Shloka 1

Gopī-Vipralambha: The Search for Kṛṣṇa and the Revelation of Divine Footprints

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच अन्तर्हिते भगवति सहसैव व्रजाङ्गना: । अतप्यंस्तमचक्षाणा: करिण्य इव यूथपम् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca antarhite bhagavati sahasaiva vrajāṅganāḥ atapyaṁs tam acakṣāṇāḥ kariṇya iva yūthapam

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa suddenly disappeared, the women of Vraja, unable to see Him, were stricken with intense sorrow, like she-elephants who have lost their herd leader.

Synonyms

• श्री-शुकः: Śrī Śuka
• श्री-शुकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय ‘श्रीमान् शुकः’; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन

• अन्तर्हिते: (when) hidden/disappeared
• अन्तर्हिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर्हित (अन्तर्धा + √धा; क्त/भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/locative); एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक-सम्भव; ‘when (he) had disappeared’ (locative absolute with भगवति)

• भगवति: when the Lord (was)
• भगवति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन; सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध (locative absolute)

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/रीति-वाचक क्रियाविशेषण (suddenly)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात

• व्रज-अङ्गनाः: the women of Vraja
• व्रज-अङ्गनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रज (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी) ‘व्रजस्य अङ्गनाः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• अतप्यन्: they suffered/grew distressed
• अतप्यन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तप् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• अचक्षाणाः: not seeing (him)
• अचक्षाणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + √चक्ष् (धातु; शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कालिक कृदन्त (शतृ); नकारात्मक उपसर्ग ‘अ-’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; ‘not seeing’

• करिण्यः: female elephants
• करिण्यः: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक निपात (comparative particle)

• यूथपम्: the leader of the herd
• यूथपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूथप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Vraja-gopīs (vrajāṅganāḥ)

FAQs

Why did Krishna disappear from the gopis in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.30?

This verse introduces Kṛṣṇa’s sudden disappearance, which intensifies the gopīs’ single-minded love (viraha-bhakti), making their devotion burn even brighter in separation.

Who is speaking this verse in Bhagavatam 10.30.1 and to whom?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this narration to King Parīkṣit, describing the gopīs’ condition when Kṛṣṇa becomes hidden from their sight.

What is the practical lesson of the gopis’ separation from Krishna for modern devotees?

When spiritual consolation seems absent, a devotee can deepen remembrance, prayer, and sincere longing—transforming apparent distance into more focused devotion.