Verse Text
ghorā khaṇḍita-śaṅkhacūḍam ajiraṁ rundhe śivā tāmasī
brahmiṣṭha-śvasanaḥ śama-stuti-kathā prāleyam āsiṣcati |
agre rāmaḥ sudhā-rucir vijayate kṛṣṇa-pramodocitaṁ
rādhāyās tad api praphullam abhajan mlāniṁ na bhāvāmbujam ||23||
Translation
On one side lay dead Śaṅkhacūḍa, whose body was like an arena for pastimes, surrounded by frightful, ferocious, ignorant jackals. In another place, the wind, like a group of sages situated in brahman realization, recited soothing praises, cool as falling snow. In front stood Balarāma, glowing like the full moon. But the lotus of Rādhā’s love suitable for giving joy to Kṛṣṇa did not fade, but rather sprang into full bloom.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Khaṇḍita-śaṅkhacūḍa refers to the Yakṣa whose body was like a pastimes arena (ajiram). Jackals (śivā) filled with the mode of ignorance (tāmasī) surrounded (rundhe) him. However, in terms of the lotus face of Rādhā, śivā can be taken as aśivā (by sandhi rule), meaning inauspicious, and tāmasī can mean night. For the lotus, the night is inauspicious and frightening, since it closes up the lotus flower. The inauspicious, terrifying night (for the lotus) covered the broken demon lying in the arena of pastimes. In both cases, the wind, which was like a group of persons fixed in the peace of brahman realization, chanting peaceful praises, as if showering snow. What is shown here are contrary moods of fear (of the demon), peace (from the wind) and parental affection (Balarāma’s relation to Rādhā). The night, snow and the moon are all unfavorable for the lotus. Now, other lotuses would wither in the presence of night, snow or the moon, but the lotus representing Rādhā’s love for Kṛṣṇa did not wither at all. This is an example of the literary ornament called viśeṣokti. [Note: In viśeṣokti, the effect is not produced in spite of the full cause. In the verse, the causes for the lotus withering are stated, but the lotus does not wither. The causes for Rādhā’s love towards Kṛṣṇa to diminish are stated, but her love does not change.]
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Another instance is described as follows: “On one side of the courtyard the dead body of Śaṅkhāsura was lying, surrounded by many jackals. On another side were many learned brāhmaṇas who were all self-controlled. They were offering nice prayers, which were as soothing as the cool breeze in summer. In front of Kṛṣṇa, Lord Baladeva was standing, causing a cooling effect. But even amid all these different circumstances of soothing and disturbing effects, the lotus flower of ecstatic conjugal love that Kṛṣṇa felt for Rādhārāṇī could not wither.” This love of Kṛṣṇa for Rādhārāṇī is often compared to a blooming lotus; the only difference is that Kṛṣṇa’s love remains ever-increasingly beautiful.