Under the spell of whose sorcery
did insensible Kānu
go to Mathurá?
In Gokula and Vrndávana
he left behind every one of his playmates.
Cowherd women churn curds no more.
They weep incessantly.
They say, “We don’t want butter
since our butter-thief has gone away.”
Forgetting us, he went to Mathurá.
Kánu departed, abandoning us.
He forgot all about us.
The Yamuná does not surge with tide.
No one plays the flute in those strains.
Cows in the stables gaze upwards
their mouths rejecting grass.
Forgetting us, he left for Mathurá.
Kánu departed. He became king
and forgot all about us.
Translated from Bengali

ABODHA KÁNU KON KUHAKE
BHULE GIYE MATHURÁ GELI,
GOKUL VRNDÁVANE JATA
KHELÁR SÁTHII REKHE ELI.

GOPIIRÁ NÁ MANTHE DADHI
KÁṊDE TÁRÁ NIRAVADHI,
BALE TÁRÁ CAI NÁ NANII
NANIICOR JE CALE GELI.
BHULE GIYE MATHURÁ GELI
KÁNU GELI MODER PHELI
MODER KATHÁ BHULE GELI.

JAMUNÁ NÁ BAY UJÁNE
KEU NÁ BÁJÁY VEŃU SE TÁNE
GOT́HER DHENU ÚRDHVA PÁNE
TÁKÁY MUKHER TRŃA PHELI
BHULE GIYE MATHURÁ GELI.
KÁNU GELI RÁJÁ HALI
MODER KATHÁ BHULE GELI

12-07-1983