suka kohe - kr$na sama anya kevd hoy; vananale jvdle yoto daitya kitacoy
sapta diva ratri giri vama kore dhare; heno ktsna saha kevd barabari kore
"The suka said: "Who is there like Krsna? He is like a forestfire that bums all the
moth-like demons! He held Govardhana Giri on His left hand for seven days and nights; who
can equal that Kr$na?"
sari kohe - vrajesvara visnu aradhild; visnu nija bhuja-bala krsne sab dild
sei bole hata hoy yoto daityagana; krsna vadha koilo kohe buddhi hina jana
vrajesvara puja paiyd giri tusta hoiya; apani uthila vraja rakyara lagiyd
krsna tara tale mdtra hasta diya rahe; krsna uddharila giri ajna loke kohe
"The sari said: "Because the king had worshiped Lord Visnu, Lord Visnu give all His
own strength to Krsna's arms! On that strength Krsna was able to kill all the demons. Only a
fool would say that Kr$na Himself was able to kill them all. Govardhana Giri was satisfied
with the worship he received from king Nanda, and therefore he came off the ground by
himself to protect the people of Vraja. Krsna only had to stand under it, holding His hand up,
and now ignorant people are saying that Krsna has lifted the hill! *
Radhika and Madhava and Their sakhis are delighted when they hear these delicious
verses from the parrots, that they had previously taught them Themselves. Sometimes Radhika
and Madhava clap Their hands and make the peacocks dance, and the peacocks delight the
amorous Couple with their wonderful dancing. Sometimes again the divine Couple imitates a
golden vine (Radhika) embracing a Tamala-tree (Krsna). How astonishing are all of Their
clever and artful pastimes!
udita srT aparupa, vidagdha mithuna rupa,

vraje vinodini vanamali
hemagauri syaina kdya, siksd dicche sarikaya;
sarasa madhura padydvali
"In Vraja the wonderfully clever Couple, Vinodini (Radha) and Vanamali (Krsna)
appear in golden and bluish forms, teaching Their female parrots delicate sweet verses."
kokhono yugala mill, kore diya karatali

ndcdiche mayura mayun
tamale jadita yeno, svama lata manorama.,
lila, ghana kisora kisorT
"Sometimes this Couple meets and makes the peacocks and the peahens dance by
clapping Their hands, and sometimes this adolescent boy and this adolescent girl play pastimes
like a beautiful golden vine entwining a Tamala-tree."
«
ananda taranga range, rai kanu eka sange,

rasa lUa kore prakatana
arope darsana kori, kr$na keli tnanohan,
saravatT korild vamana
"Rai and Kanu reveal Their rasika sports together like a wave of bliss. Sarasvati
describes these enchanting pastimes of Krsna while he sees them."
VERSE 223:
PATRALIM LAL1TAM KAPOLA PHALAKE NETRAMBUJE KAJJAIAM

RANGAM BIMBAPHALADHARE CA KUCAYOH KASMIRAJA LEPANAM
$RlRADHE NAVA SANGAMAYA TARALE PADANGULlPANKTISU
NYASYANTlPRANAYAD ALAKTAKA RASAM PURNA KADA SYAMAHAM
patrdllm - leaves; lalitam - lovely; kapola phalake - on the cheek; neirdmbuje - around the
lotus-eyes; kajjalam - eyeliner; rangahi - colour; bimbaphaladhare - on the Bimbafruit-like lips; ca -
and; kucayoh - on the breasts; kdsmiraja - kufikuma; alepana - unguent; in radhe - Sri Radha; nava -
new; sangamaya - for the union; tarale - nervous; padanguli - toes; pafiktisu - on the rows; nyasyantl -
4
428 S n -$ n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
applying; pranayat - out of love; aldklaka rasam - footlac; puma - full; kada sydrn - when; aham - L
t
O S ri Radhe! W hen can I fulfill my desires by lovingly painting leafpictures on

Your cheeks, eyeliner around Your eyes, lipstick on Your lips, vermilion on Your breasts
and red lac on Your toes when You are nervous about Your new meeting with Kr$na?
TH E FULFILLM ENT OF A M AIDSERVANT’S DESIRES:
Comm entary: While Radhika embraces Krsna, as a golden creeper entwines a Tamala
tree, She becomes agitated by desires for union with Krsna once more. This desire returns
always again in the heart of an anurdgavatl (passionate girl), and is always again stronger. Sri
ROpa GosvamT teaches in Ujjvala Nilamani (Sthayi 102):
sadanubhutam api yah kuryan nava navatii priyam

rago bhavan nava navah so'nurdga illryate
"That attachment which is experienced as ever-fresh as if it was never experienced

before is called anuraga by the learned." Therefore, the nava sahgama, or new meeting
mentioned in the text is not the first meeting, or purva raga. Although Srlmatl is naturally
opposed to meeting £yamasundara (vamyabhavavatT), and She is more grave than millions of
oceans, She's still eager to meet Him again.
During Her amorous sports with Kr$na, all of Svamini's clothes and ornaments have
become misplaced and dishevelled, so She orders Her Nagara: "Quickly dress Me and
ornament Me again before My girlfriends will come here and embarrass Me!" On 3rimatT$
order, Nagararaja starts painting playful dolphins on Her breasts in deep concentration, but
when He studies the beauty of these breasts He becomes ecstatic and starts making mistakes.
Seeing this, 3rlmatl orders Her maidservants: "You do it, quickly! He doesn't know how to do
it!" When the maidservant takes over, Nagara is flabbergasted and thinks to Himself: "Alas!
How unqualified I am! I would be blessed if I could serve as this maiden is doing!" The loving
maidservant first wipes the sweatdrops from SnmatTs face with a towel and then starts painting
beautiful pictures of leaves on Her cheeks, eyeliner around Her eyes and lipstick on Her
cherryrlike lips. Then She expertly anoints Her breasts with vermilion-powder and smears
footlac around Her footsoles, including the toes. 3nmat! casts a merciful glance at Her
maidservant, seeing how quickly and expertly she has done all this, and She tells
Syamasundara: "Did You see it now, how expert she is in dressing Me? You should learn all
this from her!" 3yama is speechless of astonishment. Staring at the maidservant, He tells her
with a pitiful voice: "Please teach Me all these service to Your SvaminI also!" Seeing how
much mercy she receives from the youthful Couple, the maidservant floats on waves of
transcendental bliss.
VERSE 224:
SRI GOVARDHANA ERA EVA BHAVATA PAtfAU PRAYATNAD DHRTAH

SRI RADHA TANU HEMA SAILA YUGALE DRSTE'PI TE SYAD BHAYAM
TAD GOPENDRA KUMARA MA KURD VRTHA GARVAM PARIHASA TAII

K ARH YEVAM VRSABHANU-NANDINITAVA PREYAM SAM A M I A S AYE
9 m 9
tin govardhana - Govardhana Hill; eka - one; eva - only; bhavata - Your; panau - on the hand;
prayatndt - with difficulty; dhrtah - held; sn radha ianu - Radha's body; herna - golden; saila -
%
mountain; yugale - on the pair; drste - it is seen; api - even; te syad - Your; bhayam - fear; tad - that;
gopendra kumara - prince of cowherders; rna - not; kuru - do; vrtha - vainly; garvam - proudly;
panhdsatah - joking; karfii - when; evarii - thus; vr$abhdnu-nandini - Vr$abhanu‘$ daughter; lava -
Your; preyam - beloved; samabhdsaye - conversing.
O D aughter of king Vr$abhami! When will I tell Your beloved: "O prince of the
cowherders! D on't make such proud jokes in vain! You may have held one G ovardhana
Hill on one hand with great endeavour, but You become afraid when You even see these
two golden m ountains (breasts) on S n R adha's body!"
THE EXPERT JO K IN G OF THE MAIDSERVANTS:
Commentary: After expertly dressing ^ rim all, the maidservant fans Her and the sakhls
enter the kuhja, laughing. Seeing them, $nmati shyly covers Her face with Her veil and takes
some distance from 3yamasundara. What a wonderful waves of parihasa rasa (the mellow of
laughter and joking) come up then! The sakhls say: "Radhc! We looked for You in each and
every forest, and here You are sitting in this secret grove as if nothing's happening? Where did
You meet this menace? We hope You haven't been defeated by this womaniser?” Sn Radhika
does not reply, so Krsna says: "Look, friends! Your friend Radha went alone into this forest,
where She was attacked by king Cupid's powerful soldiers, the cuckoos and the bees, who
pierced Her with the king's five arrows! But then I came and singlehandedly rescued Her from
the grip of king Cupid in this safe ^wn/a-haven (by satisfying Her desires)! Why are you then
afraid that I defeated Her?” When Srimatl hears Syamasundara's shameless words She shyly
contracts Her eyes and Her eyebrows and casts a glance at Nagara-raja that completely
stupefies Him. When the sakhls see this, they jokingly say: "Syamasundara, tell us the truth!
Did You save our sakhi from king Cupid's grip, or did She save You from Cupid's grip?"
Nagara slightly recovered from the enchanting influence of Srimatl's glance and said: "O
Friends! You all know very well that I have protected the Vrajavasls whenever there was any
danger for them. I held Giriraja Govardhana on My left hand for seven days and nights to
protect them from Indra's hail- and thunderstorm, everybody in Vraja knows this! Can such a
tender, frightened girl like Your sakhi protect a great hero like Me? No, I saved Her from king
Cupid' terrible grip!"
Hearing Syamasundara’s bluff, the maidservant replies: "O Prince of the cowherders!
With great endeavour You held one Govardhana Hill on one hand for seven days, but our
mistress Radha easily carries Her two golden mountainlike breasts around every day! What to
speak of carrying them, even when You simply see them, You start shivering of fear! Thefore,
there’s no need for You to make such proud jokes with Her!" By calling Krsna gopendra
kumara, or ’son of Nanda, the king of the cowherders', the maidservant makes it clear to Krsna
that: "It is also widely known in Vraja that Lord Visnu, being pleased with king Nanda’s
worship of Him, has empowered You to protect the people of Vraja and to kill or defeat all
these demons. And Govardhana Hill raised itself from the ground to protect the Vrajavasls,
being pleased with the Govardhana-pfi/a that they had offered to him; You merely had to stand
%
430 Sri-£ri Radha Rasa SudhSnidhi
under it and hold Your left arm up! There's no need for You to be proud about this at all! And
even if You argue with this and insist that You personally lifted’the Hill, then it must have
taken You a lot of trouble!" But our mistress Radha easily carries around two mountains on
Her chest, every day! What to speak of touching them, even when You see them, You shiver of
fear! We will see what kind of a great hero You are if You are able to carry these mountains
without becoming afraid or agitated!" The great poet Karnapura has written in his 'Ananda
Vrndavana Campu' (15.118):
«
radlialokana jata sammada bfiarat prasveda kampddikarii

6rigovardhana dhdrino'sya vapuso drstva vikdrotkaram
Srdnio'yafti giridhdrane'bhavad iti snehdd ami goduhah
paryaiitdsrayino grluta lagudds tarn dhartum arebhire
"When Krsna held Govardhana Hill He saw Radha's beautiful breasts and He began to
perspire and to shiver. Seeing these changes on His body, the cowherders affectionately
thought: "Krsna's getting tired of lifting the Hill", and began to help Him by keeping their
sticks under the Hill with their raised arms." In this verse it can be seen that even while lifting
the H ill Krsna was agitated by seeing Radhika's mountainlike breasts! The maidservant
especially jokes with Krsna in this secret way because she had seen (in the previous verse) that
He was unable to steadily decorate Radhika's limbs without getting agitated. The sakhls did not
know that because they were not there, but Radha and Madhava know in what connection the
maidservant makes this joke. They are very pleased with the clever maidservant and praise her
within Themselves.
VERSE 225:
ANANGA JAYA MANGALA DHVANITA KINKINIDINDIMAH

STANADI VARA TADANAIR NAKHARA DANTA GHATAIR YUTAH
AHO CATURA NAGARl NAVA K1SORAYOR MANJULE
NIKUNJA NILAYAJIRE RATIRANOTSA VO JRMBHATE
anahga - Cupid; jaya - victory; mangala - auspicious; dhvanita - resouding; kinkini -

waistbells; dindimah - drum; stanadi - breasts and so; vara - best; tadanaih - by striking; nakhara -
nails; danta - teeth; ghdtaih - strikes; yutah - endowed with; aho - O!; cdtura - cleverness; nagan -
heroine; nava - fresh; ktforayoh - of an adolescent pair; manjule - in a lovely; nikunja - bower; nilaya -
house; ajire - in the yard; rati - erotic; ranotsavah - fighting festival; jrmbhate - expanding.
Aho! The w orld's m ost clever adolescent pair extends a great festival o f erotic
fighting in the lovely courtyard o f a bow erhouse with the auspicious drum -sounds o f
T heir w aistbells, that announce C upid's victory, and the strikes o f T heir nails and T heir
teeth on E achother's chests!
A FIGHTING FESTIVAL IN A LOVELY GROVE:

Comm entary: 3rila Rupa Gosvami says in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu (2.1.230):
t
vidagdho nava tarunyah parihasa viSaradah
niacin to dhira lalita sydt prayah preyasT vafah
"Kr$na, in His dhira /o/ita-fcature, is clever, youthful, expert in joking, carefree and
controlled by His beloved." Everyone is under the control of time, karma, maya and the senses,
and all the different avataras (descents) of God are engaged in Their duties of creation,
maintenance and destruction of the universes, destroying the demons, protecting the saints and
establishing religious principles. All these avataras are also well aware of Their own Godhood.
Only the dhira lalita-feature of Krsna in Vraja is niscinta, carefree, and preyasT vasah,
controlled by His beloved girlfriends. In Vraja He is not a king like in DvSraka, Mathura or
Ayodhya, but He's simply the prince. His father will keep the cows and the village, and Krsna
simply enjoys Himself!
The sakhTs see that the loving Couple want to enjoy lovesports, so they go out of the
kunja on the pretext of picking flowers. The maidservants stay behind and prepare themselves
for their service. Why is the yard of this kunja-house called tnahjula, or lovely? Because the
surrounding kalpalatikds, or wishyielding creepers, do not show even the slightest sign of
divine prowess or aisvaryal Many freshly blooming flowers hang on their tender branches,
surrounded by humming bumblebees, that serve as the kuhja's gatekeepers. Beautiful erotic
pictures are hanging there, made of vermilion, inspiring the adolescent Couple to make love.
During Their erotic battle, Radha and Madhava scratch and bite Eachother, but no one wants to
admit defeat. The maidservant relishes this nectarean erotic sight through the cups of her eyes,
and the sounds of inardculate screams and jingling anklebells and waistbells, that are like
drums announcing Cupid’s victory, enter into her ears like streams of nectar.
manjula nikuhjodare, manittiaya sri mandire,

srl radhika lalita tribhanga
catura nagarT sahge, navlna kisora range,
smara keli samara tarahge
"In a jewelled temple in a lovely grove clever Sri Radhika and Her lovely fresh
adolescent Tribhanga (Krsna) swim on die waves of a playful amorous battle."
i’
ratirana utsava, aparupa se vaibhava,
prati kala anahga mohana
anange koriyd jaya, mahgala ye dhvani hoy,
se kihkinl sabda rasayana
"How wonderful is the prowess of this erotic fighting festival, which enchants Cupid in
each and every phase! The jingling waistbells, that announce Cupid's auspicious victory, sound
like an elixer!"
stanadira vara tadana, nakha danta dkramana,
vikramane samdna du'jane
duhu keli rasatnaya, nahi jaya parajaya,
"With equal strength these two attack Eachother's breasts and chest with Their nails and
*
432 •Sri-$n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Their teeth. Sripada Prabodhananda says: "No one loses and no one wins in this rasika
pastime."
VERSE 226:
x
YUNOR VlK?YA DARA TRAPA NA TAKAlJM ADIKSAYANTIDRSA U

VRNVANA CAKITENA SANCITA MAH A RATNA STAN AM CAPY URAH
SA KACID VR$ABHANU VESMANI SAKHlMALASU BALA VAU
MAULIH KIIELATI VISVA MOHANA MAH A SARUPYAM ACINVATI
yunoh - of the pair; vtksya - seeing; darn - slightly; trapd - shy; nata - dancing, kalam - arts;
ddiksayantl - initiating; driau - both eyes; vrnvana - concealing; cakitena - anxiously; sancita -
collected*; mahd - great; ratria - jewel; stanam - breasts; ca - and; api - even; urah - the chest; sa - She;
kdcid -ôme; vrsabhdnu vefmani - in Vr?abhanu’s house; sakhi malasu - in the circles of Her
girlfrieiids; bdldmli - group of young girls; maulih - crown; khelati - plays; vtfva - world; mohana -
enchanter; mahd - great; sarupyam - attaining equal form; dcinvati - extends.
SrT Radha, the crown of all young girls, sees the hesitant dancing a rts of young
couples and initiates them with H er glances, anxiously collecting (growing) great
jewel-like breasts on H er ch est Playing in king Vr$abhanufs abode in the circle of H er
girlfriends, She attains a form equal to the world-enchanting Krsna.
MAHA SARUPYA W ITH VISVA MOHANA:
Com m entary: In the next five verses 3ripada describes the sweetness of the divine
Couple when Krsna returns from the pastures in the afternoon (uttara gostha) and passes by
Maharaja Vr$abhanu's abode. When Srimatl stays with Her parents in Varsana there is less
control over Her and it is easier for Her to meet Her beloved. Different kinds of erotic mellows
are tasted in Vrsabhanu's abode Varsana and Jalila's abode Yavata. Knowingly or
unknowingly, everything and everyone in Vraja assists Radhika and Madhava in Their eternal
pastimes. §ripada, in his kinkan-form, sees how Kiôri-mani freely plays, eats and sleeps with
Her girlfriends like Lalita and ViSakha in Varsana.
Now the time for Kr$na's uttara gostha has come, and all the gopTs become mad after
seeing Krsna again. Knowing that the world-enchanting prince of Vraja will extinguish the
pain of their separation with His beauty and luster, hundreds of gopTs worship the road with
their flower-like glances as Krsna walks towards NandiSvara with His innumerable cows an
cowherdboyfriends and His Cakorabird-like eyes seek RSdhika's moonlike face. When Srimatl
stands on the Candra-Salika-watchtower Her loyal gopT-friend Syamala says: "Radhe! There's
no need to proudly pretend to be shy here! The bestower of blessings, PaSupati (Siva or Kr$na)
has come before You! Throw Your lotus-like glances with their restless blackbee-like pupils at
Him! When PaSupati is pleased with You, He will release You from all erotic affliction! You
don't get such auspicious chances often!" Sri Radhika replies: "Sakhi Syamale! Worship this
MaheSa with the soft buds of Your lotuslike breasts! O Fair-faced girl! When MaheSa is
satisfied with You He will fullfil Your desires, and thus immerse me in an ocean of nectar!"4
While they speak like this 6yama stares at 3yamala's face. How Sweet is Syamala's slightly
lowered, bashful face then! Seeing Syamala in this condition, £nmaG gives her initiation in the
art of shyness and dancing with the eyes. Krsna's Cakora-bird like eyes have now fallen on the
moonlike face of Vrsabhanu's princess; They stare Eachother in the eyes for a while, and then
3rlmatl goes away, pulling Her veil over Her face. Still, She stops for a while to look at Her
young lover a little bit longer, humbly praying to the goddess of bashfulness: "O Lajje! Please
leave the corners of My eyes for just a short while!". But when She opens Her eyes, shyness
cannot leave them altogether; some shyness is left there. How beautiful are Her eyes when they
are filled with humility, bashfulness, amorous desires or delight! The world-enchanter 3yama
is enchanted and He cannot walk on anymore. His thirsty eyes fall on Radhika's mountain-like
breasts, as if they are collecting the great jewels of Her breasts there. Quickly Srimatl covers
Her marvellous breasts with Her scarf. How many moods doesn't Her form reveal! The sakhTs
and mahjarls can freely relish tills.
Snmatl thinks: "Alia ! How sweet is My Syaraa! Now He will go away!", and Her heart
years for union with Him. She becomes eager to attain maha sarupya with Krsna. This docs
not mean that She wants to attain the same form as Kr$na, as many mystics do, but it means
that She wants to meet Him. The sakhTs and manjans can understand all this. The great poet
Karnapura hints at this maha sarupya in his book Alankara Kaustubha (8.244):
radhabhaso marakatamayirii kurvate krsna kdntim krsnasyabha apt ca haritT kurvate dhatna tasydh
sthdne sthdne yadi nivasatas tau tada gaura rillav eka sthdne yadi bata tada tulya bhasau vibhdtah
"Sri Radha's complexion of molten gold turns Krsna's bluish complexion into that of an
emerald (a green luster) and Krsna's blue luster turns Radha's golden complexion also into that
of a green gem! When They are separated They have Their own golden and blue complexions,
but when They are together Their complexions attain equal luster." This is what is meant by
maha sarupya here.
varada tarum mani, srT radhika thakurani,

nija sakhi sahgimra sahge
vrsabhdnu raja pure, manimaya srT mandire,
khela kore kotoi nd range
"Sn Radhika Thakurani, the jewel of all young girls and the bestower of all blessings,
plays so many games with Her girlfriends in the beautiful jewelled temple of king Vrsabhanu."
heno kale rajapathe, darasane prdnanathe,

ydra ahkhi Tsat lajjdya
tiava natakala sama, dik$a dana kore yeno,
cahanite mugdha syama raya
"At that moment She sees Her Pr2nan5tha coming over the royal road and She initiates
Her eyes into new arts of dancing in a slightly bashful way, so as to enchant Syama Raya."
ei dhanira kaculite, sayatne sancita tate,

stanarupa maha ratna khani
bhuvana vimohana, vrndavana candrera,*
* From: Sri Kr$na Bhavanamrta, Chapter 16, verses 26 and 27.

w
434 Sn-§ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
sarupya suyoga anvesinl

?
“This girl carefully collects Her great jewellike breasts in Her bodice and looks for a
way to attain sarupya with the world-enchanting moon of Vrndavana."
madhurya kadambim, hari vaksa vilasinT,

sphurti hoile hrdaya mdjhare
srlpada prabodhananda, varni lild rasa kanda,
bheta dila bhakta parivare
”3npada Prabodhananda distributes the nectarean descriptions of these pastimes of

Radhika, the cloud of sweetness who enjoys on Hari’s chest, to the assembled devotees, as it is
revealed to him within his heart."
•«
VERSE 227:
JYO TI# PUNJA DVA YAM IDAM AHO MANDALAKARAM ASYA

VAK$ASY VNMADAYATlHRDAYAMKIMPHALATYANYAD ACRE
DHRU KO-DAtfDAAf NA KRTA GHAJANAM SAT KATAK$AUGHABANAJH
PRANANHANYATKIMPARAMATO BHAVl BHUYO NA JANE
jyotih - light; pufija - abundance; dvayam - pair; idam - this; aha - O!; mandalakaram -
circular; asyd - Her; vaksasi - on the chest; unmadayati - maddens; hrdayam - the heart; kini - what;
phalati - will be the result; auyad - other; agre - before; bhru - eyebrows; kodandam - bow; na - not;
krta - done; ghatanam - aim; sat - good; kataksa - glances; ogha - abundance; bdnaih - with arrows;
pranan - the heart; hanydt - striking; kim - what; param - else; atah - then; bhdvi - in the future; bhuyah
- again; na - not; jane - 1 know.
"The two effulgent globes of Her breasts madden My heart! What can I say about
any other result? Still She has not fixed the arrows of Her glances on the bow of Her
eyebrows! What will happen when She pierces My heart with them, I don*t know!"
THE POWER OF RADIIA'S SWEETNESS:
Commentary: Srlpada, in his kinkan-form stays close to Radharani and sees how
sweet She looks when She sees Krsna walking by. In this verse he also sees how agitated
Krsna is when He beholds Radhika's sweetness. 3fi Krsna, whose form is transcendental, can
t « # • • • <
only be controlled by pure love and 5n Radhika has the highest love for Him, therefore She
controls Him the most. By Svamim's grace the maidservant now sees how Krsna becomes
stunned after seeing Her. Nothing remains hidden for a maidservant who attains £nmatT$
grace, that is evident from this verse.
Sri Krsna becomes absorbed in the sweetness of Radhika’s greatly effulgent breasts,
that are covered by a thin scarf. The effulgence of these two plump, round golden globes
makes Krsna mad. He thinks to Himself: ’’Alas! I am with My friends now and all the
Vrajavasls are looking at Me, and at the same time the sweetness of these breasts is maddening
Mel What will come of this, I don’t know!” madayatiti madanah: foe extraordinary power of
Radhika's madana maha bhava can madden even Kr$na, the transcendental youthful Cupid of
Vrndavana!
Nagaramani thinks: "Still Srlmatl did not fix the sharp arrows of Her glances on the
huge bow of Her eyebrows! I :don't know what will happen when She pierces My heart by
releasing these arrows!" How great is the power of these sat katak$a (true glances) on the
transcendental body of Kr$na! The word sat in he text refers to pure love, which is free from
any desire for personal gratification. §n Radhika casts these glances at Krsna simply to
increase His pleasure!
manimaya srt mandire, rdi ke darsana kore,

sakhi majhe sakhT sTmantinT
premete avasa ahga, avicala sutribhahga,
kohe nagarendra cudamani
"The beautiful threefold bending form of Krsna, the crownjewel of lovers, becomes
stunned of ecstatic love when He sees Rai standing in a jewelled temple as the crown on Her
••
circle of girlfriends."
gaurahgira vakse kiva, maha jyotih manalobhd,
martdala dkdre dekha yay;
ei jyotih p u h j a d v a y a a h a koto madhutnoy,
unmadita korilo dmdya
Krsna says to Himself: "O! How sweet and attractive are these two bright globular
lights on the chest of golden-limbed Radhika! These bright lights maddened Me!"
ekhono hemangim, yojana nd koilo dhani,

bhru dhariute katdkja sandhana
mohim kataksa sare, yadi prana viddha kore,
nd jani ki hobe pariridma
"Still this golden beauty did not fix the sharp enchanting arrows of Her glances on the
big bow of Her eyebrows. I don’t know what will happen if She pierces My heart with them!"
nagarera prema drti, madhura rnadhura ukti,

hrdayete hoile sphuraria
madhumaya se prabandha, srlpada prabodhananda,
chanda kori korila varnana
"Sripada Prabodhananda, in whose heart the sweet words and the loving eagerness of
the Nagara became manifest, describes these sweet pastimes in his verses."
V ER SE 228:
t
436 £n-S ri RadM Rasa Sudhanidhi
BHOH SRIDAMAN SUBALA VRSABHA STOKA KRSNARJUNADYAH

KIM VO DR§TAM MAMA NU CAKITADRG GAT&NAIVA KUNJE
KACID DEVI SAKALA BHUVANAPLA VI LAV ANY A PURA
DURAD EVAKHILAM AIIARATA PREYASO VASTU SAKHYUH
bhoh - O!; Andaman subala vrsabha stoka-krsna arjunadyah - SrldSma, Subala, Vr$abha,
Stoka Kr$na, Arjuna and others!; him - what; vafi - you; drstarfi - seen; mama - my; nu cakitd - startled;
drg - eyes; gala - gone; na - not; eva - only; kurlje - in the grove; kacid - some; devl - goddess; sakala -
all; bhuvana - worlds; apldvi - inundating; lavanya - elegance; pura - filled; durdt - from afar; eva -
%
only; akhilam - all; aharata - taken away; preyasa - beloved; vastu - thing; sakhyuh - from your friend.
O S iid am a, Subala, V rsabha, Stoka K rsna, A rjuna and all other cow herdboys!
W hat did You see? A lthough She is not the presiding goddess o f the kuiija, som e
indescribably startled goddess, w ho inundates all the w orlds w ith the flood o f H er
elegance, has stolen everything from Y our dearest friend!
K R §N A 'S RASIKA ENCHANTM ENT:
Comm entary: This verse is also spoken by Krsna, and the maidservant told it to her
SvaminI, who maddens Kr$na with even a single glance of Hers. In Govinda LHamrta (19.92)
it is said:
sn radhikapanga vilokanesuna samsprsta marina sa yathdkulo 'bhavat
nanyangand sreni kataksa patribhih sambhinna sarvavayaso 'py asau tatha
"One single arrow-like glance of 3ri Radhika can agitate Krsna's heart more than a
whole series of glances from all the other g o p T s While bewildered Krsna reveals His feelings
to His cowherdboyfriends, He accidentally addresses £ rid am a, who is Radharants brother,
also, although he, of course, is not supposed to know anything about his sister’s intimate and
’immoral' relationship with his best friend. Sn ViSvanatha CakravartI describes in his 'Krsna
Bhavanamrta (16.23)' how Balarama and Srldama and the other boys enter the town before
Krsna,-on some pretext, not wanting to stay near Him when He sees His beloved Radhika in
the afternoon:
ito hamva hamva dhvanibhir upagostfiaih nija sutdn
hvdyantir dhavanllr akhila surdbhir vlksya sahasa
balah Sndamddyaih saha sahacaraih satvara gatir
visadabdher ambah prathamam udahdrsTt puri vtfam
"When the cows approached Krsna's village they began to moo for their calves and
suddenly seeing them, they started to run towards them. At the same time Balarama, Sndama
and the other cowherdboys quickly entered into the village to save their mothers from an ocean
of lamentation and sorrow." From this it is understood that Krsna addressed Sfidama by
mistake, for £ndama had already entered the village, and only Subala and other more intimate
friends of Krsna stayed behind with Him.
Sri Krsna says: "O Sridama, Subala, Vr$abha, Stoka-Krsna, Arjuna and other friends of
Mine! Have You seen that girl who appeared before My eyes, even though She is not the
presiding goddess of the kuhjasT Krsna is astonished when He sees Srlmatl in the arbours of
3nla lYabodhananda Sarasvati 437
Vraja, but now, when He sees Her on king Vrsabhanu’s moon towef, He thinks: "This is not
the kunja, who can astonish Me here by appearing before Me in this way?" For this reason
Knsna says naiva kitnje (not only in the arbours) in the text. Seeing the sweetness of this
goddess, Kr$na tells His friends: "O Friends! This startled goddess, who inundates all the
worlds with the flood of Her elegance, is taking everything away from Your best friend!"
Bashful Radhika casts a startled glance at Krsna in everyone's presence, therefore
Srlpada uses the word cakita in the text. Seeing Radhika's wonderful effulgent beauty, £npada
says devT: devT kohe dyotamana paramd sundarf (C.C): "Devi means effulgent and most
beautiful girl". The wonderful flood of Her luster does not just inundate all the worlds, even a
single drop of this flood can inundate Krsna’s heart and take everything away from Him.
Because the Lord steals everyone's mind with His beauty and His sweetness, He is named
'Hari'. Srlmad Bhagavata (10.16.36) states that Krsna attracts the goddess of fortune from
Vaikuntha and He astonishes even Himself with His beauty (visniapanam svasya ca), but
Srimatl steals even His mind, even from a distance! Not only His mind, but also His
intelligence, His heart and His life! Therefore, who can describe the power of Her love, Her
beauty and Her sweetness? This is indicated by the word durat (even from afar).
The sadhaka bhaktas should think of themselves in their siddha kiiikan svarupas,
staying close to Srlmatl during this uttara gostha time. Even in Sarasvafi's storehouse there is a
shortage of words to describe all this, but the rasika (sensitive) devotees will experience and
understand all this: tad rasikaika vedyah.
he sndd/na he subala, sakha sri niadhumangala,

vrsabha srT stokakrsndrjuna
• • • w ♦ «/
ei dekho nianohdrl; acala capala gaun

riipete harilo morn mana
"O Srldama, Subala, friend Madhumahgala, Vrsabha, Stoka-Krsna and Arjuna! Look at
tills mind-blowing restless golden beauty, whose form has stolen My mind!"
keli kunja adhisthatrl\ na hoiya-o srimatT,

lavanya tarahge tarahgita
sakala bhuvana plavi, suranadT ei devi,
navXna nagarl bhdnu sutd
"Although this is not 3rlmatl, the presiding goddess of the kunja, tills youthful playful
goddess inundates all the worlds with the flood of Her elegance, just like the Gaiiga or the
Yamuna."
dura hoite se abala> sarvendriya akarsild,
bolo dekhi ki kori upaya
bhane SrTprabodhananda, ndgara nayanananda,
hari priya vinodim rai
"This girl attracts all My senses even from afar! Tell Me, what can I do? Sn
Prabodhananda says: Thus Hari Priya VinodinI Radha delights the eyes of Nagara Krsna!"
V ER SE 229:
%
438 Srl-$ii Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
GA TA DURE GA VO DIN AM API TURIYAMSAM ABHAJAD

VAYAM YATUMKSANTAS TAVA CA JANANl VARTMA NAYANA
AKASMAT TU?iylKE SAJALA NAY ANE, DIN A VADANE
LUTHATY
» ASYAM BHUMAU TVAYINAHI VAYAM PRANI • NISAVAH
* •
gala - gone; dure - far; gavah - the cows; dinatn - the day; api - even; tunya - fourth; aftiiam -
part; abhajad - happened; vayani - we; yatum - going; ksantah - able; tava - Your, ca - and; jananT -
mother; vartma - road; naycum - eyes; akasmat - suddenly; tusnike - silent; sajala - with water; nayane
~ eyes; dina - lowered; vadane - face; luthati - rolls; asyam - her; bhumau - on the ground; tvayl - in
you; nahi - not; vayaiii - we; prani - life; nisavali - keeping.
The cows have gone far away, the day is almost over, and we are not able to go
anywhere. Your mother Is looking out for You, yet here You are with tear-filled eyes and
a lowered head, quietly rolling on the ground. We can also not remain alive anymore!
THE LAMENTATION OF THE COWHERD BOYS:
Commentary: After describing Krsna's anxious words to His friends, 3ripada now
describes the cowherdboys' reply to Krsna in this verse. Krsna has become so agitated from
fem all's glances, that He starts rolling on the ground and crying. Subala and other friends
pacify Him in different ways as is described in 'Krsna Bhavanamrta (16.34)':
tato nispandmigam rasika mithunam tat priya suhrd

gano vartma prantad itara jana sahkdkula maJidh
vikrsyardt tat tat pur a saranim ariiya rabhasdt
prabuddham pratydSasita hrdam akdrslt patimabhih
"On the way, the rasika mithuna (the amorous Couple) became stunned. Seeing this,
Lalita and her girlfriends anxiously took RadhiJka on Her way back home and Subala and his
friends took Krsna back home, consoling Them to keep Them from fainting by saying: "As
soon as the sun goes down, You'll be able to meet Each other again!" But today none of the
consolations of Subala and his friends are successful; Krsna keeps on crying with a grey face.
What a wonderful power Radha’s love has on the self-delighted, self-satisfied transcendental
Lord Krsna! In Brhad Bhagavatamrta it is seen that when Krsna first saw His newly-arrived
devotee Gopa Kumara during His uttara gotfha lila, He tightly embraced him and then fainted
of ecstasy. This sight caused all the cowherders, cowherd girls, cows, birds and beasts of Vraja
to cry of sorrow and concern over Krsna. Finally Baladeva removed all the sorrow of the
Vrajavasls by bringing Krsna back to consciousness.
Seeing Krsna's condition, the cowherd boys, who have given their hearts to Him,
anxiously cry out: "O Friend! The cows have gone far away, the day is almost over, and we
also don’t know what to do anymore! Your mother is looking out for You and is very worried
about You! Alas! You are simply staying here without saying anything! How can we still stay
alive after seeing You in this condition? Quickly save our lives by coming back to Your
senses!" This description of the cowherdboys’ lamentations shows how deep the boat of
Krsna's heart had sunk into the deep rasa-ocean of R&dhika's endless love for Him.
£ri1a Prabodhananda Sarasvau 439
VERSE 230:
*
NASAGRE NAVA MAUKTIKAM SURUCIRAM SVARNOJJVALAM VIBHRATI
NANA BHANGIR ANANGA RANGA VIIASAL LILA TARANGAVALI
RADHE TVAM SAMALOBHAYA VRAJAMANIM RATNA CCHATA MANJARl
CITRODANCITA KANCUKA STHAGITAYOR VAK$OJAYO{I SOBHAYA
ndsa - nose; agre - on the tip; nava - new; mauktikam - pearl; suruciram - very beautiful;
svarna - golden; ujjvalam - glittering; vibhratl - carries; ndnd - different; bhangih - movements;
anahga - erotic; rafiga - pastimes; vilasat - beautiful; lila - pastimes; taraiigavall - waves; rddhe - O
Radha!; tvarn - You; samalobhaya - make lusty; vrajamanim - the jewel of Vraja; ratna - jewel; cchata
- luster; manjari - bud; citra - wonderful; udancita - arising; kancuka - blouse; sthagitayoh - both
stunned; vaksojayoh - breasts; sobhaya - with beauty.
O Radhe! Make the jewel of Vraja eager to enjoy You by wearing a bright and
beautiful new pearl on the tip of Your nose, by making gestures that are like beautiful
waves of erotic pastimes, and with Your beautiful breasts that are covered by a blouse
with pictures and shining jewels!
CONFIDENTIAL PRAYERS OF THE MAIDSERVANT:
Commentary: 3ripada has a very clear vision of the uttara gostha pastime. In the
previous verse he described how the cowherdboys lamented over being unable to console their
friend Kr$na. Now Krsna finally comes back to His senses and returns home with Subala and
His friends. Meanwhile, Srimatl is very much worried about Krsna, and in a bewildered state
She falls in Her sakhls' lap. The sakhTs then console Her by telling Her that Krsna is feeling
better now and that He is going home. Still 3rimatl breathes deeply, making Her nosepearl,
that is tied to a golden string, dangle under Her nose. If there is no gold under Radhika's nose,
it could be inauspicious for Her beloved. Therefore this golden string is very dear to SvaminI,
and it looks very beautiful (suruci) to Her and to Her maidservants. The nosepearl is made of
mahabhdva because of contact with the mahd-bhdva-touchsiont Sri Radhika. It is said in
Govinda LHamrta (11.99):
radhaya nayananjanddhara ruca vyaptam mi gunjdyate

nasd mauktikam etad ity avidusam kdvyam mamaitan tnatam
sasvat krsna virdji ragi hrdaya svdsdnilair bhavitam
tat tad varnatayasu tat paritiatam tesath hi tat tat gunaih
"How has the pearl on Radha's nose become black and red like guhja-beads? Ignorant
poets say it is a reflection of Her black eyeliner above it and Her red lipstick shining under it,
but I think that the red colour represents Her passionate love for Krsna and the black colour
represents Krsna Himself. These colours come out when Radhika breathes out through Her
nose, and this breath colors Her nosepearl" That is why this pearl looks so beautiful to the
sakhTs and mahjarisl All these items are meant to make Krsna relish erotic pleasure. Radhika's
body floats on waves of erotic gestures and activities, just to please Krsna.
Krsna now proceeds home, and Srimatl begin to suffer the consequent separation, so
440 § n -$ n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
the maidservant consoles Her by saying: "Hey Radhe! Make Your lover, the jewel of Vraja,
eager for You by showing Him the beauty of Your breasts, that are covered by Your bodice,
which is embroidered with different shining pearls and which has different pictures on the
top!” The maidservant knows exactly how exciting this sight is to Vrajamani; He will not be
able to leave Her sight! By calling Kr$na ’Vrajamani', the maidservant means to say: "Krsna is
die desired treasure of everyone here in Vraja. The delectable sweetness and beauty of His
names, forms and qualities steals everyone’s heart, but Radhika's beauty will make Vrajamani
forget everything and everyone!M In this way the maidservant always desires Radhika’s
happiness. Blessed is this maidservant! Blessed is her expertise in devotional service!
he radhe raja-nandini, svarnojjvald thakuram,

nasagre mauktika susobhim
he anahga rangakeliy lalita tarahgdvall;
nana bhangi lila taranginl
•’ *
♦ .
f.’0 Princess Radhe! O brightly golden goddess who is beautified by a pearl on the tip of
the nose! O You who makes lovely waves of erotic plays and various gestures on the river of
Your pastimes!"
ratna cchata vimandita, vicitra kahcukdvrta,
vaksoja yugala suldvani
prabodhanandete bhane, heno ratna pradarsana,
pralobhita koro vrajamani
"Prabodhananda says: "Make Vrajamani desire You by showing Him Your breasts, that
are covered by a wonderful bodice embroidered with shining jewels!”
VERSE 231:
APREK$E KRTA NISCA YAPISUCIRAM DRK KONA TO VIK$YA TE

AM UNE DARDHYAM UPASRITAPINIGADET TAM EVA YAHITY AHO
ASPARSE SUDHRTASA YAPI KARA YOR DHRTVA BAHIR YAPA YED
RADHAYA ITIMANA DUSTHITIM AH AM PREK$E HASANTIKADA
aprekse - not seeing; krta - doing; niScaya - certainly; apt - even; sucirarii - for long; drk - eyes;
konatah - from the comer; viksyate - seeing; maime - in silence; dardhyam - firmly; upalrita - taking
shelter; api - even; nigadet - speaking; tdm - to her; eva - only; yahi - go; iti - thus; aho - O!; asparse -
not touching; sudhrta - held: a$ayd - by hope; api - even; karayoh - both hands; dhrtva - having held;
bahih - outside; ydpayet - working; radhdya - of Radha; iti - thus; mana - pique; dusthitirh. - hard to
maintain; ahafii -1; prekse - seeing; hasantl - laughs; kadd - when.
When will I laugh when I see how hard it is for Radha to maintain Her pique
towards Kr$na? Although She had firmly sworn that She would not look at Him
anymore, She repeatedly looks at Him from the corners of Her eyes, although She had
firmly sworn that She wouldn't speak to Him anymore, She tells Him "Go back to that
other girl!", and although She had firmly sworn that She wouldn't touch Him anymore
/ % _
She takes Him out of the kuiija, holding His hands!
THE WEAKNESS OF SRI RADHA'S PIQUE:
Commentary: Once Sri Radhika had waited the whole night for Krsna to come to Her
kuiija, but He showed up only the next morning, with clear signs of Candravali's lovemaking
on His body. The saldus tell Her: "Radhe! How many limes do You have to suffer the pain of
mana (pique) again, and makes us suffer along with it? As soon as He leaves, You will suffer
from regret and disappointment again! Your mana is so weak and temporary!" Srimatl replies:
"Friends! Today I promise you that I will give up My relationship with this rascal for good! I
will never look at His face anymore, as long as I live, I will never speak with Him anymore,
and I will never touch Him anymore! Friends, you must help Me to keep these three vows!"
The sakhTs reply: "Radhe! We’re Your friends, for better of for worse! We've always told You
that if You fall in love with this guy, You will cry forever. But then You didn't listen to us
because You thought He looked so sweet and so beautiful! That’s why You’re suffering so
much now! If You can give up this affair with Him, You can still find some peace in Your life!
You won’t have to bum in the fire of agony anymore, and Your peace wil be our peace also!
But will You be able to do it? How many times haven't You been angry with Krsna, and how
many times didn't You swear that You would give up Your relationship with Him? Still, after
some time You became unsteady and began to cry (after Him) again! If You stand firm this
time, then we will be here to help You!" Srimatl replies: "Friends, I’ve learned My lesson well
now! I offer My obeisances to Him from a distance! Now I’ll give up My relationship with
Him for good! You should never speak to Me about Him anymore!" After saying this, Sflmafi
sat down and pulled Her veil over Her lowered face. Syamasundara hears everything from a
short distance and tells the sakhTs with some clever gesture: "Friends! If you help Me a little, I
can make Her break all three of these vows in no time!” The sakhTs, who are always in for
some fun, make a hint to Krsna, meaning: "If You can do that, we'll be willing to help You
wherever it is necessary!" Seeing this fun, the maidservants float in an ocean of rasa. The
sakhTs whisper to eachother (in such a way that Radhika can hear it, although they pretend to
try to keep it a secret for Her): "Aha! How beautiful is Nagara’s threefold bending form! How
wonderful is His sweetness! Surely the life of any girl who does not see that sweetness is
wasted!" Hearing the sakhTs' words, 6rimatl thinks to Herself: "I have tasted Krsna’s sweetness
My whole life long, but the thirst of My eyes has never been quenched! His beauty is fresh at
every moment! My friends are right, My life is useless if I don't look at Him for just a
moment! I swore to My girlfriends that I would not look at Him anymore, but if I don’t look at
Him at least for a moment ,then I cannot live anymore! I’ll have to peek at Him once when My
sakhis don't notice it!" Thinking thus, Srimatl quickly peeks once at $yamasundara, but as soon
as She has seen Him, She has to look again and again. SvaminTs eyes and mind drown in
Kr$na'$ sweetness. The sakhTs notice it of course and say: "Hey Radhe! You looked at Him!
Just see, You broke Your vow!" Srimatl says: "Friends, I told you from the beginning that I
won't be able to do it without your help! How can I not look at Him while you are describing
His sweetness to eachother like that?” The sakhTs reply: "Look, Radhe! Why should You listen
to our discussions? Why are You so restless? You should become more strong! Anyway, one
vow is gone, You have two vows left over. Keep them well!" Krsna now winks to the sakhTs;
"Just watch, I’m going to ruin Her other two vows as well!" Seeing this, the maidservants
drown in oceans of prankish fun. Nagarendra speaks in such a way with the sakhTs that
SvamiriT cannot stay silent anymore. She forgets that She vowed not to speak to Kr$na
anymore, and suddenly tells Him: "Go back to that girl that You love so much! Why are You
w
442 £ n -£ ri Radha Rasa Sudhiinidhi
Slaying here, speaking all these clever words?” The sakhls laugh and say: "Radhe! Now You’ve
also spoken with Him! Now You’ve broken Your second vow also!" StlmaG complains:
"Friends! You’re really so tricky! Why are You keeping this boy here anyway? Why don't you
chase Him away? How can I not react to His clever words?" The sakhis say: "Radhe! We’re
just weak girls and He’s an independent prince! How can we chase Him away? You are a
princess, and this is Your arbour, You alone will be able to send this boy away! Why are You
falsely blaming us?" When Radhika hears these words She forgets Her third vow also and She
pushes Nagara out of Her kuhja with both hands* The sakhis laugh and say: "O Radhe! Now
You also touched Him? Gone is Your third vow!" 3nmatl admits: "O no! Now I also touched
Him! Didn't You tell Me to touch Him?" Hie sakhis laugh and say: "We didn't tell You to
touch Him! We thought You would simply scold Him! It's not our fault!" Srimatl says: "Well,
if I couldn’t keep any of My vows, then what’s the use of scolding Him? Go and bring Him
back into My kuiijal" The maidservant laughs and laughs when she sees how hard it is for
SvaminI to maintain Her pique.
.{*< .
VERSE 232:
RASAGADHE RADHA HRDISARASIHAMSAH KARATALE

LASAD VAMSA SROTASY AMRTA GUNA SANGAHPRATIPADAM
CALATPICCHOTTAMSAH SURACITA VATAMSAHPRAMADAYA
SPHURAD GUNJA GUCCHAH SA H I RASIKA MAUUR MILATU ME
rasa - flavour; agadhe - in deep; radha hrdi - Radha's heart; sarasi - in the lake; hamsah -
swan; karatale - in the handpalm; lasad - beautiful; variiJa - bamboo; Srotasi - in the ear; antria -
nectar; giuia - quality; sangah - connection; pratipadam - all the time; calat - moving; picchottamah -
peacockfeather; suracita - nicely made; vatamsah - crown; pramadaya - by the beloved; sphurad -
clear; guhja guccha - string of gnn/a-beads; sa - He; hi - certainly; rasika - relishcr, maulih - crown;
milatu - may meet; me - me.
' ''M ay I meet the king of relishers (S n Kr$na), who is like a swan in the deep
rosa-lafce of R adha’s heart, who holds a beautiful bamboo-flute in His hand th a t pours
stream s of the quality of nectar into the ear, who wears a crown of peacockfeathers on
His head th a t wiggles a t every step, and who wears earrings and a string of guhja-beads
th a t were m ade by some gopt
SEARCHING FO R TH E KING OF RELISHERS:
• Comm entary: $rl Radha’s love makes the king of relishers, 3rl Krsna, relish the
sweetness of Her pique. Stubbornness, proud anger, scolding, unreasonable behaviour -
everything is done for His pleasure!
0
kauta krsne fcore rosat krsna pay santosa,

sukha pay tadana bhartsane
yatha yogya kore mono, krsna tate sukha pana*
%
chade mana alapa sadhane

t
(Caitanya Caritamrta Antya 20)
"When a ladylove is angry with Krsna and rebukes Him, it satisfies Him and makes
%
Him happy. Her mana has suitable proportions and He will have little trouble to convince her
to give it up."
Syamasundara has removed Srimatl's pique from outside of the kunja and now He hides
Himself in order to taste the sweetness of Her love in another way. Srimati asks Her girlfriends
to bring Syama back into Her kunja, but the sakhTs say: "Radhe! First You threw Him out of
the kunja, how are we going to ask Him to come back now again, tell us? Anyway, don’t
worry, Your pure love will automatically attract Him to You again. And if You're still eager to
meet Him now, then You should send someone else out to bring Him back! We managed to
throw Him out of Your kunja, we won't be able to bring Him back now!" Hearing these words,
3 rim at! orders Her maidservant, who stands by Her side fanning Her, to go and bring Kr$na
back to Her kunja. Thinking of SvaminI's lotusfeet, the maidservant immediately goes out to
search for Syamasundara. Syamasundara waits in hiding to relish the sincere eagerness of the
maidservant, whose face is like a mirror that exactly reflects SvaminI's feelings of happiness
and sorrow. Syama can see Radhika's anxiety clearly reflected on the maidservant’s face.
m
When the maidservant cannot find Syamasundara, she anxiously cries out: ”0
Radhanatha! O Lordly swan that enjoys swimming in the deep nectarlake of Radhika's heart! If
my Svamiril cannot meet You, the whole world is empty for Her! How can You remain
indifferent towards Her? Please show Yourself to this wretched maidservant!" Any aspirant
who yearns for Krsna's mercy should cry out to Him like this, accepting the mood of a humble
servant of Sri RadhikiL This is the magical herb that attracts and controls Sri Krsna!
%
The maidservant calls out: "O Radhanatha! The nectarstrcam of Your flutesong is like a
magical potion that enchants all the gopTsl Why are You still hiding while You can easily
remove any proud girl’s huff with the flute in Your hand? A restless peacockfeather wiggles on
Your head and You wear earrings and a string of fresh gunja-beads that have been made by
some gopT. All these ornaments can easily enchant Sri Radha and all Her gopf-friends! All
their pride disappears when You show Your sweet form to them even once!" In Lalita
Madhava (Act VII) it is said that while Radhika was staying in the new Vrndavana-garden of
DvSraka, suffering from the pangs of separation from Krsna, Nava Vrnda and Bakula tried to
persuade Her to go and meet the Lord of Dvaraka, but Srimatl refused, saying:
yasyottainsah sphurati cikure keki pificha pranlto

hdrah karithe viluthati krtah sthula gunjavalTbhih
venur vaktre racayati rucim hanta cetas tato me
rupath visvottaram api barer nanyad anglkaroti
"My mind does not accept any form of Hari, however extraordinary it may be, if it does
not have a crown of peacockfeathers on the head, a garland of big gunja-bt&ds around the
neck, or a flute to the mouth!" The maidservant calls out: "O King of relishers, O support of
Radha's life! Please come to me in that form!"
agadJia rasete puma, hrdaya sarasT dhanya,

ta'te rdjahartisa nandasuta
yahara sn karatale, sarvada viraja /core,
444 5 n -£ ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
rasa sravi vamsl kamamrta

t
"Nanda's son is like a blessed lordly swan in the deep raâ-lakc of Radhika’s heart,
always holding a bambooflute that fills the ears with ncctai-rasa in His beautiful handpalm."
9
sire sikhi-pincha cudd, nova ratna hare bedd,

kame sobhe nava avatariisa
ydhd radha nija kare, raci poraiya tare,
tei uhd adhika prasahisd
"He wears a crown of peacockfeathers on His head, a necklace of nine jewels around
His neck and beautiful new earrings on His ears that were made by Radha's own hands. That
makes Him even more praiseworthy!"
kanthe dole guhjd mala, rupe vana kore did,

se rasika maull sydma rdya
bhane sri prabodhananda, kore se nayandnanda,
darasana diben dmdya
"&n Prabodhananda says: "That king of relishers, Syama, will delight My eyes by
revealing Himself to me with this beautiful form, wearing a dangling guhja-string around the
neck that beautifies the whole forest!"
VERSE 233:
AKASMATKASYA$CINNAVA VASANAMAKARSATIPARAM
MURALYA DHAMMILLE SPRSATI KURUTE’NYA KARA DHRTIM
PATAN NITYAM RADHA PADAKAMALA MULE VRAJAPURE
TAD ITTHAM VlTHl$U BHRAMATISA MAHA LAMPATA MANIH
;■Aokasmat - suddenly; kasyd&cit - of some girl; nava - new; vasanam - cloth; akarsati - attract;
pararh.^-another; muralya - with the flute; dhammille - in the braid; sprtoii - touching; kur'ute - doing;
anya - another girl; kara - hand; dhrtim - holding; patat - falling; nityarh - always; radha padakamala -
Radha's lotusfeet; mule - at the soles; vraja pure - in Vrajapura; tad - that; ittham - thus; vlthisu - on the
pathways; bhramati - wanders; sa - He; maha - great; lampata mani - jewel of debauchees.
This jewel of great debauchees, who suddenly pulls at some gopVs new garment,
who touches some gopVs braid with His MuralT-flute and holds another gopVs hand, but
who always falls at the soles of SrT Radha’s lotusfeet, wanders over the pathways of
Vrajapura.
A BEE AT THE LOTUSFEET OF RADHA:
Commentary: The maidservant anxiously cries out for Rasika-mauli (Kr$na) and
Srila Prabodli&ianda Sarasvatl 445
Kr$na stays in hiding to watch her loving eagerness. In the Ra$a-/f/5~in Snmad Bhagavata it is
shown that Krsna disappeared from the gopTs to worship them* in secret: maydparoksam
bhajatam tirohitam (Bhag. 10.32.21) Sn Sndhara SvamI comments on this verse: yusmat
premalapan srnvataiva tirohitam antardhanena sthitam "I disappeared and I stayed away from
you just to hear your loving talks. In this way I worshiped you." In the same way Krsna
worships Sri Radha by listening to the loving lamentations of Her maidservants from a secret
place. Then, when He sees that the maidservant’s eagerness reaches its zenith, He comes out of
hiding and reveals Himself to the ecstatic maidservant, who will then bring Him back to her
SvaminL
Meanwhile Radhika has become very upset because Krsna is not with with Her, so Her
girlfriends take Her along on the forestpath. Suddenly Nagararaja comes to them, with the
maidservant, and falls at Snmatfs lotusfeet, praying for Her mercy. The sakhls say: "Out of the
way You! We're going home! Our sakhX doesn't want anything to do with a jewel of great
womanisers like You anymore!” Krsna is not just called ’one womaniser', but the jewel of all
great womanisers, because His debauchery is most attractive:
lampatyato nava navarii visayam prakurvan dsvddayann ati madoddhuratdm dadhanah

dhladayann amrta rasmir iva triloJdm santapayan pralaya surya ivavabhati
(Prema Samputa 56)
Sn Radha told Sri Krsna, who was disguised as a demigoddess: "O sakhil Because of
it's debauchery, this love makes My beloved fresh at every moment, and its savour is very
intoxicating indeed. It delights the three worlds like a stream of nectar, but it also burns like
the sun at the time of universal destruction." In other words, the hero enjoys ever-fresh savour
as long as He can always meet new heroines. This keep Him blossoming with eagerness. At the
same time the heroine goes through wonderful feelings of separation and dreams of possible
future enjoyment with her hero. Just as the moon delights the three worlds with its nectarean
rays, so prema gives the hero and heroine always new and fresh savour of meeting, and just as
the sun burns the worlds at the time of universal destruction, the burning of separation tears
apart the hearts of the hero and heroine. But this burning is again a special type of savour, like
the blending of nectar and poison.
By looking at their faces Syama sees that Radhika and Her friends have become
pleased with Him, so He pulls at the cloth of one gopi who tried to stop Him on the way, He
touches another wayward gopts braid with His flute, and He pulls another one by the hand, but
then He falls at the lotusfeet of Sn Radha like a bumblebee falling on a lotusflower, leaving all
other (inferior) flowers.
vraje syama gunamani, mahd ye lampata manit

mohamya madana mohana
chale kon goptkara, nava ye vasana tara,
dcambite kore akarsana
• ♦
"In Vraja Syama, the jewel of attributes, the great jewel of debauchees, the enchanter of
Cupid, suddenly pulls at some gopTs new cloth through some trick."
kokhono va ei lampata, sata dhr$ta sukapata,

caturyete boliya vacana
ramamra kabarl, murallte sparsa kori,
w
446 Sri-Sri Radha R asa Sudhanidiii
avagunthana kore udghdtana
"Sometimes He is bold, deceitful and shameless and He speaks clever words, opening
the girls' braids and veils by touching them with His flute."
kon va yuvati kare, dhariya muralT dhare,

nija vanchd prdrthana jandya
aichana rahga kori, rahgiya nagara hari,
kunje kuhje bhranuya beddy
"Sometimes He touches a gopts hand with His flute and thus makes her know that He
begs her to fulfill His desires. In this way the playful hero Hari wanders from bower to bower."
bhane srTprabodhananda, surasika srT govinda,

anupama radha anurage
nija vancha purna tare, koto va minati kore,
patita hoiyd radha pade
♦
"Sri Prabodhananda says: "But how humbly the connoisseur Sri Govinda falls at
Radha's feet, praying to Her for the fulfillment of His desires with incomparible passionate
love!"
VERSE 234:
EKASYA RATI CAURA EVA CAKITAM CANYA STANANTE KARAM

KURYAT KARSATI VENUNANYA SUDRSO DHAMMILLA MALL1SRAJAM
DHATTE'NYA BHUJA VALLIM UTPULAKITAM SANKETAYATYANYAYA
RADHA YAH PA DA YOR LVTHATY ALAM AMUM JANE MAHA LAMPATAM
vekasya - of one; rati - love; caura - thief; eva - only; cakitani - eagerly; ca - and; anya -
2Lno\herrstanante - on the edge of the breast; karath - the hand; kuryat - doing; karsati - pulling; venuna
- by the*flute; anya - another; sudrsah - fair-eyed; dhammilla - braid; malli - jasmine; srajam - garland;
dhatte.^zgiven; anya - another one; bhuja - arm; vallim - creeper; utpulakitath - horripilating;
sahketayati - giving a hint; anyayd - by another; radhdydh - of Radha; padayoh - of the feet; luthati -
rolling; alam - enough; amum - that; jane - 1 know; mafia - great; lampatam - debauchee.
I know that great debauchee, w ho steals the heart o f one gopl, w ho eagerly lays
His hand on the tips o f som e gopts breasts, w ho tugs a t the jasm ine-garland in the braid
o f another fair-eyed gopl w ith H is flu te, w ho holds the shivering arm o f one gopl and w ho
w inks a t another gopl, but who alw ays rolls at S n R adha's feet!
THE PASTIM ES O F A GREAT DEBAUCHEE:
Com m entary: Primal! is very happy when She sees that Nagararaja is playing different
6 n la Prabodhananda Sarahs vail 447
sports with Her friends and that He falls at Her feet afterwards. The greatest desire of the
sakhfs is to unite Radha with Krsna, and Srimatl likes to please! Her friends in return by
arranging for their meeting with Syama. The maidservant sees how the king of debauchees
plays with the sakhis by placing His hand on the tip of the breasts of one of them, by tugging at
the jasmine-garland in one sakhfs braid, by holding the horripilating vine-like arm of another
one, and by giving a hint to another sakhT to come and meet Him somewhere in a kuhja.
Radhika feels indescribable happiness when She sees how Syama thus enjoys sweet erotic
pastimes, and She thinks: "Can I alone fulfill all of Krsna's erotic desires? My girlfriends, like
Lalita, are equally qualified, and they will be able to give Him even more satisfaction!"
Actually, Syama is fully satisfied with Radhika, but just to please Her and because He knows
how much She loves Her girlfriends, He sometimes meets with them also. All the activities of
the divine Couple, even Krsna's cheating Radhika by going to Her rival Candravall, and
Radhika's consequent hard pique, are all meant to make Eachother happy. The maidservants
therefore see that, although £yama may play a little with Radhika's friends, He will ultimately
roll at Her feet in total surrender. That's why it is said: anyonya visuddha prana kore rasa
pusti (C.C.): "Their mutual pure love nourishes the rasa ” Krona's sports with the sakhis also
nourishes His rasa with Radha, causing Him to be more under Her control and to desire union
with Her even more. The word alam (useless) in the text may mean: "He’s vainly rolling at
Radha's lotusfeet after enjoying with Her girlfriends like that! We know what a debauchee He
is!" This is a statement arising from the maidservants' deep love for Svamiril, a strong feeling
of mine-ness called radha snehadhika.
VERSE 235:
PRIYAMSE NIKSIPTOTPULAKA BHUJADANDAfl KVACID API

BHRAMAN VRNDARANYE MADAKALA KARINDRADBHUTA GATIH
NIJAM VYA/ijANN A TYADBHUTA SURATA SIKSAM KVACID AHO
RAHAIIKUNJE GUNJA DHVANITA MADHUPE KRIDATIHARIH
priya - beloved; anise - on Uie shoulder; niksipia - placing; utpulaka - horripilating; bhuja -
arm; danda - rod; kvacid - sometimes; api - even; bhraman - wandering; vrndaranye - in Vmdavana;
mada kala - intoxicated; kanndra - king of elephants; adbhuta - wonderful; gatih - gait; nijarii - own;
vyaiijann - revealing; aii - very; adbhuta - wonderful; surata - erotic; Siksa - teaching; kvacid -
sometimes; aho - O!; rahah - private; kuhje - in the grove; guhja - humming; dhvanita - resounding;
madhupe - bumblebees; kridati - plays; harih - Hari.
Aho! Sri Hari plays around, sometimes placing His arm, that is studded with
goosepimples of ecstasy, on the shoulder of His beloved, wandering around in Vrndavana
with the wonderful gait of an elephant that is intoxicated by desires, and teaching Her
very wonderful selfdevised erotic arts in a lonely kunja that is full of humming bees!
THE REVELATION OF VERY WONDERFUL EROTIC TEACHINGS:
Comm entary: Snmati is very happy to see how much fun Nagaramani and Her sakhis
Sri-Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
have, but the sakhTs want to unite Her with 5yamasundara, so they go off on the pretext of
picking flowers, laughing and giving hints to Kr$na that He has Hi? hands free with Her now*
Radha and Madhava then embrace Eachother and ramble through the forest of Vmdavana,
followed by the maidservant. Madhava walks through Vmdavana with a wonderful gait, like a
love-drunken lordly elephant, holding His horripiiating rod-like arm on SvaminTs shoulder.
Why is His gait so wonderful?: Because He stretches His left arm out till it reaches SvaminTs
left breast. SvaminI extends Her right arm to Krsna's right hip, and thus They proceed, singing
their selfmade poems and songs glorifying Eachothers forms, qualities and pastimes. SvaminTs
taps the rhythms of the songs on Kr$na‘s right hip and Syama taps the rhythms on Radhika’s
left breast. In Ujjvala NTlamani Sri Rupa GosvamI says that such playful flirtatious pastimes
are more relishable for the divine Couple than Their actual sexual union:
vidagdJidnam mitho ITla vilasena yatha sukham

na tatha samprayogena sydd eva rasika viduh
^During Their forest-enjoyment Radha and Madhava become nondifferent from

Eachother because of Their indescribable love for Eachother, the two flowers of Their hearts
• S' »
being tied on one string. When SrimafI taps the rhythm of the dance on Krsna’s shoulder, She
chases away Her enemies of separation-from-Krsna.
Then the loving Couple enters into a solitary kufija which is guarded by humming
bumblebees, that do not allow anyone else but the supremely qualified maidservants to enter;
no one else should see the intimate pastimes that take place there. With His matchless beauty
and sweetness Krsna takes away (harana) Radhika’s feelings of opposition, shyness and
hesitation, and therefore He is known as ’Hari’. The qualified maidservant blissfully sees how
Hari teaches her SvaminI all sorts of wonderful erotic lessons.
VERSE 236:
DURE SPR$TYADIR VARTA NA KALAYATIMANAN NA RADA DIN SVA BUAKTAN

Sr IDAMADYAIH SUHRDBHIR NA MILATICA HARET SNEHA VRDDHIM
4# •
SVAPITROH
KINTU PREMAIKA SIM AM MADHURA RASA SUDHA SINDHU SARAIR AGADHAM
SR l RADHAM EVA JANAN MADHUPATIR ANlSAM KUNJA VITHIM UPASTE
dure - from afar; sprstyadi - touching and so; vdrta - topics; na - not; kalayaii - seeing; manak -
slightly; naradddin - N5rada and others; sva bhaktan - His devotees; Sridamadyaih - £ndama and
others; suhrdbhih - by the friends; na - not; milati - meeting; ca - and; hare: - deprived; sneha -
affection; vrddhirh - increase; sva pitroh - His parents; kintu - but; prema - love; eka - only; simdm - the
limit; madhura - sweet; rasa - flavour; sudha - nectar; sindhu - ocean; saraih - the essence; agddhath -
deep; in rddhdm eva - $ri Radha only; janan - knowing; madhupaW} - the Kr$na-bee; aniSath - always;
kanja - grove; vlthim - pathways; updste - worshiping.
What to speak of touching them, Madhupatf does not even cast a slight glance at
His devotees like Narada. He does not meet with His friends like Sndama, and He is
deprived of an increase of affection from His parents. He simply worships the pathways
Srlla Prabodhananda Saras vatl 449
leading to the kunja, know ing that S ri Radha is the absolute lim it o f love and the essence
o f a deep nectar-ocean o f the essence o f sw eet rasa. *
S B I RADHA, TH E ESSENCE OF A N OCEAN O F SW EET NECTAREAN RASA :

%
%
*
Commentary: In his external consciousness Sripada is also deeply aware of his

identity as SrlmaCTs maidservant, who is proud of her SvaminI's glories. In this verse he
proudly observes how Madhupati, the rasika Kr$na-bee, forgets all the other rasas He may
have with other devotees simply by worshiping the forestpaths that lead to the kuhjas where
Radhika may be coming.
Krsna is controlled by the love of His devotees. The ordinary devotees, the ajata rati
sddhakas, have an atomic amount of love for Krsna, Narada and other maha. janas may have
some more control over Krsna, the eternal devotees of Krsna in Vraja, like Sridama and
YaSoda, have great love for Krsna, and therefore also great control over Him, but Vrsabhanu's
princess Radhika has the greatest love and therefore also complete control over Krsna. How
can an ordinary boy remember his home, his parents and his friends when he is deeply in love
with a girl? Similarly, Krsna does not even look upon Narada and all the great devotees
anymore when He falls in love with Sri Radhika!
Some editions of Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi mention the word srstyadi instead of
sprstyadi. In that case, the verse says: “What to speak of the duty of universal creation, Kr§na
does not even look at His great devotees like Narada anymore". The purusa avatdras like
Maha Visnu take care of the duty of creation, but Krsna is transcendental to this. He doesn’t
have to worry about these affairs, e sabara darsanete ache mdyd gandha; tuny a krsnera ndhi
mayara sambandha (C.C): "All these purusa avatdras of Visnu have been touched by a whiff
of maya, but Krsna is the transcendental truth, who has no relation with m aya” Then the word
adi in the text means relieving the burden of the earth by destroying the demons. All these
things are done by Lord Visnu’s power: ataeva visnu tokhon krsnera sanre; visnu dvare kore
krsna asura sanihare (C.C.).
ki bolibo radhara mahimdl

kevala paramananda, radha preme sri govinda,
vimohita nd jane apana
"Iiow can I describe Radha’s glories! Sri Govinda is in topmost ecstasy because of
Radha's love, that enchants Him and makes Him forget even Himself!"
durete sparsadi varta, aja bhava sr$tikana,

radha ndma korile sravana
sva bhakta narada korit bhdgavata gane hari,
sarvabhdve hoy vismaraya
"What to speak of touching the great universal creators, Brahma and Siva, Hari even
completely forgets His great devotees like Narada when He simply hears the name of Radha."
sndamadi saJdid sanga, sakala koraya bhahga,

radhdpretne ki bolo madhuri
450 Sri-3ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
vraja pati dampatTra, sneha puhja sudhapura,

samvarana korerta srJ had
♦
"How powerful is Radha's sweet love! It breaks Sri Hari away from His friends like
Sridama and makes Him check the great nectarean love for Him of the king and queen of
Vraja!"
radha preina paravarat] agadha amrta sara,
ananta tarahge boye yay
nivedae madhupati, bolo more ’kuilja vTthV
pranesvari radhika kothaya
"Instead, Krsna floats on the endless waves of a deep ocean with the essence of nectar:
Radha's love. On the pathways leading to the kuhja, Madhupati prays: "Where is Radhika, the
queen of My heart?"
radha prema madhuritna, srT radhika pdyatama,
2;-: govindera satata dheyane
gaurahgera duti pada, yara dhana sampada,
snpada prabodhananda bharie
"3 rip ad a Prabodhananda, whose wealth and treasure is the lotusfeet of Lord Gaurahga,
sings: "Govinda always meditates on the sweet love of His most beloved Sri Radhika."
VERSE 237:
SUSVADU SURASA TUNDILAMINDIVARA SUNDARAM KIM API

ADHI VRNDATA V i NANDATI RADHA VAK$OJA BHUTANAM JYOTIH
susvddu - very tasty; surasa - very juicy; tundilam - thick; indlvara - blue lotus; smdararii -
beautiful; kirn api - indescribable; adhi - greatest; vniddtavt - in Vrndavana; nandati - revels; radha
vaksoja - Radha’s breasts; bhusaiiam - ornamenting; jyotih - light.
• _ # M
There is an indescribably blissful delicious effulgence full of rasa, th at is as

beautiful as a big blue lotusfiower, ornam enting R adha's breasts.
A LIGHT THAT DECORATES RADHA'S BREASTS:
Com m entary: The touch of SrimatTs beauty, sweetness and love makes Nagaramani
so beautiful, juicy and sweet that the maidservant calls Him an indescribable, delicious, well-
fed blue Indlvara-lotus in this verse. There are no words in Bh&ratTs (Sarasvatl's) storehouse
that can describe the influence Radha's madana maha bhava has on Krsna, the transcendental
youthful Cupid of Vrndavana, therefore 3ripada uses the words kim apit or indescribable.
Govinda looks endlessly sweet before the maidservant's eyes when He enjoys $ri Radha's
sweet love in a sweet arbour in sweet Vrndavana. Kr$na is called anandaniayat full of bliss,
but even He floats in streams of indescribable delight when He is loved by Radhika and He
Srfla Prabodhaiianda Sarasvatl • 451
makes the maidservants and all the practising devotees, that are engaged in hearing and
chanting, float along with Him. ?
4
m
The maidservant sees 3yama as a blue lotusflower decorating Radhika's shining breasts.
After he had sucked the nectar of love out of Mahaprabhu's toe as a small boy, the great poet
Karnapura described Sri Hari as the ornament of all the gopTs' limbs:
Sravasoh kuvalayam akynor anjanam uraso mahendra mani ddma

vmddvana ramaninatH mandatiam akfiilarii harir jayati (Arya Sataka - I)
"All glories to Hari, who is the complete ornamentation of the girls of Vrndavana,
serving as a blue Kuvalaya-lotusflower that decorates their ears, eyeliner that beautifies their
eyes and a sapphire necklace that beautifies their breasts!" The word tundila means a person
with a big belly. Just as a fat person cannot stand up without the help of others after eating a
huge meal, similarly Krsna has eaten and drunk so much of Radhika's sweet erotic rasa (surasa
in the text), that He cannot get up anymore and remains resting as a big, well-fed blue
lotusflower at Her shining breasts.
VERSE 238:
KANTIH KAPl PAROJJVALA NAVA MILAC CHRl CANDRIKODBHASINI

RAMATYADBHUTA VAR#A KANCITA RUCIR NITYADHIKANGA CCHABIH
LAJJA NAMRA TANUHSMAYENA MADHVRA PRINATIKELICCHATA
SANMUKTAPHALA CARU HARA SURUCIH SVATMARPANENACYUTAM
kdntih - luster; kdpi - some; para - supreme; ujjvald - effulgence; nava - new; milat - meeting;
sri- beautiful; candrika - moonlight; adbhdsita - shining; rarnd - woman; ati - very; adbhuta -
wonderful; vama - complexion; kdncita - golden; rucih - luster; nitya - eternal; adfuka - more; anga -
bodily; cchabih - luster; lajjd - bashfiilncss; riarnra - lowered; tanuh - body; sniayena - by pride; »
madhura - sweet; prindti - satisfies; keli - play; cchata - luster; sammuktaphala - real pearl; cam -
beautiful; hdra - necklace; surucih - attractive; svatma - own self; arpanena - by offering; acyutam - to
Acyuta.
T hat wonderful girl (S n Radha), who shines beautifully and most brilliantly like
the moonlight because of H er new meeting with Kr$na, the brilliance of whose golden
body always increases, who bows H er body down out of shyness, but who is also
sweetened by pride, who is brilliantly playful and who is adorned by a beautiful
attractive pearl necklace, satisfies Acyuta by offering Herself to Him.
SRI RADHA'S SELF-SURRENDER:
Comm entary: Radha and Madhava show Their cleverness during each new meeting.
Although They know Eachother eternally, each meeting is again like the first one, and the
maidservants also relish it like that. 3n Radhika now shines like new moonbeams, and She
*
452 £n-5ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
gives up Her natural mood of opposition (vamya bhava) to adopt a mood of submissiveness
(daksinya). Her body shines like fresh vermilion today, knowing faiat She was able to make
Krsna happy. Her beauty and sweetness increases at every moment and flows in all directions,
making the maidservants’ fish-like eyes flow along.
yadyapi nirmala rddhdra sat prema darpana;

tathapi svacchatd tdra bddhe ksane ksana
i » « ■ « «
dmdra madhuryera nahi bddhite avakase;

. e darpoiiera age nava nava rupe bhase
"Although the mirror of Radha's true love is spotlessly clear, still its clarity increases at
every moment. There is no end to the increase of My sweetness, which appears in ever-new
forms before that mirror!" (C.C.) 3rimati keeps Her body very modest during Her first
love-pastimes, because She is shy. Sri Rupa GosvamI says: navina sangamdkdrya
stavdvajnadina krtd; adhr$tata bhaved vnda (B.R.S. 2.4.113) "Bashfulness occurs during a
new meeting, after doing a misdeed, when one is praised or disrespected, or due to a lack of
boldness." How beautiful is SrimatTs body when bashfulness, pride and joy meet in Her! How
sweet are these three waves of saheari bhavas (infused ecstasies) in the ocean of Her supreme
love! Sn Rupa GosvamI teaches: saubhdgya rupa tarunya gunta sarvottamasrayaih ista
Idbhddina canya helanatii garva Trsyate (B.R.S 2.4.41) "Pride occurs over one's own fortune,
beauty, youthfulness, qualities or the attainment of one's beloved". The maidservant is proud
of her Svamini's pride, therefore the maidservant calls Her smayena madhura, sweetened by
pride, in the text 3yamasundara and the maidservants are fascinated by that sweet combination
of mellows.
Although She is decorated with different ornaments when She surrenders Herself to
Acyuta, the text specifically mentions that ^rlmati is sammuktaphala earn hdra surucih,
beautified with a lovely brilliant necklace of great pearls. The rasika devotees understand the
inner meaning of th is/ Although Krsna is named Acyuta, the Infallible, in the text, He
becomes like a beggar at Sri Radhika's door, trying to taste the full sweetness of Her erotic
cleverness. This can only be caused by Her spotless love for Him.
rdi ange kantimaid, anurdge mahojjvald,

• ••
sucandra candrika udbhasim
" navodita ahga cchabi, ksane k$ane hoy vrddhi,
lajjdya ananira tanu khdni
"The garland of Radhika's bodily luster shines brightly with constant sacred passion,
like bright moonrays emanating from a beautiful moon. The freshly rising luster in Her body,
which is filled with modesty and bashfulness, is increasing at every moment."
ahgera bhusana yoto, jhalamala adabhuta,

kore koto sobhara vistara
manda manda hasya cchata, hrdayete keli ghatd,
sobhdmoya sthula mukta hdra
"Her bodily ornaments shimmer wonderfully and extend so much beauty! Her slight
smile shines, Her heart is full of playful fun and Her breasts are decorated with a beautiful
* She perspires while making love with Acyuta, and these sweatdrops look like pearls that are strewn
all over Her body, Ed.
i
Srila Prabodhananda Saras vatl
necklace of big pearls."

pratiti el muktahare, hari pratibirdba pode,
aparupa sobhdra avadhi
acyutera sahge dhani, keli kore vamd niani,
bhane mahd kavi sarasvati
•
m
"The great poet Sarasvati sings: “When Hari1s reflection falls in that pearl necklace the
limit of beauty is reached. In this way the jewel of unsubmissive girls plays with the Infallible
Acyuta."
VERSE 239:
YAN NARADAJESA SUKAJR AGAMYAM VjlNDA VANE VANJULA MANJU KUNJE

TAT KRSNA CETO HARANAIKA VIJNAM ATRASTIKINCIT PARAM AM RAHASYAM
yat - whose; narada aja - Narada and Lord Brahma, Isa - Lord Siva; Sukaili - by £ukadeva;
agamyam - imperceptible; vrndavane - in Vmdavana; vanjula - cane; manju - lovely; kunje - in a grove;
tat - His; krsna cetah - Kr$na's heart; harana - stealing; eka - only; vijnam - knowing; atra - here; asti -
is; kincit - some; paramam - supreme; rahasyam - secret.
There is som e suprem e secret in the lovely cane-grove o f V nidavana, which is

im perceptible for Narada M uni, Lord Brahm a, Lord Siva and Sukadeva, but w ho alone
is able to steal Krona's heart!
TH E SUPREM E SECRET:
Comm entary: This supreme secret is his heart’s most coveted VrsabhanunandinI - Sri
Radha. She is most expert in stealing everyone’s heart, including that of Sri Krsna. In purva
raga-condition one sakhi once personally experienced and descirbed this expertise of Hers -
dhani dhani ramani mani janama dhani torn

saba jana kahnu, kahnu kori jharaye, se tuya bhdve vibhora
cdtaka cahi, tiyasala ambuda, cakora cahi rahu candd
tarn latika, avalartibana-kdn, majhu mane lagalo dhanda
kesa pasdri, kabahu tuhuh dchali, ura para ambara adha
so saba sumari, kahnu bhelo akula, koho dhani ithe ki samadha
hasaite kobo tuhuh, dasana dekhdyali, kore kora jorahi morn
alakhite dithe kobo, hrdaye pasdrali, puna heri sakhi koili kora
etohuh nidesay koholo tohe sundari, jani tohhe koroho vidhana
hrdaya putali tuhuht so suna kalevara, kavi vidyapati bharia
"O young girl, how blessed is your birth! All people (in Vraja) cry for Krsna, but He is *
absorbed in Your love, as a Cataka-bird is in the raincloud and the Cakora-bird is in the moon.
When I see a vine holding on to a tree my mind becomes confused. When Krsna remembers
%
454 Sri-Sn Radha Rasa Sudh2nidhi
how You spread out Your hair and only cover half of Your breasts with Your veil He becomes
greatly agitated. He tightly holds my hand when He sees You smiling in a way that reveals
Your teeth. When Your unseen glance enters into His heart, O sakhi, and I look again, You
have taken Him on Your lap. Kavi Vidyapati sings: O Sundari, I advise You thus: You are the
puppet of His heart, and He is an empty body!"
Without giving up the male consciousness one cannot enter into the intimate pastimes
of Radha and Krsna in Vmdavana's canegroves. For that reason Narada, Suka, Siva and
Brahma, who are not only in male devotee-consciousness, but who are also worshipping Krsna
in a mood of awe and reverence, cannot enter into this supreme secret. For this, one must
accept the mood of a gopl, a manjarl more specifically. In the commentaries on verses 4, 41
and 73 of this book it is explained in detail why Narada, Brahma, Siva and Sukadeva cannot
enter into this supreme secret. In the present age of Kali, though, even the most fallen souls can
enter, into the supreme secrets of manjarl bhava by the causeless mercy of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. Sripada writes in his 'Caitanya Candramrta (130)':
. •: •
prema namadbhutarthah sravana patha gatah kasya namnam mahinuiah

ko vetta kasya vrndavatia-vipina mahd mddhuri$u praveSali
ko va janati radham parama rasa camatkdra mddhurya sTmam
ekas caitanya candrah parama karunaya sarvam dviscakdra
"On the pathways of whose ear had the wonderful words love of Krsna' entered? Who
had known the glories of the holy name? Who had entered the great sweetnesses of the forests
of Vrndavana? Who had understood Sri Radha, who is filled with the most wonderful
sweetness of the nectar of pure love for Krsna? Only Caitanya candra revealed all this. He is
most merciful!"
sri vrndavane vahjula, rnafiju kuhje mahojjvala,

sri radhika parama sundari
govindera citta vrtti, haranete rasanidhi,
kuhjesvari keli manohdri
"Most beautiful Sri Radhika, the playful and enchanting queen of the bowers, steals
Govinda's heart in the brightly shining cane-grove in beautiful Vrndavana."
se Ula rahasya gudhat siva brahma agocara,

naradadi sukera agamya
prabodhanandete bhane, rahah Ula darasane,
radhara kihkari gana dhanya
Sripada Prabodhananda sings: "Blessed are the maidservants, for they can see the
intimate pastimes that are not perceived even by Lord Brahma, Siva, Narada Muni or Suka!"
VERSE 240:
LAK$MlR YASYA NA GOCARl-BHA VATIYAN NAPUH SAKHA YAH PRABHO#

SAMBHAVYO'PI VIRINCINARADA SIVA SVAYAMBHUVADYAIR NA YAH
YO VRNDAVANA NAGARI PAS UPATI STRIBIIAVA LABHYAH KA THAlfc
Srlla Prabodhananda Sarasvall 455
RADHA MADHAVAYOR MAMASTU SA RAHODASYADHIKAROTSAVAH

?
♦
♦
laksnu - goddess of fortune; yasya - whose; na - not; gocan-bhavali - being perceived; yat -
who; na - not; apuh - attained; sakhayah - the friends; prabhoh - of the Lord; sanibhavyah - possible;
api - even; virinci - Brahma; narada siva svayambhuvadyaih - by Narada, Siva, Svayambhuva Manu
and others; na - not; yah - who; yah - who; vrndavana ndgari - the girls of Vrndavana; paSupati stn -
the wives of the cowherders; bhava - mood; labhyah - attained; kalham - how; radha madhavayoh - of
Radha and Madhava; mania - my; astu - let it be; sa - he; rahah - intimate; dasya - service; adhikara -
right; ulsavah -festival.
Ilow can I become qualified to enter Into tlie festival of the intim ate service of
Radha and M adhava, who cannot be perceived even by the goddess of fortune, who
cannot be approached by the L ordfs friends, nor by Lord Brahm a, N arada M uni, Lord
Siva o r Svayambhuva M anu, but only by those who accept the mood of the cowherdgirls
of V rndavana?
THE RIGHT TO ENTER INTO A SECRET FESTIVAL OF SERVICE;
Commentary: Because reverential devotional service is performed in a mood of

respect and awe, it cannot be spontaneous or free from hesitation, and therefore it cannot be
full of perfect ananda, or bliss. Vraja is the abode of sweetness, where nobody knows Krsna to
be the Supreme Lord: krsriake Tsvara nahi jane vraja jana (C. C.). The festival of spontaneous
and sweet devotional service mentioned in the text can only take place in Vraja. Still, even in
Vraja the servants of Krsna have some feeling of respect for Him, knowing Him to be the son
of the king of Vraja. The fraternal, parental and conjugal mellows are completely sweet and
intimate, but again, of these kinds of devotees only the maidservants of Radharam are qualified
to enter into the festival of Radha and Madhava's intimate devotional service in the kuhja. The
word 'festival' naturally indicates an occurence full of sweetness and bliss which is free from
all hesitation, laksnu yasya na gocarf: LaksmI cannot perceive this. Caitanya Caritamrta says:
gopa-jdti krsna - gopl preyasX tahara; devT va anya stn krsna na kore ahgXkara
laksnu cahe sei dehe krsnera sahganm; gopikd anuga hoiya na koilo bhajana
"Krsna is of a cowherders' caste, and the cowherdgirls are His sweethearts. Krsna does
not accept goddesses or other women. Lak$ml wanted to unite with Krsna in her present body,
but she did not worship Him as the gopis did."
VERSE 241:
UCCHl$THAMRTA BHUK TAVAIVA CAR1TAM SRNVAMS TAVAIVA SMARAN

PADAMBHOJA RAJAS TAVAIVA VICARANKUNJAMS TAVAIVALAYAN
GAYANDIVYA GUNAMS TAVAIVA RASADE PASYAMS TAVA1VAKRT1M
SRI RADHE TANU VANMANOBHIR AMALAIH SO'HAM TAVAIVASR1TAIJ
ucchistha - remnants; amrta - nectar; bhuk - eating; tava - Your; eva - only; caritarh - pastimes;
456 S n-£ri Radha. Rasa Sudhanidhi
srnvam - listening; tavaiva - Yours only; snmran - remembering; pdddmbhoja - lotusfeet; rajah - dust;
tavaiva - Yours only; vicaran - walking around; kunjath - grove; tavaiva - Yours only; alaydn - abode;
gayan - singing; divya - divine; gunam - qualities; tavaiva - Yours only; rasade - giver of taste; paiyam
- seeing; tavaiva - Yours only; dkrtini - form; Sri rddhe - O Radha!; tanu - body; vdk - words;
manobhih - with the mind; amalaih - spotless; so'haih - 1 am that; tavaiva- Yours only; a&ritah- shelter.
i
O Bestower of taste, Sri Radhe! I purify my mind, body and words by taking
shelter of You, by eating the ambrosial remnants of Your food, by hearing about Your
pastimes, by remembering the dust of Your lotusfeet, and by wandering around in Your
arbours, singing Your divine glories and beholding Your form!
TAKING FULL SHELTER:
Com m entary: Firstly, by taking prasada we maintain our material bodies, and by the
purifying effects of it we conquer over mdyd, as Uddhava Mahaiaya has rightly stated in the
Bhagavata {ucchista bhojino ddsas tava mdydth jayema hi, 11.6.46). Relishing prasada is one
of the 64 items of devotional service, as Sola ROpa GosvamI states in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu:
naivedyasvada. Yet, the attainment of prema and tasting the sweet nectar of the beloved deity’s
lips are the main results of taking prasada, other results are simply bycoming factors.
Secondly,Sripada wants to engage his ears in always hearing about the sweet pastimes
of Sri Radhika. 3ri Jiva GosvamI says that having taste for hearing is the most important item
of devotion: katha. ruceh sarvatraivadyatvat sresthatvdc ca (Krama Sandarbha commentary on
S.B. 1.2.8). Of all topics of God, topics relating the Snmad Bhagavata are the best, for its
words are most powerful and full of transcendental rasa (tatrapi Sravane in bhagavata sravanath
tu parama srestham tasya tadrsa prabhavamaya Sabdatmakatvat parama rasamayalvdc ca, B hakti
Sandharbha 260). Of all the topics in § rim ad Bhagavata, the Rasa-/F/<3 is the greatest, for hearing
it makes one attain the highest form of devotion to God (the mood of the gopTs, according to
Sri Jiva and Sanatana Gosvamls), and quickly redeems the hearer from the heart's disease of
lust. Surely a devotee who hears about Radharanl's sweet pastimes will attain Her full shelter.
Thirdly, Srip ad a always remembers the dust from Sri Radha's lotusfeet This includes
all Iler.jiames, glories, pastimes and qualities. In rdganuga bhakti, the item of smarana or
remembrance of Radha and Krsna's sweet pastimes is most important Srlla Narottama Thakura
sings: .:y
manera smarana prana, madhura madhura dhdma,
yugala vilasa smrti sara
sddhya sadhana ei, iha boi dra ndi,
ei tattva sarva tattva sara
"The very life of the mind is smarana, and the most sweet remembrance is the pastimes
of Radha and Krsna. This is the goal and this is the practise and there is nothing more than tills.
This principle is the essential truth."
Fourthly, 3ripada wants to wander all over Radha's nikunja-abodts in Vrndavana. As a
result of wandering all over Vraja the devotee develops love of Kr§na and attains 6rimatl
Radhika's causeless mercy.
Sripada glorifies 3ri Radha's divine qualities, for that is the best way to attain Her
mercy, as She declares Herself: amara katha bole yei, amdra mata hoy sei. The chanting of the
holy name is a must for someone who wants to attain perfection in the present age of Kali. 3ri
Jiva GosvamI says: kalau ca iri bhagavata krpayd tad grdhyata ityapeksayaiva tatra tat prafariiseti
$n la Prabodhananda Saras vali 457
sthitam. ataeva yacl anydpi bhaktih kalau kartavya tadd tat satnyogenaiva ityuktam yajhaih sanklrtana
prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah iti (Bhakti Sandarbha 273): In all the Jgcs (yugas) the holy name
has the same power, but still, in the age of Kali the chanting-process is especially praised. The
Lord, seeing the plight of the fallen souls in the age of Kali, has especially praised this
chanting method as the means for the age of Kali. Therefore it is said in Snmad Bhagavata
(11.5.32) 'Intelligent people worship the Lord in the age of Kali by means of the safildrtana
yajna
Seeing Radha's form can mean worshiping the deity. In that connection it must be
remembered that pratimd nahe tumi- saksat vrajendra nandana (C.C.) "You are not a statue -
You are directly Krsna, the prince of Vraja." Such consciousness will make the aspirant most
happy. In this way 3rlpada purifies his body, his mind and his words by engaging them in
Radhika's service. This is surrender:
tavaivasmi tavaivdsmi na jTvami tvayd vina

iti vijhdya devi tvam naya math caranantikam
(Vilapa Kusumanjall 96)
"I am Yours, I am Yours only! I cannot live without You! Knowing this, O devi, take
me to Your lotusfeet!"
VERSE 242:
KRiDAN MINA DVA YAK?YAH SPHURAD ADHARA MANIVIDRUMA SRONIBHARA

DVIPAYAM ANTARALA SMARA KALABHA KATATOPA VAKSORUHAYAH
g a m b h ir a v a r t a n a b h e r v a h a l a HARI MAHA p r e m a p I yu $a SINDHOH
SRI RADHAYAH PADAMBHORUHA PARICARANE YOGYATAM EVA MRGYE
kndat - playing; nuna - fish; dvaya - couple; aksydh - of the eye; sphurad - clearly; adhara -
lips; mani - jewel; vidruma - coral; §roni - liips; bhara - heavy; dvlpaydm - of die island; antarala -
inside; stnara - erotic; kalabha - elephant; katatopa - proud trunk; vaksoruhdydh - of the breasts;
gambiura - deep; avarta - whirlpool; ndbheh - of the navel; vahala - strong; hari - Hari; mahd - great;
prema - love; plyusa - nectar; sindhoh - of the ocean; $n rddhayah - of Sri Radha; paddmbhoruha -
lotusfeet; paricarane - worshiping; yogyatdm - qualification; eva - only; mrgye - seeking.
I seek the qualification for serving the lotusfeet of S ri Radha, who is a great
nectarocean of love for H ari, in which H er two eyes are like restlessly playing fishes, H er
lips are like shining corals, H er heavy buttocks are like islands upon which w ander the
proud temples of C upid's baby elephants in the form of H er breasts, and whose navel is
like a deep swirling whirlpool.
SEEKING THE QUALIFICATION FOR SERVICE:
Comm entary: When there are even the slightest feelings of awe and reverence the
458 Sn-3n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
service of the Vraja-rasa cannot be attained. In Brhad Bhagavatamrta it is said: tat tu laukika
sad bandhu buddhya prema-bhayadijam; vighnam nirasya tad gopa gopi dasyepsayarjayet (2.5.217)
"Fear and reverence for Krsna must be totally eradicated, since it damages the conception :of
Krsna as the laukika sad bandhu, the good worldly friend. One who wants to earn prema must
desire to become a servant of a gopa or a gopL" There’s .no shortage of examples of how 3n
Radha is a great ocean of love of Kr$na. Her eyes, that extend up to Her ears, are its playful
fishes, Her red lips arc the ocean's coral rocks, Her buttocks are an island in that ocean on
which Cupid's baby elephant lives, whose trunks resemble Her breasts, Her deep navel is like a
swirling whirlpool, and Her lotusfeet are like two lotusflowers that are floating in that great
ocean of nectar. There is only a few words difference between this verse and verse 173 of this
book. It is shown how strongly 3rlpada seeks the qualification for 3rl Radha's service, because
he writes the same verse down two times.
kuhje rdi kuiijesvarT, nava gorocana gaun,

w.. vrsabhanu raja kula indu
• * j
ei hari priyatamd, niramala hari pretna,

sumadhura maha sudha sindhu
*
"Radha, the queen of the arbours, the moon of king Vr$abhanu’$ dynasty, who shines
with the golden splendour of fresh gorocana-pigmonts, who is Hari’s beloved and whose love
for Him is spotless, is like a great ocean of very sweet nectar."
cancala nayana mma, khela kore ratri dinat

rasera sdyare nirantara
adhara vidrunia manit mahojjvala ratna-khani,
sronT bhdra dvTpa manohara
"Her restless eyes are like fishes that play in that ocean of rasa day and night, Her lips
are like brightly shining coral-rocks and Her heavy buttocks are like an enchanting island.”
dhik dhik kari kutnbha, hare tara yoto darnbha,

sniarakala vaksoja yugala
sugabfura ndbhThenot gambhfra dvarta yeno,
*
padma koti carana katnala
J T • •
. > y » • .•
•vs *•'
"Curses on the mad elephant's trunks, because Radhika’s breasts destroy their pride!
Her navel is like a deep whirlpool and Her feet are like millions of lotusflowers floating in that
ocean."
kr$na sukha sagarikd, krsnamayT sn radhikaf
parama ananda sukha sdra
bhane srTprabodhananda, radhara padaravinda,
sevanete lalasd dmara
"3rl Radhika is the essence of the ocean of Kr§na’s bliss, and She is filled with Krsna.
SrT Prabodhananda sings: "I desire the service of Radha’s lotusfeet!"
VERSE 243:
MALA GRANTHANA SIK$AYA MRDU MRDU $RI KHANDA NLRGHAR$ANA-

DE&ENADBUUTA MODAKADIVIDHIBHIH KUNJANT/PSAMMARJANAIfl
VRNDARAiyYA RAHAH STHALISU VIVASA PREMARTIBHARODGAMAT
PRANESAMPARICX
* r AKAIHKHALUKADA
• DASYA MAYADHISVARI
mala - garland; granihaiui - winding; Siksaya. - by leaching; mrdu mrdu - softly; srT khanda -
sandalwood; nirgharsana - grinding; adesena - by ordering; adbhuta - wonderful; modaka - sweets; adi
- and so on; vidhibhih - by the rules; kunja - grove; amah - inside; sammarjanaih - by cleansing;
vrndaranya - Vmdavana; rahafi - remote; sthallsu - in the places; vivafd - overwhelmed; prema - love;
arti - eagerness; bhdra - weight; udganiaih - by coming up; prajieSam - Lord of Your life; paricarakaih
- by serving; khalu - certainly; kadd - when; ddsyd - service; maya - by me; adlufvan - supreme
goddess.
When will my Isvan, who is absorbed in bearing the burden of Her love-agony,
engage me in the service of the Lord of Her life (Kr$na) in the solitary places of
Vrndavana by teaching me how to string flowergarlands, ordering me to grind
sandalpaste, and engaging me in making wonderful sweets and sweeping the grove?
SRI RADHA'S SERVICE, ATTAINED BY HER MERCY:
Commentary: 3rl Radhika eagerly waits for Her Lord to come (in this role She is
called vasaka sajjikd), so She decorates the kunja beforehand, with the help of Her
maidservant (Sripada). Premamayl (Radhika, who is filled with love for Krsna) is
overwhelmed by feelings of loving anxiety as She orders Her maidservant to string a
flowergarland for 3yama. This garland is very dear to Svaminl, for She will personally hang it
around Her PraneSa's (Krsna's) neck. When the maidservant makes some mistake in winding
the garland, Svaminl laughs, comes to her and corrects her. Svaminl is very expert in making
garlands, panditd malya gumphe (Ujjvala Nilamani). 3rl ViSvanatha Cakravartapada says: na
kasyascana sakasat sa vidya sikjita verm vadya urudhd nija siksa (Ananda Candrika): "Just as
Krsna never learnt His fluteplaying from anyone (see Sr. Bhag. 10.35.14), similarly Radhika
never learnt any of Her expert arts from anyone." Svaminl makes Her maidservant qualified
for devotional service by teaching her how to sing the right amorous songs and how to fan Her
and Her lover. She orders the maidservant how to grind sandalwood in such a way that the
paste becomes nice and glossy, and She teaches her how to cook wonderful sweetmeats and
how to cleanse the kunja. When the maidservant attains the mercy of Her mistress she feels
blessed and fulfilled.
VERSE 244:
PREMAMBHODHIRASOLLASAT TARUNIMARAMBHEtjA GAMBHIRA DRG

BHEDAM BHANGlMRDU SMITAMRTA NAVA JYOTSNANCITA SRlMUKHI
SRlRADHA SUKHA DHAMANl PRA VILASA T VRNDATAVl SIM AN I
PREYONKE RATI KAVTUKANIKURUTE KANDARPA ULANIDHIH m
%
460 Srt-Sff R8dh5 Rasa Sudhanidhi
prema - love; ambhodhi - ocean; rasa - flavour, ullasat - gladdened; tarunima - youthfulness;
aranibhena - by beginning; gamblura - deep; drk - look; bliedarii - separate; bhahgi - gesture; mrdu -
soft; smita - smile; amrta - nectar; nava - new; jyotsna - moonlight; ancita - endowed; irf - beautiful;
mukhX - face; £rf radha - Sri Radha; suklui - bliss; dhdmani - abode; pravilasat - enjoys; vrnddtavl - of
Vrndavana; sTmani - on the outskirts; preya - beloved; ofike - on the lap; rati - love; kautukdni - in the
fun; kurute - doing; kandarpa - erotic; ITla - pastimes; nidhih - jewel.
H er eyes are very deep because they blissfully came up from the ocean of prema
and fresh youthful ness, and H er beautiful shining face emits fresh moonbeams of soft
nectarean smiles and tender gestures. This jewel of erotic pastimes, S n Radha, is freely
playing on the lap of H er beloved in a kunja on the outskirts of V rndavana, showing
wonderful expertise in funny loveplays.
THE JEW EL OF EROTIC PASTIMES;
Commentary: Sri Radha is overwhelmed by loving eagerness, like a Catala-bird that is

thirsty after the showers from the fresh 5yama-monsooncloud. Suddenly that Syama-cloud
appears in the sky of Her fortune. The maidservant sees that high waves appear on the ocean of
£rimatl,s love when She sees the moonlike face of Syama, and the maidservants eyes become
like fishes that blissfully swim on these waves, eto bhdva bhusaya bhusita radha ahga; dekhile
uchale krsnera sukhabdhi tarange (C.C) "Seeing these ornaments of ecstasy on Radha's body,
Krsna feels the waves on the ocean of His bliss increase." This delights Krsna even more than
when He actually unites with Sri Radha. ei bhdva yukta dekhi radhasya nayana; sahgama
hoite sukha paya koti guna (C.C) "Seeing Radha's face and eyes in this mood I feel more
pleasure than when I directly unite with Her."
How deep are the eyes of Srlmatl that come forth from Her wonderful fresh beauty and
Her ecstatic love, and that show different emotions! Nectarean moonrays emanate from Her
sweetly smiling moonlike face. This is not a blazing light that bums the eyes, but a soothing
transcendental nectarean light that soothes the Cakorabird-like eyes of Krsna and keeps Him
always eager for another drop. SvaminI looks as beautiful as a fresh golden vine embracing the
black Tamala tree Krsna. On special occasions the maidservant can also see how Svamiiu is an
ocean of funny erotic love-arts, making Syama drown in the depth of erotic bliss.
VERSE 245:
Bu d d h a p r e m a v il a s a v a ib h a v a n id h ih k a is o r a S o b h a n id h ir
VAIDAGDHl MADHURANGA BHANGIMA NIDHIR LAV ANYA SAMPAN NIDHIH
SRlRADHA JAYATANMAHA RASANIDHIHKANDARPA LILANIDHIH
SAUNDARYAIKA SUDHANIDIIIR MADHUPATEIf SARVASVA BHUTO NIDHI&
fuddha - pure; prema - love; vilasa - pastimes; vaibhava - prowess; nidhih - jewel; kaiSora -
adolescence; Soblm - beauty; nidhih - jewel; vaidagdht - cleverness; madhurdnga - sweet limbs;
bhahgima - gestures; nidhih - jewel; lavanya - beauty; sampad - wealth; nidhih - jewel; £rf radha - 3ri
Radha; jayatad - glories; mahd - great; rasanidhi - jewel of flavour; kandarpa - Cupid; ilia - pastimes;
b
• Srila Prabodhiinanda Sarasvali 461
nidhi - je w e l; saundarya - beauty; eka - on ly; sudhdnidhi - nectar je w e l; madhupateh - for Kr§na;
- sarvasvabhuto - every tiling; nidhih - je w e l. ?
•«
AH glories to Sri Radha, who is the jewel of the prowess of loving pastimes, the
jewel of adolescent beauty; jthe jewel of all the clever sweet-limbed girls, the jewel of the
opulence of elegance, the jewel of great rasa, the jewel of erotic pastimes, the only jewel
of nectarean beauty and the jewel th at contains everything for M adhupati (Kr?ria).
NINE TRANSCENDENTAL JEW ELS IN SRI RADHA:
Commentary: In the kingdom of love 6rl Radha is the transcendental counterpart of

‘the nine wordly jewels kunuida, padnia, mahd padnia, sankha, niakara, kacchapa, mukunda,
ananda and mid. The great poet Karnapura wrote in his introduction to his 'Caitanya
Candrodaya'-play: nidhisu kumuda padma sankha mukhyesv arueikaro nava bhakti candra
kdntaih "The luster of the nine jewels of devotion (hearing, chanting, remembering etc.) cause
the devotees to lose their interest in the nine jewels of worldly opulence like the kanuida,
padnia and sankha." When that devotion matures it becomes prema and from prenia comes
mahd bhdva, 6n Radhika’s very constitution. When one tastes even a single drop of these nine
nectarean jewels of Her supreme love, one considers all the other jewels of both the mundane
and the spiritual worlds to be most in sig n ific a n t.R a d h a is the suddha prema vildsa vaibhava
nidhih, the jewel of the prowess of pure selfless love. This love is unmotivated and is only
aimed at Krsna’s satisfaction. £ri Radhika’s love is even purer than that of the other gopTs and
therefore She is called gopxtamd, the greatest gopT, a mine full of jewels of pure love. The
maidservant sees that when Radha and §yama play Their loving pastimes.
3 rim at! is also the kaisora sobhd nidhi, the jewel of all adolescent beauty, sd sobhd
riipa bhogadyair yat sydd ahga vibhiisdnam "She whose body is adorned with a beautiful form
and enjoyment, is called sobhdxx Krsna is very attracted to the sobhd that comes forth from
mahd bhdva:
dhrtva ratnahguli kitolayair nipa sakham visakixa
niskratnantT vratati bhavanat prdtar udghurnitdksT
vernni amsopari viluthatTm ardha muktam vahantT
lagna svdiite mama nahi bahih seyam adydpyayasll
(Ujjvala Nflamani Anubhava 64)
Krsna told Subala: "O Friend! When ViSakha comes out of the vine-cottage in the
morning with twirling eyes, holding the branch of a Nipa-tree with her reddish bud-like
fingers, her halfopened braid hanging loosely on her shoulders, My heart becomes absorbed in
her beauty (sobhd) and I cannot forget her." £ri Radharani is the reservoir of all this wealth of
sobhd,
Srimafi is also the jewel of all cleverness, which means expertise in arts and performing
pastimes: kald vildsa digdhatma vidagdha id kTrtate (B.R.S. 2.1.84). The maidservant can
experience that when she is on the Yugala's Itlabhiimi (playground). Srlmall is the jewel of
sweet bodily gestures (madhuranga bhahgima nidhih), with which She can enchant even
Syamasundara during Her lovesports, and seeing a stream of luster gushing from Srimatfs
limbs, the maidservant calls Her the jewel of lavanya, elegance. Because rasikendra mauli
(Krsna, the king of relishers) considers Himself blessed when He can relish the sweetness of
3 rim all's love, the maidservant calls Her the maha rasa nidhi, the jewel of great taste. When
k
462 Sn-SiT Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
the maidservant sees that the king of eros (,srhgdra rasa raja 3rl Krsna) is defeated by
SvaminI, she calls Her kandarpa Hid nidhi, the jewel of erotic pastilnes. Because the ocean of
^rlmatl’s nectarean beauty increases when he is with £yama She is named saundarya
sudhanidhi, the reservoir of nectarean beauty, and because She always gives all kinds of
happiness to the rasika Krsna-bee She is named madhupateh sarvasvabhiito nidhih. The
maidservant knows how much :the Krsna-bee Madhupati thirsts for loving pastimes with her
SvaminI. SvaminI represents all the nine jewels of pure selfless love for Madhupati Syama, and
the rasika jeweller £npada Prabodhananda knows how delightful these jewels are for
Madhupati.
VERSE 246:
NILENDIVARA VRNDA KANTILAHARICAURAMKISORA DVAYAM

- TVA YYETAT KVCA YOS CAKASTI KIM IDAM RUPENA MEMOHANAM
TV AN MAM ATMA SAKHIM KURU DVI TARUNlYAM NA U DJfDHAM SU SY ATI
SVA CCHAYAM ABIIIVIK$YA MUHYATI HARAU RADHA SMITAMPATU VAH
tula - blue; indivara - lotus; vrnda - cluster; kdnti - luster; laharT - stream; caurath - thief;
kifora - young boys; dvayam - couple; tvayi - in You; etat - that; kucayoh - on the breasts; cakasti -
there is; kirn - what; idarii - this; rupena - with the form; me - My; mohanarii - enchanting; tvat - Your;
mam - me; dtma - own; sakJum - girlfriend; kuru - do; dvi - two; (arum - young girl; iyarii - this; nau -
us both; drdham - tightly; flisyati - embrace; sva - own; cchaydm - reflection; abhivtksya - seeing;
muhyati - enchants; harau - Hari; rddha - Radha; smitam - smiling; patu - may protect; nah - us.
May SrT Radha protect us as She smiles when H ari, who sees His own reflection in
H er shining golden breasts, tells Her: " I see two beautiful boys in Your breasts! Their
luster steals the glories of hosts of blue lotusflowers! Their forms enchant Me completely!
M ake Me Your girlfriend, so th at these two boys can tightly em brace Us young girls!
HARI ENCHANTED BY HIS OWN SWEETNESS:
Comm entary: After making love, the divine Couple sits upon Their bed of flowers.
Their dresses and ornaments have fallen off and Their bodies are covered with sweatdrops. The
maidservant is fanning Them as £nraatl tells Syamasundara: "Quickly dress Me before My
girlfriends come here and make fun of Me!" Syama engages Himself in painting leaf-pictures
on Svamints breasts when He suddenly sees Himself reflected in the two shining golden
mirrors of these breasts. Krsna's sweetness is ever-fresh, just like the water in a riverstream,
and therefore even Krsna is astonished by His own beauty, vismdpakatii svasya ca saubhaga,
the Bhagavata says, riipa dekhi apanara, krsnera hoilo camatkara, asvadite mone ufhe kama.
(C.C.) "When Krsna sees His own form, He becomes astonished and He develops the desire to
taste it Himself." And when He sees His own beauty reflected in the clearly shining golden
mirror-like breasts of £n Radhika, He becomes even more enchafited, to the extent that He
thinks Himself to be a young gopT like Her. When Krsna saw His own reflection in a jewelled
wall of Dvaraka's new Vrndavana-garden He became amazed and sîd:
«
aparikalita purvah kai camatkara te n sphurciti mama garlydn esa madhurya purah
ayam aharn api hanta preksya yam lubdha ceiah sarabhasam updbftoktum kdniaye radhikeva
%
(Lalita Madhava, Act VIII)
"Aha! I've never seen such an astonishing beauty before as this great stream of My own
sweetness. Even I become eager to see and to enjoy this sweetness, just like Sri Radhika."
dpana madhurya hare apanara maria; apane apana cahe korite dlihgana (C.C.) "He steals His
own mind with His own sweetness, and then He desires to embrace Himself." Being thus
enchanted, Hari tells SnmatT: "I see two beautiful boys, that shine like blue lotusflowers, in
Your breasts, and their sweetness completely enchanted Me! Please make Me Your girlfriend!
These two boys are always staying in Your heart, and without becoming Your girlfriend it will
be very difficult for Me to meet them. When Pm Your girlfriend these boys will embrace Me
even if I'm not qualified, simply because they know that I'm Yours! One of them can embrace
Me and the other one can embrace You! That will be most ecstatic!" A slight smile appears on
SnmalTs beautiful face when She hears the words of Her lover, who is enchanted by seeing
His own reflection. The maidservant floats in an ocean of bliss when she hears the words of
enchanted Syama and she sees Snmatfs sweet smile. 3rlpada says: "May this smile of 3nmatT
protect us, protect us from the burning fire of separation from Her. By saying 'us' instead of
1me* 3npada shows how generous he is. He prays for the benefit of others also. Once upon a
time 3yama was enjoying with Radhika in a Vraja-nikunja when He saw His own reflection in
a mirror, and He thought to Himself:
♦
darpanadye dekhi yadi dpana madhun;

asvddite lobha hoy asvadite nari
viedra koriye yadi asvada updya
radhika svarupa hoite iabe mon dhay (C.C.)
"When I see My own sweetness in the mirror I desire to relish it, but I can't When I
thought about how to relish it, My mind ran after the thought of accepting the constitution of
Sr! Radhika." In this way Kr$na accepted the compassionate mood of 3 n Radhika and
descended to earth as $ri Gaurasundara to relish His own sweetness and to give the people of
the world the opportunity to love Him. The smile that Radhika shows in this verse of Radha
Rasa Sudhanidhi indicates that She gave Her consent for this all-merciful golden avatara to
come and distribute love of God all over the world. That is the hidden meaning of 3npada's
prayer in this verse radha smitath patu nah: "May Radha's smile protect us". Sensitive people
will understand this deeper meaning.
nibhrla in nikimja vane, priydjlra duti stone,

$
dekfii iydma nija pratibimba

kohe hari kori arti, e dull kiiora murti,
aparupa nayana dnanda
"When 3yama sees His own reflection in PriyajI's two breasts in a solitary grove, He
anxiously thinks: "These two wonderful adolescent boys delight My eyes."
nava tula indlvara, tara garva tenti caura,

stana mandallte sobfia paya
bolo bolo gdndharvike, ei duti murati ke,
vimohita korilo dmdya
464 §n-£n Radha Rasa SudMnidhi
"Their luster steals the pride of two fresh blue lotusflowers and they look very beautiful
on the globes of Your breasts. Tell Me, O Gandharvike, who are tlfese two boys that enchant
Me so much?" ;
suno rdi indu mukhi, koro more nija sakJii,
tumi ami dui larunTre
- • .
kLSora yugala earn, gadha dlihgana korn,

e Idlasa amdra antare
"Listen, O moonfaced Rail Make Me Your girlfriend, so that You and I, being two
young girls, can tightly embrace these two beautiful adolescent boys; that is My innermost
desire!M
udbhranta vacana tune, rasiha ndgara pane,
cdhe rdi sahdsya vadane
ei smita kanii sudha, raksa koru sabe soda
irTpada prabodhdnanda bhatte
^Hearing Rasika Nagara's bewildered words, Rai stares at Him and smiles. 3npada
Prabodhananda says: May the luster of that nectarcan smile always protect everyone."
/
VERSE 247:
SAMGA TYAPIMAHOTSA VENA MADHURAKARAM HRDl PREY AS AH

SVA CCHAYAM ABHIVlK§YA KAUSTUBHA MANAU SAMBHUTA SOKA KRUDHA
UTKSIPTA PRIYA PANI TI§THA SUNAYETYUKTVA GATAYA BAHIH
SAKHYAISASRA NIVEDANANI KIM AH AM SRO$YAMl TE RADHIKE
sanigatya - meeting; api - even; mahotsavena - by the festival; madhurdkaram - sweet form;
hrdi - in the heart; preyasali - beloved; sva - own; cchaydm - reflection; abhiviksya - seeing; kanstubha
manau - in the Kaustubha jewel; sathbhuta - created; §oka - lamentation; krudhd - anger; utksipta -
pushing away; priya - beloved; pdni - hand; ti$tha - wait!; iunaya - O knower of morality; iii - thus;
uktvd - having spoken; gataya - gone; bahih - outside; sakhyai - to friends; sasra - tearfilled;
nivedandni - telling; kim - what; ahar'n - 1; frosydmi - 1 hear; te - You; rddhike - O Radha!.
/* A
0 Sri Radhike! Will I hear You tell Kr$na: "O Knower of morality (meant
sarcastically)! Stay away!n, and see You slap His hand before You go out of the kuiija
and angrily lament to Your girlfriends with tearfilled eyes that You saw Your own sweet
form reflected In the Kaustubha gem on Your lover's chest (and You thought it was some
other girl) although You just met Him during Your festival of love?
SRl RADHA'S LOVING DELUSION:
Commentary: 3n Krona's illusion is gone when Radhika smiles at Him and He

understands now that He mistook His own reflection in Her shining breasts for some other
boys. Now He continues His job of redressing and ornamenting SrlmaCL Just then the sakhis
enter the kunja, laughing and making great waves on the ocean of the divine Couple's
sweetness. The maidservant sees it all as a great festival of rasa. You cannot make a festival
&rila Prabodhananda Saras vatl 465
with just one or two people, more people are required, and the sakhTs help to complete that
festival. sakhT vinu ei Ilia, pusta ndhi hoy; sakhl Hid vistariya sakHT asvadoy (C.C.) "Without
the sakhTs, the pastimes of Radha and Krsna are not complete. They expand these pastimes and
make them relishable." The laughter and joking of the sakhTs make the divine Couple eager for
loving pastimes once more. The sakhTs understand that and discretely leave the kuhja, But rig h t.
in the beginning of the loveplay SvaminI sees Her own sweet form reflected in the glittering
Kaustubha-gem on Krsna's chest and She becomes angry and upset, thinking it to be another
girl sporting with Krsna. Krsna, very disappointed that SvaminI rejects Him right at the
beginning of the loveplay, holds His hand on Her body and asks Her why She is angry with
Him, but SvaminI angrily pushes His hand away and says: "O Knower of morality! Don't try to
flatter Me! Just find Your own enjoyment!", and goes out of the kuhja to meet Her girlfriends.
The maidservant understands everything and laughs within herself. The sakhTs are surprised to
see 3rlmatl coming out of the kuhja just after Her festival of love has started, and they ask Her
why She is so angiy. With tearfilled eyes 3rimaG tells them: "O Friends! This king of
debauchees is embracing another girl right in front of Me! Who can tolerate this?" The sakhTs
say: "Radhe! We've been standing by the door of this kuhja zW. the time, we. didn't see any other
girl entering! We think You must have been hit by some wave of illusion while You were
swimming in the ocean of love!" Srimatl replies: "I saw this other girl Myself, how could I
have come under such an illusion then?" Then the sakhTs ask the maidservants if they
understand what is going on, and the maidservants tell them that Srimatl mistook Her own
reflection in Krsna's Kaustubha jewel for some other girl. When the sakhTs hear this they have
so much fun! They bring SvaminI back to Syamasundara and make so many waves of laughter
with Them. The fishlike hearts of the maidservants blissfully enjoy swimming on these waves.
MAHA M ANI VARA SRAJAM KUSUMA SANCAYAIR ANCITAM

SPHURAN MARAKATA PRABHA GRATHITA MOHITA SYAMALAM
MAHA RASA M AH IPATERIVA VICITRA SIDDHASANAM
KADA NU TAVA RAD HIKE KAVARA BHARAM ALOKAYE
mahd - great; mani - jewel; vara - best; srajahi - string; kusuma - flowers; sahcayaih -
collection; ahcitam - endowed with; sphurat - manifest; marakata - emerald; prabha - splendour;
grathila - strung; rnohita - enchanted; Sydmalam - blackish; mahd rasa - erotic flavour; mahTpateh - of
the king; iva - like; vicitra - wonderful; siddha - perfect; asanam - seat; kada nu - when; tava - Your;
rddhike - O Radha; kavara - braid; bhdram - weight; dlokaye - see.
O Radhike! When will I see Your enchanting blackish braided hair, that shines
like emeralds, that is like the wonderful, perfect seat for the king of supreme rasa
(Cupid) and that is beautified by a string of nice jewels and bunches of flowers?
THE PERFECT SEAT FOR THE KING OF GREAT RASA:
Commentary: $rfmati's loving delusion is now also gone and Her beautiful face is
marked by feelings of joy, shame, and eagerness. Knowing the desires of the amorous Couple
466 5 ri-£ ri R adha R asa Sudhanidiii
the sakhTs leave Them, on the pretext of picking flowers. The beautiful Couple sits on Their
playbed; Svaminrs veil has slipped off Her head because of Her a&sorption in erotic feelings.
The maidservant stands behind the amorous Couple and serves Them by fanning Them. Her
eyes are absorbed in admiring the sweetness of SnmatTs braided hair, which steals the luster of
emeralds. All of SrlmatTs limbs are composed of maha bhava, and that is why She fully
controls Krsna. The glossy blackish luster of Her braided hair, that is decorated by strings of
nice jewels and freshly blooming jasmine-flowers, comes from Her maha bhava. But the
jewels and the flowers are beautified by the maha bhava braid, and not the other way around.
3ripada, in his kinkarMorm, sees this braid as the perfect seat for the king of great rasa.
This great rasa means the erotic rasa. adya eva paro rasah: "The first rasa is the erotic rasa",
and Cupid is the king of that mellow. But the Cupid mentioned in this verse is not the mundane
Cupid, that always enchants all the boys and girls and all the men and women of this world;
this is Cupid's transcendental counterpart, that eternally engages Radha and Madhava in Their
ever-fresh erotic attraction. $ri Jiva GosvamI confirms this in his Brhat Kraraa
Sandarbha-commentary on ^ rim ad Bhagavata 10.29.46 uttambhayan ratipatiih ramayaS cakdra -
tasdrii premaiva sdhajikah na tu kamaJi tad abhdve sa Ilia, surasd na bhavallti svayatn eva tdsam
asantam api kamarii vardhayamasety arthah. sa tu kamah prakrto na bhavati api tu sa eva bhagavdn
yendthfena kdmdvatdro bhavati sa evathfas tasdrh manasydvetitah.* The braided hair of &rlmatl is
the wonderful perfect seat of this transcendental Cupid, whose parts and parcels descend to the
earth as all the innumerable mundane Cupids. Even Syamasundara, the transcendental youthful
Cupid of Vrndavana, is agitated by lusty desires when He sees 3ri Radhika’s braided hair. The
maidservant's mind is also completely aborbcd in this wonderful braid.
VERSE 249:
MADHYE MADHYE KUSUMA KHACITAM RATNA DAMNA NIBADDHAM

M ALI!M ALYAIR GHANA PARIMALAIR BHU$ITAM LAMBAMANAIH
PA&CAD RAJANMANI VARA KRTODARA MANIKYA GUCCHAM
DHAMMILLAM TE HARI KARA DHRTAM KARHl PASYAMIRADHE
madhye madhye - in the middle; kusuma - flowers; khacitam - studded; ratna - jewel; ddmna -
with a strand; nibaddham - bound; malli - jasmine; mdlyaih - with garlands; ghana - thick; parimalaih -
with perfumes; bhusitarh - decorated; lambamanaih - hanging down; paicat - from behind; rajan -
shines; mani - jewel; vara - best; krta - done; udara - generous; mdnikya - jewels; guccharh - siring;
dhammillarh - braid; te - Your; hari kara - Hari's hand; dhrtarh - held; pakyami - 1 see; radhe- O RadliS.
O Radhe! When will I see Your braided hair, which has flowers in it here and
there, which is bound with a string of jewels and very fragrant jasmine-flowers, which
has tassles of beautiful jewels at the end, and which is held by Hari's hand?
SRI RADHA S BRAIDED HAIR:
* "Actually, the gopTs' love is natural, it is not lust Without it there is no taste in these pastimes. Kr$na
Himself increases their lust for this purpose. This lust is not mundane, but it is a particle of Krsua’s
transcendental lust that enters into their minds."
, <•
Commentary: After the amorous Couple has made lovS Their hairs, clothes and
ornaments have all become dishevelled, so Svamiiu tells Krsna: "O Beautiful One! Quickly
rearrange My hair before My girlfriends come and make fun of Me!". Kr$na gets to the job,
and the maidservant provides all the necessary paraphernalia. First Syama sits behind
SvaminTs back and begins to comb Her long black hair with a jewelled comb. Each strand of
hair is dearer to Him than millions of lives! SvaminTs limbs erupt with goosepimples of
ecstasy when Hari touches Her. Krsna looks at ^rlmatl's face over Her shoulders to see if She
feels any pain, and SvaminT pacifies Him by saying: "Why are You worried? It didn't hurt!"
When Krsna hears that He smiles. How wonderfully He serves Her! The maidservant drowns
in oceans of bliss while she stands by with all the paraphernalia. Syama binds SvaminTs long
braid with a strand of jewels and a fragrant garland of jasmineflowers, which was strung by the
maidservant He is overwhelmed when He sees the beauty of this braid and He strews some
additional flowers over it and hangs a tassle of jewels at its end.
VERSE 250:
VICITRABHIR BHANOI VITATIBHIR AHO CETASIPARAM

CAMATKARAM YACCHAL LALITA MANIMUKTADILASITAH
RASA VESAD DVAITAH SMARA MADHURA VRTTAKHILAM AHO•
DBHUTAS TE SIMANTE NAVA KANAKA PATTO VIJAY ATE
vicitrdbhih - with wonderful; bhahgi vitatibhih - with many gestures; aho - O!; cetasi - in the
heart; pararii - supreme; camatkararii - astonishment; yacchan - causing; laliia - lovely; rnani - jewel;
maktadi - pearls and so; lasitah - shining; rasa - flavour; dveSdl - out of absorption; dvaitalt - duality;
smara - erotic; tnadhura - sweet; vrttakhilam - all customs; aho - O!; adbhutah - wonderful; te - Your;
slmante - in the part; nava - new; kanaka - golden; pattah - foreheadchain; vijayate - glory.
O Radhe! Aho! Your part divides Your hair into two sides of rasa-absorption and
is made wonderful by its sweet erotic character, astonishing the mind with its enchanting
new forehead-chain th at has lovely jewels and th at makes different wonderful
movements.
SRI RADHA S GOLDEN FOREHEAD-CHAIN:
Commentary: Nagararaja has finished making Radhika's braid, standing behind Her,
and now He stands before Her and hangs Her golden lalatika (foreheadchain) on Her forehead.
Srlpada says: "It is as if this lalatika is dividing Radhika's sTmanta (part) in two because of
absorption in rasa". Here the qualities of the sTmanta are ingredients for worshiping the
lalatika. A poet may describe the daybreak as follows: When the night sees that her beloved
moon is setting she starts to cry of impending separation. The chirping of the birds is the sound
of the night's crying and the dewdrops are her tears. Although it is impossible for the night to
cry, the ingredients of this crying are the beauty of daybreak. In the same way the division of
the part out of rasika absorption is an ingredient for worshiping the lalatika when that lalatika
is placed on the forehead.
w
468 S n-S n Radha Rasa Sudhanidili
Another reading of this verse is rasavesad vittah. It is said vittam bhogyam pratlte. In
rasika absorption the laldtika's beauty has become very enjoyable for Nagara-mani, the
maidservant can personally experience this. This lalatikd is wonderful because of its sweet
erotic character. The maidservant is aware of that, because it was placed on Svaminl's forehead
by Syamasundara’s own hands. Seeing Syamasundara's absorption SvaminI slightly smiles,
making some nectar drip from Her moonlike face. Greedy Krsna immediately drinks that
nectar with the cups of His lips. How many wonderful sweet erotic moods are created when
this lalatikd is put on! How wonderfully this lalatikd dangles on Svaminl's forehead while She
speaks! Both Syama and the maidservant are astonished, param camatkarain yacchan. All
these ornaments are made of mahd bhdva because of being connected with maha bhdva
svarupinT RadharanT, and they are full of erotic rasa (srngara rasamaya) because of being
placed there by erotic rasa personified, 3 n Krsna. How astonishing they are! camatkara or
astonishment is, after all, the essence of rasa: rase saras camatkdro yath vina na raso rasah
(Alankara Kaustubha 5.18). The maidservant's heart is absorbed in that astonishment
he srT radhe rasavatT, sTmantera svarna smthi,

mani mdnikyete vilasita
vicitra bhanglma dvare, svarna patta sabakare,
sarva bhdve kore camatkara
"O Rasavati Radhe! Your part is beautified by gold and jewels and a golden forehead
chain, that dangles under it, making different wonderful movements, astonishes in all
respects."
aro suno suknmdrT, svarna patta manohdrT,
rasavese du bhdga hoiyat
vijaya gaurave sada, avasthdna kore tatha,
smara vrtta prakata koriya
"And hear me, O tender girl! This enchanting golden forehead-chain is divided in two
out of rasika absorption. It always remains there, proud and victorious, revealing all sweet
erotic characteristics!"
■*'* •
vrsabhdnu sukutnarl\
t *
du bdhu vistdra kori,
*
syama kante yaiche dlingaya

svarria patta aichane, stmante kesera sane,
vilasaye 'sarasvatV hoy
Sarasvatl says: "Just as Vrsabhanu’s tender princess stretches out both Her arms and
embraces Her lover Syama, this golden forehead-chain shines under Her parted hair."
VERSE 251:
AHO DVAIDHI-KARTUM KRTIBH1R ANURAGAMRTA RASA

PRAVAHAIH SUSN1GDHE KUTILA RUCIRAHSYAMA UCITAQ
ITIYAM SIM ANTE NAVA RUCIRA SINDURA RACITA
SUREKHA NAHPRAKHYAPAYITUMIVA RADHE VIJAYATE
£rila Prabodhaaanda Sarasvafl 469
aho - O!; dvaidlu - twofold; karium - making; kriibhih - by activities; anuraga - contant
passion; amria - nectar; rasa - flavours; pravdhaih - with streams; su$ni$dhe - O smooth girl; kutila -
crooked; rucirah - beautiful; fyama - for Kr§na; ucitah - proper; itlyam - thus; simante - on the part;
nava - lresh; racira - beautiful; sindura - vermilion; racita - making; surekha - nice line; nah - unto us;
prakhydpayitum - announces; iva - like; rddhe - O Radha!; vijayate - victorious.
O Tender Radhe! The line of fresh sindura (vermilion) in Your part is fit for
dividing Your beautiful crooked blackish locks (or beautiful, crooked Krsna) with a
stream of nectarean anuraga rasa (constant passion), and it announces itself to us in this
way!
A STRIPE OF VERMILION IN THE PART;
Commentary: Now Syamasundara will put the vermilion in Radhika’s hair (married
women in India are named sTmantinl; for they are recognisable by the strip of vermilion in
their parts). How much pleasure Radhika, the greatest worshiper of Krsna, gives to
3yamasundara, who is the personification of bliss, by allowing Him to put vermilion in Her
part! Sri ViSvanatha Cakravartlpada writes in Kr$na Bhavanamrta (4*41):
sapadi murtimatX kirn u rnadhuri suranadi hari hrt kari kelaye

parijanaksi taris tripathodaya smaraniadlva hatir vahatistna sd
"Is that stripe of vermilion in Radhika's part a Ganga-river of sweetness taking shape,
whose mere remembrance destroys all sinful reactions? Has it become a stream where the
elephant of Krsna's heart can freely play in, like the tripatha gdminT (the Ganga, who flows in
three currents)? O! The boat-like eyes of all the gopTs are carried in all directions on its waves
of sweetness!" Very passionately Syamasundara puts the stripe of vermilion in SvaminI’s part
Aha! That vermilion shines like the rising sun in the dark night of 5rimatTs black hair! How
can a maidservant remain alive unless Hari puts that vermilion in Svamini's part with His own
hands? The maidservant is enchanted by the beauty of this stripe of sindura and jokingly says:
"O Tender Radhe! Is this shining stripe of vermilion only there to announce to us how the
nectarean stream of anuraga rasa is qualified to divide Your crooked, beautiful black hair in
two?" The maidservant is very expert in making such jokes, for her servant-mood is blended
with a mood of friendship. She says: "O Radhe! Just as Your crooked and beautiful hair is
divided in two by the shining stripe of vermilion in Your part, similarly an anuragavati
(passionate girl) like You is also pleasing our eyes by dividing crooked and beautiful Syama in
two (by hugging Yourself at His chest), and the shining stripe of vermilion in Your part is
announcing that to us!"
Or: "Although Your hair is beautiful, it is also very crooked, in the same way 3yama is
also very crooked, though He may be beautiful. Now He shows how submissive He is to You
by marking Your part with a stripe of vermilion, but He will just as easily go to Candravalfs
kuhja and show her how submissive He is to her there also!” Thus the maidservant satisfies
the amorous Couple in a wonderful way with her expert jokes. This division in the hair is one
between accepting 3yama and rejecting Him, according to Svamini's mood*
* Suggested to editor by Sn Jagadananda Dasa BabajI at Puccbari

%
470 Sti-Sif Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
VERSE 252:
CAKORAS TE VAKTRAMRTA KIRANA-BIMBE MADHUKARAS

TA VA SRI PADABJE JAGHANA PULINE KHANJANA VARAII
SPHURANMlNO JATAS TVAYIRASA SARASYAMMADHUPATEH
SUKHA TA VYAM RADIIE TVAYI CA HA RINAS TASYA NAYANAM
cakora - Cakora-bird; le - Your; vaktra - face; atnrta - nectar; kiratia - ray; bimbe - on the
globe; madhukara - bumblebee; tava - Your; &rt - beautiful; padabje - lotusfeet; jaghana - buttocks;
puline - on the shore; khafijana - wagtailbird; varah - best; sphurat - manifest; nuna - fish; jata - born;
tveryi - in You; rasa - flavour; sarasyam - in a lake; madhupateh - of Kr$na; sukha - bliss; atavyam - in
the forest; rddhe - O Radha!; tvayi - in You; harina - deer; tasya - His; nayanam - eyes.
, .0 Radhe! Madhupati’s (Krona’s) eyes are like Cakora-birds that drink the honey
from Your nioonlike face, the bees that drink the honey of Your lotuslike feet, the
wagtailbirds that dance on the shore of Your buttocks, the fishes that blissfully swim in
the lake of Your rasa and the deer that wander in Your forest of delight!
THE MANY FORMS THAT KR^NA^ EYES ASSUME:
Comm entary: After Krsna has wound 3nmatr$ braid, hung Her lalatika on Her
forehead and marked Her part with vermilion He beholds the beauty of Her sweet form. Who
knows how happy Hari will be to see this fully decorated form of Radhika, if He's even
enchanted by Her without make-up?! The maidservant can see how many forms Hari's
unsatiated eyes assume as they try to relish SnmatTs beauty and sweetness. His eyes are like
Cakora-birds that drink the nectar from Radha's moonlike face. Ail creatures are delighted
when the moon shines, but the joy of the Cakora-bird is incomparible.
hari nayana cakora pniaye radhikaya

mukha SaSinam apurvam pumam utpadya dhata
nayana harina yugmath nyasya tasmin sulolarh
nyadhita tad avaroddhum pdrsvayoh karna pa$au
•
. •
(Govinda Lilamrta 11.92)
"The Creator made Radhika's wonderful moonlike face just to please Hari's
Cakora-bird-like eyes. In this moon he placed the marks of Her deerlike eyes and he bound
these restless deer up with the ropes of Her ears." Hari's eyes are like thirsty bees that relish the
nectar of Radhika’s beautiful lotusfeet and they are strongly attached to that nectar. Because
Hari is so delighted by this savour, Radhika's feet cannot really be compared to lotusflowers,
or to anything else!
yat kdntyd lavanacchriyah kisalaye yd pallavakhydm nyadhat

padmakhyam naline vidhaya malinT bhdvath nisd kokavat
sokat kokanadabhidhdm vilapanai raktotpale cetyasau
sa radha bhuvi tat pada dvayam idam kenopameyath bhavet
(Govinda Lilamfta 11.52)

SiHa Prabodhananda Saras vatl 471
"The luster of these feet is cutting down the pride of beautiful fresh soft red lotuspetals,
therefore their fresh sprouts are known as pallava. The lotus (or halint) is known as padma
because it is contaminated (pada means position and mala means dirt) and the red lotusflower
is called Kokanada because it sadly wails (artandda) at nighttime like a Cakravaka (koka)-bM.
So when lotusflowers have ail these shortcomings, then how can we compare Radha's feel with
them?" Then again Hari's eyesrare like frisky wagtailbirds that dance on the shore of Radhika's
buttocks. Krsna's eyes are just as restless as the tails of these frisky birds while They admire
the beauty of Radhika's buttocks.
Madhupati's eyes are like restless fishes, blissfully swimming in the lake of Radha's
rasa. This rasa is the rasa of Radhika's madanakhya maha bhava, Her supreme love, that is
forming all of Her transcendental limbs. Where else can Krona's fishlike eyes blissfully swim
but there?.
Hari's eyes are like deer that ramble in Radhika's forest of delight in topmost bliss. The
beauty of Radhika's form is the nectar for Krsna's mind and eyes. In the matter of satisfying all
of Krsna's senses, Sri Radhika is just like 3rl Radhika: krsnendriyahlddi gunair udara srf
radhika rajati radhikeva (Govinda Lllamrta 11.118)
VERSE 253:
SPRSTVA SPR$TVA MRDU KARATALENANGAM ANGAM SUSlTAM

s X n d r a n a n d a m $ t a RASA HRADE MAJJATO MADHAVASYA
ANKE PANKERUHA SUNA Y AN A PREMA-MURTIH SPHURANTl
GADHASLE$ONNAMITA CIBUKA CUMBITA PATU RADIIA
sprstva sprstvd - touching; mrdtt - soft; karatalena - handpalms; angam atigarii - body; suSitarh
- very cool; sandra -deep; dnanda - bliss; amrta - nectar; rasa - flavour; hrade - in a pool; majjaiah -
immersed; madhavasya - of Kr$na; anke - on the lap; pankeruha - lotus: simayand - beautiful eyes;
prema - love; murti - form; sphuratuT - manifest; gadha - deep; a&lesa - embrace; unnamita - raising;
cibuke - chin; cumbita. - kissed; patu - may protect; radha - Radha.
May lotus-eyed Radha, who is the very form of divine love and who shines on
Madhava's lap, immersed in a pond of delightful nectarean rasa when Her cool limbs are
touched by His soft handpalms and when He holds up Her chin for kissing Her and
tightly embraces Her, protect us!
A POOL OF RASA:
Commentary: After drinking the nectar of Radhika's beautiful form through His eyes,
Madhava desires the joy of touching Her. Here the word Madhava means the Lord of beauty,
£n Krsna. When Madhava touches SvaminT, the maidservants also feel it because they are, in a
sense, nondifferent from Her. sprsati yadi mukundo radhikdm tat sakhTnath bhavati vapusi
kampa sveda romanca vaspam (Govinda Lllamrta 11.137) "When Mukunda touches Radhika,
Her girlfriends also shiver, sweat and horripilate of ecstasy.” The maidservants experience it
even more intensely than the sakhTs, despite the fact that they never really unite with Krsna like
w
them, because their feelings for Radhika are more intense.

£ri Radhika is immersed in a pool of rasa. A pool is a limited reservoir of water. The
transcendental extramarital affairs of Radha and Madhava are a great secret, and they take
place in Vraja, and nowhere else. The kanjas of Vraja are bound by limited borders.
Radha and Madhava are drowning in a pool of rasa, in whicli there is nothing else but
Eachother's sweetness. Madhava keeps £txmatl on His lap, and She enjoys His tender touch
beyond description. When lotuseyed Radhika sits on Madhava's lap She looks like a golden
lolusflower floating on a blue pond. With Their mutual love They constantly increase
Eachother's beauty. Then Madhava tightly embraces Radhika with His rope-like arms and
holds Her beautiful chin up so that He can kiss Her again and again. The maidservant floats in
the ocean of Svamim's nectarean sweetness when she witnesses this.
VERSE 254:
SADA GAYAM GAYAM MADHURATARA RADHA FRIYA YASAff

SADA SANDRANANDA NAVA RASADA RADHA RATI KATHA
SADA STHAYAM STHAYAM NAVA NIBHRTA RADHA RATIVANE
SADA DHYAYAM DHYAYAM VIVA&A HRDI RADHA FADA SUDHA
sada - always; gayam gayam - singing; rnadliuratara - sweeter; radha priya yasah - the
beloved glories of Radha; sada - always; sandrananda - intensely blissful; nava - fresh; rasada -
taste-giver; radha rati hatha - topics of Radha’s love; sada - always; sthayarii stlwyani - staying; nava -
new; nibhrta - lonely; radha rativane - in Radha’s love-forest; sada - always; dhyayarii dhyayam -
meditating; vivala - overwhelmed; hrdi - heart; radha pada sudha - the nectar from Radha's feet.
I always sing about Radha's beloved sweet glories, I always speak about the very
blissful topics of Radha, th at always give me new taste, I always dwell in R adha's new
solitary love-forest, and my heart is always overwhelmed by m editating on the nectar
flowingTrom S n R adha's fe et
EXCLUSIVE W ORSHIP OF SRI RADHA:
Commentary: Sripada returns to external consciousness (sadhakavesa) and vows to

live in Radhika’s sweet playground, Vraja, This is one of the five chief items of rdganuga
devotion, according to Sola Rupa GosvamT. Mentally the aspirant should conceive of his own
siddha deha, serving the divine Couple in cinniaya vraja day and night, and physically he
should try as far as possible to leave in the earthly reflection of Vraja. An offenseless person
will get prema simply by touching this sacred land. The Brahmanda Purana says:
paranandamayT siddhir mathura sparsa mdtratah "Simply by touching (the district of)
Mathura one attains the perfection of the pinnacle of bliss." $ri Jiva Gosvaral comments on
this: paranandamayT prema laksand "The highest bliss is the bliss of prema'* If the aspirant is
not able to physically live in Vraja, he should live there mentally. $ripada Prabodhananda
Sarasvatl himself has taken amazing vows to live in Vraja, such as:
vniddranya vararii syam krmir api parato no cid ananda deho

raiiko'pi sydm atulyah param ilia na paratrddbutdnahta bhutih
iunyo'pi syam iha in hari bhajana lavenati tucchdrlha matre
lubdho ndnyatra gopljana rama/ia paddmbhoja dlksa. suklie'pi
(Vmdavana Mahimamrta 2.1)

4
"I would rather dive in Vmdavana as a worm than to have a transcendental body
elsewhere. I would rather live as the poorest man in Vrndavana than to have unlimited wealth
elsewhere, and I would rather live in Vraja without doing any Hari bhajana at all than to £0
elsewhere out of greed for the bliss of worshiping the lotusfeet of the lover of the gopls (Sri
Krsna)!”
Sripada says: "I will joyfully live in Vraja and always discuss the nectarean topics of
Radha, the bestower of very blissful rasa, there!” In this way the aspirant should forget his
material body and everything connected with it and come to live in Vraja, meditating on his
transcendental siddha deha and ecstatically singing •the glories of Sri Radhika. In this way he
will surely obtain Her mercy: amdra kothd bole yei, amdra inata hoy se, bosiyd kohinu
vnidavane.
m
Finally Sripada says: "When will I become overwhelmed by ecstasy by always

meditating on the nectarean feet of Sri Radhika?" This meditation means specific meditation
on Her forms, qualities and pastimes. Sri Jiva says: vise$ato rupadi cintanam dhydnam. (Bhakti
Sandarbha 278) "The third stage of meditation is called dhyana and this means specifically
remembering the deity's forms and qualities and so on." Sripada wants to meditate constantly
(sada dhydyafn dhyayam) and this is the fourth stage of meditation called dhruvanusmrti.
Beyond that is the final stage, named samadhi, but this consciousness is all natural for Sripada,
who only shows his great humility by praying for becoming fixed in his bhajana like this.
VERSE 255:
SYAM A SYAMETY AMRTA RASA SAMSRAVIVARNAN JAP ANTI

PREMAUTKANTHYAT K$ANAM API SA ROMAN CAM UCCAIR LAPANTI
SARVATROCCATANAM1VA GATA DUHKA DUffKEN A PARAM
KANK$A TY AHNO DINAKARAM ALAM KRUDHYA 77 PA TV RADHA
iyama iyama - Syama Syama; iti - thus; amrta - nectar; rasa - flavour; sariisravi - pouring;
varnan - syllables; japanti - muttering; prema - love; utkanthyat - out of eagerness; k$anam - moment;
api - even; sa - with; romdhcam - goosepimples; uccaih - loudly; lapantl - uttering; sarvatra -
everywhere; uccatanam - upset; iva - as if; gatd - gone; duhka duhkena - miserably; pdrath - passed;
kdhksati - desires; alum - the day; dinakaram - the sun; alam - wasted; krudhyaiT - angry; patu - may
protect; radha - Radha.
May that Radha, who constantly repeats the nectarean rasika syllables 'Syama!
Syama!, who sometimes loudly sings while Her hairs stand on end of ecstasy, who is
restless and impatient wherever She goes, who passes the day in great distress and who
vainly gets angry at the sun, protect us.
474 3 o -S n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
SVAMINI IN SEPARATION:
i
Commentary: It is afternoon. Srimall is back home after having played many blissful
lovesports with Her beloved at Radhakunda, Kusuma Sarovara and Suryakunda at noontime.
Now again the fever of Her separation goes up. Her girlfriends try to console Her, but despite
that £ rim at! feels that Her in-laws' house is like a dark blind well and Her bashfulness is like a
thunderbolt. She laments to Her friends: "O Fairfaced friends, how long will it take before this
day is over and I can see Vrajendranandana walking by, His curly locks, that flank His sweet
smiling face, greyed by the dust thrown up by the hooves of the cows?” In this state of
separation Srimatl repeatedly mutters the nectarean syllables ’Syama, Syama!. How much more
sweet this name sounds when it is sung by the nectarean, loveladen voice of Srimatl Radhika!
The maidservants can feel this in their heart of hearts! While SvaminI loudly sings Syama's
name She can visualise all His transcendental qualities, forms and pastimes and this causes
goosepimples as big as the buds of Kadamba-flowers to erupt on Her beautiful limbs. Srimatl
very eagerly looks down the road, hoping that She can see Syama coming, and She restlessly
walks all over Her house, to Her watchtower (candrasalika), Her balcony and Her terrace, but
nowhere" She can find peace. The word sarvatroccatana, She cannot find peace anywhere,
refers to the uccdfana-sacnfice, a kind of black magic which takes care that one's enemy
cannot find peace anywhere, not even in his own house. In the same way SvaminI, bitten by
the snake of separation from Krsna, walks around restlessly everywhere, unable to find peace
unless and until She can see a glimpse of Krsna. She tells Her friends: "It only takes a few
hours before Syama walks by My house on His uttara go$tha yatra, but even these few hours
don't seem to end! It is as if they last for thousands of ages! Has the creator made these hours
like a rod that have to grind My heart to pulp every day?"
In this way Srimatl waits in great misery. No material misery can compare to the
misery of even a minute of Radhika's separation from Kr$na. The door to these realizations
remains firmly closed for those who do not accept the mood of the gopTs. Srimatl is uselessly
angry at the sun, because it doesn't seem to want to se t Sripada prays for everyone’s benefit:
"May that Radha, who thus miserably counts the minutes, protect us all!"
syaina ei du 'akhara, sudhd sravT rasapura,

romdhcita kalevare rai,
- utkanthaya ndma sudhd, syama syama jape sadd,
kabhu ndma uccaih svare gaya
"The hairs on Rai’s beautiful body stand on end when She mutters the two nectarean
rasika syllables 'Syama Syama' and She eagerly sings these sweet names out loud."
premete athira rai, kotha-o soyathi nai,

ucatana hoiya SnmatT
duhke duhke dina yay, diva avasdna cay,
krodha kore divakara prati
"Rai is restless because of love and She cannot find peace anywhere. In an agitated way
She miserably spends the day, wanting it to end and being very angry at the sun."
5 n la Prabodh&nanda Sarasvatl 475
aichana gandharvika, mad TsvarT srT rSdhika,

nirantara rak§a koru more
srTpada prabodhananda, TsvarTpadaravinda,
kdtarete nivedana kore
K
Snpada Prabodhananda anxiously prays at his ISvan's lotusfeet: "May that

Gandharvika, my mistress 3r! Radhika, always protect me".
VERSE 256:
KADACID GAYANTI PRIYA RATI-KALA VAIBHAVA GATIM

KADACID DHYAYANTIPR1YA SAHA BHAVISYAD VILASITAM
ALAM MUNCAMUNCETY ATI MADHURA MUGDHA PRALAPITAIR
NAYANTI SR l RADHA DIN AM IHA KADANANDAYATU NAH
kudacit - sometimes; gdyantl - singing; priya - beloved; rati - amorous; kald - arts; vaibhava -
prowess; gatim - course; kadacit - sometimes; dhydyantT - meditating; priya safia - with the beloved;
bhavisyad - future; vilasita - playing; alam - useless!; muficdmunca - let go! let go!; iti - thus; tnadhura
- sweet; mugdha - bewildered; pralapitaih - speaking; nayanti - passing; in radhd - Sn Radha; ditiatn -
the day; ilia - here; kada - when; dnandayalu - may delight; nah - us.
When will Sri Radha, who sometimes sweetly sings the glories of Her lover's
powerful erotic artfulness, who sometimes meditates on Her future pastimes with Him
and who sometimes spends the day very sweetly saying in a bewildered mood: "Let go!
Let go! It's useless!", delight us?
THE SWEETNESS OF SRI RADHA'S MOOD:
Comm entary: The great poet Karnapura colorfully describes Krsna's uttara gostha Ilia
(afternoon pastimes) in his book Ananda Vmdavana Campu (13, 144-145): "The sakhTs, seeing
how eager Radha and Madhava are to see Eachother, leave Radhika behind and go to a nearby
garden to pick flowers. The beauty of the prince of Vraj a as He returns from the meadows
delights the eyes of all the Vrajavasls. His curly locks and His beautiful forehead are greyed by
the dust thrown up by the hooves of the cows, and His turban, that stands on His head in a
crooked fashion, is decorated by clusters of red Aôka-flowers and peacockfeathers, that softly
sway in the wind. His shining earrings beautifully dangle on His cheeks and pollen that falls
out of His eardecorating lotuses, that were dried up by the sun, beautifully sticks to His bluish
cheeks, that are slightly moistened by sweatdrops. His anklebells sweetly and softly jingle
along with His slow gait and His sweet fluteplaying enchants all the moving and non moving
creatures, including Krsna Himself!"
Hundreds of beautiful gopls worship Krsna, the god of love, with the flowers of Their
glances, but one single glance of Radhika strikes Krsna more severely than all the glances of
w
476 5 n -S n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
all the other gopls together Now Syama looks back at ^nmafi's moonlike face and He
becomes stunned of ecstasy. One drop of nectar from Radhika's moonlike face gives Him more
ecstasy than showers of nectar from all the other gopls' moonlike faces together. Subala and
the other cowherdboys then console Krsna and take Him back home, while Lalita and the
sakhTs do the same with Radhika. .When Radhika returns home She begins to lament like mad:
"It's enough now! Leave it! Let go! I don't need it anymore! ViSakhS! This shameless brute is
attacking Me right on the open road, did you see that? No matter how much I cried, still this
debauchee didn't want to let go of Me, the crownjewel of all chaste young girls!"* The sakhTs
try to console Srimatl by singing about the prowess of Krsna's erotic artfulness with sweet
voices, which again causes Srimatl to meditate on Her future pastimes with Him. Hearing and
seeing all this, the maidservants float in oceans of transcendental bliss.
VERSE 257:
SRI GOVINDA VRAJA VARA VADHU VRNDA CUDAMANIS TE

KOTI PRAiyABHYADHIKA PARAMA PRESTHA PADABJAJLAK$MlH
KAINKARYENADBHUTA NAVA RASENAIVA MAMSVIKAROTU
BHUYO BHUYAH PRA TIMUHUR ADHISVAMY AHAM PRARTHA YAMl
in govinda - O Krsna!; vraja vara vadhu - the best girls of Vraja; vnida - hosts; cudamatiih -
the crownjewel; le - You; koli *• millions; prana - lives; abhyadhika - more; parama - supreme; presiha
- beloved; padabja - lotusfeet; laksmlh - beautiful; kaihkaryena - by maidservanthood; adbhuta -
wonderful; tiava - fresh; rasena - with flavour; eva - only; mark - me; svikaroiu - may accept; bhuyah
bhuyah - again and again; prati muhuh - every moment; adhisvdmi - supreme master; aham - I;
prarthaydmi - pray.
O Govinda! O Suprem e master! I pray to You again and again a t every moment
th at S n Radha, whose beautiful lotusfeet are dearer to You than millions of lives and
who is the crownjewel of all the best girls in V raja, will accept me as H er m aidservant, a
position which gives me wonderful.fresh rasal
THE FRESH FLAVOUR OF RADHA S MAIDSERVICE:
Com m entary: In the final sixteen verses of this book Sflpada offers prayers to his
beloved deity in external consciousness (sadhakavesa). Even in this consciousness $npada is
deeply aware of his identity as Radhika's maiservant. In this verse Snpada prays: "O Govinda!
Your senses (go) are always eager to meet (vid) 3ri Radhika, that why I call You Govinda, If
You give me Radhika's maidservice I can fulfill all of Your desires by cheating Radhika's
superiors and bring Her here to You. She's the crownjewel of all the beautiful gopls of Vraja,
that have the highest love for You, therefore She is most desirable for You! Indeed, Her
beautiful lotusfeet are dearer to You than millions of Your lives!"
nova rasa mada ghurnan madhava pratiakoti prtya nakha mani sobha sarva saubhagya bhumih
sphuratu hrdi sadd me kapi kasmira rocir vraja nagara kifon vrnda slmanta bhiisd
* Kr$na Bbavanamrta, cbaplcr 16.

S nla Prabodhananda Sarasvali 477
"May some girl, who is the crownjewel of all the adolescent girls of Vraja, who shines
with the luster of vermilion, who is the reservoir of all good fortune and whose beautiful
toenails are dearer than millions of lives to Madhava, who is dizzy with the intoxication of
fresh rasa, always be manifest in my heart" (SahgTta Madhava, Prabodhauanda Sarasvatl 2.41)
"O Govinda! Please give me the maidservice of that 3rl Radha, which always gives me
fresh transcendental flavours! This fresh rasa is naturally full of astonishment, which makes
this maidservice always more relishable!" There is nothing more relishable than this in the
spiritual world, for it is the unique gift of £ri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
And if 5n Govinda says: "When even Your Radha desires My service, then why don’t
You also ask for My service instead of Hers?", then the maidservant replies: ”0 Govinda! I
pray for the service of both of You! I will serve You as my Svamim's maidservant, not
independently! I want to serve You when You meet my SvaminT, therefore I'm praying to You
again and again: please engage me in my most desired Yugala-$£v5!"
he govinda/ vrndavanef vrajavara vadhugaiie,

cudamani radhika sundan
ydhdra padabja laksmT, prana kofi kise likhi
tomdra parama pre$tha hari
"O Govinda! O Hari! The beautiful lotusfeet of Sri Radhika Sundan, the crownjewel of
all the young girls of Vrndavana, are dearer to You than millions of lives!"
heno radha padapadme, karuria koriyd kobey

nova rasa ddsyamrta ddne,
radha pade dibe sthana, e prdrthana ghanasyama,
snpada prabodhdnanda bhane
Sripada Prabodhananda prays to Ghanaiyama (Krsna): "When will You mercifully give
me the nectarean service of this Radha's lotusfeet, that is always giving fresh flavours?"
VERSE 258:
*
ANENA PRITA ME DISA Tl NIJA KAINKARYA PADA VIM

DA VIYO DR$TINAM PADAM AHAHA RADHA SUKHAMAYI
NIDHAYAIVAM CUTE KVVALAYA RVCIM BARHA MUKVTAM
KliORAM DHYAYAMIDRVTA KANAKA PITA CCHABIPATAM
anena - by him; pntd - with love; me - me; diSati - gives; nija - own: kaihkarya - servanthood;
padavTtH - position; davTyah - far; drstuiahi - by seers; padam - position; ahaha - O!; radha sukfiamayt
- blissful Radha; nidhaya - holding; evaiii - thus; ciite - heart; kuvalaya - blue lotusflower; rncirii -
luster; barha - peacockfeather; mukutam - crown; kiforam - adolescent boy; dhyayami - 1 meditate;
druta - molten; kanaka - golden; pita - yellow; cchabi - luster; patam - doth.
Alio! I'm keeping an adolescent boy (Kr$na) in my heart, meditating on His blue
lotuslike luster, His crown of peacockfeatliers and His cloth, that shines like molten gold,
i
%•
478 S n-S n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
so that blissful Radha will be pleased with me and give^me the position of H er
m aidservant, which is attained by all the seers!
THE POSITION OF THE SEERS:

v
Commentary: In the previous verse 3rlpada prayed to Govinda for the delicious
maidservice of Sri Radha. Srlpada's heart is as pure as the water of the Ganga, and Govinda
appears in his meditation as a result of his humble prayer in the previous verse. How sweet
is His form!
indivarodara sahodara medura M r vasa dravat kanaka vmdanibharh dadhdnah
m •
dtnukta mauktika manohara hdra vaksdh ko’yam yuva jagad anafiga-mayarii karoti
(Ujjvala Nilamani, £rngarabheda 7)

• •.
'During Her first love (piirva rdga), Radha told ViSakha: "O Friend! Who is that young
boy, whose tender body looks like a blue Indlvara-lotusflower, who wears a cloth with the
colour of molten gold, who wears a necklace of pearls on His chest, and who fills the whole
universe with erotic mellows?" For the gopTs Kr$na fills the whole world with eros, and for
the maidservants He is the one who star lies their heart with the turbulent aspiration for
Radhika's maidservice. Snpada says: "I will meditate on Govinda within my heart, just to
please my blissful Radhika." SrTpada calls Radhika sukhamayT because She's only interested
in Kr$na'$ happiness, just as Krsna is only interested in Radhika's happiness. kr$na nama gone
bhdi, radhika carana pai, radha nama gane krsna-candra (Narottama dasa) "Brother! If You
sing Krsna's name you attain Radhika, and if You sing Radha’s name you attain Krsnacandra!"
This is the way to please the divine Couple. Srlpada says: "As a result of worshiping Govinda,
3rlmatl will be pleased with me and grant me the position of Her maidservant, a position that
is meant for the seers. Most people in this world do not look so far. They are running after the
mirage of temporary sense gratification, which keeps them revolving in the repetition of birth,
death, old age and disease. Those who are able to renounce the sense-objects, that give initial
happiness, but that ultimately give great misery, strive for liberation through the path of jhanat
or transcendental wisdom. Such people are called davlya dr$(Tnam, or seers. Even greater seers
are those who taste the joy of devotion to a personal God; for them even the bliss of the
impersonal brahman becomes insignificant. Greater seers than that even are those who worship
the Lord.in His Vraja-feature, and the greatest seers are surely those fortunate souls who aspire
for the nectarean maidservice of 3ff Radhika. It is this kind of people, that have attained the
causeless mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu upon the fallen souls of the present age of Kali,
that Srlpada calls 'seers' in this verse.
mla indivara ruci, galita kanaka kanti,

ydra ahge se pita vasana
sei syama natavara, pincha cuda srT krsriera,
hrdaye ye koritechi dhyana
ta'te sukhamayT radha, prosanna hoiyd sada,

kaihkarya padavl koru dana
radha kinkarTra padaf atisaya sudurlabha,
prabodhanandete kore gana
S rU a! '.aUhlhunanOa Sarasvall 479
"Sripada Prabodhananda sings: "Blissful Radha is always pleased with anyone who
meditates on bluish Sri Krsna, the best of dancers, who has the complexion of a blue Indlvara-
lotusflowcr and who wears a crown of pcacockfeathers and a cloth with the luster of molten gold,
and bestows the very rarely attained position of Her maidservant upon such a person."
VERSE 259:
DIIYAYAMS TAM SIKHIPINCI1A MAULIM ANISAM TANNAMA SANKIRTAYAN

NITYAM TAC CARANAMBUJAM PARICARAMS TAN MANTRA VARY AM JAPAN
SRIRADHA PADA DASYAM EVA PARAMABHI$TAM HRDA DHARAYAN
KARHISYAM TAD ANUGRAHENA PARAMODBHUTANURAGOTSA VAH
• •
dhyayam - meditating; lam - on him; tiikhi pincha maulim - with a crown of peacockfeathers;
aniSam - always: tad - his; ndma - name; sanklrtayan - congregational chanting; nityam - eternally;
tat - his; carandmbujath - lotusfeet; paricararh - worshiping; tad - his; mantra varya - best of mantras;
japan - muttering; sri radha pada ddsyam - the sendee of Sri Radha’s feet; eva - only; paratna -
liighest; abhTstam - aspiration; hrda - in the heart; dharayan - holding; karhi 3yam - when; tad - her;
anugrahena - by the mercy; parama - highest; udbhuta - creating; anuraga - constant passion; utsavah
- festival.
I always m editate on Krsna, who wears a crown of peacockfeathers, I always sing

His name in sahklrtana, I always serve His lotusfeet (the deity) and repeat His best of
mantras, holding the desire for the suprem ely cherished service of SrT R adha's lotusfeet
in my heart. W hen will th at great festival of divine love arise in my heart by His grace?
W ORSHIPING S R l KRSNA FOR SRI RADHA
Commentary: Sripada continues his prayers in sadfiafcavesa for 5ri Radha's maidservice.
It is for the sake of attaining Sri Radha's service alone that he worships Kr$na, not independently:
atnara IsvarT lion vrndavanesvarl; tdra pratianalha boli bhaji giridhdn "My mistress is the
queen of Vrndavana (Radha) and I worship Giridhari (only) because He is the Lord of Her life."
This is the slogan of the radha snehadhika devotees. Sripada says: "I worship Kr$na, who wears a
peacockfeather, only to please Radha. I will see in my meditation that I am serving Radhika in a
solitary grove in Vrndavana and that She will be angiy with Krsna for being a little too late for His
appointment with Her. I will then see in my meditation how Krsna makes His peacockfeather
crown roll on the ground before Her feet, just to pacify Her pique. To meditate on Kr$na in this
way is the greatest festival of anuraga for me". In the same way I will always loudly chant
Krsna's holy name together with Radha’s holy name, holding the most cherished maidservice of
Sri Radha in my heart. This chanting will cause a festival of anuraga to appear in the heart. Srila
Raghunatha Dasa GosvamI similarly prayed:
nldheti ndma nava sundara sTdhu mugdham kr$neti ndma madhurddbhuta gddha dugdham
sarvdksanam surabhi rdga himena ramyarh krtvd tad eva piba me rasane ksudhdrte ■
"O Tongue suffering from thirst! Please mix the delicious nectar of the name Radha with
b
480 S n-3ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
the wonderfully sweet condensed milk of the name Kr?na, add the fragrant ice of pure love and
drink this charming drink at every moment!" Sripada says: "I will always serve Kr$na‘s lotusfeet
(the deity) and 1 will worship my ISvan with the remnants of His food, His chewed betelieaves and
His flowergarlands. I will always mutter His best of mantras (the eighteen-syllable gopT jana
vallablia mantra), so that my mind (man) will be saved (tra) from bodily consciousness and I will
become absorbed in thinking of- my manjan svarupa. This very enthusiastic Kr$na-bhajana will
swiftly make me attain the most cherished treasure of Sri Radhika's maidservice!
dmdra paramabhifta, rddhd pada dasye nistha,

dasyamrta praptira kdrana
sikhi pincha mauli syama, satata koribo dhyana,
§yama ndma koribo kTrtana
"For the sake of attaining establishment in the most cherished nectarean service of
Radhika's lotusfeet I will always meditate on Syama, who wears a crown of peacockfeathers,
and I will always chant Syama’s holy name,"
syamera srTpadapadma, arcana koribo nitya,

mantra raja japibo saddya
triloke paramadbhuta, anurdga premotsava,
labhya hobe syamera krpdya
"I will always worship Syama’s lotusfeet and mutter His best of mantras. By Syama’s
grace I will attain the great festival of spontaneous love that is the most astonishing thing in
all the three worlds,"
rddhara kihkan pada, sudurlabha se sampad,
lokdtlta paratna anandat
bhane srT prabodhananda, bhdgye mile se ananda,
krpa koile nandakula canda
Sri Prabodhananda sings: "It is by great fortune and by the grace of Krsna, the moon of
king Nanda's dynasty, that I can attain the limit of transcendental ecstasy, the rarely attained
treasure, of Radha's maidservice."
VERSE 260:
SRI RADHA RA SI KENDRA RUPA GUNA VAD GITANISAMSRAVAYAN

GUNJA MANJULA HARA BARHA MUKUTADYAVEDAYAMS CAGRATAH
S YAM A PRE$ITA PUGA MALY A NAVA GANDHADYAIS CA SAMPRINA YAAlS
TV A T/ PADABJA NAKHA CCHATA RASAHRADE MAGNAH KADA SYAM AH AM
Sri rddhd rasikendra - Radha and Kr?na; rupa - form; gunavat - like the attributes; gitdni -
singing; satrisravayan - endowed; gufija - berries; manjula - lovely; hdra - necklace; barha -
peacockfeathcr; mukutddi - and crowns; avedayarii - offering; ca - and agratah - on the front; fydmd
presita - sent by Syama; puga - betelnuts; mdlya - garlands; nava - fresh; gandhadyaih - by perfumes
and so; ca - and; samprlnayarh - establishing full love; tval - Your; padabja - lotusfeet; nakJia - nails;
§rila Prabodhananda Sarasvatl 481
cchata - luster; rasa - flavour; hrade - in a pool; niagtiah - immersed; kadd sydm - when; aharti - I.
*
?
9
When will I merge in the rasa-lake of the splendour of Sri Radha-Rasikendra's

(Krsna, the king, of relishers) lotustoenails as I make Them hear soi?gs that glorify Their
forms and qualities, offer: Them lovely strings of gunja-beads and crowns of
geacockfeathers, as well as betelnuts, garlands and fresh perfumes that were sent by
Syania-rak/ir?
THE MAIDSERVANT'S MEDITATION ON SERVICE:
Commentary: Sripada once more returns to his siddhavesa and thinks: "When will I
make the clever Couple eager to meet Eachother once more by enchanting Their hearts by
singing songs about Their forms and qualities?" After She made love with Her Nagara,
Snmatl will notice that She has messed up His clothes and ornamentation, so She says: "O
beautiful One! Just look at Your condition! I’ve spoiled Your dress and ornamentation! Just
sit and wait here, I'm going to dress You again! Rasikendra is very eager to feel SnmatFs
touch, so He's very happy that She wants to redress Him with Her own hands. I will bring
peacockfeathers and strings of lovely gunja-bc&ds before my SvaminI, that are just fit for
decorating $yamasundara with, and when SvaminI sees me bringing all these fit items She will
cast a merciful glance on me. Then a fallen maidservant like Me will make the loving Couple
relish the love of Syama-sakhl by serving Them betelnuts, garlands and fresh perfumes that
were sent by her, and that exactly fit for Their decoration at that time. Thus this wretched
maidservant will be immersed in a pool of sacred rasa while trying to establish a loving
relationship with Radha and Rasikendra". Gaudlya Vaisnava sadhakas think of their siddha
deha around the clock, rendering the proper mental service to Sn-Sn Radha Madhava, thus
becoming blessed with bhajana siddhi * &rila Narottama dasa Thakura sings:
yugala carana sevi, nirantara ei bhavit

anurage thdkibo saddya
sadhane bhdvibo yah a, siddha dehe pdbo tdhd,
rdga pathera ei se upaya
"I will always think of the loving service of Radha and Krsna's lotusfeeL Whatever I
think of during my practise, that I will attain at the time of reaching perfection in my spiritual
body. That is the way of the path of passion."
VERSE 261:
KVASAU RADHA NIGAMA PADAVIDURAGA KUTRA CASAU

KR$NAS TASYAH KUCA MUKULAYOR ANTARAIKANTA VASAH
KVAH Alii TUCCIIAH PARAM AM ADHAMAH PRANY AHO GARHYA KARMA
« * «
* This expertise in mentally rendered devotional service can be seen in Snla Vi$vanatha
Cakravartlpada's 'Sahkalpa Kalpadruma’.
YATTANNAMA SPHURATf MAH IMA HYESA VRNDA VANASYA « ♦
kva - where; asau - that; radha - Radha; nigama - Vedas; padavT - position; duragd - going
far from; kutra - where; ca - and; asau - that; krsnah - Krsna; tasyah - Her; kuca - breasts; mukulayoh
- both buds; antara - inside; ekdnta - exclusively; vdsah - residing; kva - where; ahani - I; tucchah -
insignificant; paramam - supreme; adhamait - fallen; pratii - living entity; aho - O!; garhya -
disgusting; karma - activities; yat - whose; tat - that; ndma - name; sphurati - manifests; mahima -
greatness; hi - certainly; esa - this; vniddvanasya - of Vmdavana.
Aho! Where Is that Sri Radha, who is not perceived by the Vedas, where Is that
Kr§na, who exclusively resides between Her bud-like breasts, and where is a most
insignificant living entity like me, who is engaged in all kinds of disgusting activities? If
nevertheless the holy name of SrT Radha is heard from my mouth, then that proves the
greatness of SrT Vrndavana!
• %
•V
THE GREATNESS OF SRI VRNDAVANA:
Com m entary: In the previous verse Sripada, in his siddha svarupa, vowed to
mentally serve the divine couple, but the next moment he thinks: "Alas! What an impossible
dream! Where is that Sn Radha, who is imperceptible by the Vedic scriptures, where is that Sri
Krsna, who exclusively resides between Her bud-like breasts, and where is an insignificant
person like me, who is engaged in horrible activities?" The Vedic scriptures describe the
paths of action {karma), wisdom (jnana) and mysticism (yoga) in different ways, but they
rarely teach upon the topic of devotion to a personal God, what to speak of the confidential
rdganuga bhakti of Vraja, or the personal service of Sri Radhika! It is quite impossible for
anyone else but a kinkarf to attain the service of Sri Krsna as He is nestled inbetween the bud
like breasts of His beloved Radhika in the groves of Vraja. Humbly Sripada thinks: "Alas!
Where is that most fortunate devotee who has reached the highest platform of raganuga bhakti,
namely mahjan bhava, and where is a condemned insignificant soul like me? How is it
possible for me to attain such a cherished and elevated stage?"
Although Sripada Prabodhananda is an eternal associate of the Lord, who is always
absorbed in meditating on his mahjarT svarupa, he still thinks himself to be an insignificant
soul. That is the natural humility that causes the ocean of prema to increase. Sanatana
GosvamT teaches in Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.5.222): yenasadharandsaktadhama buddhUx
sadatmani sarvotkarsanvite ’p i syad budhais tad dainyam isyate "That which makes even the most
elevated and qualified person think he is extraordinarily powerless, wretched and fallen, is
called ’humility’ by the wise." This humility appears when the highest feelings of love are
developed by a devotee, which is best exemplified by the feelings of separation from Krsna
shown by the gopTs:
dainyas tu paraniani prertmah paripdketia janyate
tdsatii gokula narlndm iva krsna viyogatah
(Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.5.224)
Sri Sanatana GosvamT writes in his own commentary on this verse: drstantenanena srt
krsnasydnugraha viiesatah prdyas tan rnadhurydnubhavadinaivd prema viSesodayat tad virafie dainya
vi§eso jdyata iti dhvanitam tatra ca prema tdratamyena dainyasydpi tadrktvamuhyam. "With this
example of humility being a result of ripened love it is shown that by Sri Krsna's special
mercy the gopTs became attracted to Him by experiencing His sweetness, and this attraction
aroused their feelings of love for Him. When they were separation from Him, they showed
great signs of humility. Thus it is shown that the more one's love of Krsna increases, the more
one's humility increases also!"
%
£ripada says: "A fallen soul like me, engaged in disgusting activities, has no right
to think of these intimate pastimes of Sri-Srl Radha-Madhava, or to chant Their holy names! If
my tongue is still vibrating these nectarean names, that should be seen as the greatness of Sri
Vrndavana! By the mercy of the people who reside in Vrndavana that holy name has
spontaneously appeared on my tongue, although I am engaged in disgusting activities. The
holy name of Sri Radha did not consider all my faults or my unworthiness. Because I fell
in the transcendental dust of Vraja it appeared spontaneously on my tongue,"
nigama padavl dure, hay! ke kohite pare,

kuhjesvari radhika kothaya
radha kuca kamala, vildsT ye sydmala,
rasa raja nagara kothaya
"Alas! Who can say how far Radhika, the queen of the kuhjas, and playful Syama, the
king of rasa, who enjoys between Her lotuslike breasts, are removed from the Vedic
scriptures?"
atlva nindita karma, naganya adhama jand,
ei pranT ami va kothaya
srT radha govinda deva, nibhrta nikuhja sevd,
hay! kdha siddhira updya
"Alas! Where is a most fallen soul like me, engaged in disgusting activities, and where
is the road that leads to the perfection of 3ri Radha and Govinda-deva's intimate nikuhja-
service?"
rddha-krsna ndtna murti, rasandya hoilo sphiirti,
aphuranta ndtnera karuna,
prabodhdnandete koy, ei mora suniscoy,
vrndavana dhamera mahimd
"Prabodhananda says: "If the holy names of both Radha and Krsna mercifully become
tangible on my tongue, then I know for sure that that is the greatness of £ri Vrndavana
dhamaV1
VERSE 262:
VRNDARANYE NAVA RASA KALA KOMALA PREMA-MURTIH

SRI RADHAYAS CARANA KAMALAMODA MADHURYA SIm A
RADHAMDHYAYANRASIKA TILAKENATTA KELIVILASAM
TAM EVAHAM KATHAMIHA TANU NYASYA DASIBHAVEYAM
v
484 Sri-Sn Radha Rasa Siidhanidhi
vrnddranye - in Vrndavana; nava - new; rasa - flavour; kald - art; kornala - tender; prema -
love; murtih - form; in radhaydh - of Sff Radha; carana kamala -lotusfeet; amoda - fragrance;
madhurya - sweetness; sTma - limit; radham - on Radha; dhyayan - meditating; rasika tilaka - Kr$na,
the greatest relisher; dtta - intense; keli vilasam - playful sports; tani - Her; eva - only; ahath - I;
katham - how; ilia - here; tanu -body; nyasya- giving up; dasi- maidservant; bhava - being; iyam - thus.
How can I become a maidservant after giving up my material body, attaining a

transcendental tender young loving form, full of artistic rasa , in which I attain Sn
Radha's lotusfeet, that are the limit of sweet fragrance, as I meditate on Her, the girl that
enjoys loving pastimes with the best of relishers, Sn Kr$na, in Vrndavana?
RADHA’S MAIDSERVANT, THE EMBODIMENT OF LOVE;
Commentary: By Vrndavana's grace Snpada gets some hope. He thinks: "If I can give
up my material body in Vrndavana, thinking of the loving pastimes of playful Sri Radha and
Krsna,r the greatest relisher, then surely I can become Sri Radha's maidservant. This is how
merciful Vrndavana-<tf*5/mz blesses fallen souls like me". Radha and Rasika-mani (Krsna)
consider those great souls who vow to live in Vraja until death to be Their own servants, and
They are very pleased with them. Srlpada writes in Vrndavana Mahimamrta (6.35):
in mad vrndavana bhuvi mahananda samrajya kande

vande yam kancana viracitamrtyu vasa pratijham
in gandharvd rasika tilakau svesu yogyarh yam ekam
jhatvanyonyam vimriyata idam kfdrio nvesa bhdvyah
"When someone vows to live until death in beautiful Vrndavana, the source of all great
delight, Sri Gandharva (Radha) and Rasika-tilaka (Krsna) say: "Aha! How dear this person is
to Us!" I always praise such great souls!" Therefore Srip ad a thinks: "Let me think of a way
that I can stay in Vraja until my death, always meditating on R5dha and Rasika tilaka!"
While Sripada's heart becomes illuminated by the light of hope, shed upon him by the
awareness of Vraja's glories, he also becomes aware of the glories of Sri Radhika's
maidservants, who have attained the limit of the sweet fragrance of Her lotusfeet. It is as if
they have become the embodiment of this sweet fragrance, that always attracts the thirsty
Kr$na-bee and blesses Him with the honey of sweet love. Behold the glories of Radhika's
maidservants! They are the embodiments of love, just like Radhika, and they are expert in
all the arts of love, just like Her. The bee-like heart of Sripada, who has accepted the mood of
a maidservant, is thus absorbed in the honey flowing from £n Radhika's lotusfeet.
VERSE 263:
HA KALINDI TV A Yl MAMA NIDHIH PREY AS A KHEJLATASID

BHO BHO DIVYADBHUTA TARU LATAS TAT KARA SPARTA BHAJAif
HERADHAYA RATI-GRAHA SUKA HEMRGA HEMAYURA
BHUYO BHUYAH PRANATIBHIR AHAMPRARTHAYE VO'NUKAMPAM
&rfla Prabodhaiianda Sarasvall 485
ha - Of; kalindi - Yamuna; tvayi - in you; mama - my; nidhih - jewel; preyasa - with the
beloved; khelatasit - played; bho bho - O! O!; divya - divine; adbhuta - wonderful; laru - tree; lata -
vines; tat - their; kara - hand; sparsa - touch; bhaja - object; he - O!; radhdya - of Radha; rati graha -
who know everything of loveplay; £uka - parrots; he rnrgd - O deer!; he mayura - O peacocks; bhuyah
bhuyah - again and again; pratiatibhih - by offering obeisances; aharii - 1; prdrthaye - pray; vah -
your; anukampdm - compassion;
O Kalindi (Yamuna), in whom my jewellike Radhika played with H er beloved! O

W onderful divine trees and creepers th a t are touched by H er hands! O R adha's beloved
parrots, th at know all about H er love! O deer and peacocks! Bowing down to you, I pray
for your mercy again and again!
PRAYERS FO R THE MERCY OF THE CREATURES OF VRAJA:
Commentary: In his ’Vrndavana Mahimamrta (16.72), Snpada beautifully describes

how jewellike Radhika plays with Her beloved in the waters of the Yamuna:
kaddeit kalindi kanaka nalini bhrfiga racanau

kadacit kalindi kamala vana hamsa dvaya gati
kaddeit kalindi lata kanaka valli valita sat
lamdla pronnulan nava milana lilau vilasatah
"Sometimes they play like a golden lotusflower (Radhika) enjoyed by a blackbee

(Krsna) in the Yamuna, sometimes They imitate the gait of a pair of swans in a lotusforest in
the Yamuna, and sometimes They imitate the new meeting of a golden creeper embracing
a Tamala-tree on the bank of the Yamuna." 3ripada says: "You are the greatest object of the
playful pair Radha and Krsna's mercy! If you are kind upon me, my Kvarl Radhika will surely
also be kind to me!"
Then, when Snpada sees the wonderful divine creepers and trees on the bank of the
Yamuna, he humbly prays for their mercy also, saying: "O Trees and vines! You are always
blessed by the touch of my Kvafi‘s hands when She picks your flowers to decorate Her beloved
with! If you are merciful to me She will surely also be merciful to me!" 3npada writes in his
Vrndavana Mahimamrta (5.21):
namo nityatit vrndavana taru latdbhyah karunaya

kinkaribhyah sarvan api ca purusdrthdn sakrd api
vilokdt samsparidc chravana kathanac ca smaranato
vibhanfibhyah pare prakrti rasa saratma mahasali
"Forever I offer my obeisances unto Vrndavana's trees and vines, whose effulgence is
made of the essence of transcendental flavours and who mercifully bestow all the blessings
of life to the maidservants simply by being touched, remembered, heard of or talked about" It
is easily understood how glories the vines and shrubs of Vraja are when even the great devotee
Uddhava prayed for birth as one of them. 6ripada knows this and therefore he prays to
Vrndavana's trees and creepers for the fulfillment of his devotional aspirations.
Then Srlpada prays: "O Parrots that know everything about £ n Radha's amorous
pastimes! You are so fortunate that you can witness those intimate pastimes of Her that
486 S n-S n Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
even Her own girlfriends cannot see, and you always serve the divine Couple at daybreak by
singing delightful songs to Them to awaken Thera. You thrust tfie sakhTs into an ocean of
nectarean fun by describing Radhika and Madhava's intimate nocturnal pastimes to Them! No
•»
one can reach the limits of your good fortune! Please fulfill my blessed aspirations!" Finally
Snpada prays: "O deer and peacocks! You are so fortunate that you can always witness the
pastimes of the divine Couple: in Vmdavana! I offer my obeisances unto your lotusfeet and I
pray for your mercy: Please fulfill my desires for seeing and serving Sri Radhika and
Madhava! O Wind, trees, sky, birds and animals of Vraja! You should know that I am
Radhika's maidservant! I have no other shelter than Her lotusfeet!"
he kalindi! krsnd devi, artiara saubhagya nidhi,

kuhjehan pradhdna ndyikd
tomara anirta jale, keli kore kutuhale,
syama sahge sundarT radhika
9% •
*"0 Kalindi (Yamuna)! O Goddess Krsna! The jew el of my fortune, the chief heroine
of the d'rbours, the beautiful Radhika, blissfully sports in your nectarean waters with Syama!"
varaja mandala rnajhe, trna gulma yoto ache,

kalpataru kalpalata vana
radhikara kara sparse, krtartha hoile sobe,
adabhuta mahimd kathana
"How amazing are the glories of the shrubs, the grass, the forests and the wishyielding
trees and creepers of Vrajamandala! They have all been blessed by the touch of Radhika's
hands!"
radhara ye rati grha, nibhrta nikuhja maha,
suka tnrga mayura mayurT
sabdkdra caranete, punah punah pranipate,
artanade nivedana kori,
"O Parrots, deer, peacocks and peahens that know Radhas solitary bowerhouse of love!
I offer.piy obeisances to your lotusfeet again and again, and I anxiously pray to you:"
• • a» w •
•
^
«
krpa koro sabe mili, nikuhja rahasya keli,
smararia korite nija mone,
vrajera nikuhje kobe, e deha patana hobe,
"Snpada Prabodhananda says: "When will my body fall (when will I die) in the
groves of Vraja, remembering the confidential pastimes that take place there, by your grace?"
VERSE 264:
VAHANTlRADHAYAg KUCA KALASA KASMIRAJAM AHO

JALA KRIDAVESAD GAUTAMATULA PREMA RASADAM
IYAM SA KALINDI VIKASITA NA VENDIVARA RUCI
CCHATA MANDIBHUTAMHRDAYAMIHA SANDlPAYATUME
3rila Prabodhananda Saras vatl 487
vahantT - carrying; radhayah - Radha’s; kuca - breasts; kalasd - pitchers; katmTrajam -

vermilion; alio - 01; jala - water; kridd - game; avesai - out of absorption; galilam - melted; atula -
incompatible; prema - love; rasadam - giving taste; iyarh - this; sa - she; kalindT - Yamuna; vikasita -
blooming; nova - new; indlvara - blue lotus; ruci cchatd - luster; mandibhutam - contaminated;
hrdayam - heart; ilui - here; sandipayatu - enlighten; me - me.
May Kalindl (the river Yamuna), who carries the vermilion that bestows prem a
rasa and that was washed from the pitcher-like breasts of Sri Radha while She was
absorbed in Her pastimes in her waters, that shine like freshly blooming blue
lotusflowers, enlighten my contaminated heart
RADHA’S VERMILION IN THE YAMUNA:
Commentary: Sripada humbly thinks to himself: "Alas! My mind, which is

contaminated by material desires, cannot possibly remember the intimate pastimes of Radha
and Madhava! How can I purify it, so that it can become qualified to remember these sweet
pastimes?" Then he remembers the purifying quality of the Yamuna, whose waters are
muddled by the vermilion that was washed from 3ri Radhika’s pitcher-like breasts while She
played in her waters. How the vermilion from Radha's breasts bestow the rasa of prema is
explained in $rimad Bhagavata (10.21.17), the book that contains the essence of the Vedanta:
piirridh pulindya urugaya paddbja raga sri kuhkumena dayild stana manditena
tad dartana smara-rujas trna riisitena limpantya anana kucesu jahus lad adhim
"Fulfilled are the desires of these Pulindls (outcaste girls), who, when agitated by
desires at Krsna’s sight, removed that agony by smearing their faces and their breasts with the
vermilion painted on the breasts of His beloved and rendered still more charming by contact
with the reddish hue of Urugaya (Krsna, who is widely celebrated) and transferred to the
blades of grass of Vrndavana (where He walked over)." The gopJs here lament about the fact
that even these outcaste-girls are more fortunate than them, for they had gotten that vermilion
on their breasts, whereas the gopTs had not gotten it yet According to Sri JTva GosvamI, the
dayita (single ladylove) mentioned in the text is Sri Radha, and no one else. Sri Jiva writes in
his commentary on this Bhagavata-verse: sa ca dayita tri padenanudita tad idarii vamayanlTsu tasv
api vitistcl rukmim dvdravatyam tu radha vmddvane vane iti matsyadi prasiddhya tn rddhaiva
labhyate. triyafi kantah kdntah parama purusa iti brahma sathhitd dartanad vrajadevl matraruirh
tritve prapte'pi devf kr$namayT prokta radhika para devata sarva laksnumayT sarva kanti sammohim
para iti brhad gautamTye tu tadadhikyam drfyate. anyasyah triyah kasyanubhavo'sya na deva vidmahe
ityadau nirastatvdt. "That dayita whose breastvermilion is described in this verse is a special
beloved, therefore She is indicated with the word ’Sri here. It is Sri Radha only, as the Matsya
1
Purana says: rukmim dvdravatyam tu radha vnidavane vane "In Dvaraka Rukmiril is the chief
consort, and in Vrndavana Radha is." In the Brahma Samhita it is said: "In Vraja the consorts
are Sri and the gallant is the Supreme Male". Although that can indicate all the gopTs, the
Brhad Gautamlya Tantra specifically states that Radha is the supreme gopi with the verse devl
krsnamayTprokta radhika para devata sarva laksnumayT sarva kanta sanunohim para: "The supreme
goddess is Radhika, who is fully absorbed in Krsna, in whom all the goddesses of fortune
reside, and who is the supreme enchanting consort". Other goddesses of fortune are unable to
attain Krsna in Vraja, as 3 rim ad Bhagavata proves with the verse kasydnubhdvo’sya na deva
vidmahe (10.16.36) spoken by the wives of Kaliya. The following question may now arise:
%
488 $ri-$ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Only during the Rasa-dance the first meeting between Kr$na and the gopls took place. How
can the vermilion of some gopts breast get stuck on Krsna’s footsoles even before the Rasa
dance took place (The Rasa dance is described in chaipter 33 of the tenth Canto and the verse
quoted above is from chapter 21, Adv.d.)? The answer is given by 3r! Jiva Gosvami in the
remainder of his commentary: tasmat kaddcit venu krtakarsdyds tasyd labdha murcha santaye sa
kunkume svinne vaksasi sambhramatah kevalena carana sanjlvanT pallavena spriorinevadydpi samyak
sahkocanapagamdd dratam eva sa tasmdn niscakrameti labhyate "One day Radha fainted when She
heard Kr$na playing His flute, and the gopTs, who were unable to bring Her back to life,
desperately went to see Paurnamasi in her straw hut Paurnamasi told the gopTs that the only
medicine that could revive Radha was the touch of Krsna's sprout-like feet on Her breasts.
After Krsna had placed His lotusfeet on Radha’s breasts He shyly ran away, marking the grass
of Vrndavana with the vermilion that got stuck on His feet after they had been placed on
Radha’s perspiring breasts. This is how the vermilion came on Krsna’s feet before Pie had
actually enjoyed the gopTs during the Rasa dance."
,-SrIpada says: "The Yamuna water has become muddled by the rasa-bestowing
vermilion that was washed from Radhika's breasts while She played in her waters. When I
bathe in that purified water, which is colored like freshly blooming blue lotusflowers, my
mind, which is contaminated by all kinds of material desires, will become sanctified and will
swiftly become qualified to meditate on the confidential pastimes of RadhikS and Madhava. O
Kalindi! Please bless me in this way!"
he kalindi yamuna devi, tribhuvane bhagyavatT,

indlvara sumla salild
jala krldavese rata, radhikara kxica sthita,
galita kiaikume premojjvala
"O Kalindi! O Goddess Yamuna! No one in the three worlds is so fortunate as you are,
for in your waters, that are as beautiful as blue lotusflowers, Radhika’s brilliant loving breast-
vermilion is washed while She is absorbed in playing there."
heno premarasa dhana7 radha kuca kunkuma,

atula prasada kori ddne
he kalinda nandim, amara hrdaye tunii,
^ udbhasita koro nija gune
»*•
"This vermilion of Radha's breasts mercifully gives an incomparible treasure of prema

rasa in charity. O daughter of the sun (Yamuna)! Please always illuminate my heart with your
own attributes!"
Sfipada prabodhananda, bhaktera hrdayananda,
varnila ye madhura prdrthana
haripada se ratana, hrdaye koro dkarana,
vrajavdsa koroho kamand
"6rlpada Prabodhananda delights the devotees' hearts by uttering these sweet prayers
and Haripada holds this jewel in his heart, desiring to live in Vraja.”
VERSE 265:
SrUa Pmbodliananda Saras vati 489
SAD YOGlNDRA SUDRSYA SANDRA RASADANANDAIKA SAN MURTA YAH

SARVETYADBIIUTA SANMAHIMNIMADHURE VRNDAVANE SANGATAH
YE KRURA API PAPINO NA CA SATAM SAMBHA$YA DRSYAS CA YE
SARVAN VASTUTAYA NIRIK$YA PARAMA SVARADHYA BUDDHIR MAMA
sat - true; yoglndra - king of mystics; sudrSya - goodlooking; sdndra - deep; rasada - giving
taste; dnanda - bliss; eka - one; sat - true; murtayah - forms; sarve - all; api - even; adbhuta -
wonderful; sat - true; mahimii - greatness; madhure - sweet; vnidavane - in Vmdavana; saiigatah -
meeting; ye - who; krurd - cruel; api - even; pdpina - sinners; na - not; ca - and; satdm - saints;
sanibhasya - conversing; drsyd - seeing; ca - and; ye - whoever; sarvan - all; vastutaya - actually;
ninksya - seeing; parama - topmost; svaradhya - worshipable; buddhih - considered; mania - mine.
When I look at even the cruel and sinful persons that meet in Vrndavana, the
abode full of wonderful glorious sweetness, I consider even them to be most worshipable,
although they are normally not fit to be seen or touched by saints. They are actually all
good-looking like the true kings of mystics and they have sweet rasika and very blissful
forms.
THE REAL FORMS OF THE CRUEL SINNERS OF VRNDAVANA:
Commentary: As a means of praising all the moving and nonmoving creatures of

Vrndavana, Sripada here describes the cruel sinners that meet in Vmdavana. There is nothing
dull and material in Vmdavana whatsoever, and any devotee who does not have that faith is
sure to commit offenses which will cause him to fail on the path of raganuga bhakti. Sripada
writes in his 'Vmdavana Mahimamrta (17.83-84)’:
svananda sac cid ghaiia rupatd matir yd van na vmdavana vast jantu$u
tavat pravi$to 'pi na tatra vindate tato ’p aradhdt padavim pardt pardrn
”As long as you don't see that all the creatures that live in Vrndavana have blissful
trancendental forms, you will not attain the supreme goal, although you may have (physically)
entered that abode."
yadaiva sac cid rasa rupa buddhir vrnddvanastha sthira jaiigamesu
syan nirvyalTkam purusas tadaiva cakasti radhd priya sevi rupah
"As soon as a man honestly sees that all the moving and nonmoving creatures that
reside in Vmdavana are endowed with delicious transcendental forms, you will attain the form
of Radha's beloved maidservant." aprakrta vastu nahe prakrta gocara (C.C.) "This is a
transcendental thing, and it cannot be seen by materialists." The word sat yoglndra refers to a
bhakti yogi, who is endowed with God-consciousness. No karnu, jnanl or astanga-yogi can see
all the residents of Vmdavana in such a topmost way, therefore the best of yogis is described
here:
yoginam api sarvesdm mad gatenantaratmand
sraddhavan bhajate yo math sa me yuktatamomatah (Gita 6.47)
“A person who worships Me with faith, concentrating on Me, He is the best of yogis in My
opinion." Therefore even those residents of Vmdavana who appear to be cruel sinners from the
material point of view, will be seen in the most sweet blissful forms, like the great kings of
490 Sri-Sn RadhS Rasa Sudhanidhi
yogis, by an offenselcss devotee:
parasva steyaika vyasanam api nityarii paravadhu

prasaktam vtfvesam ahaha bahudfia himakam api
duracaratii lobhady upahatam api bhrdtar artmam
divdndhas tarn vnidavana gata janam navaganayeh
(Vrndavana Mahimamfta 17.47)

*
"O Brother! Although the residents of Vrndavana may be attached to stealing another
man’s wife or property, they may commit violence to the whole world in many ways and they
may have lost their intelligence out of greed, you should still not disrespect them, taking them
to be ordinary sinners. You arc blind for the rays of the rising sun like an owl (who cannot
appreciate the gorgeous light of the sun), know that for sure!” In this way 3rlpada has praised
the Vrajavasls in many different ways in his 'Vrndavana Mahimamrta (gloriflction of
Vrndavana)1.
madhura sri vrndavane, divya cintamani dhame,

adabhuta sabara milana
sthavara jangama yoto, sad yogindra bhagavata,
sabakara sukhada darsana
"How wonderful is the meeting of all the moving and nonmoving creatures in the sweet
transcendental cintamarii dhama Vrndavana. They are all great souls and mystics, whose sight
delights everyone's eyes."
sakalei ghandnanda, rasada murati kanday
divyadbhuta vastu savisesa
kriira mati papTgana, vandanlya sarva Jcsarta,
sarva nasa ye kore vidvesa
"All of them, even the cruel sinners among them, have particularly blissful, divine and
wonderful transcendental forms and they are always praiseworthy. Anyone who hates them
ruins himself."
^ sajjanera asambhdsya, yei jana adrsya,
heno sab vrajavdsi-gane
parama aradhya buddhi, hauk tandera prati,
"3 rip ad a Prabodhananda says: "Let all these people of Vraja be most worshipable to
me, even if they are normally not to be seen or to be touched by a noble man."
VERSE 266:
YAD RADHA PADA KINKARJ KRTA HRDA SAMYAG BHAVED GOCARAM

DHYEYAM NAIVA KADAPI YAD IiRDI VINA TASYAH KRPA SPARSATAH
YATPREMAMRTA SINDHU SARA RASADAMPAPAIKA BHAJAM API
TAD VRNDAVANA DU$PRAVESA MAHIMASCARYA fffUJI
>
SPHURJATU
yat - what; rddhd pada kirikarl - Radha's footmaidens; krta - done; Tirda - heart; samyak - fully;
bhaved - are; gocaram - visible; dhyeyam - meditated upon; na - not; evi - only; kaddpi - ever; yat -
who; hrdi - heart; vina - without; tasydfi - Her; krpd - mercy; sparfatah - touch; yat - what; prema -
love; amrta - nectar; sindhu - ocean; sara - essence; rasadarii - giving taste; y?d/?a - sin; eka - only;
bhdjam vessel; api - even; tat that; vrndavana - Vrndavana; duspravefa hard to enter; mahima -
- - -
greatness; awearya - amazing; hrdi - in the heart; sphurjatu - let it be manifest.
May the wonderful glories of V rndavana, that are h ard to enter into, b u t th at are
fully known by the great souls who carry the mood of Radha’s footmaidens in their
hearts, th at can never be m editated upon within the heart without S ri R adha's mercy,
and that is the essence of the ocean of nectarean love-rasa, even be m anifest in the h eart
of a complete sinner like me!
THE GLORIES OF VRNDAVANA: HARD TO ENTER INTO:
Comm entary: Sripada continues his glorification of Vrndavana, and he humbly thinks:
"Alas! How can the incomprehensible glories of Vrndavana become manifest in the heart of a
complete vessel of sin like myself?" Those who accept the mood of Radhika's maidservants
can see Vraja in its true glory. The door to understanding the glories of Vraja is firmly closed
for non-devotees, and even devotees who worship God in awe and reverence cannot
understand Vraja in its true sweet aspect Indeed, even Lord Brahma, Lord $iva and Ananta
3esa cannot understand the glories of Vraja!
radhd kr$na vildsa puma sucamatkdram niahd madhun

sara sphara camalkrtim hari rasotkarsasya kdstham pardm
divyani svadya rasaika ramya subhagdfesam na sesadibhih
se&air ganiya gimaugha pdram antiaril sariistaumi vrndavanam
"I constantly praise Vrndavana, the abode where Radha and Krsna play Their very
sweet and astonishing pastimes, which creates the highest taste for Hari (the erotic taste),
which is adorned with the limitless fortune of the most relishable divine erotic flavours, and
which cannot be perceived by Lord Siva, Lord Brahma or by Ananta Sesa."
Sri Vrndavana bestows the flavour of the essence of the ocean of nectarean love, niahd bhdva,
the flavour that can only be found in the gopfs. Sripada says: "May the incomprehensible
glories of Vrndavana be manifest in the heart of a complete sinner like me, by Vmdavana's
own mercy!" In Vrndavana Mahimamrta (1.3) Sripada says:
Snmad vrnddtavi mama hrdi sphoraydtma svarupa

matyaScaryarii prakrti paramdnanda divya rahasyam
puma brahmdmrtam api hriya va'bhidhdtutri na neii
bruyur yatropanisada ihatratya vartd kutastyd
"What can the Upanisads say about Vrndavana when they are even baffled in their
descriptions of the full nectar of brahman, saying 'it is not this, it is not that'? O 5rimad
Vrndatavi! Please reveal your most astonishing, blissful confidential form in my heart!"
w
492 3ri-3ri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
radha pada dasT yard, sarva bhdve jane tarn,

vmdavana dhdmera mahintb.
radhara karund vind, hrdayete sphurti hoy nd
vrtha dhyana asesa bhavand
"Those who have become Radha’s footmaidens can understand Vrndavana's glories in
all respects. Without Radha's grace this cannot become revealed within the heart Without Her
grace, all one's endless meditations are useless!"
premamrta sindhu Sara, apdra mahinid yarn,

heno vraja-dhamera mahima
ativa durlabha yd, varnane pravrtta td,
mo bodo adhama pdpTjana
."There is no end to the glories of Vrajadhama, which is the essence of the essence of
nectarean love. How can a great sinner like me start to describe this very rarely attained
Vraja?"
sabe koro asTrvada, puribe monera sadha,
krpa koro krpdmayT rddhe
prabodhanandete bhane, radha dasT abhiindne,
dhdma sphurti hauk e hrde
"Prabodhananda says: "O Merciful Radhe! Please fulfill my desires! Everyone bless me
so that I can also get the holy dhdma revealed in my heart, considering myself to be Radha's
maidservant!"
VERSE 267:
RADHA KELl KALASU SAK$INI KADA VRNDA VANE PA VANE

VATSYAMISPHUTAM UJJVALADBHUTA RASE PREMAIKA MATTAKRTIH
TEJO RUPA NIKUNJA EVA KALAYANNETRADl PINDE STHITAJif
— r
TADRK SVOCITA DIVYA KOMALA VAPUH SVIYAM SAMALOKA YE
« •
'S «*s.
radha - of Radiia; keli - pastimes; kalasu - in the arts; sdksinl - witness; kada - when;
vnidavane - in Vmdavana; pdvane - in the purifier; vatsyami - 1 will live; sphutam - clear; ujjvala -
blazing; adbhuta - wonderful; rase - in the flavour; prema - love; eka - only; matia - maddened; akrtih
- form; tejah - effulgent; rupa - form; nikuhja - arbour; eva - only; kalayan - seeing; netra adi - eyes
and so; pinde - in the aggregate; sthitarh - staying; ladrk - in this way; sva - own; ucita - fitting; divya -
divine; komala - tender, vapuh - body; sviyarh - own; samdlokaye - clearly seeing.
When can I live in purifying Vrndavana, the effulgent, rasika wonderful abode
that witnesses Sri Radha's love arts, my whole form maddened by ecstatic love, and when
can I clearly see my tender spiritual body that has eyes, ears etc, that are flit for
devotional service in the luminous arbours?
EAGER PRAYERS FOR SVARUPA SIBDHI:

?
>
Commentary: The extraordinary love which Sripada describes in this verse is the
ecstatic, love of a maidservant for Sri Radhika. Sripada writes in Vrndavana Mahimamrta
(9.60):
prodahcat pulakavalim muhur ati snehdn nija presthayos
tat tad gudha tad ihgitdnusaranaih santosa vanyakarlm
radha paksa parigrahena dadhatwi nartna kriya daksatam
srTsvaryas caranaika sangatataya nitya sthitdm tat param
"The bodies of the maidservants are always adorned with big goosepimples of love for
their beloved divine Couple, they always bring a flood of satisfaction to Them by exactly
following all Their hidden orders, they always choose the side of Sri Radha, they are very
expert in joking and they arc always dedicated to the service of Sri3van's (Radha’s) lotusfeet!"
The maidservants are the embodiments of the mellow of servitude, and they never forget or
neglect their service out of ecstasy.
kvapy udvartana karimm kvacana sad gandhodakaih snaparum

vastralahkrti gandha mtilya vibhavaih sathradhayantun kvacit
satrtbhojya kvacanamrtam pravilasat tdmbula karpuradam
kvapy-anghri-dvaya IdlanTth mrdu pataih samvljanaih svapinlm
"Sometimes they massage Radhika with oil, sometimes they bathe Her with fragrant
water, sometimes they fully worship Her with garments, ornaments, perfumes and garlands,
sometimes they feed Her an ambrosial meal, sometimes they serve Her camphor-scented
betelleaves, sometimes they fondle Her lotusfeet and sometimes they make Her fall asleep by
softly fanning Her." In this way the maidservants are engaged in different services day and
night, living in Vraja in great ecstatic love. The aspirant on the path of rdga bhakti should live
in Vraja, become absorbed in his mentally conceived spiritual body in which he serves £rimat!
Radhika day and night, and give up all bodily consciousness. The more he becomes aware of
his spiritual identity, the more he will become intoxicated by ecstatic love. As soon as an
aspirant is completely free from all bodily consciousness he attains svarupa siddhi, the
revelation of his eternal spiritual body in cinmaya Vrndavana. Therefore 3ripada prays: "When
will I clearly see my divine tender manjan-iom., which has all senses like eyes and ears, and
which is fit for executing devotional service in the luminous arbours of Vraja?" The siddha
svarupa which the sadhaka has received from the Guru, or has been instructed in by his Guru,
is tliis divine tender and ecstatic manjarT-body. The scriptures say that the sadhaka should
always see himself in this svarupa:
atmanam cinlayet tatra tasarii madhye manoramam

rupa yauvana sampannam kiforim pramadakrtim
sakhmdrii sahgint rupam atmanarii vasanamaylm
djrid sevdpardm tadvat ratndlankdra bhusitam
"An aspirant should think himself to be amongst them (the other gopTs), having an
enchanting beautiful young adolescent female body. As a female associate of Radha and
Krsna’s girlfriends she is dedicated to the services that are ordered to her and she is decorated
with jewelled ornaments (that are given to her by Sri Radha as remnants)." (Sanat Kumara
494 S n -S n Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii
Samhita) Here the word cintayed means that one should see one’s own spiritual self as being
thus endowed with a form and so on, like meeting oneself and establishing a firm self-esteem
in this spiritual body. When the practise of the sadhaka ripens he will forget his material body
and attain complete self-identification with his manjarl deha. This is called svarupa siddhi.
Although Sripada is an eternal associate of the Lord he reveals his desire to attain this svarupa
siddhi.
sukhamaya vniddvane, mahojftala prema dharne,

vasati koriyd kobe ami
premete pramattd sada, radha. keli kala sudhd,
darase ki hoibo sdksinl
"When will I live in blissful Vrndavana, the very brilliant abode of love? When will I
witness Radha's nectarean playful arts, being intoxicated by ecstatic love?"
.. « £ > * * * .
.» ^ •.
srl radha govinda deva, tejo riipa kuhja sevd,

labha kori mora pinda vapu
jyotih puhja ghanakrti, komala kisora murti,
dekhibo ki sidcUia deha kabhu
"When will 1 see my effulgent adolescent tender spiritual body and attain the bower-
service of Sri Radha and Govinda deva?"
dhanya srl prabodhdnanda, varido caranaravinda,

ye lalasa korila prakasa
sudurlabha se sampad, soda cinta haripada,
tabe yadi hoy vrajavasa
"Blessed is Srl Prabodhananda! I praise his lotusfeet for revealing such desires!
Haripada always thinks about attaining this rare treasure, if he can live in Vraja."
- VERSE 268:
•• • •
YATRA YATRA MAMA JANMA KARMABHIR NARAKE'THA PARAME PADE MAMA

RADHIKA RATINIKUNJA MANDALI TATRA TATRA HRDIME VIRAJATAM
yatra yatra - wherever; mama - my; janrna - birth; karmabhih - by activities; ndrake - in hell;
atha - and; parame pade - in the supreme abode; mama - my; radhika - Radha's; rati - love; nikrnja -
groves; mandall - circles; tatra tatra - there; hrdi - in the heart; me - mine; virajatam - remain.
Wherever I will take birth as a result of my activities, in hell or in the supreme

abode, there the the groves where Radhika plays Her lovegames will be manifest in my
heart!
REMEMBERING RADHA S LOVEBOWERS:

?
Commentary: Sripada humbly prays here like an ordinary conditioned soul: “Alas! I
desire a position that is not even attained by Lord Brahma or Lord Siva! I feel like a beggar
asking for an entire kingdom. I: must look ridiculous! After all, I'm just a servant of my own
lusty desires and I'm completely bound by the reactions to all my material activities.
Nevertheless, I pray that wherever 1 may go as a punishment or a reward for my material
activities, to hell or to heaven, that I will remember the sweet lovebowers of Sri Radhika
there!" By the mercy of the Lord, the devotees are never afraid for their next birth. Lord Siva
told ParvafT in Srlmad Bhagavata (6.17.28):
tiarayana parah sarve na kiitascana bibhyati

svargapavarga narakesv api tulydrtha darsinah
"Lord Narayana’s devotees are never afraid of their destination. Whether they go to
heaven or to hell, or they are liberated - it’s all the same to them!" The pure devotees, like
Prahlada, always pray to the Lord's lotusfeet as follows:
m
natha yoni sahasresu yesu ye$u vrajamy aham

tesu te$v acyuta bhaktir acyute 'stu sadd tvayi
(Vi$nu Purana)
"O Lord Acyuta! I may take birth in thousands of species, but wherever I take birth, let
me always be fixed in Your devotional service!" Someone may ask: "Sripada! When you
worship the Lord, how is it possible that you will go to heaven or to hell? You will be blessed
with a place in Lord Visnu's eternal luxurious paradise Vaikuntha!" To this Sripada will
answer: "Ohe! If Vaikuntha is my destination, then let me also remember Sfl Radhika's
lovebowers there! Let me not forget the supreme sweetness of Vraja while I have to stay in the
opulent majestic realm of Vaikuntha, this is my ardent prayer!" In Brhad Bhagavatamrta it is
described that Gopa Kumara could not forget sweet Vrndavana while staying in Vaikuntha, or
even in Dvaraka and Ayodhya! He was simply lamenting while he was staying in Vaikuntha,
remembering the blissful sweetness of Vrajabhumi! Narada Muni told Gopa Kumara:
bho gopanandana snrnad vaikunthesanukampita

mukha mlanyadind kincic chocan dina iveksyase
soka duhkavakaso 'tra katamah sydti nigadyatam
par am kautuhalam me'tra yan na drsfah sa kasyacit
(Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.125-126)
"O Gopa kumara! Although you have attained the mercy of the beautiful, opulent Lord
of Vaikuntha I see that your face is looking sad and I hear you lamenting. In this blissful abode
nobody is sadly lamenting! I'm most astonished and amused to sec that you are so morose
here!" Gopakumara had a fraternal relationship with Kr$na. If even he sadly remembers
Vrndavana in the blissful abode of Vaikuntha, then what to speak of the devotees who are
serving Sri Radhika?
w
496 Sn-5n Radlia Rasa Sudhanidhi
VERSE 269:
KVAHAM MUDHAMATIH KVA NAM A PARAMANANDAIKA SARAM RASAM

SRI RADHA CARAn X n UBHAVA KATHAYA SYANDAYAMANA GIRAH
LAGNAHKOMALA KUNJA PUNJA VILASAD VRNDATA VI M ANpALE
KRIDAC CHRI VR$ABHANUJA PADANAKHA JYOTlS CHATAH PRAYASAH
leva - where; aham - I; mudhamati - foolish intelligence; kva - where; natna - name;
paramanatida - supreme bliss; eka - only; sararii - essence; rasarii - flavour; in radha carana - &n
R adha's lo tu sfeet; anubhava - exp erien ce; kathayci - w ith w ords; syandayamana - flo w in g ; girah -
w ords; lagnah - fix ed ; komala - soft; kufija - b ow ers; punja - abundance; vilasat - sh in in g ; vmdatavT -
V m davana; maiidale - in the circle; krTdat - p layin g; iri vrsabhdnuja - the beautiful daughter o f
Vr$abhanu; padu nakha - toen ails; jyotih - ligh t; chatah - luster; prdyaiah - frequently.
•:AYhere is a person with a foolish intelligence like mine, and where is the holy name
and the most blissful essence of divine flavours? All these words of mine, flowing with
full realization of Sn Radha's lotusfeet, are connected to the many tender kuiijas in the
splendid circle of Vrndavana, and they are illuminated by the playful luster emanating
from the toenails of Maharaja Vrsabhanufs beautiful daughter.
SPEAKING FROM REALIZATION ABOUT RADHA'S LOTUSFEET:
Commentary: Sflpada's heart is filled with the natural humility of a great saint.
Although by RadharanI's grace he was able to compose such a marvellous book as ’Radha Rasa
Sudhanidhi’, he still humbly thinks: "Alas! Where is a great fool like me, and where are the
words that are needed to describe 3ri Radha’s lotusfeet, from whom the essence of the most
ecstatic rasa flows?" The Lord’s name, qualities, pastimes and forms are constitutionally one
and the same. Caitanya Caritamrta says:
krsna ndnta kryna guna krsna lilavmda;

krsnera svariipa sama sab cid ananda
- ’Krsna’s name, Kr$na’s qualities, Krsna’s pastimes and Krsna’s constitution are all of the
same transcendental nature." Sri Radha is the very form of love, therefore the words that
describe Her are also full of prema rasa (love-mellows). Hence it is said here that the essence
of ecstatic rasa flows from the description of Her divine attributes. 3ffpada humbly thinks: "It
is indeed improper for a fool like me to try to describe the glories of Sri Radha’s lotusfeet, that
are filled with prema rasa. How can a fool like me find the proper words to describe the
nectarean love called maha bhavaV
After ascertaining the nature of the topics that describe the divine pastimes and
attributes of 3ri Radha, 3ripada now describes the result of hearing, chanting and remembering
these words, saying: "These words meet with the luster emanating from the toenails of
Vrsabhanu Maharaja’s beautiful daughter, that shine in Vmdavana’s many tender arbours. A
person who hears these words, sings them or remembers them will be touched by the
transcendental splendour that emanates from the toenails from Srim all's maha bhdva lotusfeet.
He will swiftly attain prema and he will be able to relish the sweet pastimes of the divine
Couple Radhika and Madhava in the many tender kuhjas of Vmdavana in his mahjan svanlpa,
serving in the wake of the eternally perfect maidservants". This is'the supreme goal of the
Gaudlya Vaisnavas. f
vrndavana vilasirii, kunjesvarl kamalim,

r mad Isvari radhika kothay
samsdra sdgara ghore, potfiyachi kdrdgdre
mudhamati ami vd kothaya
"Where is my mistress Radhika, the lotuslike queen of the kurljas who plays in
Vrndavana, and where am I, a person with a foolish intelligence who has fallen into the
horrible ocean of material existence, which is just like a prisonhouse?"
kdha rasa sara kanda, sn nama paramananda,

radhara caranamrta katha
m •
radhara vildsa s than a, kahakunja punja dhama,

sukomala kdnana sukhadd
"Where is the essence of rasa and topmost ecstasy, the holy name? Where are the
nectarean talks about Radha's lotusfeet? Where are the many blissful tender forestgroves where
Radha plays Her pastimes?"
vrnddtavT mandate, radha pada padma mule,

lavanya tarahga boye yay
carana nakhara mani, jyotih punja ratnakhani,
heno jyotis chata vd kothaya
"Where are Radha’s effulgent lotusfeet in Vrndavana, from which waves of beauty
flow, and where are Her toenails, that are like mines full of glistening jewels?"
ei sab rasakeli, amrta nichiyd phelit

ki varnibe ei abhdjane
sumadhura varnaksara, vakyavalT nai mora,
"£npada Prabodhananda says: "Streams of nectar are emanating, from all these
delicious sports. How can an unqualified person like me describe them? I don't have the proper
words or letters to describe all this sweetness!"
VERSE 270:
SR l RADHE SRUTIBHIR BUDHAIR BHAGAVATAPYAMRGYA SAD VAIBHAVE

SVA STOTRA SVAKftPATA EVA SAHAJAYOGYO'PYAHAM KARITAH
PADYENAIVA SADAPARADHINI MAHAN MARGE VIRUDHYA TVADE-
EASE SNEHA JALAKULAK$1 KIM API PRITIM PRASADI-KURU
9
in radhe - O Radha!; irutibhih - by the Vedas; budhaih - by the wise; bhagavata - by the
498 & n-£n Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi
Lord; api - even; amrgya - searched for; sat - true; vaibhave - prowess; sva - own; stotra - prayer; sva -
own; krpata - by the grace; eva - only; sahaja - naturally; ayogya - unqualified; api - even; aham - 1;
karitah - made; padyena - with verse; eva - only; sada - always; aparddhinl - offender; mahad - great;
marge - on the way; viradhya - opposed; tvad - Your; eka - only; a£e - hope; sneha - affection; jala -
water; akula - moved; aksT - eyes; kirn api - indescribable; prltim - love; prasadl - mercy; kura - do.
O Sn Radhe of divine prowess and opulence, who are searched for by the Vedas,
by the wise and even by the Lord Himself! Although I am naturally unqualified, being a
real offender who is averse to the true path, by Your grace 1 have composed this stotram
0
full of prayers in praise of You, O You whose agitated eyes are filled with tears of
affection! Please give me Your indescribable loving mercy! You are my only hope!
DESIRING SRI RADHA'S SATISFACTION:
Commentary: This verse is full of secrets, prema is the actual vaibhava, or opulence,
it is the greatest wealth. Through this wealth one can relish Krona’s sweetness to the utmost,
and in this respect RadharanI is the most wealthy sad vaibhave. Her love is the greatest. Only
devotees who follow in the footsteps of tire sakhTs and the manjarTs can understand Her, and
apart from them the Vedas, the Upani$ads, the wise men and even the Lord Himself are
searching for Her, but are unable to know Her or to describe Her. krsna yarn anta nd pay jiva
kon chara (C.C.) "Even Krsna cannot find the limits to Her glories, what to speak of an
insignificant living entity?"
Srlpada says: "O Radhe! How shameless an infidel like me was to try to describe Your
great glories, that are not even understood by the great saints like Narada, £uka and Sanaka!
I've simply committed offenses to Your lotusfeet by writing these verses. What will be my
destination after making all these offenses?" Someone may say: "£npada! Although in
previous ages the sages and the scriptures vainly searched for Radha's glories, now in the age
of Kali Her glories are becoming widely known by the grace of 5rl Caitanya Mahaprabhu!
You have preached that yourself in your book ’Caitanya Candramrta'! How can you then call
yourself ’someone who is opposed to the true path?'" To that Sflpada answers: "Still I’m
completely unqualified! That Radha, who has been glorified by me, has made it possible for
me to do so by Her own grace alone! O Radhe! May you be satisfied with these verses an
unqualified person like me has composed by Your own grace - that is my prayer!"
. %
When §ri Radhika, who is a shoreless ocean of compassion, hears these anxious words
She cannot stay in hiding any longer and She appears before 3ripada. How many tears of
compassion are flowing towards the loving maidservant (Sripada) from Her affectionate eyes
as She says: "Why are you crying so anxiously for me?" ^ripada says: "O Radhe! O You
whose anxious eyes are filled with tears of affection! I am sitting here hoping for You to come!
I don't know anyone else but You, in wakefulness, dreaming or in deep sleep! I always desire
Your satisfaction! Please give one drop of Your indescribable mercy to this poor maidservant
of Yours!" ^ripada’s voice chokes as he says this and he rolls in the dust before Sfimatrs
lotusfeet
^ * _
Sola Prabodhananda Sarasvati 499
VERSE 271:
ADBHUTANANDA LOBHAS CEN NAMNA RASA SUDHANIDHIH

STAVO'YAM KARNA KALASAIR GRHITVA PIYATAM BUDHAH
* « *
adbhuta - wonderful; ananda - bliss; lobhah - greed; cel - if; namna - of the name; rasa -
flavour; sudhanidhih - nectar-ocean; stava - praise; ayani - this; kartia - ear; halaSaih - with the
pitchers; grhitva - having taken; plyaldm - drinking; budhah - the wise.
O Wise men! If you are greedy after wonderful ecstasy, then drink the rasa from
this nectarocean full of prayers to S n R adha (Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi) through the
pitchers of your ears!
BENEDICTION:
Commentary: Snpada has fallen at $n Radhika's lotusfeet, but when he looks up he

sees that She has disappeared again. Still his heart is blossoming with the experience of Her
compassion. He understands that Srimatl is satisfied with the prayers he has offered to Her in
this book, and thus he feels that his endeavours were successful. Most joyfully he then
encourages the rasika devotees to relish the sweet rasa of Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi by saying:
"0 Learned rasika devotees! If you are greedy after some wonderful bliss, then drink the
nectar of this 'Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi' through the pitchers of your ears!" £n Radha is the very
form of maha bhava and the words that glorify Her are also full of that maha bhdva. An
offenseless person will therefore find great astonishing pleasure in reading this book. The
lobha or greed mentioned in this verse is the root cause of raganuga bhakti. In his 'Raga
Vartma Candrika1, Sn ViSvanatha Cakravartlpada says lobha eva pravartakah (sacred greed is
the only source). A person who is particularly greedy to taste the rasa of Radha’s service in the
mood of Vraja, is qualified to read this 'Radha Rasa Sudhanidlii’. A person who worships S n
Radha in a mood of awe and reverence will find it less attractive.
A person who, by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's grace, becomes greedy after the taste of
Radha's service will constantly drink this nectar-like text through the pitchers of his ears.
Floating on the waves of sweet rasa he will come to the gate of Radha's grove where he will
attain a transcendental mahjarbiom. suitable for performing eternally blissful devotional
service to Her. This is the benediction bestowed upon offenseless readers of Radha Rasa
Sudhanidhi.
VERSE 272:
SA JAYATIGAURA PAYODH1R MAYAVADARKA TAPA SANTAPTAM

HRNNABHA UDASlTALAYAD YO RADHA RASA SUDHANIDHINA
sa - he; jayati - glories; gaura - golden; payodhih - ocean; mayavada - illusionism; arka - sun;
w
tapa - burning; santaptam - afflicted; hrt - heart; nabha - sky; udaSitalayat - cooled off; yah - who;
radha rasa sudhdnidhind - with the nectarocean of Radha-rasa. ?
All glories to the Gaura-ocean, that cooled off the sky of my heart that was
burning in the sunlight of iliusionism with this nectar moon of Ridha's rasa (Radha Rasa
Sudhanidhi).
THE GLORIES OF THE GOLDEN OCEAN:
Com m entary: It was by the mercy of Lord Gaura that the wonderful sweet flavours of
Vrftdavana entered into Srlpada’s heart. From die Gaura-ocean this moon of Radha-meflows
(Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi) has risen. The soothing rays of this moon has cooled off the sky of
Sripacla's heart that was burning in the blazing sunshine of iliusionism. The nectarean rays of
this moon of rasa will also sprinkle the hearts of the rasika Vrndavana-devotees with the
mellows of divine love and fill their hearts with that love.
At the conclusion of tliis Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi-sto/raw Sripada Prabodhananda

Saras vat! glorifies his heart’s deity Sri Gaurahari, saying ’’All glories to You, Sri Gaurahari! O
Descent of love! May You reign supreme! Please always bless everyone in this world by
giving them the love that reigns in Vrndavana! May die burning hearts of the fallen souls of
the Kali-age, that are suffering from the threefold material miseries, be soothed by being
sprinkled with the purifying streams of nectarean love of God! Blessed are they who attain
Radhika and Madhava's loving confidential devotional service in the nikuhjas of Vraja! Jaya
Sri Radhe! Jaya Sri Gaurahari! Jaya Gaura bhaktavrnda\
Thus ends Snpada Prabodhananda Sarasvatfs ’Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi1
English commentary is based on a selection from the Bengali commentaries of Sripada

Madhusudana dasa Adhikari, Radhakunda Mahanta Pandita Sri Atlanta dasa BabajI Maharaja
and Srila Ananda Gopala GosvamI Prabhupada.
Translated in 1988, 1991 by Advaita dasa Third edition completed on Kartika Purnima,
November 7, 1995 (We regret that for practical reasons we were able only to publish about 65% of the
full Bengali commentaries into English. We beg forgiveness from all the noble readers!.
Commentaries by Radhakunda Mahanta Pandita Sri Ananta dasa BabSjT Maharaja are published from:
Sri Caitanya ShSstra Mandir, P.O. Radhakunda (dt. Mathura) U.P. INDIA
VERSE-INDEX ON ROMAN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
TITLE Verse number — Page Number
adbhutdnanda lobhas cen ndmnd rasa sudhatiidhih.............................................................................................................27/ — 499

ddhaya murdhani yadd puruddra gopyafi..............................................................................................................................................................5 — 15
adftfvd radhdhke nimi$am api tarn ndgara manirii...........................................................................................................— 215 — 411
adya iyama ktfora maulir ahaha prdpto rajanyd............................................................................................................................ 168 — 338
aho bhuvana mohanam madhura mddhavi manfape.......................................................................................................... 141 — 292
aho dvaidhT kartuhi krtibhir anuragdmrta rasa................................................................................................................................ 251 — 468
aho rasika sekharali sphurati ko'pi............................................................................................................................................................................. //2 — 241
aho te'm l kuhjds tad anupama rasa silialam ..........................................................................................................................................210 — 402
akasmat kasya§cin nava vasanam dkarsati.................................................................................................................................................233 — 444
alath visaya vdrtayd naraka kofi............................................................................................................................................................................................. 84 — 186
alinde kdlindi tata nava lata mandira gate.................................................................................................................................................. 166 — 335
arnanda premahka Slatha sakala........................................................................................................................................................................................... 52 — 109
amaryddonmllat surata rasa plyu$ajaladheh ........................................................................................................................................ 153 — 313
dnamrdnana candram Trita drg dpdhga cchatd................................................................................................................................... 124 — 262
anaiiga jaya inahgala dhvanita kihkinl.............................................................................................................................................................225 — 430
anaiiga nava ranginirasa tarahgim sahgatd.......................................................................................................................................... 178 — 355
anena pntd me dtfati nija kaihkarya padavlm .................................................................................................................................258 — 477
ahga pratyahga rittgan madhuratara mahd...............................................................................................................................................163 — 328
ahka sthite'pi dayite kim apipralapam ................................................................................................................................................................... 47 — 101
anulikhydnantdn api sad aparddhan madhupatih....................................................................................................................... 155 — 316
anyonya hdsa parihdsa vildsa keli............................................................ ................................................................................... *.................................50 — 106
aprekse krta ni&cayapi suciram drk konato................................................................................................................................................231 — 440
a§dsya ddsyam vryabhdnu jayds Gre samadhydsya...................................................................................................................... 198 — 384
ati snehad uccair api ca hari-namdni.......................................................................................................................................................................55 — 114
balan nitvd talpe kim api parirabhyddhara.............................* ................................................................................................................105 — 230
bhoh Andaman subala vfsabha stoka kr^rtarjuna........................................................................................................................ 228 — 436
bhramad bhrukuti sundaram sphurita................................................................................................................................................................ 120 — 255
bhuyo bhuyah kamala nayane kith mudha............................................................................................................................................... 216 — 413
brahmdnandaika vdddh katicana bhagavad........................................................................................................................................... 148 — 305
brahmeivaradi suduruha paddravinda..........................................................................................................................................................................5 — 9
cakoras te vaktrdmrta kirana bimbe.......... .............................................................................................................................................................. 252 — 470
calal tUagatyd kvacid anucalad dhamsa mithunam ................................................................................................................. 220 — 421
calat kufila kuntalam tilaka Sobhi bhdla....................... : ................................................................................................................... .....186 — 369
candrdsye harindksi devi sunase..................................................................................................................................................................................... 117 — 250
cintdmani pranamatdm vraja ndgannam ......................................................................................................................................................... 27 — 64
devandm atha bhakla mukta suhrdam .....................................................................................................................................................................97 — 216
dhammillam te nava parimalair ullasat................................................................................................................................................................ 67 — 140
dharmddyartha catu$tayam vijayatdm kith ta t..........................................................................................*............................................ 78 — 168
dhyayaths tarn Sikhi pincha maulim antfam .........................................................................................................................................259 — 479
divya pramoda rasa sdra nijaiiga sahga..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 — 17
driau tvayi rasdmbudhau madhura mlnavad............................................................................................................................................ 91 — 204
drsfvaiva campakalateva camatkrtdhgi.................................................................................................................................................................. 19 — 47
dr§lyd yatra kvacana vihitdmredane........................................................................................................................ ..................................................... 63 — 131
dukulam ati komalam kalayad eva kausumbhakam .............................................................................................................. 158 — 320
1
I
T IT L E Verse number — Page Number

t
dukftlam vibhrdnam atha kuca-tate................................ ...............................................53 — 111
« »
durad apdsya sva jandn sukham artha koiith............................ 33 — 77

dure snigdha parampard vijayatdm d u re........................................................................74 — 156
dure sprsfyddir vbrta na kalayali mandh ndradddin................................................... 236 — 448
ekam kdncana campaka cchabiparam nlldmbuda..................................................... 170 — 341
ekasya rati caura eva cakitam canya standnte.............................................................234 — 446
gatd dure gdvo dinam api tunyaniiam ..........................................................................229 — 438
gatrekoti tadic chabi pravitatbnanda cchabi................................................................. 99 — 221
gatvd kalinda tanayd vijanavataram.............................................................................. 24 — 57
gaurdnge mradimd smite madhurima............................................................................. 75 — 160
ha kdlindi tvayi mama nidhiljt preyasa khelatdsid....................................................... 263 — 484
ihaivdbhut kuiije nava rati kald m ohana..................................................................... 211 — 404
ito bhayam itas trapd kulam ito ya$ah..........................................................................110 — 238
jdgraLsvapna susuptisu sphuratu me rddhd................................................................. 165 — 332
jyotihpuhja dvayam idam aho mandaldkdram asya................................................... 227 — 434
kdcid-vrndavana nava lata mandire.............................................................................. 146 — 302
kadd gayam gayam madhura madhu ntya......... :........................................................202 — 390
kadd govinddrddhana galita tam bula........................................................................... 184 — 366
kadd madhura sdrikdh svarasa padyam....................................................................... 222 — 424
kadd rase premonmada rasa vildse............................................................................... 159 — 322
kada ratyunmuktam kaca bharam aharii..................................................................... 175 — 350
kadd sumani kifikinl balaya nupura............................................................................. 114 — 245
kadd va kheUmtau vraja nagara vlthisu.................... 66 — 138
kadd va prodddnta stnara samara samrambha.............................................................193 — 379
kadd va rad hayah pada kamalam ayojya..................................................................... 192 — 378
kadd vrndaranye madhura madhurananda................................................................. 138 — 287
kaddcit gayandpriya rati kald vaibliava gatim ............................................................256 — 475
kaiiorddbhuta madhunbhara dhunndhga..................................................................... 81 — 176
kalinda giri nandinlpulina malafi mandire................................................................... 93 — 208
kalinda giri nandinlsalila bindu sandoha................................................................... 133 — 279
kdlindlkula kalpadruma tala nilaya prollasat............................................................. 127 — 270
kalindi*tata kunja mandira gate yogtndravat................................................................. 96 — 213
kdlindiiata kuiije puiijlbhutam rasamrtam................................................................. 199 — 386
kdmamdulikaya karena harina ydlaktakair................................................................. 206 — 396
kdntddhya§carya kanta kulamani kam ald............................ ......................................... 92 — 20
kantih kdpi parojjvald nava milac c h n ........................................................................ 238 — 451
karam te patrdlim kirn api kucayoh............................................................................. 106 — 231
kare kamalam adbhutam bhramayatoh....................................................................... 172 — 345
karmapi Sruti bodhitdni nitardm kurvantu....................................................................83 — 181
kendpi nagara varena pade nipatya............................................................................... 10 — 27
khelan mugdhdksi mina sphurad adhara mani vidruma........................................... 173 — 347
kirn brumo'nyatra kunthlkrtaka janapade dhatnni.....................................................176 — 351
kim dhiirta pravara nikafamydsi nah pratia-sakhyd................................................. 191 — 376
kim va nos taih su-Sastraih kim atha tad uditaih........................................................277 — 414
• * *
kofi cchabi hdsitii nava sudha sambhara sambhasitu................................................ 183 — 364

kndan mina dvaydksydh sphurad adhara m ani..........................................................242 — 457
kridb-sarah kanaka pahkaja kutm alaya........................................................................ 36 — 82
kr$nah pakso nava kuvalayam krsna-sdrah........................... .......................................89 — 198
2
T IT L E Verse n u m b er — P a g e N um ber
?
krsndmrtam cala viga4hum iUritafiam....................................................................................15 —37
k$anam madhura ganatah ksatiam amanda........................................................................167 —336
k§anam iltkurvdnd ksatiam atha tnahd................................................................................204 —393
kârandva pratyak§aram anupama prerna...........................................................................154 —314
kuhjantare kim api jata rasotsavdydh.................................................................................... 48 —103
kvbhath mudhamatUi kva ndma paramanandaika..............................................................269 —496
kvdsau rad fid nigama padavi diiragd kutra casau............................................................. 261 —481
labdhvd dasyath tad ati krpaya................................................................. 87 — 194
lajjdntah patam dracayya racita studya................................................................................102 —224
laksml kofi vilak$a lakyana lasal tild................*............................................................. 68 — 142
laksmlryasya na gocan bhavati y a n ..........*................................................................. 240 — 454
lasad daiana mauktika pravara ka n ti............................................................. *........... 185 — 367
lasad vadana pahkaja nava gablilra nab h i ..........................................................................177 —353
lavapya sdra rasa sdra sukhaika sdra............................................................................. 26 — 62
Idvanyam paramddbhutam rati kald............................................................................. 119 — 253
lavaiiydmrta vdrtayd jagad idath.............................................................................................62 —130
likhanti bhuja-mulato na khalu iaiikha cakradikam.................................................... 82 — 178
Uidpdhga tarahgitair iva diso mlotpala..................................................................................90 —201
lildpdhga tarahgitair udabhavann..........................................................................................72 —153
lulita nava lavahgodara karpura puratii..............................................................................155 —318
maddghurnan netrarh nava rati rasdvesa v i v a i o l ,...........................................................196 —383
madam na vitocanam kanaka darpaka................ 195 — 381
madhye madhye kusuma khacitam ratna ddmnd................................................................249 —466
maha mani vara srajam kusuma sahcayair........................................................................ 248 —465
tnahd premonmllan nava rasa sudlid..................................................................................... 51 —107
maid granthana $ik§aya mrdu mrdu s n ...............................................................................243 —459
m aid damn nibaddha cam kavarath sindura...................................................................... 130 —275
mandikrtya mukunda sundarapada dvandva..................................................................... 143 —297
mahju svabhavam adhi-kalpalatd nikunjam ................................................................. 28 — 67
mat kapfhe kith nakhara §ikhaya daitya rdjo'stni.......................................................164 — 330
mithah premdveidd ghana pulaka dor valli................................................................ 194 — 380
mitho bliahgi koti pravahad anurdgdmrta.................................................................. 145 — 300
muktd pahkti pratima daiand cam bim ba.................................................................. 100 — 222
na devair brahmddyair na khalu hari bhaktaih............................... .......................... 149 — 306
na jariUe lokam na ca nigama jdtam kula................................................................... 147 — 304
nasdgre nava mauktikam sum ciram ............................................................................ 230 — 439
nija prdneivarya yad api dayanlya..................................................................................56 — 118
mlendivara vrnda kanti lahan cauram........................................................................ 246 — 462
nindantam pulakotkarena.................................................................................................. 1 — 1
nirmdya cam mukutath nava candrakena.....................................................................31 — 74
o$(ha prdntocchalita dayitodglrna tdmbula raga........................................................ 190 — 374
pada sparsa rasotsavam pranatibhih.............................................................................. 61 — 128
pdddhguG nihita drstim apatrapiynum............................................................... *.......... 16 — 39
parasparam prerna rase nimagnam..............................................................................iP7> — 384
patam patam pada kamalayoh kr$na blirngena.......................................................... 209 — 400
patralim lalitam kapola phalake netrambuje kajjalam ..............................................223 — 427
patravatim racayitum kucayoh kapole............. ..............................................................3 7 — ’82
pltam na cchabim ananta ta4U la tabham ....................................................................... 30 — 73
3
T IT L E ...................................................................................... Verse number — Page Number
*
prasnnara patavdse prem a sirnd vikase ................... .................................160 — 323
prdtah pita patam kadd vyapanaydm i...................... ...................................76 — 163
pratydhgocchalad ujjvaldm rta rasa .......................... .................................136 — 284
prem am bhodhi rasoUasat ta runim d ......................... ................................ 244 — 459
prem dnanda rasaika varidlii m a fia .......................... .................................. 7 0 — 149
prem nah san m adhurojjvalasya ............................... ................................. 79 — 170
prem ollasad rasa vilasa vikM a kandarii.................... ..................................4 2 — 92
prem otlasaika sTma param a rasa cam atkdra ............ ................................ 131 — 276
preyah saiiga sudha saddnubhavinl.......................... ................................ 182 — 362
pritim kam api narna mdira ja n ita ............................ ..................................5 7 — 119
p n tir iv a m urtim ati rasa sindholi sa ra ..................... ................................200 — 387
- priydm sa niksiptotpulaka bhuja dandalt.................. ................................235 — 447
purnajjtrem dm rta rasa sa m u lias a saubhdgya .......... ................................ 187 — 369
purndjiuraga rasa m urti tadil la tab ham ................... ................................. 4 1 — 90
radhd 4dsyam apdsya yah prayatate .......................... ................................. 80 — 172
rddhd kardvacita pallava vallanke ............................ ................................. 14 — 36
rad ha keli kaldsu saksini kadd vniddvane ............ ............................... 2 6 7 — 492
rddhd keli nikunja vTthifu caran ............................... ................................ 139 — 289
rddhd m ddhavayor vicilra suratdram bhe ................. ................ 180 — 358
rddhd rtdma sudhd-rasam rasayitum ........................ ................................142 — 295
rddhd nam aiva kdryam hyanudina m ilitam ............. ................................144 — 298
rddhd paddravindocchalita nava rasa prem a plyusa ................................214 — 409
rddhd pdda saroja bhaktim acaldtn ........................... ................................118 — 251
raho ddsyam tasydli kim api vr$abhdnoh ................. ................................116 — 249
raho gosfhim irotum tava nija vitendrena ............... ................................107 — 232
rdkd candro varako yad anupam a ........................... ................................125 — 264
rakdneka vicitra candra uditah prem am rta .............. ............................... 1 2 6 — 268
rasa ghana m ohana m urtim viciira k e li ................... ............................... 201 — 388
rasdgddhe rddhd hrdi sarasi hantsah ........................ ............................... 232 — 442
rom dti m ihiratm aja sulalite bandhfika b a n d h u ....... ............................... 179 — 356
rupath iarada candra koti vadane ............................. ............................... 109 — 236
sd bh&irnartana ca tu n n iru p a m d ............................. ..................................64 — 134
sa ja ya ti gaura payodhir maydvdddrka tapa ............. ............................... 272 — 499
sd Idvanya cam atkrtir nava vayah ............................. ...............................103 — 226
soda gdyam gayam m adhuratara rddhd ................... ...............................254 — 472
saddnandani vm ddvana nava lata m andira ............. .............................. 151 — 309
sad gandha mdlya nava candra lavanga saiiga ........ ..................................4 4 — 95
sad yogindra su d iiya sandra rasadanandaika ......... ...............................265 — 489
sahdsa vara m ohanadbhuta vilasa ............................ . .................................59 — 124
sam gatyapi m aholsavena m adhurakardm ................ . ...............................247 — 464
samlapam ucchalad anaiiga taranga m a la .............. . ..................................4 6 — 98
sandra prem a rasaugha varsini navonm ilat.............. ...............................207 — 397
sandrdnandonm ada rasa ghana prem a ..................... .............................. 213 — 408
sdndranuraga rasa sara sarah sarojam ..................... ..................................35 — 80
sanketa kuiija nilaye m rdu paU avena ....................... ..............................\„ 4 3 — 94
sahketa kuiijam anu kuhjara mandagamT ................ ................................ 23 — 55
sanketa kuiijam anu pallavam a sta n tu m .................. ..................................3 2 — 76
sat prem a ra$i saraso vikasat sarojam ....................... ............................ 2 5 — 59
4
T IT L E Verse n u m b e r — P a g e N u m b e r
sat prem h sindhu m akaranda rasaugha-dhdra ............. ....................................22 — 53

saundaryam rta rd iir adbhuta mafia Idvatiya ............... . ................................ 157— 319
ilokdn pre$tha yaio'iikitdn g fh a sukan adhyapayet.... .................................181 — 360
snigdha kuncita riila k e ii vidatad ................................... .................................101 — 223
sprsfyd sprstva m rdu karatalenahgam ............................ ................................ 253 — 471
i n govardhana eka eva bhavatd pattern ......................... .................................224 — 428
i n govinda vraja vara vadhu vnida cuddm anis te ........ ................................ 2 5 7 — 476
s n gopendra kum dra mo liana m ahavidye sphurat....... .................................189 — 372
in m a d bim bddhare te sphurati nava su d h a ................. .................................212 — 406
in m a d rddhe tvam atfia m adhuram i n y a io d d ............ .................................169 — 339
i n rddhd rasikendra rupa gunavad gltani.................... .................................260 — 480
i n rddhe iru tib h ir budhair bhagavatapi...................... ......................r .....r 270 — 497
i n radhikam nija vifena sahalapandm ......................... ..................... ..W ;:.-.... 29 — 70
i n radhike suratarahgini divya k e li ..............................
i n radhike suratarahgi nitam ba bhdge ......................... .......... .2 0 — 49
i n radhike tava navodgama earn vrtta. ......................... .................45 — 97
sudhakara m udhakaram pratipada sphuran m d d h u n . ............. 162 — 326
iuddha prem a vilasa vaibhava nidhih ka iio ra ............. ............. 245 — 460
iuddha prem aika Ulanidhir ahaha m ahdtahkam ......... ............. 128 — 271
susvadu surasa tundilam indivara sundaram ............... ............. 237 — 450
svedapurah kusum a cayanair duratali .......................... ..............208 — 398
iyam a m andala m auli m andana m a n ih ........................ ............. 122 — 259
iyam a iyam ety am rta rasa sam srdvi varitdn ................ .... ........ 255 — 273
iyam a iyam ety anupam a rasapurna varnaih ............... ............. 218 — 417
iyam e cdtu rutdni kurvati sahaldpan ............................ ............. 111 — 239
iyam eti sundara vareti m anohareti............................... .................3 8 — 84
tddrh m urtir vrajapati sutah padayor m e patitvd.......... ............. 219 — 420
ta jjlya n nava yauvanodaya m afia lavanya .................. ................69 — 145
tdm bulam kvacid arpayam i caranau sam vahaydm i.... ..............135 — 282
tan nah pratik$aria cam atkrta earn Ufa......................... ...................7 — 19
tasyd apdra rasa sara vilasa m urteh .............................. .................4 0 — 88
tat saundaryam sa ca nava navo y a u v a n a -in .............. ............... 8 5 — 190
tvayi iyam e nitya pranayini vidagdhe rasa ................... ............A 50 — 307
ucchistam rta b h u k tavaiva caritam irnvaiiis ................
* • • * •
..:.:;^:...241 — 455
udahead rom ahea pracaya kh a cita m ............................ ............. 203 — 391
ujjdgaram rasika nagara sahga rahgaih ....................... .................1 7 — 41
ujjrm bham ana rasa vdri-nidhes tarahgaifi .................. ............... 12 — 30
unmJlan m ithundnuraga garim oddra ........................... ............... 65 — 135
unm llan m ukufa cchatd parilasad d ik .......................... ............. 121 — 257
unmJlan nava m alliddm a vilasad dham m illa ............... ..............152 — 310
updsya carandm buje vraja-bhrtdm .............................. ............. 123 — 261
valiant! rddhaydh kuca kalaia kdinurajam a h o .......... ............. 264 — 486
vaidagdhya sindhur anurdga rasaika sindhuh ............. ............... 18 — 42
venuh kardn nipatitah skhalitam iikhandam ...............
• • A • • •
.................3 9 — 87
vicchedabhasa m atrdd ahaha nim isato gdtra visrams a ..............174 — 347
vicinvantJ keid n kvacana karajaili............................ ................54 — 113
vicitrabhir bhang! vitatibhir aho cetasi param ............. ..............250 — 467
vicitra rati vikram am dadhad anukram dd .................... ............. 1 7 1 — 343
TITLE Verê number — Page Number
vicitravara bhu$anojjvala dukula ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... H3 243

vtpdm kare madhumatim madhura svaram tam 49
................................................................... * ............................................................................ 104
vipahcita supahcamam rucira venuna ................................ * ................ * ............................................................................................................* —38 173 —
vrndani sarva mahatdm apahdya durdt ................................................................................................................................................................................ 9 75

vraddratjtya nikunja maiijula grhe$vdtme&vanm 60
........................................................... * .................................................................................... 126 —
vrndkranya nikunja simani nava premanubhava 71

.............................................................................................................................................. 151 —
vrndaranya nikunja slmasu soda svananda .............................................................................................................................................................. 179 273 —
vniddranye nava rasa kald komala prema ......................................................................................................................................................................762 483 —
vpiddfavlprakata manmatha kofi murteh 34

.............................................................................................................................................................................. 78 —
vmddfavyam nava nava rasdnanda punje .............. ......................................................................................................................................................... 108 234 —
vrnddvane&vari tavaiva padaravinda 13

................................................................................................................................................................................................. 32 —
vydkoSendivaram atha rued hdri hemaravindant ........................................................................................................................................... 721 422 —
vydkohndivara vikasitdmanda hemaravindant ...................................................................................................................................................134 280 —
yd vdrddhayati priyam vraja-manim 98 218

................................................................................... ............................................................................................................... —
yad govinda kathd sudhd rasa hrade ............................................................................................................................................ * .............................................. H3 747 —
yad rddhd pada kihkan krta hrdd samyak ...................................... ........................................................................................................................... 766 490 —
yad vmdavana mdtra gocaram aho yan na irutikam 77 165

................................................................................................................................. —
yadi kanaka sarojam koti candramiu purnarh .................................................................................................................................................... 161 325 —
yadi snehad radiie diiasi rati Idmpatya padavuh 88

................................................................................................................................................... 196 —
yajjdpa sakrd eva gokula pater dkarsakas tat ksandd 95 211

......................................................................................................................... —
yal laksmi §uka ndradadi paramaicarydn urdgotsa vaih * ........................... .....................................................................................86 192 —
yan ndraddjeia iukair agamyam vrnddvane ........................................... * ............................................................................................................... 239 453 —
yasydh kaddpi vasandneala khelanottha ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 — 5

yasydii prema ghandkrteh pada n a k i t a ......................................................................................................................................................................... 205 394 —
yasydfy sphurjat pada nakha manijyotir eka ........................................................................................................................................ .................. 137 285 —
yasyds tat sukumara sundara padonmllan ...................................................................................................................................................................... 132 278 —
yasyds te bata kinkansu bahu£a£ cdtunT 94 209

................................................................................................................................................................................. —
yat kinkansu bahuiafy khalu kdku vatu. 8 22

........................................................................................................................................................................................ —
yat pdddmburuhaika renu kanikdm murdhnd 73

........................................................................................................................................................... 154 —
yat pada padma nakha candra mani chatdyd 1 1 — 28

.................................................................................................................................................................
ydtdydta Catena sangami tayoranyonya ................................................................................................................................................................................ 140 291 —
yatrayatra mama janm a karmabhih ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 268 494 —
yayonmllat keli vilasita katdksaika kalayd ..................................................................................................................................................................... 188 371 —
yesam preksdm vitarati navoddra......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 104 229 —
yo brahma rudra &uka ndrada bhlsma mukhyaih 4

...................................................................................................................................................12 —
yunor vlk$ya darn trapd natakaldm adik$ayantL .............................................................................................................................................. 226 — *432

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S W D tiA fN j'D tfl

With English commentary based on the Bengali commentary made by SrT

NINDANTAM PULAKOTKARENA VIKASAN NlPA PRASUNA CCHABIM

nindcuitam - mocking; pulaka - goosepimples; ulkarena - with a multitude; vikasah - blooming;

I offer my obeisances unto Lord G auracandra, who is surrounded by all His

Comments: SrTpada Prabodhananda Sarasvatl is the object of Sri Caitanya

yalhd yathci gaura padaravinde vindeta bhaklim krla piuiya rcitih

yadi gaura na hoto, ki mene hoito,

nuidhiira vrndd- vipina mddhurT,

In this verse Srlpada Prabodhananda describes the sdttvika ecstasies of Sri

krstia sambandhibhih sdksdt kincid vd vyavadhanatah

bhdvaiS cittam ihdkrantam sdttvam ityucyate budhaili

take mnkhya - rasdsraya, hoiydchen mahdsaya,

ekadd vyaktim dpannah panca sail sarva eva vd

(Caitanya Caritamita Antya Ch.3)

madhura madhura gaum kisora madhura madhura nata

madhura madhura mrdahga bcijaia madhura madhura fan

madhura helana madhura dolarta madhura madhura gad

madhura adhara jini sasadhara madhura madhura hdsa

madhura yu gal a nay ana ratula madhura ingite cay

jalayantra dhara yeno bone asrujala;

jay a sn jagad ananda, jay a jaya gauracandra,

punah punah bdhu tnli, uccaih svare had ball,

mangaldcarana sloka, sravane srnarane sukha,

YASYAIIKADAPI VASANANCALA KlIETANOTTIIA

DHANY ATI DHANYA PAVANENA KRTARTHA M ANI

THREEFOLD AUSPICIOUS INVOCATION:

Comments: Srlpada Prabodhananda Sarasvati is the object of Oilman Mahaprabhu's

Just as 3ripada thinks: "Will 1 be so fortunate to witness those sweet pastimes of

jaya jaya aparupd, gandhonmadita madhava

radhara vasanaheala, sahcdlane parimala,

ore dik bolo kotha, tnora pranesvari radha,

ye kuhjete sri radhika, krsna keli aradhikd,

sei dik ke bara bara, koti kofi namaskdra,

tube mora sukhera ullasa

BRAHME&VARADI SUDURUIIA PADARAVINDA

I offer my obeisances to the glories of M aharaja Vr$ablianu's daughter (Sri

SRl RADHLVS GLORIES:

(ad bhuri bhdgyatn iha jannia kim apy atavyam

(Srimad Bhagavata 10.14.34)

cet krsnacandrasya mahavataras tadrg nija prema vitdnakarT

gaura tejo vina yas tu sydmatejah samarcayet

YO BRAHMA RUDRA SUKA NARAD A BI1I$MA MUKHYAIR

I constantly remember the footdust of SrT Radhika, whose unlimited power

THE DUST OF SRI RADHA'S LOTUSFEET:

Commentary: In this verse Srlpada is in his sadhakavesa (external consciousness as a

radhika carana renu, bhujana koriyd tanu,

vedavcikta padmasana, tantra-vakta pancanana,

kintu ki dscarya suno, sei to purusottama,

tahdra premete hari, dpana vikroy kori,

bhane sri prabodhananda, radha pada makaranda,

"3ri Prabodhananda sings: I am so unfortunate because 1 cannot see or touch the

ADHAYA MURDHANI YADA PVRUDARA COPYAH

THE KAMADHENU-COW OF THE PERFECTION OF RASA :

yat te sujdta carandmburuham stanesu bhitah sanaih priya dadhunahi karkasesu

jaya jaya radhdpada, renu-kana ye sampad,

nibhrta nikunja majhe, bhavotsave yard bhaje,

Srila Prabodhananda Sanisvad 17