Friday, November 7, 2008

Prem Sudha Dhara: Pushpaji

(page 6)


Shri Radha Rani or Kishoriji

Sri Hari

Shri Barsana Dhaam

9thSeptember 1984

Dear Puspaji,

With Love Jai Shri Hari!


I received your postcard. You must have also got respected Bahinji’s card. I wanted to write earlier but could not due to circumstances and fatigue.


Sri Dharamji must have given you a visual record of the merriment, cheering crowds and gaiety of Sri Radha Rani’s birth celebrations. I remembered you off and on that day. Sri Radha, personifying maternal tenderness, would have certainly cheered you up.


The lively frolicking of Vrashbhanu Bhavan, tinkling anklets, delighted gopis’ giggling, blessings of priests, and melodious auspicious songs sung with parental fondness, were ecstatic …Ah! The ambience still resonates with the bustle of that charming commotion; the rejoicing Brajbalas'-their constant chatter…the sweet delightful sound of their laughter. Hordes of Braj residents decked in the best of their finery …loaded with gifts…wearing tinkling anklets…surge ahead on the birth celebrations of their adulated darling Sri Radha. The site, narrow lanes, Bhavan and courtyard resonating with their mellifluous songs.


Kirtida, Radha Rani’s mother and Sri Rohini are delighted. Awfully busy…their beaming faces are not fatigued… but rather awash with enthused exaltation. All of a sudden on hearing a birthday song accounting her adorable Radhika’s lovely childhood, Mother Kirtida halts before entering the kitchen. The platter loaded with assorted delicacies held in her hands, as she stands stupefied. She has forgotten that now her pampered Radha is stepping into youth. Memories of infant Radhika; her delighted cries as she swings her tender arms and tiny feet…cradled in Kiritda's lap… and hugged by her, tug at her heartstrings. When baby Radha gaily prances around, the sweet tinkling of her anklets and armlets instantly draws everyone with dedicated devotion. Mother Kirtida is already in such a state of bliss…Mothers Yashoda and Rohini also seem steeped in the joyous abandon of her infancy.


At times one can hear prattle from baby Radha’s tender parted lips, putting the melodious sound of hundreds of vinas to shame. And soon enough a gentle smile spreads across her red lips. Kirtida’s eyes are doting as she savours her childhood innocence. How can she possibly guess that charming Radha by the loveliness of her youth, the sweetness of her limbs is busy gratifying the new essence of her life-its terrifying rush of love; at the back of the bhavan in dense bowers amidst whispering ferns, engrossed in a romantic dalliance with Lord Krishna. Some close sakhis also involved in this romantic escapade, delight in the amorous frolic. Joy and laughter pervade the environs.


The women of Braj have not the slightest inkling of beautiful young Radhika 's whereabouts in such a huge palace, engrossed as they are in festive songs…presenting gifts…and merriment. The divine play of the mischievous pair, Sri Radha-Krishna, is eternal…when the mother frantically searches around for Kishoriji …her maternal tenderness eagerly desirous to bless her, she sights…Sri Radha heading towards her with a faint smile. Hugging her daughter, she kisses her forehead and pats her; blessing her from the core of her heart. Now when the males are desirous to behold Sri Radha they see soon enough…she stands smiling…holding the corner of Sri Vrashbhanu Baba’s sash, seeming intimidated with her fair-complexioned moon like face beaming. Soon after there is a cascade of blessings and good wishes.


Sri Radha, the blissful energy or hladini shakti of Lord Krishna, gives darshan or manifests for everyone as per their bhavas (love flowing towards her), delighting and showering happiness on her devotees.


Youthful Radhika reigning supreme amidst her sakhis, thrills in amorous frolics with her supreme lover Lord Krishna in the very same garden. Ah! A heart-stirring celebratory function arrayed with several glimpses under one roof. One never knows when Kirtida came out of her delightful haze of memories and forayed into the conscious world…! Once again the same sweet state of affairs-joyous association-the same hospitality, arranging for the feast and drinks…this ecstasy knows no bounds.


Okay, Jai Hari!

With Love,

Yours very own Usha

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Prem Sudha Dhara - Vimlaji

(page 4)
Lord Krishna, Captivates us

Shri Hari
Ambala Cant
1955 - 56
Dear Vimlaji,

With Love Jai Radhe Shyam!

…Well, let’s come back to the same story. I had written about the persona of a crazed Brajbala in my last letter. Now listen further to what happened. I am sending you this write up from ‘Kalyan’.


The Brajbala Sees Manmohan Krishna Passing By

“She has sighted Manmohan (captivating, an epithet of Lord Krishna) passing by from her door. The incidence triggered off frenzied absorption in the infinite beauty of lotus-eyed Shyam Sundar. With not a moment of respite, she has virtually converted the entrance and courtyard of her house into one. You never know when Krishna may pass that way. Her vision is glued to the path, flitting back over and over again. The pathos of longing grips her; she pines for Him day in and day out,.engrossed in the multi-hued array of her dreams,

Gradually but radically this fascination transforms into divine madness.


Nand Bhavan

Intoxicated and lifeless she constantly hovers around Nand Bhavan (residence of Lord Krishna son of Nand) on some pretext; not revealing the purpose of her lovelorn state and her ardent longing for Lord Krishna. After all love is a trove of silence not to be flaunted about. Eagerly desirous, every moment she awaits His arrival. Lighting a lamp in her residence, she darts back to the door-probably imagining the footfalls of her elusive Priya (Supreme Lover Krishna) in her own footsteps. But the darkness which reflects within…the terrifying darkness of despair, she wants to enlighten with the bright rays of hope. How can that gloom possibly be dispelled by the lamp of this bhavan. How long the succeeding episodes of the pathos of longing and joys of belonging continued, who can possibly tell?

She passes three hours in the courtyard of Yashoda Maiya, gathering broken fragments of several  emotions tugging at her heart strings. 


The Brajbala Sights  Mohan

Finally she has darshan and sights Mohan (epithet of Lord Krishna). How clever she is! So steeped in the love of Krishna is her heart that while Brahmins may only aspire for reaching the state of oneness with the Lord, she has already attained it by a glimpse of Him. So pure are her thoughts that she constantly savours its glorious essence deep within.

The tale goes on further but I will probably narrate it next time.

Vimla Ji! I always get stuck on reaching this juncture of the cry of the enraptured soul for union with God. Is one ever endowed with ecstatic bliss? But probably every moment of fervent longing is termed as divine gratification in the spiritual realm. I can not say about others but assure myself that smug complacency invariably causes damage. 

Yearning for Union with the Divine

rous, yearning for union with the divine then life will be an empty arid stretch what else…you tell me! At one end I see you sing the glories of Lord Krishna, loving Him constantly, freely and without purpose. Observing you also does not spark off desire in this unfeeling heart.

You bestow such strength on me that in whichever condition the Almighty keeps me in…I can reciprocate with joyous abandon.

Respectfully with love,

Usha.

Prem Sudha Dhara: Santosh Bahenji

(page 1)

The Supreme Lover, Krishna, Takes Out a Thorn from Radha's feet

Sri Hari

Sri Barsana Dhaam

14th February, 1968


Higly respected dear Santosh Bahenji,


With love Jai Sri Hari.


The weather has again become pleasant since yesterday. A cold blast blew crazily for the past four to five days. Truly speaking, enchanted by celestial Braj Bhoomi the wind seemed eagerly desirous to stay on. Resting for a while it darted back with frenzied passion; peeping into every nikunja to glimpse a fresh playful dalliance of Lord Krishna, the paragon of sweetness.


Helpless in harnessing its fervent infatuation expressed in speedy gusts. Taking rest at the moment the breeze is dormant. Some clouds have gathered since yesterday…as if giving chance for a new romantic frolic to their adorable Priya-Priyatam…in the slight shade of their blackish dark canopy. Sunshine-shade…the play of clouds overcasting the sky and the suns’ rays; their hide and seek adds a novel freshness to the environs.


Highly revered Sri Sakhaji came by yesterday to Gahar Van. He narrated a delightful lila or divine play of the Lord’s amorous escapade. You can hear it there after a few days or if you come over to Barsana. Priyaji laughed with joyous abandon and to top it was Priyatam’s clueless amazement. Soon after, you have an enthused exultation of this spirited antic.


Right in the beginning there is a doha or rhyming couplet.

Giri Gahvar Vanbhoomi Sukhad, Sukhad Lata Tarupanti

Gaur Shyam Vilsat Rahat, Vividh Roop Bahubhanti.


A thorn which had pricked Priyaji’s holy feet delightfully amused Priyatam. And just listen to the various ways in which the privileged thorn became an object of the supreme lover’s, ardent passion.


A white curtain has been laid out today. On the pedestal is draped a flashy green cloth. Thakurji looks ethereal in a white woolen dress. The dhoti (piece of cloth worn around the lower body, one end of which passes between the legs and is tucked in behind) patuka (scarf) and Sri Sri Radha’s dupatta (wrap around) have golden zardosi work. The necklace and diadem are golden-hued. Our ardentYugal’s (Lord Krishna) radiant brilliance spilling forth as this golden lustre.


Yesterday we had pinkish-hued (like a water-melon) shangar (adornments of Thakurji with textile, flowers and jewellery). The necklace and diadem were in whitish gold. In my last letter I had described another day’s shangar. Some time back the sun shone on Thakurji and rejoiced in its good fortune. Today our Yugalsarkar was pleasingly amused by the playful dalliance of sunshine and shade.


With regards and love,


Usha

Prem Sudha Dhara by Revered Usha Bahenji (Boboji)



Publisher’s Preface


It is a matter of great delight that through highly revered Usha Bahenji, a treasure trove of virtues and dedicated devotion to Shri Radha-Krishna, steeped in the essence of Vraj-Vrindavana; a compilation of instructive letters written to her followers plus enlightenment on Lord Krishna’s divine play is being published as ‘Prem Sudha Dhara’. Ushaji was a saint of the highest order-an exponent of Indian Culture, Vrinadavana’s mode of worship and above all famed for her inimitable style of fondly adulating Shri Radha-Krishna, which forms the subject of her letters.


We find expressions of whatever she experienced, her daily regime and the fundamental nature of her existence. Gathering some valuable correspondences from this collection we present ‘Prem Sudha Dhara’.


My viewpoint is that this compilation will prove greatly beneficial to the Vaishnava World.


Saint Shri Lalita Babuta


Banke Bihari Colony