Shloka 13
Veṇu-gīta-āhvāna and the Gopīs’ Appeal: The Opening of Rāsa-līlā
श्रीशुक उवाच उक्तं पुरस्तादेतत्ते चैद्य: सिद्धिं यथा गत: । द्विषन्नपि हृषीकेशं किमुताधोक्षजप्रिया: ॥ १३ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca uktaṁ purastād etat te caidyaḥ siddhiṁ yathā gataḥ dviṣann api hṛṣīkeśaṁ kim utādhokṣaja-priyāḥ
Śukadeva sagte: Das habe ich dir schon zuvor erklärt: wie Śiśupāla, der König von Caidya, Vollkommenheit erlangte. Wenn selbst einer, der Hṛṣīkeśa hasste, das Ziel erreichte, wie viel mehr erst die lieben Geweihten des Adhokṣaja!
Although the spiritual nature of conditioned souls may be covered by illusion, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s spiritual nature is omnipotent and is never covered by any other power. In fact, all other powers are His energy and thus function according to His will. The Brahma-saṁhitā (5.44) states, sṛṣṭi sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā/ chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā / icchānurūpam api yasya ca ceṣṭate sā : “The mighty Durgā, who creates, maintains and annihilates the material worlds, is the potency of the Supreme Lord, and she moves like His shadow, according to His desire.” Thus because the Lord’s spiritual influence does not depend on whether someone understands Him or not, the gopīs’ spontaneous love for Kṛṣṇa guaranteed their spiritual perfection.
FAQs
This verse states that Śiśupāla attained perfection because—even in hatred—his mind was absorbed in Kṛṣṇa (Hṛṣīkeśa).
He contrasts hostile absorption with loving devotion: if even an enemy attained perfection by focusing on Kṛṣṇa, then the gopīs—beloved of Adhokṣaja—are certainly supremely qualified.
The verse highlights the transformative power of sustained remembrance of Kṛṣṇa; cultivating loving remembrance (bhakti) is the safest and highest application.