Friday, October 28, 2005

The nectar of the lotus of love

Premambhoja-maranda-stava-raja by Raghunath Das Goswami
Translated by Jagadananda Das (Gaudiya Discussions)

(1) Radha’s body is the embodiment of true love conceived in the most resplendent chintamani gem, anointed with the sweet-smelling love of her girlfriends, and shining with an inconceivable lustrous splendour.

(2) She bathes in waves of the nectar of compassion, a shower of the nectar of youthfulness, and a flood of the nectar of charming loveliness,so that the Goddess of Fortune languours in lassitude at her side.

(3) Her graceful form is hidden by the silken garment of shyness, decorated with the kunkuma of graceful beauty and dappled with the black musk of erotic sentiments for Shyamasundar.

(4) She puts on her natural ornaments, fashioned from the best nine jewels: shivering, tears in the eyes, horripilation, becoming stunned, perspiration, faltering of the voice, blushing, madness and inertness.

(5) She is garlanded with the flowers of wonderful virtues, such as her sweet-tongued speech. She is adorned with perfumed powders smelling of her sometimes sober and sometimes restless moods.

(6) Her imperceptible amour-propre is concealed within the coils of her hair. Her forehead is brightened with the tilakof her immense good fortune.

(7) Hearing Krishna’s name and qualities are the ornaments swinging in splendour and jubilation from her ears. The reddish colour of her lips is produced from the betelnut of her obsession for Krishna.

(8) The black collyrium on her eyes is the crookedness of her loving affairs. Her body is perfumed by the camphor of her sweet smile, the joking words spilling from her.

(9) Within the inner apartments of her bodily fragrance is a bed of pride upon which she sits, bemused,while wearing the restless necklace of prema-vaicittya, the love in separation felt even in union.

(10) Her breasts are concealed, bound with a bodice of wounded vanity.The sounds of her lute, her fame and beauty, dry up the faces and hearts of her competitors in love.

(11) She leans with her lotus hands on the shoulder of her friend, adolescent youth personified, just before beginning to distribute the mead of intoxicating love for Krishna,herself the personification of the erotic sentiment.

(12) Please bring back to life this very sombre nobody, who is bowing down before you with straw between his teeth, by sprinkling him with the nectar of your servitorship.

(13) Oh Gandharvika! A truly compassionate person will not reject even a rascal if he is surrendered to him. Therefore please, never abandon this person who is similarly surrendered to you.

(14) Whoever recites this hymn entitled “the nectar of the lotus of love," produced of her mercy, will surely attain service at her lotus feet.

premAmbhoja-marandAkhyaM stava-rAjammahA-bhAvojjvalac-cintA-ratnodbhAvita-vigrahAm sakhI-praNaya-sad-gandha-varodvartana-suprabhAm 1kAruNyAmRta-vIcibhis tAruNyAmRta-dhArayA lAvaNyAmRta-vanyAbhiH snapitAM glaptendirAm 2hrI-paTTa-vastra-guptAGgIM saundarya-ghusRNAJcitAm zyAmalojjvala-kastUrI-vicitrita-kalevarAm 3kampAzru-pulaka-stambha-sveda-gadgada-raktatAH unmAdo jADyam ity etai rathanir navabhir uttamaiH 4kLptAlaGkRti-saMsliSTAM guNAlI-puSpa-mAlinIm dhIrAdhIrAtva-sad-vAsa-paTa-vAsaiH pariSkRtAm 5pracchanna-mAna-dhammillAM saubhAgya-tilakojjvalAm kRSNa-nAma-yazaH-zrAva-vataMsollAsi-karNikAm 6rAga-tAmbUla-raktauSThIM prema-kauTilya-kajjalAm narma-bhASita-nisyanda-smita-karpUra-vAsitAm 7saurabhAntaH-pure garva-paryaGkopari lIlayA niviSTAM prema-vaicittya-vicalat-taralAJcitAm 8praNaya-krodha-sac-colI-bandh-guptI-kRta-stanAm sapatnI-vaktra-hRc-choSi-yazaH-zrI-kacchapI-varAm 9madhyatAtma-sakhI-skandha-lIlAnyasta-karAmbujAm zyAmAM zyAma-smarAmoda-madhulI-parivezikAm 10tvAM natvA yAcate dhRtvA tRNaM dantair ayaM janaH sva-dAsyAmRta-sekena jIvayAmuM suduHkhitam 11na muJcec charaNAyAtam api duSTaM dayAmayaH ato gAndharvike hA hA muJcainaM naiva tAdRzam 12premAmbhoja-marandAkhyaM stavarAjam imaM janaH zrI-rAdhikA-kRpA-hetuM paThaMs tad-dAsyam ApnuyAt 13

SRI RADHIKA 108 NAMA STOTRAM

By Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami

aviksatmesvari kascid vrndavana-mahesvarim
tat padamboja-matraika gati dasyati katara
patita tat-saras tire ruda tyartha-ravakulam
tac chri-vaktreksanavaptyai namanyetani sanjagau

Some maidservant, unable to find her mistress, has fallen on the bank
of Radhakunda, crying in great anxiety, being very eager to take
exclusive shelter of Her lotus feet, glorifying Her by singing the following
names of Her:

radha gandharvika gosthayuva-rajaika-kamita
gandharva radhika candrakantir madhava-sangini

1. Radha, 2. Gandharvika, 3. The only girl desired by the prince of
Vraja, 4. Who is worshipped by the Gandharva-angels, 5. Whose luster is
like the moon, 6. Who accompanies Madhava.

damodaradvaita-sakhi kartikotkirtidesvari
mukunda dayita-vrnda dhammilla mani-manjari

7. Damodar's unrivalled girlfriend, 8. The queen who bestows fame on
the Kartika month, 9. The crestjewel of Mukunda's ladyfriends.

bhaskaropasika varsabhanavi vrsabhanuja
ananga manjari jyestha sridama varajottama

10. Who worships the sun, 11. Who belongs to King Vrsabhanu, 12. Who is
born from King Vrsabhanu, 13. Ananga Manjari's older sister, 14.
Sridama's younger sister, 15. The greatest (fem.)

kirtida-kanyaka matr-sneha-piyusa-putrika
visakha-savayah prestha visakha jivitadhika

16. Kirtida's daughter, 17. Who is the nectarean object of Her mother's
affection, 18. Who is of the same age as Visakha, 19. Who is dearer
than life to Visakha.

pranadvitiya lalita vrndavana viharini
lalita prana-laksaika-raksa vrndavanesvari

20. Who is none other than Lalita's very life, 21. Enjoys in Vrndavana,
22. Who saves Lalita's life lakhs of times, 23. Queen of Vrndavana.

vrajendra-grhini krishna-praya-sneha-niketanam
vraja go-gopa-gopali jiva-matraika-jivanam

24. Who is as dear to Mother Yasoda as Krishna, 25. Who is the only
life of the life of the cows, cowherdsmen and cowherdgirls of Vraja.

snehalabhira-rajendra vatsalacyuta-purva-ja
govinda pranayadhara surabhi sevanotsuka



26. Who is the object of King Nanda's affection, 27. Who gets parental
affection from Balaram, 28. Who is the object of Govinda's love
(Govinda is eager to serve His surabhi cows).

dhrta nandisvara-ksema gamanotkanthi-manasa
sva-dehadvaitata drsta dhanistha dhyeya-darsana

29. Who is very eager to go to Nandisvara for serving Krishna, 30. Who
is regarded as non-different from her by Dhanistha and seen in her
meditations, (Dhanistha is Yasoda's maidservant).

gopendra-mahisi paka-sala-vedi prakasika
ayur-varddha-karaddhana rohini ghrata-mastaka

31. Who is seen in Mother Yadosa's kitchen, 32. Whose cooked grains
increase Krishna's life, 33. Whose head is smelt by Rohini.

subala nyasta sarupya subala priti-tosita
mukhara-drk sudha-naptri jatila drsti-bhasita

34. Who has bestowed a form equal to Hers to Subala, 35. Who is very
fond of Subala, 36. Who is nectar in Mukhara's eyes, 37. Who is afraid to
see Her mother-in-law, Jatila.

madhumangala narmokti janita-smita-candrika
paurnamasi bahih khelat prana-panjara sarika

38. Who smiles like the moonbeams after hearing Madhumangala's jokes,
39. The she-parrot of Whose heart is caught in Paurnamasi's cage.

sva ganadvaita jivatuh sviyahankara-vardhini
sva ganopendra padabja sparsa-lambhana harsini

40. Who is the only life of Her friends, 41. Who increases the pride of
Her relatives, 42. Who is very happy to touch Upendra's feet with Her
friends.

sviya vrndavanodyana paliki krta-vrndaka
jnata vrndatavi sarva lata-taru-mrga-dvija

43. Who has placed Vrnda in charge of Vrndavana's gardens, 44. Who is
known by all the vines, trees, deer and birds of Vrndavana.

isac candana samghrsta nava-kasmira-deha-bhah
java-puspa pritha-hari patta cinarunambara

Whose body shines with fresh vermillion ground with some sandalpaste,
46. Whose silken dress shines more reddish than the java flower.

caranabja-tala-jyotir arunakrta-bhutala
hari citta camatkari caru nupura nihsvana

47. Whose lotus footsoles make the surface of the earth shine
crimson-red, 48. Who astonishes Hari's mind with the sweet sound of Her
anklebells.

krishna-sranti-hara sroni pitha-valgita ghantika
krishna sarvasva pinodyat kucancan mani-malika

49. The nice sounds of whose waistbells remove Krishna's fatigue, 50.
The pearl necklace on whose firm, raised breasts is everything to
Krishna.

nana-ratnollasad sankha-cuda caru bhuja-dvaya
syamantaka-mani bhrajan mani-bandhati-bandhura

51. Whose two beautiful arms are adorned with conchshell bangles inset
with various jewels, 52. On Whose wrist the beautiful Syamantaka jewel
shines.

suvarna darpana-jyotir ullanghi mukha-mandala
pakka dadima bijabha dantakrstaghabhic chuka

53. The shining of Whose face defeats that of a golden mirror, 54.
Whose teeth, that shine like ripe pomegranate seeds, attract the
parrot-like Aghabhit (Krishna).

abja-ragadi srstabja-kalika karna-bhusana
saubhagya kajjalankakta netranandita khanjana

55. Whose ruby earrings are shaped like lotus buds, 56. Whose
wagtail-like eyes are anointed with beautiful eyeliner, giving great joy to the
eyes.

suvrtta mauktika mukta nasika tilapuspika
sucaru nava-kasturi tilakancita-bhalaka

57. Whose nose, that is beautiful as a sesame flower, is adorned with a
round pearl, 58. Whose forehead is adorned with beautiful tilak made of
fresh musk.

divya veni vinirdhuta keki-pincha-vara-stutih
netranta-sara vidhvamsakrta canurajid dhrtih

59. Whose divine hairbraid is worshiped by peacock feathers (being
defeated in beauty), 60. The arrows of Whose glances destroy the patience
of Krishna, Who defeated the Canura wrestler.

sphurat kaisora-tarunya sandhi-bandhura-vigraha
madhavollasakonmatta pikoru madhura-svara

61. Who is blooming teenage beauty personified, 62. Who pleases
Madhava, 63. Who maddens Madhava with Her sweet, cuckoo-like voice.

pranayuta-sata prestha madhavotkirti-lampata
krishnapanga-tarangodyat smita-piyusa-budbuda

64. Who is more attached to Madhava's great glories than to millions of
lives, 65. Whose nectarean smiles provide bubbles on the waves of
Krishna's glances.

punjibhuta jagallajja vaidagdhi-digdha-vigraha
karuna vidravad deha murtiman madhuri-ghata

66. Who is the very form of cleverness, embarrassing the whole world,
67. Whose body melts in kindness, 68. Who is abundant sweetness
personified.

jagad-gunavati-varga giyamana gunoccaya
sacyadi subhaga-vrnda vandyamanoru-saubhaga

69. Whose glories arre loudly sung by all the great ladies of the
world, 70. Who is incessantly praised by beautiful ladies like Saci.

vina-vadana sangita rasalasya visarada
narada pramukhodgita jagad anandi sad-yasah

71. Who is expert in singing and playing vina in the rasa dance, 72.
Whose pure glories are sung by sages headed by Narada, giving joy to the
world.

govardhana-guha geha grhini kunja-mandana
candamsu-nandini baddha bhagini-bhava-vibhrama

73. She is the housewife in the caves in Govardhana, 74. She decorates
the kunja, 75. She has a sisterly relationship with Yamuna, (Yamuna is
the daughter of the sun and Radha is the daughter of Vrsabhanu, the sun
in Taurus).

divya kundalata narma sakhya-dama-vibhusita
govardhanadharahladi srngara-rasa-pandita

76. She is adorned with the wreath of divine Kundalata's friendship,
77. She is the professor in amorous rapture, giving joy to the holder of
Govardhana.

girindra-dhara vaksah srih sankhacudari-jivanam
gokulendra-suta-prema kama-bhupendra-pattanam

78. She is Laksmi on the chest of the holder of Govardhan, 79. She is
the life of the enemy of Sankhacuda, 80. She is the settlement of Cupid
for the love of the son of Gokulendra.

vrsa-vidhvamsa narmokti sva-nirmita sarovara
nija kunda-jala-krida jita sankarsananuja

81. Who made Her own pond after the killer of Arista mocked Her, 82.
Who defeats Sankarsana's younger brother in sports in Her own pond.

mura-mardana mattebha vihara-mrta-dirghika
girindra-dhara-parindra rati-yuddhoru simhika

83. She is the ambrosial pond of enjoyment for the intoxicated elephant
who defeated Mura, 84. She is a powerful lioness fighting amorous
sports with the king of lions, the holder of the best of mountains.

sva tanu-saurabhonmatti krta mohana madhava
dor-muloccalana krida vyakuli-krta kesava

85. Who enchants Madhava with Her intoxicating bodily fragrance, 86.
Who agitates Kesava by playfully showing Her armpit.

nija kunda-tati kunja klrpta keli kalodyama
divya malli-kulollasi sayyakalpita vigraha

87. Who expands Her artful plays in the kunja on the bank of Her own
pond, 88. Who makes a bed of divine jasmine flowers there with joy.

krishna vama-bhuja nyasta caru daksina gandaka
savya bahu-lata baddha krishna daksina sad-bhuja

89. Who places Her beautiful right cheek on Krishna's left arm, 90. Who
holds Krishna's right arm with Her left vine-like arm.

krishna daksina caruru slista vamoru-rambhika
girindra-dhara drg-vaksor mardi-sustana-parvata

91. Whose beautiful, broad, banana-like left hip touches Krishna's
right hip, 92. Whose nice, mountain-like breasts are being massaged by the
Holder of Govardhana.

govindadhara piyusa vasitadhara-pallava
sudha-sancaya carukti sitali-krta madhava

93. Whose leaf-like lips are scented by the nectar of Govinda's lips,
94. Whose beautiful words distribute nectar, cooling Madhava off.

govindodgirna tambula raga rajyat kapolika
krishna sambhoga saphali-krta manmatha sambhava

95. Whose cheeks are colored by the pan from Govinda's lips, 96. Who
realizes Krishna's fancies of amorous enjoyments.

govinda marjitoddama rati-prasvinna sanmukha
visakha vijita krida-santi nidralu-vigraha

97. The profuse perspiration from whose face is wiped off by Govinda,
98. Who is being fanned by Visakha when She falls asleep after playing
with Krishna.

govinda-carana-nyasta kaya-manasa jivana
svapranarbuda nirmanchya hari pada-rajah kana

99. Who has placed Her life, body and mind at Govinda's lotus feet,
100. Who worships the dust of Hari's lotus feet with billions of hearts.

anumatracyutadarsa sayyamanatma locana
nitya-nutana govinda vaktra-subhramsu-darsana

101. Who curses Her eyes for every second that they do not see Acyuta,
102. Who beholds Govinda's ever-fresh moonlike face.

nihsima hari-madhurya saundaryadyeka-bhogini
sapatnya dhama murali-matra bhagya kataksini

103. Who is the only enjoyer of Hari's endless sweetness and beauty,
104. Who can only blink at the fortune of Her co-wife, the Murali flute.

gadha buddhi-bala krida jita vamsi-vikarsini
narmokti candrikotphulla krishna kamabdi-vardhini

105. Who takes Krishna's flute after defeating Him in a gambling match,
106. Who increases the ocean of Krishna's desires by the full moonbeams
of Her joking words.

vraja-candrendriya-grama visrama-vidhu-salika
krishna sarvendriyonmadi radhetyaksara-yugmaka

107. Who is the moonlike resting place for all the senses of the moon
of Vraja (Sri Krishna), 108. The two syllables of Whose name Ra-dha
madden all of Krishna's senses.

idam sri radhika namnam astottara satojjvalam
sri radhalambhakam nama stotram caru-rasayanam

yo dhite parama pritya dinah katara-manasah
sa natham acirenaiva sa natham iksate dhruvam

Whoever recites these 108 names of Sri Radha, that consists of all
beautiful, nectarean Radha-nama, with great love, humility and eagerness,
will certainly and swiftly behold her Mistress.

iti srimad raghunatha dasa gosvami viracita stavavalyam sri
radhika-stottara-sata nama stotram sampurnam.

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Mahaprabhu's instructions to Raghunatha Das

Caitanya Caritamrta Antya 6 .234

grāmya-kathā nā śunibe, grāmya-vārtā nā kahibe
bhāla nā khāibe āra bhāla nā paribe

amānī mānada hañā krsna-nāma sadā la'be
vraje rādhā-krsna-sevā mānase karibe

Do not listen to gossip and do not speak gossip;
Do not eat well and do not wear fine clothes;
Do not be proud but give honour to others;
Always chant the name of krsna; (and)
In your mind serve radha and krsna in vraja

SYNONYMS
amānī — not expecting any respect; māna-da — offering respect to others; hañā — becoming; krsna-nāma ; sadā — always; la'be — you should chant; vraje — in Vrndāvana; rādhā-krsna-sevā — service to Rādhā and Krsna; mānase — within the mind; karibe — you should do.

Monday, October 24, 2005

The last trial of Witchcraft (UK)

The trial of a Scottish witch
CRAIG HOWIE - The Scotsman
ON THE surface, it seemed the classic witchcraft trial conducted a la Salem. An alleged witch could admit to practising magic and face prison or admit she was not conspiring with the dark arts and be jailed for fraud. To sink or float, as it were.
But this was not the Middle Ages - it was wartime Britain - and Helen Duncan's fate was sealed after she held the dubious honour of being the last Briton convicted on charges relating to witchcraft. While the Callander-born psychic died in 1956, the fight to clear her name continues today.
"A massive miscarriage of justice has occurred," claims the publisher of the magazine that today spearheads Duncan's appeal.
It has been more than 50 years since one of the country's more bizarre criminal trials occurred. The case not only involved alleged paranormal activity, but national security, Winston Churchill and a Scotsman reporter's admission under oath of witnessing an apparition of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
A practising medium who specialised in producing "materialisations" at seances held across Scotland, Duncan's crime was to claim that she contacted a dead sailor whose ship had been sunk by the German U-boats. The wartime government, then plotting to invade occupied France, would only report the sinking of the HMS Barham two weeks after Duncan's witnessed revelation.
Amid concerns in the coalition government that her psychic intelligence could endanger national security, Duncan was tried in London's Old Bailey under antiquated witchcraft laws. The government also claimed that by the nature of her work - contacting the dead - Duncan was fraudulently preying on a nation's suffering psyche, as the death toll mounted in the Second World War.

Was Helen Duncan a witch, a fraud or someone with extraordinary powers?
The 46-year-old from Edinburgh pleaded not guilty in February 1944 to a charge of contravening Section 4 of the Witchcraft Act, 1735, as well as causing "money to be paid by false pretences" and "creating a public mischief", following a police raid at a seance conducted by Duncan, in the Master Temple Psychic Centre, atop a drug store in Portsmouth, England.
As in the Massachusetts town of Salem, and in the cases of thousands of witches over history, Duncan's legal hands were tied. In the short trial, the prosecution convinced the jury that all goings-on at seances were so "palpably ridiculous", that Duncan was by default a fraud who had extracted money by craft. The judge agreed and sent the Scot to prison for nine months, though Duncan's not-guilty plea to witchcraft was upheld.
The trial continues to fascinate, and to be scrutinised. Duncan's defence produced 44 witnesses to her alleged supernatural acts and called to testify The Scotsman's chief news correspondent, who would say under oath to have witnessed Duncan conjure an apparition of the late Sir Arthur at a séance the reporter had attended.
James Herries, an investigator of psychic phenomena for 20 years and a personal friend of the Edinburgh-born author of Sherlock Holmes, claims: "The figure was a little ghostly, but I easily recognised the rounded features of Sir Arthur, particularly the moustache. The figure spoke, and I traced a distinct similarity to Sir Arthur's voice." A navy brigadier also backed his claims.
The Scotsman reported a trial tinged with bizarreness, such as the court's collective, impromptu singing of Loch Lomond when Duncan's Scottish accent was commented upon by the prosecuting attorney.
It was also notable for the involvement of Churchill, then-Prime Minister, who wrote to his Home Secretary demanding to know why Duncan was being tried, and under a bill dredged up from 1935. Unable to secure Duncan's release, Churchill, who had a documented interest in the paranomal, would later visit Duncan in jail.
Ray Taylor, owner of Psychic World, the magazine which originally broke the story of Duncan's demise under the headline "Mediums demand pardon for the murder of Helen Duncan", also speaks of "several contradictions" in the case that he believes could work in favour of the appeal. The matter is currently in the hands of the criminal case review body.
"We found one or two interesting aspects, that the barrister who defended Helen Duncan was not a criminal one; he specialised in conveyancing and the like - he was not the right one to defend her," Taylor notes. "Also we dug out some records that belong to the Home Office, which they say they don't have, so we seem to be at an advantage over this one."
Several trial witnesses described seances at which long-dead relatives materialised, alongside ectoplasm - a white, morphous substance secreted from Duncan's stomach. The sitting judge denied the defence's request that Duncan should be allowed to give a demonstration of her powers in court. Notably, Duncan's legal team also argued that nobody had proved photos of the apparent ghosts were false.
Several publications have also highlighted an apparent assault on Duncan in 1956 by the arresting officers, who had seized the medium as she was conducting another séance. This was said to have resulted in her serious injury – second-degree burns to her stomach area - that led to her death.
Medium or fraud, Duncan had been silenced as in Salem, and as with all other "convicted" witches before her.