Verses for the hell of it

Out of a simple need to fix my mind, I am posting some unconnected verses plucked at random from my cards.

केचिद्दास्यमवापुरुद्धवमुखाः श्लाघ्यं परे लेभिरे
श्रीदामादिपदं व्रजाम्बुजदृशां भावं च भेजुः परे ।
अन्ये धन्यतमा धयन्ति मधुरं राधारसाम्भोनिधिं
श्रीचैतन्यमहाप्रभोः करुणया लोकस्य काः सम्पदः ॥

Some, led by Uddhava, attained the mood of service, others the laudable goal of friendship like that of Sridama. Yet others attained the mood of the lotus-eyed women of Vraja. The most fortunate of all raced towards the ocean of Radha rasa. What wealth came to the world as a result of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy! (Chaitanya Chandramrita)

क्वचित्कृष्णावेशान्नटति बहुभंगीमभिनयन्
क्वचिद्राधाविष्टो हरि हरि हरीत्यार्तरुदितः ।
क्वचिद्रिंगन् बालः क्वचिदपि च गोपालचरितो
जगद्गौरो विस्मापयति बहुभंगीमधुरिमा ॥

Gaura amazed the universe with his sweet variety of moods. Sometimes he became absorbed in the character of Krishna and would begin dancing with a variety of gestures; sometimes he took on the mood of Radha and would repeatedly call out the name of Hari in a pained and tearful voice. And sometimes he would crawl like a baby and sometimes act like a cowherd. (Chaitanya Chandramrita)

अद्वैतवीथीपथिकैरुपास्याः
स्वानन्दसिंहासनलब्धदीक्षाः ।
शठेन केनापि वयं हठेन
दासीकृताः गोपवधूविटेन ॥

We were worshipable to those situated on the path of monism, since we had been consecrated on the throne of divine bliss. And yet, we have been forcefully made into slaves of some rogue cowherd playboy.

अदृष्टे दर्शनोत्कण्ठा दृष्टे विशेषभिरुता ।
नादृष्टे न दृष्टे वा भवत्या लभ्यते सुखम् ॥

When you don’t see him, you are anxious to see him. When you do see him, you are afraid of losing him. My dear one, it seems that you can’t find happiness, whether you see him or don’t.

अदृष्टे दर्शनोत्कण्ठा दृष्टेऽस्मिन् स्पर्शलालसा ।
स्पर्शेऽस्य सेर्ष्यवाम्यं तच्चित्रमासां विचेष्टितम् ॥
Calqued on the previous widely circulated verse, from Govinda-lilamrita 10.14:

When they don’t see him, they are anxious to see him. When they do see him, they are greedy to experience his touch. But when they do touch him, then they get all jealous and ornery. Their behavior is truly bizarre.

प्रत्याहृत्य मुनि: क्षणं विषयतो यस्मिन्मनो धित्सते
बालासौ विषयेषु धित्सति ततः प्रत्याहरन्ती मनः ।
यस्य स्फूर्तिलवाय हन्त हृदये योगी समुत्कण्ठते
मुग्धेयं किल तस्य पश्य हृदयान्निष्क्रान्तिमाकाङ्क्षति ॥
This is from Vidagdha-madhava, a classic:

Sages try to turn their minds away from the sense objects in order to fix them on Krishna, and yet this girl wants to place her mind in the sense objects, while she turns it away from him. And the yogis try so hard to get even a moment’s vision of him in their hearts, while this foolish girl is working like mad to drive him out of her heart.

I really like this one.

पातिव्रात्यं क्व नु परवधूत्वापवादः क्व चास्याः
प्रेमोद्रेकः क्व च परवशत्वादिविघ्नः क्व चायम् ।
क्वैषोत्कण्ठा क्व नु बकरिपोर्नित्यसङ्गाद्यलब्धिः
मूलं कृष्ट्वा कषति हृदयं क्वापि शाल्यत्रयी नः ॥

“She is so faithful to her beloved, and yet everyone says she is an unfaithful wife. She loves so deeply, and yet she is dependent on others who interfere with that love. Her anguish to meet Krishna is so great, and yet she is rarely able to be with him. These three daggers pierce my heart and slice its very roots.” (GLA 10.121)