Text 22

In Śrī Sva-saṅkalpa-prakāśa-stotra (5) Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī declares his acceptance of Viśākhā Sakhī, whose beautiful voice defeats the sound of the cuckoo bird, as his śikṣā-guru:

कुहू-कण्ठी-कण्ठाद् अपि कमल-कण्ठी मयि पुनर् विशाखा-गानस्यापि च रुचिर-शिक्षां प्रणयतु
यथाहं तेनैतद् युव-युगलम् उल्लास्य सगणाल् लभे रासे तस्मान् मणि-पदक-हारान् इह मुहुः

kuhū-kaṇṭhī-kaṇṭhād api kamala-kaṇṭhī mayi punar viśākhā-gānasyāpi ca rucira-śikṣāṃ praṇayatu
yathāhaṃ tenaitad yuva-yugalam ullāsya sagaṇāl labhe rāse tasmān maṇi-padaka-hārān iha muhuḥ

May Viśākhā, whose voice is sweeter than the cuckoo, teach me the captivating art of singing. With that singing, I will please the youthful couple Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa during the rāsa dance and again and again, They will reward me with jewelled lockets, necklaces and other gifts.

kuhū-kaṇṭha-tiraskarī viśākhā-sundarī
gāna-vidyā śikhāibe more kṛpā kari’

सेइ गाने राधा-कृष्णे रासे उल्लसिब
मणि-पदकादि पारितोषिक पाइब

sei gāne rādhā-kṛṣṇe rāse ullasiba
maṇi-padakādi pāritoṣika pāiba

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

In this Text, Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī prays to receive training in singing from Śrī Viśākhā-devī. With this training, Rati Mañjarī considers herself blessed to sing songs filled with a variety of rasas and fragrant with cleverness in stimulating amorous feelings. She sings these songs during the rāsalīlā, the crown jewel of all pastimes, to please the Divine Couple, who then shower her with many kinds of gifts. Rati Mañjarī knows Śyāmasundara’s desire and, on the direction of Svāminī, she sings wonderfully melodious songs with her sweet, pleasing voice. She has learned to sing so beautifully from Viśākhā, whose soft, pleasant voice defeats the attractive kuhū-kuhū sound of the cuckoo bird. During the rāsa dance, which is profuse with tasteful mellows, Rati Mañjarī sings intoxicating, sweet notes in harmony with Viśākhā. Śrī Rādhā Mādhava become overjoyed by this and give Their priceless necklaces and other ornaments to her as gifts. This remuneration makes the heart of Rati Mañjarī’s guru, Viśākhā-devī, blossom with joy. Understanding that her efforts have been successful, Viśākhā-devī showers praises on Rati Mañjarī.

Viśākhā, who is both dear to and non-different from Śrī Rādhā, is zealous in Her service. She is extremely clever in the art of speaking, and she even defeats Śrī Kṛṣṇa in that art. She also pleases Kṛṣṇa by her smiling and laughing. Śrī Dāsa Gosvāmī, fixed in his svarūpa as Rati Mañjarī, is eager to learn speech that is full of joking, full of clever rasa and cooling like camphor. Therefore, to learn to speak in this supremely relishable, intoxicating way that is related to mādhurya-rasa, he accepts Viśākhā as guru.