Author: Krishna P Bahadur
Publisher: Abhinav Publications
Year: 0000
Language: English
Pages: 364
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8170173698
Description
Suradasa, the blind saint-poet, lived in the sixteenth century during the establishment of the Mogul empire in India by Babur and its consolidation by Akbar. A Vaishnava of the Pushtimarga, he was spiritually inspired by Vallabhacharya and composed his outstanding work, the Surasagara Ocean of Poetry, closely following the Bhagavata, which narrates the deeds of Krishna, whose, staunch devotee he was.
His numerous padas composed in Brajbhasha are a treasure house of the very best Hindi poetry on a level with that of Tulasidasa, the author of the Ramayana but unfortunately his poems remain comparatively much less known to the Western world. This English translation of some of the verses of his Surasagara endeavours to provide the reader with a representative selection from the various sections of this work in English verse along with the transliterated version of the text, and in English prose for the narrative portions. The selection highlights Krishna as the Lord and as the amorous lover of Radha and the milkmaids of Braj.
Contents
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Pronunciation guide
Introduction
The life of Suradasa
The times of Suradasa
The works of Suradasa
The art of Suradasa
Language and Diction
Suradasa’s Achievement
The Poems of Suradasa
In Praise of Krishna
Maya
Miscellaneous verses
Awakening Krishna
Radha and Krishna
The Gopis and Krishna
The Rasa Dance
The Gandharva Wedding of Radha and Krishna
Pride Humbled- The Rasa Continued
Radha, Krishna and The Gopis
NOTES
BIBLIOGRAPHY