ĀKSHEPA ANUYOGA O VIRAHA
Reproaches, Lack and Longing
The departure of Krishna to Mathurā is God forsaking the soul, or seeming to do so; the complaint of Rādhā is "Why hast thou forsaken me?"
6, Moving her heart to love, though love be hopeless.
7. Beauty-spots, kuca-kuṅkuma, patterns drawn on her breasts with sandal-paste: cf. Gītā Govinda XII, 18, 'Draw leafy patterns on my breasts.'
This conceit is the subject of beautiful songs by many poets, including Jāyadeva and Rāmbasu.
The Bodiless (Anaṅga) is Kāmadeva, Love: on behalf of Umā he endeavoured to rouse Shiva from his rapt meditation, and Shiva in wrath destroyed his body with a glance from his third eye.
Rādhā feigns to think that Love has mistaken her for Shiva, and explains in detail that she is but a human maiden. Amongst the attributes of Shiva are the Ganges in his matted locks, and crescent moon, a third eye, the stain of poison in his throat (see No. II, 11), and a serpent coiling about it, a tiger-skin, a skull, and ashes smeared on his body; in place of these Rādhā has flowing tresses, a pearl ornament, a brow-spot, a touch of musk, a pearl necklace, a dark silk sari, a lotus, and her body is dusted with sandal paste. The lotus of dalliance (kelika kamala) is a real or artificial lotus flower held in the hand as a plaything: for an illustration see Indian Drawings II, PL IX, 1.
This is one of the most obviously mystical of Vidyāpati's songs:
'I am he whom I love, and he whom I love is I.'
Mansūr Hallāj.
Cf. the exclamation Śivoham, 'Shiva is myself (sohambhāva, He being I); and the injunction Devo bhūtva, devam yajet, 'By becoming God, worship Him!' also the half-dohā quoted in the note to [LXXXII], 9, i o.
3. O nija bhāva svabhāva hi bichurala, Forgetting her own bhāva and svabhāva, feelings and character, will and self-consciousness.
'At last I have found myself.'
Jalālu'd Din Rūmi.
'Whoso has not escaped from will, no will has he.'
Shamsi Tabrīz,
10. Piu, piu: that is to say, 'Belovèd, Belovèd.'
3. Even from a crow's mouth—the crow is the chief omen and messenger, of a lover's return. Cf. No. [CXXIII], and also Journal of Indian Art, No. 128, p. 103 and figure 12.
These are clearly related to reverdies of the folk, such as the Kāshmīrī songs recorded in Ratan Devī's Thirty Indian Songs. It is probable that the more one could learn of contemporary folk-song, the more apparent would be Vidyāpati's dependence on the folk-tradition. These popular motifs are interwoven throughout with the familiar similes of the classic literature. Perhaps we ought to think of Vidyāpati as a sort of mystic Burns.
3. 'House': the house, in Vidyāpati's songs refers sometimes to the actual home of Rādhā's parents, or her own home, and sometimes as here, to the 'house of love,'—the 'palace' of Shamsi Tabrīz (Nicholson XXXVIII).
2. 'Cross the sea': see note to [CXXXI].
Rādhā is here the typical Proshita-preyasī 'whose husband has gone abroad, appointing a time of return' (Keśava Dāsa).
The poet says that Rādhā should have thought before she drank. To take water from a man of low caste is to 'lose caste'—but it is too late to think of this after the water is already drunk.
The idea of reproach is essential to the drama of the soul, and a leading motif of the greater part of Rādhā-Krishna literature:
'Folk, family, house and husband are abandoned, the reproach of the world rejected.'
Prema Sāgara.
Compare:
'Blessed are ye when men shall revile and persecute you for My sake,'
and likewise:
'Let every reproach that honour disdains and avoids be mine.'
Nau'i.
'—Cast shame and pride away,
Let honour gild the world's eventless day,
Shrink not from change and shudder not at crime,
Leave lies to rattle in the sieve of Time!
Then whatsoe'er your workday gear shall stain,
Of me a wedding garment shall ye gain!'
Love is Enough.
This point is to be emphasized: for to understand the necessity and signifiance of reproach, is to comprehend how it was not merely possible but inevitable that in a society where the strictest possible conception of woman's honour prevails, the self-surrender of Rādhā should be regarded as the natural symbol of the soul's self-gift to God.
16. Kali age: the fourth or evil age in which we now live, when the prevailing motive is self-interest; it is what Blake calls Tax or Empire.
This song is still to be heard in Bengal, to the Rāgiṇi Bhairavī.
4. It is a custom of many bhaktas to print the name or symbol of Vishnu on forehead, breast and arms. The custom of tattooing the name of the Belovèd upon the body is world-wide.
5. Lalitā: Rādhā's dearest sakhī. It is customary amongst Vaishnavas to recite the name of Krishna in the ears of the dying.
7. The two customary means of disposing of the dead.
8. Tamāla, a tree with dark glaucous leaves, constantly compared to Krishna for its colour.
13. The scarlet line, drawn along the parting of the hair by married women whose husbands are still living; if Krishna will not return, Rādhā will adopt the rule of a widow.
Referring to the circumstances of [XCIV].
Contains verses from two songs printed separately in the original.
8. Marks of complete indifference to propriety and elegance.
12. And is thus in truth 'broken and contrite,' acceptable to God.
4-7. All objects normally cool, are scorching hot to Rādhā, racked as she is by the fire of love. For the lotus-leaves, see the picture facing p. 115.
1. For the sight of the moon, so pleasant to united lovers, increases her pain.
3. A sort of black magic; Rādhā invokes Rāhu to eclipse the moon.
11. Lit. 'with ten nails': more black magic, the snakes are to swallow up the vexing southern breeze.
14, 15. The koil, whose calling accentuates the suffering of divided lovers: crows, their messengers, and omens of reunion. Cf. No. CIV, 3.
11. Using the necklace as a rosary.
Contains verses from two songs printed separately in the original.
Babe—bāla, a girl under 16.
3. Garland-offering—hung on the idol's neck when it is new, and cast away the next day.
10, II. We ought perhaps to understand by this the loneliness of God in heaven, lacking the love of men.