The Gopis' Songs of Separation

Verse 1 (bhagavata.10.31.1)

गोप्य ऊचुः जयति तेऽधिकं जन्मना व्रजः श्रयत इन्दिरा शश्वदत्र हि । दयित दृश्यतां दिक्षु तावका- स्त्वयि धृतासवस्त्वां विचिन्वते ॥ १ ॥

gopya ūcuḥ jayati te ’dhikaṁ janmanā vrajaḥ śrayata indirā śaśvad atra hi dayita dṛśyatāṁ dikṣu tāvakās tvayi dhṛtāsavas tvāṁ vicinvate

The gopis said: O beloved, your birth alone has made this land of Vraja supremely glorious, so that the goddess Indira dwells here forever. O beloved, show yourself to us in whatever direction we look — we sustain our very breath only for your sake, and we wander searching for you.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.10.31.2)

शरदुदाशये साधुजातसत्- सरसिजोदरश्रीमुषा दृशा । सुरतनाथ तेऽशुल्कदासिका वरद निघ्नतो नेह किं वधः ॥ २ ॥

śarad-udāśaye sādhu-jāta-sat- sarasijodara-śrī-muṣā dṛśā surata-nātha te ’śulka-dāsikā vara-da nighnato neha kiṁ vadhaḥ

O lord of love, your glance outshines the beauty of the finest lotus grown deep in an autumn lake. O giver of boons, we are your maidservants, given to you freely without any price — yet by abandoning us now, you are killing us. Is that not murder?

Verse 3 (bhagavata.10.31.3)

विषजलाप्ययाद् व्यालराक्षसाद् वर्षमारुताद् वैद्युतानलात् । वृषमयात्मजाद् विश्वतो भया- दृषभ ते वयं रक्षिता मुहुः ॥ ३ ॥

viṣa-jalāpyayād vyāla-rākṣasād varṣa-mārutād vaidyutānalāt vṛṣa-mayātmajād viśvato bhayād ṛṣabha te vayaṁ rakṣitā muhuḥ

O most excellent of men, again and again you have shielded us — from death in poisoned water, from the terrible demon, from torrential rain and storm, from the fire of the thunderbolt, from the bull-demon and the son of Maya — from every fear in this world.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.10.31.4)

न खलु गोपीकानन्दनो भवान् अखिलदेहिनामन्तरात्मदृक् । विखनसार्थितो विश्वगुप्तये सख उदेयिवान् सात्वतां कुले ॥ ४ ॥

na khalu gopīkā-nandano bhavān akhila-dehinām antarātma-dṛk vikhanasārthito viśva-guptaye sakha udeyivān sātvatāṁ kule

You are not, in truth, merely the son of the cowherdess — you are the innermost witness dwelling within every embodied being. Because Brahma himself entreated you for the protection of the universe, O friend, you have now arisen in the Satvata line.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.10.31.5)

विरचिताभयं वृष्णिधूर्य ते चरणमीयुषां संसृतेर्भयात् । करसरोरुहं कान्त कामदं शिरसि धेहि नः श्रीकरग्रहम् ॥ ५ ॥

viracitābhayaṁ vṛṣṇi-dhūrya te caraṇam īyuṣāṁ saṁsṛter bhayāt kara-saroruhaṁ kānta kāma-daṁ śirasi dhehi naḥ śrī-kara-graham

O foremost of the Vrishnis, those who approach your feet in fear of this world's bondage are granted fearlessness by them. O beloved, place upon our heads that wish-granting, lotus-soft hand of yours — the same hand that holds the hand of the goddess Shri.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.10.31.6)

व्रजजनार्तिहन् वीर योषितां निजजनस्मयध्वंसनस्मित । भज सखे भवत्किङ्करीः स्म नो जलरुहाननं चारु दर्शय ॥ ६ ॥

vraja-janārti-han vīra yoṣitāṁ nija-jana-smaya-dhvaṁsana-smita bhaja sakhe bhavat-kiṅkarīḥ sma no jalaruhānanaṁ cāru darśaya

O destroyer of Vraja's sorrows, O hero cherished by every woman here, whose smile breaks the pride even of your own devotees — accept us, dear friend, as your servants, and let us see your beautiful lotus face.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.10.31.7)

प्रणतदेहिनां पापकर्षणं तृणचरानुगं श्रीनिकेतनम् । फणिफणार्पितं ते पदाम्बुजं कृणु कुचेषु नः कृन्धि हृच्छयम् ॥ ७ ॥

praṇata-dehināṁ pāpa-karṣaṇaṁ tṛṇa-carānugaṁ śrī-niketanam phaṇi-phaṇārpitaṁ te padāmbujaṁ kṛṇu kuceṣu naḥ kṛndhi hṛc-chayam

Your lotus feet strip away the sins of every soul who surrenders to them; they walk behind the grazing cattle, and Shri herself makes her home in them; those same feet you once set upon the serpent Kaliya's hoods. Place them now upon our breasts, and cut away the desire that burns in our hearts.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.10.31.8)

मधुरया गिरा वल्गुवाक्यया बुधमनोज्ञया पुष्करेक्षण । विधिकरीरिमा वीर मुह्यतीर् अधरसीधुनाप्याययस्व नः ॥ ८ ॥

madhurayā girā valgu-vākyayā budha-manojñayā puṣkarekṣaṇa vidhi-karīr imā vīra muhyatīr adhara-sīdhunāpyāyayasva naḥ

O lotus-eyed one, your voice is sweet and your words are charming, delightful even to the wise; revive us, your servants, bewildered as we are, with the nectar of your lips.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.10.31.9)

तव कथामृतं तप्तजीवनं कविभिरीडितं कल्मषापहम् । श्रवणमङ्गलं श्रीमदाततं भुवि गृणन्ति ये भूरिदा जनाः ॥ ९ ॥

tava kathāmṛtaṁ tapta-jīvanaṁ kavibhir īḍitaṁ kalmaṣāpaham śravaṇa-maṅgalaṁ śrīmad ātataṁ bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūri-dā janāḥ

The nectar of your story is very life to those consumed by the fires of this world; sages praise it, it washes away sin, it is auspicious to hear and radiant with glory, and it has spread across the earth. Those who proclaim it are the most generous of all.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.10.31.10)

प्रहसितं प्रिय प्रेमवीक्षणं विहरणं च ते ध्यानमङ्गलम् । रहसि संविदो या हृदिस्पृशः कुहक नो मनः क्षोभयन्ति हि ॥ १० ॥

prahasitaṁ priya-prema-vīkṣaṇaṁ viharaṇaṁ ca te dhyāna-maṅgalam rahasi saṁvido yā hṛdi spṛśaḥ kuhaka no manaḥ kṣobhayanti hi

Your smile, your loving glance, your intimate pastimes so auspicious to remember, the private words we shared that touched our very hearts — O deceiver, all of these now stir our minds to distraction.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.10.31.11)

चलसि यद् व्रजाच्चारयन् पशून् नलिनसुन्दरं नाथ ते पदम् । शिलतृणाङ्कुरैः सीदतीति नः कलिलतां मनः कान्त गच्छति ॥ ११ ॥

calasi yad vrajāc cārayan paśūn nalina-sundaraṁ nātha te padam śila-tṛṇāṅkuraiḥ sīdatīti naḥ kalilatāṁ manaḥ kānta gacchati

O master, when you leave the village to herd the cattle, our minds grow heavy with the thought that your feet, more delicate than any lotus, will be bruised by stones and sharp blades of grass and sprouting shoots.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.10.31.12)

दिनपरिक्षये नीलकुन्तलै- र्वनरुहाननं बिभ्रदावृतम् । घनरजस्वलं दर्शयन् मुहु- र्मनसि नः स्मरं वीर यच्छसि ॥ १२ ॥

dina-parikṣaye nīla-kuntalair vanaruhānanaṁ bibhrad āvṛtam ghana-rajasvalaṁ darśayan muhur manasi naḥ smaraṁ vīra yacchasi

At the close of day, when you show us your lotus face, framed by dark curling hair and thick with dust, you stir the god of love again and again within our minds, O hero.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.10.31.13)

प्रणतकामदं पद्मजार्चितं धरणिमण्डनं ध्येयमापदि । चरणपङ्कजं शन्तमं च ते रमण नः स्तनेष्वर्पयाधिहन् ॥ १३ ॥

praṇata-kāma-daṁ padmajārcitaṁ dharaṇi-maṇḍanaṁ dhyeyam āpadi caraṇa-paṅkajaṁ śantamaṁ ca te ramaṇa naḥ staneṣv arpayādhi-han

Your lotus feet, worshipped by Brahma himself, grant every wish to those who bow before them; they adorn the earth and grant the deepest peace, and in danger they alone deserve our meditation. O lover, O remover of our torment, set them now upon our breasts.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.10.31.14)

सुरतवर्धनं शोकनाशनं स्वरितवेणुना सुष्ठु चुम्बितम् । इतररागविस्मारणं नृणां वितर वीर नस्तेऽधरामृतम् ॥ १४ ॥

surata-vardhanaṁ śoka-nāśanaṁ svarita-veṇunā suṣṭhu cumbitam itara-rāga-vismāraṇaṁ nṛṇāṁ vitara vīra nas te ’dharāmṛtam

O hero, give to us the nectar of your lips — nectar that deepens the joy of union, dissolves all sorrow, is tasted through and through by your singing flute, and makes one forget every other attachment.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.10.31.15)

अटति यद् भवानह्नि काननं त्रुटि युगायते त्वामपश्यताम् । कुटिलकुन्तलं श्रीमुखं च ते जड उदीक्षतां पक्ष्मकृद् दृशाम् ॥ १५ ॥

aṭati yad bhavān ahni kānanaṁ truṭi yugāyate tvām apaśyatām kuṭila-kuntalaṁ śrī-mukhaṁ ca te jaḍa udīkṣatāṁ pakṣma-kṛd dṛśām

When you wander off into the forest by day, even the blink of an eye stretches into an age for us who cannot see you. And when at last we gaze eagerly upon your lovely face with its curling hair, our own eyelids — that foolish handiwork of the creator — still get in the way.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.10.31.16)

पतिसुतान्वयभ्रातृबान्धवा- नतिविलङ्घ्य तेऽन्त्यच्युतागताः । गतिविदस्तवोद्गीतमोहिताः कितव योषितः कस्त्यजेन्निशि ॥ १६ ॥

pati-sutānvaya-bhrātṛ-bāndhavān ativilaṅghya te ’nty acyutāgatāḥ gati-vidas tavodgīta-mohitāḥ kitava yoṣitaḥ kas tyajen niśi

O Achyuta, you know full well why we came — leaving behind husbands, children, forebears, brothers and kin without a backward glance, drawn to you, bewitched by the loud call of your flute. O deceiver, what man would abandon women who came to him at night for this alone?

Verse 17 (bhagavata.10.31.17)

रहसि संविदं हृच्छयोदयं प्रहसिताननं प्रेमवीक्षणम् । बृहदुरः श्रियो वीक्ष्य धाम ते मुहुरतिस्पृहा मुह्यते मनः ॥ १७ ॥

rahasi saṁvidaṁ hṛc-chayodayaṁ prahasitānanaṁ prema-vīkṣaṇam bṛhad-uraḥ śriyo vīkṣya dhāma te muhur ati-spṛhā muhyate manaḥ

Remembering our secret talks, which stirred desire in our hearts, your smiling face and loving glances, and beholding your broad chest, home of the goddess of fortune — our minds are again and again overwhelmed with longing and lost in bewilderment.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.10.31.18)

व्रजवनौकसां व्यक्तिरङ्ग ते वृजिनहन्त्र्यलं विश्वमङ्गलम् । त्यज मनाक् च नस्त्वत्स्पृहात्मनां स्वजनहृद्रुजां यन्निषूदनम् ॥ १८ ॥

vraja-vanaukasāṁ vyaktir aṅga te vṛjina-hantry alaṁ viśva-maṅgalam tyaja manāk ca nas tvat-spṛhātmanāṁ sva-jana-hṛd-rujāṁ yan niṣūdanam

O beloved, your very presence removes the sorrow of Vraja's forest-dwellers and blesses the whole universe. Grant just a little of yourself now to us, whose hearts are consumed with longing for you — for you alone are the remedy for the affliction in your own devotees' hearts.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.10.31.19)

यत्ते सुजातचरणाम्बुरुहं स्तनेषु भीताः शनैः प्रिय दधीमहि कर्कशेषु । तेनाटवीमटसि तद् व्यथते न किंस्वित् कूर्पादिभिर्भ्रमति धीर्भवदायुषां नः ॥ १९ ॥

yat te sujāta-caraṇāmburuhaṁ staneṣu bhītāḥ śanaiḥ priya dadhīmahi karkaśeṣu tenāṭavīm aṭasi tad vyathate na kiṁ svit kūrpādibhir bhramati dhīr bhavad-āyuṣāṁ naḥ

O beloved, so delicate are your lotus feet that even placing them, ever so gently, upon our rough breasts fills us with fear of hurting them — yet with those same feet you walk the forest paths. Does it not pain you? Our minds, for whom you alone are life, are anxious, wondering whether stones and thorns are wounding your tender feet even now.