Verse 40

 

Translation

O Lord, O my Darling, the only true Friend in the universe, O Krishna, O my naughty Beloved, O my Protector, O my Sweetheart, O Delight of the eyes, alas ! Alas! When will You appear before me? 40.

 

n this verse the poet has addressed his beloved Sri Krishna in various ways. In the last line he has expressed a simple prayer – when will You appear before me?

Srila Kavirâj Goswâmipâd is a rasik par excellence. He has explained Srimati’s uttering very sweetly in a most wonderful manner. Really, such explanation is impossible without Sriman-Mahâprabhu’s mercy. In the previous verse, Sri Râdhâ heard Sri Krishna’s flute and the tinkling of His anklets. Therefore, She stood up and looked around. When She did not see Him, She said-‘O sakhi! I can hear Sri Krishna’s anklets, yet I cannot see Him? I feel That Cheat is most certainly hiding in some nearby flower-grove and is enjoying Himself with some other Gopi.’ While saying this Sri Râdhâ once again became delirious. In the hallucinating state She felt, as if, Sri Krishna has appeared before Her and He has all the marks on His body that showed that He had been making love to someone else. When She saw Him in this manner, She entered the bhâv of ‘amarsha’.

What is ‘amarsha’?

“When a person can not tolerate criticism and insult he is said to possess a feeling called ‘amarsha’.” – (B.R.S.2.4.159.)

(Chandrâvali had made a very beautiful earring out of gunjâ flower and had gifted to Sri Krishna. He in turn had presented it to Sri Râdhâ. Chandrâvali’s sakhi Padmâ saw this, she felt very hurt that Kânhâ had given away something that her dear friend had made so lovingly for Him. Immediately (in front of Sri Râdhâ and Her sakhis) she expressed her sorrow. This amused Srimati Râdhârâni’s sakhis very much (for it highlighted Her importance).

Then she reported the entire incident to Chandrâvali. Chandrâvali could not bear it and told Padmâ – “Padme! Why did you have to express sorrow when you saw those earrings on Sri Râdhâ’s ears? Why did you reveal the truth? Ohh! How painful! This showed we are inferior! You should have instead told -‘O Râdhe! Do you know why Sri Krishna has put these earrings on your ears? It is only because He wants you as well as all other damsels of Vraja to know what an expert artist Chandrâvali is! You see, He wants that you should be amazed!’ Or else… you should have pretended to be surprised, and said – ‘O Râdhe! We saw these very same earrings rolling in the dust on the roadside when we were going towards Yamunâ. Some sakhi must have picked them and put them on your ears, I presume.’ Sakhi Padmâ! Oh, why don’t you know how to tell such lies? It is your entire fault that our status is now lowered.” Here Chandrâvali is showing amarsha.

– (Srila Vishwanâth Chakravartipâd has relished the verse of U.N. and has offered the above explanation in his Ânanda-Chandrikâ purport)

Srimati felt amarsha and so she did not speak to Sri Krishna. Then she felt as if He had disappeared, since She had not spoken to Him. Therefore, She started repenting and showed a mood called ‘outsukya’ (impatience).

What is ‘outsukya’?

“When a person cannot bear to lose any more time to behold the loved one and get close to him, he is said to show ‘outsukya’.”

– (B.R.S.2.4.159)

Example –

The symptom of ‘outsukya’

(Sri Râdhâ was waiting for Sri Krishna, all dressed up in bridal finery, when Her sakhi came to Him and gave Him this message) – “O Krishna! Because Sri Râdhâ is expecting You to come, She has decked Herself in all sorts of ornaments. If the leaves of the trees make a rustling sound She gives a start, thinking You have come. Sometimes She is straightening the bed and sometimes She is lost in deep thought. In this way the beautiful Sri Râdhâ is sometimes arranging Her dress, sometimes debating with Herself, She is making hundreds of plans and then discarding them. She is trying to engage Herself in hundreds of activities; however in Your absence She will never be able to pass the night’. – (Geet Govindam)

After this Srimati felt both amarsha and outsukya. When two feelings mix with each other we call it ‘bhâv-sandhi’.

What is ‘bhâv-sandhi’?

“When similar or opposite moods get mixed with each other it is called ‘bhâv-sandhi’.”

Bhâv sandhi is of two kinds-

1)mixture of similar bhâvs

2)mixture of opposite bhâvs

(Vrindâ told Pournamâsi Devi) – “O devi! Sri Râdhâ was waiting for Sri Krishna very eagerly. When He appeared before Her She was stupefied with joy. Just then, Her husband Abhimanyu too appeared on the scene. His eyes were red with anger and he was muttering to himself. How terrible! Seeing him the lotus-faced Sri Râdhâ was stupefied and her eyes were transfixed.

Bhâv-sandhi of similar bhâv

She resembled a statue of gold and was rendered immobile.” Here Râdhârâni is showing immobility due to desirable and undesirable causes. Nevertheless, both have produced the same effect, that is, stupefaction.

Bhâv-sandhi of opposite bhâvs

(When Pournamâsi Devi saw Sri Krishna holding the Govardhan Mountain, she thought) – “Ohh! These Vraja-damsels are feeling both pain and pleasure – pain, since they are worried about Sri Krishna. At the same time they are joyous since they are feasting on their beloved’s beautiful form and they are getting to behold Him all day and night uninterruptedly!”

We must note that amarsha is followed by ill feeling and wrath, while outsukya is followed by intelligence, humility and restlessness. Therefore, if these two feelings (amarsha and outsukya) come together, the other feelings too will form what is called ‘bhâv-shâvalya’.

(to be contd….)