Diadem Divine

I seem to be falling into this pattern of seeing and hearing or seeing and reading about the same topic on the same day, kind of reinstating a point. My daughter picked out something for me to read to her and i found that it was about Jayadev Goswami, author of Gita Govinda. I have these Amar Chitra Katha comics that i used to read as a young girl. I got them bound and carried them from India as one would carry a prized possession. I remember asking my father for three things whenever he would set out on tours: comics, high heeled shoes and dolls. Fotunately for me the dolls have been transformed into deity worship and the comics have given way to Sastras and the high heels ..well i kicked the habit (of wearing them).

English just doesn't do justice to the meaning of these words. In Hindi it is Amar Chitra Katha - meaning eternal picture storybook and in English it is comic book? As i was reading out this katha to her, i saw this particular line in the story where Jayadeva writes. "Oh Radha place your tender feet upon my head as a diadem divine." He however contemplates on the verse, striking out the lines as he feels that it would be improper to describe Krishna as being sub-ordinate to Radhika. But God disposes off his proposal and He Himself comes in the guise of Jayadeva, in his absence and rewrites the very same lines again. Jayadeva realizes the Lord's inner desires and continues with his legendary Gita Govinda.

This pastime immediately reminded me of the pastime from Radha Rasa Sudha Nidhi, (i know i have to know my ABCs, but i 'm always curious to hear about Radharani) where fearful of Lalita, Radharani displays feelings of transcendental anger towards Krishna for having messed up the lac on her feet while He was painting it. In mock anger she is said to have kicked Krishna on His forehead and Krishna walks around happy that He has achieved the dust of Srimati Radharani's lotus feet, not even wanting to have a dip in the Yamuna for the fear that He would lose it. The dust for which Brahma, Shiva and even Lakshmi devi vie for is rarely obtained. HH Mahanidhi swami describes this instance of Radha's 'maan' by saying that while Radharani who is the most devoted servant of Krishna feels that Krishna belongs to Her, the Vipaksha sakhis feel that they belong to Krishna. Radharani thereby displays her love for Krishna in yet another rasa, that of transcendental anger. On the very same day i saw this beautiful picture of Srimati Radharani's lotus feet with Shyam written on it and a small pendant of Krishna placed on each foot. This reinstated for me the fact that we have to develop a sense of Sambandha, a belonging with Krishna and highlighted how Krishna considers Himself sub-ordinate to his pure devotee.