Shloka 7
Rāsa-līlā Begins; Divine Multiplication; Moral Doubt and Its Resolution
पादन्यासैर्भुजविधुतिभि: सस्मितैर्भ्रूविलासै- र्भज्यन्मध्यैश्चलकुचपटै: कुण्डलैर्गण्डलोलै: । स्विद्यन्मुख्य: कवररसनाग्रन्थय: कृष्णवध्वो गायन्त्यस्तं तडित इव ता मेघचक्रे विरेजु: ॥ ७ ॥
pāda-nyāsair bhuja-vidhutibhiḥ sa-smitair bhrū-vilāsair bhajyan madhyaiś cala-kuca-paṭaiḥ kuṇḍalair gaṇḍa-lolaiḥ svidyan-mukhyaḥ kavara-rasanāgranthayaḥ kṛṣṇa-vadhvo gāyantyas taṁ taḍita iva tā megha-cakre virejuḥ
Während sie Kṛṣṇa priesen, tanzten die Gopīs mit ihren Schritten, bewegten die Arme in Gesten und spielten lächelnd mit den Augenbrauen. Ihre Taillen bogen sich, die Tücher über der Brust schwankten, und die Ohrringe schaukelten an den Wangen; mit schweißglänzenden Gesichtern und fest gebundenen Zöpfen und Gürteln leuchteten Kṛṣṇas junge Gefährtinnen wie Blitze in einem Kranz von Wolken.
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that according to the analogy of lightning flashing in clouds, the perspiration on the lovely faces of the gopīs resembled drops of mist, and their singing resembled thunder. The word āgranthayaḥ may also be read agranthayaḥ, meaning “loosened.” This would indicate that although the gopīs began the dance with their hair and belts tightly drawn, these gradually slackened and loosened.
FAQs
It poetically depicts the gopīs’ dancing and singing for Kṛṣṇa—smiles, glances, swaying earrings, perspiration, and loosened hair-knots—likening their radiance in the rāsa-circle to lightning flashing within a ring of clouds.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates this scene to Mahārāja Parīkṣit while describing the rāsa-līlā of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs.
It inspires wholehearted devotional absorption—offering one’s talents (voice, movement, attention) in loving remembrance of Kṛṣṇa, with sincerity and joy rather than mere formality.