Verse 53

Translation-     His chest is decorated with designs of kumkum-ras that is hidden in between the breasts of the love-intoxicated Gopis who are struck by the flower–tipped arrows of the Love-god. After embracing them He is inebriated with bliss. His soft smile puts the beauty of the full moon to shame and the sweetness of His face increases every moment – my heart is lost to That Divine Being.

The secret source of red florals on blue background

rimati Râdhârâni got a sphurti of Sri Krishna after Their lovemaking. How sweet He looked! Ishwari was absorbed in that sweetness. Srila Krishnadâs Kavirâj Goswâmi says, Sri Lilâshuk has echoed Srimati’s feelings in this verse. Sri Krishna too becomes ecstatic when He beholds Ishwari’s sweetness.

“Sri Krishna said: After the love sports She looks so blissful and sweet that I forget myself.”

– (Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita.Âdi.4.213)

Srimati Râdhârâni said, “I am engrossed in That Dev.”

How is He?

He is ‘kusuma-shara-shara-samara-kupita-mada-gopi-kucha-kalasa-ghusrina-ras-lasad-urasi’. It means, “The Gopis who were struck down by the flower-tipped arrows of the Love-god”. On their own, they embraced Sri Krishna and the kumkum design on their bosom was transferred onto Him and made Him look extremely wonderful.

When Srimati Râdhârâni said ‘Gopis’, She was indirectly referring to Herself. We learn from Venu-geet that the kumkum from Srimati’s bosom stuck to Sri Krishna’s lotus feet and expressed an incredible sweetness.

“A Gopa-beauty said during Purva-râg: Dear sakhis, the tribal women are indeed blessed. The kumkum from the bosom of Sri Krishna’s beloved stuck to His feet and is transferred onto the grass. The tribal women apply this kumkum on their face and bosom and thus satiate their passion.”

– (Srimad-Bhâgavatam10.21.17)

Srimaj-Jiva Goswâmipâd has explained the above verse in Sri Gopâl-Champu. Here he has described the sweet power of the kumkum that was transferred onto Sri Krishna’s feet from Srimati Râdhârâni’s bosom. It is a delightful pastime. During purva-râg, in the night of Vâsanti Purnimâ, Sri Krishna played on His flute and Srimati Râdhârâni swooned on hearing it. At other times, Ishwari used to faint and recover soon, however, now She refused to come back. Sri Krishna’s flute attracted all other Gopis and brought them to Him. But since Sri Râdhâ had not come, He asked them to return. The Gopistoo respected His wish and went back.

When the sakhis saw that Srimati was not recovering, they were worried and they approached Sri Pournamâsi devi. They brought Sri Râdhâ to her cottage.  DeviPournamâsi sent Madhumangal to bring Sri Krishna. When He came, she requested Him to touch Ishwari and bring Her back. Sri Vrindâ devi too said, “O Protector of Gokul! If Sri Râdhâ regains consciousness by Your touch, will You lose anything, especially when Sri Râdhâ’s beauty far exceeds that of Sri Laxmidevi?” Sri Krishna heard her and remained silent. Then Sri Pournamâsi asked, “O soul of Vraja, why are You quiet?” Sri Krishna said, “I am afraid to commitadharma.” Pournamâsi said, “I accept the adharma, may You always prosper in the path of righteousness!” Vrindâ devi said, “If She recovers by Your look itself then You need not touch Her.” Then Madhumangal caught hold of Sri Krishna’s hand and dragged Him inside the kunja, where Srimati Râdhârâni was lying unconscious. When Pournamâsi devi and Madhumangal had left, Sri Vrindâ, who was overcome with misery, forcibly lifted Sri Krishna’s foot and put it on Sri Râdhâ’s bosom. Who can describe even a small fraction of the transcendental unparalleled exultation experience by Sri Sri Râdhâ-Mâdhav at this moment? As soon as Sri Krishna touched Ishwari, He was overwhelmed with bhâv. Srimati Râdhârâni too woke up as if She were touched by the Mrita-sanjeevani creeper. She arose from Her long state of unconsciousness and beheld Sri Krishna. He left the scene immediately.

Srimati had designs of kumkum on Her chest. In Her state of love-ecstasy, thekumkum had mixed with perspiration and become wet. When Sri Krishna placed His foot on Her bosom, it was applied to His foot. As He walked away quickly, it was transferred onto the grass. The tribal women picked it up from there and satiated their passion.

When Sri Krishna sees the audacity of the Gopis inebriated with passion, He smiles. His smile puts the full moon to shame. At that moment, the sweetness of Sri Krishna’s face enhances every moment.

What makes Madan-mohan so enticing ? And why is His smile so sweet ?

Srila Bhatta Goswâmipâd says, Sri Lilâshuk has mentioned the words ‘deve liye’ as in the previous two verses. It means, “My heart is absorbed in ThatLeelâmay Sri Krishna. How is That Dev (God)? He is ‘kusuma-shara-shara-samara-kupita-mada-gopi-kucha-kalasa-ghusrina-ras-lasad-urasi’.  ‘Kusuma-shara’ means ‘the Love-god’ (here, it indicates Sri Krishna). The second ‘shara’ refers to his arrows (kisses, touching the breasts, love-bites and nail-marks). The Gopis had a battle of love with Sri Krishna and they gave up the fight on their own, since they were intoxicated with passion. They held Him in tight embrace. This transferred the kumkum from their bosom onto Him. This made Him seem all the more beautiful. He looked as if His anurâg for the Gopis had manifested on His chest in the form of kumkum. (We must note that bothanurâg and kumkum are red in colour).

We said that the Gopis were ‘intoxicated with passion’. However, we must always remember that in the case of the Gopis, passion is synonymous with ‘prem’.

“The ‘prem’ (pure love) of the Gopa-women is famous as ‘kâm (passion).” – (B.R.S.1.2.283-284)

The following verse from Srimad-Bhâgavatam is a burning example to this effect –

Here the most important point is that, a sweetheart drowns in pleasure when she clasps her lover to her bosom, yet theVrajabâlâs do not care a bit for their own happiness when they press Madan-mohan Sri Krishna’s holy feet to their breasts, although He is dearer than countless lives to them. Instead of feeling joyous, they are fearful of hurting Him. We may ask, ‘Then is it not better they do not hold His feet at all?’ Well, they know that it makes Sri Krishna happy to place His feet on their bosom, so they press them close to their hearts. On the other hand, they feel His feet are too soft and hence they are afraid of hurting Him. It proves that the Gopis are absolutely free from the desire of sense-gratification. Only rasik devotees can comprehend this fact.

Again, how is Sri Krishna?

His face is ‘mada-mudita’ and ‘mridu-hasita’. It means, ‘His face shines brilliantly with joy. His smile is so beautiful that it seems to have stolen the radiance of the moon (mushita-shashi-shobhâ).’ His beauty and sweetness -muhuh-adhika – enhances every moment. My heart is absorbed in such sweet beauty of His lotus face (mukha-kamala-madhurimani).

Srila Chaitanyadâs Goswâmi says the poet got a sphurti of Sri Krishna’s sweetness after He had made love and has recited this verse. Srimad-Bhâgavatam says –

“When Sri Krishna reappeared on the Râs-floor, an important Gopi, overcome with love-anger, bit her lips, knit her brow and chastised Him.” We learn from the Shâstras and Âchâryas that She was none other than Srimati Râdhârâni. This verse from Srimad-Bhâgavatam too centres on our Ishwari. The kumkumfrom Srimati Râdhârâni’s breasts has coloured Sri Krishna’s chest, as a result, He is looking so handsome. What is the effect of Her touch on Him? He is exultant and His smile is so broad and beautiful that it has put the full moon to shame. Such is the sweet radiance of His lotus face.