Chapter Eight: Literature of the Rasika Tradition in Hindi

Beholding radiant red and yellow colours, they lose all awareness of Kali’s world in remembrance of Awadh Bihari.
Seeing jewel-studded anklets somewhere, the mind begins kissing the beauty of Awadh Lal’s hands.
Hearing a deeply fragrant melody enter the ears, they bring discerning Rama before their eyes.
Seeing monsoon cloud and lightning or the autumn moon, the heart is seized by separation from Raghunandan.

Beholding flowers and springtime beauty, the tide of Rama’s love covers the heart.
Such is the way of exclusive rasikas: these things awaken love within them with tremendous force.

Whatever a person’s birth—even one honoured by the gods—if they obtain the remnants left by such a devotee, the heart finds satisfaction.
Through the power of the rasikas’ remnants, the heart attains liberation without austerity or repetition of mantra.

Raghunath himself made the rasikas’ remnants supremely powerful:
He ate the fruits tasted by Shabari, leaving aside the company of sages.

Upon the wondrous jewelled sandbank of the Sarayu stands the Soma banyan, from which nectar continually drips.
Rama eternally dances there, Sita the delicate Lady beside him.
Millions of female and male companions surround the royal Couple, holding instruments and singing near the Lord.
Ratnagiri gives forth such light that the brilliance of millions of moons may be sacrificed before it.

Green, yellow, white, dark, and many-coloured trees stand flowering in countless hues.
Champak, bakula, kadamba, and ashoka appear as though steeped in sweetness.
Among them Sita sometimes displays intense māna; Rama reconciles her and takes her once more into his embrace.

Many sandal, santana, parijata, and mandara trees grow there.
Limitless bowers formed by these trees shine resplendent, says Ramsakhe.

In an instant Hari disappears from sight; filled with love, Sita immediately searches for him.
When the beloved vanishes during the rāsa, the companions seek him through beautiful devotion.
This is the most deeply coloured love, supreme devotion, the happiness and well-being of rasikas.

Sometimes the companions worship with concentrated minds, adorning one companion in Rama’s guise.
They place a crown upon her head and bow and arrows in her hands, sacrificing body, mind, and life before the beauty.
They wave fly-whisk, parasol, fan, and other royal emblems, then bow and join their hands.
This is shown as external devotion; now the inner devotion is explained.

Elsewhere a companion enters profound meditation, closes her eyes, and brings Rama into the heart.
This devotion is called inward; it is also named prema and rasa-saturated devotion.
Elsewhere the companions gather to search through the bowers on an autumn night beside the Sarayu.

Drowned at heart in separation from Rama, every limb grows frantic in the search.
Mad with his beauty, says Ramsakhe, she is pierced by the terrible arrows of Love.