Navadvīpa and Vraja Līlā Sutra

Pradoṣa Līlā (Pastimes at Nightfall)
8:24 p.m.—10:48 p.m.

Kṛṣṇa attends the Rāja-sabhā (Theater),
Rādhā's Abhisāra, Description of Govinda Sthalī,
Kṛṣṇa's Abhisāra and Yugala Milan in the Svarṇa Mandira

Śrī Gaura Candrika: Śrī Navadvīpa's Pradoṣa Līlā Sutra

samutkaṇṭhāsannākalita-hari-vārtā bata yathā-
bhisṛtyāsau rādhā harim api nikuñje gatavatI
tathātmānaṁ matvā kaṭi-nihita-pāṇir viśati ca
śhalan gacchan gauro naṭati dhṛta-kampāśru-pulakaḥ  (Bhāvanā-sāra-saṅgraha 7.1)

"When Rādhā receives Kṛṣṇa's news, she eagerly takes to the forest nikuñjas on abhisāra ... and Śrī Gauracandra now assumes that same mood: placing his hand over his hips, he heads for Śrīvāsa-aṅgana in a dancing pace—as tears, trembling and horripilation overtake him!"

The Guṭikā elaborates: Upon rising from a brief nap, the flowers' fragrance, the bees' drone and the kokilas' call stimulate Gauracandra's Vraja-bhāva. And as he steps onto the veranda, the sādhaka dāsa assists him in washing his mouth, etc. Then the bhaktas arrive and Gaura sits down as they all seat themselves around him. Svarūpa Dāmodara's kīrtana describes Induprabhā-sakhī's arrival within Rādhā's assembly. But as Gauranga and bhaktas listen—everyone becomes overwhelmed by ashta-sattvika vikaras!

Then, in Rādhā bhāva, Mahāprabhu exclaims, "Oh sakhī! Come, let's go to the nikuñjas—I can't hold on a moment's more!" Thus heading for Śrīvāsa-aṅgana with the gait o an intoxicated elephant, Gauranga re-enacts Rādhā's abhisāra!
After arriving, Gaurasundara sits down on maṇḍapa, and the bhaktas surround him as the stars encircle the moon. Then Svarūpa begins singing about Rādhā Kṛṣṇa's nikuñja milana. Later on, after Mahārabhu's external conciousness returns, Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura offers the Lord and his bhaktas puṣpa mālās and candana.

The Vraja Līlā Sutra
rādhāṁ sālīgaṇān tāmasita-sita-niśā-yogya-veśāṁ pradṣe
dūtyā vṛndopadeśād abhisṛta-yamunā-tīra-kalpāga-kuñjām
kṛṣṇaṁ gopaiḥ sabhāyāṁ vihita-guṇi-kalālokanaṁ snigdha-mātrā
yatnād ānIya saṁśāyitam atha nibhṛtaṁ prāpta-kuñjaṁ smarāmi

1 With the night's arrival, the sakhīs eagerly prepare for Rādhā's abhisāra. They dress her according to the moon's phases—white for the śukla pakṣa and deep blue for the Kṛṣṇa pakṣa. Then following Vṛnda's cue, they arrive at the saṅketa kuñja near the Yamuna. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma join Nanda and all of the Vrajavāsīs to watch entertaining performances at the theatre hall. When Kṛṣṇa returns his mother tucks him into bed. But then he soon sneaks away to the forest in search for Rādhā. Let's thus remember Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa's Pradoṣa līlā.

Here is a befitting prelude from Kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta: Śrī Kṛṣṇa is an ocean of bliss, but as the sky reflects his lustrous face, the common people say: "Look the moon is rising!" However, when the sundarī Vraja-padminīs view the moon-rise from above their palaces, they think: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa must be looking at us!" and they cover their heads with a veil. Seeing their behavior, the lotuses in the sarovars also cover their faces (close their petals), thinking: "Aren't we padminīs too? Thus we'll follow their example."
Aho! Just see the lotuses' blunder; they should never have tried to compare themselves with the Vraja sundarīs!

As pradoṣa envelopes the countryside—'the king of twilight', being unsure about his ruling span, begins instigating mixed feelings amongst his various prajā (citizens).
Although the cakoras rejoice with the moonrise, the cakravākas are crying for their lover's demise!

Amongst the bees, some are ecstatically buzzing within the lily patches— but those trapped within the closing lotus petals are unhappy.

The darkness, fearing the ghee lamps, flees the peoples' homes for the forest; but the forest flowers' fragrance now enters those homes. So the darkness is like a frustrated householder who takes to forest life owing to his disturbing in-laws. But the flowers' lingering scent is comparable to his return after experiencing the discomforts of vairāgya.

The night increases Kandarpa's darpa (pride)— for he now assumes the form of a black snake. And having gotten his poisonous bite, the gopīs suffer insomnia. Aho! Kandarpa devours their hearts to destroy their shyness and patience! Thus as the 'King of the day' loses his duel with the 'King of the night', the Vraja gopīs discrimination, that protects their chastity, dwindles away!

Since late afternoon, Rādhikā dwells within the blissful remembrance of her Prāṇanātha's uttara goṣṭha. Thus shutting the doors of her eyes, she enters her mind's golden mandira where she envision her priya-ramaṇa lying upon a luxurious bedstead. But then Induprabha-sakhī arrives from Vrajendra-pura and exclaims, "O Radhe! You've turned pale in the absence of your dearest moon! But listen! That heart-stealing Prāṇa-vallabha (who captivates the three worlds) now only yearns to have you! His taste for all the other pretty ramaṇīs is completely finished!"

Viśākhā answers, "Hey sakhī Induprabhe! So why don't you shower us with that Nāgara-vara's kathāmṛta?" Thus as she begins, the gopīs' Cakorī-ears sip the nectar; yet it's certainly amazing that the Cakorīs can drink a rain-shower!