Thursday, May 28, 2009

Shri Krishna Kripakataksha Stotram: 5th shloka


Bhuvo bharaavtaarakan-bhavbdhikarandhaarakan.

Yashomati kishorakan-namaami chitchorkam.

Drigant kanti bhangima-sadaa sadaalisanginam.

Dine dine navan navan-namaami Nandsambhavam.


The one who relieves the earth's burden, the boatman who makes us cross the wordly ocean, the darling son of Shri Yashoda, I respectfully salute him...yes the one and only Krishna who delights the heart.


Lord Krishna incarnates in every era. When the earth is greatly pained due to atrocities it calls out to him. Bhudevi is his beloved and he can never see her suffering. Apart from incarnating, he manifests instantly when the burden of the earth escalates as Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Shri Vithalnathji, Swami Ramkrishna Parmahansa and so on.


Yashomati kishorakan-namaami chitchorkam.

The darling son of Yashoda is the stealer of everyone's heart. I respectfully salute such a Krishna. Yashomati kishorakan His ineffable attractiveness and the start of an elusive youthfulness is the most powerful noose, entangled once, it is impossible to break free. The composer is saluting this Krishna who delights the heart, robs the state of mind, strips us of mental peace...even if he steals our entire essence we still long to be under his refuge over and over again.


For once in unison with the composer, let us also salute the new youthful son of Yashoda, the one who delights our hearts. Let us take care of our belongings lest they are stolen by him.


This Drigant kanti bhangima is unique. Once enraptured, it becomes impossible to break free. There is magic in Krishna's gaze...an enchanting mantra in this sidelong glance. Assaulting us, it bestows the gift of life on us. Enraptured by the magic of these shapely eyes, the cowherdesses of Braj cast off all the burdens of convention and highly restrictive social norms, and move in a delicious anguish to Krishna's side.


Like a capricious black bee, the supreme lover engulfs them with surges of exquisite desire, to relish the lotus faces of these Braj gopikas through this smiling glance. How charmingly intoxicating and lovingly tender is this pathos of longing!


Let us talk about sadaa sadaalisanginam. We learn two lessons from this phrase. In the first reading there is mention of Krishna's eternal intimacy with Shri Radhika. Precisely as there is lustre in fire, coolness in water, ambrosia in the moon and whiteness in milk, Shri Radhika is by the side of Shri Krishna. They coexist, each equally important for the existence of the other.


Romantic dallying requires not only the self but equally the object of love for its expression. Krishna whose abode is Goluk, is in essence a single entity who manifests as two distinct individuals for the sake of interpersonal romantic exchange. Shri Radha is the hladini shakti or blissful energy of Krishna. Both are the embodiments of love and both are the beloved and the lover. There is no Radha.


At one point Krishna's 'limbs are constantly steeped in laziness.'Or rather Krishna's joyous abandon reflected by-intoxication, sweetness,spirited antics and irresistible beauty, he is the repository of charm.


Dine dine navan navan-namaami Nandsambhavam.

The composer of the stotra respectfully salutes Krishna whose sidelong glance is enchanting and divine limbs are steeped in laziness...who is forever surrounded with sakhis and whose exquisite beauty seems new day by day. In reality he is the embodiment of love and adornment Rasikacharyas have confirmed that the nature of love escalates every moment. Thus terming his ineffable beauty as Dine dine navan navan would be no exaggeration. As a child his winsome, irrepressible joy was captivating...so now as an elusive youth few can resist out of their worlds of longing, Krishna's thrusts of ecstasy, his secret or his sudden love.


The Braj beauties going to sell milk-curd, housewives fetching water from the Yamuna-maidens standing at wells...gathering in clusters...rave about Krishna's glories. A terrifying rush of love gushes forth every day in Krishna's infinite ocean of beauty, sweetness, handsome youthfulness, spirited antics and mischievousness. Words can not possibly express these new playful dalliances which are eternal. Only if we have a heart like the partridge (supposed to live on moonbeams), fish and the pied cuckoo (supposed to live only on rain-drops) and our ardour is sufficient like them, can we relish the divine play of this supreme lover and be absorbed in his love.


These beautiful Braj maidens are blessed whose lover is the Supreme Being of the entire universe...the preserver of the cowherds...Supreme Lord of the three lokas and adulated by Brahma and Shankar. But for the gopis in their simple village lives, Krishna remains to the end the dark-hued young cowherd...the supreme rasika...their lover. Who with their ardent longing, roams around in kunjas and nikunjas.


The grandeur while Shri Radha-Krishna are asleep has its own new beauty. Sleep overpowered the fatigued Yugal (Radha-Krishna) due to the romantic dalliance which took place in the still silent scene of the night. Their eyes closed instinctively...they began to yawn...and guess what...the two were almost asleep. They could sight some new amorous frolics in their dreams as well. A smile spread across their tender lips.


The sakhi in hiding saw this scene and wondered whether they were asleep or awake. Shri Radha-Krishna turned on their sides and came dangerously close. Their eyes met for a second...the langour of Radha's moon like face...with tell tale signs of the romantic tale... made the supreme lover helpless. She smiled in her dreams and laughter spread across his face too.Once again the Yugal snuggled in each others arms, fell asleep. Spellbound,the sakhi watched this new manner of sleeping.


All the signs of dawn were bent on cautioning the two...they had no other option but to become attentive, though failing many times. Finally they got up and stretched their limbs. This new scenario's charming sweetness.The sakhi was inflamed with a new intense passion. The Yugal came to the door of the kunja...The supreme lover looked at the sakhi...her ardent longing apparent in her eyes...his intoxicated gaze assured her...and the matter for a new romantic dalliance was ready.

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