Shloka 39
The Brāhmaṇas’ Wives Blessed (Brāhmaṇa-patnī-prasāda) — Ritualism Humbled by Bhakti
दृष्ट्वा स्त्रीणां भगवति कृष्णे भक्तिमलौकिकीम् । आत्मानं च तया हीनमनुतप्ता व्यगर्हयन् ॥ ३९ ॥
dṛṣṭvā strīṇāṁ bhagavati kṛṣṇe bhaktim alaukikīm ātmānaṁ ca tayā hīnam anutaptā vyagarhayan
Seeing their wives’ pure, otherworldly devotion to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and recognizing their own lack of bhakti, the brāhmaṇas were overwhelmed with sorrow and began to condemn themselves.
FAQs
This verse highlights that the brāhmaṇas’ wives possessed alaukikī-bhakti—spontaneous, uncommon devotion to Śrī Kṛṣṇa—so powerful that it exposed the brāhmaṇas’ lack of heartfelt devotion despite their ritual learning.
Because they saw their wives’ pure devotion to Kṛṣṇa and realized that their own religious identity and ritual engagement had not produced the same surrender and love for Bhagavān; thus they felt remorse and self-reproach.
It teaches that genuine devotion and surrender matter more than external status or mere formality—so one should cultivate sincere remembrance, service, and humility rather than relying only on credentials, rituals, or social position.