Jagat

kadācit śrī-rādhā-caraṇa-kamala-dvandva-patitaṁ kadācit śrī-rādhā-mukha-kamala-mādhvī-rasa-pibam | kadācit śrī-rādhā-kuca-kamala-koṣa-dvaya-rataṁ viloke taṁ kṛṣṇa-bhramaram adhi vṛndāvanam aham ||1.96|| Sometimes buzzing around Sri Radha's lotus feet, sometimes drinking the nectar honey of Radha's lotus mouth, sometimes trapped in the lotus flower cup of Radha's breasts, when will I see this black bumblebee cavort in Vrindavan? Commentary Yesterday I felt a bit of fear as I posted such an intimate pastime of Radha and Krishna. At the same time I had recently been heavily criticized for speaking to unqualified persons about the fragrance of Radha's body, as in the first verse of Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi . yasyāḥ kadāpi vasanāñcala-khelanottha- dhanyātidhanya-pavanena kṛtārtha-mānī | yogīndra-durgama-gatir madhusūdano'pi tasyā namo'stu vṛṣabhānu-bhuvo diśe'pi || I bow down to even the direction in which Vrishabhanu Nandini is prese...

Jayadev Foundation Trust (4) Radha, the Empress of Love Our fourth essential verse of the Gīta-govinda  or Gita-govinda pañca-ślokī, comes in the final chapter and summarizes the last prabandha or song 24. racaya kucayoś citraṁ patraṁ kuruṣva kapolayor ghaṭaya jaghane kāñcīṁ mugdha-srajā kavarī-bharaṁ | kalaya valaya-śreṇīṁ pāṇau pade maṇi-nūpurāv iti nigaditaḥ prītaḥ pitāmbaro’pi tathākarot || Radha said, "Draw pictures on my breasts, decorate my cheeks with dots of musk, tie a sash of bells around my hips, braid my hair with a charming garland. Place bangles on my wrists and jeweled ankle bells on my feet." So being told, the yellow-robed Krishna, being pleased, did so. (12.25) This is the last verse that contains a description related to the overall dramatic theme of the Gīta-govinda . Rupa Goswami quotes it at UN 5.93 as an example of the svādhīna-bhartṛkā . As we have been saying, the eight situations of the heroine are the principal theme ...

Flickr As I go through the dāna-līlā episode of Chandi Das's Śrī Kṛṣṇa Kīrtana , there are many songs in which Krishna describes Radha's beauty, and a regular feature of that includes descriptions of her breasts. In fact, breasts are a subject that is prominent in all Sanskrit poetry, and is even standard in prayers to goddesses. There does not seem to have been any inhibition in talking about breasts in the ancient Indian culture, even though I dare say, there is more of one in the modern society, in spite of Bollywood. There is, however, an apparent restriction in talking about genitals, male or female, in the so-called erotic poetry of India--Sanskrit or vernacular--even when lovemaking etc., is described. Such descriptions would automatically fall into some other genre. In Radha and Krishna descriptions, I cannot recall ever seeing or hearing a passage that mentioned genitals or overt sexual activity. It is nearly always spoken of somewhat euphemistically. I remember ...

I published this and then started revising it, but unfortunately, my connection was broken and so this is the unedited version. I am busy, so it will be a few days before I can come back and make the necessary repairs.