Shloka 18

Uddhava Sent to Vraja: Consolation to Nanda-Yaśodā and the Gopīs’ Separation

Devanagari script

अपि स्मरति न: कृष्णो मातरं सुहृद: सखीन् । गोपान् व्रजं चात्मनाथं गावो वृन्दावनं गिरिम् ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

api smarati naḥ kṛṣṇo mātaraṁ suhṛdaḥ sakhīn gopān vrajaṁ cātma-nāthaṁ gāvo vṛndāvanaṁ girim

Translation

Apakah Kṛṣṇa mengingat kami? Apakah Ia mengingat ibu-Nya, para sahabat dan para welas-asih? Apakah Ia mengingat para gopa, Vraja yang Ia lindungi sebagai tuannya, juga sapi-sapi, hutan Vṛndāvana dan Bukit Govardhana?

Synonyms

• अपि: whether/indeed
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्न/सम्भावना-सूचक particle (interrogative/possibility)

• स्मरति: remembers
• स्मरति: Kriya (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• नः: of us/our
• नः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (plural); enclitic form

• कृष्णः: Krishna
• कृष्णः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• सुहृदः: well-wishers/friends
• सुहृदः: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

• सखीन्: companions/friends
• सखीन्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

• गोपान्: cowherd men
• गोपान्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

• व्रजम्: Vraja (cowherd settlement)
• व्रजम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक conjunction

• आत्मनाथम्: (Vraja) whose lord is himself/our own master
• आत्मनाथम्: Karma (कर्म/object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa) ‘आत्मनः नाथः’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

• वृन्दावनम्: Vrindavana
• वृन्दावनम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृन्दावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• गिरिम्: the mountain (Govardhana)
• गिरिम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Mother Yashoda
• Uddhava

FAQs

Does Krishna remember the gopīs and Vṛndāvana according to Srimad Bhagavatam 10.46.18?

In this verse the gopīs intensely ask whether Kṛṣṇa remembers them—His mother, friends, the gopas, the cows, Vṛndāvana and Govardhana—expressing the depth of Vraja’s love in separation.

Why do the gopīs ask Uddhava if Krishna remembers them?

Uddhava arrives in Vraja as Kṛṣṇa’s messenger; overwhelmed by separation, the gopīs question him, revealing that their entire life is sustained by remembrance of Kṛṣṇa and longing for His return.

How can I apply the teaching of viraha-bhakti (devotion in separation) in modern life?

Keep Kṛṣṇa present through daily smaraṇa—hearing and chanting His names and pastimes—turning longing and life’s distance into steady remembrance and heartfelt prayer, as modeled by the gopīs.