Pratha lila 59-70 Rādha’s Nitya-kritya & bath

Verse 59-70

Rādha’s Nitya-kritya & bath

As Rupavati (a woman with a nice figure) Rai rises. One dasi comfortably seats her on a gorgeous asana studded with gems.

Verse 59

Then Lalita affectionately removes Rādhā’s ornaments and jewelry; it appears that she is picking leaves and flowers from a kanaka lata, a golden creeper!

Verse 60

Rasa-tarangini Tika:

Lalita considers: “Our Praneshwari Rādhā’s elegant symmetry increases in charm at every moment! Therefore dressing her is simply an act of stupidity on our part! Rather, taking off Srimati’s ornaments is our most joyful seva!” Lalita thus happily removes all of Radhika’s ornaments as if she were picking flowers.

Meanwhile, two washermen’s daughters named Manjishtha and Rangavati present a snana-vastra (a special thin white cloth worn while bathing) for Rādhā’s bathing.

Verse 61

Radhika Devi’s teeth gleam like crystals set within rubies; to brush them she uses scented tooth powder that comes rolled in a mango leaf.

Verse 62

With both hands she holds a golden tongue-scraper and cleanses her tongue. As a seva-dasi supplies fresh water in a golden lota, Srimati expels one mouthful of water after another.

Verse 63

Rasa-tarangini Tika:

While brushing her teeth, the tassels hanging from Rādhā’s arm bracelets dangle and the sound of her bangles produce an enchanting resonance. Krishna-bhavanamrita describes that Rādhā’s tongue look like a newly arrived mango leaf, and as she uses a jeweled tongue scraper to clean it, her head and breasts elegantly shake and beautiful strands of hair fall over her forehead. The manjaris smile, as this scene reminds them of how Srimati looks during her most intimate moments of rati keli with Krishna. As Srimati observes their smiling faces, she understands, and returns a soft smile.

Rādhā’s bath
After washing her hands and face, Rādhā slips into her snana vastra and approaches the snana vedi that is surrounded with many jugs filled to the brim with scented rose water. The golden snana vedi looks enchanting. When Rādhārani sits on it, she is surrounded by her seva dasis who hold oil and other necessary bathing articles.

Verse 64

Then two barber’s daughters named Sugandha and Nalini arrive. They are highly skilled in

• mardana (massaging with oil)
• udvartana (removing the oil with scented powders)
• alaktaka-dana (painting the bottoms of the feet with red alta), and
• kesha-samskara (caring for the hair).

Verse 65

Although Radhika’s body is naturally cooling and lustrous, these two girls affectionately massage every limb with Narayan oil and other fragrant oils. Verse 66
Perfumed amalakhi oil is rubbed through each strand of Rādhā’s hair, and after massaging every part of her body with a soft cloth, these two girls conclude with a fresh shower of water. Verse 67

Rasa-tarangini Tika:

In Krishna-bhavanamrita, Sugandha and Nalini’s duty is performed by the manjaris. After loosing Radhika’s hair, Sri Rati Manjari rubs scented oil into every strand. While rubbing Srimati’s scalp, her eyes are half-closed as her whole body shakes in ecstasy. Taking a comb, Sri Rati gathers all of Srimati’s hair and ties it in a topknot. Thus the dasis consider: “Because this hair partially covers Swaminiji’s moon-face like a dark cloud, Sri Rati has become angry and has bound it as a fit punishment!” (Krishna-bhavanamrita)

Verse 69

Then the seva dasis dip their golden lotas into large jugs containing slightly warmed rose water and affectionately bathe Swaminiji.

Rasa-tarangini Tika:

According to Krishna-bhavanamrita, Radhika sits on a snana vedi made of sphatika mani, crystal. But her bodily effulgence makes it turn golden. At first the kinkaris pour small amounts of water over Rādhā’s hair. After washing, it appears like Ananga’s waving blue flag saturated in rasa; similarly, Rādhā’s wet bodily limbs look like Cupid’s yellow flag. These two flags present a gorgeous sight contrasted against each other!

The Rādhā’s maha-abhisheka begins as Lalita and the other sakhis pour water over Rādhā’s head with crystal pitchers. But when the pitchers come near Rādhā’s hair, they appear like indranila mani, and when they come close to Rādhā’s face, they take on the color of many jewels. (The reflection of her lips, teeth and lotus face make them look like rubies, pearls and gold.) Aho! Even insignificant objects such as crystal pitchers become magnificent by the contact of Rādhā’s bodily limbs! (Krishna-bhavanamrita 4.21-25)

Verse 70

The sakhis use a soft towel to dry Rādhā’s body and the droplets in her hair. Then they cover her with an upper and lower garment.

Rasa-tarangini Tika:

The Krishna-bhavanamrita account here continues: As the kinkaris dry Rādhā’s body with a white cloth, it appears that an autumn cloud is sweeping pearls from an effulgent streak of lightning! When another dasi uses a white towel to dry Rādhā’s hair, its black glossiness shines from underneath. Seeing this, one might think: “Aha! The Ganga (white cloth) is trying to defeat the Yamuna (Rādhā’s hair); however, the Yamuna’s luster is emerging victorious!” As the manjaris remove Rādhā’s wet snana vastra placing it on the ground, the earth considers: “Although I’m the source of fragrance, Rādhā’s aromatic snana vastra displays my best qualities!” (Krishna-bhavanamrita 4.26-28)