Chapter 33 - Description of Rāsa Krīḍā

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka said:

1. Listening to these soft fascinating words of the Lord, the Gopīs forgot the agony caused by separation from him and their bliss was enhanced by persona] contact with him, Oh dear king.

2. There (on the sandy bank of the Yamunā) Lord Govinda inaugurated his Rāsa Krīḍā^[1] (the play called Rāsa) with those jewel-like damsels (of superb beauty) who were so devoted and affectionate to him and who formed a circle with their arms interlocked (with those of Kṛṣṇa).^[2]

3. Then commenced formally the festive dance called rāsa, beautified splendidly by the (moving) circle of Gopīs with Kṛṣṇa, the great Master of Yoga of inconceivable mystic powers (assumed as many forms as there were Gopīs and) entered in between every two Gopīs and with his arm placed around the neck of the adjacent Gopī, made each of the damsels consider to be nearest to him (and being embraced by him).

4. (As soon as Lord Kṛṣṇa thought of beginning the rāsakrīḍā) there thronged in the sky hundreds of heavenly cars of celestials along with their wives whose minds were carried away with curiosity (of seeing the rasa dance).

5. At that time, kettle-drums were sounded and showers of flowers fell. The heads of Gandharvas accompanied by their consorts sang the noble and hallowing glory of the Lord.

6. There arose in the ring of rāsa (dancers), the (orchestral) din of the jingling bangles and anklets and the tinkling of the small bells of girdles of the ladies accompanied by their darling Lord.

7. Exceedingly beautiful shone the glorious Lord, the son of Devakī, in the midst of those pairs of damsels like unto a highly precious emerald^[3] embedded in between a pair of gold beads.

8. With their measured treads of feet and (artistic) movements of their hands (in dancing), with their smiles and (gracefully) amorous dance of eyebrows, with bending waists and shaking breasts, with the fluttering of their garments, with ear-rings rocking on their cheeks, with drops of perspiration trikling down their face and with their braids of hair and girdles getting loosened (in the course of dancing), the dancing-mates of Kṛṣṇa glorified the Lord in songs and appeared beautiful like flashes of lightening illuminating a circle of clouds (as Kṛṣṇa assumed as many forms as the Gopīs in that circular movement of rāsa).

9.^[4] In the course of dancing, the Gopīs, enamoured of loving devotion to Kṛṣṇa and thrilled with delight at the touch of Kṛṣṇa, sang at the pitch of their voices sweetened with different musical inodes (rāgas) filling thus the whole universe with the music (of their song).

10. A certain Gopī sang in chorus with Kṛṣṇa in a higher pitch. Even though her notes of the gamut (svara-jāti) did not harmonize with that of Kṛṣṇa, she was applauded by him with the words “Well-done”, as he was pleased with her performance. When she proceeded to reach her highest pitch to the measured beat (tāla) well-known as Dhruva (pada), Kṛṣṇa showed great regard for her.

11. Thoroughly exhausted by (participation in) the rāsa dance and with herbangles slipping (from her wrists) and jasmine flowers dropping (from her braid), another Gopī caught hold by her arm, the shoulder of Kṛṣṇa who was standing by (i.e. flung her arms round him).

12. (It is reported that) another Gopī smelt how Kṛṣṇa’s arm placed on her shoulder, was fragrant like a lily and was anointed with sandal paste, (and losing herself) she (actually) kissed it and was thrilled with it (with her hair standing on their ends).

13. To another Gopī who rested on Kṛṣṇa’s cheek her own which was glowing with the brilliance of her own earrings rocking in the course of dancing Kṛṣṇa gave his halfchewed betel.

14. Another Gopi, standing by his side was fatigued with singing and dancing, making all the while a jingling sound of her anklets and girdle (while dancing) pressed to her bosom his blissful lotus-hand.

15. Obtaining Acyuta (the immortal God—Kṛṣṇa), the sole Darling of the goddess Śrī (Lakṣmī) as their beloved, the cowherd women with his arms round their neck extolled him in song and played (danced) with him.

16. The Gopa women with the beauty of their face enhanced by lotuses adorning their ears, cheeks beautified with their curly locks of hair, and drops of perspiration, with wreaths of flowers dropping from their (braids of) hair, danced with the glorious Lord accompanied with the musical instruments in the form of jingling bangles and anklets, at the ring of the rāsa dance where humming blackbees acted as songsters.

17.^[5] Kṛṣṇa; the Lord of goddess Lakṣmī, sported with the beauties of Vraja by embracing them, pressing their palms, winsome oglings with free amorous gestures and hearty (loud) laughter, even as a child would play with its own reflection (in the mirror).

18. Their senses were so overwhelmed with ecstatic joy. at the contact with that Divine Personality that the women of Vraja whose wreaths and ornaments were loosened and falling, were too much beside themselves (with joy) to re-adjust their dishevelled locks of hair, their garments and brassiers, Oh Prominent Kuru!

19. While witnessing Kṛṣṇa’s love sports, the celestial, damsels were smitten with love and fainted. And even the Moon-god along with his retinue (of stars or nakṣatras) was too much amazed (to proceed with his movements and halted).

20. Though a reveller in his own Supreme bliss, the Lord assumed as many forms as there were Gopīs and delightfully disported^[6] with each of them.

21. The merciful Lord wiped out affectionately, the sweat off their faces with his most blissful comforting hand as they were fatigued with overdancing with him, Oh ḍear king.

22. Adoring the Supreme Lord with the splendour of their cheeks enhanced by the brilliant gold ear-rings and curly locks of hair and with glances accompanied with nectar-like smiles, the Gopīs who (despite their fatigue in the rāsa dance) became enraptured by the touch of his finger-nails, burst out in singing his hallowing deeds.^[7]

23. Like unto a king-elephant breaking down the dams and entering water in the company of she-elephants, the exhausted^[8] Lord Kṛṣṇa who had transgressed the restraints (laid down by the Vedas and public decorum) became desirous of getting over the fatigue, and in the company of the Gopīs, entered the waters of the Yamunā (where he was) closely followed by black-bees (humming melodiously) like the chiefs of celestial songsters, the Gandharvas, (as they were) allured by his garland (of Kunda flowers) squeezed by contact with the persons of the Gopīs (while embracing etc.) and was coloured with saffron applied by them to their breasts.

24. Oh dear Parīkṣit! The Lord, who ever revels in his own blissful state, sported here like a king-elephant as he was profusely sprinkled over with water on all sides by the youthful damsels who were casting amorous glances at him, and were heartily laughing, while he was being praised by gods who were showering on him flowers from their aerial cars.

25. Like unto a young elephant exuding temporal fluid sauntering in the company of female elephants, the Lord, surrounded by a swarm of black-bees and a bevy of young ladies, roved in a grove on the bank of the Yamunā, where blew on all sides a gentle breeze bearing the fragrance of acquatic flowers as well as of the flowers on lands.

26. In this way, the Lord of accomplished desires to whom the bevy of young damsels were deeply attached and devoted, enjoyed all those nights (without losing a single minute without enjoyment—the night^[9] illuminated by the rays of the moon and which formed the basis for all charming poetical works specially appropriate for autumnal season—but he controlled all his energy within himself (such was his control over Eros.)

King Parīkṣit said:

27. The Almighty Lord of the Universe along with his aṃśa-part (Balarāma) incarnated here to establish Dharma (righteous way of life) and the suppression of the vile way of life.

28. He is the Promulgator of the moral order. He is the ideal model of ethical standard and the Protector thereof. How did he act in direct contravention of it, in seducing sensually the wives of others?

29. Oh holy sage of sacred vows! Be pleased to resolve our doubt as to with what intention the Lord of Yadus who is said to have accomplished all his desires, perpetrated such censurable deed.

Śrī Śuka explained:

30. Transgression of the canons of righteousness and over-adventurism are found to have been committed by mighty rulers. But that does not amount to a blemish for a noble heroic soul, as in the case of omnivorous fire (which does not get polluted by consuming impure things).

31. An incapable weakling (dependent on his body) should never commit this (transgression) even mentally. A person imitating him foolishly meets destruction like a person other than Rudra (but imitating Rudra) does by swallowing the (Halāhala) poison churned out of the sea.

32. The words of the possessors of divine wisdom and might are always correct and authoritative, but not necessarily, so their acts (which may be emulated on certain occasions only). Hence an intelligent person should practice such course (of conduct) which is consistent with their own precepts.^[10]

33. Such authoritative persons who are devoid of ego ṭahaṃkāra) have no selfish ends to serve by virtuous behaviour or have no stakes to lose by acting to the contrary.

34. Need it be told that the Lord, the controller of all beings like the sub-human creation (birds, beasts etc.), human beings and celestials who, being fit to be, governed by him (and are subject to his control), is not concerned with piety or impiety of the acts (the moral code of conduct of ordinary beings is not applicable to the Almighty).

35. The sages who are completely satisfied (and have become desireless) by serving the pollen-like dust of his lotus-feet and who have absolutely freed themselves by shaking off all the bondage of karmas by virtue of their Yogic Powers, behave according to their free will and are not bound (by their acts). How could there be any bondage to the glorious Lord who has assumed a personality at his own free will?

36. He who dwells not only in these Gopīs but also in their husbands—nay in all embodied beings (as their Inner Controller), and who presides over all these, has as a sport, assumed the form of Kṛṣṇa in this world.

37. It is for showering Grace on all creatures that the Lord has put on a human form and participated in those sportful activities (like the rāsa krīḍā). By listening to these, a person may become attached to him exclusively (as a devotee).

38. The male inhabitants of Vraja were so much spellbound by the deluding potency of the Lord that they always considered their wives ever present by their sides and they never felt any jealousy against Kṛṣṇa.

39. At the approach of the Brāhma muhūrta (i. e. dawn) the Gopīs, the beloveds of the glorious Lord, returned reluctantly to their homes with the permission^[11] of the Lord.

40. He who reverentially listens to and rehearses the account of the amorous sport of Viṣṇu (i. e. his incarnation Kṛṣṇa) with the damsels of Vraja, conceives intense devotion to the Almightly Lord, attains spiritual wisdom and selfcontrol, and soon overcomes the maladies of the heart (like lust and other passions).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

SG. quotes from Bharata’s Nāṭya-śāstra: The dance in which a number of female dancers dance with their hands interlocked in the company of men who place their arms round the neck of the women-partners:

naṭair gṛhīta-kaṇṭhīnām anyānyāttakara-śriyāṃ /
nartakīnām bhaved rāso maṇḍalībhūya nartatām //

[2]:

SG. quotes Bilva-maṅgala which describes how Kṛṣṇa accompanied each Gopi as her dance-mate: “A circle of dancers was formed with Kṛṣṇa between two dancing ladies and a lady between two Kṛṣṇas. In the middle of such a circle of dancers Kṛṣṇa stood and played upon His flute.

aṅganām aṅganām antarā mādhavo /
mādhavaṃ mādhavaṃ cā'ntareṇāṅganā //
ittham ākalpite maṇḍale madhyagaḥ /
saṃjagau veṇunā devakī-nandanaḥ //

This is possible only to Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa with His yogamāyā. Hence the significance of the words bhagavān and yogamāyām upāśritaḥ in Supra 10.29.1.

Vide infra V. 20 which states that Kṛṣṇa assumed as many forms as there were the cowherd-women.

kṛtvā tāvantam ātmānaṃ yāvatīr gopa-yoṣitaḥ /

[3]:

SG. explains that although Kṛṣṇa was of sapphire-blue complexion, the brilliant-golden complexion of the Gopīs, He embraced, made Him appear like emerald.

[4]:

Commentators quote names of Gopīs. These names of the Gopīs involved in the dance are imaginary-unsupported by the text of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa

[5]:

Padaratnāvalī God is absolutely independent and above all prescriptions and prohibitions and can violate all canons of conduct!

[6]:

Padaratnāvalī reads ‘rarāma’. The Parasmaipada form indicates the aloofness of the Lord in that rāsa:

rarāmeti vyatyayeṇa para-dārābhimarśaṇena doṣo nāsti iti vakṣyamāṇam artham ihaiva sūcayati

[7]:

These songs suggested the conclusion of the rāsa (Ve.)

[8]:

SG. imagines that this adj. is used to indicate that the beauty of Kṛṣṇa’s countenance was enhanced by droplets of swea [sweat?] appearing on it through fatigue.

[9]:

The plural number indicates that throughout His Kiśora period (from 11 to 15 years of age), Kṛṣṇa enjoyed the rāsa-dance every night—SG. This is a better interpretation than imagining that Kṛṣṇa extended that particular night for many days while Gopīs felt it to be a single night.

[10]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā: Therefore, an intelligent person should follow those acts of God which are consistent with His precepts. OR A prudent man should not emulate the acts of God which are against His precepts.

Padaratnāvalī: An intelligent person should not practice what is said or regarded as contrary to Vedic injuctions.

[11]:

SG.—anu-moditāḥ—who were all the while—(every minute of that night)—filled with joy by Kṛṣṇa (hence their reluctance to return).