Ninth Sarga
Gaura Hari Sees the Site of the Mahā-Rāsa
1
Kṛṣṇa Dāsa continued, "Once Nanda Mahārāja had become thin by fasting on Ekādaśī and was following the vow of bathing on the Dvādaśī. At this place in the waters of Yamunā, he was spirited away by the guards of Varuṇa, lord of the waters, who was desirous of having darśana of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
2-3
"Being aware of all that had happened, the all-opulent and original Supreme Personality of Godhead rescued His father. He then induced all the cowherds of His village to bathe at this place in Brahma-kuṇḍa. After revealing to them the vision of the spiritual world, the all-pervasive Lord brought back the group of gopas to Vṛndāvana. He Śrī Kṛṣṇa, please see this extremely delightful and rarely attained kuṇḍa.
4-5
"To the north of Brahma-kuṇḍa lies an enchanting grove of aśoka trees, where Kṛṣṇa sported with Śrī Rādhā. Now look upon the place where on the full moon of the month of Kārttika, Śyāma-sundara Hari, the master even of Viṣṇu, danced the rāsa dance with the Vraja-gopīs.
6
Then Śrī Gaura Candra Hari, the chief among rasikas, appeared with the lustre of indra-nīla-maṇi, accompanied by the throng of His bhaktas, who were absorbed in the rasa of exuberant rāsa-dancing, dressed in exquisite and dazzling variegated garments that sparkled with precious jewels. All glories to Mahāprabhu!
7
The enchanting sylvan glades of rasa-permeated Vṛndāvana became filled with the charming soft luminescence of blooming flowers and spring breezes, and echoed with the exultant voices of the rāsa-dancers and their festival. What shall I say of such an utterly sublime place as this rāsa circle? Here the lover of the gopīs shone, casting low the pride of Kāmadeva.
8
Although the enlightened brāhmaṇa saw this vision, he again became covered by the Lord's māyā and continued showing Gaurāṅga the resplendent places of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's previous pastimes.
9
Kṛṣṇa Dāsa continued, "Now behold! Standing here by Vaśī-vaṭa, Govinda sang the kāma-bīja and illusioned the gopīs.
10
"Hearing that captivating lilting song, the gopīs came. But being intoxicated with love, Śrī Kṛṣṇa merely instructed them in the principles of dharma, which are meant for those concerned with externals.
11
"Seeing that their hearts were utterly pure, Kṛṣṇa, the master of all those who master the process of union with Him, awarded them bhāva and prema as He performed the rāsa dance in this very spot.
12
"O Golden Lord! Since You are eager to taste Govinda-rasa, see here that place where rasa-vallabha Śrī Kṛṣṇa was crowned sovereign over Vṛndāvana-dhāma.
13
"While enjoying conjugal mellow while rāsa dancing, in order to increase the gopīs' attachment for Him, Kṛṣṇa suddenly disappeared, taking one of them with Him. Behold that place!
14
"Her character is so exalted that the Lord Himself accepts subordination to Her love. Who is that person qualified to describe or hear of Her sublime character?
15-16
But then, just as She began to think Herself superior to Him, tricky Kṛṣṇa abandoned Her and waited secretly in a nearby place, laughing to Himself. When that damsel was thus unable to see Him, She became dazed with distress. Then meeting with Her sakhīs, all of them together became absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as one by one they imitated His pastimes, beginning with His birth in Mathurā. In this way the gopīs became subordinate to Kṛṣṇa's love, and thus He manifested His person within each and every pastime that they emulated.
17
"Then seeing how the gopīs were so critically afflicted with the disease of separation from Him, Kṛṣṇa Nārāyaṇa loudly laughed as He showed Himself to them.
18
"Kṛṣṇa was nicely honoured by the gopīs. But still He again teased them, declaring that He had become defeated by their great love for Him. The Lord, who is the supreme knower of the highest religious principle, then performed the rāsa dance by forming a circle amongst the gopīs.
19
"Truly delighted by the intoxicating mellows of these rasa-permeated pastimes, Śrī Hari, the possessor of auspicious strength, led the gopīs to the bank of Yamunā and exhibited His ability to expand in multiple forms, thereby utterly crushing Cupid's pride.
Then He brilliantly shone by agreeing to be perpetually bound up within the arms of those beautiful girls of Vraja."
20
After hearing of the glorious mellows of the rāsa-līlā, the Golden Moon of Śrī Hari utterly lost all composure due to the inebriating effects of love for Kṛṣṇa.
He became ablaze with the essence of the conjugal rasa, and He contemplated very deeply Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa surrounded by the damsels of Vraja.
Thinking about this again and again, He caused a visible manifestation within Himself of the Divine Couple and thus displayed it brilliantly to all.
Thus ends the Ninth Sarga entitled "Gaura Hari Sees the Site of the Mahā- Rāsa," in the Fourth Prakrama of the great poem Śrī Caitanya Carita.