Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 38
Veṇu-gīta-āhvāna and the Gopīs’ Appeal: The Opening of Rāsa-līlā
तन्न: प्रसीद वृजिनार्दन तेऽङ्घ्रिमूलं प्राप्ता विसृज्य वसतीस्त्वदुपासनाशा: । त्वत्सुन्दरस्मितनिरीक्षणतीव्रकाम- तप्तात्मनां पुरुषभूषण देहि दास्यम् ॥ ३८ ॥
tan naḥ prasīda vṛjinārdana te ’nghri-mūlaṁ prāptā visṛjya vasatīs tvad-upāsanāśāḥ tvat-sundara-smita-nirīkṣaṇa-tīvra-kāma taptātmanāṁ puruṣa-bhūṣaṇa dehi dāsyam
Vì vậy, ô Đấng diệt trừ mọi khổ nạn, xin thương xót chúng con. Để đến dưới chân sen của Ngài, chúng con đã bỏ nhà cửa và gia quyến; ngoài việc thờ phụng và phụng sự Ngài, chúng con không còn ước muốn nào khác. Tâm hồn chúng con bừng cháy bởi khát vọng mãnh liệt do nụ cười và ánh nhìn tuyệt mỹ của Ngài; ô viên ngọc giữa loài người, xin ban cho chúng con thân phận tỳ nữ phụng sự Ngài.
When Śrī Kṛṣṇa was born, the sage Garga predicted that He would manifest all the opulences of the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa. The gopīs now appeal to the Lord to fulfill this prediction by being merciful and granting them direct service, just as Lord Nārāyaṇa awards direct service to His loving devotees. The gopīs emphasize that they did not give up their families and homes with the hope of securing a higher pleasure from Kṛṣṇa. They are simply begging for service, revealing their pure-hearted devotion. The gopīs think, “If in the course of Your pursuing Your happiness we somehow or other become happy by seeing Your face, what is the harm in that?”
FAQs
It shows total śaraṇāgati: the gopīs abandon worldly shelter and take refuge at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, begging not for material gain but for the gift of His service.
They appeal to Kṛṣṇa as the remover of sin, distress, and inner suffering, asking Him to relieve the burning pain of separation by granting His merciful presence and service.
Prioritize bhakti over distractions, approach God with humility, and pray for the attitude of service (dāsya) rather than demands—seeking transformation of the heart through devotion.