How can we survive if our heart is tugged in five directions?

Verse 66

Translation

Whose chest is a vast expanse and Whose lotus–eyes are huge, Whose smile and intoxicating speech are soft, Whose rosy lips and flute–notes are sweet – when will I get to behold That kishor Who is the treasure house of love–sports? 66.

rila Krishnadâs Kavirâj Goswâmi has explained – when the sakhis saw that Sri Radha was extremely eager to behold Sri Krishna, they told her, ‘Radhe! You will get His darshan just now. Please wait for just a few moments. To this Srimati replied and Sri Lilâshuk has quoted Her in this verse.

Sri Râdhâ is saying, “O sakhis! When will I get to behold that Nava-kishor Sri Krishna, Who is the treasure house of love–sports? The ocean is called ‘treasure house’ because it is fathomless, huge, and mysterious and holds infinite jewels. Similarly, Sri Krishna’s loving ras–full dalliance with three hundred crores of Gopis is infinite, very deep, highly mysterious and full of love–jewels. Only the saints who are in the mood of Vrajabâlâs can meditate upon him.

How is That Nava-kishor Krishna, Who is the treasure house of love–sports?

He is vakshah – sthale cha vipulan nayanotpale cha – Whose chest and lotus–eyes are large. Even Sriman-Mahâprabhu has said in love delirium –

“Sri Krishna’s chest is very high and very vast. It is decorated with the marks of goddess Laxmi and shrivatsa. His chest is verily a dacoit.  His vaksha (bosom) is an expert in plundering the vakshas (hearts) of innumerable Vrajadevis and force them to become His maid servants”

- (C.C. Antya.15.65)

The Lord has described Sri Krishna’s eyes as ‘rose–tinged in the corners and huge. They move as if they are intoxicated with love. His eyes are His ministers (who mesmerize young maidens). His face is the abode of lâvanya and love–sports. It is a feast for the eyes. So blissful is Govinda’s face!’

- (C.C.Madhya.21.110)

The beauty of His huge eyes is extremely captivating to the Vrajabâlâs.

Poet Govinda Das has written –

“Sri Krishna’s eyes are beautiful like those of the Khanjan birds. They charm everybody and they strike fear in the hearts of young dignified ladies (since they are scared of losing their honour)”.

Also, “Sri Krishna‘s eyes strike flower-tipped arrows that are fatal for young ladies of reputation.”

How is Sri Krishna?

He is “manda smite cha mridulang mada – jalpite cha” – He smiles and speaks intoxicatingly and softly.

How are His lips?

“sindura – sundaratara – adhara mandara- manda – hasita – dyuti –dipitangsham” – “Sri Krishna’s lips are more beautiful than sindoor and are lit up with a smile that is more beautiful than the full moon, kunda flower and mandâr blossom.” – [A.V.C.]

His soft speech too is intoxicating. Sri Gouranga Mahâprabhu has said-

“Sri Krishna’s sweet speech is a river of nectar. Those ears that have not heard His speech are as worthless as pennies with holes. Such a person has lived in vain.” – [C. C.Madhya.2.28.]

Explanation of “Vimba–adhare cha madhuram murali-rave cha.”

It means Sri Krishna’s rosy lips are sweet and He is the One Who plays sweet notes on His flute. The Vrajabâlâ thinks that His flute plays so sweetly and drives them crazy because it drinks the honey of His berry-like lips. When they behold Sri Krishna, they get darshan of His entire body and hear the song of the flute. It is the zenith of sweetness! 

Our Mahâjan has sung – “His rose-tipped eyes are naturally fatal and more so when He casts a crooked glance. As soon as I saw Him, His gaze pierced right through the heart and shattered my self–control. Look sakhi! How He paces the earth! His golden yellow garment flashes like lightning on His finely carved cloud–complexioned body.

His soft smile and soft speech enkindles the flame of desire in us. This fire is so great that its smoke forces honourable women to run away in scare. But then He blows into the flute with rosy lips, which rages their shame and dignity to ashes. Poet Ghanashyâm dâs says – O my precious mind, bring him, O bring him into my heart.”

When we read verse numbers 64, 65 and 66, we realize on our own, how Sriman-Mahâprabhu must have spoken in love–delirium during His Neelâchal pastimes.

“One day as the Lord took darshan of Sri Jagannath, He could see the very form of Vrajendranandan Sri Krishna. At once, He got a sphuran of the five qualities of Govinda. The five qualities attracted His five senses, but then He has just one mind, so when the five qualities tugged his mind in five directions, He fell down unconscious.”  - [C.C.Antya.15.6-8]

The devotees brought the Lord inside Gambhirâ. There He recited a verse to Râmânanda Roy and Swarup–Dâmodar describing how the five qualities of Sri Krishna attracted Srimati Râdhârâni.  Sri Râdhâ told Vishâkhâ - 

“saundarya–amrita–sindhu–bhanga–lalana–chittâdri–saplavakah,

karna-ânandi-sanarma-ramya-vachanah koti-indu-sheetângakah, saurbhya–amrita–sangplava-âvrita–jagat piyusha–ramyâ–adharah,

shri–gopendra-sutah sa karshati balât panchendriyânyâli me.”

- [G. L. 8.3]

Sriman-Mahâprabhu has relished this verse and explained it in ecstasy –

“Sri Krishna’s beauty, speech, touch, fragrance and the taste of his lips are all so sweet that I cannot describe it. All five are so tempting while I have but one mind. My mind is like a horse and all of them want to ride it in five different directions.

My dear sakhi! Please hear the cause of my sorrow! His five qualities are as treacherous as highway robbers are and together they plunder the wayfarer’s booty. My mind is like a horse and they are tugging it in five directions – where will it go? All are pulling it simultaneously – the poor horse will die, I cannot bear this pain.

I am not angry at my senses – how can you blame them – after all, Krishna’s beautiful qualities are all captivating. They are pulling away the life-air from within me and I shall surely die. Krishna’s beauty is an ocean of Amritam. A single drop of this ocean submerges all creation. It drowns the Himalayan collection of the hearts of all the women and then rushes forward for more.

Krishna’s sweet speech, full of wit and humour is so unjust, that I cannot tell you. When it enters a woman’s ears, its sweetness tugs at her ears so much that they are ready to fall away.

Krishna’s body is so very cooling that it defeats crores of moons and chandan. It is an expert in captivating the hearts of women; Krishna’s fragrance is such it puts the musk and blue–lotus to shame. It nestles its way through the nostrils of women and attracts them.

Krishna’s lips are like ambrosia while His soft smile is like camphor and the combined sweetness steals the minds of all women. They forget all other temptations and become agitated if they do not get the taste of His lips, for they (the women of Vraja) are the rightful owners of these priceless properties”. 

- [C.C.Madhya.15.13-21]

Srila Bhatta Goswâmipâd says, Sri Krishna has revealed His form in the innermost chambers of Sri Lilâshuk’s heart – a heart that meditates strongly on Sri Krishna. Now in this verse he is praying “When will I actually get to see You?”

Why does the poet refer to Sri Krishna as ‘bâl’?

Just as bâlâ signifies womankind in general, similarly ‘bâl’ indicates the masculine gender. Although ‘bâl’ also means ‘child’ we cannot accept this meaning here since a child cannot be ‘vilâs–nidhi’ (treasure – house of love sports). This indicates His masculinity. 

How is Sri Krishna’s masculinity?

The expanse of his bosom is vast and his eyes are huge. His smile and intoxicating speech are soft. His rosy lips and song of the flute are full of sweet ras they showerAmritam on our eyes are ears. Every part of His body is full of extreme beauty, sweetness and lâvanya.