Nishanta lila Padavali Kirtan

Lila smaran blends nicely with Sriman Gaurasundar's Goloka-prema-dhana sankirtan. In order to assist the Lord's preaching, many Gaudiya Mahajanas recorded Vrindavan's lila rasa in the form of padavali kirtan. A pada is a song composed in Bengali verse describing the Lord's form, pastimes or mellows. Lila smaran is usually performed to the accompaniment of Harinam japa. However, Mahajana padavali makes a nice alternative. In many temples, kirtan of the lilas accompanies the Deity seva. The following padas have been selected in accordance with the division of dandas given in Nishanta Overview. Each song has a raga appropriate to it which, according to custom, is named before the song.

(1) Raga vibhasa

nizi abasAne vRndAdevi-jAgalo sakala sakhIgaNa meli
nibhRta nikuJja dvAra korimocana mandira mAjhe caligelo
ratan pAlaGke zute rohu duhujana atizayaAlase bhora
ghana dAmini kIye markata kAJchana aicana duhU tanu jora
bigalito veNi cAruziski-candraka TuTala maNimaya hAra
pahiraNa basana Adhabhela bigolita candana AbharaNa bhAra
ratisukha baGgabhaye sabsakhigaNa vidikadei bahu gAli
ihA sukha rajanitvaritabheloabasAna nirdaya hRdaya tohAri
nizi abazeSa kamala AdhavikAsala daza diza aruNita manda
kaicana kuhuka jagAibo rocaite uddhava dAsA hiya dhanda

(written in Harvard-Kyoto transliteration)

(1) As the night ends, Vrinda Devi and the sakhis awaken and proceed to the secret nikuñja where Radha and Krishna are resting. After unlatching the door, they enter the vilasa mandir.
(2) The Divine Couple lie asleep on a jeweled bedstead, weary from the exhaustion of their night of prema keli. They tightly embrace, resembling a dark cloud garlanded by lightning, or a golden-locket containing an emerald.
(3) Radha's hair and Krishna's peacock feathers are scattered, their necklaces have been broken and the gems dispersed. As it were, their clothing has partly vanished along with various golden ornaments that became a needless burden.
(4) Fearing the night's cessation and the end of the Divine Couple's pleasure, the sakhis scorn Providence, saying, "The night was so full of joy, but you have taken it away so quickly. How hard-hearted you are!"
(5) With the approaching day, the lotus has half opened and the sky in all the ten directions has become red with the sun's rays. In this situation, Sri Uddhava Das's heart becomes confused, "How will I be able to awaken Sri Yugala Kishor, and how will I dress them?"

(2) RAga lalita

jAgahU vRzabhAnu nandini mohan-jubarAje
ei nava juJje bhramara juJje kokila bhana jAje
AkarunA punaH taruNa aruNa udita mudita kumuda badana
camaki cumbi cacuri paduminika sadana sAje
kijAni sajani rajani bhora ghu-ghu ghanaghoSata ghora
gato jAminI jita dAminI kUla lAje
phukarata hatazoka-koka jAgahu eba sabahu loka
zuka zArikA pIka kAkuli nidhuban bhori gAje
galitao lalila basana sAja maNijuta venI phani virAje
uchu koraka ruca coraka kuca joraka mAjhe
torito jorito jalada bhAti duhu sukhe sute rohalo mAti
jini bhAdararasabAdara paramAdara zeje
baraja kulaja jalaja nayani bhumalo bimala kamala bayani
kRta lAlisa bhuja bAliza nAhi tyaje
TuTala kitra phula dhanuguNa kitra ratiraNe bhelo tuNa zuno
samara majha poralo lAjja ratipati bhaye bhAje
vipatti porala jubati vRndA gurujana suni kahabi manda
jagadAnanda sarasa birasa rasabatI rasarAje

(1) Arise, O Vrishabhanu Nandini and Mohan yuvaraj! The bees are buzzing and the kokilas are clamoring in your pleasure bower.
(2) The cruel early morning sun is rising again! As the lilies close their petals, the bees give them one last kiss and fly to the lotus patches.
(3) O sakhi Radhe! What's happening to your pleasure-filled night? The pigeons low-toned sounds distinctly echo through the dark mist, and now the lightning-complexioned Vraja kaminis will be humiliated! [Or, The brief night has appeared like a flash of lightning, bringing humiliation to the gopis!]
(4) The chakravaki birds rejoice, however, because they can unite with their husbands. The Vrajavasis will soon awaken, and the Nidhuvan forest of your lovemaking now resounds with the maudlin cries of the kokilas, shukas and sharis.
(5) Radha Madhava's lovely raiments have been torn and fallen aside, and Radha's veni, braided with pearls, looks like a black snake crawling between her raised golden lotus breasts.
(6) Yugala Kishor are saturated within their own prema rasa like a lightning-streak resting within a dark monsoon raincloud.
(7) Lotus-eyed Radha, the noblest of Vraja's beauties, happily sleeps on the pillow of Krishna's two arms. She is unable to shake her drowsiness.(8 ) What has happened to the stamina of Kamadeva's flower bow? During the prema keli battle, he exhausted his entire stock of arrows! Embarrassed and afraid, Ratipati (Cupid) retreated from the battlefield!
(9) The Vraja kishoris will face danger, and if discovered, there will be a scandal! Thus, the poet Jagadananda is both elated and downcast on seeing the plight of Rasavati Rai and Rasaraj Shyama!"

Jagadananda Thakur was a contemporary of Narottam Das Thakur in the family descending from Sri Narahari Sorkar of Srikhanda. This song served as the model for Bhaktivinoda Thakur's Udila aruna.

(3) Raga mangala

rAdhe govinda jaya rAdhe govindarAdhe gocinda jaya rAdhe
ThAkura hAmAri nanda-ki-lAl ThAkurANi zrImati rAdhe
vRzabhAnu nandinI zrInanda nandana sakala guNa agAdhe
bhora samaya kAle kokila kuhU DAle bhramara hari guNa gAoye
rattaNa palGka upari baiThalo duhuG jana du huN mukha sundara sAje
zyAma zira zikhI curA virAje rAi zire veNI sAje
zyAma gale vanamAlA virAje rAi gale gaja moti sAje

zyAmer kore mohana muralI rAi kore kaGkaNa sAje
zyAma kaTi tate ghurghura virAje rAi kaTi kiGkiNI bAje
jugla caraNe maNimaya nUpura runu jhunu runu jhunu bAje
sakhI maJjarI jata maGgala gAoto jaya rAdhe govinda jaya rAdhe
sundara badane aruNima locana baGkima cAhani sAje
zuka pIka zArI mayUra mayUri kuJja bhavana bhari gAje
vRSabhAnu nandini ramaNI ziromaNi nava sakhi gana mAjhe
zrI vRndAvana kusuma kAnane bhramarI rAdhA guNa gAoe
dIna kRSNa dAsa bhaNe madhura zrI vRndAvane yugala-kizora virAje

(1) The gopis sing,
"Radhe Govinda! Jaya Radhe Govinda! Radhe Govinda! Jaya Radhe!
Sri Nandalal is our worshipable Thakur, and Srimati Radhika is our Thakurani.
(2) Before daybreak, the kokilas shrill from the trees while the bumblebees sing Hari's guna kirtan.
(3) Upon awakening, Radha Krishna sit up on the jeweled bedstead and display their lovely faces. Radhika sits on Shyamasundar's left, and her blushing smile befits a nava-kishori.
(4) Krishna's silken garments are flashy yellow and Radha's are deep blue like a newly-formed raincloud caressed by lightning. Shyama's headpiece is fashioned with peacock feathers, and Radha's curling hair is tied in a braid.
(5) Shyama sports a forest garland, and a necklace of pearls adorns Rai's chest. Shyama holds his notorious mohan murali, as numerous bracelets and bangles glitter on Radhika's wrists.
(6) Shyama's hips are enamored with jingling bells, and Rai's hips display a kinkini mala. Radha Krishna's shringar is complete with anklebells of gems that jingle runu jhunu runu jhunu from their lotus feet.
(7) In jubilation, the sakhis and manjaris cry, "Jaya Radhe Govinda! Jaya Radhe!" Kishora Kishori's mukharavinda portrays intrigue with darting sidelong glance; their eyes have a soft reddish hue.
(8 ) The cuckoos, kokilas, peacocks, parrots and other forest birds fill the kunja with sonorous tumult, "Jaya Ramani shiromani Vrishabhanu Nandini Radhe! Jaya Jaya nava nava sakhi vrinda!"
(9) In this flower kunja, even the honey bees sing Radha's glories. Sri Dina Krishna Das ( the same Siddha Krishna Das of Govardhan who wrote the Gutika) concludes, "Thus Sri Sri Yugala Kishor reign within their madhura Vrindavan dhama!"

(4) Raga Mangala

(1) It is Yugala Kishor's mangala arati! The sakhis and manjaris sing jaya jaya and clap in unison!
(2) A jeweled ghee lamp is offered, slightly flickering and illuminating Shyama and Gauri's effulgent moon faces.
(3) Lalita and Vishakha Sakhi and are totally absorbed in prema's fascination as they offer arati to the Divine Couple!
(4) From within the Vrindavan kunj, Yugala Kishor's manohara murati lights up the entire world!
(5) The parrots and cuckoos sing, the peacocks dance, and even the chakora birds have forsaken the moon to drink the sweetness of their faces!
(6) All types of instruments resound to fill the sky. The poet Shyamananda ecstatically concludes, "Let the music play on!"

(5) Raga vibhasa

(1) The night creatures have gone home as the dawn rises; the moon has lost its brightness. The lilies have closed and the lotus have begun to blossom. How calamitous for those who are dependent on others.
(2) Observing the situation, Vrinda Devi becomes afraid and on her order, the kokilas sing, the bees begin buzzing and the impassioned peacocks resound ke-kaa, ke-kaa.

(3) At last Kakkhati calls out: "Radha! Krishna! What are you doing? Hurry up and get out of here. Jatila has seen that Radha is not at home and has entered the forest waving a stick in search for her!"
(4) On hearing Kakkhati's lie, Vrishabhanu's daughter becomes afraid. What else can Rai and Kanu do except run to safety? They and the sakhis flee on a secret pathway, leaving the woods behind.
(5) The Vraja kishoris perk their eyes in every direction like frightened deer! Standing by Sri Sri Nagari Nagara (Radhe Shyama), the poet Raya Shekhara smiles and offers them consolation: "There's nothing to fear!"

Raya Shekharawas is the disciple of Raghunandan Thakur of Srikhanda. He himself was a descendant of Nityananda Prabhu. He flourished in the early 17th century. He is best known for the Daṇḍātmikā verses, which are a summary of the ashtakal lila in Bengali song from which the above has been taken.

(6) Raga suhai

(1) Krishna starts home, half walking, half slipping. Then he stops and turns around to give Radha a last kiss!
(2) Looking into each other's faces, a stream of tears glides down their cheeks, the sakhi loudly cry, becoming motionless!
(3) Struck with fear, Radha Krishna's eyes whirl, their loose garments sag, and their flower decorations dangle- all have become a burden!
(4) After removing their anklebells and jingling ornaments, Radha and Krishna set off in distress, each on different paths.
(5) Looking back again and again at one another, but they can see nothing, for the tears flow so profusely from their eyes that their clothes are drenched!
(6) Approaching their homes, the gopis cover themselves with yellow chadars in an effort to remain unseen.
(7) Covering themselves from head to foot, they tiptoe, also covering their feet to make even less sound.
(8 ) Radharani enters her home; in fear of the elders, Radha's eyelids flutter!
(9) Finally Radhika Sundari reaches her own bed and falls asleep.
(10) The poet Sri Balaram Das concludes with a prayer: "As Radha Krishna's pastimes regularly unfold- let me see each lila at its prescribed time!'"