9-32 Tulasi and Dhaniștha come from Krișna
Verse
9-32
As Radhika reveals her heartache to Visakha, suddenly Tulasi Manjari returns.
She is bringing Krsna's gunja mala and two prasadi champak flowers. Placing
these divine articles in Lalita's hands, she begins to narrate the success of
her mission.
Lalita joyfully places Krsna's gunja-mala around Radha's neck, and his champak flowers over Radha's ears. These precious objects are highly-scented with his bodily aroma; they signify that Krsna's direct sanga follows! Touched by the flowers and the gunja-mala-Radhika's eyes look like lotus petals, and she shivers in horripilation -just as when Krsna directly touches her!
Campak flowers
Because Radhika is stunned, she is unable to quickly start moving!
But Radha's three friends, namely: sobriety, obstinacy and fine-judgement
awaken her!
Thus she jokingly speaks to Lalita and the others who are eager to
take her to Krishna: "O doe-eyed ones! If you're so anxious to depart-then why
wait for me? Just go and have a look-the Krishna-stag is trapped within the
noose of Shaibya's clever words!
Oh beautiful-ones! The drunken Krishna-elephant has fallen into Chandravali's pit! So all of you padminis (female-elephants) should surely go and rescue him!"
Radhika goes on: "Oh sakhis! The wise never act rashly, knowing that haste leads to failure; rather, they carefully plan their moves to attain success."
Hearing Radha's sarcasm, Lalita answers, "Oh sakhi! You're right, Krishna didn't go to your Sanket sthana (the place where he is scheduled to meet). Rather, he's enjoying himself with Shaibya and her friends! So if we show our faces there our prestige will be charred to ashes!"
Lalita's words arouse Radha's awareness that Krishna's Sanga is durlabha (rarely
attained). Thus, as her mind begins reeling in turmoil, Radha contemplates:
"Hay!
My sister in law envies me, my husband speaks harshly and Jatila is a
sneak.
Furthermore, in the daytime Krishna is always surrounded by his Sakhas.
With so many obstacles before me-how will I get the chance to meet him? I'm
unfortunate!"
As Vrishabhanu-nandini's anguish increase she suddenly hears an auspicious omen. An astrologer shouts: "The bull (vrisha) is attainable by the mountain (giri-dhari)!" Then another good sign presents itself-Radha's left eye, breast, hip and arm all begin twitching.
Shortly after noticing these auspicious omens, however, Radha's elation subsides and her deep love re-awakens a doubt: "Will Krishna's Darshan really be possible today?" But as her apprehension increase-suddenly Dhanishtha arrives. Thus Radha considers: "Aho! The river of my desire to meet Krishna is sweeping forward in the form of Dhanishtha! Surely she has brought the news of my Prana-vallabha!"
Dhanishtha's smiling face indicates that Krishna has sent her, hence numerous
emotions surface to excite Radha! Nevertheless, she conceals her intention and
address Dhanishtha:
"O sakhi! From where have you come?"
"From Vrindavan," Dhanishtha answers .
Radha: "Did you see the beauty of Madhava (also the spring)?"
Dhanishtha replies, "Yes, Madhava protects all the cows and the Vrajvasis."
Radha: "Can you tell me more about this beauty ?"
Dhanishtha: "Oh sakhi Radhe! How can I fully describe Madhava's charm (the
spring or Krishna), for the entire forest is flourishing. The bees are
attracted, the tilak flowers are blooming the kokila's call enchants the mind
and every young girl is attacked by lusty desire!"
Dhanishtha continues: "Although it's impossible to fully describe Madhava's charm, I'll try my best to explain just a little: The forest decorated with innumerable flower buds that arouse romantic desires."
Radhika then inquires: "How did you find Gotra-shreshtha, the best
mountain-Giriraja Govardhan (or the best man-Sri Krishna)?" Dhanishtha replies,
"Sakhi Radhe! Govardhan is covered with colored stones and earthen pigments the
flute's song can be heard from its valley. It shelters the frightened cows
inflicted by Indra's thunder-showers, and its crested peaks echo with chirping
birds."
Dhanishtha's madhura description intoxicated Radhika and awaken her desire to
hear more about her Prana-kanta. Thus casting aside all pretention, Radhika
begins to openly discuss about Krishna.
Radha inquires: "Oh Dhanishthe! Where are you going?"
She answers, "I'm coming to see you."
Radha: "What for?"
Dhanishtha: "To deliver a message."
Radha: "Whose message?"
Dhanishtha: "Vraja-kula-chandra's"
Radha: "So what's the news?"
Dhanishtha: Just as the moon is eclipsed by Rahu, Krishna Chandra's arch-enemy,
Kandarpa raja, is overpowering him!
Krishna is helpless to combat Kandarpa because he is
backed only by his shadow, yet Kardarpa has many heavily-armed soldiers! And
moreover, Kandarpa is jealous of Krishna's superior beauty. So he's striking
with his strongest military commander, Spring!"
"But how?" you may ask.
"Cupid's arrows shower with Spring's newly blossomed flowers! Madana Raja
surrounds Krishna with his soldiers like the honeybees, the kokilas and the
cooling Malayan breezes that gently blow beside your sarasi kunda!
Thus Krishna is calling for your protection (he firmly believes that the kokilas, bees and Malayan breezes will no longer torture him, but act soothingly in your company).""O Radhe! Krishna has protected you many times from danger, but now he is anxiously calling you to save him from Madana Raja's torture! Just consider, if you neglect him-surely you'll suffer too for being ungrateful.""Hey Radhe! If you don't believe me, if you think that Krishna is Madana-mohana, then hear my verdict: Oh sakhi! Only when he is with you is he Madana-mohana-otherwise he falls prey to Madana's torture-even though Madana and the entire creation are enchanted by him!"