The Reunion
VERSE 10.32.1
śrī-śuka uvāca
iti gopyaḥ pragāyantyaḥ
pralapantyaś ca citradhā
ruruduḥ su-svaraṁ rājan
kṛṣṇa-darśana-lālasāḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus, as related above; gopyaḥ — the gopīs; pragāyantyaḥ — singing forth; pralapantyaḥ — speaking forth; ca — and; citradhā — in various charming ways; ruruduḥ — they cried; su-svaram — loudly; rājan — O King; kṛṣṇa-darśana — for the sight of Kṛṣṇa; lālasāḥ — hankering.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, having thus sung and spoken their hearts out in various charming ways, the gopīs began to weep loudly. They were very eager to see Lord Kṛṣṇa.
VERSE 10.32.2
tāsām āvirabhūc chauriḥ
smayamāna-mukhāmbujaḥ
pītāmbara-dharaḥ sragvī
sākṣān manmatha-manmathaḥ
SYNONYMS
tāsām — before them; āvirabhūt — He appeared; śauriḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; smayamāna — smiling; mukha — His face; ambujaḥ — lotuslike; pīta — yellow; ambara — a garment; dharaḥ — wearing; srak-vī — wearing a flower garland; sākṣāt — directly; man-matha — of Cupid (who bewilders the mind); man — of the mind; mathaḥ — the bewilderer.
TRANSLATION
Then Lord Kṛṣṇa, a smile on His lotus face, appeared before the gopīs. Wearing a garland and a yellow garment, He directly appeared as one who can bewilder the mind of Cupid, who himself bewilders the minds of ordinary people.
VERSE 10.32.3
taṁ vilokyāgataṁ preṣṭhaṁ
prīty-utphulla-dṛśo ’balāḥ
uttasthur yugapat sarvās
tanvaḥ prāṇam ivāgatam
SYNONYMS
tam — Him; vilokya — seeing; āgatam — returned; preṣṭham — their dearmost; prīti — out of affection; utphulla — opening wide; dṛśaḥ — their eyes; abalāḥ — the girls; uttasthuḥ — they stood up; yugapat — all at once; sarvāḥ — all of them; tanvaḥ — of the body; prāṇam — the life air; iva — as; āgatam — returned.
TRANSLATION
When the gopīs saw that their dearmost Kṛṣṇa had returned to them, they all stood up at once, and out of their affection for Him their eyes bloomed wide. It was as if the air of life had reentered their bodies.
VERSE 10.32.4
kācit karāmbujaṁ śaurer
jagṛhe ’ñjalinā mudā
kācid dadhāra tad-bāhum
aṁse candana-bhūṣitam
SYNONYMS
kācit — one of them; kara-ambujam — the lotus hand; śaureḥ — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; jagṛhe — seized; añjalinā — in her folded palms; mudā — with joy; kācit — another; dadhāra — put; tat-bāhum — His arm; aṁse — on her shoulder; candana — with sandalwood paste; bhūṣitam — adorned.
TRANSLATION
One gopī joyfully took Kṛṣṇa’s hand between her folded palms, and another placed His arm, anointed with sandalwood paste, on her shoulder.
VERSE 10.32.5
kācid añjalināgṛhṇāt
tanvī tāmbūla-carvitam
ekā tad-aṅghri-kamalaṁ
santaptā stanayor adhāt
SYNONYMS
kācit — one; añjalinā — with joined hands; agṛhṇāt — took; tanvī — slender; tāmbūla — of betel nut; carvitam — His chewed remnants; ekā — one; tat — His; aṅghri — foot; kamalam — lotus; santaptā — burning; stanayoḥ — on her breasts; adhāt — placed.
TRANSLATION
A slender gopī respectfully took in her joined hands the betel nut He had chewed, and another gopī, burning with desire, put His lotus feet on her breasts.
VERSE 10.32.6
ekā bhru-kuṭim ābadhya
prema-saṁrambha-vihvalā
ghnantīvaikṣat kaṭākṣepaiḥ
sandaṣṭa-daśana-cchadā
SYNONYMS
ekā — one more gopī; bhru-kuṭim — her eyebrows; ābadhya — constricting; prema — of her pure love; saṁrambha — by the fury; vihvalā — beside herself; ghnantī — injuring; iva — as if; aikṣat — she looked; kaṭa — of her sidelong glances; ākṣepaiḥ — with the insults; sandaṣṭa — biting; daśana — of her teeth; chadā — the covering (her lips).
TRANSLATION
One gopī, beside herself with loving anger, bit her lips and stared at Him with frowning eyebrows, as if to wound Him with her harsh glances.
VERSE 10.32.7
aparānimiṣad-dṛgbhyāṁ
juṣāṇā tan-mukhāmbujam
āpītam api nātṛpyat
santas tac-caraṇaṁ yathā
SYNONYMS
aparā — yet another gopī; animiṣat — unblinking; dṛgbhyām — with eyes; juṣāṇā — relishing; tat — His; mukha-ambujam — lotus face; āpītam — fully tasted; api — although; na atṛpyat — She did not become satiated; santaḥ — mystic saints; tat-caraṇam — His feet; yathā — as.
TRANSLATION
Another gopī looked with unblinking eyes upon His lotus face, but even after deeply relishing its sweetness She did not feel satiated, just as mystic saints are never satiated when meditating upon the Lord’s feet.
VERSE 10.32.8
taṁ kācin netra-randhreṇa
hṛdi kṛtvā nimīlya ca
pulakāṅgy upaguhyāste
yogīvānanda-samplutā
SYNONYMS
tam — Him; kācit — one of them; netra — of her eyes; randhreṇa — through the aperture; hṛdi — in her heart; kṛtvā — placing; nimīlya — closing; ca — and; pulaka-aṅgī — the hair on her limbs standing on end; upaguhya — embracing; āste — she remained; yogī — a yogī; iva — like; ānanda — in ecstasy; samplutā — drowned.
TRANSLATION
One gopī took the Lord through the aperture of her eyes and placed Him within her heart. Then, with her eyes closed and her bodily hairs standing on end, she continuously embraced Him within. Thus immersed in transcendental ecstasy, she resembled a yogī meditating upon the Lord.
VERSE 10.32.9
sarvās tāḥ keśavāloka-
paramotsava-nirvṛtāḥ
jahur viraha-jaṁ tāpaṁ
prājñaṁ prāpya yathā janāḥ
SYNONYMS
sarvāḥ — all; tāḥ — those gopīs; keśava — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; āloka — by the sight; parama — supreme; utsava — of festivity; nirvṛtāḥ — feeling joy; jahuḥ — they gave up; viraha-jam — born of their separation; tāpam — the distress; prājñam — a spiritually enlightened person; prāpya — achieving; yathā — as; janāḥ — people in general.
TRANSLATION
All the gopīs enjoyed the greatest festivity when they saw their beloved Keśava again. They gave up the distress of separation, just as people in general forget their misery when they gain the association of a spiritually enlightened person.
VERSE 10.32.10
tābhir vidhūta-śokābhir
bhagavān acyuto vṛtaḥ
vyarocatādhikaṁ tāta
puruṣaḥ śaktibhir yathā
SYNONYMS
tābhiḥ — by these gopīs; vidhūta — fully cleansed; śokābhiḥ — of their distress; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; acyutaḥ — the infallible Lord; vṛtaḥ — surrounded; vyarocata — appeared brilliant; adhikam — exceedingly; tāta — my dear (King Parīkṣit); puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Soul; śaktibhiḥ — with His transcendental potencies; yathā — as.
TRANSLATION
Encircled by the gopīs, who were now relieved of all distress, Lord Acyuta, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, shone forth splendidly. My dear King, Kṛṣṇa thus appeared like the Supersoul encircled by His spiritual potencies.
VERSE 10.32.11-12
tāḥ samādāya kālindyā
nirviśya pulinaṁ vibhuḥ
vikasat-kunda-mandāra
surabhy-anila-ṣaṭpadam
śarac-candrāṁśu-sandoha-
dhvasta-doṣā-tamaḥ śivam
kṛṣṇāyā hasta-taralā
cita-komala-vālukam
SYNONYMS
tāḥ — those gopīs; samādāya — taking; kālindyāḥ — of the Yamunā; nirviśya — entering upon; pulinam — the bank; vibhuḥ — the almighty Supreme Lord; vikasat — blooming; kunda-mandāra — of kunda and mandāra flowers; surabhi — fragrant; anila — with the breeze; sat-padam — with bees; śarat — autumnal; candra — of the moon; aṁśu — of the rays; sandoha — by the abundance; dhvasta — dispelled; doṣā — of the night; tamaḥ — the darkness; śivam — auspicious; kṛṣṇāyāḥ — of the river Yamunā; hasta — like hands; tarala — by her waves; ācita — collected; komala — soft; vālukam — sand.
TRANSLATION
The almighty Lord then took the gopīs with Him to the bank of the Kālindī, who with the hands of her waves had scattered piles of soft sand upon the shore. In that auspicious place the breeze, bearing the fragrance of blooming kunda and mandāra flowers, attracted many bees, and the abundant rays of the autumn moon dispelled the darkness of night.
VERSE 10.32.13
tad-darśanāhlāda-vidhūta-hṛd-rujo
manorathāntaṁ śrutayo yathā yayuḥ
svair uttarīyaiḥ kuca-kuṅkumāṅkitair
acīkḷpann āsanam ātma-bandhave
SYNONYMS
tat — Him, Kṛṣṇa; darśana — due to seeing; āhlāda — by the ecstasy; vidhūta — driven away; hṛt — in their hearts; rujaḥ — the pain; manaḥ-ratha — of their desires; antam — the ultimate fulfillment; śrutayaḥ — the revealed scriptures; yathā — as; yayuḥ — they attained; svaiḥ — with their own; uttarīyaiḥ — covering garments; kuca — of their breasts; kuṅkuma — with the vermilion powder; aṅkitaiḥ — smeared; acīkḷpan — they arranged; āsanam — a seat; ātma — of their souls; bandhave — for the dear friend.
TRANSLATION
Their heartache vanquished by the ecstasy of seeing Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs, like the personified Vedas before them, felt their desires completely fulfilled. For their dear friend Kṛṣṇa they arranged a seat with their shawls which were smeared with the kuṅkuma powder from their breasts.
VERSE 10.32.14
tatropaviṣṭo bhagavān sa īśvaro
yogeśvarāntar-hṛdi kalpitāsanaḥ
cakāsa gopī-pariṣad-gato ’rcitas
trailokya-lakṣmy-eka-padaṁ vapur dadhat
SYNONYMS
tatra — there; upaviṣṭaḥ — seated; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saḥ — He; īśvaraḥ — the ultimate controller; yoga-īśvara — of the masters of mystic meditation; antaḥ — within; hṛdi — the hearts; kalpita — arranged; āsanaḥ — His seat; cakāsa — He appeared resplendent; gopī-pariṣat — in the assembly of the gopīs; gataḥ — present; arcitaḥ — worshiped; trai-lokya — of the three worlds; lakṣmī — of the beauty and other opulences; eka — the exclusive; padam — reservoir; vapuḥ — His transcendental, personal form; dadhat — exhibiting.
TRANSLATION
Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for whom the great masters of mystic meditation arrange a seat within their hearts, took His seat in the assembly of gopīs. His transcendental body, the exclusive abode of beauty and opulence within the three worlds, shone brilliantly as the gopīs worshiped Him.
VERSE 10.32.15
sabhājayitvā tam anaṅga-dīpanaṁ
sahāsa-līlekṣaṇa-vibhrama-bhruvā
saṁsparśanenāṅka-kṛtāṅghri-hastayoḥ
saṁstutya īṣat kupitā babhāṣire
SYNONYMS
sabhājayitvā — honoring; tam — Him; anaṅga — of lusty desires; dīpanam — the inciter; sa-hāsa — smiling; līlā — playful; īkṣaṇa — with glances; vibhrama — sporting; bhruvā — with their eyebrows; saṁsparśanena — with touching; aṅka — upon their laps; kṛta — placed; aṅghri — of His feet; hastayoḥ — and hands; saṁstutya — offering praise; īṣat — somewhat; kupitāḥ — angry; babhāṣire — they spoke.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Kṛṣṇa had awakened romantic desires within the gopīs, and they honored Him by glancing at Him with playful smiles, gesturing amorously with their eyebrows, and massaging His hands and feet as they held them in their laps. Even while worshiping Him, however, they felt somewhat angry, and thus they addressed Him as follows.
VERSE 10.32.16
śrī-gopya ūcuḥ
bhajato ’nubhajanty eka
eka etad-viparyayam
nobhayāṁś ca bhajanty eka
etan no brūhi sādhu bhoḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-gopyaḥ ūcuḥ — the gopīs said; bhajataḥ — to those who respect them; anu — reciprocally; bhajanti — show respect; eke — some; eke — some; etat — to this; viparyayam — the contrary; na ubhayān — with neither; ca — and; bhajanti — reciprocate; eke — some; etat — this; naḥ — to us; brūhi — speak; sādhu — properly; bhoḥ — O dear one.
TRANSLATION
The gopīs said: Some people reciprocate the affection only of those who are affectionate toward them, while others show affection even to those who are indifferent or inimical. And yet others will not show affection toward anyone. Dear Kṛṣṇa, please properly explain this matter to us.
VERSE 10.32.17
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
mitho bhajanti ye sakhyaḥ
svārthaikāntodyamā hi te
na tatra sauhṛdaṁ dharmaḥ
svārthārthaṁ tad dhi nānyathā
SYNONYMS
śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; mithaḥ — mutually; bhajanti — reciprocate; ye — who; sakhyaḥ — friends; sva-artha — for their own sake; eka-anta — exclusively; udyamāḥ — whose endeavor; hi — indeed; te — they; na — not; tatra — therein; sauhṛdam — true friendship; dharmaḥ — true religiosity; sva-artha — of their own benefit; artham — for the sake; tat — that; hi — indeed; na — not; anyathā — otherwise.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: So-called friends who show affection for each other only to benefit themselves are actually selfish. They have no true friendship, nor are they following the true principles of religion. Indeed, if they did not expect benefit for themselves, they would not reciprocate.
VERSE 10.32.18
bhajanty abhajato ye vai
karuṇāḥ pitarau yathā
dharmo nirapavādo ’tra
sauhṛdaṁ ca su-madhyamāḥ
SYNONYMS
bhajanti — they devotedly serve; abhajataḥ — with those who do not reciprocate with them; ye — those who; vai — indeed; karuṇāḥ — merciful; pitarau — parents; yathā — as; dharmaḥ — religious duty; nirapavādaḥ — faultless; atra — in this; sauhṛdam — friendship; ca — and; su-madhyamāḥ — O slender-waisted ones.
TRANSLATION
My dear slender-waisted gopīs, some people are genuinely merciful or, like parents, naturally affectionate. Such persons, who devotedly serve even those who fail to reciprocate with them, are following the true, faultless path of religion, and they are true well-wishers.
VERSE 10.32.19
bhajato ’pi na vai kecid
bhajanty abhajataḥ kutaḥ
ātmārāmā hy āpta-kāmā
akṛta-jñā guru-druhaḥ
SYNONYMS
bhajataḥ — with those who are acting favorably; api — even; na — not; vai — certainly; kecit — some; bhajanti — reciprocate; abhajataḥ — with those who are not acting favorably; kutaḥ — what to speak of; ātma-ārāmāḥ — the self-satisfied; hi — indeed; āpta-kāmāḥ — those who have already attained their material desires; akṛta-jñāḥ — those who are ungrateful; guru-druhaḥ — those who are inimical to superiors.
TRANSLATION
Then there are those individuals who are spiritually self-satisfied, materially fulfilled or by nature ungrateful or simply envious of superiors. Such persons will not love even those who love them, what to speak of those who are inimical.
VERSE 10.32.20
nāhaṁ tu sakhyo bhajato ’pi jantūn
bhajāmy amīṣām anuvṛtti-vṛttaye
yathādhano labdha-dhane vinaṣṭe
tac-cintayānyan nibhṛto na veda
SYNONYMS
na — do not; aham — I; tu — on the other hand; sakhyaḥ — O friends; bhajataḥ — worshiping; api — even; jantūn — with living beings; bhajāmi — reciprocate; amīṣām — their; anuvṛtti — propensity (for pure love); vṛttaye — in order to impel; yathā — just as; adhanaḥ — a poor man; labdha — having obtained; dhane — wealth; vinaṣṭe — and it being lost; tat — of that; cintayā — with anxious thought; anyat — anything else; nibhṛtaḥ — filled; na veda — does not know.
TRANSLATION
But the reason I do not immediately reciprocate the affection of living beings even when they worship Me, O gopīs, is that I want to intensify their loving devotion. They then become like a poor man who has gained some wealth and then lost it, and who thus becomes so anxious about it that he can think of nothing else.
VERSE 10.32.21
evaṁ mad-arthojjhita-loka-veda
svānām hi vo mayy anuvṛttaye ’balāḥ
mayāparokṣaṁ bhajatā tirohitaṁ
māsūyituṁ mārhatha tat priyaṁ priyāḥ
SYNONYMS
evam — thus; mat — My; artha — for the sake; ujjhita — having rejected; loka — worldly opinion; veda — the opinion of the Vedas; svānām — and relatives; hi — indeed; vaḥ — of you; mayi — for Me; anuvṛttaye — for the loving propensity; abalāḥ — My dear girls; mayā — by Me; aparokṣam — removed from your sight; bhajatā — who is actually reciprocating; tirohitam — the disappearance; mā — with Me; asūyitum — to be inimical; ma arhatha — you should not; tat — therefore; priyam — with your beloved; priyāḥ — My dear beloveds.
TRANSLATION
My dear girls, understanding that simply for My sake you had rejected the authority of worldly opinion, of the Vedas and of your relatives, I acted as I did only to increase your attachment to Me. Even when I removed Myself from your sight by suddenly disappearing, I never stopped loving you. Therefore, My beloved gopīs, please do not harbor any bad feelings toward Me, your beloved.
VERSE 10.32.22
na pāraye ’haṁ niravadya-saṁyujāṁ
sva-sādhu-kṛtyaṁ vibudhāyuṣāpi vaḥ
yā mābhajan durjara-geha-śṛṅkhalāḥ
saṁvṛścya tad vaḥ pratiyātu sādhunā
SYNONYMS
na — not; pāraye — am able to make; aham — I; niravadya-saṁyujām — to those who are completely free from deceit; sva-sādhu-kṛtyam — proper compensation; vibudha-āyuṣā — with a lifetime as long as that of the demigods; api — although; vaḥ — to you; yāḥ — who; mā — Me; abhajan — have worshiped; durjara — difficult to overcome; geha-śṛṅkhalāḥ — the chains of household life; saṁvṛścya — cutting; tat — that; vaḥ — of you; pratiyātu — let it be returned; sādhunā — by the good activity itself.
TRANSLATION
I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahmā. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation.