Pasuram 10.3.4

Tamil text and transliteration:

தொழுத்தையோம் தனிமையும் துணை பிரிந்தார்- துயரமும் நினைகிலை கோவிந்தா நின்-
தொழுத்தனில் பசுக்களையே விரும்பி துறந்து எம்மைஇட்டு அவை மேய்க்கப் போதி
பழுத்த நல்அமுதின் இன்சாற்று வெள்ளம் பாவியேன் மனம்அகம்தோறும் உள்புக்கு-
அழுத்த நின் செங்கனி வாயின் கள்வப்பணிமொழி நினைதொறும் ஆவி வேமால்

toḻuttaiyōm taṉimaiyum tuṇai pirintār- tuyaramum niṉaikilai kōvintā niṉ-
toḻuttaṉil pacukkaḷaiyē virumpi tuṟantu emmaiiṭṭu avai mēykkap pōti
paḻutta nalamutiṉ iṉcāṟṟu veḷḷam pāviyēṉ maṉamakamtōṟum uḷpukku-
aḻutta niṉ ceṅkaṉi vāyiṉ kaḷvappaṇimoḻi niṉaitoṟum āvi vēmāl

English translation of verse 10.3.4:

Oh, Kōvintā, You think not of the loneliness of we, lowly ones
And the pangs we suffer when you from us depart;
Tend you do the cows in Your yard and us You desert,
From Your lips, like unto a red fruit, words do run,
Sweet like nectar, pure and seasoned, and go deep down
This sinner’s heart; alas! these are but hollow,
Whenever we think of it, our spirits are bathed in sorrow.

Notes:

Lord Kṛṣṇa tried to disabuse the Gopīs, by saying: “My darlings, is there such a thing as my departing from Your midst and even if I am away, for a while, can I forget You, for a moment? I am very much alive to your overwhelming love for me and if at all I take the cows out. to the pastures, it is because I am duty bound to do the work assigned to me, by my parents. But be sure, it is only my body that is away from you, while my spirit always abides in you”. Sweetsounding though, the girls take these words with but a pinch of salt. They do not assess Kṛṣṇa’s assertions and assurance at their face value. Apprehending that it is mere eye-wash, they feel terribly agitated.