Bhagavata Purana

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.

गोप्यश्च दयितं कृष्णं अनुव्रज्यानुरञ्जिताः । प्रत्यादेशं भगवतः काङ्‌क्षन्त्यश्चावतस्थिरे

The cowherd women, enchanted by their beloved Krishna, followed after him; longing for a sign from the Lord, they stood waiting.

तास्तथा तप्यतीर्वीक्ष्य स्वप्रस्थाणे यदूत्तमः । सान्त्वयामस सप्रेमैः आयास्य इति दौत्यकैः

Seeing them so afflicted as he departed, the foremost of the Yadus comforted them with loving words, assuring them through messengers, 'I will return.'

यावदालक्ष्यते केतुः यावद्रेणू रथस्य च । अनुप्रस्थापितात्मानो लेख्यानीवोपलक्षिताः

As long as the banner was visible and the dust of the chariot could be seen, they continued following, their hearts set upon him, as if drawn by painted images.

ता निराशा निववृतुः गोविन्दविनिवर्तने । विशोका अहनी निन्युः गायन्त्यः प्रियचेष्टितम्

When hope of Govinda's return was gone, they turned back; free from sorrow, they spent their days singing of their beloved's deeds.

भगवानपि सम्प्राप्तो रामाक्रूरयुतो नृप । रथेन वायुवेगेन कालिन्दीं अघनाशिनीम्

O King, the Lord arrived, accompanied by Rama and Akrura, riding swiftly in the chariot, to the purifying Yamuna river.

तत्रोपस्पृश्य पानीयं पीत्वा मृष्टं मणिप्रभम् । वृक्षषण्डमुपव्रज्य सरामो रथमाविशत् अक्रूरस्तावुपामन्त्र्य निवेश्य च रथोपरि । कालिन्द्या ह्रदमागत्य स्नानं विधिवदाचरत्

There, after rinsing his mouth and drinking the clear, jewel-like water, he approached a grove of trees with Rama and entered the chariot; Akrura, having bid them farewell and seated himself atop the chariot, went to the Yamuna's pool and performed ritual bathing.

निमज्ज्य तस्मिन् सलिले जपन् ब्रह्म सनातनम् । तावेव ददृशेऽक्रूरो रामकृष्णौ समन्वितौ

Immersing himself in those waters and reciting the eternal Brahman, Akrura saw Rama and Krishna together.

तौ रथस्थौ कथमिह सुतौ आनकदुन्दुभेः । तर्हि स्वित् स्यन्दने न स्त इत्युन्मज्ज्य व्यचष्ट सः

He wondered, 'How are the sons of Devaki here in the water, when they should be on the chariot?' Rising up, he looked for them.

तत्रापि च यथापूर्वं आसीनौ पुनरेव सः । न्यमज्जद् दर्शनं यन्मे मृषा किं सलिले तयोः

There again, as before, he saw them seated; he submerged once more, questioning whether his vision of them in the water was false.

भूयस्तत्रापि सोऽद्राक्षीत् स्तूयमानमहीश्वरम् । सिद्धचारणगन्धर्वैः असुरैर्नतकन्धरैः

Once more, he saw the great Lord being praised by Siddhas, Charanas, Gandharvas, and Asuras with bowed heads and musical instruments.