Śrīmad Bhāgavatam|Canto 10 Chapter 31

The Gopīs’ Songs of Separation

VERSE 10.31.1

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.

VERSE 10.31.2

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?

VERSE 10.31.3

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.

VERSE 10.31.4

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.

VERSE 10.31.5

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.

VERSE 10.31.6

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.

VERSE 10.31.7

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.

VERSE 10.31.8

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.

VERSE 10.31.9

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.

VERSE 10.31.10

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.

VERSE 10.31.11

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.

VERSE 10.31.12

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.

VERSE 10.31.13

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.

VERSE 10.31.14

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.

VERSE 10.31.15

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.

VERSE 10.31.16

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.

VERSE 10.31.17

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.

VERSE 10.31.18

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.

VERSE 10.31.19

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.