Shloka 26

Gopī-gīta in Separation: The Flute’s Call and Vraja’s Ecstatic Response

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच एवं व्रजस्त्रियो राजन् कृष्णलीलानुगायती: । रेमिरेऽह:सु तच्चित्तास्तन्मनस्का महोदया: ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca evaṁ vraja-striyo rājan kṛṣṇa-līlānugāyatīḥ remire ’haḥsu tac-cittās tan-manaskā mahodayāḥ

Translation

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, in this way, during the daytime the women of Vṛndāvana delighted in continually singing the līlās of Śrī Kṛṣṇa; their hearts and minds were absorbed in Him, and they were filled with great festive joy.

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘श्रीमान् शुकः’ (honorific)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; manner-adverb

• vraja-striyaḥ: the women of Vraja
• vraja-striyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vraja (प्रातिपदिक) + strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘व्रजस्य स्त्रियः’

• rājan: O King
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• kṛṣṇa-līlā-anugāyatīḥ: singing of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes
• kṛṣṇa-līlā-anugāyatīḥ: Karma (कर्म) / Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + līlā (प्रातिपदिक) + anu-gai (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि शतृ-प्रत्यय ‘अनुगायत्/अनुगायन्ती’ (singing after), here as accusative plural feminine qualifying implied ‘स्त्रियः’ in reported content

• remire: they delighted / enjoyed
• remire: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ram (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ahaḥsu: during the days
• ahaḥsu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahar (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (irregular stem)

• tat-cittāḥ: with minds fixed on him
• tat-cittāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘तस्मिन् चित्तं यासाम्’ (their minds fixed on him)

• tat-manaskāḥ: intent on him
• tat-manaskāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘तस्मिन् मनः यासाम्’

• mahodayāḥ: most fortunate
• mahodayāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + udaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘महान् उदयः/भाग्यं यासाम्’ (highly fortunate)

Purport

This verse definitely confirms that the so-called pain of the heartbroken gopīs is actually great spiritual bliss. On the material platform, pain is pain — period. But on the spiritual platform, so-called pain is simply a different variety of spiritual ecstasy. In the Western countries, people take pleasure in mixing different flavors of ice cream to produce wonderful combinations of flavor. Similarly, on the spiritual platform Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His devotees expertly mix the flavors of spiritual bliss, and thus every day was a treat for the gopīs.

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• King Parīkṣit
• Kṛṣṇa
• Vraja-gopīs (women of Vraja)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam 10.35.26 say about the gopīs’ devotion to Kṛṣṇa?

It says the women of Vraja passed their days joyfully singing Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, with mind and consciousness fully absorbed in Him.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī address Parīkṣit Mahārāja as “rājan” in this verse?

Śukadeva is narrating Kṛṣṇa’s Vraja pastimes to Parīkṣit, the king-listener, and emphasizes the teaching by directly addressing him within the flow of the narration.

How can I apply the teaching of Bhagavatam 10.35.26 in modern life?

Cultivate daily remembrance through kīrtana and reflection on Kṛṣṇa’s līlās—keeping attention repeatedly anchored in the Divine amid ordinary routines.