Chapter Eighteen Siddhāśrama-māhātmye Rāsotsavaḥ In the Course of Describing the Glories of Siddhāśrama, a Description of the Rāsa-dance Festival

Śrī Nārada said: Now understanding the great love Rādhā and the gopīs bear for Lord Kṛṣṇa, the queens, eager to see the rāsa dance, spoke to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

The queens said: The gopīs are most fortunate. They love You dearly. They enjoyed with You the rāsa dance. How can words describe the great austerities they must have performed?

O Kṛṣṇa, O master, if You think it is right, we wish to see the rāsa dance You performed in Vṛndāvana.

You are here. So is Rādhā. So are the gopīs of Vraja. So are we. O Lord of lords, it is right that there be a rāsa dance.

O master of the universes, pleaae fulfill our desire. O Kṛṣṇa, we have no desire other than this.

When He heard these words, Lord Kṛṣṇa smiled. Filled with love for them, He charmed them with the following words.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O beautiful girls, if Śrī Rādhā, the queen of the rāsa dance, wishes, only then may there be a rāsa dance. Please ask Her.

After hearing these words, Śrī Rukmiṇī and the queens approached Śrī Rādhā and, smiling with love, spoke.

The queens said: O moon-faced Rādhā, O girl with the beautiful thighs, O queen of the beautiful girls of Vraja, O queen of the rāsa dance, O virtuous and beautiful one, O friend, O girl with expands the glorious fame of Your family, O girl with graceful limbs, we have all come here to ask something of You.

Charming Kṛṣṇa, the king of the rāsa dance, is here. So are You, the queen of the rāsa dance. So are the beautiful gopīs. So are we. O most dear one, please arrange that there be a rāsa dance here. That will please us.

Śrī Rādhā said: If Lord Kṛṣṇa, the king of the rāsa dance, who is kind to His devotees, wishes, then there will be a rāsa dance here. Go to Him. Worship and serve Him with love and devotion. That will bring Him under Your control.

Śrī Nārada said: When they heard Śrī Rādhā's words, the queens repeated to Her what Lord Kṛṣṇa had told them. Hearing that, Noble-hearted Rādhā became pleased and said, "So be it."

In this way, in the splendid full-moon night of the month of Mādhava (April-May) there was a rāsa dance in beautiful and sacred Siddhāśrama.

To begin the rāsa dance, Kṛṣṇa, the king of the rāsa dance, who is expert at enjoying nectar pastimes, stood with Rādhā, the queen of the rāsa dance by His side. They were very glorious. they were like Kāmadeva and Rati.

Then Lord Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself into as many forms as there were gopīs and queens. A single Kṛṣṇa stood between each two of them.

The karatālas, flute, and mṛaṅgas joined with the sweet voices of the girls and the tinkling sounds of their belts and anklets, to create a tumultuous sound.

rāśeśvaryā samaṁ gāyan rāse rāśeśvaraḥ svayam śrī-gaṇaiḥ sahito rājaṁs candras tārā-gaṇair yathā koṭi—millions; kandarpa—of Kāmadevas; lāvaṇyaḥ—mor ehandsome; sragvī—wearing a flower garland; kuṇḍala-maṇḍitaḥ—decorated with earrings; pītāmbara-dharaḥ—wearing yellow garments; rājan—O king; kirīṭa—a crown; kaṭaka—golden bracelets; aṅgadaḥ—and armlets; rāśeśvaryā—the wueen of the rasa dance; samam—with; gāyan—singing; rāse—in the rasa dance; rāśeśvaraḥ—the king of the rasa dance; svayam—Hismelf; śrī-gaṇaiḥ—with the goddess of fortune; sahitaḥ—with; rājan—O king; candraḥ—the moon; tārā-gaṇaiḥ—with the many stars; yathā—as. Wearing yellow garments, decorated with crown, earrings, armlets, and golden bracelets, and more handsome than many millions of Kāmadevas, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the king of the rāsa dance sang songs with Śrī Rādhā, the queen of the rāsa dance, and with the gopīs and queens, who were all goddesses of fortune. O king, He was like the moon surrounded by many stars.

rāśeśvaryā samaṁ gāyan rāse rāśeśvaraḥ svayam śrī-gaṇaiḥ sahito rājaṁs candras tārā-gaṇair yathā koṭi—millions; kandarpa—of Kāmadevas; lāvaṇyaḥ—mor ehandsome; sragvī—wearing a flower garland; kuṇḍala-maṇḍitaḥ—decorated with earrings; pītāmbara-dharaḥ—wearing yellow garments; rājan—O king; kirīṭa—a crown; kaṭaka—golden bracelets; aṅgadaḥ—and armlets; rāśeśvaryā—the wueen of the rasa dance; samam—with; gāyan—singing; rāse—in the rasa dance; rāśeśvaraḥ—the king of the rasa dance; svayam—Hismelf; śrī-gaṇaiḥ—with the goddess of fortune; sahitaḥ—with; rājan—O king; candraḥ—the moon; tārā-gaṇaiḥ—with the many stars; yathā—as. Wearing yellow garments, decorated with crown, earrings, armlets, and golden bracelets, and more handsome than many millions of Kāmadevas, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the king of the rāsa dance sang songs with Śrī Rādhā, the queen of the rāsa dance, and with the gopīs and queens, who were all goddesses of fortune. O king, He was like the moon surrounded by many stars.

O king, in this way the very blissful and beautiful night passed like a single moment in the circle of the rāsa dance.

Gazing at the circle of the rāsa dance, Śrī Rukmiṇī and all the beautiful queens became filled with bliss. All their desires were fulfilled.

When the rāsa dance ended Śrī Rukmiṇī and the queens, filled with feelings of love, spoke to Śrī Rādhā, the perfect Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The queens said: As we gaze at Your handsome sweetness in this beautiful rāsa dance, our hearts have become filled with bliss. We have become lake sages filled with the happiness of spiritual life.

There never was, nor will there ever be, another rāsa dance like this. O Kṛṣṇa, a hundred groups of gopīs are here!

We sixteen thousand queens are here with many millions of gopīs. O Kṛṣṇa, O master, even in Vṛndāvana there was never a rāsa dance like this.

Śrī Nārada said: In this way the queens became proud. Smiling, Lord Kṛṣṇa said to them, "Ask Rādhā what She thinks."

Satyabhāmā and the other queens asked beautiful Rādhā. Gently laughing in Her heart, Śrī Rādhā spoke.

Śrī Rādhā said: Many girls came to this rāsa dance. Still, it is not the equal of the rāsa dance in Vṛndāvana.

In this place where is Vṛndāvana forest, filled with splendid trees, flowering vines bowing down in ecstatic love, and bees intoxicated by drinking honey?

In this place where is the beautiful Yamunā river, carrying many flowers as it flows like a line of poetry, and filled with swans and lotus flowers?

In this place where are the mādhavī vines bowing with many flowers? Where are the birds lovingly singing with sweet voices?

In this place where are the forest groves filled with splendid palaces and restless bumblebees? Where is the cooling gentle breeze carrying pollen from the lotus flowers?

In this place where is Mount Govardhana, rich with fruits, flowers, and caves everywhere, and standing with its beautiful tall peaks like a great elephant?

kva cātra kṛṣṇa-śṛṅgāro vana-mālā-vibhūṣitaḥ śyāmānām alakānāṁ ca vakrāṇāṁ gandha-dhariṇām kālindī-puline—on the shore of the Yamunā; ramye—beautiful; vāyunā—a breeze; anvita—with; saikate—on the beach; vaṁsī—flute; vetra—and stick; dharaḥ—holding; malla-paribarha-virājitaḥ—splendid with a peacock feather; kva—where?; ca—and; atra—here; kṛṣṇa—of Lord Kṛṣṇa; śṛṅgāraḥ—the decoration; vana-mālā-vibhūṣitaḥ—decorated with a forest garland; śyāmānām—black; alakānām—of locks of hair; ca—and; vakrāṇām—curly; gandha-dhariṇām—fragrant. Where are Kṛṣṇa's decorations: His flute, stick, peacock feather, forest-flower garland, and His fragrant, curly black hair, as He sits in the gentle breeze by the Yamunā's beautiful sandy shore?

kva cātra kṛṣṇa-śṛṅgāro vana-mālā-vibhūṣitaḥ śyāmānām alakānāṁ ca vakrāṇāṁ gandha-dhariṇām kālindī-puline—on the shore of the Yamunā; ramye—beautiful; vāyunā—a breeze; anvita—with; saikate—on the beach; vaṁsī—flute; vetra—and stick; dharaḥ—holding; malla-paribarha-virājitaḥ—splendid with a peacock feather; kva—where?; ca—and; atra—here; kṛṣṇa—of Lord Kṛṣṇa; śṛṅgāraḥ—the decoration; vana-mālā-vibhūṣitaḥ—decorated with a forest garland; śyāmānām—black; alakānām—of locks of hair; ca—and; vakrāṇām—curly; gandha-dhariṇām—fragrant. Where are Kṛṣṇa's decorations: His flute, stick, peacock feather, forest-flower garland, and His fragrant, curly black hair, as He sits in the gentle breeze by the Yamunā's beautiful sandy shore?

Where are the swinging earrings on Lord Kṛṣṇacandra's handsome cheeks?

Where are the wandering bees greedy after the sweet fragrance of His flower-petal ornaments? Where are His loving glances when He appears in this way? Where is the happiness of His touch when He appears in this way?

Where are the sharp-pointed arrows of Kāmadeva that fly from His eyes? Where is the sweetness of His sidelong glance? Where is His tugging with both hands? Where is His placing in the hand a gift?

Where is the pastime of hiding in the forest groves? Where is the pastime of suddenly meeting Him face-to-face? Where is the pastime of tugging at our saris? Where is the pastime of stealing His flute and stick?

Where is His affectionate tugging with both arms? Where is His again and again holding the arm anointed with sandal paste?

My heart cannot be happy where there is no Vṛndāvana forest and where these pastimes are not present.

Śrī Nārada said: When they heard Śrī Rādhā's words, the great queens became filled with wonder and joy. They gave up all the pride they felt in their own rāsa dance.

sa-bhāryo bhagavān sākṣād dvārakāṁ praviveśa ha kārayām āsa rādhāyai mandirāṇi parāṇi ca evam—thus; siddhāśrame—at Siddhāśrama; rāsam—the rasa dance; kṛtvā—having done; śrī-rādhikeśvaraḥ—the Lord of Rādhā; nītvā—taking; gopī-gaṇān—the gopīs; sarvān—all; rādhayā—Rādhā; sahitaḥ—with; hariḥ—Lord Kṛṣṇa; sa-bhāryaḥ—with His wives; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sākṣāt—directly; dvārakām—Dvārakā; praviveśa—entered; ha—indeed; kārayām āsa—made; rādhāyai—for Rādhā; mandirāṇi—palaces; parāṇi—great; ca—and. After thus performing a rāsa dance at Siddhāśrama, Lord Kṛṣṇa took the gopīs and queens to Dvārakā. There He built many great palaces for Śrī Rādhā.

sa-bhāryo bhagavān sākṣād dvārakāṁ praviveśa ha kārayām āsa rādhāyai mandirāṇi parāṇi ca evam—thus; siddhāśrame—at Siddhāśrama; rāsam—the rasa dance; kṛtvā—having done; śrī-rādhikeśvaraḥ—the Lord of Rādhā; nītvā—taking; gopī-gaṇān—the gopīs; sarvān—all; rādhayā—Rādhā; sahitaḥ—with; hariḥ—Lord Kṛṣṇa; sa-bhāryaḥ—with His wives; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sākṣāt—directly; dvārakām—Dvārakā; praviveśa—entered; ha—indeed; kārayām āsa—made; rādhāyai—for Rādhā; mandirāṇi—palaces; parāṇi—great; ca—and. After thus performing a rāsa dance at Siddhāśrama, Lord Kṛṣṇa took the gopīs and queens to Dvārakā. There He built many great palaces for Śrī Rādhā.

sarva-pāpa-harā puṇyā sarveṣāṁ caiva mokṣa-dā nivāsayitvā—giving a home; su-sukham—happily; sarvāḥ—all; taḥ—they; ca—and; vrajaukasaḥ—the people of Vraja; ittham—thus; siddhāśrama-kathā—the story of Siddhāśrama; mayā—by me; te—to you; kathitā—told; nṛpa—O king; sarva-pāpa-harā—removing all sins; puṇyā—sacred; sarveṣām—to all; ca—and; eva—certainly; mokṣa-dā—giving liberation. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa gave comfortable homes in Dvārakā to all the people of Vraja. Thus I have told you the story of Siddhāśrama, a sacred story that removes all sins and give liberation to all.

sarva-pāpa-harā puṇyā sarveṣāṁ caiva mokṣa-dā nivāsayitvā—giving a home; su-sukham—happily; sarvāḥ—all; taḥ—they; ca—and; vrajaukasaḥ—the people of Vraja; ittham—thus; siddhāśrama-kathā—the story of Siddhāśrama; mayā—by me; te—to you; kathitā—told; nṛpa—O king; sarva-pāpa-harā—removing all sins; puṇyā—sacred; sarveṣām—to all; ca—and; eva—certainly; mokṣa-dā—giving liberation. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa gave comfortable homes in Dvārakā to all the people of Vraja. Thus I have told you the story of Siddhāśrama, a sacred story that removes all sins and give liberation to all.