Chapter Eight: Literature of the Rasika Tradition in Hindi

“These, beloved, are widely esteemed as examples of love, but reflect upon how poor their conduct is:
One gives up the body for the other, while the other does not so much as look toward the one who is sacrificed.
O Siddhi and all you other royal maidens, my love is nothing like this.
I remain with those who honour my love and never abandon that unbroken bond.
My beloved is whoever belongs to my lover; if anyone proudly treats that person as insignificant,
I make the lowly one great, so that even Shiva and Brahma bow before them.
And, companion, among everyone in all the worlds, I raise that lover above all.
How far could I recount such a person’s greatness? I myself bow my head before them.

“I do not preserve even the slightest hurt against that person within my own heart;
I never abandon my affection for one who loves me, even if that person commits ten million offences.
The sovereignty and entire wealth of the three worlds,
My younger brother, my son, Sita, and my own body—none of these is as dear to me.
Believe this statement to be true: such is the love I naturally feel for a sincere friend.
For that person’s sake I assume many different bodies and awaken in forest after forest and garden after garden.
I may bear the burden of suffering upon my head, but I never remain distant from my own friend.
The elephant, the courtesan, the twin arjuna trees, Jatayu, Ajamila, Shabari, the monkey king,
The bear, the son of the Wind, and the lord of the night-wanderers—all of them know my disposition.
Whoever gathers the fruit lying throughout the path to me binds my feet with the good cord of love.
I remain with that person like a servant through all eight watches of the day, companion: this pledge of mine is unbroken.
But one who first joins love with me, then turns away and places hope in another god—
Though that person makes many entreaties, I do not approach.
This is my stern declaration,” says Mathura’s Raghubir.

Thus ends the work Rāmavilāsa, a supremely delightful repast for connoisseur-devotees.

Ramya Padāvalī

A damaged copy of this substantial work has been found. Its author was probably the poet “Kovida.” It contains songs describing the mutual amorous exchanges of Lord Rama and Sri Janaki, their meeting and playful laughter, and their swing-festival and Holi līlās. The collection contains approximately four hundred songs.

Raghubar roams from lane to lane, finding joyful delight among the young women in the garden.
Taking diverse colours together with his companions, he plays the mṛdaṅga and sings.
He surrounds the daughter of Tirhut’s king and her women, separating them one by one;
Bharata and the other noble brothers seize them and at once set the revelry of Phag in motion.