Shloka 1
Draupadī Meets Kṛṣṇa’s Queens — Narratives of the Lord’s Marriages and the Queens’ Bhakti
श्रीशुक उवाच तथानुगृह्य भगवान् गोपीनां स गुरुर्गति: । युधिष्ठिरमथापृच्छत् सर्वांश्च सुहृदोऽव्ययम् ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca tathānugṛhya bhagavān gopīnāṁ sa gurur gatiḥ yudhiṣṭhiram athāpṛcchat sarvāṁś ca suhṛdo ’vyayam
శ్రీశుకుడు పలికెను: ఈ విధంగా గోపికల గురువూ, వారి జీవనలక్ష్యమూ అయిన భగవాన్ కృష్ణుడు వారికి అనుగ్రహం చూపెను. అనంతరం ఆయన యుధిష్ఠిరుని మరియు ఇతర బంధు-సుహృదులను కలసి వారి క్షేమాన్ని విచారించెను।
The words gurur gatiḥ have been translated here in their usual sense: “spiritual master and goal.” Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, however, points out an additional meaning: While Lord Kṛṣṇa is the goal for all sādhus in general, for the gopīs specifically He is that goal which is guru, “predominant,” in the sense of completely eclipsing the significance of all other possible goals.
FAQs
This verse describes Kṛṣṇa as the gopīs’ guru and gati—meaning He is both their guiding spiritual master and their final shelter—showing that pure devotion culminates in taking the Lord alone as one’s ultimate refuge.
After favoring the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa turns to His righteous devotee Yudhiṣṭhira and other well-wishers to ask about their well-being, reflecting His affectionate, reciprocal dealings with all His devotees.
Cultivate steady remembrance and dependence on the Lord—seeking guidance (guru) and protection (gati) through prayer, sādhana, and serving devotees—so your sense of security gradually rests in the divine rather than changing circumstances.