Shloka 21

Uddhava Meets the Gopīs: Bhramara-gītā and Kṛṣṇa’s Message of Separation

Devanagari script

अपि बत मधुपुर्यामार्यपुत्रोऽधुनास्ते स्मरति स पितृगेहान् सौम्य बन्धूंश्च गोपान् । क्व‍‍चिदपि स कथा न: किङ्करीणां गृणीते भुजमगुरुसुगन्धं मूर्ध्‍न्यधास्यत् कदा नु ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

api bata madhu-puryām ārya-putro ’dhunāste smarati sa pitṛ-gehān saumya bandhūṁś ca gopān kvacid api sa kathā naḥ kiṅkarīṇāṁ gṛṇīte bhujam aguru-sugandhaṁ mūrdhny adhāsyat kadā nu

Translation

Aduhai, putera mulia itu, Kṛṣṇa, kini tinggal di Mathurā, kota Madhu! Wahai Uddhava yang lembut, adakah Dia mengingati urusan rumah ayah-Nya dan sahabat-sahabat gopa? Pernahkah Dia menyebut kami, para dayang-Nya? Bilakah Dia akan meletakkan tangan-Nya yang harum aguru di atas kepala kami?

Synonyms

• api: indeed?/perhaps
• api: Prashna/Anvaya (प्रश्न/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (सम्भावना/प्रश्न-अव्यय)

• bata: alas!/oh!
• bata: Bhāva (भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bata (अव्यय)
• Form: Exclamatory particle (विस्मय/खेद-निपात)

• madhu-puryām: in Mathurā
• madhu-puryām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu (प्रातिपदिक) + purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ārya-putraḥ: the noble son (Kṛṣṇa)
• ārya-putraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārya (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• adhunā: now
• adhunā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhunā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of time (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• āste: stays/dwells
• āste: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ās (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Third person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• smarati: remembers
• smarati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Third person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• pitṛ-gehān: paternal homes/households
• pitṛ-gehān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + geha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• saumya: O gentle one
• saumya: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• bandhūn: kinsmen
• bandhūn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bandhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• gopān: cowherds
• gopān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kvacit: ever/at any time
• kvacit: Kāla/Deśa (काल/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• api: even/also
• api: Anvaya (अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (सम्भावना/अपि)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kathām: talk/mention
• kathām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• naḥ: of us/our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी) or Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Plural (बहुवचन); here Genitive sense

• kiṅkarīṇām: of (his) maidservants (i.e., us)
• kiṅkarīṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiṅkarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• gṛṇīte: mentions/sings/praises
• gṛṇīte: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Third person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• bhujam: arm
• bhujam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• aguru-sugandham: fragrant with aloe/agarwood
• aguru-sugandham: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aguru (प्रातिपदिक) + sugandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• mūrdhni: on the head
• mūrdhni: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• adhāsyat: will place/placed (would place)
• adhāsyat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhā (धातु) with adhi-
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), Third person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• kadā: when?
• kadā: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb of time (प्रश्न-कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• nu: indeed/then
• nu: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/emphatic particle (प्रश्न/नूनम्-निपात)

Purport

The translation and word meanings for this verse are taken from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Caitanya-caritāmṛta ( Ādi 6.68) .

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Uddhava
• Nanda Maharaja
• Gopas (cowherd men)
• Gopis (as 'kiṅkarīs')

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the gopis’ feelings when Krishna lives in Mathura?

This verse shows the gopīs’ intense viraha (separation): they wonder if Kṛṣṇa remembers Vraja and even speaks of them, and they yearn for His affectionate touch as the highest solace.

Why do the gopis speak this way to Uddhava in Canto 10 Chapter 47?

Uddhava comes as Kṛṣṇa’s messenger from Mathurā; the gopīs pour out their grief and love, asking him whether Kṛṣṇa remembers His father’s home in Vraja and longing for reunion.

How can viraha-bhakti (devotion in separation) be applied in modern life?

By turning longing into remembrance—regularly hearing, chanting, and serving with the mood, “May I never forget the Lord,” even when His presence feels distant.