Shloka 8

Rāsa-līlā Begins; Divine Multiplication; Moral Doubt and Its Resolution

Devanagari script

उच्चैर्जगुर्नृत्यमाना रक्तकण्ठ्यो रतिप्रिया: । कृष्णाभिमर्शमुदिता यद्गीतेनेदमावृतम् ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

uccair jagur nṛtyamānā rakta-kaṇṭhyo rati-priyāḥ kṛṣṇābhimarśa-muditā yad-gītenedam āvṛtam

Translation

రతిసుఖాన్ని కోరే, వివిధ రంగులతో రంజితమైన కంఠాల గోపికలు గట్టిగా పాడుతూ నర్తించారు. కృష్ణస్పర్శంతో వారు పరవశించారు; వారి గీతాలతో ఈ సమస్త జగత్తు నిండిపోయింది.

Synonyms

• उच्चैः: loudly
• उच्चैः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उच्चैः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/रीत्यर्थक (adverb: ‘loudly’)

• जगुः: sang
• जगुः: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• नृत्यमानाः: dancing
• नृत्यमानाः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (शानच्/Present middle participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; कर्तरि (dancing)

• रक्त-कण्ठ्यः: with reddened throats
• रक्त-कण्ठ्यः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (रक्ताः कण्ठ्यः = ‘red-throated/with reddened throats’)

• रति-प्रियाः: fond of amorous delight
• रति-प्रियाः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (रतेः प्रियाः = ‘fond of love/pleasure’)

• कृष्ण-अभिमर्श-मुदिताः: made joyful by Krishna’s touch
• कृष्ण-अभिमर्श-मुदिताः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिमर्श (प्रातिपदिक) + मुदित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (कृष्णस्य अभिमर्शेण मुदिताः = ‘gladdened by Krishna’s touch’)

• यत्-गीतॆन: by whose song
• यत्-गीतॆन: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + गीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (यस्य गीतम् तेन = ‘by whose song’)

• इदम्: this (entire scene)
• इदम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (here: द्वितीया as object)

• आवृतम्: was pervaded/filled
• आवृतम्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-वृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (covered/pervaded)

Purport

According to an authoritative book on music called Saṅgīta-sāra, tāvanta eva rāgāḥ sūryāvatyo jīva-jātayaḥ, teṣu ṣoḍaśa-sāhasrī purā gopī-kṛtā varā: “There are as many musical rāgas as there are species of life. Among these rāgas are sixteen thousand principal ones, which were manifested by the gopīs. ” Thus the gopīs created sixteen thousand different rāgas, or musical modes, and these have subsequently been disseminated throughout the world. The words yad-gītenedam āvṛtam also indicate that even today devotees throughout the world sing the praises of Kṛṣṇa, following the example of the gopīs.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Gopīs

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the gopīs’ singing during Rāsa-līlā?

This verse says the gopīs sang loudly while dancing, their voices strained and reddened, and their song pervaded the whole area—an expression of ecstatic devotion centered on Kṛṣṇa.

Why were the gopīs described as ‘overjoyed by Kṛṣṇa’s touch’ (kṛṣṇābhimarśa-muditāḥ)?

In the Rāsa-līlā narrative, Kṛṣṇa’s intimate presence and touch intensify the gopīs’ devotional ecstasy; the text presents it as transcendental, not ordinary sensuality.

Practical application: what can a modern devotee learn from this shloka?

Channel emotion into sincere kīrtana and remembrance: wholehearted singing and absorption in Kṛṣṇa transforms the heart and “fills” one’s inner world with devotion.