s. purvakayastha, radha in lirical poem

8/17/2019 S. Purvakayastha, Radha in Lirical Poem

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CHAPTER THREE

The Characterof Radha in the lyrical poems

Radha occupies an important place in the Sanskrit lyrical poetry since

the early part of the Christian era. We have already said that Bhattanarayana.

the renowned author o f the Venlsmhara, composes an excellent poem in the't'

form of the nandi-vcrse in his drama. We quote the poem below :

kalindyah pulinesu kelikupitamutsrjya rase rasam

gacchantimanugacchato’srukalusam kamsadviso radhikam

tatpadapratimanivesitapadasyodbhutaromodgate-

raksunno nunayarh prasannadayitadrstasya pusnatu vah

Bhattanarayana referred to Radha in this nandl verse. This verse is an

excellent lyrical poem.

After the Venlsamhara, where the lyrical poem forms a part of the

drama, many other lyrics have been found in a wide range of Sanskrit litera-

ture in the name of Radha, some of which were written by anonymous authors.

These lyrics have played a significant part in Sanskrit poetics also.

Anandavardhana, the famous author of the Dhvanyaloka, quotes a

poem where Dhvani and Gunibhutavyanga kavya have been excellently

blended by the poet. It also appears in full entity in the Vakrokti/h ita of

Kuntaka."


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In this poem, there is a reference to the pa st life of Krsna, who asks a

friend coming from Vmdavana to Dvaraka about the creeper houses now

lying barren on the bank o f Yamuna, where K rsna was constantly engaged in

love-affairs w ith Radha.

In another poem, apparent ly wri t ten in a la te r per iod af te r

Anandavardhana, there is a pathetic description o f Radha being deserted mer

cilessly by Krsna who left for Dvaravatl (Dvaraka) ignoring the lover. The

poem has been quoted by different authors in their works with variant readings.

Abhinavagupta quotes the poem in his Locana commentary as :

yate dvaravaffm pura m madhuripau taddattajhampanatam

kalindltata rudha vanjulalatamalingya sotkanthaya /

tadgltam gumvaspagadgadagalattarasvaram radhaya

yenantarjalacaribhiqalacarairapyutkamutkujitam / /

The poem appears with a s l ight variat ion in Hemacandra’s

Kavyanusasana .4 the Vakroktijfvita 5 of Kuntaka, the Saduktikamamrta6 o f

Sridharadasa, the Alamkara tilaka o f Vagbhata and unanimously in the

N styada rpana o f R am acandra and G unacandra. 8 According to the

Saduktikamamrta, the lyric was written by an anonymous author. But in the

Padyavall, it has been assigned to AparEjita.9 However, its poetic beauty has

charmed its readers for its deep, heart-rending pathos. The poem describes

the unbearable love-lorn condition of Radha. W hen Krsna left for Dvaraka after

abandoning his lover, Radha wept and sang lonely out o f sorrow which made

the aquatic animals o f the Yamuna emerge from the water and scream with

sorrow at Radha’s plight.


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In the first poem, Radha’s name is only remotely related to the love-

story of Krsna and his most beloved maiden, while in the second poem,

Radha is depicted as a dejected lover who has been ruthlessly abandoned by

Krsna, for no fault of this simple woman.

Abhinavagupta and other authors of poetics have discussed only the

special features of the poem which are important from their own angle of

approach to the science of poetry.

Abhinavagupta corroborates the view of Anandavardhana that Rasa is

invariably suggested with the help of appropriate Vibhavas, Anubhavas and

Vyabhicaribhavas, the factors which are essentially required for delineating

Rasa. Rasa cannot be presented through gross statements like ‘ Devadattab,

srngarl bbavatf. While upholding the view of Anandavardhana,

Abhinavagupta incidentally refers to the above poem. He says that in this

poem, though the word ‘ sotkanthaya’ has been used, actually it is through

appropriate delineation of the factors responsible for arousing our sentiment

the situation of anxiety has been presented before our mind and not through

this particular word.

Kuntaka, on the other hand, shows that the use of the pronoun 'tat’ has

created a special beauty in the poem.5

It is worth-noting here that apart from such discussion on technical

aspects of the poetics, no critic has found any scope till now to assess the

pathetic condition o f Radha or show sympathy for her. The lamenting of the


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aquatic animals for Radha in the fourth quarter o f the poem instantly reminds

us of a passage in the Uttararamacarita, viz.,

“..................... janasthane sunye vikalakaranairaryacaritai-

rapi grava rodityapi dalati vajrasya hrdayam / 10

Trivikramabhatta, the author of the Nalacampu has been described

as the author of another beautiful lyrical poem, viz.,

siksitavaidagdhyakalaparadhatmika parapuruse /

mayavinlkrtakesivadhe ragam vadhnati / / n

The poem is, however, strikingly absent from some modem editions

of the Nalacampu. In this poem, there is a hint that Radha is the wife of

another person, but she secretly loves Krsna, the killer of the demon Kesl.

This is probably the earliest reference to Radha’s ‘paraklya-pntf in Sanskrit

literature. In later times, we find in the Brahmavaivartapurana, that Radha was

actually the duly married wife of Krsna while her chaya (image) was married

to another person.12

Radha in the Saduktikarnamrta

The Saduktikarnamrta of Sridharadasa is a famous anthology, where

several poets refer to Radha in a number of lyrics. One o f such poems which

contains pun at every step gives a highly entertaining description of

Radha refusing to invite Krsna into her household. It is a love poem arousing

the sentiment of laughter of the reader because o f the funny situation created

by Radha’s intelligent replies to Krsna’s plea to enter into her house. We

quote the poem below :


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k o ’yam dvari harih prayahyupavanam sakbamrgenatra kim /

krsno’ham daytie vibhemi sutaram krsnah katharh vanarab //

mugdhe’ham madhusudano vraja latam tameva puspanvita / 13

mittharh nirvacamkrto dayitaya hrino harih patu vah H

According to Sridharadasa, Subhankara is the author of this lyric. The

poem narrates that Krsna on one occasion tried to enter into his lover’s

(Radha’s) house. He was standing on the gate o f her house when Radha asked,

‘Who are you standing at my gate ?’ Krsna replied that he was Hari (Krsna).

But the word hari means a monkey also. Therefore, Radha (fully knowing

about her lover’s presence) said that a monkey was an unwanted animal in

her house. Then Krsna said that he was krsna (black). Radha was surprised to

hear about a black monkey and became afraid. Krsna thought Radha was

ignorant of his presence and said that he was Madhusudana (the killer of

demon Madhu, a name of Krsna). But the word ‘madhusudana’ means black

bee also. Therefore, she advised him to move to a blooming creeper to suck

its honey. The poet exploits the power of puns (slesa) in this poem in order to

create an amusing situation.

The poem clearly indicates that Radha was a learned and exception-

ally intelligent woman who befooled her lover Krsna. This poem is also

found in the SubhasitavalT of Vallabhadeva14 with some variations.

A similar poem of another anonymous writer which displays Radha’s

great intelligence is given below :

kastvam bho nisi kesavah sirasijaih kim nama garvayase /

bhadre sauriraham gunaib pitrg&taih putrasya Mm syadiha / /


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cakrl candramukhiprayacchasi m me kundfm ghatim dohini-

mitthamgopavadhuhrtottarataya duhstho harihpatu v a h //ls

In this poem also, Radha takes full advantage of ambiguous words

and refuses Krsna approaching her household in the night.

Here, Radha asks Krsna coming to her house in the night as, ‘Who

are you here ?’ Krsna replies that he is Kesava (an epithet of Krsna). Radha

says that a Kesava (person having luxuriant hair) does not deserve any special

credit. Then Krsna says that he is Sauri ( the son o f Sura), Radha admonishes

him for refering to his father whose greatness does not add glory to the

character of his son. Krsna is perplexed and says that he is ‘Cakrin’ (Krsna,

holding a disc i.e. Sudarsana). The word ‘ eakrirf means a potter also.

Radha refuses Krsna by saying that if he is a pottter, then why he is not

giving her different earthen vessels like small jar , bowl-shaped vessel, milk-

pail, etc. and hence, the potter can depart without a further word. This last

poem is an example o f hasya-rasa. In fact, hasya-rasa or humour occasionally

enhances the beauty of srngara-rasa. It is not a contradictory rasa, like karuna

or vibhatsa which mars the beauty of amorous sentiment. It is to be noted

here that the above poem appears in the Padyavail of Rupa Goswaml.16

There are other poems in the anthology of Sndharadasa, two of which

were written by Solloka and Satananda and the third by an anonymous

poet. In two of these poems, Radha’s psychology is excellently depicted by

the poets. In one poem, Radha is looking with love and admiration at Krsna’s

unusual feat of lifting the GovardhanaM^ jta the second poem, fearing that


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the Govardhana hill might be too heavy for Krsna, Radha stretches her hands

intuitionally with a gesture to help him in lifting the hill. These are certainly

some excellent pieces of poetry depicting the love of Radha for the Lord. It

may be noted here that there are different forms of expressing love for the

person loved in Sanskrit literature, which is not confined to sambhoga alone.

SrTdharadasa presents the poem "yate dvaravatlm puram madhuripaiietc.

written by an anonymous poet also (already discussed by us) in his anthology.

Now, a critical examination o f the above poems, found in this famous

anthology, shows that some poems are related to the early life of Radha and

Krsna, while the other poems and particularly the poem, ‘ yate dvaravatmf

etc. describes the later life of Radha after her separation from her lover.

While living in Dvaraka, Krsna passed a constantly restless life in the

absence of Radha. In a poem, written by an anonymous author 19 and quoted

in the Saduktikamamrta, Krsna spent his days in Dvaraka in great sorrow

being separated from his beloved. In another poem, attributed to Sarana,20

Krsna living in Dvaraka constantly recollected the happy days of Vmdavana

in the association of Radha and lamented for his past life and was burned in

deep sorrow in her absence.

It is interesting to note that in one poem written in Sardulavikriditam

metre by Subhankara and quoted in the Saduktikamamrta, Krsna suddenly

remembers his past life when he descended to the earth as Ramacandra. He

laments for his wife Sita and his dearest brother Laksmana, while sleeping

with Radha. Radha becomes suddenly jealous on hearing the words of Krsna


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and for his partisan attitude towards Slta. In this poem, we notice that it is

21

Radha and not Rukmini who shares the bed with Krsna. The poem is quoted

• 22

in the Padyavall also with a slight variation.

We have examined several lyrical poems of the Saduktikarnamrta. It

appears from a critical study of these poems that the Bhakti cult had dominated

the minds of most of the poets whose poems have been incorporated in

Srfdharadasa’s work. The poem, viz., ‘yate dvaravaffm madhuripad etc. is

free from any religious flavour or colour. But in other poems, the love-

episode of Radha and Krsna has been intelligently twisted by adding a few

words o f benediction in a typical religious tune in order to impart a religious

colour to them. The poems clearly exhibit that they were written after the

Bhakti doctrine had gained a fair ground in the society.

Radha in the Subhasitaratnakosa

The SubhBsitamtaakosa, also known as the Kavmdravacanasamuccaya,

of about 10th century A.D., is another famous anthology of Sanskrit poems.

Vidyakara, the compiler o f this particular work also incorporates a few lyrical

poems written on the love-episode of Radha and Krsna.

The poem, viz, ‘k o ’yam dvari ha rt73 etc. already quoted by us also

occurs in this anthology. Radha is depicted as the beloved of Krsna in one of

the poems, where the lady frantically searches Krsna in different spots out of

her deep anxiety to meet him, but does not find him anywhere. The poet says

mayanvisto dhurtah sa sakhi nikhilam eva rajanlm

iha syadatra syaditi nipunamanyamabhisrtah /


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na drsto bhanddire tatabhuvi na govardhanagker 24

na kalindyab k ule na ca niculakunje muraripuh II

The above poem is an appropriate illustration o f the vyabhicaribhava

or the acute state of love (snigararasa) of Radha, anxious for meeting her

lover Krsna. This poem is assigned to Purusottama.

We have already discussed another poem of the Saduktikarnamrta,

where Radha eagerly looks at Krsn a’s superhuman feat of lifting the

25Govardhana hill. The poem is incorporated in the Subhasitaratnakosa also.

In another poem, met with in the Subhasitaratnakosa, Radha is described

as a maiden bom in a cowherd family, who remains engaged in m ilking the

cows and Krsna seeks a pretext to meet her .26

It may be noted here that Gahgadasa composes a nice poem in

Rathoddhata metre where he depicts Radha as a cowherd lady who is busy in

churning milk, bu t suddenly hearing the melodious tune o f Krsna’s flute, she

rashes immediately to the bank of the Yam una to meet Him.27

Radha appears in all the poems we have examined so far as an Indian

lady dedicated to the cause o f love and occasionally suffering from the wrong

behaviour o f her lover. She is a simple, but noble and dignified lady. There is

nothing mystic, miraculous or extra-ordinary in her character except her regular

human nature. Bu t the character of Radha takes a sudden turn towards a new

direction in the puranas.

The Srlkmnakamamrta and Radha

The ^nkrsnakarnamrta of Lllasuka has handed down to us several


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devotional poems dedicated to Radha and Krsna. These poems are also

excellent lyrical compositions where the poet’s keen sense of imagination is

adequately manifested.

Lovers have a world o f their own. When they are deeply engrossed in

love, they sometimes forget the world. Such was the case of Radha and

Krsna as described in one poem of Lilasuka, viz :

radha pimatu jagadacyutadattacitta-

manthanamakalayatl dadhiriktapatre /

tasyah stanas fa vakacaScalaloladrstir-28

devo’p i dohanadhiya vrsabbam mrundhan / /

In this poem, the poet describes that Radha, whose mind is drawn

towards Krsna, forgets the reality and is churning curd which is not in an

empty vessel, at the same time Krsna also deeply enchanted by the beauty of

Radha, is fastening a bull instead of a cow for milking, due to his serious

diversion of mind.

This is an appropriate description of the psychology of an absent-

minded pair of lovers. In another place in the same book, LllSsuka gives a

poem of an entirely different style in which the question and answer tech

nique has been applied with which we are all acquainted in the

Saduktikamamrta and Subhasitaratnakosa or Kavmdravacmasamuccaya. In

this poem, the cowherd lady (gopakanyi), Radha asks from inside her chamber

: Who is knocking at my door ?’ Krsna replies, T am Madhava.’ Now Madhava

means the spring season also; RadhI asks ‘What do you say? Spring?’5


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Krsna instantly replies, ‘No, I am Cakri,’ and Radha asks again ‘What do you

say, potter ?’ Krsna replies, ‘I am Dharamdhara’. Though Radha knows the

person well, she feigns not to understand the meaning of ‘Dharamdhara’ and

asks in a teasing tone, ‘Are you the Lord of serpents? ’29 This is a piece of

love poem in which the word ‘Dharamdhara’ refers to serpent king Ananta

who bears the burden of holding the earth on his hoods.

This poem is also incorporated in the Subhasitavali with slight variation.

30

But here the heroine is LaksmI and the hero is her husband ( laksmldhava).

In this way, the lovers create a humorous situation. We have already

shown that in die eyes of the Sanskrit poets, Radha is an intelligent girl who

can effectively play upon puns. The above poem is a typical example o f this.

Though Radha was an uneducated lady in the modem sense of the term,

there was no dearth o f wit and intelligence in her character as depicted in the

above poems.

In the Srikrsnakarnamrta, a devotional lyric poem, where the poetical

imagination has reached the zenith, Radha as the consort of Krsna is seen

sometimes as identified with LaksmI, the consort o f Visnu. Both o f them are

Krsnavallabhas. Because Krsna Himself is the full form of Lord Visnu, His

beloved Radha has been recognised in the poem as the synonym of LaksmI.

This becomes clear from the following poem :

tejase’stu namo dhenupaline lokapaline / 35

radha payodharotsangasayine sesasayine I I

Here it may be noted that the denoument of this identification of the


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c h a r a c t e r o f R a d h a w i t h t h a t o f L a k s m i a t t r i b u t e s h e r t h e e p i t h e t o f

• ^ 2 2

s a s y a d h i s t h a t r d e v f c a s a g r h a d e v a t a i n t h e l a t e r p u r a n i c l o r e .

R a d h a i n t h e A r y a s a p t a S a t i

T h e A r y a s a p t a s a f f i s a n a n t h o l o g y c o m p o s e d b y t h e p o e t G o v a r d h a n a c a r y a ,

w h o w a s a c o u r t - p o e t o f t h e k i n g L a k s m a n a s e n a i n t h e 1 2 t h C e n t u r y A . D .

T h e s p e c i a l f e a t u r e o f t h i s a n t h o l o g y i s t h a t a l l t h e p o e m s o f t h i s w e r e c o m p o s e d

b y G o v a r d h a n a c a r y a h i m s e l f . H e h a s b e e n h i g h l y p r a i s e d b y t h e p o e t

33

J a y a d e v a .

I n t h i s a n t h o l o g y , f i v e p o e m s h a v e b e e n w r i t t e n o n t h e l o v e - e p i s o d e

o f R a d h a a n d K r s n a a n d s e v e n p o e m s o n t h e K r s n a - G o p i l e g e n d .

I n o n e p o e m , t h e g r e a t i n f l u e n c e o f t h e f l u t e o f K r s n a i n t h e m i n d o f

h i s l o v e r s i s d e s c r i b e d . T h e p o e m i s q u o t e d b e l o w :

m a d h u m a t h a n a v a d a n a v i n i h i t a v a m s T s u s t a n u s a r i n o r a g a h /

h a n t a h a r a n t i m a n o m a m a n a l i k a v i s i k h a h s m a r a s y e v a f / 3 4

R a d h a i s t h e m o s t b e l o v e d w o m a n o f L o r d K r s n a , H e r l o v e f o r K r s n a

s t a n d s f a r s u p e r i o r t o t h a t o f T u l a s T , L a k s m i , S a r a s v a t i a n d G a n g a . I n o n e

v e r s e o f t h i s a n t h o l o g y , a f r i e n d o f R a d h a s a y s T u l a s I t h a t b e i n g d e c o r a t e d

o n t h e h e a d o f M a d h u s u d a n a w h y s h e i s c o m p a r i n g h e r s e l f w i t h R a d h a . H e r

f r a g r a n c e i s o n l y t o m a k e f r a g r a n t t h e f e e t o f R a d h a .

A s R a d h a i s t h e m o s t b e l o v e d l a d y o f L o r d K r s n a , w h i l e s h e

b e c o m e s a n g i y a n d L o r d K r s n a t r i e s t o p r o p i t i a t e h e r b o w i n g h i s h e a d o n h e r


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feet, the TulasI leaves decorated on the head of the Lord make the feet of

Radha fragrant. We quote the poem below :

madbumathanamaulimale sakhi tulayasi tulasikim mudba radham /

35

yattava padamadaslyam surabbayitum saurabhodbbedab //

The Tulasl-episode narrated in the Brahmavaivartapurana informs us

that TulasI, appeared on earth in human form as a result of some curse spelt

by Radhika, performs a great penance and attains a boon from Narayana that

He will hold her on His head and bosom and will be her husband in the other

36

world (i.e. Vaikuntha) (abam tvam dbamyisyamisurupam mUrdhiii vaksasi.)

In another Arya poem, the poet describes that Radha excels even

Laksml in her love for Lord Krsna. The poetic felicity of this poem is highly

enjoyable.

laksminihsvasanalapindikrtadugdhajaladhisSrabhujab / 37

ksiramdhitirasudraso yasamsi gayanti radhayah / /

Here the poet describes that the ladies with beaufiful eyes living on

the bank of the Milky ocean sing the glory of Radha, while they are enjoying

the essence of the milk concentrated by the fire of the heavy sighs o f Laksml.

Both the excellence of love o f Radha for Krsna and the jealousy of Laksml

for Radha have been expressed beautifully in this poem.

The poet depicts the intensity of the love of Radha skilfully with a

great poetic fervour. In one verse, it has been described that when Krsna

dances and moves around thereby, Kamadeva, the presiding deity of love,


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endows Radha with special arrows of flower on her eyes, restless due to her

deep love for Krsna. The special feature o f this arrow is that it can pierce on

all directions. That is on all directions, Krsna becomes the subject of the

38

loving eyes of Radha.

Radha expresses her great pride for the love of Krsna and also her

sole-possessiveness suggestively in the following Arya poem :

rajyabhisekasalilaksSlitamauleh kathasu krspasya / 39

garvabbaramantbarSksf pasyati padapankajam radha I I

The poet says here that when Radha hears that the head of Lord Krsna

has been sprinkled with various sacred waters of ablution at the time of his

coronation, she steadily looks at her lotus-like feet out of great pride. Here it

is suggested by her intelligently that the very head of Lord Krsna, sprinkled

with sacred water with great pomp at the time of his coronation, was time

and again bowed on the feet of Radha whenever she gets angry with Krsna at

love’s revelry. This is a beautiful picture of vipralambba srngararasa

interwoven with the vyabhicaiibhavas, reminiscence (smrti), pride (garva)

and dejection (visada).

Similarly, the poet delineates the pride of a gopl due to her intense love

for Krsna in the following poem :

premalagbukrta kesavavaksobbarabipulapulakakucakalasa /

govardbanagiri gurutam gopavadhumibhrtamupabasati // °

Here, the poet describes that when a gopl hears that Lord Krsna has


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lifted the Govardhana hill, she laughs at the weight o f the Govardhana, think-

ing that she is fortunate to bear the weight of Krsna’s body on her bosom at

the time of making love with Him. The body of Krsna seemed to her as if

lightened due to the excess of love. ,

There is another verse in Aryasaptasatl which display#! the great in-

telligence of Radha. The poem is quoted below :

lajjitumakhilagopimanasam madhudvisarh radha / ajneva prcchati katham sambhordayitSrdhatustasya / / 41

In this poem, Radha asks as if innocently about the wellbeing of

Sambhu who (in his Ardhanansvara form) is satisfied folly with the half

portion of his beloved. Here the intension of Radha is to make Krsna ashamed

as He is involved in love with all the gopls, still He is not satisfied.

The content of this poem reminds us of another poem in the

Gopalacampa of Jlva Goswaml. In that poem, Parvatl complains that inspite

of her wholehearted love for Siva, she is able to occupy only the half

portion of the body of Mahadeva, while Radha occupies the entire body of

Lord Krsna and becomes totally and completely united with Him .42

On critical examination, the above poems of the Aryasaptasatl reveal

that Radha is a sophisticated lady who can express her love in a beautiful

way and also suggestively. She is a dbira lady who controls all outward

expressions of her resentment. She is also calm and quiet, an intelligent lady.

The Aryasaptasatl is an anthology composed with the sentiment of

love {spngararasa). While describing the human loveaffair between ordinary


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hero and heroine, the poet here depicts the love-episode of Radha-Krsna and

Krsna-GopT. Hence, the character of Radha is depicted as an ordinary human

being, there is nothing divinity. The love-episode of the divine couple is

humanised and Radha appears in the form of an ordinary woman of this

world.

Ridha in Jayadeva’s Gltagovindam

Jayadeva was also a court poet of king Laksmanasena of Bengal. He

wrote his immortal poem Gltagovindam or ‘the song of Lord Krsna’, the

central theme of which is the love of Radha and Krsna. As a true devotee of

Krsna, Jayadeva dedicates his body and soul to Lord Krsna. He is the master

of this Universe. Jayadeva composes this poem in a typically lyrical language.

The poem may also be described as a lyrical drama as it contains some

dramatic elements, too. The book is divided into twelve cantos. The poet

presents a song in the very beginning which narrates the Ten Incarnations of

Lord Visnu in a befitting manner .43 According to the commentator Pujarl

Goswami, these ten incarnations of Lord Visnu are the different presiding

deities of ten rasas. Thus, Mina (fish) is the presiding deity o f the disgusting

sentiment (vlbhatsa). Accordingly, the Kurma (tortoise), Sukara (boar),

Narahari (man-lion incarnation), Vamana (dwarf), Bhrgupati (Parasurama,

the Lord of the Bhrgus), Rama, Haladhara (Balarama), Buddha, Kalki are the

presiding deities of the sentiments of Marvellous (adbhuta), Terrible

(bhayanaka), Parental affection (vatsala), Friendship (saukhya), Furious


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(raudra), Pathetic (karuna), Comic (hasya), Quietistic (santa) and Heroic

( virarasa). Thus, Sr! Krsna is the presiding deity of ali sentiments. The work,

Glta-govindam is formally treated as a devotional work, as the poet Jayadeva,

a great devotee of Visnu sings the immortal love of Radha and Krsna in it.

He finishes every canto with a beautiful eulogy of Lord Krsna. But the main

theme of the Glta-govindam describes the divine love-affair in appropriate

terms, and it can be truly described as a devotional poem. However, it is a

poem of the very first degree where Radha and Krsna excellently played

their roles of lovers. It bears all the characteristics of Sanskrit love poem,

where Union (sambhoga), separation (viraha) and re-union o f lovers play the

most dominent role.

^ According to the Gitagovindam, Krsna on one occasion was engaged

in amorous dalliances with innumerable cowherd ladies in Vmdavana. The

poet describes the love scene of Krsna with the gopls in extravagant terms.

Jayadeva sings :

plnapayodharabharabharena barim parirabbya saragam /

gopavadburanugayati kacidudbancita pancamaragam / /

ka pi vilasavilolavilocanakhelanajanitamanojam /

dhyaya ti mugdhavadhuradhikam madbusudanavadanasarojam / /

ka pi kapolatale m ilitS lapitum kim ap i smtim ule /

cam cucumva mtam bavaff dayitam pulakairanukMle / /

kelikalakutukena ca kacidamu m yamunajalakule /

manjulavanjulakunjagatam vicakarsa karena dukule / /

karatalatalataralavalayavali kalitakalasvanavamse /

rasarase sahanrtyapara harina yuv atib prasasam se / /


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s l i s y a t i k a m a p i c u m v a t i k a m a p i k a m a p i r a m a y a t i r a m a m /

p a s y a t i s a s m i t a c a r u p a r a m a p a r a m a n u g a c c h a t i v a m a m / / 44

R a d h a e n t e r s i n t o t h e s c e n e a n d o u t o f e m o t i o n k i s s e s t h e l i p s o f h e r

b e l o v e d . J a y a d e v a d e p i c t s t h e s c e n e a p p r o p r i a t e l y , b y d e l i n e a t i n g s a m b h o g a -

s m g a r a r a s a w i t h a n e x p e r t h a n d . R a d h a , h o w e v e r , i s j e a l o u s o f t h e o t h e r

l o v e r s o f K r s n a . S h e l e a v e s t h e s c e n e o u t o f j e a l o u s y a n d a n g e r a n d c o n c e a l s

h e r s e l f i n a s e c l u d e d p l a c e o f a g r o v e o f c r e e p e r s . T h e r e s h e n a r r a t e s h e r l o v e

f o r K r s n a t o a f r i e n d . S h e d e s c r i b e s h i s b e a u t y i n t h e f o l l o w i n g m a n n e r ' "

c a n d r a k a c a n w m y u r a s i k h a n d a k a m a n d a l a v a l a y i t a k e s a m /

p r a c u r a p u r a n d a r a d h a n u r a n u r a n j i t a m e d m a m u d i r a s u v e s a m / /

g o p a k a d a m b a n i t a m b a v a G m u k b a c u m b a n a l a m b h i t a l o b h a m /

v a n d h u j l v a m a d h u r a d h a r a p a l l a v a m u l l a s i t a s m i t a s o b h a m / /

v i p u l a p u l a k a b h u j a p a l l a v a v a l a y i t a v a l l a v a y u v a t l s a h a s r a m /

k a r a c a m n o r a s i m a n i g a n a b h u s a n a k i r a n a v i b h h m a t a m i s r a m / /

j a l a d a p a t a l a v a l a d i n d u v i n i n d a k a c a n d a n a - t i l a k a - l a l a t a m /

p i n a p a y o d h a r a p a r i s a r a m a r d d a n a n i r d d a y a h r d a y a k a v a t a m / /

m a n i m a y a m a k a r a m a n o h a r a k u n d a l a m a n d i t a g a n d a m u d a r a m /

p f t a v a s a n a m a n u g a t a m u n i m a n u j a s u r a s u r a v a r a p a r i v a r a m / /

v i s a d a k a d a m b a t a l e m i l i t a m k a l i k a l u s a b h a y a m s a m a y a n t a m /

m a m a p i k i m a p i t a t a n g a d a n a n g a d r s a m a r n s a m m a y a n t a m / / 45

T h e p r e v i o u s s c e n e , w h e r e R a d h a k i s s e s K r s n a i n a n a m o r o u s m o o d i s

a n i n s t a n c e o f s a m b h o g a - s m g a r a . B u t i n t h e c a n t o I I , t h e p o r t i o n w h e r e s h e

v o l u n t a r i l y k e e p s h e r s e l f a w a y f r o m h e r b e l o v e d a n d l i v e s t h e r e i n a m e l a n c h o l y

m o o d i s a c a s e o f v i p r a l a m b b a - s r d g a r a - r a s a .

I n S a n s k r i t l i t e r a t u r e , t h e r e i s a n a d e q u a t e a n a l y s i s o f d i f f e r e n t t y p e s

o f l o v e . B h a r a t a a n d h i s f o l l o w e r s h a v e c l a s s i f i e d s r n ^ a r a - r a s a o r A m o r o u s


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sentiment broadly into two g rou ps : sambhoga (love in Union) and vipmlambha

(love in separation)-snigaia-rasa. In sambboga-smgara-rasa, the union o f the

lovers dominates the sentiment. It appears from the different Sanskrit works

that in Ancient India, the free mixing o f men and women was prevalent and

in many cases, the love episode crossed the boundary of social norms or

rigidity. The w ork, Gltagovindam of Jayadeva bears a clear evidence o f this.

However, the love-episode of Radha and Krsna cannot be dismissed as a

simple love-affair or an episode of free mixing of man and woman. The

entire poem is a symbol wrapped in a popular garb.

There are different sub-divisions of vipralambba-smgSra-rasa, like

purvaraga-vipralambha, mana-vipralambha, pravasa-vipralambha and karuna-

vipralambha. Among them, purva-raga-vipraJambba, the incipient love arises

from the eagerness o f the lovers. The eagerness arises in the minds o f the

lovers from seeing or hearing about their counterparts. There are many instances

of purvaraga being described by Sanskrit poets. In this connection, we may

refer to the Kumarasambbavam o f Kalidasa, the Naisadbacantam6 o f Snharsa

and the Nalacampu1 o f Trivikramabhatta. The picture of purvaraga of a

heroine at the sight o f the hero is beautifully delineated in the following verse

o f the the Kumarasambbavam :

tarn vlksya vepatbumaff sarasangayasdr

niksepanaya padamuddbrtamudvabantl /

margacala vyatikarakuliteva sindhuh

48

sailadbirajatanaya na yay au na tastbau / /


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Mana-vipralambha is caused by abbimana or jealousy on the part of

the heroine which keeps her away from her beloved for some time. This state

of the mind is temporary in nature and hardly produces any serious

consequence.

Pravasa-vipralambba arises from the separation of lovers, where one

of them moves away and lives in a distant land thereby creating a serious

mental condition for the lover. In karuna-vipralambha, the situation of the

lovers becomes pathetic. Such vipralambha is sometimes caused by curse

spelt by some god or sages, etc. We clearly notice the situation in the

£ Megadutam or Abhijnana-Sakuntalam of Kalidasa.

' f

In canto II of the Glta-govindam, we find that Radha’s vipraiambha-

smgara-rasa has been resulted from the abbimana or jealousy, and nothing

else. Therefore, it is a clear case of mana-vipralambba.

It is worthnoting in the present context that though Radha is jealous of

Krsna’s behaviour and withdraws herself from him, she is so deeply engrossed

in love with Lord Krsna that every moment she is describing the beauty of

Krsna and never blaming her beloved. Jayadeva describes the behaviour of

the noble lady with the following poem :

ganayati gunagramam bbamam bbramadapi nebate /

vabati ca paiitosam dosam vimuncati duratah I I

yuvatisu valattrsne krsne vibarini mam vina /

punarapi mano vamam kamam karoti karomi kirn I I 49

In the Bbagavatapurana, Krsna loves one particular woman most dearly

who tries to exploit the situation intelligently. In the canto III of the


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GTtagovindarh, on the other hand, Krsna leaves the company of all other

women and accepts Radha as his dearest maiden. Now, Krsna being the

Supreme Lord is not expected to behave like other persons of the world w ho

are burried in nescience. But Jayadeva defends his celebrated God in the

following manner :

kamsarirapi samsaravasanabandhasrrikhalam /

radhamadhaya hrdaye tatyaja vrajasundarlb 11 "

According to Jayadeva, there is a symbolical meaning of this verse.

He says that by accepting Radha as the most beloved maiden and rejecting

other women, Krsna has practically renounced his attachment for worldly

objects in exchange for the sumum bonum so long intended by him to gain.

In this poem, Jayadeva tries to show Krsna as the 'Pure, Liberated soul' who

has embraced the ‘Real’ (Brahman) by forsaking the unreal. However, in the

succeding poems, Krsna appears as a lover o f this mortal world who intensively

feels the pangs of separation.51

In ancient India, one female messenger (duff) secretly moved to the

house o f a lover with the message o f his beloved. The duff plays a very useful

role in patching up the quarrels of the lovers. In the Gitagovindarh also such

messengers play an important role. She describes before Krsna the lov e-lorn

condition of Radha. Meanwhile, as the duff delays in returning to Radha

with her message of Krsna, Radha suffers from an unbearable love-lorn

condition. In Sanskrit poetics, the vibhava, anubhava and vyabhicaribhava


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play a very important role in the consummation of rasa. In fact, eight

sthaylbhavas or ‘basic moods’ remain in the human mind from the very

moment of his birth. Abhinavagupta says, jatab eva hi jantuh iyatlbhih

samvidbhih panto bbavati.52 But all these moods do not play an active part

in the mind at all time. The moods appear to their full form under appropriate

circumstances, the factors which appropriately help in the consummation of

the sentiments. The ‘basic mood’ rises in the status of rasa through different

stages under the impact of vibbava, anubhava and vyabhicanbhava. The

vyabhicarlbhavas reach an acute state in the final stage of the development o f

rasa. Visvanatha Kaviraja describes the vyabhicarlbhavas of snigara-rasa (the

sentiment of love) as nirveda (indifference), avega (agitation), dainya

(miserable state), srama (fatigue), mada (intoxication), jadata (dullness), augrya

(irritation), moha (infatuation), vivodha (awakening), svapna (dream), apasmara

(forgetfulness), autsukya (eagerness), unmada (madness),

sahka (apprehension), smrti (reminiscence), mati (intelligence), vySdhi

(disease), santrasa (terror), lajja (bashfulness), harsa (joy) asuya (jealousy),

dhrti (patience), capalata (restlessness), glani (exhaustion), cinta (anxiety),

53vitarka (judgment), visada (dejection) etc.

Among these vyabhicSribbavas, autsukya (eagerness to meet the

beloved), visada (dejection), cinta (anxiety) and vitarka are four important

states of mind which aggravate in love-lorn condition. Viswanatha Kaviraja

defines autsukya as —


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istanavapterautsukyam kaiaksepasahisnuta /

cittatapatvarasvedadirghanihsV&itadikrt // 4

It means the impatience due to the eagerness to meet the beloved.

Mental agony, hastiness, perspiration, sighing deeply etc. are the results of

it. He also defines \isada in the following manner :

upayabhavajanma tu visadah sattasamksayah /

— •

nihsvasocchvasahrttapasahayanvesanadikrt /7 "

Visada is the dejection due to the non-availability of any means of

union. According to Viswanatha, cinta is described as :

dhyanam cinta hitanapteh sunyatasvasatapakrt // ^

Cinta is the anxiety due to not obtaining the desired object which

produces emptiness , heavy sighing, mental agony, etc.

Tarka is explained by Viswanatha in the following manner :

tarkovicarab sandehadbhrusiro’angulinarttakah // '

It is the conjecture or judgment whenever any confusion arises. It is

accompanied by the frowning, movement of the head and the finger.

In the Gltagovindam, Radha passes through series of such experiences.

In canto VII of the poem, Radha laments for Krsna in the following manner

kathitasamaye'pi harirahaha na yayau vanam /

mama viphaJamidamamalamapi rupayauvanam //

yam i, he kamiha saranam sakhljanavacanavancita-dhruvam

yadanugamanaya nisigahanamapi silitam / /

tena mama hrdayamidamasamasarakllitam /

mama maranameva varamativitathaketana / /


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ktnriha visahami virahanalamacetana /

mamahaba vidburayati madhuramadhuyaminl//

ka pi harimanubhavati krtasukrtakaminl /

abaha kala yam i valayadimanibbusanath / /

harivirahadahanavahanena vahudusanam /

kusumasukumaratanumatanusaralllaya / /

58

sragapi brdi b an d m Smativisamasilaya /

In the above passage, we experience the poetic beauty of a beautiful

picture of the psychological condition ofRadha as a utkanthita type of heroine

excellently depicted.

In Sanskrit poetics, different types of nayika or heroines including

married ladies have been mentioned and defined adequately. According to

the diversity of the situation or the psychological condition in relation to the

hero, the heroine may be called as utkanthita, kalabantaritavasakasajja,

abhisarika, vipralabdha, khandita, prositabbartrka and svadhShabhartrka. The

poet Jayadeva depicts beautifully the vivid pictures of most of these types of

heroine in respect o f the character of Radha in the Gitagovindam.

According to the Sshityadarpam, a heroine is called virahotkantbita

or utkanthita, when she is disappointed by the non-arrival o f her beloved due

to some unexpected circumstances. Visvanatha defines this virahotkanthita

heroine as :

agantum k rtacitto’p i daivanna yatiyatp riyah

tadanagamadubkhartta virahotkanthita tu s a i l 59

There is a class of kalabantarita ladies who quarrel with their hus

bands and remain separated while sleeping on the same bed and become


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repentant afterwards. Another class is known as vasakasajja. The Natyasastra

of Bharata defines vasakasajja ox vasakasajjika more clearly as :

ucite vasake ya tu ratisambhogalalasa

mandanamkunitehrsta sa vai vasakasajjika/ 60

The author of the Sahityadarpana defines vasakasajjika as :

kurute mandanam yasyah sajjite vasavesmani .

sa tu vasakasajja syadviditapriyasangama / 61

This class of ladies adequately and appropriately dresses themselves

and also decorates the house. According to Bharata and Visvanatha, a

vasakasajja lady is one who adequately decorates herself with appropriate

dresses and apperals with a keen desire to meet her lover in a short time.

Now, coming to the Gitagovindam, we find that the author portrays his heroine

Radha as a typical vasakasajja lady in the following poems :

angesvabharanam karo ti vabusah pa tre ’p i sancarini

praptam tvam parisankate vitanute sayyam ciram dbya ya ti /

ityakalpavikalpatalparacanasankalpalllasata-

vyasaktapi vina tvaya varatanumaisa nisarh nesya ti i f 1

In the Gitagovindam, the lady-messenger externally describes Radha

beautifully dressed and waiting for her lover. We have already said that

autsukya or eagerness to meet the lover is one of the vyabhicaribhavas o f the

smgararasa. In the Gitagovindam, Radha passes through a restless period to

meet Krsna in her grove-chamber. The poet describes with a masterly hand

the particular state of mind o f the heroine in the following poem :


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muhura vaiokita-mandanaliJa

madhuripurahamitibhavanaslla

tvaritamupaiti na kathamabhisaram

haririti vadati sakhimanuvaram

s/isyati cumbatijaladharakalpam

harirupagata it i timiramanalpam

bhavati vilambini vigalitalajja

vilapati roditi vasakasaya / /63

Here, the pathos of love-lorn Radha knows no bound when she embraces and

kisses the cloud-like darkness mistaking it for Krsna. According to the

poeticians, when a heroine goes out to meet her beloved at the place ot

assignation or makes the hero come to that place, she is called a abhisarika.

Visvanatha defines abhisarika as :

abhisarayati kantam ya manmathavasamvada

svayarh vabhisaratyesa dhlrairukto 'bhisarika 4

According to Rupa Goswami, these abhisarika type of heroines are

classified into two classes : jyo tsn l and tamasl. When a lady wears white

dresses which are fit for being concealed on the full-moon nights, she is

called jyotsnl-abhisarika. When she wears dark gaments fit to be concealed

in the darkness of the night, she is called a tamasi-abhisarika. Both these

types of abhisarikas use to go to meet their beloved with the help of a reliable

friend or duti. In later Vaisnava poetics, eight varieties of abhisarikas are

found.

In the following poems of the Gltagovindarh, we find a beauti

ful picture of Radha as a tamasi-abhlisarika :


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ratisukhasare gatamabhisare madanamanoharavesam /

na kuru nitambini gamanavilambanamanusara taw hrdayesam

dhlrasamlre yamunatire vasati vane vanamali /

gopipInapayodharamarddanacancalakarayugasalT / / — (Dhruvarht

namasametarh krtasanketarh vadayate mrdu venurh//

vahumanute nanu te tanusahgata pavanacalitamapi renurh /

patati patatre vicalati patre sahkitabbavadupayanam //

racayati sayanam sacakitanayanam pasyati tava panthanarh

mukharamadhlrath tyaja manjlram ripumiva kelisu lolam //

caJa sakhi kunjam satimirapunjam sTlaya nllanicolam /'^

In the Snkrsnakirtana, Candldasa, a famous poet of Bengal has

composed a beautiful poem with the same ideas of the above poems of the

Gltagovindam to paint a picture o f Radha as a timirabhisarika heroine/ 7 This

picture of Radha as a timirabhisarika, in blue dresses instantly reminds us ot

Orvasi, the heroine of the Vikramorvaslyam of Kalidasa, who also being

dressed in blue silken garments, moves to meet her love as a abhisanka.

Further, while depicting the character of Radha in the Gltagovindam.

the poet describes her sometimes as a vipraJabdha, sometimes as a khandita.

and sometimes as a svadhinabhartrka heroine also. He also gives a vivid

description of Radha’s pathetic plight, when she is separated from her lover,

with the acute vyabhicaribhava's o f vipralambha-srhgara-rasa. The following

poem is an instance to this :

sa romahcati sitkaroti vilapatyutkampate tamyati /

dhyayatyudbhramati pramllati patatyudyati murcchatyapi

etavatyatanujvare varatanurjivenna kinte rasat /

svarvaidyapratima prasldasi ya di tya kto ’nyatha hastakah


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At the end of the. Gltagoviadam, Radha and Krsna are united. The

poet depicts the love-scene of Radha and Krsna in which the sambhoga-

smgararrasa plays the most dominant part. Radha’s beautiful body bears all

the external signs of the amorous plays of Radha and Krsna. In this context,

the poet describes in details the character of Radha as a svadhmabhartrka, a

heroine who has her lover under her absolute control. In some verses of the

Gitagovindam, Radha is described as Laksml in her previous birth .74

Now, when we critically examine the love-episode o f Lord Krsna

and His beloved, a few points appear most prominently to our view. Though

Radha and Krsna have been described as a ‘Divine Pair’ in the Gitagovindam,

their love-episode evokes poetic emotions rather than this sense of Bhakti.

The poem, Gitagovindam, describes the art of love and its consummation

more prominently than arousing an appropriate religious fervour.

It should be noted here that the Gitagovindam is a piece of art. It is not

a book of religious doctrine of Bhakti in which the cult of devotion is

propagated directly. Jayadeva plays the part of a poet perfectly by creating a

piece of art which, however, possesses a great didactive value of religious

significance. Therefore, the love-episode of Radha and Krsna should not be

treated as per with a regular love story of the worldly mortals.

Rupa Goswarm’s musical poem on Radha

Rupa Goswami, an eminent exponent of Vaisnavism in Bengal in the

post-Caitanya era is famous as a poet and a dramatist.


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Rupa GoswamI writes a long poem on the Radha story in which the

poet gives a comprehensive picture of Radha’s love-episode with Krsna, her

varying moods and her role as a heroine. There are several sections of the

poem describing different stages o f Radha’s love-affair with Krsna in which

physical love plays a prominent part.

The love-story of Radha and Krsna in Rupa GoswamI’s poem starts

with an amorous scene where Krsna lightly gives Radha a kiss and touches

her beautiful breasts. Radha loses all her patience and becomes restless to

meet Krsna again.75

Rupa GoswamI presents Radha as a typical heroine of Indian

dramaturgy instead of painting her character with a religious or philosophical

colour. There lies the fundamental difference between Vaisnava poets and

the authors of the puranas and other religious texts.

Rupa GoswamI, Jlva GoswamI or Jayadeva have never tried to impart

any extraordinary divine attribute to Radha anywhere in their works, though

they believed that Radha was a celestial person bom on the earth.

In ancient India, woman sometimes appointed trusted female

messengers to carry their message to the lovers. In the story ofPraptavyamartha

in the Pancatantram , 76 there is a reference to such a messenger through whom

a princess invited a young man to her chamber. In the writings of CandFdasa,

an aged woman, Badayi plays a remarkable role as such a messenger of

Radha. In Rupa GoswamI’s poem also, such a trusted messenger (aptaduti)


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is despatched to Krsna by his beloved. Radha’s love-lorn condition is nicely

described by the poet in sweet melodious Sanskrit.

Abhisarika : In ancient India, where the bindings of the society upon women

were very rigid, women, went to meet their lovers under the cover of night,

sometimes wearing black dresses to hide their identity. Sometimes they invited

their lovers to their residence out of emotion. These women are known as

abhisarikSs. We have already discussed the characteristics of an abhisarika as

delineated by Visvanatha. Dhananjaya defines an abhisSrika as :

78

kamartabhisaretkantam sarayedva’bhisarika / /

According to this definition, when a heroine in love either moves

herself (in appropriate dresses) to her lover’s abode or invites him to her

house, she is called an abhisarika

Kalidasa describes in his Meghadutam, the dancers o f the Mahakala

temple moving stealthily to the residence of their lovers. In Rupa Goswaml’s

poem, the poet draws the portrait of Radha as an abhisarika in an excellent

manner. However, he does not describe Radha as an abhisarika proper but as

abhisarotkanthita or eager to move to her lover’s residence. Indian authors

on dramaturgy have described a heroine in love who behaves in different

ways under varying mental conditions. They have given different names to

the heroines like vasakasajja, kalaha ntarita, vipralabdha and

khandita according to the situation in which they stand.

Vasakasajja : We have already discussed the essential characterisitcs of a

vasakasajja-lady met with in the Natyasastra of Bharata and Sahityadarpana


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of Visvanatha. Dhananjaya, the author of Dasarupaka also gives us an adequate

knowledge o f the vasakasajjS lady in the following karika.

81muda vasakasajja svam mandayatyesyati priye II

Radha advises her friend to decorate her grove-chamber in an attractive

manner in order to entice her lover towards her. Rupa GoswamI presents an

excellent poetic composition in order to describe the situation, which is —

kusuina valibhir-upaskuru talpam /

malayacamaramanisamkalpam / /

priyasakhi kaliparicchadapunjam /

upakalpaya satvaram-adhikunjam I1 82

Thus, Radha assumes the status of a vSsakasajja heroine through her

behaviour in this scene. But the poet shows that Krsna has not arrived in spite

of his beloved’s expectation. This has driven the lady to the state of despair

and melancholy, thereby throwing her into the situation o f a vipralabdha.

Dhanjaya defines vipralabdha as follows :

vipralabdhoktasamayamaprapte’tivimanita I1 83

Khanddita: Sanskrit dramaturgists have excellently described a khandita or

a maninl woman who is angry at the behaviour o f her lover or husband who

fails to honour her love, or deceives her. Kalidasa and Bhatti have symbolised

a lotus plant as a khandita woman in their Meghadutam and Bhattikavyam,

respectively. Dhananjaya defines khandita as follows :

jnate’nyasahgavikrte khanditersyakasayita H 86

Rupa GoswamI portrays the character of a khandita lady in the

personality of Radha who, when approached by her lover very lately, shows


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her anger towards him. Radha says to Krsna out of anger and pride (mana)

mixed with love :

yam sevitavanasijagari

tvam-ajayata sS nisi nMgari

kapatamidam tava vindati hare /

navasaram pimaralinikare \

ma kuru sapatham gokulapate

vetti dram ka caritam na te I 187

Kalahantarita: When an honest lady who loves her husband or lover most

dearly finds herself neglected by the person she loves, she becomes naturally

angry and shows her aversion towards him at his approach and repents

afterwards for her behaviour. But such ladies are always reconciled by then-

husbands or lovev'sXhese ladies are known as kalahantarita by Sanskrit poetics.

Dhananjaya defines kalahantarita in the following manner :

88

kalahantarita ’marsad vidhute’nusayartiyuk II

According to this definition, when a woman misbehaves with her lover

out of anger and later on repents for her behaviour, she is called kalahantarita.

Viswanatha Kaviraja defines this type of heroine in the following karika of

the Sahityadarpana:

catukaramapi prananatham rosadapasya /

pascattapamavapnotikalahantarita tu sail

It may be noted here that even a married lady separating herself from

her husband out of anger may be a case of kalahantarita woman. Rupa


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GoswamI presents an appropriate portrait of Radha as a kalahantarita heroine

also in the following poem :

sidati sakhi mama hrdayam-adhfram

yadabhajamiha nahi gokuJavfram /

nakarnayampi suhrdupadesam

madhava earnpatalamapi-lesam

nalokayamarpita muruharam

pranamatastanca dayitamanuvaram // >0

The scene of water sport in the poem is somewhat unusual, because

in Sanskrit literature, kings alone remain engaged in water sport with their

harem. In Rupa GoswamI’s poem, Radha and Krsna enter into the water of

Radhakunda and play together their love-sport. The scene is full of sambhoga-

smgara-rasa. Rupa GoswamI paints an excellent picture of maha-rasa in

which Krsna and Radha and all other maidens were engaged. The scene of

the love-affair of Radha and Krsna in the autumn and spring season has also

been ably depicted by Rupa GoswamI. With a long description of the love

dalliances of Radha and Krsna, the horilila is also depicted in details.

The poem ends with Radha’s separation from her beloved. She weeps

and dreams of her lover. Radha's wailings are an excellent specimen of

vipralambha-srngara-rasa where Radha’s pathetic condition is depicted by

the poet.

Radha in the Stotra-Literature

We have discussed above many lyrical poems dedicated to Radha

Some of these lyrics are purely secular in character while some other poems


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possess a religious colour for the reason that these end in the words of

benediction.

Apart from these, there are also some Stotras or devotional songs

written in honour and adoration for Radha, which are scattered in the puranas

and other literary sources. We shall give an idea of them below :

Radha in the Radha stotras of the Brahmavaivartapurana

(i) In the Brahmavaivartapurana, there is a long stotra or eulogy of Radha in

94

which Uddhava sings the greatness of the Goddess Radhika in different ways.

In this stotra, Uddhava, a great devotee of Radha and Krsna addresses

Radha as rasamandalavasim, vmdavamvilasim and krsnapriya. Then he

describes her as Kamala or LaksmI, Mahalaksmi and Sarasvati. But suddenly,

he imposes the epithets of Goddess Durga on Radha. He eulogises her as

Daksasuta, Sailasuta^Parvati and Uma. She is both qualified and unqualified

Brahman. In the Durgasaptasatf of the Markandeyapurana, Durga is described

by the gods as symbols of nidra (sleep),96 daya (kindness),97 kanti (beauty) 98

etc. Uddhava also describes Radha in a similar language. He also describes

99

her as sarvasaktisvarupa and ‘Mother o f alT {sarvamatare namo namah).

The devotee denies any distinction between Radha and Krsna. He says,

nasti bhedo yatha devi dugdhadharanayoh sada /

yathaiva gandhabhumyosca yathaiva jalasaityayoh / /

yathaiva sahdanabhasorjjyotirbhaskarayoryatha /

Joke vede puranp fa rSdhamadhavayostatha / / m


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Here the devotee describes the inseparable relation between Radha

and Madhava (Krsna). The relation between Radha and Krsna is quite

inseparable like the milk and the breast, like earth and smell, like coldness

and water, like sound and the sky, like radiance and the sun. She has been

praised by all gods and her eulogy purifies the three worlds.

(ii) In another stotra of the same purana, Indra invokes Lord Krsna with

appropriate adjectives. In this devotional poem, 101 Indra refers to the associa-

tion o f Kjsna with Radha. The poem is an excellent piece o f lyrical composi-

tion which describes the deep love of the Lord for his beloved Radha. We

quote below a part of this stotra in order to give an idea of Krsna’s happy

companionship with Radha and his great love and adoration for his beloved:

kndantam rSdbaya sSrdham vmdavane ca ku tracit/

kutraciimirjane ’ranye radhavaksastbalasthitam / /

jalakridSm prakurvantam radbaya saha kutracit /

radbikakesavinyas'am kurvantam kutracit vane / /

kutracitradbika pade dattavantam alaktakam /

radhacarvitatambulam grbnmtam kutracinmuda //

pasyantam kutracit radbSm pasyantim vakracaksuso /

dattavantanca radhayai krtva mSlanca kutracit H 102

The entire passage bears the typical characteristics o f Sanskrit lyrical

poetry. The poems appear to us as poems first and then as religious songs of

Radha and Krsna, secondly. The passage contains the famous Svabhavokti

alamkara, described by Sanskrit rhetoricians. 103

Though these devotional songs are dedicated to Krsna by the king of


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gods, it highlights the great role played by Radha as the dearest beloved of

Krsna, the Supreme Brahman.

Indra says that Krsna loves his wife and beloved Radha so dearly that

he plays with her the game o f love in Vrndavana, he sometimes relaxes in the

bosom o f h is loving Radha. Sometimes he remains engaged in water sport

with the la dy; sometimes he dresses the hair o f Radha with emotion; sometimes

Krsna paints her feet with alaktaka-dye; sometimes the Lord enjoys the

be telnuts chew ed by his lover Radha and sometimes he casts his am orous

looks on Radha.

This is a pleasant scene o f conjugal life where the love o f the two

legendary lovers is nicely depicted by Indra. It is a devotional poem in which

the conjugal love of the Divine pair nicely mingled with the sentiment of

devotion inorder to elevate the poem to the status of a religious song.

(iii) There is another stotra in the Brahma vaibartap urana,104 in which Kf?na

praises Radha with the epithets describing her cha racter and capacity.

Once Radha becam e dejected when she found Krsna involved in love

with one gopl, TulasI by name, in the tulasT-grove. She at once disappeared

from the sight o f Krsna by withdrawing he r original and also all the partial

forms (kala). As a result o f this, all gods including Brahm a, Visnu and Siva

becam e bereft o f all fortunes and wives, and were afflicted with diseases.

They w ent to Krsna with a request to propitiate R ldha. This is the background

of this stotra made by Krsna.


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In this stotrn, Krsna applaused Radha as a presiding deity of his vital

force and dearest than his life. She is called the Mulaprakrtlsvan and the

source of all creation. Mahavisnu, the Primeval soul originated from her

body as cosmic Egg. Thus all creations started from her.

Radha is originally unqualified and when she appears in partial forms

(kala) as other deities, she becomes qualified. Resplendent and formless as

she is, but she appears in different forms to favour her devotees.

She resides in Vaikuntha as MahalaksmI, on the earth she appears as

LaksmI, the Goddess of fortune, as Sarasvatl, Satl, Parvatl, and resides in

Goloka as the goddess Radhika. Ganga, Savitrl etc. all goddesses are the

mere variant appearances of Radhika herself.

Without Radha, Krsna becomes inactive. She is the Inherent Power of

all gods. Siva without Radha becomes totally inactive like a dead body. Siva

holds Ganga on his head, who is none but Radha herself. All persons may be

eloquent by the grace o f Radha herself in the form o f Sarasvatl and become

dumb if she does not favour them.

As a potter cannot make a pot without earth, Krsna, the Supreme

Brahman cannot create the world without the grace of Radha. She is the

Inherent Power o f Krsna, without her grace Krsna becomes totally inactive.

She is the heat in fire, beauty in the Moon, radiance in Sun. Without

her grace, Krsna and all other gods become: totally inactive. Thus propitiated

wdi>- _ by Kfsna, Radha reappeared m all her forms. The Brabmavaivartapurana is


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another puranic source where the cult of Sakti has been propagated. All gods

possess an inherent Sakti by the strength o f which gods can remain alive and

active. According to Tofaiatantra 105and Saundaryalabanm even Lord Siva

is inherently and inseparably associated with Sakti. Without her, Siva will be

reduced to a corpse. Thus, according to the Brahmavaivartapurma, Radha is

the all pervading Sakti who controls and governs all gods and goddesses.

On critical examination, the above stotra reveals that Radha is the

Supreme Power of the Supreme God, Krsna. In the Naradapancaratram, also

she is called the inherent power of all gods, Brahma, Visnu and Siva. This

is also found in the Radbatantra.

Radha in the Radha-stotra o f the DevTbhagavatam

In the Devlbhagavatam, Narayana instructs Narada about the details

of Radha-worship. In this context, one stotra of Radha consisting of five

verses, as imparted to Narada, has also been handed down to us.

Though short in structure, this stotra or eulogy is a beautiful pearl of

lyric poetry. Devotional in character, it bears highly philosophical significance,

too. Radha is the presiding deity of the five-fold vital forces, while Durga is

the presiding deity of Intelligence. Without Radha-worship, no one has the

right to worship Krsna. So Narayana instructs Narada to worship Radha on

the full moon day of the month of Kartika which is generally known as the

Radha festival. In the following verses of the dbyana-mantra, we find a

beautiful description of the exquisite beauty and grace of Radha :


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svetacampakavamabham saradindu-samananam /

koticandrapratikasam saradambhojalocanam // vimbadharam prthusronim kanciyutanitambinim /

kundapanktisamanabha dantapanktivirajitam / / I o s

ksanmambaraparidhanam vahnisudhamsukanvitarh /

ratnasimhasanasinam goplmandalanayikam / j( )i j

krpmpranadhikam veda-vodhitam paramesvarim // etc.

But in the stotra or eulogy, Radha is addressed as the Supreme Goddess

(paramesani),"° residing in the rasamandala (rasamandalavasini) and the

mother of the three worlds (trailokyajananf). To Krsna, she is dearest one

than the vital forces. She is constantly worshipped by all prominent gods like

Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara .111

In another chapter of the same purana, ' it has been narrated that the

very Earth has been purified by the touch o f her feet. Brahma performed a

great penance o f sixty thousand years for her and also for the purification ol

his own self, but failed to have a sight of her. But after a long penance only

he succeeded to have a sight of her in the Vrndavana.

In this stotra, she is praised as the Goddess o f all goddesses (sanarupini).

Durga, Laksmi, SaraswatT, Savitrl, Ganga, PadmavatT, Sasthl, Mahgalacandika.

Manasa, Tulasi etc., all goddesses are merely the different appearance ol

Radha Herself. Radha is also eulogised as the Mulaprakrti, from whom

emerged the five Prakrtis, viz. Ganesajananl Durga, Radha, Laksmi, Sarasvati.

Savitrl, who are most responsible for the process of the creation. She is also

called the ocean of kindness (karunarnavam). By the grace of this Supreme


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Goddess Radha only, a devotee may be liberated from all the worldh

bondages. " 3

The critical examination of this stotra reveals Radha not only as a

mere goddess among the Indian pantheon, but it also sings the glory of her as

the ‘Supreme Goddess' from whom emerge all other goddesses. She is indeed

the ‘Supreme Power' of the Supreme Brahman, Krsna.

It is clear from the above description of Radha that she replaces Durga

as the Supreme Sakti of the universe and occupies her seat. It should be

remembered that Durga has been extolled in the same manner in the

Markandeyapurana as Radha in the Devfbbagavatam as prakrtistvamadva.

She is the Prakrti or maya as described in the Svetasvetaropanisad which

calls :mayarh tu prakrtim vidyanmayinantu mahesvaram

tasyavayavabhutaistu vyaptam sarvamidam jagat / " *

Radha in the Sahasranamastotra o f the StavakavacamalS

The stotra found in the Stavakavacamala, containing one thousand

names of Radhika is an excellent piece of lyric poetry. In this long poem, the

names of Radha and her qualities are discussed in alphabetical order. It

starts as :

vande vrndavananandam radhikarh paramesvarim

gopikam paramarh srestharh hladinim saktisvarupinim

In the very introduction of the poem, the poet describes Radhika as

the Hladini-sakti (of Lord Krsna). It should be noted here that the Visnupurana


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describes the HladinI Sakti o f Lord Visnu, though it does not categorical Iv

deal as the synonymn of Radha as a goddess. In the Radhastotra. she has

ascended to the exalted position o f the Supreme Goddess (Paramesvari). She

is also a great devotee o f Krsna, who remains constantly engaged in nine-fold

bhakti. Bom as the daughter o f Vrkabhanu, she became the most beloved ladv

of Damodara (Krsna). It has been said in the stotra that she can fulfil all the

desires o f a devotee. She has been praised as KrsnmohinT, Ahladinl (HladinO

Adyasakti and the Maya or the ‘Illusory force o f Brahman.’ She is exquisite] \

beautiful. The poet describes he r as jambunanda hemakantih , Hemarambha.

and Hemangavaranl. There is regular tautology in the adjectives of Radha

The above adjectives are typical examples of this blemish of the stotra. I lu

poet employs several synonymous adjectives to show that Radha was a belovet

of Krsna. We quote a few of them below :

'krsnapriya krsnakanta krsnasevaparayana / ’

‘krsnanuraga dhanya kisorf krsnavallabha / ’

krsnaprema vatl kar trf krsnabhaktiparayanT / ’

One o f the drawbacks we notice in some o f the stotras containing otu

thousand names is that there is a constant tautology in many of them. One o

the greatest drawbacks of all similar ‘Thousand Names' of Indian gods anti

goddesses is that the poets somehow try to complete the number even I"

furnishing epithets which are full o f tautology or other defects.

The poet o f the present stotra o f Radha, however, shows some excel

lences in the selection of his epithets. Thus, he describes Radha in one pas


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sage as ' krsnapremabdhisapharT or the ' saphan -fish dancing in the ocean ot

the love of Krsna. In another passage, she appears as " krsnapremamayf 01

the embodiment of Krsna's love.

The poet was probably a resident of Bengal who uses the term

‘ThakuranT for Radha, an epithet generally used in Bengal for the esteemed

mistress of the house.

The poet gives a comprehensive idea of all the attributes of Radha

She has been praised as Annapurna and dhanya, atulya abhayaprada. Both

the epithets employed here, Annapurna and Abhayaprada are the adjectives

generally used for ParvatF or Durga. She has also been applauded as

durgatinasinl radha duhkhavinasim. She is also dayardrasagarl radha

daridradurgatihara. It instantly reminds us of an epithet of Durga found in the

Durgasaptasatu namely, daridraduhkhaharini. It is interesting to note that

Radha has been described in the stotra as Dvarakavasini-devl. We have read

on an earlier occasion that Radha was separated from Krsna when he left for

Dvaraka and lived there. The poet either identified Radha with Rukmini oi

he depends upon some later traditions. Radha has been further described as

dolotsavaviharinl. There is a tradition in Bengal according to which Radha

is worshipped together with Krsna in the “Dola' festival. However, the puranas

are silent regarding this. The poet also depicts the goddess as rasapnya

rasagamya rasotsavaviharinl. She is the “Para Sakti’ (Supreme Power) and

‘ Para Bhakti’ (Highest Devotion).


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We have already shown that Radha is considered as the Hladinl Sakti

of Lord Krsna. But she is more than that. In the puranas, Radha has been

eluding Durga.

In another passage of the stotra, she is described as saktisancarini devi

saktinam saktidayini which immediately brings to our mind a statement made

about Candika in the Durgasaptasati, namely :

In this stotra, Radha has also been eulogised as Visnumaya, caitanyamayl

(few and Jagaddhatn. All these epithets have been attributed to Candika also

in the Durgasaptasati:

— H8 ya dev i sarvabhutesu cetanetyabhidhlyate /

(am aim) visvesvarim jagaddhatrim sthitisarhharakarinlm / 119

We read in the song, two other significant epithets of Radha, namely

sakambhaiisasyampa and saranagatapalinl. The first epithet has been applied

to Durga in the Durgasaptasati. It has been stated there :

r t

described as the Supreme Power who excels all other symbols of Sakti m-

yacca kinc it kvacidvastu sadasadvakhilatmike /

117 ya dev i sarvabhutesu visnumayeti sabdita /

bhuyasca satavarsikyamanavrstyamanambhasi

munibhih samstuta bhumau sambhavisyamyayonija / / u0

{ tato’hamakhilam Jokamatmadehasamudbbavaih

bhaiisyami surah sakairavrsteh pranadharakaih

sakambhariti vikhyatim tada yasyamyabam

It is worthnoting in this context that Radha has been described as the


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122 presiding deity of agriculture in the Brahmavaivartapurapa also. In this

stotra of StavakavaeamalSi Radha has been praised as brahmamayl, and also

as pumabralrniasahatam. These two epithets indicate that Radha is the Supreme

Power of the Supreme Brahman and there is no confusion about this.

Radha in the Radhika-stotra of the Stavakavacamala

Apart from the Sahasranamastotras there is also another Radhika-

123

stotra of a shorter structure in the StavakavacamSla.

There are six poems in total in this stotra. In this stotra, Radha is

described as :

radha rasesvan ramya paraiha paraihStiiiika /

rasodbhavS krsnakanta krsnavaksasthalasthita f/m

We do not find any new information about Radha in this couplet. But,

there are some significant epithets in the second couplet, viz. Visnumaya,

Satyasatya and Sanatanl. It may be noted here that Candika or Durga is

eulogised as ‘ya devlsarvabhutesu visnumayetisabdita’ in the Durgasaptasaff.

She is also ‘maha maya’ or ‘maha amya’, according to some commentators,

through whom a devotee can realise the truth and untruth by her grace. She

yl _ _ _ _ _ has also been invoked as srstisthitinasanam saktibhute sanatani. Radha, being

a different form of this great Goddess, she is naturally decorated with these

attributes. In the third couplet, she has been described as Brhmasvarupa

Nirlipta and Nirguna. These are some attributes of the Brahman. Thus, there

is a deep philosophical significance of this Radha stotra mentioned above.


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Now, a critical examination of the stotras and similar other poems in

the religious sources bring to our notice the fact that Radha is sometimes

shown as the highest Sakti and sometimes as Durga. But whatever that might

be, there is only one Supreme Power in the Universe, and not more, who has

been variously worshipped under different names.

Radha in the Sri-Radhikastakam of the Stavakavacamala

The Radbikastakam of Raghunathafjasa Goswaml is another excellent

stotra dedicated to goddess Radha which gives us aesthetic delight and gen

erates a sense of devotion for her. Written in MalinI metre, the poem is a

specimen of typical Sanskrit lyrical poem displaying the poet’s keen sense of

imagination and the power of creating attractive imagery.

Raghunatha draws the portrait of the Vaisnava goddess with the help

of a set of imageries which evokes our deep appreciation for the poet. It will

be clear from the poems quoted below :

(a) sarasijavaragarbbakharvakantib samudyat /

tarunima gbanasaraslistakaisra-sidbub / /

dara-vikasita-basya syandi-vimbadharagra /

snapayati nijadasye radbika mam kada nu / / m

(b) vrajakulamahilanam pranabhutakbilanam /

pasupatigrhinyah krsnavatpremapatram / /

sulalitalalitantabsnebapbullantaratma / 126

snapayati nijadasye radbika main kada nu U

The poet describes both the external beauty o f the goddess, her gentle

behaviour and her great popularity among the ladies of Vrajapura. Radha


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was expert in the art o f producing melodious tune of her flute which attracted

Krsna towards her. She played with her beloved Krsna in her own sport-lake

constantly tossed by cool and fragrant breeze.

Radha in Radhasahasranama-stotra in the Radhatantram

The Radhatantram is a Tantra work written on the origin and greatness

of Radha. It is a philosophical work based on tantric tenets. We shall elabo

rately discuss the special features of this tantra in a succeding chapter.

The Radhatantram also presents another stotra containing one

thousand names of Radha in an alphabetical order. But this stotra is not so

interesting like the previous one. It contains many adjectives of Radha which

describe her dresses alone. A few of them are noted below :

(a) suklavastraparidhana suklavastrottaifyanl /

(b) raktavastraparldhana raktavastrottariyana / /

(c) pltavastraparldhana pita vastrottanyanl /

(d) krsnapattapandhana krsnapattottarfyanl /

Some other adjectives are used without any definite philosophical or

religious purpose. Thus, Padminl, Nagini, GopI, Kalindi, avagrahinl do not

enhance poetical beauty or Radha’s superhuman character. However, a few

passeges of the stotras bear some philosophical significance. In this context

we can refer to the passage, viz :

mSyavatl mohahantn mahavMyavidharinl /

mahamedha mahabhutir mahamaya (priya sakhl) / /


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The goddess, protrayed in the above poem, appears to us as a

synonymn of Goddess Durga in the Markandeyapurana. In this purana text,

Durga, who is the Supreme Power of Siva, has been eulogised in the

Durgasaptasatlas ‘mahamaya, mahavidya, mahamedha’ and ‘mahasmrti’. She

is both ‘maha maya’ and ‘maha amaya’, ‘maha vidyS 5 and ‘maha avidya’

and ‘maha medha’ and ‘maha amedha’.

The goddess is the ’Great Illusion’ {mahamSyS), who gives us a false

knowledge of the world. At the same time, she is the ‘Absence of illusion'

{maha amSyS), who gives the knowledge of the Supreme Person. She, thus,

functions in a dual manner. She is the Supreme Knowledge (.maha vidya ) as

well as the great Ignorance {maha avidya) which drives us unto worldly

bondage. Now, Radha, being Visnumya and mahamaya, mahavidya, possesses

all these contradictory attributes.

It may be remembered that here in this puranic text, the goddess has

been variously extolled as mahamaya. She is the supreme maya, who conceals

the real character of Supreme Brahman from our vision.

Radha in die Sahasranamastotra in the Naradapaficaratram

The NaradapancarStram is a agama-tcxt which delineates the Radha-

Krsna legend in puranic style. We shall discuss the special features of this

text in a succeeding chapter in another context.

The Naradapancaratram also presents us a stotra containing one thou

sand names o f Radha in connection with Radha worship. 128 It is also written


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in alphabetical order. Mahadeva here tells that whenever Hari appears on

earth, Radha also descends to the earth to accompany Him. She always func-

tions as the inherent Power o f Visnu a nd remains in His constant association.

It may be remem bered that Lord and His Powe r are neve r be separated from

each other. She has nothing of her own. He says :

nastijanm ani na karmSn i tasya nm aiii ma hesvan /

yada hamcaritrani kuru te karyagauravat.

tada vidbatr-rupanl harismnidhyasadhm l / 129

In this stotra, her physical beauty is also described in some verses. A

few of them is being cited below :

(a) svetacampakavamSbba sasikotisamapmbha /

130

malatlmalyabhusSdbyS malaffmSlyadbarini //

131

(b) jabakusumasankasa dadimlkusum opama / /

(c) mlambaradbara dhlra dhairyarupadhara drtih /

ratnasimbasanastha ca ratnakundalabhusita / /

132

ratnendrasaraharadhya ratnamalS vibhusita / 133

(d) Indranllamaninyastapadapadamasubha sucih /

(e) darvadalasyamatanurdurvadalatanucchavih lm

In this stotra also, Radha is described as residing in DvarakS and eulogised

as Rukmirn, Revafi, Satyabhama, Jambavatl, the wives o f Krsna and Balarama.

She is also identified with many other goddesses. She is praised as LaksmI,

Sarasvatl, Savitri, the wife o f Brahma, Siva, Durga, Safi, Narasimhi, Varahi

etc.great goddesses o f Indian pantheon. She is also praised as SacI, Draupadl

and Arundhatf. The author o f the stotra suggests that Radha is the allpervading

power which is inhe rently pre sent in different form s.


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We have already said that the poets of the stotras describing the thousand

names of any god or goddess are noticed to have completed somehow the

number of thousand names. This stotra is also not free from such blemishes.

This is also full of blemishes like tautology. Sometimes, the same name of

Radha is repeated several times to complete the number. For example, the

names, Radhika, Sri-Radha, Siva, Visoka, Matix«Mahalaksmi etc. are few

among them.

Radha is also eulogised here as dhrti (patience), lajja (bashfulness),

kanti (beauty), pust i (nutrition), smrti (remembrance), daya (kindness) nidra

(sleep), bhranti (delusion), sand (peace), buddhi (intelligence), ksama (for

giveness), ksutpipasa (hunger and thirst) etc. We have already read such

attributes regarding another goddess of Indian pantheon, Durga or Candika .

This instantly reminds us of the eulogy of Candika as done by ail gods in the

Durgasaptasaff.

In many verses, she seems to be as Durga and Candika Herself. Because,

sometimes she is praised as the annihilator of all demons (samhartrl

sarvadaityanarii), sometimes as a protector of all creations (palinf

sarvabhutanam)P6 sometimes as the creator of all creations and also as the

annihilator of the world itself. In fine, Radha represents all the three distinct

forces of creation, preservation and annihilation of the universe. Thus she is

praised as :

kausavan kosarupa jagadutpattikarika /

137srstisthitikan samharinl samharakarinJ I I


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This reminds us the eulogy o f Candika done by the gods as —

srstistbitivimm am saktibbute sam tani / 138

gunasraye gunama ye narayani nam o’stute II

She is also extolled as Navadurgika. The epithet Navadurgika, means

the nine-fold forms of goddess Durga or Candika. According to the

Devikavaca, Sailaputri, BrahmacarinI, Candraghanta, Kusmanda, Skandamata,

Katyayanl, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatrf— these nine nam es and forms

are attributed to Candika or Durga.

Radha is praised here as Kaumarf, NarasimhI and Varahl also. They

are few of the elevan Matrkas who originated from the body of Candika and

also disappeared in her body. She is also called as Jaya and Vijaya. These

two names are also associated with Parvatl or Durga.

It is interesting to note that Radha or Radhika alone is the Inherent

Power or Sakti of Brahma, Visnu and Siva. So, she is eulogised in this stotra

as :139

(a) ‘ brahmavisnusivardhmgaharinT

(b) 4 sivasaktisvarupa ca sivardbangabSrinT 140

(c) ‘ vamangaharinl visnob sivabhaktisukhanvita ’ 141

(d) ‘ visnupriya visnukanta visnoranganivasim’ 142

(e) ‘barapatnf 143

(f) ‘brahm apatn f144

(g) ‘ sambhukantan sadaslvamanohara’ 145

(h) ‘sivabrahmaharipriya 146 etc.

The epithet NandasutSmdbya ,147(worshipped by the son o f Nanda) is

also attributed to Radha. In this context, it m§y be mentjpped that in the


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sophieal implication. In this stotra o f the Namdapancaratram, we find a reference

to this epiosde in the epithet yamunaparakautuka.149 She is described as :

dugdhamanthanakarmadhya dadhimantbanatatpara /

dadhibhandarthinl krsnakrodhinl nandanangana / /

gbrtalipta takrayukta yamunaparaka

s. purvakayastha, radha in lirical poem

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