Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

यत्त्वहं भवतीनां वै दूरे वर्ते प्रियो द‍ृशाम् । मनस: सन्निकर्षार्थं मदनुध्यानकाम्यया ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

yat tv ahaṁ bhavatīnāṁ vai dūre varte priyo dṛśām manasaḥ sannikarṣārthaṁ mad-anudhyāna-kāmyayā

Translation

Wahai para gopī Vraja, walaupun Aku kekasih di pandanganmu, Aku berada jauh agar renunganmu kepada-Ku semakin mendalam dan menarik hatimu mendekati-Ku.

Synonyms

• yat: that (which)
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd—प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/conjunction (निपात)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhavatīnām: of you (ladies)
• bhavatīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th—षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• dūre: far away
• dūre: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial use; Locative singular form used as adverb (सप्तमी-अव्ययीभाव)

• varte: I remain/dwell
• varte: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• priyaḥ: dear/beloved
• priyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective to aham

• dṛśām: of (your) eyes/sight
• dṛśām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dṛś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th—षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• manasaḥ: of the mind
• manasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th—षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• sannikarṣa-artham: for the sake of closeness
• sannikarṣa-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sannikarṣa + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd—द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); purpose accusative (प्रयोजनार्थे द्वितीया)

• mat-anudhyāna-kāmyayā: by the desire for meditating on me
• mat-anudhyāna-kāmyayā: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad + anudhyāna + kāmyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); hetu/instrument sense

Purport

Sometimes that which is close to our eyes is far from our heart and mind, and conversely absence makes the heart grow fonder. Although apparently going far away from the gopīs, Lord Kṛṣṇa was bringing them closer to Him on the spiritual platform.

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Gopis
• Uddhava

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about viraha-bhakti (devotion in separation)?

This verse explains that Kṛṣṇa’s apparent distance can deepen devotion, because longing for Him increases remembrance and draws the mind into intimate closeness with Him.

Why did Krishna say He remains far from the gopis?

Kṛṣṇa indicates that separation is purposeful: it awakens intense meditation on Him, making the gopīs’ minds unite with Him more profoundly than mere physical proximity.

How can this teaching be applied in modern spiritual life?

When God feels distant, treat it as a call to increase sincere remembrance—through japa, kīrtana, and contemplation—so the mind becomes steadily anchored in devotion.