Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 27

Uddhava Sent to Vraja: Consolation to Nanda-Yaśodā and the Gopīs’ Separation

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच इति संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य नन्द: कृष्णानुरक्तधी: । अत्युत्कण्ठोऽभवत्तूष्णीं प्रेमप्रसरविह्वल: ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca iti saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya nandaḥ kṛṣṇānurakta-dhīḥ aty-utkaṇṭho ’bhavat tūṣṇīṁ prema-prasara-vihvalaḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus, remembering Kṛṣṇa again and again, Nanda Mahārāja—his mind wholly attached to the Lord—became intensely anxious and fell silent, overwhelmed by the surging power of his love.

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (honorific): श्रीमान् शुकः; पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; √vac ‘to speak’

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्तिबोधक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• saṁsmṛtya: having remembered
• saṁsmṛtya: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल/gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṁ + smṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable gerund); √smṛ ‘to remember’

• saṁsmṛtya: again and again remembering
• saṁsmṛtya: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल/gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṁ + smṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• nandaḥ: Nanda
• nandaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• kṛṣṇānurakta-dhīḥ: whose mind was devoted to Krishna
• kṛṣṇānurakta-dhīḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa + anurakta + dhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: कृष्णे अनुरक्ता धीः यस्य (whose mind is attached to Krishna); पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular), विशेषण of nandaḥ

• ati-utkaṇṭhaḥ: extremely eager/longing
• ati-utkaṇṭhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + utkaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास: अत्युत्कण्ठः ‘exceedingly longing’; पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• abhavat: became
• abhavat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; √bhū ‘to become’

• tūṣṇīm: silent(ly)
• tūṣṇīm: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tūṣṇīm (अव्यय)
• Form: भाववाचक अव्यय (adverb: silently)

• prema-prasara-vihvalaḥ: overwhelmed by surging love
• prema-prasara-vihvalaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prema + prasara + vihvala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): प्रेमप्रसरैः विह्वलः ‘overwhelmed by the outflow/spread of love’; पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular), विशेषण of nandaḥ

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Nanda Mahārāja
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about remembrance of Krishna in separation (viraha-bhakti)?

This verse shows that repeatedly remembering Kṛṣṇa can awaken such powerful prema that a devotee becomes silent and overwhelmed—separation intensifies loving absorption rather than diminishing it.

Why did Nanda Maharaja become silent while remembering Krishna in Canto 10 Chapter 46?

Nanda’s mind was wholly attached to Kṛṣṇa; as memories surged, intense longing arose and the force of love left him speechless.

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

Practice regular remembrance—through japa, hearing Kṛṣṇa-kathā, and reflecting on Kṛṣṇa’s qualities—so the heart’s attachment grows from routine devotion into sincere longing and deeper love.