रम्यं गीतध्वनि श्रत्वा सन्त्यज्यावसथांस्तदा । आजग्मुस्त्वरिता गोप्यो यत्रास्ते मधृसूदनः ।। ५-१३-
Hearing the lovely sound of the song, the cowherd women quickly left their homes and hurried to where Madhusūdana was.
शनैः शनैर्ज्जगौ गोपी काचित् तस्य लयानुगम् । दत्तावधाना काचित्तू तमेव मनसास्मरत् ।। ५-१३-
One cowherd woman softly sang in time with him, another listened attentively, and yet another remembered him in her heart.
काचित् कृष्णेति कृष्णेति प्रेक्त्वा लज्जामुपागता । ययौ च काचित् प्रेमान्धा ततपार्श्वमविलज्जिता ।। ५-१३-
One, saying 'Krishna, Krishna,' became bashful; another, blinded by love, went to his side without shame.
काचिदावसथस्यान्तः स्थिता दृष्ट्वा बहिर्गुरून् । तन्मयत्वेन गोविन्दं दध्यौ मीलितलोचना ।। ५-१३-
One remained inside her house, seeing her elders outside; absorbed in him, she meditated on Govinda with closed eyes.
तच्विन्ताविपुलाह्लाद-क्षीणपुणयचया तथा । तदप्राप्ति-महादुःविलीनाशेषपातका ।। ५-१३-
Thus, as their joy from thoughts of him swelled, their store of merit was exhausted; and, with all sins dissolved in the great sorrow of his absence, they were left bereft.
चिन्तयन्ती जगत्सूतिं परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणम् । निरुच्छ्वासतया मुक्ति गतान्या गोपकन्यका ।। ५-१३-
One cowherd maiden, contemplating the creation of the universe and the Supreme Brahman in his true form, attained liberation, her breath stilled.
गोपीपरिवृतो रात्रि शरचन्द्रमनोरमाम् । मानयामास गोविन्दो रासारम्भरसोत्सुकः ।। ५-१३-
Surrounded by the gopīs, Govinda honored the night, delightful as the autumn moon, eager for the joy of beginning the rāsa dance.
गोप्यश्व वृन्दशः कृष्णचेष्टास्वायत्तमूर्त्तयः । अन्यदेशं गते कृष्णो चेरुर्वृन्दावमान्तरम् ।। ५-१३-
The gopīs, in groups, imitated Krishna’s actions, their forms shaped by his play; when Krishna went elsewhere, they wandered through the inner parts of Vṛndāvana.
कृष्णो निरुद्धह्टदया इदसूचुः परस्परम् । कृष्णोऽहमेतल्ललितं व्रजाम्यालोक्यतां गतिः । अन्या ब्रवीति कष्णस्य मम गीतिर्निशम्यताम् ।। ५-१३-
With Krishna gone, their hearts restrained, they spoke to one another: 'I am Krishna—see this charming gait of mine!' Another said, 'Listen to my song, the song of Krishna!'
दुषृकालिय!तिष्ठात्र कृणोऽहमिति चापरा । बाहुमास्फोठ्य कृष्णस्य लीलासर्व्वस्वमाददे ।। ५-१३-
Another said, 'Wicked Kāliya, stay here! I am Krishna!' And, striking her arm, she took on all the playful airs of Krishna.
अन्यां ब्रवीति भो गोपा!निः शङ्कः स्थीयतामिह । अलं बृष्टिभयेनात्र धृतो गोवर्द्धनो मया ।। ५-१३-
Another said, 'O cowherds, do not fear—stay here without worry! I have held up Govardhana; there is no need to fear the rain.'
धेनुकोऽयं मया क्षिप्तो विचरन्लु यथेच्छया । गोपी ब्रवीति वै चान्या कृष्मालीलानुकारिणी ।। ५-१३-
Another gopī, imitating Krishna, said, 'I have cast down Dhenuka; now I roam as I please.'
एवं नानाप्रकारासु कृष्णचेष्टासु तास्तदा । गोप्या व्यग्राः समं चरू रम्य वृन्दावनान्तरम् ।। ५-१३-
Thus, as the gopīs busied themselves with various imitations of Krishna’s deeds, they wandered together through the lovely groves of Vṛndāvana.
विलोक्यैका भुवं प्राह् गोपी गोपवराङ्गना । पुलकाञ्चितसर्व्वाङ्गी विकाशि-नयनोत्पला ।। ५-१३-
Seeing the ground, one gopī, foremost among the cowherd women, her whole body bristling with joy and her lotus eyes wide, spoke:
ध्वजवज्राङ्कु शाब्जाङ्क-रेखावन्त्यालि पश्यत । पदान्येतानि कृष्णस्य लीलालङ्कृतगामिनः ।। ५-१३-
‘Look at these footprints, marked with the banner, thunderbolt, goad, and lotus—these are the steps of Krishna, adorned by his playful gait.’
कापि तेम समं याता कृतपुण्या मदालसा । पदानि तस्याश्चैतानि घनान्यल्पतनूनि च ।। ५-१३-
Some fortunate, graceful maiden has gone with him; these are her footprints, close and slender, beside his.
पुष्पावचयमत्रोच्चैश्वक्रे दामोदरो ध्रु वम् । येनाग्राक्रान्तिमात्राणि पदान्यत्र महात्मनः ।। ५-१३-
Here, Damodara surely picked flowers for her, for only the front part of his great footprints are seen here.
अत्रोपविश्य सा तेन कापि पुष्पैरलङ्कृता । अन्यजन्मनि सर्व्वात्मा विष्णुरभ्यर्ज्वितो यया।। ५-१३-
Here she sat with him, adorned with flowers; in a former birth, she had worshipped Viṣṇu, the soul of all.
पुष्पबन्धनसम्मान-कृतमानामपास्य ताम् । नन्दगोपसुतो यातो मार्गेणानेन पश्यत ।। ५-१३-
Having honored her with a garland of flowers, the son of Nanda went on this path—look!
अनुयानेऽसमर्थान्या नितम्बभरमन्थरा । या गन्तव्ये द्रुतं याति निम्रपादाग्रसंस्थितिः ।। ५-१३-
Another, unable to keep up in the procession, slowed by the weight of her hips, hastened as best she could, her toes barely touching the ground.
हस्तन्यस्ताग्रहस्तेयं तेन याति तथा सखि! अनायत्तपदन्यासा लक्ष्यते पदपद्धतिः ।। ५-१३-
See, friend! This one is led by the hand, her hand placed in his; her footprints show she is not walking on her own.
हस्तसंस्पर्शमात्रेण धूर्त्तेनैषा विमानिता । नैराश्यमन्दगामिन्या निवुत्तं लक्ष्यते पदम ।। ५-१३-
By the mere touch of his hand, this clever one has slighted her; her footprints show she walks slowly, disheartened and hopeless.
नूनमुक्ता त्वरामीति पुनरेष्यामि तेऽन्तिकम् । तेन कृष्णेन येनैषा त्वरिता पदपद्धतिः ।। ५-१३-
Certainly, she said, 'Let me hurry and return to you soon.' It was by Krishna that this path was hastened.
प्रविष्टो गहनं कृष्णः पदमत्र न लक्ष्यते । निवर्त्तध्व शशाङ्कस्य नैतद्दीधितिगोचरे ।। ५-१३-
Krishna entered the thicket, and his footprints are no longer visible here. Turn back; the moonlight does not reach this place.
निवृत्तास्तास्ततो गोप्यो निराशाः कृष्णदर्शने । यमुनातीरमागत्य जगुस्तज्वरितं तदा ।। ५-१३-
Then the gopis, disappointed in seeing Krishna, turned back. Coming to the bank of the Yamuna, they sang in their longing.
ततो ददृशुरायान्तं विकाशिमुखपङ्कजम् । गोप्यस्त्रैलोक्यगोप्तारं कृष्णमक्लिष्टचेष्टितम् ।। ५-१३-
Afterwards, the gopis saw Krishna approaching, his lotus-like face radiant, the protector of the three worlds, acting effortlessly.
काचिदालोक्य गोविन्दमायान्तमतिहर्षिता । कूष्ण् कृष्णेति कृष्णेति प्राह नान्यदुदैरयत् ।। ५-१३-
One, seeing Govinda coming, was overwhelmed with joy and exclaimed, 'Krishna, Krishna!' She uttered nothing else.
काचिदू भ्रू भङ्गुरं कृत्वा ललाटफलकं हरिम् । विलोक्य नैत्रभृङ्गाभ्यां पपौ यन्मुखपङ्कजम् ।। ५-१३-
Another, arching her brow and marking her forehead, gazed at Hari, and with her bee-like eyes drank the lotus of his face.
काचिदालोक्य गोविन्दं निमीलित-विलोचना । तस्यैव रूपं ध्यायन्ती योगारूढ़ेव चाबभौ ।। ५-१३-
Another, seeing Govinda, closed her eyes, meditating on his form, and appeared as if absorbed in yoga.
ततः काश्वित् प्रियालापैः काश्विदू भ्रू भङ्गवीक्षणः । निन्येऽनुनयमन्याञ्च करस्पर्शेन माघवः ।। ५-१३-
Then, Mādhava won over some with loving words, others with glances from arched brows, and yet others with the touch of his hand.