Essence of Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu - Part II

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Essence of Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu

(Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu Sar)

by Victor D DiCara (Vraja Kishor das)

 

Part 2 of 12 – Krishna, the Source of all Rasa

 

Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu begins with an introduction composed of six verses.

This introduction is meant to invoke auspiciousness by glorifying venerable

persons, requesting and offering benedictions, and stating the books

objective.

 

In Text Six, Rupa Goswami states that the objective of Bhakti Rasamrita

Sindhu is simply to please his dear friends. In Text Five he requests a

benediction for his book, and thus grants a benediction to its readers, that

Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu’s meaning will never be corrupted by interpretations

considering anything except bhakti to be the ultimate goal of religion.

Texts one through four offer glorifications to venerable persons: Text Four

to Vaishnavas, Text Three to Sanatana Goswami, Rupa’s guru, Text Two to

Shree Chaitanya, and Text One to Radha and Krishna.

 

In this article we will have a closer look at Text One:

 

akhila-rasAmRta-mUrtiH

prasRmara-ruci-ruddha-tArakA-pAliH |

kalita shyAmA-lalito

rAdhA-preyAn vidhur jayati ||1||

 

At first glance this appears to be a glorification of the moon (“vidhur”).

The moon is called “Radha’s Beloved” (“rAdhA-preyAn”) because it passes most

closely to the star called “Radha.” The moon’s radiant luster

(“prasRmara-ruci”) dominates (“ruddha”) all the stars (“tArakA”) of the

galaxy (“pAliH”), and takes possession of (“kalita”) the romantic

gracefulness (“lalita”) of the dark night (“shyAmA”). The moon is the

embodiment and source (“mUrtiH”) of all flavor (“rasa”) and vitality

(“amRta”), for in Sanskritic thought, the moonlight gives flavor and

vitality to all vegetation.

 

Though the word vidhu means “moon,” it also means “The self-originating

Godhead, who is above all others in a class by himself, and who shakes away

or cuts down all miseries at the root.”

 

This meaning of vidhu casts light on a deeper dimension of this verse,

showing it to be a glorification of Krishna, the form of Godhead who is

Radharani’s beloved (“rAdhA-preyAn vidhuH”). Like the moon, Krishna is the

embodiment and source of all pleasure (“rasa”) and life (“amRta”), including

the eternal pleasure (“rasAmRta”) of all transcendental loving exchanges. As

the moon’s luster dominates all the stars of the galaxy, radiant Krishna

dominates the heart and minds of gopis like Taraka (“She who is star-like”)

and Palika (“She who is like a galaxy of stars”). As the moon takes

possession the romantic gracefulness of the dark night, Krishna takes

possession of the hearts and minds of gopis like Lalita (“She who is

graceful”) and Shyama (“She who is dark,” or “She who belongs to the dark

one, Krishna”).

 

Though Krishna dominates and owns these gopis, the gopi named Radha has a

unique position, for Krishna is her possession (“rAdhA-preyAn vidhu”).

 

In this text the word jayati, an expression of glorification, is in present

tense – signifying that Krishna is not person of the past. Krishna, like the

moon, always exists, though he is not always visible to everyone.

 

Loving exchange with Krishna, the source of all rasa-amrita, is the subject

of Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, which we will have a closer look at in the

remaining articles in this series:

 

Part Three – Definition of Uttama Bhakti

Part Four – Six Hallmarks of Uttama Bhakti

Part Five – Sadhana Bhakti

Part Six – Vaidhi Sadhana Bhakti

Part Seven – Raganuga Sadhana Bhakti

Part Eight – Bhava Bhakti

Part Nine – Prema Bhakti

Part Ten – An Overview of Rasa

Part Eleven – The Primary Rasas

Part Twelve – The Associated Rasas+