Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

कथं रतिविशेषज्ञ: प्रियश्च पुरयोषिताम् । नानुबध्येत तद्वाक्यैर्विभ्रमैश्चानुभाजित: ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

kathaṁ rati-viśeṣa-jñaḥ priyaś ca pura-yoṣitām nānubadhyeta tad-vākyair vibhramaiś cānubhājitaḥ

Translation

ศรีกฤษณะทรงชำนาญในรสแห่งความรักและเป็นที่รักของสตรีชาวเมือง เมื่อทรงได้รับการสรรเสริญไม่ขาดด้วยถ้อยคำและท่าทีอันเย้ายวนของพวกนาง พระองค์จะไม่ทรงพัวพันได้อย่างไรเล่า

Synonyms

• katham: how
• katham: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• rati-viśeṣa-jñaḥ: knower of the varieties of love
• rati-viśeṣa-jñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rati (प्रातिपदिक) + viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (रतिविशेषान् जानाति इति)

• priyaḥ: dear
• priyaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• pura-yoṣitām: of the city-women
• pura-yoṣitām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (प्रातिपदिक) + yoṣit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (निषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• anubadhyeta: would become attached / follow after
• anubadhyeta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-bandh (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• tad-vākyaiḥ: by their words
• tad-vākyaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (तस्य वाक्यानि)

• vibhramaiḥ: by (their) coquetries/gestures
• vibhramaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• anubhājitaḥ: served/attended (by them)
• anubhājitaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-bhaj (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Purport

According to Śrīdhara Svāmī, each of these verses is spoken by a different gopī.

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vraja-gopis
• City women (Mathura/Dvaraka women)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the gopīs’ jealousy and separation from Kṛṣṇa?

This verse shows the gopīs’ intense viraha-bhakti: they measure Kṛṣṇa’s actions through love, wondering how He could reciprocate with city women yet not be bound—revealing the depth of their exclusive devotion.

Why do the gopīs speak about Kṛṣṇa and the ‘city women’ in Bhagavatam 10.47?

While hearing Uddhava’s message, the gopīs—especially Rādhā—express wounded love and longing, contrasting their own total surrender with Kṛṣṇa’s apparent dealings in Mathurā/Dvārakā.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

It teaches discernment about attachment: worldly charm can bind the mind, but divine love aims at selfless devotion—seek relationships and commitments that deepen integrity, service, and remembrance of God.