Verse 31

Translation

Your well–groomed hair is decorated with peacock-feathers, the high-breasted Gopa damsels are worshipping You with their lotus–eyes, the beauty of Your face is all set to defeat the moon and the lotus – indeed Your budding youth is agitating my eyes.31.

ri Râdhârâni had remembered Shyâmsundar’s teasing words and had spoken to the bumble-bee – ‘Does He ever remember these kinkaris?’ This expresses the restlessness of Her heart. Now in this verse, that restlessness of Her heart has reached Her eyes. Sri Lilâshuk voiced Her feelings – O Mohan! Don’t harbour any fear of that sort. Your budding youth has vanquished all our pride and have made our eyes impatient. Oh! That kishor form of the Lord is so wonderful that leave alone actual darshan, if the Vrajabâlâs behold Him in a dream, they say,

“His budding youth is a treasure–house of vaidagdhi. His body is so brilliant that it appears to be made of emerald and He looks like the god of love. I wonder who created Him. And with what? Just see how He is oozing nectar!

Once I saw Him in a dream, He looked so beautiful that I thought I would die. Now I can’t forget Him even while eating or sleeping. He smiles softly with rosy lips, and destroys our honour and dignity with the corner of His mischievous eyes. The movement of His eyebrows pierces my heart. Alas! From where did this Hero of Charms appear? He walks slowly, taking a step at a time. I can’t express how my heart skips a beat at that time. The breeze, after touching Him, can turn the rocks into dust.^[1] Poet Balarâm Dâs says His touch makes one paralysed.”

We are once again eager to behold Your kishor form. Tell me, what do we do now? We are stupid cowherd maidens – how can You blame our eyes? Who is not mesmerised by the sparks let out by Your pitch-black curls decorated with peacock–feathers? Even great devotees have sung –

“Who decorated Your chudâ, tied so high with peacock–feathers, that steals the heart of every woman? It seems someone brought down the rainbow from the sky to enhance the beauty of fresh clouds. And who has decorated Your chudâ with expertly knit Mallikâ and Mâlati flowers? It looks as if River Gangâ is flowing around the Nilgiri Mountains.”

Please read this one –

“I saw Him, dear friend, I saw Him, but my eyes are incapable of beholding so much beauty in one body alone. He has tied His charming chudâ with fresh gunjâ flowers. Upon it, He has donned peacock–feathers that bow to the left. His dark form was anointed with chandan. I could not hold on to my self-respect any more. He was leaning against the Kadamba tree, holding His hypnotizing flute (like a magic wand). Seeing His beauty, I was struck down unconscious. His beauty entered my heart, cutting through my ribs. Poet Gyâna dâs will always beware of this.”

“Your face is ever ready to vanquish the beauty of the moon and the lotus.” The loving poet is forever comparing Sri Krishna’s face with the moon and the lotus.

Why does the poet compare Sri Krishna’s face with the moon?

“Dear Mukunda! Your moon-face is the fountainhead of waves of nectarine laughter^[2]. When You appear, the ocean of passion in the Vrajaramanis’ hearts is exulted (just as there is high tide in the ocean) and on beholding Your face, drops of tears ooze out of Your devotees’ eyes that resemble the moonstone – may that moon–face of Yours ever increase our bliss.” – [Govinda – Virudâvali]

Hence, His beautiful face is being compared to the moon; otherwise the moon, which is a material luminous body, is so worthless. How can we compare it to the moon-face of Sri Krishna Who is full of the ras of eternal bliss? Also, this Moon is extraordinary because some more moons surround it. It looks as if it is sitting with ministers and courtiers for the administration of a kingdom. Sriman-Mahâprabhu has said –

“Dear sakhi, Krishna’s face is resplendent like the moon and it looks as if He is sitting on the throne for administration, surrounded by courtiers resembling the moon. His cheeks are so brilliant like gem-studded mirrors that they look like two full moons. The moon of Ashtami^[3] resides on His forehead (tilak) topped with a dot of chandan – another full moon. When His finger–nails dance upon the flute, they resemble a bazâr of moons, and the moons on His toes (toe-nails) dance in rhythm with His anklets singing in unison.” – (C.C.Madhya.21.104-107)

xxx xxx xxx

“His large eyes with pink corners, restless like an intoxicated Love-god, are the Ministers. Indeed, Govinda’s joyful face is the repose of love-sporting lâvanya and is a feast for the eyes.”

– [C.C.Madhya.21.110]

Why is Sri Govinda’s face also compared with the lotus?

It is because –

“His nose, jaw line, lips, cheeks, chin and ears are like the beautiful lotus-petals. His beautiful teeth are its stamen. His very sweet smile is the honey that is exuding fragrance all around. His beautiful eyes are the Khanjan birds dancing on it. It is surrounded by the bee-like eyebrows and curls. His beautiful mouth is the seed–vessel – such wonderful lotus–face of Sri Krishna is spreading beauty all around.”- [G.L – 16.77]

“His face resembles a fully–bloomed lotus flower, His eyes look like a couple of Khanjan birds. His smile oozes such sweetness that my eyes are mesmerized on drinking that nectar. I cannot think of any word to describe His brilliant form – a dense cloud or bunch of blue lotus, or mascara or sapphire or what? His body is lovely and sparkling, reflecting His armlets, bangles, necklace, gem-studded earrings, anklets and tinkling waist–band just as the dark waters of the Kâlindi reflects the movements of the moon. His curly hair is styled with flowers and is exuding beauty like the moon. On beholding such lâvanya, poet Ananta dâs says that all maidens have lost their heart in that noose.”

These poems by the great devotees are inexplicable. If we have some life in us, we can only feel little bit. What the Vrajabâlâs may be feeling on Sri Krishna–realization, is penned by our Mahâjans in these padâvalis that are full of ras–exudation. They are so sweet, so stylish and above all, full of love-ras. The above poem seems to be the very embodiment of Sri Krishna’s beauty!

Sri Lilâshuk is echoing Srimati’s speech – How beautiful, how sweet, how captivating is Your face! Young women want to caress it eternally – who is not tempted by that face of Yours? Why are we being singled out? Even the birds, animals, trees and creepers of the forest are anxious to behold Your beauty, they tumble down at Your feet. Even rocks melt on seeing Your face. Then what to speak of the Vrajabâlâs who are already enamoured? When a victorious king wearing a crown enters his kingdom, the women shower flower–petals on him. Similarly You too are coronated with peacock feathers and stylish curly locks, and sporting a face that has gained victory over the beauty of the moon and lotus – why will not the high breasted Vrajabâlâs worship You with their lotus–eyes? O Lord! I cannot remain even a single moment without seeing You! Please save me by giving me darshan!

The inner meaning of this verse is that – Sri Lilâshuk is praying in sakhi–bhâv – Your Kishor form is exultant due to dalliance with Sri Râdhâ, it is worshipped by the lotus–eyes of the high-breasted Sri Râdhâ, and my eyes are impatient to behold that form. Please have mercy and give me darshan!

For a sâdhak, it is the topmost state in his life, when he prays with so much anxiety and eagerness for the darshan of Sri Govinda. This thirst cannot be satisfied. It is like the thirst of a typhoid patient – I want You – I want You – the life is full of only one anxious desire.

“kâhan koron kâhan jaun, kâhan gele krishna pâun”

– [C.C.]

Meaning: – “What do I do, where do I go, where from can I get Krishna?”

Srila Bhatta Goswâmipâd has written – Even after experiencing the mischievous Sri Krishna, Who is the supreme ras, Divine Kishor, essence of sweetness, and is the treasurehouse of the greatest wonders, Lilâshuk wants to experience Him again. Hence he is praying in this verse. Here the word ‘Shaishava’ is used to denote slightly budding youth and predominance of childish qualities that are reflected in His mischievous eyes. Even after seeing Him repeatedly, we are not satiated.

Explanation of pichchha – avatamsa – rachana – ochita – kesha – pashe’

It means that ‘His hair is styled in a chudâ and is decorated by many flower–ornaments. Also His is ‘pina – stani – nayana – pankaja – pujaneeye’ – worshipped by the lotus-eyes of high- breasted Gop-kishoris. Sri Krishna is surrounded by countless Gopis. Their eyes are reflected in His resplendent body that puts to shame even a brilliant sapphire. Hence it is looking as if He is being worshipped by their lotus-eyes.

His face is ‘chandra-aravinda – vijaya – udyata – vaktra – vimba’ – the Moon that spreads joy with its nectarine moon rays and it is the Lotus is famous for its honey, coolness, fragrance and soft beauty. His moon-face is over flowing with the exultation of love-sport that is splashing out to enable the ever-thirsty chakor-like eyes of the Gopis to drink therefrom – thus the moon is conquered.

He is maddening all the Gopis by the sparks of ras–full, sweet, nectarine glances – thus He has joyfully conquered the lotus. How wonderful is Srila Bhatta Goswâmi’s explanation!

Sri Chaitanyadâs has written, Sri Lilâshuk has spoken this verse in jest – Your adolescent mischief has spurred me to pray in this manner. You may ask how did you know I have been naughty? Well, Your hair–style decorated with peacock feathers is arousing our passion. Your adolescent form is dazzling due to this hairstyle. The high-breasted sakhis are worshipping Your gorgeous body with their lotus-eyes and are inflicting passionate nail-marks. These marks are denoted by – ‘chandra – aravinda – vijaya – udyata – vaktra – vimbe’. It means – Your moon-face is all set to conquer the moon and the lotus…..this indicates that although ‘it is all set to conquer’ it has not yet succeeded in doing so. Why ? Obviously, since the kohl–marks inflicted by the eyes of the sakhis have tarnished it – a sign of ill–reputation.

In this manner the devotees have relished the sweetness of this verse in various ways. Srila Chaitanya dâs’s explanation too is thought–provoking and impeccable! 31.