Sri Radha Krpakataksa Stavaraja

[madanmohandas]

These are the first five stanzas of a famous stava,

Sri Radha Krpakataksa Stavaraja

O thou who art of great sages adored,
Removest thou grief of the triple world;
O thou with the propitious lotus-face;
O playful damsel of the flower groves;
Fair daughter of Bhanu, the cowherd prince,
O dear companion of Vrajendra's son!
Alas, when will I receive in this place,
A side-long glance of compassion and grace? 1

Abidest thou in a vine cottage fair,
O'ercanopied with blooming Ashok trees,
Thy soft and delicate radiant feet,
Glow with the crimson sheen of coral buds;
Thy hand is raised to bless with fearlessness,
And to afford bounty and opulence;
Alas, when will I receive in this place,
A side-long glance of compassion and grace? 2

O thou who art adept in Cupids' play,
Whose brows contracted represent his bow,
Releasing a shower of arrows keen,
As glances from the corners of thine eyes;
Whereby the son of Nanda is subdued,
And thus himself surrenders to thy sway.
Alas, when will I receive in this place,
A side-long glance of compassion and grace? 3

Thy golden beauty radiates the sheen
Of flashing lightning and champaka blooms;
The lustre of thy pleasing countenance
Diffuses soft beams of a million moons.
O thou whose eyes dart like chakora birds,
With histrionic expressions of love;
Alas, when will I receive in this place
A side-long glance of compassion and grace? 4

Intoxicated by the sweets of youth,
Delighting in thy pride of conscious worth,
Who taketh joy in thy beloveds' love,
Thou art adept in techniques of love-sport.
In Cupids' exclusive and blessed bowers,
Revealest thou amorous expertise;
Alas, when will I receive in this place
A side-long glance of compassion and grace? 5

[madanmohandas]

Thou art adorned with signs of ecstasy,
And heightened moods of exhilaration;
Thine ample and protruding jug-like breasts,
Like double globes on an elephants head;
Thy laughter and thy pleasant and soft smiles
Stirs up and swells the vast ocean joy.
Alas, when will I receive in this place
A side-long glance of compassion and grace? 6

The tendrils of thy vine-like swaying arms
Resemble the soft ripples on a stream;
O black-eyed beauty of the rolling gaze,
Thy glances dance like vine-tips in the breeze;
Thy amorous motions and gestures charm
And Mohan, bewildered, to thee resorts.
Alas, when will I receive in this place
A side-long glance of compassion and grace? 7

[madanmohandas]

Thy conch-like throat adorned with creases three,
Is decked with wreaths of golden jessamine;
A three stranded auspicious necklace hangs
Around thy neck where three bright jewels gleam;
O thou with black tresses reflecting blue,
O thou whose hair with clustered blooms is twined.
Alas, when will I receive in this place
A side-long glance of compassion and grace.?8

O thou with the ample and shapely hips,
Adorned with a girdle of fragrant blooms,
O thou whose belt tinkles with jingling bells,
Adorning thy beautiful dainty waist;
O thou whose firm tapering thighs appear
Like the proboscis of an elephant,
Alas, when will I receive in this place
A side-long glance of compassion and grace? 9

[madanmohandas]

O thou whose sounding anklets cast a spell
Like muttering of incantations sweet;
And thy soft tinkling as thou dost proceed,
Is reverenced by noble warbling swans;
O thou with the delightsome step and pace,
Thou seemest like a golden swaying vine.
Alas, when will I receive in this place,
A side-long glance of compassion and grace? 10

[madanmohandas]

Thou who in endless million Vishnu realms
And by the lotus-born god art adored;
On fair daughters of Hima, Puloma,
And Virinchi, thou blessing dost confer;
The boundless increase of all perfections
Shine as the radiance of thy toenails;
Alas, when will I receive in this place
A side-long glance of compassion and grace? 11

O Goddess of sacrifice and of deeds,
Presiding Goddess of all offerings,
O ruling Goddess of heavenly gods,
O Goddess of the Vedas tripartite,
Goddess of valid proof, justice and law,
O Empress of the charming garden groves,
O Deity of Vraja, Vraja's queen,
All hail to thee, Sri Radhika, all hail! 12

Phala Sruti.

This is the wondrous hymn that I recite,
Addressed to Bhanu's daughter with delight;
Which when she hears her heart with mercy glows,
Her side-long glance of compassion bestows,
Then cut is the three-fold bondage to deeds,
Who then to Nanda's son's circle accedes. 13

Iti