CHAPTER XXVIII.So night wore away, and in the early morning hours Akrura was ready to start on the journey with RÄma and Krishna.But great was the wail and heartrending the lamentations that came from the hearts of the Gopis.With tear-filled eyes they rushed to His home and pleaded and prayed that He stay in their midst; for to them life seemed impossible without Him, and BrindÄban could not be blessed when He ceased to walk thereon. And what would the cattle and flowers and trees do without the sound of His love-touched flute?"Oh, remain with us, Krishna, O Lord of our hearts! Oh, keep close to our land, Most Beautiful One!"Broken are our hearts, bowed low our spirit at the thought of our lives without Thy presence to cheer us. Dull are our minds and leaden our hearts by the pain of Thy going."Oh, leave us not in this ocean of sorrow, but stay where we ever may look on Thy face."O Thou who shapest all that is, who hast knitted our hearts to Thyself! how canst Thou tear it away from us who know the sweetness of its love and the fruits that spring therefrom?"Once having known Thy smile, O Krishna! how can we bear the dawning of day without the light of Thy smile, in which the concentrated beauty of Thy whole creation lies, to fill it and make each day whole?"And how can we see the shadows of night thicken and darken, and know that no more we will roam in forest and dance in the moonlight with Thee, our Beloved?"Oh! depart not from us, Thou in whom we are buried, Thou whose love doth envelop us all, Thou whose universe-embrace around us is entwined! Oh! go not from out our midst, we implore Thee!"Thus, tearing their tresses and weeping, the Gopis clung to the wheels of the chariot in which Krishna and RÄma sat ready to start on their journey to Mathura.Then Krishna arose, and looking deep in the eye of each, he waved his hand in farewell, an€ left the smile of Bliss with them that filled each soul to overflowing. Then forward the restless chargers plunged, the dust rising high and quite covering the chariot.The maids stood like hewn marble, still yet serene. And the cattle that grazed on the hillside turned towards the road where the chariot vanished, in their eyes a look of yearning love; while the deer on the brow of the hill, with arched neck and wild, shy glance, heaved a quick, short sigh, as if hurt.And the soft breasts of the singing birds quivered, and a little sad song burst from their throats; while the trees and the flowers hung limp and wilted, as if the glad life had left their hearts.A groan arose from the wild beasts in the forest, as if in the hand of death they were trapped. The sun vanished from the skies, and all Nature seemed clothed with the garment of sadness.Then forth the sun burst in glorious splendor, as the joy of the smile of the Lord of Love awoke in potency to bless all living things whereon it had fallen.And sweet BrindÄban in silence lay, forever blessed and forever beloved, for the Feet of Him, who was God, had walked there and made holy its soil.
CHAPTER XXVIII.So night wore away, and in the early morning hours Akrura was ready to start on the journey with RÄma and Krishna.But great was the wail and heartrending the lamentations that came from the hearts of the Gopis.With tear-filled eyes they rushed to His home and pleaded and prayed that He stay in their midst; for to them life seemed impossible without Him, and BrindÄban could not be blessed when He ceased to walk thereon. And what would the cattle and flowers and trees do without the sound of His love-touched flute?"Oh, remain with us, Krishna, O Lord of our hearts! Oh, keep close to our land, Most Beautiful One!"Broken are our hearts, bowed low our spirit at the thought of our lives without Thy presence to cheer us. Dull are our minds and leaden our hearts by the pain of Thy going."Oh, leave us not in this ocean of sorrow, but stay where we ever may look on Thy face."O Thou who shapest all that is, who hast knitted our hearts to Thyself! how canst Thou tear it away from us who know the sweetness of its love and the fruits that spring therefrom?"Once having known Thy smile, O Krishna! how can we bear the dawning of day without the light of Thy smile, in which the concentrated beauty of Thy whole creation lies, to fill it and make each day whole?"And how can we see the shadows of night thicken and darken, and know that no more we will roam in forest and dance in the moonlight with Thee, our Beloved?"Oh! depart not from us, Thou in whom we are buried, Thou whose love doth envelop us all, Thou whose universe-embrace around us is entwined! Oh! go not from out our midst, we implore Thee!"Thus, tearing their tresses and weeping, the Gopis clung to the wheels of the chariot in which Krishna and RÄma sat ready to start on their journey to Mathura.Then Krishna arose, and looking deep in the eye of each, he waved his hand in farewell, an€ left the smile of Bliss with them that filled each soul to overflowing. Then forward the restless chargers plunged, the dust rising high and quite covering the chariot.The maids stood like hewn marble, still yet serene. And the cattle that grazed on the hillside turned towards the road where the chariot vanished, in their eyes a look of yearning love; while the deer on the brow of the hill, with arched neck and wild, shy glance, heaved a quick, short sigh, as if hurt.And the soft breasts of the singing birds quivered, and a little sad song burst from their throats; while the trees and the flowers hung limp and wilted, as if the glad life had left their hearts.A groan arose from the wild beasts in the forest, as if in the hand of death they were trapped. The sun vanished from the skies, and all Nature seemed clothed with the garment of sadness.Then forth the sun burst in glorious splendor, as the joy of the smile of the Lord of Love awoke in potency to bless all living things whereon it had fallen.And sweet BrindÄban in silence lay, forever blessed and forever beloved, for the Feet of Him, who was God, had walked there and made holy its soil.
CHAPTER XXVIII.So night wore away, and in the early morning hours Akrura was ready to start on the journey with RÄma and Krishna.But great was the wail and heartrending the lamentations that came from the hearts of the Gopis.With tear-filled eyes they rushed to His home and pleaded and prayed that He stay in their midst; for to them life seemed impossible without Him, and BrindÄban could not be blessed when He ceased to walk thereon. And what would the cattle and flowers and trees do without the sound of His love-touched flute?"Oh, remain with us, Krishna, O Lord of our hearts! Oh, keep close to our land, Most Beautiful One!"Broken are our hearts, bowed low our spirit at the thought of our lives without Thy presence to cheer us. Dull are our minds and leaden our hearts by the pain of Thy going."Oh, leave us not in this ocean of sorrow, but stay where we ever may look on Thy face."O Thou who shapest all that is, who hast knitted our hearts to Thyself! how canst Thou tear it away from us who know the sweetness of its love and the fruits that spring therefrom?"Once having known Thy smile, O Krishna! how can we bear the dawning of day without the light of Thy smile, in which the concentrated beauty of Thy whole creation lies, to fill it and make each day whole?"And how can we see the shadows of night thicken and darken, and know that no more we will roam in forest and dance in the moonlight with Thee, our Beloved?"Oh! depart not from us, Thou in whom we are buried, Thou whose love doth envelop us all, Thou whose universe-embrace around us is entwined! Oh! go not from out our midst, we implore Thee!"Thus, tearing their tresses and weeping, the Gopis clung to the wheels of the chariot in which Krishna and RÄma sat ready to start on their journey to Mathura.Then Krishna arose, and looking deep in the eye of each, he waved his hand in farewell, an€ left the smile of Bliss with them that filled each soul to overflowing. Then forward the restless chargers plunged, the dust rising high and quite covering the chariot.The maids stood like hewn marble, still yet serene. And the cattle that grazed on the hillside turned towards the road where the chariot vanished, in their eyes a look of yearning love; while the deer on the brow of the hill, with arched neck and wild, shy glance, heaved a quick, short sigh, as if hurt.And the soft breasts of the singing birds quivered, and a little sad song burst from their throats; while the trees and the flowers hung limp and wilted, as if the glad life had left their hearts.A groan arose from the wild beasts in the forest, as if in the hand of death they were trapped. The sun vanished from the skies, and all Nature seemed clothed with the garment of sadness.Then forth the sun burst in glorious splendor, as the joy of the smile of the Lord of Love awoke in potency to bless all living things whereon it had fallen.And sweet BrindÄban in silence lay, forever blessed and forever beloved, for the Feet of Him, who was God, had walked there and made holy its soil.
So night wore away, and in the early morning hours Akrura was ready to start on the journey with RÄma and Krishna.
But great was the wail and heartrending the lamentations that came from the hearts of the Gopis.
With tear-filled eyes they rushed to His home and pleaded and prayed that He stay in their midst; for to them life seemed impossible without Him, and BrindÄban could not be blessed when He ceased to walk thereon. And what would the cattle and flowers and trees do without the sound of His love-touched flute?
"Oh, remain with us, Krishna, O Lord of our hearts! Oh, keep close to our land, Most Beautiful One!
"Broken are our hearts, bowed low our spirit at the thought of our lives without Thy presence to cheer us. Dull are our minds and leaden our hearts by the pain of Thy going.
"Oh, leave us not in this ocean of sorrow, but stay where we ever may look on Thy face.
"O Thou who shapest all that is, who hast knitted our hearts to Thyself! how canst Thou tear it away from us who know the sweetness of its love and the fruits that spring therefrom?
"Once having known Thy smile, O Krishna! how can we bear the dawning of day without the light of Thy smile, in which the concentrated beauty of Thy whole creation lies, to fill it and make each day whole?
"And how can we see the shadows of night thicken and darken, and know that no more we will roam in forest and dance in the moonlight with Thee, our Beloved?
"Oh! depart not from us, Thou in whom we are buried, Thou whose love doth envelop us all, Thou whose universe-embrace around us is entwined! Oh! go not from out our midst, we implore Thee!"
Thus, tearing their tresses and weeping, the Gopis clung to the wheels of the chariot in which Krishna and RÄma sat ready to start on their journey to Mathura.
Then Krishna arose, and looking deep in the eye of each, he waved his hand in farewell, an€ left the smile of Bliss with them that filled each soul to overflowing. Then forward the restless chargers plunged, the dust rising high and quite covering the chariot.
The maids stood like hewn marble, still yet serene. And the cattle that grazed on the hillside turned towards the road where the chariot vanished, in their eyes a look of yearning love; while the deer on the brow of the hill, with arched neck and wild, shy glance, heaved a quick, short sigh, as if hurt.
And the soft breasts of the singing birds quivered, and a little sad song burst from their throats; while the trees and the flowers hung limp and wilted, as if the glad life had left their hearts.
A groan arose from the wild beasts in the forest, as if in the hand of death they were trapped. The sun vanished from the skies, and all Nature seemed clothed with the garment of sadness.
Then forth the sun burst in glorious splendor, as the joy of the smile of the Lord of Love awoke in potency to bless all living things whereon it had fallen.
And sweet BrindÄban in silence lay, forever blessed and forever beloved, for the Feet of Him, who was God, had walked there and made holy its soil.