Text 16

Searching for Śrī Rādhānātha while engaged in the service of Śrī Rādhā (rādhā-dāsya) is described in Śrī Rādhā-rasa-sudhā-nidhi (142):

राधा-नाम सुधा-रसं रसयितुं जिह्वास् तु मे विह्वला
   पादौ तत्-पदकाङ्कितासु चरतां वृन्दाटवी-वीथिषु
तत्-कर्मैव करः करोतु हृदयं तस्याः पदं ध्यायतां
   तद्-भावोत्सवतः परं भवतु मे तत्-प्राणनाथे रतिः

rādhā-nāma sudhā-rasaṃ rasayituṃ jihvās tu me vihvalā
   pādau tat-padakāṅkitāsu caratāṃ vṛndāṭavī-vīthiṣu
tat-karmaiva karaḥ karotu hṛdayaṃ tasyāḥ padaṃ dhyāyatāṃ
   tad-bhāvotsavataḥ paraṃ bhavatu me tat-prāṇanāthe ratiḥ

May my tongue become constantly overwhelmed by relishing the nectarean rasa of the name Rādhā, may my feet wander on the pathways of that Vṛndāvana where Vṛṣabhānu-nandinī walks, may both my hands be engaged in Svāminī’s service, and may my heart contemplate Her lotus feet. May one-pointed attachment manifest within me for the Lord of Her life, Śrī Śyāmasundara by Her festival of ecstatic moods (bhāvotsava). This is my earnest prayer.

जिह्वा हौक सु-विह्वल, राधा-नाम गाने
वृन्दारण्ये चल पद, राधा अन्वेषणे

jihvā hauka su-vihvala, rādhā-nāma gāne
vṛndāraṇye cala pada, rādhā anveṣaṇe

राधा-सेवा कर-कर, राधा स्मर मने
राधा-भावे मति, भज राधा-प्राण-धने

rādhā-sevā kara-kara, rādhā smara mane
rādhā-bhāve mati, bhaja rādhā-prāṇa-dhane

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

Śrīla Prabhodānanda Sarasvatī is humbly praying to attain attachment to the lotus feet of Śrī Rādhā’s prāṇanātha through Her festival of ecstatic moods (bhāvotsava), by engaging all his senses in rādhā-bhajana. When will my tongue become overwhelmed by tasting the nectarean rasa of Śrī Rādhā’s name? There is no equal to the happiness experienced by the tongue that, with heartfelt prema, tastes the nectar of Śrīmatī’s name. Happiness comes when one has achieved the desired perfection by performing nāmasaṅkīrtana of one’s object of worship. The name appears primarily upon the tongue, and both the chanter and the hearer derive bliss.

नाम-सङ्कीर्तनं प्रोक्तं कृष्णस्य प्रेम-सम्पदि
बलिष्ठं साधनं श्रेष्ठं परमाकर्ष-मन्त्रवत्
तद् एव मन्यते भक्तेः फलं तद्-रसिकैर् जनैः
भगवत्-प्रेम-सम्पत्तौ सदैवाव्यभिचारतः

nāma-saṅkīrtanaṃ proktaṃ kṛṣṇasya prema-sampadi
baliṣṭhaṃ sādhanaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ paramākarṣa-mantravat
tad eva manyate bhakteḥ phalaṃ tad-rasikair janaiḥ
bhagavat-prema-sampattau sadaivāvyabhicārataḥ

Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta (2.3.164–165)

It is said that to obtain the wealth of prema for Śrī Kṛṣṇa, nāma-saṅkīrtana is the best and most powerful sādhana. This supremely attractive mantra draws Śrī Kṛṣṇa towards the sādhaka. Therefore, rasika devotees of the Supreme Lord conclude that saṅkīrtana is the result of bhakti. It never fails to bestow the wealth of bhagavat-prema.

Relish of the very rasa of the Supreme Lord, who is Himself an embodiment of concentrated rasa, is definitely contained within His name. Although there is such taste in His name, that same nāmī, or possessor of the name, Śrī Śyāmasundara, becomes overwhelmed when He tastes the name of Śrī Rādhā. It is the nature of prema that a lover will have deep affinity for the name of the beloved.

Once, due to the vigilance of Jaṭilā, Śrī Kiśorī could not meet Śyāmasundara, who fainted in separation from Her. Madhumaṅgala went to Kiśorī, but since She was under guard, She was unable to leave the house. To pacify Kṛṣṇa’s fire of separation, She wrote the two syllables rā and dhā on a leaf and sent it to Him. When He received it, Kṛṣṇa returned to His senses and said to Madhumaṅgala, “Friend, I am completely satisfied with what you have given Me.”

In the second line of this Text, Śrīla Prabhodānanda Sarasvatī is praying: “pādau tat-padakāṅkitāsu caratāṃ vṛndāṭavī-vīthiṣu–may my feet traverse the paths of Vṛndāvana-dhāma, which is marked with the footprints of Śrī Rādhā. While wandering there, may this sentiment be in my heart: My Svāminī is travelling on these paths to meet with Her prāṇanātha. Every infinitesimal particle of Vraja is mixed with the dust from Her lotus feet and is thus perceived as the nectar of love, prema-makaranda. May my Īśvarī’s playful pastimes (vilāsa-līlā) be painted on the canvas of my heart. May the dust particles that have touched Her lotus feet be the ornaments of my limbs.”

Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s dear associate Uddhava also desired to attain a particle of this dust by taking birth in Vraja as a blade of grass or a shrub. Such a heart’s longing will only be fulfilled by remembering Śrī Kiśorī’s foot-dust, which lies upon the pathways of Vraja.

Śrīla Prabhodhānanda Sarasvatī continues: “tat-karmaiva karaḥ karotu–may both my hands be engaged in stringing various kinds of flowers into garlands, ornaments and so forth for Śrī Svāminī. When Svāminī is fatigued from Her vilāsa, I pray to be so fortunate as to massage Her lotus feet.

“Tad-bhāvotsavataḥ paraṃ bhavatu me tat-prāṇanāthe ratiḥ–Śrī Rādhā’s festival of ecstatic moods, bhāvotsava, constitutes Her pastimes with Śrī Govinda. Sometimes, when Śrīmatī becomes sulky, māninī, Govinda will pray to me with clever words, ‘O beautiful one! O merciful one! Please appease Śrī Rādhā and thereby pacify My fire of separation.’ Upon hearing His petition, I will catch hold of His hand and lead Him to Svāminī. May it be my goal and all-good fortune to arrange for my Svāminī to meet with Her prāṇa-priyatama. Govinda will certainly give me mercy, knowing that I have taken shelter of Śrī Rādhā’s lotus feet.”