27-36 Rādhā moving towards Nandagram

Verse 27
When Rādhā leaves Jatila’s mandir with Kundalata, Lalita and the other sakhis follow taking their freshly prepared laddus and other sweets for Krishna’s morning bhojan.
Rasa-tarangini Tika:
As Rādhā walks along the narrow passages of Javat village, the effulgence of her anga kanti lights up the surrounding area with a golden aura. Her bodily scent spreads in every direction. On the crowded path, Rādhā proceeds along silently, lowering her head, which is covered by her orana. But when entering the secluded forest path, she removes the orana and begins to laugh and joke with the sakhis. Completely absorbed in frolicking Krishna kathamrita, Srimati even forgets where she came from and where she’s going!

After awhile, the sakhis say: “Hey Radhe! We’ve come a long way from home, Sri Nadishvara is nearing and your chatak eyes will soon become satiated!” But as Radhika Devi hears, suddenly a sphurti of Krishna causes eight types of sattvic emotions to manifest! Thus she is stunned, unable to move!

Seeing Radhika in this situation and about to fall, Kundalata is astonished, and while taking hold of Rādhā’s hand, she exclaims, “Hey Lovely-faced one! Even before seeing Krishna Chandra-good gracious! How flustered you’ve become! This reveals your renowned chastity, and what’s more -the sakhis have spilled the evidence! “Hey Delicate one! Try to hold onto your patience! If you’re exhausted, however, from carrying the two mountains resting over your chests, if they’re too heavy-then just listen, I shall request someone expert in holding mountains (Sri Giridhari – Krishna) to assist you!”

In Vilapa-kusumanjali, Sri Raghunath Das Goswami prays to serve Rādhārani at this moment:
“Hey Swamini (Goddess of my life)! While you proceed to Nandagram, flanked by Lalita and Vishakha and surrounded by your many sakhis-I shall hold your thin waist as you rest your weight on Sri Rupa Manjari’s shoulders!”

As Raghunath Das (Rati Manjari) strides behind Rai Kishori holding her thin waist, Rati considers: “Rai Rangini’s breasts and hips are broad and heavy ; what if her thin waist should fracture due to the pressure exerted by sattvic emotions? This special care and attention of the manjaris is termed mamata atisajjya (extreme possessive affection) which enables them to experience the topmost rapture in Yugala-seva.

Verse 28
As the wind blows aside the area covering Rādhā’s kanchuli (blouse), Kundalata lovingly teased her by saying to the sakhis:
Verse 29
“Although Rādhā’s husband has been gone for three or four days to mate the cows with the bulls, and although he always spends his nights sleeping at the goshala, it’s amazing how your priya sakhi Rādhā’s breasts and lips have become marred! I can only guess that her chastity has reached a new dimension of excitement!”

Rasa-tarangini Tika:
As previously mentioned, Abhimanyu is emasculate; and to conceal this embarrassing matter from Srimati, he sleeps at the goshala. Abhimanyu’s greatest pleasure in life is to watch the bulls inseminating the cows. Thus for the last three or four nights, he has been busy searching from village to village for ritumati cows in their mating period. Then, after newly purchasing a number of these cows, last night he united them with his strongest bulls to fully enjoy himself!

Poking fun at Abhimanyu’s plight, Kundalata begins to tease Rādhā: “Although you’ve attained such a matchless swami, still you’re not forced to suffer in separation. Surely, some merciful god or goddess has given you a siddha mantra for calling the kriya-vihari devata (A devata who is called by a mantra to fulfill one’s conjugal desires, like Sri Kunti Devi did) of your choice-otherwise, how have your lips and breasts become bruised?”

Verse 30
Inwardly Rādhā is overjoyed in the remembrance of her Priya-nagara’s romantic activities, but having been reprimanded by Kundalata, her eyes flutter in perplexity! Then to defend Rādhā and keep Kundalara at bay, Sri Lalitaji exclaims,
Verse 31
“Yesterday, while walking in the forest, one lusty parrot landed on Rādhā’s breasts mistaking them for ripe pomegranates. That lusty bird further mistook Rādhā’s bright lips for bimba fruits and marred them! So Hey Kundalate, stop needlessly accusing our priya sakhi!”

Verse 32
Lalita’s words cause Rādhā to shiver in horripilation as she remembers her pastimes with Krishna! And noticing Rai’s symptoms, Kundalata glances to a reservoir and pretends to address a lotus:
Verse 33
“Hey naive Padmini! Why are you needlessly shaking? The bee that is the cousin of the kunda flower vines has already enjoyed your honey! Now you need not worry that restless bee has left to enjoy the other flowers!”

Rasa-tarangini Tika:
The actual meaning is: “Oh Padmini Rai! Why are you still shaking in ecstasy! You’ve already been enjoyed by Kundalata’s cousin (Sri Madhusudan). Now he has left to enjoy someone else! Oh Naive one! There is no need to be anxious anymore!”

Verse 34
Meanwhile, clever Vishakha, the fashioner of pleasant joking words that decorate the ears like golden earrings, answers,
Verse 35
“Hey sakhi Kundavalli! You’ve mistaken! Although this padmini (lotus flower) looks soft and delectable blooming in the sunrays, she always fears the disturbing bee!”

Rasa-tarangini Tika: There are two inner meanings here: “Oh Kundalata! You’re mistaken! Rādhā isn’t shaking from sattvic emotions, rather it’s from the fear of your restless cousin (Sri Krishna)!” The other is “Padmini-Rādhā is very attached to Mitra (friend) -so her prema is displaying newer and newer waves!”

Verse 36
Rādhā is very restless and anxious to meet Krishna. Yet the mixed joking and laughter of Krishna kathamrita between Kundalata and the sakhis-only causes the waves of her Krishna anuraga to rise higher and higher! Thus Rādhā’s assemblage arrives at the residence of Vraja Raja Nanda.

Rasa-tarangini Tika:
In Krishna-bhavanamrita, Rādhā and Krishna get a chance to see each other now. This is described as follows: Beside Nanda bhavan’s front entrance is a crystal mandapa studded with gems. Kundalata is the first to see Krishna standing there. Thus she exclaims, “Oh sakhi Rai! You needn’t talk further. Your one and only Hridaya-vallabha is coming! That Mohana-nagara has been wrestling with the sakhas, but now he awaits your scheduled arrival with great zeal!

Oh Rai! Just see, his amazing blue effulgence makes the Vraja-kaminis go mad! And take a closer look-the heavy weight of his sweetness renders him tribanga (bent in three places)! His forest garland is swaying, and intoxicated bumble bees dart back and forth lost in its fragrance! The makara-kuntala (fish like ear-rings) resting against his smiling cheeks learn to dance from his impassioned eyes (for they teach the art of tantalizing movement)!

“What’s more, the cool breeze makes Krishna’s yellow caddar flutter in the waves of his bluish luster, like a river of gold joining the blue waters of the Yamuna. Thus he is bathing us within his enchanting sweetness!

Oh sakhi Radhe! Look, look at that Mohan-nagara’s stance: His left arm (appearing like a baby elephant’s trunk) rests on Subala’s shoulder, and his right hand twirls a lotus flower- as if he were twirling all of the Vraja kishori’s minds! Oh sakhi! Is there a beautiful damsel existing who would fail to be completely captivated by Sri Krishna’s mohana-murati?”

As Rādhā hears Kundalata’s kathamrita and her eyes view Krishna’s rupamrita moha (fascination) overwhelms her! In other words, an overdose of these two amritas makes Rādhā fall unconscious! But when the smell of Krishna’s anga-gandha (bodily aroma) reaches Srimati’s nostrils and revives her, suddenly, all at once, Rādhā’s body shakes, her hairs stand erect, and a stream of warm tears saturate her apparel- she is stunned and exclaims to Lalita:

“Oh sakhi! How can I walk in front of this Lampat (debauchee) -shiromani?”*Lalita answers,
“Sakhi Radhe! Jatila’s order will protect us-for even while taking this path, nobody can criticize you! Come Sakhi! We shall enter Nanda bhavan in this way!”

Prompted by Lalita, Radhika Devi gradually moves step by step along the path leading before Krishna! Srimati thinks, “Bhuvana-mohan Shyama is waiting for me!” Perceiving Krishna’s eagerness, Srimati, in the pretext of adjusting the orana veiling her head, reveals a peeking glimpse of her mukharavinda -Shyamasundar’s object of samadhi!

Srimati pulls the border of her orana as though she were pulling the curtain of Shyamasundar’s mind; the shimmering bracelets on her wrists produce a heart-tinkling resonance! Rādhā’s delicate fingers resemble champak petals alluring rings glisten- the hand of mahabhava-cintamani! In Swamini’s heart, the splashing waves of Krishna anuraga rise higher and higher! And Shyama is completely inebriated also!

As Kishora and Kishori’s eyes meet, sudipta-sattvika bhavas surface. Vrishabhanu-nandini’s river of maha-madhurya streams out like a cascading waterfall to surge with the high-breaking waves of Shyamasundar’s rupamrita-sagara!How amazing! How wonderful! What a spectacular moment- the sakhis’ minnow eyes swim in this flood of ambrosia! Even Saraswati would fail to describe this scene, for she would be rendered speechless!

Thereafter the Vraja kishoris use their left hands to tactfully cover their heads with their veils. Then, looking down at the ground, they swiftly usher Srimati past Krishna while relishing the darshan of his lotus feet!

As Rādhā’s assemblage moves ahead, Krishna’s glances follow behind them to relish the beauty of Rai Kishori’s spendid nitamba-parvat. Upon entering the front gate, the sakhis lower the cloth veiling their heads. Then Sri Tungavidya tells Rādhā: “Oh priya sakhi! Did you notice? When we were passing in front of your Priyatama, Madhumangal garlanded him with a golden campak mala while glancing upon you. Can you guess why? Madhumangal wishes to inform Krishna: “Oh Priya-sakha, be patient! Very soon champak-complexioned Rādhā will adorn your chest just as this mala!”