A delightful passage from CB.

[madanmohandas]

One day Gadadhar, smiling, came before
The Master, in his hand some Tambul bore;
Boholding Gadadhar, the Master pressed,
"Where is Krishna, in yellow raiment dressed?"
Such anguish to behold would break all hearts,
What can be said, the power of speech departs!
Noble Gadadhar, with respect, replied,
"Krishna doth always in your heart abide."
Thus hearing the words, 'Krishna-in-your- heart',
Would with his nails his bosom tare apart;
Alarmed, flustered, Gadadhar then grabbed hold
Both of his hands, comforted and consoled,
"Krishna will come just now, patience preserve",
Said Gadadhar, which Sachi did observe.
When Gadadhar's affection she espied,
Ayi was very pleased and satisfied;
'I never saw a lad so young and wise,
'Where I myself am frighted with surprise
To come before him thus, yet this young boy
The art of consolation does employ.'
Then Ayi said, 'Child, you must always stay,
Remain with him and never go away. '

CB M.2

[Nitaidas]

Apr 7, 2020 5:57:15 GMT -6 madanmohandas said:

One day Gadadhar, smiling, came before
The Master, in his hand some Tambul bore;
Boholding Gadadhar, the Master pressed,
"Where is Krishna, in yellow raiment dressed?"
Such anguish to behold would break all hearts,
What can be said, the power of speech departs!
Noble Gadadhar, with respect, replied,
"Krishna doth always in your heart abide."
Thus hearing the words, 'Krishna-in-your- heart',
Would with his nails his bosom tare apart;
Alarmed, flustered, Gadadhar then grabbed hold
Both of his hands, comforted and consoled,
"Krishna will come just now, patience preserve",
Said Gadadhar, which Sachi did observe.
When Gadadhar's affection she espied,
Ayi was very pleased and satisfied;
'I never saw a lad so young and wise,
'Where I myself am frighted with surprise
To come before him thus, yet this young boy
The art of consolation does employ.'
Then Ayi said, 'Child, you must always stay,
Remain with him and never go away. '

CB M.2

Glad to see you back busily raising our spirits with your lovely poetic translations. Thanks, madanmohandasji.

राधे श्यम गौर !

[madanmohandas]

To commemorate the birthday of Sri Gadadhar Pandit, here is a rough paraphrase of a passage in Sir Chaitanya Bhagavat, Madhya, 18

When Gadadhar, Advaita's speech had heard
He was with high delight and rapture stirred,
Then did with graceful dancing motions move,
Exhibiting the ecstasy of love;
Now while he danced Gadadhar played the part
Of goddess Ramaa, enchanting the heart;
As all around sing sweetly and divine
His followers, according to the time.
Whoever Gadadhar's dancing beheld,
To weep uncontrollably was compelled.
'Twas as rivers of love from his eyes flowed,
Sprinkled the earth and high blessing bestowed;
Transfigured in form Gadadhar became
Goddess Ganga herself, of holy fame;
Truly, truly, this truth I do confess,
That Gadadhar is Krishna's own goddess!
Chaitanya himself has deigned to convey
This fact and would often and again say,
'Gadadhar is as dear as my own life,
'Indeed, in Vaikuntha, he was my wife.

Meditation on Gadadhara Pandit

Recall Gadadhar, from whose lotus-feet
Trickles the balmy dew of mercy sweet;
Who does with the same gold lustre divine
As the Lord Sri Chaitanya Chandra shine;
And while he does by Lord Gauranga stand,
Holds forth a betel-wrap in his right hand;
Who is the best of holy men, and wears
Raiment of purest white, and ever bears
A charming smile radiating all grace;
And casts his gaze at Gaura chandra's face;
Who is of love-joy the embodiment,
Richly adorned with sweetest sentiment.

(Archana Paddhati)

[madanmohandas]

I think the attempt to squeeze payar couplets into heroic couplets results in inevitable clipping; which is a shame because it would be nice to have it couplet by couplet. Anyway, it would probably have spillover lines with enjambment and swell to three lines, which being awkward would have to be stretched out to four lines, thereby doubling the bulk of the text. It would be so nice to express line by line as much a possible though. Here's an example, but the clipping may not be acceptable.
Advaita acarya, after provoking a saucy debate, receives witty response from moon-like Nitai;

nityānanda kahe — tumi advaita-ācārya/
‘advaita-siddhānte’ bādhe śuddha-bhakti-kārya//
tomāra siddhānta-saṅga kare yei jane/
‘eka’ vastu vinā sei ‘dvitīya’ nāhi māne//
hena tomāra saṅge mora ekatre bhojana/
nā jāni, tomāra saṅge kaiche haya mana//

Said Nityananda, 'Advaita you are,
'But that Oneness to pure love is a bar;
'And you and those with you who hold that view,
'Proclaim the one 'thing', and denounce the two;
'As such, to sit with you and food partake,
'I wot not what strange turn my mind may take'.

CC.M.12. 193-195

PS. in the BBT edition for 'hena tomaara' has 'You are such a monist.'

[madanmohandas]

Here is what came before, but I have allowed the lines to spill over. 10 lines of payar into 17 pentameter lines

advaita-nityānanda vasiyāchena eka ṭhāñi
dui-jane krīḍā-kalaha lāgila tathāi
advaita kahe, — avadhūtera saṅge eka paṅkti
bhojana kariluṅ, nā jāni habe kon gati
prabhu ta’ sannyāsī, uṅhāra nāhi apacaya
anna-doṣe sannyāsīra doṣa nāhi haya
‘‘nānna-doṣeṇa maskarī’’ — ei śāstra-pramāṇa
āmi ta’ gṛhastha-brāhmaṇa, āmāra doṣa-sthāna
janma-kula-śīlācāra nā jāni yāhāra
tāra saṅge eka paṅkti — baḍa anācāra

Sri Advaita and Nityananda sat
Together and began a playful spat.
Said Advaita, 'I sit now in the line
Here with some unknown mendicant to dine;
And thus I do not know what destiny
For this transgression is in store for me.
Our Lord is in the renounced order, hence
To eat thus is considered no offence.
In eating, a sannyasi pure remains
At any place, as holy writ ordains,
Which says, "naanna dosena maskari".
For me, a brahman of high pedigree,
Such conduct is an impropriety;
With one whose birth and actions are unknown,
Whose character and virtue are not shown,
To sit together and to dine with him,
Is a mighty discrepancy and sin.'

[madanmohandas]

Confessions of the Kazi.

sei raatre eka simha mahaabhyankara/
naradeha simhamukha garjaye vistara//

That night a lion terrible I saw,
With man's form, lion's face, and mighty roar.

sayane aamaara upara laapha diyaa cadi/
atta atta haase kare danta karamadi//
mora buke nakha diyā ghora-svare bale
phāḍimu tomāra buka mṛdaṅga badale

It pounced upon me while I lay abed,
Then striking me with peels of laughter dread.
And with the gnashing of sharp fangs, it said,
With claw on my chest, causing me to smart,
'You broke my drum, now I shall your tear heart!'

CC. Adi. 17

[madanmohandas]

From Caitanya Bhagavat, Adi Kanda, 5

Hail to the lover of his votaries!
Visvambhar, foremost of divinities;
Hail to the Master whose lotus-feet showed
The flag, lightning bolt, and elephant goad.

Thus in Jagannath's house the Master played,
And signs of his divinity displayed
In many ways, but concealed from the crowd.
One day Mishra Purandar called aloud,
"Ho! lovely Visvambhar, my sweet darling,
"Go quickly and my text book hither bring."
His father's hest he hastened to fulfil,
And ran into the house to do his will;
And as across the yard in doors he hies,
The sound of tinkling anklets did arise,
Said Mishra, "From whence comes the tinkling sound
Of ankle bells, then gazing all around,
The brahman and brahmini searched about
On all sides, and in astonishment thought,
"Our child no anklets on his feet doth wear,
"Whence comes the sound of anklets that we hear?
"What wonders!" thinking thus the pair were stirred,
Were dumbfounded and could not speak a word.
The Master brought the text, quite undismayed,
But in the house another sight displayed;
Wondrous, as if the floor received the dints,
Of unprecedented divine foot prints.
The signs of the flag, lightning bolt and goad,
The banner, and more, all distinctly showed.
When the couple the foot prints had thus viewed,
They were filled with sublime beatitude,
Gazing upon the foot prints as they stood,
Their bodies thrilled, their eyes with tears did flood.
Gazing upon those prints of lotus-feet,
They bowed in humble salutation meet,
And said, "We are redeemed, there are mo more
Births and births in this world for us in store!"
Said Mishra, "O blest mother, listen here,
"Of Visvarupa, you shall now prepare,
"Sweet rice pudding with fine dairy product,
"I shall myself the ritual bath conduct,
"And worship Damodar the stone with vows,
"And with five products of the holy cows.
"Damodar, the holy stone, in the house.
"I comprehend it is no one but he,
"Who roams the house, and thus we hear and see
"The sounding anklets and foot prints divine."
The couple thus, were filled with joy sublime.
And worshipped they the stone, and seeing this,
The Master smiled within himself for bliss.