Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c11.s3.28

c11.s3.28

In Act I we learn that Rādhā, with Lalitā and Viśākhā, is going to worship the sun-god Sūrya, while Candrāvalī, with Padmā and Śaivyā, is preparing to go to Gaurī-tīrtha to worship Caṇḍikā there; but the elderly, resourceful and kind-hearted Paurṇamāsī, who intends to promote their love-affairs, is scheming to effect the secret union of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā. From her Kṛṣṇa hears of Rādhā, united already by a semblance of marriage to Abhimanyu; while the sweet and enchanting music of his flute, from which the Act itself is called Veṇu-nāda-vilāsa, as well as a picture of Kṛṣṇa shown by Viśākhā, fills Rādhā with the longings of Pūrva-rāga. In Act II, we have the wails of love and separation of Rādhā, as well as of Kṛṣṇa in the approved Kāvya manner. Paurṇamāsī suggests to Rādhā the composition of a love-letter to Kṛṣṇa (from which central incident the Act is entitled Anaṅga-lekha) with the petals of Karṇikāra flowers. The letter, as well as a garland of black-and-red berries of Guñjā (Abrus precatorius), is delivered by Lalitā; but Kṛṣṇa pretends to spurn them and displays mock-righteousness, although in the end he gives in return a garland of Rañjana flowers to Lalitā. Kṛṣṇa's show of indifference makes Rādhā desperate, and she wants to throw herself into the Yamunā. Kṛṣṇa overhears all this, and makes his appearance on the scene, but the chance of a pleasant meeting is spoiled by the old duenna Jaṭilā (Rādhā's mother-in-law), who suddenly arrives and breaks up the party. The third Act, called Rādhā-saṃgama, describes the union of the lovers through the contrivance of Paurṇamāsī, aided by Lalitā and Viśākhā. The fourth Act introduces the motif of jealousy by describing the Pūrva-rāga of Rādhā's rival Candrāvalī; and we have a series of picture of Rādhā's moods and situations as Abhisārikā, Vāsakasajjā, Utkaṇṭhitā, Vipralabdhā and Khaṇḍitā, depicted in accordance with the prescriptions of Rasa-śāstra. But the main theme of the Act, which is called Veṇu-haraṇa, is the playful stealing of Kṛṣṇa's mischievous flute by Rādhā, a feat which, we are told, no other Gopī could perform. This completes the morning sports after union overnight. The fifth Act proceeds to describe the midday sports and to depict Rādhā as a Kalahāntaritā heroine, separated by a love-quarrel, her Māna and propitiation by Kṛṣṇa, and the erotic sports in the forest involving the Prema-vaicittya Bhāva (loving apprehension of separation) of Rādhā¹. The sixth Act, as its title indicates, is concerned with the Śarada-vihāra, not as the commentary explains, with the entire autumnal Rāsa-līlā described in the Bhāgavata, but only with a part of the sports at night, chiefly with Rādhā. The seventh and last Act, entitled Gaurī-tīrtha-vihāra, deals with the secret meeting with Candrāvalī who had gone, with her companions Padmā and Śaivyā, to Gaurī-tīrtha ostensibly to worship Caṇḍikā; but the meeting is frustrated by Paurṇamāsī who sends Rādhā there with Lalitā. Candrāvalī is forced to retreat by the intervention of the old duenna Karālikā, Candrāvalī's grandmother, while Kṛṣṇa disguises himself as the goddess Gaurī, deceives Rādhā's chaperon, the old Jaṭilā, and ultimately unites with his beloved Rādhā.