atha - then; gāvaḥ - the cows; ca - and; gopāḥ - the cowherd boys; ca - and; nidāgha - of the summer; ātapa - by the glaring sun; pīḍitāḥ - distressed; duṣṭam - contaminated; jalam - the water; papuḥ - they drank; tasyāḥ - of the river; tṛṣa-ārtāḥ - tormented by thirst; viṣa - by poison; dūṣitam - spoiled.

At that time the cows and cowherd boys were feeling acute distress from the glaring summer sun. Afflicted by thirst, they drank the water of the Yamunā River. But it had been contaminated with poison.