Shloka 16
The Kātyāyanī-vrata, the Stealing of the Gopīs’ Garments, and Kṛṣṇa’s Teaching on Purified Desire
श्रीभगवानुवाच भवत्यो यदि मे दास्यो मयोक्तं वा करिष्यथ । अत्रागत्य स्ववासांसि प्रतीच्छत शुचिस्मिता: । नो चेन्नाहं प्रदास्ये किं क्रुद्धो राजा करिष्यति ॥ १६ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca bhavatyo yadi me dāsyo mayoktaṁ vā kariṣyatha atrāgatya sva-vāsāṁsi pratīcchata śuci-smitāḥ no cen nāhaṁ pradāsye kiṁ kruddho rājā kariṣyati
ພຣະຜູ້ເປັນເຈົ້າສູງສຸດໄດ້ກ່າວວ່າ: ຖ້າພວກເຈົ້າເປັນຜູ້ຮັບໃຊ້ຂອງຂ້ອຍແທ້ໆ, ແລະຖ້າພວກເຈົ້າຈະເຮັດໃນສິ່ງທີ່ຂ້ອຍເວົ້າແທ້ໆ, ຈົ່ງມາທີ່ນີ້ດ້ວຍຮອຍຍິ້ມທີ່ບໍລິສຸດຂອງເຈົ້າແລະໃຫ້ເດັກຍິງແຕ່ລະຄົນເລືອກເອົາເຄື່ອງນຸ່ງຂອງນາງ. ຖ້າເຈົ້າບໍ່ເຮັດຕາມທີ່ຂ້ອຍເວົ້າ, ຂ້ອຍຈະບໍ່ເອົາຄືນໃຫ້ເຈົ້າ. ແລະເຖິງແມ່ນວ່າກະສັດຈະໃຈຮ້າຍ, ລາວຈະເຮັດແນວໃດ?
Śrīla Prabhupāda comments, “When the gopīs saw that Kṛṣṇa was strong and determined, they had no alternative but to abide by His order.”
FAQs
In this verse Krishna asks the gopis to follow His instruction to receive their garments, highlighting that approaching Him with obedience and surrender is central to bhakti.
Within the Vastra-harana episode, Krishna tests and deepens the gopis’ exclusive dependence on Him, directing them to come forward and accept their clothes only by complying with His words.
It teaches disciplined devotion: when spiritual guidance is given, progress comes by sincerely following it rather than negotiating from pride or fear.