Nikunja Rahasya Stava (Part II)
stavakita-maṇi-dāmnā preyasā gumphitātyad-
bhuta-sulalita-veṇī-preyasī-kḷpta-cūḍau |
mitha udayad-akhaṇḍa-prema-rajjū-vibaddhau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||14||
Flower-clusters dangle from both sides of Sri Yugala Kishor’s jewel-ornamented hair, but still Keli Chand Krishna wants to decorate Rai’s wonderful veni, and she begins to arrange his chura! With every second they are becoming more and more bound within the limitless ropes of prema! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
kanaka-rucira-cūḍā-kaṅkaṇa-dvandva-pāṇī |
vilasad-aruṇa-rociḥ-pīta-kauṣeya-vāsau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||15||
When Rai Kishori’s veni is braided, it dangles over her buttocks; Krishna’s peacock-feathered crown is captivating. The Divine Couple both wear bangles and bracelets on their wrists. Radha’s silken undergarment is red and Krishna wears his pitambara. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
mṛgamada-rasa-bhālau mālatī-kunda-mālau |
tarala-taruṇa-veśau nīla-pītāmbareśau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||16||
Radha’s body is yellow, like gold, and Krishna’s body is blue, like a cloud. Their eyes are like blue and red lotuses, black irises with the tint of rose around the edges. Tilak designs of deer musk adorn their foreheads, and they’re garlanded by malati and kunda malas. Their deep blue and pitambara outfits match their new youth. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
sakala-rasika-cūḍālaṅkṛtī mugdha-veśau |
madhura-madhura-mūrtī vidyud-ambhoda-kāntī
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||17||
The delightful young lovers personify ever-fresh loveliness; they are the worshipable crown-jewels of all rasikas, and sweeter than the sweetest! Their dress is attractive—colored like a flash of lightning within a raincloud! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
hasita-lalita-dṛṣṭyātyadbhutotkarṣa-kāṣṭhām |
parama-rasa-rahasyāveśataḥ sandadhānau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||18||
Deeply absorbed within the most intimate rasa, they’re indescribably sweet as they exchange madhura smiles and glances, and converse back and forth in a wonderfully intriguing fashion! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
praṇaya-bhara-vivṛdhau tuṅgitānaṅga-ceṣṭau |
surata-rasa-madāndhau nyasta-jīvau mithoṅge
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||19||
Hidden from the teachings found in all the Shrutis, this Couple nourishes each other’s intense prema, but now their ananga keli reaches an extreme pitch! Aho! They’ve become blinded with surata intoxication as they fully surrender their lives to each other's bodies! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
nija-rasa-nidhi-vaktre datta-tac-carvya-bhāgau |
mitha uru-rasadāṅga-sparśa-lolubhyamānau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||20||
Rai holds a tambul vitika (pan) up to her Priya Ramana’s moon-like face, and after chewing it, Krishna offers it back to rasa nidhi Rai’s mouth with a nectar-filled kiss. In this way, they increase each other's maddening desire to touch each other again and again! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
krama-samudita-tat-tat-sauratāścarya-nītī |
bahir atirasa-līlānuvratā-kṣāma-varṇau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||21||
Due to the overpowering force of the extreme intoxication from their excessive delight, their eyes shamelessly regard each other without any restraint. Progressively their amazing lovemaking skills are called into play. Hence, the sakhis and manjaris who eagerly watch outside the keli bhavana ecstatically chatter about this overwhelmingly relishable lila. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
nīla-vidalita-tuṅgānaṅga-saṅgrāma-khedau |
kṣaṇa-sahacara-ramyārabdha-bhūyo-vihārau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||22||
Aho! A breeze gently blows through the silver cottage's windows to cool them as they become fatigued from the feverish ecstasy of their erotic tussle. And in just a moment of refreshment brought by this friendly breeze, they start up their delightful lovemaking again. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
sulalita-lalitāder nirṇimeṣākṣi-randhraiḥ |
hṛdayam upanayantau pūrṇa-saukhyāmbu-rāśau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||23||
The Divine Couple's restless bodies display the bruises and love-bites they have accumulated in their delightful lilas. Thus the lovely Lalita and other sakhis peek through the kunja windows with unblinking eyes and embrace the madhura darshan of this overflowing ocean of joy to their hearts! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
kṣiti-talam anu labdhvānanda-mūrcchāṁ patantīḥ |
prati rati-vidadhānau ceṣṭitaiś citra-citraiḥ
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||24||
Radha’s loving sakhis can’t hold on a moment more—while peeking from the windows they fall unconscious from the excruciating impact of prema’s darshan ananda! In this way, through their ever-diverse, amazing activities, the Divine Couple bestows their love on them. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
bahu-vidha-paripṛcchā-kāritānyonya-vācau |
animiṣa-nayanāli-svāditānyonya-vaktrau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||25||
As their hands continuously fondle each other’s bodies, they talk to each other, asking each other questions and exchanging rasa katha. And all the while, the bees of their unblinking eyes constantly drink in the honey of each other’s lotus faces. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
śramita-tanu-manaskau kelli-vismāpitālī |
bahu-vidha-rasa-gātra-sparśa-jalpa-prahāsau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||26||
Their minds and bodies unceasingly spin within the whirlpools of Kandarpa’s amazing ocean of delight, gradually becoming fatigued and causing the sakhis and manjaris to be spellbound! They caress each other's bodies, laughing and speaking all sorts of meaningless words of love! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
dayita-nija-sakhībhir bījyamānau paṭāntaiḥ |
sarasa-bhujaga-vallī-pallavāsvādi-vaktrau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||27||
In the fatigue of their all-consuming love play, the Divine Couple's bodies become slack, and so their beloved sakhis fan them with their own garments and put tasty tambul vitikas into their mouths, turning their leaf-like lips red and enhancing the beauty of their faces. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
vyatimilita-mukhendū kiṅkiṇī-lālitāṅghrī |
nava-rati-rasa-khelā-śrānti-tandrālu-netrau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||28||
While wrapping their shivering, love-excited arms around each other's necks, they stay there, resting cheek against each other's cheek, their waist-bells undone and dangling over their feet. Yet in the jostling of ever-fresh rati-rasa-keli their lotus eyes slightly close and they doze off! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
truṭi-lavam iva yātāṁ manyamānau tri-yāmām |
pratinimiṣam asīmojjṛmbhitānaṅga-tṛṣṇau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||29||
From head to toe, their bodies are submerged in the ocean of surata rasa! The three praharas of the night seem to them to have elapsed as if they were just a fleeting second! And yet, their thirst to taste each other's love increases limitlessly at every moment! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
katham api kalanīyau kasyacid bhāgya-sīmnaḥ |
śruti-tatibhir agamyau sat-sabhājasra-saṅgau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||30||
Radha and Krishna are only visible to those who are blessed with the greatest good fortune and who have a feeling of great love and affection for their names, which are a great abode of sweetness. They are unknowable by the Vedas, but appear always and fully within the assembly of the saintly. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
vana-vipina-nikuñje divya-divyair vilāsaiḥ |
niravadhi rasamānau rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau
bhaja sakalam upekṣya tāvakāḥ śāstra-yuktīḥ ||31||
Radha Keli Chand’s most secret and divine Vrindavan nikunja keli oozes an ocean of delight. Hey bhaktas! You who relish the divine moods and flavors! Just discard other thoughts, family attachment and the Vedic strictures to perform exclusive bhajan of the Divine Couple as they relish these lovemaking pastimes!
pramada-bhara-vilāsair adbhutaṁ bhāva-yuktaḥ |
paṭhati ya iha rātrau nityam avyagra-cittau
vimala-matiṣu rādhālīṣu sakhyaṁ labheta ||32||
This most delightful stava is so amazing and wonderful due to being filled with Radhika and Krishna Chandra’s intoxicating prema. Whoever recites it at night , with deep feeling and undisturbed heart, will attain friendship of Srimati Radharani in the association of her pure-hearted sakhis!
|| iti śrī-nikuñja-rahasya-stavaḥ sampūrṇaḥ ||
--o)O(o--
There are manuscripts of this text under the name Nikunja-vilasa-stava in the Radha-vallabha sampradaya attributed to Prabodhananda. There are many phrases that remind us of his other works, including both Chaitanya-chandramrita and Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi. Like verse 31, for instance. That is pure Prabodhananda.
Radha and Krishna--diving and bobbing up out of the ocean of surata rasa. And the sakhis, watching and coming out of their stupor to fan when the Divine Couple floats for a moment on the surface, effulgent in the afterglow of their lila. Just remember the one line--smara nibhrita-nikunje radhika-krishna-chandrau.
The sakhi bhava, to answer a recent question, is the archetype of the non-satori satori, the oneness of total absorption, with just enough separation to serve and relish. Rasa means relish. It is the consequence of personhood, possession of an individual mind, even in transcendence.
Go to Part I
Comments
How wonderful this Nikunja Rahasya Stava is!
Since last time I have been trying to penetrate into your perspective on Vaishnavism. In order to try to understand your Sahajiya-vaishnavism I have tried to practice Namajapa (Hare Krishna Hare Rama)and reading your articles of "Raganuga Bhakti and Sahaja Sadhana", "Ahangrahopasana and Aropa" and, ofcourse, "Answer to Prem Ananda":-)
I must admit that in this short time and with no contact with Krishna devotees my experience of the vaishnava path has been only in my own mind. But I have made some reflections on the subject.
SATCHIDANANDA
It is interesting to see how you put SATCHIDANANDA in relation to Brahman, Paramatman and Bhagavan. And in that order. I also understand the logic in this setup.
In trika-shaivism (Kashmiri Shaivism) it is said that Shiva is the only being and true existence (Sat) and that Chit and Ananda is his conscious and blissfull qualities( Shiva is Chidananda).
In trika-shaivism it is also said that Shiva is the Supreme Lord and the only Person in the whole of creation. The only reason that this is not clear is because of Mayas veiling and the seemingly limitation of time, space, creativity, knowledge, attachment, and individuality. Why does Shiva let this veiling of his true identity take place? Is Shiva weaker than Maya? Trika-shaivism answers that the veiling is happening because Shiva wants it to. Shiva enjoyes this game of veiling and reveiling himself. It is His Lila.
In this respect, when the shaiva sits and says "Shivo'ham" he says that he is like Shiva in quality but not in quantity. "I am Shiva existing in the form of this limited body, but Shiva is also all around me, in the minerals, plants, animals, planets, stars and galaxies. Shiva is the transcendentals Self, immanent in all indivuals Selves". The realization of the shaiva yogi is that his identity shifts from Jiva to Shiva, feeling himself to be both transcendent in consciousness and immanent in individuality.
With this in view, I find something that I see as corresponding between shajaiya-vaishnavism and trika-shaivism, though they are different in expression.
Both schools of thought accept the samkhya theory of tattvas, though their numbers of categories is different (traditional samkhya has 24 or 25 tattvas, depending on wether you include Purusha as a tattva or not, while trika-shaivism talks about 36 tattvas. Here the 11 last tattvas is concerned with Shivas various states of being, from maya and the five limitations, to the pure state of Shiva as the Supreme Being).
These differences I am in no way to judge. I may sympathisize with one or the other, but I am in no position to judge since my experience of these higher tattvas is nil.
DAS OR NATH?
In orthodox Gaudiya-Vaishnavism I have heard it said that we Jivas exist to be the servants of Krishna. Our only purpose of being is to serve and please the Lord. This seems strange to me. Is the Lord really a dictator? Can this be true. Seen from this statement and perspective it seems like the Lord has only made us to be his slaves. Can this really be so? Then why have I never experienced Krishna in this perspective? From all that I have read, Krishna seems like true friend, lover and guru. I the Bhagavad Gita I read about a compassionate and concerned friend. He does not act like a dictator to Arjuna. He guides him, helps him and loves him as a true friend.
In vrindavan he shows himself as a true lover in the sensual play between him and Radha. Here he displayes the lovers sweet devotion to his beloved.
How can this Krishna demant from his firend, or his beloved that they should become his servants? And as a father of the whole universe, can it be that he wants his children to be his servants?
I am a father myself and I truly wish that my daughter will be herself, find her own way of expression in life. I want her to be a Master in her own respect, not a servant. How can Krishna want that from us?
I do not think is fault lays with Krishna, but with teacher interpretating Krishna. How often have not seen that people, consciously or unconsciously, have twisted the truth to fit into their own perception of how things should be.
ON SEX
Why does orthodox vaishnavas condemn sex? Can it be that the celebate teachers has colored their interpretations of Krishna and Radha in light of their own life situation? Where does Krishna condemn sex?
I will share a insight from my own master. (I know that he is looked upon as "the anti-krishna" in ISKCON circles, but I hope that this will not result in the discarding of my sincere inquiry into understanding Krishna from the vaishnava point of view).
Acharya Rajneesh (aka Osho) says that sex-energy is the Elan Vital present in the whole creation. It is a natural phenomenon and the incomplete individuals longing for union and completeness.Physical sex is but the crude manifestation of this longing. But in order to evolve past this crude manifestation of longing we have to understand it. Therefor it is important that we experience sex in its physical aspect when it comes naturally. Acharya Rajneesh has explained that if sex is accepted in a true manner, it will naturally evolve from its physical state into love and then to compassion.
The physical state of sex naturally manifest in the age between 14 and 21. Here we seek physical union. We are also in the best physical shape to bare children.
The emotional state of sex, or romance, happens naturally after the physical state of sex (maybe between the age of 21 and 28). If the physical state has been lived through and "tired out" it is natural that we look for something more. The physical union is not enough. We want to know the other person more intimately than on the physical level. We want to connect emotionally. So here we look for love, not sex.
After sometime in the emotional state of love (maybe between the age of 28 and 35) it will transform into compassion. We discover that love is something that comes from within. Through living in the emotional state, triggered from the outside by our beloved, we come to realize that love is something that comes from the core of our being and shines outward. This is the mental state of love, not in an intelectual meaning, but in the sense that love shines on every object arising in our mental field (all outwardly objects also is reflected in the mental field), and this transforms love into compassion. And with compassion the physical aspect of sex also looses more of its grip.
At last comes the spiritual state of love. This is when one discovers that ONE IS LOVE. One unites with ones own being. Here the physical aspect of sex is totally lost and one is whole in oneself.
The last stage of union, or yoga, may differ in vaishnavism and shaivism. As I understand it, one leaves individual identification (the state of Jiva) and unites with Krishna in the final state as one next to Him. In shaivism one unites with Shiva as one (the Jiva experiences absorption in Shiva).
KRISHNA AS LOVER AND FRIEND
I feel that Krishna shows us the way out of sex and into love through His sensual play with Radha. He displays the feverish love between a man and a woman deeply in love, connecting on a highly emotional level.
Later, in Bhagavad Gita, he comes as our friend, filled with compassion for our confused state of mind. He expects nothing but shows us everything. He act like a friend but enlighten us as a Guru. And what I hear Him tell us is that we should realize our own true nature, fullfill our svadharma and be happy as we are. He does not tell Arjuna not to be a warrior, but to be a complete warrior. Neither does he tell Radha to be a celebate or the gopis to be faithful but to be completely and madly in love.
I love the expression of Krishna and I see Him as the most complete expression in human form.
Acharya Rajneesh has said that Krishna is the most colorful expression that have ever happened. Mahavira (the Jain saint of the religion Rajneesh was raised in), Buddha and Christ all shows us one way to Mokasha. Krishna is like a prism that transform the divine, invisible light into a rainbow of expressions. He is Mokasha.
JAI SRI KRISHNA!
Thanks ones again, Jagananda Dasaji for your wonderful blog. I hope this rambeling makes sense to you. As you shurely have noticed english is not my mother tounge and even though I always start out with a plan I end up somewhere completely else :-)
Love from Prem Ananda