Chapter 1

          Srila Rupa Gosvami's Second Meeting With the Lord

 

   A summary of the First Chapter is given by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya as follows. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to Jagannatha Puri from Vrndavana, all His devotees from other parts of India, upon receiving the auspicious news, came to Purusottama-ksetra, or Jagannatha Puri. Sivananda Sena took a dog with him and even paid fees for it to cross the river. One night, however, the dog could not get any food and therefore went directly to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri. The next day, when Sivananda and his party reached Jagannatha Puri, Sivananda saw the dog eating some coconut pulp offered to it by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. After this incident, the dog was liberated and went back home, back to Godhead.

   Meanwhile, Srila Rupa Gosvami reached Bengal, after returning from Vrndavana. Although he could not follow the Bengali devotees, after some time he then came to Jagannatha Puri, where he stayed with Haridasa Thakura. Srila Rupa Gosvami composed an important verse, beginning with the words priyah so 'yam, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu relished it very much. One day when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Ramananda Raya and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya went to see Haridasa Thakura, the Lord saw the verse Rupa Gosvami had composed as an introduction to his books Lalita-madhava and Vidagdha-madhava. After examining the manuscripts of these two books, Ramananda Raya approved and appreciated them very much. After the period of Caturmasya, all the devotees who had come from Bengal returned to their homes. Srila Rupa Gosvami, however, remained at Jagannatha Puri for some time.

 

                                TEXT 1

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       pangum langhayate sailam

                       mukam avartayec chrutim

                       yat-krpa tam aham vande

                       krsna-caitanyam isvaram

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pangum--one who is lame; langhayate--causes to cross over; sailam--a mountain; mukam--one who is dumb; avartayet--can cause to recite; srutim--Vedic literature; yat-krpa--the mercy of whom; tam--unto Him; aham--I; vande--offer obeisances; krsna-caitanyam--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Krsna Himself; isvaram--the Lord.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, by whose mercy even a lame man can cross over a mountain and a dumb man recite Vedic literature.

 

                                TEXT 2

 

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                      durgame pathi me 'ndhasya

                       skhalat-pada-gater muhuh

                        sva-krpa-yasti-danena

                       santah santv avalambanam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   durgame--very difficult; pathi--on the path; me--of me; andhasya--one who is blind; skhalat--slipping; pada--on feet; gateh--whose manner of moving; muhuh--again and again; sva-krpa--of their own mercy; yasti--the stick; danena--by giving; santah--those saintly persons; santu--let that become; avalambanam--my support.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My path is very difficult. I am blind, and my feet are slipping again and again. Therefore, may the saints help me by granting me the stick of their mercy as my support.

 

                              TEXTS 3-4

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 sri-rupa, sanatana bhatta-raghunatha

               sri-jiva, gopala-bhatta, dasa-raghunatha

 

                 ei chaya gurura karon carana vandana

                yaha haite vighna-nasa, abhista-purana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-rupa--of the name Sri Rupa; sanatana--of the name Sanatana; bhatta-raghunatha--of the name Bhatta Raghunatha; sri-jiva--of the name Sri Jiva; gopala-bhatta--of the name Gopala Bhatta; dasa-raghunatha--of the name Dasa Raghunatha; ei--these six; gurura--of spiritual masters; karon--I offer; carana vandana--prayers to the lotus feet; yaha--from which; vighna-nasa--destruction of all impediments; abhista-purana--fulfillment of desires.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I pray to the lotus feet of the six Gosvamis--Sri Rupa, Sanatana, Bhatta Raghunatha, Sri Jiva, Gopala Bhatta and Dasa Raghunatha--so that all impediments to my writing this literature will be annihilated and my real desire will be fulfilled.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   If one wants to benefit the entire world, he will certainly find persons like hogs and pigs who will put forward many impediments. That is natural. But if a devotee seeks shelter at the lotus feet of the six Gosvamis, the merciful Gosvamis will certainly give the Lord's servitor all protection. It is not astonishing that impediments are placed before those who are spreading the Krsna consciousness movement all over the world. Nevertheless, if we adhere to the lotus feet of the six Gosvamis and pray for their mercy, all impediments will be annihilated, and the transcendental devotional desire to serve the Supreme Lord will be fulfilled.

 

                                TEXT 5

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        jayatam suratau pangor

                        mama manda-mater gati

                       mat-sarvasva-padambhojau

                         radha-madana-mohanau

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   jayatam--all glory to; su-ratau--most merciful, or attached in conjugal love; pangoh--of one who is lame; mama--of me; manda-mateh--foolish; gati--refuge; mat--my; sarva-sva--everything; pada-ambhojau--whose lotus feet; radha-madana-mohanau--Radharani and Madana-mohana.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Glory to the all-merciful Radha and Madana-mohana! I am lame and ill-advised, yet They are my directors, and Their lotus feet are everything to me.

 

                                TEXT 6

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  divyad-vrndaranya-kalpa-drumadhah

                   srimad-ratnagara-simhasana-sthau

                   srimad-radha-srila-govinda-devau

                   presthalibhih sevyamanau smarami

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   divyat--shining; vrnda-aranya--in the forest of Vrndavana; kalpa-druma--desire tree; adhah--beneath; srimat--most beautiful; ratna-agara--in a temple of jewels; simha-asana-sthau--sitting on a throne; srimat--very beautiful; radha--Srimati Radharani; srila-govinda-devau--and Sri Govindadeva; prestha-alibhih--by most confidential associates; sevyamanau--being served; smarami--I remember.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In a temple of jewels in Vrndavana, underneath a desire tree, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, served by Their most confidential associates, sit upon an effulgent throne. I offer my humble obeisances unto Them.

 

                                TEXT 7

 

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                        sriman-rasa-rasarambhi

                          vamsivata-sthitah

                      karsan venu-svanair gopir

                      gopi-nathah sriye 'stu nah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sriman--most beautiful; rasa--of the rasa dance; rasa--of the mellow; arambhi--the initiator; vamsi-vata--of the name Vamsivata; tata--on the shore; sthitah--standing; karsan--attracting; venu--of the flute; svanaih--by the sounds; gopih--the cowherd girls; gopi-nathah--Sri Gopinatha; sriye--benediction; astu--let there be; nah--our.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Srila Gopinatha, who originated the transcendental mellow of the rasa dance, stands on the shore at Vamsivata and attracts the attention of the cowherd damsels with the sound of His celebrated flute. May they all confer upon us their benediction.

 

                                TEXT 8

 

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                jaya jaya sri-caitanya jaya nityananda

              jayadvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   jaya jaya sri caitanya--all glories to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; jaya nityananda--all glories to Sri Nityananda Prabhu; jaya advaita-candra--all glories to Advaita Prabhu; jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda--all glories to the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   All glories to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityananda! All glories to Advaita Acarya! All glories to the devotees of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu!

 

                                TEXT 9

 

                                 TEXT

 

                madhya-lila sanksepete karilun varnana

              antya-lila-varnana kichu suna, bhakta-gana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   madhya-lila--pastimes known as madhya-lila; sanksepete--in brief; karilun varnana--I have described; antya-lila--the last pastimes; varnana--description; kichu--something; suna--hear; bhakta-gana--O devotees.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I have briefly described the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu known as the madhya-lila. Now I shall attempt to describe something about His last pastimes, which are known as the antya-lila.

 

                               TEXT 10

 

                                 TEXT

 

               madhya-lila-madhye antya-lila-sutra-gana

              purva-granthe sanksepete kariyachi varnana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   madhya-lila-madhye--within the madhya-lila chapters; antya-lila-sutra-gana--a synopsis of the antya-lila; purva-granthe--in the previous chapter; sanksepete--in brief; kariyachi varnana--I have described.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I have briefly described the antya-lila within the description of the madhya-lila.

 

                               TEXT 11

 

                                 TEXT

 

                ami jara-grasta, nikate janiya marana

                antya kono kono lila kariyachi varnana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ami jara-grasta--I am invalid because of old age; nikate--very near; janiya--knowing; marana--death; antya--final; kono kono--some; kono kono--some; lila--pastimes;.kariyachi varnana--I have described

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I am now almost an invalid because of old age, and I know that at any moment I may die. Therefore I have already described some portions of the antya-lila.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Following in the footsteps of Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, I am trying to translate Srimad-Bhagavatam as quickly as possible. However, knowing myself to be an old man and almost an invalid because of rheumatism, I have already translated the essence of all literatures, the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, as a summary study in English. I started the Krsna consciousness movement at the age of seventy. Now I am seventy-eight, and so my death is imminent. I am trying to finish the translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam as soon as possible, but before finishing it, I have given my readers the book Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so that if I die before finishing the whole task they may enjoy this book, which is the essence of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

 

                               TEXT 12

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 purva-likhita grantha-sutra-anusare

                 yei nahi likhi, taha likhiye vistare

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   purva-likhita--previously mentioned; grantha-sutra--the synopsis of the pastimes; anusare--according to; yei--whatever; nahi likhi--I have not mentioned; taha--hat; likhiye--I shall write; vistare--elaborately.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In accordance with the synopsis previously written, I shall describe in detail whatever I have not mentioned.

 

                               TEXT 13

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 vrndavana haite prabhu nilacale aila

                 svarupa-gosani gaude varta pathaila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vrndavana haite--from Vrndavana; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nilacale aila--returned to Jagannatha Puri, Nilacala; svarupa-gosani--Svarupa Damodara; gaude--to Bengal; varta pathaila--sent news.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to Jagannatha Puri from Vrndavana, Svarupa Damodara Gosani immediately sent news of the Lord's arrival to the devotees in Bengal.

 

                               TEXT 14

 

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                suni' saci anandita, saba bhakta-gana

                  sabe mili' nilacale karila gamana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   suni'--hearing; saci--mother Saci; anandita--very pleased; saba bhakta-gana--as well as all the other devotees of Navadvipa; sabe mili'--meeting together; nilacale--to Jagannatha Puri, Nilacala; karila gamana--departed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Upon hearing this news, mother Saci and all the other devotees of Navadvipa were very joyful, and they all departed together for Nilacala [Jagannatha Puri].

 

                               TEXT 15

 

                                 TEXT

 

               kulina-grami bhakta ara yata khanda-vasi

                acarya sivananda sane milila sabe asi'

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kulina-grami--residents of the village known as Kulina-grama; bhakta--devotees; ara--and; yata--all; khanda-vasi--the residents of Sri Khanda; acarya--Advaita Acarya; sivananda--Sivananda Sena; sane--with; milila--met; sabe asi',--all coming together.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus all the devotees of Kulina-grama and Sri Khanda, as well as Advaita Acarya, came together to meet Sivananda Sena.

 

                               TEXT 16

 

                                 TEXT

 

                sivananda kare sabara ghati samadhana

                 sabare palana kare, deya vasa-sthana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sivananda--of the name Sivananda; kare--does; sabara--of everyone; ghati--the camp; samadhana--arrangement; sabare--of everyone; palana--maintenance; kare--performs; deya--gives; vasa-sthana--residential quarters.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sivananda Sena arranged for the journey. He maintained everyone and provided residential quarters.

 

                               TEXT 17

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   eka kukkura cale sivananda-sane

                 bhaksya diya lana cale kariya palane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eka--one; kukkura--dog; cale--goes; sivananda-sane--with Sivananda Sena; bhaksya--food; diya--giving; lana--taking; cale--goes; kariya palane--maintaining the dog.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   While going to Jagannatha Puri, Sivananda Sena allowed a dog to go with him. He supplied it food to eat and maintained it.

 

                               TEXT 18

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 eka-dina eka-sthane nadi para haite

                udiya navika kukkura na cadaya naukate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eka-dina--one day; eka-sthane--in one place; nadi--a river; para--crossing; haite--to do; udiya navika--a boatman who was an Oriya (Orissan); kukkura--the dog; na cadaya--does not allow to mount; naukate--on the boat.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   One day, when they needed to cross a river, an Orissan boatman would not allow the dog to get in the boat.

 

                               TEXT 19

 

                                 TEXT

 

              kukkura rahila,----sivananda duhkhi haila

                dasa pana kadi diya kukkure para kaila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kukkura rahila--the dog remained; sivananda duhkhi haila--Sivananda became very unhappy; dasa pana--ten pana; kadi--small conchshells; diya--paying; kukkure--the dog; para kaila--crossed to the other side of the river.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sivananda Sena, unhappy that the dog had to stay behind, paid the boatman ten pana of conchshells to take the dog across the river.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   One pana is eighty kadis, or small conchshells. Formerly, even fifty or sixty years ago, there was no paper currency in India. Coins were generally made not of base metal but of gold, silver and copper. In other words, the medium of exchange was really something valuable. Four pieces of kadi made one ganda, and twenty such gandas equaled one pana. This kadi was also used as a medium of exchange; therefore Sivananda Sena paid for the dog with dasa pana, or eighty times ten pieces of kadi. In those days one paisa was also subdivided into small conchshells, but at the present moment the prices for commodities have gone so high that there is nothing one can get in exchange for only one paisa. With one paisa in those days, however, one could purchase sufficient vegetables to provide for a whole family. Even thirty years ago, vegetables were occasionally so inexpensive that one paisa's worth could provide for a whole family for a day.

 

                               TEXT 20

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 eka-dina sivanande ghatiyale rakhila

                 kukkurake bhata dite sevaka pasarila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eka-dina--one day; sivanande--Sivananda Sena; ghatiyale--tollman; rakhila--detained; kukkurake--unto the dog; bhata dite--to supply rice; sevaka--the servant; pasarila--forgot.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   One day while Sivananda was detained by a tollman, his servant forgot to give the dog its cooked rice.

 

                               TEXT 21

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 ratre asi' sivananda bhojanera kale

              'kukkura panache bhata?'----sevake puchile

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ratre asi'--returning at night; sivananda--Sivananda Sena; bhojanera kale--at the time of eating; kukkura--the dog; panache--has gotten; bhata--rice; sevake--from the servant; puchile--he inquired.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At night, when Sivananda Sena returned and was taking his meal, he inquired from the servant whether the dog had gotten its meals.

 

                               TEXT 22

 

                                 TEXT

 

              kukkura nahi paya bhata suni' duhkhi haila

                 kukkura cahite dasa-manusya pathaila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kukkura--the dog; nahi--did not; paya--get; bhata--rice; suni'--hearing; duhkhi haila--Sivananda Sena became very unhappy; kukkura cahite--to look for the dog; dasa-manusya--ten men; pathaila--sent.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When he learned that the dog had not been supplied food in his absence, he was very unhappy. He then immediately sent ten men to find the dog.

 

                               TEXT 23

 

                                 TEXT

 

               cahiya na paila kukkura, loka saba aila

                 duhkhi hana sivananda upavasa kaila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   cahiya--looking; na--not; paila--found; kukkura--the dog; loka saba aila--all the men returned; duhkhi hana--being unhappy; sivananda--Sivananda Sena; upavasa--fast; kaila--observed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When the men returned without success, Sivananda Sena became very unhappy and fasted for the night.

 

                               TEXT 24

 

                                 TEXT

 

                prabhate kukkura cahi' kanha na paila

                sakala vaisnavera mane camatkara haila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhate--in the morning; kukkura--the dog; cahi'--looking for; kanha--anywhere; na paila--not found; sakala vaisnavera--of all the Vaisnavas present; mane--in the minds; camatkara haila--there was great astonishment.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In the morning they looked for the dog, but it could not be found anywhere. All the Vaisnavas were astonished.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Sivananda Sena's attachment to the dog was a great boon for that animal. The dog appears to have been a street dog. Since it naturally began to follow Sivananda Sena while he was going to Jagannatha Puri with his party, he accepted it into his party and maintained it the same way he was maintaining the other devotees. It appears that although on one occasion the dog was not allowed aboard a boat, Sivananda did not leave the dog behind but paid more money just to induce the boatman to take the dog across the river. Then when the servant forgot to feed the dog and the dog disappeared, Sivananda, being very anxious, sent ten men to find it. When they could not find it, Sivananda observed a fast. Thus it appears that somehow or other Sivananda had become attached to the dog.

   As will be evident from the following verses, the dog got the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and was immediately promoted to Vaikuntha to become an eternal devotee. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has therefore sung, tumi ta' thakura, tomara kukkura, baliya janaha more (Saranagati 19). He thus offers to become the dog of a Vaisnava. There are many other instances in which the pet animal of a Vaisnava was delivered back home to Vaikunthaloka, back to Godhead. Such is the benefit of somehow or other becoming the favorite of a Vaisnava. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has also sung, kita-janma ha-u yatha tuya dasa (Saranagati 11). There is no harm in taking birth again and again. Our only desire should be to take birth under the care of a Vaisnava. Fortunately we had the opportunity to be born of a Vaisnava father who took care of us very nicely. He prayed to Srimati Radharani that in the future we would become a servant of the eternal consort of Sri Krsna. Thus somehow or other we are now engaged in that service. We may conclude that even as dogs we must take shelter of a Vaisnava. The benefit will be the same as that which accrues to an advanced devotee under a Vaisnava's care.

 

                               TEXT 25

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 utkanthaya cali' sabe aila nilacale

                  purvavat mahaprabhu milila sakale

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   utkanthaya--in great anxiety; cali'--walking; sabe--all the devotees; aila--came to Jagannatha Puri, Nilacala; nilacale--as usual; purvavat--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; milila sakale--met all of them.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus in great anxiety they all walked to Jagannatha Puri, where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met them as usual.

 

                               TEXT 26

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 saba lana kaila jagannatha darasana

                 saba lana mahaprabhu karena bhojana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   saba lana--taking all of them; kaila--did; jagannatha darasana--visiting the Jagannatha temple; saba lana--with all of them; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; karena bhojana--took prasada.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went with them to see the Lord in the temple, and on that day He also took lunch in the company of all those devotees.

 

                               TEXT 27

 

                                 TEXT

 

             purvavat sabare prabhu pathaila vasa-sthane

                prabhu-thani pratah-kale aila ara dine

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   purvavat--as it was previously; sabare--everyone; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; pathaila--sent; vasa-sthane--to their respective residential quarters; prabhu-thani--to the place of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; pratah-kale--in the morning; aila--they came; ara dine--on the next day.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   As previously, the Lord provided them all with residential quarters. And the next morning all the devotees came to see the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 28

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  asiya dekhila sabe sei ta kukkure

                prabhu-pase vasiyache kichu alpa-dure

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   asiya--coming; dekhila--they saw; sabe--everyone; sei ta kukkure--that very same dog; prabhu-pase--near Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; vasiyache--sat; kichu alpa-dure--a little bit away from the Lord.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When all the devotees came to the place of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they saw the same dog was sitting a little apart the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 29

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 prasada narikela-sasya dena phelana

             'rama' 'krsna' 'hari' kaha'----balena hasiya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prasada--food; narikela-sasya--pulp of green coconut; dena--gives; phelana--throwing; rama--Lord Ramacandra; krsna--Sri Krsna; hari--the holy name of Hari; kaha--say; balena--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says; hasiya--smiling.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Furthermore, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was throwing remnants of green coconut pulp to the dog. Smiling in His own way, He was saying to the dog, "Chant the holy names Rama, Krsna, and Hari."

 

                               TEXT 30

 

                                 TEXT

 

             sasya khaya kukkura, 'krsna' kahe bara bara

                 dekhiya lokera mane haila camatkara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sasya khaya--eats the pulp of green coconut; kukkura--the dog; krsna--the holy name of Krsna; kahe--chants; bara bara--again and again; dekhiya--seeing this; lokera--of all the people; mane--in the minds; haila--there was; camatkara--astonishment.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Seeing the dog eating the green coconut pulp and chanting "Krsna, Krsna" again and again, all the devotees present were very much surprised.

 

                               TEXT 31

 

                                 TEXT

 

               sivananda kukkura dekhi' dandavat kaila

                 dainya kari' nija aparadha ksamaila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sivananda--Sivananda Sena; kukkura--the dog; dekhi'--seeing there; dandavat kaila--offered obeisances; dainya kari'--exhibiting humbleness; nija--personal; aparadha--offenses; ksamaila--was forgiven.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When he saw the dog sitting in that way and chanting the name of Krsna, Sivananda, because of his natural humility, immediately offered his obeisances to the dog just to counteract his offenses to it.

 

                               TEXT 32

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  ara dina keha tara dekha na paila

              siddha-deha pana kukkura vaikunthete gela

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ara dina--the next day; keha--all of them; tara--of the dog; dekha na paila--did not get sight; siddha-deha pana--obtaining a spiritual body; kukkura--the dog; vaikunthete gela--went to the spiritual kingdom, Vaikuntha.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The next day, no one saw that dog, for it had obtained its spiritual body and departed for Vaikuntha, the spiritual kingdom.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is the result of sadhu-sanga, consequent association with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and promotion back home, back to Godhead. This result is possible even for a dog, by the mercy of the Vaisnava. Therefore, everyone in the human form of life should be induced to associate with devotees. By rendering a little service, even by eating prasada, not to speak of chanting and dancing, everyone could be promoted to Vaikunthaloka. It is therefore requested that all our devotees in the ISKCON community become pure Vaisnavas, so that by their mercy all the people of the world will be transferred to Vaikunthaloka, even without their knowledge. Everyone should be given a chance to take prasada and thus be induced to chant the holy names Hare Krsna and also dance in ecstasy. By these three processes, although performed without knowledge or education, even an animal went back to Godhead.

 

                               TEXT 33

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 aiche divya-lila kare sacira nandana

                 kukkurake krsna kahana karila mocana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   aiche--in that way; divya-lila--transcendental activities; kare--performs; sacira nandana--the son of mother Saci; kukkurake--even a dog; krsna kahana--inducing to chant the holy name "Krsna"; karila mocana--delivered.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Such are the transcendental pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the son of mother Saci. He even delivered a dog simply by inducing it to chant the maha-mantra, Hare Krsna.

 

                               TEXT 34

 

                                 TEXT

 

                etha prabhu-ajnaya rupa aila vrndavana

                 krsna-lila-nataka karite haila mana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   etha--on the other side; prabhu-ajnaya--upon the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: rupa--Rupa Gosvami; aila--went; vrndavana--to Vrndavana; krsna-lila-nataka--a drama on Lord Krsna's pastimes; karite--to compose; haila--it was; mana--the mind.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Meanwhile, following the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Rupa Gosvami returned to Vrndavana. He desired to write dramas concerning the pastimes of Lord Krsna.

 

                               TEXT 35

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  vrndavane natakera arambha karila

              mangalacarana 'nandi-sloka' tathai likhila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vrndavane--at Vrndavana; natakera--of the drama; arambha--the beginning; karila--wrote; mangalacarana--invoking auspiciousness; nandi-sloka--introductory verse; tathai--there; likhila--he wrote.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In Vrndavana, Rupa Gosvami began to write a drama. In particuIar, he composed the introductory verses to invoke good fortune.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura quotes his notes from the Nataka-candrika, wherein he has written:

 

                        prastavanayas tu mukhe

                         nandi karyasubhavaha

                        asir-namaskriya-vastu-

                         nirdesanyatamanvita

 

                       astabhir dasabhir yukta

                       kimva dvadasabhih padaih

                        candranamankita prayo

                        mangalartha-padojjvala

                        mangalam cakra-kamala-

                          cakora-kumudadikam

 

   Similarly, in the Sixth Chapter of the Sahitya-darpana, text 282, he has said:

 

                         asir-vacana-samyukta

                       stutir yasmat prayujyate

                        deva-dvija-nr-padinam

                       tasman nanditi samjnita

 

   The introductory portion of a drama, which is written to invoke good fortune, is called nandi-sloka.

 

                               TEXT 36

 

                                 TEXT

 

              pathe cali' aise natakera ghatana bhavite

                  kadaca kariya kichu lagila likhite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pathe cali'--walking on the road; aise--goes; natakera--of the drama; ghatana--events; bhavite--thinking of; kadaca kariya--making notes; kichu--something; lagila likhite--he began to write.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   On his way to Gauda-desa, Rupa Gosvami had been thinking of how to write the action of the drama. Thus he had made some notes and begun to write.

 

                               TEXT 37

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   ei-mate dui bhai gauda-dese aila

               gaude asi' anupamera ganga-prapti haila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ei-mate--in this way; dui bhai--Rupa Gosvami and his younger brother, Anupama; gauda-dese aila--reached Bengal, which is known as Gauda-desa; gaude asi'--coming to Gauda; anupamera--of Anupama; ganga-prapti haila--there was obtainment of the shelter of mother Ganges (passing away).

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In this way the two brothers Rupa and Anupama reached Bengal, but when they arrived there Anupama died.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Formerly when a person died it was commonly said that he had attained the shelter of mother Ganges, even if he did not die on the bank of the Ganges. It is customary among Hindus to carry a dying person to a nearby bank of the Ganges, for if one dies on the bank of the Ganges, his soul is considered to reach the lotus feet of Lord Visnu, wherefrom the Ganges flows.

 

                               TEXT 38

 

                                 TEXT

 

                rupa-gosani prabhu-pase karila gamana

                prabhure dekhite tanra utkanthita mana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rupa-gosani--of the name Rupa Gosvami; prabhu-pase--the place of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; karila gamana--departed for; prabhure dekhite--to see Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; tanra--his; utkanthita--full of anxiety; mana--mind.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Rupa Gosvami then departed to see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, for he was very eager to see Him.

 

                               TEXT 39

 

                                 TEXT

 

              anupamera lagi' tanra kichu vilamba ha-ila

                 bhakta-gana-pasa aila, lag na paila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   anupamera lagi'--on account of the passing away of Anupama; tanra--of Rupa Gosvami; kichu--some; vilamba--delay; ha-ila--there was; bhakta-gana-pasa--to the devotees in Bengal; aila--came; lag na paila--he could not contact them.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   There was some delay because of the death of Anupama, and therefore when Rupa Gosvami went to Bengal to see the devotees there, he could not get in touch with them because they had already left.

 

                               TEXT 40

 

                                 TEXT

 

               udiya-dese 'satyabhama-pura'-name grama

                  eka ratri sei grame karila visrama

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   udiya-dese--in the state of Orissa; satyabhama-pura--Satyabhama-pura; name--named; grama--a village; eka ratri--one night; sei grame--in that village; karila visrama--he rested.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In the province of Orissa there is a place known as Satyabhama-pura. Srila Rupa Gosvami rested for a night in that village on his way to Jagannatha Puri.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There is a place known as Satyabhama-pura in the district of Kataka (Cuttak) in Orissa. It is near the village known as Jankadei-pura.

 

                               TEXT 41

 

                                 TEXT

 

              ratre svapne dekhe,----eka divya-rupa nari

               sammukhe asiya ajna dila bahu krpa kari'

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ratre--at night; svapne dekhe--he dreamed; eka--one; divya-rupa nari--celestially beautiful woman; sammukhe asiya--coming before him; ajna dila--ordered; bahu krpa kari'--showing him much mercy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   While resting in Satyabhama-pura, he dreamed that a celestiaIly beautiful woman had come before him and very mercifully gave him the folIowing order.

 

                               TEXT 42

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  amara nataka prthak karaha racana

                "amara krpate nataka haibe vilaksana"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   amara nataka--my drama; prthak karaha racana--write separately; amara krpate--by my mercy; nataka--the drama; haibe--will be; vilaksana--extraordinarily beautiful.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Write a separate drama about me," she said. "By my mercy, it will be extraordinarily beautiful."

 

                               TEXT 43

 

                                 TEXT

 

               svapna dekhi' rupa-gosani karila vicara

             satya-bhamara ajna----prthak nataka karibara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   svapna dekhi'--after dreaming; rupa-gosani--Rupa Gosvami; karila vicara--considered; satya-bhamara ajna--the order of Srimati Satyabhama; prthak nataka karibara--to write a separate drama.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After having that dream, Srila Rupa Gosvami considered, "It is the order of Satyabhama that I write a separate drama for her.

 

                               TEXT 44

 

                                 TEXT

 

               vraja-pura-lila ekatra kariyachi ghatana

                  dui bhaga kari' ebe karimu racana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vraja-pura-lila--Lord Krsna's pastimes in Vraja and Dvaraka; ekatra--in one place; kariyachi--I have collected; ghatana--all the events; dui bhaga kari'--dividing into two different parts; ebe--now; karimu racana--I shall write.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I have brought together in one work all the pastimes performed by Lord Krsna in Vrndavana and in Dvaraka. Now I shall have to divide them into two dramas."

 

                               TEXT 45

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 bhavite bhavite sighra aila nilacale

                  asi' uttarila haridasa-vasa-sthale

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhavite bhavite--thinking and thinking; sighra--very soon; aila nilacale--reached Nilacala (Jagannatha Puri); asi'--coming; uttarila--approached; haridasa-vasa-sthale--the place where Haridasa Thakura was residing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus absorbed in thought, he quickly reached Jagannatha Puri. When he arrived, he approached the hut of Haridasa Thakura.

 

                               TEXT 46

 

                                 TEXT

 

                haridasa-thakura tanre bahu-krpa kaila

                'tumi asibe,----more prabhu ye kahila'

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hari-dasa-thakura--of the name Haridasa Thakura; tanre--unto him; bahu-krpa kaila--showed much affection because of love and mercy; tumi asibe--you will come; more--me; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ye--that; kahila--informed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Out of affectionate love and mercy, Haridasa Thakura told Srila Rupa Gosvami, "Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has already informed me that you would come here."

 

                               TEXT 47

 

                                 TEXT

 

               'upala-bhoga' dekhi' haridasere dekhite

                pratidina aisena, prabhu aila acambite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   upala-bhoga--the offering of food to Lord Jagannatha at noon; dekhi'--seeing; hari-dasere dekhite--to see Haridasa Thakura; pratidina--daily; aisena--comes; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; aila--He reached there; acambite--all of a sudden.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After seeing the upala-bhoga ceremony at the Jagannatha temple, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would regularly come to see Haridasa every day. Thus He suddenly arrived there.

 

                               TEXT 48

 

                                 TEXT

 

               'rupa dandavat kare',----haridasa kahila

                 haridase mili' prabhu rupe alingila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rupa--Rupa Gosvami; dandavat kare--offers You obeisances: hari-dasa kahila--Haridasa informed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; hari-dase mili'--after meeting Haridasa; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; rupe alingila--embraced Rupa Gosvami.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When the Lord arrived, Rupa Gosvami immediately offered his obeisances. Haridasa informed the Lord, "This is Rupa Gosvami offering You obeisances" and the Lord embraced him.

 

                               TEXT 49

 

                                 TEXT

 

             haridasa-rupe lana prabhu vasila eka-sthane

             kusala-prasna, ista-gosthi kaila kata-ksane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hari-dasa-rupe--both Haridasa Thakura and Rupa Gosvami; lana--with; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; vasila--sat down; eka-sthane--in one place; kusala-prasna--questions about auspicious news; ista-gosthi--talking together; kaila kata-ksane--continued for some time.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then sat down with Haridasa and Rupa Gosvami. They inquired from one another about auspicious news, and then continued to talk together for some time.

 

                               TEXT 50

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 sanatanera varta yabe gosani puchila

              rupa kahe,----'ta-ra sange dekha na ha-ila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sanatanera varta--news of Sanatana Gosvami; yabe--when; gosani--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; puchila--inquired; rupa kahe--Rupa Gosvami says; tara sange--with him; dekha na ha-ila--there was no meeting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired about Sanatana Gosvami, Rupa Gosvami replied, "I did not meet him.

 

                               TEXT 51

 

                                 TEXT

 

               ami ganga-pathe ailana, tinho raja-pathe

                ataeva amara dekha nahila tanra sathe

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ami--I; ganga-pathe--on the path on the bank of the Ganges; ailana--I came; tinho--he; raja-pathe--on the public road; ataeva--therefore; amara--my; dekha--meeting; nahila--was not possible; tanra sathe--with him.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I came by the path on the bank of the Ganges, whereas Sanatana Gosvami came by the public road. Therefore we did not meet.

 

                               TEXT 52

 

                                 TEXT

 

               prayage sunilun,----tenho gela vrndavane

                anupamera ganga-prapti kaila nivedane"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prayage--in Prayaga; sunilun--I heard; tenho--he; gela vrndavane--has gone to Vrndavana; anupamera--of Anupama; ganga-prapti--getting the mercy of the Ganges (death); kaila nivedane--he informed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "In Prayaga I heard that he had already gone to Vrndavana." Rupa Gosvami next informed the Lord about the death of Anupama.

 

                               TEXT 53

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  rupe tahan vasa diya gosani calila

                 gosanira sangi bhakta rupere milila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rupe--to Rupa; tahan--there; vasa diya--offered a residence; gosani calila--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu left the place; gosanira sangi--the associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bhakta--all the devotees; rupere milila--met Rupa Gosvami.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After allotting residential quarters there to Rupa Gosvami, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu left. Then all of the Lord's personal associates met Srila Rupa Gosvami.

 

                               TEXT 54

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 ara dina mahaprabhu saba bhakta lana

                 rupe milaila sabaya krpa ta' kariya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ara dina--the next day; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; saba--all; bhakta lana--taking the devotees; rupe milaila--introduced Rupa Gosvami; sabaya--to all of them; krpa ta' kariya--showing His mercy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   On the next day, Caitanya Mahaprabhu again met Rupa Gosvami, and with great mercy the Lord introduced him to all the devotees.

 

                               TEXT 55

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  sabara carana rupa karila vandana

                 krpa kari' rupe sabe kaila alingana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sabara--of all the devotees; carana--to the lotus feet; rupa--Srila Rupa Gosvami; karila vandana--offered prayers; krpa kari'--showing great mercy; rupe--Rupa Gosvami; sabe--all the devotees; kaila--did; alingana--embracing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Srila Rupa Gosvami offered his respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of them all, and all the devotees, by their mercy, embraced him.

 

                               TEXT 56

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 'advaita nityananda, tomara dui-jane

               prabhu kahe----rupe krpa kara kaya-mane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   advaita--Advaita Acarya; nityananda--Nityananda Prabhu; tomara dui-jane--both of You; prabhu kahe--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu says; rupe--to Rupa Gosvami; krpa--mercy; kara--show; kaya-mane--wholeheartedly.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Advaita Acarya and Nityananda Prabhu, "You should both show Your mercy wholeheartedly to Rupa Gosvami.

 

                               TEXT 57

 

                                 TEXT

 

             toma-dunhara krpate inhara ha-u taiche sakti

                yate vivarite parena krsna-rasa-bhakti

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   toma-dunhara krpate--by the mercy of both of You; inhara--of Rupa Gosvami; ha-u--let there be; taiche--such; sakti--power; yate--by which; vivarite--to describe; parena--is able; krsna-rasa-bhakti--the transcendental mellows of devotional service.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   May Rupa Gosvami, by Your mercy, become so powerful that he will be able to describe the transcendental mellows of devotional service."

 

                               TEXT 58

 

                                 TEXT

 

              gaudiya, udiya, yata prabhura bhakta-gana

                  sabara ha-ila rupa snehera bhajana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   gaudiya--devotees from Bengal; udiya--devotees belonging to Orissa; yata--all; prabhura bhakta-gana--devotees of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sabara--of all of them; ha-ila--was; rupa--Rupa Gosvami; snehera bhajana--an object of love and affection.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus Rupa Gosvami became the object of love and affection for all the devotees of the Lord, including those who came from Bengal and those who resided in Orissa.

 

                               TEXT 59

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  pratidina asi' rupe karena milane

                mandire ye prasada pana, dena dui jane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pratidina--every day; asi'--going; rupe--Rupa Gosvami; karena milane--Caitanya Mahaprabhu meets; mandire--at the Jagannatha temple; ye--whatever; prasada pana--prasada He gets; dena--gives; dui jane--to two persons, Srila Rupa Gosvami and Haridasa Thakura.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Every day Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would go to see Rupa Gosvami, and whatever prasada He received from the temple He would deliver to Rupa Gosvami and Haridasa Thakura.

 

                               TEXT 60

 

                                 TEXT

 

               ista-gosthi dunha sane kari' kata-ksana

                madhyahna karite prabhu karila gamana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ista-gosthi--conversation; dunha sane--with both Rupa Gosvami and Haridasa; kari'--doing; kata-ksana--for some time; madhya-ahna karite--to execute daily noontime duties; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; karila gamana--left that place.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   He would talk for some time with them both and then leave to perform His noontime duties.

 

                               TEXT 61

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 ei-mata pratidina prabhura vyavahara

                 prabhu-krpa pana rupera ananda apara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ei-mata--in this way; pratidina--daily; prabhura vyavahara--the dealings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; prabhu-krpa--the mercy of Lord Caitanya; pana--getting; rupera--of Srila Rupa Gosvami; ananda apara--unlimited happiness.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In this way Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's dealings with them continued every day. Thus receiving the transcendental favor of the Lord, Srila Rupa Gosvami felt unlimited pleasure.

 

                               TEXT 62

 

                                 TEXT

 

                bhakta-gana lana kaila gundica marjana

                   aitota asi' kaila vanya-bhojana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhakta-gana--all the devotees; lana--taking; kaila--performed; gundica marjana--cleansing and washing of the Gundica temple; aitota asi'--coming to the nearby garden named Aitota; kaila--had; vanya-bhojana--a picnic within the garden.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, taking all His devotees with Him, performed the Gundica-marjana [washing and cleansing the temple Gundica], He went to the garden known as Aitota and accepted prasada at a picnic within the garden.

 

                               TEXT 63

 

                                 TEXT

 

             prasada khaya, 'hari' bale sarva-bhakta-jana

                 dekhi' haridasa-rupera harasita mana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prasada khaya--eat the prasada; hari bale--chant the holy name of Hari; sarva-bhakta-jana--all the devotees; dekhi'--seeing this; hari-dasa--of Haridasa Thakura; rupera--and of Rupa Gosvami; harasita--jubilant; mana--the minds.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Haridasa Thakura and Rupa Gosvami saw that all the devotees were accepting prasada and chanting the holy name of Hari, they both were greatly pleased.

 

                               TEXT 64

 

                                 TEXT

 

              govinda-dvara prabhura sesa-prasada paila

                  preme matta dui-jana nacite lagila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   govinda-dvara--through Govinda; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sesa-prasada--remnants of food; paila--they got; preme matta--overwhelmed by ecstasy; dui-jana--both of them; nacite lagila--began to dance.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When they received the remnants of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's prasada through Govinda, they respected it, and then they both began to dance in ecstasy.

 

                               TEXT 65

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  ara dina prabhu rupe miliya vasila

                sarvajna-siromani prabhu kahite lagila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ara dina--the next day; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; rupe--with Srila Rupa Gosvami; miliya--meeting; vasila--sat down; sarva-jna-siromani--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the best of the omniscient; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kahite lagila--began to speak.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   On the next day, when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to see Srila Rupa Gosvami, the omniscient Lord spoke as follows.

 

                               TEXT 66

 

                                 TEXT

 

               'krsnere bahira nahi kariha vraja haite

               vraja chadi' krsna kabhu na yana kahante

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   krsnere--Krsna; bahira--outside; nahi--do not; kariha--take; vraja haite--from Vrndavana; vraja chadi'--leaving Vrndavana; krsna--Lord Krsna; kabhu--at any time; na--not; yana--goes; kahante--anywhere.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Do not try to take Krsna out of Vrndavana, for He does not go anywhere else at any time.

 

                               TEXT 67

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       krsno 'nyo yadu-sambhuto

                    yah purnah so 'sty atah parah

                        vrndavanam parityajya

                       sa kvacin naiva gacchati

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   krsnah--Lord Krsna; anyah--another Lord Vasudeva; yadu-sambhutah--born in the Yadu dynasty; yah--who; purnah--the full Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna; sah--He; asti--is; atah--than Him (Vasudeva); parah--different; vrndavanam--he place Vrndavana; parityajya--giving up; sah--He; kvacit--at any time; na eva gacchati--does not go.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   " 'The Krsna known as Yadukumara is Vasudeva Krsna. He is different from the Krsna who is the son of Nanda Maharaja. Yadukumara Krsna manifests His pastimes in the cities of Mathura and Dvaraka, but Krsna the son of Nanda Maharaja never at any time leaves Vrndavana.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is included in the Laghu-bhagavatamrta (1.5.461), by Srila Rupa Gosvami.

 

                               TEXT 68

 

                                 TEXT

 

                eta kahi' mahaprabhu madhyahne calila

                rupa-gosani mane kichu vismaya ha-ila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eta kahi'--saying this; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; madhya-ahne calila--left to execute noon duties; rupa-gosani--Srila Rupa Gosvami; mane--in mind; kichu--some; vismaya ha-ila--there was surprise.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After saying this, Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to perform His noontime duties, leaving Srila Rupa Gosvami somewhat surprised.

 

                               TEXT 69

 

                                 TEXT

 

              "prthak nataka karite satyabhama ajna dila

            janilu, prthak nataka karite prabhu-ajna haila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prthak nataka--different dramas; karite--to write; satyabhama--of the name Satyabhama; ajna dila--ordered; janilu--now I understand; prthak nataka--different dramas; karite--to write; prabhu-ajna--the order of the Lord; haila--there was.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Satyabhama ordered me to write two different dramas," Srila Rupa Gosvami thought. "Now I understand that this order has been confirmed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                               TEXT 70

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 purve dui nataka chila ekatra racana

                  dui-bhaga kari ebe karimu ghatana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   purve--previously; dui nataka--two dramas; chila--there was; ekatra--together; racana--composition; dui-bhaga kari--dividing into two; ebe--now; karimu ghatana--I shall write the incidents.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   FormerIy I wrote the two dramas as one composition. Now I shall divide it and describe the incidents in two separate works.

 

                               TEXT 71

 

                                 TEXT

 

               dui'nandi' 'prastavana', dui'samghatana'

                  prthak kariya likhi kariya bhavana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dui nandi--two invocations of good fortune; prastavana--introductions; dui--two; samghatana--chains of events; prthak kariya--making separate; likhi--I shall write; kariya bhavana--thinking about them.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I shall write two separate invocations of good fortune and two different introductions. Let me think deeply about the matter and then describe two different sets of incidents."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The two works are Vidagdha-madhava and Lalita-madhava. Vidagdha-madhava describes pastimes in Vrndavana, and Lalita-madhava describes pastimes in Dvaraka and Mathura.

 

                               TEXT 72

 

                                 TEXT

 

               ratha-yatraya jagannatha darsana karila

              ratha-agre prabhura nrtya-kirtana dekhila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ratha-yatraya--during the function of Ratha-yatra; jagannatha--Lord Jagannatha; darsana karila--he saw; ratha-agre--the front of the ratha, or chariot; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nrtya--dancing; kirtana--chanting; dekhila--he saw.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   During the Ratha-yatra ceremony Rupa Gosvami saw Lord Jagannatha. He also saw Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu dancing and chanting in front of the ratha.

 

                               TEXT 73

 

                                 TEXT

 

              prabhura nrtya-sloka suni' sri-rupa-gosani

                sei slokartha lana sloka karila tathai

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nrtya-sloka--verse uttered during His dancing; suni'--hearing; sri-rupa-gosani--Srila Rupa Gosvami; sei sloka-artha--the meaning of that verse; lana--taking; sloka karila--composed another verse; tathai--on the spot.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Rupa Gosvami heard a verse uttered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu during the ceremony, he immediately composed another verse dealing with the same subject.

 

                               TEXT 74

 

                                 TEXT

 

                purve sei saba katha kariyachi varnana

                tathapi kahiye kichu sanksepe kathana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   purve--previously; sei--these; saba--all; katha--words; kariyachi varnana--I have described; tathapi--still; kahiye--let me say; kichu--something; sanksepe--in brief; kathana--telling.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I have already described all these incidents, but I still wish to add briefly something more.

 

                               TEXT 75

 

                                 TEXT

 

               samanya eka sloka prabhu padena kirtane

                kene sloka pade----iha keha nahi jane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   samanya--generally; eka--one; sloka--verse; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; padena--recites; kirtane--while chanting; kene--why; sloka--that verse; pade--He recites; iha--this; keha nahi jane--no one knows.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Generally Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recited a verse while dancing and chanting before the ratha, but no one knew why He was reciting that particular verse.

 

                               TEXT 76

 

                                 TEXT

 

              sabe eka svarupa gosani slokera artha jane

              slokanurupa pada prabhuke karana asvadane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sabe--only; eka--one; svarupa gosani--Svarupa Damodara Gosvami; slokera artha--the meaning of that verse; jane--knows; sloka-anurupa pada--other verses following that particular verse; prabhuke--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; karana--causes; asvadane--tasting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Only Svarupa Damodara Gosvami knew the purpose for which the Lord recited that verse. According to the Lord's attitude, he used to quote other verses to enable the Lord to relish mellows.

 

                               TEXT 77

 

                                 TEXT

 

                rupa-gosani prabhura janiya abhipraya

               sei arthe sloka kaila prabhure ye bhaya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rupa-gosani--Srila Rupa Gosvami; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; janiya--knowing; abhipraya--the intention; sei arthe--in that meaning; sloka--a verse; kaila--composed; prabhure--to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ye--which; bhaya--appealed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Rupa Gosvami, however, could understand the intention of the Lord, and thus he composed another verse that appealed to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                               TEXT 78

 

                                 TEXT

 

        yah kaumara-harah sa eva hi varas ta eva caitra-ksapas

         te conmilita-malati-surabhayah praudhah kadambanilah

         sa caivasmi tathapi tatra surata-vyapara-lila-vidhau

          reva-rodhasi vetasi-taru-tale cetah samutkanthate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yah--that same person who; kaumara-harah--the thief of my heart during youth; sah--he; eva hi--certainly; varah--lover; tah--these; eva--certainly,; caitra-ksapah--moonlit nights of the month of Caitra; te--those; ca--and; unmilita--fructified; malati--of malati flowers; surabhayah--fragrances; praudhah--full; kadamba--with the fragrance of the kadamba flower; anilah--the breezes; sa--that one; ca--also; eva--certainly; asmi--I am; tathapi--still; tatra--there; surata-vyapara--in intimate transactions; lila--of pastimes; vidhau--in the manner; reva--of the river named Reva; rodhasi--on the bank; vetasi--of the name Vetasi; taru-tale--underneath the tree; cetah--my mind; samutkanthate--is very eager to go.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   That very personality who stole my heart during my youth is now again my master. These are the same moonlit nights of the month of Caitra. The same fragrance of malati flowers is there, and the same sweet breezes are blowing from the kadamba forest. In our intimate relationship, I am also the same lover, yet still my mind is not happy here. I am eager to go back to that place on the bank of the Reva under the Vetasi tree. That is my desire."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is the verse recited by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                               TEXT 79

 

                                 TEXT

 

         priyah so 'yam krsnah saha-cari kuru-ksetra-militas

          tathaham sa radha tad idam ubhayoh sangama-sukham

           tathapy antah-khelan-madhura-murali-pancama-juse

              mano me kalindi-pulina-vipinaya sprhayati

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   priyah--very dear; sah--He; ayam--this; krsnah--Lord Krsna; saha-cari--O My dear friend; kuru-ksetra-militah--who is met on the field of Kuruksetra; tatha--also; aham--I; sa--that; radha--Radharani; tat--that; idam--this; ubhayoh--of both of Us; sangama-sukham--the happiness of meeting; tathapi--still; antah--within; khelan--playing; madhura--sweet; murali--of the flute; pancama--the fifth note; juse--which delights in; manah--the mind; me--My; kalindi--of the River Yamuna; pulina--on the ban k; vipinaya--the trees; sprhayati--desires.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear friend, now I have met My very old and dear friend Krsna on this field of Kuruksetra. I am the same Radharani, and now We are meeting together. It is very pleasant, but I would still like to go to the bank of the Yamuna beneath the trees of the forest there. I wish to hear the vibration of His sweet flute playing the fifth note within that forest of Vrndavana."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is the verse composed by Srila Rupa Gosvami. It is included in his book Padyavali (383).

 

                               TEXT 80

 

                                 TEXT

 

                tala-patre sloka likhi' calete rakhila

               samudra-snana karibare rupa-gosani gela

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tala-patre--on a palm leaf; sloka--the verse; likhi'--writing; calete--in the thatched roof; rakhila--kept it; samudra-snana--bath in the sea; karibare--for taking; rupa-gosani--of the name Rupa Gosvami; gela--departed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After writing this verse on a palm leaf, Rupa Gosvami put it somewhere in his thatched roof and went to bathe in the sea.

 

                               TEXT 81

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 hena-kale prabhu aila tanhare milite

                cale sloka dekhi prabhu lagila padite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hena-kale--at that time; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; aila--came there; tanhare milite--to meet him; cale--in the thatched roof; sloka--verse; dekhi--seeing; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; lagila--began; padite--to read.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At that time, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went there to meet him, and when He saw the leaf pushed into the roof and saw the verse, He began to read it.

 

                               TEXT 82

 

                                 TEXT

 

              sloka padi' prabhu sukhe premavista haila

                hena-kale rupa-gosani snana kari' aila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sloka padi'--reading this verse; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sukhe--in great happiness; prema-avista haila--became overwhelmed by ecstatic love; hena-kale--at that time; rupa-gosani--Srila Rupa Gosvami; snana kari'--after taking his bath; aila--came back.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After reading the verse, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was overwhelmed by ecstatic love. At that very time, Rupa Gosvami returned, having finished bathing in the sea.

 

                               TEXT 83

 

                                 TEXT

 

               prabhu tanre capada mari' kahite lagila

                prabhu dekhi' dandavat prangane padila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu dekhi'--after seeing the Lord there; dandavat--obeisances; prangane--in the courtyard; padila--fell down; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; tanre--to Rupa Gosvami; capada mari'--giving a mild slap; kahite lagila--began to speak.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Seeing the Lord, Sri Rupa Gosvami fell flat in the courtyard to offer obeisances. The Lord slapped him mildly in love and spoke as follows.

 

                               TEXT 84

 

                                 TEXT

 

               'gudha mora hrdaya tuni janila kemane?'

                 eta kahi' rupe kaila drdha alingane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   gudha--very confidential; mora--My; hrdaya--heart; tuni--you; janila--knew; kemane--how; eta kahi'--saying this; rupe--to Rupa Gosvami; kaila--did; drdha alingane--firm embracing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My heart is very confidential. How did you know My mind in this way?" After saying this, He firmly embraced Rupa Gosvami.

 

                               TEXT 85

 

                                 TEXT

 

                sei sloka lana prabhu svarupe dekhaila

               svarupera pariksa lagi' tanhare puchila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sei sloka--that verse; lana--taking; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; svarupe dekhaila--showed to Svarupa Damodara; svarupera--of Svarupa Damodara Gosani; pariksa lagi'--for the examination; tanhare puchila--He inquired from him.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took that verse and showed it to Svarupa Damodara for him to examine. Then the Lord questioned him.

 

                               TEXT 86

 

                                 TEXT

 

               'mora antara-varta rupa janila kemane?'

             svarupa kahe----'jani, krpa kariyacha apane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mora antara-varta--My internal intentions; rupa--Rupa Gosvami; janila--knew; kemane--how; svarupa kahe--Svarupa replied; jani--I can understand; krpa kariyacha--You have bestowed Your mercy; apane--personally.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   How could Rupa Gosvami have understood My heart?" the Lord asked. Svarupa Damodara replied, "I can understand that You have already bestowed Your causeless mercy upon him.

 

                               TEXT 87

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 anyatha e artha kara nahi haya jnana

                 tumi purve krpa kaila, kari anumana"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   anyatha--otherwise; e artha--this confidential meaning; kara--of anyone; nahi--not; haya--is; jnana--the knowledge; tumi--You; purve--before this; krpa kaila--bestowed mercy; kari anumana--I can conjecture.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   No one could otherwise understand this meaning. I can therefore guess that previously You bestowed upon him Your causeless mercy."

 

                               TEXT 88

 

                                 TEXT

 

              prabhu kahe,----"inho amaya prayage milila

             yogya-patra jani inhaya mora krpa ta' ha-ila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replies; inho--Rupa Gosvami; amaya--with Me; prayage--at Prayaga; milila--met; yogya-patra jani--knowing him to be a suitable person; inhaya--unto him; mora--My; krpa ta' ha-ila--there was mercy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "Rupa Gosvami met Me at Prayaga. Knowing him to be a suitable person, I naturally bestowed My mercy upon him.

 

                               TEXT 89

 

                                 TEXT

 

                tabe sakti sancari' ami kailun upadesa

                  tumiha kahio ihanya rasera visesa"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tabe--thereupon; sakti sancari'--empowering him with My transcendental potency; ami--I; kailun upadesa--gave instruction; tumiha--you also; kahio--

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   inform; ihanya--unto him; rasera visesa--particular information about transcendental mellows.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I thereupon also bestowed upon him My transcendental potency. Now you also should give him instructions. In particular, instruct him in transcendental mellows."

 

                               TEXT 90

 

                                 TEXT

 

               svarupa kahe----"yate ei sloka dekhilun

                 tumi kariyacha krpa, tavanhi janilu

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   svarupa kahe--Svarupa Damodara says; yate--since; ei sloka--this verse; dekhilun--I have seen; tumi--You; kariyacha krpa--have bestowed Your mercy; tavanhi--immediately; janilu--I could understand.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Svarupa Damodara said, "As soon as I saw the unique composition of this verse, I could immediately understand that You had bestowed upon him Your special mercy.

 

                               TEXT 91

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   phalena phala-karanam anumiyate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   phalena--by the result; phala-karanam--the origin of the result; anumiyate--one can guess.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   By seeing a result, one can understand the cause of that result.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is from the doctrines of nyaya, or logic.

 

                               TEXT 92

 

                                 TEXT

 

                     svargapaga-hema-mrnalininam

                    nana-mrnalagra-bhujo bhajamah

                     annanurupam tanu-rupa-rddhim

                   karyam nidanad dhi gunan adhite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   svarga-apaga--of the Ganges water flowing in the heavenly planets; hema--golden; mrnalininam--of the lotus flowers; nana--various; mrnala-agra-bhujah--those who eat the tops of the stems; bhajamah--we get; anna-anurupam--according to the food; tanu-rupa-rddhim--an abundance of bodily beauty; karyam--the effect; nidanat--from the cause; hi--certainly; gunan--qualities; adhite--one obtains.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The River Ganges flowing from the heavenly planets is full of golden lotus flowers, and we, the residents of those planets, eat the stems of the flowers. Thus we are very beautiful, more so than the inhabitants of any other planet. This is due to the law of cause and effect, for if one eats food in the mode of goodness, the mode of goodness increases the beauty of his body.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   One's bodily luster and beauty, one's constitution, one's activities and one's qualities all depend on the law of cause and effect. There are three qualities in material nature, and as stated in the Bhagavad-gita (13.22), karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu: one takes birth in a good or bad family according to his previous association with the qualities of material nature. Therefore one seriously eager to achieve transcendental perfection, Krsna consciousness, must eat Krsna prasada. Such food is sattvika, or in the material quality of goodness, but when offered to Krsna it becomes transcendental. Our Krsna consciousness movement distributes Krsna prasada, and those who eat such transcendental food are sure to become devotees of the Lord. This is a very scientific method, as stated in this verse from Nala-naisadha (3.17): karyam nidanad dhi gunan adhite. If in all one's activities he strictly adheres to the mode of goodness, he will certainly develop his dormant Krsna consciousness and ultimately become a pure devotee of Lord Krsna.

   Unfortunately at the present moment the bodily constitutions of the leaders of society, especially the governmental leaders, are polluted. As described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.1.40):

 

                        asamskrtah kriya-hina

                          rajasa tamasavrtah

                       prajas te bhaksayisyanti

                       mleccha rajanya-rupinah

 

   Such leaders have no chance to purify their eating. Politicians meet together and exchange good wishes by drinking liquor, which is so polluted and sinful that naturally drunkards and meat-eaters develop a degraded mentality in the mode of ignorance. The processes of eating in different modes are explained in the Bhagavad-gita, wherein it is stated that those who eat rice, wheat, vegetables, milk products, fruit and sugar are situated in the elevated quality of goodness. Therefore if we want a happy and tranquil political situation, we must select leaders who eat Krsna prasada. Otherwise the leaders will eat meat and drink wine, and thus they will be asamskrtah, unreformed, and kriya-hinah, devoid of spiritual behavior. In other words, they will be mlecchas and yavanas, or men who are unclean in their habits. Through taxation, such men exploit the citizens as much as possible, and in this way they devour the citizens of the state instead of benefiting them. We therefore cannot expect a government to be efficient if it is headed by such unclean mlecchas and yavanas.

 

                               TEXT 93

 

                                 TEXT

 

                caturmasya rahi' gaude vaisnava calila

                rupa-gosani mahaprabhura carane rahila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   caturmasya rahi'--remaining four months for Caturmasya; gaude--to Bengal; vaisnava--all the devotees; calila--returned; rupa-gosani--Srila Rupa Gosvami; mahaprabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; carane--at the shelter of His lotus feet; rahila--remained.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After the four months of Caturmasya [Sravana, Bhadra, Asvina and Karttika], all the Vaisnavas of Bengal returned to their homes, but Srila Rupa Gosvami remained in Jagannatha Puri under the shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                               TEXT 94

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 eka-dina rupa karena nataka likhana

                 acambite mahaprabhura haila agamana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eka-dina--one day; rupa--Rupa Gosvami; karena--does; nataka--drama; likhana--writing; acambite--all of a sudden; mahaprabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; haila--there was; agamana--the coming.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   One day while Rupa Gosvami was writing his book, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu suddenly appeared.

 

                               TEXT 95

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 sambhrame dunhe uthi' dandavat haila

                  dunhe alingiya prabhu asane vasila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sambhrame--with great respect; dunhe--Haridasa Thakura and Rupa Gosvami; uthi'--standing up; dandavat haila--fell down to offer obeisances; dunhe--the two of them; alingiya--embracing; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; asane vasila--sat down on a seat.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   As soon as Haridasa Thakura and Rupa Gosvami saw the Lord coming, they both stood up and then fell down to offer Him their respectful obeisances. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu embraced them both and then sat down.

 

                               TEXT 96

 

                                 TEXT

 

               'kya punthi likha?' bali' eka-patra nila

                aksara dekhiya prabhu mane sukhi haila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kya--what; punthi--book; likha--you are writing; bali'--saying this; eka-patra nila--took one page written on a palm leaf; aksara--the good handwriting; dekhiya--seeing; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; mane--in the mind; sukhi haila--became very happy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord inquired, "What kind of book are you writing?" He held up a palm leaf that was a page of the manuscript, and when He saw the fine handwriting, His mind was very pleased.

 

                               TEXT 97

 

                                 TEXT

 

               sri-rupera aksara----yena mukutara panti

               prita hana karena prabhu aksarera stuti

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-rupera aksara--the handwriting of Rupa Gosvami; yena--like; mukutara panti--a row of pearls; prita hana--being pleased; karena--does; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; aksarera stuti--praise of the handwriting of Srila Rupa Gosvami.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus being pleased, the Lord praised the writing by saying, "The handwriting of Rupa Gosvami is just like rows of pearls."

 

                               TEXT 98

 

                                 TEXT

 

                sei patre prabhu eka sloka ye dekhila

                  paditei sloka, preme avista ha-ila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sei patre--on that palm leaf; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; eka sloka--one verse; ye--which; dekhila--He saw; paditei--by reading; sloka--the verse; preme--ecstatic love; avista ha-ila--was overwhelmed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   While reading the manuscript, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw a verse on that page, and as soon as He read it He was overwhelmed by ecstatic love.

 

                               TEXT 99

 

                                 TEXT

 

          tunde tandavini ratim vitanute tundavali-labdhaye

        karna-kroda-kadambini ghatayate karnarbudebhyah sprham

         cetah-prangana-sangini vijayate sarvendriyanam krtim

         no jane janita kiyadbhir amrtaih krsneti varna-dvayi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tunde--in the mouth; tandavini--dancing; ratim--the inspiration; vitanute--expands; tunda-avali-labdhaye--to achieve many mouths; karna--of the ear; kroda--in the hole; kadambini--sprouting; ghatayate--causes to appear; karna-arbudebhyah sprham--the desire for millions of ears; cetah-prangana--in the courtyard of the heart; sangini--being a companion; vijayate--conquers; sarva-indriyanam--of all the senses; krtim--the activity; no--not; jane--I know; janita--produced; kiyadbhih--of what measure; amrtaih--by nectar; krsna--the name of Krsna; iti--thus; varna-dvayi--the two syllables.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "I do not know how much nectar the two syllables 'Krs-na' have produced. When the holy name of Krsna is chanted, it appears to dance within the mouth. We then desire many, many mouths. When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and therefore all the senses become inert."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is included in the Vidagdha-madhava (1.15), a seven-act play written by Srila Rupa Gosvami describing the pastimes of Sri Krsna in Vrndavana.

 

                               TEXT 100

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  sloka suni haridasa ha-ila ullasi

                nacite lagila slokera artha prasamsi'

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sloka suni'--hearing this verse; hari-dasa--Haridasa Thakura; ha-ila ullasi--became very jubilant; nacite lagila--he began to dance; slokera--of the verse; artha prasamsi'--praising the meaning.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu chanted this verse, Haridasa Thakura, upon hearing the vibration, became jubilant and began dancing and praising its meaning.

 

                               TEXT 101

 

                                 TEXT

 

             krsna-namera mahima sastra-sadhu-mukhe jani

                 namera madhuri aiche kahan nahi suni

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   krsna-namera mahima--the glories of the holy name of Lord Krsna; sastra--of the revealed scriptures; sadhu--of the devotees; mukhe--in the mouth; jani--we can understand; namera madhuri--the sweetness of the holy name; aiche--in that way; kahan--anywhere else; nahi suni--we do not hear.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   One has to learn about the beauty and transcendental position of the holy name of the Lord by hearing the revealed scriptures from the mouths of devotees. Nowhere else can we hear of the sweetness of the Lord's holy name.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It is said in the Padma Purana, atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih. Chanting and hearing of the transcendental holy name of the Lord cannot be performed by the ordinary senses. The transcendental vibration of the Lord's holy name is completely spiritual. Thus it must be received from spiritual sources and must be chanted after having been heard from a spiritual master. One who hears the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra must receive it from the spiritual master by aural reception. Srila Sanatana Gosvami has forbidden us to hear the holy name of Krsna chanted by non-Vaisnavas, such as professional actors and singers, for it will have no effect. It is like milk touched by the lips of a serpent, as stated in the padma purana:

 

                        avaisnava-mukhodgirnam

                        putam hari-kathamrtam

                       sravanam naiva kartavyam

                      sarpocchistam yatha payah

 

   As far as possible, therefore, the devotees in the Krsna consciousness movement gather to chant the holy name of Krsna in public so that both the chanters and the listeners may benefit.

 

                               TEXT 102

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 tabe mahaprabhu dunhe kari' alingana

                madhyahna karite samudre karila gamana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tabe--then; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; dunhe--unto both Rupa Gosvami and Haridasa Thakura; kari'--doing; alingana--embracing; madhya-ahna karite--to perform His noontime duties; samudre--o the seaside; karila gamana--went.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu embraced both Haridasa and Rupa Gosvami and left for the seaside to perform His noontime duties.

 

                            TEXTS 103-104

 

                                 TEXT

 

                ara dina mahaprabhu dekhi' jagannatha

                sarvabhauma-ramananda-svarupadi-satha

 

                 sabe mili' cali aila sri-rupe milite

                pathe tanra guna sabare lagila kahite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ara dina--he next day; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; dekhi'--seeing; jagannatha--Lord Jagannatha in the temple; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; ramananda--Ramananda Raya; svarupa-adi--Svarupa Damodara Gosvami; satha--along with; sabe mili'--meeting all together; cali aila--came there; sri-rupe milite--to meet Srila Rupa Gosvami; pathe--on the way; tanra--of Rupa Gosvami; guna--all the good qualities; sabare--unto all the personal associates; lagila kahite--began to speak.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   On the next day, after visiting the temple of Jagannatha as usual, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara. They all went together to Srila Rupa Gosvami, and on the way the Lord greatly praised his qualities.

 

                               TEXT 105

 

                                 TEXT

 

              dui sloka kahi' prabhura haila maha-sukha

               nija-bhaktera guna kahe hana panca-mukha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dui sloka kahi'--reciting two verses; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; haila--there was; maha-sukha--great pleasure; nija-bhaktera--of His own devotee; guna--the qualities; kahe--describes; hana--as if becoming; panca-mukha--five-mouthed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recited the two important verses, He felt great pleasure; thus, as if He had five mouths, He began to praise His devotee.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The two verses referred to are those beginning with priyah so 'yam (79) and tunde tandavini (99).

 

                               TEXT 106

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 sarvabhauma-ramanande pariksa karite

                sri-rupera guna dunhare lagila kahite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sarvabhauma-ramanande--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Ramananda Raya; pariksa karite--to examine; sri-rupera guna--the transcendental qualities of Srila Rupa Gosvami; dunhare--unto both of them; lagila kahite--He began to praise.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Just to examine Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Ramananda Raya, the Lord began to praise the transcendental qualities of Sri Rupa Gosvami before them.

 

                               TEXT 107

 

                                 TEXT

 

            'isvara-svabhava'----bhaktera na laya aparadha

              alpa-seva bahu mane atma-paryanta prasada

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   isvara-svabhava--the characteristic of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhaktera--of the pure devotee; na laya--does not take; aparadha--any offense; alpa-seva--very small service; bahu mane--the Lord accepts as very great; atma-paryanta--giving Himself; prasada--mercy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Characteristically, the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not take seriously an offense committed by a pure devotee. The Lord accepts whatever small service a devotee renders as being such a great service that He is prepared to give even Himself, not to speak of other benedictions.

 

                               TEXT 108

 

                                 TEXT

 

                bhrtyasya pasyati gurun api naparadhan

                sevam manag api krtam bahudhabhyupaiti

                 aviskaroti pisunesv api nabhyasuyam

                silena nirmala-matih purusottamo 'yam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhrtyasya--of the servant; pasyati--He sees; gurun--very great; api--although; na--not; aparadhan--the offenses; sevam--service; manak api--however small; krtam--performed; bahu-dha--as great; abhyupaiti--accepts,; aviskaroti--manifests; pisunesu--on the enemies; api--also; na--not; abhyasuyam--envy; silena--by gentle behavior; nirmala-matih--naturally clean-minded; purusottamah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the best of all personalities; ayam--this.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Purusottama, the greatest of all persons, has a pure mind. He is so gentle that even if His servant is implicated in a great offense, He does not take it very seriously. Indeed, if His servant renders some small service, the Lord accepts it as being very great. Even if an envious person blasphemes the Lord, the Lord never manifests anger against him. Such are His great qualities."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is from the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (2.1.138) by Srila Rupa Gosvami.

 

                               TEXT 109

 

                                 TEXT

 

              bhakta-sange prabhu aila, dekhi' dui jana

                  dandavat hana kaila carana vandana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhakta-sange--accompanied by other devotee associates; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; aila--came; dekhi'--seeing this; dui jana--Rupa Gosvami and Haridasa Thakura; dandavat hana--falling flat like logs; kaila--did; carana vandana--prayers to their lotus feet.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Haridasa Thakura and Rupa Gosvami saw that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had come with His intimate devotees, they both immediately fell down like logs and offered prayers to their lotus feet.

 

                               TEXT 110

 

                                 TEXT

 

               bhakta-sange kaila prabhu dunhare milana

                pindate vasila prabhu lana bhakta-gana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhakta-sange--with His intimate associates; kaila--did; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; dunhare--the two (Rupa Gosvami and Haridasa Thakura); milana--meeting; pindate--on a raised place; vasila--sat down; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; lana bhakta-gana--with His personal devotees.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His personal devotees met Rupa Gosvami and Haridasa Thakura. The Lord then sat down in an elevated place with His devotees.

 

                               TEXT 111

 

                                 TEXT

 

                rupa haridasa dunhe vasila pinda-tale

                sabara agrahe na uthila pindara upare

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rupa hari-dasa--Rupa Gosvami and Haridasa Thakura; dunhe--both of them; vasila--sat down; pinda-tale--at the foot of the raised place where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was sitting; sabara--of all of the devotees; agrahe--the insistence; na uthila--did not rise; pindara upare--the top of the raised place where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was sitting with His devotees.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Rupa Gosvami and Haridasa Thakura sat at the foot of the elevated place where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was sitting. Although everyone asked them to sit on the same level as the Lord and His associates, they did not do so.

 

                               TEXT 112

 

                                 TEXT

 

              'purva-sloka pada, rupa' prabhu ajna kaila

                  lajjate na pade rupa mauna dharila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   purva-sloka--he previous verse; pada--just read; rupa--My dear Rupa; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ajna kaila--ordered; lajjate--in great shyness; na pade--did not read; rupa--Rupa Gosvami; mauna dharila--remained silent.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered Rupa Gosvami to read the verse they had previously heard, Rupa Gosvami, because of great shyness, did not read it but instead remained silent.

 

                               TEXT 113

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 svarupa-gosani tabe sei sloka padila

                 suni' sabakara citte camatkara haila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   svarupa-gosani--Svarupa Damodara Gosani; tabe--then; sei--that; sloka padila--recited the verse; suni'--hearing this; sabakara--of all of them; citte--in the minds; camatkara haila--there was great wonder.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Then Svarupa Damodara Gosvami recited the verse, and when all the devotees heard it, their minds were struck with wonder.

 

                               TEXT 114

 

                                 TEXT

 

         priyah so 'yam krsnah saha-cari kuru-ksetra-militas

          tathaham sa radha tad idam ubhayoh sangama-sukham

           tathapy antah-khelan-madhura-murali-pancama-juse

              mano me kalindi-pulina-vipinaya sprhayati

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   priyah--very dear; sah--He; ayam--this; krsnah--Lord Krsna; saha-cari--O My dear friend; kuru-ksetra-militah--who is met on the field of Kuruksetra; tatha--also; aham--I; sa--that; radha--Radharani; tat--that; idam--this; ubhayoh--of both of Us; sangama-sukham--the happiness of meeting; tathapi--still; antah--within;. khelan--playing; madhura--sweet; murali--of the flute; pancama--the fifth note; juse--which delights in; manah--the mind; me--My; kalindi--of the River Yamuna; pulina--on the ban k; vipinaya--the trees; sprhayati--desires.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "My dear friend, now I have met My very old and dear friend Krsna on this field of Kuruksetra. I am the same Radharani, and now We are meeting together. It is very pleasant, but I would still like to go to the bank of the Yamuna beneath the trees of the forest there. I wish to hear the vibration of His sweet flute playing the fifth note within that forest of Vrndavana."

 

                               TEXT 115

 

                                 TEXT

 

           raya, bhattacarya bale,----"tomara prasada vine

                    tomara hrdaya ei janila kemane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya--Ramananda Raya; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; bale--say; tomara prasada vine--without Your special mercy; tomara hrdaya--Your mind; ei--this Rupa Gosvami; janila--understood; kemane--how.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After hearing this verse, both Ramananda Raya and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "Without Your special mercy, how could this Rupa Gosvami have understood Your mind?"

 

                               TEXT 116

 

                                 TEXT

 

                amate sancari' purve kahila siddhanta

               ye saba siddhante brahma nahi paya anta

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   amate--within me; sancari'--creating all logical truths; purve--previously; kahila--You express; siddhanta--conclusive statements; ye--which; saba--all of; siddhante--conclusive statements; brahma--even Lord Brahma; nahi paya anta--cannot understand the limit.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Srila Ramananda Raya admitted that previously Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had empowered his heart so that he could express elevated and conclusive statements to which even Lord Brahma has no access.

 

                               TEXT 117

 

                                 TEXT

 

              tate jani----purve tomara panache prasada

                 taha vina nahe tomara hrdayanuvada"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tate--in such instances; jani--I can understand; purve--previously; tomara--Your; panache prasada--he has obtained special mercy; taha vina--without that; nahe--there is not; tomara--Your; hrdaya-anuvada--expression of feelings.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Had you not previously bestowed Your mercy on him," they said, "it would not have been possible for him to express Your internal feelings."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Devotees acknowledge Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's special mercy upon Srila Rupa Gosvami in the following words:

 

                     sri-caitanya-mano 'bhistam-

                       sthapitam yena bhu-tale

                       svayam rupah kada mahyam

                        dadati sva-padantikam

 

   "When will Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?"

   The special function of Srila Rupa Gosvami is to establish the feelings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. These feelings are His desires that His special mercy be spread throughout the world in this Kali-yuga.

 

                  prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama

                   sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama

 

   His desire is that all over the world everyone, in every village and every town, know of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His sankirtana movement. These are the inner feelings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Rupa Gosvami committed to writing all these feelings of the Lord. Now again, by the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the same feelings are being spread all over the world by the servants of the Gosvamis, and devotees who are pure and simple will appreciate this attempt. As concluded by Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, however, those who are on the level of hogs and dogs will never appreciate such a great attempt. Yet this does not matter to the preachers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's cult, for all over the world they will continue to perform this responsible work, even though persons who are like cats and dogs do not appreciate them.

 

                               TEXT 118

 

                                 TEXT

 

              prabhu kahe,----"kaha rupa, natakera sloka

               ye sloka sunile lokera yaya duhkha-soka

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; kaha--please recite; rupa--My dear Rupa; natakera sloka--the verse of your drama; ye--which; sloka--verse; sunile--hearing; lokera--of all people; yaya--go away; duhkha-soka--the unhappiness and lamentation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "My dear Rupa, please recite that verse from your drama which, upon being heard, makes all people's unhappiness and lamentation go away."

 

                               TEXT 119

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 bara bara prabhu yadi tare ajna dila

                  tabe sei sloka rupa-gosani kahila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bara bara--again and again; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; yadi--when; tare--him; ajna dila--ordered; tabe--at that time; sei sloka--that particular verse; rupa-gosani--of the name Rupa Gosvami; kahila--recited.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When the Lord persisted in asking this again and again, Rupa Gosvami recited that verse [as follows].

 

                               TEXT 120

 

                                 TEXT

 

          tunde tandavini ratim vitanute tundavali-labdhaye

        karna-kroda-kadambini ghatayate karnarbudebhyah sprham

         cetah-prangana-sangini vijayate sarvendriyanam krtim

         no jane janita kiyadbhir amrtaih krsneti varna-dvayi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tunde--in the mouth; tandavini--dancing; ratim--the inspiration; vitanute--expands; tunda-avali-labdhaye--to achieve many mouths; karna--of the ear; kroda--in the hole; kadambini--sprouting; ghatayate--causes to appear; karna-arbudebhyah sprham--the desire for millions of ears; cetah-prangana--in the courtyard of the heart; sangini--being a companion; vijayate--conquers; sarva-indriyanam--of all the senses; krtim--the activity; no--not; jane--I know; janita--produced; kiyadbhih--of what measures by; amrtaih--by nectar; krsna--the name of Krsna; iti--thus; varna-dvayi--the two syllables.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "I do not know how much nectar the two syllables 'Krs-na' have produced. When the holy name of Krsna is chanted, it appears to dance within the mouth. We then desire many, many mouths. When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and therefore all the senses become inert."

 

                               TEXT 121

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 yata bhakta-vrnda ara ramananda raya

               sloka suni' sabara ha-ila ananda-vismaya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yata bhakta-vrnda--all the personal devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ara--and; ramananda raya--of the name Ramananda Raya; sloka suni'--hearing this verse; sabara--of everyone; ha-ila--there was; ananda-vismaya--transcendental bliss and astonishment.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When all the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, especially Sri Ramananda Raya, heard this verse, they were all filled with transcendental bliss and were struck with wonder.

 

                               TEXT 122

 

                                 TEXT

 

              sabe bale,----'nama-mahima suniyachi apara

                 emana madhurya keha nahi varne ara'

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sabe bale--every one of them said; nama-mahima--the glories of chanting the holy name; suniyachi--we have heard; apara--many times; emana--this kind of; madhurya--sweetness; keha--someone; nahi--not; varne--describes; ara--else.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Everyone admitted that although they had heard many statements glorifying the holy name of the Lord, they had never heard such sweet descriptions as those of Rupa Gosvami.

 

                               TEXT 123

 

                                 TEXT

 

              raya kahe,----"kon grantha kara hena jani?

                yahara bhitare ei siddhantera khani?"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Ramananda Raya inquired; kon--what; grantha--dramatic literature; kara--you are writing; hena--such; jani--I can understand; yahara bhitare--within which; ei--these; siddhantera khani--a mine of conclusive statements.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Ramananda Raya inquired, "What kind of drama are you writing? We ca understand that it is a mine of conclusive statements."

 

                               TEXT 124

 

                                 TEXT

 

             svarupa kahe,----"krsna-lilara nataka karite

                 vraja-lila-pura-lila ekatra varnite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   svarupa kahe--Svarupa Damodara replied on behalf of Rupa Gosvami; krsna-lilara--of the pastimes of Lord Krsna; nataka karite--composing a drama; vraja-lila-pura-lila--His pastimes in Vrndavana and His pastimes in Mathura and Dvaraka; ekatra--in one book; varnite--to describe.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Svarupa Damodara replied for Srila Rupa Gosvami: "He wanted to compose a drama about the pastimes of Lord Krsna. He planned to describe in one book both the pastimes of Vrndavana and those of Dvaraka and Mathura.

 

                               TEXT 125

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 arambhiyachila, ebe prabhu-ajna pana

                 dui nataka kariteche vibhaga kariya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   arambhiyachila--Srila Rupa Gosvami began; ebe--now; prabhu-ajna pana--getting the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; dui nataka--two different dramas; kariteche--he is compiling; vibhaga kariya--dividing the original idea.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "He began it in that way, but now, following the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he has divided it in two and is writing two plays, one concerning the pastimes of Mathura and Dvaraka and the other concerning the pastimes of Vrndavana.

 

                               TEXT 126

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 vidagdha-madhava ara lalita-madhava

                 dui natake prema-rasa adabhuta saba"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vidagdha-madhava--one is named Vidagdha-madhava; ara--and; lalita-madhava--named Lalita-madhava; dui natake--in two plays; prema-rasa--ecstatic mellows of emotional love for Krsna; adabhuta--wonderful; saba--all.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "The two plays are called Vidagdha-madhava and Lalita-madhava. Both of them wonderfully describe ecstatic emotional love of God."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura informs us in this connection that Srila Rupa Gosvami composed the drama known as Vidagdha-madhava in the year Sakabda 1454, and he finished Lalita-madhava in Sakabda 1459. The discussion between Ramananda Raya and Srila Rupa Gosvami at Jagannatha Puri took place in Sakabda 1437.

 

                               TEXT 127

 

                                 TEXT

 

            raya kahe,----"nandi-sloka pada dekhi, suni?"

                sri-rupa sloka pade prabhu-ajna mani'

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Sri Ramananda Raya says; nandi-sloka pada--please recite the introductory verse; dekhi--so that I can see; suni--so that I can hear; sri-rupa sloka pade--Rupa Gosvami recites the verse; prabhu-ajna mani'--accepting the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Ramananda Raya said, "PIease recite the introductory verse of Vidagdhamadhava so that I can hear and examine it." Thus Sri Rupa Gosvami, being ordered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, recited the verse (1.1).

 

                               TEXT 128

 

                                 TEXT

 

             sudhanam candrinam api madhurimonmada-damani

           dadhana radhadi-pranaya-ghana-saraih surabhitam

             samantat santapodgama-visama-samsara-sarani-

            pranitam te trsnam haratu hari-lila-sikharini

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sudhanam--of the nectar; candrinam--produced on the moon; api--even; madhurima--the sweetness; unmada-damani--overpowering the pride; dadhana--distributing; radha-adi--of Srimati Radharani and Her companions; pranaya-ghana--of the concentrated loving affairs; saraih--by the essence; surabhitam--a good fragrance; samantat--everywhere; santapa--miserable conditions; udgama--generating; visama--very dangerous; samsara-sarani--on the path of material existence; pranitam--created; te--your; trsnam--desires; haratu--let it take away; hari-lila--the pastimes of Sri Krsna; sikharini--exactly like a combination of yogurt and sugar candy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "May the pastimes of Sri Krsna reduce the miseries existing in the material world and nullify all unwanted desires. The pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are like sikharini, a blend of yogurt and sugar candy. They overpower the pride of even the nectar produced on the moon, for they distribute the sweet fragrance of the concentrated loving affairs of Srimati Radharani and the gopis."

 

                               TEXT 129

 

                                 TEXT

 

               raya kahe,----'kaha ista-devera varnana'

                prabhura sankoce rupa na kare pathana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Ramananda Raya says; kaha--now speak; ista-devera varnana--description of your worshipable Deity; prabhura sankoce--embarrassment in the presence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; rupa--Rupa Gosvami; na kare--does not do; pathana--recitation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Ramananda Raya said, "Now please recite the description of the glories of your worshipable Deity." Rupa Gosvami, however, hesitated due to embarrassment because Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was present.

 

                               TEXT 130

 

                                 TEXT

 

            prabhu kahe,----"kaha, kene kara sankoca-laje?

              granthera phala sunaiba vaisnava samaje?"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says; kaha--speak up; kene--why; kara--you do; sankoca-laje--in shame and embarrassment; granthera--of the book; phala--the fruit; sunaiba--you should make heard; vaisnava-samaje--in the society of pure devotees.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord, however, encouraged Rupa Gosvami, saying, "Why are you embarrassed? You should recite it so the devotees can hear the good fruit of your writing."

 

                               TEXT 131

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  tabe rupa-gosani yadi sloka padila

              suni' prabhu kahe,----'ei ati stuti haila'

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tabe--at that time; rupa-gosani--of the name Rupa Gosvami; yadi--when; sloka padila--recited the verse; suni'--hearing this; prabhu kahe--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says; ei--this; ati stuti--exaggerated offering of prayers; haila--was.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Rupa Gosvami thus recited his verse, Caitanya Mahaprabhu disapproved of it because it described His personal glories. He expressed the opinion that it was an exaggerated explanation.

 

                               TEXT 132

 

                                 TEXT

 

             anarpita-carim cirat karunayavatirnah kalau

          samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam

            harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah

            sada hrdaya-kandare sphuratu vah saci-nandanah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   anarpita--not bestowed; carim--having been formerly; cirat--for a long time; karunaya--by causeless mercy; avatirnah--descended; kalau--in the Age of Kali; samarpayitum--to bestow; unnata--elevated; ujjvala-rasam--the conjugal mellow; sva-bhakti--of His own service; sriyam--the treasure; harih--the Supreme Lord; purata--than gold; sundara--more beautiful; dyuti--of splendor; kadamba--with a multitude; sandipitah--illuminated; sada--always; hrdaya-kandare--in the cavity of the heart; sphuratu--let Him be manifest; vah--your; saci-nandanah--the son of mother Saci.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "May the Supreme Lord, who is known as the son of Srimati Sacidevi, be transcendentally situated in the innermost core of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has descended in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most elevated mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse (Vidagdha-madhava 1.2) also appears in Adi-lila (1.4 and 3.4). In his commentary on Vidagdha-madhava, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti  Thakura remarks: maha-prabhoh sphurtim vina hari-lila-rasasvadananupapatter iti bhavah. Without the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, one cannot describe the pastimes of the Supreme personality of Godhead. Therefore Srila Rupa Gosvami said, vah yusmakam hrdaya-rupa-guha yam saci-nandano harih, pakse, simhah sphuratu: "May Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is exactly like a lion that kills all the elephants of desire, be awakened within everyone's heart, for by His merciful blessings one can understand the transcendental pastimes of Krsna."

 

                               TEXT 133

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  saba bhakta-gana kahe sloka suniya

                 krtartha karila sabaya sloka sunana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   saba bhakta-gana--all the devotees present there; kahe--say; sloka suniya--hearing this verse; krta-artha karila--you have obliged; sabaya--everyone; sloka sunana--by reciting this verse.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   All the devotees present so greatly appreciated this verse that they expressed their gratitude to Sri Rupa Gosvami for his transcendental recitation.

 

                               TEXT 134

 

                                 TEXT

 

             raya kahe,----"kon amukhe patra-sannidhana?"

             rupa kahe,----"kala-samye 'pravartaka' nama"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Ramananda Raya says; kon--what; amukhe--by introduction; patra-sannidhana--presence of the players; rupa kahe--Srila Rupa Gosvami replies; kala-samye--in agreement of time; pravartaka nama--the introduction called pravartaka.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Ramananda Raya inquired, "How have you introduced the assembly of the players?" Rupa Gosvami replied, "The players assemble at a suitable time under the heading of pravartaka.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In a drama all the actors are called patra, or players. This is stated by Visvanatha Kaviraja in the Sahitya-darpana (6.283):

 

                       divya-martye sa tad-rupo

                        misram anyataras tayoh

                       sucayed vastu-bijam va-

                       mukham patram athapi va

 

   The meaning of amukha is stated by Srila Rupa Gosvami in the Nataka-candrika:

 

                        sutra-dharo nati brute

                       sva-karyam pratiyuktitah

                        prastutaksepicitroktya

                        yat tad amukham iritam

 

   When Srila Ramananda Raya inquired about the arrangement for introducing the assembly of players in the drama, Rupa Gosvami replied that when the players first enter the stage in response to the time, the introduction is technically called pravartaka. For an example one may consult the Antya-lila, First Chapter, verse 17. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that the introduction, which is technically called amukha, may be of five different kinds, according to the Sahitya-darpana (6.288):

 

                       udghatyakah kathodghatah

                         prayogatisayas tatha

                          pravartakavalagite

                       panca prastavana-bhidah

 

   Introductions may be classified as follows: (1) udghatyaka, (2) kathodghata, (3) prayogatisaya, (4) pravartaka and (5) avalagita. These five kinds of introduction are called amukha. Thus Srila Ramananda Raya asked which of the five introductions had been employed, and Srila Rupa Gosvami replied that he had used the introduction called the pravartaka.

 

                               TEXT 135

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        aksiptah kala-samyena

                      pravesah syat pravartakah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   aksiptah--set in motion; kala-samyena--by a suitable time; pravesah--the entrance; syat--should be; pravartakah--named pravartaka.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'When the entrance of the actors is set in motion by the arrival of a suitable time, the entrance is called pravartaka.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is from Nataka-candrika (12) by Srila Rupa Gosvami.

 

                               TEXT 136

 

                                 TEXT

 

               so 'yam vasanta-samayah samiyaya yasmin

                purnam tam isvaram upodha-navanuragam

                 gudha-graha ruciraya saha radhayasau

                 rangaya sangamayita nisi paurnamasi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--that; ayam--this; vasanta-samayah--springtime; samiyaya--had arrived; yasmin--in which; purnam--the complete; tam--Him; isvaram--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; upodha--obtained; nava-anuragam--new attachment; gudha-graha--which covered the stars; ruciraya--very beautiful; saha--with; radhaya--Srimati Radharani; asau--that full-moon night; rangaya--for increasing the beauty; sangamayita--caused to meet; nisi--at night; paurnamasi--the full-moon night.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'Springtime had arrived, and the fuIl moon of that season inspired the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is complete in everything, with new attraction to meet the beautiful Srimati Radharani at night to increase the beauty of Their pastimes.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura interprets this verse (Vidagdha-madhava 1.10) in two ways, for Lord Krsna and for Srimati Radharani. When interpreted for Krsna, the night is understood to have been a dark moon night, and when interpreted for Srimati Radharani, it is considered to have been a full moon night.

 

                               TEXT 137

 

                                 TEXT

 

            raya kahe,----"prarocanadi kaha dekhi, suni?"

            rupa kahe,----"mahaprabhura sravaneccha jani"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Srila Ramananda Raya says; prarocanadi kaha--please recite the prarocana; dekhi--I shall see; suni--and hear; rupa kahe--Srila Rupa Gosani replies; mahaprabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sravana-iccha--desired to hear; jani--I think.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Ramananda Raya said, "Please recite the prarocana portion so that I may hear and examine it." Sri Rupa replied, "I think that the desire to hear of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is prarocana.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The method of inducing the audience to become more and more eager to hear by praising the time and place, the hero and the audience is called prarocana. This is the statement regarding prarocana in the Nataka-candrika:

 

                        desa-kala-katha-vastu-

                        sabhyadinam prasamsaya

                        srotrnam unmukhi-karah

                         kathiteyam prarocana

 

   Similarly the Sahitya-darpana (6.286) says:

 

                        tasyah prarocana vithi

                        tatha prahasana-mukhe

                        anganyatronmukhi-karah

                        prasamsatah prarocana

 

   Any literature presented in Sanskrit must follow the rules and regulations mentioned in the authoritative reference books. The technical inquiries by Srila Ramananda Raya and the replies of Srila Rupa Gosvami indicate that both of them were expert and fully conversant with the techniques of writing drama.

 

                               TEXT 138

 

                                 TEXT

 

        bhaktanam udagad anargala-dhiyam vargo nisargojjvalah

     silaih pallavitah sa ballava-vadhu-bandho prabandho 'py asau

       lebhe catvaratam ca tandava-vidher vrndatavi-garbha-bhur

         manye mad-vidha-punya-mandala-paripako 'yam unmilati

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhaktanam--of devotees; udagat--has appeared; anargala-dhiyam--constantly thinking of Radha-Krsna; vargah--the assembly; nisarga-ujjvalah--naturally very advanced; silaih--with natural poetic decorations; pallavitah--spread like the leaves of a tree; sah--that; ballava-vadhu-bandhah--of the friend of the gopis, Sri Krsna; prabandhah--a literary composition; api--even; asau--that; lebhe--has achieved; catvaratam--the quality of a quadrangular place with level ground; ca--and; tandava-vidheh--for dancing; vrnda-atavi--of the forest of Vrndavana; garbha-bhuh--the inner grounds; manye--I consider; mat-vidha--of persons like me; punya-mandala--of groups of pious activities; paripakah--the full development; ayam--this; unmilati--appears.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'The devotees now present are constantly thinking of the Supreme Lord and are therefore highly advanced. This work named Vidagdha-madhava depicts the characteristic pastimes of Lord Krsna with decorations of poetic ornaments. And the inner grounds of the forest of Vrndavana provide a suitable platform for the dancing of Krsna with the gopis. Therefore I think that the pious activities of persons like us, who have tried to advance in devotional service, have now attained maturity.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is verse eight of the First Act of Vidagdha-madhava.

 

                               TEXT 139

 

                                 TEXT

 

           abhivyakta mattah prakrti-laghu-rupad api budha

          vidhatri siddharthan hari-guna-mayi vah krtir iyam

           pulindenapy agnih kimu samidham-unmathya janito

             hiranya-sreninam apaharati nantah-kalusatam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   abhivyakta--manifested; mattah--from me; prakrti--by nature; laghu-rupat--situated in a lower position; api--although; budhah--O learned devotees; vidhatri--which may bring about; siddha-arthan--all the objects of perfection; hari-guna-mayi--whose subject matter is the attributes of Krsna; vah--of you; krtih--the poetic play known as Vidagdha-madhava; iyam--this; pulindena--by the lowest class of men; api--although; agnih--a fire; kimu--whether; samidham--the wood; unmathya--rubbing; janitah--produced; hiranya--of gold; sreninam--of quantities; apaharati--vanquishes; na--not; antah--inner; kalusatam--dirty things.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "O learned devotees, I am by nature ignorant and low, yet even though it is from me that Vidagdha-madhava has come, it is filled with descriptions of the transcendental attributes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, wiIl not such literature bring about the attainment of the highest goal of life? Although its wood may be ignited by a low-class ma, fire can nevertheless purify gold. Although I am very low by nature, this book may help cleanse the dirt from within the hearts of the golden devotees.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is also from Vidagdha-madhava (1.6).

 

                               TEXT 140

 

                                 TEXT

 

            raya kahe,----"kaha dekhi premotpatti-karana?

              purva-raga, vikara, cesta, kama-likhana?"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Srila Ramananda Raya further inquires; kaha--please recite; dekhi--so that I may know; prema. utpatti-karana--the causes of awakening the loving propensity; purva-raga--previous attachment; vikara--transformation; cesta--endeavor; kama-likhana--writing of letters disclosing the gopis' attachment for Krsna.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Then Ramananda Raya inquired from Rupa Gosvami about the causes of the loving affairs between Krsna and the gopis, such as previous attachment, transformations of love, endeavors for love, and exchanges of letters disclosing the gopis' awakening love for Krsna.

 

                               TEXT 141

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 krame sri-rupa-gosani sakali kahila

             suni' prabhura bhakta-ganera camatkara haila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   krame--gradually; sri-rupa-gosani--Srila Rupa Gosvami; sakali kahila--explained everything; suni'--hearing; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bhakta-ganera--of the devotees; camatkara--astonishment; haila--there was.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

    Srila Rupa Gosvami gradually informed Ramananda Raya about everything he asked. Hearing his explanations, all the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu were struck with wonder.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Srila Rupa Gosvami has explained kama-likhana in his book Ujjvala-nilamani (Vipralambha-prakarana 26):

 

                      sa lekhah kama-lekhah syat

                       yah sva-prema-prakasakah

                         yuvatya yuni yuna ca

                        yuvatyam samprahiyate

 

   "Exchanges of letters between a young boy and young girl concerning their awakening of attachment for one another are called kama-lekha."

 

                               TEXT 142

 

                                 TEXT

 

          ekasya srutam eva lumpati matim krsneti namaksaram

        sandronmada-paramparam upanayaty anyas ya vamsi-kalah

       esa snigdha-ghana-dyutir manasi me lagnah pate viksanat

       kastam dhik purusa-traye ratir abhun manye mrtih sreyasi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ekasya--of one person; srutam--heard; eva--certainly; lumpati--take away; matim--the mind; krsna iti--Krsna; nama-aksaram--the letters of the name; sandra-unmada--of intense madness; paramparam--a shower; upanayati--brings; anyasya--of another; vamsi-kalah--the sound vibration of the flute; esah--this third one; snigdha--giving love; ghana-dyutih--lightninglike effulgence; manasi--in the mind; me--My; lagnah--attachment; pate--in the picture; viksanat--by seeing; kastam dhik--oh, shame upon Me; purusa-traye--to three persons; ratih--attachment; abhut--has appeared; manye--I think; mrtih--death; sreyasi--better.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Experiencing previous attachment to Krsna [purva-raga], Srimati Radharani thought: "Since I have heard the name of a person called Krsna, I have practically lost My good sense. Then, there is another person who plays His flute in such a way that after I hear the vibration, intense madness arises in My heart. And again there is still another person to whom My mind becomes attached when I see His beautiful lightning effulgence in His picture. Therefore I think that I am greatly condemned, for I have become simultaneously attached to three persons. It would be better for Me to die because of this."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is from Vidagdha-madhava (2.9).

 

                               TEXT 143

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        iyam sakhi suduhsadhya

                         radha hrdaya-vedana

                         krta yatra cikitsapi

                        kutsayam paryavasyati

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   iyam--this; sakhi--my dear friend; suduhsadhya--incurable; radha--of Srimati Radharani; hrdaya-vedana--palpitation of the heart; krta--done; yatra--in which; cikitsa--treatment; api--although; kutsayam--in defamation; paryavasyati--ends in.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "My dear friend, these palpitations of Srimati Radharani's heart are extremely difficult to cure. Even if one applied some medical treatment, it would only end in defamation."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse ( Vidagdha-madhava 2.8) is spoken by Srimati Radharani Herself.

 

                               TEXT 144

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      dhari-a padicchanda-gunam

                  sundara maha mandire tumam vasasi

                      taha taha rundhasi bali-am

                      jaha jaha ca-ida palaemhi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dhari-a--capturing; padicchanda-gunam--the quality of an artistic picture; sundara--O most beautiful one; maha--my; mandire--within the heart; tumam--You; vasasi--reside; taha taha--that much; rundhasi--You block; bali-am--by force; jaha jaha--as much as; ca-ida--being disturbed; palaemhi--I try to escape.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "O dearly beautiful, the artistic loveliness of Your picture is now impressed within My mind. Since You are now living within My mind, wherever I wish to run because I am agitated by impressions of You, I find that You, O My friend, are blocking My way."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse (Vidagdha-madhava 2.33) is written in the Prakrta language, not in Sanskrit. When transformed into Sanskrit, it reads as follows:

 

      dhrtva praticchanda-gunam sundara mama mandire tvam vasasi

        tatha tatha runatsi balitam yatha yatha cakita palaye

 

   The meaning is the same, but the native language is different. It was spoken by Madhumangala to Sri Krsna.

 

                               TEXT 145

 

                                 TEXT

 

        agre viksya sikhanda-khandam acirad utkampam alambate

         gunjanam ca vilokanan muhur asau sasram parikrosati

          no jane janayann apurva-natana-krida-camatkaritam

        balayah kila citta-bhumim avisat ko 'yam navina-grahah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   agre--in front; viksya--seeing; sikhanda-khandam--some peacock feathers; acirat--all of a sudden; utkampam--trembling of the heart and body; alambate--takes to; gunjanam--of a garland of gunja (small conchshells); ca--also; vilokanat--by seeing; muhuh--constantly; asau--She; sa-asram--with tears; parikrosati--goes around crying; no--not; jane--I know; janayan--awakening; apurva-natana--like unheard-of dramatic dancing; krida--of activities; camatkaritam--the madness; balayah--of this poor girl; kila--certainly; citta-bhumim--within the heart; avisat--has entered; kah--what; ayam--this; navina-grahah--new ecstatic influence.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Upon seeing peacock feathers in front of Her, this girl suddenly begins trembling. When She sometimes sees a necklace of gunja [small conchshells], She sheds tears and cries Ioudly. I do not know what kind of new ecstatic influence has entered the heart of this poor girl. It has imbued Her with the dancing attitude of a player creating wonderful, unprecedented dances on a stage."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse (Vidagdha-madhava 2.15) is spoken by Mukhara, Lord Krsna's grandmother, in a conversation with the grandmother of Radharani, Paurnamasi.

 

                               TEXT 146

 

                                 TEXT

 

            akarunyah krsno yadi mayi tavagah katham idam

            mudha ma rodir me kuru param imam uttara-krtim

            tamalasya skandhe vinihita-bhuja-vallarir iyam

            yatha vrndaranye ciram avicala tisthati tanuh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   akarunyah--very cruel; krsnah--Lord Krsna; yadi--if; mayi--unto Me; tava--your; agah--offense; katham--how; idam--this; mudha--uselessly; ma rodih--do not cry; me--for Me; kuru--do; param--but afterwards; imam--this; uttara-krtim--final act; tamalasya--of a tamala tree; skandhe--the trunk; vinihita--fixed upon; bhuja-vallarih--arms like creepers; iyam--this; yatha--as far as possible; vrnda-aranye--in the forest of Vrndavana; ciram--forever; avicala--without being disturbed; tisthati--remains; tanuh--the body.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Srimati Radharani said to Her constant companion Visakha: "My dear friend, if Krsna is unkind to Me, there will be no need for you to cry, for it wiIl not be due to any fault of yours. I shall then have to die, but afterwards please do one thing for Me: to observe My funeral ceremony, place My body with its arms embracing a tamala tree like creepers so that I may remain forever in Vrndavana undisturbed. That is My last request."(Vidagdha-madhava 2.47)

 

                               TEXT 147

 

                                 TEXT

 

             raya kahe,----"kaha dekhi bhavera svabhava?"

           rupa kahe,----"aiche haya krsna-visayaka 'bhava"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Ramananda Raya says; kaha--kindly recite; dekhi--so that I may see; bhavera svabhava--the characteristic of emotional love; rupa kahe--Rupa Gosvami replies; aiche--such; haya--is; krsna-visayaka--concerning Krsna; bhava--emotional love.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Ramananda Raya inquired, "What are the characteristics of emotional love?" Rupa Gosvami replied, "This is the nature of emotional love for Krsna.

 

                               TEXT 148

 

                                 TEXT

 

          pidabhir nava-kala-kuta-katuta-garvasya nirvasano

          nisyandena mudam sudha-madhurimahankara-sankocanah

         prema sundari nanda-nandana-paro jagarti yasyantare

        jnayante sphutam asya vakra-madhuras tenaiva vikrantayah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pidabhih--by the sufferings; nava--fresh; kala-kuta--of poison; katuta--of the severity; garvasya--of pride; nirvasanah--banishment; nisyandena--by pouring down; mudam--happiness; sudha--of nectar; madhurima--of the sweetness; ahankara--the pride; sankocanah--minimizing; prema--love; sundari--beautiful friend; nanda-nandana-parah--fixed upon the son of Maharaja Nanda; jagarti--develops; yasya--of whom; antare--in the heart; jnayante--are perceived; sphutam--explicitly; asya--of that; vakra--crooked; madhurah--and sweet; tena--by him; eva--alone; vikrantayah--the influences.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'My dear beautiful friend, if one develops love of Godhead, love of Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, all the bitter and sweet influences of this love will manifest in one's heart. Such love of Godhead acts in two ways. The poisonous effects of love of Godhead defeat the severe and fresh poison of the serpent. Yet there is simultaneously transcendental bliss, which pours down and defeats the poisonous effects of a snake, as well as the happiness derived from pouring nectar on one's head. It is perceived as doubly effective, simultaneously poisonous and nectarean.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is from the Vidagdha-madhava (2.18). It also appears in Madhya-lila, Chapter Two, verse 52. It is spoken by Paurnamasi.

 

                               TEXT 149

 

                                 TEXT

 

             raya kahe,----"kaha sahaja-premera laksana"

             rupa-gosani kahe,----"sahajika prema-dharma"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Srila Ramananda Raya inquires; kaha--please tell me; sahaja-premera--of natural love; laksana--the characteristics; rupa-gosani kahe--Rupa Gosvami replies; sahajika--spontaneous; prema-dharma--character of love of Godhead.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Ramananda Raya further inquired, "What are the natural characteristics of awakening love of Godhead?" Rupa Gosvami replied, "These are the natural characteristics of love of God.

 

                               TEXT 150

 

                                 TEXT

 

    stotram yatra tata-sthatam prakatayac cittasya dhatte vyatham

        nindapi pramadam prayacchati parihasa-sriyam bibhrati

           dosena ksayitam gunena gurutam kenapy anatanvati

        premnah svarasikasya kasyacid iyam vikridati prakriya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   stotram--praising; yatra--in which; tata-sthatam--neutrality; prakatayat--manifesting; cittasya--to the heart; dhatte--gives; vyatham--painful reaction; ninda--blaspheming; api--also; pramadam--pleasure; prayacchati--delivers; parihasa--of joking; sriyam--the beauty; bibhrati--bringing forth; dosena--by accusation; ksayitam--the quality of diminishing; gunena--by good qualities; gurutam--the importance; kena api--by any; anatanvati--not increasing; premnah--of love of Godhead; svarasikasya--spontaneous; kasyacit--of any; iyam--this; vikridati--acts within the heart; prakriya--the manner of action.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'When one hears praise from his beloved, he outwardIy remains neutral but feels pain within his heart. When he hears his beloved making accusations about him, he takes them to be jokes and enjoys pleasure. When he finds faults in his beloved, they do not diminish his love, nor do the beloved's good qualities increase his spontaneous affection. Thus spontaneous love continues under all circumstances. That is how spontaneous love of Godhead acts within the heart.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse from Vidagdha-madhava (5.4) is spoken by Paurnamasi, the grandmother of Radharani and mother of Sandipani Muni.

 

                               TEXT 151

 

                                 TEXT

 

        srutva nisthuratam mamendu-vadana premankuram bhindati

       svante santi-dhuram vidhaya vidhure prayah parancisyati

         kimva pamara-kama-karmuka-paritrasta vimoksyaty asun

        ha maugdhyat phalini manoratha-lata mrdvi mayonmulita

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   srutva--by hearing; nisthuratam--cruelty; mama--My; indu-vadana--moonfaced; prema-ankuram--the seed of love; bhindati--splitting; sva-ante--within Her heart; santi-dhuram--great toleration; vidhaya--taking; vidhure--aggrieved; prayah--almost; parancisyati--may turn against; kimva--or; pamara--most formidable; kama--of lusty desires or Cupid; karmuka--of the bow; paritrasta--frightened; vimoksyati--will give up; asun--life; ha--alas; maugdhyat--on account of bewilderment; phalini--almost fruitful; manah-ratha-lata--the creeper of growing love; mrdvi--very soft; maya--by Me; unmulita--uprooted.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'Upon hearing of My cruelty, moon-faced Radharani may establish some kind of tolerance in Her aggrieved heart. But then She might turn against Me. Or, indeed, being fearful of the lusty desires invoked by the bow of formidable Cupid, She might even give up Her life. Alas! I have foolishly uprooted the soft creeper of Her desire just when it was ready to bear fruit.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Having been very cruel to Srimati Radharani, Krsna is repenting in this way ( Vidagdha-madhava 2.40).

 

                               TEXT 152

 

                                 TEXT

 

        yasyotsanga-sukhasaya sithilita gurvi gurubhyas trapa

       pranebhyo 'pi suhrt-tamah sakhi tatha yuyam pariklesitah

      dharmah so 'pi mahan maya na ganitah sadhvibhir adhyasito

        dhig dhairyam tad-upeksitapi yad aham jivami papiyasi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yasya--of whom; utsanga-sukha-asaya--by the desire for the happiness of the association; sithilita--slackened; gurvi--very great; gurubhyah--unto the superiors; trapa--bashfulness; pranebhyah--than My life; api--although; suhrt-tamah--more dear; sakhi--O My dear friend; tatha--similarly; yuyam--you; pariklesitah--so much troubled; dharmah--duties to My husband; sah--that; api--also; mahan--very great; maya--by Me; na--not; ganitah--cared for; sadhvibhih--by the most chaste women; adhyasitah--practiced; dhik dhairyam--to hell with patience; tat--by Him; upeksita--neglected; api--although; yat--which; aham--I; jivami--am living; papiyasi--the most sinful.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'Desiring the happiness of His association and embraces, My dear friend, I disregarded even My superiors and relaxed My shyness and gravity before them. Furthermore, although you are My best friend, more dear to Me than My own life, I have given you so much trouble. Indeed, I even put aside the vow of dedication to My husband, a vow kept by the most elevated women. Oh, alas! Although He is now neglecting Me, I am so sinful that I am still living. Therefore I must condemn My so-called patience.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Srimati Radharani is speaking this verse (Vidagdha-madhava 2.41) to Her intimate friend Visakhadevi.

 

                               TEXT 153

 

                                 TEXT

 

           grhantah-khelantyo nija-sahaja-balyasya balanad

           abhadram bhadram va kim api hi na janimahi manak

           vayam netum yuktah katham asaranam ka api dasam

            katham va nyayya te prathayitum udasina-padavi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   grha-antah-khelantyah--who were engaged in childish play within the house; nija--one's own; sahaja--simple; balyasya--of childhood; balanat--on account of influence; abhadram--bad; bhadram--good; va--or; kim api--what; hi--certainly; na--not; janimahi--we did know; manak--even slightly; vayam--we; netum--to lead; yuktah--suitable; katham--how; asaranam--without surrender; kam api--such as this; dasam--to the condition; katham--how; va--or; nyayya--correct; te--of You; prathayitum--to manifest; udasina--of carelessness; padavi--the position.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'I was engaged in My own playful activities in My home, and because of My childish innocence I did not know right from wrong. Therefore, is it good for You to have forced us into being so much attracted to You and then to have neglected us? Now You are indifferent to us. Do You think that is right?'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse ( Vidagdha-madhava 2.46) is spoken to Krsna by Srimati Radharani.

 

                               TEXT 154

 

                                 TEXT

 

       antah-klesa-kalankitah kila vayam yamo 'dya yamyam purim

        nayam vancana-sancaya-pranayinam hasam tathapy ujjhati

          asmin samputite gabhira-kapatair abhira-palli-vite

         ha medhavini radhike tava katham prema gariyan abhut

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   antah-klesa-kalankitah--polluted by inner miserable conditions that continue even after death; kila--certainly; vayam--all of us; yamah--are going; adya--now; yamyam--of Yamaraja; purim--to the abode; na--not; ayam--this; vancana-sancaya--cheating activities; pranayinam--aiming at; hasam--smiling; tathapi--still; ujjhati--gives up; asmin--in this; samputite--filled; gabhira--deep; kapataih--with deceit; abhira-palli--from the village of the cowherd men; vite--in a debauchee; ha--alas; medhavini--O intelligent one; radhike--Srimati Radharani; tava--Your; katham--how; prema--love; gariyan--so great; abhut--became.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'Our hearts are so polluted by miserable conditions that we are certainly going to Pluto's kingdom. Nevertheless, Krsna does not give up His beautiful loving smiling, which is full of cheating tricks. O Srimati Radharani, You are very intelligent. How could You have developed such great loving affection for this deceitful debauchee from the neighborhood of the cowherds?'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse ( Vidagdha-madhava 2.37) is spoken to Radharani by Lalita-sakhi, another confidential friend.

 

                               TEXT 155

 

                                 TEXT

 

           hitva dure pathi dhava-taror antikam dhara-setor

           bhangodagra guru-sikharinam ramhasa langhayanti

            lebhe krsnarnava nava-rasa radhika-vahini tvam

           vag-vicibhih kim iva vimukhi-bhavam asyas tanosi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hitva--giving up; dure--far away; pathi--on the road; dhava-taroh--of the tree of the husband; antikam--the vicinity; dharma-setoh--the bridge of religion; bhanga-udagra--being strong enough for breaking; guru-sikharinam--the hill of the superior relatives; ramhasa--with great force; langhayanti--crossing over; lebhe--has obtained; krsna-arnava--O ocean of Krsna; nava-rasa--being influenced by new ecstatic love; radhika--Srimati Radharani; vahini--like a river; tvam--You; vak-vicibhih--only by the waves of words; kim--how; iva--like this; vimukhi-bhavam--indifference; asyah--toward Her; tanosi--You are spreading.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'O Lord Krsna, You are just like an ocean. The river of Srimati Radharani has reached You from a long distance--leaving far behind the tree of Her husband, breaking through the bridge of social convention, and forcibly crossing the hills of elder relatives. Coming here because of fresh feelings of love for You, that river has now received Your shelter, but now You are trying to turn Her back by the waves of unfavorable words. How is it that You are spreading this attitude?' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse from Vidagdha-madhava (3.9) is spoken to Lord Krsna by paurnamasi, the grandmother of Srimati Radharani.

 

                               TEXT 156

 

                                 TEXT

 

              raya kahe,----"vrndavana, murali-nihsvana

              krsna, radhikara kaiche kariyacha varnana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Ramananda Raya says; vrndavana--the place named Vrndavana; murali-nihsvana--the vibration of Krsna's flute; krsna--Lord Krsna; radhikara--of Srimati Radharani; kaiche--how; kariyacha varnana--you have described.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Srila Ramananda Raya further inquired: "How have you described Vrndavana, the vibration of the transcendental flute, and the relationship between Krsna and Radhika?

 

                               TEXT 157

 

                                 TEXT

 

              kaha, tomara kavitva suni' haya camatkara"

                krame rupa-gosani kahe kari' namaskara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kaha--kindly let me know; tomara kavitva suni'--by hearing your poetic ability; haya--there is; camatkara--much astonishment; krame--gradually; rupa-gosani--Srila Rupa Gosvami; kahe--continues to speak; kari' namaskara--offering obeisances.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Please tell me all this, for your poetic ability is wonderful." After offering obeisances to Ramananda Raya, Rupa Gosvami gradually began answering his inquiries.

 

                               TEXT 158

 

                                 TEXT

 

            sugandhau makanda-prakara-makarandasya madhure

           vinisyande vandi-krta-madhupa-vrndam muhur idam

           krtandolam mandonnatibhir anilais candana-girer

             mamanandam vrnda-vipinam atulam tundilayati

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   su-gandhau--in the fragrance; makanda-prakara--of the bunches of mango buds; makarandasya--of the honey; madhure--sweet; vinisyande--in the oozing; vandi-krta--grouped together; madhupa-vrndam--bumblebees; muhuh--again and again; idam--this; krta-andolam--agitated; manda-unnatibhih--moving softly; anilaih--by the breezes; candana-gireh--from the Malaya Hills; mama--My; anandam--pleasure; vrnda-vipinam--the forest of Vrndavana; atulam--very much; tundilayati--increases more and more.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'The sweet, fragrant honey oozing from newly grown mango buds is again and again attracting groups of bumblebees, and this forest is trembling in the softly moving breezes from the Malaya Hills, which are full of sandalwood trees. Thus the forest of Vrndavana is increasing My transcendental pleasure.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse from Vidagdha-madhava (1.23) is spoken by Lord Krsna Himself.

 

                               TEXT 159

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    vrndavanam divya-lata-paritam

                  latas ca puspa-sphuritagra-bhajah

                   puspani ca sphita-madhu-vratani

                   madhu-vratas ca sruti-hari-gitah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vrndavanam--the forest of Vrndavana; divya-lata-paritam--surrounded by transcendental creepers; latah ca--and the creepers; puspa--by flowers; sphurita--distinguished; agra-bhajah--possessing ends; puspani--the flowers; ca--and; sphita-madhu-vratani--having many maddened bumblebees; madhu-vratah--the bumblebees; ca--and; sruti-hari-gitah--whose songs defeat the Vedic hymns and are pleasing to the ear.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'My dear friend, see how this forest of Vrndavana is full of transcendental creepers and trees. The tops of the creepers are full of flowers, and intoxicated bumblebees are buzzing around them, humming songs that please the ear and surpass even the Vedic hymns.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse from Vidagdha-madhava (1.24) is spoken by Lord Balarama to His friend Sridama.

 

                               TEXT 160

 

                                 TEXT

 

           kvacid bhrngi-gitam kvacid anila-bhangi-sisirata

           kvacid valli-lasyam kvacid amala-malli-parimalah

            kvacid dhara-sali karaka-phala-pali-rasa-bharo

             hrsikanam vrndam pramadayati vrndavanam idam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kvacit--somewhere; bhrngi-gitam--the humming songs of the bumblebees; kvacit--somewhere; anila-bhangi-sisirata--coolness from the waves of the mild breezes; kvacit--somewhere; valli-lasyam--the dancing of the creepers; kvacit--somewhere; amala-malli-parimalah--the pure fragrance of the mallika flowers; kvacit--somewhere; dhara-sali--abounding in showers; karaka-phala-pali--of pomegranate fruits; rasa-bharah--overabundance of juice; hrsikanam--of the senses; vrndam--to the group; pramadayati--is giving pleasure; vrndavanam--the forest of Vrndavana; idam--this.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'My dear friend, this forest of Vrndavana is giving great pleasure to our senses in various ways. Somewhere bumblebees are singing in groups, and in some places mild breezes are cooling the entire atmosphere. Somewhere the creepers and tree twigs are dancing, the mallika flowers are expanding their fragrance, and an overabundance of juice is constantly flowing in showers from pomegranate fruits.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse from Vidagdha-madhava (1.31) is spoken by Lord Krsna to His cowherd friend Madhumangala.

 

                               TEXT 161

 

                                 TEXT

 

            paramrstangustha-trayam asita-ratnair ubhayato

           vahanti sankirnau manibhir arunais tat-parisarau

            tayor madhye hirojjvala-vimala-jambunada-mayi

              kare kalyaniyam viharati hareh keli-murali

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   paramrsta--measured; angustha-trayam--a length of three fingers; asita-ratnaih--with valuable indra-nila jewels; ubhayatah--from both ends; vahanti--having; sankirnau--bedecked; manibhih--by gems; arunaih--    rubies; tat-parisarau--the two ends of the flute; tayoh madhye--between them; hira--with diamonds; ujjvala--blazing; vimala--pure; jambunada-mayi--covered with gold plate; kare--in the hand; kalyani--very auspicious; iyam--this; viharati--glitters; hareh--of Krsna; keli-murali--the pastime flute.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The flute of Krsna's pastimes measures three fingers in length, and it is bedecked with indra-nila gems. At the ends of the flute are aruna gems [rubies], glittering beautifully, and in between the flute is plated with gold, set ablaze by diamonds. This auspicious flute, pleasing to Krsna, is glittering in His hand with transcendental brilliance.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse from Vidagdha-madhava (3.1) is spoken to Lalitadevi by Paurnamasi, the grandmother of Radharani.

 

                               TEXT 162

 

                                 TEXT

 

                sad-vamsatas tava janih purusottamasya

                panau sthitir muralike saralasi jatya

                kasmat tvaya sakhi guror visama grhita

                gopangana-gana-vimohana-man tra-diksa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sat-vamsatah--very respectable families; tava--your; janih--birth; purusottamasya--of Lord Sri Krsna; panau--in the hands; sthitih--residence; muralike--O good flute; sarala--simple; asi--you are; jatya--by birth; kasmat--why; tvaya--by you; sakhi--O my dear friend; guroh--from the spiritual master; visama--dangerous; grhita--taken; gopa-angana-gana-vimohana--for bewildering the groups of the gopis; mantra-diksa--initiation in the mantra.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear friend the flute, it appears that you have been born of a very good family, for your residence is in the hands of Sri Krsna. By birth you are simple and are not at all crooked. Why then have you taken initiation into this dangerous mantra that enchants the assembled gopis?'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse (Vidagdha-madhava 5.17) is spoken by Srimati Radharani.

 

                               TEXT 163

 

                                 TEXT

 

               sakhi murali visala-cchidra-jalena purna

              laghur atikathina tvam granthila nirasasi

             tad api bhajasi svasvac cumbanananda-sandram

                hari-kara-parirambham kena punyodayena

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sakhi murali--O dear friend the flute; visala-chidra-jalena--with so many big holes in your body (in other words, full of chidra, which also means "faults"); purna--full; laghuh--very light; atikathina--very hard in constitution; tvam--you; granthila--full of knots; nirasa--without juice; asi--are; tat api--therefore; bhajasi--you obtain through service; svasvat--continuously; cumbana-ananda--the transcendental bliss of kissing by the Lord; sandram--intense; hari-kara-parirambham--embracing by the hands of Sri Krsna; kena--by what; punya-udayena--means of pious activities.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear friend the flute, you are actually full of many holes or faults. You are light, hard, juiceless and full of knots. But what kind of pious activities have engaged you in the service of being kissed by the Lord and embraced by His hands?'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse ( Vidagdha-madhava 4.7) is spoken by Candravali-sakhi, the gopi competitor of Srimati Radharani.

 

                               TEXT 164

 

                                 TEXT

 

      rundhann ambu-bhrtas camatkrti-param kurvan muhus tumburum

        dhyanad antarayan sanandana-mukhan vismapayan vedhasam

        autsukyavalibhir balim catulayan bhogindram aghurnayan

      bhindann anda-kataha-bhittim abhito babhrama vamsi-dhvanih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rundhan--blocking; ambu-bhrtah--the clouds bearing rain; camatkrti-param--full of wonder; kurvan--making; muhuh--at every moment; tumburum--the King of the Gandharvas, Tumburu; dhyanat--from meditation; antarayan--disturbing; sanandana-mukhan--the great saintly persons headed by Sanandana; vismapayan--causing wonder; vedhasam--even to Lord Brahma; autsukya-avalibhih--with thoughts of curiosity; balim--King Bali; catulayan--agitating; bhogi-indram--the King of the Nagas; aghurnayan--whirling around; bhindan--penetrating; anda-kataha-bhittim--the strong coverings of the universe; abhitah--all around; babhrama--circulated; vamsi-dhvanih--the transcendental vibration of the flute.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'The transcendental vibration of Krsna's flute blocked the movements of the rain clouds, struck the Gandharvas full of wonder, and agitated the meditation of great saintly persons like Sanaka and Sanandana. It created wonder in Lord Brahma, wrought intense curiosity that agitated the mind of Bali Maharaja, who was otherwise firmly fixed, made Maharaja Ananta, the carrier of the planets, whirl around, and penetrated the strong coverings of the universe. Thus the sound of the flute in the hands of Krsna created a wonderful situation.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse (Vidagdha-madhava 1.27) is spoken by Madhumangala, a cowherd friend of Krsna's.

 

                               TEXT 165

 

                                 TEXT

 

            ayam nayana-dandita-pra vara-pundarika-prabhah

            prabhati nava-jaguda-dyuti-vidambi-pitambarah

              aranyaja-pariskriya-damita-divya-vesadaro

            harin-mani-manohara-dyutibhir ujjvalango harih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ayam--this; nayana--by whose beautiful eyes; dandita--defeated; pravara--best; pundarika-prabhah--the luster of the white lotus flower; prabhati--looks beautiful; nava-jaguda-dyuti--the brilliance of newly painted vidambi; vidambi--deriding; pita-ambarah--whose yellow dress; aranya-ja--picked up from the forest; pariskriya--by whose ornaments; damita--subdued; divya-vesa-adarah--the hankering for first-class dress; harin-mani--of emeralds; manohara--mind-attracting; dyutibhih--with splendor; ujjvala-angah--whose beautiful body; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'The beauty of Krsna's eyes surpasses the beauty of white lotus flowers, His yellow garments surpass the brilliance of fresh decorations of kunkuma, His ornaments of selected forest flowers surpass the hankering for the best of garments, and His bodily beauty possesses mind-attracting splendor greater than the jewels known as marakata-mani [emeralds].'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse from Vidagdha-madhava (1.17) is spoken by paurnamasi.

 

                               TEXT 166

 

                                 TEXT

 

     janghadhas-tata-sangi-daksina-padam kincid vibhugna-trikam-

       saci-stambhita-kandharam sakhi tirah-sancari-netrancalam

         vamsim kutmalite dadhanam adhare lolanguli-sangatam

       ringad-bhru-bhramaram varangi paramanandam purah svikuru

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   jangha--of the shin; adhah-tata--at the lower border; sangi--connected; daksina-padam--the right foot; kincit--slightly; vibhugna-trikam--the middle of the body bent in three places; saci-stumbhita-kandharam--whose neck is fixed in a curve to the side; sakhi--O friend; tirah-sancari--roaming sideways; netra-ancalam--whose borders of the eyes; vamsim--flute; kutmalite--shut like a flower bud; dadhanam--placing; adhare--on the lips; lola-anguli-sangatam--joined with fingers moving here and there; ringat-bhru--whose slowly moving eyebrows; bhramaram--like bumblebees; varangi--O most beautiful one; paramanandam--the personality of bliss; purah--situated in front; svi-kuru--just accept.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'O most beautiful friend, please accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is standing before you full of transcendental bliss. The borders of His eyes roam from side to side, and His eyebrows move slowly like bumblebees on His lotuslike face. Standing with His right foot placed below the knee of His left leg, the middle of His body curved in three places, and His neck gracefully tilted to the side, He takes His flute to His pursed lips and moves His fingers upon it here and there.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is from the Lalita-madhava-nataka (4.27), a ten-act play by Srila Rupa Gosvami. The speaker here is Lalitadevi.

 

                               TEXT 167

 

                                 TEXT

 

              kula-varatanu-dharma-grava-vrndani bhindan

             sumukhi nisita-dirghapanga-tanka-cchatabhih

              yugapad ayam apurvah kah puro visva-karma

              marakata-mani-laksair gostha-kaksam cinoti

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kula-varatanu--of the family women; dharma--in the form of dedication to the husband, etc.; grava-vrndani--the stones; bhindan--splitting; sumukhi--O beautiful-faced one; nisita--sharp; dirgha-apanga--in the form of long outer corners of the eyes; tanka-chatabhih--by chisels; yugapat--simultaneously; ayam--this; apurvah--unprecedented; kah--who; purah--in front; visva-karma--creative person; marakata-mani-laksaih--with countless emeralds; gostha-kaksam--a private room for meeting; cinoti--He is constructing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'O beautiful-faced one, who is this creative person standing before us? With the sharp chisels of His loving glances, He is splitting the hard stones of many women's devotion to their husbands. And with the luster of His body, surpassing the brilliance of countless emeralds, He is simultaneously constructing private meeting places for His pastimes.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse (Lalita-madhava 1.52) is spoken by Radharani to Lalitadevi.

 

                               TEXT 168

 

                                 TEXT

 

            mahendra-mani-mandali-mada-vidambi-deha-dyutir

         vrajendra-kula-candramah sphurati ko 'pi navyo yuva

           sakhi sthira-kulangana-nikara-nivi-bandhargala-

           cchidakarana-kautuki jayati yasya vamsi-dhvanih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mahendra-mani--of jewels of the name mahendra-mani; mandali--of masses; mada-vidambi--defeating the pride; deha-dyutih--one whose bodily luster; vrajendra-kula-candramah--the moon of the family of Vrajaraja (Nanda Maharaja); sphurati--manifests; kah api--some; navyah yuva--newly youthful person; sakhi--O my dear friend; sthira--steady; kula-angana--of family ladies; nikara--of groups; nivi-bandha-argala--of the impediments such as tightened dresses and belts; cchida-karana--in causing the cutting; kautuki--very cunning; jayati--all glories; yasya--of whom; vamsi-dhvanih--to the vibration of the flute.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear friend, this newly youthful Lord Sri Krsna, the moon in the family of Nanda Maharaja, is so beautiful that He defies the beauty of clusters of valuable jewels. All glories to the vibration of His flute, for it is cunningly breaking the patience of chaste ladies by loosening their belts and tight dresses.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse from Lalita-madhava (1.49) is spoken by Lalitadevi to Radharani.

 

                               TEXT 169

 

                                 TEXT

 

           balad aksnor laksmih kavalayati navyam kuvalayam

           mukhollasah phullam kamala-vanam ullanghayati ca

           dasam kastam asta-padam api nayaty angika-rucir

            vicitram radhayah kim api kila rupam vilasati

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   balat--by force; aksnoh--of the two eyes; laksmih--the beauty; kavalayati--devours; navyam--newly awakened; kuvalayam--lotus flower; mukha-ullasah--the beauty of the face; phullam--fructified; kamala-vanam--a forest of lotus flowers; ullanghayati--surpasses; ca--also; dasam--to a situation; kastam--painful; asta-padam--gold; api--even; nayati--brings; angika-rucih--the luster of the body; vicitram--wonderful; radhayah--of Srimati Radharani; kim api--some; kila--certainly; rupam--the beauty; vilasati--manifests.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The beauty of Srimati Radharani's eyes forcibly devours the beauty of newly grown blue lotus flowers, and the beauty of Her face surpasses that of an entire forest of fully blossomed lotuses. Her bodily luster seems to place even gold in a painful situation. Thus the wonderful, unprecedented beauty of Srimati Radharani is awakening in Vrndavana.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is from Vidagdha-madhava (1.32). It is spoken by Paurnamasi.

 

                               TEXT 170

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      vidhur eti diva virupatam

                    sata-patram bata sarvari-mukhe

                      iti kena sada sriyojjvalam

                    tulanam arhati mat-priyananam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vidhuh--the moon; eti--becomes; diva--by daytime; virupatam--faded away; sata-patram--he lotus flower; bata--alas; sarvari-mukhe--in the beginning of evening; iti--thus; kena--with what; sada--always; sriya-ujjvalam--brilliant with beauty; tulanam--comparison; arhati--deserves; mat--of Me; priya--of the dear one; ananam--the face.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Although the effulgence of the moon is brilliant initially at night, in the daytime it fades away. Similarly, although the lotus is beautiful during the daytime, at night it closes. But, O My friend, the face of My most dear Srimati Radharani is always bright and beautiful, both day and night. Therefore, to what can Her face be compared?'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse (Vidagdha-madhava 5.20) is spoken by Sri Krsna to Madhumangala.

 

                               TEXT 171

 

                                 TEXT

 

              pramada-rasa-taranga-smera-ganda-sthalayah

            smara-dhanur anubandhi-bhru-lata-lasya-bhajah

            mada-kala-cala-bhrngi-bhranti-bhangim dadhano

             hrdayam idam adanksit paksmalaksyah kataksah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pramada--of joy; rasa-taranga--by the continuous waves of the mellow; smera--mildly smiling; ganda-sthalayah--whose cheeks; smara-dhanuh--the bow of Cupid; anubandhi--related with; bhru-lata--of the arched eyebrows; lasya--dancing; bhajah--of one who has; mada-kala--intoxicated; cala--unsteady; bhrngi-bhranti--the moving to and fro of bees; bhangim--the semblance of; dadhanah--giving; hrdayam idam--this heart; adanksit--has bitten; paksmala--possessing exquisite eyelashes; aksyah--of whose two eyes; kata-aksah--the glance.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Srimati Radharani smiles, waves of joy overtake Her cheeks, and Her arched eyebrows dance like the bow of Cupid. Her glance is so enchanting that it is like a dancing bumblebee, moving unsteadily due to intoxication. That bee has bitten the whorl of My heart.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse from Vidagdha-madhava (2.51) is also spoken by Lord Krsna.

 

                               TEXT 172

 

                                 TEXT

 

             raya kahe,----"tomara kavitva amrtera dhara

                dvitiya natakera kaha nandi-vyavahara"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Ramananda Raya says; tomara--you; kavitva--superexcellence in poetic presentation; amrtera dhara--a continuous shower of nectar; dvitiya natakera--of the second drama; kaha--please tell; nandi-vyavahara--treatment of the introduction.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Having heard these verses recited by Rupa Gosvami, Srila Ramananda Raya said, "Your poetic expressions are like continuous showers of nectar. Kindly let me hear the introductory portion of the second drama."

 

                               TEXT 173

 

                                 TEXT

 

              rupa kahe,----"kahan tumi suryopama bhasa

              muni kon ksudra,----yena khadyota-prakasa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rupa kahe--Rupa Gosvami says; kahan--where; tumi--you; surya-upama--like the sun; bhasa--brilliance; muni--I; kon--some; ksudra--insignificant; yena--exactly like; khadyota-prakasa--the brilliance of the glowworm.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Srila Rupa Gosvami said, "In your presence, which is just like brilliant sunshine, I am as insignificant as the light of a glowworm.

 

                               TEXT 174

 

                                 TEXT

 

                tomara age dharstya ei mukha-vyadana"

                eta bali' nandi-sloka karila vyakhyana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tomara age--before you; dharstya--impudence; ei--this; mukha-vyadana--simply opening the mouth; eta bali'--saying this; nandi-sloka--the introductory verses; karila vyakhyana--explained.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   It is even impudent for me to open my mouth before you." Then, having said this, he recited the introductory verse of Lalita-madhava.

 

                               TEXT 175

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    sura-ripu-sudrsam uroja-kokan

                 mukha-kamalani ca khedayann akhandah

                   ciram akhila-suhrc-cakora-nandi

                 disatu mukunda-yasah-sasi mudam vah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sura-ripu--of the enemies of the demigods; sudrsam--of the wives; uroja--the breasts; kokan--like birds known as cakravaka birds; mukha--faces; kamalani--like lotuses; ca--also; khedayan--distressing; akhandah--completely without distortion; ciram--for a long time; akhila--of all; suhrt--the friend; cakora-nandi--pleasing to the cakora birds; disatu--let it give; mukunda--of Sri Krsna; yasah--the glories; sasi--like the moon; mudam--pleasure; vah--to all of you.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The beautiful moonlike glories of Mukunda give distress to the lotuslike faces of the wives of the demons and to their raised breasts, which are like gleaming cakravaka birds. Those glories, however, are pleasing to all His devotees, who are like cakora birds. May those glories forever give pleasure to you all.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is the first verse of Act One of Lalita-madhava.

 

                               TEXT 176

 

                                 TEXT

 

             'dvitiya nandi kaha dekhi?'----raya puchila

                   sankoca pana rupa padite lagila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dvitiya nandi--the second introductory verse; kaha--recite; dekhi--so that we can see; raya puchila--Srila Ramananda Raya again inquired; sankoca pana--becoming a little hesitant; rupa--Srila Rupa Gosvami; padite lagila--began to read.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Srila Ramananda Raya further inquired about the second introductory verse, Srila Rupa Gosvami was somewhat hesitant, but nevertheless he began to read.

 

                               TEXT 177

 

                                 TEXT

 

           nija-pranayitam sudham udayam apnuvan yah ksitau

            kiraty alam urikrta-dvija-kuladhiraja-sthitih

           sa luncita-tamas-tatir mama saci-sutakhyah sasi

            vasikrta-jagan-manah kim api sarma vinyasyatu

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nija-pranayitam--own devotional love; sudham--the nectar; udayam--appearance; apnuvan--obtaining; yah--one who; ksitau--on the surface of the world; kirati--expands; alam--extensively; uri-krta--accepted; dvija-kula-adhiraja-sthitih--the situation of the most exalted of the brahmana community; sah--He; luncita--driven away; tamah--of darkness; tatih--mass; mama--my; saci-suta-akhyah--known as Sacinandana, the son of mother Saci; sasi--the moon; vasi-krta--subdued; jagat-manah--the minds of the whole world; kim api--somehow; sarma--auspiciousness; vinyasyatu--let it be bestowed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The moonlike Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as the son of mother Saci, has now appeared on earth to spread devotional love of Himself. He is emperor of the brahmana community. He can drive away all the darkness of ignorance and control the mind of everyone in the world. May that rising moon bestow upon us all good fortune.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is the third verse of Act One of Vidagdha-madhava.

 

                               TEXT 178

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  suniya prabhura yadi antare ullasa

                 bahire kahena kichu kari' rosabhasa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   suniya--hearing this; prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; yadi--although; antare--within; ullasa--great jubilation; bahire--externally; kahena--says; kichu--something; kari'--making; rosa-abhasa--as if angry.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was inwardly greatly pleased when He heard this verse, externally He spoke as if angry.

 

                               TEXT 179

 

                                 TEXT

 

              kanha tomara krsna-rasa-kavya-sudha-sindhu

              tara madhye mithya kene stuti-ksara-bindu

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kanha--where; tomara--your; krsna-rasa-kavya--of exalted poetry concerning the mellows of Lord Krsna's pastimes; sudha-sindhu--ocean of the nectar; tara madhye--within that; mithya--false; kene--why; stuti--prayer; ksara-bindu--like a drop of alkali.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Your exalted poetic descriptions of the mellows of Lord Krsna's pastimes are like an ocean of nectar. But why have you put in a false prayer about Me? It is like a drop of detestful alkali."

 

                               TEXT 180

 

                                 TEXT

 

               raya kahe,----"rupera kavya amrtera pura

                tara madhye eka bindu diyache karpura"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Srila Ramananda Raya says; rupera kavya--the poetic expression of Srila Rupa Gosvami; amrtera pura--filled with all nectar; tara madhye--within that; eka bindu--one drop; diyache--he has given; karpura--camphor.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Srila Ramananda Raya objected, "It is not alkali at all. It is a particle of camphor he has put into the nectar of his exalted poetic expression."

 

                               TEXT 181

 

                                 TEXT

 

              prabhu kahe,----"raya, tomara ihate ullasa

                  sunitei lajja, loke kare upahasa"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says; raya--Ramananda Raya; tomara--your; ihate--in this; ullasa--jubilation; sunitei--to hear; lajja--ashamed; loke--the people in general; kare--do; upahasa--joking.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "My dear Ramananda Raya, you are jubilant at hearing these poetic expressions, but I am ashamed to hear them, for people in general will joke about the subject of this verse."

 

                               TEXT 182

 

                                 TEXT

 

              raya kahe,----"lokera sukha ihara sravane

                 abhista-devera smrti mangalacarane"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Ramananda Raya says; lokera--of the people in general; sukha--happiness; ihara sravane--in hearing such poetic expressions; abhista-devera--of the worshipable Deity; smrti--remembrance; mangalacarane--in the performance of auspiciousness in the beginning.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Ramananda Raya said, "Instead of joking, people in general will feel great pleasure in hearing such poetry, for the initial remembrance of the worshipable Deity invokes good fortune."

 

                               TEXT 183

 

                                 TEXT

 

              raya kahe,----"kon ange patrera pravesa?"

                 tabe rupa-gosani kahe tahara visesa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Ramananda Raya says; kon--what; ange--subdivision of style; patrera pravesa--the entrance of the players; tabe--at that time; rupa-gosani--Srila Rupa Gosvami; kahe--continues to speak; tahara visesa--specifically on this matter.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Ramananda Raya inquired, "By which subdivision of style do the players enter?" Rupa Gosvami then began to speak specifically about this subject.

 

                               TEXT 184

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         natata kirata-rajam

                   nihatya ranga-sthale kala-nidhina

                         samaye tena vidheyam

                     gunavati tara-kara-grahanam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   natata--dancing on the stage; kirata-rajam--the ruler of the kirata (uncivilized men), Kamsa; nihatya--killing; ranga-sthale--on the stage; kala-nidhina--the master of all arts; samaye--at the time; tena--by Him; vidheyam--to be done; guna-vati--at the qualified moment; tara-kara--of the hand of Tara (Radha); grahanam--the acceptance.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   " 'While dancing on the stage after having killed the ruler of uncivilized men [Kamsa], Lord Krsna, master of all arts, will at the proper time accept the hand of Srimati Radharani, who is qualified with all transcendental attributes.'  (Lalita-madhava 1.11)

 

                               TEXT 185

 

                                 TEXT

 

            'udghatyaka' nama ei 'amukha'----'vithi' anga

              tomara age kahi----iha dharstyera taranga

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   'udghatyaka' nama--a dancing appearance of the player, technically known as udghatyaka; ei amukha--this is the introduction; vithi anga--the part is called vithi; tomara age--before you; kahi--I say; iha--this; dharstyera taranga--a wave of impudence.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "This introduction is technically called udghatyaka, and the whole scene is called vithi. You are so expert in dramatic expression that each of my statements before you is like a wave from an ocean of impudence.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this connection Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura again quotes the following verse from the Sahitya-darpana (6.288):

 

                       udghatyakah kathodghatah

                         prayogatisayas tatha

                          pravartakavalagite

                       panca prastavana-bhidah

 

   Thus the technical names for the five kinds of introductory scenes of the drama are listed as udghatyaka, kathodghata, prayogatisaya, pravartaka and avalagita. When Srila Ramananda Raya inquired which of these five Srila Rupa Gosvami had used to accomplish the technical introduction to his drama Lalita-madhava, Rupa Gosvami replied that he had used the introduction technically called udghatyaka. According to Bharati-vrtti, three technical terms used are prarocana, vithi and prahasana. Thus Rupa Gosvami also mentioned vithi, which is a technical term for a certain type of expression. According to the Sahitya-darpana (6.520):

 

                       vithyam eko bhaved ankah

                       kascid eko 'tra kalpyate

                        akasa-bhasitair uktais

                      citram pratyuktim asritah

 

   The vithi beginning of a drama consists of only one scene. In that scene, one of the heroes enters the stage, and by means of opposing statements uttered by a voice from the sky (offstage), he introduces the abundant conjugal mellow and other mellows to some degree. In the course of the introduction, all the seeds of the play are planted. This introduction is called udghatyaka because the player dances on the stage. This term also indicates that the full moon enters the stage. In this case, when the word natata ("dancing on the stage") is linked with the moon, its meaning is obscure, but because the meaning becomes very clear when the word natata is linked with Krsna, this type of introduction is called udghatyaka.

   Srila Ramananda Raya used highly technical terms when he discussed this with Srila Rupa Gosvami. Rupa Gosvami admitted that Srila Ramananda Raya was a greatly learned scholar of bona fide dramatic composition. Thus although Srila Rupa Gosvami was quite fit to answer Srila Ramananda Raya's questions, due to his Vaisnava humility he admitted that his words were impudent. Actually both Rupa Gosvami and Ramananda Raya were scholarly experts in composing poetry and presenting it strictly according to the Sahitya-darpana and other Vedic literatures.

 

                               TEXT 186

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        padani tv agatarthani

                        tad-artha-gataye narah

                       yojayanti padair anyaih

                         sa udghatyaka ucyate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   padani--words; tu--but; agata-arthani--having an unclear meaning; tat--that,; artha-gataye--to understand the meaning; narah--men; yojayanti--join; padaih--with words; anyaih--other; sah--that; udghatyakah--udghatyaka; ucyate--is called.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   To explain an unclear word, men generally join it with other words. Such an attempt is called udghatyaka.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is quoted from the Sahitya-darpana (6.289).

 

                               TEXT 187

 

                                 TEXT

 

                raya kahe,----"kaha age angera visesa"

                sri-rupa kahena kichu sanksepa-uddesa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Srila Ramananda Raya says; kaha--please tell me; age--further; angera visesa--particular portions; sri-rupa kahena--Srila Rupa Gosvami says; kichu--something; sanksepa--in brief; uddesa--reference.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Ramananda Raya requested Srila Rupa Gosvami to speak further about various portions of the play, Srila Rupa Gosvami briefly quoted his Lalita-madhava.

 

                               TEXT 188

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      harim uddisate rajo-bharah

                    puratah sangamayaty amum tamah

                     vrajavama-drsam na paddhatih

                    prakata sarva-drsah sruter api

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   harim--Krsna; uddisate--it indicates; rajah-bharah--dust from the cows,; puratah--in front; sangamayati--causes to meet; amum--Krsna; tamah--the darkness; vrajavama-drsam--of the damsels of Vrndavana; na--not; paddhatih--the course of activities; prakata--manifested; sarva-drsah--who know everything; sruteh--of the Vedas; api--as well as.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The dust from cows and calves on the road creates a kind of darkness indicating that Krsna is returning home from the pasture. Also, the darkness of evening provokes the gopis to meet Krsna. Thus the pastimes of Krsna and the gopis are covered by a kind of transcendental darkness and are therefore impossible for ordinary scholars of the Vedas to see.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse from the Lalita-madhava (1.23) is spoken by Paurnamasi in a conversation with Gargi.

   Krsna stated in the Bhagavad-gita, traigunya-visaya veda nistraigunyo bhavarjuna. Thus He advised Arjuna to rise above the modes of material nature, for the entire Vedic system is filled with descriptions involving sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. People are generally covered by the quality of rajo-guna and are therefore unable to understand the pastimes of Krsna with the gopis of Vraja. Moreover, the quality of tamo-guna further disturbs their understanding. In Vrndavana, however, although Krsna is covered by the hazy darkness of the dust, the gopis can nevertheless understand that within the dust storm is Krsna. Because they are His topmost devotees, they can perceive His hand in everything. Thus even in the dark or in a hazy storm of dust, devotees can understand what Krsna is doing. The purport of this verse is that Krsna is never lost, under any circumstances, to the vision of exalted devotees like the gopis.

 

                               TEXT 189

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  hriyam avagrhya grhebhyah karsati

                       radham vanaya ya nipuna

                        sa jayati nisrstartha

                       vara-vamsaja-kakali duti

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hriyam--bashfulness; avagrhya--impeding; grhebhyah--from private houses; karsati--attracts; radham--Srimati Radharani; vanaya--to the forest; ya--which; nipuna--being expert; sa--that; jayati--let it be glorified; nisrsta-artha--authorized; vara-vamsaja--of the bamboo flute; kakali--the sweet tone; duti--the messenger.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   May the sweet sound of Lord Krsna's flute, His authorized messenger, be glorified, for it expertly releases Srimati Radharani from Her shyness and attracts Her from Her home to the forest.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse from Lalita-madhava (1.24) is spoken by Gargi, the daughter of Gargamuni.

 

                               TEXT 190

 

                                 TEXT

 

            sahacari niratankah ko 'yam yuva mudira-dyutir

         vraja-bhuvi kutah prapto madyan matangaja-vibhramah

           ahaha catulair utsarpadbhir drg-ancala-taskarair

           mama dhrti-dhanam cetah-kosad vilunthayatiha yah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   saha-cari--O My dear friend; niratankah--without fear; kah--who; ayam--this; yuva--young man; mudira-dyutih--as effulgent as a lightning cloud; vraja-bhuvi--in the land of Vraja, Vrndavana; kutah--from where; praptah--obtained; madyan--being intoxicated; matangaja--like an elephant; vibhramah--whose pastimes; ahaha--alas; catulaih--very unsteady; utsarpadbhih--with wanderings in all directions; drk-ancala-taskaraih--by the glances of His eyes like thieves; mama--My; dhrti-dhanam--the treasure of My patience; cetah--of the heart; kosat--from the core; vilunthayati--plunders; iha--here in Vrndavana; yah--he person who.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear friend, who is this fearless young man? He is as bright as a lightning cloud, and He wanders in His pastimes like a maddened elephant. From where has He come to Vrndavana? Alas, by His restless movements and attractive glances He is plundering from the vault of My heart the treasure of My patience.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse (Lalita-madhava 2.11) is spoken by Srimati Radharani to Her friend Lalitadevi.

 

                               TEXT 191

 

                                 TEXT

 

            vihara-sura-dirghika mama manah-karindrasya ya

            vilocana-cakorayoh sarad-amanda-candra-prabha

              uro 'mbara-tatasya cabharana-caru-taravali

            mayonnata-manorathair iyam alambhi sa radhika

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vihara-sura-dirghika--the Ganges flowing in the heavenly planets; mama--My; manah-kari-indrasya--of the elephant-like mind; ya--She who; vilocana--glancing; cakorayoh--of My two eyes, which are like cakora birds; sarat-amanda-candra-prabha--like the shine of the full moon in the autumn; urah--of My chest; ambara--like the sky; tatasya--on the edge; ca--also; abharana--ornaments; caru--beautiful; tara-avali--like the stars; maya--by Me; unnata--highly elevated; manorathaih--by mental desires; iyam--this; alambhi--attained; sa--She; radhika--Srimati Radharani.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Srimati Radharani is the Ganges in which the elephant of My mind enjoys pastimes. She is the shining of the full autumn moon for the cakora birds of My eyes. She is the dazzling ornament, the bright and beautiful arrangement of stars, on the border of the sky of My chest. Now today I have gained Srimati Radharani because of the highly elevated state of My mind.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse from Lalita-madhava (2.10) expresses the thoughts of Lord Krsna in relation with Radharani.

 

                               TEXT 192

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 eta suni' raya kahe prabhura carane

               rupera kavitva prasamsi' sahasra-vadane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eta suni'--hearing this; raya--Ramananda Raya; kahe--says; prabhura carane--at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; rupera--of Rupa Gosvami; kavitva--poetic art; prasamsi'--glorifying; sahasra-vadane--as if with a thousand mouths.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After hearing this, Srila Ramananda Raya submitted at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu the superexcellence of Srila Rupa Gosvami's poetic expression and began to praise it as if he had thousands of mouths.

 

                               TEXT 193

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  "kavitva na haya ei amrtera dhara

                 nataka-laksana saba siddhantera sara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kavitva--poetic art; na haya--is not; ei--this; amrtera dhara--constant shower of nectar; nataka--a drama; laksana--appearing as; saba--all; siddhantera sara--essences of ultimate realization.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Srila Ramananda Raya said, "This is not a poetic presentation; it is a continuous shower of nectar. Indeed, it is the essence of all ultimate realizations, appearing in the form of plays.

 

                               TEXT 194

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  prema-paripati ei adbhuta varnana

               suni' citta-karnera haya ananda-ghurnana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prema-paripati--a first-class arrangement to express loving affairs; ei--this; adbhuta varnana--wonderful description; suni'--hearing; citta-karnera--of the heart and the ear; haya--there is; ananda-ghurnana--a whirlpool of transcendental bliss.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The wonderful descriptions of Rupa Gosvami are superb arrangements to express loving affairs. Hearing them will plunge the heart and ears of everyone into a whirlpool of transcendental bliss.

 

                               TEXT 195

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       kim kavyena kaves tasya

                       kim kandena dhanus-matah

                        parasya hrdaye lagnam

                       na ghurnayati yac chirah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kim--what use; kavyena--with poetry; kaveh--of the poet; tasya--that; kim--what use; kandena--with the arrow; dhanuh-matah--of the bowman; parasya--of another; hrdaye--in the heart; lagnam--penetrating; na ghurnayati--does not cause to roll about; yat--which; sirah--the head.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   What is the use of a bowman's arrow or a poet's poetry if they penetrate the heart but do not cause the head to spin?'

 

                               TEXT 196

 

                                 TEXT

 

                tomara sakti vina jivera nahe ei vani

               tumi sakti diya kahao,----hena anumani"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tomara sakti vina--without Your special power; jivera--of an ordinary living being; nahe--there is not; ei vani--these words; tumi--You; sakti diya--giving power; kahao--make him say; hena--such; anumani--I guess.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Without Your mercy such poetic expressions would be impossible for an ordinary living being to write. My guess is that You have given him the power."

 

                               TEXT 197

 

                                 TEXT

 

             prabhu kahe,----"prayage ihara ha-ila milana

               ihara gune ihate amara tusta haila mana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says; pra yage--at Prayaga; ihara--of him; ha-ila--there was; milana--meeting; ihara gune--by his transcendental qualities; ihate--in him; amara--of Me; tusta--satisfied; haila--became; mana--the mind.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "I met Srila Rupa Gosvami at Prayaga. He attracted and satisfied Me because of his qualities."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Supreme personality of Godhead is not partial to some and neutral to others. One can actually draw the attention of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by service. Then one is further empowered by the Lord to act in such a way that everyone can appreciate his service. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (4.11): ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham. Krsna is responsive. If one tries to render his best service to the Lord, the Lord gives him the power to do so. Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita (10.10):

 

                        tesam satata-yuktanam

                       bhajatam priti-purvakam

                       dadami buddhi-yogam tam

                         yena mam upayanti te

 

   "To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me." Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bestowed His special favor upon Srila Rupa Gosvami because Rupa Gosvami wanted to serve the Lord to the best of his ability. Such is the reciprocation between the devotee and the Lord in the discharge of devotional duties.

 

                               TEXT 198

 

                                 TEXT

 

                madhura prasanna ihara kavya salankara

                aiche kavitva vinu nahe rasera pracara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   madhura--sweet; prasanna--pleasing; ihara--his; kavya--poetry; sa-alankara--with metaphors and other ornaments; aiche--such as that; kavitva--poetic qualifications; vinu--without; nahe--there is not; rasera--of mellows; pracara--preaching.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu praised the metaphors and other literary ornaments of Srila Rupa Gosvami's transcendental poetry. Without such poetic attributes, He said, there is no possibility of preaching transcendental mellows.

 

                               TEXT 199

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 sabe krpa kari' inhare deha' ei vara

              vraja-lila-prema-rasa yena varne nirantara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sabe--all of you; krpa kari'--showing your mercy; inhare--unto Srila Rupa Gosvami; deha'--give; ei vara--this benediction; vraja-lila-prema-rasa--transcendental mellows of the pastimes of Vrndavana; yena--so that; varne--he can describe; nirantara--without cessation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested all His personal associates to bless Rupa Gosvami so that he might continuously describe the pastimes of Vrndavana, which are full of emotional love of Godhead.

 

                               TEXT 200

 

                                 TEXT

 

             inhara ye jyestha-bhrata, nama----'sanatana'

                 prthivite vijna-vara nahi tanra sama

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   inhara--of Srila Rupa Gosvami; ye--who; jyestha-bhrata--the elder brother; nama--named; sanatana--Sanatana Gosvami; prthivite--on the surface of the world; vijna-vara--most learned; nahi--there is none; tanra sama--equal to him.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Srila Rupa Gosvami's elder brother, whose name is Sanatana Gosvami, is such a wise and learned scholar that no one is equal to him."

 

                               TEXT 201

 

                                 TEXT

 

            tomara yaiche visaya-tyaga, taiche tanra riti

              dainya-vairagya-pandityera tanhatei sthiti

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tomara--your; yaiche--just as; visaya-tyaga--renunciation of material connections; taiche--similarly; tanra riti--his manner of activity; dainya--humbleness; vairagya--renunciation; pandityera--of learned scholarship; tanhatei--in him; sthiti--existing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Ramananda Raya, "Sanatana Gosvami's renunciation of material connections is just like yours. Humility, renunciation and excellent learning exist in him simultaneously.

 

                               TEXT 202

 

                                 TEXT

 

                ei dui bhaiye ami pathailun vrndavane

              sakti diya bhakti-sastra karite pravartane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ei--these; dui--two; bhaiye--brothers; ami--I; pathailun--sent; vrndavane--to Vrndavana; sakti diya--empowering them; bhakti-sastra--transcendental literature regarding devotional service; karite--to do; pravartane--establishing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I empowered both of these brothers to go to Vrndavana to expand the literature of bhakti."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu informed Srila Ramananda Raya that he and Sanatana Gosvami had engaged equally in devotional service after giving up all relationships with material activity. Such renunciation is a symptom of an unalloyed devotee engaged in the service of the Lord with no tinge of material contamination. According to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, this is the position of trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. A pure devotee, free from the reactions of the material modes of nature, executes devotional service with tolerance like that of a tree. He also feels humbler than the grass. Such a devotee, who is called niskincana or free from all material possessions, is always absorbed in emotional love of Godhead. He is reluctant to perform any kind of sense gratification. In other words, such a devotee is free from all material bondage, but he engages in Krsna conscious activities. Such expert devotional service is performed without hypocrisy. Humility, renunciation and learned scholarship were combined in Sanatana Gosvami, the ideal pure devotee, who was on the same level of understanding as Srila Ramananda Raya. Like Ramananda Raya, Sanatana Gosvami was a fully cognizant expert in the conclusions of devotional service and was therefore able to describe such transcendental knowledge.

 

                               TEXT 203

 

                                 TEXT

 

              raya kahe,----"isvara tumi ye caha karite

                  kasthera putali tumi para nacaite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Srila Ramananda Raya says; isvara tumi--You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ye--whatever; caha--You want; karite--to do; kasthera--of wood; putali--a doll; tumi--You; para--are able; nacaite--to make dance.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Srila Ramananda Raya replied to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "My Lord, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If You like, You can cause even a wooden doll to dance.

 

                               TEXT 204

 

                                 TEXT

 

               mora mukhe ye saba rasa karila pracarane

                   sei rasa dekhi ei ihara likhane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mora mukhe--through my mouth; ye--whatever; saba rasa--all such transcendental mellows; karila--You did; pracarane--preaching; sei rasa--those same transcendental mellows; dekhi--I see; ei--this; ihara likhane--in the writing of Srila Rupa Gosvami.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "I see that the truths regarding transcendental mellow that You have expounded through my mouth are all explained in the writings of Srila Rupa Gosvami.

 

                               TEXT 205

 

                                 TEXT

 

              bhakte krpa-hetu prakasite caha vraja-rasa

               yare karao, sei karibe jagat tomara vasa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhakte--unto the devotees; krpa-hetu--because of mercy; prakasite--to show; caha--You want; vraja-rasa--the transcendental mellows in Vrndavana; yare--whomever; karao--You may empower; sei--he; karibe--will make; jagat--the whole world; tomara vasa--under Your control.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Because of Your causeless mercy toward Your devotees, You want to describe the transcendental pastimes in Vrndavana. Anyone empowered to do this can bring the entire world under Your influence."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This passage parallels the statement krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana, which means that unless empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, one cannot spread the holy name of the Lord throughout the entire world (Cc. Antya 7.11). Under the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a pure devotee can preach the holy name of the Lord so that everyone may take advantage of this facility and thus become Krsna conscious.

 

                               TEXT 206

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 tabe mahaprabhu kaila rupe alingana

                 tanre karaila sabara carana vandana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tabe--at that time; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kaila--did; rupe--unto Rupa Gosvami; alingana--embracing; tanre--him; karaila--induced to do; sabara--of all of them; carana vandana--worshiping the lotus feet.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then embraced Rupa Gosvami and asked him to offer prayers at the lotus feet of all the devotees present.

 

                               TEXT 207

 

                                 TEXT

 

                advaita-nityanandadi saba bhakta-gana

                 krpa kari' rupe sabe kaila alingana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   advaita--Advaita Acarya; nityananda-adi--Sri Nityananda Prabhu and others; saba--all; bhakta-gana--personal devotees; krpa kari'--being very merciful; rupe--unto Rupa Gosvami; sabe--all of them; kaila alingana--embraced.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Advaita Acarya, Nityananda Prabhu and all the other devotees showed their causeless mercy to Rupa Gosvami by embracing him in return.

 

                               TEXT 208

 

                                 TEXT

 

                prabhu-krpa rupe, ara rupera sad-guna

                 dekhi' camatkara haila sabakara mana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu-krpa--Lord Caitanya's mercy; rupe--upon Rupa Gosvami; ara--and; rupera sat-guna--the transcendental qualities of Srila Rupa Gosvami; dekhi'--seeing; camatkara haila--there was astonishment; sabakara--of all of them; mana--in the minds.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Seeing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's special mercy toward Srila Rupa Gosvami and seeing his personal qualities, all the devotees were struck with wonder.

 

                               TEXT 209

 

                                 TEXT

 

                tabe mahaprabhu saba bhakta lana gela

                 haridasa-thakura rupe alingana kaila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tabe--at that time; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; saba--all; bhakta--devotees; lana--with; gela--departed from the place; hari-dasa-thakura--of the name Haridasa Thakura; rupe--unto Rupa Gosvami; alingana kaila--embraced.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Then, when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu left with all of His devotees, Haridasa Thakura also embraced Srila Rupa Gosvami.

 

                               TEXT 210

 

                                 TEXT

 

             haridasa kahe,----"tomara bhagyera nahi sima

               ye saba varnila, ihara ke jane mahima?"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hari-dasa kahe--Haridasa Thakura says; tomara--your; bhagyera--of fortune; nahi sima--there is no limit; ye--whatever; saba--all; varnila--you have described; ihara--of this; ke jane--who can understand; mahima--the glories.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Haridasa Thakura told him: "There is no limit to your good fortune. No one can understand the glories of what you have described."

 

                               TEXT 211

 

                                 TEXT

 

                sri-rupa kahena,----ami kichui na jani

                 yei mahaprabhu kahana, sei kahi vani

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-rupa kahena--Srila Rupa Gosvami replies; ami--I; kichui--anything; na jani--do not know; yei--whatever; mahaprabhu kahana--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu makes me say or write; sei--hat; kahi--I speak; vani--transcendental words.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Rupa Gosvami said, "I do not know anything. The only transcendental words I can utter are those which Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu makes me speak.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The poet or writer dealing with transcendental subject matters is not an ordinary writer or translator. Because he is empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whatever he writes becomes very effective. The principle of being empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is essential. A materialistic poet who describes in his poetry the material activities of man and woman cannot describe the transcendental pastimes of the Lord or the transcendental conclusions of devotional service. Srila Sanatana Gosvami has therefore warned all neophyte devotees that one should not hear from the mouth of a non-Vaisnava.

 

                        avaisnava-mukhodgirnam

                        putam hari-kathamrtam

                       sravanam naiva kartavyam

                      sarpocchistam yatha payah

 

                                                        (Padma Purana)

   Unless one is a fully unalloyed devotee of the Lord, one should not try to describe the pastimes of Krsna in poetry, for it will be only mundane. There are many descriptions of Krsna's Bhagavad-gita written by persons whose consciousness is mundane and who are not qualified by pure devotion. Although they attempted to write transcendental literature, they could not fully engage even a single devotee in Krsna's service. Such literature is mundane, and therefore, as warned by Sri Sanatana Gosvami, one should not touch it.

 

                               TEXT 212

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         hrdi yasya preranaya

                   pravartito 'ham varaka-rupo 'pi

                       tasya hareh pada-kamalam

                        vande caitanya-devasya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hrdi--within the heart; yasya--of whom (the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who gives His pure devotees the intelligence to spread the Krsna consciousness movement); preranaya--by the inspiration; pravartitah--engaged; aham--I; varaka--insignificant and low; rupah--Rupa Gosvami; api--although; tasya--of Him; hareh--of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pada-kamalam--to the lotus feet; vande--let me offer my prayers; caitanya-devasya--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   'Although I am the lowest of men and have no knowledge, the Lord has mercifully bestowed upon me the inspiration to write transcendental literature about devotional service. Therefore I offer my obeisances at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has given me the chance to write these books.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is from Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.1.2).

 

                               TEXT 213

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  ei-mata dui-jana krsna-katha-range

                sukhe kala gonaya rupa haridasa-sange

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ei-mata--in this way; dui-jana--Haridasa Thakura and Srila Rupa Gosvami; krsna-katha-range--in the pleasure of discussing topics about Krsna; sukhe--in happiness; kala--time; gonaya--passes; rupa--Srila Rupa Gosvami; hari-dasa-sange--in the company of Haridasa Thakura.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In this way Srila Rupa Gosvami passed his time in close association with Haridasa Thakura by discussing the pastimes of Lord Krsna in great happiness.

 

                               TEXT 214

 

                                 TEXT

 

              cari masa rahi' saba prabhura bhakta-gana

               gosani vidaya dila, gaude karila gamana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   cari masa--four months; rahi'--staying; saba--all; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bhakta-gana--the devotees; gosani--Caitanya Mahaprabhu; vidaya dila--bade farewell; gaude--to Bengal; karila gamana--they returned.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   All the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu thus spent four months with Him. Then the Lord bade them farewell, and they returned to Bengal.

 

                               TEXT 215

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 sri-rupa prabhu-pade nilacale rahila

                dola-yatra prabhu-sange anande dekhila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-rupa--Srila Rupa Gosvami; prabhu-pade--at the feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nilacale--at Jagannatha Puri; rahila--remained; dola-yatra--the festival of Dola-yatra; prabhu-sange--with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; anande--in great happiness; dekhila--saw.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Srila Rupa Gosvami, however, stayed at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and when the Dola-yatra festival took place, he saw it in great happiness with the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 216

 

                                 TEXT

 

                dola anantare prabhu rupe vidaya dila

                 aneka prasada kari' sakti sancarila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dola anantare--after the Dola-yatra; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; rupe--unto Rupa Gosvami; vidaya dila--bade farewell; aneka prasada kari'--endowing with all kinds of mercy; sakti sancarila--empowered him.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After the Dola-yatra festival ended, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bade farewell to Rupa Gosvami also. The Lord empowered him and bestowed upon him all kinds of mercy.

 

                               TEXT 217

 

                                 TEXT

 

               "vrndavane yaha' tumi, rahiha vrndavane

                    ekabara ihan pathaiha sanatane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vrndavane--to Vrndavana; yaha'--now go; tumi--you; rahiha--stay; vrndavane--in Vrndavana; eka-bara--once; ihan--here; pathaiha--send; sanatane--your elder brother, Sanatana Gosvami.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Now go to Vrndavana and stay there," the Lord said. "You may send here your elder brother, Sanatana.

 

                               TEXT 218

 

                                 TEXT

 

                vraje yai rasa-sastra kariha nirupana

               lupta-tirtha saba tahan kariha pracarana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vraje yai--going to Vrndavana; rasa-sastra--all transcendental literature concerning the pastimes of Lord Sri Krsna; kariha nirupana--write carefully; lupta-tirtha--the lost holy places; saba--all; tahan--there; kariha pracarana--make known.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "When you go to Vrndavana, stay there, preach transcendental literature and excavate the lost holy places.

 

                               TEXT 219

 

                                 TEXT

 

                krsna-seva, rasa-bhakti kariha pracara

                  amiha dekhite tahan yaimu ekabara"

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   krsna-seva--the service of Lord Krsna; rasa-bhakti--devotional service; kariha pracara--preach; amiha--I also; dekhite--to see; tahan--there to Vrndavana; yaimu--I shall go; eka-bara--once more.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Establish the service of Lord Krsna and preach the mellows of Lord Krsna's devotional service. I shall also go to Vrndavana once more."

 

                               TEXT 220

 

                                 TEXT

 

                eta bali' prabhu tanre kaila alingana

                rupa gosani sire dhare prabhura carana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eta bali'--saying this; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; tanre--unto Rupa Gosvami; kaila alingana--embraced; rupa gosani--Srila Rupa Gosvami; sire--on the head; dhare--takes; prabhura carana--the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Having thus spoken, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu embraced Rupa Gosvami, who then placed the lotus feet of the Lord upon his head.

 

                               TEXT 221

 

                                 TEXT

 

               prabhura bhakta-gana-pase vidaya la-ila

                 punarapi gauda-pathe vrndavane aila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bhakta-gana-pase--from the devotees; vidaya la-ila--took leave; punarapi--again; gauda-pathe--on the way to Bengal; vrndavane--to Vrndavana; aila--returned.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Srila Rupa Gosvami took leave of all the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and returned to Vrndavana by the path to Bengal.

 

                               TEXT 222

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 ei ta' kahilana punah rupera milana

                  iha yei sune, paya caitanya-carana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ei ta' kahilana--thus I have said; punah--again; rupera milana--the meeting with Srila Rupa Gosvami; iha--this narration; yei sune--anyone who hears; paya--gets; caitanya-carana--the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus I have described the second meeting of Rupa Gosvami and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Anyone who hears of this incident will certainly attain the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                               TEXT 223

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa

                  caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-rupa--Srila Rupa Gosvami; raghunatha--Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami; pade--at the lotus feet; yara--whose; asa--expectation; caitanya-caritamrta--the book named Caitanya-caritamrta; kahe--describes; krsna-dasa--Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps.

 

   Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, First Chapter, describing the second meeting of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

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