№ MMXXVI

RACHNA · A LIVING ARCHIVE

Rachna by M.

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MM · XXVI

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Krishna Enters Dvaraka

Shringara

सोहत है चँदवा सिर मोर को

Sohat Hai Chandva Sir Mor Ko

Raskhan
1 min read 1 versesकृष्णKrishnaमोरमुकुट

1 verses · ~1 min

सोहत है चँदवा सिर मोर को, तैसिय सुन्दर पाग कसी है। तैसिय गोरज भाल विराजत, तैसी हिये बनमाल लसी है। 'रसखानि' बिलोकत बौरी भई, दृग, मूंदि कै ग्वालि पुकार हँसी है। खोलि री घूंघट, खौलौं कहा, वह मूरति नैनन मांझ बसी है।

इति

Raskhan

The Poet

रसखान

Raskhan

1548 · 1628

Syed Ibrahim, who adopted the pen name Raskhan, represents one of the most beautiful spiritual transformations in the history of Indian literature. Born in the sixteenth century to a wealthy Muslim family, he experienced a profound awakening upon encountering the devotion of the Vaishnava tradition. He abandoned his worldly privileges, relocated to the sacred town of Vrindavan, and spent the rest of his life entirely consumed by a fierce, ecstatic love for Lord Krishna. Composing in Braj Bhasha, he authored verses that capture the divine playfulness of Krishna with unparalleled tenderness. His poetry transcends all religious boundaries, proving that ultimate devotion recognizes no rigid theology. Today, his couplets are recited with deep reverence in Hindu temples across the country. Raskhan stands as an eternal symbol of pure, unconditioned love, demonstrating that the divine can be accessed by anyone possessing a truly surrendered heart.

Krishna Enters Dvaraka

Paired Painting

Krishna Enters Dvaraka

This masterful composition depicts the glorious return of Lord Krishna to the city of Dvaraka, a moment saturated with divine majesty and joyous devotion. As Krishna arrives in his resplendent chariot, the architecture of the city stands as a testament to an ancient, golden age of civilization (characterized by intricate stone carvings and towering spires). The atmosphere is one of profound celebration, as the citizens emerge in collective ecstasy to welcome their protector. Tomassetti captures the intersection of the celestial and the earthly, rendering the scene with a devotional clarity that invites the viewer to step into the bustling streets of a sacred history that transcends mere time.

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If this held you

Four more, in the same key.

Chosen for their rasa and their register, not their popularity. Each one carries some part of what Sohat Hai Chandva Sir Mor Ko carries.