Diwali in Nathdwara '18

Apne apne tol kahat Brajvaasiya
Sharad kuhu nish jaan deep-maaalika jo aayi
Gopan mann aanand phirat unnman adhikayi
Epan thaape dijiye ghar-ghar mangalchaar
Saat varas ko saanvro khelat Nand dwaar

Vrajvaasis all voice their opinions, the time for celebration has come. Now that the month of Sharad has passed, leaving the sky clear and ready for Diwali. Cowherds are all so ecstatic, awaiting this season. They make hand-prints outside their houses (an auspicious practise) and adorn their verandahs. And our Prabhu Shri Krishna is only seven years old as he plays in Nand baba’s verandah.

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In previous year’s videos we saw how our young Prabhu persuaded Nand baba and everybody else to worship Govardhan mountain (Girirajji) instead of Indradev (the demigod of rains). After a lot of protest, the Vrajvaasis finally agreed and began to bring dishes from their homes for the worship.

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Peet dumalo banyo kanth motin ki maala
Sundar sobhag shareer jhalmale nain vishala
Shyam ki shobha Giri bhayo
Giri ki shobha Shyam
Jaiso parvat bhaat ko
Dhing bhaiya Balraam

He wears a yellow head gear and white pearls. An embodiment of beauty, he has big beautiful eyes. The god that rises out of Girirajji looks just like our young Prabhu. This mountain god is dark and dusky, so is Prabhu Shri Krishna.
At the same time, the mountain made of rice to offer Girirajji looks just as fair and gigantic as Dauji (Balaram bhaiya) who is fair in skin tone.


Vyanjan bahot banaaye kahaa lo naam bakhaano
Bhayo bhaat ko kot ot Giriraj chipaano
Bara biraaje bhaat pe Chanda pattar soyi
Yagya purush bhojan kare sab devan sukh hoyi

So many dishes have been made that it becomes impossible to name. Also, in Pushti Marg, we do not say the name of the dishes that are made to offer Prabhu. But suffice to say that the mountain of rice is huge, so huge that the real mountain of Girirajji seems to be hidden behind it. The vada on top of the mountain looks just as high and bright as the moon.

Now when Girirajji begins to eat this rice, even the demigods in the skies feel satisfied and happy.


Jaisi Kanchanpuri divya ratan so chaayi
Bali deeni hai praat chaha chal purav aayi
Badrola vrushbhan ki rahi vilovan haar
Taaki bali unn devta lini bhuja pasaar

A golden haze engulfs the scene and the many vivid food dishes shine like jewels in this light. But there is one devotee named Badrola of Vrushban’s village, who couldn’t make it here. Her mother-in-law left her at home to churn butter. The longing of her heart is so strong that Girirajji elongates his arm to her village far-faraway, and accepts her offering.


Sab samagri arpi gop-gopin kar jode
Agni pati ne swaad daas barne kaha thode
Yah vidh pooja kijiye rahyo saban samjhaaye
Shyaam kahyo Surdas so meri lila saras banaaye

The offerings are finally ushered towards Girirajji by Gop-gopis with folded hands. They each have so many delicious tastes that Surdasji says he can’t even begin to describe. What he can describe though, is how Prabhu announces and prescribes this pooja to Vrajvaasis. And how Prabhu asks Surdasji to write this kirtan with all the ‘ras’ or passion and love...

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This Diwali’s memoir thus winds up with ‘Apne apne tol,’ a kirtan that has been bringing the imagery of Prabhu’s lila to my mind in vivid detail every time I hear it. It has a peculiar sweet use of Upma Alankar .

Upma Alankar has been a very fine tool of poetry in Hindu Shaastra, bearing a marked resemblance to the English figure of speech ‘simile’ or comparing an object to another entity for a vivid imagery. This kirtan by Surdasji does so by comparing and making you imagine each and every scene like it is happening right in front of your eyes. And why not? In Pushti, lilas are described for one to feel a part of them and draw bliss from the experience.