Text 23

Pastimes during the first part of the night (pradoṣa-līlā ) are described in Govinda-līlāmṛta (21.1):

राधां सालीगणान्ताम् असित-सित-निशा-योग्य-वेशां प्रदोषे
   दुत्या वृन्दोपदेशाद् अभिसृत-यमुना-तीर-कल्पाग-कुञ्जम्
कृष्णं गोपैः सभायां विहित-गुणि-कलालोकनं स्निग्ध-मात्रा
   यत्नाद् आनिय संशायितम् अथ निभृतं प्राप्त-कुञ्जं स्मरामि

rādhāṃ sālīgaṇāntām asita-sita-niśā-yogya-veśāṃ pradoṣe
   dutyā vṛndopadeśād abhisṛta-yamunā-tīra-kalpāga-kuñjam
kṛṣṇaṃ gopaiḥ sabhāyāṃ vihita-guṇi-kalālokanaṃ snigdha-mātrā
   yatnād āniya saṃśāyitam atha nibhṛtaṃ prāpta-kuñjaṃ smarāmi

I remember Śrī Rādhā at dusk, Her dear sakhīs dressing Her in white garments or dark, in accordance with the lunar fortnight. Accompanied by Her messengers, She leaves for Her abhisāra with Śrī Kṛṣṇa in a Vṛndāvana kuñja, as per Vṛndā devī’s indication. I also remember Śrī Kṛṣṇa at that time, sitting in the assembly of gopas being entertained by their cleverness in various games. His doting mother takes Him from there to His bedchamber, and from there, He proceeds to the solitary kuñja to meet Śrīmatī Rādhikā.

राधा वृन्दा उपदेशे, यमुनोपकूलदेशे,
साङ्केतिक कुञ्जे अभिसारे
सितासित-निशा-योग्य, धरि’ वेश कृष्ण-भोग्य,
सखी-सङ्गे सानन्द अन्तरे

rādhā vṛndā upadeśe, yamunopakūladeśe,
sāṅketika kuñje abhisāre
sitāsita-niśā-yogya, dhari’ veśa kṛṣṇa-bhogya,
sakhī-saṅge sānanda antare

गोप-सभा-माझे हरि, नाना-गुण-कला हेरि’,
मातृ-यत्ने करिल शयन
राधा-सङ्ग सङरिया, निभृते बाहिर हैया,
प्राप्त-कुञ्ज करिये स्मरण

gopa-sabhā-mājhe hari, nānā-guṇa-kalā heri’,
mātṛ-yatne karila śayana
rādhā-saṅga saṅariyā, nibhṛte bāhira haiyā,
prāpta-kuñja kariye smaraṇa

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

In accordance with Śrī Vṛndā-devī’s indication, Śrīmatī Rādhikā goes to a keli-kuñja on the bank of the Yamunā for Her abhisāra with Kṛṣṇa, bringing a few faithful maidservants or some priya-narma-sakhīs with Her. These most beloved sakhīs dress Kiśorī in black cloth on dark nights and in white on moonlit nights, and then they very carefully and blissfully take Her for abhisāra.

At that time, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is watching a charming performance of music, singing, magical tricks, drama and other arts in the assembly of the cowherds. Later, He hears Yaśodā-maiyā sing Him a lullaby and He feigns sleep. Then, to get Kiśorī’s association, He slips away from the royal palace and proceeds alone to the kuñja where They will meet.

The qualified sādhaka, while performing harināma-kīrtana, will lovingly remember these pastimes of the seventh yāma.

Thus ends the Saptama-yāma-sādhana,
Pradoṣa-kālīya-bhajana, of Śrī Bhajana-rahasya.