5.5

Easing away from the comforts of home,
into the woods he came;
There on the ground, he tosses and turns,
moaning aloud your name;
In your absence, my friend,
festooned with forest flowers,
he woefully awaits you.

Pleasing to your heart may it be,
Krishna’s manifestation,
As Jaya·deva sings this enchanting song
of love in separation.
In your absence, my friend,
festooned with forest flowers,
he woefully awaits you.

“In the grove where the two of you first enjoyed
love’s perfections,
there, in Love’s hallowed pilgrimage place,
Krishna meditates on you, chanting mantras to invoke you,
and yearns to ardently caress your nectarous breasts
once more.”