Shloka 22

Akrūra’s Mission: The Departure from Vraja and the Yamunā Vision of Viṣṇu-Ananta

Devanagari script

न नन्दसूनु: क्षणभङ्गसौहृद: समीक्षते न: स्वकृतातुरा बत । विहाय गेहान् स्वजनान् सुतान्पतीं- स्तद्दास्यमद्धोपगता नवप्रिय: ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

na nanda-sūnuḥ kṣaṇa-bhaṅga-sauhṛdaḥ samīkṣate naḥ sva-kṛtāturā bata vihāya gehān sva-janān sutān patīṁs tad-dāsyam addhopagatā nava-priyaḥ

Translation

唉！那位能在刹那间断绝柔情的难陀之子，竟连正眼也不看我们。我们被祂摄伏，为了侍奉祂而舍弃家宅、亲族、儿女与夫君；可祂却总在寻觅新的爱侣。

Synonyms

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Pratiṣedha-nipāta (negative particle)

• nanda-sūnuḥ: Nanda’s son (Kṛṣṇa)
• nanda-sūnuḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nanda (प्रातिपदिक) + sūnu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (nominative/1st), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘son of Nanda’

• kṣaṇa-bhaṅga-sauhṛdaḥ: whose friendship breaks in a moment
• kṣaṇa-bhaṅga-sauhṛdaḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + sauhṛda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (nominative/1st), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘friendship that breaks in a moment’ (epithet used ironically)

• samīkṣate: looks at/considers
• samīkṣate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-īkṣ (सम्+ईक्ष् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; Ātmanepada

• naḥ: us
• naḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Dvitīyā (accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana

• sva-kṛta-āturāḥ: (we) distressed by our own doing
• sva-kṛta-āturāḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (कृ धातु → क्त कृदन्त) + ātura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine, referring to gopīs), Prathamā (nominative/1st), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘distressed because of one’s own deed’

• bata: alas/indeed!
• bata: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bata (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (exclamatory particle)

• vihāya: having left
• vihāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-hā (वि+हा धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), ‘having abandoned’

• gehān: homes
• gehān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: geha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (usage), Dvitīyā (accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana

• sva-janān: their own relatives
• sva-janān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā (accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana; ‘one’s own people’

• sutān: sons/children
• sutān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā (accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana

• patīn: husbands
• patīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā (accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana

• tat-dāsyam: servitude/service to him
• tat-dāsyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम) + dāsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsaka, Dvitīyā (accusative/2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘service to him’

• addhā: surely
• addhā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: addhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb) meaning ‘certainly/indeed’

• upagatāḥ: having come/attained
• upagatāḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-gam (उप+गम् धातु) → upagata (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya (क्त) PPP, Strīliṅga, Prathamā (nominative/1st), Bahuvacana; agrees with (implicit) gopīs

• nava-priyaḥ: (he) the new beloved/lover
• nava-priyaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (nominative/1st), Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: ‘new (and) dear’ → ‘new lover’

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Nanda-sūnu)
• Nanda Mahārāja

FAQs

What is the meaning of ‘kṣaṇa-bhaṅga-sauhṛda’ in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.39.22?

It means “friendship that breaks in a moment.” The gopīs, overwhelmed by separation, speak as if Kṛṣṇa’s affection is fleeting because He is not presently giving them His comforting glance.

Why do the gopīs say they abandoned home, family, children, and husbands for Krishna?

In the intensity of rāsa-līlā devotion, they left everything conventional to serve Kṛṣṇa alone. The verse highlights their total surrender and the exclusive nature of their bhakti, even while they lament the pain of separation.

How can this verse be applied in modern devotional life?

It teaches wholehearted commitment: prioritize sincere service and remembrance of God over distractions, and transform the pain of distance or difficulty into deeper longing and steadier devotion.