श्रीकुञ्जविहार्यष्टकम् (१)
Śrī Kuñja-vihary-aṣṭakam (1)

Eight verses in praise of the Frolicker in the kuñjas

By Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda

नमः श्रीकुञ्जविहारिणे ।

namaḥ śrī-kuñja-vihāriṇe |

Obeisance unto the blessed Frolicker in the kuñjas.

इन्द्रनीलमणिमञ्जुलवर्णः
फुल्लनीपकुसुमाञ्चितकर्णः ।
कृष्णलाभिरकृशोरसि हारी
सुन्दरो जयति कुञ्जविहारी ॥१॥

indranīla-maṇi-mañjula-varṇaḥ
phulla-nīpa-kusumāñcita-karṇaḥ |
kṛṣṇalābhir akṛśorasi hārī
sundaro jayati kuñja-vihārī ||1||

His complexion charming like a blue sapphire jewel,
His ears adorned with blossoming kadamba flowers,
Bearing a necklace [made] with guñja berries across his broad chest—
The beautiful Frolicker in the kuñjas triumphs!

Commentary

Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda in his commentary on this text glosses “the beautiful Frolicker in the kuñjas” (sundaraḥ Kuñja-vihārī) as the Prince of Vraja adorable to [alt., in the midst of] his lover associates [i.e., the young gopīs of Vraja] (sundaraḥ priyā-pariṣad-ramyaḥ Kuñja-vihārī Vraja-rāja-sūnuḥ). He also states that the next verse further clarifies his adorability (tad-ramyatāṁ sphuṭayati).

राधिकावदनचन्द्रचकोरः
सर्वबल्लववधूधृतिचौरः ।
चर्चरीचतुरताञ्चितचारी
चारुतो जयति कुञ्जविहारी ॥२॥

rādhikā-vadana-candra-cakoraḥ
sarva-
ballava-vadhū-dhṛti-cauraḥ |
carcarī-caturatāñcita-cārī
cāruto jayati kuñja-vihārī ||2||

The Cakora of the moon of Rādhikā’s face,
The Stealer of the composure of all the cowherd women,
His movements adorned with expertise in carcarī—
The lovely Frolicker in the kuñjas triumphs!

Commentary

Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda explains in his commentary that carcarī is a particular rhythm and that Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s being described here as one whose movements are adorned with expertise in carcarī conveys that he is possessed of the capability of dancing and moving in a manner that is most charming (nṛtya-gati-manojñatā yasya saḥ). He further comments that the next verse describes how Śrī Kṛṣṇa removes impediments to his frolicking in the kuñjas and the occasional distractions of his associates (sva-vihāra-pratyūha-bhūtāṁ sva-pariṣadāṁ kvācitkīm anya-mānaskatāṁ ca nirāsthad ity āha—sarvataḥ …).

सर्वतः प्रथितकौलिकपर्व-
ध्वंसनेन हृतवासवगर्वः ।
गोष्ठरक्षणकृते गिरिधारी
लीलया जयति कुञ्जविहारी ॥३॥

sarvataḥ prathita-kaulika-parva-
dhvaṁsanena hṛta-vāsava-garvaḥ |
goṣṭha-rakṣaṇa-kṛte giridhārī
līlayā jayati kuñja-vihārī ||3||

He by who the pride of Indra was removed
By stopping the ancestral sacrifice well known everywhere,
The Lifter of the mountain playfully
For the sake of protecting Vraja—
The Frolicker in the kuñjas triumphs!

Commentary

Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that the ancestral sacrifice (kaulika-parva) mentioned in this verse is a festival of worship for Indra that was passed on through the generations in the cowherd king’s family (kaulikaṁ gopendra-kula-paramparā-prāptaṁ ca yat parva indra-pūjotsavaḥ). Indra’s pride (garvaḥ) was his conceit based on his being the lord of his domain (lokeśvaratābhimānaḥ). The description in the second half of the verse of Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Lifter of Govardhana Hill is in response to the question that arises after hearing the first half of the verse: “What means did Śrī Kṛṣṇa adopt when Indra attacked Vraja after the cancellation of his sacrifice?” (hṛta-parvaṇīndre kṛta-vraja-kleśe kam upāyaṁ cakāra tatrāha—goṣṭheti). The purport of the verse is that a grand festival of darśana of his lovers, whose darśana is difficult for him to attain, ensued from his obstructing Indra’s sacrifice and then lifting Govardhana to protect Vraja (tatra durlabha-darśanānāṁ priyāṇāṁ darśanotsavo mahān abhūd iti bhāvaḥ). The next verse describes how Śrī Kṛṣṇa became intoxicated with bliss and frolicked after defeating Indra, who had become the cause of an impediment to his frolicking in the kuñjas with the gopīs (evaṁ pratyūha-hetum indram api nirjityānanda-matto viharatīty āha—rāgety ādi).

रागमण्डलविभूषितवंशी-
विभ्रमेण मदनोत्सवशंसी ।
स्तूयमानचरितः शुकशारी
श्रेणिभिर्जयति कुञ्जविहारी ॥४॥

rāga-maṇḍala-vibhūṣita-vaṁśī-
vibhrameṇa madanotsava-śaṁsī |
stūyamāna-caritaḥ śuka-śārī
śreṇibhir jayati kuñja-vihārī ||4||

Promising [his lovers] a festival of Madana
With the play of his flute
Bedecked with an array of rāgas
As his deeds are being praised
By flocks of parrots and mynahs—
The Frolicker in the kuñjas triumphs!

Commentary

Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s being praised by the parrots and mynahs as he plays his flute for the gopīs is because the birds are deeply fond of the sweetness of the sound of his flute and that their singing his praises at the time of his flute playing multiplies the excellence of the sound of his flute song (vaṁśī-nāda-mādhuryānuraktābhiḥ śukādi-paṅktibhiḥ stūyamāna-caritaḥ, varṇitottama-gāyakatā-guṇaka ity arthaḥ).

शातकुम्भरुचिहारिदुकूलः
केकिचन्द्रकविराजितचूलः ।
नव्ययौवनलसद्व्रजनारी
रञ्जनो जयति कुञ्जविहारी ॥५॥

śātakumbha-ruci-hāri-dukūlaḥ
k
eki-candraka-virājita-cūlaḥ |
navya-yauvana-lasad-vraja-nārī
rañjano jayati kuñja-vihārī ||5||

His fine linen garb surpassing the luster of gold,
His top-knot splendid with a peacock plume,
Delighting the ladies of Vraja
Shining with fresh youth—
The Frolicker in the kuñjas triumphs!

Commentary

Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s delighting the ladies of Vraja means that after they become attracted to him by the sound of his flute (and run to meet him in the forest), he satisfies them by touching them and so forth (vaṁśī-nādākṛṣṭānāṁ tāsām abhimarṣaṇādinā paritoṣakṛd ity arthaḥ).

स्थासकीकृतसुगन्धिपटीरः
स्वर्णकाञ्चिपरिशोभिकटीरः ।
राधिकोन्नतपयोधरवारी-
कुञ्जरो जयति कुञ्जविहारी ॥६॥

sthāsakī-kṛta-sugandhi-paṭīraḥ
svarṇa-kāñci-pariśobhi-kaṭīraḥ |
rādhikonnata-payodhara-vārī-
kuñjaro jayati kuñja-vihārī ||6||

Anointed with finely fragrant sandal paste,
His hips adorned with golden belt,
The Elephant [bound] at the hitching posts
Of Rādhikā’s raised breasts—
The Frolicker in the kuñjas triumphs!

Commentary

Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda comments that Śrī Kṛṣṇa becomes bound by the beauty of Śrī Rādhikā’s bosom like an elephant [that becomes bound] to a hitching post (vāryā kuñjara iva tat-kuca-śobhayā nibaddha ity arthaḥ).

गैरधातुतिलकोज्ज्वलभालः
केलिचञ्चलितचम्पकमालः ।
अद्रिकन्दरगृहेष्वभिसारी
सुभ्रुवां जयति कुञ्जविहारी ॥७॥

gaira-dhātu-tilakojjvala-bhālaḥ
keli-cañcalita-campaka-mālaḥ |
adri-kandara-gṛheṣv abhisārī
subhruvāṁ jayati kuñja-vihārī ||7||

His forehead radiant with mountain mineral tilaka,
His campaka garland swaying in the midst of play,
Trysting in the mountain cave abodes
Of they of fine brows—
The Frolicker in the kuñjas triumphs!

Commentary

The Stava-mālā edition of Śrī Purī Dāsa Mahāśaya presents gaura as variant of gaira, in which case the meaning is “His forehead radiant with bright mineral tilaka ….” “Of they of fine brows” (subhruvāṁ) refers to the gopīs who arrange Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s trysts with Śrī Rādhikā in the caves on Govardhana Hill.

विभ्रमोच्चलदृगञ्चलनृत्य-
क्षिप्तगोपललनाखिलकृत्यः ।
प्रेममत्तवृषभानुकुमारी-
नागरो जयति कुञ्जविहारी ॥८॥

vibhramoccala-dṛg-añcala-nṛtya-
kṣipta-gopa-lalanākhila-kṛtyaḥ |
prema-matta-vṛṣabhānu-kumārī-
nāgaro jayati kuñja-vihārī ||8||

He by the dancing of whose side-long glances,
Flickering with amorous play,
All the duties of the cowherd women
Have been left abandoned,
The Gallant of the prema-madden Daughter of Vṛṣabhānu—
The Frolicker in the kuñjas triumphs!

Commentary

Śrī Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda glosses the word “Gallant” (nāgara) as Rasika, which indicates that Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda’s intention is to say that Śrī Kṛṣṇa relishes the rasa manifest by Śrī Rādhikā as she becomes maddened by her prema for him.

अष्टकं मधुरकुञ्जविहारि-
क्रीडया पठति यः किल हारि ।
स प्रयाति विलसत्परभागं
तस्य पादकमलार्चनरागम् ॥९॥

aṣṭakaṁ madhura-kuñja-vihāri
krīḍayā paṭhati yaḥ kila hāri |
sa prayāti vilasat-parabhāgaṁ
tasya pāda-kamalārcana-rāgam ||9||

One who recites this poem of eight verses,
Captivating by virtue of [containing descriptions of] the play
Of the sweet Frolicker in the kuñjas,
Attains the illustrious excellence
Of attachment (rāga) to the worship of his lotus feet.

Meter

Svāgatā

Sources

Stava-mālā editions by Śrī Purī Dāsa Mahāśaya, Śrī Rāma Nārāyaṇa Vidyāratna, and Nirṇaya Sāgara Press.

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