Chapter Eight: Literature of the Rasika Tradition in Hindi

Sawan has brought happiness and bliss; lightning plays within the dark raincloud.
Maharaj Das says: beholding the Couple’s beauty, one drinks deeply from the store of love’s nectar.

Today the Couple’s beauty has become exquisitely graceful;
Their crimson feet are the very fruit of loveliness.
The autumn moon rises in luminous colour, saturated with nectar.
Their complexions are radiant, their garments charming, and their eyes are lotuses.
The sweetly playful sovereign, crown of connoisseurs, shines uniquely.
Gemlike companions surround him on every side like cakora birds surrounding the moon.
Hand-cymbals, mṛdaṅga, and sitar resound, while gods and sages sing his praise.
Maharaj Das’s heart is covered with happiness: Rama and Sita are two fully ripened fruits.

The connoisseur Couple sit splendidly adorned amid the assembled company.
Seated in Kanak Bhavan, they shine and make their dwelling in the eyes that behold them.
Wondrous ornaments and garments cover their limbs; a crown of gold and gems gleams upon his head.
Lotus faces, expressive eyes, and bee-like curls bend toward one another as though the connoisseurs repeatedly drink rasa.
Maharaj Das, trapped in the snare of rasa, sings while gazing upon his happy beloved.

Friend, the singular prince has arrived!
Look, look upon that supremely radiant beauty—make this very place a festival for the eyes.
Friend, what incomparable beauty! It crushes the pride of ten million Cupids.
The two valiant, handsome youths of Ayodhya play as they bend the bow.
Maharaj Das says: why hesitate to behold them when the gift they bestow is the deathless state?

Sita Ji gave the companions a signal: “Surround the young beloved!”
They applied collyrium, dressed him in a veil, and made him dance while melodic phrases sounded and the mṛdaṅga took up the beat.
Chandrakala and the others seized darling Lakshmana by force.
Gazing at his lotus eyes and face, the women laughed, spoke with him, and threw their arms around his neck.
Ornaments and garments became soaked with colour, and his fair body was drenched.
Maharaj Das says: gods showered flowers as they coloured him; proud composure died of itself.
Every eye became filled with colour.

Yugalotkaṇṭhā-prakāśikā

Sri Sitaramsharan “Shubhashila” Ji of Jaipur-Chandeli

Sri Rajkishori Var Sharan, also known as Paramanand Ji, arranged for this work to be published from Sri Rahasya Pramod Bhavan Temple in Jaipur, for the second time, at Ayodhya in Vikrama Samvat 1994. In its first edition, the book—