Scene 1 (viskambhaka)
1 (Conversing with Vrnda, Paurnamasi enters).
Paurnamasi: Ah! The darkness of night is now ending. Look! Look! Frightened by seeing the
effulgent sarabha beast of the sun glowing on the eastern horizon, the lion of the moon, like a golden
sandalwood ball, now runs to hide beneath the western horizon.
Note: The sarabha beast had four heads, eight eyes, and eight legs, and was so gigantic it would
devour elephants in a single gulp.
2 Vrnda: I heard a great sound like the roaring from the depths of an agitated ocean, and so I have
quickly come here. Please tell me: What is it?
3 Paurnamasi: Daughter Vrnda, it hasn't entered the courtyard of your ears?
4 Vrnda: Noble lady, what is it?
5 Paurnamasi: Yesterday, when peacock-feather-crowned Krsna returned to Vraja village after,
with unprecedented strength, killing Kesi who became a mountain of anger when Aristasura was killed,
Akrura, who had been sent by King Kamsa, arrived at the palace of Nanda Maharaja. Tomorrow
morning, when the sun rises on the eastern horizon, the king's messenger (Akrura) will take Krsna and
His elder brother (Balarama) to (Mathura city), the capitol of (Kamsa), the great enemy of the demigods.
6 Vrnda: (silent for a moment, and then with a long, warm, unhappy sigh) If Akrura takes
Mukunda (Krsna) to (Mathura) City, then for what purpose shall I beautify the new forest-grove? For
what reason shall I make a bed of flowers, or make the fragrant vines blossom always, even after the
blossoming season is past?
7 Paurnamasi: (with anguish) Their lotus eyes filled with anguish, the gopis have stayed awake the
entire night, crying with long wails, frightened because of ecstatic love, and always angry at Akrura.
Now that night is over as if it had been only a single moment. Alas! Sad is the gopis' fate!
8 Vrnda: (with tears) Alas! By churning the great ocean of Gokula, the Mandara mountain of
Akrura has extracted the moon of Krsna, and created the Kalakuta poison of the vrajavasis' anguished
separation from Krsna.
9 Paurnamasi: Child, let us go to the gate of the gopa-king Nanda. (walking, she looks ahead, and
then begins to shed tears) Nanda's wife, Yasoda, is so agitated she forgot to offer suitable prayers for her
son's safe journey. She is so perplexed that she forgot to prepare a lunch for Him to take on the road. She
simply embraces Him again and again, cries, and muddies the dust on His body with the stream of tears
from her eyes.
10 Vrnda: Did the noble lady hear what Saibya said to her friend?
11 Paurnamasi: What is it, my daughter?
12 Vrnda: She said, "O bewildered girl, I think it is because you are so absorbed in churning yoghurt
that you do not hear the pathetic wailing of Vraja village. O my friend, a wicked messenger of the king is
now hurrying Mukunda (Krsna) to (Mathura) City."
13 Paurnamasi: Child, because you were agitated by Saibya you could not hear Syama's lament.
14 Vrnda: What you say is true. Tell me what Syama said.
15 She said, "The sun has now risen and Gandini-devi's son Akrura stands on the chariot happily
reciting prayers for a safe journey. Alas, when the horses begin to gallop, they will break only the earth
with their hooves, and not you, o my heart."
16 Vrnda: How does Bhadra lament? Let us listen.
17 A voice from behind the scenes: O bird of my life-breath, even though in your presence your
beloved (Krsna) hastily climbed aboard the chariot, still you refuse to abandon this slain body that has
become your nest.
18 Paurnamasi: (glancing to the left) My child, Candravali fashioned a garland for Madhava (Krsna)
to wear at noontime. Padma is now speaking to her some words that pierce her like a javelin. Let us
listen.
19 A voice from behind the scenes: Even though Krsna, who carries the Sudarsana cakra, and who is
very affectionate to His associates, has already climbed the chariot, you are still intent on stringing this
flower garland. O fickle, deaf Candravali, has the deep, sustained, tumultuous wailing of the gopis not
entered your ears?
20 Paurnamasi: (anguished) Hearing from her friend the unpleasant news (of Lord Krsna's departure
for Mathura), Candravali, alas, became overwhelmed. The half-strung flower garland slipped from her
hand, and she at once fainted as if dead.
21 Vrnda: Look! Look! Placing unconscious Candravali in front of the chariot, Padma cries bitterly.
22 A voice from behind the scenes: O girl who has lost all hope, try to understand for a moment.
Look a little from the corner of your eye. Merciless Akrura, the son of Gandini, is quickly bringing the
horse.
23 Paurnamasi: Child, because I cannot see Radha I am very worried.
24 Vrnda: (looking to the right) Alas! Alas! Look! Look! Visakha and the other gopis cannot bear to
either tell or not tell Radha the news of Krsna's departure for (Mathura) City. They are completely
stunned. They stand together, ear-to-ear, as if they have lost all sense.
25 Paurnamasi: (unhappy) O Radha, when the blinking of Your eyes momentarily interrupted Your
seeing Krsna, You would glorify the fish (who were so fortunate that they did not have to bother with
this blinking). O Radha whose heart is wounded by love what will happen to You now that fate is taking
Madhava (Krsna) to Mathura City?
26 Vrnda: Look! Look! The tumultuous sounds (of the gopis' crying) has made restless-eyed Radha
run from the path as a (frightened) doe.
27 Paurnamasi: Alas! Alas! Agitated with transcendental madness, Radha now babbles eloquent
nonsense running from one language to another.
Note: In Radha's words (in the next verse) the first two lines are in Prakrit and the second two
lines are in Sanskrit.
28 A voice from behind the scenes: Now that I see Vraja's prince Krsna standing on the chariot with
His brother and uncle, who do I stumble and fall to the ground? Why does the earth move about like
this? Why are the kadamba trees dancing?
29 Paurnamasi: What is Lalita saying? Let us listen.
30 A voice from behind the scenes: Krsna is now beginning on the path around Govardhana Hill. O
friend Radha, please do not lament.
31 Paurnamasi: Listen to what the girl is saying.
32 A voice from behind the scenes: Now I know everything. My friend, what will you cleverly hide
from Me? Wretched girl, stop! I will not be unhappy when Krsna is gone. Why does this shameless
breathing again and again move in My throat?
33 Vrnda: O noble lady, Visakha is about to say something.
34 A voice from behind the scenes: After He kills Kamsa, Krsna will again Meet You in the middle
of the night. My friend, You are the most patient and tolerant of all the gopis. Please don't be upset.
35 Paurnamasi: Listen to this eloquent gopi's words.
36 A voice from behind the scenes: Don't console Me. Hopeless girl, your mouth is dry praising Me.
Far away, the wheel of Krsna's chariot again and again breaks the belly of the hard earth.
37 Paurnamasi: Ah! Her heart afraid of lotus-eyed Krsna's journey, Radha, whose eyes are like
cakora birds, has become restless.
38 Vrnda: One moment She cries bitterly, the next moment She rolls about on the ground before the
chariot, the next moment Her tear-filled eyes gaze at Krsna's face, the next moment She places a blade of
grass between her teeth and bows down before Lord Balarama and begs Him not to leave Vrndavana. Is
there any person Radha will not throw into the ocean of intense compassion for Her?
39 Paurnamasi: (with tears) Although in the presence of Her gopi-friends She would never for even
a moment glance at Krsna with even the slightest fragrance of tears gliding to Her lips, now, without any
embarrassment, even before Her superiors (She stares at Him with tear-filled eyes). Radha makes my
heart wilt with pain.
40 As Krsna rides on the chariot, gazing at Radha's anguished face, how many thick tears appear in
His eyes like drops of honey on a lotus flower?
41 Vrnda: Noble lady, the gopis' life-breath will now follow their master Krsna.
42 Paurnamasi: Look! Look! Here comes someone bearing a message from Krsna. The message
says: "O beautiful, pious gopis, some anguished nights you may see before you again attain My
auspicious company?" In this way Krsna, the killer of Aghasura with ropes of hope tightly bound the
deer of the lotus-eyed gopis life-breath.
43 Vrnda: (with anguish) Now that lotus-eyed Krsna has left Vraja to go to Mathura City, the
bumble bee will no longer drink honey, the peacocks will not decorate the forests with their lively
dances, and the cakravaka birds will refuse to keep company with their wives.
44 Paurnamasi: (following the tracks of the chariot-wheels, she laments) Radha's pathetic cries of
grief plunge the entire world in an islandless ocean of intense pain. These marks in the all-tolerant earth
that appear to have been made by the wheels of the moving chariot have in reality been made from far
away by Radha's cries.
44 Vrnda: Alas! Alas! The pain of separation from Mukunda has unsettled Radha's mind.
Sometimes She runs about and sometimes She stands still like a painted picture. Sometimes She laughs
and sometimes She weeps bitterly. Sometimes She is very talkative and sometimes She is silent.
45 A voice from behind the scenes: My dear friend, where is Krsna, who is like the moon rising
from the ocean of Maharaja Nanda's dynasty? Where is Krsna, His head decorated with a peacock
feather? Where is He? Where is Krsna whose flute produces such a deep sound? Oh, where is Krsna,
whose bodily lustre is like the lustre of the blue indranila jewel? Where is Krsna, who is expert in rasa
dancing? Oh, where is He who can save My life? Kindly tell Me where to find Krsna, the treasure of My
life and best of My friends. Feeling separation from Him, I hereby condemn Providence, the shaper of
My destiny.*
46 Paurnamasi: Alas! Alas! This body is now overwhelmed with pity. I must go at once.
47 Vrnda: Noble lady, I would like to bring Mukhara here.
(They both exit)
(Thus ends the viskambhaka interlude)
Scene 2
1 (Consoled by two gopi-friends, Radha enters)
Radha: O beautiful faced friend, I did not fully drink the nectar of Lord Krsna's joking words
with My ears, I did not fearlessly gaze without restriction on His lotus face. I did not very firmly
embrace His chest, to My heart's content. Moment after moment My mind remembers all this as it
trembles in pain.
2 Visakha: Ah! Why, even though You know of Krsna's message promising His return, do You
still torture Your friends by plunging Yourself into this blazing fire of grief.
3 Radha: (in Sanskrit) O My friend, the gopis who all have beautiful curved eyebrows, may be
convinced that Krsna's heart is flooded with waves of compassion fro this downtrodden person. Still, My
cruel enemy, the pain of being separated from Krsna, is intent on cutting My heart to pieces. That enemy
will not for a moment allow Me to celebrate a festival of auspicious happiness.
4 (in agony)
The blazing fire of separation from Lord Krsna, the king of Gokula, has broken My heart. That
fire is more painful than the puta-paka fire, more troubling than a strong dose of poison, more intolerable
than Indra's thunderbolt, more sharp than a spear plunged into the heart and more horrifying than the last
stage of cholera.
(cries without any inhibition)
5 A voice from behind the scenes: Krsna is many millions of times more dear to Radha than Her
own life. Now that He has gone far away, Her heart has become wounded by many sharp javelins of
unbearable grief. She has become emaciated. She may roll about on the ground, and She may scream in
pain. O noble, pious (Mukhara), please don't try to stop Her. Please don't try to stop Her.
6 Lalita: (glancing at the area behind the scenes) Vrnda, well done! Well done! You stopped
Mukhara, who was very eager to intervene.
7 Radha: (again seeing a cakravaki bird, She makes the following request) O cakravaki bird,
because you have come here from the east you must have seen Krsna. Please tell Me the news of His
activities. Has someone acted to relieve the Lord's fatigue travelling on the highway in the chariot? Has
someone decorated Him with leaves, fresh sprouts, and other forest-ornaments?
8 Lalita: Dear friend, look at the king of crows sitting on top of this kadamba tree. He seems to be a
relative of us gopis suffering in separation from our beloved. He seems to be yearning to go to Mathura
City.
9 Radha: (praising the crow) O brother, O crown of all youths, after you leave Vrajabhumi please
go to Vrndavana's king Krsna, offer respectful obeisances to Him, and speak to Him the following
message on My behalf: "O moon of all amorous heroes, the flames of separation from You are now
beginning to burn the animal of My life-breath in the house of My body. Please unbolt the firm lock of
hope that keeps that animal in the burning building."
10 (seeing a female parrot on the left) O parrot-friend, I did not know you were a messenger from
Krsna. Tell Me the news. Has Krsna crushed the sharp thorns of His enemies? Is He now surrounded by
His friends? Does He call for a chariot (to come here)? Is He now eager to travel west (to the land of
Vraja)?
11 (frightened and crying) What will My superiors say now? Now where will (I be able to hear) the
nectar sound of Krsna's flute? I do not hear any words that will drive away My grief. I cannot be
peaceful for even a moment. Alas! Where is the Lord of My life now? O miserable life, please run out of
My throat at once! No longer can I see Krsna!
12 Visakha: (aside to Lalita) Lalita, quickly do something to stop, even for a moment, the waves of
suffering that are drowning our dear friend (Radha).
13 Lalita: (approaches Radha and says in Sanskrit) O lotus-eyed one, we think that clever, playful
Krsna is simply playing a joke on us, and these events beginning with Akrura's arrival are all His joke,
for He is not willing to leave Vrndavana at any time, O friend, if You simply search for Him in the forest
You will quickly find Him there.
14 Visakha: Well done, Lalita! Well done! You are intelligent.
15 Radha: My friends, this is not impossible. Let us search (for Him).
16 (After walking some distance, She sees some does. With tears in Her eyes, She calls to them in a
loud voice).
Hello! Hello! O does, the grass is falling, half-eaten, from your mouths. Is this because charming
Krsna has stolen your hearts? Is it because you have met the wandering guest of Lord Krsna's sidelong
glance, or because you have heard the sweet music of His flute?
17 (Going to another place, She laughs loudly)
O peahens, please give up all duplicity and quickly tell Me: Where is peacock-feather-crowned
Krsna hiding in this forest? Where is Krsna, whose flute music pleases you millions of times more than
the thunder of many new rainclouds?
Note: Peacocks and peahens are pleased by the monsoon rains. The sound of thunder is,
therefore, a sound especially welcome to them.
18 Visakha: (eagerly craning her neck) I can see a gunja-necklace in the grove by Radha-kunda.
19 Radha: (With great awe picks up the gunja-necklace, smells it, and trembles) Reflecting the
splendour of the king of jewels, you were once on the chest of Krsna, the enemy of the demons. O gunjanecklace
friend, why do you, overwhelmed, now roll about on the ground of this forest-path?
20 Lalita: How is it that by wandering in search of Krsna we have come near Sakhisthali
(Candravali's home)?
21 Radha: O dear friend Candravali (very eager) O Visakha, I have so yearned to see Candravali,
who I so rarely see, and who is very dear to Krsna, the prince of the gopas.
22 Visakha: Confined to the house by (her grandmother) Karala she has been wasting away in grief.
23 Radha: I shall go now and pray to Govardhana Hill. (She takes a few steps, and with jealous
rivalry says) O Visakha, why do you cheat Me in this way? Candravali is here!
24 (She approaches and says with tears and a choked voice)
O friend, have you seen your friend, the independent minded prince of Vraja? Has He come here
with glistening smiling lips, a flute in His hand, a peacock feather in His hair, and timid eyes glancing at
these groves of flowering vines filled with buzzing bees blinded with joy?
25 (Hearing the mountain cave echo Her words, She becomes uneasy). Why does Govardhana Hill
cry the same question back at Me? (Bewildered, She goes close to the cave).
26 O beautiful Candravali, suffering Radha can see how Your body has become auspicious from
Krsna's many tight embraces. Please embrace Me with Your arms fragrant from the touch of Krsna's
flower-earrings.
(She tries to embrace her).
27 Lalita: This is You Yourself reflected in this crystal-stone. It is not Candravali.
28 Radha: (closely examining it) You aren't lying. (looks ahead and happily laughs) Lalita I am
fortunate. Now I shall not give up My body. Look! Look! (pointing with a finger)
29 There, in the far distance, is Krsna, decorated with a peacock feather crown, and embraced by the
fair-limbed gopis.
(Radha becomes jealous. She carefully looks again, and then becomes unhappy).
No. I think it is not Krsna. It is only a raincloud, lightning, and rainbow resting on Govardhana
Hill.
(She faints).
30 Both gopis: Don't be sad! Don't be sad!
31 Radha: (becomes revived. She says with great respect:) O Govardhana Hill, O king of mountains,
you are the best of the affectionate servants of Lord Krsna. I think that Lord Krsna always remains on
your lap. (with plaintive words) Please be kind. Please open the entrance of one of your caves and let Me
glimpse Krsna within. Please do this and stop the unbearable endless waves of My suffering.
32 (looking again) Why is Govardhana Hill silent? He simply sheds streams of tears in the form of
these murmuring mountain brooks.
33 (She folds Her hands).
O Govardhana, you shine very splendidly in this land of Gokula, your many lofty peaks thrusting
into the sky. Please look in all directions and tell Me where Krsna, the jewel of the cowherd boys, now
enjoys pastimes.
34 (walking a little ahead) O restless-eyed friend, is this not the same kadamba tree under which
Krsna placed a peacock-feather crown in My hair?
35 (Looking south She begins to cry) Here is the same cave-entrance on Govardhana Hill where
Krsna made a very artistic, colourful bed of jasmine flowers. When I see this place it reminds Me of all
the pastimes We enjoyed together here. O friend, fie on the useless breaths that continue to move in My
throat!
36 (distressed) I saw all the forests. I looked in all of Vrndavana forest. I carefully searched dense
Bhandiravana forest. I looked in every part of Govardhana Hill. O Lalita, alas! I have not found even the
faintest scent of your friend Krsna anywhere.
37 Lalita: How many times have You searched for Krsna in the forest-groves and not found Him?
Don't be depressed.
38 Radha: (Beginning to run, She says in Sanskrit) Well said, Lalita! Well said! Well said! Look!
There in the distance are Krsna and Akrura riding on a chariot. I will grab Krsna by the neck and drag
Him down.
39 (approaching nearer, She becomes unhappy) This is not a chariot, but a hill covered with golden
flowers. This is not the gopis' lover Krsna, but a dark tamala tree. This is not the king's messenger
Akrura, but a powerful tiger. O friend, why has the unfriendly creator Brahma made everything wrong?
(She faints).
40 Visakha: (alarmed) Lalita, fan Radha with the edge of your garment while I go to get lotus petals.
(She runs off).
41 A voice from behind the scenes: Seeing Radha's intense suffering in separation from Krsna, the
Manasi-ganga has completely dried up, and Govardhana Hill, which was so tall that the sun-god's horses
would eat the durva grass at it's summit, has shrunk to the height of 100 arms.
42 Radha: (Regains consciousness and says, in the anger of love) O Radha, give up the wickedness
of this false-pride.
43 Lalita: (sighs and lowers her head)
44 Radha: O Radha. The sound of Krsna's footsteps has come to My ear. Krsna is now entering this
grove of transcendental pastimes.
45 (She falls down at the edge of Lalita's feet) Krsna has come to this forest-grove bordered by
jasmine flowers. The smiling vines and the buzzing of these bees make you run there. Madwoman, get
up! Don't hit the friend that touches your feet! Because of your foolishness we are losing a rare and
precious opportunity!
46 Lalita: alas! Terrible fate has killed me! (She cries and wails).
47 Visakha: (hastily arrives) Lalita, what is this? Please calm down.
48 Radha: (surprised) Friend, are you actually Lalita?
49 Lalita: (with a choked voice) What?
50 Radha: Ah! She speaks the truth. I am Radha. (She looks around) I have come here to pick forestflowers
for a garland. I will pick jasmine flowers to make earrings for Krsna.
51 (She anxiously enters a flower-garden) Why are the jasmine buds falling? Why are the kadamba
blossoms breaking into pieces? Why are the jati buds black? What has happened to Krsna's Vrndavana
forest?
52 Both Lalita and Visakha: The forest must have been licked by the flames of a great fire.
53 Radha: O Lalita, I don't know why a great forest-fire playfully licks My heart. Let's find your
friend, whose glance extinguishes great fires.
54 Lalita: Come, dear friend. Come.
55 Radha: (jubilant) I can see the surabhi cows! Krsna can't be far away! (She begins to run).
56 Why do the cows, their eyes flooded with tears, refuse to eat the grass before them? Why,
overwhelmed with emotion, do they lick the calves near their mouths? Why do they break the directions
with their lament? Alas! Alas! Krsna's surabhi cows on this path are on the verge of death.
57 A voice from behind the scenes: May a black snake angrily bite the chest of King Kamsa, who
took away the moon of Krsna, which gives life to the pond of Vraja Village. Alas! The saphari fish of
the gopis are rolling on the dry ground in agony. The waves of their life-breath are stopping. What will
give them shelter now?
(Trembling with agitation, Radha faints).
58 Lalita: There there.
59 Radha: (opens Her eyes and looks to the sky) O sun-god, Radha offers Her respectful obeisances
unto you. Please fulfil Her desire.
60 Visakha: (with awe) The thousand-rayed sun-god gives a benediction.
61 Radha: (not hearing Visakha's words) Alas! Alas! Its scattered sweet Krsna-footprints enchanting
the world's eyes and making them wretched, the Yamuna's shore now walks on the pathway of My eyes
and makes My senses burn with pain.
62 Lalita: Ah! On this riverbank let us worship the sun-god and pray to him for the fulfillment of our
desire.
63 Radha: (rolls about on the river-bank) O lotus-eyed one, on this Yamuna shore, where again and
again You splashed us with waves of pleasure deep with love, why do You not now embrace us who are
tormented with pain?
64 Lalita: (looking at the Yamuna) O sister, O crown of the sun-god's dynasty, I have come here
desiring to hear from you news of Krsna, the killer of the Madhu demon.
65 Radha (in Sanskrit) Friend, your ever-new shores are filled with forest groves that rival jewel
palaces and that were once the home of Krsna's pastimes. (She faints).
66 Visakha: Lalita, Krsna once wore this garland. Place it on Radha's nose. (They both do that).
67 Radha: (after a long time She regains consciousness and says in Sanskrit) Lalita, listen. I saw a
frightening dream. It was so vivid I thought I was awake. In this dream a wicked messenger of King
Kamsa came to Vrndavana and with a chariot Krsna... (She leaves the sentence unfinished). I pray there
will be peace and prosperity in Vraja. Now in order to become free from the ill effects of this bad dream
I will bathe in the Yamuna and then go to see Krsna.
68 Visakha: Let us go to Khela-tirtha, where Krsna eternally enjoys pastimes. (They all walk).
69 (Vrnda and Mukhara enter)
70 Mukhara: My child, what is Radha doing.
71 Vrnda: O noble lady, I will see. She is bathing in the waters of Khela-tirtha with Visakha.
72 Radha: (gazes at the beauty of the tall waves) O Visakha, well done! Well done! Now I will enter
the waters of Khela-tirtha. Look! There is Your friend Krsna. He is hiding among the blue lotus flowers.
He is playfully waving His arms.
73 Visakha: Let's enter the water. (They both exit).
74 Lalita: (looking on, she becomes grief-stricken) Alas! Alas! Now I am dead! I am dead! My dear
friend Radha has drowned in the deep river waters with Visakha. She will never again rise from those
waters. These two have drowned and now I will become the third. (She enters the water).
75 Mukhara: (in tears) Fate! Fate! Why have you done this?
76 Vrnda: (crying) Alas! What will happen to Her now? (suffering) Noble lady, Lalita is griefstricken.
Now she also wants to drown in the water. Stop her at once! (They both do that).
77 Lalita: (seeing this, she says to herself) Alas! Alas! Here is a great obstacle. By some trick I will
escape from this place, and, because of separation from my dear friends I will jump from the top of
Govardhana Hill and on the rocks at the mountain's base I will crush this hard-as-stone body that would
not break from not being able to see its dear friend, (hiding her grief, she openly says) Noble lady, let go
of me! I must go and tell this strange news to noble Paurnamasi and her friends. (She exits).
78 A voice from the sky: What great person in this world is able to describe the splendid flood of
this beautiful-eyebrowed gopi's glory? As splendid as new lightning, She and Her friend have now
entered the sun-planet, which even the great sages cannot attain.
79 Vrnda: Noble lady, listen. The siddha demigods in the clouds are glorifying Radha's attainment
of perfection.
80 Mukhara: (rolling about on the ground) Alas! Alas! O granddaughter Radha, where have You
gone?
81 Vrnda: (anguished) As I think of Radha's death I suffer as if burning in the flames of a putapaka
fire. O lotus-eyed Radha, when He hears of Your sudden, untimely death, what will happen to lotus-eyed
Krsna?
82 A voice from the sky: Grief-stricken Lalita, whose teeth are as beautiful as pomegranate seeds,
who is a jewellery chest of love for Krsna, and who is the life and soul of Radha, has now jumped from
the top of (Govardhana) Hill.
83 Mukhara: Lalita, why have you left us? (She becomes very agitated). Vrnda, Now I will enter the
Yamuna and cool this body burning in the flames of grief. (She begins to enter the water).
84 A voice from the sky: Elderly one, don't do it! It is not right.
85 Vrnda: O noble lady, this order descending from the realm of the sun is not to be disobeyed.
86 Mukhara: I will tell all this to noble Paurnamasi.
87 (A deep sound again rumbles in the sky).
88 Mukhara: Child, I could not clearly hear it. What did the demigods say?
89 Vrnda: Without duplicity please place in your ears these splendid words of the sun-god, who
removes the fatigue of the lotus flowers and witnesses the cakravaki birds' meeting with their lovers. The
sun-god said: "O Mukhara, don't commit this reckless act of drowning yourself in the water of the
Yamuna. In the future you will enjoy a festival of the nectar of transcendental bliss."
(They both exit. Everyone exits)
(Thus ends Act 3).

-Rupa Goswami