Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 13

Gopī-gīta: The Song of the Gopīs in Separation

Viraha-bhakti

Devanagari script

प्रणतकामदं पद्मजार्चितं धरणिमण्डनं ध्येयमापदि । चरणपङ्कजं शन्तमं च ते रमण न: स्तनेष्वर्पयाधिहन् ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

praṇata-kāma-daṁ padmajārcitaṁ dharaṇi-maṇḍanaṁ dhyeyam āpadi caraṇa-paṅkajaṁ śantamaṁ ca te ramaṇa naḥ staneṣv arpayādhi-han

Translation

Your lotus feet, worshiped by lotus-born Brahmā, fulfill the desires of all who bow to them. They are the earth’s ornament, the giver of supreme peace, and in danger the proper object of meditation. O beloved, destroyer of distress, please place those feet upon our breasts.

Synonyms

• praṇata-kāma-dam: granting desires to the surrendered
• praṇata-kāma-dam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇata (कृदन्त; √nam (धातु) with pra-) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक; from √dā (धातु))
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; compound meaning 'giver of desires to the bowed' (प्रणतानां कामानां दम्/दातृ) qualifying caraṇa-paṅkajam

• padmaja-arcitam: worshipped by Brahmā (lotus-born)
• padmaja-arcitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: padmaja (प्रातिपदिक) + arcita (कृदन्त; √arc (धातु))
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (padmajena arcitam)

• dharaṇi-maṇḍanam: ornament of the earth
• dharaṇi-maṇḍanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharaṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (dharaṇyāḥ maṇḍanam)

• dhyeyam: to be meditated on
• dhyeyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyeya (कृदन्त; √dhyai (धातु), यत्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; gerundive (यत्) = 'to be meditated upon'

• āpadi: in distress
• āpadi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āpad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• caraṇa-paṅkajam: lotus of (your) feet
• caraṇa-paṅkajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + paṅkaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (caraṇayoḥ paṅkajam)

• śantamam: most soothing/peace-giving
• śantamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śantama (प्रातिपदिक; superlative)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; superlative (तमप्) qualifying caraṇa-paṅkajam

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

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

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

• naḥ: our
• naḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive, Plural; enclitic

• staneṣu: on (our) breasts
• staneṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: stana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• arpaya: place/offer
• arpaya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arp (धातु) [णिच् causative: arpay-]
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, Imperative), Parasmaipada, 2nd person, Singular

• ādhi-han: O destroyer of anguish
• ādhi-han: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādhi (प्रातिपदिक) + han (प्रातिपदिक/agent-noun from √han धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (ādhiṃ hanti iti)

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Brahma

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about meditating on Krishna during distress?

In this verse the gopīs call Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet “dhyeyam āpadi”—the object to be remembered and meditated upon in calamity—because His feet grant peace and remove inner suffering.

Why do the gopīs ask Krishna to place His lotus feet on their breasts in Gopī-gītā?

Overwhelmed by separation (viraha), they beg for the intimate consolation of His presence, believing His lotus feet are “śantamam” (most soothing) and “ādhi-han” (destroyers of anguish).

Practical application of taking shelter of Krishna’s lotus feet in modern life?

When anxiety or grief arises, consciously take refuge in Kṛṣṇa through prayer, japa, and remembrance of His līlā—treating His lotus feet as the mind’s safe shelter in adversity.