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Swami Desikan's Gopala Vimsathi: Part 5

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • September 7, 1996 


Verse 15: Venugopalan's Music supported by 
the Talams of Gopis	

MAHASEH MAHITAAYA MOWLINAA
VINATHENANAANJALIMANJANATHVISEH I
KALAYAAMI VIMUGHDHA VALLAVEE
VALAYAABHASHITA MANJU VENAVEH II

I join my hands in Anjali Mudraand lower my head 
in salutation of  that much revered
effulgent , dark-hued Jyothi of Gopala , whose divine 
flute music joins in conversation as it were with the 
taaLam of Gopis wearing   golden bangles that jingle
as they keep up with the rhythmic patterns .

Verse 16: Venu music and Raasa Kreetaa with Gopis

JAYATHI LALITHAVRUTTHIM SIKSHITOH VALLAVEENAAM
SITHILA VALAYA SINCHAA SEETHALAIR HASTHA TAALAI : I
AKILA BHUVANA RAKSHAA GOPA VESHASYA VISHNOH:
ADHARA MANI SUDHAAYAAM AMSAVAAN VAMSANAALA : II

The  incarnation of Vishnu  taking the form of a cowherd
to protect all the universes has on its coral-red lips the 
bamboo flute that tastes  the nectar of this Gopala's mouth .  
As he plays the flute on the banks of the Yamuna river during
the moon-lit nights, the lovelorn Gopis engage in Raasa Kreeta 
with him. The Gopis beat taaLam to the music of their Lord with their 
cool hands decorated with golden bangles. Their follow-up
with taaLam suggests as though  they are teaching  
the abhinayam step known as LaLitham to the flute of the Lord . 
( The Abhinaya sastras describe LaLitham as the gesture ,
 where the dancer places her hands on the appropriate 
portion of the body  and change the movement of  her 
eyebrows to mimic the different rasas . Thedelectable  interplay 
between theBhavam ,Ragam and  TaaLam- Bharata Natyam- 
is suggested here as the Rasa Kreeyaa progresses ).

Verse 17 : Gopalan with the decorations appropriate for his role as
a cowherd roaming in the forests to graze the cows and calves 

CHITRAAKALPA: SRAVASI KALAYAN LANKALEE KARNAPOORAM
BARHOTTHAMSA SPURITHACHIKUROH BANDHUJEEVAM DADHAANA: I
GUNJAA BADDHAA MURASI LALITHAAM DHARAYAN HAARAYASHTIM
GOPASTHREENAAM JAYATHI KITAVA: KOAPI KOWMAARAHAARI II

(Gopalan is a roamer of the forest . Hence , he decorates himself
with the ornaments appropriate to the dwellers of the forests (i-e)
natural products available in the forests). 

The mischevous Gopalan , who stole the youth of the Gopis 
appears before them with many decorations that enhance his
beauty . On his ears, the Gopis find the flower known as Laangali
( Flower from the coconut tree's sheaf/Tennampaalai flower ) ; 
peacock feathers are found by them on his dark and curly tresses; 
red hibiscus also decorates those tresses. On his broad chest ,
they find a beautiful necklace made of yellowish-red seeds 
known as Gunjaa or Kunrimani strung together . With these and more
AabharaNaas made of forest products, Gopala enchants the hearts 
of the adoring Gopis .