Introduction
The Padyavali is an anthology of devotional verses in Sanskrit compiled by Sri Rupa Gosvami. Sri Rupa was one of the six principal associates of Lord Caitanya Mahprabhu (AD 1486 - 1534). Lord Caitanya was the founder of the Gaudiya (or Bengal) school of Vaisnavism.
Rupa Goswami has chosen 388 verses composed, in various mete3rs, by a little over a hundred devotee poets. The verses are placed under several headings and deal with various aspects of the nature of bhakti, of the aspirations of devotees and of the deeds and exploits of Lord Krsna and His associates.
The rubrics are so chosen as to structure the text beginning with general principles of bhakti, interspaced by narrations of pastimes of the Lord, culminating in expressing the superlative form of the love of Radha and the gopis for Krsna.
I have assumed that the reader is familiar with the personality of Krsna and the happenings of His life when He incarnated on this earth. The reader will, perhaps, be served best without an elaborate introduction or detailed comments on the verses. Sparing the reader such 'guidance' would enable Him to see the verses, in the simplicity, innocent charm and emotional appeal, just as I discovered them. In this way the reader will also be able to appreciate the genius of the compiler in creating a collection of verses in logical structure and smooth harmony.
The six gosvamis of Vrndavana, along with several other devotees of Lord Caitanya, have written an enormous amount of literature of the Gaudiya Vaisnava Sect covering virtually every branch of classical Sanskrit philosophy and theology, poetical narrations of Krishna's divine lilas, drama and dramaturgy, ritual and codes of conduct, grammar, rhetoric and poetics, and prosody and music. Of the six gosvamis, Sri Rupa's contribution to this vast literature is substantial and unique.
Sri Rupa Gosvami was a Karnataka brahmana whose ancestors migrated and settled in Bengal. He and his brother Sanatana Gosvami were high officials at the court of the Muslim ruler of Gauda (Bengal). Although they did not convert to Islam, they had accepted the Muslim titles of Dabir Khas and Saker Malik respectively. The two brother enjoyed immense authority and perks of office under the Muslim ruler and had also acquired considerable wealthy. But when they met Lord Caitanya, He so enamoured them by His personality and His teachings, that they gave up their offices and joined Him as ascetic disciples. And from then on it was only pure, blissful Krsna bhakti for them as taught by their Lord.
It is difficult to find suitable words within the English language, to describe adequately the depth of feeling and emotion of the authors of the verses, for it is best imbibed in the original Sanskrit. While translating the verses into English I have tried to capture the mood of the devotees, as best as I could. It is hoped nevertheless that the readers of this beautiful transcendental anthology will be able to relish much of the sentiments of divine love expressed in them.
Invocatory verses (mangalacaranam) | 2 |
The glories of Lord Krsna | 4 |
The glory of worship | 6 |
The good fortune of obtaining divine love | 10 |
The glory of the divine name | 11 |
On singing and chanting the names of the lord | 22 |
The glory of narrating the sportive exploits of the Lord | 27 |
Meditations on Sri Krsna | 31 |
The Lord's parental affection for His devotees | 34 |
Draupadi's expression (of gratitude) when the Lord came to her rescue | 35 |
Glory of the devotees of the Lord | 36 |
Devotees humbly express their helplessness | 41 |
The intensity of faith of devotees | 49 |
The earnest prayers of devotees | 57 |
The yearning of the devotees for their Lord | 63 |
Denunciation of moksa | 71 |
Eulogizing bhagavata dharma | 73 |
Prayers to the Lord while making offerings to the deity | 75 |
The glories of the city of Mathura | 78 |
Eulogy to Vrndavana | 81 |
Salutations to Lord Nanda (the foster father of Krsna) | 82 |
Prayers to mother Yasoda (the foster mother of Krsna) | 83 |
Lord Krsna's childhood exploits | 84 |
The Lord's boyish playfulness during His infancy | 88 |
The Lord steals butter | 91 |
The Lord's visions in His dreams | 95 |
Expressions of Krsna's parents' astonishment at their son's exploits, their tutelage of their son and other sports | 97 |
The Lord protects the cows and other sports | 100 |
Krsna's love for the gopis | 104 |
Radha's questions (to Her friend) when She first set sight on Krsna | 105 |
The friend's reply | 106 |
Radha's expression of Her incipient love for Krsna before they met | 107 |
The deliberations of one of Radha's clever friends | 117 |
Questions to Radha by Her friend | 118 |
The jestful assurances of Radha's friend | 120 |
A sakhi describes to Krsna Radha's love for Him | 121 |
Krsna's feelings for Radha are narrated to Her | 124 |
Radha prepares to meet Her lover (Krsna) | 126 |
Radha's friends speak to Her | 128 |
The playful sports (of Radha and Krsna) | 129 |
The jestful utterances of Radha's observant friends after the playful activities of Radha and Krsna | 130 |
The utterances of a naïve cowherd boy | 131 |
The comments of a friend during her daytime sports with Radha | 132 |
Radha's emotionally charged utterances | 133 |
Radha's friend indulges in humour | 135 |
The next day a sakhi reminds Radha about Her tryst with Krsna | 136 |
Radha's replies to her friend who was testing Her (i.e. Her resolve to meet Her beloved) | 137 |
Radha dresses Herself and prepares Her abode to receive Her beloved | 139 |
Radha's longing for Her separated lover | 139 |
Radha's disappointment at Krsna's failing to keep His appointment with Her | 141 |
Radha's anger at Krsna for His infidelity | 141 |
Radha addresses Krsna when She was displeased at His infidelity | 142 |
Radha's outpourings during the mood of dejection that came upon Her after the episode of Krsna's infidelity (and after His consequent departure) | 144 |
Radha's friend instructs Her when Krsna returns in the evening | 145 |
Radha in Her mood of jealous pride | 146 |
Radha's friend addresses Her upon Krsna's departure | 148 |
The statements of the messenger Krsna sent to Radha | 148 |
Radha speaks to Krsna's messenger | 150 |
Comments of Radha's shrewd friend during Radha's estrangement with Krsna | 150 |
The counsel of Radha's friend who was harshly disposed towards Krsna | 151 |
Radha's reply to Her friend | 152 |
Radha's friend's critical comments of Krsna | 155 |
Radha speaks in Her state of distress | 156 |
A friend speaks to Radha when She is lost in thought of Her separated lover | 156 |
Radha's reply to Her friend | 157 |
Krsna pines for His beloved (Radha) | 158 |
Radha is pleased by Krsna's entreaties | 159 |
Radha's friend speaks to Krsna | 160 |
The events of the next day | 161 |
A friend speaks to Radha when, with the pretext of plucking flowers, She was searching for Krsna | 163 |
Lord Hari's conversation with Radha when She went to the bank of the Yamuna river | 164 |
Radha's words (when Krsna tried to prevent Her from leaving) | 166 |
Radha in full control of Her lover (Krsna) | 167 |
Krsna's dreams after His playful activities | 167 |
Krsna's flute is stolen (by Radha) | 168 |
Radha addresses Krsna's flute | 169 |
Lord Hari returns to Vraja in the evening (after grazing His cows) | 171 |
Radha's good fortune (of meeting Krsna upon His return to Vraja) | 173 |
The Lord milks His cow | 175 |
The message of sakhi Candravali is narrated to Krsna | 176 |
The Lord lifts the Govarhana mountain | 177 |
The Lord's sporting pastimes in His boat | 180 |
Krsna's dialogues with Radha | 187 |
The Lord's rasa dance | 191 |
Krsna addresses the gopis | 194 |
The replies of the blessed gopis of Vraja | 195 |
The questions asked by Radha and the gopis when Krsna disappeared from the scene | 197 |
The utterances of Radha's sakhi | 199 |
The expressions of celestial beings | 200 |
The Lord's water sport | 201 |
Candravali's sakhi addresses Radha's sakhi and expresses her envy | 202 |
The meaningful statements of Radha's sakhi | 202 |
Radha's friends address Her | 203 |
A sakhi addresses Radha | 206 |
The sakhi addresses Candravali | 207 |
The sakhi addresses Candravali's husband | 207 |
The Lord's eternal pastime (nitya lila) | 208 |
Radha's sakhi speaks of Lord Hari's imminent departure to Mathura, His departure being part of His manifest lila | 209 |
The utterances of Sri Radha | 210 |
Lord Hari enters Mathura | 211 |
Expressions of the women of Mathura | 212 |
Radha's lamentation (at Krsna's departure) | 214 |
When in Mathura, Krsna reminisces about His mother Yasoda | 224 |
Lord Hari reminisces about Radha | 225 |
Lord Hari Addresses Udhava | 226 |
Udhava conveys Lord Hari's message to Radha | 227 |
Udhava's utterances as he was going to Vrndavana | 228 |
Udhava addresses the gopis of Vraja | 230 |
Upon seeing Udhava, Radha speaks to Her friend | 231 |
Udhava addresses Radha | 232 |
Radha's sakhi addresses Udhava | 233 |
Radha's sakhi delivers a message to Krsna | 235 |
She (Radha) speaks with feelings of wistful longing and envy | 242 |
A jestful but desp0erate message from the maidens of Vraja | 243 |
A candid message (from the gopis) | 243 |
While residing in Dvaraika, Lord Hari suffers pain of separation (from Radha) | 245 |
The song of (Radha) the Empress of Vrndavana as She laments Her separation from Her Beloved | 248 |
The message of the gopis of Vraja | 248 |
The King of Dvaraka (Krsna) addresses (His friend) Sudama | 251 |
Sudama's expression (of surprise) at seeing his own house etc. | 252 |
The gestures of (Radha) the Empress of Vrndavana on the battlefield of Kuruksetra | 253 |
Radha addresses Krsna while they are alone and when He is supplicating Her (for forgiveness) | 254 |
Radha addresses Her sakhi at that place | 255 |
Concluding invocatory verses (mangalacaranam) | 257 |
Introduction
The Padyavali is an anthology of devotional verses in Sanskrit compiled by Sri Rupa Gosvami. Sri Rupa was one of the six principal associates of Lord Caitanya Mahprabhu (AD 1486 - 1534). Lord Caitanya was the founder of the Gaudiya (or Bengal) school of Vaisnavism.
Rupa Goswami has chosen 388 verses composed, in various mete3rs, by a little over a hundred devotee poets. The verses are placed under several headings and deal with various aspects of the nature of bhakti, of the aspirations of devotees and of the deeds and exploits of Lord Krsna and His associates.
The rubrics are so chosen as to structure the text beginning with general principles of bhakti, interspaced by narrations of pastimes of the Lord, culminating in expressing the superlative form of the love of Radha and the gopis for Krsna.
I have assumed that the reader is familiar with the personality of Krsna and the happenings of His life when He incarnated on this earth. The reader will, perhaps, be served best without an elaborate introduction or detailed comments on the verses. Sparing the reader such 'guidance' would enable Him to see the verses, in the simplicity, innocent charm and emotional appeal, just as I discovered them. In this way the reader will also be able to appreciate the genius of the compiler in creating a collection of verses in logical structure and smooth harmony.
The six gosvamis of Vrndavana, along with several other devotees of Lord Caitanya, have written an enormous amount of literature of the Gaudiya Vaisnava Sect covering virtually every branch of classical Sanskrit philosophy and theology, poetical narrations of Krishna's divine lilas, drama and dramaturgy, ritual and codes of conduct, grammar, rhetoric and poetics, and prosody and music. Of the six gosvamis, Sri Rupa's contribution to this vast literature is substantial and unique.
Sri Rupa Gosvami was a Karnataka brahmana whose ancestors migrated and settled in Bengal. He and his brother Sanatana Gosvami were high officials at the court of the Muslim ruler of Gauda (Bengal). Although they did not convert to Islam, they had accepted the Muslim titles of Dabir Khas and Saker Malik respectively. The two brother enjoyed immense authority and perks of office under the Muslim ruler and had also acquired considerable wealthy. But when they met Lord Caitanya, He so enamoured them by His personality and His teachings, that they gave up their offices and joined Him as ascetic disciples. And from then on it was only pure, blissful Krsna bhakti for them as taught by their Lord.
It is difficult to find suitable words within the English language, to describe adequately the depth of feeling and emotion of the authors of the verses, for it is best imbibed in the original Sanskrit. While translating the verses into English I have tried to capture the mood of the devotees, as best as I could. It is hoped nevertheless that the readers of this beautiful transcendental anthology will be able to relish much of the sentiments of divine love expressed in them.
Invocatory verses (mangalacaranam) | 2 |
The glories of Lord Krsna | 4 |
The glory of worship | 6 |
The good fortune of obtaining divine love | 10 |
The glory of the divine name | 11 |
On singing and chanting the names of the lord | 22 |
The glory of narrating the sportive exploits of the Lord | 27 |
Meditations on Sri Krsna | 31 |
The Lord's parental affection for His devotees | 34 |
Draupadi's expression (of gratitude) when the Lord came to her rescue | 35 |
Glory of the devotees of the Lord | 36 |
Devotees humbly express their helplessness | 41 |
The intensity of faith of devotees | 49 |
The earnest prayers of devotees | 57 |
The yearning of the devotees for their Lord | 63 |
Denunciation of moksa | 71 |
Eulogizing bhagavata dharma | 73 |
Prayers to the Lord while making offerings to the deity | 75 |
The glories of the city of Mathura | 78 |
Eulogy to Vrndavana | 81 |
Salutations to Lord Nanda (the foster father of Krsna) | 82 |
Prayers to mother Yasoda (the foster mother of Krsna) | 83 |
Lord Krsna's childhood exploits | 84 |
The Lord's boyish playfulness during His infancy | 88 |
The Lord steals butter | 91 |
The Lord's visions in His dreams | 95 |
Expressions of Krsna's parents' astonishment at their son's exploits, their tutelage of their son and other sports | 97 |
The Lord protects the cows and other sports | 100 |
Krsna's love for the gopis | 104 |
Radha's questions (to Her friend) when She first set sight on Krsna | 105 |
The friend's reply | 106 |
Radha's expression of Her incipient love for Krsna before they met | 107 |
The deliberations of one of Radha's clever friends | 117 |
Questions to Radha by Her friend | 118 |
The jestful assurances of Radha's friend | 120 |
A sakhi describes to Krsna Radha's love for Him | 121 |
Krsna's feelings for Radha are narrated to Her | 124 |
Radha prepares to meet Her lover (Krsna) | 126 |
Radha's friends speak to Her | 128 |
The playful sports (of Radha and Krsna) | 129 |
The jestful utterances of Radha's observant friends after the playful activities of Radha and Krsna | 130 |
The utterances of a naïve cowherd boy | 131 |
The comments of a friend during her daytime sports with Radha | 132 |
Radha's emotionally charged utterances | 133 |
Radha's friend indulges in humour | 135 |
The next day a sakhi reminds Radha about Her tryst with Krsna | 136 |
Radha's replies to her friend who was testing Her (i.e. Her resolve to meet Her beloved) | 137 |
Radha dresses Herself and prepares Her abode to receive Her beloved | 139 |
Radha's longing for Her separated lover | 139 |
Radha's disappointment at Krsna's failing to keep His appointment with Her | 141 |
Radha's anger at Krsna for His infidelity | 141 |
Radha addresses Krsna when She was displeased at His infidelity | 142 |
Radha's outpourings during the mood of dejection that came upon Her after the episode of Krsna's infidelity (and after His consequent departure) | 144 |
Radha's friend instructs Her when Krsna returns in the evening | 145 |
Radha in Her mood of jealous pride | 146 |
Radha's friend addresses Her upon Krsna's departure | 148 |
The statements of the messenger Krsna sent to Radha | 148 |
Radha speaks to Krsna's messenger | 150 |
Comments of Radha's shrewd friend during Radha's estrangement with Krsna | 150 |
The counsel of Radha's friend who was harshly disposed towards Krsna | 151 |
Radha's reply to Her friend | 152 |
Radha's friend's critical comments of Krsna | 155 |
Radha speaks in Her state of distress | 156 |
A friend speaks to Radha when She is lost in thought of Her separated lover | 156 |
Radha's reply to Her friend | 157 |
Krsna pines for His beloved (Radha) | 158 |
Radha is pleased by Krsna's entreaties | 159 |
Radha's friend speaks to Krsna | 160 |
The events of the next day | 161 |
A friend speaks to Radha when, with the pretext of plucking flowers, She was searching for Krsna | 163 |
Lord Hari's conversation with Radha when She went to the bank of the Yamuna river | 164 |
Radha's words (when Krsna tried to prevent Her from leaving) | 166 |
Radha in full control of Her lover (Krsna) | 167 |
Krsna's dreams after His playful activities | 167 |
Krsna's flute is stolen (by Radha) | 168 |
Radha addresses Krsna's flute | 169 |
Lord Hari returns to Vraja in the evening (after grazing His cows) | 171 |
Radha's good fortune (of meeting Krsna upon His return to Vraja) | 173 |
The Lord milks His cow | 175 |
The message of sakhi Candravali is narrated to Krsna | 176 |
The Lord lifts the Govarhana mountain | 177 |
The Lord's sporting pastimes in His boat | 180 |
Krsna's dialogues with Radha | 187 |
The Lord's rasa dance | 191 |
Krsna addresses the gopis | 194 |
The replies of the blessed gopis of Vraja | 195 |
The questions asked by Radha and the gopis when Krsna disappeared from the scene | 197 |
The utterances of Radha's sakhi | 199 |
The expressions of celestial beings | 200 |
The Lord's water sport | 201 |
Candravali's sakhi addresses Radha's sakhi and expresses her envy | 202 |
The meaningful statements of Radha's sakhi | 202 |
Radha's friends address Her | 203 |
A sakhi addresses Radha | 206 |
The sakhi addresses Candravali | 207 |
The sakhi addresses Candravali's husband | 207 |
The Lord's eternal pastime (nitya lila) | 208 |
Radha's sakhi speaks of Lord Hari's imminent departure to Mathura, His departure being part of His manifest lila | 209 |
The utterances of Sri Radha | 210 |
Lord Hari enters Mathura | 211 |
Expressions of the women of Mathura | 212 |
Radha's lamentation (at Krsna's departure) | 214 |
When in Mathura, Krsna reminisces about His mother Yasoda | 224 |
Lord Hari reminisces about Radha | 225 |
Lord Hari Addresses Udhava | 226 |
Udhava conveys Lord Hari's message to Radha | 227 |
Udhava's utterances as he was going to Vrndavana | 228 |
Udhava addresses the gopis of Vraja | 230 |
Upon seeing Udhava, Radha speaks to Her friend | 231 |
Udhava addresses Radha | 232 |
Radha's sakhi addresses Udhava | 233 |
Radha's sakhi delivers a message to Krsna | 235 |
She (Radha) speaks with feelings of wistful longing and envy | 242 |
A jestful but desp0erate message from the maidens of Vraja | 243 |
A candid message (from the gopis) | 243 |
While residing in Dvaraika, Lord Hari suffers pain of separation (from Radha) | 245 |
The song of (Radha) the Empress of Vrndavana as She laments Her separation from Her Beloved | 248 |
The message of the gopis of Vraja | 248 |
The King of Dvaraka (Krsna) addresses (His friend) Sudama | 251 |
Sudama's expression (of surprise) at seeing his own house etc. | 252 |
The gestures of (Radha) the Empress of Vrndavana on the battlefield of Kuruksetra | 253 |
Radha addresses Krsna while they are alone and when He is supplicating Her (for forgiveness) | 254 |
Radha addresses Her sakhi at that place | 255 |
Concluding invocatory verses (mangalacaranam) | 257 |