
Radhas beauty
Verse
103
Vishakha Devi smilingly offers the finishing touch - Sri Radhika-sundari's lila
kamala. This wonderful lotus flower was brought by the garlandmaker's daughter,
Narmada.
Rasa-tarangini Tika: Radha's lila kamala is an indivara, the blue species of lotus, which is synonymous with Krishna's body. Thus, Srimati likes to fondle it, kiss it, and twirl it in her fingers. In some instances, she may even bop Krishna on the head with it!
Verse 104
Knowing the time to be right, Sugandha the barber's daughter brings a
full-length jeweled mirror and stands before Radha.
Verse 105
Seeing herself fit for alluring Sri Madhusudan's dark bumble bee eyes, Radhika
becomes anxious to see him! After all, the sakhis superb shringara only
flourishes when Govinda relishes it.
Rasa-tarangini Tika:
In Krishna-bhavanamrita, Rati Manjari (Rangan-mala) holds the full-length mirror.
But aho! Suddenly two fully decorated Radhas appears! Radha is awe struck by
her own darshan! Thus she thinks of the ananda tarangas that rise in Krishna's
mind by seeing her incomparable beauty!
"Where has this ocean of sweetness come from?" she thinks. "Seeing my body, Sri Madhusudan will declare a mahotsava (great festival) and lose himself within this ambrosia! Aho! When will he enter this ananda-sagara! And where is he now? Hay! Because he is not here to see me, this astounding beauty is rendered unfortunate! If someone asks, 'Why are you crying?' I shall answer, 'Who doesn't lament to see a rare, divine and highly precious object simply wasted? Thus I'm sad because Krishna is unable to view this astonishing splendor!'" (Krishna-bhavanamrita 4.103-107)
Srimati Radharani's desire becomes fulfilled in the next chapter when she enters Nanda bhavan with her sakhis to cook. Then Sri Nagara-shekhara will be anxiously waiting by the door under the guise of playing with the sakhas. As Krishna rests his weight on Subala's shoulder, his body curves in an attractive contour, and his restless chakora eyes dart out to relish Rai Kishori's stunning beauty! Then Subala whispers into Krishna's ear:
"Just see how Radhika is dressed: A glossy pearl hangs from her nose, a deep blue cloth is tied with a sash around her waist, over which her snake-like veni dangles. Attractive earrings hang from Radha's ears, and her body is anointed with a mixture of kasturi, chandan, kumkum and camphor. Srimati's hair is gorgeous with flowers, a kusuma mala adorns her chest and she twirls a lotus flower in her hand. And look at the dot of kasturi on her chin and her kajjal-anointed eyes as she enjoys chewing a mouth full of pan! Radha's cheeks and forehead have beautiful designs of kasturi, and in its center is her reputed kama-yantra tilak. Moreover, the bottom of her feet are painted with red alta."
Subala next exclaims, "Oh hey Rakhal Raja! Just look at Radha's ornaments: Above her head rests the king of jewels, the Shyamantaka; golden earrings hang from her ears, and a golden mekhala jingles over her nitamba (buttocks). Radha wears a gold locket, elaborate earrings called chakra-shalaka surrounded her ears, and numerous bangles decorate her wrists.
Radha's chest adorns a
kantha-hara (necklace) and a longer tara-hara (star necklace).
A golden chain
is attached to the rings on Radha's fingers and
both arms display armlets
having nine types of jewels. Oh! Just have a look at Radha's lotus feet-
they're fitted with jeweled ankle bells and rings that glisten on her toes!"
These two verses from Ujjvala-nilamani describe Radha's renowned sodasha akalpa
and dvadasha abharana (sixteen items of dress and twelve types of ornaments).
