Lochan Das's Dhāmāli: The Mugdhā Nāyikā
Locana dasa Thakura’s Dhāmāli (continued narrations) from Gadadhar Pran Das, whatsapp/email +91-7501237557
śuno lo sajani, āmi je abalā, suradhunī tīre giye
lajjera māthāte, khāiye elām, kapiāche āmāra hiye
gaura baraṇa, rasera mūrati, dekhilām ghāṭera kule
bukera basana, khasiyā porilo, dhorite parāṇa ghure
pabana jhaṭake, naṭana nāṭake, phaṭki āilām dūre
ta dekhiyā hasiyā, ḍaliyā porilo, rasika gaurā+nga rāya
se ra+nga dekhiyā, marame morinu, se kathā kahibo kāya
daradi haile, darada bujhaye, tāhāre nāhika dhara
janama boriye, moribe dhoriye, viṣama āmāra ghara
locana kahaye, doradi pāile, parāṇa batiyā di
jāhāra jāhāte, marama pasilo, dhorite koribe ki ?
Gaura-krpā-koṇikā
As we have been hearing about the pragalbhā ramaṇīs who act boldly in their loving affairs with Gauranga, here we find a mugdhā nāyikā who is just the opposite. In Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi’s Nāyikā-bheda chapter, Rupa Goswami describes this category of heroines as follows:
mugdhā nava-vayaḥ-kāmā ratau vāmā sakhī-vaśā |
rati-ceṣṭāsu sa-vrīḍa-cāru-gūḍha-prayatna-bhāk ||
kṛtāparādhe dayite bāṣpa-ruddhāvalokanā |
priyāpriyoktau cāśaktā māne ca vimukhī sadā ||
Since the nāgarī of Locana’s poem can fit this description, let’s try to see what she can be like as we read the following story:
Our name is Parama Sundari; as we are a yūtheśvarī nāgarī, our priya sakhī named Suruci is coming to meet us today. And we now happen to be bathing at a secluded Ganga ghāṭa that lies beside a beautiful kadamba forest.
“O Paramā!” Suruci addresses us as she enters the water while escorting a new friend. “This girl’s name is Basanti, and she is coming to seek your guidance. Can you give her some advice? But she fears her relatives, so can you please keep this matter confidential?”
“Don’t worry,” we answer, turning to the beautiful maiden. “For, Basanti, are we not your intimate friends?”
Feeling encouraged, Basanti starts to tell us about this morning’s incident at the Ganga ghāṭa: how the wind blew away the cloth covering her breasts, how Gaura became so excited, and how she was embarrassed like anything.
But then we tell Basanti: “Do you know what we would have done in that situation ? We would have just asked him directly: 'Do you want to enjoy with us?'”
Upon hearing about our boldness, however, Basanti blushes and meekly answers: “Oh, I could never be like that.”
“Then don’t you desire his intimate association?” we ask.
“Well, yes, I do.” Basanti replies. “But I don’t know how to approach him, and after we meet, what would I say? Moreover, I feel too shy to make love, so could we just exchange kisses?”
But then we hear someone speak out: “Hey sundaris! As I was walking by didn’t I hear one of you say that she wants to kiss me? O where is that pretty damsel? Can I meet her?”
As we suddenly turn around, we are really surprised—for there is Gauranga standing on the river bank! “O how did he happen to show up at this splendid moment?” we curiously wonder.
As if fathoming our thoughts, however, our Rasika Raja answers:
nāhaṁ tiṣṭhāmi vaikuṇṭhe yogināṁ hr̥daye na ca
mad-bhaktā yatra gāyanti tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada
“Oho!” Suruci then retorts with a smile. “But concerning the singing of your glories, O Prabhu! Should we not mention how you love to relish the madhu from kissing your rasikā nāgarīs’ sweet lips? For isn’t this your greatest penance and nitya-vrata?”
Then, adding to the fun, we say: “So hey Gaurasundar! As our sakhi Basanti is dying to kiss you, will you please come and relieve her tension?”
In hearing our jovial remark, however, Basanti becomes nervous and starts to flee! So Suruci has to run to catch her and bring her back!
Then we request: “O Suruci! Can you please seat Basanti beside our Gaura?”
Although Basanti hesitates, Suruci at last convinces her to cooperate and places her hand in Gaura’s. Nevertheless, Basanti won’t directly look at Gaurasundar. So to set an example, we step forward, place a soft kiss on his cheek, and ask: “Did you enjoy that?”
But before he can reply, Suruci comes and gives Gaura a bigger kiss right on his lips! Thus he leaps up to declare: “No one can give me such pleasure as you sakhis do!”
Winking at Basanti, we then suggest that it is her turn. So she at last follows our cue and comes over to place a soft kiss on Gauranga’s lips. But a wonder happens: The nectar-taste is so intoxicating she cannot retract her lips—and she goes on and on kissing him!
Then we hear someone calling from afar: “O Basanti! O Basanti! Where are you?”
“O no!” Basanti gasps in shock. “That’s my sashuri !” And she immediately takes to running!
In no time, however, two women arrive. One is an old hunchback holding a stick (Basanti’s sashuri), the other her daughter (Basanti's sister-in-law or nanadā). It is the daughter who inquires: “Have you seen our bau-mā Basanti come this way?”
“No. Is there some problem at home?” we ask.
“Yes, there certainly is,” the old woman replies. “Nowadays bau-mā’s attention has completely departed from the household.”
Then her daughter says: “Well, if you find her, please let us know,” and the two leave to go on searching.
The next day, however, when Basanti shows up at our bathing ghāṭa, she has a confession to make: “I feel so grateful for your help. Because when I kissed Gaurasundar’s lips yesterday, I was transformed. I have become a new person! Now my mind simply yearns to offer prema-keli to him. O will you kindly arrange this for us? O let me fully surrender, O let me become a beggar for his prema!”
Upon hearing Basanti’s new testimony, Suruci and I simply marvel at the amazing potency found in Gaurasundar’s nectar-sweet lips!
In the Caitanya shastras Vishnupriya is hardly mentioned. And from what little information is there, one could easily get the impression that her role in Gauranga’s pastimes isn’t so significant.
Perhaps that is why we will benefit greatly to hear from her ekānta-bhakta, one who really loves her as their very life and soul.
In this regard, we particularly look toward Sishira Kumar Ghosh because of his magnificent six-volume biography of Gauranga entitled Amiyā Nimāi Carita.
What did he do there? After studying carefully what Gauranga’s earlier biographers have contributed, he wrote the entire lila again from the perspective of Vishnupriya’s madhura relationship with Gaurasundar. Here is a sample of Sishira Ghosh’s essential teachings:
We can appreciate Sishira’s wonderful outlook as he reveals what is actually going on in Gauranga’s internal Nabadwip lila. In fact, after reading through his entire Amiyā Nimāi Carita (twice) we must confess that we have never come across anyone who has such deep insight into Sri Gauranga’s madhura-līlās.
Sishira Kumar Ghosh influenced Thakura Bhaktivinoda too. Because, on his suggestion to not forget Nabadwipeshwari, Bhaktivinoda established deities of Lakshmipriya, Gauranga and Vishnupriya on the central altar of the yoga-pith mandir at Mayapur.
Let us here remember that Gauranga's yoga-pīṭha worship doesn’t take place in His bhauma-līlā; for this pastime goes on exclusively in Gaura and Krishna’s Goloka Nabadwip and Goloka Vrindaban dhamas as an integral part of their aṣṭakāla-līlā worship. Thus Bhaktivinoda calls the yoga-pīṭha worship mantramayī upāsanā, whereas he says that aṣṭakāla-līlā-smaraṇa is svārasikī upāsanā.
So who will be present in Lakshmipriya and Vishnupriya’s yoga-pīṭha worship with Gaurasundar? Well, just as Radha’s leading sakhis and manjaris surround Radha Krishna in Vrindabana’s yoga-pīṭha-maṇḍala—won’t Lakshmipriya and Vishnupriya’s leading sakhis surround them and Gaurasundar in this yoga-pīṭha līlā? And since these sakhīs are the nāgarīs, won’t we have to take up nāgarī bhāva to properly execute the puja—just as we will need to adopt gopī-bhāva to perform Radha Krishna’s yoga-pīṭha pūjā? Hence the worship won’t be possible in vaidhī bhakti.
As we were previously talking about the pragalbhā and the mugdhā nāyikās, there is another type left to discuss: the madhyā nāyikās, who are situated in the middle. Because Srimati Radharani belongs to this category of heroines, we can also know that Vishnupriya Devi is a madhyā nāyikā. In Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi’s Nāyikā-bheda chapter, Rupa Goswami describes the madhyā as follows:
samāna-lajjā-madanā prodyat-tāruṇya-śālinī
kincit pragalbha-vacanā mohānta-surata-ksamā
madhyā syāt komalā kvapi māne kutrapi karkaśā
Rupa then goes on to state:
sarva eva rasotkarṣo madhyāyām eva yujyate
yad asyām vartate vyakta-maugdhya-prāgalbhyayor yutiḥ
Before we try and discuss Vishnupriya’s madhyā nāyikā mood, there are two types of srngara rasa that we should know about first: samprayoga, and līlā-vilāsa. Samprayoga means direct conjugal union, and līlā-vilāsa takes place when the nāyikā resists her beloved’s attempts to enjoy conjugal union with her.
In the pragalbhā there is a greater thirst to offer samprayoga pleasure , whereas the mugdhas are inexperienced in rati-keli.
But for the madhyā nāyikās such as Vishnupriya and Radharani, they expertly know how to employ the techniques of līlā-vilāsa to give their beloved an even greater pleasure than what samprayoga can offer. In other words, although they are well aware that their beloved eagerly wishes to enjoy rati-keli with them, they can captivate him in so many other fascinating ways for a long while before their samprayoga-līlā takes place.
Though literally speaking līlā-vilāsa has another meaning too: all of the pleasure-filled pastimes that unfold one after another such as holi, jhulan, madhu-pāna and jala-keli, etc.
So madhyā nāyikās such as Vishnupriya and Radha take full advantage of these līlā-vilāsa skills in the assembly of sakhis to resist their beloved’s advances.
In other words, every form of vilāsa (pleasure) that goes on in the līlā (pastimes), such as throwing colored powders, swinging in a swing, drinking intoxicating honey, or splashing each other in the water, etc., simply give Vishnupriya and Radha the chance to display their incomparable beauty, grace and charm in so many different līlā-vilāsa (methods of resisting) that all lead up to their offering samprayoga to him in an even more exciting and enjoyable way.
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| Gaura Naṭabara |
(6)
The Inexperienced Heroine (Mugdhā Nāyikā)
lajjera māthāte, khāiye elām, kapiāche āmāra hiye
gaura baraṇa, rasera mūrati, dekhilām ghāṭera kule
bukera basana, khasiyā porilo, dhorite parāṇa ghure
pabana jhaṭake, naṭana nāṭake, phaṭki āilām dūre
ta dekhiyā hasiyā, ḍaliyā porilo, rasika gaurā+nga rāya
se ra+nga dekhiyā, marame morinu, se kathā kahibo kāya
daradi haile, darada bujhaye, tāhāre nāhika dhara
janama boriye, moribe dhoriye, viṣama āmāra ghara
locana kahaye, doradi pāile, parāṇa batiyā di
jāhāra jāhāte, marama pasilo, dhorite koribe ki ?
“O sakhi! Just hear what happened to me: When going to the Ganga this morning I became so embarrassed, and my heart is still trembling!
Everything happened when I saw that golden rasamaya mūrati Gora standing by the ghāṭa—for that’s when I peeked at his lovely face from the corner of my eye!
But Oh my! Suddenly a gust of wind blew away the cloth covering my breasts! And my heart panicked in fear as that wind gust sent me spinning for a while!
When looking back to my rasika Gauranga, however, I could see that he was smiling and rolling in amusement watching me—so I became more perplexed!
O sakhi, as I fear that my nasty relatives will find out about this, to whom can I reveal my secret?
Locana suggests: O sakhi, just find your sympathizer and reveal your heart. For what is there to fear from a girl who nurtures a desire similar to yours?”
Gaura-krpā-koṇikā
As we have been hearing about the pragalbhā ramaṇīs who act boldly in their loving affairs with Gauranga, here we find a mugdhā nāyikā who is just the opposite. In Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi’s Nāyikā-bheda chapter, Rupa Goswami describes this category of heroines as follows:rati-ceṣṭāsu sa-vrīḍa-cāru-gūḍha-prayatna-bhāk ||
kṛtāparādhe dayite bāṣpa-ruddhāvalokanā |
priyāpriyoktau cāśaktā māne ca vimukhī sadā ||
“The mugdhā nāyikās are generally younger, inexperienced, and uncooperative in loving affairs. They look to their older sakhīs for guidance, keep their feelings hidden, and cry if their beloved misbehaves. They never scold him and shy away from māna (pride).” (UN 5.13-14)
Our name is Parama Sundari; as we are a yūtheśvarī nāgarī, our priya sakhī named Suruci is coming to meet us today. And we now happen to be bathing at a secluded Ganga ghāṭa that lies beside a beautiful kadamba forest.
“O Paramā!” Suruci addresses us as she enters the water while escorting a new friend. “This girl’s name is Basanti, and she is coming to seek your guidance. Can you give her some advice? But she fears her relatives, so can you please keep this matter confidential?”
“Don’t worry,” we answer, turning to the beautiful maiden. “For, Basanti, are we not your intimate friends?”
Feeling encouraged, Basanti starts to tell us about this morning’s incident at the Ganga ghāṭa: how the wind blew away the cloth covering her breasts, how Gaura became so excited, and how she was embarrassed like anything.
But then we tell Basanti: “Do you know what we would have done in that situation ? We would have just asked him directly: 'Do you want to enjoy with us?'”
Upon hearing about our boldness, however, Basanti blushes and meekly answers: “Oh, I could never be like that.”
“Then don’t you desire his intimate association?” we ask.
“Well, yes, I do.” Basanti replies. “But I don’t know how to approach him, and after we meet, what would I say? Moreover, I feel too shy to make love, so could we just exchange kisses?”
But then we hear someone speak out: “Hey sundaris! As I was walking by didn’t I hear one of you say that she wants to kiss me? O where is that pretty damsel? Can I meet her?”
As we suddenly turn around, we are really surprised—for there is Gauranga standing on the river bank! “O how did he happen to show up at this splendid moment?” we curiously wonder.
As if fathoming our thoughts, however, our Rasika Raja answers:
mad-bhaktā yatra gāyanti tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada
“I don’t reside in the yogis’ hearts nor in Vaikuntha. Though you will find me wherever my bhaktas sing my glories.”
“Oho!” Suruci then retorts with a smile. “But concerning the singing of your glories, O Prabhu! Should we not mention how you love to relish the madhu from kissing your rasikā nāgarīs’ sweet lips? For isn’t this your greatest penance and nitya-vrata?”
Then, adding to the fun, we say: “So hey Gaurasundar! As our sakhi Basanti is dying to kiss you, will you please come and relieve her tension?”
In hearing our jovial remark, however, Basanti becomes nervous and starts to flee! So Suruci has to run to catch her and bring her back!
Then we request: “O Suruci! Can you please seat Basanti beside our Gaura?”
Although Basanti hesitates, Suruci at last convinces her to cooperate and places her hand in Gaura’s. Nevertheless, Basanti won’t directly look at Gaurasundar. So to set an example, we step forward, place a soft kiss on his cheek, and ask: “Did you enjoy that?”
But before he can reply, Suruci comes and gives Gaura a bigger kiss right on his lips! Thus he leaps up to declare: “No one can give me such pleasure as you sakhis do!”
Winking at Basanti, we then suggest that it is her turn. So she at last follows our cue and comes over to place a soft kiss on Gauranga’s lips. But a wonder happens: The nectar-taste is so intoxicating she cannot retract her lips—and she goes on and on kissing him!
Then we hear someone calling from afar: “O Basanti! O Basanti! Where are you?”
“O no!” Basanti gasps in shock. “That’s my sashuri !” And she immediately takes to running!
In no time, however, two women arrive. One is an old hunchback holding a stick (Basanti’s sashuri), the other her daughter (Basanti's sister-in-law or nanadā). It is the daughter who inquires: “Have you seen our bau-mā Basanti come this way?”
“No. Is there some problem at home?” we ask.
“Yes, there certainly is,” the old woman replies. “Nowadays bau-mā’s attention has completely departed from the household.”
Then her daughter says: “Well, if you find her, please let us know,” and the two leave to go on searching.
The next day, however, when Basanti shows up at our bathing ghāṭa, she has a confession to make: “I feel so grateful for your help. Because when I kissed Gaurasundar’s lips yesterday, I was transformed. I have become a new person! Now my mind simply yearns to offer prema-keli to him. O will you kindly arrange this for us? O let me fully surrender, O let me become a beggar for his prema!”
Upon hearing Basanti’s new testimony, Suruci and I simply marvel at the amazing potency found in Gaurasundar’s nectar-sweet lips!
(7)
Srimati Vishnupriya’s Gauranga
soi go gorā rūpa amr̥ta pāthār
ḍhubilo taruṇīr mona nā jāne sā~tār
sakhīre kibā brata kailo biṣṇupriyā
agada akhala tār hiyā
sei rupa heri heri kā~de
kon bidhi goralo go heno gorā cānde
gorā rūpa pāsarā nā jāya
gorā binu āna nāhi bhāya
dibā-niśi āra nāhi sphure
locana daser mona nisi-disi jhure
“O sakhi-re! Gaura’s beautiful body is an ocean of nectar and every pretty young girl’s mind is simply diving in—without even knowing how to swim!
O what kind of austerity has our sakhi Vishnupriya performed? For isn’t her heart the most magnanimous and pure? Because as she views her Prabhu’s glamorous limbs, tears constantly stream from her eyes as she wonders: ‘How did the Creator make this marvelous golden moon? O how can we ever forget his spectacular beauty? And except for him, what else would matter to us?’
Locana dasa too knows only Gora, and his mind pines for him !”
O what kind of austerity has our sakhi Vishnupriya performed? For isn’t her heart the most magnanimous and pure? Because as she views her Prabhu’s glamorous limbs, tears constantly stream from her eyes as she wonders: ‘How did the Creator make this marvelous golden moon? O how can we ever forget his spectacular beauty? And except for him, what else would matter to us?’
Locana dasa too knows only Gora, and his mind pines for him !”
Gaura-krpā-koṇikā
We can discover many reasons why Vishnupriya’s topic is exceptionally beautiful and exalted. Because very few Vaishnavas know about her, however, an inspiration has awakened in us to try and reveal something about her hidden glories.In the Caitanya shastras Vishnupriya is hardly mentioned. And from what little information is there, one could easily get the impression that her role in Gauranga’s pastimes isn’t so significant.
Perhaps that is why we will benefit greatly to hear from her ekānta-bhakta, one who really loves her as their very life and soul.
In this regard, we particularly look toward Sishira Kumar Ghosh because of his magnificent six-volume biography of Gauranga entitled Amiyā Nimāi Carita.
What did he do there? After studying carefully what Gauranga’s earlier biographers have contributed, he wrote the entire lila again from the perspective of Vishnupriya’s madhura relationship with Gaurasundar. Here is a sample of Sishira Ghosh’s essential teachings:“During his youth Gauranga secretly performed an amazing activity whenever his mood of Sri Krishna awakened. For just as Krishna is everyone’s object of prema in Vrindaban, Gauranga desired to be the bhakta’s object of prema in Nabadwip as well by assuming Krishna’s role. Hence Saci and Jagannatha Mishra are his Nanda and Yashoda, Nitai and his associates are Balarama and the sakhas, and Vishnupriya and the nāgarīs are Radha and her sakhis. Although Krishna and Gauranga can be worshiped in dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and kānta-bhāva, Vrindaban’s kānta bhāva is the best. So by accepting this mood Gauranga secretly awarded the bhaktas a new form of bhajan that they can take up as their life and soul.” (Amiyā Nimāi Carita, 6.1)
We can appreciate Sishira’s wonderful outlook as he reveals what is actually going on in Gauranga’s internal Nabadwip lila. In fact, after reading through his entire Amiyā Nimāi Carita (twice) we must confess that we have never come across anyone who has such deep insight into Sri Gauranga’s madhura-līlās.
Sishira Kumar Ghosh influenced Thakura Bhaktivinoda too. Because, on his suggestion to not forget Nabadwipeshwari, Bhaktivinoda established deities of Lakshmipriya, Gauranga and Vishnupriya on the central altar of the yoga-pith mandir at Mayapur.
Let us here remember that Gauranga's yoga-pīṭha worship doesn’t take place in His bhauma-līlā; for this pastime goes on exclusively in Gaura and Krishna’s Goloka Nabadwip and Goloka Vrindaban dhamas as an integral part of their aṣṭakāla-līlā worship. Thus Bhaktivinoda calls the yoga-pīṭha worship mantramayī upāsanā, whereas he says that aṣṭakāla-līlā-smaraṇa is svārasikī upāsanā.
So who will be present in Lakshmipriya and Vishnupriya’s yoga-pīṭha worship with Gaurasundar? Well, just as Radha’s leading sakhis and manjaris surround Radha Krishna in Vrindabana’s yoga-pīṭha-maṇḍala—won’t Lakshmipriya and Vishnupriya’s leading sakhis surround them and Gaurasundar in this yoga-pīṭha līlā? And since these sakhīs are the nāgarīs, won’t we have to take up nāgarī bhāva to properly execute the puja—just as we will need to adopt gopī-bhāva to perform Radha Krishna’s yoga-pīṭha pūjā? Hence the worship won’t be possible in vaidhī bhakti.
As we were previously talking about the pragalbhā and the mugdhā nāyikās, there is another type left to discuss: the madhyā nāyikās, who are situated in the middle. Because Srimati Radharani belongs to this category of heroines, we can also know that Vishnupriya Devi is a madhyā nāyikā. In Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi’s Nāyikā-bheda chapter, Rupa Goswami describes the madhyā as follows:
kincit pragalbha-vacanā mohānta-surata-ksamā
madhyā syāt komalā kvapi māne kutrapi karkaśā
“The madhyā nāyikā is both shy and erotically fascinating, her figure blossoms with new youth, her word play is slightly bold, she can last up to the point of fainting during rati-keli, and she is sometimes passive and sometimes fiery when defending her pride.” (UN 5.27)
Rupa then goes on to state:
yad asyām vartate vyakta-maugdhya-prāgalbhyayor yutiḥ
“The excellence of rasa is present in the madhyā nāyikā since she is mixed with the qualities of the mugdhā and the pragalbhā.” (UN 5.42)
Before we try and discuss Vishnupriya’s madhyā nāyikā mood, there are two types of srngara rasa that we should know about first: samprayoga, and līlā-vilāsa. Samprayoga means direct conjugal union, and līlā-vilāsa takes place when the nāyikā resists her beloved’s attempts to enjoy conjugal union with her.
In the pragalbhā there is a greater thirst to offer samprayoga pleasure , whereas the mugdhas are inexperienced in rati-keli.
But for the madhyā nāyikās such as Vishnupriya and Radharani, they expertly know how to employ the techniques of līlā-vilāsa to give their beloved an even greater pleasure than what samprayoga can offer. In other words, although they are well aware that their beloved eagerly wishes to enjoy rati-keli with them, they can captivate him in so many other fascinating ways for a long while before their samprayoga-līlā takes place.
Though literally speaking līlā-vilāsa has another meaning too: all of the pleasure-filled pastimes that unfold one after another such as holi, jhulan, madhu-pāna and jala-keli, etc.
So madhyā nāyikās such as Vishnupriya and Radha take full advantage of these līlā-vilāsa skills in the assembly of sakhis to resist their beloved’s advances.
In other words, every form of vilāsa (pleasure) that goes on in the līlā (pastimes), such as throwing colored powders, swinging in a swing, drinking intoxicating honey, or splashing each other in the water, etc., simply give Vishnupriya and Radha the chance to display their incomparable beauty, grace and charm in so many different līlā-vilāsa (methods of resisting) that all lead up to their offering samprayoga to him in an even more exciting and enjoyable way.
Comments
Listen, O dear companion, a humble maiden was I, who wandered to the banks of sacred Suradhuni, with a head bowed in modesty, my heart fluttered like never before, as if consumed by the divine core.
Upon the ghats, I beheld a figure so fair, the essence of nectar, Gaura’s complexion beyond compare, with robes slipping from His celestial chest, the wind danced around Him, as if in divine fest.
A gust of the breeze in a whimsical spree, swiftly brought me close to where I yearned to be, seeing Him in bliss, my heart skipped with glee, rolling, I fell at the feet of Gauranga, the lover of thee.
The hue of His form, so divine and warm, absorbed in my heart, no words could my being inform, such a tale my soul yearns to convey, but in the ecstasy of love, mere words simply fade away.
In pain, if you are, only a kindred soul knows how far, To Gauranga, there’s no tether, but to Him, hearts forever gather.
Wasting away in this mortal fray, holding onto Him, we plead to stay, in this abode, so strange and skewed, where hearts long for the divine to be viewed.
Locana speaks with heart so weak, if you find agony, let your soul seek, in whose lap, the heart has found solace, holding onto Him is an eternal embrace.
Innocent, newly of age, desirous, engaged in love, charming, under the control of her friends,
in love's activities, with shyness, beautifully making concealed efforts.
Having committed an offense, O beloved, her gaze is obstructed with tears, in pleasant and unpleasant situations, she is incapable, and in respect, she is always turned away.
I do not reside in Vaikuntha, nor in the hearts of the yogis,
Where my devotees sing, there I reside, O Narada.
There in the celestial moonlight so fair, Gorā's visage, a touchstone rare, drowning in nectar's golden glare, a maiden's heart flutters in despair.
Lost in the waves, she knows not how, to sail the seas that tug her now, “O dear companion,” she avows, “What sacred vow holds Vishnupriya’s bow?”
Her heart, a tempest, no remedy in sight, for Gorā's form bathes her in divine light, she gazes upon him, both day and night, tears stream down, as stars take their flight.
Oh, how did the moon of Gorā's grace, capture her soul, in eternal embrace? His form, so pure, time cannot erase, without Him, the world holds no solace.
Day and night, no other does gleam, in Gorā’s love, her heart does teem, Locana Dasa's soul, caught in a stream, of endless yearning for the Divine’s dream.
In realms where love and grace entwine,
there blooms a maiden, shy, divine,
her tender youth with ardour glows,
as radiant as the moon that softly shows.
With words, she dances, bold, yet chaste,
a symphony of love, with grace embraced,
in the throes of love, she does not tire,
she glides through passion's consuming fire.
This damsel, madhyā, she is known,
with whispers soft as petals blown,
yet, in her pride, she fiercely stands,
with strength and fervour in her hands.
In the sacred tapestry woven by the Divine,
where all rasas in splendour shine,
in madhyā, dear, the essence dwells,
as nectar from celestial wells.
For in her heart, a sacred pact,
of innocence and boldness, tightly packed,
with youthful grace, she softly treads,
where heart meets heart, where love is bred.
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Rupa Goswami, with golden quill,
paints her spirit, her heart, her will,
in madhyā's dance, both pure and wild,
lie the essence, of love beguiled.