Dana Keli Kaumudi (English)

Book excerpt: This (Dana Keli Kaumudi) is a divine play/drama, written by Srila Rupa Goswami, with commentaries of Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur. In the Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 4.226) there is a verse that describes the writings of Sril Rupa Gosvami: Srila Rupa Gosvami compiled 100,000 verses, beginning with the book Dana-Keli-Kaumudi. In all these scriptures, he elaborately explained the transcendental mellows of the activities of Vrndavna. This one-act drama describes the very celebrated pastime of Krsna’s efforts to extract a toll from Radha and her companions as they carried butter for the performance of a sacrifice being performed in the forest of Vrndavana. Of course, it cannot be emphasized enough that such pastimes are only to be relished by devotees who have thoroughly understood Lord Krsna’s position as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by carefully studying the first nine cantos of the Srimad-Bhagavatam.”