49-57 Hindolā Līlā (Jhulana)
49 Thereafter, as Kṛṣṇa continues playing with the Vrāja Kiśorīs, they arrive at the hindola-vedī. And seating himself on the hindola-padma, Kṛṣṇa winks to Kuṇḍalatā and Vṛnda- and then snatches Rādhā's pichkārī! But she retorts by snatching his Muralī from his waist saś!
Ṭīkā: The hindola-padma is a huge, jeweled swing shaped like an eightlotus
stemsled lotus. Chapter 7, verses 55-64 have described it (in the southeastern
corner of Lalitā's Kuñja).
When Kṛṣṇa sits on the hindola, Vama manohara Rādhā feigns disinterest. Thus,
motioning Vṛnda and Kuṇḍalatā for help, Kṛṣṇa smiles and grabs Rādhā's pichkārī
with a swift hand motion! But Rādhā won't allow Śyāma-cand to cheat her- she
quickly snatches his flute to settle the score!
50 Kuṇḍalatā addresses Rādhā with a smile: "Hey sumukhi! Return Kṛṣṇa's Vaṁśī don't touch that kutini (crooked female)! And, hey Mādhava! Please return Rādhā's pichkārī it belongs to a woman!" Thus, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa return the flute and the pichkārī."
Ṭīkā: Kṛṣṇa was hoping that Rādhā would try to recover her pichkārī with a tug-of-war. Then he could have easily lifted her into the swing. Yet seeing Kṛṣṇa's plan backfiring, Kuṇḍalatā pretends to be a neutral mediator, she speaks so that Kṛṣṇa will have another chance to grab Rādhā.
51-53 Kṛṣṇa returns Rādhā's pichkārī with his right hand, accepts his Muralī with
his left hand -but during the exchange he catches hold of Rādhā's lotus hands!
Then Kuṇḍalatā and Vṛnda come from behind to help Kṛṣṇa lift Vamavati Rāi (a
resisting ramaṇī) onto the swing!
As Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa sit in the hindola's center, the Sakhīs begin swinging. They
push both from in front and from behind.
Ṭīkā: Kṛṣṇaji seats Candramukhī Rāi upon a soft cushion in the center of the flower-decorated
hindola. Then as they comfortable lean on the soft backrest, the su-kaṇṭhini and
su-yantrini candra-vadana Gopīs begin to clap, dances and sign in parama ānanda.
Here is a sample of their madhura sangīta:āju lalitā hindolā mājha
raṅge jhulato nāgara rāja
rāi suvadanī vama pāśa
kotohu ānanda sāgare bhāsa
kibā adbhūta duhuṅka śobhā
nāhiko upama bhuvana lobhāduhu duhu mukha dohuṅ se heri
hāsi cumba dei beri beri
āṅkhi bhangi kori koteko bhāti
bhāse gada gada rabhasa māti"
Today Rasika Nāgara Rāja joyfully swings on the Lalitā hindola as if floating within an ānanda sagara; sweet faced Rādhā sits on his left! What a wonderful darśana! Their beauty is incomparable! The entire universe is spellbound! Seeing Rādhā manohara face, Kṛṣṇa kisses her again and again! Rādhā's eye-gestures are exotic, her voice falters and both succumb to Kandarpa's spell!"
54-55 As the Sakhīs push, the hindola's speed gradually increases-but then it moves too fast! Thus, Rādhā quivers, becomes restless-eyed and embraces Śyāmasundar for support! Due to the high speed Rādhā's hair loosens and gets entangled with Kṛṣṇa's-thus their candra-hara (moon-necklaces) snag, and their flower-garlands get entangled within their bracelets.
Ṭīkā: Rādhā Syama's anklebells, kiṅkiṇī and other ornaments jingle sweetly. But in the feigned fear of falling, Rādhā embraces Kṛṣṇa! Although their hair becomes tangled, and Rādhā orana flies as their bobbing mālās and ornaments snag-still the Sakhīs swing faster-for they know that after slowing down this wonderful darśana will end!
56-57 Rādhā's restless eyes motion to the Sakhīs for help! So, they ponder: "Oh! Rādhā must be pleased, but now she wants to satīsfy Kṛṣṇa with our Sevā." Thus, they stop the swing and climb aboard.
Ṭīkā: Rāi Vinodinī's clothes, ornaments and hair are astrewn; and the perspiration on Rāi Kanu's moon-faces drip like pearls of nectar! The Sakhīs can fathom Rādhā's tremendous ecstasy; still her outward displeasure means that she requires some help. Thus, the Sakhīs stop the swing and seat themselves surrounding Rādhā Syama. Lalitā sits in the eastern petal, Viśākhā in the southeast, Citrā in the south, Campakalatā in the south west, Indulekhā in the west, Tuṅgavidyā in the north west, Raṅgadevī in the north and Sudevī in the north east.