THE MASTER OF THE GOPIS HASBECOME A MENDICANT

THE MASTER OF THE GOPIS HAS BECOME A MENDICANT
The medieval Vaishnava Shivananda
(Suha-i-rāga)
pūrve ye-i gopīnāthaśrīmatī rādhikā sātha se sukha bhāviyā ebe dīna
ye kare muralī bāyadanda kamandalu tāya kai-tae e dora kaupīna
He who was formerly Radha’s companion and the master of the gopīs has now become a joyful poor mendicant. He who formerly held a flute in His hand now holds a danda and kamandalu.At His waist, a kaupīna is tied.
adhare muralī pūrivraja-badhūra mana curi kari sukha bā_aye tāhāra
nayana-kaāksa-bāde marame paśiyā hāne se mārane bahe aśru-dhāra
He who formerly filled the flute at His lips, stole the gopī’s hearts, enjoyed many blissful pastimes, and fired many arrows of sidelong glances at the gopī’s hearts, now sheds flooding rivers of tears from His eyes.
yamunāra vane vanego-dhana rākhāla sane naa-veśe vijayī bākhāne
nāhi jāni seha ebeki jāni kāhāra bhāvevilāsaye sankīrtana sthāne
He who formerly, dressed like a dancing-actor, walked from forest to forest by the Yamuna as He herded the cows, is now overcome with love. Enjoying pastimes of sankīrtana, He knows nothing but ecstasy.
bhāvite se saba sukhadvi-guna bādhaye dukhaviraha anale jari jari
e śivānandera hiyā gadila pāsāna diyā nā darabe se sukha sonari
In the ecstasy of meeting, He is filled with bliss. In the agony of separation, His unhappiness doubles and He burns in the flames of suffering. His chanting of the holy name fills with bliss even Shivananda’s heart, a heart built of stone. _
— Gokulananda Sen. Pada-kalpa-taru. Syamacharan Library. Calcutta. 438 Gaurabda (1924). Bengali.

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