The nectar of the lotus of love

[Jagat]

<h3>The nectar of the lotus of love.</h3>

 

(This is Premambhoja-maranda-stava-raja by Raghunath Das Goswami)

 

(1)

Radha’s body is the embodiment of true love

conceived in the most resplendent chinatmani gem,

anointed with the sweet-smelling love of her girlfriends,

and shining with an inconceivable lustrous splendour.

 

(2)

She bathes in waves of the nectar of compassion,

a shower of the nectar of youthfulness,

and a flood of the nectar of charming loveliness,

so that the Goddess of Fortune

languours in lassitude at her side.

 

(3)

Her graceful form is hidden

by the silken garment of shyness,

decorated with the kunkuma of graceful beauty,

and dappled with the black musk

of erotic sentiments for Shyamasundar.

 

(4)

She puts on her natural ornaments,

fashioned from the best nine jewels:

shivering, tears in the eyes, horripilation,

becoming stunned, perspiration, faltering of the voice,

blushing, madness and inertness.

 

(5)

She is garlanded with the flowers of wonderful virtues,

such as her sweet-tongued speech.

She is adorned with perfumed powders

smelling of her sometimes sober

and sometimes restless moods.

 

(6)

Her imperceptible amour-propre is concealed

within the coils of her hair.

Her forehead is brightened with the tilak

of her immense good fortune.

 

(7)

Hearing Krishna’s name and qualities are the ornaments

swinging in splendour and jubilation from her ears.

The reddish colour of her lips is produced

from the betelnut of her obsession for Krishna.

 

(8)

The black collyrium on her eyes

is the crookedness of her loving affairs.

Her body is perfumed by the camphor of her sweet smile,

the joking words spilling from her.

 

(9)

Within the inner apartments of her bodily fragrance

is a bed of pride upon which she sits, bemused,

while wearing the restless necklace of prema-vaicittya,

the love﷓in﷓separation felt even in union.

 

(10)

Her breasts are concealed,

bound with a bodice of wounded vanity.

The sounds of her lute, her fame and beauty,

dry up the faces and hearts of her competitors in love.

 

(11)

She leans with her lotus hands on the shoulder

of her friend, adolescent youth personified,

just before beginning to distribute the mead

of intoxicating love for Krishna,

herself the personification of the erotic sentiment.

 

(12)

 

Please bring back to life this very sombre nobody,

who is bowing down before you with straw between his teeth,

by sprinkling him with the nectar of your servitorship.

 

(13)

 

Oh Gandharvika! A truly compassionate person

will not reject even a rascal if he is surrendered to him.

Therefore please, never abandon this person

who is similarly surrendered to you.

 

(14)

Whoever recites this hymn

entitled “the nectar of the lotus of love,"

produced of her mercy,

will surely attain service at her lotus feet.

 

[Tarun]

We'd like one such cassette here in NYC. How so? How to?

For some of those tougher tunes.

[Alexjbaldwin]

To have a beautiful counterpart for Krishna is an important arm of Krishna's spiritual splendor. Her beauty makes her deserving of praise and Krishna's affection. As the supreme personality he needs the strength of Radha to compliment his mystic persona. It is wonderful to think of them together.

[ganesh_g81]

Thanks for the post.