Beyond Childhood

अतीत्य बाल्यं जगतां पते त्वम् उपेत्य पौगण्डवयो मनोज्ञम् ।
उपेक्ष्य वत्सावनमुत्सवेन प्रावर्तथा गोगणपालनायाम्

atītya bālyaṁ jagatāṁ pate tvam upetya paugaṇḍavayo manojñam upekṣya vatsāvanamutsavena prāvartathā gogaṇapālanāyām

“Crossing childhood, lord of the worlds, you entered the heart-charming paugaṇḍa age. Putting aside the calves' protection, with festival, you began the herding of full cows.”

उपक्रमस्यानुगुणैव सेयं मरुत्पुराधीश तव प्रवृत्तिः ।
गोत्रापरित्राणकृतेऽवतीणस्तदेव देवाऽऽरभथास्तदा यत्

upakramasyānuguṇaiva seyaṁ marutpurādhīśa tava pravṛttiḥ gotrāparitrāṇakṛte'vatīṇastadeva devā''rabhathāstadā yat

“Lord of the wind-city, this work of yours indeed fits the future course. For the protection of the cow-clan you descended; that very work the gods then began.”

कदापि रामेण समं वनान्ते वनश्रियं वीक्ष्य चरन्सुखेन ।
श्रीदामनाम्नः स्वसखस्य वाचा मोदादगा धेनुककाननं त्वम्

kadāpi rāmeṇa samaṁ vanānte vanaśriyaṁ vīkṣya caransukhena śrīdāmanāmnaḥ svasakhasya vācā modādagā dhenukakānanaṁ tvam

“Day by day, in the deeper forest, you wandered with the cattle and the cowherd-boys. Now no longer infant, you were the centre of the ring; the boys' games were your own design.”

उत्तालतालीनिवहे त्वदुक्त्या बलेन धूतेऽथ बलेन दोर्भ्याम् ।
मृदुः खरश्चाभ्यपतत्पुरस्तात् फलोत्करो धेनुकदानवोऽपि

uttālatālīnivahe tvaduktyā balena dhūte'tha balena dorbhyām mṛduḥ kharaścābhyapatatpurastāt phalotkaro dhenukadānavo'pi

“Long limbs, dark glow, peacock feather in hair, flute in hand, your form filled the gopis' eyes the way the moon fills the night-water with light.”

समुद्यतो धैनुकपालनेऽहं वधं कथं धैनुकमद्य कुर्वे ।
इतीव मत्वा ध्रुवमग्रजेन सुरौघयोद्धारमजीघतस्त्वम्

samudyato dhainukapālane'haṁ vadhaṁ kathaṁ dhainukamadya kurve itīva matvā dhruvamagrajena suraughayoddhāramajīghatastvam

“The cattle, attended by you, grazed with such ease that they would not return to the cowherd-place at evening. Your flute called them; the path home was no longer needed.”

तदीयभृत्यानपि जम्बुकत्वेनोपागतानग्रजसंयुतस्त्वम् ।
जम्बूफलानीव तदा निरास्थस्तालेषु खेलन्भगवन् निरास्थः

tadīyabhṛtyānapi jambukatvenopāgatānagrajasaṁyutastvam jambūphalānīva tadā nirāsthastāleṣu khelanbhagavan nirāsthaḥ

“When the cowherds-boys with you sat to rest, the river itself slowed; the trees lowered branches; the breeze grew sweet. Vṛndāvana had become your courtyard.”

विनिघ्नति त्वय्यथ जम्बुकौघं सनामकत्वाद्वरुणस्तदानीम् ।
भयाकुलो जम्बुकनामधेयं श्रुतिप्रसिद्धं व्यधितेति मन्ये

vinighnati tvayyatha jambukaughaṁ sanāmakatvādvaruṇastadānīm bhayākulo jambukanāmadheyaṁ śrutiprasiddhaṁ vyadhiteti manye

“By every detail of your play in those days the gopis would come to recognise the lord; by every detail the calves recognised the herdsman. Both were given the same lesson, in different rooms.”

तवावतारस्य फलं मुरारे सञ्जातमद्येति सुरैर्नुतस्त्वम् ।
सत्यं फलं जातमिहेति हासी बालैः समं तालफलान्यभुङ्क्थाः

tavāvatārasya phalaṁ murāre sañjātamadyeti surairnutastvam satyaṁ phalaṁ jātamiheti hāsī bālaiḥ samaṁ tālaphalānyabhuṅkthāḥ

“On the bank of the Yamunā, eating the food the mothers had packed, sharing morsels with one another, you led the boys in a feast of brotherhood. Forest-meals were your sermons.”

मधुद्रवस्रुन्ति बृहन्ति तानि फलानि मेदोभरभृन्ति भुक्त्वा ।
तृप्तैश्च दृप्तैर्भवनं फलौघं वहद्भिरागाः खलु बालकैस्त्वम्

madhudravasrunti bṛhanti tāni phalāni medobharabhṛnti bhuktvā tṛptaiśca dṛptairbhavanaṁ phalaughaṁ vahadbhirāgāḥ khalu bālakaistvam

“Wherever you went, your presence settled the place. The Vṛndāvana of those days was not a forest. It was a body Hari had chosen to wear for an afternoon.”

हतो हतो धेनुक इत्युपेत्य फलान्यदद्भिर्मधुराणि लोकैः ।
जयेति जीवेति नुतो विभो त्वं मरुत्पुराधीश्वर पाहि रोगात्

hato hato dhenuka ityupetya phalānyadadbhirmadhurāṇi lokaiḥ jayeti jīveti nuto vibho tvaṁ marutpurādhīśvara pāhi rogāt

“Such you, lord, beginning the cattle-herding age, with this perfect tenderness: lord of the wind-house, save me from disease.”