Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 10 · Chapter 30
श्रीशुक उवाच अन्तर्हिते भगवति सहसैव व्रजाङ्गना: । अतप्यंस्तमचक्षाणा: करिण्य इव यूथपम् ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca antarhite bhagavati sahasaiva vrajāṅganāḥ atapyaṁs tam acakṣāṇāḥ kariṇya iva yūthapam
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When Lord Kṛṣṇa disappeared so suddenly, the gopīs felt great sorrow at losing sight of Him, like a group of female elephants who have lost their mate.
गत्यानुरागस्मितविभ्रमेक्षितै- र्मनोरमालापविहारविभ्रमै: । आक्षिप्तचित्ता: प्रमदा रमापते- स्तास्ता विचेष्टा जगृहुस्तदात्मिका: ॥ २ ॥
gatyānurāga-smita-vibhramekṣitair mano-ramālāpa-vihāra-vibhramaiḥ ākṣipta-cittāḥ pramadā ramā-pates tās tā viceṣṭā jagṛhus tad-ātmikāḥ
As the cowherd women remembered Lord Kṛṣṇa, their hearts were overwhelmed by His movements and loving smiles, His playful glances and enchanting talks, and by the many other pastimes He would enjoy with them. Thus absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of Ramā, the gopīs began acting out His various transcendental pastimes.
गतिस्मितप्रेक्षणभाषणादिषु प्रिया: प्रियस्य प्रतिरूढमूर्तय: । असावहं त्वित्यबलास्तदात्मिका न्यवेदिषु: कृष्णविहारविभ्रमा: ॥ ३ ॥
gati-smita-prekṣaṇa-bhāṣaṇādiṣu priyāḥ priyasya pratirūḍha-mūrtayaḥ asāv ahaṁ tv ity abalās tad-ātmikā nyavediṣuḥ kṛṣṇa-vihāra-vibhramāḥ
Because the beloved gopīs were absorbed in thoughts of their beloved Kṛṣṇa, their bodies imitated His way of moving and smiling, His way of beholding them, His speech and His other distinctive features. Deeply immersed in thinking of Him and maddened by remembering His pastimes, they declared to one another, “I am Kṛṣṇa!”
गायन्त्य उच्चैरमुमेव संहता विचिक्युरुन्मत्तकवद् वनाद् वनम् । पप्रच्छुराकाशवदन्तरं बहि- र्भूतेषु सन्तं पुरुषं वनस्पतीन् ॥ ४ ॥
gāyantya uccair amum eva saṁhatā vicikyur unmattaka-vad vanād vanam papracchur ākāśa-vad antaraṁ bahir bhūteṣu santaṁ puruṣaṁ vanaspatīn
Singing loudly of Kṛṣṇa, they searched for Him throughout the Vṛndāvana forest like a band of madwomen. They even asked the trees about Him, who as the Supersoul is present inside and outside of all created things, just like the sky.
दृष्टो व: कच्चिदश्वत्थ प्लक्ष न्यग्रोध नो मन: । नन्दसूनुर्गतो हृत्वा प्रेमहासावलोकनै: ॥ ५ ॥
dṛṣṭo vaḥ kaccid aśvattha plakṣa nyagrodha no manaḥ nanda-sūnur gato hṛtvā prema-hāsāvalokanaiḥ
[The gopīs said:] O aśvattha tree, O plakṣa, O nyagrodha, have you seen Kṛṣṇa? That son of Nanda Mahārāja has gone away after stealing our minds with His loving smiles and glances.
कच्चित् कुरबकाशोकनागपुन्नागचम्पका: । रामानुजो मानिनीनामितो दर्पहरस्मित: ॥ ६ ॥
kaccit kurabakāśoka- nāga-punnāga-campakāḥ rāmānujo māninīnām ito darpa-hara-smitaḥ
O kurabaka tree, O aśoka, O nāga, punnāga and campaka, has Balarāma’s younger brother, whose smile removes the audacity of all proud women, passed this way?
कच्चित्तुलसि कल्याणि गोविन्दचरणप्रिये । सह त्वालिकुलैर्बिभ्रद् दृष्टस्तेऽतिप्रियोऽच्युत: ॥ ७ ॥
kaccit tulasi kalyāṇi govinda-caraṇa-priye saha tvāli-kulair bibhrad dṛṣṭas te ’ti-priyo ’cyutaḥ
O most kind tulasī, to whom the feet of Govinda are so dear, have you seen that infallible one walk by, wearing you and encircled by swarms of bees?
मालत्यदर्शि व: कच्चिन्मल्लिके जाति यूथिके । प्रीतिं वो जनयन् यात: करस्पर्शेन माधव: ॥ ८ ॥
mālaty adarśi vaḥ kaccin mallike jāti-yūthike prītiṁ vo janayan yātaḥ kara-sparśena mādhavaḥ
O mālati, O mallikā, O jāti and yūthikā, has Mādhava gone by here, giving you pleasure with the touch of His hand?
चूतप्रियालपनसासनकोविदार- जम्ब्वर्कबिल्वबकुलाम्रकदम्बनीपा: । येऽन्ये परार्थभवका यमुनोपकूला: शंसन्तु कृष्णपदवीं रहितात्मनां न: ॥ ९ ॥
cūta-priyāla-panasāsana-kovidāra jambv-arka-bilva-bakulāmra-kadamba-nīpāḥ ye ’nye parārtha-bhavakā yamunopakūlāḥ śaṁsantu kṛṣṇa-padavīṁ rahitātmanāṁ naḥ
O cūta, O priyāla, O panasa, āsana and kovidāra, O jambu, O arka, O bilva, bakula and āmra, O kadamba and nīpa and all you other plants and trees living by the banks of the Yamunā who have dedicated your very existence to the welfare of others, we gopīs have lost our minds, so please tell us where Kṛṣṇa has gone.
किं ते कृतं क्षिति तपो बत केशवाङ्घ्रि- स्पर्शोत्सवोत्पुलकिताङ्गरुहैर्विभासि । अप्यङ्घ्रिसम्भव उरुक्रमविक्रमाद् वा आहो वराहवपुष: परिरम्भणेन ॥ १० ॥
kiṁ te kṛtaṁ kṣiti tapo bata keśavāṅghri- sparśotsavotpulakitāṅga-nahair vibhāsi apy aṅghri-sambhava urukrama-vikramād vā āho varāha-vapuṣaḥ parirambhaṇena
O mother earth, what austerity did you perform to attain the touch of Lord Keśava’s lotus feet, which has brought you such great joy that your bodily hairs are standing on end? You appear very beautiful in this condition. Was it during the Lord’s current appearance that you acquired this ecstatic symptom, or was it perhaps much earlier, when He stepped upon you in His form of the dwarf Vāmanadeva, or even earlier, when He embraced you in His form of the boar Varāhadeva?
अप्येणपत्न्युपगत: प्रिययेह गात्रै- स्तन्वन् दृशां सखि सुनिर्वृतिमच्युतो व: । कान्ताङ्गसङ्गकुचकुङ्कुमरञ्जिताया: कुन्दस्रज: कुलपतेरिह वाति गन्ध: ॥ ११ ॥
apy eṇa-patny upagataḥ priyayeha gātrais tanvan dṛśāṁ sakhi su-nirvṛtim acyuto vaḥ kāntāṅga-saṅga-kuca-kuṅkuma-rañjitāyāḥ kunda-srajaḥ kula-pater iha vāti gandhaḥ
O friend, wife of the deer, has Lord Acyuta been here with His beloved, bringing great joy to your eyes? Indeed, blowing this way is the fragrance of His garland of kunda flowers, which was smeared with the kuṅkuma from the breasts of His girlfriend when He embraced Her.
बाहुं प्रियांस उपधाय गृहीतपद्मो रामानुजस्तुलसिकालिकुलैर्मदान्धै: । अन्वीयमान इह वस्तरव: प्रणामं किं वाभिनन्दति चरन् प्रणयावलोकै: ॥ १२ ॥
bāhuṁ priyāṁsa upadhāya gṛhīta-padmo rāmānujas tulasikāli-kulair madāndhaiḥ anvīyamāna iha vas taravaḥ praṇāmaṁ kiṁ vābhinandati caran praṇayāvalokaiḥ
O trees, we see that you are bowing down. When the younger brother of Rāma walked by here, followed by intoxicated bees swarming around the tulasī mañjarīs decorating His garland, did He acknowledge your obeisances with His affectionate glances? He must have been resting His arm on the shoulder of His beloved and carrying a lotus flower in His free hand.
पृच्छतेमा लता बाहूनप्याश्लिष्टा वनस्पते: । नूनं तत्करजस्पृष्टा बिभ्रत्युत्पुलकान्यहो ॥ १३ ॥
pṛcchatemā latā bāhūn apy āśliṣṭā vanaspateḥ nūnaṁ tat-karaja-spṛṣṭā bibhraty utpulakāny aho
Let us ask these creepers about Kṛṣṇa. Even though they are embracing the arms of their husband, this tree, they certainly must have been touched by Kṛṣṇa’s fingernails, since out of joy they are manifesting eruptions on their skin.
इत्युन्मत्तवचोगोप्य: कृष्णान्वेषणकातरा: । लीला भगवतस्तास्ता ह्यनुचक्रुस्तदात्मिका: ॥ १४ ॥
ity unmatta-vaco gopyaḥ kṛṣṇānveṣaṇa-kātarāḥ līlā bhagavatas tās tā hy anucakrus tad-ātmikāḥ
Having spoken these words, the gopīs, distraught from searching for Kṛṣṇa, began to act out His various pastimes, fully absorbed in thoughts of Him.
कस्याचित् पूतनायन्त्या: कृष्णायन्त्यपिबत् स्तनम् । तोकयित्वा रुदत्यन्या पदाहन् शकटायतीम् ॥ १५ ॥
kasyācit pūtanāyantyāḥ kṛṣṇāyanty apibat stanam tokayitvā rudaty anyā padāhan śakaṭāyatīm
One gopī imitated Pūtanā, while another acted like infant Kṛṣṇa and pretended to suck her breast. Another gopī, crying in imitation of infant Kṛṣṇa, kicked a gopī who was taking the role of the cart demon, Śakaṭāsura.
दैत्यायित्वा जहारान्यामेको कृष्णार्भभावनाम् । रिङ्गयामास काप्यङ्घ्री कर्षन्ती घोषनि:स्वनै: ॥ १६ ॥
daityāyitvā jahārānyām eko kṛṣṇārbha-bhāvanām riṅgayām āsa kāpy aṅghrī karṣantī ghoṣa-niḥsvanaiḥ
One gopī took the role of Tṛṇāvarta and carried away another, who was acting like infant Kṛṣṇa, while yet another gopī crawled about, her ankle bells tinkling as she pulled her feet.
कृष्णरामायिते द्वे तु गोपायन्त्यश्च काश्चन । वत्सायतीं हन्ति चान्या तत्रैका तु बकायतीम् ॥ १७ ॥
kṛṣṇa-rāmāyite dve tu gopāyantyaś ca kāścana vatsāyatīṁ hanti cānyā tatraikā tu bakāyatīm
Two gopīs acted like Rāma and Kṛṣṇa in the midst of several others, who took the role of cowherd boys. One gopī enacted Kṛṣṇa’s killing of the demon Vatsāsura, represented by another gopī, and a pair of gopīs acted out the killing of Bakāsura.
आहूय दूरगा यद्वत् कृष्णस्तमनुवर्ततीम् । वेणुं क्वणन्तीं क्रीडन्तीमन्या: शंसन्ति साध्विति ॥ १८ ॥
āhūya dūra-gā yadvat kṛṣṇas tam anuvartatīm veṇuṁ kvaṇantīṁ krīḍantīm anyāḥ śaṁsanti sādhv iti
When one gopī perfectly imitated how Kṛṣṇa would call the cows who had wandered far away, how He would play His flute and how He would engage in various sports, the others congratulated her with exclamations of “Well done! Well done!”
कस्याञ्चित् स्वभुजं न्यस्य चलन्त्याहापरा ननु । कृष्णोऽहं पश्यत गतिं ललितामिति तन्मना: ॥ १९ ॥
kasyāñcit sva-bhujaṁ nyasya calanty āhāparā nanu kṛṣṇo ’haṁ paśyata gatiṁ lalitām iti tan-manāḥ
Another gopī, her mind fixed on Kṛṣṇa, walked about with her arm resting on the shoulder of a friend and declared, “I am Kṛṣṇa! Just see how gracefully I move!”
मा भैष्ट वातवर्षाभ्यां तत्त्राणं विहितं मया । इत्युक्त्वैकेन हस्तेन यतन्त्युन्निदधेऽम्बरम् ॥ २० ॥
mā bhaiṣṭa vāta-varṣābhyāṁ tat-trāṇaṁ vihitaṁ maya ity uktvaikena hastena yatanty unnidadhe ’mbaram
“Don’t be afraid of the wind and rain,” said one gopī. “I will save you.” And with that she lifted her shawl above her head.
आरुह्यैका पदाक्रम्य शिरस्याहापरां नृप । दुष्टाहे गच्छ जातोऽहं खलानां ननु दण्डकृत् ॥ २१ ॥
āruhyaikā padākramya śirasy āhāparāṁ nṛpa duṣṭāhe gaccha jāto ’haṁ khalānām nanu daṇḍa-kṛt
[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] O King, one gopī climbed on another’s shoulders and, putting her foot on the other’s head, said, “Go away from here, O wicked snake! You should know that I have taken birth in this world just to punish the envious.”
तत्रैकोवाच हे गोपा दावाग्निं पश्यतोल्बणम् । चक्षूंष्याश्वपिदध्वं वो विधास्ये क्षेममञ्जसा ॥ २२ ॥
tatraikovāca he gopā dāvāgniṁ paśyatolbaṇam cakṣūṁṣy āśv apidadhvaṁ vo vidhāsye kṣemam añjasā
Then another gopī spoke up: My dear cowherd boys, look at this raging forest fire! Quickly close your eyes and I will easily protect you.
बद्धान्यया स्रजा काचित्तन्वी तत्र उलूखले । बध्नामि भाण्डभेत्तारं हैयङ्गवमुषं त्विति । भीता सुदृक् पिधायास्यं भेजे भीतिविडम्बनम् ॥ २३ ॥
baddhānyayā srajā kācit tanvī tatra ulūkhale badhnāmi bhāṇḍa-bhettāraṁ haiyaṅgava-muṣaṁ tv iti bhītā su-dṛk pidhāyāsyaṁ bheje bhīti-viḍambanam
One gopī tied up her slender companion with a flower garland and said, “Now I will bind this boy who has broken the butter pots and stolen the butter.” The second gopī then covered her face and beautiful eyes, pretending to be afraid.
एवं कृष्णं पृच्छमाना गण्दावनलतास्तरून् । व्यचक्षत वनोद्देशे पदानि परमात्मन: ॥ २४ ॥
evaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ pṛcchamānā vrṇdāvana-latās tarūn vyacakṣata vanoddeśe padāni paramātmanaḥ
While the gopīs were thus imitating Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes and asking Vṛndāvana’s creepers and trees where Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul, might be, they happened to see His footprints in a corner of the forest.
पदानि व्यक्तमेतानि नन्दसूनोर्महात्मन: । लक्ष्यन्ते हि ध्वजाम्भोजवज्राङ्कुशयवादिभि: ॥ २५ ॥
padāni vyaktam etāni nanda-sūnor mahātmanaḥ lakṣyante hi dhvajāmbhoja- vajrāṅkuśa-yavādibhiḥ
[The gopīs said:] The marks of a flag, lotus, thunderbolt, elephant goad, barleycorn and so forth on these footprints clearly distinguish them as belonging to that great soul, the son of Nanda Mahārāja.
तैस्तै: पदैस्तत्पदवीमन्विच्छन्त्योऽग्रतोऽबला: । वध्वा: पदै: सुपृक्तानि विलोक्यार्ता: समब्रुवन् ॥ २६ ॥
tais taiḥ padais tat-padavīm anvicchantyo ’grato ’balāḥ vadhvāḥ padaiḥ su-pṛktāni vilokyārtāḥ samabruvan
The gopīs began following Kṛṣṇa’s path, as shown by His many footprints, but when they saw that these prints were thoroughly intermixed with those of His dearmost consort, they became perturbed and spoke as follows.
कस्या: पदानि चैतानि याताया नन्दसूनुना । अंसन्यस्तप्रकोष्ठाया: करेणो: करिणा यथा ॥ २७ ॥
kasyāḥ padāni caitāni yātāyā nanda-sūnunā aṁsa-nyasta-prakoṣṭhāyāḥ kareṇoḥ kariṇā yathā
[The gopīs said:] Here we see the footprints of some gopī who must have been walking along with the son of Nanda Mahārāja. He must have put His arm on Her shoulder, just as an elephant rests His trunk on the shoulder of an accompanying she-elephant.
अनयाराधितो नूनं भगवान् हरिरीश्वर: । यन्नो विहाय गोविन्द: प्रीतो यामनयद् रह: ॥ २८ ॥
anayārādhito nūnaṁ bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ yan no vihāya govindaḥ prīto yām anayad rahaḥ
Certainly this particular gopī has perfectly worshiped the all-powerful Personality of Godhead, Govinda, since He was so pleased with Her that He abandoned the rest of us and brought Her to a secluded place.
धन्या अहो अमी आल्यो गोविन्दाङ्घ्य्रब्जरेणव: । यान् ब्रह्मेशौ रमा देवी दधुर्मूध्र्न्यघनुत्तये ॥ २९ ॥
dhanyā aho amī ālyo govindāṅghry-abja-reṇavaḥ yān brahmeśau ramā devī dadhur mūrdhny agha-nuttaye
O girls! The dust of Govinda’s lotus feet is so sacred that even Brahmā, Śiva and the goddess Ramā take that dust upon their heads to dispel sinful reactions.
तस्या अमूनि न: क्षोभं कुर्वन्त्युच्चै: पदानि यत् यैकापहृत्य गोपीनां रहो भुङ्क्तेऽच्युताधरम् । न लक्ष्यन्ते पदान्यत्र तस्या नूनं तृणाङ्कुरै: खिद्यत्सुजाताङ्घ्रितलामुन्निन्ये प्रेयसीं प्रिय: ॥ ३० ॥
tasyā amūni naḥ kṣobhaṁ kurvanty uccaiḥ padāni yat yaikāpahṛtya gopīnām raho bhunkte ’cyutādharam na lakṣyante padāny atra tasyā nūnaṁ tṛṇāṅkuraiḥ khidyat-sujātāṅghri-talām unninye preyasīṁ priyaḥ
These footprints of that special gopī greatly disturb us. Of all the gopīs, She alone was taken away to a secluded place, where She is enjoying the lips of Kṛṣṇa. Look, we can’t see Her footprints over here! It’s obvious that the grass and sprouts were hurting the tender soles of Her feet, and so the lover lifted up His beloved.
इमान्यधिकमग्नानि पदानि वहतो वधूम् । गोप्य: पश्यत कृष्णस्य भाराक्रान्तस्य कामिन: । अत्रावरोपिता कान्ता पुष्पहेतोर्महात्मना ॥ ३१ ॥
imāny adhika-magnāni padāni vahato vadhūm gopyaḥ paśyata kṛṣṇasya bhārākrāntasya kāminaḥ atrāvaropitā kāntā puṣpa-hetor mahātmanā
Please observe, my dear gopīs, how in this place lusty Kṛṣṇa’s footprints are pressed more deeply into the ground. Carrying the weight of His beloved must have been difficult for Him. And over here that intelligent boy must have put Her down to gather some flowers.
अत्र प्रसूनावचय: प्रियार्थे प्रेयसा कृत: । प्रपदाक्रमण एते पश्यतासकले पदे ॥ ३२ ॥
atra prasūnāvacayaḥ priyārthe preyasā kṛtaḥ prapadākramaṇa ete paśyatāsakale pade
Just see how in this place dear Kṛṣṇa collected flowers for His beloved. Here He has left the impression of only the front part of His feet because He was standing on His toes to reach the flowers.
केशप्रसाधनं त्वत्र कामिन्या: कामिना कृतम् । तानि चूडयता कान्तामुपविष्टमिह ध्रुवम् ॥ ३३ ॥
keśa-prasādhanaṁ tv atra kāminyāḥ kāminā kṛtam tāni cūḍayatā kāntām upaviṣṭam iha dhruvam
Certainly Kṛṣṇa sat down here with His girlfriend to arrange Her hair. The lusty boy must have made a crown for that lusty girl out of the flowers He had collected.
रेमे तया चात्मरत आत्मारामोऽप्यखण्डित: । कामिनां दर्शयन् दैन्यं स्त्रीणां चैव दुरात्मताम् ॥ ३४ ॥
reme tayā cātma-rata ātmārāmo ’py akhaṇḍitaḥ kāmināṁ darśayan dainyaṁ strīṇāṁ caiva durātmatām
[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoyed with that gopī, although He enjoys only within, being self-satisfied and complete in Himself. Thus by contrast He showed the wretchedness of ordinary lusty men and hardhearted women.
इत्येवं दर्शयन्त्यस्ताश्चेरुर्गोप्यो विचेतस: । यां गोपीमनयत्कृष्णो विहायान्या: स्त्रियो वने ॥ ३५ ॥ सा च मेने तदात्मानं वरिष्ठं सर्वयोषिताम् । हित्वा गोपी: कामयाना मामसौ भजते प्रिय: ॥ ३६ ॥
ity evaṁ darśayantyas tāś cerur gopyo vicetasaḥ yāṁ gopīm anayat kṛṣṇo vihāyānyāḥ striyo vane sā ca mene tadātmānaṁ variṣṭhaṁ sarva-yoṣitām hitvā gopīḥ kāma-yānā mām asau bhajate priyaḥ
As the gopīs wandered about, their minds completely bewildered, they pointed out various signs of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. The particular gopī whom Kṛṣṇa had led into a secluded forest when He had abandoned all the other young girls began to think Herself the best of women. “My beloved has rejected all the other gopīs,” She thought, “even though they are driven by Cupid himself. He has chosen to reciprocate with Me alone.”
ततो गत्वा वनोद्देशं दृप्ता केशवमब्रवीत् । न पारयेऽहं चलितुं नय मां यत्र ते मन: ॥ ३७ ॥
tato gatvā vanoddeśaṁ dṛptā keśavam abravīt na pāraye ’haṁ calituṁ naya māṁ yatra te manaḥ
As the two lovers passed through one part of the Vṛndāvana forest, the special gopī began feeling proud of Herself. She told Lord Keśava, “I cannot walk any further. Please carry Me wherever You want to go.”
एवमुक्त: प्रियामाह स्कन्ध आरुह्यतामिति । ततश्चान्तर्दधे कृष्ण: सा वधूरन्वतप्यत ॥ ३८ ॥
evam uktaḥ priyām āha skandha āruhyatām iti tataś cāntardadhe kṛṣṇaḥ sā vadhūr anvatapyata
Thus addressed, Lord Kṛṣṇa replied, “Just climb on My shoulder.” But as soon as He said this, He disappeared. His beloved consort then immediately felt great remorse.
हा नाथ रमण प्रेष्ठ क्वासि क्वासि महाभुज । दास्यास्ते कृपणाया मे सखे दर्शय सन्निधिम् ॥ ३९ ॥
hā nātha ramaṇa preṣṭha kvāsi kvāsi mahā-bhuja dāsyās te kṛpaṇāyā me sakhe darśaya sannidhim
She cried out: O master! My lover! O dearmost, where are You? Where are You? Please, O mighty-armed one, O friend, show Yourself to Me, Your poor servant!
श्रीशुक उवाच अन्विच्छन्त्यो भगवतो मार्गं गोप्योऽविदूरित: । ददृशु: प्रियविश्लेषान्मोहितां दु:खितां सखीम् ॥ ४० ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca anvicchantyo bhagavato mārgaṁ gopyo ’vidūritaḥ dadṛśuḥ priya-viśleṣān mohitāṁ duḥkhitāṁ sakhīm
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: While continuing to search out Kṛṣṇa’s path, the gopīs discovered their unhappy friend close by. She was bewildered by separation from Her lover.
तया कथितमाकर्ण्य मानप्राप्तिं च माधवात् । अवमानं च दौरात्म्याद् विस्मयं परमं ययु: ॥ ४१ ॥
tayā kathitam ākarṇya māna-prāptiṁ ca mādhavāt avamānaṁ ca daurātmyād vismayaṁ paramaṁ yayuḥ
She told them how Mādhava had given Her much respect, but how She then suffered dishonor because of Her misbehavior. The gopīs were extremely amazed to hear this.
ततोऽविशन्वनं चन्द्रज्योत्स्ना यावद् विभाव्यते । तम: प्रविष्टमालक्ष्य ततो निववृतु: स्त्रिय: ॥ ४२ ॥
tato ’viśan vanaṁ candra jyotsnā yāvad vibhāvyate tamaḥ praviṣṭam ālakṣya tato nivavṛtuḥ striyaḥ
In search of Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs then entered the depths of the forest as far as the light of the moon shone. But when they found themselves engulfed in darkness, they decided to turn back.
तन्मनस्कास्तदालापास्तद्विचेष्टास्तदात्मिका: । तद्गुणानेव गायन्त्यो नात्मगाराणि सस्मरु: ॥ ४३ ॥
tan-manaskās tad-alāpās tad-viceṣṭās tad-ātmikāḥ tad-guṇān eva gāyantyo nātmagārāṇi sasmaruḥ
Their minds absorbed in thoughts of Him, they conversed about Him, acted out His pastimes and felt themselves filled with His presence. They completely forgot about their homes as they loudly sang the glories of Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental qualities.
पुन: पुलिनमागत्य कालिन्द्या: कृष्णभावना: । समवेता जगु: कृष्णं तदागमनकाङ्क्षिता: ॥ ४४ ॥
punaḥ pulinam āgatya kālindyāḥ kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāḥ samavetā jaguḥ kṛṣṇaṁ tad-āgamana-kāṅkṣitāḥ
The gopīs again came to the bank of the Kālindī. Meditating on Kṛṣṇa and eagerly hoping He would come, they sat down together to sing of Him.
