Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

दानव्रततपोहोम जपस्वाध्यायसंयमै: । श्रेयोभिर्विविधैश्चान्यै: कृष्णे भक्तिर्हि साध्यते ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

dāna-vrata-tapo-homa japa-svādhyāya-saṁyamaiḥ śreyobhir vividhaiś cānyaiḥ kṛṣṇe bhaktir hi sādhyate

Translation

ภักติแด่พระกฤษณะบรรลุได้ด้วยทาน วัตรเคร่งครัด ตบะ พิธีโหมะ การสวดมนต์ (ชปะ) การศึกษาพระเวท การสำรวมอินทรีย์ และกิจอันเป็นมงคลอื่น ๆ อีกมากมาย

Synonyms

• dāna-vrata-tapaḥ-homa: by charity, vows, austerity, and sacrifice
• dāna-vrata-tapaḥ-homa: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + homa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective copulative) used with instrumental plural sense

• japa-svādhyāya-saṁyamaiḥ: by repetition (japa), self-study, and restraint
• japa-svādhyāya-saṁyamaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japa (प्रातिपदिक) + svādhyāya (प्रातिपदिक) + saṁyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative)

• śreyobhiḥ: by beneficial means / auspicious practices
• śreyobhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• vividhaiḥ: various
• vividhaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; adjective qualifying śreyobhiḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चय/and)

• anyaiḥ: by other (means)
• anyaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; adjective (elliptic: ‘other [means]’)

• kṛṣṇe: in/unto Krishna
• kṛṣṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location-Object of devotion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• bhaktiḥ: devotion
• bhaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निश्चय/indeed, for emphasis)

• sādhyate: is attained / is accomplished
• sādhyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sādh (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि प्रयोग), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; ‘is accomplished/attained’

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains the processes described here as follows. Dāna: donations given to Lord Viṣṇu and His devotees. Vrata: observing vows such as Ekādaśī. Tapas: renunciation of sense gratification for Kṛṣṇa’s sake. Homa: fire sacrifices dedicated to Viṣṇu. Japa: privately chanting the holy names of the Lord. Svādhyāya: study and recitation of Vedic texts such as the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Uddhava
• Vraja-gopīs

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about how to attain devotion to Krishna?

This verse states that bhakti to Kṛṣṇa is achieved through many spiritually beneficial practices—charity, vows, austerity, sacrifice, mantra-japa, scriptural study, and self-control—among other means.

Why did Uddhava speak about vows, austerity, and japa to the gopis?

Uddhava came to Vraja to deliver Kṛṣṇa’s message and to honor the gopīs’ love; by mentioning recognized spiritual disciplines, he acknowledges multiple paths to devotion while addressing devotees whose love for Kṛṣṇa is already supreme.

How can I apply this shloka in modern life to develop bhakti?

Adopt one or more steady practices—regular japa, some self-restraint, a simple vow, giving charity, and consistent scriptural reading—and offer them with the intention of pleasing Kṛṣṇa.