Bhagavata Purana

किं नु नः कुशलं पृच्छे एधमाने कुलामये । कंसे मातुलनाम्न्यङ्‌ग स्वानां नस्तत्प्रजासु च

'How can I ask about our own welfare, when our family is afflicted and Kamsa, our maternal uncle, rules over us and our people?'

अहो अस्मदभूद् भूरि पित्रोर्वृजिनमार्ययोः । यद्धेतोः पुत्रमरणं यद्धेतोर्बन्धनं तयोः

'Alas, so much suffering befell my noble parents because of us—on our account, their sons were killed, and on our account, they were imprisoned.'

दिष्ट्याद्य दर्शनं स्वानां मह्यं वः सौम्य काङ्‌क्षितम् । सञ्जातं वर्ण्यतां तात तवागमनकारणम्

'By good fortune, today I see my own people, as I longed, O gentle one. Tell me, dear one, the reason for your coming.'

श्रीशुक उवाच - पृष्टो भगवता सर्वं वर्णयामास माधवः । वैरानुबन्धं यदुषु वसुदेववधोद्यमम्

Śuka said: Thus questioned by the Blessed Lord, Mādhava described everything—the enmity among the Yadus and Kamsa’s intent to kill Vasudeva.

यत्सन्देशो यदर्थं वा दूतः सम्प्रेषितः स्वयम् । यदुक्तं नारदेनास्य स्वजन्मानकदुन्दुभेः

He explained the message and purpose for which he himself had been sent as a messenger, and what Nārada had told Kamsa about the birth of Anakadundubhi’s son.

श्रुत्वाक्रूरवचः कृष्णो बलश्च परवीरहा । प्रहस्य नन्दं पितरं राज्ञा दिष्टं विजज्ञतुः

Hearing Akrura’s words, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, destroyers of enemy heroes, smiled and informed Nanda, their father, of the king’s command.

गोपान् समादिशत् सोऽपि गृह्यतां सर्वगोरसः । उपायनानि गृह्णीध्वं युज्यन्तां शकटानि च

He instructed the cowherds: 'Gather all the milk and dairy products. Collect gifts to present, and yoke the wagons.'

यास्यामः श्वो मधुपुरीं दास्यामो नृपते रसान् । द्रक्ष्यामः सुमहत्पर्व यान्ति जानपदाः किल । एवमाघोषयत्क्षत्रा नन्दगोपः स्वगोकुले

'Tomorrow we will go to Mathurā, offer our produce to the king, and witness the great festival, for people from the countryside are said to be going.' Thus Nanda, the chief cowherd, announced in his settlement.

गोप्यस्तास्तद् उपश्रुत्य बभूवुर्व्यथिता भृशम् । रामकृष्णौ पुरीं नेतुं अक्रूरं व्रजमागतम्

Hearing this, the cowherd women became greatly distressed, for Akrura had come to Vraja to take Rāma and Kṛṣṇa to the city.

काश्चित् तत्कृतहृत्ताप श्वासम्लानमुखश्रियः । स्रंसद्‌दुद्दुकूलवलय केशग्रंथ्यश्च काश्चन

Some, afflicted in heart by this, had faces pale from sighing; some let their garments, bangles, and hair-braids slip loose.

अन्याश्च तदनुध्यान निवृत्ताशेषवृत्तयः । नाभ्यजानन् इमं लोकं आत्मलोकं गता इव

Others, absorbed in thoughts of Him, ceased all their usual activities, unaware of this world, as if they had entered their own inner realm.

स्मरन्त्यश्चापराः शौरेः अनुरागस्मितेरिताः । हृदिस्पृशश्चित्रपदा गिरः संमुमुहुः स्त्रियः

Other women, recalling Śauri’s loving smiles and words, were overwhelmed; the charming phrases that touched their hearts left them bewildered.

गतिं सुललितां चेष्टां स्निग्धहासावलोकनम् । शोकापहानि नर्माणि प्रोद्दामचरितानि च

They remembered his graceful walk, his gestures, his affectionate smiles and glances, his jokes that dispelled sorrow, and his playful deeds.

चिन्तयन्त्यो मुकुन्दस्य भीता विरहकातराः । समेताः सङ्‌घशः प्रोचुः अश्रुमुख्योऽच्युताशयाः

Thinking of Mukunda, fearful and distressed by separation, they gathered together in groups, their faces wet with tears, and spoke, their hearts fixed on Acyuta.

श्रीगोप्य ऊचुः - ( मिश्र ) अहो विधातस्तव न क्वचिद् दया संयोज्य मैत्र्या प्रणयेन देहिनः । तांश्चाकृतार्थान् वियुनङ्‌क्ष्यपार्थकं विक्रीडितं तेऽर्भकचेष्टितं यथा

The gopīs said: O Creator, how merciless you are! After uniting embodied beings in friendship and love, you separate them before their desires are fulfilled, just as children’s playthings are taken away.

यस्त्वं प्रदर्श्यासितकुन्तलावृतं मुकुन्दवक्त्रं सुकपोलमुन्नसम् । शोकापनोदस्मितलेशसुन्दरं करोषि पारोक्ष्यमसाधु ते कृतम्

You showed us Mukunda’s face, framed by dark curls, with lovely cheeks and raised nose, beautiful with a hint of a smile that dispels sorrow—then you make him distant from us; this is not right.

क्रूरस्त्वमक्रूरसमाख्यया स्म नः चक्षुर्हि दत्तं हरसे बताज्ञवत् । येनैकदेशेऽखिलसर्गसौष्ठवं त्वदीयमद्राक्ष्म वयं मधुद्विषः

You are cruel, truly living up to the name Akrūra! You gave us sight, but now you take it away like a tyrant, for through you we saw the beauty of the enemy of Madhu, the perfection of all creation, in one place.

न नन्दसूनुः क्षणभङ्‌गसौहृदः समीक्षते नः स्वकृतातुरा बत । विहाय गेहान् स्वजनान् तान् पतीन् तद्दास्यमद्धोपगता नवप्रियः

The son of Nanda, whose affection is fleeting, no longer looks upon us, though we are tormented by our own actions. Having left home, family, and husbands, we came to serve him, but now he has found new beloveds.

सुखं प्रभाता रजनीयमाशिषः सत्या बभूवुः पुरयोषितां ध्रुवम् । याः संप्रविष्टस्य मुखं व्रजस्पतेः पास्यन्त्यपाङ्‌गोत् कलितस्मितासवम्

Surely, for the women of that city, the night passed happily and their wishes came true, for they will drink in the face of the Lord of Vraja, as he enters, tasting the nectar of his sidelong, smiling glances.

तासां मुकुन्दो मधुमञ्जुभाषितैरः गृहीतचित्तः परवान् मनस्व्यपि । कथं पुनर्नः प्रतियास्यतेऽबला ग्राम्याः सलज्जस्मितविभ्रमैर्भ्रमन्

Mukunda, captivated by their sweet, honeyed words, is now under their control, though he is strong-willed. How will he ever return to us village women, who are bashful and bewildered by love?

अद्य ध्रुवं तत्र दृशो भविष्यते दाशार्हभोजान्धक वृष्णिसात्वताम् । महोत्सवः श्रीरमणं गुणास्पदं द्रक्ष्यन्ति ये चाध्वनि देवकीसुतम्

Today, surely, there will be a great festival for the Daśārhas, Bhojas, Andhakas, Vṛṣṇis, and Sātvatas; those on the road will see the beautiful Lord, the abode of all virtues, the son of Devakī.

मैतद्विधस्याकरुणस्य नाम भूद् अक्रूर इत्येतदतीव दारुणः । योऽसावनाश्वास्य सुदुःखितं जनं प्रियात्प्रियं नेष्यति पारमध्वनः

Let the name Akrūra be given to one so pitiless as this! How cruel, that he, without comforting us in our deep sorrow, will take our dearest friend far away.

अनार्द्रधीरेष समास्थितो रथं तमन्वमी च त्वरयन्ति दुर्मदाः । गोपा अनोभिः स्थविरैरुपेक्षितं दैवं च नोऽद्य प्रतिकूलमीहते

He, with an unfeeling heart, has mounted the chariot, and the reckless urge him on. The cowherds, neglected by their elders, follow with their carts, while fate itself turns against us today.

निवारयामः समुपेत्य माधवं किं नोऽकरिष्यन् कुलवृद्धबान्धवाः । मुकुन्दसङ्‌गान्निमिषार्धदुस्त्यजाद् दैवेन विध्वंसितदीनचेतसाम्

Let us go and stop Mādhava! What could our elders and relatives do for us, when, by fate, our hearts—unable to bear even a half-blink’s separation from Mukunda—are now shattered?

( वसंततिलका ) यस्यानुरागललितस्मितवल्गुमन्त्र लीलावलोकपरिरम्भणरासगोष्ठाम् । नीताः स्म नः क्षणमिव क्षणदा विना तं गोप्यः कथं न्वतितरेम तमो दुरन्तम्

We gopīs, whose hearts were led away by his loving smiles, enchanting words, playful glances, embraces, and the joys of the rāsa dance—how can we cross this endless darkness of separation, even for a moment, without him?

योऽह्नः क्षये व्रजमनन्तसखः परीतो गोपैर्विशन् खुररजश्छुरितालकस्रक् । वेणुं क्वणन् स्मितकटाक्षनिरीक्षणेन चित्तं क्षिणोत्यमुमृते नु कथं भवेम

When, at day’s end, the friend of Ananta returns to Vraja, surrounded by cowherds, his hair dusted by their hooves, playing his flute, glancing with smiling eyes—how could we live if we were deprived of him?

श्रीशुक उवाच - ( मिश्र ) एवं ब्रुवाणा विरहातुरा भृशं व्रजस्त्रियः कृष्णविषक्तमानसाः । विसृज्य लज्जां रुरुदुः स्म सुस्वरं गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति

Śuka said: Thus, the women of Vraja, their minds absorbed in Kṛṣṇa and tormented by separation, cast off their shyness and wept aloud, crying, 'Govinda! Dāmodara! Mādhava!'

( अनुष्टुप् ) स्त्रीणामेवं रुदन्तीनां उदिते सवितर्यथ । अक्रूरश्चोदयामास कृतमैत्रादिको रथम्

As the women wept in this way and the sun rose, Akrūra, having fulfilled his friendly duties, urged the chariot onward.

गोपास्तमन्वसज्जन्त नन्दाद्याः शकटैस्ततः । आदायोपायनं भूरि कुम्भान् गोरससम्भृतान्

The cowherds, led by Nanda and others, followed after with their carts, bringing many gifts—jars filled with products of the cows.