Bhagavata Purana

अन्येष्वर्थकृता मैत्री यावदर्थविडम्बनम्। पुम्भिः स्त्रीषु कृता यद्वत्सुमनःस्विव षट्पदैः

Friendship with others is made for some purpose, as long as the purpose lasts; as men make with women, just as bees do with flowers.

निःस्वं त्यजन्ति गणिका अकल्पं नृपतिं प्रजाः। अधीतविद्या आचार्यमृत्विजो दत्तदक्षिणम्

The destitute are abandoned by prostitutes; subjects forsake a king who is powerless; students leave a teacher once the knowledge is learned; priests depart after receiving their fee.

खगा वीतफलं वृक्षं भुक्त्वा चातिथयो गृहम्। दग्धं मृगास्तथारण्यं जारा भुक्त्वा रतां स्त्रियम्

Birds leave a tree once its fruit is gone; guests depart from a house after eating; deer abandon a forest when it is burned; lovers leave a woman after enjoying her.

इति गोप्यो हि गोविन्दे गतवाक्कायमानसाः। कृष्णदूते समायाते उद्धवे त्यक्तलौकिकाः

Thus, the gopīs, whose words, bodies, and minds were absorbed in Govinda, renounced worldly concerns when Krishna's messenger, Uddhava, arrived.

गायन्त्यः प्रीयकर्माणि रुदन्त्यश्च गतह्रियः। तस्य संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य यानि कैशोरबाल्ययोः

They sang of his beloved deeds and wept, unashamed, recalling again and again the acts of his childhood and youth.

काचिन्मधुकरं दृष्ट्वा ध्यायन्ती कृष्णसङ्गमम्। प्रियप्रस्थापितं दूतं कल्पयित्वेदमब्रवीत्

One gopī, seeing a honeybee and meditating on union with Krishna, imagined it as a messenger sent by her beloved and spoke thus:

गोप्युवाच। मधुप कितवबन्धो मा स्पृशङ्घ्रिं सपत्न्याः। कुचविलुलितमालाकुङ्कुमश्मश्रुभिर्नः। वहतु मधुपतिस्तन्मानिनीनां प्रसादं। यदुसदसि विडम्ब्यं यस्य दूतस्त्वमीदृक्

The gopī said: O bee, companion of the deceitful, do not touch the feet of my rival. Her garland, smeared with the pollen from her breasts, stains your whiskers. Let the lord of bees carry the favor of those proud women, for you are his messenger, fit to be mocked in the assembly of the Yadus.

सकृदधरसुधां स्वां मोहिनीं पाययित्वा। सुमनस इव सद्यस्तत्यजेऽस्मान्भवादृक्। परिचरति कथं तत्पादपद्मं नु पद्मा। ह्यपि बत हृतचेता ह्युत्तमःश्लोकजल्पैः

After giving us but once the nectar of his lips, enchanting us, he abandoned us like a flower is left behind. How does Padmā serve his lotus feet, whose mind is stolen by the praises of the glorious one?

किमिह बहु षडङ्घ्रे गायसि त्वं यदूनाम्। अधिपतिमगृहाणामग्रतो नः पुराणम्। विजयसखसखीनां गीयतां तत्प्रसङ्गः। क्षपितकुचरुजस्ते कल्पयन्तीष्टमिष्टाः

Why do you, six-legged one, sing here of the lord of the Yadus, who is the ancient master of our homes? Go sing of his exploits among his friends in victory, for he has healed the pain of their breasts, granting them their desires.

दिवि भुवि च रसायां काः स्त्रियस्तद्दुरापाः। कपटरुचिरहासभ्रूविजृम्भस्य याः स्युः। चरणरज उपास्ते यस्य भूतिर्वयं का। अपि च कृपणपक्षे ह्युत्तमश्लोकशब्दः

What women, in heaven, on earth, or in the underworld, are unattainable to him, whose charming smile and playful brows deceive? We, whose fortune is to worship the dust of his feet, are but humble; even among the wretched, the name of the glorious one is heard.

विसृज शिरसि पादं वेद्म्यहं चाटुकारैर्। अनुनयविदुषस्तेऽभ्येत्य दौत्यैर्मुकुन्दात्। स्वकृत इह विसृष्टापत्यपत्यन्यलोका। व्यसृजदकृतचेताः किं नु सन्धेयमस्मिन्

Leave his foot from your head; I know his sweet words. He sends you, skilled in persuasion, as his messenger. He has abandoned his wives and children here, creating them himself, and left without concern. What trust can be placed in him?

मृगयुरिव कपीन्द्रं विव्यधे लुब्धधर्मा। स्त्रियमकृत विरूपां स्त्रीजितः कामयानाम्। बलिमपि बलिमत्त्वावेष्टयद्ध्वाङ्क्षवद्यस्। तदलमसितसख्यैर्दुस्त्यजस्तत्कथार्थः

Like hunters pursuing the king of monkeys, he wounded women who were unprotected and deformed by love, conquered by desire. Even Bali, though powerful, was bound like a bird. Enough of friendship with the dark one; the topics of his deeds are hard to abandon.

यदनुचरितलीलाकर्णपीयूषविप्रुट्। सकृददनविधूतद्वन्द्वधर्मा विनष्टाः। सपदि गृहकुटुम्बं दीनमुत्सृज्य दीना। बहव इह विहङ्गा भिक्षुचर्यां चरन्ति

Those who once tasted the nectar drops of his playful acts, hearing them just once, were freed from all dualities and abandoned their homes and families, though destitute. Many here, like birds, wander as mendicants.

वयमृतमिव जिह्मव्याहृतं श्रद्दधानाः। कुलिकरुतमिवाज्ञाः कृष्णवध्वो हरिण्यः। ददृशुरसकृदेतत्तन्नखस्पर्शतीव्र। स्मररुज उपमन्त्रिन्भण्यतामन्यवार्ता

We, trusting his crooked words as nectar, ignorant as chicks listening to their mother's call, are Krishna's wives, like deer. Again and again we recall the intense pain from his nail's touch. Let other news be told, O messenger.

प्रियसख पुनरागाः प्रेयसा प्रेषितः किं। वरय किमनुरुन्धे माननीयोऽसि मेऽङ्ग। नयसि कथमिहास्मान्दुस्त्यजद्वन्द्वपार्श्वं। सततमुरसि सौम्य श्रीर्वधूः साकमास्ते

Dear friend, have you returned, sent by the beloved? Tell me, what do you seek? You are worthy of honor, O gentle one. How do you bring us to the side of the one who cannot be abandoned, when Lakshmi, his bride, always dwells upon his chest?

अपि बत मधुपुर्यामार्यपुत्रोऽधुनास्ते। स्मरति स पितृगेहान्सौम्य बन्धूंश्च गोपान्। क्वचिदपि स कथा नः किङ्करीणां गृणीते। भुजमगुरुसुगन्धं मूर्ध्न्यधास्यत्कदा नु

Is the noble son now in Mathurā? Does he remember his father's house, his kin, and the cowherds? Does he ever speak of us, his servants? When will he place his mighty, fragrant arm upon our heads?

श्रीशुक उवाच। अथोद्धवो निशम्यैवं कृष्णदर्शनलालसाः। सान्त्वयन्प्रियसन्देशैर्गोपीरिदमभाषत

Śrī Śuka said: Then Uddhava, hearing their longing for Krishna's presence, comforted the gopīs with loving messages and spoke thus.

श्रीउद्धव उवाच। अहो यूयं स्म पूर्णार्था भवत्यो लोकपूजिताः। वासुदेवे भगवति यासामित्यर्पितं मनः

Śrī Uddhava said: Ah, you are truly fulfilled and honored in the world, for you have devoted your minds entirely to Vāsudeva, the Lord.

दानव्रततपोहोम जपस्वाध्यायसंयमैः। श्रेयोभिर्विविधैश्चान्यैः कृष्णे भक्तिर्हि साध्यते

By vows, austerity, sacrifice, recitation, study, self-restraint, and various other means, devotion to Krishna is attained.

भगवत्युत्तमःश्लोके भवतीभिरनुत्तमा। भक्तिः प्रवर्तिता दिष्ट्या मुनीनामपि दुर्लभा

By your good fortune, you have established supreme devotion to the Lord of exalted fame—a devotion that is difficult even for sages to attain.

दिष्ट्या पुत्रान्पतीन्देहान्स्वजनान्भवनानि च। हित्वावृणीत यूयं यत्कृष्णाख्यं पुरुषं परम्

By destiny, you have abandoned sons, husbands, bodies, relatives, and homes, and chosen that Supreme Person known as Krishna.

सर्वात्मभावोऽधिकृतो भवतीनामधोक्षजे। विरहेण महाभागा महान्मेऽनुग्रहः कृतः

The state of complete absorption in the Transcendent, O greatly fortunate ones, has arisen in you through separation; by this, you have bestowed a great favor upon me.

श्रूयतां प्रियसन्देशो भवतीनां सुखावहः। यमादायागतो भद्रा अहं भर्तू रहस्करः

Listen to the dear message, bringing you happiness, which I have brought in secret from your beloved husband.

श्रीभगवानुवाच। भवतीनां वियोगो मे न हि सर्वात्मना क्वचित्। यथा भूतानि भूतेषु खं वाय्वग्निर्जलं मही । तथाहं च मनःप्राण भूतेन्द्रियगुणाश्रयः

The Blessed Lord said: My separation from you is never complete, for I am present in all beings, just as the elements—space, air, fire, water, and earth—are present in all things; so too am I the foundation of mind, life-breath, elements, senses, and their qualities.

आत्मन्येवात्मनात्मानं सृजे हन्म्यनुपालये। आत्ममायानुभावेन भूतेन्द्रियगुणात्मना

By Myself, within Myself, I create, destroy, and sustain Myself, through My own power, as the essence of elements, senses, and their qualities.

आत्मा ज्ञानमयः शुद्धो व्यतिरिक्तोऽगुणान्वयः। सुषुप्तिस्वप्नजाग्रद्भिर्मायावृत्तिभिरीयते

The Self is made of knowledge, pure, distinct, and not bound by qualities; yet, through the workings of illusion, it appears to move through deep sleep, dream, and waking states.

येनेन्द्रियार्थान्ध्यायेत मृषा स्वप्नवदुत्थितः। तन्निरुन्ध्यादिन्द्रियाणि विनिद्रः प्रत्यपद्यत

By which one contemplates the objects of the senses—arising falsely like a dream—let one restrain the senses, remaining ever wakeful and self-possessed.

एतदन्तः समाम्नायो योगः साङ्ख्यं मनीषिणाम्। त्यागस्तपो दमः सत्यं समुद्रान्ता इवापगाः

This is the inner teaching, the yoga and discriminative wisdom of the wise: renunciation, austerity, self-control, and truth, like rivers flowing to the ocean.

यत्त्वहं भवतीनां वै दूरे वर्ते प्रियो दृशाम्। मनसः सन्निकर्षार्थं मदनुध्यानकाम्यया

Indeed, though I, your beloved, appear to be far away from you, it is for the purpose of drawing your minds closer to Me, out of your longing for constant remembrance.