Friday, April 24, 2009

Shri Radha Kripakataksha Stotra: Significance


The stotra ends with the 12th shloka but its composer Adi Shankaracharyaji, raves about the composition's virtues


Iteedmadbhutan stavtrishamya Bhanunandini

Karotu santatan janan kripakatakshabhaajnam.

Bhavetdaiv sanchit triroop karmnashan

Labhetda Brajendra soonu mandal-praveshnam.


'Oh, Shri Radhika the daughter of Vrasbhan! Listening to your devotee's unique stuti (hymn of praise) make me the worthy recipient of your benevolent side-long glance forever. With the grace of your sight, the threefold sufferings (mental, physical and circumstantial along with destined, amassed and present deeds) are destroyed. Soon enough I can easily gain entry into the nitya or eternal mandala of Krishna, the darling son of Nanda.'


Lowering our head in reverence to our adorable sakhi svamini's pure lotus feet, we make a prayer to Shri Radha. May the conferrer of instinctive grace and supreme beloved of Nandnandan, identify us as her own while bestowing the boon of her supreme lover Krishna's innate divinity.


We too are urged into complete absorption in the joy of Krishna and he exists intensely in our hearts. Mystically visualized as the world around us, he remains the essence of our lives. Not looking at us, the svamini should see herself, so that her mercy is showered on us.


She may spot us but not for evaluating our deeds or to weigh our worth...but rather making us her own forever and ever...hand us over to her supreme lover...urging us into complete absorption in the joy of Krishna...without spotting our competence.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Shri Radha Kripakataksha Stotra: 12th shloka


Makheshvari-kriyeshvari-svadheshvari-sureshvari,

Trivedbhaarteeshvari-pramaanhshaasneshvari.

Rameshvari-shameshvari-pramodkaanneshvari,

Brajeshvari! Brajaadhipe! Shri Radhike! Namostute.


'Oh svamini of several yagyas or sacrficial offerings, the manageress of all deeds, controlling principle of all religious oblations, the goddess of the three vedas (Rig,Yajur and Sam), the great shakti or energy of certified commands, dallying in Pramod Van( the pleasure-grove at Ayodhya, a meeting place of Ram and Sita) the daughter of King Janak incarnated as Shri Radhike! Oh Brajeshwari the one controlling Braj, I bow respectfully before your lotus feet over and over again!'


Singing with enthused exultation of Shri Radhika's divine play, her radiant limbs lustrous due to divine romantic dalliances, the sweet bhavas, Adi Shankaracharya, composer of the 'Shri Radha Kripakataksha Stotra', exalts her divine majesty in the end. In reality grandeur does not seem agreeable in the realm of madhurya or sentiment of sweet romance but at places it is perfectly befitting.


One can spot the terrifying rush of love in songs of the Braj maidens...'Na khalu gopika nandno bhavaan' acclaiming her grandeur. In love-lorn renditions' Yathadipurusho bhajte mumushoon' grand words display the beauty of her distraught love-talk...above all...handsome Krishna, is primarily the supreme lover and the Supreme Being later.


So the darling son of Nanda's grandeur, escalates in moments of separation due to the pathos of longing. During the episodes of union and the pleasure of belonging, its memory has no respite. But it all happens in the case of the supreme lover.


Shri Radhika is the svamini or devotional ideal of the sakhis. She encapsulates the idea of bhakti shringara; a certain spirituality that can only arise from indulging in love. Her perspectives, thoughts, voice, as expressed in the thousands of padas in daily use are not only of one svamini and her relationship with Krishna but equally those of the sakhis, gopa cowherds, Nanda, Vrashban and the collective Braj denizens.


Making a prayer to Radha, enables us in imbibing the sakhi bhava (it helps us realize who we really are in terms of our eternal identity in the spiritual realm; through this meditation one gradually develops prema or love for Krishna.)


Nandnandan's sweet love for Shri Radhika is constant and new every day...he distributes his love with a free hand to the herd of sakhis as well. Few can resist Krishna's secret or sudden love as he bursts forth into the hearts of his beloveds, though Shri Radhika's compassion is imperative for this experience.


Shri Radhika's sentiment of sweet romance is solely for handsome Krishna, her passionate lover. For all others her vatsalya or maternal tenderness and grace are attainable. To some extent the supremely fortunate gopikas can relish her sakhya or friendship.


Radha feels that her love for Krishna can always expand to greater heights, and therefore she manifests herself as the many gopis of Braj, who fulfil Krishna's desire for a loving relationship in a variety of ways.We have accounts of the cowherdesses' romantic dalliances with Krishna but only by meditating on Radha's powerful majestic grandeur, or else there is chance of grave offence.


Therefore Adi Shankaracharya after exalting Radha's madhurya adorned with grandeur, her amorous frolic with Krishna in all shlokas, reports her glories with enthused exultation in the last verse. Ecstatic experiencing the svamini's greatness, he forgets to ask when she will cast her favourable side-long glance, propritiating her over and over again.


Without shakti or energy the world is lifeless. Brahma, the all pervading spirit of the universe, also lacks spontaneity...therefore Shri Radhika, the source of all shaktis or feminine manifestations of cosmic energy, beloved of Krishna, is the svamini of all yagyas, religious ceremonies, fields of knowledge and all realms.


Another pivotal concept endorses that Shri Radha is acclaimed as the svamini of everyone but is addressed as Shri Sitaji. This proves that Shri Rama and Shri Krishna (divine energetic source or shaktiman) and Shri Sita and Shri Radha (divine feminine energy or shakti) are one and the same.


We bow respectfully before Shri Radhika, the svamini of Braj denizens, the ruler of Braj...over and over again.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Shri Radha Kripakataksha Stotra: 11th shloka


Anantkotivishnuloknamra padmjaarchite,

Himaadrijaapulomjaaviranchijaavarprade.

Apaarsidhivridhidigdhsatpadaanguleenkhe,

Kadaa karishyaseeh maan kripakatakshabhaajnam.


The composer of the stotra entreats,' The one eternally worshipped by Goddess Laxmi residing in Vaikunth, Oh Svamini! bestowing boons to Bhagwati Parvati, Indrani (wife of the god Indra) and goddess Saraswati; the granter of infinite sidhi to devotees reflecting on her toe nail! Oh Shri Radhike,the compassionate one! When will you chose me, wretched and distraught at present, as the worthy recipient of your favourable side long glance.'


Shri Laxmi the beloved of Lord Vishnu is also eagerly desirous for Shri Radhika's grace. She does penance at Bilav Van which has her temple...so say the folk of Vrindavan. Goddess Laxmi is a feminine manifestation of Shri Radha who is the source of all shaktis or divine feminine energies.


Shri Radhika,the Godhead in female form, resides in Braja to adorn herself with the dust of the gopis' lotus feet. Though Shri Laxmiji is also present but it is not easy for her to relish Krishna's love play. She is the consort of Lord Narayana, burdened with the task of preserving the world.Krishna's spirited romantic dalliance can only be savoured by Shri Radhika, and the gopis her kayavyuhas or replications in Vrindavan.


Kamla Devi (goddess Laxmi) whose abode is Viakunth, prays to Shri Radha for this amorous frolic. Bhagwati Parwati's adores Shri Radha too...Indrani requests her grace and goddess Saraswati eternally offers her entire gamut of learning and singing at Radha's lotus feet. Our sakhi svamini Shri Radha grants boons to all these great goddesses. With her grace, they incarnate as gopis to savour Krishna's love-sports.


Fully meditating on Shri Radha is not possible...Even the supreme lover, darling son of Nanda enchanted by her, loses his sanity...Captivated he exalts,'Dhehi mein padpallavmudaram' so where do the others stand a chance? Very few fortunate devotees can do chintan or meditate on her lotus feet...By dhyana or reflecting on her toe nail, the infinite realm of sidhi falls at their feet, escalating day by day.


What is sidhi? Offering ourselves totally to Krishna, the supreme lover...becoming his solely his. Or rather enchanting our entire being, Krishna invades us with his secret or sudden rush of love; making us instrumental in his playful dalliance, he lets us lovingly attending to his needs...Krishna bursts forth into our hearts, filling our lives with inspiration and delight.


Melting and softening our mind-souls, steeped in the flame of his love is sidhi. Chintan or meditating on Shri Radhika's toe nail bestows this supreme blessing. That is why all rasikas ( a person moved by passionate religious devotion esp for Krishna) ardently long for Shri Radhika's grace.


The writer of Shri Radha Kripakatasha Stotra has clearly affirmed several times...'He Svamini! May I attain the good fortune of serving your needs, enchanted by which the handsome Krishna, the supreme lover hugs me to his heart.'


Eagerly desirous, the composer expectantly waits for the compassionate svamini's graceful side long glance,' Oh Svamini! When will you accept us as the worthy recipients of your graceful side-long glace...and delight our bodies-minds-souls, making us reach the heights of elation and ecstasy by showering your favour? How much longer shall we wait? Oh Goddess, now please be moved! '

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Shri Radha Kripakataksha Stotra: 10th shloka


Anekmantranaadmanjunoopurarvaskhalat

Samaajraajhansvanshnivachnaatigaurave.

Vilolhemvallreevidambichaaruchankrame,

Kadaa karishyaseeh maan kripakatakshabhaajnam.


Anklets laced with tiny bells adorn Shri Shri Radha's glowing feet and tinkle melodiously. Narrating the enchanting tale of their great good fortune, they resonate with the sound of several mantras. But the incantations are not the ones written in shastras and vedas; they make us ardently long to unite with the realm of passionate love. Its sound has the distinctive trait of taking dedicated devotees to Radha, the Godhead in female form. Thus her loving followers, infatuated by her lotus feet, feel that she controls Krishna with her love and that perfect spiritual life is unattainable without her grace.


'Anekmantranaad' likens the tinkling anklets to a bell, their sweet sound enflames the desire of the individuated soul for union with God. For sages the melody is interpreted as the composer of Saamdhvani (chanting verses of the Saam Veda, one of the three principal vedas or scriptures). But truly speaking this mellifluous resounding tinkle gives the message of some romantic episode. It seems as if a herd of flamingos singing sweetly; detail the grand love-play of Shri Radha-Krishna, which resonates in all directions.


Swans are the chief love messengers of Shri Radha-Krishna.The swan like anklets sounding like the chanting of several mantras...inform the supreme lover of Priyaji's auspicious arrival, as he waits expectantly in some nikunja or bower.Aavat jaat bajavat noopur, soon enough, Krishna the supreme rasika is startled. Priyaji walks with her anklets tinkling...making Krishna ardently long to relish romantic dalliances; his love-struck enigmatic persona gives in to freedom, spontaneity and intense passion.


So the repository of passion,Krishna, peeped out of the shrine-like nikunja and... his eagerly desirous eyes beheld...the beloved coming...her delicate limbs move with some charming breeze tugging at her heart-strings...Mesmerized, the blue-hued god adulated Radha with a fixed gaze...The repository of mischievousness adored her steadily.


'Here she comes, putting to shame an intoxicated elephant's gait...moving delightedly like a golden creeper...the goddess who reigns over my heart...the supreme object of my passionate love...my love incarnate,' exults Krishna...( Shri Radha is the very embodiment of that irresistibly attractive feminine principle towards whom the masculine power encompassed in the god is drawn.) The tinkling anklets are not quiet after the love- message...but chirp spiritedly.


Alluding to the rush of romantic sentiments,spirited antics and amorous frolics of Shri Radha-Krishna as they move into the mazes and mysteries of love, the anklets broadcast their glory with joyous abandon...and the enraptured lover and his beloved are eagerly desirous to develop an all-consuming intimacy with each other.('We have two bodies but the soul is identical...I created you for the sake of joy,' Krishna tells Radha.)


An enchanting melody constantly brings the frenzied lovers close. Construed as the musical instrument of love-play, it instinctively absorbs the skilled lovers in this terrifying rush of love and Shri Radha-Krishna are helpless. Spurred by a charming breeze, Radha the golden creeper snuggles in the blue-hued tree's (Krishna) loving arms; delighting his impassioned form.


The composer makes a prayer,' The one whose tinkling anklets wind around her lotus feet, giving rise to several chantings of mantras (incantations) as if flamingos are singing their glories...whose moving delicate limbs seem like waving golden creepers, living sentient beings...when will Shri Radhika, supremely tender-limbed, and compassionate, our softhearted svamini or devotional ideal...be moved and make me a worthy recipient of her grace or favour?'