Shloka 30
The Brāhmaṇas’ Wives Blessed (Brāhmaṇa-patnī-prasāda) — Ritualism Humbled by Bhakti
गृह्णन्ति नो न पतय: पितरौ सुता वा न भ्रातृबन्धुसुहृद: कुत एव चान्ये । तस्माद् भवत्प्रपदयो: पतितात्मनां नो नान्या भवेद् गतिररिन्दम तद् विधेहि ॥ ३० ॥
gṛhṇanti no na patayaḥ pitarau sutā vā na bhrātṛ-bandhu-suhṛdaḥ kuta eva cānye tasmād bhavat-prapadayoḥ patitātmanāṁ no nānyā bhaved gatir arindama tad vidhehi
Our husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, relatives and friends will no longer accept us—who else could give us shelter? Therefore we have fallen at Your lotus feet; O chastiser of enemies, we have no other refuge—please fulfill our prayer.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura comments as follows: “From their very youth the brāhmaṇas’ wives had heard about Lord Kṛṣṇa’s beauty, qualities and sweetness from the womenfolk of Vṛndāvana village, and also from the flower ladies, the betel-nut sellers and others. Consequently they always felt ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa and were indifferent to their household duties. Their husbands, seeing them as deviant, doubted them and avoided dealing with them as far as possible. Now the wives of the brāhmaṇas were ready to formally reject their so-called families and neighbors, and out of great agitation they were crying and placing their heads upon Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, offering obeisances. In this way, with choking voices, they spoke the above verse. They begged that Lord Kṛṣṇa bestow upon them the benediction that He be their only destination, that He, the chastiser of enemies, subdue all their enemies — those difficulties obstructing them from attaining the Lord.”
FAQs
This verse declares that when all worldly supports fail—family, friends, society—one who has surrendered at Krishna’s feet has no other refuge, and Krishna alone should be relied upon as the final shelter.
They had left home to approach Krishna out of pure devotion; fearing social and familial rejection for breaking conventional expectations, they confess their helplessness and depend wholly on Krishna to protect and guide them.
When devotion brings misunderstanding or loss of approval, remain steady in sincere spiritual practice and place ultimate dependence on God’s guidance rather than on changing social validation.