Jagat

tais taiḥ kiṁ naḥ parama-paramā-nanda-sāmrājya-bhogaiḥ kiṁ vā yogaiḥ para-pada-kṛtaiḥ kiṁ parair vābhiyogaiḥ | vāsenaiva prasannam akhilā-nanda-sārātisāraṁ vṛndāraṇye madhura-muralī-nādam ākarṇayiṣye || What need have we for all those pleasures of the empire of supreme, supreme bliss? And what need have we of the yoga paths that lead to the supreme destination, or any other philosophical argument?   Here in Vrindavan, I will raise my ears to hear the sweet flute sounds, the essence of the essences of all the varieties of bliss, which will play, pleased with me simply for residing here. (1.28) Commentary Another "what need have we" verse, indicating the continuity of mood between this one and VMA 1.25 . Prabodhananda continues to meditate on Krishna's flute. Krishna's flute sound in Vrindavan's background noise. Just like ether pervades all the other elements and sound is its tan-m ā tra . One hears Vrindavan before one can see it. In the morning darkn...

veṇuṁ yatra kvaṇayati mudā nīpa-mūlāvalambī saṁvīta-śrī-kanaka-vasanaḥ śīta-kālindī-tīre | paśyan rādhā-vadana-kamalaṁ ko’pi divyaḥ kiśoraḥ śyāmaḥ kāma-prakṛtir iha me prema vṛndāvane’stu || May I always have love for Vrindavan, where a swarthy youth with a lusty nature leans on a kadamba tree by the cool Yamuna, wrapped in a beautiful golden garment and, joyfully playing his flute, gazes longingly upon Radha’s lotus face. (1.27) Commentary Krishna's flute is one of the symbols most closely associated with his iconography and has a great deal of significance, which helps to account for its power and resilience. For Rupa Goswami, it is one of the four special characteristics of Krishna that separate him from all other forms of the Vishnu-complex of deities. sarvādbhuta-camatkāra- līlā-kallola-vāridhiḥ | atulya-madhura-prema-maṇḍita-priya-maṇḍalaḥ ||41|| trijagan-mānasākarṣi-muralī-kala-kūjitaḥ | asamānordhva-rūpa-śrī-vismāpita-carācaraḥ ||42|| līlā-...

We left Radha at the end of the previous khaṇḍa having been pierced by the arrows of love fired by Krishna, seemingly the last vestiges of resistance having been erased. This khaṇḍa begins with Radha going with the other girls to the Yamuna to bathe and fetch water. Krishna is there playing various musical instruments and putting on a show, amusing the gopi girls. Radha remains strangely indifferent until Krishna makes himself a bamboo flute that is inlaid with gold and encrusted with diamonds. Krishna fills the flute with the omkara and this has a devastating effect on Radha. ke nā bāṁśī bāe baḍāyi kālinī na:i kule | ke nā bāṁśī bāe baḍāyi e goṭha gokule || ākula śarīra mora beākula mana | bāṁśīra śabadeṁ mo āūlāiloṁ rāndhana || ke nā bāṁśī bāe baḍāyi se nā kona janā | dāsī haāṁ tāra pāe niśiboṁ āpanā || ke nā bāṁśī bāe baḍāyi cittera hariṣe | tāra pāe baḍāyi moṁ kailoṁ koṇa doṣe || ājhara jharae mora nayanera pāṇī | bāṁśīra śabadeṁ baḍāyi hārāyiloṁ parāṇī ākula karite...

Watercolor by  Anjali Tripathi   The next section of SKK is the Vaṁśī-khaṇḍa ; it is the second to last in the book, comparatively long with a total of 42 songs. It does not appear that any pages (169-189) from this section were lost. The plot is not particularly complex, but stands out for having some of the most powerful songs in the entire work. The principal subject of the chapter is the effect of Krishna’s flute on Radha and it ends with her theft of the flute, with the attendant consequences. Krishna's flute is, of course, one of the symbols most closely associated with his iconography, and has a great deal of significance, which helps to account for its resilience. For Rupa Goswami, it is one of the four special characteristics of Krishna that separate him from all other forms of the Vishnu-complex of deities. sarvādbhuta-camatkāra- līlā-kallola-vāridhiḥ | atulya-madhura-prema-maṇḍita-priya-maṇḍalaḥ ||41|| trijagan-mānasākarṣi-muralī-kala-kūjitaḥ | asam...