The Ambrosia of the Dream Episode
by
Visvanatha Cakravartin
edited and translated
by
Nitai Dasa (Neal Delmonico)
"Dear, in
a dream I saw a river --
like this
Daughter of the Sun --
and, as here
in the forest of Vrnda, a bank.
There were
many superb dancers,
a mrdanga and
various instruments.
Among them was
some jewel-like brahmin
his body of
lightening-gold,
tossing the
world into an ocean of love. -- 1 --
"Sometimes
crying he uttered: Krsna!
Sometimes he
sighed:
Oh Radha,
where are you?
Sometimes he
lost composure
and fell to
the ground.
Sometimes he
danced in exhilaration
with his dear
friends.
He made the
whole world cry,
from the grass
to the great god Brahma. -- 2 --
"Then my
mind became confused,
seeing all
this.
Is he my
lover,
or is this me
and no one other?
If it is I
then where is my beloved?
If he then
where am I?
My confusion
became increasingly greater
then I fell
into deep sleep." -- 3 --
"My dear
curious girl,
after seeing
those various godly forms,
Lord of Rama
and the rest,
that I showed
you before,
you were
certainly not astounded then.
How has this
brahmin been able to amaze you?
How has he
confused you so?
Who is he?
What is this?" -- 4 --
After saying
this to his beloved,
the lover then
thought for a moment.
Smiling he
tapped his Kaustubha jewel,
which knew his
intention.
It suddenly
spread forth a light
and all the
images of his sports,
with beings
moving and still, appeared
as if they
were being seen. -- 5 --
Then, thinking
a bit she said:
"Dearest,
I understand your intention completely.
Since you have
smiled, therefore you are he
and though you
have not said so clearly,
since I have
the feeling that I too am there,
I infer that
I, too, am he. -- 6 --
"Though
this is where we make love,
you often
light up your Kaustubha jewel here
and gaze upon
all the living beings, too.
You will
descend along with your power
and, telling
all your sports to everyone,
will place the
world once again in the ocean of love. -- 7 --
"What
Garga that knower of the Veda said
before the
leader of Vraja
that your
color may sometimes be yellow,
that was not
false.
Therefore, my
dream was true.
You indeed are
that one
and yet it is
also true
that you are
here with me." -- 8 --
One whose
honeybee mind may drink
the nectar of
this dream
quickly
awakens, a wise one,
from the dream
of doubt.
Attaining
consciousness (caitanya)
he plays in
the ocean of love,
since the lord
of the bower
abundantly
bestows unequaled compassion on him -- 9 --