Radharani calls him Syamananda

Once at night while sitting in his bhajan kutir, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa was deeply absorbed in remembering the sweetest pastimes of Sri Sri Radha Krishna during the eight periods of the day[1].

All of a sudden, he became engrossed in a very enchanting pastime. He saw that the enjoyer of rasa, Syamasundara[2], was absorbed in dancing and singing with the doe-eyed damsels of Vraja. Some Sakhis[3] were dancing, while some were singing with a melodious voice. At that time, at the hint given by the glances of the Sakhis, Srimati Radharani also started a very attractive and alluring dance to give even more joy to Sri Syamasundara. Seeing that unique dance, capable of causing jealousy even in the minds of Gandharvas, Syamasundara and the Sakhis became immersed in an ocean of joy. During that fast-paced dance, a golden anklet named manjughosa, which was studded with sapphires, all of a sudden slipped from the left foot of Radharani and fell on the dancing arena. However nobody noticed that Radharani had lost it.

After enjoying the dance, Kisori and Kisora[4] sported on a diamond studded bed until They fell asleep. Upon looking through the window and seeing the sweet couple united, the Sakhis became immersed in an ocean of bliss.

Early in the morning, when a female monkey named Kakkhati uttered some scary words, Radha and Krishna woke up and left for their respective homes in a hurry followed by the Sakhis, even though They did not want to go away.

At that time, with a mind determined to do a superhuman effort, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa also stood up and went to clean the groves as usual, carrying a broom and a scraper and singing a morning bhajan.

On reaching the place of the Rasa dance, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa directly experienced that, compared with the other days, there were more signs of loving pastimes. Jasmine creepers and pleasant scents were lying scattered here and there, but despite that, all the trees and creepers were full of fresh, fragrant flowers. Inside the groves, the divine footprints of Sri Sri Radha Krishna and the Sakhis could be seen here and there. Parrots, cuckoos and black bees were singing morning songs in praise of Radha Krishna with more enthusiasm than usual.

Surcharged with divine love, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa started rolling on that sacred ground. When he started cleaning the arena of the Rasa dance within the groves while singing a morning song about Radha Krishna, he suddenly saw a glittering object under a pomegranate tree and with great curiosity ran towards it. By the influence of Yoga Maya, he had forgotten the pastimes of the previous night. Reaching the place under the pomegranate tree, he became wonder-struck to see a divine golden anklet studded with sapphires, which was lighting up the groves with its radiance. With great surprise he looked in all directions with inquisitive eyes and suddenly heard a voice from the sky:

“Keep this anklet very carefully.”

Duhkhi Krishna Dasa thought:

“This must be some transcendental pastime of Vrindavana Dhama, a mystery which would be solved at the proper time.”

As soon as he thought:

“This anklet is certainly supernatural,” and touched it to his forehead, a thrill of transcendental joy ran throughout his body. The eight bodily transformations due to transcendental emotion[5] appeared in his body, and being surcharged with loving emotions, he started dancing. Loudly chanting

“Radhe Radhe”,

he lost his steadiness.

However, after remembering his regular service in the place of the Rasa dance, with great effort he somehow composed himself.

“There must certainly be some secret in connection with this anklet.”

Thinking in this way, he carefully kept the anklet and the scraper under his shawl and hid it in the middle of the creepers inside the grove. After that, Duhkhi Krishna Dasa became absorbed in sweeping the groves with great zeal.

[1] This is called “asta-kaliya-lila-smarana”, which means meditating on the specific pastimes performed by Radha Krishna during eight different times of the day. Many great Acaryas have wrote extensively about this topic.

[2] Krishna.

[3] Female friends.

[4] Names for Radha and Krishna.

[5] They are called asta-sattvika-bhava and they are: being stunned, trembling, perspiring, standing of hairs on end, fading away of color, weeping, choking and devastation.

This is a section of the book “Syamananda, the Joy of Radharani (English)”.

To buy the complete book, click above

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