Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 12
Gopī-gīta in Separation: The Flute’s Call and Vraja’s Ecstatic Response
सहबल: स्रगवतंसविलास: सानुषु क्षितिभृतो व्रजदेव्य: । हर्षयन् यर्हि वेणुरवेण जातहर्ष उपरम्भति विश्वम् ॥ १२ ॥ महदतिक्रमणशङ्कितचेता मन्दमन्दमनुगर्जति मेघ: । सुहृदमभ्यवर्षत् सुमनोभि- श्छायया च विदधत् प्रतपत्रम् ॥ १३ ॥
saha-balaḥ srag-avataṁsa-vilāsaḥ sānuṣu kṣiti-bhṛto vraja-devyaḥ harṣayan yarhi veṇu-raveṇa jāta-harṣa uparambhati viśvam
O goddesses of Vraja, when Kṛṣṇa is enjoying Himself with Balarāma on the mountain slopes, playfully wearing a flower garland on the top of His head, He engladdens all with the resonant vibrations of His flute. Thus He delights the entire world. At that time the nearby cloud, afraid of offending a great personality, thunders very gently in accompaniment. The cloud showers flowers onto his dear friend Kṛṣṇa and shades Him from the sun like an umbrella.
FAQs
This verse says Kṛṣṇa’s veṇu (flute) sound awakens joy—first in the Vraja-gopīs, and through them it is described as enlivening the entire universe.
The verse highlights Kṛṣṇa’s Vraja-līlā as shared with His brother Balarāma—showing the sweetness of their companionship while Kṛṣṇa delights the residents of Vraja.
By hearing and chanting about Kṛṣṇa with attention—especially His Vraja pastimes—one can feel the heart ‘awaken’ toward devotion, similar to how the gopīs are stirred by His flute.