Shloka 14

Uddhava’s Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa and the Theology of the Lord’s Disappearance

Devanagari script

यस्यानुरागप्लुतहासरास- लीलावलोकप्रतिलब्धमाना: । व्रजस्त्रियो द‍ृग्भिरनुप्रवृत्त- धियोऽवतस्थु: किल कृत्यशेषा: ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

yasyānurāga-pluta-hāsa-rāsa- līlāvaloka-pratilabdha-mānāḥ vraja-striyo dṛgbhir anupravṛtta- dhiyo ’vatasthuḥ kila kṛtya-śeṣāḥ

Translation

The maidens of Vraja, whose hearts were filled through love-soaked laughter, sweet līlās, and exchanges of glances, were anguished when Kṛṣṇa departed. They followed Him with their eyes and then sat stunned in mind, unable to finish their household duties.

Synonyms

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — ‘whose’

• अनुराग-प्लुत-हास-रास-लीला-अवलोक-प्रतिलब्ध-मानाः: whose pride was restored by (his) loving smile and rāsa-līlā glance
• अनुराग-प्लुत-हास-रास-लीला-अवलोक-प्रतिलब्ध-मानाः: विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुराग (प्रातिपदिक) + प्लुत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक ‘flooded/filled’) + हास (प्रातिपदिक) + रास (प्रातिपदिक) + लीला (प्रातिपदिक) + अवलोक (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतिलब्ध (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP) + मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative chain; ‘having regained pride/esteem through the glance at the līlā of the rāsa and smile filled with love’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — qualifying ‘व्रजस्त्रियः’

• व्रज-स्त्रियः: the women of Vraja
• व्रज-स्त्रियः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रज (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘of Vraja’ + ‘women’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘the women of Vraja’

• दृग्भिः: with (their) eyes
• दृग्भिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृश्/दृक् (प्रातिपदिक ‘eye/sight’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — ‘with (their) eyes’

• अनुप्रवृत्त-धियः: with minds following (him)
• अनुप्रवृत्त-धियः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘व्रजस्त्रियः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु+प्र+वृत् (धातु) → अनुप्रवृत्त (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP) + धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय: ‘following/engaged’ + ‘minds’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘whose minds followed (him)’

• अवतस्थुः: remained/stood
• अवतस्थुः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — ‘stood/remained’

• किल: indeed/it is said
• किल: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (particle; report/emphasis)

• कृत्य-शेषाः: with duties left undone
• कृत्य-शेषाः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक ‘duty/task’) + शेष (प्रातिपदिक ‘remaining’)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: ‘remaining duties’ → ‘with duties remaining/unfinished’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — qualifying ‘व्रजस्त्रियः’

Purport

In His boyhood at Vṛndāvana, Lord Kṛṣṇa was notorious as a teasing friend in transcendental love to all the girls His age. His love for them was so intense that there is no comparison to that ecstasy, and the damsels of Vraja were so much attached to Him that their affection excelled that of the great demigods like Brahmā and Śiva. Lord Kṛṣṇa finally admitted His defeat before the transcendental affection of the gopīs and declared that He was unable to repay them for their unalloyed affection. Although the gopīs were seemingly anguished by the Lord’s teasing behavior, when Kṛṣṇa would leave them they could not tolerate the separation and used to follow Him with their eyes and minds. They were so stunned by the situation that they could not finish their household duties. No one could excel Him even in the dealing of love exchanged between boys and girls. It is said in the revealed scriptures that Lord Kṛṣṇa personally never goes beyond the boundary of Vṛndāvana. He remains there eternally because of the transcendental love of the inhabitants. Thus even though He is not visible at present, He is not away from Vṛndāvana for a moment.

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vraja-striyaḥ (Gopīs)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about the devotion of the gopīs of Vraja?

This verse describes the gopīs as so absorbed in Krishna—eyes and minds following Him—that ordinary duties feel completed, showing the intensity of their single-minded bhakti.

Why is Śukadeva Gosvāmī describing the Vraja women in Canto 3 Chapter 2?

In this chapter, Śukadeva helps Parīkṣit remember Krishna after His departure by recalling Krishna’s intimate Vraja pastimes and the unparalleled love of His devotees.

How can I apply this teaching of absorption in Krishna in modern life?

Practice focused remembrance—through japa, kīrtana, and hearing Krishna-kathā—so the mind naturally “follows” Krishna, reducing distraction and making daily duties spiritually centered.