Shloka 2

Gopī-gīta in Separation: The Flute’s Call and Vraja’s Ecstatic Response

Devanagari script

श्रीगोप्य ऊचु: वामबाहुकृतवामकपोलो वल्गितभ्रुरधरार्पितवेणुम् । कोमलाङ्गुलिभिराश्रितमार्गं गोप्य ईरयति यत्र मुकुन्द: ॥ २ ॥ व्योमयानवनिता: सह सिद्धै- र्विस्मितास्तदुपधार्य सलज्जा: । काममार्गणसमर्पितचित्ता: कश्मलं ययुरपस्मृतनीव्य: ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-gopya ūcuḥ vāma-bāhu-kṛta-vāma-kapolo valgita-bhrur adharārpita-veṇum komalāṅgulibhir āśrita-mārgaṁ gopya īrayati yatra mukundaḥ

Translation

牧女们说：当穆昆达把左颊倚在左臂上，眉梢轻舞，将笛置于唇边，以柔嫩手指按住笛孔而吹出甘美之音时，那些与夫君——诸悉达——同游天际的天女也会惊叹聆听，继而含羞。她们的心竟屈从于欲念的追逐，惶然失措，甚至不觉衣带渐松。

Synonyms

• श्री-गोप्यः: the revered gopīs
• श्री-गोप्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (उपपद) + गोपी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (honorific)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वाम-बाहु-कृत-वाम-कपोलः: whose left cheek rests on his left arm
• वाम-बाहु-कृत-वाम-कपोलः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृ धातु, क्त) + वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + कपोल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘वामबाहुना कृतः वामः कपोलः यस्य’ = whose left cheek is made/pressed by the left arm

• वल्गित-भ्रूः: with arched eyebrows
• वल्गित-भ्रूः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वल्गित (वल्ग् धातु, क्त) + भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘वल्गिते भ्रू यस्य’ = whose eyebrows are arched

• अधर-अर्पित-वेणुम्: the flute placed on (his) lips
• अधर-अर्पित-वेणुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्पित (अर्प् धातु, क्त) + वेणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः: ‘अधरे अर्पितः वेणुः’ (flute placed on the lips)

• कोमल-अङ्गुलिभिः: with tender fingers
• कोमल-अङ्गुलिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोमल (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः: ‘कोमलाः अङ्गुलयः’

• आश्रित-मार्गम्: with the holes/paths covered (by fingers)
• आश्रित-मार्गम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आश्रित (श्रि धातु + आ, क्त) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘आश्रितः मार्गः’ = the (flute’s) holes/paths being covered/occupied (contextual)

• गोप्यः: the gopīs
• गोप्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ईरयति: he plays/utters (sound)
• ईरयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (locative adverb)

• मुकुन्दः: Mukunda (Kṛṣṇa)
• मुकुन्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुकुन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Purport

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī states that this chapter consists of a collection of statements the gopīs made at various times as they stood in small groups here and there in Vṛndāvana.

Characters & Entities

• Mukunda (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s flute in Venu-gita?

In Canto 10, Chapter 35, the gopīs describe how Kṛṣṇa’s posture and flute-playing captivate all beings; His veṇu becomes a vehicle of divine attraction that draws hearts toward Him.

Why do the gopīs describe Mukunda’s posture and flute so vividly?

Because their love is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa; even small details—His cheek on His arm, moving eyebrows, flute on His lips—intensify their remembrance and express the depth of their longing.

Practical application of Venu-gita in modern life?

Train the mind to dwell on the Lord’s qualities and pastimes through śravaṇa (hearing) and smaraṇa (remembrance), replacing distraction with steady devotional contemplation.