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.
ताभिः प्रसन्नचित्तामभिर्गोपीभिः सह सादरम् । रराम रासगोष्ठीभिरुदारचरितो हरिः ।। ५-१३-
With those gopis, whose minds were delighted, Hari, of noble deeds, played respectfully in the circle of the rāsa dance.
रासमणडलबन्धोऽपि कृष्णपार्श्वमनुजूझता । गोपीजनेन नैवाभूदेकस्थानस्थिरात्मना ।। ५-१३-
Even though the rāsa circle was formed, the gopis, eager to be near Krishna, did not remain fixed in one place.
हर्ते प्रगृह्य चैकैकां गोपिकां रासमणडलीम् । चकार तत्करस्पर्श-निमीलितदृशं हरिः ।। ५-१३-
Hari, taking each gopi by the hand, made the rāsa circle, their eyes closed from the touch of his hand.
ततः स ववृते रासश्वलदूवलयनिः स्वनः । अनुयातशरतूकाव्यगेयगीतिरनुक्रमात् ।। ५-१३-
Then the rāsa dance resounded, with the jingling of anklets, accompanied by songs and music in succession.
कृष्णाः शरज्वन्द्रमसं कौमुदीं कुमुदाकरम् । जगौ गोपीजनस्त्वेकं कूष्णनाम पुनः पुनः ।। ५-१३-
The gopis sang of Krishna, the autumn moon, the moonlight, and the lotus pond, but always repeated only Krishna's name.
परिवर्त्तश्रमेणोक चलदूवलयलापिनीम् । ददौ बाहुलतां स्कन्धे गोपी मधुनिघातिनः ।। ५-१३-
From the fatigue of turning, as her anklets jingled, a gopi placed her vine-like arm on the shoulder of the slayer of Madhu.
काचित् प्रविलसदूबाहुः परिरभ्य चुचुम्ब तम् । गोपी गीतस्तुतिव्याज-निपुणा मधुसूदनम् ।। ५-१३-
One gopi, with shining arms, embraced and kissed him, skillfully praising Madhusudana through song and hymn.
गोपी-कपोल-संश्लेषमभिपत्य हरेभुर्जौ । पुलकोदूगमशस्याय स्वेदाम्बुघनतां गतौ ।। ५-१३-
As her cheek pressed against Hari's, the gopi's arms became covered with goosebumps and sweat gathered densely.
रासगेयं जगौ कृष्णेति यावत् तारतरध्वनिः । साधु कृष्णेति कृष्णेतितावत् ता द्रिगुणं अगुः ।। ५-१३-
As the rāsa song was sung, the sound of 'Krishna' rose ever higher; as they praised 'Krishna, Krishna,' their voices became threefold.
गते तु गमनं चक्रु र्वलने सम्मुखं ययुः । प्रतिलोमानुलोमाब्यां भेजुर्गोपाङ्गना हरिम् ।। ५-१३-
When he departed, they moved forward, facing him, and the gopis approached Hari both against and along the flow.