Chapter Nineteen Rāsa-krīḍā The Rāsa-dance Pastime

Śrī Bahulāśva said: After He tested Rādhā's love and then revealed Himself to Her, what pastime did the Lord enjoy?

Śrī Nārada said: In the month of Mādhava (April-May), when Vṛndāvana forest was filled with blossoming mādhavī vines, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the king of the rāsa dance, began the rāsa-dance pastime.

On the fifth day of the month of Mādhava, as the moon beautifully rose, in a garden by the Yamunā's shore handsome Kṛṣṇa enjoyed with Śrī Rādhā, the queen of the rāsa dance.

O king of Mithilā, in an instant the gold and ruby ground of Goloka came to the the earth.

Then Vṛndāvana forest manifested its transcendental form. Filled with mādhavī vines and kalpa-vṛkṣa trees, it eclipsed the Nandana gardens of Indra.

O king, with jewel stairways, glittering golden arches, and many swans and lotuses, the Yamunā shone with great splendor.

nirjhāraiḥ sundarībhiś ca dārībhir bhramarī-vṛtaḥ reje govardhano nāma giri-rājaḥ karīndra-vat ratna-dhātu-mayaḥ—made of jewels; śrīmat—beautiful; ratna—jewel; śṛṅga—peaks; sphurad-dyutiḥ—glistening; sa-pakṣi-gaṇa-samyuktaḥ—with many birds; latā—vines; puṣpa—flowers; manoharaḥ—beautiful; nirjhāraiḥ—with swifty-moving streams; sundarībhiḥ—beautiful; ca—and; dārībhiḥ—with caves; bhramarī-vṛtaḥ—filled with bees; reje—shone; govardhanaḥ—Govardhana; nāma—named; giri-rājaḥ—the king of mountains; karīndra-vat—like the king of elephants. It's rocks jewels, its beautiful glittering peaks made of jewels, beautiful with many birds, flowering vines, swiftly-moving streams, beautiful caves, and many bumblebees, the king of mountains, which was named Govardhana, was splendidly manifest as if it were the king of elephants.

nirjhāraiḥ sundarībhiś ca dārībhir bhramarī-vṛtaḥ reje govardhano nāma giri-rājaḥ karīndra-vat ratna-dhātu-mayaḥ—made of jewels; śrīmat—beautiful; ratna—jewel; śṛṅga—peaks; sphurad-dyutiḥ—glistening; sa-pakṣi-gaṇa-samyuktaḥ—with many birds; latā—vines; puṣpa—flowers; manoharaḥ—beautiful; nirjhāraiḥ—with swifty-moving streams; sundarībhiḥ—beautiful; ca—and; dārībhiḥ—with caves; bhramarī-vṛtaḥ—filled with bees; reje—shone; govardhanaḥ—Govardhana; nāma—named; giri-rājaḥ—the king of mountains; karīndra-vat—like the king of elephants. It's rocks jewels, its beautiful glittering peaks made of jewels, beautiful with many birds, flowering vines, swiftly-moving streams, beautiful caves, and many bumblebees, the king of mountains, which was named Govardhana, was splendidly manifest as if it were the king of elephants.

patat-patākair divyābhair sauvarṇaiḥ kalaśair nṛpa śvetāruṇaiḥ puṣpa-dalaiḥ puṣpa-mandira-vartibhiḥ sarve—all; nikuṣjāḥ—the forest groves; paritaḥ—everywhere; rejuḥ—shone; divya-vapur-dharāḥ—a transcendental form; sabhā—with assembly-houses; maṇḍapa—pavilions; vīthībhiḥ—and pathways; prāṅgana—with courtyards; stambha—of columns; paṅktibhiḥ—with rows; patat—fluttering; patākaiḥ—with flags; divyābhaiḥ—splendid; sauvarṇaiḥ—gold; kalaśaiḥ—domes; nṛpa—O king; śveta—white; aruṇaiḥ—and red; puṣpa-dalaiḥ—with flower petals; puṣpa-mandira-vartibhiḥ—with flower palaces. Manifesting their spiritual forms, all the forest groves were splendidly manifest with many assembly-houses, pavilions, pathways, courtyards, rows of pillars, fluttering flags, and flower palaces with splendid golden domes and red and white flower petals.

patat-patākair divyābhair sauvarṇaiḥ kalaśair nṛpa śvetāruṇaiḥ puṣpa-dalaiḥ puṣpa-mandira-vartibhiḥ sarve—all; nikuṣjāḥ—the forest groves; paritaḥ—everywhere; rejuḥ—shone; divya-vapur-dharāḥ—a transcendental form; sabhā—with assembly-houses; maṇḍapa—pavilions; vīthībhiḥ—and pathways; prāṅgana—with courtyards; stambha—of columns; paṅktibhiḥ—with rows; patat—fluttering; patākaiḥ—with flags; divyābhaiḥ—splendid; sauvarṇaiḥ—gold; kalaśaiḥ—domes; nṛpa—O king; śveta—white; aruṇaiḥ—and red; puṣpa-dalaiḥ—with flower petals; puṣpa-mandira-vartibhiḥ—with flower palaces. Manifesting their spiritual forms, all the forest groves were splendidly manifest with many assembly-houses, pavilions, pathways, courtyards, rows of pillars, fluttering flags, and flower palaces with splendid golden domes and red and white flower petals.

rādhā-kṛṣṇa-kathāṁ puṇyaṁ gāyamānair madhuvrataiḥ patadbhir madhu-mattaiś ca kuṣjāḥ sarve virājitāḥ vasanta—of springtime; mādhurya—the sweetness; dharāḥ—manifesting; kūjat—cooing; kokila—cuckoos; sārasāḥ—and cranes; pārāvataiḥ—with paravatas; mayūraiḥ—peacocks; ca—and; yatra—where; tatra—there; nikūjitāḥ—cooing; rādhā-kṛṣṇa-kathām—topics of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa; puṇyam—sacred; gāyamānaiḥ—singing; madhuvrataiḥ—with bees; patadbhiḥ—flying; madhu-mattaiḥ—intoxicated by drinking honey; ca—and; kuṣjāḥ—the forest groves; sarve—all; virājitāḥ—splendidly manifested. Filled with the sweetness of spring, with cooing cuckoos, cranes, pārāvatas, peacocks, and with honey-intoxicated bees singing the sacred stories of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, all the forest groves shone with great glory.

rādhā-kṛṣṇa-kathāṁ puṇyaṁ gāyamānair madhuvrataiḥ patadbhir madhu-mattaiś ca kuṣjāḥ sarve virājitāḥ vasanta—of springtime; mādhurya—the sweetness; dharāḥ—manifesting; kūjat—cooing; kokila—cuckoos; sārasāḥ—and cranes; pārāvataiḥ—with paravatas; mayūraiḥ—peacocks; ca—and; yatra—where; tatra—there; nikūjitāḥ—cooing; rādhā-kṛṣṇa-kathām—topics of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa; puṇyam—sacred; gāyamānaiḥ—singing; madhuvrataiḥ—with bees; patadbhiḥ—flying; madhu-mattaiḥ—intoxicated by drinking honey; ca—and; kuṣjāḥ—the forest groves; sarve—all; virājitāḥ—splendidly manifested. Filled with the sweetness of spring, with cooing cuckoos, cranes, pārāvatas, peacocks, and with honey-intoxicated bees singing the sacred stories of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, all the forest groves shone with great glory.

Carrying the pollen of thousand-petal lotuses, a gentle and cool breeze blew along the riverbank.

Some of the gopīs were residents of Goloka, some arranged the couches, some made decorations, some guarded the entrances, . . .

. . . some were Rādhā's associates and friends, some carried parasols, cāmaras, and flower decorations in their hands, some were protectors of Vṛndāvana forest, . . .

. . . some lived on Govardhana Hill, some decorated the forest groves, some stayed in the forest groves, some were dancers, and some played musical instruments.

O king, they were all young and they all had faces glorious as the moon. In twelve groups they approached Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Then the Yamunā became a dark-complexioned, lotus-eyed, dressed in blue and decorated with jewels leader of a group of gopīs, and came there.

Then the Gaṅgā became a fair-complexioned, dressed in white and decorated with pearls leader of a group of gopīs, and she also came there.

Then goddess Ramā became a gently smiling, moon-complexioned, dressed in red and decorated with rubies leader of a group of gopīs, and she also came there.

Then Lord Kṛṣṇa's wife named Madhumādhavī become a lotus-complexioned, dressed in beautiful garments and decorated with flowers leader of a group of gopīs, and she also came there.

Then the Virajā river became a golden-complexioned, dressed in green and decorated with jewels leader of a group of gopīs, and she also came there.

Then the groups led by Lalitā, Viśākhā, and goddess Lakṣmī came. In this way the eight principal friends of Śrī Rādhā came and sixteen more friends also came.

Then thirty-two more groups of gopīs came. O king, accompanied by these many women, the Lord was splendidly manifest in the rāsa-dance circle.

Then in Vṛndāvana forest Lord Kṛṣṇa became like a handsome dancer dressed in yellow garments. He became like a moon accompanied by many stars in the sky.

rādhayā śuśubhe rāse yathā ratyā ratīśvaraḥ evaṁ gāyan hariḥ sākṣāt sundarī-gaṇa-samvṛtaḥ vetra—a stick; bhṛt—holding; vādayan—playing; vaṁśīm—the flute; gopīnām—of the gopīs; prītim—love; āvahan—bearing; mayūra—peacock; pakṣa—feather; bhṛt—wearing; maulī—as a crown; sragvī—garlanded; kuṇḍala—with earrings; maṇḍitaḥ—decorated; rādhayā—with Rādhā; śuśubhe—shone; rāse—in the rasa dance; yathā—as; ratyā—with Rati; ratīśvaraḥ—Kāmadeva; evam—so; gāyan—singing; hariḥ—Kṛṣṇa; sākṣāt—directly; sundarī-gaṇa-samvṛtaḥ—surrounded by beautiful women. Holding a stick, wearing a garland, earrings, and a peacock-feather crown, playing the flute, singing, surrounded by the beautiful gopīs, and full of love for them, Lord Kṛṣṇa shone with Rādhā in the rāsa dance, as Kāmadeva shines with Rati.

rādhayā śuśubhe rāse yathā ratyā ratīśvaraḥ evaṁ gāyan hariḥ sākṣāt sundarī-gaṇa-samvṛtaḥ vetra—a stick; bhṛt—holding; vādayan—playing; vaṁśīm—the flute; gopīnām—of the gopīs; prītim—love; āvahan—bearing; mayūra—peacock; pakṣa—feather; bhṛt—wearing; maulī—as a crown; sragvī—garlanded; kuṇḍala—with earrings; maṇḍitaḥ—decorated; rādhayā—with Rādhā; śuśubhe—shone; rāse—in the rasa dance; yathā—as; ratyā—with Rati; ratīśvaraḥ—Kāmadeva; evam—so; gāyan—singing; hariḥ—Kṛṣṇa; sākṣāt—directly; sundarī-gaṇa-samvṛtaḥ—surrounded by beautiful women. Holding a stick, wearing a garland, earrings, and a peacock-feather crown, playing the flute, singing, surrounded by the beautiful gopīs, and full of love for them, Lord Kṛṣṇa shone with Rādhā in the rāsa dance, as Kāmadeva shines with Rati.

Taking His beloved Rādhā's lotus hand in His lotus hand, Lord Kṛṣṇa went to the Yamunā's sacred shore.

Looking at His beloved Vṛndāvana forest, and sweetly conversing, Lord Kṛṣṇa sat down by the Yamuna's beautiful waters.

Smiling and laughing, He walked with Rādhā from forest grove to forest grove. Suddenly slipping from His beloved's hand, He hid among the trees.

Seeing Him hiding among the trees, Rādhā captured Kṛṣṇa. Then Rādhā slipped from His hand and ran away, Her anklets tinkling.

Kṛṣṇa looked as She hid among the trees. Wherever Rādhā ran, Kṛṣṇa ran after Her.

Only a hand away, She ran among the trees. They were like a tamāla tree and a golden vine or a monsoon cloud and a lightning flash.

Like a dark mountain and a gold mine, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is more enchanting then Kāmadeva, shone with Rādhā, the most enchanting girl in the world.

It was as if Kāmadeva and Rati had taken the forms of Lord Kṛṣṇa and the girls of Vraja in the rāsa-dance arena.

Lord Kṛṣṇa danced in the rāsa-dance arena and all the beautiful gopīs also sang and danced.

The gopīs shone with many Lord Kṛṣṇacandras as the demigoddesses shine with many Indras. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoyed pastimes in the Yamunā.

Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoyed pastimes with the gopīs as the Yakṣa king enjoys with many yakṣīs. Splendid with many wonderfully colorful and beautiful flowers fallen from the gopīs' braids, Lord Kṛṣṇa seemed to be marked with many verses written in the meter uṣṇik.

Accompanied by the sweet sounds of mṛaṅgas and karatālas, and their flower garlands moving to and fro, they sang the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Free of troubles and their desires now fulfilled, they attained great happiness.

With His glorious hand splashing an unequalled shower of water drops, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the king of Vṛndāvana, enjoyed with the beautiful girls of Vraja as an elephant king enjoys with many female elephants.

As in the sky they looked on, the wives of the vidyādharas, devas, and gandharvas became entranced and their garments and tight belts became loosened. With the demigods they showered flowers on the rāsa-dance arena. .pa