VERSE 17:

śyāmayor nava vayaḥ suṣamābhyāṁ
gaurayor amala kānti yaśobhyām
kvāpi vām akhila valgu vataṁsau
mādhurī hṛdi sadā sphuratān me      

         O Rādhe! O Kṛṣṇa! You are the crownjewels of all charming personalities and all standards of comparison! One of You is Śyāmā (the definition of the topmost woman) because of Her youthful beauty and One of You is Śyāma because of His bodily beauty (glossy like an emerald), One of You is Gaurī because of Her body, that shines like molten gold, and One of You is Gaura (colored white) because of His spotless fame! May Your sweetness always be manifest in my heart! 

UPAMĀNA ŚIRORATNAḤ  (The Crown-jewels Of Comparison):

         Makaranda Kaṇā Vyākhyā: More and more the desires to attain the service of the Divine Pair and to relish their sweetness increase in the heart of Śrīpāda Rūpa. His longings are not just satiated by perceiving Them in smaraṇa, visions or in dreams. Although he considers the forms, attributes and pastimes of his beloved deities to be very rarely attained, still there is a strong desire for attaining Their devotional service within his heart, that is already colored with the flavours of service. This extreme thirst is the very life-force of rāgānugā-bhakti. There is no mitigation of this thirst of love – it brings forth newer and newer longings. tṛṣṇā śānti nahe tṛṣṇā bāḍe nirantara (C.C.)

These longingly prayers are being manifested in different ways and in wonderful words in this Utkalikā Vallari. At places, it is as if words cannot carry the weight of the ecstatic feelings, that sometimes become too much to express.

         “O sarvajana manojña śirobhūṣaṇa (crownjewels of those who enchant everyone)!” How much eagerness is pervading this address! “You are both the crown jewels of objects of comparison in both the material and spiritual worlds!” The object of comparison is called upamāna and the standard of comparison is called upameya. When we speak about a ‘lotus face’, then the lotus is the object of comparison and the face is the standard of comparison. In the material world, the object of comparison is superior to the standard of comparison, but in the kingdom of God it is the other way around. There all objects of comparison are futile, because spiritual things can never be compared to material objects. Therefore Śrī-Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava, who are the embodiments of sweetness, are called the crown jewels of all objects of comparison. “Whose heart will not become greedy to taste Your sweetness?” How strong is that desire! Although it seems unattainable one cannot give up hoping! “Although I am unworthy to see You and to serve You, Your sweetness is maddening me! May Your sweetness, that always maddens my heart and mind, always be manifest to me!” This sweetness is described in the remaining part of this śloka.

         śyāmayor nava vayaḥ suṣamābhyām. One of You is called Śyāmā because of fresh youth.” Śyāmā is a 16-year old heroine. Other definitions of Śyāmā are:

padma-gandhi vapur yasyāḥ stanau yasyā sadonnatau
grīṣma-kāle śiśiratā śīta-kāle yad uṣṇatā
akāle vañjulo yasyāḥ pādā-ghātena puṣpati
mukhāsavaiś ca bakulaḥ sā śyāmā parikīrtitā 

         “A Śyāmā-heroine is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. A lotus-fragrance emanates from Her body, and Her breasts are always raised. When She hits the Aśoka-flower with her foot or lets some of her saliva drop on the Bakula-flower, these flowers bloom untimely.”

Śrī Rādhā, as a heroine, is Śyāmā and Kṛṣṇa, because of His complexion, is Śyāma, glossy blue like a blazing sapphire. The color of śṛṅgāra rasa (erotic rasa) is Śyāma, and Kṛṣṇa embodies that. śṛṅgāraḥ sakhi! mūrtimān iva madhau mugdho hariḥ krīḍati (Gīta Govinda) “O sakhi! Hari plays in the spring like erotic rasa personified!”

Śrīpāda Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī writes in his commentary on this verse: mūrtimān śarīrī śṛṅgāra iva śṛṅgāra rasa iva. tathā ca śṛṅgāra rasasya śyāmatvāt śrī Kṛṣṇa sādṛśyam. tad uktam bharatena (nāṭya śāstre 6.42) śyāmo bhavati śṛṅgāraḥ sito hāsaḥ prakīrtitaḥ iti. “He is erotic rasa embodied. śṛṅgāra rasa has the śyāma-colour, looking just like Śrī Kṛṣṇa. It is said by Bharata Muni in the Nāṭya Śāstra: śyāma means eros, sugar and smiles.”

Śrīpāda Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura says: śṛṅgāra rasa sāra sarvasvam “He is the all-in-all of śṛṅgāra rasa, or: śṛṅgāra rasa is everything to Him.” That’s why the Mahājanas sing:

jaladhara ruci hara śyāmara kāṅti
yuvati mohana veśa dharu koto bhāṅti
(Rāya Śekhara) 

         “His bluish complexion steals the luster of a monsoon cloud. How beautifully He shines in His enchanting youthful dress!” Everything becomes crystallized in song: His glossy bluish complexion, His moods, His dress, His rasa:

kuvalaya nīla,                      ratana dalitāñjana,
megha puñja jini varaṇa sucānda
kuñcita keśa,           khacita śikhi-candraka,
alakāvalita lalitānana cānda

         “His complexion defeats that of a blue lotus flower, a sapphire, crushed eyeliner and a host of monsoon clouds. His curly locks flank His lovely face and He wears a crown of peacock feathers.”

āota re nava nāgara kāna
bhāvini bhāva,                  vibhāvita antara,
dina rajanī nāhi jānato āna

         “O, Our young lover Kāna has come! Our beautiful Bhāvinī cannot think of anything else, day and night!”

madhurādhara hāsa,            manohara tahi ati,
sumadhura muralī virāja
bhāṅga vibhaṅgima,            kuṭila nehārai,
kulavatī umati dūre rahu lāja

         “His sweet lips smile in a very enchanting way as He holds His very sweet Muralī-flute. He looks in a crooked and restless way, casting the patience of the housewives far away.” 

gaja gati bhāti,                    gamana ati manthara,
mañjīra bājata runu jhuniyā
heraite koṭi                      madana murachāyai,
govinda dāsa koho dhani dhaniyā

         “He walks slowly and gracefully like an elephant and His ankle bells are jingling. When they see Him millions of Cupids faint.” Govinda dāsa says: “Blessed are these girls (that see Him like this).”      

In the dictionary yet another meaning for the word ‘Śyāma’ can be heard: śāyate gacchati mano’sminn iti śyāmaḥ “He to whom everyone’s mind goes is named Syāma”. If we calmly ponder on this we can can understand that everyone in this world desires happiness, and Śyāmasundara is the embodiment of complete bliss.

kuvalaya dala nīlaḥ koṭi kandarpa līlaḥ
kanaka ruci dukūlaḥ keki piñchāvacūlaḥ
mama hṛdi kula-bālā nīvi visraṁsi vaṁśa
dhvanir udayatu rādhā padminī rāja-haṁsa
(Sangīta Mādhava)

         “May the flute sound of the lordly swan who enjoys the Rādhā-lotus, who is bluish like the petal of a blue lotus flower, who is as playful as millions of Cupids, who wears a splendid golden dress and a crown of peacock feathers, and who causes the girdles of the housewives to fall off, rise in my heart.”   

         Just as They are both Śyāma They are also both Gaura. One of Them (Śrī Rādhā) is Gaura (golden) because of Her spotless complexion, that defeats molten gold, and the other (Kṛṣṇa) is Gaura (white) because of His spotless fame. Śrī Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī has described Śrī Rādhā’s brilliant golden lustre as follows:

nava campaka gaura kāntibhiḥ kṛta vṛndāvana hema rūpatām
bhaja kām api viśva-mohinīṁ madhura prema rasādhi devatām
(Saṅgīta Mādhava) 

         “Worship the world-enchanting presiding goddess of sweet prema-rasa, Śrī Rādhā, who turns the whole of Vṛndāvana golden with Her own lustre, the lustre of a fresh golden Campaka-flower!” He also writes nava kanaka campaka prakara ruci kampaka śrīla tanu sakala sukha heto “Her beautiful trembling body, that has the luster of fresh golden Campaka-flowers, is the source of everyone’s delight!”  In Rādhā Rasa Sudhānidhi it is said gātre koṭi taḍic chabi: “Her body shines like millions of lightning-strikes”. But that light does not hurt the eyes like ordinary material luminaries, it pleases the eyes because it is the light of mahā bhāva.         

Śrī Kṛṣṇa is Gaura, or white, through His fame and glory. His glories make Nārada sing and play the Vīṇā. It was already described previously (in verse 11, commentary) how Kṛṣṇa’s glories turn all blue things white; that is how splendidly white is Kṛṣṇa’s glory. “May Your sweetness always be revealed in my heart! I want to be immersed in the ocean of Your sweetness!” When the names, pastimes, qualities and forms are all-enchanting it is called mādhurya.

Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī confirms this: mādhuryam asamordhvatayā sarva manoharaṁ svābhāvika rūpa guṇa līlādi sauṣṭhavam. Per Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartipāda the savor of the Lord’s sweetness is an even higher stage than the direct vision of the Lord. Therefore, both in practice and in the perfect state, the highest goal is relishing the Lord’s sweetness.

he Kṛṣṇa karuṇā sindhu vraja nīlamaṇi;
he Kṛṣṇa priyatamā rādhā ṭhākurāṇi
upamāna vastu yoto akhila bhuvane;
sabāra mukuṭa-maṇi tomarā du’jane
nava vayaḥ susamāte śrī rādhikā syāmā;
yuvatī ramaṇī-gaṇe lakṣaṇe uttamā
parama sundara hari nava ghana śyāma;
mahā marakata maṇi lāvaṇyera dhāma
tapata kāñcana sama ujjvala gaurāṅgī;
sunirmala kānti-cchaṭā kiśorī varāṅgī
amala yaśete gaura anya eka jana;
bhuvana maṅgala Kṛṣṇa madana mohana
hṛdaya mandire koru mādhurya vilāsa;
śrī rūpa gosvāmī kore ei abhilāṣa 

         “O Kṛṣṇa! Ocean of mercy! O Vraja’s sapphire! O Kṛṣṇa’s beloved, Rādhā Ṭhākurāni! You are both the crown jewels of all objects of comparison in the whole world! Śrī Rādhikā is Śyāmā because of Her youthfulness and Her supreme characteristics as a young girl, and the most beautiful Hari is named Nava Ghana Śyāma because of His deep bluish complexion, that is the abode of elegance and that resembles a great emerald. Śrī Rādhikā has an excellent blazing golden body that resembles molten gold, and Her adolescent luster is spotless. The other One, Kṛṣṇa, the Source of Auspiciousness to the World and the Enchanter of Cupid, is gaura, or white, because of His spotless fame”. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī prays: “Let Them sport ever-so-sweetly in the temple of my mind!”