बभूव रमणी रम्या रासेशा रमणोत्सुका 2.48.
There arose a beautiful woman, eager for enjoyment, the mistress of the rasa dance.
वह्निशुद्धांशुकाधाना कोटिपूर्णशशिप्रभा
She was clad in garments purified by fire, radiant as a million full moons.
सस्मिता सुदती शुद्धा शरत्पद्मनिभानना
Smiling, with beautiful teeth, pure, her face like a lotus in autumn.
रत्नमालां च दधती ग्रीष्मसूर्य्यसमप्रभाम्
She wore a garland of jewels, shining like the summer sun.
संयुक्तं वर्तुलोत्तुंगं सुमेरु गिरिसन्निभम्
Her breasts were full, round, and high, resembling Mount Sumeru.
मांगल्यं मंगलार्हं च स्तनयुग्मं च बिभ्रती
She bore auspicious, worship-worthy, twin breasts.
कामातुरः सस्मितां तां ददर्श रसिकेश्वरः
The Lord of delight, overcome by desire, beheld her as she smiled.
दृष्ट्वा चैनं सुकान्तं च सा दधार हरेः पुरः
And seeing him, so handsome, she stood before Hari.
राधा भजति तं कृष्णं स च तां च परस्परम्
Rādhā worships that Kṛṣṇa, and he worships her, each the other.
भवनं धावनं रासे स्मरत्यालिंगनं जपन्
He remembers, while reciting her embrace, their dwelling and running together in the dance.
राशब्दोच्चारणाद्भक्तो राति मुक्तिं सुदुर्लभाम् ।। 2.48.
By uttering the word 'rāsa', the devotee attains liberation, which is most difficult to obtain.
कृष्णवामांशसम्भूता राधा रासेश्वरी पुरा
Rādhā, the queen of the rāsa, was formerly born from the left side of Kṛṣṇa.
रा इत्यादानवचनो धा च निर्वाणवाचकः
'Rā' is the syllable of giving, and 'dhā' expresses liberation.
बभूव गोपीसंघश्च राधाया लोमकूपतः
From the pores of Rādhā's body arose the multitude of gopīs.
राधावामांशभागेन महालक्ष्मीर्बभूव सा
By a portion of Rādhā's left side, Mahālakṣmī came into being.
चतुर्भुजस्य सा पत्नी देवी वैकुण्ठवासिनी
She is the wife of the four-armed Lord, the goddess dwelling in Vaikuṇṭha.
तदंशा मर्त्यलक्ष्मीश्च गृहिणां च गृहे गृहे
Her portions are the mortal Lakṣmīs, in every house among householders.
स्वयं राधा कृष्णपत्नी कृष्णवक्षःस्थलस्थिता
Rādhā herself is Kṛṣṇa's wife, abiding upon Kṛṣṇa's chest.
आब्रह्मस्तम्बपर्यन्तं सर्वं मिथ्यैव पार्वति
From Brahmā down to a blade of grass, all is truly false, O Pārvatī.
परं प्रधानं परमं परमात्मानमीश्वरम्
The supreme principle, the highest, the supreme self, the Lord—
स्वेच्छामयं नित्यरूपं भक्तानुग्रहविग्रहम् 2.48.
—is of the nature of his own will, eternal in form, the embodiment of grace to devotees.
तस्य प्राणाधिका राधा बहुसौभाग्यसंयुता
Rādhā, endowed with great fortune, is dearer to him than life.
मानिनीं राधिकां सन्तः सेवन्ते नित्यशस्सदा
The virtuous always and forever serve proud Rādhikā.
स्वप्ने राधापदाम्भोजं नहि पश्यन्ति बल्लवाः
The cowherds do not see the lotus feet of Rādhā even in their dreams.
स च द्वादशगोपानां रायाणप्रवरः प्रिये
And he, the foremost among the twelve chief cowherds, O beloved,
सुदामशापात्सा देवी गोलोकादागता महीम्
By Sudama’s curse, that goddess descended from Goloka to the earth.
पार्वत्युवाच कथं शशाप भृत्यो हि स्वाभीष्टां देवकामिनीम्
Pārvatī said: How did a servant curse the goddess, who was devoted to her own desire?
श्रीभगवानुवाच गोप्यं सर्वपुराणेषु शुभदं भक्तिमुक्तिदम्
The Blessed Lord said: This is the most secret in all the Purāṇas, auspicious, and bestows devotion and liberation.
एकदा राधिकेशश्च गोलोके रासमण्डले
Once, Rādhikā’s Lord, in Goloka, within the circle of the rāsa dance,
गृहीत्वा विरजां गोपीं सुभाग्यां राधिकासमाम्
Taking Virajā, the fortunate cowherdess equal to Rādhikā,