24 
G. A. Grierson —Translation to Manhodli’s llarihans. [Sp. No. 
tioiiless,^ and others said “ (let us make) arrangements^ that he may 
stay here”. Some stood (waiting) in astrologers’ courtyards, saying, “ If 
you order me I will tear off my ornaments^ from my person. I will re¬ 
main all my life as your menial,^ if, on his asking you, you will tell 
(Nanda) that it is an unlucky day.”^ Others said “why does king 
Nanda agree (to his departure), verily he is a fool,® and knoweth nothing.” 
There was a demand for twenty-two hundred poets'^ (to sing in honour 
of his departure), and the cowherds came up with curds and milk and 
clarified butter. King Nanda was their Jetli raiyat, and not one inferior 
(pot of) curds^ did they bring. (50) Krishna (being now engaged on a 
serious enterprise) gave up all his former love for these things, and made 
no provision for his journey.® At the time of starting he said nothing 
as to whether he would remain there (at Mathura) or return. (The 
cowherdesses said, “We will not believe that he has returned) until 
we see him with our eyes,^® ‘ what is behind one’s eyes is behind the 
house.’ Saying this they stood on the (highest point of a) pile of 
dried cowdung (watching him) tilff^ their Lord had gone more than a Jcos. 
From one heap they mounted another (as they followed him with their 
eyes), for how could she who was consumed^® with the pangs of separation 
remain motionless ? (On account of the tears falling from their eyes and 
the trampling) the pile became simply a mass of cowdung^^ and their ap- 
* 
^ = ‘motionless.’ Not in Bate. 
arrangements,’ = Not in Bate. 
^ A woman divests herself of all ornaments when her husband dies. Here 
the women offer to the astrologers to separate themselves from Krishna’s embraces 
for ever, if that will make him stay near them. 
fern, of a Sudra: commonly used to mean a menial servant, 
any one of six unlucky asterisms, viz., Sravana, Dhanishtha, Shta- 
bhisha, Purvabhadrapada, Uttarabhadrapada, Bevati. Not in Bate. 
® tit. ‘ a cowdung Ganesa,’ means ‘ a helpless fool.’ 
7 ‘ a panegyrist.’ 
^ Note that in spite of the grammarians is feminine.—So also in the 
of Sur Das. 
^ ‘ viaticum.’ 
1 “ 
A proverb, of which the usual version is ^hat is 
'j 
to say, what a man cannot see is as good as absent. 
‘tell.’ 
y/ ‘ burn.’ 
A gowala’s dung-heap is proverbially neat. Cf. the Prov. 
Rh ‘ ^ gowala’s dung-licap is smooth on both sides.’ 
