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Post by madanmohandas on Nov 21, 2020 3:44:14 GMT -6
Thus fastened with ropes to the grinding mortar by the cowherdess he tugged and dragged it across the intervening ground toward the trees, where passing through the interspace the mortar was jammed obliquely between them. By means of this extraordinary exploit, and the revelation of the exquisite beauty of his person, he affords occasion for the direct perception, audience and touch to the faculties of sense. Not only were the sons of Kuvera released from the effect of the imprecation pronounced by Narada, which had reduced them to the state of trees, thereby freeing them from the bondage of transmigratory existence, but were awarded the exalted state of perfect devotees. The author thus observes, ‘Pure love from thee they gained’, since they were sensible of the supreme end, and had resigned themselves to its attainment. In this manner they were rendered the worthy recipients of divine grace and unalloyed devotion. This is also alluded to in the Bhagavat, ‘That gift of love for which to me you sue, Has been developed already in you.’ (SB. X.X.ILII) Which is to say, ‘ You have both cherished a superior sentiment in relation to me, which has now mellowed into the purest love; and hence you are no longer obliged to undergo the repetition of births and deaths, and your worldly afflictions have reached their term.’ Ensuing their example, the author exclaims, ‘O Damodara! Even as the sons of Kuvera were furnished with the gift of loving devotion, in the like manner may you be pleased to grant the exclusive refuge of your lotus-feet’, which is to say, ‘bestow that especial grace whereby you remain the sole object or perception and love’. To which the Lord might say, ‘But why are you reluctant to receive the blessing of salvation? The sons of Kuvera were pleased to accept it. Otherwise you must be content to perpetuate the repetition of birth and death in the condition of metempsychosis.’ To which the poet, ‘Thank you but no. My ardent longing is to receive the singular blessing of unalloyed devotion, ‘I do not, Damodar salvation choose.’ Here he suggests that the attainment of unalloyed devotion is itself the cause of the termination of transmigratory existence, and even were it not, it is of little concern. ‘Either way I am indifferent to it as it were something other than my desired end. Even as one with the fabled Chintamini gem in hand is aware that possession of the magic jewel includes all secondary and tertiary requirements, even so with this in mind, ‘why should I seek for extraneous and trivial ends?’
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Post by madanmohandas on Nov 21, 2020 4:28:05 GMT -6
While I'm thinking about the concluding portion of the annotation on text seven, it seemed worth appending a paraphrase of the felling of the Arjuna trees. Although venerable Sanatan has not included any account of it.
Resolving thus, saint Narad then decrees They be transfigured into Arjun trees; And there an hundred heavenly years remain, And recollection of their past retain. But when the Lord Vaasudeva appears, After one hundred celestial years, They, by his touch shall gain their former state, And back to heaven ascend, released from fate.
It was this pair of shady Arjun trees, That, bound unto the mortar, Krishna sees, And dragged the mortar to which he was bound, From thence across the intervening ground. In order to fulfil Narada's song, He pulled the mortar by the rope along, And caught obliquely, the two trees at length. Thus Krishna did display his god-like strength. With irresistible force the trunks quake, The branches quiver, twigs and leaves all shake. Then down the trees came crashing to the ground, With cracking, creaking,and a thunderous sound. Then straight two god-like beings forward strode, Who had within the forms of trees abode, With modesty and hands together pressed, A holy hymn in words like these expressed. Etc.
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Post by madanmohandas on Nov 21, 2020 8:27:39 GMT -6
Concluding the annotation to text seven
In another strain, upon hearing the prayer, ‘O Bellybound Damodara! Deign to grant the blessing of unalloyed devotion’, the Lord might apprehend, ‘What, would he thus keep me bound perpetually to the mortar, since the idea of release seems abhorrent to him.’ To allay this consideration, the poet earnestly proclaims, ‘It is not my intention to see thee bound, no, but in the condition wherein you reveal your beauty and exhibit your extraordinary love and devotion. Or else, it may imply, ‘I desire and pray for the blessing of unalloyed devotion, here in Vrindavan, which has its singular excellence, particular and unique manifestation, and where your extraordinary exploits are revealed by direct perception. Hence, his prayer is for perpetual residence in Vrindavan. Other implications may be drawn in the manner preceding.
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Post by madanmohandas on Nov 22, 2020 6:38:56 GMT -6
Text Eight Hail to the bright rope wherewith thou wert bound, All hail to thy belly wherein is found The universe expansive to appear. Hail to Radhika, whom to thee is dear. All hail to thee, the God from whom proceeds Infinite and eternal playful deeds. Dig-darshini annotation The author concludes his prayer for the attainment of the particular excellence of the perfection of unalloyed devotion, in the verse beginning with, ‘namaste ‘stu’ Let there be hail to thee. And with the homage of salutation he glorifies the singular and extraordinary wonder of his beauty, his personal effects, his associated counterparts, and salutes each severally. Glory be to the rope. ‘Hail to the bright rope wherewith thou wert bound.’ Which is to say, I bow in salutation to the wondrous marvellous rope that binds thy belly’. How is the rope characterised? It is reffugent bright in contact with the light divine and radiance of Brahman in the condensed essence of his beautiful form. ‘I bow to thy belly, O Bellybound Damodara, which displays the extraordinary tender charm and beauty of thy delightsome exploits of infancy. Moreover, it accommodates within itself the universal manifestation.’ What are its especial properties? Well, it is the repository and source of the entire mobile and immobile creation, wherein abide the fourteen worlds that sprung from the cosmic lotus. This also alludes to the two instances when his mother beheld the universe-form within his gaping mouth. Such are the general implications.
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Post by madanmohandas on Nov 22, 2020 11:45:25 GMT -6
Thus in binding the belly of the child, Yashoda brought the entire creation into subjection. The capacity to bind him is derived from his affectionate condescension and subservience to his unalloyed devotee. How is it that it might be that the entire creation, evolved from the five constituents of nature, are compressed within his person, is more to be conceived than described, since the Almighty’s puissant powers, attributed to his Godhead are said to be indiscernible by the faculty of ratiocination. Such is the idea. Venerable Sanatan has not supplied any reference to showing the universe-form to his mother, but here is a brief reference to the first instance. One day the cowherd queen her maids had sent To churn the cream, and to her darling went, And lifting up her infant in her arms, Gazed on his face, devouring his charms. While to her breast the thirsty Krishna drew, He yawned, exposing to his mother’s view, The earth, the sky, the mountains and the sea, And all that is, or was, or e’er shall be; The moon, the stars, the blazing god of day, Within his mouth the infant did display. The pious mother could not bear the sight, And shut her fawn-like eyes to scape the fright. (SB.X.VII) By bowing first to the rope and then to the belly, since it is placed over the body, also suggest a progression by degrees to the more excellent object. Now, the author proceeds to pay homage to the beloved associated counterpart in order to elicit that favour which affords the easy accomplishment of those ends that are otherwise rarely attained, due to the magnitude of such high ambition. He therefore proffers his salutation to the supreme Goddess, Sri Radhika, with, ‘namo radhikayai….etc. Hail to Sri Radhika! By naming Radhika, all the cowherd damsels are implied by extension. Yet her prominence and unique attributes is also suggested. The name Sri Radhika signifies, she who is ever active in the perpetual adoration of the Almighty one. Or else, it may donnote, regardless of her acts of worship, that she is his eviternal and beloved consort. Also, ‘tvadiya priyayai’ unto your beloved’, signifies that all your beloveds are as much beloved of her as she by her love for you is loved of them. What then can be told of her ineffable love for you, also as for your affection for her? Thus her love can only be likened to itself. Anyway, ‘To your beloved I bow.’ Since being so, she is as universally worshipable as yourself; therefore I bow to her. These are some of the implications of ‘beloved’, or ‘dear’. Finally, in keeping with the maxim, ‘All undertakings should be concluded sweetly’, the poet, in saluting Sri Radhika, suggests the secret mystery of the Rasa sport in ‘namo’nanta lilaya’, Hail to thine infinite deeds. Or else, in relation to ‘devaya’ to the God if infinite deeds, denotes his singular uncommon attributes, and that his exploits are singularly uncommon. Therefore he closes his divine hymn with,
‘I bow to thee, the God from whom proceeds, Infinite and eternal playful deeds’.
Such is the general trend of the implied meanings. Finis
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