19th ASHTAPADI--JAYADEVA

  Radha is terribly disappointed with Krishna. Her maid has described how Krishnahas been flirting with other Gopikas at which Radha has grown furious. She is very angry with Him. She has been waiting for Him at the rendezvous and looking for Him in all directions but in vain! She imagines her earlier experience and the conjugal bliss with Madhava! Despite her anger and disappointment with Krishna, Radha always thought about Krishna even during the pangs of separation! Meanwhile hearing the pitiable state of Radha,  Krishna finally decides to meet Radha at the rendezvous and reaches there! He pleads guilty and tries to regain her confidence. This ASHTAPADI describes how Krishna manages to make Radha happy by His skilful narrative!

“O Radha of unblemished character! If only you smile, the moonlight of your white teeth shall sweep away the darkness of my fear! Let my eyes similar to the chakora birds desire to drink deep the amrita of your sweet lips! O connoisseur Radha! Get away with your unreasonable anger towards me! My heart is burning with the fire of Manmatha!”

“ O Radha! If you are really angry with me, hurt me with your arrow like nails! Imprison me fast with your soft creeper like shoulders! Hurt me softly with your teeth! Let me enjoy happiness through any one of them!

“O my Darling! Though your eyes are radiant like the black lilies, they take the form of the red lotus! Your eyes indicate the feelings of the arrows of Manmatha!”

“O My Beloved! You are my adornment!  You are my very life! You are my priceless diamond in the sea of Samsara! Let you be very amenable to me always! My heart is moving earth and heaven to achieve this end!”

“ O My Dear! Let diamond garlands shine on your full breasts! Let your heart be pleased in full! Let the girdle on your waist resound and proclaim the mandate of Manmatha!”

“O Soft-spoken Radha! I smear 'parani' to your tender feet that mock the lotus flowers, that please me the most, that double my enthusiasm and those created specifically for conjugal bliss!””

“O Radha! Offer me your tender and delicate feet that extinguishes the poison of Madana and those that are the adornments for my head! Terrible war of Manmatha is raging within me! Let that heat be cooled down!” 

Let these smart speech and affectionate words of Krishna addressed to His paramour Radha, composed by the poet Jayadeva, the beloved of Padmavati, be the greatest songa!

“ O beautiful lady! Punish me if you think that I am at fault and offended you!  Bite me with your hard teeth! Bind me fast with your gentle, soft shoulders! Beat me with your hard Stony breasts! Why don’t you punish me according to your will and fancy? Evil minded Manmatha is battering me with his sharp arrows! My life at stake! Be happy!!”

O My dear Radha! Your beloved  Krishna himself has come to you! Do not leave Him! Your meaningless silence has hurt me very much! Let me hear your sweet and melodious voice! Your graceful looks shall ward off all my suffering! Why are you indifferent to my appeals? Please forget that and accept me as I have come to satisfy you!”

“O Radha! Your eyes are intoxicating! Your face radiates more than the light of the moon! Your gait attracts the hearts of all! Your thighs are softer than the plantain trunks! You conjugal bliss is full of subtle plays and fun! Your eyebrows are full of wonderful lines! Though you are on Earth, it appears that you have on your person heavenly beauties like Madalasa and others!”

13th ASHTAPADI---JAYADEVA

Jayadeva in these Ashtapadis glorifies the Divine Love between Radha and Madhava. He describes the pangs of separation between the two. Radha’s maid describes the ways in which Krishna is whiling away His time in the company other Gopikas! Radha is awaiting Krishna at the rendezvous which is a bush cottage! She is looking in a!! directions expecting Krishna but in vain! She is terribly disappointed and feels that there is no point in living without Krishna beside her! After making the maid speak about the suffering of Radha, Jayadeva, now makes Radha herself describe her helplessness, her erotic feelings and how badly she needs the company of her Divine Lover! The Ashtapadi is the unpacking of Radha’s immortal love for her paramour Krishna!

“ Oh! What can I do? Krishna has not turned up to Brindavan according to the time I indicated! Of what use is this youth and beauty without the company of Krishna? I have been deceived by the words of my maids! Who is there to protect me now?”

“I am tired and disgusted by searching for Madhava in the dense forest throughout the night!  Is not my Madhava responsible for the hightened feelings of love? My heart is hurt by the arrows of Manmatha!”

“How on earth will it be possible for me to endure the pangs of separation at this rendevouz without Krishna?  In stead of remaining unconscious, I think it is better for me to die!”

“ These nights of the Vasantha season are troubling me too much! Some lovelorn and lustful girl is enjoying conjugal bliss with Krishna! What can Radha the unfortunate do in this situation?”

“ The fire of pangs of separation from Krishna is burning my heart! Even so, what is the purpose of wearing these beautiful ornaments?”

“ The flower garland on my chest is piercing my heart like the cruel arrow of Manmatha! My delicate body is very much hurt because of that!”

“I am at this bush cottage beside this “ Prabbali” tree though it heightens my pangs of separation! That Krishna is not at all thinking about me!” 

“Why is it that handsome Krisha is not arriving at the rendevouz of the bush cottage? Can this be the reason? Has he followed a girl? Has He been prevented by friends who are experts in arts and revels? Otherwise, is he moving about the dark forest? Or has he missed the direction because of disturbed mind?”

Let this sweet and melodious Song of Jayadeva decked with beautiful words and picturesque, resemble  a young damsel endowed with 64 arts occupy the hearts of Devotees!!

TWELFTH ASHTAPADI-----JAYADEVA

Radha's maid tries her best to bring together Krishna and Radha who are separated and experience unbearable agony. She describes the way in which Radha is suffering the pangs of separation so that He could take pity on Radha and meet her soon.

O Jagannatha! Krishna! Hari!  Rabha has reached a bush cottage and is tormented by amorous feelings! She is looking in all the four directions with expectancy even as You are engaged in kissing other girls secretly!

O Krishna! Radha left her home enthusiastically thinking of reaching you and walked for a while. But tormented by the pangs of separation from you fell down on the ground!

O Madhava! In order to satisfy her separation from you, Radha has worn lotus stalks and tender leaves as her wrist bands! She recollects the conjugal bliss she had experienced with You earlier!  Though she is alive, she is almost dead!

O Kesava!  Radha has decked herself with wonderful ornaments and examines herself if her attire is appropriate for conjugal bliss! She looks at herself again and again and removed the dress suitable for women! She beautifies herself and readies herself for conjugal bliss! She becomes Krishna in her thoughts and spends her time!

O Madhava! She is questioning her maids again and again, “ Why is it that my paramour, Krishna hasn’t come to this rendezvous yet?”

O Madhava!  Radha left her place to meet you and reached the doors of the bush cottage. She noticed the terrible darkness at the doors similar to the dark rain bearing clouds! Mistaking it for her lover Krishna in her presence, she embraces and kisses the darkness!!

O the Spouse of Lakshmi! Radha is awaiting you at the rendezvous with all things needed for conjugal bliss! But all her enthusiasm has died down as you didn’t  arrive in time!  She feels shy and is hurt by the pangs of separation from Krishna! She is crying loudly!

This flower song of Jayadeva, called “ Dhanya Vaikunta” shall please devotees lost in bhakthi and those who can experience the erotic description of Divine Love between Radha and Madhava!

11th ASHTAPADI--- JAYADEVA

 Dhira samire Yamuna thire vasathi vane Vanamali

The graphic  of the maid has moved the heart of Radha and she is in a receptive mood! The suffering of Krishna, separated from her, has disturbed Radha! Her pangs of separation are in no way inferior to His! Taking advantage of the mood and situation, Radha's maid tries to send Radha to Madhava in some way or other! She once again starts speaking about the torment that Krishna is enduring with great difficulty! She now narrates the various and incredible ways through which Krishna expresses his anguish and pangs of separation or “Viraha!”

“O Radha! Krishna, very much interested in embracing the Gopikas, is in the garden on the banks of the Yamuna even as the gentle cool breeze passes by! Krishna, whom you please with your amorous advances, is ready with His handsome personality at the rendevouz!  Please go their quickly!”

 O Radha! Krishna is revealing the rendevouz to you and playing your name on the Divine flute! He is very much appreciating the fine dust from your body carried by the wind!”

“O Radha! Even when the birds make a fluttering noise and even when there is a rustling of the leaves in the garden, He imagines that you are coming and prepares the bed!  He looks in the direction of your coming!”

“O Radha! Consider the tinkling ornments on your tender feet as your enemies! Proceed to the bush cottage full of darkness! Wrap yourself with a black blanket and go!”

O Radha! Due to your punya in the previous birth, when you are engaged in conjugal bliss, the garland of pearls in your neck falls on the chest of Madhava! His chest resembles the dark clouds with birds and you dazzle like the lightning in the

O lotus eyed Radha! The moment you see Madhava of the beauty of a thousand Manmathas, your saree and waist girdle shall loosen themselves! With nothing on your body, why not you enjoy  on the bed arranged with tender leaves?

O Radha! Your darling Madhava is mad after you! The Night is moving very fast! I have told you already to reach Krishna! Proceed quickly and satisfy the desire of Krishna!

“O dear devotees! Even as the great Bhaktha Jayadeva sings about the Divine love of Radha and Madhava, please offer your pranams to Bhagawan Krishna wholeheartedly!”

“Let the son of Devaki, who is like the bee for the lotus face of Radha, and like Indranila precious stone in the crowns of emperors, and like Yamadharmaraja in reducing the burden of earth and the one who is the source of joy for the Gopikas and the one like the meteorite for the death of Kamsa, protect us!!”