Ashtapathi - 8 (4th Sargam - Snigdhamadhusoodhanan)

Radhaiyin Upaasanaakramam

yamuna-tira-vanira-nikuñje manda masthitam |
praha-prema-bharodbhrantam madhavam radhika-sakhi ||

யமுனா- தீர-வானீர- நிகுஞ்ஜே- மந்த-மாஸ்திதம்|
ப்ராஹ -ப்ரேம- பரோத்ப்ராந்தம்- மாதவம் ராதிகா- ஸகீ||

यमुनातीरवानीरनिकुञ्जे मन्दमास्थितम्।
प्राह प्रेमभरोद्भ्रान्तं  माधवं राधिका सखी॥

On the banks of Yamuna, in the forest among the dense plants where Madhava was reeling under ardent love, Radha’s saki(friend) spoke:

Ashtapathi 8

nindati chandanam indu kiraam anu vindati khedam adhiram |
vyala-nilaya-mila nena garalam iva kalayati malaya-samiram ||1||

madhava manasija-visikha-bhayad iva bhavanaya tvayi lina |
Krishna- sa virahe tava dina ||

நிந்ததி சந்தனம் இந்து கிரணம் அனு விந்ததி கேதம் அதீரம்|
வ்யாள -நிலய- மிள -னேன கரளம் இவ கலயதி மலய -ஸமீரம்||1||

மாதவ மனஸிஜ -விஸிக -பயாத் இவ பாவனயா த்வயி லீனா|
கிருஷ்ணா -ஸா விரஹே தவ தீனா||

निन्दति चन्दनमिन्दुकिरणमनुविन्दति खेदमधीरम्।
व्यालनिलयमिलनेन गरलमिव कलयति मलयसमीरम्
सा विरहे तव दीना ।|1॥

माधव मनसिजविशिखभयादिव
भावनया त्वयि लीना ॥

“O Madhava! Radha is experiencing intense suffering in separation from you. She is so afraid of the incessant rain of Madana’s arrows that she has resorted to dhydna-yoga to find relief from this slow-burning fire of distress. She has unconditionally surrendered to you and now she is completely immersed in you by the practice of meditation. In your absence, even the rays of the moon, she feels as is burning her. The Malaya breeze with sandalwood fragrance, increases her pain of separation.”

avirala-nipatita-madana-sharadiva bhavadavanaya vishalam |
sva-hrudaya-marmani varma karoti sajala-nalini-dala-jalam||2||
(Krishna, sa virahe tava dina)||

அவிரள -நிபதித- மதன -ஸராதிவ பவதவனாய விஸாலம்|
ஸ்வ-ஹ்ருதய- மர்மணி வர்ம கரோதி ஸஜல- நளிநீ-தள- ஜாலம்||2||
கிருஷ்ணா -ஸா விரஹே தவ தீனா||

अविरलनिपतितमदनशरादिव भवदवनाय विशालम्।
स्वहृदयमर्मणि वर्म करोति सजलनलिनदलजालम् ॥2॥ 
(सा विरहे…..)

“The arrows of Kamadeva are falling incessantly upon her heart. Since you reside there, she is making a mystical shield (kavacha) to protect you by covering her vulnerable heart with large lotus petals bearing droplets of water.”

kusuma-vishikha-shara-talpa manalpa-vilasa-kala-kamaniyam |
vratam iva tava parirambha-sukhaya karoti kusuma-shayaniyam|| 3||
(Krishna, sa virahe tava dina) ||

குஸும- விஸிக -ஸர-தல்ப மனல்ப -விலாஸ -கலா -கமனீயம்|
வ்ரதம் இவ தவ பரிரம்ப -ஸுகாய கரோதி குஸும -ஸயனீயம்||3||
கிருஷ்ணா -ஸா விரஹே தவ தீனா||

कुसुमविशिखशरतल्पमनल्पविलासकलाकमनीयम्।
व्रतमिव तव परिरंभसुखाय करोति कुसुमशयनीयम् ॥3॥ 
(सा विरहे…..)

“Madhava! Radha is making a delightful flower bed, suitable for your enjoyment. Yet it seems to be a bed of cupid’s arrows. She is performing severe austerities in the form of a vow to recline on a bed of arrows in the hope of attaining your deep embrace.”

vahati cha calita-vilocana-janadharam, anana-kamalam udaram |
vidhum iva vikata-vidhuntu-dadanta-dalana-galit amruta-dharam ||4||
(Krishna, sa virahe tava dina) ||

வஹதி ச களித -விலோசன -ஜனதரம் ஆனன கமலம் உதாரம்|
விதுமிவ விகட விதுந்துத தந்த தளன களிதாம்ருத தாரம்||4||
கிருஷ்ணா -ஸா விரஹே தவ தீனா||

वहति च चलितविलोचनजलधरमाननकमलमुदारम्।
विधुमिव विकट विधुंतुददंतदलनगलितामृतधारम् ॥4॥ 
(सा विरहे…..)

She raises her sublime lotus face, clouded & streaked with tears, like the moon drippting nectar from the cuts made by eclipse teeth.

vilighati rahasi kuraga-madena bhavantam asama-shara-bhutam |
prana mati makaram adho vinidhaya kare cha sharam nava-chutam||5||
(Krishna, sa virahe tava dina) ||

விலிகதி ரஹஸி குரங்க -மதேன பவந்தம் அஸமஷர பூதம்|
ப்ரண மதி மகரம் அதோ வினிதாய கரே ச ஷரம் நவ-சூதம்||5||
கிருஷ்ணா -ஸா விரஹே தவ தீனா||

विलिखति रहसि कुरंगमदेन भवंतमसमशरभूतम्।
प्रणमति मकरमधो विनिधाय करे च शरं नवचूतम्॥5॥ 
(सा विरहे…..)

“O Sri Krishna, in a secluded place, Radha is painting a picture of your captivating form in deer musk. After depicting you with mango-bud arrows in your hand and Madhava, she bows down to offer respectful obeisances to your portrait & worships you.”

dhyana-layena pura: parikalpya bhavantam ativa durapam |
vilapati hasati vishidati roditi chañcati muñchati tapam||6||
(Krishna, sa virahe tava dina) ||

த்யான -லயேன புர: பரிகல்ப்ய பவந்தம் அதீவ துராபம்|
விலபதி ஹஸதி விஷீததி ரோதிதி சஞ்சதி முஞ்சதி தாபம்||6||
கிருஷ்ணா -ஸா விரஹே தவ தீனா||

ध्यानलयेन पुरः परिकल्प्य भवंतमतीवदुरापम्।
विलपति हसति विषीदति रोदिति चंचति मुञ्चति तापम् ॥6॥ 
(सा विरहे…..)

“O Madhava, Radha pleads again and again ’Hey Sri Krishna! I am falling at your feet. As soon as you become indifferent to me, even the moon-god Chandrama nectar, feels like shower of fire upon my body’.”

prati-padam idam api nigadati madhava tava carane patitaham |
tvayi vimukhe mayi sapadi sudha-nidhi rapi tanute tanu-daham||7|| 
(Krishna, sa virahe tava dina) ||

ப்ரதி-பதம் இதம அபி நிகததி மாதவ தவ சரணே பதிதாஹம்|
த்வயி விமுகே மயி ஸபதி ஸுதா-நிதி ரபி தனுதே தனு-தாஹம்||7||
கிருஷ்ணா -ஸா விரஹே தவ தீனா||

प्रतिपदमिदमपि निगदति माधव तव चरणं पतिताहम्।
त्वयि विमुखे मयि सपदि सुधानिधिरपि तनुते तनुदाहम् ॥7॥ 
(सा विरहे…..)

“Sri Radha is completely absorbed in meditation on you. She imagines that you are directly before her. Sometimes she laments in separation, sometimes she expresses jubilation, sometimes she cries and sometimes she abandons all suffering by being embraced in a momentary vision.”

sri-jayadeva-bhanitam idam adhikam yadi manasa nataniyam |
hari-virahakula-vallava-yuvati-sakhi-vacana pathaniyam ||8||
(Krishna, sa virahe tava dina) 

ஸ்ரீ ஜயதேவ பணிதமிதம் அதிகம் யதி மனஸா நடனீயம்|
ஹரி -விரஹாகுல- வல்லவ- யுவதி- ஸகீ- வசனம் படனீயம்||8||
கிருஷ்ணா -ஸா விரஹே தவ தீனா||

श्री जयदेवभणितमिदमधिकं यदि मनसा नटनीयम्।
हरिविरहाकुलवल्लवयुवतिसखीवचनं पठनीयम् ॥8॥ 
(सा विरहे…..)

This song composed by Sri Jayadeva, based on the words spoken by Radha’s dear friend, should be enacted within the temple of the heart. The sakhi’s description of Radha’s viraha (pain) in separation from Sri Hari are worthy of constant recitation.

Links:

1. Udayalur..8th Ashtapadhi.
2. Dr.R.Ganesh- 8th Ashtapadhi
3. Manamadurai Venkatachalam at Calcutta - 8th Ashtapathi.vob