Dear Friends,

Here now are the concluding verses of my Mādhava-Pañcāśikā:

माधव नटवर भारतनाट्यं रचितम् त्वया कुरुक्षेत्रे ।
व्यासस्त्वं पार्थस्त्वं कृष्णस्त्वं सूत्रधारस्त्वम् ।।४४।।

O Mādhava, Great Actor, you created the drama of Mahābhārata on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. You are Vyāsa. You are Arjuna. You are Kr̥ṣṇa, and you are the holder of strings.

माधव जगदीश्वरता कुत्र गता भारतीयरणभूमौ ।
कस्मान् न्यवारयस्त्वं नात्र स्वजनान् निजविनाशात् ।।४५।।

O Mādhava, where did your Godhood go on the battlefield of Mahābhārata? Why did you not restrain your own people from their destruction?

मन्ये मायानाटकमेतद्रचितं त्वया जगन्नाथ ।
शिक्षयितुं न: सततं, “नैवं यूयं कदापि वर्तेध्वम्” ।।४६।।

O Lord, I think that you produced this imaginary drama to always teach us the lesson: “Don’t you ever act like this.”

वृन्दावनविपिने त्वं नृत्यन् माधुर्यवर्षमावहसि ।
त्वमेव माधव भारतरणभूमौ दिशसि सद्धर्मम् ।।४७।।

Dancing in the forest of Vr̥ndāvana, you bring upon a rain of sweetness. Mādhava, you yourself teach the proper duty on the battlefield of Mahābhārata.

पूरय माधव घटिकां मम मधुरसवारिधाराभि: ।
आकण्ठं पीत्वाहं वितरेयं सर्वमन्येभ्य: ।।४८।।

O Mādhava, fill my cup with torrents of your sweet nectar. Having a full drink, I shall offer it all to others.

तृप्तोऽहं तव मधुना माधव नेच्छामि किञ्चिदन्यत् ते ।
वस मे मधुशालायां नियतं त्वं मा गमोऽन्यत्र ।।४९।।

I am content with your honey, O Mādhava, and I do not wish for anything else from you. Do always live in my house of wine, and don’t go anywhere else.

माधवनामाहं तव माधव मधुबिन्दुमात्रमादाय ।
वितरामि ते चरणयोर्मयि भूयात्ते कृपादृष्टि: ।।५०।।

O Mādhava, bearing your name and taking just a droplet of your honey, I offer it at your feet. Have your compassionate gaze on me.

माधवनामा मुरलीधरतनयो वासुदेवपौत्रोऽहम् ।
कृतवानिमां सहृदयां माधवपञ्चाशिकां प्रीत्यै ।।५१।।

I, named Madhav, the son of Murlidhar and the grandson of Vasudeo, composed these heartfelt fifty verses for Mādhava for [his] delight.

Madhav Deshpande
Campbell, California