Chapter Eight: Literature of the Rasika Tradition in Hindi

A bow of red and green shines at his hand, and wondrous arrows with golden feathers enchant the mind.
Above the great realm of Vaikuntha stands the divine residence, with its gate-towers and innermost palace.
How could Awadh—the very limit and perfection of all that is called Awadh—be described? Only love can attempt its praise.

There the Sarayu spreads beneath jewelled bathing steps; its wondrous beauty cannot be spoken.
Infinite lotuses blossom in water and on land, while eternal spring abides in Pramodavana.
Bees hum, cuckoos call, and peacocks dance as though Love himself had opened them into motion.

Without seeing this royal prince, every moment passes like an age and crawls like a tortoise.
As long as you roam the hunting forest, our minds remain profoundly distressed.
Moment after moment we run to the windows, and only the pleasure-giving arrival of evening brings hope.

Beloved Lal, do not remain apart from our eyes for even a moment or blink.
Such is the condition of all the gentle young women, says Ramsakhe.

Rama and Sita dance together, adopting ever-new movements of peacock and swan.
Beloved Rama shines among the companions like a dark cloud amid bodies of lightning.
The companions skilfully sound vina, mridang, mūrchikā, and other instruments.

Rama then returns to my lovely home; the first offering placed before him is madhuparka.
The companions bathe him and arrange his adornment with fragrant preparations.
One prepares incense and lamps, while another sets excellent offerings upon a silver platter.
One offers Sarayu water for rinsing, and another presents betel to the moon-like face.

Another performs ārati with profound love, beholding the Lord’s form and praying for his grace.
Before her beloved, each new bride binds her loving vow in hope of union.
In a single manner all eight chief queens, saturated with love, desire union with the Lord.
The time there is apportioned into four ghaṭikās, and he looks upon every woman with equal love.

Understand the matter in this way: no one can see him going from one to another.

The Intimate Companions

Those called the royal companions of Raghu’s line delight inwardly in the prince’s deeds.
In rāsa, hunting, and other pleasures they remain forever beside the Couple.
Although they possess royal happiness and opulence equal to Rama’s, they live only to behold Rama’s face.
Sometimes adorned and mounted joyfully upon elephants, they sit in the Lord’s lap and let rasa flow.

Elsewhere they reconcile proud beloveds, using their influence to reunite them with the Lord.
Sometimes they deliver gifts of love from the women to the Lord; elsewhere they undertake service with fan and other implements.
Knowing them as his own kin, all repeatedly offer them treatment equal to Rama himself.
They maintain both the disposition of male friend and female companion and narrate Rama’s sweet deeds.