करिष्ये च महाभाग यद् अत्रौपायिकं मतम् विचिन्त्यं नान्यथैतत् ते विद्धि कंसं हतं मया
'I will do, O fortunate one, whatever is appropriate in this matter; know for certain that Kamsa has already been slain by me.'
अहं रामश् च मथुरां श्वो यास्यावः समं त्वया गोपवृद्धाश् च यास्यन्ति आदायोपायनं बहु
'Tomorrow, Rama and I will go to Mathura together with you, and the elder cowherds will also come, bringing many gifts.'
निशेयं नीयतां वीर न चिन्तां कर्तुम् अर्हसि त्रिरात्राभ्यन्तरे कंसं हनिष्यामि सहानुगम्
Be assured, O hero, do not give way to worry; within three nights I will slay Kaṃsa along with his followers.
समादिश्य ततो गोपान् अक्रूरो ऽपि सकेशवः सुष्वाप बलभद्रश् च नन्दगोपगृहे गतः
Then, after instructing the cowherds, Akrūra together with Keśava and Balabhadra slept well, having gone to the house of Nanda the cowherd.
ततः प्रभाते विमले रामकृष्णौ महाबलौ अक्रूरेण समं गन्तुम् उद्यतौ मथुरां पुरीम्
At dawn, when the day was clear, the mighty Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, together with Akrūra, prepared to go to the city of Mathurā.
दृष्ट्वा गोपीजनः सास्रः श्लथद्वलयबाहुकः निश्वसंश् चातिदुःखार्तः प्राह चेदं परस्परम्
Seeing this, the cowherd women, with tears in their eyes, loose bangles, and weakened arms, sighed in deep sorrow and spoke these words to one another.
मथुरां प्राप्य गोविन्दः कथं गोकुलम् एष्यति नागरस्त्रीकलालापमधु श्रोत्रेण पास्यति
Having reached Mathurā, how will Govinda return to Gokula? He will drink with his ears the sweet words of the city women.
विलासिवाक्यजातेषु नागरीणां कृतास्पदम् चित्तम् अस्य कथं ग्राम्यगोपगोपीषु यास्यति
When his mind is captivated by the charming words of the city women, how will it return to the village cowherd girls?
सारं समस्तगोष्ठस्य विधिना हरता हरिम् प्रहृतं गोपयोषित्सु निघृणेन दुरात्मना
The essence of the entire cowherd community, Hari, has been forcibly taken from the cowherd women by a pitiless, wicked man.
भावगर्भस्मितं वाक्यं विलासललिता गतिः नागरीणाम् अतीवैतत् कटाक्षेक्षितम् एव तु
The words filled with hidden meaning, the graceful and playful movements, and the sidelong glances of the city women are indeed exceedingly alluring.
ग्राम्यो हरिर् अयं तासां विलासनिगडैर् यतः भवतीनां पुनः पार्श्वं कया युक्त्या समेष्यति
This village Hari will be bound by the chains of their charms; by what means will he again come to your side?
एषो हि रथम् आरुह्य मथुरां याति केशवः अक्रूरक्रूरकेणापि हताशेन प्रतारितः
Here Keśava mounts the chariot and goes to Mathurā, deceived by Akrūra, who is indeed cruel and hopeless.
किं न वेत्ति नृशंसो ऽयम् अनुरागपरं जनम् येनेमम् अक्षराह्लादं नयत्य् अन्यत्र नो हरिम्
Does this heartless one not know how devoted we are? Why does he take our ever-joyful Hari elsewhere, leaving us behind?
एष रामेण सहितः प्रयात्य् अत्यन्तनिर्घृणः रथम् आरुह्य गोविन्दस् त्वर्यताम् अस्य वारणे
He, utterly merciless, departs with Rāma, ascending the chariot; let us hasten to stop Govinda from leaving.
गुरूणाम् अग्रतो वक्तुं किं ब्रवीषि न नः क्षमम् गुरवः किं करिष्यन्ति दग्धानां विरहाग्निना
Why do you say we should speak before our elders? It is not fitting for us. What can elders do for those burned by the fire of separation?
नन्दगोपमुखा गोपा गन्तुम् एते समुद्यताः नोद्यमं कुरुते कश्चिद् गोविन्दविनिवर्तने
The cowherds, led by Nanda, are all ready to go, yet no one makes an effort to bring Govinda back.
सुप्रभाताद्य रजनी मथुरावासियोषिताम् यासाम् अच्युतवक्त्राब्जे याति नेत्रालिभोग्यताम्
Today is a bright morning for the women of Mathurā, whose eyes will now enjoy the lotus face of Acyuta.
धन्यास् ते पथि ये कृष्णम् इतो यान्तम् अवारिताः उद्वहिष्यन्ति पश्यन्तः स्वदेहं पुलकाञ्चितम्
Blessed are those who, unhindered, will see Kṛṣṇa as he departs on the road, their own bodies thrilled with joy.
मथुरानगरीपौरनयनानां महोत्सवः गोविन्दवदनालोकाद् अतीवाद्य भविष्यति
For the citizens of Mathurā, today will be a great festival, for they will behold the face of Govinda.
को नु स्वप्नः सभाग्याभिर् दृष्टस् ताभिर् अधोक्षजम् विस्तारिकान्तनयना या द्रक्ष्यन्त्य् अनिवारितम्
What dream is this, seen by those fortunate women, whose wide eyes will freely behold Adhokṣaja?
अहो गोपीजनस्यास्य दर्शयित्वा महानिधिम् उद्धृतान्य् अद्य नेत्राणि विधात्राकरुणात्मना
Alas, today the eyes of these cowherd women, after beholding the great treasure, have been taken away by the Creator, who is devoid of compassion.
अनुरागेण शैथिल्यम् अस्मासु व्रजतो हरेः शैथिल्यम् उपयान्त्य् आशु करेषु वलयान्य् अपि
Because of their deep love, there is slackness in us as Krishna departs; even the bangles on our wrists quickly become loose.
अक्रूरः क्रूरहृदयः शीघ्रं प्रेरयते हयान् एवम् आर्तासु योषित्सु घृणा कस्य न जायते
Akrura, with a cruel heart, urges the horses on swiftly; seeing the women in such distress, who would not feel pity?
हे हे कृष्ण रथस्योच्चैश् चक्ररेणुर् निरीक्ष्यताम् दूरीकृतो हरिर् येन सो ऽपि रेणुर् न लक्ष्यते
Hey, hey Krishna! Look at the high cloud of dust raised by the chariot wheels—by which Hari has been carried far away, and even that dust is no longer visible.
इत्य् एवम् अतिहार्देन गोपीजननिरीक्षितः तत्याज व्रजभूभागं सह रामेण केशवः
Thus, as the cowherd women watched with great pain, Kesava departed from the land of Vraja together with Rama.
गच्छन्तो जवनाश्वेन रथेन यमुनातटम् प्राप्ता मध्याह्नसमये रामाक्रूरजनार्दनाः
Traveling in a swift chariot drawn by fast horses, Rama, Akrura, and Janardana reached the bank of the Yamuna at midday.
अथाह कृष्णम् अक्रूरो भवद्भ्यां तावद् आस्यताम् यावत् करोमि कालिन्द्याम् आह्निकार्हणम् अम्भसि
Then Akrura said to Krishna, 'You two please remain here while I perform my daily rites in the water of the Kalindi.'
तथेत्य् उक्ते ततः स्नातः स्वाचान्तः स महामतिः दध्यौ ब्रह्म परं विप्राः प्रविश्य यमुनाजले
When Krishna agreed, that wise one bathed, purified himself, and, entering the waters of the Yamuna, meditated on the Supreme Brahman, O sages.
फणासहस्रमालाढ्यं बलभद्रं ददर्श सः कुन्दामलाङ्गम् उन्निद्रपद्मपत्त्रायतेक्षणम्
There he saw Balabhadra adorned with a garland of a thousand hoods, his body bright as jasmine, his eyes wide as blooming lotus petals.
वृतं वासुकिडिम्भौघैर् महद्भिः पवनाशिभिः संस्तूयमानम् उद्गन्धिवनमालाविभूषितम्
He was surrounded by great serpents like Vasuki and others, praised by wind-gods, and adorned with garlands fragrant as blossoming forests.