Text 38

While chanting harināma, one should remember Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. “Niśānte kīrtane kuñja-bhaṅga kare dhyāna / krame krame citta lagne rasera vidhāna–by remembering and performing kīrtana of niśāntalīlā, or kuñja-bhaṅga-līlā, the mind will gradually relish rasa.”

Govindalīlāmṛta (1.10) states:

रात्र्यन्ते त्रस्त-वृन्देरित बहु-विरवैर् बोधितौ कीरशारीपद्यैर्-हृद्यैर् अपि सुख-शयनाद् उत्थितौ तौ सखीभिः
दृष्टौ हृष्टौ तदा त्वोदितरति-ललितौ कक्खटी-गीः सशङ्कौ राधा-कृष्णौ सतृष्णाव् अपि निज-निज-धाम्न्य् आप्त-तल्पौ स्मरामि

rātryante trasta-vṛnderita bahu-viravair bodhitau kīraśārīpadyair-hṛdyair api sukha-śayanād utthitau tau sakhībhiḥ
dṛṣṭau hṛṣṭau tadā tvoditarati-lalitau kakkhaṭī-gīḥ saśaṅkau rādhā-kṛṣṇau satṛṣṇāv api nija-nija-dhāmny āpta-talpau smarāmi

At the end of the night, Vṛndā-devī, fearing the approach of day, indicates to the śuka (parrot), sāri (female parrot) and other birds to make sweet sounds to awaken Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. A cool, gentle, fragrant breeze is slowly blowing. With charming calls, the peacocks, peahens, śuka, sāri and cuckoos glorify Śrī Rādhā Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. They say, “O Vrajarāja-nandana! O Nikuñjeśvarī! When will we receive Your darśana?” Although the Divine Couple have been aroused by the sweet chirping of the birds, They embrace each other in fear of being separated and again fall asleep, weary from amorous play. The more Vṛndā-devī tries to wake Them, the more They drowsily pretend to sleep deeply, for They are reluctant to separate. At that time, the she-monkey Kakkhaṭī loudly cries “Jaṭilā! Jaṭilā!” and They awaken, filled with fear. (The meaning of ‘Jaṭilā’ is “Morning has come and the sunrays, which look like matted hair [jaṭā], are about to appear.” But it can also mean “Jaṭilā is coming”, Jaṭilā being Śrī Rādhā’s mother-in-law.) The nitya-sakhīs and prāṇa-sakhīs enter the kuñja. These mañjarī-sakhīs help Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa to get dressed and put Their ornaments in place, thus concealing the signs of Their amorous pastimes. After this, they call for the priya-sakhīs and priya-narma-sakhīs. Kiśora and Kiśorī joke with each other, and Śrī Lalitā performs Their ārati. Thereafter They proceed to Their respective residences.

देखिया अरुणोदय, वृन्दा-देवी व्यस्त हय,
कुञ्जे नाना रव कराइल
शुक-सारी-पद्य शुनि, उठे राधा नीलमणि,
सखी-गण देखि हृष्ट हैल

dekhiyā aruṇodaya, vṛndā-devī vyasta haya,
kuñje nānā rava karāila
śuka-sārī-padya śuni, uṭhe rādhā nīlamaṇi,
sakhī-gaṇa dekhi hṛṣṭa haila

कालोचित सुललित, कक्खटीर रवे भीत,
राधा-कृष्ण सतृष्ण हैया
निज-निज गृहे गेला, निभृते शयन कैला,
दूङ्हे भजि से लीला स्मरिया

kālocita sulalita, kakkhaṭīra rave bhīta,
rādhā-kṛṣṇa satṛṣṇa haiyā
nija-nija gṛhe gelā, nibhṛte śayana kailā,
dūṅhe bhaji se līlā smariyā

एइ लीला स्मर आर गाओ कृष्ण-नाम
कृष्ण-लीला प्रेम-धन पाबे कृष्ण-धाम

ei līlā smara āra gāo kṛṣṇa-nāma
kṛṣṇa-līlā prema-dhana pābe kṛṣṇa-dhāma

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

Niśānta-līlā, the pastime at night’s end, is also called kuñja-bhaṅga-līlā because Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa have to separate after Their night-long pastimes in the kuñja. The eager sādhaka who remembers and performs kīrtana of this pastime will very quickly become eligible for the treasure of kṛṣṇa-prema.

Thus ends The Prathama-yāma-sādhana,
Niśānta-bhajana, of Śrī Bhajana-rahasya.