Shloka 38

Uddhava Meets the Gopīs: Bhramara-gītā and Kṛṣṇa’s Message of Separation

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच एवं प्रियतमादिष्टमाकर्ण्य व्रजयोषित: । ता ऊचुरुद्धवं प्रीतास्तत्सन्देशागतस्मृती: ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca evaṁ priyatamādiṣṭam ākarṇya vraja-yoṣitaḥ tā ūcur uddhavaṁ prītās tat-sandeśāgata-smṛtīḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Hearing this message from their dearmost Kṛṣṇa, the women of Vraja were delighted. His words revived their remembrance, and they spoke to Uddhava as follows.

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• priyatama-ādiṣṭam: instructed by the beloved
• priyatama-ādiṣṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priyatama + ādiṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd—द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); object of ākarṇya

• ākarṇya: having heard
• ākarṇya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-karṇ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having heard’

• vraja-yoṣitaḥ: the women of Vraja
• vraja-yoṣitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vraja + yoṣit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tāḥ: they
• tāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• uddhavam: to Uddhava
• uddhavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uddhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd—द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• prītāḥ: pleased
• prītāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); predicate adjective of tāḥ

• tat-sandeśa-āgata-smṛtīḥ: with remembrance revived by that message
• tat-sandeśa-āgata-smṛtīḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad + sandeśa + āgata + smṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘whose remembrance had come/returned due to that message’

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Uddhava
• Vraja-yoṣitaḥ (the gopīs of Vraja)
• Kṛṣṇa (implied as priyatama)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about remembering Krishna through His message?

This verse says Kṛṣṇa’s message revived the gopīs’ remembrance of Him, and that remembrance brought joy and loving responsiveness toward His devotee-messenger, Uddhava.

Why did the gopīs speak to Uddhava after hearing Krishna’s instruction?

Because Uddhava carried Kṛṣṇa’s words; hearing them rekindled their memory and love, prompting them to respond directly to the messenger who represented Kṛṣṇa’s presence.

How can devotees apply this teaching in modern life?

By regularly hearing and reading Kṛṣṇa’s words (Bhāgavatam, Gītā) and honoring saintly messengers/teachers, one can renew remembrance of Kṛṣṇa and keep devotion alive even in separation or difficulty.