श्रीकुञ्जविहार्यष्टकम् (२)
Śrī Kuñja-vihary-aṣṭakam (2)
Eight verses in praise of the Frolicker in the bowers
By Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda
नमः श्रीकुञ्जविहारिणे ।
namaḥ śrī-kuñja-vihāriṇe |
Obeisance unto the beautiful Frolicker in the bowers.
अविरतरतिबन्धुस्मेरताबन्धुरश्रीः
कवलित इव राधापाङ्गभङ्गीतरङ्गैः ।
मुदितवदनचन्द्रश्चन्द्रकापीडधारी
मुदिरमधुरकान्तिर्भाति कुञ्जे विहारी ॥१॥
avirata-rati-bandhu-smeratā-bandhura-śrīḥ
kavalita iva rādhāpāṅga-bhaṅgī-taraṅgaiḥ |
mudita-vadana-candraś candrakāpīḍa-dhārī
mudira-madhura-kāntir bhāti kuñje vihārī ||1|||
He possessed of charming splendor
By way of a continual smile
By virtue of Rati’s relation,
He as though seized
By the waves of the gestures
From the corners of Rādhā’s eyes,
He the moon of whose face is delighted,
He who wears a peacock-plume chaplet,
He of luster sweet more so than a cloud—
The Frolicker in the bowers
Shines!
Commentary
Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda explains in his commentary that “Rati’s relation” (Rati-bandhu) refers to Smara, meaning, Kāmadeva, he who is known to be the husband of Rati Devī, the goddess of pleasure, passion, love, amorous enjoyment, and the like.1 Understanding that all mentions of Kāmadeva in connection with Śrī Kṛṣṇa refer to prema—desire to please the beloved—in contrast to kāma—desire to please oneself by means of a beloved—the sense is that Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s charming splendor represented by his continual smile is an expression of, and a testament to, his unwavering, unparalleled prema for Śrī Rādhā and her dear sakhīs. The waves of “gestures from the corners of Rādhā’s eyes” (Rādhāpāṅga-bhaṅgī) refers to her side-long glances.2
ततसुषिरघनानां नादमानद्धभाजां
जनयति तरुणीनां मण्डले मण्डितानाम् ।
तटभुवि नटराजक्रीडया भानुपुत्र्या
विदधदतुलचारीर्भाति कुञ्जे विहारी ॥२॥
tata-suṣira-ghanānāṁ nādam ānaddha-bhājāṁ
janayati taruṇīnāṁ maṇḍale maṇḍitānām |
taṭa-bhuvi naṭarāja-krīḍayā bhānu-putryā
vidadhad atula-cārīr bhāti kuñje vihārī ||2||
Pulling off unparalleled movements
By way of his play as the king of dancers
On the bank of the Daughter of the Sun
In the midst of a circle of adorned, youthful girls
Producing the sound of string, wind, and metallic percussion instruments
Supported by drums—
The Frolicker in the bowers
Shines!
Commentary
Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda explains in his commentary that the author describes in this verse Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s being absorbed in the delight of dancing with his beloveds,3 that is, Śrī Rādhā and her sakhīs. “Pulling off unparalleled movements by way of his play as the king of dancers” (naṭarāja-krīḍayā … vidadhad atula-cārīḥ) alludes to his performing superb dance steps. “The Daughter of the Sun” (Bhānu-putryā) refers to the Yamunā. The string instruments spoken of are those like the vīṇā, the wind instruments are those like the flute, and the metallic percussion instruments are those like gongs and cymbals.4 The youthful gopīs encircling Śrī Kṛṣṇa are described as “adorned” (maṇḍitānām) to convey that they are ornamented with variegated ornaments from head to foot.5 The sense is that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is envisioned in this verse to be dancing astoundingly in the middle of a circle formed by Śrī Rādhā and her sakhīs who are dressed gorgeously and playing together as a band a full range of musical instruments for Śrī Kṛṣṇa to dance to.
शिखिनि कलितषड्जे कोकिले पञ्चमाढ्ये
स्वयमपि नववंश्योद्दामयन्ग्राममुख्यम् ।
धृतमृगमदगन्धः सुष्ठु गान्धारसंज्ञं
त्रिभुवनधृतिहारी भाति कुञ्जे विहारी ॥३॥
śikhini kalita-ṣaḍje kokile pañcamāḍhye
svayam api nava-vaṁśyoddāmayan grāma-mukhyam |
dhṛta-mṛgamada-gandhaḥ suṣṭhu gāndhāra-saṁjñaṁ
tribhuvana-dhṛti-hārī bhāti kuñje vihārī ||3||
Bearing the fragrance of musk,
Stealing away three worlds’ composure,
And himself also excellently letting loose with his new flute
The preeminent gamut (grāma) [of notes] known as Gāndhāra
In the midst of a first note (sā) produced by peacocks
Adorned with a fifth note (pā) from cuckoos—
The Frolicker in the bowers
Shines!
Commentary
Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda explains in his commentary that the author describes in this verse Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s delighting not only his beloveds but all living entities present in Vṛndāvana as well.6 Thus, it further describes the same scene spoken of in the previous verse: in concert with the all the gopīs playing vīṇās, flutes, cymbals, gongs, drums, and so on, as peacocks sound a first note (sā—ṣaḍja) and cuckoos sound a fifth note (pā—pañcama), Śrī Kṛṣṇa becomes elated by these notes and then greatly elates these two groups of birds by “letting loose” (uddāmayan), meaning, playing in an unrestrained way, the gamut (grāma) of notes that is preeminent among all gamuts, that know as gāndhāra,7 which is a gamut said to be centered on the third note (gā—gāndhāra) and to be used only by Gandharvas.
अनुपमकरशाखोपात्तराधाङ्गुलीको
लघु लघु कुसुमानां पर्यटन्वाटिकायाम् ।
सरभसमनुगीतश्चित्रकण्ठीभिरुच्चै-
र्व्रजनवयुवतीभिर्भाति कुञ्जे विहारी ॥४॥
anupama-kara-śākhopātta-rādhāṅgulīko
laghu laghu kusumānāṁ paryaṭan vāṭikāyām |
sarabhasam anugītaś citra-kaṇṭhībhir uccair
vraja-nava-yuvatībhir bhāti kuñje vihārī ||4||
He by whom Rādhā’s fingers are held
With his own incomparable fingers,
Gently, gently roaming
Throughout a garden of flowers,
And delightedly singing aloud in response
To the freshly youthful girls of Vraja
Possessed of excellent throats—
The Frolicker in the bowers
Shines!
Commentary
Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda explains that the author describes in this verse Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s roaming about Vṛndāvana with his companion beloveds.8 He further comments that the fingers of Śrī Rādhā’s right hand are held by the fingers of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s left hand,9 that the “freshly youthful girls of Vraja” (Vraja-nava-yuvatībhiḥ) mentioned in the verse refers to Śrī Rādhā’s sakhīs led by Lalitā,10 and that their being “possessed of excellent throats” (citra-kaṇṭhībhiḥ) indicates that they sing with most excellent, sweet notes.11 The sense is that the sakhīs are leading songs sung in the call and response style, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa is singing along with them, responding to the lines they sing, as they slowly stroll throughout a flower garden.
अहिरिपुकृतलास्ये कीचकारब्धवाद्ये
व्रजगिरितटरङ्गे भृङ्गसङ्गीतभाजि ।
विरचितपरिचर्यश्चित्रतौर्यत्रिकेण
स्तिमितकरणवृत्तिर्भाति कुञ्जे विहारी ॥५॥
ahiripu-kṛta-lāsye kīcakārabdha-vādye
vraja-giri-taṭa-raṅge bhṛṅga-saṅgīta-bhāji |
viracita-paricaryaś citra-tauryatrikeṇa
stimita-karaṇa-vṛttir bhāti kuñje vihārī ||5||
He of slackened sensory functions
Upon becoming he for whom adoration has been arranged
By way of a triad of excellent performances
On the stage of the slopes of Vraja’s mountain,
As dancing is enacted by peacocks,
Instrumental music is begun by hollow bamboos,
And harmonious singing is performed by bumblebees—
The Frolicker in the bowers
Shines!
Commentary
Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda explains that the author describes in this verse the best of Hari’s servants, Govardhana, on occasion pleasing Śrī Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by his beloveds, with “a triad of performances” (tauryatrikena), meaning, with dancing, singing, and the playing of musical instruments.12 The sense is that Śrī Kṛṣṇa on occasion strolls along the slopes of Govardhana with Śrī Rādhikā and her sakhīs, and as he does so, Govardhana serenades them with the wind-chimes of hollow bamboos growing atop him as peacocks dance and bumblebees hum. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s heart melts as he observes this, and thus his sensory functions become slackened,13 meaning, he becomes amazed such that he loses his awareness and responsiveness to all else.
दिशि दिशि शुकशारीमण्डलैर्गूढलीलाः
प्रकटमनुपठद्भिर्निर्मिताश्चर्यपूरः ।
तदतिरहसि वृत्तं प्रेयसीकर्णमूले
स्मितमुखमभिजल्पन्भाति कुञ्जे विहारी ॥६॥
diśi diśi śuka-śārī-maṇḍalair gūḍha-līlāḥ
prakaṭam anupaṭhadbhir nirmitāścarya-pūraḥ |
tad atirahasi vṛttaṁ preyasī-karṇamūle
smita-mukham abhijalpan bhāti kuñje vihārī ||6||
He for whom a stream of wonder is created
By the circles of parrots and mynahs in all directions
Clearly recounting [his] confidential līlās,
And in complete seclusion
Commenting on these accounts
Into the outer ear of his Beloved
With a smiling face—
The Frolicker in the bowers
Shines!
Commentary
Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda explains that as Śrī Kṛṣṇa comments into Śrī Rādhikā’s ear about the accounts of their private play he hears the parrots and mynahs speaking openly aloud, a smile arises on his face out of amazement, “How has our [secret, private] activity become known to these birds outside [the bower]?”14
तव चिकुरकदम्बं स्तम्भते प्रेक्ष्य केकी
नयनकमललक्ष्मीर्वन्दते कृष्णसारः ।
अलिरलमलकान्तं नौति पश्येति राधां
सुमधुरमनुशंसन्भाति कुञ्जे विहारी ॥७॥
tava cikura-kadambaṁ stambhate prekṣya kekī
nayana-kamala-lakṣmīr vandate kṛṣṇa-sāraḥ |
alir alam alakāntaṁ nauti paśyeti rādhāṁ
sumadhuram anuśaṁsan bhāti kuñje vihārī ||7||
“Seeing your head of hair,
A peacock becomes stunned;
[Seeing] The beauty of your lotus eyes,
A black antelope offers obeisance;
[Seeing] The tips of your ringlets,
A bee extols [them];
Look!”
Very sweetly praising Rādhā in this way
The Frolicker in the bowers
Shines!
Commentary
Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda explains that the author describes in this verse Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s indirectly praising features of Śrī Rādhikā’s body.15 He illustrates the thought a peacock has that results in the peacock becoming stunned upon seeing Śrī Rādhikā’s hair as follows, “This hair of hers decorated with various flowers belittles my tail!”16 He similarly depicts the thought of a black antelope has upon seeing Śrī Rādhikā’s eyes that inspires the antelope to offer obeisance to Śrī Rādhikā as follows, “The beauty of her lotus eyes is even more charming than my eyes.”17 He also depicts the thoughts of a bee that praises the tips of Śrī Rādhikā’s ringlets as follows, “The unsteadiness and eagerness of her ringlets is vastly superior even to my unsteadiness and eagerness.”18
मदनतरलबालाचक्रवालेन विष्वग्
विविधवरकलानां शिक्षया सेव्यमानः ।
स्खलितचिकुरवेशे स्कन्धदेशे प्रियायाः
प्रथितपृथुलबाहुर्भाति कुञ्जे विहारी ॥८॥
madana-tarala-bālā-cakravālena viṣvag
vividha-vara-kalānāṁ śikṣayā sevyamānaḥ |
skhalita-cikura-veśe skandha-deśe priyāyāḥ
prathita-pṛthula-bāhur bhāti kuñje vihārī ||8||
Being served in all respects
With instruction in various excellent arts
By the circle of girls
With the tremulousness of Madana,
He with his broad arm placed
On his Beloved’s shoulder
Bearing the ornament of her loosened hair—
The Frolicker in the bowers
Shines!
Commentary
Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda explains that the “circle of girls” (bālā-cakravālena) mentioned in the verse refers to Śrī Rādhikā’s sakhīs, Lalitā and so forth,19 and that this statement of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s learning arts from these girls makes known that he is highly proficient in these arts.20 Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda also explains that the statement of Śrī Śukapāda in SB 10.33.10 suggests that Śrī Kṛṣṇa learned arts like singing from the gopīs:
And to she who raised that itself in Dhruva [i.e., to she who sang with the particular rhythm known as Dhruva the same gamut of notes previously sung by another gopī], he offered great honor.21
इदमनुपमलीलाहारि कुञ्जे विहारि-
स्मरणपदमधीते तुष्टधीरष्टकं यः ।
निजगणवृतया श्रीराधया राधितस्तं
नयति निजपदाब्जं कुञ्जसद्माधिराजः ॥९॥
idam anupama-līlā-hāri kuñje vihāri–
smaraṇa-padam adhīte tuṣṭa-dhīr aṣṭakaṁ yaḥ |
nija-gaṇa-vṛtayā śrī-rādhayā rādhitas taṁ
nayati nija-padābjaṁ kuñja-sadmādhirājaḥ ||9||
Being worshiped by Śrī Rādhā
Surrounded by her group,
The Emperor of the bower-dwelling
Brings to his lotus feet
One of satisfied mind
Who studies this poem of eight verses,
Which is a source of remembrance of his frolicking in the bowers
And captivating by virtue of [its descriptions of] incomparable līlās.
Commentary
Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda explains that the author describes in this verse the result of studying this poem of eight verses.22 He adds that the līlās described in this poem are said here to be “incomparable” (anupama), that is, superlative, because of their relation with Śrī Rādhā’s group,23 meaning, because Śrī Rādhā and her sakhīs take part in them. The mention of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s being “worshiped by Śrī Rādhā” (Śrī-Rādhayā rādhitas) further indicates that she is the queen of the bowers in Vraja.24
Meter
Mālinī
Sources
Stava-mālā editions by Śrī Purī Dāsa Mahāśaya, Śrī Rāma Nārāyaṇa Vidyāratna, and Nirṇaya Sāgara Press.
Footnotes
1rati-bandhunā smareṇa … |
2rādhāyā apāṅga-bhaṅgī-taraṅgaiḥ kaṭākṣormibhiḥ … |
3priyābhiḥ saha nāṭya-vinodavantaṁ taṁ varṇayan … |
4tata-suṣira-ghanānāṁ vīṇā-veṇu-kāṁsya-tālānāṁ nādaṁ janayati sati | tataṁ vīṇādikaṁ vādyam ānaddhaṁ murajādikam | vaṁśy-ādikaṁ tu suṣiraṁ kāṁsya-tālādikaṁ dhanam || ity amaraḥ |
5maṇḍitānām iti | āpāda-śikhaṁ vicitrair bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣitānām ity arthaḥ |
6na kevalaṁ preyasīr evānandayati, api tu vṛndāṭavī-sthitāni sattvāni cānandayatīty āha—śikhinīti |
7śikhini mayūre kalita-ṣaḍje ṣaḍja-svaram uccārayati kokile pañcamāḍhye pañcama-svaram uccārayati sati svayam api tad-ālāpa-hṛṣṭas tau pariharṣayan nava-vaṁśyā gāndhāra-saṁjñaṁ grāma-mukhyam uddāmayan … |
8priyā-pariṣadā saha vṛndāṭavyāṁ paryaṭantaṁ varṇayan … |
9anupamābhiḥ kara-śākhābhir vāma-karāṅgulibhir upāttā gṛhītā rādhā-dakṣiṇa-karāṅgulyo yena saḥ |
10vraja-nava-yuvatībhir lalitādyābhiḥ śrī-rādhā-sakhībhir … |
11citra-kaṇṭhībhir vicitra-madhura-svarābhir … |
12priyābhir viśiṣṭaṁ taṁ kadācid govardhano hari-dāsa-varya eva tauryatrikeṇa toṣayatīti varṇayati—ahīti | … tauryatrikaṁ nṛtya-gīta-vādyaṁ nāṭyam idaṁ trayam ity amaraḥ |
13stimitā tauryatrikānubhāvenārdrā-karaṇa-vṛttir indriya-vyāpāro yasya saḥ |
14āvayoś caritaṁ katham ebhir bahiścarair jñātam iti vismayena smitodayaḥ |
15śrī-rādhikāṅgāni bhaṅgyā stuvantaṁ kṛṣṇa varṇayati—taveti |
16ayam asyāḥ keśa-pāśo vividha-puṣpa-citrito mat-kalāpa-nyak-kārīti stabdho bhavatīty arthaḥ |
17man-netrato’py atiramyāsyā netrābja-śobheti tāḥ praṇamatīty arthaḥ |
18mac-cāpalān man-lauyāc cātiśayi-tamasyā alaka-cāpalādīti tvad-alakāvalīṁ stauti |
19bālānāṁ lalitādīnāṁ cakravālena vṛndena … |
20bālā-vṛndāt kalā-śikṣaṇoktis tasya tatrātiprāvīṇyaṁ vyanakti |
21tad eva dhruvam unninye tasyai mānaṁ ca bahv adāt ||
22aṣṭakādhyayana-phalam āha—idam iti |
23anupamābhiḥ śrī-rādhā-yūtha-sambandhād atyutkṛṣṭābhir līlābhir … |
24śrī-rādhayā nikuñja-mahiṣyā |