Shloka 11

Gopī-gīta: The Song of the Gopīs in Separation

Viraha-bhakti

Devanagari script

चलसि यद् व्रजाच्चारयन् पशून् नलिनसुन्दरं नाथ ते पदम् । शिलतृणाङ्कुरै: सीदतीति न: कलिलतां मन: कान्त गच्छति ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

calasi yad vrajāc cārayan paśūn nalina-sundaraṁ nātha te padam śila-tṛṇāṅkuraiḥ sīdatīti naḥ kalilatāṁ manaḥ kānta gacchati

Translation

Ô Maître, ô Bien-aimé, lorsque Tu quittes Vraja pour mener paître les troupeaux, notre esprit se trouble à l’idée que Tes pieds, plus beaux que le lotus, puissent être piqués par les cailloux, l’herbe rude et les pousses acérées.

Synonyms

• calasi: you walk
• calasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cal (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• yat: when/because
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Conjunctional relative particle (यत् = because/when), avyaya usage

• vrajāt: from Vraja
• vrajāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vraja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• cārayan: grazing/leading (to graze)
• cārayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (धातु) (शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with implied subject tvam

• paśūn: the cattle
• paśūn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• nalina-sundaram: lotus-beautiful
• nalina-sundaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nalina (प्रातिपदिक) + sundara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; कर्मधारय (nalinam iva sundaram) qualifying padam

• nātha: O lord
• nātha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• padam: foot
• padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• śilā-tṛṇa-aṅkuraiḥ: by stones, grass, and sprouts
• śilā-tṛṇa-aṅkuraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śilā (प्रातिपदिक) + tṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅkura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (stones, grass, sprouts)

• sīdati: suffers/is pained
• sīdati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sad (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (उद्धरण-चिह्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति)

• naḥ: our
• naḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive, Plural; enclitic

• kalilatām: turbidity/confusion
• kalilatām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalilatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• manaḥ: mind
• manaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• kānta: O beloved
• kānta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• gacchati: goes/comes to
• gacchati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What is the meaning of the Gopī-gīta verse about Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet being hurt?

The gopīs express intense loving concern that Kṛṣṇa’s lotus-soft feet may be injured while He herds cows; this anxiety is a hallmark of pure, selfless bhakti focused on His comfort, not their own.

Why do the gopīs speak about stones and grass hurting Kṛṣṇa’s feet in Bhagavatam 10.31?

Because Kṛṣṇa has left Vraja, and in separation they vividly remember His daily cowherd walks; their love transforms remembrance into compassionate worry, deepening their absorption in Him.

How can this shloka be applied in modern devotional life?

It teaches to cultivate devotion that cares for the Lord’s pleasure—serving with empathy, attentiveness, and remembrance—turning the mind from self-centeredness to loving concern and steady bhakti.