Hello Charlie,
        The notion of "laulyam", "ardent longing" (MW), in the sense of lamenting the world's state, and one's own fallen condition, and thus longing for pure love of God and pure empathy with all souls, is a central them in the expansive Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition.

        Excellent and numerous examples of this lamenting are found in the celebrated songs of Narottama Dasa Thakura  http://www.vaishnavsongs.com/narottam-das-thakur/  (click on 'bhajans' at the bottom), and Bhaktivinoda Thakura http://kksongs.org/authors/full_list/bhaktivinoda_full.html

        Even today, these songs remain very much canonical, and widely performed, in the GV tradition.

Best,
Howard

On Nov 17, 2013, at 5:07 PM, Charlie Higgins <practicesyoga@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> I hope not to be too naive in asking: Can anyone recommend primary or secondary sources regarding Indian "lamentations"?  Does such a genre exist?  etc.?  I have been reading Song Dynasty Neo-Confucian writers like Zhu Xi, who ridicules contemporary behaviors and customs as degradations of ancient practices, and I began to wonder about similar lamentations from India.  My question doesn't refer so much to prophecies regarding the cycle of ages (satya--kaliyuga) and their degradation into the present.  I'm wondering about potential firsthand observations that compare present with past and lament contemporary practices.  I'm clueless, and any helpful suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> Thank you!
>
> Charlie

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