Friday, February 6, 2009

Prem Sudha Dhara: Vijayji


(Page 319)

Jai Shri Hari


Dear Vijay,


With love, Jai Shri Hari.


The onset of summer inflames an ardent longing for romantic dalliances in the sakhis and their sacred couple, Shri Radha-Krishna. And these enchanting amorous frolics makes one unaware of the strong blasts endorsing the scorching summer. At times coolness, on the banks of the lake...inner realm of bowers or nikunjas, in thickets of sensuous creepers on the shores of the Yamuna, make Krishna, the handsome supreme lover, consort Radha and the herd of young maidens...ecstatic...by joyously responding to the magical autumnal like love of the most glorious season.


Spellbound, their beautiful frames shiver with the cold in reality. Wow! What exotic dallying in the summer season;their bodies smeared with sandalwood, the bower exuding a fragrance of scented flowers and comforting waves of crystal clear lakes!


Often the sakhis decorate the space within the nikunja consisting of many interconnected bowers and thickets comprising a secret, magical world removed from the everyday. They arrange for water sports and creating a canopy of flowers, spur the ardent longing of Shri Radha-Krishna for an amorous frolic. The herd participates in the joyous abandon and is impassioned by the touch of the supreme lover's handsome body.


But romantic escapades are not bound by fixed norms. Solely the order of love predominates this domain;one principle reigns...the skilled instructions of Kamadeva (God of love.)


Today the supreme lover Krishna stealthily, decorated the overgrown grove of jasmine blossoms on the banks of the Radha Kund (pool);secretly from the sakhis and without a word to Radha; laying out lotus petals on the way so that the feet of gentle Kishori (Radha, Krishna's consort) tap sensuously on the tenderly cool carpet.


Lata madhuri kunj suhai.

Nikat sarovar Priya naam ko,

Nija kar rachna lal banai.


A cool, fragrant and gentle breeze blew. The elements of nature are the perpetual followers of Shri Radha-Krishna; acting according to their moods. That beautiful patch covered with lotus petals...rows of trees whispering due to the threefold breeze...the fragrant ambience coloured by lotus pollen! What a luminous picture is resplendent inside the ornamented, transcendental shrine-like bower of overgrown creepers.


The handsome god made a bed of tender budding shoots and breathing love into his flute, passionately drew Shri Radha. She came along with Shri Lalitaji and other sakhis to her beloved pond. Probably they were roaming nearby. The footfalls of Shri Radha...tinkling anklets and merry laughter signalled their arrival, leading Shri Krishna to the entrance of the kunja ...


Ah! The supreme object of Krishna's passionate love; Radha the very embodiment of that irresistibly attractive feminine principle, surrounded by her close sakhis arrived...causing a sensation...tugging at their heart-strings...! She looked intently at the expectant love-laden eyes of the supreme lover, and was completely absorbed in the terrifying rush of love.


Priyatam welcomed everyone ardently and taking Priyaji, sat on the throne made of blossoms. The sakhis too like gathering dense clouds, encircled Shri Radha-Krishna and sat around them. The flute thrilled at being held by the lotus hand of Krishna, seemed to spring up. The sakhis burst out laughing...Priyatam followed and Priyaji giggled a bit.


Her faint laughter spurred the eagerly desirous Krishna for a new playful dalliance. He appraised her with a side-long glance-seeming to ask her consent. Priyaji looked longingly at him and snuggled in his blue-hued arms...placed the flute on her lips, filling it with the breath of love. The call to eternity, broke into an eternal melody.

At times the flute resonated with Priyatam's breath of passion and occasionally Priya made it come alive with her exaltation. The sakhis bloomed delightfully on listening to the mellifluous notes of the flute play. And soon enough all the musical instruments were produced. Shri Lalitaji took out the veena (a large instrument of the type of the lute) and Vishakhaji held the mridanga (a double drum tapering from the middle towards the end) and rest of the sakhis took control of others.


The Saranga Raga resounded in the environs with the rhapsody giving rise to sensual earthly love of Kandarpa ( a title of Kama, the god of love). Nobody had an inkling when these instruments halted,the flute play turned silent and the musical notes came to a standstill. A blissful state reaching the heights of elation and ecstasy prevailed for some time.


The terrifying rush of love and sakhis plus their adorable Yugal (Shri Radha-Krishna), were absorbed in its enthused exultation. Priyaji's amusing flute play had urged the innovative playful dalliance in that motionless and still nikunja. And soon enough there was further commotion in the shrine of the nikunja. One never knows for how long blued-hued Krishna was thrilled with its joyous abandon.


And the sakhis also enchanted by physical contact and its erotic connotations roamed around in the bower, giving in to sensuous pleasure. Priyaji's intermittent laughter similar to the flash of bright lightning,was gifted to the terrifying rush of love encompassed in Krishna, the colour of the dense cloud.


The blackness of the evening merged into the night's darkness. Intoxicated by a mantra, those enraptured maidens staggering along, stepped out of the bower. They went and sat in thickets of creepers, somewhat lost in a trance. Soon enough...the terrifying rush of love drifted away from these maidens. That impassioned Kishore (a title of Krishna as thought of in conjunction with Radha, his consort) united with Priyaji as he bent down to take her in his arms.


Citing the buzzing of the inconstant black bee he asked,' Priye! Guess what this capricious black bee hovering over the flower is singing.' (Krishna could be counted to alight upon flower after flower to savour its sweetness intoxicated by sweetness itself.) Radha did not comment though she was engulfed by surges if exquisite desire to possess Krishna singularly and without cease. It was an escapade of Kandarpa (a title of Kama, the god of love) which steeped both of them in a fresh amorous frolic. The moment midnight passed, melodious singing took the place of the evening's water sports, leading to another charming dalliance.


So in the silence of that isolated sensuous night, a totally new picture sprang forth. Consciously, the sakhis peeped from behind the creeper thickets:


Sej sarovar rajat hain jal madik roop bhare tarunai.

Angni aabha tarang uthain, tahan meen katakshani ki chaplai.

Pyasi sakhi bhari anjuli nain, piye te girin upma 'Dhruv' pai.

Prem gayand ne dare hain tori kai kanchan kanj chahoon disi mai.


The sakhis saw the thrusts of ecstasy; Shri Radha-Krishna's secret most intimate transcendental exchange. Savouring the fusions of delight and desire, those beauties were impassioned once again.


The bliss of Shri Radha-Krishna's union in the secret magical shrine-like world inside the bower and the sight of those sakhis steeped in love, swooning with the pathos of separation, in the world outside the bower. The nikunja had thus divided two worlds into opposing realms.


With love,

Yours Bobo.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Prem Sudha Dhara: Vijayji


(Page 317)

Shri Hari

Shri Vrindavan Dhaam

11th June 1972

Dear Vijay,


With love, Jai Shri Hari.


Got your card plus letter too, and I was relieved to know that you are fine. But brother! Whether one is startled, vigilant, stupefied-benumbed, becomes fickle or remains seriously earnest for Lord Krishna, it is an irresistibly attractive condition, with an attractiveness as mysterious as it is compelling. Everything should revolve around him, assuring his centrality and importance.


I understand that to be watchful, exquisitely desirous and ardently longing for him, is the supreme means of union with the divine. Even if a leaf rustles the ears should be sensing his approach-probably he is on his way. Whichever path we sight, it should seem he is arriving here soon enough. Whoever utters a word,our ears, eyes and mind must be passionately drawn, as if Krishna, seen as the object of longing is expressing himself.


If it is not his adorable vina (a large musical instrument of the type of the lute) like voice modulation then certainly someone is informing us of his arrival. In case eternal melodies are heard, our ears must be glued, probably it is him humming along. He could embrace us in this startled state or cover our eyes silently sneaking in from the back.


The romantic escapade is not going to end here because Krishna whom we seek is the most human of gods. He roams as much as he returns. The distraught, offended or enraptured maiden can easily be interpreted as a symbol of the soul in search of god. Soon after, both the heroine and the expectant god who is the object of her quest, embody a sensuality contending for an all-consuming intimacy with the divine.


Hearing the moving cry of the cuckoo, the ardently longing beauty's distressed heart and she mumbled, pee kahan. All of a sudden the rustling sound in the forest bower overgrown with creepers startled her ...She turned to look behind and saw Krishna smiling in a winsome fashion. The supreme lover affirmed,'Here!' He came real close instantly and hugged her in a passionate embrace. Highly revered Shri Sakhaji had narrated this episode during some divine play of Lord Krishna. You would recollect it too. Brother, this search of a divine and transcendental love can make life rapturous!


Every fiber of our being must become the means of attaining his delights of love. His overpowering memory...his playful dalliance...and only divine Krishna...resides daily in the elusive fields, forests and streams of the heart where God is ultimately found. Perception of Krishna's physical presence affects us with a mysterious and sometimes terrifying rush of love as our body, mind, soul and eyes incessantly experience the heights of elation and ecstasy.


Life should not be an arid stretch as Krishna bursts forth into the hearts of his devotees, filling their lives with inspiration and delight. The god in descent and in disguise, plays out his passionate programmes of salvation; expectant and eagerly desirous for union with the seeker. Manifesting himself, Lord Krishna is able to turn the symbiosis of the searcher and the sought into a quickening relationship in which the intertwining roles of godly love and human love cannot be separated or identified.


With love,

Yours Bobo.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Prem Sudha Dhara: Vijayji


(Page 315)

Shri Hari

Shri Vrindavan Dhaam

21st July 1970

Dear Vijay,


With love, Jai Shri Hari.


I was going through the padas of Shri Nagridasji some days back. One of the verses had me in splits of laughter. Seeing the staggering gait, mussed clothes, intoxicated eyes of a cowherdess afflicted with divine madness, another impassioned sakhi cornered her, asking about her well-being. Though there was no need because her irrepressible joy, impassioned persona and clumsy actions gave away the trance-like state on their own accord.


However eager for an amorous frolic, when the onlooking sakhi asked the reason for her condition, the crazed Brajbala, raved in delicious anguish,' Sakhi! What should I reveal...that day...yes a magical spell enchanted me that very day...I went to fill water at the well as always. Lifting my eyes I saw the capricious dark-hued handsome Krishna, the repository of loving tenderness, all of a sudden.


Beer (friend) I was stupefied; my lively temperament completely absorbed in his beauteous form. He too did not utter a word and coming close instantly, lifted the water pot and perched it on my head. Truly sakhi, I made no ardent entreaty! He voluntarily helped out and I could not react even as of now.The supreme lover read some enchanting mantra, making me reach the heights of elation and ecstasy.


I lost my presence of mind and what more sakhi! While he was placing the water pot on my head, I was engulfed by surges of exquisite desire to possess Krishna singularly and without cease. The union beneath of exchanging glances, reciprocated my love for Krishna and it was thus made complete! Aali (woman's female friend), what is my fault? Those eyes were teasing and insistent. Both his tender dark hands held the pot, sturdy arms seemed like raised lotuses and attractive dark gaze peeped triumphantly into my lowered eyes. The most intimate transcendental exchange and a lot more!


But how can I possibly narrate the erotic episode' Dai hansi deethni son nilaj nai see sain.' The eyes with their enchantment had made me crazy but now it was disastrous as I lost the rest of my senses. Though conscious my condition has transformed ever since!


I must say, Krishna, the quintessential romantic hero is completely brazen. Exuding a mysterious and sometimes terrifying rush of love from his budding lips, he burst forth into my heart with mischief and spontaneity, tenderness and teasing. Obviously shy, how could I construe these love-gestures and messages.


I had heard of his sidelong glances beckoning cowherdesses but the insistent look was absolutely new. Intoxicated with divine madness I am helpless! Striving to regain good sense, how should I express my distraught condition. Ever since on fire with desire for Krishna, I head home at times and wander in the forest occasionally.


Curbing my exquisite desire for the amorous play that is delightful, I stay home at night but have had sleepless nights since his eyes held mine. You suggest a way out to my predicament...Oh! 'The ache of physical separation.' Beer...just...don't...ask anything else...that's final!


With love,

Yours Bobo.