Sevā Lālasā
(Hankering for Service)

4 – Madhyāhna-līlā (Afternoon Pastimes)

Part 1

(1)
rādhe!
puṣpodyāne giyā, kusuma cayane
niyukta thākiba sabe
kṛṣṇa āsi tathā, puṣpa cora bali
tomāke dharibe tabe

Rādhe! All of us will go to a flower garden and engage in picking and selecting flowers. Kṛṣṇa will call us ‘flower thieves’ and He will then catch You.

(2)
tumi kabe hari, ekhane āmāra
vṛndā-sakhī adhikārī
tomāke ke māne, nā āisa ekhane
puṣpa tule para nārī

When will You tell Hari, “Vṛndā Sakhī has authority over me, Who cares for You? Do not come here. The wives of others are picking flowers.”

(3)
baliben kṛṣṇa, dṛṣṭa nārī-gaṇa
ekhana āmāra haya
tomā sabe dhari, lava yathā  rājā
kandarpa nāmete raya

Kṛṣṇa will say, “Shameless ladies! Now You belong to Me! Catching all of you, I will immediately take you to where that king known as Kandarpa resides!”

(4)
mora hāta hate, phula sāji kāḍi
laibe nāgara vara
tomāra dohāi, diba āmi sabe
hāribe rasika vara

The flower basket will be snatched from my hand – taken by that great philanderer. In front of everyone, He will hold You responsible, and You will be taken by He who is best of the relishers of rasa.


Part 2

(1-2)
rādhe!
cala tomā duṅhe, hindole vasāñā
dolaba yatane sabe
se śobhā dekhiyā, ānande mātiyā
anaṅga-mañjarī tabe

jaya rādhe bali, kumkum kasturī
kṛṣṇe picakārī dibe
lañā picakārī, dekhibena hari
śeṣe parābhāva habe

Rādhe! Both of You please come and sit on a swing, and all of us will carefully swing You. Seeing such beauty, we will be absorbed in bliss. Then Anaṅga Mañjarī, will say “Jaya Rādhe!” and give  a syringe to Kṛṣṇa filled with scented colour and musk. Seeing that syringe, Hari will take it but eventually He will be defeated.

(3)
vaneśvarī rādhe, tomāra koṭāla
āmi ei vane rai
ihā bali hari, vinaya kariyā
dāṅḍābe koṭāla haī

“Rādhe is the Mistress of this forest! I will remain in this forest as Your sentry.” Saying this with humility, Hari will stand guard.

(4)
se līlā para, preme svīya vakṣe
kṛṣṇe tali labe tumi
lalitā viśākhā, sahāya haibe
vidhikarī raba āmi

After that pastime, You will take Kṛṣṇa beneath You with divine love to Your chest. Lalitā and Viśākhā will assist, and I will stay following the proper etiquette.

 

Part 3

(1)
rādhe! bala kabe se sukha haibe?
prāṇa-nātha lañā, rati khelā ante
jale duṅhe praveśibe
tomāra sevāra, morā paśi jale
khelibe sakhīra saṅge

Rādhe! Tell me when will such bliss appear? After amorous sports, taking the Lord of your life, both of You will enter the water, then on Your indication, we will also enter the water.

(2)
sakhī saṅkhyā yata, kṛṣṇa habe tata
khelibe sakhīra saṅge
se līlāra ante, du he sthale uṭhi
paribe vasana raṅge

Kṛṣṇa will multiply in number, based upon the number of sakhīs and He will play with them. At the end of that pastime, both of You will come up on the shore and You will put on a colourful dress.

(3)
more uṭhi sthale, duṅhe sājāibe
parihāsa kata habe
vṛndā-devī āsi, kata phala-mūle
pulina bhojana dibe

We will get also go on the shore to decorate both of You and so many jokes will be exchanged. Vṛndā Devī will come with so many fruits and roots, and she will feed You on the banks of the Yamunā.

(4)
kuñja-gṛhe giyā, dujane khelibe
pāśaka kariyā paṇa
kṛṣṇe hārāiyā, vaṁśī kari churi
līlāya habe magana

Going to a bower-house, both of You will play a game of dice and making stakes. Defeating Kṛṣṇa, You steal His flute, and I will become engrossed in that pastime.


Part 4

rādhe!
madhu-pāna chale, kata ye khelibe
tumi lañā vaṁśīdhārī
se sukhe magana, habe yata sakhī
ānanda haibe bhāri

Rādhe! On the pretext of drinking honey, You engage in so many kinds of play, taking that Holder of the flute with You. The more the sakhīs become engrossed in that bliss, the more intense it becomes.

(2)
sūrya-rūpī hari, pūjibe yatane
sūryeya mandire yāi
vipakṣe vañciyā, sabe sukhe tabe
ānande mātibe rāi

You will worship Hari in the form of Sun-god with great care. Going to the temple of that Sun-god, you will neglect Your opponents, Then,  all of us will be immersed in bliss, O Rāi.

 

(3)
belā avasāne, dekhiyā takhana
caliba āpana ghare
āmā sabe lañā, kṛṣṇa nāma gāñā
harṣānvita kalebare

Seeing the day is coming to an end, I will return to my own home, All of us will sing the Name of Kṛṣṇa with a happy smiling countenance.

(4)
kṛṣṇa dhenu-pāla, saṅgraha kariyā
muralīra rabe raṅge
goṣṭha mukhe yābe, khelite khelite
balarāma dādā saṅge

Kṛṣṇa will gather all the cowherd boys together, and sportingly play His flute. He will go towards the pasturing grounds, continuously playing along with His elder brother Balarāma.