stavakita-maṇi-dāmnā preyasā gumphitātyad-
bhuta-sulalita-veṇī-preyasī-kpta-cūḍau |
mitha udayad-akhaṇḍa-prema-rajjū-vibaddhau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||14||
Flower-clusters dangle from both sides of Sri Yugala Kishor’s jewel-ornamented hair, but still Keli Chand Krishna wants to decorate Rai’s wonderful veni, and she begins to arrange his chura! With every second they are becoming more and more bound within the limitless ropes of prema! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
jaghana-lulita-veṇī-visphurad-barha-cūḍau
kanaka-rucira-cūḍā-kaṅkaṇa-dvandva-pāṇī |
vilasad-aruṇa-rociḥ-pīta-kauṣeya-vāsau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||15||
When Rai Kishori’s veni is braided, it dangles over her buttocks; Krishna’s peacock-feathered crown is captivating. The Divine Couple both wear bangles and bracelets on their wrists. Radha’s silken undergarment is red and Krishna wears his pitambara. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
kanaka-jalada-gātrau nīla-śoṇābja-netrau
mṛgamada-rasa-bhālau mālatī-kunda-mālau |
tarala-taruṇa-veśau nīla-pītāmbareśau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||16||
Radha’s body is yellow, like gold, and Krishna’s body is blue, like a cloud. Their eyes are like blue and red lotuses, black irises with the tint of rose around the edges. Tilak designs of deer musk adorn their foreheads, and they’re garlanded by malati and kunda malas. Their deep blue and pitambara outfits match their new youth. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
lalita-nava-kiśorau navya-lāvaṇya-puñjau
sakala-rasika-cūḍālaṅkṛtī mugdha-veśau |
madhura-madhura-mūrtī vidyud-ambhoda-kāntī
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||17||
The delightful young lovers personify ever-fresh loveliness; they are the worshipable crown-jewels of all rasikas, and sweeter than the sweetest! Their dress is attractive—colored like a flash of lightning within a raincloud! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
kim api parama-śobhā-mādhurī-rūpa-ceṣṭā-
hasita-lalita-dṛṣṭyātyadbhutotkarṣa-kāṣṭhām |
parama-rasa-rahasyāveśataḥ sandadhānau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||18||
Deeply absorbed within the most intimate rasa, they’re indescribably sweet as they exchange madhura smiles and glances, and converse back and forth in a wonderfully intriguing fashion! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
nikhila-nigama-gūḍhau nityam anyonya-gāḍha-
praṇaya-bhara-vivṛdhau tuṅgitānaṅga-ceṣṭau |
surata-rasa-madāndhau nyasta-jīvau mithoṅge
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||19||
Hidden from the teachings found in all the Shrutis, this Couple nourishes each other’s intense prema, but now their ananga keli reaches an extreme pitch! Aho! They’ve become blinded with surata intoxication as they fully surrender their lives to each other's bodies! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
ramaṇa-vadana-candre datta-tāmbūla-vīṭī
nija-rasa-nidhi-vaktre datta-tac-carvya-bhāgau |
mitha uru-rasadāṅga-sparśa-lolubhyamānau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||20||
Rai holds a tambul vitika (pan) up to her Priya Ramana’s moon-like face, and after chewing it, Krishna offers it back to rasa nidhi Rai’s mouth with a nectar-filled kiss. In this way, they increase each other's maddening desire to touch each other again and again! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
atirasa-mada-vegān nistrapā-dhairya-dṛṣṭī
krama-samudita-tat-tat-sauratāścarya-nītī |
bahir atirasa-līlānuvratā-kṣāma-varṇau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||21||
Due to the overpowering force of the extreme intoxication from their excessive delight, their eyes shamelessly regard each other without any restraint. Progressively their amazing lovemaking skills are called into play. Hence, the sakhis and manjaris who eagerly watch outside the keli bhavana ecstatically chatter about this overwhelmingly relishable lila. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
rajata-bhavana-randhrāyāta-san-manda-śītā-
nīla-vidalita-tuṅgānaṅga-saṅgrāma-khedau |
kṣaṇa-sahacara-ramyārabdha-bhūyo-vihārau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||22||
Aho! A breeze gently blows through the silver cottage's windows to cool them as they become fatigued from the feverish ecstasy of their erotic tussle. And in just a moment of refreshment brought by this friendly breeze, they start up their delightful lovemaking again. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
tad-atilalita-līlā-lola-lolāṅga-lakṣyau
sulalita-lalitāder nirṇimeṣākṣi-randhraiḥ |
hṛdayam upanayantau pūrṇa-saukhyāmbu-rāśau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||23||
The Divine Couple's restless bodies display the bruises and love-bites they have accumulated in their delightful lilas. Thus the lovely Lalita and other sakhis peek through the kunja windows with unblinking eyes and embrace the madhura darshan of this overflowing ocean of joy to their hearts! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
praṇayamaya-vayasyāḥ kuñja-randhrārpitākṣīḥ
kṣiti-talam anu labdhvānanda-mūrcchāṁ patantīḥ |
prati rati-vidadhānau ceṣṭitaiś citra-citraiḥ
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||24||
Radha’s loving sakhis can’t hold on a moment more—while peeking from the windows they fall unconscious from the excruciating impact of prema’s darshan ananda! In this way, through their ever-diverse, amazing activities, the Divine Couple bestows their love on them. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!!
bahu-vidha-parimṛṣṭānyonya-gātrāv ajasraṁ
bahu-vidha-paripṛcchā-kāritānyonya-vācau |
animiṣa-nayanāli-svāditānyonya-vaktrau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||25||
As their hands continuously fondle each other’s bodies, they talk to each other, asking each other questions and exchanging rasa katha. And all the while, the bees of their unblinking eyes constantly drink in the honey of each other’s lotus faces. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
manasija-rasa-sindhor adbhutāvarta-vega-
śramita-tanu-manaskau kelli-vismāpitālī |
bahu-vidha-rasa-gātra-sparśa-jalpa-prahāsau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||26||
Their minds and bodies unceasingly spin within the whirlpools of Kandarpa’s amazing ocean of delight, gradually becoming fatigued and causing the sakhis and manjaris to be spellbound! They caress each other's bodies, laughing and speaking all sorts of meaningless words of love! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
bahula-surata-khelāyāsa-saṅkhinna-gātrau
dayita-nija-sakhībhir bījyamānau paṭāntaiḥ |
sarasa-bhujaga-vallī-pallavāsvādi-vaktrau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||27||
In the fatigue of their all-consuming love play, the Divine Couple's bodies become slack, and so their beloved sakhis fan them with their own garments and put tasty tambul vitikas into their mouths, turning their leaf-like lips red and enhancing the beauty of their faces. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
mitha-uru-pulaka-śrī-dor-latā-baddha-kaṇṭhau
vyatimilita-mukhendū kiṅkiṇī-lālitāṅghrī |
nava-rati-rasa-khelā-śrānti-tandrālu-netrau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||28||
While wrapping their shivering, love-excited arms around each other's necks, they stay there, resting cheek against each other's cheek, their waistbells undone and dangling over their feet. Yet in the jostling of ever-fresh rati rasa keli their lotus eyes slightly close and they doze off! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
surata-rasa-samudre pādam ācūḍa-magnau
truṭi-lavam iva yātāṁ manyamānau tri-yāmām |
pratinimiṣam asīmojjṛmbhitānaṅga-tṛṣṇau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||29||
From head to toe, their bodies are submerged in the ocean of surata rasa! The three praharas of the night seem to them to have elapsed as if they were just a fleeting second! And yet, their thirst to taste each other's love increases limitlessly at every moment! Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
tad-atimadhura-dhāmni nāmni vātsalya-mātrāt
katham api kalanīyau kasyacid bhāgya-sīmnaḥ |
śruti-tatibhir agamyau sat-sabhājasra-saṅgau
smara nibhṛta-nikuñje rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau ||30||
Radha and Krishna are only visible to those who are blessed with the greatest good fortune and who have a feeling of great love and affection for their names, which are a great abode of sweetness. They are unknowable by the Vedas, but appear always and fully within the assembly of the saintly. Oh my mind! Just meditate on Radha and Krishna within the hidden nikunjas!
parama-rasa-rahasyānanda-niḥsyandi-vṛndā-
vana-vipina-nikuñje divya-divyair vilāsaiḥ |
niravadhi rasamānau rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candrau
bhaja sakalam upekṣya tāvakāḥ śāstra-yuktīḥ ||31||
Radha Keli Chand’s most secret and divine Vrindavan nikunja keli oozes an ocean of delight. Hey bhaktas! You who relish the divine moods and flavors! Just discard other thoughts, family attachment and the Vedic strictures to perform exclusive bhajan of the Divine Couple as they relish these lovemaking pastimes!
stavam imam atiramyaṁ rādhikā-kṛṣṇa-candra-
pramada-bhara-vilāsair adbhutaṁ bhāva-yuktaḥ |
paṭhati ya iha rātrau nityam avyagra-cittau
vimala-matiṣu rādhālīṣu sakhyaṁ labheta ||32||
This most delightful stava is so amazing and wonderful due to being filled with Radhika and Krishna Chandra’s intoxicating prema. Whoever recites it at night , with deep feeling and undisturbed heart, will attain friendship of Srimati Radharani in the association of her pure-hearted sakhis!
|| iti śrī-nikuñja-rahasya-stavaḥ sampūrṇaḥ ||
--o)O(o--
There are manuscripts of this text under the name Nikunja-vilasa-stava in the Radha-vallabha sampradaya attributed to Prabodhananda. There are many phrases that remind us of his other works, including both Chaitanya-chandramrita and Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi. Like verse 31, for instance. That is pure Prabodhananda.
Radha and Krishna--diving and bobbing up out of the ocean of surata rasa. And the sakhis, watching and coming out of their stupor to fan when the Divine Couple floats for a moment on the surface, effulgent in the afterglow of their lila. Just remember the one line--smara nibhrita-nikunje radhika-krishna-chandrau.
The sakhi bhava, to answer a recent question, is the archetype of the non-satori satori, the oneness of total absorption, with just enough separation to serve and relish. Rasa means relish. It is the consequence of personhood, possession of an individual mind, even in transcendence.
Go to Part I
