Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 11
Gopī-gīta: The Song of the Gopīs in Separation
Viraha-bhakti
चलसि यद् व्रजाच्चारयन् पशून् नलिनसुन्दरं नाथ ते पदम् । शिलतृणाङ्कुरै: सीदतीति न: कलिलतां मन: कान्त गच्छति ॥ ११ ॥
calasi yad vrajāc cārayan paśūn nalina-sundaraṁ nātha te padam śila-tṛṇāṅkuraiḥ sīdatīti naḥ kalilatāṁ manaḥ kānta gacchati
Dear master, dear beloved, when You leave Vraja to herd the cows, our minds grow troubled, fearing that Your lotus-beautiful feet may be hurt by pebbles, rough grass, and sharp sprouts.
FAQs
The gopīs express intense loving concern that Kṛṣṇa’s lotus-soft feet may be injured while He herds cows; this anxiety is a hallmark of pure, selfless bhakti focused on His comfort, not their own.
Because Kṛṣṇa has left Vraja, and in separation they vividly remember His daily cowherd walks; their love transforms remembrance into compassionate worry, deepening their absorption in Him.
It teaches to cultivate devotion that cares for the Lord’s pleasure—serving with empathy, attentiveness, and remembrance—turning the mind from self-centeredness to loving concern and steady bhakti.