by Muddupalani
Her breast welling up with longing and love
Her mind muddled
Joyous and miserable simultaneously.
Bereft and desolate, Radha left the house slowly, leaning against her young sakhis, depressed at leaving her Vasudeva behind. Turning back over and again, she eyed Krishna’s closed door, even as she desperately tried to maintain her dignity. With a heavy heart, eyes welling up with tears, now smelling the flowers and examining her loose bangles, fretfully braiding and unbraiding her hair, fidgeting with her sari as her necklaces break, unable to contain the heaviness of her heart, she entered her bedroom. There in a cloud of floral perfumes, sambrani and sweet jasmine, she reclined on the beautifully decorated bed, resting her back against a pile of silk cushions, as a maid tried to massage her despondency away.
73. Lying on her bed, she thought,
‘One can give away precious jewels,
One can give up most relationships too,
Even the most precious thing,
Her own life,
Can a woman give up.
But giving away one’s own lover to another?
Is this humanly possible?
Which woman would do that?
74. ‘By now, I’m sure she is sucking his delicious lips
Pounding her breasts against his naked chest
By now, they are probably cooing like doves
Him on top and she below, pressing against him.
She’s quite skilled already, a bit shy, maybe a bit diffident
But by now he would have won her over, freed her
From any bashfulness
By now she would be whispering sweet nothings
Secure in his embrace
By now he would have held her close
Touched her everywhere
Taught her everything
By now.’
75. Her heart heavy
Her mind restless
Tortured by love
And Manmatha’s machinations
Burning inside
Overcome with grief
Crying deep into the night
Not a wink did Radhika sleep.
76. Sleep eluded him too
Krishna hadn’t slept either
Busy as he was
With his lover new.
77. ‘Did you heed Radha’s words?’
Asked Krishna of his nightingale-voiced Ila.
Tongue-tied and shy,
Her head bowed, she stood
So he took pity on her.
78. ‘Friends have we been since childhood,
Why then, O sweet-voiced girl, do you shy away?
We have talked before,
Why then, O moon-faced one, are you silent now?
We have played together all these days,
Why then, O lotus-eyed child, this reticence?
Why then, lady of grace, this confusion?
Reveal your face, my beautiful one
Shower me with kisses, my sweet-faced love
Why do you hide from me?
79. ‘Tonight, as Radha ordained,
We have to play the game of love!
Not doing so would anger
Manmatha’s very soul,
So hurry to me, my love.
80. ‘Silence is no virtue here.
Were Kamadeva to arrive,
Where would we hide?
Could your shyness handle that?’
81. Hearing this, Ila applied karpuram and sunnam to betel leaves. Making paan, she offered it with love to Shrihari who took it with great affection.
82. He teased her then
Stroking her breasts
As his nails scratched her,
She winced in pain.
He covered her coy face,
Pulling at her blouse strings.
She attempted to run,
He laughed mockingly.
Feigning anger, she turned away …
He closed her eyes
She covered her ears
Such innocence!
Oh! Was Krishna amused by Ila.
83. Kissing her tenderly,
Holding her sweet face,
Whispering sweet endearments,
Lovingly touching her,
Murari tried to rid her of her shyness,
Bringing his face close to hers.
84. Shyness and lust vie
For dominance
Demure Ila covered her face
But through splayed fingers eyed her lover
With wide-eyed wonder …
All part of the game of love.
85. She was timid, she was bold,
Nervous and audacious
She chattered and was quiet
She stared at him and closed her eyes
As her body quivered
Anticipating physical ecstasy,
The girl was a bundle of contradictions.
86. Pressing her face against his chest
She stayed still.
Waiting for his embrace, staring at his lotus hands
She stayed still.
Pressing him close to her breasts
She approached him but unable to move
She stayed still.
Though determined to unite with him,
She hesitated
She stayed still.
87. Trying to kiss him, she wavered
Trying to talk, her voice quavered,
Trying to give him a paan, she froze,
With half a leaf in her hand,
Shyness overwhelmed the young bride.
88. Long after the flowers had faded,
As necklaces hung askew
With pearl strings loose.
She rose to mount him
Getting on top
Displaying her art,
She proved equal to the Lord
In the battle of love.
89. Thus were Ila and Krishna immersed
Playing and testing
Coaxing and exploring
In various stages of making love,
Content and happy.
90. As day broke,
And the sun rose, the world awoke
As people bustled and stirred
Brahmins bathed, chanting aloud
While the young couple rested
After a night of love.
91. Exhausted from a sleepless night
Weary and fatigued
The maids stood, waiting to be summoned.
But up rose Radha, adjusting her clothes,
Marched directly to Nanda’s abode
And knocked loudly at his door.
92. The spent lovers immersed in lust
Finding love through the long night
Tired and worn, now resting a bit
Were Ila and Krishna
Rudely awakened by the strident sound.
93. Quickly did he wipe her wet, wet cheeks
And the smudged kajal off her eyelids
Shrihari did tend her tousled tresses
Dressing them into an elegant knot
Applying a fresh tilak on her forehead
And straightening her tangled necklaces
He took the fresh paan she offered
Biting half, offering half back …
But startled the couple jumped apart,
As Radha’s anklets resounded
Loudly.
94. As Ila rose to open the door,
Krishna beckoned Radha to enter
The parrot on her arm in a hurry though
Crept up to Hari and said:
95. ‘The flowers in her hair are not tulips black
But the arrows of the Love God,
O lotus-eyed Krishna!
Her nose ring is not sapphire, the gem blue
It’s a pearl, for you, O Lord!
The sandal paste on her breasts is not kasturi
It’s dust carried by breeze,
O father of Kamadeva!
The powder on her body is not sandalwood
I
t’s pollen from the flowers.
96. ‘Struck is she by the fire of Kama’s arrows
Unable to hide, she suppresses it.
But she’s here now
The brave Radhika
Only you can lessen her pain, O Lord!
97. ‘Lord with the lotus eyes,
Listen now quickly
For this perfumed lady here
Is tormented,
Her jewellery blazes like fire,
Throwing up flames, that her maidens catch
Assuming it to be fireflies
And it burns their fingers.
98. ‘Time stands still
For the lady when you are present, sire
But when you are not by her side
The night seems endless
For her it is Shivaratri.
99. ‘Haven’t we all seen,
Haven’t we all heard,
Stories of women
Who have wailed in separation?
But never was there a lament so loud, O lotus-eyed one!’
100. As Krishna listened to the parrot,
Radha, unmindful, teased the Lord.
Pointing to Ila, she said,
With compassion:
101. ‘Her delicate lips
You have bruised with bites!
Her tender, budding breasts
You have marked with fingernails!
Her soft, silken tresses are tangled
Her jewellery in disarray
Her clothes crushed
Her graceful, delicate body
You have squashed
Rendering the young girl so tired, so listless!
102. ‘O! What shame that men seek
Their own gratification,
Ignoring the needs of women.’
Feigning concern for Ila
Did Radhika thus vent her own desire.
103. Hearing these words,
And the desire behind,
A friend and maiden flung Radha
Right into Krishna’s arms.
And as she fell into his embrace,
Clasping his mighty chest,
Ila, bashful and embarrassed,
Ran away laughing
Yet mortified.
104. Thus did the Lord and his lover true, Radhika, commence their game of love.
105. Then these two like lovelorn elephants
Sat on the flower-strewn bed
Pleasuring each other
Before embarking on the game of love.
106. Teasing and taunting
With words and deeds
Grappling through their clothes
Touching and embracing fiercely
Holding each other like wrestlers
Flushed cheeks and blazing eyes
Pressed thighs pushing ahead
Getting on top
Giggling and laughing
Fighting and chiding
Thus joyously
Did Radha and Shrihari engage
Content
Immersed in each other.
107. And then they talked:
108. ‘Lord mine, do tell me the details,’ asked Radhika mischievously.
To which Krishna, ever the diplomat, replied,
‘My dearest lover, your sensuous thighs hold me in thrall,
Those slim ones, I don’t care for.’
‘But my love, it seems that you’re mesmerized
And she bewitched …
So did you make love languorously?
Did she take the lead?’
‘Don’t ask me,’ says he.
‘Then make love to me too,
Pleasure me true.’
‘Older and experienced are you, Radhika,
Come, let us make love …’
109. ‘Mmm … Did you kiss her, Krishna?’
‘Oh no, her lips tasted bitter, Radha!’
‘Did you clutch her breasts tight?’
‘No, they were too small!’
‘Did you relish her thighs?’
‘Too slim, Radhika!’
‘Did you embrace her beautiful body?’
‘She clung like a creeper!’
‘Oh, how you must have enjoyed sex with her …’
‘But a new union is never happy!
How can one enjoy one so inexperienced?’
‘Did her foreplay hold you in thrall?’
‘How can such an innocent even know what foreplay is, Radhe?’
110. And time did fly
As songbirds woke
To sing loudly again
As the Sun God started his ascent
And the moon reached his western abode
The chandrakanta stones disappeared
And the luminous stars did dim
As the lights went off,
One by one by one.
111. Lotus buds came abloom
Jakkava and chakora birds
Riding on moonbeams
Retired as the sun rose
Spreading his radiance …
And it was morning
Once again.
Thus ends the first chapter of the sringara prabhandam Radhika Santawanam, written by Muddupalani, well versed in literature, music and dance with the blessings of the young Krishna and her preceptor Tatacharya, and under the tutelage of Raja Pratapsimha of Tanjore, who showered her with pearls, gold, jewellery and other precious gifts.
Chapter Two
Radha takes Ila home
Interplay between Ila and Krishna
Kumbhaka arrives at Nanda’s house
Ila and Madhava set off with Kumbhaka
Radha suffers pangs of separation
Krishna appears in Radha’s dreams
Radha tells the parrot about her angst
Radha sends the parrot as a messenger to Krishna
Young maidens tease Radhika about her lover
She insults Manmatha
And curses the moon
Radha vents her irritation at the birds
Taunting the gentle breeze
Deriding nightingales
The parrot returns
The parrot narrates Krishna’s love games
Radha gives vent to grief
Radha falls into deep despair
1. Blessed is the one who enjoys the nectar of Radha’s lips The good-natured one who rules is none other than Lord Krishna.
2. ‘Listen carefully, O Lord,’
Said the illustrious son of Vyasa, Suka Muni, to King Janaka,
Continuing to narrate in sweet words
The tale of Radhika’s appeasement.
3. As the long night ended,
Krishna took leave of his lover Ila.
As Radha, gently but firmly, took her home,
Concealing her jealousy very carefully.
4./5. ‘Oh look, how he’s tired you out!
For long have I admonished him.
Take some respite, come with me,’
Said Radha, leading Ila away.
6. Henna smeared across her cheeks
Like the Lord’s earrings.
Scarlet tambulam juices sprayed on her breasts
Shining like Krishna’s kaustubha.
The bruised redness of her lips
Like Madhava’s flute.
Dishevelled tresses and loosened plait
Like Adi Shesha on whom rests the Lord.
7. Radiating brilliance,
As though Souri himself shone from within,
Arrived Ila, accompanied by Radhika.
Seeing them thus
Comely maids offered advice
Freely.
8. ‘There is no remedy for a man’s bite,
Try applying sandalwood paste,’ they advised.
‘Finger marks don’t fade,
Try applying kumkum,’ they counselled.
‘Thighs bruised blue don’t subside,
Try bathing in scented water.’
‘Love’s exertions leave you exhausted,
Try applying san
dalwood to the body.’
‘Kamadeva’s protégé is spent,
Try applying scented oils to her shining cheeks.’
‘Restore her vigour with medicinal herbs,
Feed her some paan,’ they chorused.
9. Gently, teasingly did they dispel
The young lady’s fatigue
She who had had a long night
Playing to Kamadeva’s rules.
10. Then he too, with lips swollen and red,
Wet kiss marks on his cheeks
Long black hair clinging to his bare back
Eyes dimmed by sleeplessness
Bangle imprints on his neck
Came Krishna, out of his bedroom.
11. Soon, refreshed and bathed
In scented cool waters,
Dressed in fresh clothes,
And freshly anointed with sandal paste,
The Lord ate heartily
Surrounded by attentive maidens.
12. One handed him red jewelled slippers
Another fanned him lovingly
One offered flavoured paan
Another held a glass of sparkling water
Sword in hand stood another,
Following him protectively.
13. The bright walls of Radha’s abode
Sparkled as though with diamonds studded
Veenas played softly
As sweet jasmine wafted
Spreading like a great swan’s wings
Testament to great craftsmanship,
Bedecked with pearls
Stood a large bed, gracefully
Occupying pride of place.
14. On one side stood Ila,
Offering him flavoured paan.
And on the other sat Radha,
Breasts heaving with desire,
Pressing his feet.
15. The tanpura played melodiously
As delicate feet danced to rhythmic beats
Pink lips sang songs mellifluous
As young ladies sang endearing Gujarati ditties.
One showered praises,
Recalling tales of valour
Robust maidens warned off
Gathering crowds, managing people
Happy himself and pleasing all around him
Sat amidst them, the delight-giving Krishna,
King of the Yadavas.
16. Then to invite Krishna,
Great son of the Yadavas,
Killer of demons,
Son-in-law of the Sea God,
Came a man of repute, revered by kings,
Kumbhaka with his retinue full.
17./18. Greeting his brother-in-law with respect and love and welcoming him with warmth, Nanda respectfully inquired after Krishna’s well-being. He asked, ‘Sire, what brings you here?’ Traditionally, after a wedding is solemnized, the newly-weds must return to the bride’s home to visit her parents. Kumbhaka had come to seek Nanda’s permission to take his daughter home. Aware that they had to consult Radha, they proceeded to ask her permission.
19. On hearing that Kumbhaka had arrived, Krishna and Radha received him with respect, offering him water and refreshment. Kumbhaka invited them to his house, asking Radha to accompany them too. Radha replied, ‘O honourable sir, do you need my permission? Do you have to invite me especially? I will come another time. For the moment, do take the newly-weds home.’ Pleased with her words, Kumbhaka joyously took Ila and Krishna away.