Stava-mālā chapter-11

Mukundastakam

sn-mukundaya namah

I offer respects to Mukunda.

balabhid-upala-kanti-drohini srimad-ange ghusrna-rasa-vilasaih susthu gandharvikayah | sva-madana-nrpa-sobham vardhayan deha-rajye pranayatu mama netrabhista-purtim mukundah II111

May Mukunda, who increases his amorous beauty on the kingdom of Radha’s body when her kunkuma gets smeared on his limbs which defeat the beauty of a sapphire, be visible to my eyes.

The author praises Mukunda in this astaka.

May Mukunda bestow the cherished fulfillment of my eyes. May Mukunda be visible to my eyes. Mukunda means he whose smile is like kunda flowers shining in his mouth (mukha). Or it means “he who gives (da) liberation (mukti).” Because of suffering in separation, he becomes visible, or because of suffering in samsara he becomes the object of meditation. This is proper usage (mukti-da = mukunda) according to prsodaradlni yathopadistam: The elision, augment and mutation of letters to be seen in prsodara, etc., though not found taught in treatises of Grammar, are valid, to that extent and in the mode, as taught by the usage of the sages. (Panini Sutras 6.3.109)

What does he do? By her kunkuma (ghusrna-rasa) smeared on his limbs, he increases the beauty of his passion (king Cupid) on the kingdom of Radha’s body. His limbs include his forehead and chest. Ghusrna means kunkuma according to Halayudha. The

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asangati alahkara is used. It is explained in Kavya-kaustubha as

follows:

asangatir bhaved bhinna desatve hetukaryayoh

When two things related to each other as cause and effect are simultaneously residing in two totally different places, it is termed disconnection (asangati).

His limbs are described. They conquer the beauty of sapphires (balabhid-upala). This means his limbs shine more brilliantly

than sapphires.

udita-vidhu-parardha-jyotir ullanghi-vaktro nava-tarunima-rajyad-balya-sesatiramyah I parisadi lalitallm dolayan kundalabhyam pranayatu mama netrabhista-purtim mukundah ||2||

May Mukunda, whose face derides the light of billions of rising moons, who is attractive with new youth in the last years of childhood, who makes Radha in her group unsteady by his earrings, be visible to my eyes.

His face derides the light of billions of rising moons. His face is incomparably beautiful. Jyoti means light according to Nanartha- varga. He is charming because he is at the end of childhood, which is attractive (rajyat) with new youth. He makes Radha, the friend of Lalita (lalitdllm), situated among the assembly of young women (parisadi), tremble by the beauty of his earrings.

kanaka-nivaha-sobhanindi pitam nitambe tad-upari nava-raktam vastram ittham dadhanah | priyam iva kila varnam raga-yuktam priyayah pranayatu mama netrabhista-purtim mukundah ||3||

May Mukunda, who wears a yellow cloth, defeating the beauty

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of heaps of gold, with red cloth placed above that, as if showing by that color the love of Radha, which stimulates his affection, be visible to my eyes.

His absorption in Radha is described. He wears a yellow cloth on his hips and above that a red upper cloth. There is comparison with the complexion of Radha (yellow), which is combined with her attraction (red in color). Why does he wear the cloth? It is endowed with the color of her attraction causing affection in him (priyam).

Though nitamba is used in Amara-kosa to mean a woman’s hips, it refers to hips in general. That is meaning given by Halayudha and others.

surabhi-kusuma-vrndair vasitambhah-samrddhe priya-sarasi nidaghe sayam ali-pantam | madana-janaka-sekaih khelayann eva radham pranayatu mama netrabhista-purtim mukundah ||4||

May Mukunda, who plays with Radha and her sakhis in the summer evening at Radha-kunda, full of fragrant flowers and fragrant water, by splashing water which inflamed their love, be visible to my eyes.

He plays with his beloveds in Radha-kunda. He plays with Radha accompanied by her sakhis at Radha-kunda (priya-sarasi) in the summer (nidaghe), by splashing water released from instruments, which stimulates their love. The pond is described. It was filled with fragrant flower clusters and fragrant water (vasitambhah).

parimalam iha labdhva hanta gandharvikayah pulakita-tanur uccair unmadas tat-ksanena I nikhila-vipina-desan vasitan evajighran pranayatu mama netrabhista-purtim mukundah ||5||

May Mukunda, whose hairs stand on end by smelling Radha’s fragrance, who becomes immediately frenzied, and who smells the perfumes from all the forests, be visible to my eyes.

When Radha comes to Vrndavana, he is delighted by her fragrance. The meaning is clear. He became frenzied (unmadah).

pranihita-bhuja-dandah skandha-dese varangyah smita-vikasita-gande kirtida-kanyakayah I manasija-jani-saukhyam cumbanenaiva tanvan pranayatu mama netrabhista-purtim mukundah ||6||

May Mukunda, who places his arm on Radha’s shoulder and spreads amorous bliss by kissing her on her cheek while she breaks into a smile, be visible to my eyes.

He searches for Radha because of her fragrance and finding her, plays with her.

He places his rod-like arm on the shoulder of Radha, daughter of Kirtida, wife of King Vrsabhanu. He spreads amorous, agitating (manasi-ja-jam) bliss by a kiss on her cheek, which blossoms with a smile. These actions show his skill. The alankara is vibhavana. (By describing effects, the causes can be imagined.) Such bliss may arise even without intimate amorous love.

pramada-danuja-gosthyah ko’pi samvarta-vahnir vraja-bhuvi kila pitror murtiman sneha-punjah | prathama-rasa-mahendrah syamalo radhikayah pranayatu mama netrabhista-siddhim mukundah ||7||

May Mukunda, who is the fire of destruction for a host of wild demons, who is a pile of affection for his parents in Vraja and who is the dark presiding deity of madhurya-rasa for Radha, be visible to my eyes.

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Constantly the object of affection for his loving mother and father, as a courageous hero, he is the cause of great attraction for the beautiful women. He is the fire of final devastation (samvarta-vahnih) for the host of wild demons (danuja). Samvarta means pralaya according to Amara-kosa. He is the very form of abundant affection of his father and mother, Nanda and Yasoda (pitroh). Pitroh expresses both father and mother according to pita matra: the word pitr (father), when spoken of along with mdtr (mother), is optionally left alone. (Panini Sutras 1.2.70) He is the presiding deity of madhurya-rasa (prathama-rasa- mahendra) for Radha. He is experienced in this way by Radha.

svakadana-kathayangikrtya mrdvim visakham krta-catu lalitam tu prarthayan praudha-silam I pranaya-vidhura-radha-mana-vidhvamsanaya pranayatu mama netrabhista-siddhim mukundah ||8||

May Mukunda, who, accepting mild Visakha by speaking of his own misery, prays to stubborn Lalita using sweet words for breaking the anger of Radha who suffers with affection, be visible to my eyes.

Sometimes he personally is busy dissolving the anger of Radha. Accepting mild Visakha by speaking of his own misery, getting her on his side, he prays to stubborn Lalita using sweet words (catu). Catu means affectionate words according to Halayudha.

“O Lalita! You are my only benefactor. Radha is merciless with me. If you too become like a thunderbolt, what shelter do 1 have, though I am in great pain and accept her as my beloved.” He speaks pleasing words, making his request. The result of these actions is described. The purpose is for breaking the anger of Radha who suffers with affection. “Since Krsna is in love with other women, Radha’s anger should make him happy.” That cannot be. If one gives up drinking a cooling drink and instead

drinks an astringent drink, the maker of the cooling drink, who has made that drink to make him happy will become angry.

paripathati mukundasyastakam kakubhir yah sakala-visaya-sangat sanniyamyendriyani I vraja-nava-yuva-rajo darsayan svam sa-radhe svajana-ganana-madhye tam priyayas tanoti ||9||

The son of Nanda shows himself and counts among the associates of Radha that person who, withdrawing his senses from all sense objects, recites the Mukundastaka in a choked voice with joy.

The result of reciting this astaka, which produces qualities like mental control, is explained. The person, withdrawing into the mind his ear, skin, eye, tongue and nose, which are attached to sound, touch, form, taste and smell, from those objects, and just maintaining his body, while concentrating his mind on Mukunda with Radha, should recite the Mukundastaka in a choked voice with joy. The son of Nanda accepts (tanoti) that person as one among the associates of Radha. Sruti also indicates that the devotee develops mental control.

tasmad evam vic chanto danta uparatas titiksuh sraddhavitto bhutvatmany evatmanarh pasyati

Knowing this, having faith, peace, control of the senses and mind, and tolerance, he sees the Lord in the self. (Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 4.4.23)

Thus, Mukundastaka has been explained.