THE NECTAR OF VRAJA-LILA · 98
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Don't lie, Lalita!
यावक · yāvaka — «алая краска-лак для стоп»
Don't lie, Lalita!
यावक · yāvaka — «алая краска-лак для стоп»
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"Stop, stop — don't lie, Lalita! There is no dye on Radhika's feet at all. The red on her soles is the ragi-dhatu from Krishna's own brow."
The gopis are vying over who will glorify her mistress higher, and every word is steeped in rasa. Lalita heaps yet another "hardship" upon Vishakha: "You simple soul, you have forgotten! Over and over we must paint the yava-grasa, the red lac dye, onto Radhika's tender, bud-soft feet." And the hidden sense is this: Radhika in her sulking pride keeps driving Krishna off, and again and again he lays her feet upon his own head — so the dye keeps rubbing away, and must be reapplied. At this Vishakha bursts out laughing: "Stop, stop — don't lie, Lalita! There is no dye on Radhika's feet at all. The red on her soles is the ragi-dhatu, the crimson mineral from Krishna's own brow — for it is he who tirelessly bows his head to her feet." Every gopi of Vraja paints her soles with lac — but on Radhika the red is the color from Krishna's forehead. Padma drew a pistol — Vishakha rolled out a cannon. Boom!
Glorify Radha in the Name: Krishna himself is at her feet.
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