Text 14

The divyonmāda (transcendental madness) of Śrī Rādhā, who is restless in the intense fire of separation from Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is described in Kṛṣṇakarṇāmṛta (41):

अमून्य्-अधन्यानि दिनान्तराणि हरे! त्वद्-आलोकनम् अन्तरेण
अनाथ-बन्धो! करुणैक-सिन्धो! हा हन्त! हा हन्त! कथं नयामि

amūny-adhanyāni dināntarāṇi hare! tvad-ālokanam antareṇa
anātha-bandho! karuṇaika-sindho! hā hanta! hā hanta! kathaṃ nayāmi

Alas, alas! O Hari! O friend of the helpless! O You who are the only ocean of mercy! How can I pass these unfortunate days without seeing You?

ना हेरिये तव मुख, हृदये दारुण, दुःख,
दीन-बन्धो, करुणा-सागर
ए अधन्य दिवा-निशि, केमने काटाबे दासी,
उपाय बलह अतःपर

nā heriye tava mukha, hṛdaye dāruṇa, duḥkha,
dīna-bandho, karuṇā-sāgara
e adhanya divā-niśi, kemane kāṭābe dāsī,
upāya balaha ataḥpara

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

Without Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s darśana, a moment seems like hundreds of yugas for Śrī Rādhā, who is burning in the fire of separation, and Her days stand still. “These days and nights, in which I cannot serve You, are not blessed.”

The word hā (meaning ‘alas’) in this verse expresses a distress that is full of grief. Kṛṣṇa may say, “O Rādhā, Your body, which is pierced by the arrows of Anaṅga (Cupid), burns in the fire of kāma, so You should search for Your husband, as he is searching for You. As it is said (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.29.20) ‘patayaś ca vaḥ, vicinvanti–not seeing you, your husbands are searching for you.’{GL_NOTE::} So, You should go to him.”

Then Śrī Rādhā will reply, “O Śyāma, I am searching for My prāṇa-priyatama Vrajendra-nandana. ‘Pati-sutādibhir ārti-daiḥ kim’ (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.29.33). What need have I for husband and children who give distress? Therefore, O anātha-bandhu, friend of the helpless, we are helpless, having been abandoned by our husbands and other family members. We have therefore come to our priyatama (You).”

If somebody were to say, “Why have You come to Your priyatama?” then Śrīmatī would answer, “He is the friend of the helpless and destitute. I am helpless, so He is also My friend.”

If Kṛṣṇa says (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.29.24), “bhartuḥ śuśrūṣaṇaṃ strīṇāṃ paro dharmaḥ–a woman’s prime duty is to serve her husband,” then, in reply, Śrī Rādhā will say (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.29.34), “cittaṃ sukhena bhavatāpahṛtam–our minds and senses were satisfied engaging in household duties, but You stole them. O Hari, we have come to You in search of the great wealth of our hearts and senses. If there is anything wrong with this, it is Your fault, not ours.”

Kṛṣṇa could possibly say, “You are restless women! I am fully conversant with dharma. How could I steal your hearts, thus discarding dharma?” To this, She would reply (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.29.38), “tan naḥ prasīda–Be pleased with us, O karuṇaika–sindhu, You who are the only ocean of mercy, and therefore, You are capable of bestowing mercy upon us even if You transgress dharma.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

In this verse from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Kṛṣṇa is addressing the gopīs.