Shloka 37

Uddhava Meets the Gopīs: Bhramara-gītā and Kṛṣṇa’s Message of Separation

Devanagari script

या मया क्रीडता रात्र्यां वनेऽस्मिन्व्रज आस्थिता: । अलब्धरासा: कल्याण्यो मापुर्मद्वीर्यचिन्तया ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

yā mayā krīḍatā rātryāṁ vane ’smin vraja āsthitāḥ alabdha-rāsāḥ kalyāṇyo māpur mad-vīrya-cintayā

Translation

ومع أن بعض الغوبيات المباركات بقين في قرية فْرَجَا فلم يستطعن الانضمام إلى راسا حين كنت ألهو ليلًا في هذا الغاب، فقد نلنني بتأمّل ليلاي المفعمة بالقدرة.

Synonyms

• yāḥ: who (those women)
• yāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); relative pronoun

• mayā: by me/with me
• mayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• krīḍatā: while playing
• krīḍatā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: krīḍ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with implied ‘me’ (mayā)

• rātryām: at night
• rātryām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th—सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th—सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th—सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vraje: in Vraja
• vraje: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vraja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th—सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• āsthitāḥ: having stayed
• āsthitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-sthā (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘having stayed/been situated’

• alabdha-rāsāḥ: not having obtained the rāsa (dance/joy)
• alabdha-rāsāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-labdha + rāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying yāḥ/kalyāṇyaḥ

• kalyāṇyaḥ: the auspicious ladies
• kalyāṇyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalyāṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); vocative-like address possible, but form is nominative plural

• mā: do not
• mā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: Prohibitive particle used with injunctive/aorist (निषेधार्थक)

• āpuḥ: they attained/they got
• āpuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (धातु)
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); used with mā as prohibitive

• mat-vīrya-cintayā: by thinking of my prowess
• mat-vīrya-cintayā: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad + vīrya + cintā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); cause/instrument

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Uddhava
• Gopis (Vraja-devīs)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about the gopīs’ suffering in separation from Krishna?

This verse conveys Krishna’s concern that the gopīs should not fall into inauspiciousness by obsessive brooding; their love is sacred, and He seeks to soothe their distress through His message.

Why did Krishna send this message to the gopīs through Uddhava in Canto 10 Chapter 47?

Krishna sent Uddhava to Vraja to console the gopīs and deliver His words, acknowledging their sacrifice and guiding them to remain spiritually steady rather than be overwhelmed by anguish.

Practical application of viraha-bhakti (devotion in separation) in modern life?

Channel longing into steady remembrance and devotional practice—japa, kīrtana, service, and hearing—without collapsing into despair; let love deepen faith rather than disturb the mind.