માધવને દીઠો છે ક્યાંય? Have You Seen Madhav Anywhere? (A Song of Longing)

વાંસળીથી છૂટો સૂર સૌને પૂછે છે - 'મારા માધવને દીઠો છે ક્યાંય?'

The song opens with a note imagined as parted from the flute, as if searching for something lost. Mingling with the breeze, it wanders asking the way - 'Have you seen my Madhav anywhere?' This question becomes the refrain of the whole song.

યમુના મૂંગી છે ને રાધાની આંખ ઉદાસ - કૃષ્ણ વિના સૌ વ્યાકુળ.

The note asks the flowing Yamuna why she is silent, and why Radha's eyes are sad. Without Krishna even the Yamuna seems mute, and Radha's restless eyes yearn for Him. This pain of separation spreads through all of nature.

ઢળતી સાંજ ને ભૈરવી રાગ - સૌ કૃષ્ણની યાદથી ઘેરાં બને છે.

The song evokes the glow of the falling evening, the tender imprint of footsteps, and the dim mood of the Bhairavi raag. Every form of nature is coloured by the memory of Krishna and the ache of His absence, and the longing grows deeper.

મોરપિચ્છ ઝૂલે ને 'શ્યામ' નામ મધુર રણકો બની ગુંજે છે.

In the note's eye a peacock feather sways, and the name 'Shyam' echoes as a sweet ring. Through Krishna's hue, His peacock feather and His name - these tokens of memory - the poet makes us feel both His presence and His absence at once.

શોધ પાતાળ સુધી પહોંચે છે, છતાં માધવ ક્યાંય દેખાતા નથી.

At last the anguish grows so deep that Hari-Krishna seems to have spread even to Patal. The search now reaches from the earth down to the underworld, yet Madhav is nowhere seen. This endless search is the very heart of this lyric of longing.