Gopī-gīta: The Song of the Gopīs in Separation
Viraha-bhakti
अटति यद् भवानह्नि काननं त्रुटि युगायते त्वामपश्यताम् । कुटिलकुन्तलं श्रीमुखं च ते जड उदीक्षतां पक्ष्मकृद् दृशाम् ॥ १५ ॥
aṭati yad bhavān ahni kānanaṁ truṭi yugāyate tvām apaśyatām kuṭila-kuntalaṁ śrī-mukhaṁ ca te jaḍa udīkṣatāṁ pakṣma-kṛd dṛśām
Saat Engkau pergi ke hutan pada siang hari, bagi kami yang tak dapat memandang-Mu, sekejap pun terasa seperti satu yuga. Bahkan ketika kami menatap wajah-Mu yang indah, dihiasi ikal rambut, kelopak mata—ciptaan sang pembuat yang dungu—menghalangi kenikmatan kami.
The gopīs say that when Kṛṣṇa roams the forest during the day, even a moment feels like an age without His sight, and even when they see His beautiful face, blinking (eyelids) interrupts their darśana—showing the intensity of their loving devotion.
Because their longing to behold Kṛṣṇa is so intense that even a blink feels like an obstacle; the verse poetically criticizes the creator (pakṣma-kṛt) for making eyelids that momentarily block Kṛṣṇa’s vision.
Use their example to deepen remembrance: regularly chant Kṛṣṇa’s names, hear His līlās, and treat moments away from bhakti practices as a loss—turning longing into steady daily sādhanā.