Kṛṣṇa · Sanskrit §159 · English §159
Source[१५९] ननु तथाप्य् अस्माकं विरह एव सर्वोपमर्दकः स्फुरति । किं कुर्म इत्य् आशङ्क्य, हन्त यदि मद्-वियोगिताभिमानि-मनो-वृत्तिं कथम् अपि रोद्धुं शक्नुथ तदा स्वत एव नित्य-संयोगित्वम् उद्देष्यतीत्य् एवम् उपदेशेन वक्तुं योग-शास्त्र-प्रक्रियाम् आह द्वाभ्यां - येनेन्द्रियार्थान् ध्यायेत मृषा स्वप्न-वद् उत्थितः । तन् निरुन्ध्याद् इन्द्रियाणि विनिद्रः प्रत्यपद्यत ॥ [भ्प् १०.४७.३२] उत्थितः पुमान् यथा मिथ्याभूतम् एव स्वप्नं ध्यायति एवं बाधितान् अपि इन्द्रियार्थान् शब्दादीन् येन मनसा ध्यायेत चिन्तयेत्, ध्यायंश् च येनेद्रियानि प्रत्यपद्यत प्राप, तन् मनो विनिद्रोऽनलसः सन् निरुन्ध्यान् नियच्छेद् इति । यद्यपि स्वप्नादिवत् तद्-विरहस् तासु नाज्ञानाध्यस्तः, प्रकट-लीलायां तस्याप्राप्तेस् तासाम् एवानुभव-सिद्धत्वात् तथाप्य् अप्रकट-लीलायां नित्य-संयोगम् अनुसन्धापयितुं तस्य तादृशत्वेनैवोपदेशो भगवता योग्य इति तथोक्तम् । एकांशेऽपि संयोगे वियोगो नास्त्य् एवेति वा ।
[159] nanu tathāpy asmākaṃ viraha eva sarvopamardakaḥ sphurati | kiṃ kurma ity āśaṅkya, hanta yadi mad-viyogitābhimāni-mano-vṛttiṃ katham api roddhuṃ śaknutha tadā svata eva nitya-saṃyogitvam uddeṣyatīty evam upadeśena vaktuṃ yoga-śāstra-prakriyām āha dvābhyāṃ - yenendriyārthān dhyāyeta mṛṣā svapna-vad utthitaḥ | tan nirundhyād indriyāṇi vinidraḥ pratyapadyata || [BhP 10.47.32] utthitaḥ pumān yathā mithyābhūtam eva svapnaṃ dhyāyati evaṃ bādhitān api indriyārthān śabdādīn yena manasā dhyāyeta cintayet, dhyāyaṃś ca yenedriyāni pratyapadyata prāpa, tan mano vinidro'nalasaḥ san nirundhyān niyacched iti | yadyapi svapnādivat tad-virahas tāsu nājñānādhyastaḥ, prakaṭa-līlāyāṃ tasyāprāptes tāsām evānubhava-siddhatvāt tathāpy aprakaṭa-līlāyāṃ nitya-saṃyogam anusandhāpayituṃ tasya tādṛśatvenaivopadeśo bhagavatā yogya iti tathoktam | ekāṃśe'pi saṃyoge viyogo nāsty eveti vā |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 159
Anuccheda 159
1 At this point the gopis might reply: “We now feel the devastating effect of separation from You, O Krsna.” How is it that You now tell us we are not separated from You?” Considering that the gopis might raise this objection, Sri Krsna decided to instruct them with the following words: ‘My dear friends, if you become able to free Yourselves from the illusion of thinking that You are separated from Me, you will find that you will have My association at every moment.’ Intending to give this instruction to the gopis, Lord Krsna spoke the next two verses from Srimad Bhagavatam (10.47.32-33) in which He describes the process of meditation prescribed in the yoga-sastras. The first of these verses (10.47.32) follows: “The living entity in his sleeping or dreaming condition sees his dream body, senses, and sense-objects as real, and in his awake condition sees the same things as unreal. In the same way one who is awake to spiritual knowledge sees that the external material body, senses, and sense-objects are temporary. He should check the activities of the material senses, therefore, in order to actually understand the eternal Absolute Truth.”* 3 This verse explains that just as a person who is awakened (utthitah) from a dream sees all the activities of the dream as unreal. In the same way a transcendentalist who is awake (vinidrah) to spiritual knowledge should consider (dhyayeta) that the sense-objects (indriyarthan), such as sound, sight, smell, taste, and touch, when manifested in matter are similarly unreal because they are temporary. Such a wise person should restrict (niruddhyat) the activities of the material senses in order to attain a higher spiritual goal. 4 In the verse Sri Krsna hinted to the gopis that their conception of being separated from Him was an illusion, like the illusions one sees in a dream. He wanted to explain to them that if they were associating with Him in His aprakata feature, by constantly meditating on Him, they were certainly not separated from Him, but were continuously associating with Him.
Kṛṣṇa · Sanskrit §160 · English §160
Source[१६०] तं मनो-निरोधम् एव स्तौति - एतद्-अन्तः समाम्नायो योगः साङ्ख्यं मनीषिणाम् । त्यागस् तपो दमः सत्यं समुद्रान्ता इवापगाः ॥ [भ्प् १०.४७.३३] (पगे ८४) एष मनो-निरोधोऽन्तः समाप्तिः फलं यस्य सः । समाम्नायो वेदः । स तत्र पर्यवस्यतीत्य् अर्थः । मार्ग-भेदेऽप्य् एकत्र प्रयवसाने दृष्टान्तः । समुद्रान्ता आपगता नद्य इव इति । यस्मात् सर्वैर् एव वेदादिविद्भिः प्रशस्यते मनो-निरोधस् तस्माद् यूयम् अपि मद्-वियोगाभिमानि-मनो-वृत्तिं नियच्छथेति पद्य-द्वयेन ध्वनितम् ।
[160] taṃ mano-nirodham eva stauti - etad-antaḥ samāmnāyo yogaḥ sāṅkhyaṃ manīṣiṇām | tyāgas tapo damaḥ satyaṃ samudrāntā ivāpagāḥ || [BhP 10.47.33] (page 84) eṣa mano-nirodho'ntaḥ samāptiḥ phalaṃ yasya saḥ | samāmnāyo vedaḥ | sa tatra paryavasyatīty arthaḥ | mārga-bhede'py ekatra prayavasāne dṛṣṭāntaḥ | samudrāntā āpagatā nadya iva iti | yasmāt sarvair eva vedādividbhiḥ praśasyate mano-nirodhas tasmād yūyam api mad-viyogābhimāni-mano-vṛttiṃ niyacchatheti padya-dvayena dhvanitam |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 160
Anuccheda 160
1 In the next verse (10.47.33), Lord Krsna continued His explanation, hinting to the gopis that because they were always thinking of Him, they were therefore not actually separated from Him. Lord Krsna said: “My dear gopis, all kinds of spiritual paths are intended to bring the following closer to Me in Krsna consciousness. Different processes of spiritual realisation such as Vedic study, yoga, study of sankhya philosophy (as followed by great thinkers), renunciation, austerity, self-control, truthfulness, and other auspicious activities, are intended to bring the followers closer to Me. All these different ways of determining the goal of life are compared to rivers. I am like the ocean, and a rivers flow down towards the ocean, all attempts for knowledge flow towards Me.”* 2 In this verse Sri Krsna gives the example of the rivers and ocean. Just as many rivers flow to the ocean, in the same way, study of all the Vedic literatures and other spiritual practices all find their ultimate conclusion in Krsna consciousness. Sri Krsna also explains to the gopis that they who understand the meaning of the Vedas carefully control the activities of the mind. Therefore Lord Krsna advises the gopis to control their minds and become free from the misconception of thinking that they are separated from Him.
Kṛṣṇa · Sanskrit §161 · English §161
Source[१६१] ननु, अहो यदि तद्-विरहेण वयम् अतिदुःखिता इत्य् अतः कृपालु-चित्त एव त्वम् अस्मभ्यं निज-प्राप्ति-साधनम् उपदिशसि । तर्हि स्वयं किम् उ प्रकटम् एव नायासि, तस्मात् कैतवम् एवेदं तव कृपालुत्वम् इत्य् आशङ्क्याह - यत् त्व् अहं भवतीनां वै दूरे वर्ते प्रियो दृशाम् । मनसः सन्निकर्षार्थं मद्-अनुध्यान-काम्यया ॥ [भ्प् १०.४७.३४] साम्प्रतं भवतीनां दृशां प्रियोऽप्य् अहं यद् दूरे वर्ते, तद्-भवतीनां मद्-अनुध्यानेच्छया यो मनसः सन्निकर्षस् तद्-अर्थं मम भवन्- निकट-स्ह्तितौ मद्-अर्थं भवतीनां दृश्ये वावेशः स्याद्, भवद्-दूरे तु मनस्य् एवेति तत्र मम सन्निकर्षः स्याद् इत्य् एतद्-अर्थः ।
[161] nanu, aho yadi tad-viraheṇa vayam atiduḥkhitā ity ataḥ kṛpālu-citta eva tvam asmabhyaṃ nija-prāpti-sādhanam upadiśasi | tarhi svayaṃ kim u prakaṭam eva nāyāsi, tasmāt kaitavam evedaṃ tava kṛpālutvam ity āśaṅkyāha - yat tv ahaṃ bhavatīnāṃ vai dūre varte priyo dṛśām | manasaḥ sannikarṣārthaṃ mad-anudhyāna-kāmyayā || [BhP 10.47.34] sāmprataṃ bhavatīnāṃ dṛśāṃ priyo'py ahaṃ yad dūre varte, tad-bhavatīnāṃ mad-anudhyānecchayā yo manasaḥ sannikarṣas tad-arthaṃ mama bhavan- nikaṭa-shtitau mad-arthaṃ bhavatīnāṃ dṛśye vāveśaḥ syād, bhavad-dūre tu manasy eveti tatra mama sannikarṣaḥ syād ity etad-arthaḥ |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 161
Anuccheda 161
1 At this point Sri Krsna considered that the gopis response to His instructions might take the form of the following thoughts: “My dear Krsna, we are certainly distressed by Your long absence. You advertise Yourself as very merciful by giving this philosophical instruction to us. However, if you are actually merciful to us, then why do you not return to Vrndavana and appear before us and associate with us as before. We think that Your clever words and Your so-called mercy to us are simply meant for cleverly cheating us.” Considering that the gopis might be thinking in this way, Lord Krsna spoke the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam (10.47.34): 2 “My dear gopis, although you were accustomed to love Me from the very beginning of your lives, in order to increase your superexcellent love for Me, I have purposely separated Myself from you. I have done this so that you may be in constant meditation on Me.”* 3 In this verse Sri Krsna says to the gopis: “Although you are all full of love for Me and very eager to always see Me (bhavatinam drsam priyah), I have now separated Myself from your company (yad dure varte) in order that you may constantly meditate upon Me (manasah sannikarsartham). In this way you may always see Me within your minds, just as formerly you always saw Me with your eyes.”
Kṛṣṇa · Sanskrit §162 · English §162
Source[१६२] तद् एव निदर्शयति -- यथा दूर-चरे प्रेष्ठे मन आविश्य वर्तते । स्त्रीणां च न तथा चेतः सन्निकृष्टे ऽक्षि-गोचरे ॥ [भ्प् १०.४७.३५] च-कारात् स्त्रीषु प्रेष्ठस्य च ।
[162] tad eva nidarśayati -- yathā dūra-care preṣṭhe mana āviśya vartate | strīṇāṃ ca na tathā cetaḥ sannikṛṣṭe 'kṣi-gocare || [BhP 10.47.35] ca-kārāt strīṣu preṣṭhasya ca |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 162
Anuccheda 162
Lord Krsna continued His explanation in the next verse (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.47.35): “When a woman’s beloved is away, she thinks of Him meditatively, and he is present before her. In fact she is more conscious of him than when he was actually present. In the same way you have become more conscious of Me in this condition of separation than when I was directly present before you.”*
Kṛṣṇa · Sanskrit §163 · English §163
Source[१६३] मनः-सन्निकर्षे किं स्यात् श्रीघ्रम् एव लब्धो भव्ष्यामीति ज्ञायताम् इत्य् आह -- मय्य् आवेश्य मनः कृत्स्नं विमुक्ताशेष-वृत्ति यत् । अनुस्मरन्त्यो मां नित्यम् अचिरान् माम् उपैष्यथ ॥ [भ्प् १०.४७.३६] विमुक्ता अशेषा विरह-तत्-कारण-भावना-रूपा वृत्तयो येन तन्-मनो मयि कृष्ण-रूपे आवेश्य मां कृष्ण-रूपम् एवानुस्मरन्त्यो मां कृष्ण-रूपम् एवाचिराद् एव समीप एवैष्यथ, अनन्य-वेद्यतया प्राप्स्यथ ।
[163] manaḥ-sannikarṣe kiṃ syāt śrīghram eva labdho bhavṣyāmīti jñāyatām ity āha -- mayy āveśya manaḥ kṛtsnaṃ vimuktāśeṣa-vṛtti yat | anusmarantyo māṃ nityam acirān mām upaiṣyatha || [BhP 10.47.36] vimuktā aśeṣā viraha-tat-kāraṇa-bhāvanā-rūpā vṛttayo yena tan-mano mayi kṛṣṇa-rūpe āveśya māṃ kṛṣṇa-rūpam evānusmarantyo māṃ kṛṣṇa-rūpam evācirād eva samīpa evaiṣyatha, ananya-vedyatayā prāpsyatha |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 163
Anuccheda 163
In the next verse (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.47.36), Lord Krsna describes the result obtained by the gopis’ constant meditation on Him: “My dear gopis, because you constantly think of Me without thinking of anything else, or ever forgetting Me, You will quickly attain Me.”*
Kṛṣṇa · Sanskrit §164 · English §164
Source[१६४] तर्हि कथं प्रकटं नागच्छसि तत्राह - तस्य झटिति प्राप्तेर् वृन्दावन एव लीलान्तर-नित्यास्तितायाश् च प्रतीत्य्-अर्थं निदर्शनम् अप्य् आह -- या मया क्रीडता रात्र्यां वने ऽस्मिन् व्रज आस्थिताः । अलब्ध-रासाः कल्याण्यो मापुर् मद्-वीर्य-चिन्तया ॥ [भ्प् १०.४७.३७] तद् बहिर्-विघ्न-वञ्चनार्थम् इत्य् अर्थः । ता हि तद्-रात्रि-प्रकट-रास- मात्रम् अलब्धवत्योऽप्य् अस्मिन् वृन्दावन एव सर्व-विघ्नास्पृष्टाः प्रकट- विचित्र-क्रीडा-निधानं माम् आपुर् एवेति । तथा च वासना-भाष्य-धृतं मार्कण्डेय-वचनम् - तदानीम् एव तं प्राप्ताः श्रीमन्तं भक्त-वत्सलम् । ध्यानतः परमानन्दं कृष्णं गोपाल-नायिकाः ॥ इति । तत्रापि हे कल्याण्यः सर्व-विघ्न-रहिताः । अर्थान्तरे स-शरीरा एव च । [वृ. अद्द्स्: स-शरीरा इति तत्-तद्-देह-त्यागेन भवतीनां मत्-प्राप्तिर् न स्यात्, किन्त्व् अनेनैव देहेन मत्-प्राप्तिः स्याद् इति भावः । [एन्द्. वृ. अद्दितिओन्] तासां शरीर-परित्यागादिकं तु मायिकम् एवेति भावः । तस्मात् तासां व्रजे प्राकट्येनानुपलम्भात् तथा मयि भक्तिर् हि भूतानाम् [भ्प् १०.८२.४४] इत्य् आदि वक्ष्यमाणानुसारेण मार्कण्डेय-वचनानुसारेण च तदीयाभीप्सित- रूप-विलासस्यैव मम प्राप्तेः सिद्धत्वाच् च विद्यत एव प्रकटाया अस्या लीलाया पृथक् तस्मिन्न् अन्या लीला, तस्यां च ममेव युष्माकम् अपि स्थितिर् अध्यवसीयताम् । याम् एव लीलां मदीय-व्रजागमनासकृत्-प्रतिज्ञानुसारेण (पगे ८५) शीघ्रम् एव यदु-पुर्याः सकाशाद्-भवत्-प्रेम-यन्त्रिततया समागत्याहं (सर्व-समञ्जसतया भवतीनां तत्-तद्-विघ्न-निवारण- पूर्वकं) सर्वेभ्य एव व्रज-वासिभ्यः सन्ततं दर्शयिष्यामीति भावः । अस्मिन्न् इति निर्देशात् तदानीम् अपि स्वस्य वृन्दावन-स्थत्वं सूचयति । प्रकरणेऽस्मिन्न् इदम् उक्तं भवति । न ह्य् अत्र तासाम् अध्यात्म-विद्या श्रेयस्करी भवति । तस्मान् मद्-भक्ति-युक्तस्य योगिनो वै मद्-आत्मनः । न ज्ञानं न च वैराग्यं प्रायः श्रेयो भवेद् इह ॥ [भ्प् ११.२०.३१] इति श्री-भगवता । ज्ञाने प्रयासम् उदपास्य नमन्त एव जीवन्ति [भ्प् १०.१४.३] इति ब्रह्मणा च साधारण-भक्तानाम् अप्य् अनुपादेयत्वेनोक्तत्वात् । न च तच्-छ्रवणेन तासां विरह-ज्वाला शाम्यति । तं श्यामं मनोहरं विना साधारण-भक्तानाम् अपि स्वर्गापवर्ग-नरकेष्व् अपि तुल्यार्थ-दर्शिनः [भ्प् ६.१७.१८] इत्य् उक्त-दिशा, नात्यन्तिकं विगणयन्त्य् अपि ते प्रसादम् [भ्प् ३.१५.४८] इत्य्-आद्य्-उक्त-दिशा वा हेय-रूपत्वेनैवानुभवात् । तासां तु स्व-रसस्य परम-विरोध्य् एव तत् । पूर्वं च श्रूयतां प्रिय-सन्देशो भवतीनां सुखावहः [भ्प् १०.४७य्.२८] इत्य् एवोक्तम् । अत उक्तं तासाम् एवाभिप्राय-कथने श्री-स्वामिभिर् अपि - ननु किम् अन्यानिवास्मान् आत्म-विद्यया लोभयसि ? वयं तु सर्व-सुन्दर- सर्वालङ्करणेन त्वया विरहं नैव सहामहे [भावार्थ-दीपिका तो १०.४७.३४] इति । तस्माद् विदुरस्येव कूटोक्तिर् इयम् इत्य् उक्त एवार्थी भवत्य् अन्तरङ्गः । स च युधिष्ठिरस्येव तासाम् एव गम्य इति । ॥ १०.४७ ॥ श्री-भगवान् श्री-व्रज-देवीः ॥ १५५-१६४ ॥
[164] tarhi kathaṃ prakaṭaṃ nāgacchasi tatrāha - tasya jhaṭiti prāpter vṛndāvana eva līlāntara-nityāstitāyāś ca pratīty-arthaṃ nidarśanam apy āha -- yā mayā krīḍatā rātryāṃ vane 'smin vraja āsthitāḥ | alabdha-rāsāḥ kalyāṇyo māpur mad-vīrya-cintayā || [BhP 10.47.37] tad bahir-vighna-vañcanārtham ity arthaḥ | tā hi tad-rātri-prakaṭa-rāsa- mātram alabdhavatyo'py asmin vṛndāvana eva sarva-vighnāspṛṣṭāḥ prakaṭa- vicitra-krīḍā-nidhānaṃ mām āpur eveti | tathā ca vāsanā-bhāṣya-dhṛtaṃ mārkaṇḍeya-vacanam - tadānīm eva taṃ prāptāḥ śrīmantaṃ bhakta-vatsalam | dhyānataḥ paramānandaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ gopāla-nāyikāḥ || iti | tatrāpi he kalyāṇyaḥ sarva-vighna-rahitāḥ | arthāntare sa-śarīrā eva ca | [Vṛ. adds: sa-śarīrā iti tat-tad-deha-tyāgena bhavatīnāṃ mat-prāptir na syāt, kintv anenaiva dehena mat-prāptiḥ syād iti bhāvaḥ | [end. Vṛ. addition] tāsāṃ śarīra-parityāgādikaṃ tu māyikam eveti bhāvaḥ | tasmāt tāsāṃ vraje prākaṭyenānupalambhāt tathā mayi bhaktir hi bhūtānām [BhP 10.82.44] ity ādi vakṣyamāṇānusāreṇa mārkaṇḍeya-vacanānusāreṇa ca tadīyābhīpsita- rūpa-vilāsasyaiva mama prāpteḥ siddhatvāc ca vidyata eva prakaṭāyā asyā līlāyā pṛthak tasminn anyā līlā, tasyāṃ ca mameva yuṣmākam api sthitir adhyavasīyatām | yām eva līlāṃ madīya-vrajāgamanāsakṛt-pratijñānusāreṇa (page 85) śīghram eva yadu-puryāḥ sakāśād-bhavat-prema-yantritatayā samāgatyāhaṃ (sarva-samañjasatayā bhavatīnāṃ tat-tad-vighna-nivāraṇa- pūrvakaṃ) sarvebhya eva vraja-vāsibhyaḥ santataṃ darśayiṣyāmīti bhāvaḥ | asminn iti nirdeśāt tadānīm api svasya vṛndāvana-sthatvaṃ sūcayati | prakaraṇe'sminn idam uktaṃ bhavati | na hy atra tāsām adhyātma-vidyā śreyaskarī bhavati | tasmān mad-bhakti-yuktasya yogino vai mad-ātmanaḥ | na jñānaṃ na ca vairāgyaṃ prāyaḥ śreyo bhaved iha || [BhP 11.20.31] iti śrī-bhagavatā | jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva jīvanti [BhP 10.14.3] iti brahmaṇā ca sādhāraṇa-bhaktānām apy anupādeyatvenoktatvāt | na ca tac-chravaṇena tāsāṃ viraha-jvālā śāmyati | taṃ śyāmaṃ manoharaṃ vinā sādhāraṇa-bhaktānām api svargāpavarga-narakeṣv api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ [BhP 6.17.18] ity ukta-diśā, nātyantikaṃ vigaṇayanty api te prasādam [BhP 3.15.48] ity-ādy-ukta-diśā vā heya-rūpatvenaivānubhavāt | tāsāṃ tu sva-rasasya parama-virodhy eva tat | pūrvaṃ ca śrūyatāṃ priya-sandeśo bhavatīnāṃ sukhāvahaḥ [BhP 10.47y.28] ity evoktam | ata uktaṃ tāsām evābhiprāya-kathane śrī-svāmibhir api - nanu kim anyānivāsmān ātma-vidyayā lobhayasi ? vayaṃ tu sarva-sundara- sarvālaṅkaraṇena tvayā virahaṃ naiva sahāmahe [Bhāvārtha-dīpikā to 10.47.34] iti | tasmād vidurasyeva kūṭoktir iyam ity ukta evārthī bhavaty antaraṅgaḥ | sa ca yudhiṣṭhirasyeva tāsām eva gamya iti | || 10.47 || śrī-bhagavān śrī-vraja-devīḥ || 155-164 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 164
Anuccheda 164
1 The gopis might reply to this statement by saying: “If by thinking of You one quickly attains Your association, then why have You not already appeared before us?” To answer this question, Sri Krsna spoke the following verse (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.47.37): “My dear gopis, when I performed the rasa dance with you in the evening of the sarat season in this forest of Vrndavana, some fortunate gopis were forcibly prevented from going to see Me. These gopis immediately left their bodies and quickly attained My eternal association by constantly thinking of My transcendental glories. In this way they quickly attained Me by thinking of Me.”* 2 In this verse Sri Krsna says that when certain gopis were prevented from entering the arena of the rasa dance He personally appeared before them in His aprakata form, and those gopis gave up their bodies meditating on Krsna and directly seeing Him in His aprakata feature, and in this way they attained the direct association of Sri Krsna, who eternally enjoys wonderful pastimes with His devotees. The same incident is also described in the following verse from the Markandeya Purana, quoted in the Vasana-bhasya: “When some of the gopis were prevented from entering the arena of the rasa-dance, they gave up their bodies meditating on Lord Krsna, who is full of transcendental bliss, handsomeness, and opulence, and who is full of love for His devotees. By meditating on Him in that way, those gopis attained His eternal association.” 3 In this verse the word ‘kalyanyah’ may be interpreted to mean either ‘free from all impediments’ or ‘along with the body’. If the second interpretation is accepted, it is to be understood that these gopis left behind material bodies in order to convince their husbands that they had not gone to Krsna, although in their original spiritual forms they attained the association of Lord Krsna in His aprakata pastimes. These gopis entered the eternal spiritual world to associate with Lord Krsna and enjoy pastimes with Him in the specific way they desired. This is described in the previous statement quoted from Markandeya Purana and also in the following verse spoken by Lord Krsna in Srimad Bhagavatam (10.82.44): “Lord Krsna told the gopis: ‘The means of attaining My favour is loving service unto Me, and fortunate you are all thus engaged. Those living beings who render service unto Me are eligible to be transferred to the spiritual world and attain eternal life with knowledge and bliss.”* 4 In these verses it is as if Krsna had said to the gopis: “I am completely submissive to the pure love of My devotees, and therefore every day I leave the city of the Yadus and come to Vrajabhumi, revealing My prakata form to the residents there. This is just according to My repeated promise to return to Vrndavana.” We may also note that the use of the word ‘asmin’ (in this Vrndavana) (in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.47.37, quoted in text 1) indicates Sri Krsna remaining in Vrndavana, even after it was understood by the people in general that He was living in the city of the Yadus. 5 The gopis were able to attract Sri Krsna to continuously stay among them in His aprakata form because they were situated in the platform of pure devotional service, a position more exalted than the attainment of transcendental knowledge or the performance of severe austerities. That devotional service to Sri Krsna is superior to the cultivation of knowledge or austerity is confirmed by Lord Krsna Himself in the following verse (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.20.31): “A pure devotee who is completely dedicated to My service is already situated in the topmost perfection of life. His position will not be improved by adopting the inferior activities of cultivation of transcendental knowledge or performance of severe austerities.”* 6 The cultivation of impersonalism will not extinguish the burning fire of the gopis’ separation from Krsna. Even for ordinary devotees, the cultivation of impersonal spiritual knowledge is never recommended. This is described in the following verse spoken by Lord Brahma to Lord Krsna in Srimad Bhagavatam (10.14.3): “My dear Lord, those devotees who have thrown away the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth and have therefore abandoned discussing empiric philosophical truths should hear from self-realised devotees about Your holy name, form, pastimes and qualities. They should completely follow the principles of devotional service and remain free from illicit sex, gambling, intoxication, and animal slaughter. Surrendering themselves fully with body, words and mind, they can live in any asrama or social status. Indeed, You are conquered by such persons, although You are always unconquerable.”* 7 Even ordinary devotees reject the knowledge and liberation offered by the impersonalists. Ordinary devotees reject these things because they prevent one from seeing and understanding the handsome dark form of Sri Krsna. That the devotees reject the liberation offered by the impersonalists is described in the following verse of Srimad Bhagavatam (6.10.28): “Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.”* 8 That the devotees reject the impersonalists illusory liberation is also confirmed in the words of the Four Kumaras to the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.15.48): “Persons who are very expert and most intelligent in understanding things as they are engage in hearing narrations of the auspicious activities and pastimes of the Lord, which are worth chanting and worth hearing. Such persons do not care even for the highest material benediction, namely liberation, to say nothing of other less important benedictions like the material happiness of the heavenly kingdom.”* 9 The impersonalist theory is the greatest possible impediment to the gopis’ ecstatic love of Krsna, which is described by Uddhava in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.47.28): “My dear gopis, please hear this message from Lord Krsna, the Supreme Lord whom You love very dearly. Hearing this message from Krsna will greatly delight you.”* 10 In his commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam 10.47.34, Sridhara Svami gives the following glimpse into the gopis’ thoughts when they heard Sri Krsna’s message, the gopis thought: “O Krsna, why are you trying to cheat us by speaking these theories of the impersonalists to us as if we were outsiders. You may speak in this way to others, but not to us. O Lord, we think that You are the ultimate in all handsomeness, and we are completely unable to tolerate being separated from You.” When travelling to the house of lac, where Duryodhana had planned to kill the Pandavas, Vidura spoke a riddle to the five Pandavas hinting the nature of Duryodhana’s plan, and Yudhisthira was able to understand the information concealed in Vidura’s words. In the same way Sri Krsna informed the gopis of His eternal presence among them in His aprakata form and the gopis were able to understand the meaning of this riddle He spoke to them.
Kṛṣṇa · Sanskrit §165 · English §165–166
Source[१६५] पूर्व-व्याख्यानुसारेणैवाह - एवं प्रियतमादिष्टम् आकर्ण्य व्रज-योषितः । ता ऊचुर् उद्धवं प्रीतास् तत्-सन्देशागत-स्मृतीः ॥ [भ्प् १०.४७.३८] तत्-सन्देशेनागता स्मृतिर् नित्य-संयोगानुसन्धान-रूपा यासां तादृश्यः । अतएव प्रीताः । इतः परं कदाचित् प्रकट-लीलानुभवे सति तासां सन्तोषः प्रकट-लीला-दर्शनतस् तु विरह एवेति भाव-द्वैतं लक्ष्यते ।
[165] pūrva-vyākhyānusāreṇaivāha - evaṃ priyatamādiṣṭam ākarṇya vraja-yoṣitaḥ | tā ūcur uddhavaṃ prītās tat-sandeśāgata-smṛtīḥ || [BhP 10.47.38] tat-sandeśenāgatā smṛtir nitya-saṃyogānusandhāna-rūpā yāsāṃ tādṛśyaḥ | ataeva prītāḥ | itaḥ paraṃ kadācit prakaṭa-līlānubhave sati tāsāṃ santoṣaḥ prakaṭa-līlā-darśanatas tu viraha eveti bhāva-dvaitaṃ lakṣyate |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 165–166
Anuccheda 165
1 The gopis were able to understand the description of Sri Krsna’s aprakata presence among them and they became pleased and satisfied to understand that they were not actually separated from Him. Their satisfaction is described by Sukadeva Gosvami (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.47.38): “After hearing the message written by their dearmost Krsna, the gopis became pleased and satisfied. Remembering that message, they spoke the following words to Uddhava.”* 2 Remembering Lord Krsna’s instructions, the gopis were able to directly see Lord Krsna’s aprakata form and pastimes and they became relieved of their strong feelings of separation. They became very much pleased and satisfied (pritah).
Anuccheda 166
Srila Sukadeva Gosvami describes the gopis’ satisfaction (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.47.53): “Uddhava’s message and instructions saved the gopis from the burning flames of separation from Krsna, and the gopis acknowledged the benediction from Uddhava. Uddhava practically acted as the preceptor spiritual master of the gopis, and they in return worshipped Him as they would worship Krsna.”*
Kṛṣṇa · Sanskrit §166 · English §167
Source[१६६] तच् च सन्तोषम् आह - ततस् ताः कृष्ण-सन्देशैर् व्यपेत-विरह-ज्वराः । उद्धवं पूजयां चक्रुर् ज्ञात्वात्मानम् अधोक्षजम् ॥ [भ्प् १०.४७.५३] तथा तेन सन्दिष्टं तथैवात्मानम् अनुभूयाधोक्षजं चानुभूयेत्य् अर्थः । ॥ १०.४७ ॥ श्री-शुकः ॥ १६५-१६६ ॥
[166] tac ca santoṣam āha - tatas tāḥ kṛṣṇa-sandeśair vyapeta-viraha-jvarāḥ | uddhavaṃ pūjayāṃ cakrur jñātvātmānam adhokṣajam || [BhP 10.47.53] tathā tena sandiṣṭaṃ tathaivātmānam anubhūyādhokṣajaṃ cānubhūyety arthaḥ | || 10.47 || śrī-śukaḥ || 165-166 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 167
Anuccheda 167
The gopis described their intense feelings of separation from Krsna in the following words spoken to Uddhava (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.47.44): “Separation from Krsna makes us agitated, as if there were fire in our bodies. Krsna proposed to come back to Vrndavana to extinguish the fire, just as a cloud appears in the sky to extinguish the forest fire by its downpour.”*
Kṛṣṇa · Sanskrit §167 · English §168
Source[१६७] स्व-विरहं व्यञ्जयन्ति -- अप्य् एष्यतीह दाशार्हस् तप्ताः स्व-कृतया शुचा । सञ्जीवयन् नु नो गात्रैर् यथेन्द्रो वनम् अम्बुदैः ॥ [भ्प् १०.४७.४४] स्व-निमित्तेन शोकेन तप्ताः नोऽस्मान् गात्रैः कर-स्पर्शादिभिः सञ्जीवयन् किं नु इहैष्यतीति ॥ ॥ १०.४७ ॥ श्री-व्रज-देव्य उद्धवम् ॥ १६७ ॥
[167] sva-virahaṃ vyañjayanti -- apy eṣyatīha dāśārhas taptāḥ sva-kṛtayā śucā | sañjīvayan nu no gātrair yathendro vanam ambudaiḥ || [BhP 10.47.44] sva-nimittena śokena taptāḥ no'smān gātraiḥ kara-sparśādibhiḥ sañjīvayan kiṃ nu ihaiṣyatīti || || 10.47 || śrī-vraja-devya uddhavam || 167 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 168
Anuccheda 168
1 The same instructions sent to the gopis in the letter carried by Uddhava were also personally spoken to the gopis at a later time at the holy place of Kuruksetra. At that time Lord Krsna personally said to the gopis (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.82.44): “Devotional service rendered to Me by the living beings revives their eternal life. O My dear damsels of Vraja, your affection for Me is your good fortune, for it is the only means by which you have obtained My favour.”* 2 In this verse Lord Krsna says that they who become His pure devotees (as the gopis were) are eligible to become liberated. Others, who take up a process of spiritual realisation other than bhakti-yoga will remain unable to become liberated. Considering that the gopis might say; ‘My dear Krsna, at present You are always remaining at Dvaraka and enjoying pastimes there. We, however, must always remain in Vrndavana. Under these circumstances, how is it possible for us to attain Your association?’ Krsna consoled them by saying that He eternally remains in their association in His aprakata form. This was explained by Him in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.82.45-46): 3 “My dear gopis, just as the material elements are present within all material objects (which have the material elements as their origin), in the same way, because I am the origin (and also the cause of dissolution) of everything, I am present everywhere, within and without everything. You saw Me in My prakata form in the forest of Vrndavana. Now please see me in My aprakata form, eternally manifested before you in meditation.”* 4 In these verses Krsna says: “Just as (yatha) the material elements are present within all material objects (which have the material elements as their origin), in the same way, because I am the origin of everything, I am also present within everything.” Lord Krsna explains that He is present in both His manifest prakata (atma) and all-pervading aprakata (atmana) forms. He said: “In My prakata form (pare) you saw Me in the forest of Vrndavana. Now please see Me in My aprakata form (aksare) eternally manifested before you. I am the Supreme Lord and the ultimate shelter of all living entities, and there is no real difference between My prakata and aprakata forms.”
Kṛṣṇa · Sanskrit §168 · English §169
Source[१६८] एवं तथा श्रीमद्-उद्धव-द्वारोपदिष्टं तथा कुरुक्षेत्रे साक्षाद् अपि स्वयम् उपदिष्टम् । (पगे ८६) [वृ. अद्द्स्:] कुरुक्षेत्र-यात्रायाम् अपि -- अपि स्मरथ नः सख्यः स्वानाम् अर्थ-चिकीर्षया । गतांश् चिरायिताञ् छत्रु- पक्ष-क्षपण-चेतसः ॥ [भ्प् १०.८२.४१] इत्य् अनेन स्वागमन-विलम्बे कारणं विज्ञाप्य पुनश् च । [वृ. एन्द्स्.] मयि भक्तिर् हि भूतानाम् अमृतत्वाय कल्पते । दिष्ट्या यद् आसीन् मत्-स्नेहो भवतीनां मद्-आपनः ॥ [भ्प् १०.८२.४४] इत्य् अत्र तादृशीनां साक्षाद् एव तत्-प्राप्तिः फलं नान्येषाम् इवामृतत्व- मात्रम् इत्य् एतत् तासाम् आश्वासन-रूप-भगवद्-वचनानन्तरम् । ननु त्वं द्वारकायाम् एव सदा क्रीडसि वयं तु वृन्दावन-वासिन्यः कथं प्राप्स्याम इत्य् आशङ्क्य युष्माभिर् नित्य-संयुक्त एवाहम् अस्मीति तथाविधम् आत्मानम् उपदिशति द्वाभ्यां - [वृ. रेअद्स् इन्स्तेअद् ओफ़् थे अबोवे परग्रफ्: इत्य् अनेन तासां स्व-प्राप्तिम् अवश्यम्भाविनीं प्रोच्य तत्रापि तासां काल-विलम्बाक्षमत्वं विलोक्य झटिति सान्त्वनार्थम् उद्धव-द्वारा प्रहित-चर-सन्देशवद् एव स्वेन नित्य- संयोगम् उपदिशति - एन्द् वृ. रेअदिन्ग्.] अहं हि सर्व-भूतानाम् आदिर् अन्तो ऽन्तरं बहिः । भौतिकानां यथा खं वार् भूर् वायुर् ज्योतिर् अङ्गनाः ॥ एवं ह्य् एतानि भूतानि भूतेष्व् आत्मात्मना ततः । उभयं मय्य् अथ परे पश्यताभातम् अक्षरे ॥ [भ्प् १०.८२.४५-४६] यथाहम् अहङ्कारो भूतादिः सर्वेषां भूतानां खादीनाम् आद्यन्तादि- रूपः । अहङ्कारान्तर्गतान्य् एव खादीनीत्य् अर्थः । यथा च खादीनि भूतानि भौतिकानां शराव-सैन्धवादीनाम् आद्य्-अन्तादि-रूपाणि, खादीनाम् अन्तर्गतान्य् एव तानीत्य् अर्थः । एवम् एतानि प्रकट-लीलायाम् अनुभूयमानानि युष्माकं ममतास्पदानि भूतानि परमार्थ-सत्य- वस्तूनि श्री-वृन्दावनादीनि भूतेष्व् अप्रकट-लीला-गतेषु परमार्थ-सत्य- वस्तुषु तेषु वर्तन्ते । युष्माकं प्रकट-लीलाभिमान्य्-अहन्तास्पदम् आत्मा चाप्रकट-लीलाभिमान्य् अहन्तास्पदेनात्मना ततो व्याप्तः । एवम् इदन्ताहन्तास्पदं यद् उभयं तच् च पुनः परे प्रकटम् अत्र दृश्यमानेऽपि तस्यां वृन्दाटव्यां विहरमाणेऽक्षरे नित्यम् एव युष्मत्- सङ्गिनि मय्य् आश्रय-रूपे आभातं विराजमानं पश्यतेति । तस्मात् प्रकाश- भेदाद् एव तत्-तद्-वस्त्व्-आदि-भेद-व्यपदेशो विरह-संयोग-व्यवस्था चेतीदम् अत्रापि व्यक्तम् ।
[168] evaṃ tathā śrīmad-uddhava-dvāropadiṣṭaṃ tathā kurukṣetre sākṣād api svayam upadiṣṭam | (page 86) [Vṛ. adds:] kurukṣetra-yātrāyām api -- api smaratha naḥ sakhyaḥ svānām artha-cikīrṣayā | gatāṃś cirāyitāñ chatru- pakṣa-kṣapaṇa-cetasaḥ || [BhP 10.82.41] ity anena svāgamana-vilambe kāraṇaṃ vijñāpya punaś ca | [Vṛ. ends.] mayi bhaktir hi bhūtānām amṛtatvāya kalpate | diṣṭyā yad āsīn mat-sneho bhavatīnāṃ mad-āpanaḥ || [BhP 10.82.44] ity atra tādṛśīnāṃ sākṣād eva tat-prāptiḥ phalaṃ nānyeṣām ivāmṛtatva- mātram ity etat tāsām āśvāsana-rūpa-bhagavad-vacanānantaram | nanu tvaṃ dvārakāyām eva sadā krīḍasi vayaṃ tu vṛndāvana-vāsinyaḥ kathaṃ prāpsyāma ity āśaṅkya yuṣmābhir nitya-saṃyukta evāham asmīti tathāvidham ātmānam upadiśati dvābhyāṃ - [Vṛ. reads instead of the above paragraph: ity anena tāsāṃ sva-prāptim avaśyambhāvinīṃ procya tatrāpi tāsāṃ kāla-vilambākṣamatvaṃ vilokya jhaṭiti sāntvanārtham uddhava-dvārā prahita-cara-sandeśavad eva svena nitya- saṃyogam upadiśati - End Vṛ. reading.] ahaṃ hi sarva-bhūtānām ādir anto 'ntaraṃ bahiḥ | bhautikānāṃ yathā khaṃ vār bhūr vāyur jyotir aṅganāḥ || evaṃ hy etāni bhūtāni bhūteṣv ātmātmanā tataḥ | ubhayaṃ mayy atha pare paśyatābhātam akṣare || [BhP 10.82.45-46] yathāham ahaṅkāro bhūtādiḥ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ khādīnām ādyantādi- rūpaḥ | ahaṅkārāntargatāny eva khādīnīty arthaḥ | yathā ca khādīni bhūtāni bhautikānāṃ śarāva-saindhavādīnām ādy-antādi-rūpāṇi, khādīnām antargatāny eva tānīty arthaḥ | evam etāni prakaṭa-līlāyām anubhūyamānāni yuṣmākaṃ mamatāspadāni bhūtāni paramārtha-satya- vastūni śrī-vṛndāvanādīni bhūteṣv aprakaṭa-līlā-gateṣu paramārtha-satya- vastuṣu teṣu vartante | yuṣmākaṃ prakaṭa-līlābhimāny-ahantāspadam ātmā cāprakaṭa-līlābhimāny ahantāspadenātmanā tato vyāptaḥ | evam idantāhantāspadaṃ yad ubhayaṃ tac ca punaḥ pare prakaṭam atra dṛśyamāne'pi tasyāṃ vṛndāṭavyāṃ viharamāṇe'kṣare nityam eva yuṣmat- saṅgini mayy āśraya-rūpe ābhātaṃ virājamānaṃ paśyateti | tasmāt prakāśa- bhedād eva tat-tad-vastv-ādi-bheda-vyapadeśo viraha-saṃyoga-vyavasthā cetīdam atrāpi vyaktam |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 169
Anuccheda 169
1 After describing Lord Krsna’s instructions to the gopis, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami described the gopis’ response (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.82.47): “By hearing and remembering Lord Krsna’s instruction about His presence among them in His aprakata form, the gopis became free from all illusion. They constantly meditated on Krsna and thus always associated with Him in His aprakata form.” 2 By remembering (tad-anusmarana) Lord Krsna’s instructions about His aprakata presence (adhyatma-siksaya) among them, the gopis gave up their illusion of being attached to Sri Krsna’s prakata form, and not being aware of His eternal presence in their midst in His aprakata form. Understanding Lord Krsna’s instructions, the gopis constantly meditated on His form and pastimes, and in this way continuously associated with Him. Sri Krsna’s eternal presence among the gopis in His aprakata form is described in the following verses of Srimad Bhagavatam: “Devotional service rendered to Me by the living beings revives their eternal life. O My dear damsels of Vraja, your affection for Me is your good fortune, for it is the only means by which you have obtained My favour.”* 10.82.44 “A pure devotee who is completely dedicated to My service is already situated in the topmost perfection of life. His position will not be improved by adopting the inferior activities of the cultivation of transcendental knowledge or performance of severe austerities.” 11.20.31 If one analyses these verses and tries to discover another hidden meaning here, he will not find any suitable alternate meaning. What we have just explained in the only appropriate interpretation.