Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच तं वीक्ष्य कृष्णानुचरं व्रजस्‍त्रिय: प्रलम्बबाहुं नवकञ्जलोचनम् । पीताम्बरं पुष्करमालिनं लस- न्मुखारविन्दं परिमृष्टकुण्डलम् ॥ १ ॥ सुविस्मिता: कोऽयमपीव्यदर्शन: कुतश्च कस्याच्युतवेषभूषण: । इति स्म सर्वा: परिवव्रुरुत्सुका- स्तमुत्तम:श्लोकपदाम्बुजाश्रयम् ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca taṁ vīkṣya kṛṣānucaraṁ vraja-striyaḥ pralamba-bāhuṁ nava-kañja-locanam pītāmbaraṁ puṣkara-mālinaṁ lasan- mukhāravindaṁ parimṛṣṭa-kuṇḍalam

Translation

Śukadeva dit : En voyant le serviteur de Kṛṣṇa, les jeunes femmes de Vraja furent saisies d’étonnement : ses bras étaient longs, ses yeux pareils à un lotus tout juste éclos; il portait le pītāmbara jaune et une guirlande de lotus, et son visage-lotus rayonnait grâce à des boucles d’oreilles polies et brillantes. « Qui est cet homme si beau ? D’où vient-il, et qui sert-il ? Il porte les vêtements et les ornements d’Acyuta ! » dirent-elles. Ainsi, les gopīs, pleines d’empressement, entourèrent Uddhava, réfugié aux pieds de lotus du Seigneur Uttamaḥśloka, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Synonyms

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• praśrayeṇa: with humility
• praśrayeṇa: Karana (करण/Instrument; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• avanatāḥ: bowed down
• avanatāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ava-√nam (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP used adjectivally), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘bowed down’ (of the women)

• su-sat-kṛtam: well-honored/respectfully received
• su-sat-kṛtam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + sat (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ + kta)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (सु + सत्कृत), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of tam)

• sa-vrīḍa-hāsa-īkṣaṇa-sūnṛta-ādibhiḥ: with shy smiles, glances, gentle words, etc.
• sa-vrīḍa-hāsa-īkṣaṇa-sūnṛta-ādibhiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument; means/manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (प्रातिपदिक) + vrīḍā (प्रातिपदिक) + hāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sūnṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष/समाहार-द्वन्द्वभाव: ‘सव्रीडहासेक्षणसूनृतादि’ (with shy smiles, glances, gentle words, etc.), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार), तृतीया, बहुवचन

• rahasī: in private
• rahasī: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: rahas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘in private/secretly’; Vedic/epic locative-avyaya usage)

• apṛcchan: they asked
• apṛcchan: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√prach (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• upaviṣṭam: seated
• upaviṣṭam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√viś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of tam)

• āsane: on a seat
• āsane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• vijñāya: having recognized
• vijñāya: Kriya (क्रिया/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√jñā (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund): ‘having understood/recognizing’

• sandeśa-haram: a message-bearer
• sandeśa-haram: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to tam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandeśa (प्रातिपदिक) + hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारयार्थ: ‘सन्देशं हरति’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ramā-pateḥ: of the Lord of Ramā (Lakṣmī)
• ramā-pateḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ramā (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘रमायाः पतिः’ = Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Kṛṣṇa (Acyuta, Uttamaḥśloka)
• Vraja-striyaḥ (the gopīs of Vraja)
• Kṛṣṇa’s attendant/messenger (Uddhava)

FAQs

Who is the ‘Kṛṣṇa-anucara’ (Kṛṣṇa’s attendant) seen by the gopīs in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.47?

It refers to Uddhava, Kṛṣṇa’s close associate, who comes to Vraja as Kṛṣṇa’s messenger.

Why were the gopīs astonished to see someone wearing Acyuta’s dress and ornaments?

Because Uddhava resembled Kṛṣṇa’s own style—yellow garments and ornaments—stirring their intense remembrance and longing for Kṛṣṇa in separation.

What is a practical lesson from the gopīs surrounding the Lord’s devotee?

Honoring and eagerly hearing from a sincere devotee—one sheltered at the Lord’s lotus feet—nourishes remembrance of God and deepens bhakti in daily life.