Shloka 5
The Kātyāyanī-vrata, the Stealing of the Gopīs’ Garments, and Kṛṣṇa’s Teaching on Purified Desire
एवं मासं व्रतं चेरु: कुमार्य: कृष्णचेतस: । भद्रकालीं समानर्चुर्भूयान्नन्दसुत: पति: ॥ ५ ॥
evaṁ māsaṁ vrataṁ ceruḥ kumāryaḥ kṛṣṇa-cetasaḥ bhadrakālīṁ samānarcur bhūyān nanda-sutaḥ patiḥ
Ainsi, durant un mois entier, les jeunes filles observèrent leur vœu, l’esprit entièrement tourné vers Kṛṣṇa. Elles adorèrent comme il se doit la déesse Bhadrakālī, nourrissant ce souhait : « Que le fils de Nanda devienne mon époux. »
FAQs
It is a month-long vow performed by the unmarried gopī maidens, worshiping the goddess (here Bhadrakālī/Kātyāyanī) with the prayer that Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda, become their husband—expressing their single-minded devotion to Him.
In the narrative, the young gopīs follow a traditional vrata and worship, but their real intent is unwavering bhakti—Kṛṣṇa is the sole object of their hearts, and the worship is offered with the desire to belong to Him completely.
It teaches focused devotion and disciplined practice: choose a sincere sādhana (regular vow/commitment), keep the mind fixed on the Lord, and let all supportive rituals strengthen that single-pointed remembrance.