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Shri Radha-Madhav Singing a RaginiShri Vrindavan Dhaam
27th August 1974
Dear Santosh Narang,
With love, jai Shri Hari!
Resplendent, the graceful Yugal (Shri Radha-Krishna) dressed in lovely dresses of pink georgette made by Nirmal, instantly enchant everyone with their innate beauty. The embroidery is in slight deep pink, reflected in the pinkish stone diadem and chandrika(veil).Two roses smiling in the background are pleased to peep at the pink gem necklaces and embroidered flowers.
Yesterday Shri Radha-Krishna were adorned in Sootji's cream rubia voile dresses weaved in greenish-blue thread and seated on Sumitra's cream curtain. The entire shangar (adornment) was jamni. Day before the finery was lustrous. The shangar was pink and the array of decorative ornamentations reminded one of the green soothing environs of Hariyali Teej ( the third day of the dark half of the month of Sravan).
Lord Krishna is nothing but madhurya or sweet love. Loving tenderness, lyrical softness, delicate movements, fragrant limbs, the mellifluous sound of his flute, his innocent pranks, evocative clothes, beautiful adornments such as the vanamala, serene sensuality and graceful manners all add up to the madhurya of Krishna. They define his love which he richly shares with the gopis of Vrindavana; absorbing everyone in its joy and delight.
I liked your letter steeped in Krishna's beauty, a beauty quite literally divine since all of the beauty and all of the virtues of the world co-mingle in his character and form. You often ask, when you will be enraptured by union with the Lord! You already are otherwise the lovingly god would not make you eagerly desirous to be at the dhaam like one of his dedicated devotees. He takes the first step and then wants us to make him the focus of our ardour. Spiritedly he moves back at times to help us move ahead with delicious anguish to his side.
With ardent entreaties we must call out to him constantly for complete absorption in the joy of Krishna; interacting as we live out stories from his cosmic world. A blissful state in which the soul attends on God eternally...forever, always. We are his, only his, may this conviction tug at our heart-strings, letting us not rest in peace until we attain union with the divine. The mind must not waver while going about its daily regime and steeped in Krishna's love be guided by the grand musician.
Yesterday by the grace of Bahinji I read one of the Lord's playful dalliance which was very moving.The weather was pleasant in the evening. 'After austere penance the cool rain drops awakened a strange desire in the gopis. Inflicted with the pathos of longing, their blessed faces were awash with surges of restlessness. An exquisite desire to embrace their young handsome lover, the colour of the condensed sky; a passionate yearning to impart joy to their supreme lover.
Since the jhoolan utsav, (name of a festival held in the month of Savan when idols of Krishna and Radha are swung in swings) was not on, they could not leave the house on this pretext. The cowherdesses went about their household chores in a dejected fashion; their minds roaming around in some dense nikunja of the celestial forest. Nostalgic for a lost Paradise, their eyes feast on the supremely passionate enchanting form of Krishna and ears hear the footfalls of Krishna; probably waiting for the call of their supreme lover."
This is the sole means of attaining a divine and transcendental love. Truly speaking it is the perennial quest of the individuated soul for union with God which rests only on the revelation that Krishna abides in our hearts. We sing his bhajans or devotional songs and live out stories from his cosmic world to come close to him.
Now I will write a pada related to the gathered clouds at the moment.
'
Damini chamki-chamki jaat durti Syamghan mein.
Mere man nainni aisoi lagai, mano Syama rajein Syam tan mein.
Dosroghan damini janti, tau na manti, dekhni aavti,
Lajti, phiri bhajti,sochat aay sadan mein.
Surdas Madanmohan Radha sang raajti ban,
Jahan sukh, meroi man manai, yah kahayo na parai vachan mein.
An enthused exultation of passion and delight! "Sakhi, streaks of lightning light up the sky with their brilliant glow and hide soon after amidst the gathered dense clouds. Truly it seems as if our lovely Syama is embracing Syamsunder. Friend, why does this lightning strike intermittently and then vanish in the dense clouds. It is perplexed as to how the other cloud (Krishna,dark-hued) and lightning (Radha,fair-complexioned) have manifested in earthly Vraja and are spreading joy and delight.
Therefore it comes to peep over and over again and alarmed returns soon enough. Observing Shri Radha-Krishna's ethereal radiance and passionate romantic dalliance, it is ashamed of itself and becomes one with the clouds! Reflecting on the scenario, the lightening laments and hides soon after.
Sakhi in such celestial environs, our Kishori Radha along with her lover Krishna, the colour of the condensed sky, is dallying at a nikunja. She sings a passionate rhapsody with the dark-hued god striking a mellifluous note. This moment of ineffable purity and effulgence can only be experienced deep within. I have just had a look but can't express it in words. You come along and have a glimpse." The close friends joined the sakhi in their impassioned search.
Shri Radha Madhav pran adhar jab mili gavein.
Bolat chatak mor, kokila karain kilol,
Umrhi ghumrhi ghan ghata ghiri aavein.
Uthi damini ghan, it Shyama Shyam tan,
Mand mand ghor sur murli bajavain.
Surdas Madan Mohan lalna lalan dou,
Kusum latni tar baithe man bhavein.
The ardently passionate Radha-Madhav are singing in unison and the sakhis are in a state of rapture. Both of them willingly echo the adoring adulation of each other. When our adorable Yugal (pair) sing together, the fusions of delight and desire have an irrepressible effect on our longing and questing soul. The birds chirp along, enhanced by delight as they utter a shrill cry of ecstacy. Listening to Shri Radha-Krishna's malhar (name of a ragini sung in the rains), the pristine blue sky shaded by thick heavy clouds draws a canopy of darkness on the earthly environs. The cloud and lightening residing in the sky are pitted against the cloud (Krishna) and lightening (Radha) centered in the forest!
But the ones in the sky are no match to the handsome Krishna and his blissful energy, Radha. When Rasik Shekhar breathes music into his flute along with the rumbling clouds and Radhika enhances, his breath of love, with her loud sweet voice modulation we reach the heights of elation and ecstacy. This supreme joy is inexpressible. Only our eyes and hearts understand the moment of ecstatic response. We awaken to a world transformed by radiance as we sight the supremely lovable Yugal (Shri Radha-Krishna) abundantly bestow their innate divinity beneath the canopy of blossoms amidst blooming creepers and bowers.
In retrospect I think it would be better if I wrote a envelope. Even on such a lenghty write-up there is no contentment and lack of joy lurks somewhere.
With love,
Yours Bobo.
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