Rūpa Gosvāmin's (Hansa-duta, हंसदूत) or ''Swan Messenger'' was composed in the early part of the sixteenth century CE. In ' romantic and religious love are combined, to produce a poem that shines with the intensity of love for
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
, the godhead. It was composed in Bengal by
Rūpa Gosvāmin, who was one of the most famous poets of the
Gaudiya sampradāya established by his contemporary,
Chaitanya Chaitanya or Chaithanya may refer to
Philosophy
*Chaitanya (consciousness), Hindu philosophical concept
People
*Chaitanya (name)
*Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533), founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Media
* ''Chaitanya'' (film), a 1991 Telugu film ...
. The Gaudiyas were devotees of
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
.
In the '
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
has left
Vrindavan
Vrindavan (; ), also spelt Vrindaban and Brindaban, is a historical city in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located in the Braj Bhoomi region and holds religious importance in Hinduism as Krishna spent most of his childho ...
for
Mathura
Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately north of Agra, and south-east of Delhi; about from the town of Vrindavan, and from Govardhan. ...
, abandoning the many cowherd girls who adore him. Chief among them was
Rādhā, and she is distraught. Her friend Lalitā meets a swan on the banks of the Yamuna and begs him to take a message to
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
.
The theme, as of all messenger poems, is viraha, separation in love. Allusions to romance are never far away.
The journey of the swan in the ' is concluded in 35 of its 142 stanzas, as the distance of swan has to cover is fairly short, from Vrindavan to Mathura. Lalitā's message takes up over half the poem, and dwells upon the state of the grief-stricken lover,
Rādhā in this case, while praising her sweetheart – though
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
is chided for forsaking the cowherd girls.
In the ',
Rūpa Gosvāmin uses a number of puns which are ingeniously employed in order to weave the mythology of
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
into the work.
English translations
The
Clay Sanskrit Library has published a translation of ' by Sir James Mallinson as a part of the volume ''Messenger Poems''.
External links
Clay Sanskrit Library (official page)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamsaduta
Vaishnavism
Sanskrit poetry