Radha-Krsna: English Translation of Ýradhakrsnaý by Sunil Gangopadhyay

By Ashim Kumar Bhattacharyya Ph.D

In his book RadhaKrsna Sunil Gangopadhyay did not treat Krsna and Radha as god and goddess. He described them as common ordinary human just like us. His description of the love between Radha and Krsna therefore had sensual connotations following the custom of many literary publications of the past like Jayadeva's 'Gitagovinda' and many Padabali Kirtanas. However, we have to remember that Krsna is the 'Param Brahma' that is the Supreme Spirit as defined in the Hindu Dharma Shastras. Shrimati Radha is his consort or his 'Shakti' that is power. The 'Prema' that is love between them is devotional and spiritual love. Krsna and Radha's devotional love plays are the 'Rasa Lila' of Bhagavan Shri Krsna and his 'Shakti' Radha.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jul 12, 2007
• ISBN: 9780595901111

Ashim Kumar Bhattacharyya Ph.D

Ashim Kumar Bhattacharyya performs religious worships for the community. He has lectured on Hindu Religion in the New Orleans area. He retired from LSU Health Sciences Center. He and his wife live in Metairie, Louisiana.

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Copyright © 2007 by Ashim K. Bhattacharyya

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This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

ISBN: 978-0-595-45813-4 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-0-595-90111-1 (ebk)

Contents

The Book and its Author

Translator’s Note

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

About the Author

The Book and its Author

For ages, the names of Rādhā and Krsna are in the hearts of the people of India. The vast literature in most Indian languages describing the spiritual love between Rādhā and Krsna is incomparable in the world literature.

The love stories of Rādhā and Krsna are found in the Puranas, many poems, village literatures, and popular songs. For hundreds of years people have enjoyed the beauty of the love story as their own. The eminent Bengali poet and novelist Sunil Gangopadhyay described the Rādhā-Krsna love story in his own elegant style of prose. He collected materials from the Bhagavat Purana (also known as Bhagavat), Brahmavaivarta Purana, Rasa Pancadhyaya, Shri Krsna Kirtana, the works of Candidasa and Vidyapati, many Padabali Kirtanas, many popular folk songs and the works of Shri Dinesh Chandra Sen and put together the book RādhāKrsna.

Krsna has many facets. In Vrindavan Krsna is just like us, the ordinary person. He is the cowherd boy; he is the lover of Rādhā. In his book, Sunil Gangopadhyay wrote about only this facet of Krsna. His description of Rādhā is like poetry. Sunil Gangopadhyay’s depiction of Rādhā and Krsna are like common people; he did not portray them as god and goddess. The stories have no supernatural aspect. Rādhā and Krsna are simply eternal lovers. The love of Rādhā and Krsna is immortal.

Sunil Gangopadhyay was born in 1934 in Faridpur, Bangladesh. His family later settled down in Kolkata where he grew up. He got his M.A. degree in Economics from the Calcutta University. He is currently associated with the Ananda Bazar Patrika group, a major publishing house in Kolkata.

Sunil Gangopadhyay has published over 200 books. He is a prolific writer who has excelled in many aspects of Bengali literature. However, he declared poetry was his first love. He was the founder editor of ‘Krittibas’, a seminal poetry magazine that became a platform for a new generation of poets experimenting with many forms of poetic themes, rhythms, and words.

Besides being a poet, Sunil Gangopadhyay is known for his unique elegant style in prose. His novels, historical fictions are too many to list. He has also written travelogues, children’s fiction, short stories, features, and essays. Many of his works have been translated into English.

Sunil Gangopadhyay does not simply tell a story but through the story goes to uncover a truth. In his book RādhāKrsna, he uncovers the truth about the eternal love of Rādhā and Krsna.

Translator’s Note

This is a line-by-line free translation of the book RādhāKrsna in Bengali by the eminent Bengali writer Shri Sunil Gangopadhyay. His elegant style of prose is sometimes frustratingly difficult to translate. I have tried my best and hope I have been successful to some extent. I sincerely thank Shri Sunil Gangopadhyay for his permission to publish this translation

In his book RādhāKrsna Sunil Gangopadhyay did not treat Krsna and Râdhâ as god and goddess. He described them as common ordinary human just like us. His description of the love between Rādhā and Krsna therefore had sensual connotations following the custom of many literary publications of the past like Jayadeva’s ‘Gitagovinda’ and many Padabali Kirtanas. However, we have to remember that Krsna is the ‘Param Brahma’ that is the Supreme Spirit as defined in the Hindu Dharma Shastras. Shrimati Rādhā is his consort or his ‘Shakti’ that is power. The ‘Prema’ that is love between them is devotional and spiritual love. Krsna and Rādhā’s devotional love plays are the ‘Rasa Lila’ of Bhagavan Shri Krsna and his ‘Shakti’ Rādhā.

1

The rising sun’s rays have just lit up the top of the trees but underneath it is still dark. Dawn is just breaking; the night is not over yet. Outside in the garden the flower buds wet with morning dew are about to bloom into flowers. The birds are ready to start chirping. They are not sure yet whether the light of the dawn is the light from the full moon or from the day’s sun. In the cowshed, the cows are shaking their heads with big horns to drive away the mosquitoes. Just then, the galloping of the horses was heard.

The sound of the galloping horses woke up milkmaid Yashomati. She got up quickly. Her husband was fast asleep in the other corner of the bed and by his side, the baby was fast asleep too. A beautiful smile was on the baby’s lips. The baby smiles while asleep.

The small room was full of utensils. Even from the ceiling of the room, utensils were hung with ropes. Rubbing her eyes Yashomati came to the small window. She convinced herself that what she was hearing was the sound of the galloping horses. It was not the sound of one galloping horse but many.

Anxious Yashomati quickly picked up her sleeping baby to her bosom just like a mother bird picks up the baby bird. She was afraid the King’s soldiers are coming to get her baby. Where she would hide her only baby? How she could hide her baby from the soldiers? The baby was still soundly asleep; if he wakes up and starts crying, will that sound could be heard from outside? She was thinking fast.

She knelt beside the bed on which her husband was still fast asleep. She put her palm on his forehead and tried to wake him up Listen, get up, quick, please, get up.

However, he was fast asleep. He was not aroused from the deep sleep.

Yashomati anxiously and earnestly prayed to the goddess of sleep Oh God, please, please let go my husband from your clutches, Let him wake up. When night comes, then please come and take hold of him. But for now please let him wake up.

Underneath the wooden bed frame, there was a pot full of water. Yashomati took the water in her hand and sprinkled over the eyes of her sleeping husband. Once, twice, three times she sprinkled water on her husband’s face.

The sound of the galloping horses was becoming louder and louder.

Nanda, the milkman, made an annoying sound and opened his eyes. He saw his wife’s beautiful, sweet face with full of anxiety. The baby son was not by his side but he is in her lap. He asked her What is happening? Is the temperature of the baby is high?

Yashomati replied Oh no. But listen very carefully. They are coming.

Nanda heard the sounds of the galloping horses. He jumped from his bed. He took the spear that he kept by the side of the door and said in a thunderous voice Let them come. Nobody, nobody will take my boy from us.

Yashomati became more fearful. What? Was Nanda going to fight single-handedly with the King’s soldiers? The great emperor Jarasandha had profusely praised the army of King Ugrasena for their valor and strength. Nevertheless, everybody knew how cruel and brutal these soldiers were.

Nanda agreed with Yashomati’s arguments. There was no point in fighting the King’s soldiers single-handedly. Nanda and Yashomati, the husband and wife, were innocent but to save their infant baby from the whimsical wishes of the King, he had to flee with the baby.

Nanda went out of the house taking the baby wrapped in a blanket carefully in his bosom. He took the baby the way the young girls keep the lotuses picked for Puja that is worship so carefully in the folds of their Saree.

Through the back door, he ran out of the house and kept running through fruit gardens. He crossed many, many such gardens; he kept running carefully holding the baby in his bosom.

Yashomati stood at the doorway of the house, kept looking at her husband and infant son as long as she could. She returned to the window in the room and kept looking outside. Anybody looking at her from outside would think that one is looking at a statue. But within her, a storm of anxiety was raging at its full force.

The sounds of the galloping horses, their neighs, the clattering sound of the weapons, the loud laughs of the soldiers were now heard clearly. They were now seen on the streets. Their glittering gold-plated helmets were reflecting the sun’s rays just as they are reflected from the water in a river. They were wearing swords in the belts at their waist, a spear was also attached; their look was like that of the hawk. During King Ugrasena’s reign everybody felt safe simply looking at the powerful army; everybody believed they would defeat any enemy’s army. But during the reign of Ugrasena’s son Kamsa, everybody was afraid of their ferocity and brutality.

Little later wailing cries from the Ghose-Palli (the milkmans’ neighborhood) could be heard. The soldiers had entered the houses and were looking for infant babies. They were searching every nook of the house for babies. Some have fled their houses with their babies just as Nanda had fled. But those unfortunate ones who did not awoke in time their babies were taken away forcefully by the soldiers. The king had a strange whim of seeing babies’ blood for satisfaction.

In time, the soldiers came to Yashomati’s home. Yashomati did not say a word. She simply stood by the side of the open door. The soldiers came into the house, searched the whole house thoroughly, throwing things here and there. They found sweets in one vessel. They ate a few sweets, played with some and threw away many of those. They left afterwards. Yashomati all this time was thinking and praying. She was thinking that hopefully her husband and her baby had been able to go far away and nobody had seen them. She only prayed, "Oh God, please,