Verse 54
ânamram-asita-bhruvor-upachitâm-akshina-pakshma-ankureshu-
âlolâm-anurâginor-nayanayoa-ârdram mridou jalpite,
âtâmrâm-adhara-amrite mada-kalâm-amlâna-vamshi-swaneshu-
âshâste mama lochanam vraja-shishor-murtin jagan-mohinim.54.
Translation
He has thick black eye lashes and his dark black eyebrows arch like a bow. His eyes are always searching for His anurâgi devotees, His sweet speech drips with ras, His Nectarine lips are rosy and He is enjoying the sweet notes of His flute – my eyes are forever thirsty to see That all-enchanting Vrajakishor.54.
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rila Krishnadâs Kavirâj Goswâmi says: Srimati Râdhârâni murmured, “I have lost myself in Sri Krishna’s sweetness” and passed out. Although the sakhis tried to console Her, She remained with Her eyes closed and continued to murmur lamentations. Sri Lilâshuk has echoed Her grief in this verse. Srimati Râdhârâni exclaimed, “Aho! Even in this state, my eyes are thirsting for That Vrajakishor’s darshan. How can you blame my eyes? Does Vrajakishor’s loveliness not enchant everybody?”
The Mahâjan has quoted the Vrajabâlâ –
“Shyâm looks extremely sweet with His curls arranged in a chudâ surrounded by Kunda[1] flowers and a peacock feather flying on top. The chandan dot on His forehead dazzles like the full moon on a clear Sharad night – indeed, it enthrals the heart of all universe.
Today I saw Madan-Mohan walking slowly on the banks of the Yamunâ playing lovingly on His flute from the depth of His heart, hearing which, the Yamunâ was flowing backwards.
He adorns various gem-studded ornaments, for example, a gold necklace around His conch-shell like neck, and an ivory one studded with corals. His eyes resemble lotus petals with black bees imprisoned inside – they are nothing but snares to capture the heart of the fair sex.
He dons a golden yellow garment around His hips, and with the flower garland on the vast expanse of His chest, He looks as if the Love-god has paid Him homage. This amazing beauty is beyond this world. It is the height of the creator’s creation. Poet Gyân dâs surrenders everything at His lotus feet.”
Let us relish another song by the same Mahâjan poet –
“Shyâm’s beauty is naturally very enchanting and His style is most captivating. He is always loaded with the Love-ras of the Vraja-vanitâs[2] that makes Him walk lazily, maintaining His tribhanga pose.
Today He is looking so enthralling, with peacock feathers on His head, surrounded by Bakul and Mâlati flowers attracting a host of intoxicated honeybees. His delightful laughter dripping with Amritam and amorous pastimes confound the intelligence of the even Rati-pati.[3] Shyâmchând’s [4] beauty is truly amazing.
His complexion is like that of fresh rain clouds and He shines like the radiant moon. Poet Gyâna dâs says His body is in the threshold of youth, who would not be tempted?”
Although this form of Vrajakishor is all enticing, its magic works the most on the Vrajabâlâs –
After beholding Sri Krishna’s handsomeness during His mid-kaishor age, a Vraja-nâyikâ lamented –
‘O sakhi! Krishna’s sky-like body holds his extreme sweetness, which is like the sun. This sun arouses the fire of passion in my Surya-kântamani-like heart and is hurling down my moon-like dharma while spreading râg all around. The absence of this moon and the extreme strength of the sun makes my kumud-like intelligence droop and powerless; look, the sun is rising speedily in the sky-like Krishna! Alas! How will we survive?’”[5]
– [B.R.S.2.1.326]
Srimati Râdhârâni is saying, “This is why I am thirsty for His darshan.”
Sri Krishna’s eyebrows are extremely arched or crooked (since they waylay all the Gopis) and thick black eyelashes curl dangerously from under the eyebrows.
“His joined eyebrows are dangerous like the kâmân (bow) of Kâm (Love-god). Who on earth created them? His artistic eyes cast crooked glances – as if they are fatal flower-tipped arrows.”
– (Pada-Kalpa-taru).
His eyes are full of anurâg for me, so they are very playful. His eyes look like restless caged khanjans struggling to spread their wings and fly out of the cage. His sweet speech is delightful. His slightly rosy lips are full of Amritam and He is enhancing passion with His flute. Sriman-Mahâprabhu has lamented in Srimati Râdhârâni’s mood –
“Nâgar! Decide and tell me. Is their any worthy woman in the three worlds that Your flute does not attract? All the songs of Your flute are like the chanting of sorceresses, that casts a spell on the hearts of women. The flute inflames the already raging passion, forces us to abandon the rightful path of the Aryans and compels us into submission. You use Your flute to coerce us into unrighteousness, and bombard our decency, honour and everything else with Your arrow like amorous glance. Now how dare You show us anger, and accuse us of infidelity? How much righteous are You that You are teaching us rightful conduct?
You speak one thing, have another thing in Your mind and behave in a third manner – all these indicate a first grade cheat. You are having fun at the cost of our life. You had better forsake Your crooked ways. Do You not know, the song of Your flute pours and dissolves Amritam inside us, sounds as sweet as Amritam, and is decked in Amritam. The three Amritam steal our ears, heart and soul, how do You expect us to survive?”
– (Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita.Ântya.17.32-36
[1] A variety of jasmine
[2] The maidens of Vraja
[3] The husband of Rati (passion) – that is, Love-god.
[4] The moon like Shyâm
[5] Srila Rupa Goswâmi presents the blue-complexioned Sri Krishna as the sky. His extreme sweetness is like the sun. The sun sets fire to a white coloured gem called Surya-kântamani (literal meaning – a gem that has affinity for the sun). The sakhi’s heart is pure and brilliant like that gem. Passion is the fire that the gem will burst into if it comes in contact with the sun (Krishna’s sweetness). His sweetness is hurling out dharma (which is stopping her from experiencing erotic feelings). Furthermore, the moon is the presiding deity (guardian angel) of righteous intellect and this sun-like sweetness is hurling it out. The word Râg refers to love as well as colour. The sun spreads beautiful colour as it rises in the sky, hence this is a pun on the word ‘Râg’. Her intelligence which is pure like the white kumud – water lily – is stopping her, but the lily droops in the sun and blooms in the moonlight. So as the sun-like extreme sweetness of Sri Krishna rises and increases in the Krishna-sky, then the moon (dharma) is hurled out, the lily (intelligence) droops and the sakhi is in danger!
(contd………………)