Content
Rāsa-vilāsa-prasāraṇa
Expansion of the Rāsa Dance
1. Snigdhakaṇṭha said: When they heard Kṛṣṇa’s sweet words, the gopīs felt the anguish they had felt in separation from Him was now destroyed. However, the worry and doubt in their hearts was not destroyed. Considering the situation, Kṛṣṇa became very meek and submissive to their wishes.
2. To ther gopīs, whose faces were like abodes of blossoming lotus flowers, and whose eyes were charming like restless khanjana birds, Kṛṣṇa sweetly said:
3. “For My sake you long suffered. In this secluded place We will now celebrate a festival of fulfilling your difficult-to-fulfill desire.” In the following words Kṛṣṇa described the nectar rāsa-dance:.
4. “The autumn fuull-moon is the lamp. Vṛndāvana forest is the dancing-arena, You girls of vraja are the playful and expert heroines. This is the perfect opportunity. I am joyful Hari. Who is better than Me at celebrating festivals? O beloved gopīs, what festival is better than the rāsa dance?
5. Then Kṛṣṇa became like a full moon risen from the ocean of Vraja. The cakora birds of the gopīs’ eyes gazed at the full moon Kṛṣṇa. Then Kṛṣṇa expanded to appear beside each pair of gopīs. These forms were visible only to the two gopīs at the left and right. With embraces and other like activities, Kṛṣṇa delighted the gopīs. Then, to enjoy the rāsa-dance pastime, the gopīs formed a great circle on the Yamunā’s bank in a beautiful and smooth place free of mud, kuśa grass, or other impediments.
6. Going to the Yamunā’s banks, Kṛṣṇa at every moment fulfilled the desires in the gopīs hearts. They gazed at Him with their eyes. The hairs on the gopīs bodies stood erect with bliss. How can I describe the great festival they celebrated? Even today that festival has not come to an end.
7. Gazing at the splendid beauty of the gopīs arrayed in a great circle like a bracelet around Him, forest-flower-garlanded Kṛṣṇa thought:
8. “The circle of the moon above is splendid and glorious, and the circle of gopīs on the Yamunā’s bank is also splendid and glorious. However, the moon’s splendor is marred by its spots, but the gopīs’ splendor is not marred in any way.
9. “Aha! The beautiful gopīs are like a great golden bracelet. If I become like many sapphires set wityhin that bracelet, that would be very beautiful and pleasing to the heart. Therefore I should now enter amongst these gopīs.” Thinking in this way, Kṛṣṇa acted according to His desire. Why would He not have expanded into many Kṛṣṇas at that time?
10. Kṛṣṇa and the doe-eyed gopīs were very splendid and glorious on the Yamunā’s banks. Indeed, the moon in the sky seemed to be a reflection of them.
11. The Yamunā’s banks were the moon’s friend. The beautiful gopīs with raised eyebrows were the Yamunā’s banks’ friend. Thwe many graceful forms of Kṛṣṇa dancing in the circle were the gopīs’ friends.
12. Dancing between each two gopīs in that rāsa dance, Kṛṣṇa held the gopīs hanbds and placed His arms around their shoulders and backs.
13. A fair gopī and a dark Kṛṣṇa. A fair gopī and a dark Kṛṣṇa. This was repeated hundreds of thousands of times in that rāsa-dance circle. In the middle of that circle Kṛṣṇa played the flute and danced with Rādhā.
14. When Kṛṣṇa first enjoyed the rāsa dance His age was Kaiśora (11-15 years). This Lord Parāśara Muni clearly explains (in Viṣṇu Purāṇa). At that time Kṛṣṇa thought, “The teenage gopīs have made My life fruitful. Aha! Look. Thenhairs of My body now stand erect with bliss. This I declare.”
15. Although Kṛṣṇa enjoyed pastimes with many different gopīs, the gopī named Rādhā was the most dear to him. I think Her glorious activities have no peer.
16. To broing auspiciousness to the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa accepted them as His associates and danced with them in the dancing-arena. The touch of His body aroused the gopīs amorous desires.
17. Splendid like gold, their eyes smiling, their bracelets and other ornaments jingling with the music’s rhythm, and their playful gestures filled with amorous hints, the gopīs danced. In their midst Kṛṣṇa, His form like sapphire, shone with great splendor.
18. Their eyebrows gracefully curved, their forms filled with youthful splendor, theior dancing movements playful, splendid, graceful, and expert, their moving bracelets, belts, and anklets jingling as they danced, the gopīs were like the dancers in the celestial worlds.
19. Aha! The rhythmic jangling of the anklets and other ornaments in the rāsa-dance attracted the demigods flying nearby in their airplanes. Flying nearby and listening to the songs and musical instruments, the demigods did not know whether they belonged to other demigods or to some other kind of being.
20. The demigoddesses said: “Look! Look! Kṛṣṇa sings and the beautiful gopīs sing in response. Then the gopīs sing and Kṛṣṇa sings in response.
21. Look! Playful Kṛṣṇa walks on the riverbank. Now Kṛṣṇa embraces the gopīs. Learned in music, the gopīs sing very sweetly.”
22. With graceful gestures, playful motions, and movements of eyes and eyebrows, the gopīs gracefully danced.
23. Expert at singing, musical instruments, and dance, the demigods and goddesses sounded many musical instruments. Then Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs danced with great entusiasm. This is descriobed in the following verse: As the demigods splendid sounded dundubhis, dindimas, damarus, and mrdangas, Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs danced with great energy. They seemed to have many millions of feet, hands, necks, and hips.
24. Gracefully moving their hands, Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs looked like warriors expert at fighting with weapons.
25. Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs moved their hands this way and that. Sometimes they held hands. Sometimes they did not. In this way dark Kṛṣṇa and the fair gopīs enjoyed the bliss of the rāsa-dance.
26. Again and again the demigods showered flowers on the circle of dark Kṛṣṇas and fair gopīs. Although the flowers were certainly falling down from above, they seemed to be rains falling up from the dark monsoon-cloud Kṛṣṇas and the glittering lightning-flash gopīs.
27. Their hearts filled with spiritual love, the demigods and goddesses called out to lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa, who now stood before their eyes by the arrangement of the Yogamāyā potency. Playing on their musical instruments, the demigods and goddesses mad a great tumult of sweet music.
28. The demigoddesses then sang the following song.
A Song
Refrain
jaya jaya sad-guṇa-sāra
jagati viśiṣṭaṁ kalayitum iṣṭaṁ gokula-lasad-avatāra
O most virtuous Lord who descended to Gokula to give the best gift to the world, all glories to You! All glories to You!
kamalabhaveśvara-vaikuṇṭheśvara-patnī-cintitam eva
rājasi rāse valita-vilāse nija-ramaṇībhir deva
Brahmā, Śiva, and Vaikuṇṭheśvara Nārāyaṇa’s wife Lakṣmī meditate on You. O Lord, You shine in the playful rāsa-dance with Your beautiful gopī-beloveds.
naṭavat parikara nikhila-kalādhara racita-paraspara-moda
āliṅgana-mukharitama-mahā-sukha ballava-vadhū-hṛta-toda
O Lord who enjoys graceful dancing with the gopīs, O Lord who pleases them with affectionate words and embraces, and who removes their suffering,
vyativīkṣaṇa-kṛta-śatvika-parivṛta-maṇḍalam anu bahu-mūrte
vraja-taruṇī-gaṇa-racita-nayana-paṇasa cita-vaśī-kṛti-pūrte
O Lord who expanded into many forms to stand beside each gopī gazing on You in ecstasy, O Lord completely purchased by the young vraja-gopīs’ glances,
caraṇa-kaṢja-dhṛti-kara-pallava-kṛti-cillī-valita-vihārān
madhya-bhaṅga-tati-maṇi-kuṇḍala-gati-pulaka-sveda-vikārān
The gopīs gracefully moved their lotus feet, flower-petal hands, and eyebrows as they danced. They bent their waists, Their jewel earrings swung, the hairs on their bodies stood up, they perspired, and they displayed signs of ecstatic happiness.
kalayati bhavatā ghana-sāmyavatā taḍid iva sarvā lalanā
api vaḥ parimiti-tara-tamatām iti seyaṁ jṢāpayati tulanā
O Lord, You are like a dark raincloud, and all the gopīs are like lightning flashes. This comparison is perfect.
su-madhura-kaṇṭhe nṛtyotkaṇṭhe tava rati-mātra-prīte
tvat-sparśāmṛta-mada-caya-samvṛta-citte bhāva-krīte
The gopīs sing sweetly and long to dance. Your advances are their only pleasure. The nectar of Your touch fills their hearts with bliss. They are purchased by Your love.
yuvatī-jāte gītaja-śātenāvṛta-viśva-prabhave
yas tvaṁ rājasi tat-sukha-bhāg asi nama etasmai prabhave
As the gopīs’ singing fills the universe with happiness, You shine with joy. O Lord, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
yā saha bhavatā vismayam avatā svara-jātīr ati-śuddham
gāyati seyaṁ nikhilair geyaṁ kalayati nija-guṇa-ruddham
You become filled with wonder as a certain gopī sweetly sings with You. With all the gopīs She sings the praises of Your transcendental qualities.
tata utkarṣaṁ valayita-harṣaṁ valayati yeyaṁ gāne
sā śrī-rādhā valitārādhā bhavatā kalitā māne
Her song brings You great happiness. You respond by worshiping Her with great respect.
yeyaṁ rāse śramaja-vilāse vigalan-mallī-valayā
sā bhavad-aṁse lasad-avataṁse dharati karaṁ vara-kalayā
Exhausted from the pastimes of the rāsa dance, and Her jasmine-bracelet slipping, She gracefully places Her hand on Your shoulder, which is touched by Your glistening earrings.
yā cāṁsaṁ paribhuja-parighaṁ paricumbati tava sa-vinodam
hṛṣyati seyaṁ tanv-agaṇeyaṁ yad-roma ca sāmodam
She playfully kisses Your arm and shoulder. She is very happy. Unknown to others, the hairs of Her body stand up with joy.
cala-kuṇḍala-dhara gaṇḍa-mukura-vara samiṣa-sparśa-vidhāne
tāmbūla-drava-parivartad dravam ayase cumbana-dāne
O Lord whose earrings swing to and fro! O Lord whose cheeks are splendid mirrors! On a pretext You touch Her. Giving Her a kiss, You both exchange the nectar of chewed betel-nuts.
eṣā nartana-kīrtana-vartana-śiṢjita-jāta-sutālā
tava rāmānuja karam atulāmbuja-miṣam ādhād dhṛdi bālā
This girl is expert in singing and dancing, and Her moving ornaments tinkling in graceful rhythms. O Rāmānuja (younger brother of Balarāma), pretending that Your hand is a peerlessly beautiful lotus flower, She places it on Her heart.
atha rāsa-krama-parivalita-śrama-vanitā-lakṣita-deha
parito-bhramaṇaka-gaṇa-viśramaṇaka sa-mudita-parama-sneha
O Lord who noticed the gopīs’ fatigue in the rāsa dance, O Lord who made them rest, O happy, affectionate Lord,
kavi-kṛta-niścaya-śubhra-yaśaś-caya mālā-samudaya-hārin
jaya jaya jaya jaya jaya jaya jaya jaya jaya jaya rāsa-vihārin
O Lord whose splendid fame is recounted by the greatest poets and philosophers, O Lord splendid with flower garlands, O enjoyer of the rāsa dance, glory, glory, glory, glory, glory, glory, glory, glory, glory, glory, to You!
29. The second couplet of this song (rājasi rāse valita-vilāse) is explained in the following verse: Kṛṣṇa’s form is the crest jewel of all eternally handsome forms. By His own potency He manifests His spiritual humanlike form. His form fills everyone, including even Himself, with wonder. Kṛṣṇa is Himself the ornament that decorates the ornaemnts He wears. He is the beauty that makes the gopīs beautiful.
30. In Srimad-Bhāgavatam (3.2.12) it is said: “The Lord appeared in the material world by His internal potency, Yogamāyā. He came in His eternal form, which is just suitable for His pastimes. These pastimes were wonderful for everyone, even for those proud of their own opulence, including the Lord Himself in His form as the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha. Thus His (Sri Kṛṣṇa’s) transcendental body is the ornament of all ornaments.”* It is also said in Srimad-Bhāgavatam (10.33.6): “As Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs danced together it appeared that Kṛṣṇa was a greenish sapphire locket in the midst of a golden necklace decorated with valuable stones.”*
31. Since this is true of Kṛṣṇa, how much more must it apply to Rādhāalso.
32. The eighth couplet of this song (yuvatī-jāte) is explained in the following verse: The vraja-gopīs are teenagers (kiśorī) eternally. They never took birth. Their glories fillall the worlds.
33. The ninth couplet of this song (yā saha bahavatā) is explained in this verse: I offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Rādhikā. Hearing Her beautiful songs glorifying Her beloved Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs become filled with wonder and the demigods headed by Brahmā, Śiva, and Indra become filled with bliss.
34. The thirteenth couplet of this song (cala-kuṇḍala) is explained in this verse: Twice Kṛṣṇa sipped the nectar of Rādhā’slips. Why would He not taste the betelnuts chewed by Her?
35. In the confidential meetings of Vraja’s people, Kṛṣṇa is always praised with words like, “Kṛṣṇa is the root of spirituallove. His form is playful and glorious.” I offer my respectful obeisances to Rādhikā. Of all of Kṛṣṇa’s gopī-beloveds, Rādhikā has the most precious jewel of love for Kṛṣṇa.
36. Bringing Him completely under Her control, Rādhā enjoys pastimes with Her beloved Kṛṣṇa. On the pretext of manifesting a form where each take one half, Śiva and Pārvatī do not enjoy pastimes in that way.
37. The poets speculate that Śiva and Pārvatī combine to become each half of a single form. I say that Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are both filled with perfect and complete love for each other. This is known in all the three worlds. Because They are thus perfect and complete in Themselves, it is not right that They combone in a single form.
38. Wghen the divine singing and instrumental music became stopped, the jangling ornaments and buzzing bees provided musical accompaniment to the dancing. When these two became exhausted and stopped, the earrings and crowns of the dancers continued to glisten as the dancers continued to dance.
39. Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs enjoyed smiling pastimes of embracing, touching, and gazing with loving eyes. As Kṛṣṇa and His beloved gopīs danced, They seemed to be reflections of each other.
40. When the rāsa-dance festival came to an end, the gopīs had no power to keep in order their flower garlands, hair, the garments on their necks and breasts, their other garments, or their ornaments. When they meditate on this rāsa-dance, the great sages forget everything else. The gopīs were very wonderful and glorious in the rāsa-dance. What narration is like the narration of the rāsa-dance?
41. Watching the rāsa dance, the demigoddesses flying in airplanes in the sky became filled with passion and wonder. This we have heard. The moon and stars wandered and wandered in the sky. In this way the wonder and sweetness of the rāsa-dance continued to be manifest.
42. Then Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa-dance pastimes with His dear and passionate gopī-beloveds, who were eager for more pastimes, came to an end.
43. When the rāsa-dance came to an end, Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs wished to enjoy amorous pastimes. Entering with each gopī into a different forest grove, Intent on become ornaments decorating each other, To enjoy amorous pastimes Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs entered private places unseen by the others. There They embraced and enjoyed many pastimes.
44. When He said, “Ah! Without Me, your beloved, you must have been plunged into the darkness of sorrows,” and when He embraced her, a gopī wept, sprinkling Kṛṣṇa weith the tears from her eyes.
45. Saying, “I did not know that this girl delicate like a new leaf from a tree, had become so exhauisted,” Kṛṣṇa again and again wiped the perspiration and tears from each gopī’s face.
46. When they were exhausted from the rāsa-dance pastime, Kṛṣṇa wiped the perspiration and tears from each one of the beautiful-eyebrowed gopīs.
47. When, carrying various kinds of paraphernalia, Vṛndā-devī’s assistants asked her to describe Kṛṣṇa’spassionate pastimes, Vṛndā-devī replied: “Kṛṣṇa wiped the tears from the gopīs eyes, wiped the perspiration from their faces and the hair of their heads, fanned them with a cloth, kissed the egde of their cheeks, anointed their bodies with fragrant oils, dressed them in fine garments, offered them betelnuts, spoke sweet words to them, and glorified them. In this way Kṛṣṇa relieved the fatigue His beloved gopīs felt from the rāsa dance.
48. “With smiling eyes the gopīs gazed at Kṛṣṇa’s face. They fanned Him with new leaves, massaghed His limbs, rejoined His broken flower-garland, rearranged His disarrayed garments, spoke cheerful joking words that pleased His heart, and offered Him betelnuts mixed with camphor. In this way the dear gopīs relieved the fatigue Kṛṣṇa felt from the rāsa dance.
49. Approaching her, the gopī assistants smiled and again asked Vṛndā-devī: “O goddess, did you see how, when their garments and ornaments were in disarray, Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs dressed and decorated each other? O friend, we ask of you this one favor: Without telling us any lies, please reveal to us those secret pastimes.”
50. Smiling, Vṛndā then thought in her heart: “What the girls say is true. Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs were seen again and again enjoying many pastimes of singing songs to remove Their fatigue, delight their sense, and bring auspoiciousness.”
51. Concluding his narrattion, Snigdhakaṇṭha said: O Rādhā, Your beloved is very difficult to attain. Of all the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa chose You.