Verses 60-63 Rādhā comes to the window

Rādhā comes to the window

Verse 60-62
Meanwhile, Radhika removes her orana (upper garment), rings and bangles, placing them in Tulasi’s hands. Then using he water provided by Dhanishtha, she washes her hands and feet and proceeds into the kitchen. Seeing Balaram’s mother, Radhika offers pranams placing her head at her feet. Then Rohini Devi embraces Rādhā and affectionately fondles her as though she were Rohini’s newly arrived bau-ma!

Rasa-tarangini Tika:
In Sankalpa-kalpa-druma, 38-39, Vishwanath Chakravarti (Sri Vinoda-ballari Manjari) prays to serve Rādhārani as follows:
“Oh Swamini! After entering Nanda bhavan, you’ll be eager to watch Krishna being dressed and decorated in another part of the house. Understanding your restlessness, I shall privately take you to a vantage point from where you can see him unnoticed by others…

“But later, when I wash your feet and remove your ornaments to ease your cooking work, you’ll remember my cleverness (in arranging your special darshan) and joyfully tell me: “Hey dasi! You take these ornaments!’ Then my face will blossom like the madhavi flowers in the springtime!

Krishna-bhavanamrita describes:
As Rādhā enters the kitchen, Rohini says, “Putri Radhe! You’re the best cook. I knew that you would be coming, so I’ve prepared a few dishes just to help reduce your burden. But now you can start cooking whatever you like.”

Then Rādhā shyly lowers her lotus face, and Rohini lovingly embraces Rādhā to fondle her as if she were her own daughter. And taking Rādhā by the hand, Rohini seats her on a stool beside a stove which has a thin white cloth hung in front of it to block the heat.
The stove is burning with devadaru, shorad and aguru wood. On all sides, there are many containers filled with different spices. From time to time, Srimati checks the fire. If it’s too hot, she removes some of the wood, and if it’s not hot enough, she adds more.

Verse 63 As Rādhā and the sakhis happily engage in their respective cooking duties (under Rohini’s direction), Mother Yashoda leaves to call the servants who will assist in Krishna’s morning bath.

Rasa-tarangini Tika:
Krishna-bhavanamrita continues: Rādhā’s cooking is a lovely sight to household-her arms, shoulder, breasts and the three lines decorating her tummy all elegantly shake as she stirs the preparations. But then Krishna comes to the kitchen window to have a peek. And as he relishes Rai-mani’s charming darshan-Cupid releases his arrows! But Krishna speaks equivocally to Madhumangal so that Rādhā can overhear and his madhura voice steals her mind too! Yet even with such distraction, Rādhā’s cooking turns out fantastic owning to her divine touch!
As Rādhā’s sakhis understand the inner meaning of Krishna’s words, they edge their way to the window to glance at him. But then Krishna whispers his heart’s desire (he offers a prayer for Rādhā’s anga-sanga).

In Vilāpa-kusumāṅjali, Raghunath Das catches a glimpse of this lila-madhuri. As Tulasi Manjari, he prays: “Oh Rasabati Rai! After washing your feet and offering pranams to Mother Yashoda and Rohini, you enter the kitchen. Then as you begin cooking, I will be dunked within an ananda-sagara seeing you directing exotic eye gestures towards Krishna!”

When Rasamaya Shyamasundar places his eyes beside the window to secretly watch, he contemplates: “Aha! What madhuri!” Rai Kishori’s head is uncovered, her golden face is red, and beautiful perspiration drops line her forehead from being close to the fire!
Shyama’s eyes are stooped in Rai’s darshan-ananda! But suddenly Swamini looks up and notices! She is embarrassed! As both hands are busy, she is unable to cover her head. Thus she gestures to Tulasi. As Tulasi covers Srimati’s head, her eyes scold: “Didn’t you see? Why didn’t you inform me? Tulasi’s eyes reply: “I didn’t notice either; I was busy grinding the spices.” (Although Tulasi has been watching from the beginning, she didn’t inform Srimati to honor Nagara-shekhara’s submissive prayer.)

Then Rādhā and Krishna’s eyes meet- and what an exciting moment! Both are totally enthralled! Although momentarily satiated in Shyama’s mohan-darshan, Srimati’s eyes warn, “Rani-ma is here; you should go now!” Krishna meekly winces:
“Won’t I see you again soon? Swamini’s eyes respond:
“Yes,” as they stun him with a captivating gesture!

Rādhā is the mukutmani of all Gopi-vallabha’s preyasis-and his jivana-svarupa (life’s existence)! Thus as she disappears, Krishna turns morose and contemplates how to get relief. When Krishna was younger, Nanda Maharaj had Bhaguri Muni initiate him with the Narayan mantra. Indeed, Krishna’s parents always encourage him to become devotionally inclined. Mother Yashoda often calls Krishna after his morning bath and says, “Gopal! Go to the puja room and chant your ishta-mantra.” But Krishna thinks, “Whose mantra shall I chant?” He remembers,

āmā haite guṇī baḍa jagate asambhava
ekali rādhāte tāhā kari anubhava”

No one is greater than me within the whole universe-except Rādhā alone!” (CC 1.4.241)

Therefore, Krishna performs Rādhā bhajan. And to relieve the pangs of Rādhā’s separation, Rādhā nama-kirtan is the best means. But as Krishna remains close to his superiors, it is not possible to loudly chant Rādhā’s names-but then he comes up with an idea. Krishna holds his arm out and calls a baby parrot who comes over to land on his shoulder. Thus while fondling this soft little bird, Krishna requests: “Can you recite a poem?”

dhara dhara nindi jara sundar barana
sei narayana sadä amara sarana”

Let us take shelter of Narayan, who’s sundar bodily effulgence resembles a fresh rain cloud.”

At first, the baby parrot cannot recite very much of the verse. Thus Krishna feeds him some pomegranate seeds and coaxes: “Oh baby shuka! Just say dhara-dhara nindi jara sundar barana.” But this is also too difficult for the small bird. Thus Krishna saus: “Oh suka-kumara! Just say dhara-dhara.”

Then in an indistinct, sweet voice, the baby parrot utters: “dhara-dha-ra-dha-Rādhā-Rādhā!” In other words, as dhara-dhara becomes repeated, automatically the sound transforms into Rādhā, Rādhā, Rādhā! And Krishna is overjoyed! Thus he drops more and more pomegranate seeds into the parrot’s mouth and dances in Rādhā kirtan!