Eleventh Sarga: Relishing the Bliss of Swinging

Eleventh Sarga, entitled 'Relishing the Bliss of Swinging.'

Kṛṣṇa emerged from the bower surrounded by rows of sakhīs and licked by the bee of His beloved's sidelong glance. Did He shine while extending the complete collection of Cupid's five arrows through just one particle of light from the tip of His foot? (1)

When Rādhā unexpectedly saw Her beloved's left arm resting upon Her shoulder, She trembled like a golden lotus touched by some great rising wave from the ocean of sweetness. (2)

Two sakhīs offered beautiful betel rolls to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa from either side. Taking them between the fingers of Their left and right hands, the Divine Couple placed the rolls directly into each other's mouths. (3)

The contrary heroine pushed away Her beloved's left hand when it sought to touch Her breast. I think a red lotus thereby blocked the lotus in the lake of beauty that the discus-loving hand desired to taste. (4)

Though surrounded on every side by hosts of trees, Rādhā's agitated face immediately perspired when sunlight flashed within. Kṛṣṇa inclined His crown and covered Her glorious face with its shade. (5)

Upon the earth the pair shone like lightning above a rain cloud, or like two moons bearing Their respective golden and dark colors even by day. They continually made the blue lotuses of the noble sakhīs' eyes blossom and drew those eyes downward. (6)

From the pair the cakravāka birds received sorrow, the peacocks joyful dance, the swans alarm, and the male cakoras delight. How can I describe the disparity, which resembled the diversity within Brahman as Creator? (7)

Proceeding very gently along the delightful path indicated by Vṛndā and colored by Their own beauty, They traveled through the forest amid waves of playful conversation and reached the woodland called Harṣa-varṣa, the Rain of Joy. (8)

Seeing this radiant cloud and lightning moving upon the earth, the cloud and lightning already dwelling in the sky perhaps abandoned all hope of competition. How could one finite pair compete with an immeasurable multitude of qualities? (9)

'We are unworthy to remain above this pair. Where else can we go when Their radiance fills the entire sky?' Trembling and suddenly turning pale, the celestial cloud and lightning seemed ready to cry. (10)

Or perhaps the golden lightning became a divine parasol above the blue sapphire cloud to relieve His heat. Bearing tears born from altered color, the pair praised Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa for Their delight with a deep sound arising through choked voices. (11)

The Divine Pair entered the kadamba forest, whose hundreds of high-rising dark branches dripped honey from joyful flowers. As They sported within, Their splendor conquered that of lightning and a rain cloud. (12)

In the midst of that forest stood long rows of jeweled courtyards, raised high by Kṛṣṇa's power. Alert maidservants constantly guarded them, and they received showers of nectar day and night. (13)

On their borders, pairs of pillarlike trees raised branches that embraced one another like rafters. Their emerald balconies, richly hung with flowers, appeared to fulfill every desire. (14)

From each pair of branches hung rows of swings tied with pairs of lovely red ropes strung with pearls. Each bore two golden seats and swayed continually in the breeze. (15)

Skillful maidservants covered the swings with flowers freed from their stems and placed within layers of fine, smooth cloth. Through fragrance and softness, the swings acquired the power to draw Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa near. (16)

Seeing one swing in the center adorned with a splendid banner, dark-radiant Kṛṣṇa climbed upon it and shone. As it was served by the goddess of beauty, I think embodied bliss itself had taken the seat. (17)

He properly drew His beloved into the Rain of Joy while She became drenched in delight and repeatedly grasped His hand for support. Raising Her directly before Him, did He make Her enter the reservoir of love that remained awake in His presence? (18)

A group of singing sakhīs worshiped Their two lotus feet with an ārati of flower rows, adjusted Their necklaces, crowns, and other ornaments, and served Them with garlands, betel, cosmetic designs, and more. (19)

Two intimate life-companions took positions in the two directions. Bending down, they grasped and pushed the swing after stepping over the feet of the Divine Pair, one holding the forward-falling end of a loosened sash and the other attending from behind. (20)

Two other blessed sakhīs stood at the sides, smiling as they watched. Holding auspicious betel rolls in their hands, they offered them to the lotus mouths of the youthful pair whenever the swing slowed at the ends and gave them an opening. (21)

Other honorable companions, rich in love, splendid on festival days, and virtuous in every way, raised their hands and showered beautiful colored powders. The sight filled their eyes with delight. (22)

The goddesses honored Their cherished Lord and Lady and, beholding Them, released every affliction. Though paralyzed with wonder and unable even to imagine such hope, they thirstily poured a celestial shower of flowers. (23)

The drops accompanying those flowers were rained upon by delighted clouds and assumed the nature of honey. In the kingdom of the beautiful heroine they gained friendship with the clusters of pearls belonging to the youthful pair through participation in Their play. (24)

The sakhīs sang beautifully patterned melodies while their mouths shared the praise offered by rows of bees intoxicated by hosts of expanding fragrances. Covering the heavens with song, the companions shone. (25)

Necklaces, earrings, and garlands began to dance, while girdles, anklets, and other ornaments became musical instruments. Smiles upon the Divine Couple's faces assumed the role of cultivated spectators as the moon of Their swinging joy waxed. (26)

Hosts of waves from the ocean of radiance surging from each beloved's limbs set the rows of swings in powerful motion. Rocked by the splendid masses of Their mutually meeting lotus eyes, the sakhīs attained great wealth. (27)

Although Cupid thus swung the hearts of the pair, the contrary god created no obstacle. The wise say that some extraordinarily powerful cause was at work there: the influence of the līlā-śakti alone. (28)

Moved by their own eagerness, the branches supporting the swing ropes served the pair with beloved clusters of flower-laden twigs. Did their five trembling tips act as fragrant fans? (29)

Bees tried to hold the many artfully fashioned fragments of garlands swinging between the leaves, but as they wandered they could not succeed. They merely buzzed there, and even that became part of the beauty. (30)

Desiring greater speed, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa pressed the swing with Their feet and alternately lowered and raised it. Each displayed every skill, and together They made the bliss of love grow full and abundant. (31)

As the rushing swing reached the two directions in turn, the youthful players alternately occupied the upper and lower positions. Their radiance then created an indescribable wonder. (32)

Rādhā's necklace touched Kṛṣṇa's chest and performed a magnificent dance in one direction, while in the other His garland embraced Her bodice. The sakhīs became joyful at the sight. (33)

Each saw the brilliance of His or Her own body reflected in the other's limbs and received beauty born from beholding the other. Then, touched by the fullness of one another's breath, They touched each other and rejoiced. (34)

Thus the ocean of play, in sportive delight, created an extraordinary excess of speed. The swing brushed the high branches behind it and made their rows of leaves appear frightened. (35)

Hearing Rādhā and Her sakhīs cry, 'Not like this, not like this! Alas, do not make the swing go faster!' Mādhava repeatedly smiled and increased the powerful movement of the swing, shining all the while. (36)

Her braid came loose, Her veil no longer remained upon Her head, Her ornaments became disordered, and Her sari did not even cover Her feet. Seeing Her agitation, Kṛṣṇa laughed. (37)

Thus, as His eyes remained unsatisfied by the rushing play, He made Rādhā, whose eyes widened in fear, slip from the seat. In the middle of the swing He made Her grasp His neck and caught Her in His arms. (38)

The youthful forms, golden as campaka and dark as blue lotus, became one and seemed to emit the fragrance born from Their close pressure. Alas, that perfume spread beyond even the noses of Padmā and the other goddesses in heaven. (39)

Sakhīs approaching from every side brought the swing to an even halt. Rādhā quickly descended, then shone as She exchanged many different words with them about what had occurred. (40)

Rādhā then seated each of the eight principal sakhīs upon the swing with Kṛṣṇa. Singing with love as She swung them, She watched Him conquer each beloved upon the swing just as before. (41)

In this way the dearest companions beginning with Viśākhā received deep swinging delight from Him. Kṛṣṇa then descended from that swing and placed all the other girls upon their own separate swings. (42)

With His own two arms He seized pairs of beautiful girls, forcibly mounted them upon their swings, and, though one, moved among them and swung them all. What task is impossible for that ocean of love? (43)

Every girl within her own swing saw Him drinking the beauty of her own face. This is no wonder in the son of Gokula's lord. What could be impossible for His power of desire? (44)

There stood a single lotus-shaped swing designated by Vṛndā for Mukunda and His beloveds. He mounted it, reclined upon the cushion at the central whorl, embraced Rādhā with His two arms, and shone. (45)

The eight young chief sakhīs occupied the interiors of the eight petals, while sixteen more brilliant companions sat upon the outer petals. They ate sweet dates, rose apples, grapes, and other fruits brought by Vṛndā, taking the remnants of what the beloved pair had tasted. (46)

First came the drinking of beverages that wholly devoured all pride within nectar itself. At the end, golden-radiant betel rolls were distributed among the circle in an exchange of mutual affection. (47)

Nandīmukhī and Vṛndā attained delight as they moved the lotus swing with their hands. The maidservants immediately received the joy shining from the faces of the assembly and auspiciously began many songs. (48)

Defeating all the sakhīs in the game of swinging and receiving embraces, kisses, and other jewels as His prize, their beloved descended with the circle of beautiful girls and went from that forest to another grove. (49)

Seeing the buds among the clusters of flowers as memorials of the smiling beauty that had arisen from Rādhā's face, Kṛṣṇa gathered them and fashioned garlands to place upon His heart. (50)

A cloud rose in the sky with the complexion of Kṛṣṇa's limbs, while lightning spread the radiance of the young women's bodies. The earth visibly became anointed with the red lac of their feet through masses of red indragopa insects rising from the ground. (51)

The dark Kṛṣṇa cloud showered incomparable, dense streams of rasa everywhere. Every flower and every vine blossomed, and the unequaled beauty of the rows of crops experienced lasting welfare. The forest too became immersed in the joyful rains that produced the delight of the Rainy Season. (52)

Thus ends the Eleventh Sarga, entitled 'Relishing the Bliss of Swinging,' in the great poem Śrī Kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta.