Ras Lila
Culture and tradition on Antara River Cruises routes
What is Ras-lila?
The divine love between Radha and Krishna manifests in many poetic and lyrical ways in the eyes of their devotees, through history. Whether it is the platonic love of friends, or something more intimate, it is tinged with the sweetness inherent in its very name…ras lila. Literally, ras means nectar and lila means dance, or play…. but with Krishna’s story it takes on deeper meanings – the sweetness becomes blissful emotion and the dance the divine movement of the cosmos.
The story of ras lila goes like this: on a full moon night, Krishna plays His magical flute, and the gopis (the milk-maidens, led by Radha, who are His ardent followers and friends) sneak away from their homes to sing, dance and play hide-and-seek with Him all night. Jealous, Radha complains of the pain of separation from her lover and that He is neglecting her for the other gopis, who in turn enjoy the pleasures of His warm caresses.
Krishna and Radha’s Ras-lila in Culture
In Hindu texts of the Bhakti tradition like the Bhagavat Purana, ras-lila is seen as a depiction of soulful love and can be interpreted as the intense, ecstatic and spiritual devotion of human beings to Lord Krishna.
anganam anganam antara madhavo
madhavam madhavam cantarenanganah
ittham akalpite mandale madhya-gah
sanjagau venuna devaki-nandanah
(Lord Madhava stood between each pair of gopis, and a gopi was situated between each pair of His manifestations. And Sri Krishna, the son of Devaki also appeared in the middle of the circle, playing upon His flute and singing.)
– Srimad Bhagavatam
The divine union of Krishna and his Radha and gopis is depicted in many of the classical dance forms of India, including Kathak, Manipuri, Bharatanatyam and more.
‘Murali ki dhun sun aye radha, Jamuna ke tat par…’
(Hearing the sound of the flute, Radha rushed to the banks of the Yamuna…)
– Kathak bol
Many poets have written about this eternal love, which transcends the physical and lustful, to cross over into a mind-bending love of a higher type. Chief among them is the epic Geet Govinda by the poet Jayadev.
‘Vigalita-vasanam, parihruta-rasanam, ghataya jaghanam api dhanam .
kisalaya-shayane pakaja-nayane, nidhim iva harsha-nidanam’
(O blue lotus-eyed Radha, loosen your desires & drink the bhakti rasa. Be with your lover’s joyful fulfillment, on a bed of freshly sprouted leaves)
(Radhe)||6||
-From Geet Govinda by Jayadeva, 12 century CE
There have been medieval women poets from the 15th and 16th century who have spoken of it beautifully, too. The last nawab of Oudh, Wajid Ali Shah wrote Urdu poetry inspired by the ras-lila.
‘Unke peeche main chupke se jaake
Ye gulal apne tan pe lagake
Rang doongi unhe bhi lipatke…’
(I’ll go behind him, cover my body with colour
Then I’ll wrap my arms around Him
And colour him, too…’)
-Wajid Ali Shah, as performed by Sardari Begum
Ras-Lila Today
In Mayapur, thousands of pilgrims visit the city which is decorated with beautiful rangoli, girls dressed as gopis and lamplit processions. Delicious sweets are prepared and offered to the deities. The ISKON Temple in Mayapur becomes the fulcrum of these celebrations.
