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Krishna's love for Radha - an excerpt from Sri Prema-samput
by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura

1. rase mayaiva vijahara vihaya sarvastatrapi
mam yadamucat srnu tasya tattvam
premambudhervrajapurandaranandanasya
mam eva manturadhikam na kadapi mantuh

Srimati Radharani says to a sakhi “During the rasa dance, Sri Krsna gave up the company of all the other gopis and sported with Me alone, but after that He left Me as well, and I will tell You why. There is no fault in Vrajendra-nandana Sri Krsna, who is the ocean of prema. He accepts Me alone as His most beloved.

2. adhyasya mamatulasaubhagadivyaratnasimhasanam
bahuvilasabharairvibhusya
gacchan vanad vanamariramadeva kantamanyam
punah smrtipathe ’pi ninaya nayam

“The basis of this statement is that Sri Krsna seated Me on a divine jewelled throne of matchless fortune, decorated Me with the ornaments of various playful pastimes, and enjoyed with Me as We roamed from one forest to another. At that time He did not remember His other beloveds.

3. kincinmayaiva manasaiva vicaritam tarhyetam
mahotsava sudhambudhimatyaparam
naivanvabhunmam sakhitatiravayoh sa
vislesasangaradhuta kva nu kim karoti

“Then, I began to think, ‘Alas, My sakhis are not able to experience this vast and fathomless ocean of ecstatic nectar. They are burning in the fever of separation from Me, and I do not know where they are wandering in their search for Me.

4. atrasvahe yadi punah katicit ksanasta
alyo milanti rabhasadabhito bhramantyah
ityabhyadham priyatamatha na paraye ’ham
gantum muhurttamiha visramanam bhajeva

“ ‘My sakhis are roaming about here and there, and if We sit here for just a moment, they will soon reach this spot and find Us.’ Thinking in this way, I said, ‘O My beloved, I cannot walk any more. Let Us rest here for a while.’

5. tanme manogatamidam sahasaiva sadhu
sarvam viveda sa vidagdhasiromanitvat
caturyya sampadatulo rasikagraganyah
kincit sapadyatha hrdaiva paramamarsa

“Sri Krsna fully understood My inner mood at that time, because He is vidagdha-siromani, the crest jewel of clever personalities. Being extremely cunning, and matchless in His ability to relish divine mellows, He thought to Himself,

6. etam nayannupavane yadi vambhramimi
sambhavitalyatiruja puruviddhacittam
kim syat sukham yadi dadhe sthitimatra gopyah
sarva mileyurapi tah kutilabhruvo mam

etam punasciramanekamupalabheran
bhangasca sampratika kelirasasya bhavi
sampatsyate ’dya nahi rasavinodanrtyam
tasu krudha nijanijam sadanam gatasu

“ ‘If Sri Radhika and I roam in the groves alone, She will not feel the slightest happiness. Rather, Her heart will be full of pain because She will be aware of the possible distress of the sakhis. As long as She bears such pain in Her heart there can be no pleasure in Our union. However, if I do stop here for a short while, the sakhis will be jealous of the fact that We are together. They will look at Me with crooked eyebrows and reproach Sri Radhika, thus interrupting the loving exchange between Us. Then they will all go home angrily, and we will not be able to delight in the räsa dance tonight.’

7. yat prarthitam svakutukena puranayaiva
saknosi kim nu kulajärvudalaksakotih
alingitum priyatam! ksanamekanvi
tyaste didrksitamidam mama purayeti

tasmadimamapi jahat palamatram eva
nirdusanam vinayinim prathamam vidhaya
mantum svamurdhdnyakhilam eva dadhamyrnisyam
tah snehayani nikhila api sarvatha syam

“O sakhi, Sri Krsna then thought further: ‘Previously Sri Radhika made this request: “O beloved, I desire to see how You embrace innumerable virtuous gopis at the same time. Kindly satisfy My curiosity.” If the rasa dance with the gopis is not taking place, Sri Radhika’s desire will not be fulfilled. Now, if I leave Radhika for a moment, that will remove Her pride born of good fortune. It will make Her humble and free from blame in the eyes of the
other gopis. I will accept all the blame. I will show the other young ladies of Vraja that the fault is all Mine, and not Sri Radhika’s. But if I leave Radhika, I will not be able to serve Her, and thereby reciprocate with Her affection for Me. As a result I will become indebted to Her, and all the gopis will become affectionate towards
Her.’

8. vaislesikajvaramaparamatulyamasyah
sandarsya vismayamahabdhisu majjitanam
svapremagarvamapi nirdhunavanyathaina
ntabhirmahadhikatamamanubhavayami

“ ‘I will plunge the other vraja-sundaris into an ocean of astonishment by revealing the boundless and incomparable agony that Radhika feels when She is separated from Me. They will then come to understand the depth of Her prema for Me, and that will dissolve the pride that appeared in their hearts when they thought that I loved them more than anyone else. After that, all the gopis will firmly trust and believe that Sri Radhika is supreme and beyond compare.

9. sambhoga esa sakaladhika eva vipralambho
’pi sarvasatakotigunadhiko ’stu
tabhyam sucih paramapustimupaiti casyanta
hrepayatvalamimantu gurukarotu

“ ‘All the other beautiful young women will understand that just as the mellow of union (sambhoga-rasa) finds its absolute summit in Sri Radhika, so Her feeling of separation from Me is also incomparably higher than that of all the other gopis. Only in Radhika is the transcendental mellow of amorous love (srngara-rasa) nourished to the utmost point by union with Me and separation from Me. Thus the other vraja-sundaris will become ashamed, and they will clearly see Radhika as their guru.’

10. evanca setsyati madipsitamaikyamasam
rasakhyanatyamanu mandalatam gatanam
madhye maya saha ruca tu virajamanamenam
vilokya na bhavedapi kacidirsa

“ ‘When the other vraja-ramanis see Radha crying in separation from Me, they will become sympathetic towards Her. Then, all of them will come together to search for Me, and that is just what I desire. Finally, at the time of the rasa dance they will all dance in a circle, and they will not feel any jealousy when they see Me in the centre, with Radhika shining brilliantly by My side. Even though I will cause pain for Radha by abandoning Her for some time, She will experience the highest bliss when We meet again.’

11. ityattayuktirurasa sarasam vahan mam
gatva padani katicinmrdulapradese
atrasyatam ksanamapiti nidhaya tatraivaste
sma me nayanagocaratam jahat sah

“O devi, as My beloved was deliberating in this way, He tenderly lifted Me up and carried Me for a few steps. Then He put Me down in a soft place, saying, ‘My dear one, please sit here for a moment.’ At that point He disappeared.