Bhagavata Purana

अस्वर्ग्यमयशस्यं च फल्गु कृच्छ्रं भयावहम् । जुगुप्सितं च सर्वत्र ह्यौपपत्यं कुलस्त्रियः

For noble women, union with a man other than their husband brings no heaven, only disgrace, meager and painful results, fear, and is condemned everywhere.

श्रवणाद् दर्शनाद् ध्यानाद् मयि भावोऽनुकीर्तनात् । न तथा सन्निकर्षेण प्रतियात ततो गृहान्

By hearing, seeing, meditating upon, or singing about Me, devotion arises—not so much by physical proximity; therefore, return to your homes.

श्रीशुक उवाच - इति विप्रियमाकर्ण्य गोप्यो गोविन्दभाषितम् । विषण्णा भग्नसङ्‌कल्पाः चिन्तामापुर्दुरत्ययाम्

Śuka said: Thus, hearing Govinda's harsh words, the cowherd women, their hopes shattered, became deeply distressed and fell into overwhelming anxiety.

( वसंततिलका ) कृत्वा मुखान्यव शुचः श्वसनेन शुष्यद् बिम्बाधराणि चरणेन भुवः लिखन्त्यः । अस्रैरुपात्तमषिभिः कुचकुङ्‌कुमानि तस्थुर्मृजन्त्य उरुदुःखभराः स्म तूष्णीम् प्रेष्ठं प्रियेतरमिव प्रतिभाषमाणं कृष्णं तदर्थविनिवर्तितसर्वकामाः । नेत्रे विमृज्य रुदितोपहते स्म किञ्चित् संरम्भगद्‍गदगिरोऽब्रुवतानुरक्ताः

Wiping their faces, parched lips faded by sighs, tracing the ground with their feet, their breasts stained with tears mingled with the red of their ornaments, they stood silent, weighed down by sorrow, longing for their beloved Krishna, who had turned away all desires for his sake; brushing their tear-dimmed eyes, their voices choked with emotion, the devoted ones spoke a little.

श्रीगोप्य ऊचुः । मैवं विभोऽर्हति भवान् गदितुं नृशंसं सन्त्यज्य सर्वविषयांस्तव पादमूलम् । भक्ता भजस्व दुरवग्रह मा त्यजास्मान् देवो यथाऽऽदिपुरुषो भजते मुमुक्षून्

The gopīs said: Do not speak so cruelly, Lord! It does not befit you. Having abandoned all else, we have come to your feet. Cherish your devotees—do not reject us with harshness, just as the Supreme Person does not abandon those who seek liberation.

यत्पत्यपत्यसुहृदां अनुवृत्तिरङ्‌ग स्त्रीणां स्वधर्म इति धर्मविदा त्वयोक्तम् । अस्त्वेवमेतदुपदेशपदे त्वयीशे प्रेष्ठो भवांस्तनुभृतां किल बन्धुरात्मा

You, knower of dharma, have said that a woman's duty is to serve husband, children, and friends. Let it be so. Yet, O Lord, in you, the teacher of righteousness, you are truly the dearest, the friend and soul of all embodied beings.

कुर्वन्ति हि त्वयि रतिं कुशलाः स्व आत्मन् नित्यप्रिये पतिसुतादिभिरार्तिदैः किम् । तन्नः प्रसीद परमेश्वर मा स्म छिन्द्या आशां धृतां त्वयि चिरादरविन्दनेत्र

Those who are wise place their love in you, the eternal beloved. What use are husbands, sons, and others who bring suffering? Therefore, be gracious to us, Supreme Lord—do not sever the hope we have long cherished in you, O lotus-eyed one.

चित्तं सुखेन भवतापहृतं गृहेषु यन्निर्विशत्युत करावपि गृह्यकृत्ये । पादौ पदं न चलतस्तव पादमूलाद् यामः कथं व्रजमथो करवाम किं वा

Our minds, happily stolen away by you, do not return to our homes, nor do our hands engage in household tasks. Our feet will not move from your feet. How, then, can we go to Vraja, or what else can we do?

सिञ्चाङ्‌ग नस्त्वदधरामृतपूरकेण हासावलोककलगीतजहृच्छयाग्निम् । नो चेद् वयं विरहजाग्नि उपयुक्तदेहा ध्यानेन याम पदयोः पदवीं सखे ते

O beloved, moisten us with the nectar of your lips, with your laughter, glances, and sweet songs that soothe the fire in our hearts. Otherwise, consumed by the fire of separation, we will reach your feet in meditation, friend, leaving these bodies behind.

यर्ह्यम्बुजाक्ष तव पादतलं रमाया दत्तक्षणं क्वचिदरण्यजनप्रियस्य । अस्प्राक्ष्म तत्प्रभृति नान्यसमक्षमङ्ग स्थातुं त्वयाभिरमिता बत पारयामः

O lotus-eyed one, from the moment we touched the soles of your feet—granted even for a moment to Lakṣmī, beloved of the forest-dwellers—we have not been able to stand before anyone else, so enchanted are we by you.

श्रीर्यत्पदाम्बुजरजश्चकमे तुलस्या लब्ध्वापि वक्षसि पदं किल भृत्यजुष्टम् । यस्याः स्ववीक्षण कृतेऽन्यसुरप्रयासः तद्वद् वयं च तव पादरजः प्रपन्नाः

Lakṣmī herself longed for the dust of your lotus feet, and though she gained a place on your chest, served by your attendants, she still desired it. For the sake of your glance, even other gods strive. In the same way, we too have surrendered to the dust of your feet.

तन्नः प्रसीद वृजिनार्दन तेऽन्घ्रिमूलं प्राप्ता विसृज्य वसतीस्त्वदुपासनाशाः । त्वत्सुन्दरस्मित निरीक्षणतीव्रकाम तप्तात्मनां पुरुषभूषण देहि दास्यम्

Therefore, be gracious to us, destroyer of suffering. We have abandoned our homes, seeking only to serve at your feet. O ornament of men, our hearts burn with intense longing for your beautiful smile and glance—grant us the service of your maidservants.

वीक्ष्यालकावृतमुखं तव कुण्डलश्री गण्डस्थलाधरसुधं हसितावलोकम् । दत्ताभयं च भुजदण्डयुगं विलोक्य वक्षः श्रियैकरमणं च भवाम दास्यः

Seeing your face framed by locks of hair, your earrings shining on your cheeks, the nectar of your lips, your smiling glances, your arms bestowing fearlessness, and your chest, the sole abode of Lakṣmī, we wish only to be your servants.

का स्त्र्यङ्‌ग ते कलपदायतमूर्च्छितेन सम्मोहितार्यचरितान्न चलेत्त्रिलोक्याम् । त्रैलोक्यसौभगमिदं च निरीक्ष्य रूपं यद् गोद्विजद्रुममृगाः पुलकान्यबिभ्रन्

What woman in the three worlds, enchanted by your sweet, melodious words and divine deeds, would not be captivated? Seeing your beauty, which even cows, birds, trees, and deer behold with delight, who would not be moved?

व्यक्तं भवान् व्रजभयार्तिहरोऽभिजातो देवो यथाऽऽदिपुरुषः सुरलोकगोप्ता । तन्नो निधेहि करपङ्‌कजमार्तबन्धो तप्तस्तनेषु च शिरःसु च किङ्‌करीणाम्

Clearly, you have appeared in Vraja to remove fear and suffering, just as the primeval Lord, protector of the gods. O friend of the afflicted, place your lotus hand on the burning breasts and heads of your maidservants.

श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) इति विक्लवितं तासां श्रुत्वा योगेश्वरेश्वरः । प्रहस्य सदयं गोपीः आत्मारामोऽप्यरीरमत्

Śuka said: Hearing their distressed words, the Lord of yogis, though self-satisfied, smiled kindly and delighted in the gopīs.

( मिश्र ) ताभिः समेताभिरुदारचेष्टितः प्रियेक्षणोत्फुल्लमुखीभिरच्युतः । उदारहासद्विजकुन्ददीधतिः व्यरोचतैणाङ्‌क इवोडुभिर्वृतः

Surrounded by those women, whose faces blossomed with joy at his glance, Acyuta, radiant with a smile like a pair of white jasmine buds, shone among them like the moon among stars.

( अनुष्टुप् ) उपगीयमान उद्‍गायन् वनिताशतयूथपः । मालां बिभ्रद् वैजयन्तीं व्यचरन् मण्डयन् वनम्

As the chief of hundreds of women sang and was sung to, wearing the Vaijayantī garland, he wandered through the forest, adorning it.

नद्याः पुलिनमाविश्य गोपीभिर्हिमवालुकम् । रेमे तत्तरलानन्द कुमुदामोदवायुना

Entering the riverbank with the gopīs, on the cool, sandy shore, he sported, delighted by the gentle, fragrant breeze carrying the scent of lotuses.

( वसंततिलका ) बाहुप्रसारपरिरम्भकरालकोरु नीवीस्तनालभननर्मनखाग्रपातैः । क्ष्वेल्यावलोकहसितैर्व्रजसुन्दरीणां उत्तम्भयन् रतिपतिं रमयाञ्चकार

With outstretched arms, embraces, playful struggles, loosened girdles, and the touch of nails, with laughter, glances, and smiles, Krishna aroused the god of love, delighting the beautiful women of Vraja.

( अनुष्टुप् ) एवं भगवतः कृष्णात् लब्धमाना महात्मनः । आत्मानं मेनिरे स्त्रीणां मानिन्योऽभ्यधिकं भुवि

Thus, having received the favor of the great-souled Lord Krishna, those proud women considered themselves to be the most fortunate on earth.

तासां तत् सौभगमदं वीक्ष्य मानं च केशवः । प्रशमाय प्रसादाय तत्रैवान्तरधीयत

Seeing their pride, born from their good fortune, Keśava disappeared from there at once, to pacify and favor them.

इति श्रीमद्‍भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे पूर्वार्धे एकोन्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the twenty-ninth chapter of the first half of the Tenth Canto in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the supreme paramahaṃsas.

( मालिनी ) भवभयमपहन्तुं ज्ञानविज्ञानसारं निगमकृद् उपजह्रे भृङ्गवद् वेदसारम् । अमृतमुदधितश्चा पाययद् भृत्यवर्गान् पुरुषं ऋषभमाद्यं कृष्णसंज्ञं नतोऽस्मि

I bow to that Supreme Person, the foremost, known as Krishna, who, like a bee extracting the essence of the Vedas, imparted the nectar of knowledge and realization to his servants, to remove the fear of worldly existence.

हरिर्देहभृतामात्मा स्वयं प्रकृतिरीश्वरः । तत्पादमूलं शरणं यतः क्षेमो नृणामिह

Hari is the soul of all embodied beings, the Lord of nature Himself; His feet are the refuge, from which comes safety for people in this world.

स वै प्रियतमश्चात्मा यतो न भयमण्वपि । इति वेद स वै विद्वान् यो विद्वान् स गुरुर्हरिः

He alone is the dearest Self, from whom not even the slightest fear arises; he who knows this is truly wise, and such a wise one is the teacher—Hari Himself.

नारद उवाच - प्रश्न एवं हि सञ्छिन्नो भवतः पुरुषर्षभ । अत्र मे वदतो गुह्यं निशामय सुनिश्चितम्

Nārada said: O best of men, your question has thus been answered; now, as I speak, listen attentively to this secret, well-determined matter.

क्षुद्रं चरं सुमनसां शरणे मिथित्वा रक्तं षडङ्‌घ्रिगणसामसु लुब्धकर्णम् । अग्रे वृकान् असुतृपोऽविगणय्य यान्तं पृष्ठे मृगं मृगय लुब्धकबाणभिन्नम्

A small, wandering creature, seeking shelter among the gentle, becomes attached to the sweet songs of the six-legged ones, greedy for their sound; heedless of the wolves ahead, who are never satisfied, he moves forward, while behind, a deer—wounded by the hunter's arrow—pursues him.

अस्यार्थः - सुमनःसमधर्मणां स्त्रीणां शरण आश्रमे पुष्पमधु गन्धवत् क्षुद्रतमं । काम्यकर्मविपाकजं कामसुखलवं जैह्व्यौपस्थ्यादि विचिन्वन्तं मिथुनीभूय तद् अभिनिवेशित मनसं । षडङ्‌घ्रिगण सामगीतवत् अतिमनोहर वनितादि जन आलापेषु अतितरां अति प्रलोभित कर्णमग्रे । वृकयूथवदात्मन आयुर्हरतो अहोरात्रान् तान् काल लव विशेषान् अविगणय्य गृहेषु विहरन्तं पृष्ठत एव । परोक्षमनुप्रवृत्तो लुब्धकः कृतान्तोऽन्तः शरेण यमिह पराविध्यति तं इमं आत्मानमहो । राजन् भिन्नहृदयं द्रष्टुमर्हसीति

The meaning is this: Among women of gentle nature, the shelter of the hermitage is like a flower's fragrance—very slight. Seeking fleeting pleasure born of desire, one becomes absorbed in union, with the mind fixed there. Like the songs of the six-legged ones, the alluring speech of women captivates the ears. Ahead, like a pack of wolves, time devours one's lifespan, day and night, unnoticed, as one enjoys life at home. Meanwhile, unseen, the hunter—Death—strikes with his arrow. O King, you should see this self, whose heart is pierced.