KK 23.1 – Why is viraha superior to milan ?

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Verse 23

sârdham samriddhair – amritâya – mânair –

âtâya – mânair – murli – ninâdaih,

murdha – abhishiktam madhura – âkritinâm

bâlang kadâ nâma vilokayishye. 23.

Translation


The One Whose flute showers nectar and permeates everywhere with its extremely rich râg[1] and tân[2] – When will I behold That adolescent Chief of all sweet beings? 23.

 

T

he most worshipped Srila Krishnadâs Kavirâj Goswâmipâd has rendered a wonderful explanation of this verse in context to the Râs-leelâ. Thanks to the Sâranga–Rangadâ purport that, the Goudiya Vaishnavs who are steadfastly devoted to the lotus-feet of Sri Râdhâ, are able to relish the sweetness of Sri Krishna-Karnâmritam in such a superb manner! By the mercy of Sriman-Mahâprabhu, Srila Kavirâj Goswâmi has served a magnificent nectar[3] by bringing Srimati Râdhârâni into Karnâmritam. Therefore it has now become unparalleled. During the Râs-leelâ, when the Gopabâlâs met Sri Krishna for the first time, they felt proud of their good fortune while Sri Râdhâ felt mân. The Gopis felt that Sri Krishna was very easily available. When Sri Râdhâ saw that He was equally disposed towards every Gopi, She was full of mân and sorrow.

Due to this, Sri Krishna could not relish the sweet ras and so He disappeared with Her. When She saw that Sri Krishna loves Her the most, She became proud of Her good fortune.

But this opposed the relish of pure love. So Sri Krishna, to enhance Her love, as well as to hear Her lamentations filled with anxiety, forsook Her also. When Sri Krishna-Chandra (chnadra = moon) disappeared, the Gopis’ moonlit night turned into the pitch darkness of viraha. Sri Râdhârâni too set forth with Her sakhis to search for Her Rasik-Shekhar (Chief all rasikas). Sri Lilâshuk is present with them in the form of a sakhi. He is voicing Sri Râdhâ’s lamentation as She is going from one wood to the other.

These thirty-three verses are full of such viraha-lamentation. They express great eagerness and anxiety.

In Rhetoric we find that the erotic ras is of two types – sambhog (union) and vipralambha (separation).

It is also written –”Sambhog is not nourished until there is vipralambha or viraha, just as a coloured cloth looks brighter when it is dyed again.”

Srila Vishwanâth Chakravartipâd has explained this verse in his Ânanda–Chandrikâ purport in the following manner – ‘Sambhog’ and ‘Vipralambha’ are two types of erotic ras. But we are saying that viraha nourishes sambhog. Then should we not call viraha a part of sambhog? Why call it a separate ras? Well, viraha not only nourishes sambhog, but also results in the lovers expressing very deep loving sentiments in smaran[4], sphuran[5] and while actually seeing each other. It is most fantastic. Hence, it has gained a special position in the science of ras. The ancient sages too say-

“Of milan[6] and viraha, the latter is superior, since in milan the beloved gains Krishna alone, while in viraha, everything in the universe becomes full of Krishna.”

Here, you may ask – when sphurti etc. stops, the pangs of viraha become intolerable. Hence how can we call it superior to the joy of milan?

The answer is that, the pain of viraha is a property of Hlâdini and Samvit potencies of the Supreme Being. Hence, although it appears as pain, it is supremely blissful. Srimat Sanâtan Goswâmipâd too has found the bliss of viraha to be superior to the joy of milan. He has said –

“When we undergo viraha, in the beginning the memory of the dear one gives rise to a raging forest fire in the heart which results in extreme burning sensations which further gives rise to never-ending sorrow and misery. Even so, this distress culminates in supreme joy and causes a sphuran of inexpressible bliss. Hence viraha is more praise worthy than the joy of milan. This sorrow results from prem (pure love). Hence in viraha even the most condensed form of sorrow given rise to waves of joy. This is realized only by the connoisseurs of ras.” – [B.B.1.7.125 –126]

“ei premer âswâdan, tapta – ikshu charban,

mukh jwale nâ jây tyâjan,

ei prem jâr mone, târ marma sei jâne,

bihsâmrite ekatra milan”

Meaning – “The relish of this love (during viraha) is like that of chewing hot sugarcane. Although your mouth burns, you don’t want to give it up. Only the one, who has gone through this phase of love, knows its worth. It is like a mixture of poison and nectar.”



[1] arrangement of notes

[2] tune

[3] like one serves a delicious dish

[4] meditation

[5] a vision in the heart

[6] union

2 thoughts on “KK 23.1 – Why is viraha superior to milan ?”

  1. Radhe Radhe! That’s indeed true! We’re eternally grateful to commentors on Krishna-Karṇāmṛitaṁ especially Krishna das Kaviraj who is the connoisseur of ras. He has brought in Rādhārānī & manjarī-bhāv both into this super-rasik text & indeed very sweetly commented on the Lilāśhuk’s milan & final talks with Sri Krishna! Viraha becomes sweetest when it turns to meeting-in-separation! Milan becomes the most painful when it turns into separation-in-meeting! 😀 Well, the pain of separation after little meeting is what we see in SB & that’s…not less either. But when both result out of pure love (& not Krishna’s desire to increase love) they reach the sky-rocketing intensity. Like Nitai gone into love-faint state (after ecstatically dancing in bliss of milan) on Gour’s lap with latter weeping…well, there can be deeper conclusions of that viraha also becoming blissful later…I think actual meeting wud take its place before that! So let’s don’t loop then! 🙂
  2. The joy of first meeting one’s true love is only temporary, however, may be considered the greater feeling; however, the time spent in jail, awaiting seeing your one true love again one day, only grows with time, as surety of the event takes hold of one’s confidence. Love is an overwhelming, overflowing of emotion and thought. Hope is the born of fear of losing one’s love, and Faith is the steadfast belief that one might one day again meet their loved one, after a long time of separation, making that event sweeter then any, and that sustained feeling is born out of surety and confidence that one’s love will in fact return to them one day…so every day in advance is used for preparation, expectance and euphoria as they remember past events and the anticipation of a greater event born of all those saved up feelings, thoughts and emotions…turning into a spiritual event. This could not take place without separation, which in the end is the ultimate cause of the circle of incarnation.

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