दह्यंती पुत्रशोकेन नंदा सा पुत्रवत्सला। रुदंती करुणं चैव निराशा पुत्रदर्शने
Burning with grief for her son, Nandā, fond of her calf, wept pitifully, hopeless of seeing her child.
द्वीपी दृष्ट्वा तु तां धेनुं क्रंदमानां सुदुःखिताम्। उवाच वचनं घोरं धेनुके किं प्ररुद्यते
Seeing that cow crying out in great sorrow, the leopard spoke these terrible words: 'O cow, why do you weep?'
दैवात्सुखोपपन्नासि भक्षस्त्वं मे यदृच्छया। रुदंत्या वा हसंत्या वा तवात्तं जीवितं भवेत्
By fate you have come to me, an easy meal by chance; whether you cry or laugh, your life will be taken by me.
विहितं भुज्यते लोके स्वयंप्राप्तासि धेनुके। मृत्युस्ते विहितोद्यैव वृथा किमनुशोचसि
What is destined is eaten in this world; you have come to me of your own accord, little cow. Your death is ordained today—why do you grieve in vain?
पप्रच्छ तां पुनर्द्वीपी किमर्थं रुदितं त्वया। कौतुकं चात्र मे जातं महन्मे कथयस्व वै
Again the tiger asked her: Why are you weeping? I am curious about this—tell me the reason, for it is great to me.
व्याघ्रस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा नंदा वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्। क्षंतुमर्हसि मे नाथ कामरूपिन्नमोस्तु ते
Hearing the words of the tiger, Nandā then spoke: Forgive me, lord, master of forms at will—obeisance to you.
त्वां समासाद्य लोकस्य परित्राणं न विद्यते। जीवितार्थं न शोचामि प्राप्तव्यं मरणं मया
Having encountered you, there is no rescue for anyone; I do not grieve for my life—death is destined for me.
जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च। तस्मादपरिहार्येर्थे न शोचामि मृगाधिप
For one who is born, death is certain, and for one who has died, birth is certain; therefore, for what cannot be avoided, I do not grieve, O lord of beasts.
देवैरपि यथा सर्वैर्मर्त्तव्यमवशैर्ध्रुवम्। तस्मात्तु नाहमेवैका व्याघ्र शोचामि जीवितम्
Even all the gods, though unwilling, must surely die; therefore, O tiger, I am not the only one who grieves for life.
किंतु स्नेहेन वै साधो दुःखेन रुदितं मया। अस्ति मे हृदि संतापस्तं च त्वं श्रोतुमर्हसि
But, O noble one, I have wept out of affection and sorrow; there is pain in my heart, and you ought to hear it.
प्रथमे वयसि प्राप्ते प्रसूताहं मृगाधिप। इष्टः प्रथमजातश्च सुतस्तु मम बालकः
When I reached my first youth, O lord of beasts, I gave birth; my firstborn son is dear to me, a little calf.
क्षीरपायी च मे वत्सस्तृणं नाद्यापि जिघ्रति। स च गोपकुले बद्धः क्षुधार्तो मामवेक्षते३०० 1.18.
My calf still drinks milk and does not even sniff grass; he is tied up in the cowherds' pen, hungry, looking for me.
तमहं चानुशोचामि कथं जीविष्यते सुतः। तस्येच्छामि स्तनं दातुं पुत्रस्नेहवशं गता
It is for him that I grieve—how will my son live? I wish to give him my milk, overcome by motherly affection.
पाययित्वा स्तनं वत्समवलिह्य च मूर्द्धनि। सखीनामर्पयित्वा तु संदिश्य च हिताहितम्
After feeding my calf at my breast and licking his head, entrusting him to my companions and instructing them in what is good and bad,
पुनः प्रत्यागमिष्यामि यथेष्टं भक्षयिष्यसि। स नंदाया वचः श्रुत्वा मृगेंद्रः पुनरब्रवीत्
I will return again, and you may eat me as you wish; hearing Nandā’s words, the lord of beasts spoke again.
किं ते पुत्रेण कर्त्तव्यं मरणं किं न बुध्यसे। त्रस्यंति सर्वभूतानि म्रियंते मां निरीक्ष्य च
What will you do with your son? Do you not understand death? All creatures tremble and die when they see me.
त्वं पुनः कृपयाविष्टा पुत्रपुत्रेति भाषसे। न पुत्रा न तपो दानं न माता न पिता गुरुः
Yet you, filled with compassion, keep speaking of your son; neither sons, nor penance, nor charity, nor mother, nor father, nor teacher
शक्नुवंति परित्रातुं नरं कालप्रपीडितम्। कथं त्वं गोकुलं गत्वा गोपीजनसमाकुलम्
Are able to save a man afflicted by time; how will you, going to the cowherds’ settlement, crowded with cowherd women,
वृषभैर्नादितं दिव्यं बालवत्सविभूषितम्। भूषणं देवलोकस्य स्वर्गतुल्यं न संशयः
Resounding with bulls, divine, adorned with calves and children, an ornament of the world of the gods, doubtless equal to heaven,
नित्यं प्रमुदितं दिव्यं सर्वदेवप्रपूजितम्। यत्पवित्रं पवित्राणां मंगलानां च मंगलम्
Ever joyful, divine, worshipped by all the gods, purest of the pure, and most auspicious among the auspicious.
यत्तीर्थं सर्वतीर्थानां धन्यानां धन्यमुत्तमम्। समस्तगुणसंपन्नमीश्वरायतनं महत्
That holy place, the most blessed among all sacred sites, endowed with every virtue, is a great abode of the Lord.
यत्ख्यातं सर्वतीर्थानां भूमिस्वर्गमनुत्तमम्। गोपीमंथनशब्देन बालवत्सरवेण च
It is renowned among all holy places as the highest on earth and in heaven, known by the name 'Gopīmaṇthana' and also as 'Bālavatsaraveṇa.'
गवां हुंकारशब्देन अलक्ष्मीः प्रतिहन्यते। यत्र वत्साश्च हुंकारं करुणं मातृकांक्षया
By the sound of the cows' lowing, misfortune is driven away; there, the calves cry out with longing for their mothers, making a plaintive sound.
यद्गोपैः पालितं शूरैर्बाहुयुद्धकृतश्रमैः। प्रगीतनृत्यसंलापं नंदितास्फोटनादितम्
It is protected by valiant cowherds, weary from wrestling with their arms, filled with singing, dancing, conversation, and the joyful clapping of hands.
इतस्ततः स्थितैर्वत्सैर्नर्द्यमानं समंततः। सरोवद्राजते गोष्टं चलद्भिरिव पंकजैः
With calves standing here and there, lowing all around, the cow-pen shines like a lake adorned with moving lotuses.
तं श्रीनिकेतनं सौम्यं हृष्टपुष्टजनाकुलम्। गोलोकप्रतिमं दृष्ट्वा कथं प्रत्यागमिष्यसि
Having seen that gentle abode of Śrī, crowded with joyful and healthy people, resembling Goloka itself, how could you wish to return?
पंचभूतानि मे भद्रे पिबंतु रुधिरं तव। न निर्विण्णानि भूतानि वाङ्मात्रेण करोम्यहम्
Let the five elements, O blessed one, drink your blood; I do not cause the elements to be dissatisfied merely by words.
नंदोवाच। एवं प्रथमवत्साया मृगेंद्र शृणु मे वचः। दृष्ट्वा सखीः सुतं बालं गोपांश्च प्रतिपालकान्
Nanda said: Thus, O lord of beasts, listen to my words: having seen my friends, my young son, and the cowherds who are his guardians,
गोपीजनमुपामंत्र्य जननीं च विशेषतः। शपथैरागमिष्यामि मन्यसे यदि मुंच मां
Having taken leave of the cowherd women, and especially my mother, I will return, swearing oaths—if you believe me, release me.
यत्पापं ब्रह्मवध्यायां मातृपितृवधेषु च। तेन पापेन लिप्येहं यद्यहं नागमे पुनः
If I do not return again, may I be stained by the sin incurred in killing a Brahmin or in slaying mother or father.