Vilāpa and other kinds of prattling
"'So what is all this lamentation, bewailing, complaint (paridevanā) for these?' i.e., 'What is this wailing, lamenting, bewailing (vilāpa) based in sorrow for the appearance and disappearance of the bodies?' The meaning is that it is not appropriate for an awakened person to grieve for the loss of objects seen in a dream."
Today in Gītā class (2.28) we were reading Śrīdhara Svāmī's commentary:
तत्र तेषु का परिदेवना ? कः शोकनिमित्तो विलापः? प्रतिबुद्धस्य स्वप्नदृष्टवस्तुष्विव शोको न युज्यत इत्यर्थः ॥
ālāpaś ca vilāpaś ca saṁlāpaś ca pralāpakaḥ | anulāpo’palāpaś ca sandeśaś cātideśakaḥ || apadeśopadeśau ca nirdeśo vyapadeśakaḥ | kīrtitā vacanārambhā dvādaśāmī manīṣibhiḥ ||
Six of these are related to lap dhātu and six to diś. So you would have to look at UN 11.78-79 and following to get the distinctions between these as technical terms. But the basic idea of unhinged emotional speech is common to all the first six. We will leave diś for another time.
(1) ālāpaḥ—cāṭu-priyoktir ālāpaḥ || "Sweet, flattering words are called ālāpa." (UN 11.80) The example of ālāpa is one we at Jiva know well:
kā stry aṅga te kala-padāyata-mūrcchitena sammohitā’rya-padavīṁ na calet trilokyām | trailokya-saubhagam idaṁ ca nirīkṣya rūpaṁ yad go-dvija-druma-mṛgān pulakāny abibhrat ||
Vishnudas gives other examples from the Venugita. UN usually gives examples from both Krishna and the gopis, which is somewhat difficult to do from the Bhāgavatam. Here is Krishna's ālāpa from Vidagdha-mādhava (5.31):
kaṭhorā bhava mṛdvī vā prāṇās tvam asi rādhike | asti nānyā cakorasya candralekhāṁ vinā gatiḥ ||
That is a really easy verse for Sanskrit students by the way. Here bhava is 2nd pers. sing. of the imperative: "Be hard or soft, you are my life airs." It is a good example of a particular use of the imperative. It is like the last verse of Śikṣāṣṭaka also where the 3rd person imperative is used.
(2) Next is vilāpa: vilāpo duḥkhajaṁ vacaḥ || "Words spoken in distress are called vilāpa." (11.83)
paraṁ saukhyaṁ hi nairāśyaṁ svairiṇy apy āha piṅgalā | taj jānatīnāṁ naḥ kṛṣṇe tathāpy āśā duratyayā ||
Another easy verse for the Sanskrit students: jānatīnām is the present participle going with naḥ.
(3) saṁlāpaḥ—ukti-pratyuktimad-vākyaṁ saṁlāpa iti kīrtyate Speaking and responding. (UN 11.85)
karoti nādaṁ muralī ralī ralī / vrajāṅganā-hṛn-mathanaṁ thanaṁ thanam | tato vidūnā bhajate jate jate / hare bhavantaṁ lalitā litā litā ||
(5) anulāpo muhur vacaḥ "Continuous prattling is called anulāpa." (11.89) Another original example and also easy Sanskrit:
kṛṣṇaḥ kṛṣṇo nahi nahi tāpiñcho’yaṁ
veṇur veṇur nahi nahi bhṛṅgodghoṣaḥ | guñjā guñjā nahi nahi bandhūkālī
netre netre nahi nahi padma-dvandvam ||
(6) apalāpas tu pūrvoktasyānyathā yojanaṁ bhavet ||
"Apalāpa means contradicting what was previously said. Self-contradiction." (11.91)
This differs from saṁlāpa in the sense that it contradicts what was said before, not simply talking back and forth.
phullojjvala-vana-mālaṁ / kāmayate kā na mādhavaṁ pramadā | haraye spṛhayasi rādhe / nahi nahi vairiṇi vasantāya ||
Mādhava means both Krishna and the spring. Radha is dissimulating. There are many examples of such verses, such as Uddhava-sandeśa 60-61. hastenādya priyasakhi lasatpuṣkarābhena dūrāt
kṛṣṇenāhaṁ madakaladṛśā kampitāṅgī vikṛṣṭā |
nīcairjalpa bhramati purato bhrāntacitte guruste hūṁ
kālindau pulinavipine dīpradantīiśvareṇa ||60||
Dear friend, with a hand that is like a bright red lotus, I was pulled today over a long distance by Krishna, whose maddening soft eyes cause my body to tremble.’
vṛndāraṇye mama vidadhire nirbharotkaṇṭhitāni krīḍollāsaiḥ sapadi hariṇā hā mayā kiṁ vidheyam | jñātaṁ dhūrte spṛhayasi muhur nanda-putrāya tasmai mā śaṅkiṣṭhāḥ sakhi mama raso divyasāraṁgato.abhūt ||61||
As he frolicked in Våndä’s forest, Hari suddenly aroused in me deep desires with his movements. Alas, what can I do now?’
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तत्र तेषु का परिदेवना ? कः शोकनिमित्तो विलापः? प्रतिबुद्धस्य स्वप्नदृष्टवस्तुष्विव शोको न युज्यत इत्यर्थः ॥
"'So what is all this lamentation, bewailing, complaint (paridevanā) for these?' i.e., 'What is this wailing, lamenting, bewailing (vilāpa) based in sorrow for the appearance and disappearance of the bodies?' The meaning is that it is not appropriate for an awakened person to grieve for the loss of objects seen in a dream."
So this led to a discussion of the word vilāpa and other words based on the root lap with different prefixes. The root itself means "to prate, chatter, talk." So I thought it would be interesting to see how it is used in the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi. Vilāpa is primarily used in the context of the "ten states" of separation, which are discussed several times with slight differences in relation to separation in the different sthāyi-bhāvas, etc. So there are numerous examples also there. For example:
cintātra jāgarodvegau tānavaṁ malināṅgatā |pralāpo vyādhir unmādo moho mṛtyur daśā daśa ||
So there are many examples of these given in that chapter. But I was really thinking of the anubhāva chapter (11) where 12 anubhāvas related to speech are listed:
So this led to a discussion of the word vilāpa and other words based on the root lap with different prefixes. The root itself means "to prate, chatter, talk." So I thought it would be interesting to see how it is used in the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi. Vilāpa is primarily used in the context of the "ten states" of separation, which are discussed several times with slight differences in relation to separation in the different sthāyi-bhāvas, etc. So there are numerous examples also there. For example:
cintātra jāgarodvegau tānavaṁ malināṅgatā |
There are ten phases of separation: (1) worry, (2) wakefulness, (3) anxiety, (4) weight-loss; (5) deterioration of complexion; (6) prattling; (7) disease; (8) madness; (9) bewilderment; (10) death. (UN 15.167)
So there are many examples of these given in that chapter. But I was really thinking of the anubhāva chapter (11) where 12 anubhāvas related to speech are listed:
(1) ālāpaḥ—cāṭu-priyoktir ālāpaḥ || "Sweet, flattering words are called ālāpa." (UN 11.80) The example of ālāpa is one we at Jiva know well:
O dear one What woman within these three worlds would not be captivated by the sweet rhythms of your wonderful flute-song? What woman would not abandon her vows of chastity as a result? For upon beholding your beauty, the most sublime in this universe, even the cows, birds, trees and animals horripilate in jubilation. (BhP 10.29.40)
Vishnudas gives other examples from the Venugita. UN usually gives examples from both Krishna and the gopis, which is somewhat difficult to do from the Bhāgavatam. Here is Krishna's ālāpa from Vidagdha-mādhava (5.31):
Whether you are hardhearted or gentles with me, Radhike, you are my life airs. There is no shelter for the chakora bird other than the moon's rays. (UN 11.82)
That is a really easy verse for Sanskrit students by the way. Here bhava is 2nd pers. sing. of the imperative: "Be hard or soft, you are my life airs." It is a good example of a particular use of the imperative. It is like the last verse of Śikṣāṣṭaka also where the 3rd person imperative is used.
(2) Next is vilāpa: vilāpo duḥkhajaṁ vacaḥ || "Words spoken in distress are called vilāpa." (11.83)
The courtesan Pingala said that the greatest happiness is hopelessness. Even though we know this still we cannot get rid of our hope. (10.47.47)
Another easy verse for the Sanskrit students: jānatīnām is the present participle going with naḥ.
(3) saṁlāpaḥ—ukti-pratyuktimad-vākyaṁ saṁlāpa iti kīrtyate Speaking and responding. (UN 11.85)
This is also called vakrokti and the poetic collections have many examples. Rūpa Gosvāmī chooses one from Padyāvalī 269:
uttiṣṭhārāt tarau me taruṇi mama taroḥ śaktir ārohaṇe kā
sākṣād ākhyāmi mugdhe taraṇim iha raver ākhyayā kā ratir me | vārteyaṁ nau-prasaṅge katham api bhavitā nāvayoḥ saṅgamārthā vārtāpīti smitāsyaṁ jita-girim ajitaṁ rādhayārādhayāmi ||
Vishwanath loves these and develops on them nicely, but we are not going to get into that here. Vishnudas also gives three examples from Alaṅkāra-kaustubha (7.1, 7.2, 9.6)
“Get into my boat (tari), young lady.”
“Do you think I am capable of climbing a tree (taru)?”
“I meant get into my boat (taraṇi), foolish girl.”
“I don’t understand what this can possibly have to do with the sun (taraṇi).”
“I am talking about a boat (nau) here.”
“I don’t think that it has anything to do with the two of us (nau) at all.”
Hearing these clever answers, Krishna smiled,
defeated by Radha in the word game.
This is the god I worship.
Vishwanath loves these and develops on them nicely, but we are not going to get into that here. Vishnudas also gives three examples from Alaṅkāra-kaustubha (7.1, 7.2, 9.6)
(4) vyarthālāpaḥ pralāpaḥ syāt || "Meaningless prattling is called pralāpa."
The example is original to UN. You can see what is happening here as the last word gets repeated in part or in whole a couple of times. This comes from the madhu-pāna-līlā, so drunken speech might be a better translation for pralāpa.
The example is original to UN. You can see what is happening here as the last word gets repeated in part or in whole a couple of times. This comes from the madhu-pāna-līlā, so drunken speech might be a better translation for pralāpa.
The flute makes a sound that churns the hearts of the women of Vraja. Distressed by it, O Hari, Lalita takes shelter of you. (11.88)
(5) anulāpo muhur vacaḥ "Continuous prattling is called anulāpa." (11.89) Another original example and also easy Sanskrit:
veṇur veṇur nahi nahi bhṛṅgodghoṣaḥ |
netre netre nahi nahi padma-dvandvam ||
"Krishna Krishna No, it is a tamala tree (tāpiñcha) The flute The flute No it is the buzzing of bees Gunja berries Gunja berries No they are bandhuka flowers His eyes His eyes No, it is a pair of lotus flowers"
(6) apalāpas tu pūrvoktasyānyathā yojanaṁ bhavet ||
"Apalāpa means contradicting what was previously said. Self-contradiction." (11.91)
This differs from saṁlāpa in the sense that it contradicts what was said before, not simply talking back and forth.
What woman would not desire mādhava,
who is garlanded with blossoming bright forest flowers?
So, Radhe, you are dreaming of Krishna?
No no I was talking about the spring. My antagonist (vairiṇī)
("Why are you antagonizing me Lalita?")
Mādhava means both Krishna and the spring. Radha is dissimulating. There are many examples of such verses, such as Uddhava-sandeśa 60-61.
kṛṣṇenāhaṁ madakaladṛśā kampitāṅgī vikṛṣṭā |
nīcairjalpa bhramati purato bhrāntacitte guruste hūṁ
kālindau pulinavipine dīpradantīiśvareṇa ||60||
Dear friend, with a hand that is like a bright red lotus, I was pulled today over a long distance by Krishna, whose maddening soft eyes cause my body to tremble.’
Shh ! Talk quietly,
you are all confused
and your seniors are wandering around
just in front of you.
Hmmm. It was in the forest
on the banks of the Yamunä,
and my lord’s beautiful smile
revealed his gleaming teeth.
As he frolicked in Våndä’s forest, Hari suddenly aroused in me deep desires with his movements. Alas, what can I do now?’
I know, crafty one,
that you are constantly hoping
for the company of the son of Nanda.
Don’t worry my friend,
my essence has already been
filled with the divine elixir.’
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