Nisantha lila 111-117 Rādhā and Krishna`s pangs of separation

Nishanta lila Verses 111-117

Rādhā and Krishna’s pangs of separation

Verse 111
After leaving Rādhā, Krishna feels melanchoy and struggles anxiously along, watching in every direction. Chandravali’s sakhis lie in waiting on the left, and the senior gopa-community are ahead. Krishna anticipates Jatila’s arrival from the West, and his eyes look back to Rādhā who fearfully proceeds homeward in the southern direction.

Rasa-tarangini Tika:
Krishna surmises: “Perhaps it was jealous Chandravali who had informed Jatila today. Therefore he fears Chandravali’s wrath and cautiously tries to avoid meeting her. Krishna also reflects: “Hearing Kakkhati’s foreboding warning, we’ve gone deep into the forest to side-step Jatila. Although, by now, she must have entered our kunja from the Yamuna pathway. Then after having not found us there, surely she must be following from behind and waving her stick! Is my nitambini Rādhā still safe? Was she detected by adverse persons? Or could she have fallen unconscious from the severe pangs of my separation?”

Such thoughts occupy Krishna’s mind as his eyes conscientiously look back towards Rādhā. Krishna-bhavanamrita describes:
“As Madan-mohan returns alone to Vraja, the female form of distress tightly embraces him to render him paralyzed… due to the intolerable pain of Rādhā’s separation Krishna is unable to move, and hot tears stream from his eyes!” (Krishna-bhavanamrita, 2.73)

Verse 112
In fear and palpitation, Ishwari-Rādhā thinks that Jatila is close behind! Adding to the difficulty are Rādhā’s large breasts and broad nitamba (buttocks) which impair her ability to move quickly. Nevertheless, using one hand to grasp her dropping garment and the other to clasp her open locks of hair, Srimati scurries towards Vraja-as quickly as she can!

Rasa-tarangini Tika:
Krishna-bhavanamrita, adds: As Krishna is afflicted, so is Rādhā! She feels Krishna viraha (separation) like a plague of bruises covering her entire body! At every step, she nearly trips, even though helped by a sakhi. Speaking to her attendants, Rādhā exclaims, “I’m being tortured by the excruciating pain of my hridaya-nath’s separation! So why are you escorting me home? Is this befitting? Cruel Fate has stolen my prana-nath! But I can’t fathom why you sakhis, who are more dear than my life, have turned against me. Please don’t throw me back into the dark well of Jatila’s samsara! Hay! Is there no one to give me shelter?”

Although passing the whole night enjoying Krishna’s amritamaya sanga, still due to extreme anuraga, Rādhā considers that she has been deprived of Krishna’s association! Thus she addresses Lalita, “Oh sakhi! Didn’t you promise: ‘Radhe, come with me, I shall bathe you in the nectarean ocean of Sri Krishna’s anga sanga!’ Hay! Why did you entice me with such false assurance? Just a moment ago we left home – now we’re returning so quickly? Hey priya sakhi, why didn’t you bathe me in that amrita sagara? Did I commit some offense?

Oh Lalite! I just saw the sun setting a moment ago, but now it’s rising on the eastern horizon-has the night ceased to exist? Hey prana sakhi! My deprived ears couldn’t hear Krishna’s wonderful kathamrita, my lips couldn’t taste the sweetness of his adharamrita, and my eyes couldn’t drink the sweetness of his rupamrita; therefore, my ears, lips and eyes have been cursed!”

Lalita answers, “O Radhe, for the entire night you studied yoga with Krishna according to the process of transgressing the Veda religious regulations. That is called the nirveda-paddhati. And now, during viyoga or separation, you’re still following the nirveda (distress) process by cursing your misfortune. During yoga, you tasted Krishna’s kathamrita, adharamrita, and rupamrita, but now in viyoga, you’re drinking kalakuta poison!”
Being obsessed, Bhagavati Rādhā is unable to comprehend Sri Lalita’s words. (Kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta, 2.74-80)

Verse 113
To safely escort Rādhā, Sri Rupa Manjari lifts her into her mind’s palaquin while her eyes act like a protective curtain to shelter Swaminiji from the view of others. Out of fear, her ash-colored eyes flicker while scanning the pathway ahead!

Rasa-tarangini Tika:
Just as one riding in a palaquin has to submit to the persons carrying it, Sri Rādhā proceeds along depending on Sri Rupa Manjari’s watchful guidance.

Verse 114
When a king walks down the road, his bodyguards precede him to clear the pathway. Similarly, Sri Rati Manjari’s eyes become like spears to ward off undesirable persons who could interfere with Srimati’s secret journey.
Verse 115
Reaching their respective homes, Rādhā and Krishna nervously glance towards the doors of their elders. Then, with a sigh of relief, they tiptoe to their own bedroom chambers and their fear subsides. Thus, in weariness and anguish, Sri Sri Yugala Kishor at last fall asleep in their own beds.

Rasa-tarangini Tika:
Their weariness comes from spending most of the night awake. Anguish results from being separated from the beloved.

Verse 116
In every yuga, the Creator (Maha-Vishnu) creates, maintains and destroys the universe. Then returning to his own dhama, he rests upon the bed of Ananta while the Vedic Shrutis who describe this lila secretly return to their celestial abodes. Similarly, Sri Krishna performs kunja vilasa with Rādhārani and sneaks back amongst his family members to fall asleep in his own bed. Coincidentally, the clever sakhis and manjaris who expand this lila also secretly return to their residences.
Verse 117
As a result of Sri Rupa Goswami’s mature seva aroused by drinking the madhu at Sri Chaitanya Deva’s lotus feet, the request of Sri Raghunath Das, the association of Sri Jiva and the benediction of Sri Raghunath Bhatta, the first chapter of Govinda-llamata entitled ‘Nishanta Keli‘ is complete.

Rasa-tarangini Tika:
The time is now 6:00 a.m. Sri Yadunandana Thakur concludes the first chapter by saying:

govinda-caritāmṛīta kathā anupama
aparūpa rasete jurāya karIa mana
viśvāsa koriyā jei koroye ṣravaṇa
ihāte pāya rādhā-kṛṣṇera caraṇa

The Govinda-lilamrita is incomparable. This fascinating rasa will completely satisfy the mind and ears. Those who hear it with faith and attention will attain Rādhā Krishna’s yugal charan. The Gaudiya Mahajanas affirm that one having faith (shraddha) is eligible to read Govinda-lilamrita. Similarly, through advanced faith in this hearing process, one attains Rādhā Krishna’s lotus