Shloka 16
Uddhava Meets the Gopīs: Bhramara-gītā and Kṛṣṇa’s Message of Separation
विसृज शिरसि पादं वेद्म्यहं चाटुकारै- रनुनयविदुषस्तेऽभ्येत्य दौत्यैर्मुकुन्दात् । स्वकृत इह विसृष्टापत्यपत्यन्यलोका व्यसृजदकृतचेता: किं नु सन्धेयमस्मिन् ॥ १६ ॥
visṛja śirasi pādaṁ vedmy ahaṁ cātu-kārair anunaya-viduṣas te ’bhyetya dautyair mukundāt sva-kṛta iha viṣṛṣṭāpatya-paty-anya-lokā vyasṛjad akṛta-cetāḥ kiṁ nu sandheyam asmin
No pongas tu cabeza a mis pies; sé bien lo que haces. Aprendiste de Mukunda el arte de la lisonja y la persuasión, y ahora vienes como su mensajero. Pero Él abandonó incluso a quienes, sólo por Él, dejaron hijos, esposos y toda relación. Es ingrato; ¿por qué habría yo de reconciliarme con Él ahora?
According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, this verse illustrates the qualities of sañjalpa, as described by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in the following verse of his Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi (14.190):
FAQs
It shows that the gopīs’ love is so exclusive that Kṛṣṇa’s physical absence feels like abandonment, and their devotion intensifies into uncompromising surrender and truth-speaking to His messenger.
She speaks with sharp irony and intense emotion: outwardly offering reverence, yet simultaneously exposing that she recognizes Uddhava’s role as Kṛṣṇa’s persuasive envoy and doubts any reconciliation is possible.
It cautions against superficial consolation in spiritual pain and encourages honest prayer: bring one’s real feelings to God, while remaining steady in devotion even when circumstances feel like rejection.