Appeasement of Radhika
Page 6
20. Then home alone
She sighed at the sight of the large bed,
Which she had shared with Krishna,
Empty.
Eyes blinded with tears
Remembering his sweet whisperings,
Chest welling up with sadness,
Hearing her parrot repeatedly call Krishna,
Body weakened with desire,
She remembered how the Lord had touched her.
21. Fretting as though scorched by the sun
Murmuring as though bitten by a love bug
Stunned as though the skies verily had collapsed
Was Radha struck by Manmatha’s arrows.
22. Fainting when the Moon King’s
Soft beams touched her,
Collapsing upon hearing the
Buzzing of honey bees
Struck as though by Yama
Fretting though the soft breeze stroked her
Stung as though by Rahu’s hisses
Body shaking uncontrollably
She bears the onslaught of the Love God’s thunder.
23. Irritated by the sweet words repeated by her parrot
Puzzled even at the melodious songs of the swan
Terrified, she sat alone in her bedroom
Immersed in her own thoughts.
24. Fussing thus, vexed, she wondered:
‘Will I ever feast my eyes on him
To my eyes’ content?
Will I ever again listen
To the flute of the demon-slayer?
Will I ever get the chance to wash his feet?
Will my body ever experience again
The bliss of his embrace?
Will we ever swim together in the lakes again?
What does the future hold?
O Lord, I cannot see!
25. ‘He in whom all the rasas gather
He who is all grace and compassion
He who has bested even Manmatha
Could I ever have enough
Of that Madana Gopala?
26. ‘His lotus feet bring pleasure to his devotees,
Honey bees buzz about them
As though reciting the Vedas
Believing them to be lotus flowers!
27. ‘Tigers quarrel with oxen,
Elephants with tigers,
Lions with elephants,
Each claiming that it is their gait
That resembles the Lord’s most.
28. ‘Like the long nails of gods who kill demons,
His own shimmer in white brilliance.
His feet sparkle as though the celestial rivers three
Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati
Have there merged in confluence.
29. ‘To reside at the sacred Sripada
The incongruous pair appeared
First the tortoise, the varaha next,
For his feet had lamented
Seeking a suitable pair to rest.
30. ‘Souri’s ankles shine
Caressed and lovingly pressed
By Lakshmi, Bhoodevi and Ila,
The Love God may trumpet his triumphs out loud
But could he ever, ever equal the Lord?
31. ‘Krishna’s muscular thighs thunder
Oh, so taut and strong!
For neither a nagari like Ila
Nor a nagmani can even dent them.
32. ‘The slim, curved neck of Hari
Who lies on the great serpent,
The neck from which dangles the dazzling kaustubha
Appears like the shankh.
And the rounded pitambara-clad waist of Gopalaswamy
Appears like his chakra.
33. ‘Long arms, reaching his knees
Wide eyes whispering into his ears
Shoulders raised as though to overhear these very whispers’
Unhappily, she sighed
Remembering them
Missing not seeing them.
34. ‘The threefold lines on his abdomen
Assert the existence of worlds three
His deep, round navel appears like
A lotus afloat in dark, unfathomable waters.
35. ‘Souri’s nails so smooth and strong
Buffed just right, shining ever bright
Beautifully curved like the crescent moon
That leave marks on Ila’s body.
36. ‘Khara, Mura and Kamsa
These demons did he kill
With these very divine hands
Adorned by rings, amulets, jewels galore
His lotus hands embody all power, all glory.
37. ‘Strong and sturdy are his hands
Offering sanctuary to one and all
Strong as the vajra thunderbolt …
The oppressor of demons though
Is gentle and soft as he holds the hands
Of his young maidens.
38. ‘His hands so supple and smooth
Open to shower blessings
Like the very Kalpavriksha
The heavenly wishing tree
Does he shower largesse on one and all.
39. ‘The shankh and the chakra he shoulders
And the mountain in his hand
Even the vast universe he carries on his head.
Does he really need the help of these young maidens
Who lead him by his hand?
40. ‘The shankh fits into a fist
His lotus feet are dainty
There is no match for his slim, curved neck
Small is he, people believe.
Oh, how misplaced their thinking is
For isn’t he Ananta, infinity itself?
41. ‘From his lips spills nectar
As his blue cheeks radiate sweetness
Keenly he kisses every gopi
Even as each kisses him back
Ardently.
42. ‘It isn’t simply red but an island of scarlet stone
It isn’t simply an island but a well of nectar
It isn’t simply a well but the flavour of karpuram
It isn’t simply a flavour but Krishna’s sweet lips.
43. ‘Pure and clear like a string of pearls,
Sweet like sugar,
Like a garden fragrant with flowers,
The twitter of parrots,
Is how Kamsa’s rival sounds.
44. ‘Naturally full like the moon is Souri’s countenance
His nectar-filled lips fragrant with kasturi
His face radiant with unsurpassed compassion
Makes the moon’s tulip
Ecstatic with happiness.
45. ‘Jasmine florets and fresh buds,
Red flowers and his pristine smile,
Beautiful teeth, sweet lips, nose so straight.
Knowing that he is Madhava,
Don’t these attributes
By seers bestowed ring true?
46. ‘The champak flowers bend
Under the relentless melody of Murali’s flute.
Garutmanta, the king of birds, impressed,
Prostrated, offering his back for the Lord to rest.
47. ‘Resplendent like mirrors
Are the cheeks of the demon-slayer.
If not, how would they engage onlookers,
Captivating them in astonishment?
48. ‘In penance wait
The lotus and the tulip
And the wise swans of the river
For a glimpse of Souri’s wide eyes,
Then as morn turns to night,
Heaven and earth resound with melody.
49. ‘The eyebrows of Murahara are no less
Than the abodes of Manmatha
Why else would the hearts of women flutter
By merely looking at them?
50. ‘Great seers and sages and sanyasis too
Line up and gather
His serene face to glimpse
Tranquil, calm, composed.
51. ‘“He Krishna, Govinda, Hare Murare!
He Narayana!” They pray
Imploring him to show his divine face,
Even as he heeds their prayers true.
52. ‘Craving a face like Souri’s,
The enemy of the lotus, Chandra,
Tried many a trick but failed
Humbled thus, he bowed to the Love God.
53. ‘The white lotus gazing
On his gorgeous dark form,
Performed drishti, to ward off the evil eye.
On returning to his pond, he was revered by wise swans,
Having been blessed by glancing at his holy face.
54. ‘It isn’t darkness
But a string of blue sapphires
It isn’t indraneela
But the gleaming wings of a male bee
It isn’t shimmering bees
But the web woven by Kama
It isn’t the web of the Love God
But the gossamer tresses of Keshava!
55. ‘Will the flat surface of Neeladri ever
Equal the smoothness of his hair?
Will the darkness of the meandering Yamuna ever
Equal his hair coiled up high?
Will the tail of Rahu, the prince of darkness, ever
Equal his endless, ceaseless tresses?
Will the brightness of Agni ever
Equal the sheen and shimmer of his hair?
56. ‘Smooth, unentangled
Hair sweeping upwards
Partially covering the beautiful face
Are the lustrous long tresses of Gopala.
57. ‘There being no equal to the slayer of Sakata
One can contest the Moon God
There being no equal to Souri’s eyes
One can challenge the lotus flower
There being no equal to Krishna’s lips
One can defy nectar
There being no equal to his expansive chest
One can challenge Adi Shesha
There being no equal to the waist of the slayer of Kamsa
One can petition Indra
One can challenge Lord Brahma himself
For indeed, Krishna is beyond compare.
58. ‘That gracious gait,
The muscular thighs and graceful waist,
That smooth skin and budding moustache,
Oh, those graces!
Those piercing looks, like Manmatha’s arrows,
That enchanting smile, that sweet voice
Only he is capable of these.’
59. Remembering Shrihari over and again, Radha, unable to bear her pain, narrated the anguish of being separated from her lover to her parrot:
60. ‘Seductive whispers and loving glances,
Tight embraces and appealing manners …
Having experienced this,
Would any woman give him away?
None, but a demon like me!’
61. Saddened thus, with thoughts forlorn,
Feeling Kamadeva’s arrows intense
She who looked like lightning struck,
Addressed her parrot,
Admired by many for its sweet speech
Akin to honey from fresh flowers:
62. ‘I will come in a moment, he said,
But long has he been gone!
Unkind man, why hasn’t he returned?
Has he no pity?
Have I no place in his heart?
Or worse, is he subsumed with Ila?
O Rama! My heart burns
Pierced by Manmatha’s cruel arrows!
Listen to me, my dear parrot …
63. ‘My eyes haven’t closed since he left me
Food has lost its flavour since he left me
Conversation is impossible,
And loneliness overwhelms
The pangs of love make me restless
Since he left
Was I cruel to happy couples, in the past?
Why did I fall so in love with his beautiful face
That now the moon seems so distasteful?
Why did I fall so in love with his smooth skin
That now the flower-strewn bed seems cumbersome?
Why did I fall so in love with his enchanting smile
That now sweet milk seems tasteless?
Why did I fall so in love with his sweet speech
That now my parrot’s words irritate me?
Why did I touch his sweet lips so
That now I can’t stand the taste of sugar?
What can I say?
Is there a remedy?
When can I meet him?
How shall I survive until then?
64. ‘My eyes seek only Hari
My ears yearn to hear him, him alone
My nose wants to inhale the perfume of his body
My lips seek only his touch
My cheeks await Hari’s nail marks
My breasts the pressure of his chest
These arms, they await his embrace
My body longs to be by his side.
65. ‘Every part of me seeks him separately,
Even as my heart bleeds
Why should I hide?
My life and death depend on
The realm of love that
Hari shares with me.
66. ‘My heart softens when I hear his sweet words
My heart fills with love when I see his smiling face
Desire swells when I stand by Hari’s side
Can anyone forget these things, even if ordered to,
Even for a moment?
67. ‘Merely looking at Hari’s chest,
My swelling breasts burst out of my blouse …
Just hearing his sweet words
Puts me in a joyous mood …
As Manmatha’s father’s body touches mine,
My being quivers with excitement …
And as he overpowers me,
My happiness knows no bounds …
68. ‘If only I could possess Nanda Nandana,
I would be the master of everything!
Separated from him, lost am I.
But what is to be done?
When it is my karma,
Scripted by the very creator.
69. ‘I could leave my relatives,
Abandon my husband, riches and paddy,
The palace and other luxuries,
Even my life and my body
But not Hari,
What else can I say?
70. ‘How long can I sing praises of the Lord
Who has left me,
His promises falsified,
As my friends mock,
Revelling in my despondency
What else can I complain of, O sweet parrot?
71. ‘Last night, I dreamt of Hari
With that melodious-voiced woman.
He seemed impatient with me,
And now even
The song of the nightingale seems shrill.
72. ‘So, dear parrot of mine,
Forsake me and fetch my Hari.
Kamadeva troubles me, my life is listless
Desire overrides propriety
As my body grows numb,
My own God has become my enemy.
73. ‘Krishna, my sweet Lord
Hari, my handsome man
My king, reward of my penance
Balarama’s brother
Nanda’s son, my darling
Ruler of my life, my paramour
My gorgeous, dark-skinned hero
My lover
My friend.
74. ‘High and low
Have I searched tirelessly
Questioned and prayed unrelentingly
Waited endlessly
I’ve begged him to come
Tell him this, my parrot, tell him!
75. ‘But be warned!
On seeing his fruit-like lips,
Don’t forget me and my message!
On seeing his lotus eyes and mischievous grin,
Don’t forget me and my message!
List
ening to his sugar-sweet words,
Don’t forget me and my message!
Melting at his nectar-like glances,
Don’t forget me and my message!
Believing his hands to be celestial branches,
Don’t forget me and my message!
76. ‘Once they see his beautiful face,
Even sages forget their penance.
What can I say then of people like us?
So, parrot,
Stay alert and repeat what I say.
77. ‘Ah, and one more thing, my little one,
Don’t give him my message
If Ila is by his side!
Ensure that he’s alone, take him aside
And give him my message …
Be clever!’
78. Listening to Radha’s anguish,
The compassionate parrot said:
‘Rest assured, my lady,
Having given you his being,
Can he think of another?
79. ‘Dear girl
Imagining it to be your neck
Imagining it to be your waist
Imagining it to be your ankle
Imagining it to be your thigh
Imagining it to be your eyebrow
Imagining it to be your nose
Imagining it to be your coiled hair
Imagining it to be your sweet face
He wears
Shankh and chakra
Mace and sword
Kaustubha, flute, peacock feather, lotus …
How can Hari leave you?
Worry not, my dark-haired beauty
I will present him to you in a moment.’
80. ‘Tall claims do you make
To present the one even Brahma couldn’t budge!’
‘With your blessings, I will bring him,’
Promised the parrot.
81. The sweet-talking parrot then departed
Pledging to bring back the lotus-eyed one.
She then, with maids, retired to the garden green,
To wait … the long wait …
82. Strolling sombrely
Stroking each branch
As leaves opened afresh at Vasantha’s touch
Seeing her so forlorn, so restless, so distracted,
Her maids approached,
Making a play to divert her …
83. ‘Oh, look! The garden’s in bloom …
The pogadas and suraponna buds open
The fragrance of the sampangi spreads
The mandara, banthi and malle blossom
Lotuses open and asoka buds flower
Under Madhava’s influence.
84. ‘Swans strut, confident of his protection,
Nightingales sing his praises,
Jakkava birds meditate upon him,
While bees take on his blue,
Parrots repeat Manmatha’s words,