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CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

The Gopīs’ Songs of Separation

This chapter relates how the gopīs, overwhelmed by feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa, sat down on the bank of the Yamunā and began praying for His audience and singing His glories.

Because the gopīs had dedicated their minds and very lives to Kṛṣṇa, they were beside themselves with the transcendental pain of separation. But their crying, which appears like evidence of misery, actually shows their exalted state of transcendental bliss. As it is said, yata dekha vaiṣṇaver vyavahāra duḥkha/ niścaya jāniha sei paramānanda sukha: “Whenever one sees a Vaiṣṇava acting unhappy, one should know it for sure that he is actually experiencing the highest spiritual bliss.” Thus each of the gopīs began addressing Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa according to her individual mode of ecstasy, and they all prayed for Him for His mercy.

As the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa spontaneously arose in the minds of the gopīs, they sang their song, which relieves the agony of those suffering from the burning pain of separation from Kṛṣṇa and which bestows supreme auspiciousness. They sang, “O Lord, O lover, O cheater, when we remember Your smile, Your loving glances and Your pastimes with Your boyhood friends, we become extremely agitated. Remembering Your lotus face, adorned with locks of blackish hair smeared with the dust of the cows, we become irrevocably attached to You. And when we remember how You followed the cows from forest to forest with Your tender feet, we feel great pain.”

In their separation from Kṛṣṇa the gopīs considered a single moment an entire age. Even when they had previously seen Him they had found the blinking of their eyelids intolerable, for it blocked their vision of Him for a fraction of a second.

The ecstatic sentiments for Lord Kṛṣṇa that the gopīs expressed may appear like symptoms of lust, but in reality they are manifestations of their pure desire to satisfy the Supreme Lord’s spiritual senses. There is not even the slightest trace of lust in these moods of the gopīs.

Devanagari

गोप्य ऊचु:
जयति तेऽधिकं जन्मना व्रज:
श्रयत इन्दिरा शश्वदत्र हि ।
दयित द‍ृश्यतां दिक्षु तावका-
स्त्वयि धृतासवस्त्वां विचिन्वते ॥ १ ॥

Text

gopya ūcuḥ
jayati te ’dhikaṁ janmanā vrajaḥ
śrayata indirā śaśvad atra hi
dayita dṛśyatāṁ dikṣu tāvakās
tvayi dhṛtāsavas tvāṁ vicinvate

Synonyms

gopyaḥ ūcuḥ — the gopīs said; jayati — is glorious; te — Your; adhikam — exceedingly; janmanā — by the birth; vrajaḥ — the land of Vraja; śrayate — is residing; indirā — Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune; śaśvat — perpetually; atra — here; hi — indeed; dayita — O beloved; dṛśyatām — may (You) be seen; dikṣu — in all directions; tāvakāḥ — Your (devotees); tvayi — for Your sake; dhṛta — sustained; asavaḥ — their life airs; tvām — for You; vicinvate — they are searching.

Translation

The gopīs said: O beloved, Your birth in the land of Vraja has made it exceedingly glorious, and thus Indirā, the goddess of fortune, always resides here. It is only for Your sake that we, Your devoted servants, maintain our lives. We have been searching everywhere for You, so please show Yourself to us.

Purport

Those who are familiar with the art of chanting Sanskrit verses will be able to appreciate the especially exquisite Sanskrit poetry of this chapter. Specifically, the poetic meter of the verses is extraordinarily beautiful, and also, for the most part, in each line the first and seventh syllables begin with the same consonant, as do the second syllables of all four lines.

Devanagari

शरदुदाशये साधुजातसत्-
सरसिजोदरश्रीमुषा द‍ृशा ।
सुरतनाथ तेऽशुल्कदासिका
वरद निघ्नतो नेह किं वध: ॥ २ ॥

Text

śarad-udāśaye sādhu-jāta-sat-
sarasijodara-śrī-muṣā dṛśā
surata-nātha te ’śulka-dāsikā
vara-da nighnato neha kiṁ vadhaḥ

Synonyms

śarat — of the autumn season; uda-āśaye — in the reservoir of water; sādhu — excellently; jāta — grown; sat — fine; sarasi-ja — of the lotus flowers; udara — in the middle; śrī — the beauty; muṣā — which excels; dṛśā — with Your glance; surata-nātha — O Lord of love; te — Your; aśulka — acquired without payment; dāsikāḥ — maidservants; vara-da — O giver of benedictions; nighnataḥ — for You who are killing; na — not; iha — in this world; kim — why; vadhaḥ — murder.

Translation

O Lord of love, in beauty Your glance excels the whorl of the finest, most perfectly formed lotus within the autumn pond. O bestower of benedictions, You are killing the maidservants who have given themselves to You freely, without any price. Isn’t this murder?

Purport

In the autumn season, the whorl of the lotus has a special beauty, but that unique loveliness is surpassed by the beauty of Kṛṣṇa’s glance.

Devanagari

विषजलाप्ययाद् व्यालराक्षसाद्
वर्षमारुताद् वैद्युतानलात् ।
वृषमयात्मजाद् विश्वतो भया-
दृषभ ते वयं रक्षिता मुहु: ॥ ३ ॥

Text

viṣa-jalāpyayād vyāla-rākṣasād
varṣa-mārutād vaidyutānalāt
vṛṣa-mayātmajād viśvato bhayād
ṛṣabha te vayaṁ rakṣitā muhuḥ

Synonyms

viṣa — poisonous; jala — by the water (of the Yamunā, contaminated by Kāliya); apyayāt — from destruction; vyāla — fearsome; rākṣasāt — from the demon (Agha); varṣa — from rain (sent by Indra); mārutāt — and the wind-storm (created by Tṛṇāvarta); vaidyuta-analāt — from the thunderbolt (of Indra); vṛṣa — from the bull, Ariṣṭāsura; maya-ātmajāt — from the son of Maya (Vyomāsura); viśvataḥ — from all; bhayāt — fear; ṛṣabha — O greatest of personalities; te — by You; vayam — we; rakṣitāḥ — have been protected; muhuḥ — repeatedly.

Translation

O greatest of personalities, You have repeatedly saved us from all kinds of danger — from poisoned water, from the terrible man-eater Agha, from the great rains, from the wind demon, from the fiery thunderbolt of Indra, from the bull demon and from the son of Maya Dānava.

Purport

Here the gopīs imply, “O Kṛṣṇa, You saved us from so many terrible dangers, so now that we are dying of separation from You, won’t You save us again?” Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains that the gopīs mention Ariṣṭa and Vyoma because, although Kṛṣṇa had not yet killed these demons, the fact that He would kill them in the future was well known, having been predicted by the sages Garga and Bhāguri at the time of the Lord’s birth.

Devanagari

न खलु गोपीकानन्दनो भवान्
अखिलदेहिनामन्तरात्मद‍ृक् ।
विखनसार्थितो विश्वगुप्तये
सख उदेयिवान् सात्वतां कुले ॥ ४ ॥

Text

na khalu gopīkā-nandano bhavān
akhila-dehinām antarātma-dṛk
vikhanasārthito viśva-guptaye
sakha udeyivān sātvatāṁ kule

Synonyms

na — not; khalu — indeed; gopikā — of the gopī, Yaśodā; nandanaḥ — the son; bhavān — Your good self; akhila — of all; dehinām — embodied living entities; antaḥ-ātma — of the inner consciousness; dṛk — the seer; vikhanasā — by Lord Brahmā; arthitaḥ — prayed for; viśva — of the universe; guptaye — for the protection; sakhe — O friend; udeyivān — You arose; sātvatām — of the Sātvatas; kule — in the dynasty.

Translation

You are not actually the son of the gopī Yaśodā, O friend, but rather the indwelling witness in the hearts of all embodied souls. Because Lord Brahmā prayed for You to come and protect the universe, You have now appeared in the Sātvata dynasty.

Purport

The gopīs here imply, “Since You have descended to protect the entire universe, how can You neglect Your own devotees?”

Devanagari

विरचिताभयं वृष्णिधूर्य ते
चरणमीयुषां संसृतेर्भयात् ।
करसरोरुहं कान्त कामदं
शिरसि धेहि न: श्रीकरग्रहम् ॥ ५ ॥

Text

viracitābhayaṁ vṛṣṇi-dhūrya te
caraṇam īyuṣāṁ saṁsṛter bhayāt
kara-saroruhaṁ kānta kāma-daṁ
śirasi dhehi naḥ śrī-kara-graham

Synonyms

viracita — created; abhayam — fearlessness; vṛṣṇi — of the Vṛṣṇi dynasty; dhūrya — O best; te — Your; caraṇam — feet; īyuṣām — of those who approach; saṁsṛteḥ — of material existence; bhayāt — out of fear; kara — Your hand; saraḥ-ruham — like a lotus flower; kānta — O lover; kāma — desires; dam — fulfilling; śirasi — on the heads; dhehi — please place; naḥ — of us; śrī — of the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmīdevī; kara — the hand; graham — taking.

Translation

O best of the Vṛṣṇis, Your lotuslike hand, which holds the hand of the goddess of fortune, grants fearlessness to those who approach Your feet out of fear of material existence. O lover, please place that wish-fulfilling lotus hand on our heads.

Devanagari

व्रजजनार्तिहन् वीर योषितां
निजजनस्मयध्वंसनस्मित ।
भज सखे भवत्किङ्करी: स्म नो
जलरुहाननं चारु दर्शय ॥ ६ ॥

Text

vraja-janārti-han vīra yoṣitāṁ
nija-jana-smaya-dhvaṁsana-smita
bhaja sakhe bhavat-kiṅkarīḥ sma no
jalaruhānanaṁ cāru darśaya

Synonyms

vraja-jana — of the people of Vraja; ārti — of the suffering; han — O destroyer; vīra — O hero; yoṣitām — of women; nija — Your own; jana — of the people; smaya — the pride; dhvaṁsana — destroying; smita — whose smile; bhaja — please accept; sakhe — O friend; bhavat — Your; kiṅkarīḥ — maidservants; sma — indeed; naḥ — us; jala-ruha — lotus; ānanam — Your face; cāru — beautiful; darśaya — please show.

Translation

O You who destroy the suffering of Vraja’s people, O hero of all women, Your smile shatters the false pride of Your devotees. Please, dear friend, accept us as Your maidservants and show us Your beautiful lotus face.

Devanagari

प्रणतदेहिनां पापकर्षणं
तृणचरानुगं श्रीनिकेतनम् ।
फणिफणार्पितं ते पदाम्बुजं
कृणु कुचेषु न: कृन्धि हृच्छयम् ॥ ७ ॥

Text

praṇata-dehināṁ pāpa-karṣaṇaṁ
tṛṇa-carānugaṁ śrī-niketanam
phaṇi-phaṇārpitaṁ te padāmbujaṁ
kṛṇu kuceṣu naḥ kṛndhi hṛc-chayam

Synonyms

praṇata — who are surrendered to You; dehinām — of the embodied living beings; pāpa — the sins; karṣaṇam — which remove; tṛṇa — grass; cara — who graze (the cows); anugam — following; śrī — of the goddess of fortune; niketanam — the abode; phaṇi — of the serpent (Kāliya); phaṇā — on the hoods; arpitam — placed; te — Your; pada-ambujam — lotus feet; kṛṇu — please put; kuceṣu — on the breasts; naḥ — our; kṛndhi — cut away; hṛt-śayam — the lust in our hearts.

Translation

Your lotus feet destroy the past sins of all embodied souls who surrender to them. Those feet follow after the cows in the pastures and are the eternal abode of the goddess of fortune. Since You once put those feet on the hoods of the great serpent Kāliya, please place them upon our breasts and tear away the lust in our hearts.

Purport

In their appeal, the gopīs point out that Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet destroy the sins of all surrendered conditioned souls. The Lord is so merciful that He even goes out to herd the cows in the pasturing ground, and thus His lotus feet follow them about in the grass. He has offered His lotus feet to the goddess of fortune and has placed them upon the hoods of the serpent Kāliya. Therefore, considering all this, the Lord should place His lotus feet on the gopīs’ breasts and satisfy their desire. That is the logic the gopīs employ here.

Devanagari

मधुरया गिरा वल्गुवाक्यया
बुधमनोज्ञया पुष्करेक्षण ।
विधिकरीरिमा वीर मुह्यतीर्
अधरसीधुनाप्याययस्व न: ॥ ८ ॥

Text

madhurayā girā valgu-vākyayā
budha-manojñayā puṣkarekṣaṇa
vidhi-karīr imā vīra muhyatīr
adhara-sīdhunāpyāyayasva naḥ

Synonyms

madhurayā — sweet; girā — by Your voice; valgu — charming; vākyayā — by Your words; budha — to the intelligent; mano-jñayā — attractive; puṣkara — lotus; īkṣaṇa — You whose eyes; vidhi-karīḥ — maidservants; imāḥ — these; vīra — O hero; muhyatīḥ — becoming bewildered; adhara — of Your lips; sīdhunā — with the nectar; āpyāyayasva — please restore to life; naḥ — us.

Translation

O lotus-eyed one, Your sweet voice and charming words, which attract the minds of the intelligent, are bewildering us more and more. Our dear hero, please revive Your maidservants with the nectar of Your lips.

Devanagari

तव कथामृतं तप्तजीवनं
कविभिरीडितं कल्मषापहम् ।
श्रवणमङ्गलं श्रीमदाततं
भुवि गृणन्ति ये भूरिदा जना: ॥ ९ ॥

Text

tava kathāmṛtaṁ tapta-jīvanaṁ
kavibhir īḍitaṁ kalmaṣāpaham
śravaṇa-maṅgalaṁ śrīmad ātataṁ
bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūri-dā janāḥ

Synonyms

tava — Your; kathā-amṛtam — the nectar of words; tapta-jīvanam — life for those aggrieved in the material world; kavibhiḥ — by great thinkers; īḍitam — described; kalmaṣa-apaham — that which drives away sinful reactions; śravaṇa-maṅgalam — giving spiritual benefit when heard; śṛīmat — filled with spiritual power; ātatam — broadcast all over the world; bhuvi — in the material world; gṛṇanti — chant and spread; ye — those who; bhūri-dāḥ — most beneficent; janāḥ — persons.

Translation

The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one’s sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent.

Purport

King Pratāparudra recited this verse to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu during Lord Jagannātha’s Ratha-yātrā festival. While the Lord was resting in a garden, King Pratāparudra humbly entered and began massaging His legs and lotus feet. Then the King recited the Thirty-first Chapter of the Tenth Canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the songs of the gopīs. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta relates that when Lord Caitanya heard this verse, beginning tava kathāmṛtam, He immediately arose in ecstatic love and embraced King Pratāparudra. The incident is described in detail in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 14.4-18), and in his edition Śrīla Prabhupāda has given extensive commentary on it.

Devanagari

प्रहसितं प्रिय प्रेमवीक्षणं
विहरणं च ते ध्यानमङ्गलम् ।
रहसि संविदो या हृदिस्पृश:
कुहक नो मन: क्षोभयन्ति हि ॥ १० ॥

Text

prahasitaṁ priya-prema-vīkṣaṇaṁ
viharaṇaṁ ca te dhyāna-maṅgalam
rahasi saṁvido yā hṛdi spṛśaḥ
kuhaka no manaḥ kṣobhayanti hi

Synonyms

prahasitam — the smiling; priya — affectionate; prema — with love; vīkṣaṇam — glances; viharaṇam — intimate pastimes; ca — and; te — Your; dhyāna — by meditation; maṅgalam — auspicious; rahasi — in solitary places; saṁvidaḥ — conversations; yāḥ — which; hṛdi — the heart; spṛśaḥ — touching; kuhaka — O cheater; naḥ — our; manaḥ — minds; kṣobhayanti — agitate; hi — indeed.

Translation

Your smiles, Your sweet, loving glances, the intimate pastimes and confidential talks we enjoyed with You — all these are auspicious to meditate upon, and they touch our hearts. But at the same time, O deceiver, they very much agitate our minds.

Devanagari

चलसि यद् व्रजाच्चारयन् पशून्
नलिनसुन्दरं नाथ ते पदम् ।
शिलतृणाङ्कुरै: सीदतीति न:
कलिलतां मन: कान्त गच्छति ॥ ११ ॥

Text

calasi yad vrajāc cārayan paśūn
nalina-sundaraṁ nātha te padam
śila-tṛṇāṅkuraiḥ sīdatīti naḥ
kalilatāṁ manaḥ kānta gacchati

Synonyms

calasi — You go; yat — when; vrajāt — from the cowherd village; cārayan — herding; paśūn — the animals; nalina — than a lotus flower; sundaram — more beautiful; nātha — O master; te — Your; padam — feet; śila — by sharp edges of grain; tṛṇa — grass; aṅkuraiḥ — and sprouting plants; sīdati — are experiencing pain; iti — thus thinking; naḥ — us; kalilatām — discomfort; manaḥ — our minds; kānta — O lover; gacchati — feel.

Translation

Dear master, dear lover, when You leave the cowherd village to herd the cows, our minds are disturbed with the thought that Your feet, more beautiful than a lotus, will be pricked by the spiked husks of grain and the rough grass and plants.

Devanagari

दिनपरिक्षये नीलकुन्तलै-
र्वनरुहाननं बिभ्रदावृतम् ।
घनरजस्वलं दर्शयन् मुहु-
र्मनसि न: स्मरं वीर यच्छसि ॥ १२ ॥

Text

dina-parikṣaye nīla-kuntalair
vanaruhānanaṁ bibhrad āvṛtam
ghana-rajasvalaṁ darśayan muhur
manasi naḥ smaraṁ vīra yacchasi

Synonyms

dina — of the day; parikṣaye — at the finish; nīla — dark blue; kuntalaiḥ — with locks of hair; vana-ruha — lotus; ānanam — face; bibhrat — exhibiting; āvṛtam — covered; ghana — thick; rajaḥ-valam — smeared with dust; darśayan — showing; muhuḥ — repeatedly; manasi — in the minds; naḥ — our; smaram — Cupid; vīra — O hero; yacchasi — You are placing.

Translation

At the end of the day You repeatedly show us Your lotus face, covered with dark blue locks of hair and thickly powdered with dust. Thus, O hero, You arouse lusty desires in our minds.

Devanagari

प्रणतकामदं पद्मजार्चितं
धरणिमण्डनं ध्येयमापदि ।
चरणपङ्कजं शन्तमं च ते
रमण न: स्तनेष्वर्पयाधिहन् ॥ १३ ॥

Text

praṇata-kāma-daṁ padmajārcitaṁ
dharaṇi-maṇḍanaṁ dhyeyam āpadi
caraṇa-paṅkajaṁ śantamaṁ ca te
ramaṇa naḥ staneṣv arpayādhi-han

Synonyms

praṇata — of those who bow down; kāma — the desires; dam — fulfilling; padma-ja — by Lord Brahmā; arcitam — worshiped; dharaṇi — of the earth; maṇḍanam — the ornament; dhyeyam — the proper object of meditation; āpadi — in time of distress; caraṇa-paṅkajam — the lotus feet; śam-tamam — giving the highest satisfaction; ca — and; te — Your; ramaṇa — O lover; naḥ — our; staneṣu — on the breasts; arpaya — please place; adhi-han — O destroyer of mental distress.

Translation

Your lotus feet, which are worshiped by Lord Brahmā, fulfill the desires of all who bow down to them. They are the ornament of the earth, they give the highest satisfaction, and in times of danger they are the appropriate object of meditation. O lover, O destroyer of anxiety, please put those lotus feet upon our breasts.

Devanagari

सुरतवर्धनं शोकनाशनं
स्वरितवेणुना सुष्ठु चुम्बितम् ।
इतररागविस्मारणं नृणां
वितर वीर नस्तेऽधरामृतम् ॥ १४ ॥

Text

surata-vardhanaṁ śoka-nāśanaṁ
svarita-veṇunā suṣṭhu cumbitam
itara-rāga-vismāraṇaṁ nṛṇāṁ
vitara vīra nas te ’dharāmṛtam

Synonyms

surata — conjugal happiness; vardhanam — which increases; śoka — grief; nāśanam — which destroys; svarita — vibrated; veṇunā — by Your flute; suṣṭhu — abundantly; cumbitam — kissed; itara — other; rāga — attachments; vismāraṇam — causing to forget; nṛṇām — men; vitara — please spread; vīra — O hero; naḥ — upon us; te — Your; adhara — of the lips; amṛtam — the nectar.

Translation

O hero, kindly distribute to us the nectar of Your lips, which enhances conjugal pleasure and vanquishes grief. That nectar is thoroughly relished by Your vibrating flute and makes people forget any other attachment.

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī’ s charming commentary on this verse is in the form of a dialogue between the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa:

“The gopīs say, ‘O Kṛṣṇa, You exactly resemble Dhanvantari, the best of physicians. So please give us some medicine, for we are suffering from the disease of romantic desire for You. Don’t hesitate to give us the medicinal nectar of Your lips freely, without our paying a substantial price. Since You are a great hero in giving charity, You should give it without any payment, even to the most wretched persons. Consider that we are losing our life and that now You can restore us to life by giving us that nectar. After all, You have already given it to Your flute, which is simply a hollow bamboo stick.’

“Kṛṣṇa says, ‘But the diet of people in this world is the bad one of attachment to wealth, followers, family and so forth. The particular medicine you’ve requested should not be given to those who have such a bad diet.’

“‘But this medicine makes one forget all other attachments. So wonderful is this herbal drug that it counteracts bad dietary habits. Please give that nectar to us, O hero, since You are most charitable.’”

Devanagari

अटति यद् भवानह्नि काननं
त्रुटि युगायते त्वामपश्यताम् ।
कुटिलकुन्तलं श्रीमुखं च ते
जड उदीक्षतां पक्ष्मकृद् दृशाम् ॥ १५ ॥

Text

aṭati yad bhavān ahni kānanaṁ
truṭi yugāyate tvām apaśyatām
kuṭila-kuntalaṁ śrī-mukhaṁ ca te
jaḍa udīkṣatāṁ pakṣma-kṛd dṛśām

Synonyms

aṭati — travel; yat — when; bhavān — You; ahni — during the daytime; kānanam — to the forest; truṭi — about 1/1700 of a second; yugāyate — becomes like an entire millennium; tvām — You; apaśyatām — for those who do not see; kuṭila — curling; kuntalam — with locks of hair; śrī — beautiful; mukham — face; ca — and; te — Your; jaḍaḥ — foolish; udīkṣatām — for those who are eagerly looking; pakṣma — of lids; kṛt — the creator; dṛśām — of the eyes.

Translation

When You go off to the forest during the day, a tiny fraction of a second becomes like a millennium for us because we cannot see You. And even when we can eagerly look upon Your beautiful face, so lovely with its adornment of curly locks, our pleasure is hindered by our eyelids, which were fashioned by the foolish creator.

Devanagari

पतिसुतान्वयभ्रातृबान्धवा-
नतिविलङ्‌घ्य तेऽन्त्यच्युतागता: ।
गतिविदस्तवोद्गीतमोहिता:
कितव योषित: कस्त्यजेन्निशि ॥ १६ ॥

Text

pati-sutānvaya-bhrātṛ-bāndhavān
ativilaṅghya te ’nty acyutāgatāḥ
gati-vidas tavodgīta-mohitāḥ
kitava yoṣitaḥ kas tyajen niśi

Synonyms

pati — husbands; suta — children; anvaya — ancestors; bhrātṛ — brothers; bāndhavān — and other relatives; ativilaṅghya — completely neglecting; te — Your; anti — into the presence; acyuta — O infallible one; āgatāḥ — having come; gati — of our movements; vidaḥ — who understand the purpose; tava — Your; udgīta — by the loud song (of the flute); mohitāḥ — bewildered; kitava — O cheater; yoṣitaḥ — women; kaḥ — who; tyajet — would abandon; niśi — in the night.

Translation

Dear Acyuta, You know very well why we have come here. Who but a cheater like You would abandon young women who come to see Him in the middle of the night, enchanted by the loud song of His flute? Just to see You, we have completely rejected our husbands, children, ancestors, brothers and other relatives.

Devanagari

रहसि संविदं हृच्छयोदयं
प्रहसिताननं प्रेमवीक्षणम् ।
बृहदुर: श्रियो वीक्ष्य धाम ते
मुहुरतिस्पृहा मुह्यते मन: ॥ १७ ॥

Text

rahasi saṁvidaṁ hṛc-chayodayaṁ
prahasitānanaṁ prema-vīkṣaṇam
bṛhad-uraḥ śriyo vīkṣya dhāma te
muhur ati-spṛhā muhyate manaḥ

Synonyms

rahasi — in private; saṁvidam — confidential discussions; hṛt-śaya — of lust in the heart; udayam — the rise; prahasita — smiling; ānanam — face; prema — loving; vīkṣaṇam — glances; bṛhat — broad; uraḥ — chest; śriyaḥ — of the goddess of fortune; vīkṣya — seeing; dhāma — the abode; te — Your; muhuḥ — repeatedly; ati — excessive; spṛhā — hankering; muhyate — bewilders; manaḥ — the mind.

Translation

Our minds are repeatedly bewildered as we think of the intimate conversations we had with You in secret, feel the rise of lust in our hearts and remember Your smiling face, Your loving glances and Your broad chest, the resting place of the goddess of fortune. Thus we experience the most severe hankering for You.

Devanagari

व्रजवनौकसां व्यक्तिरङ्ग ते
वृजिनहन्‍त्र्यलं विश्वमङ्गलम् ।
त्यज मनाक् च नस्त्वत्स्पृहात्मनां
स्वजनहृद्रुजां यन्निषूदनम् ॥ १८ ॥

Text

vraja-vanaukasāṁ vyaktir aṅga te
vṛjina-hantry alaṁ viśva-maṅgalam
tyaja manāk ca nas tvat-spṛhātmanāṁ
sva-jana-hṛd-rujāṁ yan niṣūdanam

Synonyms

vraja-vana — in the forests of Vraja; okasām — for those who dwell; vyaktiḥ — the appearance; aṅga — dear one; te — Your; vṛjina — of distress; hantrī — the agent of destruction; alam — extremely so; viśva-maṅgalam — all-auspicious; tyaja — please release; manāk — a little; ca — and; naḥ — to us; tvat — for You; spṛhā — with hankering; ātmanām — whose minds are filled; sva — Your own; jana — devotees; hṛt — in the hearts; rujām — of the disease; yat — which is; niṣūdanam — that which counteracts.

Translation

O beloved, Your all-auspicious appearance vanquishes the distress of those living in Vraja’s forests. Our minds long for Your association. Please give to us just a bit of that medicine, which counteracts the disease in Your devotees’ hearts.

Purport

According to the ācāryas, the gopīs repeatedly entreat Lord Kṛṣṇa to place His lotus feet on their breasts. The gopīs are not victims of material lust, but rather they are absorbed in pure love of Godhead and thus want to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet by offering their beautiful breasts to Him. Materialistic persons, who are victims of mundane sex desire, will not be able to understand how these conjugal dealings take place on a pure, spiritual platform, and that is the materialists’ great misfortune.

Devanagari

यत्ते सुजातचरणाम्बुरुहं स्तनेषु
भीता: शनै: प्रिय दधीमहि कर्कशेषु ।
तेनाटवीमटसि तद् व्यथते न किंस्वित्
कूर्पादिभिर्भ्रमति धीर्भवदायुषां न: ॥ १९ ॥

Text

yat te sujāta-caraṇāmburuhaṁ staneṣu
bhītāḥ śanaiḥ priya dadhīmahi karkaśeṣu
tenāṭavīm aṭasi tad vyathate na kiṁ svit
kūrpādibhir bhramati dhīr bhavad-āyuṣāṁ naḥ

Synonyms

yat — which; te — Your; su-jāta — very fine; caraṇa-ambu-ruham — lotus feet; staneṣu — on the breasts; bhītāḥ — being afraid; śanaiḥ — gently; priya — O dear one; dadhīmahi — we place; karkaśeṣu — rough; tena — with them; aṭavīm — the forest; aṭasi — You roam; tat — they; vyathate — are distressed; na — not; kim svit — we wonder; kūrpa-ādibhiḥ — by small stones and so on; bhramati — flutters; dhīḥ — the mind; bhavat-āyuṣām — of those of whom Your Lordship is the very life; naḥ — of us.

Translation

O dearly beloved! Your lotus feet are so soft that we place them gently on our breasts, fearing that Your feet will be hurt. Our life rests only in You. Our minds, therefore, are filled with anxiety that Your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as You roam about on the forest path.

Purport

The translation of this verse is from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s English rendering of Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi 4.173).

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Thirty-first Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Gopīs’ Songs of Separation.”