Śrī Surata Kathāmṛta The Rasika Talks of ŚRī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhakura was inspired to write Surata Kathaṛmrta which is a satakam (hundred verses), in the Arya-meter, after reading verse 52 of Srila Rupa Gosvami's Utkalika Vallari. Utkalika means 'very intense eagerness mixed with extreme restlessness, ' and vallari means 'creeper'. Utkalika-vallari thus means 'the vine of intense longings'. In this book, Srila Rupa Gosvami reveals the very nature of these longings, which consists solely of the desire to render service to Sri Sri Radha-Kṛṣṇa as the devoted mañjari maidservant of Srimati Radhika.
kadahaṁ seviṣye vratati-camari-camara-marud
vinodena kriḍa-kusuma-sayane nyasta-vapuṣau
daronmilan-netrau srama-jala-kaṇa-klidya-dalakau
bruvaṇav anyonyaṁ vraja-nava-yuvanav iha yuvam
"O ever-fresh Prince and Princess of Vraja, Sri Kṛṣṇa and Sri Radhika, lying on Your flowery love-couch with eyes slightly open, the curls on Your foreheads wet with drops of perspiration, You will be whispering intriguing love-talk while sighing with fatigue. When will I fan You with a fan made from buds of the flowering vines?" (52)

A disciple of Srila Chakravartipad, Sri Kṛṣṇadeva Sarvabhauma, has added the following: "When can I, on the order of my sri guru-rupa-sahki, in my mañjari svarupa which was given to me by him, stand outside of the vilasa nikuñja and fan Them with a vine-bud fan? When will I, on the indication of my sri guru-rupa-sahki delight the Divine Couple by expertly rendering different services to Them?"

For the rare devotees who sincerely aspire for mañjari bhava, this work provides another portal into the confidential moods of Sri Radha-Kṛṣṇa and the mañjari maidservants of Srimati Radhika. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has come to give us this elevated mood (anarpita carim cirat) which is the confidential essence of raganuga bhakti. However, this is not to be taken cheaply. The description of Radha-Kṛṣṇa's nectarean love talks is completely pure and transcendental. It has nothing in common with our material conceptions of what is love. This book is therefore not suitable for most devotees and is meant only for nourishing the bhajan of those who are seriously engaged in mañjari bhava sadhana. The reader is therefore cautioned to honestly look into his (or her) own heart and ask oneself whether he (or she) has the adhikara (eligibility) to read such a confidential book. Otherwise, reading such literature is unhealthy and may have an unfavourable effect on one's bhakti. Rasa is based on the foundation of tattva. If one jumps into the deep water of such rasika literature without having a proper foundation in Gauḍiya Vaiṣṇava philosophy, this is likely to have a harmful effect on one's bhakti.

Having stated this reservation, our only desire is to enrich, inspire, and nourish the bhakti of our respected readers. We offer this publication at the lotus feet of the illustrious author, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhakura, and pray for his mercy that we may realise our mañjari bhava in this very lifetime.