Saturday, November 24, 2012

'Shri Krishna Karnamrita:" Twenty-fourth Shloka

shishiri-kurute kada nu nah
shikhi-piccha-bharanah shishur drishoh 
|
yugalam vigalan-madhu-drava-
smita-mudra-mriduna mukhenduna  
||24||

Simple Meaning:


The Moonlike Face of Youthful Krishna

When will that youthful boy Krishna (who is eternally adolescent),Whose forehead is adorned with the jewel of peacock plumes; trickling honey drains from the gentle laughter (smile) of Whose moonlike face, give darshan and  soothe our eyes.

The Rasa-laden Commentary:


 
Innocent Childlike Lord Krishna

Steeped in the sakhi bhava, Shri Bilavmangal ji says: O Shyam Sunder who is an innocent young child to look at and a handsome youth wearing peacock plumes! When, O when are you going to cool both my eyes? When will you soothe my eyes burning with the anguish of waiting with the moonlight smile of your blue-hued moonlike face and thus soothe the grief of being separated from You for so may births?Showering some nectar every moment, Your pair of lotus eyes give the boon of a new life by cooling the enflamed eyes and tormented core of our heart and inner soul.

The moonbeam like smile splashing on Your red lips seems to be immersing me in some cool pond and appeasing the burning pain of the past so many ages.



 
Supreme Lover Krishna
Do not delay now and manifest in front of my pained eyes with Your nectarous smile pouring forth. Come before my life is deprived of the heights of elation and ecstasy which I have reached. Come my eyes are thirsting for your arrival...Come, do come now. When will you come? When will you come and immerse me in the sweet gush of your youthful beauty? When will my eyes be able to see your blue-hued moonlike face wearing peacock plumes?...When? My Supreme Lover! My Heart's Beloved!


Shri Bilavmangal ji Maharaj

Overwhelmed with an ardent longing to catch a glimpse of Lord Krishna, Shri Billavmangal ji calls out, “O My Priyatam, my Heart's Beloved !When will you clam the searing pain of my  impatient eyes? Describing Krishna's form, Bilavmangal ji  says: Your moonlike face is endowed with extremely tender loveliness because of the smile which marks it and thus radiant moonlight, an embodiment of Your madhurya, is being showered.


Intensely Attrative Krishna Wearing Peacock Plumes

 The ornament of peacock plumes adorns your head-when will you cool our eyes with such a sweet and intensely attractive form.


Braj Gopis Enamoured by Krishna

smita-mudra-mriduna mukhenduna: the One whose face is shimmering with the moonlight of His softly tender laughter. A terrifying rush of delight gushes forth in the hearts of Braj maidens when they see the moonlike face which is marked by a soft smile and an extremely tender glow.


Shri Shri Roop Goswami Pad
 In the 'Shri Govind Virudavali', Shri Shri Roop Goswami Pad describes the impact of Lord Krishna's  budding smile, “ O Madhava! May your lustrous smile which destroys the spiritual darkness of bhaktas' hearts and passionately draws the  Braj gopis, make me reach the heights of elation and ecstasy.”


Nectar Cascades from Krishna's Lotus Face

vigalan-madhu-drava: How is Lord Krishna's lotus face? Just as sweet nectar which trickles from a flower in the same way fragrant nectarous rasa keeps cascading from the moonlike face of Lord Krishna marked with a slight smile.




Lord Krishna's Tender Smile

Many people have offered the entire essence of their lives to His moonlike face endowed with a smile. In the words of rasik poet Raskhan: “ Mai ree va mukh ki muskan samhari na jaihai na jaihai.” Shri Bilamangal ji will also say in the coming shlokas: “ Madhugandhi mridusmit maitdaho madhur madhur.”


 
Bilavamangalji Longs for Krishna Like a Sakhi

Assuming the sakhi roop, Shri Bilavmangal ji is restless and prays: “ O Nath ! It is has become very late now. Kindly appear in your sweet form  and cool my eyes. Only by plunging in your beauteous lotus form these eyes which have been anguished since eternity can be appeased for all times to come. Because You are the very ocean of nectar-'Madhuradharamritam.'

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

'Shri Krishna Karnamrita:' Twenty-third Shloka

sardham samriddhair amritayamanair-
atayamanair murali-ninadaih 
|
murdhabhishiktam madhurakritinam
balam kada nama vilokayishye 
||23||

Simple Meaning:


The Irresistibly Attractive Youthful Krishna

When will I see that young boy Krishna with my eyes. The One who is irresistibly attractive because all of the beauty and all of the virtue of the world comingle in His character and form. When will I hear Him play the flute whose melodious waves are  suffused with nectar and have attained perfection. Ah! With its lilting sound and mellifluous notes, the flute is more than a musical instrument in the hands of Krishna, it is the breath of love.

The Rasa-laden Commentary:

The Nectarous Flute Play of the Supreme Lover

Lord Krishna is the ocean of ineffable beauty Himself. But when steeped in some particular bhava and sweet fickleness, He delightedly plays the flute, the beauty of His form is further enhanced.The proud gopis chirp merrily when they hear the nectar of their supreme lover's flute. 

The 'Venu Geet' has given such a beautiful description of His Flute Play:

krsnam nirksya vanitotsava-rupa-shilam  |
srutva ca tat-kvanita-venu-vichitra-gitam  ||


 The Wives of gods Are Infatuated by Krishna & His Flute

"O sakhi! What to speak of the cowherdesses, even the wives of heavenly gods are infatuated when they see Lord Krishna who is a treasury of ineffable beauty & virtuousness and when they hear the sweet melodies sung on His flute. This sweet intoxicating form and flute play makes their limbs, lives mind, hearts and souls reach the heights of elation and ecstasy, like a festival.


Lord Krishna Plays the Flute in Vrindavana

But how is this flute play? It is particularly being sung for the gopis who are the very lives of dark-hued Krishna. “I am in the forest and you all are at home, but how does it matter? Taking support of the mellifluous song I am sending my breath of love  to arouse an ardent longing in your hearts to unite with my sweetness. I can see the delicious anguish arising in your hearts from here.” Probably the lover of the gopis would be singing these  kind of songs on His flute.


 Krishna, The Teasing Paramour of the Gopis
The gods' wives found this sound to be sweet and extremely melodious that is why it is a unique song for them. And also because they make non-living beings become conscious and living beings become unconscious. Such nectarous rasa gushes forth that the maidens, beloveds of Krishna, are passionately drawn and want to relish the rasa of their teasing, elusive and insistent paramour.


Lord Krishna Decks Himself to Attract the Gopis

Have a look what an ucchatan mantra deeksha it is: Once gazing at the charming Vrinda forest lit by the radiant moonlight, in the first pahar of the night, the inner core of Shyam Sunder's heart wished to make His beloved gopis drink some intoxicating potion. Therefore He decked Himself in different ways. He looked at His lotus hands and then smiled. Then He Tucked the vanshi in His waistband and adjusted the swirling vanamala around his throat. 
Lord Krishna is Enchanted by His own Beauty

Soon after He stopped for a few moments and went in stood in front of the mirror. Ah! This uniquely beauteous form.The mischievous Krishna was enchanted by His own appearance. He stepped out of the bhavan and headed for some dense forest. 


Krishna Playing the Flute Beneath a Kadamba Tree

On reaching the forest He went and stood beneath a kadamba tree. The flute was taken out of the waistband and came into His lotus hands. Soon enough it was watered by His lips and resonated.


 
The Gopis with Radha in Their Midst are Drawn by Krishna's Flute Play

At the other end the cluster of gopis was already coming with Shri Radha in their midst. They heard the soft gentle flute play of Krishna. There was magic in those melodious notes, a certain fascination. Stepping out of their bhavans the young maidens immersed in that gushing sound, lost all their senses. In a split second the maidens became alert once again; they heard the touching message of the supreme lover.They could not stop and ran speedily, drawn by the flute play.That rasa-laden sound charged through them like lightning and without saying a word they reached the melodious site of the flute.



Love Struck Shri Radha

Brajraj Kishore saw love-struck Shri Radha, His heart's beloved, coming along with the  gopis. Flirtatious Krishna was spellbound by Her colourful lustrous appearance, an eagerness to meet Him apparent in Her gait, and Her waving aanchal. Startled by the Braj beauties' tinkling anklets handsome Krishna speedily advanced towards them. Ah! That elated lustrous form advancing towards them...His dark-hued feet moving in a delicately expressive manner, the  twinkling gold bracelets gleaming on His swinging arms, the coloured radiance of the bejewelled rings adorning His tender fingers, the shimmer of His fluttering pitambar, His flowing locks, His dancing kundals and the sweet smile playing on His lips.


 
Gopis Relish the Beauty of Krishna

Ah! Madan was taken aback and Rati was dumbstuck. The Braj beauties lost their hearts in this ostentatious display and struck by Krishna, the repository of beauty, they stayed there. Their eyes became insane relishing that beauteous form. Ah!...Ah!


 
Steeped in the Sakhi Bhava, Shri Bilav Mangal ji Longs for a Glimpse of Krishna

Steeped in the sakhi bhava (of sweet total commitment and love for Krishna)Shri Billav Mangal ji is becoming restless over and over again. He prays,” When will he see that young supreme lover playing the flute. Will that beauteous form flash forth in my heart?” As the love struck state of Billav Mangal ji increases His humility increases accordingly.Pining for Krishna he asks when will the creeper of my ardent longing  bear fruit?