From Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi

[madanmohandas]

Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi

Whenever the odorous fragrance rare
Is wafted by the movement of the air,
When Radha’s garment flutters in the wind,
Madhusudan, whom yogins hardly find,
Considers that he has attained the best
Of all supreme fulfilment doubly blest;
I bow in that direction with all praise,
Where Vrishabhanu raja’s daughter stays. 2

The dust of whose lotus-feet wonderful,
To the great gods is inconceivable;
That even Lord Brahma and Isha too,
The power of that dust cannot construe.
Whose glance, with pity melting, doth dispense,
Of all supreme attainments the essence;
I bow to her who doth such power bear,
Sri Vrishabhanu raja’s daughter fair. 3

That Primal Mighty Purusha Supreme,
By the gods and great sages is not seen;
Nor Brahma, Rudra, Shuka, Narad too,
Nor can the wise Bhishma that Being view,
And yet he comes under the influence,
Of the fine pollen dust, the quintessence,
Of all potent and magic potions rare,
That adheres to the feet of Radha fair,
I bow to her in faithful hope and trust,
And always contemplate that pollen dust. 4

Again I recall dust of Radha's feet,
With love for her dear followers replete;
The pious cowherd dames, without reserve,
Take that dust on their heads that they might serve
Her lotus-feet; and he a crown who wears
Of peacock plumes, an eager longing bears
To relish of her feet the servitude,
And celebration of beatitude,
Which she like love's cow of plenty confers
On her affectionate fond worshipers. 5

Who is the sea of loves' dexterity,
Of loving sentiments the only sea;
Sea of affection, sea of compassion;
Of pearly lustrous sheen the vast ocean;
The ocean of ambrosial beauty,
And of divine exploits the swelling sea.
May that Sri Radhika her grace impart,
And manifest herself within my heart. 18

Having gone to bathe in a lonely place,
By Kalinda's daughter's flood, full of grace,
There with fond affection I gently toil,
To rub your Cupid-rousing limbs with oil;
O Radhika, and will I ever see
On the high branch of a Kadamba tree
That he may have an unrestricted view,
Your sweet lover with gazes fixed on you? 24

Who is essence of pearly radiance,
Essence of love, of joy the quintessence;
The essence of compassion and pity,
The quintessence of sweetest rare beauty;
The quintessence of dext'rous sapience;
And of amorous play the quintessence;
May she who bears the name of Radha be
The essence of all essences to me. 26

[madanmohandas]

Here are a few more verses.

All hail to some fair Goddess of the bowers!
Who with the contact of her body showers
A stream of nectar in vast profusion,
Which revives, like a tonic, Nanda's son,
And a new vigour unto him imparts,
Who was smit by millions of Cupids' darts. 6

When with the wondrous beauty charm and grace
Will we perceive Radha's expressive face?
The sweet amorous postures she displays,
The humours of perpetual joy conveys;
She shines with a bright pearly radiance,
And is of loves' ocean the quintessence. 7

Whose maidservants are often times besought
By him whose crown with peacock plumes is wrought,
Although eternal and the Supreme male,
With plaintive entreaty he doth assail.
Of Vrishabhanu's daughter, of such power,
When will I be a sweeper in the bower? 8

O mind! All thought of honours great disown;
Cast them afar, and in Vrindavan roam;
And contemplate in fond beatitude,
The one who grants salvation to the good;
Who as the store of divine bliss is famed,
And by the epithet Sri Radha named. 9

That lover when he falls down at your feet,
And but for one sweet embrace doth entreat,
When shall I hear you of the curving brow,
Sri Radhike, crying, 'no, stop it, no!' 10

What time requested by thee I should be,
To go and bath in the Dark stream with thee,
I shall advise thee as my dearest friend,
To wait until the Dark night doth descend.
When my insinuation thou shalt hear,
O Vrishabhanu raja's daughter fair,
My secret meaning thou wilt understand,
And smite me with the flower in thy hand.
O when will I receive such honour high,
A special grace bestowed and dignity? 15

[madanmohandas]

Here is the Gaurachandrika invoking Gaura's blessing.

Whose limbs all spread with joyful bristling hair,
Mock Kadamba blooms, proud of beauty rare;
Who doth 'Hari, Hari!' constantly cry,
With arms like golden columns raised on high;
And as he dances, sprinkles all around,
And floods of tears turn muddy all the ground;
While singing with each dear associate,
To that Sri Gaura Chandra I prostrate. 1

[madanmohandas]

Whose lotus-flower feet diffuse the sheen
Of moon gem toe nails, by gopis unseen.
Who is the form of constant passion sweet,
The essence of the sea of love complete.
Will that Radhika fraught with great mercy,
Confer her gracious favour unto me? 11

[madanmohandas]

Whose limbs like undulating billows rise
Upon the sea of love; restless her eyes.
When will that Goddess of the bower house,
In Vrinda forest, under shady boughs,
Afford to me the rare sacred delight,
And grant to me of her the blessed sight? 12

[madanmohandas]

O Goddess of Vrindavan, I entreat,
And seek the refuge of your lotus-feet!
Which trickle love-nectar like lotus flowers,
And the full quintessence of rasa showers;
And when placed on the heart of Madhu's Lord,
From Cupids' affliction he is restored,
And by the touch of those dear blessed feet,
Soothing like balm, he is relieved of heat. 13

[madanmohandas]

Where vines are plucked by Radha's blessed hand,
Where Radha's lovely footprints mark the land,
Where Radha's fame is sung by birds and bees,
That perch upon and buzz around the trees;
May my mind in Radha's play forest grove,
Delightedly wander around and rove. 14

[madanmohandas]

See above for 15.

While gazing down, as modesty assails,
At her own shiny radiant toenails,
She sees reflective, from a distant place,
The gallant Rasikendra's moon-like face;
And thereupon she hastens at a bound,
And tinkling anklets on her feet resound;
Alas, when shall I be graced with a sight
Of beauteous Radha, fraught with delight! 16

Wakeful in love-sport having spent the night,
With your amorous hero in delight,
When suddenly the pleasant night was o'er,
You blissfully exit the bower door.
Having assisted you to bathe and eat,
Will you, Radhe, sleep as I rub your feet! 17

[madanmohandas]

See 18 in first post.

When she beholds in ecstasy divine
Her lover, trembles like a Champak vine;
And whenever his flute music is heard,
Her body is agitated and stirred;
And when I sing in dulcet tones to please,
Of Shyamasundara's rare qualities,
Will Vrishabhanu's daughter me enlace,
In gratitude, with a loving embrace? 19

[madanmohandas]

Sri Radhike, your ample hips are round,
And like the river of the gods resound
With a waist band of tinkling bells that chime,
As swans gliding the stream warble sublime;
And like the honey bees murmuring sweet,
The anklets tinkle on your lotus-feet.
Thus sooth your lovers' burning pain and care,
With your soft influence and beauty rare. 20

[madanmohandas]

Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi 21

sri-raadhike suratarangini divya-keli
kallola-maalini lasad-vadanaaravinde/
syaamaarmtaabunidhi-sangama-tivra-veginy-
aavarta-naabhi-rucire mama sannidhehi//21

O Suratarangini, Radhike!
Who revel in waves of amorous play;
Your face doth as the charming lotus gleam,
As lotus flowers stud the sacred stream;
And with a forceful current onward urged,
In the sweet Shyama ocean you are merged;
Your sunk navel the whirlpools represent,
Which beauty of the swift current augment.
And will you graciously, approaching near,
Before me in all your splendour appear? 21

(*Sura-tarangini, the wavy river of the gods.
Surata-rangni, an amorous damsel.)

[madanmohandas]

Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi 22

sat-prema-sindhu-makaranda-rasaugha-dhaaraa
saaraan-ajasram-abhitah sravad-aasritesu/
sri-raadhike tava kadaa caranaaravindam
govinda-jivan-dhanam sirasaa vahaami// 22

True loves' ocean flows with a honey stream
With high billows of ecstasy extreme;
Which from her feet trickles with vast increase,
To favour her surrendered refugees;
Those tender lotus flower feet appear
To Govinda as his life's treasure dear;
And when will I, O fair Sri Radhike,
Those lotus feet upon my head convey? 22

[madanmohandas]

Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi 23

sanketa-kunjam-anu-kunjara-manda-gaaminy-
aadaaya divya-mrdu-candana-gandha-maalyam/
tvaam kaama-keli-rabhasena kadaa calanti
raadhe'nuyaami padavim-upadarsayanti// 23

Who slow proceeds like a cow elephant,
Toward the trysting bower with intent
In amorous diversion to resort,
With her beloved Lord in Cupids' sport.
And as I divine scents and wreaths convey,
O Radhe, will I guide point the way? 23

[madanmohandas]

See first post for 24.

Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi 25/26

sat-prema-raasi-saraso vikasat-sarojam
svaananda-sidhu-rasa-sindhu-vivardhanendum/
tac-chri-mukham kutila-kuntala-bhrnga-justam
sri-raadhike tava kadaa nu vilokayisye// 25

Sri Radhike, your lotus flower face
Blooms in the brimming lake of love and grace;
Your loose and curly tumbling locks unwound,
Like bees that the fair lotus bloom surround;
Or 'tis like the bright moon that raises high
The ocean of self-bliss and ecstasy.
Ah me alas, when will I ever view,
Sri Radhike, such a vision of you? 25

laavanya-saara-rasa-saara-sukhaika-saare
kaarunya-saara-madhura-cchavi-rupa-saare/
vaidagdhya-saara-rati-keli-vilaasa-saare
raadhaabhide mama mano'khila-saara-saare// 26

Who is essence of pearly radiance,
Essence of love, of joy the quintessence;
The essence of compassion and pity,
The quintessence of sweetest rare beauty;
The quintessence of dext'rous sapience;
And of amorous play the quintessence;
May she who bears the name of Radha be
The essence of all essences to me. 26

[madanmohandas]

Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi 27

cintaamanih pranamataam vraja-naagarinaam
cudaamanih kula-manir-vrsabhaanu-naamna/
saa syaama-kaama-vara-saanti-manir-nikunja-
bhusaa-manir-hrdaya-samputa-san-manir-naha//27

The wish fulfilling gem for devotees,
The crown gem of Vraja's fair nagaris;
And of the Raja Vrishabhanu's line,
The bright gem of the family divine.
The potent gem that impels and inspires,
And assuages Shyama's loving desires;
The fair gem that adorns the bower grove.
May we with fondest affection and love,
That pure and precious gem and treasure rare,
In the jewel casket of our hearts bear. 27