SRI-SRI JANMASTAMI LILA
Krsna's birthday festival takes place on the eighth day of the dark lunar quarter of the month of Bhadra, corresponding with the month of August, sometimes September. Here narrating both the celebration in Navadvipa in Gaura-lila and the celebration in Vraja in Krsna-lila.
On the first day of the dark lunar quarter of the month of Bhadra an orchestra (playing different drums as well as wind-instruments like Sanai) sits down in Nanda Maharaja's house and starts playing auspicious music. From that day on until the sixth day (sasthi) arrangements are being made to beautify the palace of Nanda Maharaja and the whole village of Nandisvara. A wonderful canopy adorned with jewelled strings is hung over the courtyard, each door and gate is flanked by banana-trees and jugs filled with mangoes and flags are flapping here and there. The houses of all the citizens and all the marketplaces are also beautified like this. The royal roads and all the other pathways are sprinkled with fragrant water, so that newcomers can understand that there is a great festival going on in each and every home.
In the evening of the sixth lunar day Sri Nanda Maharaja sends his invitations - to the men through Sri Subhadra (the cousin of Krsna and the husband of Kundalata) and to the women through Dhanistha (the daughter of one of Krsna's wet-nurses). Sri Subhadraji first goes to Vrsabhanupura, or Varsana, and tells Maharaja Vrsabhanu: "The day after tomorrow is Krsna's birthday, and on this occasion Sri Nanda Maharaja has invited you, saying: "This abode is yours, enjoy it as if it's yours, I don't know anything (in terms of 'yours' and 'mine')! Please come tomorrow morning to Nandisvara and make this invitation a success!" In the same way Dhatri-kanya Dhanistha extends Mother Yasoda's invitation to Mother Kirtida. The same kind of invitation is announced in Yavata (the abode of Abhimanyu, Sri Radhika's husband) and to all other friends and relatives.
(On saptami, astami and navami, that is, on Janmastami and the preceding and following days, Krsna does not go out to herd the cows and Sri Radhika dwells in Nandagrama).
SAPTAMI-LILA
NAVADVIPA : BHAVAVESA
In Navadvipa, on the seventh day of the dark lunar quarter of the month of Bhadra, Mahaprabhu performs His usual morning-duties and then sits down to listen to the Srimad Bhagavata-discourse with His devotees. Knowing Mahaprabhu's mind Gadadhara Pandita, the Bhagavata-lecturer, describes how Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja and his relatives come from Varsana to Nandisvara to celebrate Sri Krsna's birthday festival. Upon hearing this Mahaprabhu and His devotees all become absorbed in the mood of Vraja.
VRAJA DHAMA : SAPTAMI LILA
On the seventh day of the dark lunar quarter everyone in Vrsabhanupura finishes their morning duties, bathes, dresses, ornaments and takes a light breakfast before departing to Nandisvara, taking garments and ornaments along as presents for Krsna's birthday. Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja and his brothers mount elephants and leave Varsana, accompanied by musicians and soldiers. Sri Kirtida Mata and her sisters-in-law, wet-nurses and other relatives also depart in topmost bliss, sitting in covered palanquins, carried by four bearers each. Sridama-candra, Sri Radhika's brother, mounts his own horse and departs for Nandisvara with his soldiers and musicians, followed by Sri Radhika and Her sakhis in palanquins and Candravali and the yuthesvaris (gopi-groupleaders) in different vehicles. As Vrsabhanu Maharaja and his brothers gradually approach Nandisvara town Nanda Maharaja and his brothers hear their music and come forward to greet them. The guests dismount their elephants and greet Nanda Maharaja and his brothers by embracing them, addressing them and offering obeisances to them. Nanda Maharaja keeps the soldiers outside and takes the guests inside, giving each of them a proper place to stay. In the same way Sri Yasomati Mata and her sisters-in-law greet Sri Kirtida Mata, Sri Radhika, and the sakhis and yuthesvaris with the proper respect and affection, take them inside the palace and show them their respective guest rooms. Then everyone takes rest in their own abode while the servants and maidservants are engaged in their services.
After this Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja, Kirtida Mata, Sri Radhika and all the sakhis and yuthesvaris take a small snack. Then, on the order of Mother Yasomati, Sri Radhika and Her sakhis engage in cooking different sweets, rice and vegetables, that are offered to Nanda Maharaja's Narayana-deity by Madhumangala. After this offering is done arati is performed for the deity. Servants are dancing, singing and playing musical instruments and everyone present is very blissfully witnessing this. After arati everyone offers prostrated obeisances unto the deity and on the order of Mother Yasoda Madhumangala puts the deity to rest and calls everyone for prasada. On the large yard Sri Nanda Maharaja sits down to eat on the eastern side with his brothers Abhinanda and Upananda, Vrsabhanu Maharaja and his four brothers, Sridama, Balarama, Subhadra and Gobhatta on his right and Sunanda and Nandana, his other two brothers, Sri Krsna, Subala, Ujjvala, Kokila and others on his left. Sri Krsna's maternal uncles sit facing Nanda Maharaja and Abhimanyu and other cowherders sit facing Maharaja Vrsabhanu. On the southern side all the local brahmanas are sitting and all around the inhabitants of Nandisvara are seated. Sri Radha and Her sakhis serve the side of Nanda Maharaja and Syamala, Candravali and other yuthesvaris are serving Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja's side. They diligently serve sweetmeats, rice and vegetables. Everyone present eats with great pleasure, absorbed in joking and laughter, and after eating they wash their mouths, chew betelleaves and retire to their individual bedrooms, where their servants render them all the services that are suitable for the time of the day. Sri Radha washes Her hands and feet and becomes immersed in transcendental bliss by beholding Krsna's beauty through the window as He lays down to rest. After that Yasomati Mata calls Sri Radhika and the yuthesvaris and makes them sit down on the courtyard. Sri Radha and Her sakhis sit in one line, Candravali, Syamala and others sit in another line and Yasomati Mata, Kirtida Mata and other elderly gopis sit in yet another line while Mother Rohini, Tungi Mata and Kundalata are serving. After blissfully eating and washing their mouths all the ladies go to their individual bedrooms and take rest, being served by their maidservants, who fan them and serve them betelleaves. After this the (local) maidservants and the manjaris (Sri Radhika's maidservants) also eat in order. After eating the ambrosial food remnants of all the gopis the sadhaka dasi cleans the eating place and the plates and then goes to Sri Radha to massage Her lotus feet and render similar services.
Later Sri Radha gets up from bed, meets Krsna for the usual Yogapitha Milana in Gupta Kunda and returns to Nandisvara Pura again. After taking some rest She prepares some sweets, is dressed and ornamented by Her maidservants and then goes on abhisara on the pretext of offering surya puja. After then playing Her usual pastimes with Krsna at Radhakunda She returns to Nandisvara in the afternoon. The other pastimes of the day are also as usual (nityavat).
NAVADVIPA: BHOJANA SAYANADI
(Mahaprabhu takes His meal and takes rest)
In Navadvipa Mahaprabhu is absorbed in the bhogarati-kirtana of the householddeity Lord Narayana with His devotees. Then, when Mother Saci calls Him, He ends the kirtana and eats and rests as usual. The rest of His pastimes are also as usual.
Thus ends the Saptami lila
ASTAMI-LILA
NAVADVIPA: BHAVAVESA
In Navadvipa, on the morning of the eighth day of the dark lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadra, Mahaprabhu takes His usual morning bath, sees the arati-ceremony for Lord Narayana and then sits down with His devotees to listen to a Srimad Bhagavata-lecture given by Sri Gadadhara Pandita Gosvami. As Gadadhara describes the lila of Krsna's Janmastami-abhiseka Mahaprabhu and His devotees all become absorbed in Vraja-bhava.
VRAJA-DHAMA: ABHISEKA
In Nandisvara, on the astami-day, Sri Radha is bathed, dressed and ornamented by Her maidservants as usual. Then Kundalata comes and says: "O Radhe! Come and behold Sri Krsna's abhiseka-ceremony!" Hearing this, Sri Radhika takes Her sakhis and manjaris along and comes to the place of the abhiseka. The young and old villagers, men and women and all others who are called also arrive at the spot.
Sri Krsna is also bathed as usual, after which His servants dress Him with a white garment, place a pearl in His nose, hang a golden necklace around His neck, place armlets on His arms, bangles on His wrists, a belt with small bells around His waist and golden anklebells on His feet. Then Krsna goes to the bathing platform and sits down on a golden chair studded with jewels. Musicians play different instruments, brahmanas chant Vedic hymns, women chant 'Jaya Jaya!' and bards and panegyrists recite different praises. Sri Bhaguri Rsi recites the abhiseka-mantras and the servant boys perform the abhiseka. First of all they bathe Krsna with Mahausadhi (herbal) water and then gradually with pancagavya (five kinds of dairy-products) pancamrta (five kinds of nectar), a hundred jugs of water, then with a thousand streams of water and finally with sankhodaka (water from a conchshell). Then they dry Him off and dress Him in His Pitambara, after which Krsna sits down on a jewelled seat on His srngara vedi (altar for ornamentation), where He is ornamented by His servants.
NAVADVIPA: ABHISEKA
In Navadvipa Mahaprabhu sits down on the bathing platform, immersed in transcendental bliss. The servant-boys bring the paraphernalia for the abhiseka and Sri Advaita Prabhu performs the abhiseka according to the prescribed rules. Then the servants dry Mahaprabhu off and dress Him in His Pitavasa. Then Mahaprabhu takes His seat on a jewelled throne in His srngara-mandapa (pavilion for ornamentation), where the servants arrange His hair, put His tilaka on, adorn Him with sandalwood-pulp, garlands and jewelled ornaments and place a mirror before Him. Then Svarupa Damodara performs the arati of Mahaprabhu. After this, Svarupa Damodara Gosvami gradually sings kirtana-songs about Sri Krsna's dressing, ornamentation and breakfast. All the devotees who hear it then become absorbed in Vraja-bhava and relish the mellows of these pastimes.
VRAJA-DHAMA: SRI KRSNA'S ORNAMENTATION AND THE NANDOTSAVA
In Nandalaya Krsna sits on His srngara mandapa, where His servants decorate His hair and place a golden, jewel-studded crown with peacock-feathers on His head. They make gorocana tilaka on His forehead and leaf pictures on His cheeks, hang a pearl in His nose, Makara-earrings on His ears, a jewelled necklace around His neck, Angada-ornaments on His arms, bangles on His wrists, a sash of small bells around His waist and jewelled anklebells on His feet. Bhaguri Rsi worships Krsna seven times with Durva-sprouts in his hand and all the brahmanas offer blessings. Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja and others bless Krsna and offer Him golden trays with clothes and ornaments, Sri Kirtida Mata and other elderly ladies with motherly love offer their gifts and bless Krsna, and Sri Radhika offers Krsna a golden tray with garments and ornaments and hangs a jewelled necklace around His neck. In the same way Candravali and the other yuthesvaris offer different presents. Then Krsna donates a milk cow-with-calf, with gold-plated horns and silver hooves, bedecked with golden cloth and decorated with different ornaments, to Bhaguri Rsi. Sri Nanda Maharaja also gives thousands and thousands of cows in charity to the brahmanas. Then Krsna descends from the altar and offers His obeisances to Paurnamasi-devi and the other brahmanas. Then He bows down to His mother and father and to Sri Vrsabhanu Baba and Kirtida Mata, as well as to all His other superiors, that are like His father and mother. Then Sri Krsna is called by mother Yasoda to come to the dining room with His friends to take a snack. Sri Radha and Her girlfriends and yuthesvaris also all take a snack, after which mother Yasoda engages them in cooking. Meanwhile hundreds of brahmanas are engaged elsewhere in cooking large amounts of food.
Yasomati comes to inspect all the preparations and then orders Madhumangala to offer them to the household-deity, so Madhumangala comes and offers a little bit of each preparation to Lord Narayana. After the bhoga he performs arati and then puts the deity to rest. Then on different courtyards the Dadhikada-game commences. On the outer yard Sri Nanda Maharaja plays with Maharaja Vrsabhanu, his brothers and all the other elderly cowherders and on another yard Balarama and Krsna and other cowherdboys become mad with playing Dadhikada.
In the inner quarters of the house Vrajesvari Mata, Kirtida Mata and their sisters-in-law are playing, and on another inner yard Sri Radha, Candravali and other yuthesvaris are maddened by the Dadhikada-game, which is accompanied by dancing, singing and the playing of musical instruments. Mukhara and other elderly gopis are dancing in the middle, wielding sticks. Everyone throws yoghurt, milk, ghi, buttermilk, butter, oil, turmeric, liquid sandalwood, vermilion, water and kesara (pollen tubes) at each other. Out of excitement everyone forgets who is superior and who is junior; everyone tries to pelt everyone else with yoghurt and milk. The thrown yoghurt and milk streams through the drains like a virtual river, and when the pollen-tubes and the butter form balls in the drains and thus cause them to clog, small lakes of milk and yoghurt are being formed on the yards. Later, when these stoppages are removed, the released milk and yoghurt streams away as fast as rivers. When the demigods in the sky see this festival of bliss they shower flowers and some of them assume human forms and dance amongst the cowherders. Other demigods assume the form of birds and eat up the stoppages of butter. The singers, players and the male and female dancers dance in ecstasy and the bards and panegyrists consider themselves blessed by singing the glories of Gokula and Sri Krsna.
After completing the Dadhikada-game in this way everyone proceeds to Pavana Sarovara and begins to play in the water of this lake. In the northern Ghata (bathing place) are Vraja Raja Nanda, Maharaja Vrsabhanu and others, in the eastern Ghata Balarama, Krsna and Their cowherd boyfriends, in the southern Ghata Vrajesvari Yasoda, Kirtida Mata and others and in the western Ghata Sri Radha, Candravali and others are playing in the water, splashing each other. When they climb back on the shore their servants and maidservants wipe off their bodies, massage them with oil and give them another bath. After this they dry them off and dress them in dry, fresh clothes. When everyone returns to the palace Nanda Maharaja presents each person, according to his social status, with clothes and ornaments and Vrajesvari does the same with the lady-guests. Everyone is then dressed and decorated with these gifts by their own servants or maidservants. After this, Nanda Maharaja first seats the brahmanas on the courtyard and feeds them the most exquisite sweets and fried things. After the brahmanas have eaten Mother Yasoda has the brahmacaris call everyone for the feast.
NAVADVIPA: LORD NARAYANA'S BHOGA
Mahaprabhu sits on the srngara mandapa with His associates, absorbed in the Vraja-bhava, while in the inner courtyard Laksmipriya, Visnupriya and others are preparing different kinds of sweets, fried things and vegetables for the offering to Lord Narayana. Then, on the order of Mother Saci Isana Dasa comes and says: "O Mahaprabho! The offering for Lord Narayana is ready! Mother is calling You to do the offering!" Hearing this, Mahaprabhu roars and returns (from Vraja-bhava) to external consciousness. The devotees also return to external consciousness and Svarupa Damodara ends his descriptive kirtana. Then, on Mahaprabhu's order, Gadadhara Pandita offers the bhoga to Lord Narayana. Mahaprabhu and His devotees sit down in the Narayana-temple and become absorbed in singing about Radha and Krsna and Their friends eating in Nandisvara in Vraja.
VRAJADHAMA: FEASTING AND RESTING
Vrajesvari Mata orders the brahmacaris to call everyone for the feast and Vrajesvara Nanda sits down with Vrsabhanu Raja and his sons, friends and fellow-villagers on the large courtyard and blissfully starts feasting, just like the previous day. After eating they all wash their mouths and chew betelleaves before retiring to their individual rooms to lie down and digest the feast. Everyone is then served by their own servant or maidservant as is required at that time of the day.
Meanwhile Vrajesvari Mata serves Kirtida Mata, Sri Radhika and all the other gopis a feast on the inner yard of the palace, just like the previous day. The ladies also wash their mouths, chew betelleaves and retire to their individual rooms to lie down and digest the food.
Vrajaraja then offers the brahmanas clothes, ornaments and monetary donations and honours them before they leave. After this he offers clothes, ornaments and monetary donations to the bards, panegyrists, dancers and singers and serves them a great feast, and then he also feeds and honours the beggars and destitutes before they leave. Then he goes to his own room and takes rest. Sri Radha and Krsna and Their sakhis then perform Their daily midday pastimes just as on the previous day or on any other day.
NAVADVIPA : LORD NARAYANA'S ARATRIKA
In Navadvipa Mahaprabhu and His devotees end their song about the feast in Vraja-lila. Gadadhara Pandita takes the enjoyed offering from the altar, washes the mouth of the deity and performs aratrika. Mahaprabhu and His devotees then offer prostrated obeisances to the deity and go to the veranda of Mahaprabhu's bedroom and sit down there. Then, after the usual meeting in the Yogapitha they wander through the forests and go to Sri Advaita Prabhu's house in the afternoon, where they have been invited. There they have darsana of the arati of Prabhu Sitanatha's deity Sri Madana Gopala and perform kirtana. After enjoying fruits and milk-products they all take rest in the house of Sri Advaita Prabhu. After this they perform their usual nocturnal pastimes such as abhisara (love-journey) and return to Sri Advaita Prabhu's house again at night's end to take rest.
Thus Ends the Astami Lila
NAVAMI LILA
NAVADVIPA : FEAST IN ADVAITA PRABHU'S HOUSE
In the morning Mahaprabhu wakes up in Sri Advaita Prabhu's house, performs His morning-duties, bathes, is dressed and ornamented and takes a snack before going to hear a discourse on Srimad Bhagavata and becoming absorbed in Vraja-bhava. After hearing the Bhagavata-lecture the Lord views the arati of Sriman Madana Gopala and performs kirtana in front of the deities. After the deity is put to rest the Lord performs the Nandotsava Kirtana and plays the Dadhikada-game with His devotees. Then He performs His famous Nagara-bhramana (wandering through the town of Navadvipa), dances, sings and plays Dadhikada in the house of each devotee before returning to the house of Sri Advaita Prabhu. Then all the devotees go to the Ganga for a holy dip and watersports and again return to the house of Advaita Prabhu, who presents Mahaprabhu, Nitai Cand and all the other devotees with gifts of clothes and ornaments. After taking prasada all the devotees take a little rest and then they have the usual Yogapitha-meeting and wander through the forests of Nadiya. In the afternoon Mahaprabhu returns to His own home. After this all of Mahaprabhu's pastimes are as usual. In the evening Svarupa Damodara, knowing Mahaprabhu's mind, describes Radha and Krsna's evening-pastimes in Vraja. Hearing this all the devotees become absorbed in Vraja-bhava.
VRAJA DHAMA
In the morning in Nandisvara Sri Radha and Her sakhis wake up as usual, perform their morningduties, bathe and are ornamented and dressed before they go to enjoy the remnants of Krsna's breakfast-snack. Then Vrajesvari orders them to cook. Madhumangala offers these preparations to the deity of Lord Narayana and then puts the deity to rest. Then, as on the previous day, everyone eats, takes rest and has the Yogapitha meeting.
In the evening, after Sri Nanda Maharaja, Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja and Sri Krsna had their snacks Sri Radha and Her sakhis take their snacks. Then Vrsabhanu Maharaja begs permission from Nanda Maharaja to leave and return home. Nanda Maharaja then respectfully says goodbye to them while offering them clothes and ornaments once more.
In the same way Sri Vrajesvari Mata also says goodbye to Sri Kirtida Mata and the other lady-guests by offering them garments and ornaments. Sri Radha and Her sakhis and yuthesvaris offer their obeisances to Vrajesvari Mata and she blesses them while embracing them, kissing them and smelling their heads. Thereafter all the guests mount their own vehicles and return to their individual homes, being followed by Mother Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja for a while.
After Sri Radhika and Her sakhis return home they watch from their moontowers how Krsna milks His cows in the evening. After that the lila is nityavat, as usual.
On the first day of the dark lunar quarter of the month of Bhadra an orchestra (playing different drums as well as wind-instruments like Sanai) sits down in Nanda Maharaja's house and starts playing auspicious music. From that day on until the sixth day (sasthi) arrangements are being made to beautify the palace of Nanda Maharaja and the whole village of Nandisvara. A wonderful canopy adorned with jewelled strings is hung over the courtyard, each door and gate is flanked by banana-trees and jugs filled with mangoes and flags are flapping here and there. The houses of all the citizens and all the marketplaces are also beautified like this. The royal roads and all the other pathways are sprinkled with fragrant water, so that newcomers can understand that there is a great festival going on in each and every home.
In the evening of the sixth lunar day Sri Nanda Maharaja sends his invitations - to the men through Sri Subhadra (the cousin of Krsna and the husband of Kundalata) and to the women through Dhanistha (the daughter of one of Krsna's wet-nurses). Sri Subhadraji first goes to Vrsabhanupura, or Varsana, and tells Maharaja Vrsabhanu: "The day after tomorrow is Krsna's birthday, and on this occasion Sri Nanda Maharaja has invited you, saying: "This abode is yours, enjoy it as if it's yours, I don't know anything (in terms of 'yours' and 'mine')! Please come tomorrow morning to Nandisvara and make this invitation a success!" In the same way Dhatri-kanya Dhanistha extends Mother Yasoda's invitation to Mother Kirtida. The same kind of invitation is announced in Yavata (the abode of Abhimanyu, Sri Radhika's husband) and to all other friends and relatives.
(On saptami, astami and navami, that is, on Janmastami and the preceding and following days, Krsna does not go out to herd the cows and Sri Radhika dwells in Nandagrama).
SAPTAMI-LILA
NAVADVIPA : BHAVAVESA
In Navadvipa, on the seventh day of the dark lunar quarter of the month of Bhadra, Mahaprabhu performs His usual morning-duties and then sits down to listen to the Srimad Bhagavata-discourse with His devotees. Knowing Mahaprabhu's mind Gadadhara Pandita, the Bhagavata-lecturer, describes how Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja and his relatives come from Varsana to Nandisvara to celebrate Sri Krsna's birthday festival. Upon hearing this Mahaprabhu and His devotees all become absorbed in the mood of Vraja.
VRAJA DHAMA : SAPTAMI LILA
On the seventh day of the dark lunar quarter everyone in Vrsabhanupura finishes their morning duties, bathes, dresses, ornaments and takes a light breakfast before departing to Nandisvara, taking garments and ornaments along as presents for Krsna's birthday. Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja and his brothers mount elephants and leave Varsana, accompanied by musicians and soldiers. Sri Kirtida Mata and her sisters-in-law, wet-nurses and other relatives also depart in topmost bliss, sitting in covered palanquins, carried by four bearers each. Sridama-candra, Sri Radhika's brother, mounts his own horse and departs for Nandisvara with his soldiers and musicians, followed by Sri Radhika and Her sakhis in palanquins and Candravali and the yuthesvaris (gopi-groupleaders) in different vehicles. As Vrsabhanu Maharaja and his brothers gradually approach Nandisvara town Nanda Maharaja and his brothers hear their music and come forward to greet them. The guests dismount their elephants and greet Nanda Maharaja and his brothers by embracing them, addressing them and offering obeisances to them. Nanda Maharaja keeps the soldiers outside and takes the guests inside, giving each of them a proper place to stay. In the same way Sri Yasomati Mata and her sisters-in-law greet Sri Kirtida Mata, Sri Radhika, and the sakhis and yuthesvaris with the proper respect and affection, take them inside the palace and show them their respective guest rooms. Then everyone takes rest in their own abode while the servants and maidservants are engaged in their services.
After this Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja, Kirtida Mata, Sri Radhika and all the sakhis and yuthesvaris take a small snack. Then, on the order of Mother Yasomati, Sri Radhika and Her sakhis engage in cooking different sweets, rice and vegetables, that are offered to Nanda Maharaja's Narayana-deity by Madhumangala. After this offering is done arati is performed for the deity. Servants are dancing, singing and playing musical instruments and everyone present is very blissfully witnessing this. After arati everyone offers prostrated obeisances unto the deity and on the order of Mother Yasoda Madhumangala puts the deity to rest and calls everyone for prasada. On the large yard Sri Nanda Maharaja sits down to eat on the eastern side with his brothers Abhinanda and Upananda, Vrsabhanu Maharaja and his four brothers, Sridama, Balarama, Subhadra and Gobhatta on his right and Sunanda and Nandana, his other two brothers, Sri Krsna, Subala, Ujjvala, Kokila and others on his left. Sri Krsna's maternal uncles sit facing Nanda Maharaja and Abhimanyu and other cowherders sit facing Maharaja Vrsabhanu. On the southern side all the local brahmanas are sitting and all around the inhabitants of Nandisvara are seated. Sri Radha and Her sakhis serve the side of Nanda Maharaja and Syamala, Candravali and other yuthesvaris are serving Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja's side. They diligently serve sweetmeats, rice and vegetables. Everyone present eats with great pleasure, absorbed in joking and laughter, and after eating they wash their mouths, chew betelleaves and retire to their individual bedrooms, where their servants render them all the services that are suitable for the time of the day. Sri Radha washes Her hands and feet and becomes immersed in transcendental bliss by beholding Krsna's beauty through the window as He lays down to rest. After that Yasomati Mata calls Sri Radhika and the yuthesvaris and makes them sit down on the courtyard. Sri Radha and Her sakhis sit in one line, Candravali, Syamala and others sit in another line and Yasomati Mata, Kirtida Mata and other elderly gopis sit in yet another line while Mother Rohini, Tungi Mata and Kundalata are serving. After blissfully eating and washing their mouths all the ladies go to their individual bedrooms and take rest, being served by their maidservants, who fan them and serve them betelleaves. After this the (local) maidservants and the manjaris (Sri Radhika's maidservants) also eat in order. After eating the ambrosial food remnants of all the gopis the sadhaka dasi cleans the eating place and the plates and then goes to Sri Radha to massage Her lotus feet and render similar services.
Later Sri Radha gets up from bed, meets Krsna for the usual Yogapitha Milana in Gupta Kunda and returns to Nandisvara Pura again. After taking some rest She prepares some sweets, is dressed and ornamented by Her maidservants and then goes on abhisara on the pretext of offering surya puja. After then playing Her usual pastimes with Krsna at Radhakunda She returns to Nandisvara in the afternoon. The other pastimes of the day are also as usual (nityavat).
NAVADVIPA: BHOJANA SAYANADI
(Mahaprabhu takes His meal and takes rest)
In Navadvipa Mahaprabhu is absorbed in the bhogarati-kirtana of the householddeity Lord Narayana with His devotees. Then, when Mother Saci calls Him, He ends the kirtana and eats and rests as usual. The rest of His pastimes are also as usual.
Thus ends the Saptami lila
ASTAMI-LILA
NAVADVIPA: BHAVAVESA
In Navadvipa, on the morning of the eighth day of the dark lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadra, Mahaprabhu takes His usual morning bath, sees the arati-ceremony for Lord Narayana and then sits down with His devotees to listen to a Srimad Bhagavata-lecture given by Sri Gadadhara Pandita Gosvami. As Gadadhara describes the lila of Krsna's Janmastami-abhiseka Mahaprabhu and His devotees all become absorbed in Vraja-bhava.
VRAJA-DHAMA: ABHISEKA
In Nandisvara, on the astami-day, Sri Radha is bathed, dressed and ornamented by Her maidservants as usual. Then Kundalata comes and says: "O Radhe! Come and behold Sri Krsna's abhiseka-ceremony!" Hearing this, Sri Radhika takes Her sakhis and manjaris along and comes to the place of the abhiseka. The young and old villagers, men and women and all others who are called also arrive at the spot.
Sri Krsna is also bathed as usual, after which His servants dress Him with a white garment, place a pearl in His nose, hang a golden necklace around His neck, place armlets on His arms, bangles on His wrists, a belt with small bells around His waist and golden anklebells on His feet. Then Krsna goes to the bathing platform and sits down on a golden chair studded with jewels. Musicians play different instruments, brahmanas chant Vedic hymns, women chant 'Jaya Jaya!' and bards and panegyrists recite different praises. Sri Bhaguri Rsi recites the abhiseka-mantras and the servant boys perform the abhiseka. First of all they bathe Krsna with Mahausadhi (herbal) water and then gradually with pancagavya (five kinds of dairy-products) pancamrta (five kinds of nectar), a hundred jugs of water, then with a thousand streams of water and finally with sankhodaka (water from a conchshell). Then they dry Him off and dress Him in His Pitambara, after which Krsna sits down on a jewelled seat on His srngara vedi (altar for ornamentation), where He is ornamented by His servants.
NAVADVIPA: ABHISEKA
In Navadvipa Mahaprabhu sits down on the bathing platform, immersed in transcendental bliss. The servant-boys bring the paraphernalia for the abhiseka and Sri Advaita Prabhu performs the abhiseka according to the prescribed rules. Then the servants dry Mahaprabhu off and dress Him in His Pitavasa. Then Mahaprabhu takes His seat on a jewelled throne in His srngara-mandapa (pavilion for ornamentation), where the servants arrange His hair, put His tilaka on, adorn Him with sandalwood-pulp, garlands and jewelled ornaments and place a mirror before Him. Then Svarupa Damodara performs the arati of Mahaprabhu. After this, Svarupa Damodara Gosvami gradually sings kirtana-songs about Sri Krsna's dressing, ornamentation and breakfast. All the devotees who hear it then become absorbed in Vraja-bhava and relish the mellows of these pastimes.
VRAJA-DHAMA: SRI KRSNA'S ORNAMENTATION AND THE NANDOTSAVA
In Nandalaya Krsna sits on His srngara mandapa, where His servants decorate His hair and place a golden, jewel-studded crown with peacock-feathers on His head. They make gorocana tilaka on His forehead and leaf pictures on His cheeks, hang a pearl in His nose, Makara-earrings on His ears, a jewelled necklace around His neck, Angada-ornaments on His arms, bangles on His wrists, a sash of small bells around His waist and jewelled anklebells on His feet. Bhaguri Rsi worships Krsna seven times with Durva-sprouts in his hand and all the brahmanas offer blessings. Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja and others bless Krsna and offer Him golden trays with clothes and ornaments, Sri Kirtida Mata and other elderly ladies with motherly love offer their gifts and bless Krsna, and Sri Radhika offers Krsna a golden tray with garments and ornaments and hangs a jewelled necklace around His neck. In the same way Candravali and the other yuthesvaris offer different presents. Then Krsna donates a milk cow-with-calf, with gold-plated horns and silver hooves, bedecked with golden cloth and decorated with different ornaments, to Bhaguri Rsi. Sri Nanda Maharaja also gives thousands and thousands of cows in charity to the brahmanas. Then Krsna descends from the altar and offers His obeisances to Paurnamasi-devi and the other brahmanas. Then He bows down to His mother and father and to Sri Vrsabhanu Baba and Kirtida Mata, as well as to all His other superiors, that are like His father and mother. Then Sri Krsna is called by mother Yasoda to come to the dining room with His friends to take a snack. Sri Radha and Her girlfriends and yuthesvaris also all take a snack, after which mother Yasoda engages them in cooking. Meanwhile hundreds of brahmanas are engaged elsewhere in cooking large amounts of food.
Yasomati comes to inspect all the preparations and then orders Madhumangala to offer them to the household-deity, so Madhumangala comes and offers a little bit of each preparation to Lord Narayana. After the bhoga he performs arati and then puts the deity to rest. Then on different courtyards the Dadhikada-game commences. On the outer yard Sri Nanda Maharaja plays with Maharaja Vrsabhanu, his brothers and all the other elderly cowherders and on another yard Balarama and Krsna and other cowherdboys become mad with playing Dadhikada.
In the inner quarters of the house Vrajesvari Mata, Kirtida Mata and their sisters-in-law are playing, and on another inner yard Sri Radha, Candravali and other yuthesvaris are maddened by the Dadhikada-game, which is accompanied by dancing, singing and the playing of musical instruments. Mukhara and other elderly gopis are dancing in the middle, wielding sticks. Everyone throws yoghurt, milk, ghi, buttermilk, butter, oil, turmeric, liquid sandalwood, vermilion, water and kesara (pollen tubes) at each other. Out of excitement everyone forgets who is superior and who is junior; everyone tries to pelt everyone else with yoghurt and milk. The thrown yoghurt and milk streams through the drains like a virtual river, and when the pollen-tubes and the butter form balls in the drains and thus cause them to clog, small lakes of milk and yoghurt are being formed on the yards. Later, when these stoppages are removed, the released milk and yoghurt streams away as fast as rivers. When the demigods in the sky see this festival of bliss they shower flowers and some of them assume human forms and dance amongst the cowherders. Other demigods assume the form of birds and eat up the stoppages of butter. The singers, players and the male and female dancers dance in ecstasy and the bards and panegyrists consider themselves blessed by singing the glories of Gokula and Sri Krsna.
After completing the Dadhikada-game in this way everyone proceeds to Pavana Sarovara and begins to play in the water of this lake. In the northern Ghata (bathing place) are Vraja Raja Nanda, Maharaja Vrsabhanu and others, in the eastern Ghata Balarama, Krsna and Their cowherd boyfriends, in the southern Ghata Vrajesvari Yasoda, Kirtida Mata and others and in the western Ghata Sri Radha, Candravali and others are playing in the water, splashing each other. When they climb back on the shore their servants and maidservants wipe off their bodies, massage them with oil and give them another bath. After this they dry them off and dress them in dry, fresh clothes. When everyone returns to the palace Nanda Maharaja presents each person, according to his social status, with clothes and ornaments and Vrajesvari does the same with the lady-guests. Everyone is then dressed and decorated with these gifts by their own servants or maidservants. After this, Nanda Maharaja first seats the brahmanas on the courtyard and feeds them the most exquisite sweets and fried things. After the brahmanas have eaten Mother Yasoda has the brahmacaris call everyone for the feast.
NAVADVIPA: LORD NARAYANA'S BHOGA
Mahaprabhu sits on the srngara mandapa with His associates, absorbed in the Vraja-bhava, while in the inner courtyard Laksmipriya, Visnupriya and others are preparing different kinds of sweets, fried things and vegetables for the offering to Lord Narayana. Then, on the order of Mother Saci Isana Dasa comes and says: "O Mahaprabho! The offering for Lord Narayana is ready! Mother is calling You to do the offering!" Hearing this, Mahaprabhu roars and returns (from Vraja-bhava) to external consciousness. The devotees also return to external consciousness and Svarupa Damodara ends his descriptive kirtana. Then, on Mahaprabhu's order, Gadadhara Pandita offers the bhoga to Lord Narayana. Mahaprabhu and His devotees sit down in the Narayana-temple and become absorbed in singing about Radha and Krsna and Their friends eating in Nandisvara in Vraja.
VRAJADHAMA: FEASTING AND RESTING
Vrajesvari Mata orders the brahmacaris to call everyone for the feast and Vrajesvara Nanda sits down with Vrsabhanu Raja and his sons, friends and fellow-villagers on the large courtyard and blissfully starts feasting, just like the previous day. After eating they all wash their mouths and chew betelleaves before retiring to their individual rooms to lie down and digest the feast. Everyone is then served by their own servant or maidservant as is required at that time of the day.
Meanwhile Vrajesvari Mata serves Kirtida Mata, Sri Radhika and all the other gopis a feast on the inner yard of the palace, just like the previous day. The ladies also wash their mouths, chew betelleaves and retire to their individual rooms to lie down and digest the food.
Vrajaraja then offers the brahmanas clothes, ornaments and monetary donations and honours them before they leave. After this he offers clothes, ornaments and monetary donations to the bards, panegyrists, dancers and singers and serves them a great feast, and then he also feeds and honours the beggars and destitutes before they leave. Then he goes to his own room and takes rest. Sri Radha and Krsna and Their sakhis then perform Their daily midday pastimes just as on the previous day or on any other day.
NAVADVIPA : LORD NARAYANA'S ARATRIKA
In Navadvipa Mahaprabhu and His devotees end their song about the feast in Vraja-lila. Gadadhara Pandita takes the enjoyed offering from the altar, washes the mouth of the deity and performs aratrika. Mahaprabhu and His devotees then offer prostrated obeisances to the deity and go to the veranda of Mahaprabhu's bedroom and sit down there. Then, after the usual meeting in the Yogapitha they wander through the forests and go to Sri Advaita Prabhu's house in the afternoon, where they have been invited. There they have darsana of the arati of Prabhu Sitanatha's deity Sri Madana Gopala and perform kirtana. After enjoying fruits and milk-products they all take rest in the house of Sri Advaita Prabhu. After this they perform their usual nocturnal pastimes such as abhisara (love-journey) and return to Sri Advaita Prabhu's house again at night's end to take rest.
Thus Ends the Astami Lila
NAVAMI LILA
NAVADVIPA : FEAST IN ADVAITA PRABHU'S HOUSE
In the morning Mahaprabhu wakes up in Sri Advaita Prabhu's house, performs His morning-duties, bathes, is dressed and ornamented and takes a snack before going to hear a discourse on Srimad Bhagavata and becoming absorbed in Vraja-bhava. After hearing the Bhagavata-lecture the Lord views the arati of Sriman Madana Gopala and performs kirtana in front of the deities. After the deity is put to rest the Lord performs the Nandotsava Kirtana and plays the Dadhikada-game with His devotees. Then He performs His famous Nagara-bhramana (wandering through the town of Navadvipa), dances, sings and plays Dadhikada in the house of each devotee before returning to the house of Sri Advaita Prabhu. Then all the devotees go to the Ganga for a holy dip and watersports and again return to the house of Advaita Prabhu, who presents Mahaprabhu, Nitai Cand and all the other devotees with gifts of clothes and ornaments. After taking prasada all the devotees take a little rest and then they have the usual Yogapitha-meeting and wander through the forests of Nadiya. In the afternoon Mahaprabhu returns to His own home. After this all of Mahaprabhu's pastimes are as usual. In the evening Svarupa Damodara, knowing Mahaprabhu's mind, describes Radha and Krsna's evening-pastimes in Vraja. Hearing this all the devotees become absorbed in Vraja-bhava.
VRAJA DHAMA
In the morning in Nandisvara Sri Radha and Her sakhis wake up as usual, perform their morningduties, bathe and are ornamented and dressed before they go to enjoy the remnants of Krsna's breakfast-snack. Then Vrajesvari orders them to cook. Madhumangala offers these preparations to the deity of Lord Narayana and then puts the deity to rest. Then, as on the previous day, everyone eats, takes rest and has the Yogapitha meeting.
In the evening, after Sri Nanda Maharaja, Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja and Sri Krsna had their snacks Sri Radha and Her sakhis take their snacks. Then Vrsabhanu Maharaja begs permission from Nanda Maharaja to leave and return home. Nanda Maharaja then respectfully says goodbye to them while offering them clothes and ornaments once more.
In the same way Sri Vrajesvari Mata also says goodbye to Sri Kirtida Mata and the other lady-guests by offering them garments and ornaments. Sri Radha and Her sakhis and yuthesvaris offer their obeisances to Vrajesvari Mata and she blesses them while embracing them, kissing them and smelling their heads. Thereafter all the guests mount their own vehicles and return to their individual homes, being followed by Mother Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja for a while.
After Sri Radhika and Her sakhis return home they watch from their moontowers how Krsna milks His cows in the evening. After that the lila is nityavat, as usual.
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