SÂRANGA – RANGADÂ PURPORT
Srila Kavirâj Goswâmipâd has written this purport. He is a poet of very high stature. This fact is very much evident from his texts such as Sri Govinda Lilâmrita and Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita. The Sâranga Rangadâ purport highlights his extraordinary wisdom, divine learning and expertise in bringing out confidential Rasas1. He has drawn a beautiful picture of Sri Lilâshuk’s bhâv in siddha-deha2. While doing so he has narrated many wonderful and sweet pastimes. To tell you the truth, it is because of this Sâranga-Rangadâ purport alone, that the Goudiya Vaishnavs (who practice single-pointed devotion in the mood of Sri Râdhârâni’s maidservant) love Sri Krishna Karnâmritam and find it so relishing. In his detailed explanation of Sri Lilâshuk’s internal feelings, he very cleverly transports us to the realm of ras and enables us to relish through Sri Râdhârâni Who is the supreme relisher of Sri Krishna’s sweetness. In Sâranga Rangadâ purport he has quoted from Sri Gitâ, Srimad-Bhâgavatam, Vishnupurân, Bhavishyottar Purân, Râmâyan, Pânini-Sutra, Mahâbhashya, Medini-Kosh, Vishwa-Kosh, Brahma-Samhitâ, Yamunâchârya-Stotra, Kâvyaprakash, Jagannath-Vallabh drama, Bhakti Rasâmrita-Sindhu, Ujjwal-Neelmani, Dân-Keli-Kaumudi, Vidagdha-Mâdhav, Stavamâlâ etc.
Our ‘Âswâd-Bindu’ purport is a compilation of all three purports. However, we have laid more stress on Sâranga-Rangadâ.
WHY WE ARE PUBLISHING THIS TEXT
In Râdhâkund, I had the good fortune to read and explain Sri Krishna- Karnâmritam in the association of Vaishnavs for good many years. The honourable Vaishnavs were especially pleased to hear the discussion based mainly on Sâranga-Rangadâ purport and the important sections from Krishna-Vallabhâ and Subodhani. Some of them had expressed their desire for a text that would contain all the explanations put together. I accepted the wish of the Vaishnavs as a command. We have accepted the original verses and purport from the editions published by Dr. Sushil Kumar Dey, which is in Devnagari script. A compilation of all the three Goudiya Vaishnav explanations have manifested themselves very nicely in this text along with the main verses and their meaning. We have used the original Râgânugâ terminology to maintain accuracy of meaning and have tried to keep the language as simple as possible so that the devotees who do not have English as their mother tongue can also relish it. We have presented the Indian words in manner such that the English reader may pronounce them correctly.
OUR HEARTFELT GRATITUDE
Most worshiped Prabhupâd Srila Binodkishor Goswâmi (Sâhitya, Vyâkaran-Teertha, Purân-Ratna), who is the descendent of Sri Sri Nityânanda Prabhu has blessed us by writing the preface to this text. We are indeed fortunate.
We offer our gratitude to the members of the editorial board – Sri Karunâmayi dâs and Sri Madhusudan dâs. We are indebted to Srimati Govindânandini dâsi for the priceless computer-sevâ, which has facilitated the process of translation immeasurably. We are thankful to all the devotees who have helped in any manner either directly or indirectly to make this humble endeavour successful. We pray that all of them progress in the path of bhajan.
Dear gentle readers, you are all qualified and merciful. Please rectify our mistakes and relish this text. Then this lowliest and the most fallen editor will consider himself blessed.
Editor.
(Ananta das)
(to be continued)
1 mellow, sentiment, taste
2 Divine body worthy of serving Sri Bhagavân and given to us by a Spiritual Master who is in unbroken Guru-paramparâ.