Shloka 14

Gopī-gīta: The Song of the Gopīs in Separation

Viraha-bhakti

Devanagari script

सुरतवर्धनं शोकनाशनं स्वरितवेणुना सुष्ठु चुम्बितम् । इतररागविस्मारणं नृणां वितर वीर नस्तेऽधरामृतम् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

surata-vardhanaṁ śoka-nāśanaṁ svarita-veṇunā suṣṭhu cumbitam itara-rāga-vismāraṇaṁ nṛṇāṁ vitara vīra nas te ’dharāmṛtam

Translation

O Held, schenke uns den Nektar Deiner Lippen, der die Wonne der Liebe mehrt und Kummer vernichtet. Dieser Nektar wird von Deiner klingenden Flöte vollends gekostet und lässt die Menschen jede andere Bindung vergessen.

Synonyms

• surata-vardhanam: increasing passion/union
• surata-vardhanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: surata (प्रातिपदिक) + vardhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (suratasya vardhanam) qualifying adharāmṛtam

• śoka-nāśanam: destroying sorrow
• śoka-nāśanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (śokasya nāśanam)

• svarita-veṇunā: by the melodious flute
• svarita-veṇunā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarita (प्रातिपदिक) + veṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; तत्पुरुष (svaritena veṇunā)

• suṣṭhu: well/fully
• suṣṭhu: Sambandha (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: suṣṭhu (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• cumbitam: kissed
• cumbitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cumbita (कृदन्त; √cumb (धातु))
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; past passive participle (क्त) qualifying adharāmṛtam

• itara-rāga-vismāraṇam: causing forgetfulness of other attachments
• itara-rāga-vismāraṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: itara (प्रातिपदिक) + rāga (प्रातिपदिक) + vismāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (itarasya rāgasya vismāraṇam)

• nṛṇām: of people
• nṛṇām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• vitara: distribute/bestow
• vitara: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tṛ (धातु) with vi- (वितर = imperative)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative), Parasmaipada, 2nd person, Singular

• vīra: O hero
• vīra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• naḥ: to us
• naḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th/चतुर्थी) Plural; enclitic form used for 'to us'

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• adhara-amṛtam: nectar of (your) lips
• adhara-amṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhara (प्रातिपदिक) + amṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (adharasyāmṛtam)

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī’ s charming commentary on this verse is in the form of a dialogue between the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa:

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Vraja-gopīs
• Kṛṣṇa’s flute (veṇu)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s lips and the nectar (adharāmṛta)?

In 10.31.14 the gopīs describe Kṛṣṇa’s lips as “nectar” that increases divine love and destroys grief, so powerful that it makes all other worldly attachments fade from the heart.

Why do the gopīs mention Krishna’s flute kissing His lips?

They express loving jealousy and longing: the flute constantly touches (as if “kisses”) Kṛṣṇa’s lips and receives their nectar, while the gopīs, separated from Him, beg for that same grace and closeness.

How can this verse be applied in modern life to reduce sorrow and attachments?

The verse teaches that deep remembrance of Kṛṣṇa—through nāma-japa, kīrtana, and hearing His līlā—can dissolve grief and weaken competing cravings by redirecting the heart toward a higher taste (param dṛṣṭvā nivartate).