ŚrīŚrī GodrumCandrāya Namah

Śrī VilāpKusumānjalih

tvaà rüpamaïjari sakhi prathitä pure’smin

puàsaù parasya vadanaà nahi paçyaséti
vimbädhare kñatamanägatabharttåkäyä
yatte vyadhäyi kimutacchuka puìgavena

[At the commencement of his composition, Śrīla Raghunāth dāsGosvāàī

Prabhupād, while offering obeisance to his spiritual master, Śrīla
RūpaGosvāmī Prabhupād, finds in his heart that the awareness of the
siddha deha of both his guru and himself has been wholly awakened. In this
state of affairs, full with the sentiments of a cowherd maiden, he wishes to
offer some praise to his spiritual preceptor, delivered nonetheless in the
form of an artful insinuation, a jocular comment hinting that something is
slightly amiss.]
siddha deha – eternally perfected body (that of a cowherd girl or boy, gopa, gopī or
mañjari)

“Ayi! Sakhi RūpaMañjari! You are renowned throughout

BrajaMandala as the most chaste young girl, without even so much
as a slight inclination to look at the face of another man. How is it
then, that in the absence of your husband, these wounds are to be
seen upon your lips? The signs of bite-marks are clearly evident. It
must be that the King of the Parrots has mistaken your lips for some
ripe Bimba fruits and thus mistakenly inflicted these wounds upon
your soft lotus lips. 1
O Lily of the Valley! It is only fitting that your pride should
eclipse the other inhabitants of this forest of Vrindāban, appearing as
a deceitful display like any other sweet smile amongst the multitude
of sweet-scented flowers assembled here. For it can only be due
to the fact that the BlackBee has forsaken all the other flowers to
exclusively seek out the path that leads to you, that this most sought-
after amorous smile now caresses the corners of your mouth.” 2
“Ayi RatiMañjari! It is you who are the most fortunate, the crest
jewel amongst the diverse multitude of gopī maidens present here in
Brajapur. Only as a result of this, the dawning of your accumulated
pious credits, has it come to be that your dearmost Svāminī has
requested you to search out that most beloved ornamental girdle of
hers that she left behind in that cave in Govardhan, forgetful as she
was due to the fatigue of wanton dalliance.” 3
 I fall at the feet of Prabhu Çré Yadunandan, my spiritual
preceptor, most dear to YaduNandan Çré Kåñëa. Endowed with
unequalled magnanimity, this most noble personality, though
a member of the aristocracy, has blessed me with a shower of his
incomparable, nectarean mercy. 4
I adore Çré CaitanyaCandra, who is by nature a condensed
ocean of compassion and has thus pulled me out from an irredeemable
place, the dry well of family life, having extended to me the rope of
his mercy. Having delivered me from such a dark hole filled with
untold and limitless suffering, he has bestowed upon me the cooling
shade of his lotus feet, keeping me under the shelter of his own Çré
SvarüpDämodar Gosvämé. 5
I take shelter of Çréla SanätanGosvämé, my sikña guru. He is an
ocean of compassion, saddened by the suffering of others. Though I
was blinded by ignorance and unwilling to accept his ministrations,
he nevertheless lavished great care and attention in causing me to
drink nectarean draughts of bhakti-ras, flavoured with renunciation. 6

“He Svāminī Śrī Rādhike! Here sits your incompetent

servant, continuously consumed by an inner conflagration, inflamed
as my heart is by feelings of intense separation from you. Feeling my
life to be thus without any purpose, I am sitting by the side of Śrī
GiriGovardhan, lost in lamentation, bewailing my plight through
these love-laden verses, to thus while away this eternal moment. 7
He Devī! (Oh playful Goddess!) By that most amazing and
powerful boat of your unfathomable mercy, please rescue this most
unfortunate, wretched and miserable soul who has fallen into the
womb of the ocean of affliction. How long can I remain without the
shelter of dry land? Please take me to the shelter of your lotus feet.
8

Devī Rādhe! Having been bitten by the serpent of separation

from you, I am almost dead. There is no other hope to maintain this
miserable life other than administering the medicine that is the red
lac dye decorating the borders of your lotus soft feet. In this way,
please bring me back from death’s door step and bind me with the
ropes of your mercy as a maidservant (sevikā) at your lotus feet. 9
 Ohe Devī! The body of this servant of your lotus feet is as
a creeper, now consumed by the forest fire of separation from you.
Please rescue me from this forest fire with a shower of nectar, merely
a momentary glance in my direction will suffice. 10
He Sumukhi! (Oh bright-faced one! Please be pleased with
me.) Āhā! (Alas!) Will it ever come to be, even in a dream, that the
pollen particles from your lotus feet will adorn my head? thus
justifying its name – uttamāìga (the principal part of the body). 11
He Kalyāni! Śrī Rādhe! (Most blissful benefactress!) Hā!
(Alas!) When might my deaf-stricken ears be restored to their
natural healthy condition, by receiving the sweet sound of your
ankle bracelets, sound waves from the ocean of Amrita (ambrosia)?
12

He Devī! While going out into the moonlit night to make

a tryst with your lover, your frightful eyes dart from side to side
in timorous apprehension, like the flight of two drones encircling
a blue lotus flower. Seeing the ecstatic delight of the forest (herein
compared with a myriad of blue lotuses) blessed by your merciful
glance (those drones having alighted on the petals of the blue
lotuses), a certain soul wonders if and when such a merciful glance
might be received by her. 13
Ayi! Vrindābaneśvari! (Oh Empress of Vrindāban!) Ever since
that chaste young girl known by the name of RūpaMañjari opened
my eyes here in this forest of Vrindāban (BrajaBhuri), by teaching
me the in’s and out’s of service to your lotus feet, I have acquired
a very intense and unrelenting desire to carefully observe, at close
quarters, the red lac dye adorning the borders of your lotus feet. 14
He Vikasita Kamalocane! (Oh you whose eyes are expanded
like the petals of a lotus flower!) From the moment I had darshan
(a blessed vision) of your enchanting lake (RādhāKund) and the
multitude of bees buzzing about the lotuses adorning its waters as
sweet as honey, I have been infatuated with an eager and unrelenting
longing to absorb myself in the mellows of service to your lotus feet.
15

Ohe Devī! I ask for nothing other than service to your lotus
feet. I constantly offer obeisances (namo’stu namo’stu) to the position
of friendship (sakhitva), however, for me the nectarean essence of
reality is servitorship to your lotus feet (raso’stu raso’stu). 16
 He Rādhe! You look ever so pleased, your arms beautifully
decorated, embraced as they are with auspicious signs and symbols
composed with lac dye. The effulgence of your bodily complexion
is such that the pride of the colour of fresh turmeric gets trampled
under your toenails. Alas! Priyājī! When will I be blessed with the
service of your lotus feet? 17
Ohe Devī Nikuñjeśvari! Having washed the drain outside
your house with profuse quantities of sweet water, I will then, with
great ecstasy and affection, wipe it clean with my unbound hair.
Aho! (Alas!) When will that day be mine when I will be able to
engage in such services on a regular daily basis? I will always see
that the outer apartments are sweetly scented by the fragrances of
the finest incense. 18
He Bhāvinī! (Bhāvinī – a charming woman who is the
embodiment of an idea or concept) When will that day finally arrive
when I will come to your house early in the morning, having carefully
brought with me silky soft clay, camphor and sweet-scented water?
Then, in the appointed place, after first smearing your lotus feet
with clay and camphor, I will rinse them with water and then dry
them with my hair. 19
Bho Rādhike Kamalini! Your lotus feet now freshly washed,
you then brush your teeth with a twig as you proceed to the
appointed place of your bath. Having seated yourself, your kinkari
(maidservant) will then enter with the fragrant oils and, (when oh
when will that day be mine?) begin to ever so softly massage your
body with that oil. 20
Ayi! (My most worshipful Mistress – love of my life!) With
that fresh, pure water that I previously prepared, having added to
it sandalwood paste, camphor and flower petals, I will now prepare
to bathe your lotus face, that has already defeated the moon (Śrī
KåñëaCandra). Oh when will it come to be that I will perform your
abhishek, bathing you with profuse currents of this water, after you
first remove your necklace , most dear to you, and hand it to me for
safe-keeping. 21
Śaśimukhi! (O Moon-faced one!) Having completed your
bath, your restless eyes dart hither and thither. Next I will ever so
gently dry your delicately soft and most beautiful body. Having
bound a red petticoat around your waist and hips, shall I now (while
all the hairs of my body are erect due to intense ecstasy) cover you
from head to toe with that most celebrated blue sari that is your
favourite? 22
He NandaNandan Preyasi! (Oh you who are most dear to the
son of the King of the Cowherds!) Hā! (Alas!) When will this certain
someone, overflowing with affection, be permitted to engage in all
these variegated services, one after another? After having washed
your lotus feet, I will then bring the garlands prepared by Narmadā,
the daughter of the florist. Āhahā! These garlands, being ever so
thin, are just suitable for weaving into the braids of your hair. When
will I be graced with this opportunity? 23
Ohe Devī! O playful Goddess! Shall I now decorate you with
tilak, using musk to fashion the form of the full moon shining forth
from your brilliant forehead; then anoint your limbs with saffron
paste (kunkum) and finally paint pictures on your breasts with
sandalwood paste? 24
Devī! Will it not beautify your forelock (fringe of hair on the
forehead) if I now decorate the part in your hair, using a jewelled
pin to apply sindhur (vermilion; red lead; mercuric sulphide)? 25
Devī! Now shall I paint different designs above your temples,
using tilak the colour of the early morning eastern sky (reddish
orange), like stars clustered around the full moon shining from
between your eyebrows, all the while my being overflowing with
ebullience, knowing these designs to be the medicine that will cause
Kåñëa to become delirious (totally intoxicated by your beauty). 26
Baroru! (Oh most beautiful Rādhike, whose two lovely
thighs cause the bridegroom, Śrī Kåñëa to lose his mind!) My heart
filled with happy, loving affection, shall I now decorate your ears
with earrings, like the lassos of KāmaDev, to ensnare the intoxicated
elephant of Kåñëa’s mind? 22
Sundari! (Oh most beautiful one!) Yes of course I put this
bodice on you to cover your breasts so that Shyām might not see them.
You needn’t deliberate on that. However, my Mistress (Svāminī),
the fact is that Kåñëa himself becomes your bodice. Dearer to him
than his own life, he thinks your breasts to be two rare jewels of his
own and thus does he wish to conceal them with his embrace. 28
 HemāGauri! (Oh you whose fair complexion shines like
molten gold!) Having become exhausted and indolent from wanton
dalliance with your lover, while you recline on his body, soft as
a cotton mattress, shall your servant place upon your breast, still
slightly heaving from love’s labours, that necklace very carefully
constructed in intricate patterns from very valuable jewels and
pearls, and thus infuse you with fresh and renewed energy? 29
Indībarākñi (Oh you whose eyes are like blue lotuses that
attract the black bee (Śrī Kåñëa!) Hāi! (Oh my!) Will it ever come
to be that sometimes I will decorate those two arms of yours, so
subtlety acquainted with the fine arts and thus most beloved by
Śrī Hari, with bracelets, upper arm ornaments crowned with blue
sapphires and jewelled rings for your fingers? 30
Sunetre! (O lotus-eyed one!) May I worship your lotus feet,
reverently adorning them with jewelled ankle bracelets, and then
array the toes of those lotus feet, like so many petals of a lotus
flower, with jewelled toe rings (cutaki – a ring with small bells worn
by women on their toes)? Lastly, might I also worship at the altar
where Śrī Krsna performs loving adoration, namely your two hips,
by binding them with a golden girdle (kāñchi; mekhalā)? 31
He Rādhike! Next I fancy myself demurely adorning your
two arms (more delicate than the stems of lotus flowers and which
cause the swan of Śrī Kåñëa’s mind to become totally flustered with
impatience) with jewelled armlets, all the while my heart filled with
joy and merriment. 32
Ohe Subhage! (Oh most fortunate Rādhe!) During the Rāsa
festival, Śrī GokulCandra blessed your neck with the greatest
prosperity by putting his arm around it. May this certain person,
desirous of rendering service, now worship that most blessed neck
by placing a golden necklace about it? 33
He Sumukhi! (Oh bright-faced one!) After having killed that
impudent Śankhacura (who tried to carry you away) and wresting
the jewel from his diadem, that Śyamantak mani was then given by
the enemy of Pralambha (Balarām) to MadhuMangal, so that it might
be presented to you in propitiation. Having placed the Śyamantak
mani as the centre-piece in a necklace of pearls, shall I now adorn
your slender form with this locket, the best friend of the Kaustubha
mani? [Śrī Kåñëa bears upon his chest the Kaustubha mani and Śrī Rādhā
the Śyamantak mani. During their loving embraces these two jewels are
side-by-side and thus have they become fast friends, having met together
so many times.] 34
When will I fasten about your waist this golden rope, adorned
with beautiful tassels at either end? Bho Kriśodari! (Oh thou of
slender waist!) It is out of fear that I hesitate, since your waist is so
slender that it might break from the weight of this golden belt. 35
Will your nose, more beautiful than a sesame flower, accept
from my hand this lovely pearl ornament, perfectly round and
bound with a golden thread? Ayi HemaGauri! (Oh you whose bodily
complexion is like molten gold!) This pearl ornament will appear to
that Black Bee as a drop of nectar about to fall from the petal of your
sesamum nose, and thus will he be distracted with agitation. 36
Ayi SvarnaGauri! (Fairest one! of golden limbs!) When,
with your consent, will I encircle your left arm with a bracelet and
this chaplet embellished with nine precious gems and silk tassels?
[pearl, ruby, chrysoberyl (cat’s eye), zircon (jacinth), diamond, coral, beryl,
emerald, sapphire] 37
Oh Cancalākñi! (Thou of restless eyes!) This ornament,
shaped like a wheel bisected by a pin, that my most insignificant
self is fastening about your ear, will undoubtedly cause the other
newly-married gopīs to become perturbed, and the enemy of (the)
Mura (demon) to wander around in circles (intoxicated with that
vision of loveliness). 38
Ayi Mrigaśārākñi! (O fawn-eyed nymph!) When shall I
joyfully decorate your chin, the Temple of Delight of Mukunda, with
a drop of musk, itself appearing like a black moon? 39
Ohe Devi! (O Goddess!) When shall I decorate the furrows
of your teeth with thin red lines, thus producing the appearance of
pearls strung on a red thread? 40
Having mixed fresh camphor with the finest catechu, when
this most insignificant servant of yours colours your lips with this
mixture, O Gangeyagātri! (Oh thou of golden complexion!) might this
incite that Dark Parrot to suddenly bite them (your lips), thinking
them to be fresh bimba fruits dripping with nectar? 41
KhañjanNayani Rai! (Whose restless eye movements put the
wagtail to shame!) [khañjan- wagtail; a bird that is always flitting about]
When might I anoint your eyes with collyrium (kajjal)? those eyes
from which only a momentary side-glance causes the King of the
Elephants to become totally infatuated. 42
 When, in order to appease your feigned anger (mān) Śri
NandaNandan remained sprawled at your feet, his head looked
unprecedentedly beautiful, decorated as it was with the lac dye
from your lotus feet. When might I also become beautiful by the
opportunity to smear the soles of your lotus feet with that dye
prepared from liquefied lac? 43
Devi Kalāvati Rādhe! (O Goddess Rādhā, who art versed in
the 64 fine arts!) When engaged with Kalānidhi [Śri KåñëaCandra-
himself the full moon surrounded by so many twinkling gopī stars]
on the full moon night of the RāsLīlā, due to the fatigue of your
wanton dalliance, your two shoulders bowed down. When will this
maidservant of yours offer a garland of Mallikā flowers, with bees
buzzing all about, to those two lovely shoulders? 44
Having seated yourself on that exquisite altar made of cat’s
eye (aventurine feldspar; SūryaKanta; Sūrya mani), your entire body
thoroughly absorbed in the task at hand, namely the worship of the
SunGod, and surrounded on all sides by your loving attendants
(your sakhis), I notice that you are now eager to begin by offering
the arghya. Should your maidservant now bring the other articles for
performing the pūjā? 45
He Baroru Rādhike! (Thou who art expert at the cordial
reception of guests, cooking, worship, and so on!) Shall we (myself
[Rati Mañjari] and your sakhis) now deliver these laddus and sweet
rice that you personally and so carefully have prepared (as per the
request of NandaRānī) for the pleasure of MadhuMathan [Śri Kåñëa-
who is always churning the honey nectar of his līlā]? 46
Bhavye! (Well behaved, mannerly, gentle, quiet, polite,
courteous, polished in taste or manners, benefactory, honest,
auspicious!) Oh when will it come to be that I, your trusted
maidservant, will arrive, in the company of the sakhis, at Mother
Yaśoda’s with all the sweets that you have prepared? She will
affectionately greet us by touching her forehead to ours as though
she were our own mother? Then, naturally she will inquire after
your welfare and I will then fill her ears with your good tidings,
thus knowing that I have finally become your dearest friend. 47
Ohe Devi! Shall I now bring before you Śri Kåñëa’s prasād,
most affectionately presented to me by Dhaniñöhā sakhi? 48
 He Kunkumāngi! (Whose body is anointed with kunkum
[saffron]!) Now that you are seated amongst Lalitā and your other
sakhis, might I now feed you Śri Kåñëa’s remnants, varieties of
eatables and drinks that defeat the taste and healing properties of
elixir? 49
Taralākñi! (O Thou of restless eyes!) When will the time come
when I will be able to bring you sweet drinking water scented with
trumpet flowers and fresh camphor and then offer you water for
rinsing your mouth and a twig for cleansing your teeth? 50
Ohe Devi! (O playful Goddess!) Oh when will I affectionately
and with earnest attention wait upon you during the time of your
repast, lighting incense, fanning you and engaging in whatever
other suitable services are appropriate at this time? 51
Ayi Madhurāngi! (Whose transcendental body is as a
honeycomb of sweetness!) Having tastefully prepared tāmbūl (pān
leaves stuffed with betel [areca] nuts, scented with camphor and folded
into triangular packets), when will I lovingly be able to offer the same
unto your lotus mouth, all the while my bodily hairs standing on
end in the ecstasy of that moment? 52
He Devi! (Most beloved sweetheart of Śri Kåñëa!) During that
festival of merriment, when Lalitā will offer you ārati, accompanied
by all the other sakhis, some singing newly composed, auspicious
songs, others raining down a shower of flowers, what will this
insignificant servant of yours do? Her life’s breath (multiplied a
hundred million times) welling up with an earnest desire to join in,
shall she offer ārati with her hair (since your cāmar [yak-tail fan] is
unavailable to such a trifling one as her)? 53
Ohe Devi! When will you lie down with your confidantes
(headed by Lalitā) on that bed of flowers prepared and decorated
by me, and thus drift off into the land of dreams while chatting
intimately among yourselves? 54
When oh when will that most auspicious day dawn, O
ManojñaHridaye! (O Thou of captivating heart! [Who cannot
tolerate the distress of another]), when your kinkari will massage
your lotus feet in the company of Śri RūpaMañjari who is massaging
your hands, as sleep gradually overtakes you. O most gracious and
merciful Devi! (The other sakhis might then exclaim, “Oh look!
RatiMañjari is massaging Kiśorijī along with RūpaMañjari!) 55
 Ayi Sumukhi! (Thou of bright and smiling countenance!)
Will I ever attain the inestimable good fortune of secretly obtaining
the remnants of your tāmbūl? In the company of my various near and
dear friends, like so many creepers of devotion, might we lovingly
be sprinkled with the ambrosial waters that billow from your lotus
feet? 56
Ohe Devi! Knowing that my mind and heart are exclusively
surrendered unto you, will you, perchance, ever be so pleased
with me as to affectionately offer me the remnants of your repast,
saturated with the nectar of your lips? 57
Ohe Svāmini! (O my Mistress!) Might my eyes be sometimes
graced with the vision of your procession to BrajaPatiPur
(NandaBaba’s house) for the purpose of cooking Śri Kåñëa‘s meal,
your bodily hairs standing on end and your feet slipping from the
path, all due to the ineffable joy welling up in your heart? 58
With Lalitā and Viśākhā directly to your left and right, and
surrounded on all sides by your merry retinue, you proceed along
the path. However, after sometime I notice from behind that your
full, expansive hips look as if they are about to break (due to the
fatigue you must be feeling). Therefore, should RūpaMañjari now
bring you the rest of the way? 59
Even dearer to BrajendraNandan than Śrī GiriGovardhan,
venerated by all the Brajbāsis, is the effulgent Śrī Nandīśvar, filled
with the sounds of mooing cows, cowherds calling one another
from one field or forest to another and the praises and hymns of the
panegyrists. 60
Having arrived at Nandīśvar in the company of your priya
sakhis, at the palace of BrajaMahendra, Dhaniñöhā joyfully notices
you and thus comes forward to usher you into the presence of
YaśodaMātā. When, oh when, will this scene unfold before my
eyes? 61
After washing your lotus feet you cheerfully enter the palace
and go to offer your salutations to Śrī Brajeśvarī and the other
elders. Ah! When will you drown me in the ocean of ecstasy by your
transcendental activities — serving your dearmost as you do, you
who are most expert in the kitchen, the abode of elegant charm and
graceful beauty, the well-spring of KåñëaPrem! 62
 Having very diligently prepared various delectable eatables
and drinks for Mādhava, O Goddess of slender arms! when will I gaze
upon your beaming face as you present these various preparations
to Mother Rohinī? 63
While Mādhava is taking his meal in the company of his
elders, he very surreptitiously steals a glance at you from his lowered
brow. Ohe Madhure! (O personification of sweetness!) When will I
be engladdened by the sight of your lotus face, shining with delight
at having perceived Mādhav’s fleeting glimpse of you? 64
Ayi! (Vocative particle introducing a kind inquiry) When
will I see your gleaming cheeks lit up with a smile by pointing
out to you that BrajendraNandan is longingly watching you as he
proceeds to the forest to fulfil his vow to protect the cows, he who is
so anxiously indulged by his mother, Śrī YaśodaDevī? 65
Sumukhi Rādhe! (Bright-faced one!) Millions of times
more loving than the total aggregate of all mothers, YaçomatīDevī
earnestly entreats you with the fondest affection to take your meal
along with your near and dear ones. Hā Hrīmati! You nevertheless
feel bashful to assent to her request (as you do every day). Might my
heart rejoice, like the frenzied chatter of a flock of birds, in having
this Divine vision of you as you sit down with your friends to honour
prasādam? 66
Ohe Khañjanākñi! (O thou of restless eyes!) Might a grand
festival overspread my heart, by beholding Mother Yaśoda’s
lavishing her loving affection upon you — hugging you tightly to
her breast, kissing your head and gazing at you tenderly, caressing
you as though you were her own daughter-in-law. 67
Hā RūpaMañjari Sakhi! Devī Rādhike, whose eyes are
expanded like the petals of a lotus flower, has draped her slender
arm across your shoulders since you are her intimate friend with
whom she enjoys such a familiar relationship. As she is now impelled
by intense longing, tossed about by waves in the ocean of amorous
diversions, hereafter, shall I bring her to the kuñj decorated by Śrī
Hari, that they might enjoy their wanton sports? 68
Sakhi! Ah! Will I ever be so fortunate as to see her (my mistress)
sitting in the kuñj on the banks of her own Kund (RādhāKund) along
with you, decorating her Dearmost with ornaments fashioned from
flowers? 69
 Subhage! (Most pleasing and charming one! possessed of the
greatest good fortune!) Having heard the announcement of Vicakñan
(a sagacious parrot), that BrajaRājNandan is on his way to make his
tryst with you, shall I now dress you (who are thrilled with rapture to
receive these glad tidings) with these delicate, diaphanous garments,
decorate your ears with these flower ornaments, put these necklaces
around your neck and adorn you with these other ornaments? 70
Śaśimukhi! (O moon-faced one!) When will I (at the same
instant) decorate the entrance to the nikuñj bhavan, celebrated with
the name Madanānanda (that gives pleasure to Madan [Cupid]), with
garlands of variegated flowers, freshly bloomed and surrounded
by buzzing bees, lustrous paintings drawn with saffron that incite
sensual desire, and a bridal bed made of Mallikā flowers? 71
Hā KanakaGauri! (Ah! Thou of golden complexion!) While
Śrī RūpaMañjari is massaging GoñöhendraNandan’s lotus feet and
you are lying next to him with your head resting on his arm as a
pillow, shall I gently (and gladly) massage your lotus feet as well?
72

By the side of the mount, Śrī GiriGovardhan, that artful

jester, crest-jewel amongst the perpetrators of mirthful sports, Śrī
Madhusūdan obstructs your path on the pretence of collecting taxes
(DānLīlā). Will I ever be so fortunate as to glimpse those arrows of
Cupid, fired from your arched brows in the form of a frown, that
you will then fire at him, your two eyes having adopted the guise
of haughty arrogance (to reciprocate his mood in this amusing
pastime)? 73
Ayi MadhuMukhi! When the gentle breezes waft the bouquet
of your unparalleled bodily fragrance into the kuñj where Mukunda
is lying on a bed of Mallikā flowers prepared by Candrāvali, he
hastily departs from there furnishing some fabricated excuse, just
as a bee leaves one flower attracted by the fragrance of another. Oh
when will that day be mine, that my pride swells upon seeing him
approaching the banks of RādhaKund so that he might meet with
you? 74
Ayi ŚaśiMukhi! (O bright-faced one!) When will the vision
of your ever-fresh, pristine pastimes with your PrāëPati and your
sakhis unfold before my eyes― at that place, sweeter than honey,
your own Kund, where new and novel frolicking sports blossom,
just as lotus flowers bloom, surrounded by multitudes of maddened
bees buzzing about and birds singing their sweet songs? 75
Ayi Baroru! (O Thou of beautiful thighs!) When will the
ocean of my bliss overflow its banks by seeing the conqueror of
Ariñöa joyfully decorating you with a variety of flower ornaments
that he has fashioned, here on the banks of this best among all
lakes, the resting place of a multitude of lotuses, decorated with
buzzing bees humming their tunes in and out of the various kuñjas,
and abounding with blossoming flowers of all the colours of the
rainbow? 76
Some sakhi, her heart swollen with ecstasy, very eagerly and
impetuously entrusts into the hands of Śrī Hari flower buds half
in bloom, plump guñja berries and peacock feathers with which
to decorate the braids of Śrī Rādhikā’s hair. BrajendraNandan
respectfully receives the same but as he goes to decorate your braids
his hands begin to tremble out of excitement from touching you,
while all the pores of your body erupt with pleasure at his touch.
Can there possibly be any greater gift that might be bestowed upon
my eyes (for their delight) than this vision of Svāminī’s abundant
tresses held in the trembling hands of Śrī Hari? 77
Sumukhi! Assailed by a flurry of emotions brought on by the
intoxication of your wanton dalliance with your Lover, will not this
sakhi, and the other sakhis like myself, have to conceal our smiling
faces when you begin to beat Mādhav with that toy lotus in your
hand? 78
SubhagMukhi! Āhahā! When will I become intoxicated with
pleasure to see you locked in each other’s mutual embrace and to hear
you singing sweet songs of Madan (Cupid) with GoñöhendraSūno
(BrajendraNandan)? 79
Ohe Devi! (O playful Goddess!) Having defeated Śrī Kåñëa
in a game of dice, you snatch away his flute. O when will I get the
opportunity to then hide his flute after you have so nimbly tossed
it to me? 80
Ayi Sumukhi! On a bed of Mālatī flowers, within this temple
that gives such satisfaction to the desires born of our heart, your
cheeks aglow with such a sweet smile, you engage in pleasant
conversation with your Dearly Beloved, having finally found a
conciliatory mood within yourself. When will I, my bodily hairs
erect in the ecstasy of that moment, find the great fortune of being
able to tenderly fan you? 81
 Āyatodyat KamalaVadane! (Whose face is like a newly
blossomed lotus flower, with little drops of water on its petals! [i.e.
drops of perspiration on your face due to exhaustion]) While on
your way to make a tryst with your Lover, your dancing feet have
become slightly swollen and unsteady from exertion. Hanta Devi!
(Aha Devi!) You who are the personification of feminine shyness,
but who has now abandoned your coyness to call me by name,
“He RatiMañjari!” — when will it finally come to pass that you will
affectionately call me to come and massage your tired feet, knowing
me to be your own? 82
Hā Naptri Rādhe! (O granddaughter Rādhe!) “It’s time for
you to go and worship the SunGod! Where have you gone to now?”
Will not this ranting of your grandmother Mukharā (due to her
annoyance) drown me in happiness, like a shower of nectar? (Since
that means that you will be able to meet with your Beloved very
soon now.) 83
Ohe Devi! Will I ever get to imbibe (with my ears and eyes)
the nectar of your sweet speech, scented with the camphor of your
sweet smile? 84
Ayi Suvrate! (Determined to increase the rasa [pleasure,
delight] of your amorous diversions to the extent that you sometimes
adopt a capricious, crooked nature) Some days, while going with
your Prāëanāth to pick flowers, you surround yourself with your
sakhis (who have all now adopted a mood of capricious, deceitful
guile), pretending to be perplexed by wrathful passion and thus
shattered and detached (the mood of mān; jealous anger). Will you
not thus excessively excite my delight by behaving in this tortuous
fashion? 85
Sadaye! (O most compassionate one!) Your Dearmost Mādhav
will then necessarily approach this person (me) in a humble mood
and plead his case before me, begging for the ways and means to
break your mān. When will I thus very attentively fall at the feet of
Lalitā, eagerly entreating her to come to his aid? 86
Dhīre! (O thou of infinite patience!) Will that great celebration
of your bathing festival (when you are bathed by incessant streams
of purified and sweetly scented liquids: milk, yogurt, honey, ghee,
water, fruit juices, and so on), lovingly presided over by Paurëamāsī
Devī herself, honouring you as the Queen of Vrindāban, and attended
by the chanting of auspicious mantras, dancing and the playing of
instruments such as the vīëā, ever be seen by me? 87
 MañjuVadane! (O thou of charming countenance!) On the
day of Rākhi Pūrëimā, your brother Śrīdāma comes to restore you
to the abode of affection (your father’s house), after first having
satisfied the wretched and greedy Jaöilā by offering tens of thousands
of cows in charity to her. Seeing that your brother has arrived, your
heart melts and tears flow from your eyes due to the simultaneous
appearance of happiness and distress (rejoicing that you are going
to your father’s house and anguish due to having spent so long a
time at your in-laws). When will that day finally arrive when I will
then have the vision of your welcoming at Båñabhānupur, bathed in
the affectionate, tender caresses of your mother and father? 88
Sadaye! (Most compassionate one!) Hāi! (Oh me, oh my!)
When will you take me with you to a cave at Govardhan to teach
me the intricacies of celestial song, poetics, metre and melody, even
though I might feel embarrassed in front of the other sakhis, most of
whom are superior to me? 89
Counting me amongst her own, the Goddess Lalitā, seeing
my bashfulness (evidenced by my bowed head), will certainly solicit
you on my behalf. Ohe Devi! When will you thus affectionately teach
me the science of Divine poetry with all of its constituents? 90
Devi Rādhike! When will you teach me how to play the
Kacchapī (a particular type of vīëā) in a kuñj by the side of your own
(kuñj), where the bees are continually buzzing about? 91
Devi! While immersed in amorous play with your Lover
your favourite necklace was broken, and due to this embarrassment
you hesitate to say anything in front of the other sakhis. When will
you gesture to me with a hint to restring the jewels of this necklace?
92

Devi! Finding an appropriate moment, when will you

affectionately offer the remnants of your tāmbūl from your own
mouth to mine, after first checking in all directions to see if anyone
is watching? 93
Ayi Śaśimukhi! While engaged in an intense battle with your
PrāëaNāth, your jewelled girdle fell off, and as a result of the pride
of Cupid you forgot all about it and left it behind in the kuñj. Hanta!
(Alas!) Then, when getting dressed and finding that that girdle is
not in your room, will you, by means of circumlocution (speaking in
a roundabout, indirect manner) send me to go and bring it? 94
 Devi Dhīramati! (O thou of steady resolve!) When a certain
someone (me) committed a minor mistake, you became very upset
and beat her. However, then when Lalitā brings her (me) before
you, won’t you feel slightly disposed towards her once again and
give her a favourable glance? 95
Devi! I am yours. I am yours, and only yours. (I belong to
you.) Without you, I have no life. Knowing this, please place me in
the shelter of your lotus feet. 96
Lolākñi! (Thou of restless eyes!) This kund of yours (Śrī
RādhaKund) is the perpetual abode of you and your dearmost. May
this site be the place of my residence and my continued existence
(the source of my maintenance and sustenance). 97
Ohe Śrī Sarovar! (Ohe Śrī RādhaKund!) My mistress and her
Dearmost are forever absorbed in their passionate play here on your
banks, thus are you beloved by the both of them and are their dear
most. Therefore, Hā! (Aha!) please be merciful to me just now and
award me the darshan of she who is the source of my life. 98
Sumukhi Viśākhe! Being of the same age and so similar to
Devi Rādhike, you are her constant companion and the abode of
a variety of mirthful sports (always able to cheer her up), thus she
cannot remain without you for the space of even half a moment.
Tormented as I am in separation from her, please save my life by
revealing my mistress to me! 99
Hā Nāth! GokulSudhākar! (GokulCandra!)
SuprasannaVaktrāravinda! (Whose lotus face is so placid, tranquil
and pleasing!) Madhursmita! (Sweetly smiling one!) He Kåpārdra!
(Whose heart melts with compassion!) That place where you
remain engrossed with your lover in a myriad of amorous, pleasure
pastimes — there is where I want to go, to engage in your service.
Please bring me there! 100
Ohe Īśvari! The elegant beauty of the tip of the toe of whose
lotus feet, even a drop of which is unattainable by LakñmiDevi
herself — if that person [the possessor of those lotus feet (you, my
mistress!)] does not bestow upon me eyes suitable with which to
have the darshan of her Divine līlā, then why should I continue to
bear the burden of this life that is nothing more than an inferno of
distress? 101
 Having nurtured this immense hope (of service to you) that
is like an ocean of nectar, somehow or other I have passed through
so many days. Now, if there is no assurance that I will obtain your
mercy, then Baroru! what is the use of my life, my residence here in
Braja; of even the enemy of Baka (Śrī Kåñëa himself!)? 102
Ohe Kåpāmayi! If you do not bestow your blessings on this
excessively distressed soul, then what is the point of my delirious
ravings? (It is like crying in the forest.) What even will the service
that I have rendered here in the midst of your kund (Śrī RādhaKund)
have accomplished (in the absence of your mercy)? 103
Ayi Praëayśālini Rādhe! (O you are imbued with the purest
prem!) With the object in mind of attaining service to your lotus
feet I have candidly made this entreaty— VilāpKusumāñjali — and
laid it at those lotus feet washed by these copious tears of mine, this
inner conflagration having practically consumed me. I only hope
that it might produce even a slight degree of satisfaction in your
heart. 104

iti śrī vilāpakusumāñjalistavaù samāptaù