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 --