Introduction:
This is the first book ever written in the Gaudiya-vaisnava-sampradaya about Radha-Krishna’s eternal eight-fold daily pastimes, asta-kaliya-lila. Sri Kavi Karnapura’s writing is concise, fast moving, emotive and filled with details, color and poetry. Ride the waves of his words into the highest dimension of Radha-Krishna’s divine play wherein love prevails in every thought and deed.
Hardcover
Language: English
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Sample Chapter:
First Ray of Light
Pastimes at Dawn
Nisanta-lila 3:36-6:00 a.m.
Nisanta-lila 3:36-6:00 a.m.
The faint light of the few stars remaining at the end of night creates a pleasant atmosphere in all directions. Under Vrnda-devi’s order, the male and female parrots sing softly to waken Radha-Kåñëa from Their blissful repose. First a flock of female parrots swoop down from their nests to awaken Radha with many nectar sweet words. Then all the joyful male parrots gladden Kåñëa by waking Him with indescribable poetry. Sometimes Kåñëa affectionately strokes the parrots, which are beyond all illusion.
The sarikas (female parrots) speak to Radha: “O moon-faced maiden! All fear has fled from Your heart now that You lie in the embrace of Vrajendranandana. Why do You remain sound asleep even at the end of night? At least You can move to another place in this kunja, which resounds with swarms of maddened bees. Are You not even thinking about what Your elders might level against You if they catch You here?
“O Radhe! Have You forgotten all respect and family reputation? You should not be lying in this kunja. Quickly give up this sleep, which only deprives You of amorous delights, and rise from Your flower bed. Just look! The night is almost over. Please return to Your home. Don’t cause Your relatives to suffer by staying here.
“Look, O playful girl! The eastern sky has turned deep crimson in imitation of Your reddish lotus feet. And just see how the graceful cakravaki (female heron) quickly reunites with her lover after their sorrowful night of separation.
“The moon, desiring the beautiful luster of Your face, now wants to give up her body in disappointment. She is plummeting from a high peak of the western mountains to end her life. Can anyone prevent this tragedy?
“O Sudati! (girl with sparkling white teeth). A swarm of bees, drunk from sporting in the laps of the white water lilies, move restlessly toward a cluster of blooming lotuses to engage in a love tryst. Because of the time of day the bees have become disinterested in the lilies, and have increased their enchantment for the lotus flowers.
“O Sumukhi! (beautiful faced girl). Your dearest sakhis, who have beautiful smiling lotus faces and hearts full of unlimited bliss, and who brought You to this deep, dark pastime cottage in the beginning of the spotless evening, have left their kunjas to come here to meet You.
“O Sumukhi! Please wake up and open Your lotus eyes to see the effulgent faces of Your sakhis. They have all assembled here to serve You. Due to Your passionate battle, Your clothes and ornaments have fallen off and scattered here and there. Your decorations have all been smudged or removed, and Your delicate body is bruised.
“The stars have vanished from the sky, Your pearl necklaces have fallen from Your body, and the white flowers have fallen from the sephalika trees. Even though all three have lost their ornaments with the approaching dawn, only You maintain Your most radiant and exquisite beauty.
“Just as the pearls from Your broken pearl necklace have fallen to the ground, the stars have vanished from the sky and now only a few remain. Just see! The chaste Arundhati (the morning star, personified as the wife of Vasistha, one of the seven sages (stars) that form the Ursa Major constellation), astonished at seeing You sleeping so long on the chest of Your lover, hides her face within the constellation of the Sapta Rsis (seven sages).
“O Sashimukhi! (moon-faced girl). Just look! Here comes that graceful, frolicsome doe named Rangini that You fed with Your own hand. Please splash the waves of Your merciful side-long glance upon her, for she always brings You great joy.
“O Kåñëa-kanta! (lover of Kåñëa). The minds of the deer are very pure and innocent. Thinking that Your reddish lotus feet are tender leaf sprouts, that doe eagerly tries to taste them. Even though Your sakhis try to shoo her away with their lotus hands, she does not retreat.
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