SB 10.23.21 · Srimad Bhagavatam

Devanagari

निषिध्यमाना: पतिभिर्भ्रातृभिर्बन्धुभि: सुतै: । भगवत्युत्तमश्लोके दीर्घश्रुतधृताशया: ॥ २० ॥ यमुनोपवनेऽशोकनवपल्लवमण्डिते । विचरन्तं वृतं गोपै: साग्रजं दद‍ृशु: स्त्रिय: ॥ २१ ॥

Verse text

niṣidhyamānāḥ patibhir bhrātṛbhir bandhubhiḥ sutaiḥ bhagavaty uttama-śloke dīrgha-śruta-dhṛtāśayāḥ yamunopavane ’śoka nava-pallava-maṇḍite vicarantaṁ vṛtaṁ gopaiḥ sāgrajaṁ dadṛśuḥ striyaḥ

Synonyms

niṣidhyamānāḥ — being forbidden ; patibhiḥ — by their husbands ; bhrātṛbhiḥ — by their brothers ; bandhubhiḥ — by other relatives ; sutaiḥ — and by their sons ; bhagavati — directed toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; uttama — śloke — who is praised with transcendental hymns ; dīrgha — for a long time ; śruta — because of hearing ; dhṛta — acquired ; āśayāḥ — whose expectations ; yamunā — upavane — in a garden along the river Yamunā ; aśoka — nava — pallava — by the buds of the aśoka trees ; maṇḍite — decorated ; vicarantam — wandering ; vṛtam — surrounded ; gopaiḥ — by the cowherd boys ; sa — agrajam — together with His elder brother ; dadṛśuḥ — they saw ; striyaḥ — the ladies .

Translation

Although their husbands, brothers, sons and other relatives tried to forbid them from going, their hope of seeing Kṛṣṇa, cultivated by extensive hearing of His transcendental qualities, won out. Along the river Yamunā, within a garden decorated with buds of aśoka trees, they caught sight of Him strolling along in the company of the cowherd boys and His elder brother, Balarāma.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Although their husbands, brothers, sons and other relatives tried to forbid them from going, their hope of seeing Kṛṣṇa, cultivated by extensive hearing of His transcendental qualities, won out. Along the river Yamunā, within a garden decorated with buds of aśoka trees, they caught sight of Him strolling along in the company of the cowherd boys and His elder brother, Balarāma. KB 10.23.20-21 For a long time the wives had been eager to see Kṛṣṇa. However, when they were preparing to leave home to go see Him, their husbands, fathers, sons and relatives asked them not to go. But the wives did not comply. When a devotee is called by the attraction of Kṛṣṇa, he does not care for bodily ties. The women entered the forest of Vṛndāvana on the bank of the Yamunā, which was verdant with vegetation and newly grown vines and flowers. Within that forest they saw Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma engaged in tending the cows along with Their very affectionate boyfriends.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

They were forbidden by their husbands nearby or others nearby as the case may be. They were forbidden from going. The others said, “Send the food through others but do not go.” Kṛṣṇa is called Uttama-śloka (famous) since he accepted their food. They saw Kṛṣṇa. The word aśoka suggests that on attaining him all sorrow (śoka) vanished. He was playing (vicarantam) surrounded by friends. This indicates special beauty. Or they saw him even though he was surrounded by friends since he was most conspicuous among them. He was with his elder brother. This indicates that his beauty was superior to all others’ beauty including that of Balarāma since the word “with” indicates a secondary person. The wives are addressed simply as “women” to show the misfortune of their husbands.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

The husbands tried to prevent them, fearing that the wives would reject them, first by trying to control them and then by using disrespectful words. The brothers tried to prevent them because of greater affection. Then the sons tried to prevent them out of greater affection. Mothers are not mentioned as they would assist fathers (instead of bandhubhiḥ). However there is no forbiddance of having such a bhāva for the Lord. They had developed strong hopes or strong desires with a special bhāva because of hearing for a long time about Kṛṣṇa. Dīrgha-śruta means O Parīkṣit, you have heard scriptures for a long time. Their behavior is suitable for a person who has heard scriptures. Or Parīkṣit, though you have heard scriptures for a long time, have you ever heard of such bhakti as theirs? Dhṛtāśayāḥ means they had fixed in their heart or had strong desires at all times with special bhāvas. They were forbidden by their husbands nearby or others nearby as the case may be. They were forbidden from going. The others said, “Send the food through others but do not go.” Kṛṣṇa is called Uttama-śloka (famous) since he accepted their food. They saw Kṛṣṇa. The word aśoka suggests that on attaining him all sorrow (śoka) vanished. He was playing (vicarantam) surrounded by friends. This indicates special beauty. Or they saw him even though he was surrounded by friends since he was most conspicuous among them. He was with his elder brother. This indicates that his beauty was superior to all others’ beauty including that of Balarāma’s since the word “with” indicates a secondary person. The wives are addressed simply as “women” to show the misfortune of their husbands.