Shloka 23
Chapter 90
शुष्यद्-ध्रदाः करशिता बत सिन्धु-पत्न्यः
सम्प्रत्य अपास्त-कमल-श्रिय इष्ट-भर्तुः ।
यद्वद् वयं मधु-पतेः प्रणयावलोकम्
अप्राप्य मुष्ट-हृदयाः पुरु-कर्शिताः स्म ॥
śuṣyad-dhradāḥ karaśitā bata sindhu-patnyaḥ $ sampraty apāsta-kamala-śriya iṣṭa-bhartuḥ & yadvad vayaṃ madhu-pateḥ praṇayāvalokam % aprāpya muṣṭa-hṛdayāḥ puru-karśitāḥ sma //
Aduhai! Isteri-isteri lautan—tasik dan sungai—sedang mengering; airnya kini tinggal segenggam kerana seri bak teratai milik suami tercinta telah ditarik pergi. Demikian juga kami, tidak memperoleh pandangan kasih Madhu-pati, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, menjadi keras hati dan sangat menderita.
In this verse the queens express viraha-bhakti—devotion intensified by separation. They poetically compare themselves to the waters connected to the ocean: when the ocean’s majesty and fullness recede, the dependent lakes and rivers shrink and dry. Similarly, when the Lord’s affectionate attention is not felt, the devotee experiences inner dryness, heaviness, and a sense of lifelessness. The phrase “praṇayāvaloka”—a loving glance—highlights a central Bhagavata teaching: the Lord’s mercy is not merely abstract liberation but a personal reciprocation. The queens do not ask for power, prestige, or even philosophical reassurance; they long for Kṛṣṇa’s intimate acknowledgment, which nourishes the heart like water nourishes the earth. Their statement “muṣṭa-hṛdayāḥ” (hard/closed hearts) is not a condemnation of the Lord but an honest confession of the devotee’s felt condition in separation. The Bhāgavatam repeatedly shows that such intense longing is itself a high stage of devotion, because it keeps the mind fixed on Kṛṣṇa continuously. Thus, what appears as suffering becomes a sacred catalyst that deepens surrender and remembrance.
FAQs
This verse shows viraha-bhakti as intense longing for Kṛṣṇa’s loving glance; the queens feel inner dryness and distress when His intimate reciprocation is not perceived.
Because rivers and lakes depend on the ocean’s fullness; similarly, the queens feel their life and joy depend on Kṛṣṇa’s affectionate presence and attention.
When spiritual dryness comes, one can treat it as a call to deepen remembrance—through sincere prayer, chanting, and humility—rather than abandoning practice.