sakhana ika, pātī likhī banāya

English meaning

After Shyāmasundara’s going away to Mathurā, His cowherd friends write a combined letter to Him, which reads as follows - Oh beloved friend! You are dearer to us than even our life. What mode of friendship have You followed in not sending even a letter to us? Oh Kanhaiyā! What offence of ours has made You forget us altogether? You used to address us as Your eternal friends embracing us to Your heart, then why are You forsaking us in this very life? Food, clothes, ornaments and herding the cows – everything has lost charm for us without You. Prompted by our past right on You, we are often tempted to bring You back holding You by ear, but then, our intellect says, ‘Don’t you know, He has become the king of Mathurā now?’ Jagadguru Shrī Kripālu Jī says that the cowherd boys conclude their letter with the words, “Oh friend! We don’t want You to respond to our letter by a letter. We are about to die, hence we want to see You in person.”

Complete whole-pad meaning transcribed from the supplied English edition. The source provides no separate line-by-line or word-by-word meaning.

Prem Ras Madira (English), Part 2 · PDF pages 337, 338 · printed pages 672, 673.

Meanings: Smt. Padmā Devī. English translation and transliteration: Sushrī Braj Parikarī Devī. Source details.