Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 15

Gopī-gīta: The Song of the Gopīs in Separation

Viraha-bhakti

Devanagari script

अटति यद् भवानह्नि काननं त्रुटि युगायते त्वामपश्यताम् । कुटिलकुन्तलं श्रीमुखं च ते जड उदीक्षतां पक्ष्मकृद् दृशाम् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

aṭati yad bhavān ahni kānanaṁ truṭi yugāyate tvām apaśyatām kuṭila-kuntalaṁ śrī-mukhaṁ ca te jaḍa udīkṣatāṁ pakṣma-kṛd dṛśām

Translation

あなたが昼に森へ行かれると、あなたを見られぬ私たちには、刹那さえも一劫のように長く感じられます。さらに、巻き毛に飾られた麗しい御顔を切に見つめても、愚かな造り主の作ったまぶたが喜びを妨げます。

Synonyms

• aṭati: wanders/goes about
• aṭati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: aṭ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• yat: when/that
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (relative particle/सम्बन्धबोधक)

• bhavān: you (honorific)
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ahni: in the daytime
• ahni: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• kānanam: the forest
• kānanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• truṭi: a moment
• truṭi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: truṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समय-परिमाण (a moment)

• yugāyate: becomes like an age
• yugāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yugāya (धातु; युग-आयते denom.)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• apaśyatām: of those not seeing (you)
• apaśyatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष?; वस्तुतः ‘अपश्यताम्’ = षष्ठी-बहुवचन (Genitive plural) वर्तमान-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त-सम्बन्ध: ‘(those) not seeing’ इति; पद्ये ‘tvām apaśyatām’ = ‘of those who do not see you’

• kuṭila-kuntalam: with curly hair
• kuṭila-kuntalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kuṭila (प्रातिपदिक) + kuntala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• śrī-mukham: your beautiful face
• śrī-mukham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śriyāḥ mukham / auspicious face)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• te: of you/your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• jaḍa: O dull one (teasing address)
• jaḍa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• udīkṣatām: of those who are gazing
• udīkṣatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present) कृदन्त-सम्बन्ध: शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययार्थ ‘उदीक्षताम्’ = षष्ठी-बहुवचन (Genitive plural) ‘of those who are looking’

• pakṣma-kṛt: the maker of eyelashes (i.e., creator)
• pakṣma-kṛt: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣman (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/सम्बोधन? एकवचन; कृदन्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय ‘कृत्’ = maker); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘pakṣmaṇām kṛt’

• dṛśām: of the eyes
• dṛśām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dṛś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• The gopīs of Vraja

FAQs

What is the meaning of Bhagavatam 10.31.15 (Gopi Gita)?

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.

Why do the gopīs complain about eyelids in the Srimad Bhagavatam?

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.

How can I apply the gopīs’ mood of separation (viraha) in modern devotional life?

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.