shyam ki yad me rote rote
jiwan bita jaye
aaj bhi mere man ki veena
shyam shyam hi gaye
chale gaye gopal mohan nain bhar aaye
bikhar gaya sangeet bichad gaya meet
muraliya kaun sunaye chale gaye gopal mohan

is nagri se mathura bhali
jaha murli shyam bajaye
shayam se shyam ki yad bhali
jo aake kabhi na jaye
aake kabhi na jaye ruth gaye nandlal
bit gaye sal mohan nahi aaye
bikhar gaya sangeet bichad gaya meet
muraliya kaun sunaye chale gaye gopal mohan

mil na sake chanda se chakor
darshan to ho jaye aisi dukhiya preet hamari
darshan bhi na paye darshan bhi na paye
tere bina gopal hua ye hal jiwan nahi bhaye
bikhar gaye sangeet bichad gaya meet
muraliya tan sunaye chale gaye gopal mohan

Tears, a river, where life did flow,
Remembering Shyam, a heart's deep woe.
My soul's strings, still, a sweet refrain,
"Shyam, Shyam," echoes through sun and rain.
Gone, Mohan, Gopal, eyes overflowed,
Music shattered, a dear friend un-strode.
Who now will play the flute's sweet plea?
Gone, Mohan, Gopal, eternally.

This city pales, Mathura's grace,
Where Shyam played, in time and space.
Remembering Shyam, surpasses all,
Who comes, then leaves, to answer the call.
He left, our Nandlal, years now spun,
Mohan delayed, his journey begun.
Music shattered, a dear friend un-strode.
Who now will play the flute's sweet plea?
Gone, Mohan, Gopal, eternally.

The moon and the bird cannot meet,
Yet, a glimpse would make my heart beat.
But even a glimpse, now denied,
Without Thee, Gopal, where can I hide?
Life feels heavy, no joy, no glee,
Music shattered, a dear friend un-strode.
Who now will play the flute's sweet plea?
Gone, Mohan, Gopal, eternally.