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Shloka 18

Gopī-Vipralambha: The Search for Kṛṣṇa and the Revelation of Divine Footprints

आहूय दूरगा यद्वत् कृष्णस्तमनुवर्ततीम् । वेणुं क्‍वणन्तीं क्रीडन्तीमन्या: शंसन्ति साध्विति ॥ १८ ॥

āhūya dūra-gā yadvat kṛṣṇas tam anuvartatīm veṇuṁ kvaṇantīṁ krīḍantīm anyāḥ śaṁsanti sādhv iti

Quando uma gopī imitou perfeitamente como Kṛṣṇa chamava as vacas que haviam ido longe, como fazia soar a flauta e como brincava, as outras a elogiaram: “Sādhu! Sādhu!”

āhūyahaving called
āhūya:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootā-√hū (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive); अव्यय; उपसर्गः आ-
dūra-gāthe one who went far away
dūra-gā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdūra (प्रातिपदिक) + √gam (धातु)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (गच्छतीति गा) ‘one who goes far / far-going’
yadvatjust as
yadvat:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyadvat (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपमानवाचक (as/just as)
kṛṣṇaḥKṛṣṇa
kṛṣṇaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन
tāmher
tām:
Karma (कर्म/object)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन
anuvartatīmfollowing (him)
anuvartatīm:
Karma (कर्म/object; participle qualifying tām)
TypeAdjective
Rootanu-√vṛt (धातु)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle) with उपसर्ग अनु-; (following)
veṇumflute
veṇum:
Karma (कर्म/object)
TypeNoun
Rootveṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन
kvaṇantīmsounding (the flute)
kvaṇantīm:
Visheshana (विशेषण; qualifying tām)
TypeAdjective
Root√kvaṇ (धातु)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle)
krīḍantīmplaying
krīḍantīm:
Visheshana (विशेषण; qualifying tām)
TypeAdjective
Root√krīḍ (धातु)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle)
anyāḥthe others (gopīs)
anyāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootanya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); बहुवचन
śaṁsantipraise
śaṁsanti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√śaṁs (धातु)
Formलट् (Present); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); बहुवचन
sādhuwell done!
sādhu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/utterance)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsādhu (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रशंसावाचक (interjection/adverb: well done)
itithus
iti:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative)
K
Kṛṣṇa
G
Gopīs

FAQs

This verse shows the gopīs remembering how Kṛṣṇa’s call and flute-like charm irresistibly draws beings toward Him, highlighting His unique power to attract the heart.

In their intense separation, the gopīs reenact Kṛṣṇa’s līlā to keep His presence alive; when one gopī convincingly imitates Him, the others encourage her as a way of deepening collective remembrance.

By consciously remembering Kṛṣṇa through nāma-japa, kīrtana, and hearing His līlās—turning longing and absence into steady, affectionate meditation rather than distraction.