Catu Puspanjali of Sri Rupa Gosvami

Baladeva Vidyabhusana introduces the text,

The praises of Radhika to indite,

Some sweet words of flattery I recite;

To please my Svamini, standing close by,

To gain her favour and to glorify.

Sri Radhikayai namah

Hail to Sri Radhika!

Sri Rupa's Catu Puspanjali

O Gauri fair, as yellow pigment bright!

You are in lotus-blue fine raiment dight;

Fresh flowers and clusters of jewels rare

Bind up the coils of your cobra-like hair. 1

No comparison can set forth the grace

Of the fair orb of your delightsome face;

And the musk tilak sign upon your brow

Derides the lambent moon with its fresh glow. 2

Your lovely curving eyebrows put to shame

The bow of him known by Ananga's name;

Your eyes with collyrium black are dight,

And restless glance as chakori birds bright. 3

A big and lustrous pearl suspended glows

From the tip of your tila flower nose;

Your lips as red bandhuka flowers shine;

Your teeth sparkle like buds of jessamine. 4

With shiny pendants hung upon each ear;

In your crown karnikara blooms you wear;

A spot of musk your fair chin doth bedeck;

With a gem studded necklace on your neck. 5

Your tender lotus stem-like arms are graced

And by divine shiny armlets embraced;

Your fine wrists with sapphire bangles bound,

Shine radiant and soft tinkling resound. 6

Your lotus-hands with petal-fingers shine,

With gem studded glistering rings divine;

And an expansive charming necklace rests

Upon your ample bud-like blooming breasts. 7

The hair from your navel like a serpent twines,

Whose head, shimmering, with fair jewels shines;

Your midriff with three vine-like lines is graced,

Supporting thus your slender dainty waist. 8

A belt of gems with bells and golden ties

Is girt about your ample sturdy thighs;

Like two fair columns of gold that deride

Tapering plantain trunks, and crush their pride. 9

O damsel fair, your knees minish the shine,

Of yellow topaz gem caskets divine;

The autumn lotus worships to entreat,

Adorned with sounding anklets, your soft feet. 10

Diminished is the radiance that glows

From millions of moons by your gem-like toes;

When eight ecstatic responses are stirred

Your person becomes restless and perturbed. 11

Gazing at Mukunda with side-long eyes,

You cause the billows of Cupid to rise;

And thus begins your sport of ecstasy;

All hail, all hail, Vrindavaneshvari! 12

When great emotion rises, Goddess mine,

With a restless and sweet favour you shine;

All heroines from you are manifest,

And wonder in your haviour is expressed. 13

The abundance of bliss amorous sweet

Is distilled from your lotus flower feet;

And the Goddess Indira's beauty pales,

In lustre radiant of your toenails. 14

Among all damsels in Gokula town,

You are the chaplet adorning the crown;

Of Lalita you are the life and grace,

And budding smiles adorn your lovely face. 15

Your side long glance such sweetness generates,

Which Madhava himself intoxicates;

The moonlight of your glory radiant,

The good fame of your father doth augment. 16

O Goddess fraught with compassion and kind,

Great mercy fills the broad lake of your mind;

Be pleased to grant your favour unto me,

Who desire your maidservant to be. 17

When shall I hear you in fair speech addressed,

By the cowherd chief's noble son expressed?

Who begging, since occasion did now chance,

That he be graced by your sweet side long glance. 18

When clever Madhava in bloomy bowers,

Adorns you with blooming madhavi flowers;

Seated with discomfort from the heat there,

When shall I fan you cool with loving care? 19

When due to excess of amorous play,

Your curling locks tumble in disarray;

When shall this one receive your order kind,

And rearrange your soft hair thus and bind? 20

Oh when as I a tasty tambul place

Into the mouth of your fair lotus-face,

Will not the Vraja's Lord, in eager haste,

Snatch it away and thence enjoy the taste? 21

O jewel in the crown that shining dwells,

Of the prince of Vraja's sweet damosels;

Be pleased to count me mid your servant train,

And may your path not far from me remain. 22

I always seek your compassion to gain,

O Goddess who in Vrindavan doth reign;

May with such fine speech, Keshi's deadly foe,

His mercy on this lowly one bestow. 23

Whoever doth this divine hymn recite,

To Vrindavaneshvari with delight,

Called by the name Catu Puspanjali,

Recipient of divine grace shall be. 24

Thus ends Sri Catu Puspanjali,

of Sri Rupa Gosvami,

done into the English by

Madanamohana das