Chapter Eight: Literature of the Rasika Tradition in Hindi

His chin steals the heart completely, and the three lovely lines upon his neck are dear.
His lion-like shoulders spread handsomely, broad and massive as a bull’s.
Great jewels rest upon his neck—who could remain unenchanted by them?
His two arms are like the trunks of Love’s elephants; only a fool would fail to gaze upon them.

Banadas says: for one absorbed in this contemplation, what separation from Hari can there be?
Those whose hearts are pure lovers—what need have they of worldly acclaim?
His waist is exquisite as a lion’s; he has taken up a garland of flowers in his hand.
The splendour of his yellow garment is singular, and some blessed person has surrendered the heart to it.

When one beholds that pair of knees, where can any desire for isolated liberation remain?
Those who do not gaze upon the lotus feet live in dread of Yama’s realm.
Sita shines upon his left; though every possible comparison has been searched,
None proves equal to her—the king’s daughter surpasses them all.

Banadas is sacrificed at their feet; why speak further in his own praise?
A mere flash of knowledge made of words turns back from there, having lost its mastery.

Sītārāma Jhūlā-vilāsa

Sri Rasrangmani Ji

Sri Sītārāma Jhūlā-vilāsa was printed and published by Chhotelal Lakshmichand at the Jain Press in Lucknow in July 1899. It contains twenty-five songs of the swing festival and five songs of boating and water play. The entire work is composed in the kavitt metre, and its language is generally vigorous and polished.

The swing songs repeatedly present the same picture of divine recreation: Sita swings Rama, Rama swings Sita, and then the companions swing them both while relishing the flavour of the Couple’s union. The boating and water-play songs likewise return repeatedly to a single scene. Even so, taken as a whole, this work is a priceless jewel of rasika practice.

For example:

In the monsoon, dense clouds appear across the sky and pour down torrents, darkly roaring and thundering.
The sun cannot be seen even by day, nor the moon by night; lightning flashes from quarter to quarter through the darkness.
Rama, the abode of rasa, swings with Sita; Rasrangmani says they bend and sparkle as every gust drives the swing.
Frightened yet smiling, the lovely one clasps his neck and speaks, while the connoisseur of love delights in rasa upon rasa.

Rama, sovereign of rasikas and Sita’s beloved, showers forth surging waves of colourful delight as they swing and swing.
They send the swing rushing, bend toward one another and meet, attaining profound joy until pride and reserve are forgotten.