Swami Desikan's Gopala Vimsathi: Part 5

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Verse 15: Venugopalan's Music supported by

the Talams of Gopis

 

MAHASEH MAHITAAYA MOWLINAA

VINATHENANAANJALIMANJANATHVISEH I

KALAYAAMI VIMUGHDHA VALLAVEE

VALAYAABHASHITA MANJU VENAVEH II

 

I join my hands in Anjali Mudraand lower my head

in salutation of that much revered

effulgent , dark-hued Jyothi of Gopala , whose divine

flute music joins in conversation as it were with the

taaLam of Gopis wearing golden bangles that jingle

as they keep up with the rhythmic patterns .

 

Verse 16: Venu music and Raasa Kreetaa with Gopis

 

JAYATHI LALITHAVRUTTHIM SIKSHITOH VALLAVEENAAM

SITHILA VALAYA SINCHAA SEETHALAIR HASTHA TAALAI : I

AKILA BHUVANA RAKSHAA GOPA VESHASYA VISHNOH:

ADHARA MANI SUDHAAYAAM AMSAVAAN VAMSANAALA : II

 

The incarnation of Vishnu taking the form of a cowherd

to protect all the universes has on its coral-red lips the

bamboo flute that tastes the nectar of this Gopala's mouth .

As he plays the flute on the banks of the Yamuna river during

the moon-lit nights, the lovelorn Gopis engage in Raasa Kreeta

with him. The Gopis beat taaLam to the music of their Lord with their

cool hands decorated with golden bangles. Their follow-up

with taaLam suggests as though they are teaching

the abhinayam step known as LaLitham to the flute of the Lord .

( The Abhinaya sastras describe LaLitham as the gesture ,

where the dancer places her hands on the appropriate

portion of the body and change the movement of her

eyebrows to mimic the different rasas . Thedelectable interplay

between theBhavam ,Ragam and TaaLam- Bharata Natyam-

is suggested here as the Rasa Kreeyaa progresses ).

 

Verse 17 : Gopalan with the decorations appropriate for his role as

a cowherd roaming in the forests to graze the cows and calves

 

CHITRAAKALPA: SRAVASI KALAYAN LANKALEE KARNAPOORAM

BARHOTTHAMSA SPURITHACHIKUROH BANDHUJEEVAM DADHAANA: I

GUNJAA BADDHAA MURASI LALITHAAM DHARAYAN HAARAYASHTIM

GOPASTHREENAAM JAYATHI KITAVA: KOAPI KOWMAARAHAARI II

 

(Gopalan is a roamer of the forest . Hence , he decorates himself

with the ornaments appropriate to the dwellers of the forests (i-e)

natural products available in the forests).

 

The mischevous Gopalan , who stole the youth of the Gopis

appears before them with many decorations that enhance his

beauty . On his ears, the Gopis find the flower known as Laangali

( Flower from the coconut tree's sheaf/Tennampaalai flower ) ;

peacock feathers are found by them on his dark and curly tresses;

red hibiscus also decorates those tresses. On his broad chest ,

they find a beautiful necklace made of yellowish-red seeds

known as Gunjaa or Kunrimani strung together . With these and more

AabharaNaas made of forest products, Gopala enchants the hearts

of the adoring Gopis .