Dandaatmika Seva

[madanmohandas]

Dandaatmika seva.

A muhurta amounts to about 48 minutes, and half of that is a danda, about 24 minutes; also called a ghatika because it can be measured with a water chronometer by submersing a ghata or pot. Anyway, the Asta Kaliya or prahara are the eight parts of the full 24 hour day. Krishna's pastimes recounted according to the order and sequence of the day have been further reduced, or divided into 64 Dandas or 24 minute periods. Siddha Krishna das of Govardha composed a short poem outlining in a condensed form the Astaka laliya Lila, subdividing into the 64 dandas. Well, as for that, here is a rudimentary rendering to the first eight dandas, starting at 06:00. The four line stanzas represent the payar couplets.

Arising at the early dawn of day,
Beautiful Sri Radha Thakurani,
Addresses herself to her usual tasks,
Of splashing her face and cleansing her teeth.

With fragrant substances and powder fine,
The sakhi friends assist her to her bath,
Then with fine garments and bright ornaments,
They adorn her and decorate her limbs.

Srimati thus in these observances
Spends the first danda of the early day,
And all the while with an eager longing,
Her mind to see Krishna is overwhelmed. 1

Then to prepare Krishna's breakfast she goes,
Proceeding on the path to Nandishvar,
And while she wends along the pleasant way,
She spends another danda of the day. 2

Thereafter full five more dandas are spent,
In cooking and preparing the repast; 7
Then with the passage of one danda more,
Krishna enjoys his early morning feast. 8

[madanmohandas]

Then the ninth danda period is passed,
While Radha partakes of Krishna-prasad,
The sakhi friends, receiving the remnant,
Also partake the delicacies there. 9

After the ninth period Krishna goes,
And leads the cows towards the pasture ground,
The which Sri Radha having thus observed,
Retraced her way back home and there arrived.

Thus one danda time period is spent,
And the next danda following is passed
In preparation of the articles
Required for the worship of the Sun. 11

[madanmohandas]

Whereon with the articles she proceeds,
Toward the fane for worship of the Sun;
And while along the path she forward wends,
Three more danda time periods elapse. 14

Arriving at the temple of the Sun,
And having made prostrate obeisance there,
She gathers all the votive offerings,
And to keep them, she puts them to one side.

Then on the pretence of gathering flowers,
She proceeds with beloved sakhi friends,
Who thereon make their way to Radha kund,
With longing to behold Sri Krishna there.

Two more dandas are spent while she proceeds,
When Rai arrives at the bank of her kund,
With eager yearning Sri Krishna to see,
Into a bower cottage she repairs. 16

[madanmohandas]

Thereupon she greeted Sri Krishna there,
And offered him garlands and sandal scent;
With broken voices, tremulous with love,
The couple unite in a fond embrace.

Then varieties of exploits ensue,
In which the couple revel in delight;
They mount a swing in merriment and joy,
And thus the couple are absorbed in bliss.

Then in the company of sakhi friends,
They play varieties of water sorts,
Then to a leafy bower they repair,
And revel in the game of playing dice.

Defeated in the game, Sri Krishna says,
To Sri Radhika in sincerity,
'Now take the prize that you have fairly won,
And keep me always at your tender feet.'

Thereafter with rice pudding and fried rice,
Krishna is fed with a sumptuous meal,
Whereafter Rai with all her sakhi friends,
Partake the tasty remnant of his plate.

And now the divine couple take their leave,
And enter a pavilion wrought with gems,
And there divert themselves in sweet love play,
Whence their hearts blossom and dilate with bliss.

In this manner, in various exploits,
A full six dandas of the day are spent,
Thereafter Sri Radhika makes her way
And repairs to the fane by the Sun kund. 22

[madanmohandas]

Proceeding further with Dandaatmika Seva, and concluding the first half, consisting of thirty two dandas from six in the morning to six in the evening.

In going to the temple of the Sun,
Radha spends two more dandas on the path,
And another danda is duly spent,
In worshipping the illustrious Sun. 25

When worship of the Sun is completed,
Radha again returns to her own home,
And four danda time periods elapse,
While she upon the homeward path proceeds. 26

Thereafter, Sri Radhika, when at home,
And having taken her afternoon bath,
Partakes remnants of the Suns' offering,
In the company of her sakhi friends.

Partaking the grace of the offering,
Sri Radha spends another danda more,
She then prepares luchi, puri and cakes,
With condensed ambrosia pudding sweet. 30

For Krishna's delectation she prepares
Sweet rice and varieties of cooked rice;
Conveying them to the hands of Tulsi,
Who is sent to take the dainties to him.

And thereafter, Sri Radhika the fair,
Sits herself down in a solitary place,
And for Krishna weaves garlands of fresh flowers,
Exhilarated with longing and love.

She then prepares succulent tambul leaf,
And grinds fresh sandal into fragrant paste;
Thus two danda time periods are spent,
When thus the pleasant day draws to a close. 32

Thus thirty two danda time periods pass,
Which constitute the diurnal exploits,
In this manner Radha and Krishna play,
Eternally in Vraja everyday.

[madanmohandas]

Having completed the first half of Dandaatmika Seva consisting of 32 dandas, each being a period of time comprising about 24 minutes. Thus we have had the diurnal sports from 6am to 6pm. Now follows the nocturnal sports from 6pm through to 6am.

On the arrival of the eventide,
Rai beautiful reclines in soft repose;
Wearied from traversing the many paths,
She spends two dandas recumbent in sleep. 2

Thereafter, when these two dandas elapse,
Rai then sits down and gins to cook again;
And when she has completed all her task,
Two more danda time periods are spent. 4

After the passage of full six dandas,
Remnants of Krishna's meal are thither brought,
And in the company of sakhi friends,
One danda is spent relishing the meal. 7

And when the fine refection is complete,
Radha reclines for full three dandas more;
Then rising in the tenth danda, prepares
To proceed clandestinely to the tryst. 10

[madanmohandas]

Proceeding to the Sanket trysting bower,
Two further danda time periods pass;
Thereon, when the twelfth danda is complete,
Arriving there, Sri Krishna she beholds. 12

With refreshments, garlands and sandal paste,
In one more danda the couple are served;
Many an humorous speech is exchanged,
How wondrous pleasant their conversation! 13

In the amusement of the Rasa dance,
Full four danda time periods elapse,
Where the sakhis foregather in a throng,
And the glories of Radha-Krishna sing. 17

The eighteenth danda period is spent,
Engrossed in love sports in a flower grove;
Thereon they are decked with many flowers;
Flowers their persons, gems their limbs adorn. 18

A flower skirmish thereupon ensues,
Wherein another danda passes by
And then upon a flower bestrewn bed,
The couple there recline in soft repose. 19

The twentieth danda thereon is spent
Partaking of a sumptuous repast;
Which Vrindadevi and others had brought,
Whose minds were with exhilaration fraught. 20

[madanmohandas]

After the twentieth danda hath passed,
The couple take their amorous delight,
And full four dandas of the night are spent
In the exhilaration of love sport. 24

Thereon Radha and Krishna, filled with bliss,
Enjoy a pleasant and delightsome sleep,
Two dandas in blissful slumber pass by,
Whereafter the couple must needs arise. 26

Now sore distressed and much disquieted,
The couple must depart the pleasure grove,
And two more danda periods elapse,
Before the couple, distressed, bid farewell. 28

The couple thus severally proceed,
And spend two more dandas along the way,
Thus from the grove Radha-Krishna depart,
And journey to their own respective home.

Rai beautiful by the second danda
Enters Yavat village clandestinely; 30
And the two dandas that remain of night,
Are passed in sweet slumber and soft repose. 32

[madanmohandas]

These are indeed the dandas thirty two,
That constitute the nocturnal exploits;
In this manner Radha and krishna play,
Eternally in Vraja everyday.

Who can Radha and Krishna's deeds divine
Recount in words or with speeches describe?
A brief outline only here I have sketched,
For some deliberation on service.

Ensuing the ways of passionate love,
Wherein the practice and the end obtain;
This daily account of divine exploits,
Facilitates service within the mind.

The worthy aspirant will cultivate
And learn the intricacies of service,
According to the sequence of the day,
And render services within the mind.

At the feet of Rupa and Raghunath,
Like lotuses, rest all of my desires;
How service, as sixty four dandas pass,
Can be rendered; so sayeth Krishna das.

Finis