Shrimad Chaturasi Path — Pad 12 | Chaurasi Ji Ka Path Arth Sahit | रास-लीला — यमुना तट पर

Original pad (Devanagari)

चलहि राधिके सुजान, तेरे हित सुख निधान,
रास रच्यो श्याम तट कलिंद-नन्दिनी ।
निर्त्तत युवती समूह, राग रंग अति कुतूह,
बाजत रसमूल मुरलिका अनन्दिनी ॥
वंशीवट निकट जहाँ, परम रमणि भूमि तहाँ,
सकल सुखद मलय बहै वायु मन्दिनी ।
जाती ईषद विकास, कानन अतिसय सुवास,
राका निशि शरद मास विमल चन्दिनी ॥
नरवाहन प्रभु निहारि, लोचन भरि घोष-नारि,
नख-सिख सौन्दर्य काम-दुख-निकन्दिनी ।
विलसहु भुज ग्रीव मेलि, भामिनी सुख-सिन्धु झेलि,
नव निकुंज श्याम केलि जगत-वन्दिनी ॥१२॥

Transliteration

calahi rādhike sujān, tere hit sukh nidhān,
rās racyo śyām taṭ kalinda-nandinī.
nirttat yuvatī samūh, rāg raṁg ati kutūh,
bājat rasamūl muralikā anandinī.
vaṁśīvaṭ nikaṭ jahāṁ, param ramaṇi bhūmi tahāṁ,
sakal sukhad malay bahai vāyu mandinī.
jātī īṣad vikās, kānan atiśay suvās,
rākā niśi śarad mās vimal candinī.
naravāhan prabhu nihāri, locan bhari ghoṣ-nāri,
nakh-śikh saundarya kām-dukh-nikandinī.
vilasahu bhuj grīv meli, bhāminī sukh-sindhu jheli,
nav nikuñj śyām keli jagat-vandinī. (12)

Word-by-word meanings

calahi — come, let us go; rādhike — O Rādhikā; sujān — O wise one; tere hit — for your joy; sukh nidhān — the treasure of joy, Śrī Śyāma; rās racyo — has arranged the rāsa; śyām — Śyāma; taṭ — on the bank; kalinda-nandinī — of Yamunā, daughter of Kalinda; nirttat — dancing; yuvatī samūh — the group of young women; rāg raṁg — melody and colour; ati kutūh — great excitement; bājat — sounds; rasamūl — the very root of rasa; muralikā — the flute; anandinī — blissful; vaṁśīvaṭ — the Vaṁśīvaṭa tree; nikaṭ — near; jahāṁ — where; param ramaṇi bhūmi — the most delightful land; tahāṁ — there; sakal sukhad — giving joy to all; malay — fragrant as sandalwood; bahai — flows; vāyu mandinī — the gentle breeze; jātī — jasmine; īṣad vikās — blooming slightly; kānan — the forest; atiśay suvās — exceedingly fragrant; rākā niśi — the full-moon night; śarad mās — the autumn month; vimal candinī — the spotless moonlight; naravāhan prabhu — the Lord Naravāhana; nihāri — behold; locan bhari — with eyes full; ghoṣ-nāri — the cowherd maiden; nakh-śikh saundarya — beauty from toe to crown; kām-dukh-nikandinī — remover of love's ache; vilasahu — sport in love; bhuj grīv meli — arms around His neck; bhāminī — O lovely lady; sukh-sindhu — the ocean of joy; jheli — experience; nav nikuñj — the fresh grove; śyām keli — play with Śyāma; jagat-vandinī — worshipped by the whole world.

Translation

The sakhi says — O wise Rādhikā, come! For your joy, Śyāma, the treasure of joy, has arranged the rāsa on the bank of Yamunā, daughter of Kalinda. There a group of young women dances, melody and colour fill the air with great excitement, and the blissful flute — the very root of rasa — sounds. Near the Vaṁśīvaṭa lies the most delightful land, where a gentle breeze, fragrant as sandalwood, flows giving joy to all. Jasmine buds bloom slightly, the whole forest grows exceedingly fragrant, and the spotless moonlight of the autumn full-moon night spreads everywhere. The sakhi Naravāhana says to Śyāma — O Lord, behold with full eyes this cowherd maiden; Her beauty from toe to crown removes the ache of love. Then She says to Rādhā — O lovely lady, put your arms around your Beloved's neck, sport in love, and experience the ocean of joy. Your play with Śyāma in the fresh grove is worshipped by the whole world.

Explanation

This pad is an invitation. The sakhi paints the whole scene — Yamunā's bank, Vaṁśīvaṭa, the flute, jasmine, moonlight — so that Rādhā will come to the rāsa arranged for Her own joy. She turns first to Śyāma, asking Him to behold Rādhā fully, then to Rādhā, asking Her to embrace Him. The pad closes with the devotee's own conviction: this play in the grove is not a private joy but one the whole world worships.

Summary

Come to the rāsa on Yamunā's bank — flute, moonlight and jasmine await, and the whole world worships the play of Rādhā and Śyāma.

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