The departure of Krishna to Mathurā is God forsaking the sou_Vidyāpati: Bangīya padābali; songs of the love of Rādhā and Krishna

seeming to do so; the complaint of Rādhā is "Why hast thou forsaken me?"

XCV

6, Moving her heart to love, though love be hopeless.

7. Beauty-spots, _kuca-kuṅkuma_, patterns drawn on her breasts with

sandal-paste: cf. _Gītā Govinda_ XII, 18, 'Draw leafy patterns on my

breasts.'

XCVII

This conceit is the subject of beautiful songs by many poets, including

Jāyadeva and Rāmbasu.

The Bodiless (Anaṅga) is Kāmadeva, Love: on behalf of Umā he endeavoured

to rouse Shiva from his rapt meditation, and Shiva in wrath destroyed

his body with a glance from his third eye.

Rādhā feigns to think that Love has mistaken her for Shiva, and explains

in detail that she is but a human maiden. Amongst the attributes of

Shiva are the Ganges in his matted locks, and crescent moon, a third

eye, the stain of poison in his throat (see No. II, 11), and a serpent

coiling about it, a tiger-skin, a skull, and ashes smeared on his body;

in place of these Rādhā has flowing tresses, a pearl ornament, a

brow-spot, a touch of musk, a pearl necklace, a dark silk sari, a lotus,

and her body is dusted with sandal paste. The lotus of dalliance

(_kelika kamala_) is a real or artificial lotus flower held in the hand

as a plaything: for an illustration see _Indian Drawings_ II, PL IX, 1.

XCVIII

This is one of the most obviously mystical of Vidyāpati's songs:

_'I am he whom I love, and he whom I love is I.'_

Mansūr Hallāj.

Cf. the exclamation _Śivoham_, 'Shiva is myself (_sohambhāva_, He

being I); and the injunction _Devo bhūtva, devam yajet_, 'By becoming

God, worship Him!' also the half-_dohā_ quoted in the note to LXXXII, 9,

i o.

3. _O nija bhāva svabhāva hi bichurala_, Forgetting her own _bhāva_

and _svabhāva_, feelings and character, will and self-consciousness.

_'At last I have found myself.'_

Jalālu'd Din Rumi.

_'Whoso has not escaped from will, no will has he.'_

Shamsi Tabrīz,

CII

10. _Piu, piu_: that is to say, 'Belovèd, Belovèd.'

CIV

3. Even from a crow's mouth--the crow is the chief omen and messenger,

of a lover's return. Cf. No. CXXIII, and also _Journal of Indian Art_,

No. 128, p. 103 and figure 12.

CV-CVI

These are clearly related to reverdies of the folk, such as the Kāshmīrī

songs recorded in Ratan Devī's _Thirty Indian Songs_. It is probable

that the more one could learn of contemporary folk-song, the more

apparent would be Vidyāpati's dependence on the folk-tradition. These

popular motifs are interwoven throughout with the familiar similes of

the classic literature. Perhaps we ought to think of Vidyāpati as a sort

of mystic Burns.

CVII

3. 'House': the house, in Vidyāpati's songs refers sometimes to the

actual home of Rādhā's parents, or her own home, and sometimes as here,

to the 'house of love,'--the 'palace' of Shamsi Tabrīz (Nicholson

XXXVIII).

CVIII

2. 'Cross the sea': see note to CXXXI.

Rādhā is here the typical Proshita-preyasī 'whose husband has gone

abroad, appointing a time of return' (Keśava Dāsa).

CXI

The poet says that Rādhā should have thought _before_ she drank. To

take water from a man of low caste is to 'lose caste'--but it is too

late to think of this after the water is already drunk.

CXII

The idea of reproach is essential to the drama of the soul, and a

leading motif of the greater part of Rādhā-Krishna literature:

_'Folk, family, house and husband are abandoned, the reproach of the

world rejected.'_

_Prema Sāgara._

Compare:

_'Blessed are ye when men shall revile and persecute you for My

sake,'_

and likewise:

_'Let every reproach that honour disdains and avoids be mine.'_

Nau'i.

_'--Cast shame and pride away,_

_Let honour gild the world's eventless day,_

_Shrink not from change and shudder not at crime,_

_Leave lies to rattle in the sieve of Time!_

_Then whatsoe'er your workday gear shall stain,_

_Of me a wedding garment shall ye gain!'_

_Love is Enough._

This point is to be emphasized: for to understand the necessity and

signifiance of reproach, is to comprehend how it was not merely possible

but inevitable that in a society where the strictest possible conception

of woman's honour prevails, the self-surrender of Rādhā should be

regarded as the natural symbol of the soul's self-gift to God.

CXIV

16. Kali age: the fourth or evil age in which we now live, when the

prevailing motive is self-interest; it is what Blake calls _Tax_ or

_Empire_.

CXV

This song is still to be heard in Bengal, to the Rāgiṇi Bhairavī.

4. It is a custom of many bhaktas to print the name or symbol of Vishnu

on forehead, breast and arms. The custom of tattooing the name of the

Belovèd upon the body is world-wide.

5. Lalitā: Rādhā's dearest sakhī. It is customary amongst Vaishnavas to

recite the name of Krishna in the ears of the dying.

7. The two customary means of disposing of the dead.

8. Tamāla, a tree with dark glaucous leaves, constantly compared to

Krishna for its colour.

CXVII

13. The scarlet line, drawn along the parting of the hair by married

women whose husbands are still living; if Krishna will not return, Rādhā

will adopt the rule of a widow.

CXVIII

Referring to the circumstances of XCIV.

CXIX

Contains verses from two songs printed separately in the original.

CXXI

8. Marks of complete indifference to propriety and elegance.

12. And is thus in truth 'broken and contrite,' acceptable to God.

CXXII

4-7. All objects normally cool, are scorching hot to Rādhā, racked as

she is by the fire of love. For the lotus-leaves, see the picture facing

p. 115.

CXXIII

1. For the sight of the moon, so pleasant to united lovers, increases

her pain.

3. A sort of black magic; Rādhā invokes Rāhu to eclipse the moon.

11. _Lit._ 'with ten nails': more black magic, the snakes are to

swallow up the vexing southern breeze.

14, 15. The koil, whose calling accentuates the suffering of divided

lovers: crows, their messengers, and omens of reunion. Cf. No. CIV, 3.

CXXIV

11. Using the necklace as a rosary.

Contains verses from two songs printed separately in the original.

CXXV

Babe--_bāla_, a girl under 16.

CXXV

3. Garland-offering--hung on the idol's neck when it is new, and cast

away the next day.

CXXVI

10, II. We ought perhaps to understand by this the loneliness of God in

heaven, lacking the love of men.

PUNARMILNA O RASODGĀRA.

Reunion and the Flow of Nectar.

CXXVII

6. Rādhā has learnt at last that service is self-realisation and

self-expression.

CXXXI

The 'boat on the river' goes back to the old Buddhist idea of a raft or

boat wherein to cross the samsāra, the sea of this world, to reach the

further shore; just as in the carol 'Come over the burn, Besse,'

_'The burne is this world blind.'_

CXXXI

Rādhā feels that Krishna, whom she had thought her equal, is indeed

beyond her ken; but the poet answers, 'That art thou,' proclaiming their

Unity.

7. 'I know the beings of the past, the present and the future, O Arjuna:

but no one knoweth Me.'--_Bhagavad Gītā_ VII, 26.

CXXXVI

Like the last, this throws a light upon the whole wreath of songs; for

the soul perceives that she has had ears to hear and eyes to see ever

since she came to birth, yet she has neither heard nor seen; and now she

cannot have enough of hearing and seeing.

13. _Lit._ 'I have known--and seen not one.'

CXXXVIII

The poet leaves the lovers in each other's arms.

BIRDS, FLOWERS AND TREES.

The following birds, flowers and trees are mentioned in the text in the

connection indicated:

BIRDS.

_Cātaka:_ a kind of cuckoo, perhaps _Luculus melanoleucus_,--said to

drink only drops of water as they fall from the clouds.

_Cakravāka:_ _Anas casarca_,--pairs are said to sleep apart at night.

Crow: _kāka, bāyasa, Corvus splendens_,--messenger of separated

lovers: also (LXXIII) an eater of leavings.

_Garuḍa:_ a mythical bird, usually represented with a parrot's head and

partly human body: the vehicle of Vishnu and the enemy of all serpents.

_Koil_ or _kokila_: _parabṛtaka_, Indian cuckoo, _Eudynamys

honorata_,--its cry is _kuhu, kuhu_, delightful to united, and

distressing to divided, lovers. Its 'pancam-note' is the 'dominant' of

Nature's chorus.

Parrot: _kīra_,--"Parrot noses are invariably associated with heroes

and great men, while, among female figures they are to be seen only in

images of Sakti." (A. N. Tagore, _loc. cit._).

Partridge: _cakora_, _Perdrix rufa_,--said to feed on the rays of the

moon.

'Peewit': _pāpihā_, the hawk-cuckoo, Hieroccyx varius,--its cry is

_piu, piu_, 'Beloved, Beloved.'

Peacock: _mayūra_, _Pavo cristatus_,--delights in rain.

Wagtail: _khañjana_, _Montacilla alba_,--restless movement.

FLOWERS AND TREES.

_Ashoka_: _Jonesia asoka_,--herald of Spring.

_Bandhūka_: _Pentapetes phœnicia_ (or _Leucas linifolia?_)

Betel: _pān, tāmbūla, Piper betle_,--leaves used for chewing.

_Bimba_: _Momordica monadelpha_ (or _coccinia?_),--bright red fruit.

_Gañja_: _Abrus precatorius_, seeds used as jeweller's weights.

Honey-apple: _bel, shrĩphala_, 'Bengal quince,' _Aegle

marmelos_,--large round fruit.

Jasmine: several varieties are mentioned, as _cameli_, Arabian jasmine

_J. sambac_; _campak_, _Michelia champaka_; _mālatī_, clove-scented

jasmine, _Aganosma caryophyllata_ (or perhaps _J. grandiflorum_);

_kunda_, Indian jasmine, _J. pubescens_,--all mentioned for their

scent.

Jujube: _badarī_, _Zizyphus jujuba_,--small round fruits.

_Kadamba_: _Anthocephalus cadamba_,--the haunt of Krishna.

_Keshara_: safflower, _Crocus sativa_,--a herald of Spring.

_Kimshuk_: _Butea frondosa_,--tree with beautiful flowers, a herald of

Spring.

_Labanga_-vine: _labaṅga-latā_, _Limonia scandens_,--a herald of

Spring.

Lotus and water-lily: many varieties are mentioned, as _aravinda_, and

_kamala_ which are day-flowering, and _kubalaya_ and _kumudini_,

which flower at night. We have used the names 'lotus' and 'water-lily'

indifferently for all varieties.

_Mādhavi_: _Gaertnera racemosa_,--herald of Spring.

Mango: _Mangifera indica_,--tender shoots and herald of Spring.

Orange: _naraṅga, Citrus aurantum_,--round fruits.

_Pātal_: trumpet-flower, _Bignonia suaveolens_,--herald of Spring.

_Pītal_: a yellow flower not identified.

Plantain: _kerā_, _Musa paradisaica_,--smooth straight stem.

Pomegranate, granate: _dāṛima, Punica granatum_,--white smooth seeds.

_Shālmalī_: silk-cotton tree, _Salmaria malabarica_,--the thorns are

used in the tortures of hell.

Sandal: _candana, Santalum album_,--which affords a fragrant powder

for the body, much appreciated, and hence stands for the best of

anything.

Screw-pine: _ketakī, Pandanus odoratissimus_,--fragrance.

_Shirīsh_: _Acacia sirissa_,--tenderness.

_Tamāl_: _Garcinia zanthochymus_,--straight stem, dark leaves (the

colour of Krishna).

_Tāla_: palmyra, _Borassus flabelliformis_,--round fruits.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

(Transcriber's note: The page images used to prepare this text did not

include the illustrations).

One and the same lyrical tradition is the common inheritance of all

Hindustan; it finds expression now in poetry, now in music, and now in

painting. Hence it is that the schools of painting, though they are

local, illustrate all the ideas of the Vaishnava poets as directly as

the songs themselves. Amongst Rajput paintings it would perhaps be

possible to find an appropriate illustration to every line of Vidyāpati,

or of any other Vaishnava singer; not that Vidyāpati was known to the

western painters, but their and his experience was the same. Just as the

Vaishnava songs are word-painted miniatures, rather than narative, so

with the Rājasthānī and still more with the Pahārī Rajput paintings;

these are likewise musical delineations of brief moments of the soul's

history. It is hoped that the reproductions given here will help to

actualise the meaning of Vidyāpati's words, for those who are unfamiliar

with the Vaishnava tradition.

The key to each picture is given in the quoted text, to which the

following notes are supplementary:

Facing page 3: Jaipur painting of the 18th century, very brilliant in

sunset colourings, representing a girl returning from a Shaiva shrine.

The original in the collection of Mr. N. Blount, Calcutta.

Facing page 19: A Pahārī (Kāngrā) painting of the early XIXth century,

representing a girl bathing.

The original in the collection of Dr. Ananda Coomaraswamy.

Facing page 27: A Pahārī (Kāngrā?) painting, of the earlier part of the

XVIIIth century, representing Krishna with his flute, beneath a

_kadamba_ tree, and beside him are two milk-maids with offerings of

curd and betel.

The original in the collection of Dr. Ananda Coomaraswamy.

Facing page 33: This is the only one of our eleven illustrations which

is not absolutely appropriate to the text. It is taken from an MS of

Keśava Dāsa's _Rasikapriyā_, and represents the 'Clandestine Meeting'

(_Pracchanna samyoga_). It is, however, Mughal in style,

notwithstanding its Hindū subject; and while in a general way it

illustrates the quoted text, its sentiment is more secular and

realistic, and a further objection appears in the fact that the text

implies a night and indoor environment.

The original in the collection of Dr. Ananda Coomaraswamy.

Facing page 43: A Pahārī (Kāngrā) painting of the late XVIIIth century,

representing a _dutikā_ leading Rādhā (or any heroine) across a starlit

courtyard to her lover's house.

Original in the collection of Babu Gogonendronath Tagore.

Facing page 63: A Pahārī (Jammu district) painting of the XVIIth or

XVIIIth century, representing an Abhisārikā. Part of a picture, the

whole of which is given in 'The Journal of Indian Art,' No. 128, figure

16.