Dance Your Way To Radha’s Heart

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Since many devotees enjoy dancing (nrtya-seva) to please Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, we thought to share some treasures from Sri Rupa Goswamipada’s Bhakti-rasamrita Sindhu chapter describing bhava bhakti and attaining it by practicing raganuga bhakti.

Sri Rupa Goswamipada says that bhava bhakti appearing from sadhan-abhinivesh, which means intense practice of raganuga sadhana, is illustrated in the Padma Purana:

ittham -manoratham –bala -kurvati -nrtya -utsuka
hari-pritya- ca –tam- sarvam- ratrim –evat yavahayat

Translation:

“A young girl named Chintamaini, having great joy in her heart and being very enthusiastic to dance (nrtya utsuka), spent the whole night dancing in order to please Bhagavan Sri Krishna.”

Second translation by Sri Pandit Baba:

“Thus determined in her mind that Damsel Chandrakanti being eager to dance with Krishna spent the whole night in dancing before a murti of Sri Hari for His pleasure.”

Sri Jiva Goswamipada tika:

The word manoratham (with joy in the heart) indicates raganuga sadhana. By the influence of the murti of Sri Krishna, Chintamani developed raga similar to that of Krishna’s dear associates like Radharani.

While dancing the night away, Chintamani was thinking:

bahvishv- anyasu -narishu -mayy -evadhika-pritiman
nrtyaty -asau -maya -sardham kanthashleshadi-bhava-krt

Translation: Chintamani thought, “Among many women [gopis], Sri Krishna has the greatest affection for me. Krishna is dancing the Ras with me while embracing my neck.” (Bhakti-rasamrita Sindhu 1.3.14)

Radha decided to make that girl Chintamani Her sakhi when the girl reached the final stage [of prem]. By Her own mercy, Radha considered that the girl, having achieved all perfection by that sadhana [of enthusiastic dancing], was non-different from Herself.

For this reason, the Padma Purana says that the young girl Chintamani thought herself as the only lover of Krishna by identifying herself as Radha.

Sri Pandit Baba translation of Sri Jiva Goswamipada tika on this verse of Bhakti-rasamrita Sindhu 1.3.14:

“Sri Jiva Gosvami comments in this shloka that in the instance of Chandrakanti, the very fact of her mental determination for dancing before Krishna for His pleasures is itself raganuga bhakti.

Because at that time, the form of Krishna before her mind aroused in her heart the longing for the way of the eternal damsels of Braja, who were engaged in the Dance-sport with Sri Krishna. Thus she attained similar feelings in her mind.

Chandrakanti herself said: ‘Beloved Krishna is more attached for me than any other damsels, because Krishna is expressing His fondness for me and is dancing with me by embracing my neck!’

“Sri Radha Herself was graciously pleased with Sri Chandrakanti both during Her stages of spiritual practices as well as in Her state of final attainment of Sri Krishna.

“Thus Sri Radha accepted Damsel Chandrakanti as Her own friend Sakhi and made all Chandrakanti’s feelings towards Krishna identical with Her own feelings or Bhava toward Krishna. It is for this reason that in some places of the scriptures Chandrakanti has been identified with Sri Radha.”

We hope this inspires all devotees to keep on dancing before Radha and Krishna while blissfully chanting

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare!!!

Nrtya seva ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!