1-26 Rādhā’s Prema Vaicittya

1-3 Thereafter, a bumblebee, allured by the Sakhīs' divine fragrance, attempts to land on their lotus-faces, but they chase him away! Then, buzzing loudly, he soars about Śrī Rādhikā's vadana kamālā (lotus like face), intoxicated by its sweet odor!

Rādhikā tries to ward the bee off with sharp glances, with angry shouts accompanied by the jangling of her bangles as she waves her lotus hands; but none of this stops the bee, who is mad after her fragrant mukhāravinda! So Rādhikā pulls on Kṛṣṇa's chador to cover her face and hides behind him!

Meanwhile, the restless bee flies off to a lotus patch, and the Sakhīs exclaim: "Sakhī Rādhe! Don't be frightened-we've chased away that naughty Madhusūdana! He has gone off to be in the padmāli.

Ṭīkā: The smiling Sakhīs present a teasing statement to deliberately confuses Rādhā. Madhusūdana is a frequently used name of Kṛṣṇa, but it can also mean bee. Padmāli means either the group of lotus flowers, i.e., the lotus garden, or Padma's friend, i.e., Candravali.

4-5 Hearing this, the Goddess of Love, Rādhā, only thinks, "Kṛṣṇa has gone to Padma's Sakhī, Candrāvalī!" Thus, blinded by excessive love, she fails to see him standing before her!

Kṛṣṇa cues the Sakhīs not to expose him, and they obey. Thus, to enjoy Rādhā's astonishing behavior, they side with Kṛṣṇa.

Ṭīkā: This mood is called Prema-vaicittya, or separation in union. Although Rādhikā is still clutching her Prāṇa Govinda, she imagines that Kṛṣṇa has stood her up to be with Candrāvalī!

6-7 Confused by Prema vaicittya, Rādhā thinks that her beloved has gone to another woman and so approaches Dhaniṣṭhā to let out her anger:

"O Dhaniṣṭhe! You director of deceitful scenarios! Where has your star actor gone?"

Dhaniṣṭhā replies with a grin, "Sakhī Rādhe! Your Prāṇa-kanta went to the lotus garden to pick flowers for you!"

Rādhā retorts, "You misleader! If he has gone to Padma's friend and then comes back here with her, then what will happen?"

Dhaniṣṭhā answers, "If she comes here, her face will surely turn pale when she sees your effulgent beauty!"

Ṭīkā: Rādhāranī is angry because she assumes that Dhaniṣṭhā has helped Kṛṣṇa unite with Candrāvalī.

8 Rādhā exclaims, "Hey Dhaniṣṭhe! It is no fault of yours! I am the fool for trusting the words of a false Duti (messenger) like you! So even after hearing that Kṛṣṇa had gone into the woods with Śaibyā, I made the mistake of coming here to meet him!"

Ṭīkā: Thus downtrodden, Rādhā meekly curses herself: "Damn! All the fault rests with me. It's my bad luck! Because I don't have any good sense, I allow myself to be deceived by under-handed cheaters like Dhaniṣṭhā! Even after hearing that the Lampata Rāja met Śaibyā at Kusuma Sarovar, I still let myself fall into this trap! Hay! Hay! It's all my fault!"

9 Rādhā lowers her head and grieves. "What a calamity! Dhaniṣṭhā is dear as life, yet she's cheated me! And Kṛṣṇa forsakes me to enjoy Candrāvalī at my favorite Nikuñja vana! Hay! He's become the Ramāna of my enemy! Could my eyes bear to see this? O no! I think that death would be more auspicious!

10 Hay rey! This is too painful! That great cheater keeps Candrāvalī hidden at my Kuṇḍa kānana. Then he brings me, speaks false words, and deserts me to join her! Who can tolerate such humiliation?"

Ṭīkā: "Ayi! I considered Kṛṣṇa my one and only Prāṇa-vallabha, the prāṇa of my prāṇa-but now he's enjoying Prema-vilāsa with Candrāvalī at my dearest holy tirtha, Rādhā Kuṇḍa! Oh no! He tricked me into coming here, only to make me a laughingstock before "Her"! That Śaṭherdra first employed Dhaniṣṭhā to allure me, then feigned interest towards me, and now he snickers with Candrāvalī as they hide together behind the forest-foliage! Aha! If I see then now my life will leave my body!"

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11

Lalitā answers, "Sakhī Rādhe! I've witnessed Kṛṣṇa's cheating many times in the past. But you're naive and fail to understand. Come, let's go home!"

12-13 Thus speaking Lalitā takes her by the hand and pulls her, but owing to her feelings of Vīrahā from Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā becomes fearful, meek and overwhelmed to exclaim:

"O Lalite! Because Kṛṣṇa is the friend of the inexperienced, and because he doesn't consider others' faults, my stubborn mind is anxious for his darśana! O Sakhī! What can I do?"

Ṭīkā: As Kṛṣṇa-prāṇa, Rādhā hears Lalitā's advice, her mahā Prema overflows to reveal her heart's simplicity.

14-15 Lalitā advises: "Just as the rice paddy remains hidden within the husk after it ripens, a woman should conceal her wanton desires to protect her modesty."

But Rādhā answers, 'O Lalite! Please discard all talk of women's social convention! It disturbs my ears, pains my heart, and makes my dizzy! ..."

Ṭīkā: From just a moment of separation the force of Rādhā rushing Kṛṣṇa anurāga-river breaks the dam of her patience! No longer can she hold back her anguish! Hence, Rādhā's uncontrolled speech becomes a kula-plavini to render her Kṛṣṇa-Kalaṅkinī (scandalized by Kṛṣṇa)!

16 Lalitā replies, "Sakhī Rādhe! Kṛṣṇa is the king of deceivers, plus a lampata amongst many sundarī remaṇis. Yet no other Ramaṇī is as naive or impatient as you! Hence Kṛṣṇa repeatedly takes advantage! Hay, hay! Be careful, not make things worse!"

17 Śrīmati Rādhāranī meekly answers, "Sakhī! Could Kṛṣṇa do more harm than he has already done", but aho she sees him embracing another Gopī before her!

18 Although Rādhikā sees her own reflection on Kṛṣṇa's, she mistakes it for Candrāvalī! Hence trembles from wariness, anger, and jealousy!

Ṭīkā: Seeing her reflection within Kṛṣṇa's glossy chest, Rādhikā surmises: "O-rey! Candrāvalī's turning her back on Kṛṣṇa to show off to me! But aha! Her play-stag (Kṛṣṇa) doesn't release her!" so Rādhā angrily turns her head from this intolerable scene-her body shakes, her voice falters, her breathing palpitates and her eyes roll!

19-20 Then Kṛṣṇa motions to Kuṇḍalatā and Kuṇḍalatā says, "Oh Sakhī Rādhe! You were anxious to meet your prāṇa Kanta! So now that he has come, why are you turning your face instead cordially greeting him?"

Rasika Cūḍāmaṇi winks at Kuṇḍalatā to expose Rādhā's Prema bhrānti (mistaken vision owing to prema's intoxication). Hence, Kuṇḍalatā cleverly speaks as to invoke Rādhā's own confession.

21 Rādhikā retorts: "Hey you cheat! Have you brought me here just to witness Kṛṣṇa embracing Padma's Sakhī? Can't you see what's going on?"

22-24 Then Kṛṣṇa exclaims, "Hey Rādhe! If you're thinking that Candrāvalī is embracing me, you're mistaken. But there's a very chaste damsel who's come to say: "I'm Rādhā's friend."

First, she kissed me and embraced me, and clung my chest! But then she turned her back on me! So, I tried to remove her, and she tried to remove herself-yet she's going!

O Rādhe! Even after requesting this wanton Ramaṇī to leave, she doesn't desist! Please tell your priya Sakhī to stop tormenting me!"

Catura Cūḍāmaṇī - the crown jewel or foremost of the clever- understands everything. Still, he plays along with Rādhā's Prema bhrānti to relish more of her amusing behavior. Thus, he says, "Oh Priyatame! Don't misunderstand, this pretty Ramaṇī isn't your enemy, she's your dear friend. So don't be jealous."

Kṛṣṇa's words do ring true, however, because Rādhā's reflection is her near and dear friend (nitya-sangini). But Prema pāgalinī -mad woman- Rāi fails to understand Kṛṣṇa's witty statement. Hence, she stares at Lalitā with a confused look on her face.

25-26 But Lalitā whispers into Rādhā's ear: "That's your reflection on Kṛṣṇa's chest, not Candrāvalī!" Aho! Rādhā lowers her head in embarrassment! But Kṛṣṇa and the Sakhīs begin laughing!

And Kuṇḍalatā says, "Sakhī Rādhe! You cannot recognize your Prāṇa-priyatama even when you stand before him; and you mistake your shadow for someone else! Your fear of Candrāvalī is all-pervading. Indeed, your Prema nṛtya is most amazing!"

Ṭīkā: Yet Kṛṣṇa, Vṛnda and all the Sakhīs can't help but laugh as their ecstasy sprinkles like a fine mist! Then Kuṇḍalatā sums up the episode: "Oh Jagadānandinī Rāja Nandinī Rāi! all glories to your mahā-Prema! We've never seen Prema's dance displayed so colorfully! Because such Prema is impossible elsewhere, we've remained silent to watch its fascinating course. So please don't blame the Sakhīs, and don't become angry."