Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— इत्यत्रिणा मुनीन्द्रेण समाहृतमनोरुजः। व्रजौकसो निववृतुर्जाततत्त्वा निजप्रभोः॥१॥
Brahmā said: Their heartache gathered up and removed by Atri, lord among sages, the people of Vraja returned, having understood the truth of their own Lord.
Passage 2
ते सर्वे कथयाञ्चक्रुर्वृत्तमत्यद्भुतं प्रभोः। सोऽपि विज्ञाय तत्सर्वं मुमूर्छ विरहातुरः॥२॥
They all recounted to Sukhita the Lord's exceedingly wondrous deeds. When he learned everything that had happened, he too fainted, stricken by separation. The Women Remember Rāma
Passage 3
अथ व्रजमृगीदृशः प्रणयपाशबद्धास्तथा निजगतिस्मितविलोकितप्रतिनिमग्नचित्ताः प्रिये। गुहासु शिखरेषु चाटवीषु चित्रकूटस्य ता वियोगविकलां दशां हृदि दधत्य इत्यूचिरे॥३॥
Then the deer-eyed women of Vraja, bound by the cords of love and their minds immersed in memories of their beloved's gait, smile, and glance, wandered among Citrakūṭa's caves, peaks, and forests. Bearing the anguish of separation in their hearts, they spoke as follows.
Passage 4
रमण परवशोऽसि प्रायशस्त्वं प्रियाया जनकनृपतिपुत्र्यास्तत्सहैकान्तचारी। इति बत विकला नस्त्वद्वियोगाग्निदग्धाः सपदि करुणपातः शून्य उज्झाञ्चकार॥४॥
“Beloved, you are evidently under the sway of your darling, the daughter of King Janaka, and therefore wander alone with her. Bereft of compassion, you suddenly abandoned us, distraught and burned by the fire of separation from you.
Passage 5
प्रतिविपिनमटन्त्यास्त्वां प्रियं नो गृहीत्वा जनकनृपतिपुत्र्याः कोमलं पादयुग्मम्। कथमिव न तुतुदुस्ता भूमयो दर्भगर्भा वयमथ करुणार्द्राः पल्लवानादधीम॥५॥
“As the daughter of King Janaka walks through forest after forest, taking you, our beloved, how do those grounds filled with sharp grass not pierce her tender feet? Moved by compassion, we would have laid down soft leaves for her.
Passage 6
व्रजवसतिजुषो नो ग्राम्यवृत्तीः स्वसार्थं परिचरणविदग्धा नौ किमादातमग्रे। करुणरसविहीनं चक्रथुश्चित्तमीदृक् तदिह बत युवां वै विस्मृतौ किं परार्थम्॥६॥
“What advantage did you gain by going ahead without us simple village women of Vraja, skilled in attending both of you? Why have your hearts become so empty of compassion? Alas, have you two forgotten us for some other purpose?
Passage 7
रघुवर बहुधा नो मानसं न प्रतीतं क्षणविरहहुताशज्वालजालेन दाह्यम्। प्रमुदवनविहायिन् यो न एकान्तसङ्गी मृदुकठिनपदार्थज्ञातशीलः खलु त्वम्॥७॥
“Best of the Raghus, we never imagined our minds could be burned by a net of flames from even a moment's separation. You abandoned Pramoda forest and no longer remain our intimate companion; now indeed we know that your nature contains both tenderness and hardness.
Passage 8
प्रमदवनमजस्रं सेवमानाः पुरापि त्वदमितविरहार्ता एव तत्रावसाम। पुनरपि किमु दत्त्वा चित्रकूटे प्रसङ्गं मदनदहनमन्तर्दीपयामासिथ स्वम्॥८॥
“Even formerly, while always dwelling in Pramoda forest, we lived there afflicted by immeasurable separation from you. Why did you grant us your company again at Citrakūṭa only to kindle within us your own consuming fire of love?
Passage 9
अलमलमथवा ते वार्तया राजसूनो पुनरपि वयमार्तास्तत्प्रसङ्गेन भूयः। द्विगुणमुदयते यत्स्नेहजन्यो हुताशः प्रतिपदमभिषेकात्स्तोकपाथःकणस्य॥९॥
“Enough, enough of speaking about you, prince! The very mention of you only wounds us again. At every step the fire born from love grows twice as fierce, like a blaze sprinkled with a few drops of water.
Passage 10
बहुतरमियदुच्चैः किं विलप्यापि नाथ त्वमसि हृदयसंस्थः सर्वहृत्तत्त्ववेदी। स्वपति खलु फलाढ्यो जागरार्थः प्रयत्नो न तु नरवर जाग्रत् केनचिद्बोधितः स्यात्॥१०॥
“Yet why lament so loudly and at such length, Lord? You dwell in every heart and know the truth within them all. An effort to awaken one who sleeps may bear abundant fruit, but, best of men, no one needs to awaken one already awake.
Passage 11
स्मितगतिलपितेक्षाभोगदानैः पुरा नो वशितहृदयवृत्तिरीदृशीस्त्वं विधाय। यदलघुविरहार्ता घोषनारीश्चकर्थ स्फुटमिह विदितोऽभूस्तेन नो निर्दयः किम्॥११॥
“Formerly you brought our hearts under your control by giving us your smile, gait, speech, glance, and delight. Then you burdened the women of the cowherd settlement with this immense pain of separation. Have you not thereby shown us plainly how merciless you are?
Passage 12
स्फुटतरमवधीस्त्वं कूर्दमानान् कुरङ्गान् वनभुवि धृतचापः सायकैः पूर्णतूणः। प्रकृतिरिति न ते नो गोचरत्वं प्रयाता नयनविशिखविद्धानाशयान् बिभ्रतीनाम्॥१२॥
“Bow in hand and quiver full, you openly killed the deer that leapt upon the forest floor. Yet we, carrying hearts pierced by the arrows of your eyes, never understood that such was your nature. From Reproach to Blessing
Passage 13
प्रणयिवर तवोपालम्भनं नो निरर्थं बहुतरसुखदानैः प्रीणयामास यो नः। तव तु सहचरी सा स्यादुपालम्भनीया विजनगतमकार्षीद्या भवन्तं बलेन॥१३॥
“Best of lovers, it is pointless for us to reproach you, for you have delighted us with so much happiness. It is your companion who should be reproached, since she forcibly carried you away into the lonely forest.
Passage 14
अयि जनकसुते त्वं प्राणजीवातुरेव व्रजवनवनितानां नास्युपालम्भयोग्या। हिमकरमुखि नित्यानन्दिनी त्वं तु भूयाः किमु न विटपवर्गो मूलसेकान्न पुष्पेत्॥१४॥
“But daughter of Janaka, you are the very life of the women of Vraja's forest and do not deserve reproach. Moon-faced lady, may you always rejoice! Would a cluster of branches fail to flower when its root is watered?
Passage 15
त्वमसि हिमकरश्रीस्तारकाः स्याम सर्वा- स्त्वमथ सुतनु वल्ली पल्लवास्ते वयं च। त्वयि खलु सुखितायां स्याम सर्वाः सुखिन्यो यदि स भवदधीनोऽस्माकमेवास्त्यधीनः॥१५॥
“You are the splendor of the moon, and we are all its stars. Slender lady, you are the vine, and we are your leaves. When you are happy, we shall all be happy; if he is under your sway, then he remains under ours as well.
Passage 16
तदपि वयमजस्रमेकान्ततः स्त्रीस्वभावा- च्चपलधियमुपेताः संततोत्कण्ठ्यभाजः। उचितमनुचितं वा भाषितं नः सखीना- मतिपरिचयभाजां त्वं हि पूर्णं क्षमस्व॥१६॥
“Even so, because of our womanly nature we are constantly restless in mind and filled with unending longing. Please completely forgive whatever fitting or unfitting words we, your intimate friends, have spoken.
Passage 17
इति प्रणयबद्धास्ताः सीताराघवयोः प्रियाः। सख्य उच्चावचैर्वाक्यैर्विरहार्ता बभाषिरे॥१७॥
Thus bound by love and dear to Sītā and Rāghava, those companions, tormented by separation, spoke words both gentle and severe. Thus ends Chapter 127, “The Cowherd Women's Loving Reproaches,” in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍi in the Dakṣiṇa-khaṇḍa of the glorious Ādi Rāmāyaṇa.