Yamihe Kamiha Saranam
Where shall I go? What refuge is there for me here, deceived as I am by the words of my companions?
Even at the promised time, alas, Hari did not come to the forest. My youth, though flawless in form, has become useless.
To follow him, I traversed even the dense forest at night; by him this heart of mine has been pierced by Kama's peerless arrows.
Death alone is better for me, I think, now that my tryst has proved false; why must I, senseless, endure this fire of separation here?
Alas, this sweet spring night torments me, while some other fortunate woman, blessed by her good deeds, enjoys Hari's company.
Alas, I now regard my bejeweled ornaments — bangles and the rest — as a great torment, for they only feed the burning fire of separation from Hari.
With my body delicate as a flower, struck by the sportive arrows of the bodiless Kama, even a garland, so cruel by nature, now strikes my heart.
I stay here, heedless of the forest's cane-thickets, yet Madhusudana does not remember me, not even in his thoughts.
May this poetic utterance of Jayadeva, whose refuge is Hari's feet, dwell in your heart like a tender, graceful young woman skilled in the arts.
About Yamihe Kamiha Saranam
A nine-verse Sanskrit lament in the voice of Radha, composed by Jayadeva Goswami (author of the Gita Govinda) in the same viraha idiom as his masterwork. Krishna fails to arrive at their appointed forest meeting, and each verse turns over a different image of her longing -- a moonlit spring night, jeweled ornaments that now feel like fire, a garland that strikes like a weapon -- before the closing verse, in Jayadeva's signature bhanita style, asks that this very poem dwell in the reader's heart like a tender, accomplished young woman.
- Composer
- Jayadeva Goswami · Read biography
- Verses
- 9
Frequently asked
Who wrote Yamihe Kamiha Saranam?
Yamihe Kamiha Saranam was composed by Jayadeva Goswami.
What is the meaning of Yamihe Kamiha Saranam?
Where shall I go? What refuge is there for me here, deceived as I am by the words of my companions?
How many verses does Yamihe Kamiha Saranam have?
Yamihe Kamiha Saranam has 9 verses.
Can I download Yamihe Kamiha Saranam as a PPT or PDF?
Yes. A ready-to-display slide deck for Yamihe Kamiha Saranam — verse and translation on each slide — is available to download in both PowerPoint (.pptx) and PDF formats from this page, for use in kirtan or temple programs.