Manaḥ Śīkṣā – Verse 10

ratiṁ gaurī-līle api tapati saundarya-kiraṇaiḥ
śacī-lakṣmī-satyāḥ paribhavati saubhāgya-valanaiḥ
vaśīkāraiś candrāvali-mukha-navīna-vraja-satīḥ
kṣipaty ārād yā tāṁ hari-dayita-rādhāṁ bhaja manaḥ

(“O mind, worship Hari’s beloved Rādhā, who burns Rati, Gaurī and Līla with the rays of Her beauty. She defeats Śacī, Lakṣmī and Satyabhāmā with the power of Her good fortune, and by Her ability to control Kṛṣṇa, She casts aside the chaste young girls of Vraja headed by Candrāvalī.”)

Bhajana-darpaṇa Bhāṣya

VERSE MEANING:

he mana! tumi ekmātra śrīmatī rādhikārai bhajana kara; yehetu tini rati, gaurī u līlā-ke svīya saundarya dvārā santāpita kariyāchen; śacī, lakṣmī u satyabhāmā-ke saubhāgya-cālanāra dvārā parābhūta kariyāchen evaṁ candrāvalī prabhṛti navīna vraja-satīdig-ke kṛṣṇa-vaśīkāra-śakti-dvārā dūre kṣepaṇa kariyāchen. tini śrī-kṛṣṇera atyanta priyatamā sahacarī (10)

(“O mind! Only do bhajana of Śrīmatī Rādhikā. By Her own beauty She burns Rati, Gaurī and Līlā; Her good fortune defeats that of Śacī, Lakṣmī and Satyabhāmā, and by Her ability to attract Kṛṣṇa, She casts Candrāvalī and the other chaste young women of Vraja far away. She is the dearest companion of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.”)

Śrī Rūpa says:

atha vṛndāvaneśvaryāḥ kīrtyante pravarā guṇāḥ
madhureyaṁ nava-vayāś calāpāṅgojjvala-smitā

(“Now the main qualities of Vṛndāvaneśvarī are glorified: She is sweet, eternally youthful, She has restless eyes, and She has a bright smile.”)

cāru-saubhāgya-rekhāḍhyā gandhonmādita-mādhavā
saṅgīta-prasarābhijñā ramya-vāṅ narma-paṇḍitā

(“She has beautiful and auspicious lines on Her body, the fragrance of Her body excites Mādhava, She is adept at singing, Her speech is most pleasing, and She is expert in the art of joking.”)

vinītā karuṇā-pūrṇā vidagdhā pāṭavānvitā
lajjā-śīlā su-maryādā dhairya-gāmbhīrya-śālinī

(“She is humble, full of compassion, most skilled and dexterous. She is extremely shy, most righteous, and the abode of tolerance and solemnness.”)

su-vilāsā mahā-bhāva-paramotkarṣa-tarṣiṇī
gokula-prema-vasatir jagac-chreṇī-lasad-yaśāḥ

(“She is very playful and desirous of exhibiting Her super-excellent mahā–bhāva. She is the abode of prema in Gokula, and Her prestige pervades the world.”)

gurv-arpita-guru-snehā sakhī-praṇayitā-vaśā
kṛṣṇa-priyāvalī-mukhyā santatāśrava-keśavā
bahunā kiṁ guṇās tasyāḥ saṅkhyātītā harer iva

(“She is the object of Her elder’s affection, and controlled by the love of Her girlfriends. She is the topmost lover of Kṛṣṇa, and constantly controls Keśava. What more can be said? Just as with Hari, Her qualities are limitless.”) *

* From ‘The Description of Rādhikā’s Qualities’ – Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 4.11-15)

Furthermore, it is said:

mahābhāva-svarūpeyaṁ guṇair ativarīyasī
gopālottara-tāpinyāṁ yad gāndharveti viśrutā

(“She is the personification of mahā-bhāva, and the possessor of the greatest qualities. Thus, in the Gopāla Uttara Tāpani She is famous by the name Gāndharvā.”)

About Rādhā, it is said in the Ṛg Pariśiṣṭa –

rādhayā mādhavo devo mādhavenaiva rādhikā

(“Rādhā is always with Lord Mādhava and Mādhava is always with Rādhikā.”)

atas-tadīya māhātmyaṁ pādme devarṣinoditam
yathā rādhā priyā viṣṇos tasyāḥ kuṇḍaṁ priyaṁ tathā
sarva-gopīṣu saivaikā viṣṇor atyanta-vallabhā

(“In Her māhātmya in the Padma Purāṇa, She has been described thus by Devarṣi Nārada – ‘Just as Rādhā is dear to Viṣṇu, Her kuṇḍa is equally dear to Him. Amongst all the gopīs, none are as dear to Viṣṇu as She.’”)

hlādinī yā mahā-śaktiḥ sarva-śakti-varīyasī
tat-sāra-bhāva-rūpeyam iti tantre pratiṣṭhitā

(“Hlādinī, the supreme potency, is superior to all other potencies. She is the personification of the essence of bhāva.This has been established in the Tantra.”)*

* These verses are also mentioned in the same section of Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi.

Śrī Rūpa has written in his Cāṭu-puṣpāñjali:

(1)
nava-gorocanā-gaurīṁ pravarendīvarāmbarām
maṇi-stavaka-vidyoti-veṇī-vyālāṅganā-phaṇām

(“Your fair complexion is like fresh gorocana, Your garments are the colour of a beautiful blue lotus, and Your hair, which is braided with flowers and gems, appears like the hood of a black serpent.”)

(2)
upamāna-ghaṭā-māna-prahāri-mukha-maṇḍalāṁ
navendu-nindi-bhālodyat-kastūrī-tilaka-śriyam

(“Your splendid countenance puts to shame any comparison to the full moon, or any other object. Your forehead, which resembles a new crescent moon, is decorated with tilaka made from kastūrī.”)

(3)
bhrū-jitānaṅga-kodaṇḍāṁ lola-nīlālakāvalim
kajjalojjvalatā-rājac-cakorī-cāru-locanām

(“Your curved eyebrows defeat the bow of Kāmadeva. You have swaying locks of dark, curling hair, and Your splendid eyes that are adorned with kājjala look like two beautiful cakorī birds.”)

(4)
tila-puṣpābha-nāsāgra-virājad-vara-mauktikām
adharoddhūta-bandhūkāṁ kundālī-bandhura-dvijām

(“The tip of Your sesame-flower like nose is decorated with a wonderful pearl, Your lips resemble bandhūka flowers, and Your teeth sparkle like white jasmine flowers.”)

(5)
sa-ratna-svarṇa-rājīva-karṇikākṛta-karṇikām
kastūrī-bindu-cibukāṁ ratna-graiveyakojjvalām

(“You wear gold lotus shaped-earrings whose whorls are studded with gems. Your chin is adorned with a dot of musk, and You wear a dazzling jewelled necklace.”)

(6)
divyāṅgada-pariṣvaṅga-lasad-bhuja-mṛṇālikām
valāri-ratna-valaya-kalālambi-kalāvikām

(“Your beautiful arms, that are like the stems of lotuses, are adorned with divine armlets. Your wrists are adorned with bracelets with blue sapphires that tinkle as You move.”)

(7)
ratnāṅgurīyakollāsi-varāṅguli-karāmbujām
manohara-mahā-hāra-vihāri-kuca-kuṭmalām

(“On the fingers of Your lotus hands there are jewelled rings, and Your breasts are decorated with a charming necklace.”)

(8)
romāli-bhujagī-mūrdha-ratnābha-taralāṅcitām
vali-trayī-latā-baddha-kṣīṇa-bhaṅgura-madhyamām

(“The main gem on your necklace that sits upon the line of fine hairs that cross Your navel, appears like a jewel upon the head of a serpent. Your fair, slender waist is marked by three lines which appear like vines.”)

(9)
maṇi-sārasanādhāra-visphāra-śroṇi-rodhasam
hema-rambhā-madārambha-stambhanoru-yugākṛtim

(“Your broad hips support a band of small, jewelled bells, and Your two beautiful thighs overwhelm the charm of golden plantain trees.”)

(10)
jānu-dyuti-jita-kṣulla-pīta-ratna-samudgakām
śaran-nīraja-nīrājya-mañjīra-viraṇat-padām

(“The beauty of Your knees defeats the radiance of small, golden jewellery cases. Your feet, adorned with jingling anklets, are worshiped with red lotuses that bloom in the month of autumn.”)

(11)
rākendu-koṭi-saundarya-jaitra-pāda-nakha-dyutim
aṣṭābhiḥ sāttvikair bhāvair ākulī-kṛta-vigrahām

(“The effulgence of Your toenails defeats the beauty of millions of full moons, and Your body is fully pervaded by the aṣta-sāttvika-bhāvas.”)

(12)
mukundāṅga-kṛtāpāṅgām anaṅgormi-taraṅgitām
tvām ārabdha-śriyānandāṁ vande vṛndāvaneśvari

(“As You cast sidelong glances at the body of Mukunda, You are tossed by waves of amorous desire and You begin to experience beautiful bliss. O Vṛndāvaneśvarī, I offer my respects unto You.”)

(13)
ayi prodyan-mahā-bhāva-mādhurī vihvalāntare
aśeṣa-nāyikāvasthā-prākaṭyādbhuta-ceṣṭite

(“O You whose heart is agitated by the sweetness of increasing mahā-bhāva, who possesses the characteristics of all kinds of heroines.”)

(14)
sarva-mādhurya-viñcholī-nirmañchita-padāmbuje
indirā-mṛgya-saundarya-sphurad-aṅghri-nakhāñcale

(“Your lotus feet are filled with an abundance of all types of sweetness, and Indirā, the Goddess of Fortune, seeks out the beauty manifest from the tips of your toenails.”)

(15)
gokulendu-mukhī-vṛnda-sīmantottaṁsa-mañjari
lalitādi-sakhī-yūtha-jīvātu-smita-korake

(“You are the fresh flower-bud ornament worn in the parted hair of the bright, moon-faced girls of Gokula, and Your budding smile gives life to the multitudes of sakhīs headed by Lalitā.”)

(16)
caṭulāpāṅga-mādhurya-bindūnmādita-mādhave
tāta-pāda-yaśaḥ stoma-kairavānanda-candrike

(“A sweet drop of Your restless sidelong glance maddens Mādhava.You are the blissful moon that expands the white lotus of Your father’s fame.”)

(17)
apāra-karuṇā-pūra-pūritāntar-mano-hrade
prasīdāsmin jane devi nija-dāsya-spṛhā-juṣi

(“The lake of Your heart is filled with an unlimited flood of compassion. O Goddess, be kind to this person who desires Your service.”)

(18)
kaccit tvaṁ cāṭu-paṭunā tena goṣṭhendra-sūnunā
prārthyamāna-calāpāṅga-prasādā drakṣyase mayā

(“When will I be able to see the Son of the king of Vraja, who is adept at speaking sweet words, beg for the mercy of Your sidelong glance?”)

(19)
tvāṁ sādhu mādhavī-puṣpair mādhavena kalā-vidā
prasādhyamānāṁ svidyantīṁ vījayiṣyāmy ahaṁ kadā

(“When will I be able to fan You, as the artistic Mādhava expertly decorates You with mādhavī flowers, and You begin to perspire?”)

(20)
keli-vistraṁsino vakra-keśa-vṛndasya sundari
saṁskārāya kadā devi janam etaṁ nidekṣyasi

(“O Beautiful One, due to Your playful pastimes, Your abundance of curling hair becomes displaced. O Goddess! when will You order this person to Your hair again?”)

(21)
kadā bimbhoṣṭhi tāmbūlaṁ mayā tava mukhāmbuje
arpyamāṇaṁ vrajādhīśa-sūnur ācchidya bhokṣyate

(“O One whose lips resemble bimba fruits, when will the Son of the king of Vraja steal the betel-nut that I have placed in Your lotus mouth, and taste it Himself.”)

(22)
vraja-rāja-kumāra-vallabhā-kula-sīmanta-maṇi prasida me
parivāra-gaṇasya te yathā padavī me na davīyasī bhavet

(“Be pleased with me, O jewel in the parted hair of the damsels of the Prince of Vraja. Kindly accept me as a member of Your group.”)

(23)
karuṇāṁ muhur arthaye paraṁ tava vṛndāvana cakravartini
api keśi-riporyayā bhavet sa caṭu-prārthana-bhājanaṁ janaḥ

(“O Queen of Vṛndāvana, again I beg for Your kindness. May this person become able to offer choice prayers to Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Keśī.”)

(24)
imaṁ vṛndāvaneśvaryā jano yaḥ paṭhati stavaṁ
cāṭu-puṣpāñjaliṁ nāma sa syād asyāḥ kṛpāspadam

(“Whoever reads this prayer known as Cāṭu-puṣpāñjali to Vṛndāvaneśvarī, becomes the object of Her mercy.”)

One should perform bhajana of Śrī Rādhikā by reciting prayers such as this and by rendering Her service. Śrī Dāsa Gosvāmī has said:

lakṣmīr yad aṅghri-kamalasya nakhāṅcalasya
saundarya-bindum api nārhati labdhum-īśe
sā tvaṁ vidhāsyasi na cen mama netradānaṁ
kiṁ jīvitena mama duḥkha-dāvāgni-dena

(“O Queen! Even Lakṣmī is not qualified to attain a drop of the beauty that radiates from the tips of the toe-nails of Your lotus feet. If You do not grant my eyes such a gift, then what is the use of my life, which is ablaze with the forest fire of misery?”)

āśābharair amṛta-sindhumayaiḥ kathañcit
kālo mayāti-gamitaḥ kila sāmprataṁ hi
tvaṁ cet kṛpāṁ mayi vidhāsyasi naiva kiṁ me
prāṇair vrajena ca varoru bakāriṇāpi

(“The present moment is flooded by a nectarean ocean containing a multitude of hopes, and with that hope I am somehow passing the time. But, O Maiden with beautiful thighs, if You do not give me Your mercy, then of what is my life, the land of Vraja, and even Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Baka?”) *

*From Stavāvalī, Vilāpa-kusumāñjali (101–2).

If attraction for vraja-bhāva is born in a jīva, then he will become aware of his own relationship through Śrī Guru. Engaging in service and sādhana, he will perform bhajana and take shelter at the feet of Gurudeva who has realised his svarūpa (guru-rupā) as a mañjarī. By continually engaging in sādhana and bhajana, by the mercy of a mañjarī (the guru seen in the form of a maidservant), he may attain service from a sakhī. By constant service to that sakhī, by her mercy, he may directly meet Śrī Rādhā. By Her grace, one is awarded service to the Divine Couple in Their līlā. All perfection is attained by sincere humility, hankering and on-pointed determination.