Vidagdha Madhava verses by Rupa Goswami Posted in: Poetry

krishna_w_gopis

Purva raga

Dear friend, the trembling of my heart can never find a cure.
No herb or medicine or balm, my beating breast can calm.
For this disease one remedy will bring relief for sure,
but that alas will soon produce painful opprobrium.

My friend I am severely struck and all my sense departs,
when Krishna’s name enters my ears and lodges in my heart.
And then there is another one whose flute enchants my mind,
seizing it with such madness that I can no peace find.
Again there is a third one, whose brilliance I see
in pictures of purest beauty that are entrancing me.
Shame upon my sinful self for loving all these three
at once, and thus I think it best if death does now take me.

Sweet Radha when Krishna’s pure love does deeply pierce the heart,
one feels at once profound pleasure mixed with most poignant pain.
Like poison and its antidote that both the other thwart,
does one all bitter sweetness of that rapture thus obtain.

My dearest love, your loveliness within my mind impressed
does agitate my aching heart with pangs of deep distress.
For you are gone and in this grief I know not where to flee.
For here and there and on all sides your face I simply see.

If Krishna should be cruel, dear friend, to me, you need not cry,
for it will not be through your fault, though surely I shall die.
But please then place me with my arms around a tamala tree
like tight creepers so that I may in Gokula ever be.

(English rendering by Krishna Dharma)