Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 1

Rāsa-līlā Begins; Divine Multiplication; Moral Doubt and Its Resolution

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच इत्थं भगवतो गोप्य: श्रुत्वा वाच: सुपेशला: । जहुर्विरहजं तापं तदङ्गोपचिताशिष: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca itthaṁ bhagavato gopyaḥ śrutvā vācaḥ su-peśalāḥ jahur viraha-jaṁ tāpaṁ tad-aṅgopacitāśiṣaḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When the cowherd girls heard the Supreme Personality of Godhead speak these most charming words, they forgot their distress caused by separation from Him. Touching His transcendental limbs, they felt all their desires fulfilled.

Synonyms

• श्री-शुकः: Śrī Śuka
• श्री-शुकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (nominative/1st) एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)

• भगवतः: of the Lord
• भगवतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (genitive/6th) एकवचन

• गोप्यः: the gopīs
• गोप्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (nominative/1st) बहुवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• वाचः: words
• वाचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (accusative/2nd) बहुवचन

• सु-पेशलाः: very charming
• सु-पेशलाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + पेशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (agreeing with वाचः)

• जहुः: they gave up
• जहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• विरह-जम्: born of separation
• विरह-जम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरह (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with तापम्)

• तापम्: distress/heat of suffering
• तापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (accusative/2nd) एकवचन

• तत्-अङ्ग-उपचित-आशिषः: whose blessings were fulfilled by His touch/limbs
• तत्-अङ्ग-उपचित-आशिषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + उपचित (उप+√चि, क्त कृदन्त) + आशिस्/आशिष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (agreeing with गोप्यः); 'आशिषः' = blessings/fulfilments

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Gopīs

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about relief from separation (viraha) through Krishna?

In this verse, the gopīs’ distress born of separation is removed simply by hearing Kṛṣṇa’s charming words and receiving the blessing of His personal presence.

Why are Krishna’s words described as 'supeśalāḥ' (exquisitely charming) in Rasa Lila?

Because His speech carries divine affection and reassurance; it directly pacifies the gopīs’ hearts and restores them from the pain of viraha.

Practical application: how can hearing Krishna-kathā help in modern life?

The verse highlights śravaṇa (hearing) as transformative—absorbing the mind in Kṛṣṇa’s words can lessen anxiety and grief by reconnecting one to divine shelter and meaning.