Stava-mālā chapter-12

Vraj a-nava-yuva-raj as takam

sri-vraja-nava-yuva-rajaya natnah

I offer respects to the prince of Gokula.

mudira-madam udaram mardayann anga-kantya vasana-ruci-nirastambhoja-kinjalka-sobhah I tarunima-taraniksaviklavad-balya-candro vraja-nava-yuva-rajah kanksitam me krsista ||1||

May Krsna, enthroned by Nanda as the authority in Vraja, who crushes the great pride of the cloud by the beauty of his limbs, whose lustrous cloth defeats the beauty of lotus stamens, whose kaisora sun terrifies the moon of his childhood, fulfill my desires.

The author praises the youthful prince of Vraja in this astaka. May Krsna, enthroned by Nanda as the authority in Vraja (.vraja- nava-yuva-rajah'), fulfill my desires (kanksitam krsista). He was given responsibility for the kingdom by his father since Nanda was capable of giving all things. Mudira means cloud. Kinjalka means stamens. The moon of his childhood (balya-candrah) is terrified on seeing the appearance of the sun of the first state of his kaisora age (tarunima). He now gives up his fickle nature. Youth is superior to childhood because of its extraordinary features.

pitur anisam aganya-prana-nirmanchaniyah kalita-tanur ivaddha matr-vatsalya-punjah | anuguna-guru-gostlu-drsti-piyusa-vartir vraja-nava-yuva-rajah kanksitam me krsista ||2||

May Krsna, enthroned by Nanda as the authority in Vraja, who

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is worthy of worship by unlimited pranas of Nanda, who is a heap of affection for his mother, being as if directly embraced by her, who is sweet collyrium for the eyes of favorable elders, fulfill my desires.

Affection of his father and others increases when he is made the ruler of Vraja. He is worthy of being worshipped (in ardtrika) by unlimited pranas of Nanda at every moment. He is a heap of affection for Yasoda. He is as if being directly (addha) held (kalita-tanuh). He is a sweet cosmetic mark (vartih) for the eyes (drsti) of the favorable (anuguna) elders. Varti means ointment or collyrium according to Medini. The comparison is rupaka. He gives happiness and is bright like collyrium.

akhila-jagatijagran-mugdha-vaidagdhya-carya- prathama-gurur udagra-sthama-visrama-saudhah I anupama-guna-rajl-ranjitasesa-bandhur vraja-nava-yuva-rajdh kanksitarh me krsista ||3||

May Krsna, enthroned by Nanda as the authority in Vraja, who is the first guru for attractive arts praised in all the worlds, who has an excellent glorious palace for relaxing, who attracts unlimited relatives by his many incomparable qualities, fulfill my desires.

He is the first teacher of charming arts praised (jagrat) in all the world. The arts arose from him. He has a huge palace (saudhah) for happily residing, which is most glorious or strong (udagra- sthama). Sthama means prana, strength or glory according to Halayudha. Saudha is a palace according to Amara-kosa. All his relatives are attracted by his many most excellent qualities like friendship and good disposition.

Bandhu means relative and associates according to Amara-kosa.

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api madana-parardhair duskaram vikriyormim yuvatisu nidadhano bhru-dhanur dhunanena I priya-sahacara-varga-prana-mlnambu-rasir vraja-nava-yuva-rajah kanksitam me krsista ||4||

May Krsna, enthroned by Nanda as the authority in Vraja, who, just by moving his bow-like brow, produces in the gopis waves of transformations that cannot be replicated by billions of Cupids, and who is the life of his dear friends like the ocean is for fish, fulfill my desires.

He offers (nidadhanah) to the gopis, by shaking his bow-like brow, waves of transformations (vikiryortnitn) which crush the heart and cannot be replicated by billions of Cupids. This is the alankara of vibhdvand. Without using arrows, he can pierce their hearts. The rest is clear. He is a place of happiness for his followers like the ocean is for the fish.

nayana-srni-vinoda-ksobhitananganagon mathita-gahana-radha-citta-kasara-garbhah | pranaya-rasa-marandasvada-llla-sad-anghrir vraja-nava-yuva-rajah kanksitam me krsista ||5||

May Krsna, enthroned by Nanda as the authority in Vraja, who agitates Radha’s lake-like heart through the elephant of love deep within, by striking it with the goad of his eyes, who is a bee absorbed in pastimes of tasting the honey of Radha’s rasa of love, fulfill my desires.

He agitates the unfathomable depths of Radha’s lake-like (kasard) heart by the elephant of love disturbed by the beating of the goad (srnt) of his glances. Srni is a goad according to Amara- kosa. Kasara is a lake. Her heart is very deep (garbhah). He is a bee in the pastimes of tasting honey (maranda) of Radha’s rasa of affection. Maranda means honey according to Haima.

anupadam udayantya radhikasanga-siddhya sthagita-prthu-rathanga-dvandva-raganubandhah I madhurima-madhu-dhara-dhoraninam udanvan vraja-nava-yuva-rajah kanksitam me krsista ||6||

May Krsna, enthroned by Nanda as the authority in Vraja, an ocean with many waves of charming sweetness, the effects of whose separation from Radha, increasing at every moment, stuns the attachment of a cakravaka couple, fulfill my desires.

The result of his not meeting Radha, which manifests at every moment, stuns the attachment of a couple of excellent (prthu) cakravaka birds. Rathariga means cakravaka. His attachment derides the attachment of the cakravakas, since they experience separation only at night. He is an ocean (udanvan) of many (dhoraninam) waves of charming sweetness (madhurima-madhu) of his form, words and actions. Dhorani means a row according to Haima. Udanvan is the ocean according to Amara-kosa.

alaghu-kutila-radha-drsti-van-niruddha- trijagad-apara-tantroddama-ceto-gajendrah | sukha-mukhara-visakha-narmana smera-vaktro vraja-nava-yuva-rajah kanksitam me krsista ||7||

May Krsna, enthroned by Nanda as the authority in Vraja, whose strong, elephant-like heart, unfettered by the three worlds, is controlled by the ropes of Radha’s excellent, crooked glances, and who smiles at the jokes of joyfully loquacious Visakha, fulfill my desires.

The strong (uddama) elephant of his heart, uncontrolled by three worlds, is controlled by the ropes of Radha’s excellent (alaghu) crooked glances.

He smiles because of the jokes of Visakha, who talks plentifully with joy (sukha-mukhara) since she understands that he is

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controlled by Radha. Many times, you have said, “I am not controlled by the gopis’ triumphant hearts. I am independent minded.” Why do you now request me repeatedly for touching Radha’s limbs? We should worship the independent heart of you, who are like a wild horse. He smiles when he hears her jokes. I have been conquered by her. Thus, he smiles.

tvayi rahasi milantyam sambhrama-nyasa-bhugnapy usasi sakhi tavali-mekhala pasya bhati I iti vivrta-rahasyair hrepayann eva radham vraja-nava-yuva-rajah kanksitam me krsista ||8||

May Krsna, enthroned by Nanda as the authority in Vraja, who embarrasses Radha by revealing intimate pastimes, saying, “O Visakha! Look! This belt of bells, put on crookedly out of fear at dawn when she met you privately, shines nicely,” fulfill my desires.

This verse describes Krsna joking with Visakha whom he meets after he has played with Radha who had been dressed by Visakha.

“O Visakha! Your friend Radha, like lightning on a cloud, has been fickle with me. Your friend’s belt of bells is crooked (bhugna) since it was put on in haste out of fear, on your meeting her in a solitary place.” It actually becomes more beautiful according to the saying, “How can anything beautiful become ugly?” Bhugna means crooked according to Halayudha. Look! Seeing this, you can understand her and my character. In this way, he embarrasses Radha by revealing the intimate pastimes.

vraja-nava-yuva-rajasyastakam tusta-buddhih kalita-vara-vilasam yah prayatnad adhite I parijana-gananayam nama tasyanurajyan vilikhati kila vrndaranya-rajnl-rasajnah ||9||

The rasika of Vrndavana’s queen, becoming attracted to him,

writes among his associates the name of that person who carefully studies the astaka of Vraja’s youthful prince, which describes excellent pastimes.

The result of reciting the astaka is described. Kalita means described. The astaka describes excellent pastimes. The rasika (rasajnah) of the queen of Vrndavana is Krsna.

Thus Vraja-nava-yuva-rdjdstaka has been explained.