रम्यं गीतध्वनिं श्रुत्वा संत्यज्यावसथांस् तदा आजग्मुस् त्वरिता गोप्यो यत्रास्ते मधुसूदनः
Hearing the charming sound of song, the cowherd women quickly left their dwellings and came to where Madhusudana was.
शनैः शनैर् जगौ गोपी काचित् तस्य पदानुगा दत्तावधाना काचिच् च तम् एव मनसास्मरत्
One cowherd woman slowly sang, following his steps; another, attentive, remembered only him in her mind.
काचित् कृष्णेति कृष्णेति चोक्त्वा लज्जाम् उपाययौ ययौ च काचित् प्रेमान्धा तत्पार्श्वम् अविलज्जिता
One, saying 'Krishna, Krishna,' became bashful; another, blinded by love, went to his side without shame.
काचिद् आवसथस्यान्तः स्थित्वा दृष्ट्वा बहिर् गुरुम् तन्मयत्वेन गोविन्दं दध्यौ मीलितलोचना
One, staying inside her house, saw her elder outside, and with closed eyes, meditated on Govinda with her whole being.
गोपीपरिवृतो रात्रिं शरच्चन्द्रमनोरमाम् मानयाम् आस गोविन्दो रासारम्भरसोत्सुकः
Surrounded by the cowherd women, Govinda honored the night, beautiful with the autumn moon, eager for the delight of beginning the rasa dance.
गोप्यश् च वृन्दशः कृष्णचेष्टाभ्यायत्तमूर्तयः अन्यदेशगते कृष्णे चेरुर् वृन्दावनान्तरम्
The cowherd women, in groups, whose forms depended on Krishna's actions, danced throughout the forest of Vrindavan when Krishna went elsewhere.
बभ्रमुस् तास् ततो गोप्यः कृष्णदर्शनलालसाः कृष्णस्य चरणं रात्रौ दृष्ट्वा वृन्दावने द्विजाः
Then those cowherd women, longing to see Krishna, wandered about, O twice-born, having seen Krishna’s footprint at night in Vrindavan.
एवं नानाप्रकारासु कृष्णचेष्टासु तासु च गोप्यो व्यग्राः समं चेरू रम्यं वृन्दावनं वनम्
Thus, as Krishna performed various acts, the cowherd women, absorbed together, roamed the delightful forest of Vrindavan.
निवृत्तास् तास् ततो गोप्यो निराशाः कृष्णदर्शने यमुनातीरम् आगम्य जगुस् तच्चरितं द्विजाः
Afterwards, those cowherd women, disappointed in seeing Krishna, withdrew, came to the bank of the Yamuna, and sang his deeds, O twice-born.
ततो ददृशुर् आयान्तं विकाशिमुखपङ्कजम् गोप्यस् त्रैलोक्यगोप्तारं कृष्णम् अक्लिष्टकारिणम्
Then the cowherd women saw Krishna approaching, his lotus-like face radiant, the protector of the three worlds, the doer of effortless deeds.
काचिद् आलोक्य गोविन्दम् आयान्तम् अतिहर्षिता कृष्ण कृष्णेति कृष्णेति प्राहोत्फुल्लविलोचना
One, seeing Govinda coming, was exceedingly joyful; with eyes wide open, she called out, 'Krishna! Krishna!' again and again.
काचिद् भ्रूभङ्गुरं कृत्वा ललाटफलकं हरिम् विलोक्य नेत्रभृङ्गाभ्यां पपौ तन्मुखपङ्कजम्
One, arching her brow and marking her forehead, gazed at Hari, and with her bee-like eyes drank the nectar of his lotus face.
काचिद् आलोक्य गोविन्दं निमीलितविलोचना तस्यैव रूपं ध्यायन्ती योगारूढेव सा बभौ
One, seeing Govinda, closed her eyes and, meditating on his form alone, shone forth as if absorbed in yoga.
ततः कांचित् प्रियालापैः कांचिद् भ्रूभङ्गवीक्षितैः निन्ये ऽनुनयम् अन्याश् च करस्पर्शेन माधवः
Then Madhava soothed some with loving words, others with glances from arched brows, and yet others by the touch of his hand.
ताभिः प्रसन्नचित्ताभिर् गोपीभिः सह सादरम् रराम रासगोष्ठीभिर् उदारचरितो हरिः
With those cowherd women, their minds delighted, Hari, of noble deeds, joyfully played the rasa dance with respect.
रासमण्डलबद्धो ऽपि कृष्णपार्श्वम् अनूद्गता गोपीजनो न चैवाभूद् एकस्थानस्थिरात्मना
Though bound in the circle of the rasa dance, the cowherd women did not leave Krishna’s side, nor did any remain fixed in one place.
हस्ते प्रगृह्य चैकैकां गोपिकां रासमण्डलम् चकार च करस्पर्शनिमीलितदृशं हरिः
Hari, taking each cowherd woman by the hand, performed the rasa dance, closing his eyes at the touch of their hands.
ततः प्रववृते रम्या चलद्वलयनिस्वनैः अनुयातशरत्काव्यगेयगीतिर् अनुक्रमाम्
Then the delightful dance began, accompanied by the sound of moving bangles, and followed in turn by autumnal poetry, song, and music.
कृष्णः शरच्चन्द्रमसं कौमुदीकुमुदाकरम् जगौ गोपीजनस् त्व् एकं कृष्णनाम पुनः पुनः
Krishna sang of the autumn moon, the moonlight, and the lotus pond, while the cowherd women repeatedly sang only Krishna’s name.
परिवृत्ता श्रमेणैका चलद्वलयतापिनी ददौ बाहुलतां स्कन्धे गोपी मधुविघातिनः
One, weary from dancing, her bangles moving and warm, placed her vine-like arm on the shoulder of the honey-slayer, Krishna.
काचित् प्रविलसद्बाहुः परिरभ्य चुचुम्ब तम् गोपी गीतस्तुतिव्याजनिपुणा मधुसूदनम्
One cowherd woman, with shining arms, embraced and kissed Madhusudana, skillful in singing and praising him.
गोपीकपोलसंश्लेषम् अभिपद्य हरेर् भुजौ पुलकोद्गमशस्याय स्वेदाम्बुघनतां गतौ
Embracing Hari’s arms, seeking the touch of his cheeks, the cowherd women’s bodies became covered with sweat and goosebumps.
रासगेयं जगौ कृष्णो यावत् तारतरध्वनिः साधु कृष्णेति कृष्णेति तावत् ता द्विगुणं जगुः
As Krishna sang the rasa song in a high-pitched voice, the cowherd women sang 'Krishna! Krishna!' twice as much in response.
गते ऽनुगमनं चक्रुर् वलने संमुखं ययुः प्रतिलोमानुलोमेन भेजुर् गोपाङ्गना हरिम्
When he departed, they followed him, moving forward with their bangles, and the cowherd women approached Hari both against and along the flow.
स तदा सह गोपीभी रराम मधुसूदनः स वर्षकोटिप्रतिमः क्षणस् तेन विनाभवत्
Then Madhusudana, surrounded by the cowherd women, delighted in their company; that moment, though equal to millions of years, passed in an instant without him.
ता वार्यमाणाः पितृभिः पतिभिर् भ्रातृभिस् तथा कृष्णं गोपाङ्गना रात्रौ रमयन्ति रतिप्रियाः
Though restrained by their fathers, husbands, and brothers, the cowherd women, fond of pleasure, enjoyed Krishna at night.
सो ऽपि कैशोरकवया मानयन् मधुसूदनः रेमे ताभिर् अमेयात्मा क्षपासु क्षपिताहितः
He too, in the bloom of youth, honoring them, the immeasurable one, Madhusudana, sported with them through the nights, dispelling their sorrows.
तद्भर्तृषु तथा तासु सर्वभूतेषु चेश्वरः आत्मस्वरूपरूपो ऽसौ व्याप्य सर्वम् अवस्थितः
In their husbands, in those women, and in all beings, the Lord, whose form is the Self, pervaded everything and remained established.
यथा समस्तभूतेषु नभो ऽग्निः पृथिवी जलम् वायुश् चात्मा तथैवासौ व्याप्य सर्वम् अवस्थितः
Just as space, fire, earth, water, air, and the Self pervade all beings, so too did he, pervading all, remain established.
प्रदोषार्धे कदाचित् तु रासासक्ते जनार्दने त्रासयन् समदो गोष्ठान् अरिष्टः समुपागतः
At midnight, while Janardana was absorbed in the rasa dance, Ariṣṭa arrived, terrifying the cowherds and their settlement.