Shloka 2

Gopī-gīta in Separation: The Flute’s Call and Vraja’s Ecstatic Response

Devanagari script

श्रीगोप्य ऊचु: वामबाहुकृतवामकपोलो वल्गितभ्रुरधरार्पितवेणुम् । कोमलाङ्गुलिभिराश्रितमार्गं गोप्य ईरयति यत्र मुकुन्द: ॥ २ ॥ व्योमयानवनिता: सह सिद्धै- र्विस्मितास्तदुपधार्य सलज्जा: । काममार्गणसमर्पितचित्ता: कश्मलं ययुरपस्मृतनीव्य: ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-gopya ūcuḥ vāma-bāhu-kṛta-vāma-kapolo valgita-bhrur adharārpita-veṇum komalāṅgulibhir āśrita-mārgaṁ gopya īrayati yatra mukundaḥ

Translation

ゴーピーたちは言った。ムクンダが左腕に左頬を寄せ、眉を躍らせ、唇に笛を当て、柔らかな指で孔を押さえて甘美な音を響かせるとき――そのとき、夫であるシッダたちとともに天空を行く天女たちでさえ驚嘆して聴き入り、恥じらいに頬を染める。彼女らの心は欲の追求へと傾き、乱れて、衣の帯がほどけつつあることさえ忘れてしまう。

Synonyms

• श्री-गोप्यः: the revered gopīs
• श्री-गोप्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (उपपद) + गोपी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (honorific)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वाम-बाहु-कृत-वाम-कपोलः: whose left cheek rests on his left arm
• वाम-बाहु-कृत-वाम-कपोलः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृ धातु, क्त) + वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + कपोल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘वामबाहुना कृतः वामः कपोलः यस्य’ = whose left cheek is made/pressed by the left arm

• वल्गित-भ्रूः: with arched eyebrows
• वल्गित-भ्रूः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वल्गित (वल्ग् धातु, क्त) + भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘वल्गिते भ्रू यस्य’ = whose eyebrows are arched

• अधर-अर्पित-वेणुम्: the flute placed on (his) lips
• अधर-अर्पित-वेणुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्पित (अर्प् धातु, क्त) + वेणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः: ‘अधरे अर्पितः वेणुः’ (flute placed on the lips)

• कोमल-अङ्गुलिभिः: with tender fingers
• कोमल-अङ्गुलिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोमल (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः: ‘कोमलाः अङ्गुलयः’

• आश्रित-मार्गम्: with the holes/paths covered (by fingers)
• आश्रित-मार्गम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आश्रित (श्रि धातु + आ, क्त) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘आश्रितः मार्गः’ = the (flute’s) holes/paths being covered/occupied (contextual)

• गोप्यः: the gopīs
• गोप्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ईरयति: he plays/utters (sound)
• ईरयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (locative adverb)

• मुकुन्दः: Mukunda (Kṛṣṇa)
• मुकुन्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुकुन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Purport

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī states that this chapter consists of a collection of statements the gopīs made at various times as they stood in small groups here and there in Vṛndāvana.

Characters & Entities

• Mukunda (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s flute in Venu-gita?

In Canto 10, Chapter 35, the gopīs describe how Kṛṣṇa’s posture and flute-playing captivate all beings; His veṇu becomes a vehicle of divine attraction that draws hearts toward Him.

Why do the gopīs describe Mukunda’s posture and flute so vividly?

Because their love is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa; even small details—His cheek on His arm, moving eyebrows, flute on His lips—intensify their remembrance and express the depth of their longing.

Practical application of Venu-gita in modern life?

Train the mind to dwell on the Lord’s qualities and pastimes through śravaṇa (hearing) and smaraṇa (remembrance), replacing distraction with steady devotional contemplation.