Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच अथोद्धवो निशम्यैवं कृष्णदर्शनलालसा: । सान्‍त्‍वयन् प्रियसन्देशैर्गोपीरिदमभाषत ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca athoddhavo niśamyaivaṁ kṛṣṇa-darśana-lālasāḥ sāntvayan priya-sandeśair gopīr idam abhāṣata

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī nói: Nghe vậy, Uddhava liền an ủi các gopī đang khát khao được thấy Kṛṣṇa, rồi bắt đầu truyền đạt cho họ những lời nhắn của người yêu dấu và nói như sau.

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• atha: then
• atha: Anvaya (अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Discourse particle (अनन्तर/आरम्भ-निपात)

• uddhavaḥ: Uddhava
• uddhavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uddhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• niśamya: having heard
• niśamya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ni-√śam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) used as avyaya (अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय)

• kṛṣṇa-darśana-lālasāḥ: eager for seeing Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇa-darśana-lālasāḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + darśana (प्रातिपदिक) + lālasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying gopīḥ (understood)

• sāntvayan: comforting
• sāntvayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sāntvayat (कृदन्त; √sāntv (धातु/denom) शतृ)
• Form: Present participle (शतृ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन) agreeing with uddhavaḥ

• priya-sandeśaiḥ: with dear messages
• priya-sandeśaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक) + sandeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• gopīḥ: the gopīs
• gopīḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• abhāṣata: spoke
• abhāṣata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Third person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Uddhava
• Kṛṣṇa
• Gopīs

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about longing to see Krishna (kṛṣṇa-darśana-lālasā)?

This verse highlights the gopīs’ intense yearning for Kṛṣṇa’s darśana; their separation-love becomes the very fuel of devotion, and it draws Kṛṣṇa’s mercy through remembrance and heartfelt longing.

Why did Uddhava speak to the gopīs with Kṛṣṇa’s messages?

Uddhava had come as Kṛṣṇa’s envoy to Vṛndāvana; after hearing the gopīs’ sorrow in separation, he tried to console them by delivering Kṛṣṇa’s affectionate words and guidance.

How can a devotee apply the mood of this verse in modern life?

When feeling distance from God, one can turn that emotion into steady remembrance—hearing and reading Kṛṣṇa’s words, seeking saintly association, and letting longing deepen sincerity rather than weaken faith.